The
Cauldron
MONDAY November
26
2007
T H E S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R O F C L E V E L A N D S TA T E U N I V E R S I T Y S I N C E 1 9 2 9
The Holidays:
Shopping Madness and Mayhem
The Melting Pot Monkeys and Man: To Clone or Not To Clone?
News Euclid Corridor Project Ends Early
Culture Spice Girls Forever: A Tribute to One of the ‘90s Greatest Pop Groups
Sports Volleyball Team Nets Berth in NCAA Championships
T H E S T U D E N T N E W S PA P E R C S U C A U L D R O N . C O M O F C L E V E L A N D S TAT E U N I -
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Editorial Staff: Francis X. Bova III, Editor-In-Chief Andrea Mitchell, Managing Editor Jayson Gerbec, Advertising Manager Madison Rabbitt, Advertising Rep. Ebony Cash, News Editor Ilona Westfall, Culture Editor Nick Camino, Sports Editor Steve Thomas, Layout Designer Michael Quintero, Cartoonist Jeff “Z” Stoskus, Distribution Manager Anne Werner, Business Manager Staff Writers: David Imburgia, Mark Jablonski, Faith Larraine, Laura Dynda, Jamie DuBois, Mark Katzbach, Christopher Enoch, Reid May, Scott Arko, Andrea Cervenak, Gary Typerstone, Robert Ivory, Sabrina Peacock Foreign Correspondent: Amanda Richards Contributing Writers: Dave Orzechowski, Alex Friedman, Audrey McCrone, Roman Verzub, Charlotte Morgan, Shanette D. Buford, Dan Hollowell, James Kneblik, Andrew Jonke, Whitney A. Foster Cleveland State University 2121 Euclid Avenue UC 10 Cleveland, Ohio 44115 (216) 687-2270 / (216) 687-5155 www.csucauldron.com www.myspace.com/csucauldron The Melting Pot The Cauldron reserves the right to edit letters for space and clarity. All entries must include your name, year-in-school, and daytime phone number for verification purposes. All entries must be submitted by Friday at 5 p.m. To submit editorials, articles, etc. cauldroneditors@hotmail.com
Letters to the Editor 800 words or less: Letters must be in response to a written article or campus issue. Student Columns 600-800 words: Columns can be submitted by students regarding campus issues, positive or negative, and will be sent directly to President Schwartz in order to bring more student awareness.
T he Melting Pot Monkeys and Man: To Clone or Not To Clone? I’m Only Happy When it Rains Okay But Who Would Win in a Fight
News Euclid Corridor Project Ends Early CSU Holds Events Celebrating Native American Cultural Awareness Month Artistic Expression and Autism Discussions Held at CSU Library Jablonski’s Political Notebook
Feature The Holidays: Shopping Madness and Mayhem
Culture Spice Girls Forever: A Tribute to One of the ‘90s Greatest Pop Groups CSU Chic Are They Worth a Listen? (Online at csucauldron.com)
Sports Volleyball Team Nets Berth in NCAA Championships Viking Grapplers Top John Carroll 34-3
Check out The Cauldron Dec. 3 for a Machinal preview and review. The play by the Dramatic Arts Program starts at Cleveland State University on Friday!
Cauldron
News Politics Culture Psychic Music Scene Game Reviews Are They Worth A Listen? The Melting Pot CSU Athletics Sports News Comics by Michael Quintero
Advertising Policy For advertising inquiries e-mail cauldronadvertisements@hotmail.com or call (216) 687.2270.
November 26, 2007
Contents
Campus Life Releases 100 words or less: Organization name and phone number must be included. Releases are for student organizations only and should include the event date, time, and location.
This Week
VOL. 105, NO.XIV
The
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For the Students...By the Students
online@csucauldron.com
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Monkeys and Man: To Clone or Not To Clone?
