December 8, 2011

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ESTABLISHED 1921 December 8, 2011 Volume 90, Issue 22 Your Home. Your Voice. Your Newspaper.

Loyola Marymount University

www.laloyolan.com

Unauthorized solicitors present a concern for LMU’s ‘open campus’

Vandalism mars holiday Nativity scene

Nativity scene tampering may be classified as a hate crime, according to DPS.

By Laura Riparbelli Managing Editor

Kenzie O’Keefe | Loyolan

Three Public Safety officers apprehended a man selling magazine subscriptions yesterday. He was not an authorized on-campus vendor.

The Department of Public Safety responds to a report of a “suspicious” magazine salesman on campus.

By Tierney Finster News Editor

“Excuse me – can I talk to you for just a minute?” Class projects and organizationsponsored fundraisers have made this a commonplace question on the University campus, where students conducting surveys or hocking event tickets often draw responses or support from their peers. However this type

of social interaction is under scrutiny after rumors of a fraudulent magazine salesman on campus have recently arisen.

Wednesday, Dec. 7, Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers apprehended Christopher A. Coppick in front of St. Robert’s Auditorium. According to an email Chief of Public Safety Hampton Cantrell sent the Loyolan, Coppick claimed to have been soliciting “capital subscriptions” for “LTP Inc. Capital Subscriptions” on campus. Coppick was identified and questioned by Public Safety and then escorted off campus.

Loyolan Asst. Managing Editor and Sports Editor Michael Goldsholl was approached

by Coppick moments before Coppick was confronted by DPS. “I was walking by the library, and he stopped me. He said he was raising money for college through a scholarship of some kind, and that he needed me to rate him on his public speaking abilities,” Goldsholl said. “At first I was happy to help him, but once he brought up the magazine sales, I got suspicious.”

Cantrell maintains that DPS has found “no evidence” of “fraudulent activity.” Coppick’s company was not approved to solicit on campus, thus he was only in violation of

in activity as well. “Utilization [of the ARC] rises during the last couple weeks of the semester, not during finals week,” she said, “Perhaps students decide they want to, or need to, perform really well on the assignments going into the final and seek out resources to help them reach that goal. The ARC is one such resource.”

Indeed, as both the ARC and the long line for coffee demonstrate, LMU students are getting down to work as finals approach.

Senior liberal studies major Nicole Fuhrman revealed her strategy for studying. “I know they [finals] need to get done, so I create a countdown until I’m free. I didn’t really study when I was in high school because everything was pretty easy. So I had to start studying habits while in college,” she said.

Sophomore business marketing and economics major Victoria Rocha agreed with Fuhrman about the increasing difficulty of finals at the university level.

“Finals in high

school were not as crucial or difficult, so I have definitely had to change my attitude on understanding the importance of finals in college and how to handle all of the deadlines I am required to meet,” she said.

As she prepares to take her first finals at LMU, freshman psychology and biology double major Lexii Alcaraz felt differently. “My finals in high school were harder and more stressful. Here they seem more like another test – an important test but one that’s not as stressful.”

For Alcaraz, making sure not to procrastinate is key, but she believes that, with preparation, finals “are not impossible.”

Time management is also important for Rocha and Fuhrman, though the increased workload does bring drawbacks. For Fuhrman, a key issue is having no free time. “I really like to take breaks in between essays and projects, but when everything starts piling up you have no time to rest.”

Looking towards the Nativity scene in Alumni Mall early Tuesday morning, passersby would have witnessed an act of vandalism to the traditional setup: The Department of Public Safety (DPS) reported that vandalism was evident to the statues of Mary and Joseph. Mary’s left ring finger was removed, Joseph had been turned away from baby Jesus and the head of Joseph was cracked.

DPS confirmed that a metal object in the form of a Star of David was also found in the hay area of the Nativity scene. The matter is under investigation and may be classified as a hate crime by the department.

“We are certainly looking into the possibility of classifying this as a hate crime. The first order of business is to find the individuals responsible and see what their intent was. But it’s a good possibility that this will end up being classified as a hate crime,” said Chief of Public Safety Hampton Cantrell.

After reviewing surveillance footage, DPS believes that the incident took place at 3:53 a.m. Tuesday morning.

According to police, two persons of interest, a male and a female, appear on the footage entering the Nativity scene at that time and are then seen walking southbound on Alumni

See Nativity | Page 4

See Solicitor | Page 5

Finals week prompts student worry

Students rush to complete assignments and prepare for exams as the end of the semester nears.