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From the Editor’s Desk
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few weeks ago scientists announced they have devised a system to handle primate eggs that protects them during cloning. Through this system monkey eggs have been successfully cloned. Primate cloning is the closest form that could lead to the cloning of humans. Now many are questioning just when we will see human embryos cloned. Dr. Shoukhrat Mitalipov is the innovator of the new primate cloning system. The embryonic cloning of primates, however, does not go past the creation of the embryo. Scientists call it “therapeutic cloning,” which means creation and then destruction of the embryo. If scientists can now clone monkey eggs, this means that the cloning of human eggs is not far away. For decades now the ethical question of cloning humans has been debated. Even more so the destruction of human embryos has been debated. Stem-cell research, or research on human embryonic stem cells is one of the “hot” issues in today’s news. A scientist creating embryos and then killing them, which is what would be happening in human “therapeutic cloning,” is not a far
stretch from what occurs with stemcell research. However, many anti-abortion groups label stem-cell research as “unethical”. Many believe that stem cells and human clones should not be used because it is “playing God.” Despite the ethical debate that occurs with stem cells and cloning the fact of the matter is that through this science many health-related issues could be solved. For example if a human heart, kidney or liver could be cloned, it could save thousands on the list for donors. The future research on cloned embryos could shed light on genetic diseases and perhaps develop prevention and cures for diseases such as Alzheimer’s and autism. Still do we want to see our cells being cloned? Do we want to walk outside the door and see a genetic replication of ourselves walking around someday? Can we even trust scientists to use cloning for the good of mankind instead of the detriment? To bring some “pop culture” into this issue look at Star Wars episodes II and III. In these episodes we see entire armies of human clones that take orders and obey without being able to critically examine right and
wrong. If humans can be cloned and mass-produced then will countries have entire armies of Hulk Hogans w a l k i n g a r o u n d obeying their every wish in the form of wars? Or could the overpopulation of the planet increase even more so with the availability of cloning? Overall on this issue here are the facts: human cloning hasn’t occurred yet and while being a likely possibility, hasn’t been proven as viable. So in conclusion does monkey embryos mean that our society is turning into an episode out of Star Wars? Not yet, however, the prospect of curing devastating ailments through cloning makes the idea less frightening and more fruitful.
I’m Only Happy When it Rains Story by Andrew Jonke | The Cauldron Contributing Writer
Air James
The Cavs look horrible! They probably won’t even make the playoffs this year, but I haven’t really bothered to consider that five of their six losses were to teams that made the playoffs last year. Clearly, I haven’t paid any attention to the fact that half of the games were part of a six-game west coast trip, the kind that even Eastern Conference powerhouses like the Pistons are satisfied to finish .500 on. All I see are wins and losses, so I’ll
continue to complain instead of realizing that two of the six losses were by two points or less. One of those was against Orlando, owner of the fifth-best record in the league and the only team to beat Boston, the other to Utah — a finalist in the Western Conference a year ago. Fatigue couldn’t possibly be an issue with this team! They only played into July last year, went to China in the preseason, and traveled 2,000 miles for six of their first eight games!
How could LeBron James be tired? What did he do all summer besides compete in the FIBA World Championships, have his second son, and host a prestigious award show? Nope, no way they make the playoffs, not with a guy like Damon Jones getting minutes. Just because he’s buried 19 attempts from 3-point range in 12 games doesn’t mean he stretches the floor and opens up the middle for James and Drew Gooden. Maybe when we get Anderson
Th e M elting Po t
Brady Quinn in training camp
Varejao back, things will turn around. Andy is sweet! That floppy head of hair sure is cool! Now what will I do with that wig? I’ll just go on mistaking his lack of coordination for hustle. We’ll never get anywhere with Larry Hughes injured yet again. How could we possibly replace his 29 percent from the field? With more minutes for Daniel Gibson, who is currently fourth among second-year players in scoring and shooting a measly 52 percent from the field? He’s sixth in the league in 3-point percentage, that’ll never work! I guess I’ll just go mope around the morgue and put “Only Happy When
It Rains” on repeat on my iPod. I can ignore positives and look for problems with the Browns, too! Even though they’re 7-4 with an winnable remaining schedule, I’m ready to chant for Brady Quinn the second Derek Anderson has one bad game. After all, Brady Quinn is a firstround draft pick, which means he has to be better than Anderson, a sixthround pick. How could a late-round pick ever turn into a decent NFL quarterback? I’ll conveniently ignore that Tom Brady, who is on pace to shatter almost every quarterback record there is,
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was a sixth-round draft pick. Matt Hasselbeck and two-time Pro-Bowler Marc Bulger were taken in the sixth round, too. Kurt Warner is a two-time league MVP and a Super Bowl MVP. He is the most accurate passer in league history. He was undrafted. So was Tony Romo. No way, a sixth-round pick could be as good as a first rounder. But I don’t know that! I just know how photogenic that Brady Quinn is! I could never be content to watch a Browns team on its way to the playoffs without drumming up a little controversy. Brady! Brady! Brady!
Okay But Who Would Win in a Fight Story by Amanda Richards | The Cauldron Foreign Correspondent
Last week here in Friedrichshafen, Germany saw the arrival of two of my American girlfriends, here on a weeklong European holiday extravaganza. I saw their visit as a much-needed excuse to flee not only my research papers, but the country as well. Two days after they touched down in The Germ, I made them pack up again and head for The Dub. Dublin, Ireland, that is.
I had never been to Ireland before, but I’ve always wanted to spend time there, specifically in Dublin. This desire has much to do with a l e s s e r- k n o w n movie called The Commitments, a 1991 film about the struggles of a hard-working band trying to bring soul music to the people of Dublin. It’s one of my favorites, and ever since I saw the movie for the first time, I’ve had a semi-secret obsession with the big-hearted-yet-rougharound-the-edges folk that I was sure lived in Dublin. After spending a little bit of time there, I discovered that the assumptions about Dubliners that I’ve let fester in my brain are accurate. Although the city itself is going through an economic boom, with big, multinational
corporations flooding in to set up shop, and isn’t the shabby, rundown industrial town that it used to be, the people, or at least the ones I’ve met, seem to foster the same blue-collar values: Work hard, play hard, love hard, live hard. The Irish are very down-to-earth, extremely passionate, and yes, do enjoy a good pint of Guinness. During a moment on my second night there, sitting at a pub called Devitts’ enjoying my very own pint, I couldn’t stop thinking about how drastically different the Irish people are from the Germans. To be fair, I’ve gotten to know the habits of the Germans a lot better, as I’ve resided in Germany for three months now. And of course, I can’t claim to understand the Irish people entirely after being there for just a few days. But the differences are so obvious that I couldn’t help but speculate. The Irish are boisterous and loud and always good for a laugh. In one fell swoop, an Irishman can tell a raunchy joke, finish a beer, and lose himself on the dance floor. Pubs and streets are chaotic. Busses don’t come on time. People yell at each other when an inside voice would suffice.
On the complete opposite side of the spectrum, the Germans are very guarded and much, much quieter. Even a night out the bar is a methodical orchestration of alcohol consumption. On the street, Germans keep to themselves and rely on the train to arrive promptly. It seems strange that these two countries can co-exist within a two hour plane ride from the other and be so drastically different. Stranger still is the fact that I felt just as comfortable in Dublin as I do in Friedrichshafen. When one Irish man asked me if I thought Ireland was better or worse than Germany, I couldn’t give him a clear answer. I love a good dirty joke and a spin on the dance floor, but I also love it when my bus shows up on time and people on the street don’t bother me. I love a chaotic, larger than life environment, but I also take comfort in reliable monotony. As I told him, when it comes down to it, I think I have the heart of a Dubliner but the brain of a German, if that’s at all possible. Then he asked me which country’s beer I thought was better. Deciding to maintain loyalty to both, I found the American part of me and pleaded the fifth.
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Euclid Corridor Project Ends Early
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Story by Ebony Cash | The Cauldron News Editor
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his may be a sigh of relief for some of you, and for others it may just be the beginning. The Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) has opened a section of the Euclid Corridor Transportation Project a year ahead of the Dec. 2008 scheduled completion. This means no more irritating orange barrels and confusing traffic signs in some stretches. But before you jump for joy, Euclid Avenue is only opening from East 17th Street to East 55th Street. The section from East 55th Street to East 82th Street should open in Jan. 2008. The new look features con-
crete pavement, transit only lanes, special crosswalks, and boarding from stations in the center median strip. While some (cough cough) have nicknamed the Euclid Corridor Project, “Construction Destruction” or “The Reconstruction of Destruction,” the upgraded Euclid Avenue will actually result in a development friendly street and will promote economic growth that will ultimately improve mobility as well. The new look will take some getting used to for many pedestrians; however, RTA urges everyone to obey all traffic signals to ensure safety. “Initially, it may be a bit different to some people, but once folks
get the hang of it, traveling the Corridor will be second nature,” RTA CEO and General Manager Joe Calabrese says. The $200 million plus project
remains on budget and RTA officials are remaining optimistic as they are now targeting Oct. 25, 2008 as the grand opening for the entire project.
CSU Holds Events Celebrating Native American Cultural Awareness Month Story by Christopher Enoch | The Cauldron Staff Writer
The Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs has a variety of events planned in conjunction with November’s Native American Cultural Awareness Month. This celebration of Native American heritage will present both Cleveland State students and faculty with opportunities to explore the influence of Native American culture on the United States. Obviously, diversity and multiculturalism weren’t always the top priorities of American government and there wasn’t always such a thing as Native American Cultural Awareness Month. The unique history behind this movement paved the way to have November officially authorized as a month honoring Native American influence on the U.S. With efforts that culminated in 1900, Native Americans and other non-Native groups sought