By Zaneta Pereira Centennial Intern

It’s 6:30 p.m. on a Tuesday night, and there is a large crowd of people waiting for their order in The Lion’s Den, the Academic Resource Center (ARC) is busy, people are sniffling and complaining about headaches and the door to every study room in the library is firmly shut. All these signs point to one thing: Finals are right around the corner.

“It gets really packed in here around finals, but the rush is beginning already,” noted The Lion’s Den barista and sophomore mechanical engineering major Kieran Killion.

“Almost everywhere on campus is packed with people studying, and it’s not even finals week yet.”

Dr. Karen Carmichael, associate director of the ARC, sees an increase

PEPPER SPRAY USAGE SPIRALS OUT OF CONTROL Columnist Amanda Kotch argues against the use of the chemical in the face of conflict.

Opinion, Page 5

Index Classifieds.............................5 Opinion...............................6 A&E.....................................9 Sports..............................16

The next issue of the Loyolan will be printed on January 12, 2011.

See Finals | Page 2

Katie Matthews

The Nativity scene has been restored to its pre-vandalized condition.

SEVENTEEN DAYS UNTIL BASKETBALL RETURNS Sports Editor Michael Goldsholl gives four reasons not to miss the 2011-12 NBA season.

Sports, Page 16

News

December 8, 2011 Page 2

www.laloyolan.com

Students prepare for winter AB trips The Center for Service and Action will sponsor two trips during break.

By Christopher James News Intern

While many students return home for the winter break, some are going to spend their time on one of two trips offered by the Alternative Break Program through the Center for Service and Action (CSA). This winter, LMU is offering Alternative Breaks to San Diego/East Los Angeles and to the Seminole Immokalee Reservation in Florida.

Students looking for a service outlet will be able to get hands-on experience as a part of their alternative break. “It’s a learning experience that will change one’s perspective on life. It changed how I perceive the world when I went on one my sophomore year,” said Trixie Aquino, a senior sociology major and leader of the San Diego/East L.A. trip.

East L.A. and San Diego

Students will make their way to both San Diego and East L.A. for service during this winter break.

According to Jessica Viramontes, CSA Alternative Break program coordinator, there are 18 students attending the trip this year.

The San Diego/East L.A. trip will begin in San Diego. “We are working with Border Angels, a nonprofit organization that supports humanity by helping prevent deaths of people who are crossing the desert in San Diego County and alongside the U.S.-Mexico Border,” said Viramontes. “Border Angels’ volunteers help maintain stations with food, water and clothing during the extreme weather conditions in the summer and winter months.”

The trip will then continue to the eastern section of Los Angeles to help out with the Dolores Mission Church and School. “[The] Dolores Mission works to empower the community in Boyle Heights through leadership, education and services,” Viramontes said.

LMU has been very active in serving the community through the Dolores Mission. “The Dolores Mission has been our community project,” according to Aquino. “The Un-

derwings [Praxis] group goes here specifically for service placement.”

This trip is not new to the Alternative Break schedule for LMU. However, Aquino believes there are still reasons to be excited for the trip. “Every service [trip] is different,” she adds. “We have never quite made it down to San Diego as part of the trip, so we are going now to learn more about immigration.”

The immigration component is chief in the goals of this Alternative Break trip. “In border communities, immigrants often face harassment and have increased challenges,” according to Viramontes. “We felt it was important for students to see firsthand the difficulties immigrants face.”

There are other important issues facing the region aided by the Dolores Mission. “This community is really secluded because it is bordered by surrounding gangs,” says Aquino. “Many children are brought up near gang culture.”

In working with the Dolores Mission, students will become involved in the Guadalupe Homeless Project.

“The Guadalupe Homeless Project is a shelter for homeless men that provides temporary housing and meals,” said sophomore liberal studies major Jackie Sheehan, who is a member of CSA. “[The Guadalupe Homeless Project] also helps the people find jobs and is specifically for immigrants.”

The East L.A. leg of the trip ties into the overarching issue of immigration that is being explored through the Alternative Break trip.

Florida

LMU Center for Service and Action

The Dolores Mission (pictured above) will be one stop for students on CSA’s trip to East L.A. and San Diego.

This will be the inaugural year of the Florida Alternative Break trip.

“Everyone is excited about the trip because no one knows what to expect,” said sophomore biology major and a leader of the trip Katie Coleman. Coleman further confirmed that 11 students and two faculty members will be attending the new winter Alternative Break option in Florida, where students will get a chance to interact with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers.