to acknowledge the powerful impact Native Americans have had on American history, cultural achievement, and development. Important dates and weeks throughout the year weren’t finally recognized until 1976, when Congress authorized a week in October as Native American Awareness Week. Congress proceeded to ratify yearly legislation specifying various times of celebration until finally in 1990, where at last the month of November was chosen due to the significant role it played and still plays in the lives of many Native American tribes. As November is traditionally a time when many Native Americans hold feasts, fall harvest ceremonies, powwows, dances, and other festivities, November holds a special place in many Native American cultures. As Ohioans and Cuyahoga County residents in particular
should know, Native American influence on the region has always had a distinct historical proximity. This legacy of Native American civilization is represented in the week’s educational and recreational functions. So, starting on Tuesday, Nov. 27 the film Way of the Warrior, a PBS documentary on Native American veterans and their participation in U.S. wars will air at the UC1, from noon to 1 p.m. According to PBS.com, “Way of the Warrior uses personal stories of heroes and soldiers to examine the warrior ethic in Indian Country and understand why military service is so highly valued in native communities. These gripping stories from WWI, WWII, Korea and Vietnam weave a tapestry of positive and negative themes: the warrior ethic, prejudice and stereotypes, forced assimilation,
poverty, cultural pride, redemptive acts and healing.” The documentary will also use historical footage, photographs, diaries of Native Americans, and native music. The documentary will then air again from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. that same day. Refreshments will also be provided. Wednesday, Nov. 28 will host the bulk of the week’s affairs. A panel discussion with local Native American Veterans will take place in UC 364, from 11 a.m. until noon. These various local Native American veterans will speak and answer questions, leading up to the event’s keynote speaker, Keith M. Little, who will speak from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. As a World War II veterContinued on page 7
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Artistic Expression and Autism Discussions Held at CSU Library Story by David Edwards | The Cauldron Contributing Writer On Nov. 6 at the Cleveland State empathy and the fascination with little library, Monica Gordon Pershey, an details rather than the whole idea. associate professor for the department The number of children with of Health Sciences, gave a power point autism to those who are not autistic is presentation entitled Aritstic Expressions 1 out of 150. By and About Persons with Autism. Towardstheendof thepresentation The presentation was part of the the audience was introduced to Jessica Common Reading Experience series Park through a video clip. that started this fall. Jessica Park is a 40-year-old mail The book that influenced the clerk at Williams College who has presentation, The Curious Incident of the autism. Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon, The video clip of Park shows her features a character with autism. using art and how her enthusiastic Pershey’s presentation began with a attention for detail due to her autism discussion of the many misconceptions creates hypnotic artwork. about people with autism such as According to Pershey people with their mentally capacities, how it’s a autism overly concentrate on details psychological disorder, and the mislead and miscellaneous facts. For instance, belief it is caused by poor parenting. when Park was giving a speech to New Pershey also explained how autism York City art critics she confessed that is not something that can be cured, but she was more interested in the security it is something that can be treated. system at the Museum than on the Professor Pershey continued her Museum’s art gallery. presentation by explaining what some The decision to include The Curious of the symptoms of autism lack of Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time in
the common reading experience was namely because of the ubiquity of the concern for Autism in the Media. Glenda Thorton, the library director said that every time she turned on the radio or listen to the news she would hear reports about autism. In fact not too long ago former MTV celebrity Jenny McCarthy wrote a book about her relationship with her autistic son, Louder than Words; A Mother’s Journey in Healing Autism. The talk about autism is just one of many topics that will be discussed throughout the Common Reading series. According to Thorton this new program is something other universities have been doing before Cleveland State started it. “The purpose of the common reading series is to get the community intellectually engaged outside of the classroom,” Thorton said. “All the supplementary books are being checked out like hotcakes,”
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Thorton stated. A committee of librarians, administrators, and faculty select the books. BarbaraFlorjancic,thecoordinator for the event, said that one of the main purposes of the Common Readings Experience is to bring together people from different disciplines. In the case of the presentation on autism the subject matter included psychology, special education, communication mathematics and other disciplines. Although the program is part of the curriculum for students taking Introduction to University Life it is open to everyone in the university community. For more on autism visit Rhodes Tower room 502 on Nov. 27 from noon to 1 p.m. for a lecture titled: Autism Diagnosis, Causes and Treatments or visit www.ulib.csuohio.edu/cr/ index.html.
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Story by Mark Jablonski | The Cauldron Political Correspondent Dem Primary: Still a Fluid Race Despite her lead in the national polls (which are worthless), Sen. Hillary Clinton is in a dead heat with rivals Obama and Edwards where it matters most: Iowa. The latest ABC/Washington Post poll shows Obama ahead with 30 percent, Clinton right behind him with 26 percent and Edwards at 22 percent. Since the ‘70s, Iowa has been the first state in the nation to select presidential nominees, and this year its caucus’ (like a primary, but a bit more complex) will be held on Jan. 3. The candidate who wins Iowa can potentially use that victory to gain momentum in the other states and eventually snowball their way to their party’s nomination. This has been the case since 1980 with two exceptions: 1988, when Rep. Dick Gephardt won Iowa but lost the Democratic nomination to Mi-
chael Dukakis, and again in 1992 when Sen. Tom Harkin was the victor in the Hawkeye State and Bill Clinton ended up becoming the nominee. Councilman Zack Reed In Court……… Again Cleveland City Councilman Zack Reed is headed to rehab after being picked up last week for his second DUI in as many years. Reed was found passed out in his BMW on Cleveland’s east side at 3:00 a.m. on Thanksgiving eve. After refusing a field sobriety test as well as a breathalyzer at the station, Reed spent a few hours in the slammer. Former Council President George Forbes, now Reed’s lawyer, told reporters that the club-hopping councilman will be seeking help “forthwith.” Endorser’s Remorse: Fred’s Backers Backing Out? Unsatisfied with their slate of
candidates earlier this year, Republican voters looked to former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson to revive the party by jumping into the race. But the way things are looking, Thompson may end up being an also-ran instead of the GOP’s savior. Besides polling at an anemic four percent in New Hampshire, Thompson’s lackluster campaign has become a disappointment to some on Capitol Hill who have endorsed him. “I’ve kind of pulled back. I’m not supporting him, but I’m not doing anything,” one lawmaker told Congressional Quarterly. “I think he’s kind of done a belly flop,” said another. While he’s not the oldest guy seeking the Republican nomination, he’s certainly acting like he is. Back in August, Thompson made the odd move of campaigning at the Iowa State Fair in a golf cart, prompting some to question his enthusiasm. Sure, he was just endorsed by the National Right to Life Committee (despite his being a lobbyist for an abortion rights group in the ‘90s), but does he even want to be
president? For the Loved One Who Has Everything; The Bush Calendar! Just as I was thinking what to buy my mother for Christmas this year, I came across an e-mail from First Lady Laura Bush, who gave me the perfect gift idea. Mrs. Bush informed me that I could obtain an official 2008 Republican National Committee calendar for just $25! “The images in the calendar span the entire seven years of George’s Presidency,” wrote Mrs. Bush. “I hope they will remind you of what’s great about our country and how high the stakes are for America in the upcoming elections.” Laura closed the deal when she reminded me that my “commitment to the RNC is critical to keeping the White House in Republican hands and regaining our majorities in the U.S. House and Senate in the 2008 elections.” How can you resist!? Make this holiday a special one; get your Bush calendar today.
Native American Awareness Continued from page 5
an, United States Marine, and Navajo Code Talker, Keith’s lifetime of achievements and experiences will provide the basis for this inimitable presentation. After this insightful keynote arrangement, Navajo tacos will be provided, courtesy of Mary Jane Buckshot, in the UC Atrium. American Indian Education center dancers and drummers will also perform thereafter, from
1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Be sure to come out and explore the traditions and history that have shaped and influenced many facets of the U.S., from the past to the modern day. The annual celebration is sponsored by Cleveland State University’s Office of Diversity and Multicultural Affairs.
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The Holidays: Shopping Madness and Mayhem By Andrea Mitchell | The Cauldron Managing Editor
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he stores are stocked, the snow has fallen and Santa’s elves are now set into overdrive. Well I’m not positive about the elves, however, this past Friday officially kicked off the holiday shopping season. “Black Friday,” also known as the day after Thanksgiving sales, commenced with once again a barrage of people sleeping outside Best Buy in the cold for the newest tech-toys. This year stores opened even earlier with JCpenny and Kohl’s opening at 4 a.m. and others such as Wal-Mart, Target and Old
Navy, opening at 5 a.m. Value City even beat out the competition by opening their doors at midnight on Nov. 23. Besides the fact that many stores opened at hours where our tryptophan should have still been keeping us in a deep sleep, there were still the die-hard shoppers that spent the night camped outside their store of choice. Many shoppers used tents, portable heaters and their cars to keep warm through the first real snowfall of the year. Most were waiting all night for the discounted laptops, LCD televisions, video game systems and other high-tech gifts. This year Black Friday raked in over $20 billion in sales. The sales total from this year’s Black Friday is up from last year’s $19.1 billion. This year the National Retail Federation (NRF) estimates Christmas sales to be around $474.5 billion. This year’s figures
are projected to be up 4 percent from last year. If these projections are right it will actually be the lowest sales increase since 2002, according to NRF totals. Why We Shop? Black Friday and practically the entire shopping season have become a science. Not only have stores conducted studies to figure out exactly what makes shoppers spend more money, but they have also researched the psychological effects of shopping. Studies have shown that shopping actually makes people feel good. This “feel good” mood stems from the fact that dopamine is released in the brain when people shop. Dopamine is released while seeing something new, because the newness thrills the brain. While shopping people see all new things and their brains release an increased amount of dopamine, therefore resulting in a pleasurable feeling from shopping. Another reason people are drawn to the stores during the holiday season (besides the fact that simply it’s the gift-giving season) is
advertisements. This time of year is when advertisers lure people into the stores more than ever with sales, discounts and Christmas appeal. To combat overspending people should have a clear and defined list of what they are going to buy. They should also know exactly where the items on their list are sold to cut out the extra perusing that almost always leads to buying. Another great tip is to not touch items,
such as leather coats and cashmere sweaters, because touching something often leads to buying it.
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head to the stores because fewer people are out shopping earlier in the week.