The Immokalee people, as migrant workers, have long experienced mistreatment, she explained.

LMU Center for Service and Action

Students participating in CSA’s first trip to Florida will get the chance to interact with Immokalee migrant workers, like the man pictured above.

“Years ago, the Coalition of Immokalee Workers led a successful campaign against Taco Bell for its unfair wages, and it’s important to learn more about successful victories through grassroots community organizing,” said Jessica Viramontes, the Alternative Break program coordinator in CSA. Currently, the Immokalee people are further pursuing their cause for fair wages with Trader Joe’s as the latest target. According to Sarah Comstock, a sophomore psychology major, “Trader Joe’s won’t up the pay for workers more than one penny per pound of food picked.

The workers get paid based on the weight in tomatoes they pick, and they already get paid so little for the amount they pick.”

The decision to add this trip was met passionately by Viramontes.

“As an undergraduate student, I was involved with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers campaign and was excited to add an Alternative Break trip to visit the site.”

The inception of the trip came

from a longtime ally of CSA, Casa HOY. According to Viramontes, “Casa HOY is the organization that has been organizing our cultural immersion program in Morelos, Mexico. They added a trip connecting us with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers and Seminole Reservation.”

In working with the Immokalee workers, students are meant to get a true rural experience during their Alternative Break trip to Florida. “[The trip] will explore issues regarding workers being paid unfairly,” added Coleman. “This trip will allow students to get to work with the migrant workers in the tomato fields.”

According to Viramontes, “Students will learn about the working conditions of farmworkers, and the current [Campaign for Fair Food], but will also be exposed to indigenous cultures on the Seminole Reservation and with Immokalee farmworkers that are made up of Haitian immigrants and different Mayan indigenous groups.”

For the Record In the Dec. 1, 2011 issue of the Loyolan, the article “Debate team keeps winning reputation” stated that debate team member Dearbhail O’Crowley was a graduate student at Loyola Law School. She is actually a graduate student at LMU, pursuing a Master’s degree in Independent studies.

Study spaces limited during finals season Finals from Page 1 This lack of rest coupled with increased stress may be the cause of the illnesses that seem to sweep campus around this time of year. “I woke up this morning with a sore throat. I think almost everyone is getting to a point where they’re sick and my psychology professor, Dr. Michael O’Sullivan, mentioned that it is the stress that comes from finals that weakens our immune system and causes an increase in sickness around this time,” Alcaraz said.

Fuhrman also highlights the widespread concerns of finding a quiet place to study and quickly grabbing that muchneeded coffee fix.

“There are not a lot of computers available in the library, and the lines at the coffee cart are much longer.”

Mike Wong, associate vice president for Administration Services, addressed this issue by pointing out that, “In general, the reason classrooms remain locked at night is to ensure that classrooms maintain their integrity and functionality of the room at 8 a.m.” With about $20,000 worth of equipment in an average classroom, security is the main concern. “If a student is looking for a quiet study space, the first place to ask is their college, as a lot of

colleges have specific study areas set aside. For example, the MBA program does open up certain classrooms,” Wong said.

As noted by Killion, The Lion’s Den will be open 24 hours a day from Sunday night,

Dec. 11, through Thursday, Dec. 15. The ARC provides academic support in writing as well as math tutoring by faculty and students in the math department lounge on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 1 – 4 p.m.

To view a video and read tips on how to best prepare for finals, visit www.laloyolan.com

Kellie Rowan | Loyolan

Sophomores Kendall Andronico, a business major (right), and Kate Henley, a political science major, study in The Lion’s Den.

Devin Sixt | Loyolan

Adam Goette, a senior English major, studies for his upcoming final exams in the William H. Hannon Library.

www.laloyolan.com

News

December 8, 2011 Page 3

Students dissatisfied with Public Safety response time Public Safety investigates rumors of slow response to injured students.

By Margo Jasukaitis Asst. News Editor

Shattered glass littered the floor by one of the entrances to Pereira Hall last Wednesday night. The floor-to-ceiling windows that enclose one of the building’s atrium entrances broke during the Nov. 30 windstorm that, in addition to breaking the windows in Pereira, resulted in a campus-wide power outage lasting approximately one hour.

Two students, Linda Lee, a junior electrical engineering major, and Tanachote Vongsurbchart, a senior electrical engineering major, sustained injuries as a result of the broken glass.

Lee, however, complains DPS was slow to respond to her call.

“A friend of mine called Public Safety a little after 7 p.m., but they didn’t respond until 30 minutes after I got injured,” she said.