Where to Shop In Cleveland? Going to Cleveland State enables students to have a wide variety of malls, shopping centers and stores to choose from. When deciding on where to begin your holiday shopping, students should first start by looking at their list and deciding where most of it can be found. A lot of the time stores like Target or Wal-mart will carry a majority of the items on your shopping list, without having to brave the mall. If in fact the mall is unavoidable then decide which mall suits you best by comparing the several that are located on both the east and west side of Cuyahoga County. When it comes to shopping a good idea is to shop on the “offtimes” if possible. The “off-times” are when the crowds are low and sales people are more accessible. The off-times include the mid-day into early afternoon throughout the w o rk week. If it is difficult for you to s h o p during the day, Monday nights are also a good time to
Toy Trends: This year’s toy trends include both classic and high-tech toys for the little ones. The top toys of 2007 are Hasbro’s Are You Smarter Than A 10 Year Old? ($19.99), Baby Annabell® New V4 made by Zapf Creation ($39.99), Flytech Dragonfly made by Character Options ($34.87), and Mattel’s Puppy Grows and Knows Your Name ($44.99). This year’s toy list is both more expense and vast then ever before. Today’s dolls retail at $39.99, whereas dolls from 1958 retailed at $4.95. But dolls aren’t the only toys that are expensive, however, at least they are comparable to the toys of yesteryear. Today’s kids have more options then ever before when it comes to their Christmas lists. The “techtoys” are both the most popular and most expensive. Digital video recorders, mp3 players and video games are just a few of the hightech toys that are available and widely purchased by parents. Other Holiday Trends: One of the newest holiday trends is the Christmas Gift List Registry. The Christmas list registry works much like a baby or wedding shower registry. Kids and adults can go online to Myregisry. com and MyGiftList.com to register for their gifts of choice from a selection of stores. However, the idea of a Christmas registry begs the question of whether or not it is taking the spirit out of Christmas? Unlike traditional Christmas lists where people can write down what they want and wait until Christmas to find out what they got, the online registry allows people to check their online lists to see what was bought and what is left. Another holiday clas-
sic that has become trendy is the cookie exchange. W h a t was once a neighborhood h o u s e wives’ tradition, is now sparking holiday parties all around the country. From ages 20 to 80, the cookie exchange has become a popular doing to have during the holidays. Along with the baked cookies, many are also going into their cookie exchanges bearing decorated jars of ingredients. This idea stems from the “not-so-good cooks,” who would rather give the ingredients of flour, sugar, chocolate chips, etc., than bake them themselves.
Gift Ideas: For guys a good gift idea is different types or imported beer. Great Lakes Brewing Company in Cleveland is always a favorite and easy gift for the hard-to-buy for guys. For the women that are not so easy to find gifts for, spa or salon gift cards are always a favorite. They are more personal then regular gift cards to the store, but also offer the ability to choose what to do with them.
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Spice Girls Forever: A Tribute to One of the ‘90s Greatest Pop Groups Story by Jamie Du Bois | The Cauldron Staff Writer
The Spice Girls now
The Spice Girls then
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n honor of the recent reunion of the Spice Girls, I decided to write a tribute of the last 10 years of their 55 million-unitselling ‘90s pop musical careers and to review their first release in years. Their Greatest Hits CD came out Nov. 12 and is being
sold exclusively at Victoria’s Secret stores nationwide. The CD includes all of their old hits including their most famous (and first hit) “Wannabe,” “Say You’ll Be There,” the ballad “2 Become 1,” “Spice Up Your Life,” “Too Much,” “Stop,” and
“Move Over” (the song from the Pepsi commercial), and it also includes two new bonus tracks — the reunion song “Headlines (Friendship Never Ends),” which would have been better if it had been done acoustically, and the dance-club friendly high energy “Voodoo.” I’d rate it as 4.5 out of 5 stars since it does include their greatest hits, and thus meets the purpose of the CD, but the new songs can’t compare with the songs from their musical peak in the mid ‘90s. They released two major studio CDs as a quintet in the mid ‘90s made up of their “girl power” Spice personas: Emma (Baby Spice) Bunton, Melanie (Sporty Spice) Chisholm, Melanie (Scary Spice) Brown, Victoria (Posh Spice) Beckham, and Geri (Ginger Spice) Halliwell. They released Spice first (featuring their most famous hit “Wannabe”) and Spice World (which is the soundtrack to their film Spice World) and later as a quartet without Geri they released the forgettable R&B-flavored Forever (with songs like “Holler,” the ballad “Let Love Lead the Way” and “Goodbye,” which is speculated to be a “good-bye” song to Geri.) At the peak of their musical careers, the Spice Girls not only ruled the radio and sales charts, but they also ruled the merchandising world. They sold such things as Spice Girls dolls and lollipops (with stickers for fans to collect.) They made a very
campy movie called Spice World where they parodied themselves and made millions at the box office. Ever since the release of Spice World, the individual Spice Girls have gone on to have their own solo music careers at varying amounts of success. Geri had early success with Look at Me immediately after leaving the Spice Girls, and the other Girls have had varying amounts of success, mostly in their native U.K. Former fans would be surprised to hear them singing solo and separate from their Spice personas. Melanie Chisholm’s four releases span the entire range of rock, pop, and even R&B, and Victoria “Posh Spice” Beckham left her persona way behind when she released R&B- heavy songs in the U.K. Most recently, Melanie Brown has been dancing on ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, and Victoria Beckham has made her arrival in Los Angeles as the wife of LA Galaxy soccer star David Beckham and has recently made a guest appearance on Ugly Betty as herself. With reunion plans come reunion tours, and the original five Spice Girls are going to begin their world tour in December with plans to stop in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Chicago, Boston, and New York so far. Are you a wannabe Spice Girl or Spice Boy? If so, you might want to mark Dec. 4 on your calendars as their performance at the Victoria’s Secret fashion show will be aired on CBS. Be sure to check out the Girls’ recently revamped official website at www.thespicegirls.com for updates on all things Spice and to register for tickets for their upcoming world tour.