Already on crutches from a previous injury, Lee was waiting for the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to pick her up after the conclusion of a tutoring session and drive her home when the wind levels increased. “I was having a hard time balancing in the wind, and it was cold out so I decided to wait inside,” she said.

According to Lee, something broke the glass windows in the atrium and the wind blew the shattered glass directly onto her and Vongsurbchart. “I was standing right by the glass and [Vongsurbchart] was farther away,” Lee said.

Vongsurbchart explained the metal window frame holding the glass pane in place had blown loose, releasing the glass and causing it to fall on the two students. “The metal beam around the window was pulled away from the window,” Vongsurbchart said. “That’s why the glass fell on us.”

Lee and Vongsurbchart both sustained injuries as a result of their close proximity to the shattering glass. According to Lee,

after being examined by EMTs on site it was determined she was in shock and experienced a head trauma injury. EMTs advised Lee to go to the emergency room but instructed a friend of hers to drive her rather than transporting her themselves.

“I went to the ER, and they determined I had a concussion and contusion,” said Lee. Vongsurbchart also sustained injuries as a result of the broken glass. “I had cuts on my hand, foot and back. The pieces that cut my back ripped through my jacket and my shirt,” he said.

According to the DPS logs chronicling the events during the windstorm, DPS radioed the EMTs regarding the injured students in Pereira Hall at 7:20 p.m. EMTs confirmed receipt of the call one minute later and at 7:30 p.m. the senior on-duty resident director was notified of the incident.

Vongsurbchart echoed Lee’s sentiments, saying, “It definitely took [DPS] too long to respond. I figured there was something else going on, but we told them we were bleeding so we thought we’d be a priority,” he said.

According to Chief of Public Safety Hampton Cantrell, this is the first time anyone has expressed dissatisfaction with the expediency of DPS’s response to a call. “This is the first time I have received a complaint about DPS officers not responding to an emergency medical call in an expeditious manner,” Cantrell said. “But, in my view, one time would be too many,” he added.

While according to Lee, DPS

was called at approximately 7 p.m., DPS has no record of precisely what time the students called for assistance. According to Cantrell, “DPS does not have technology to record incoming telephone calls, nor [does it] have a computer-aided dispatch system in place, so it is hard to pinpoint when [the students’] call was received.”

“I feel upset at the way [DPS] responded,” said Lee. “I feel like I was neglected. I just would like to know if there was anything more pressing at the time.

When you call Public Safety, you press one for emergencies and two for general assistance. My friend who called pressed one and still had to wait for someone to answer. That seemed a little odd to me.”

DPS is working with Lee to determine the chronology of events during last Wednesday’s windstorm. Lee explained she would like to see more transparency in DPS response procedures. “I don’t know what else was going on [at that time], but I want to know why they took so long responding to my call,” she said.

DPS expressed a desire to resolve the situation involving Lee and Vongsurbchart and is taking the opportunity to assess their response procedures.

“Ultimately, I want to get to the bottom of what occurred, so I can take corrective action if necessary. … I am willing to look at our processes to see how we can improve our response times. …

The safety and well-being of our students [is] our highest priority,” said Cantrell.

Angelica Cadiente | Loyolan

Pamela Goldblum, a studio arts professor, tells the Loyolan about her nose piano playing talents and her experience performing on “Late Night with David Letterman.”

11 Burning Questions with a proficient nose piano player

This issue, Public Editor Angelica Cadiente talks to Pamela Goldblum, a studio arts professor, about her ability to play the piano with her nose.

1. You’ve got a pretty unusual talent that you cooked up with your brother Jeff Goldblum [of “Jurassic Park” fame]. Can you tell me a little about it?

When I was a kid, [my brother and I] used to fool around on the piano and we worked up a little duet. We used to ... do funny things, so I figured out this little … melody, and I learned how to play it with my nose on the piano.

2. Is it true you performed this duet on “Late Night with David Letterman” a few years back? How did that happen?

I was probably in my late 20s. Old enough to know better, but still young.

When [my brother] went on David Letterman to publicize [a movie], he kind of brought me along with him to do that routine. Now, you can [see the video of us playing, titled “Miss Goldblum’s Nose”] on Vimeo.

3. When did you discover you had a talent for nose playing, and how did you discover you had a knack for it?

I was probably eight or nine or something [when I first started]. … The truth was, I had kind of a large nose, and that was the whole story. Like, “Haha, I’ve got a big nose. I’m going to play the piano with my nose.” Now, my parents were always kind of horrified. I had a big nose. [So they said,] “We’re going to give you a nose job and make you assimilated to this beautiful country of ours, and we want you to look as good as possible.” And so they sent me to the doctor to get me a nose job.