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CSU Chic
by Ilona Westfall | The Cauldron Culture Editor
Name: Sagar Patel Age: 21 and single!!! Major: Psychology Style Inspirations: “That’s tough, I think what inspires my style the most is wearing clothes that express my personality, stylishly/fashionably.” Favorite Clothing Stores: “Express Men, that is pretty much the only place I shop.” Favorite Fashion Magazine: GQ Favorite Fashion Eras: “I try to dress presentable most of the time because you never know who you will meet that day, not that I’m trying to impress everybody in the world, but first impressions are important.” Fashion Philosophy: “My favorite outfit would have to be what I wore to a wedding this past summer: a three piece pin stripe suit that was tailored from scratch with a white shirt with black pin stripes and a red paisley tie.” What He Loves About Fashion: “Well, I’d have to say the worst thing I have ever worn would probably be pretty much everything I wore in high school, I had no sense of style.” What He’s Wearing: “I am wearing black shoes by Sketchers, a pair of M42 Regular Rise Boot Cut jeans, a white shirt with black and light pink stripes that is a part of the ‘80s collection, and a dark grey sweater made of 100 percent cotton all from Express Men. Finally the glasses that I am wearing are designed by Gucci which happen to be my favorite pair of glasses.”
C ulture
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A Christmas Carol Sure to Jumpstart Your Holiday Spirit
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Story by Andrea Mitchell | The Cauldron Managing Editor This past Friday Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol opened at the Ohio Theatre on Playhouse Square. The play runs through Dec. 23. Great Lakes Theater Festival is in its 19th year of producing the play. Directed by Charles Fee, Gerald Freedman and Andrew May, the play keeps its tradition of Christmas grandeur throughout. Dudley Swetland, now in his 12th season with the Great Lakes Theater Festival, brings the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge to life. The charismatic Swetland truly does justice to the old ‘hum-bug’ Ebenezer. The beloved Christmas classic begins with the reading of the traditional story, by ‘Mother Belle’ (played by Laura Perrotta) who both tells the story of A Christmas Carol and lays the groundwork for
the story behind the play. Davies. Geoff Knox and Matthew The ghostly visits throughout the Graham-Mumma are new to the play bring to life the mystical aspect show. of the story. They are both The play itself is much eerie and endearing for the same as in previous audiences. years, featuring Dickens’ familiar actors masterpiece is p l a y i n g the Christmas familiar roles. classic that The stage has spawned is set in its countless holiday adaptations, m o t i f films and with, once works. The again, the Great Lakes usual props. Theater Festival H o w e ve r, brings the story to despite the matter life from the literal prose of it being almost Scrooge to the drama at which it entirely the same play is sprung forth. as last year, it still brings The cast is also audiences into the comprised of returning actors John Christmas spirit. Payonk, Laura Perrotta and Aled This Christmas the cast and crew
yet again feel the privilege to bring the story to life. “It’s exciting for us as a company of artists to revisit this great classic holiday story,” said May, one of the directors. The theatrical performance incorporates a variety of special effects. The special effects lead audiences to feel the supernatural myth and majesty. The stagecraft is truly decorated in overall Christmas style. Comparatively this production rates high in performance and attitude. It gives audiences a sense of participation and understanding. While mostly viewed by school classes and families, all can still enjoy the play. Overall this play has been brought to over 425,000 people in the last two decades. Cleveland is fortunate to have the production return year after year.
CD Review
Artist: The Pipettes
Album: We Are The Pipettes
Cherry Tree NO RATING By Whitney A. Foster
British pop band, The Pipettes, made their debut in North America with a very interesting sound. The 60’s inspired sound is impressive. Listening to the CD took me back in time, because from the very first track “We Are The Pipettes”, which is also the title track, I felt that I was listening to a female version of the Beach Boys, as if the sound had been frozen from that time and re-released in 2007. Because this type of music is not what I normally listen to,
it took a while for my ears to become accustomed to it. Eventually the sound did grow on me and a lot of the sounds are trapped in my head. From listening to their music, it is easy to guess that The Pipettes are British because of their accents. This adds to their unique quality. There is no other group in 2007 that I can think of that has this 1960s, surfing, gogo dancer kind of sound. It may take a little longer for some to get used to than others. A disadvantage to their sound is that they would have more of a limited audience; there is little chance of it crossing over. However, the audience that they do have is very supportive. The Pipettes released their album in the U.S. on Oct. 2 and they are currently on tour. They are performing in Cleveland on Nov. 20 at the Beachland Ballroom and Tavern.
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Spo rts
N o v e m b e r
Volleyball Team Nets Berth in NCAA Championships
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The Vikings had control of their opponents in the tournament not letting Youngstown State, Wright State, or Valparaiso win more than one game during their title run. “All year we’ve been talking about one play at a time, and can you bring it every single play physically and mentally,” head coach Chuck Voss explained about the mentality of the team. “I knew that we had a very good team, a special team.” The Vikings took care of their business and got a little help from the number four seed Valparaiso, when they knocked off the top seeded squad, the University of Milwaukee, on Milwaukee’s home court. Voss and the rest of the team would have loved the number one verse number two in the
finals, but they didn’t mind the help. The season will continue in the NCAA Tournament, a first for the volleyball team. With the Championship win, the win total for the season resides at 23, most impressive, but not the school record. In fact, the school has had nine previous 20 win seasons, with the last coming in 1988, with exactly 20 wins. Although the Vikings entered the Horizon League Tournament with the number two seed, the tides will shift, as they now become the underdog in the NCAA Tournament. They got the monkey off their back by winning the Horizon League Conference, and they will be looking to play highly talented Division I schools.
“We’re going down there to make a name for Cleveland State, showing people that we are competitors,” Snyder added of the opportunity to showcase the Vikings. But, the girls are keeping all possibilities open in the upcoming weeks. “We’re hoping we have a nice little trip to Hawaii,” Snyder jokingly said of where they would like to play in the first round. But, by the accomplishments they have succeeded at, they do deserve a warm and sunny recognition in the Cleveland State record books.
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Story by Nick Camino | The Cauldron Sports Editor Vikings in defeating a scrappy Division III team, CSU head coach Jack Effner said. “It was important for us to get off to a good start tonight and the early part of our lineup really responded,” Effner explained. “John Carroll has a good team and some guys with some experience at this dual, so getting out of the gates quickly was a big boost for us.” After the Vikings established an early lead, Ryan Hurley and Rob Michaels pinned their opponents, giving Cleveland State a commanding 21-0 lead, and
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Winter Break Work
Viking Grapplers Top John Carroll 34-3 On Alumni Night at Woodling Gym Tuesday the Cleveland State Viking wrestlers earned an easy 34-3 victory in their first dual meet of the season over cross town rival John Carroll. The Vikings jumped out to an early 9-0 lead with decisions from Ryan Riggs at 125 pounds, Josh Palivoda at 133 pounds, and Antonio Nicholson, who defeated highly touted Blue Streak wrestler Dominic Spitalieri 4-3 at the 141-pound weight class. Grabbing the early lead was imperative for the
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Smiles Dental
Story by Robert Ivory | The Cauldron Staff Writer
ave you ever had a piece of clothing that you bought or received as a gift, and didn’t take it off for a week? Well, that feeling of cotton against the skin has ran rampant in the Woodling Gym for the women’s volleyball team. They proudly wore their 2007 Horizon League Championship shirts to practice after last Sunday when a serving error by Valparaiso ended the game and the Vikings came out victorious three games to one. “It’s amazing, this is something we’ve been looking for all four years that I have been here,” senior setter Mel Snyder said of the three games to one win in Milwaukee. The team never looked like the Horizon League title was going to elude them another year.
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then never looked back. The CSU grapplers received other decision victories from Marcus Effner, J.T. Miller, Alek Hughes, and heavyweight Eric Schwartz. The only win for the Blue Streaks came at the 184-pound weight class where Ben Adams defeated Cleveland State’s Benny Balogh 8-2. Cleveland State is now 1-0 on the season and will take a brief break until Dec. 2 when they travel to State College, Pa. for the Penn State Open.
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Take Laketran – Read, Ride and Save.
Going to CSU Make your “first class” every day a seat on one of Laketran’s clean, comfortable express buses. No parking fees. No traffic hassles. Get on board. It’s easy. You can read, sleep, or even plan what you’ll do with the money you’ll be saving by taking Laketran. Benefits from commuting with Laketran:
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CAU
Student Government Association Brown Bag Forum Careers of the 21st Century
Speaker Paul Klein
Tuesday, December 4 Noon Orange Lounge Hosted by At-Large Senator Kimberly Carr At-Large Senator Chikodi Ogwuegbu