4. Were you still able to play piano with your nose after the nose job?

After that, I was like, “Well, it’s too bad I got the nose job, but can I still play with my nose?” And yes, the answer is I could. So there’s kind of a little bit of a dark understory to it, because I always feel like if it would have been up to me. ... I probably would have kept that good old nose. But seeing as how I can still play the piano with it, it still works.

5. Did it take much practice before you were used to it?

Just like anything you become obsessed with, it’s just sort of natural to practice.

Kellie Rowan | Loyolan

Junior Linda Lee,who sustained injuries from the windstorm last Wednesday night, claims that DPS did not respond in a timely manner.

6. Do you play any other instruments? If so, can you play them with any body part other than the ones they’re meant to be played?

I’m learning the guitar. I thought it would be great to play [guitar] with the kids. I understood after I started doing it that it was not just for the kids. It was for me. I find music, as well as any form of art, to be extremely therapeutic and healing.

7. How did you get into the profession of teaching?

As an artist, you’re always kind of trying to figure out how to make a living. I did many things, and I was in Los Angeles [when] a friend of mine called me and said they’re looking for somebody at LMU to teach printmaking, which is what my major was. ... And little by little, they kind of fit me in, and now, I do this. I love to do this, by the way. This is a fantastic job.

8. Is it true that you also had some experience working as a model for art students?

Yeah, you can only take your clothes off when you’re very young. After you’re 30, I’d say you should find another job.

9. Within the realm of art, what would do you enjoy most doing?

What I enjoy doing most is collaborating. … I love it when I put [students] together and have [them] collaborate on things. ... Art making is sometimes a very solitary activity and profession, and what I like to do is collaborate.

10. As for your brother’s collaborative nose playing piano act, do you still do this on occasion?

I’m a little stiffer in the neck now. I can still hit the notes. … [We do this] I would say once every 15 years. However, I’ve started recently playing the guitar … so when I went over on Thanksgiving, we were singing some songs and he said, “Let’s do a little act together.” So I have a feeling there is a future with playing and singing, and I bet you the nose will play a part. I must say that brings the house down. You can’t get much better than that.

11. The holidays are coming up. Any exciting plans?

Jeff and I are going to work on the new act and put together some new songs. I’m sure [nose playing] will be the grand finale. The truth of it is, we’re all kids, so we’ll come up with a list of songs and put together a little act for the kids. But I wouldn’t be surprised if it moves into the adult realm very soon.

To see the aforementioned video, visit http://vimeo.com/12307225

December 8, 2011 Page 4

Crime to Nativity under investigation Nativity from Page 1 Mall. Their identifications have yet to be determined.

Father James Erps, S.J., the director of Campus Ministry, said he feels that a crime of this nature is serious but does not reflect negatively on the state of Catholicism at LMU. “Hopefully the education that takes place at LMU is a holistic one and part of that is a respect for others and their religious attitudes,” he said. “I’m saddened by this because it shows a lack of respect,” he added.

Sophomore biology major Ellen Zirkelbach said she believes that if the reason for the vandalism is because of differing beliefs, individuals should learn to express themselves in alternative ways.

“I believe the act is inappropriate,” she said. “I think no matter the religious belief, it’s important to respect other people’s beliefs.”

Facilities Management also told the Loyolan that the statue of baby Jesus was chipped in various places. Since the incident was reported by DPS at 8:05 a.m. on Tuesday morning after an officer discovered the vandalism, Facilities Management has repaired the broken portions of the statue.

This is not the first time that a Nativity scene has been vandalized. Last December, the baby Jesus statue was stolen out

News

of the Nativity scene located in University Hall.

“The Nativity scene at University Hall was seriously vandalized last year,” said Rick Harris, the director of Building Management at Facilities Management. “It is becoming more and more challenging for our talented crafts people in [Facilities Management] to repair the figures in LMU’s Nativity scene – but we will continue to do what we can for as long as we can so to avoid spending precious University funds on replacement.”

Facilities Management reported that the total replacement cost for a Nativity scene would be $7,000.

Kenzie O’Keefe | Loyolan

The hand on the statue of Mary, among other parts of the Alumni Mall Nativity scene, were damaged early Tuesday morning,DPS believes.

Del Rey South - On Tuesday, Dec. 6, DPS reported a resident student assaulted by a former friend. The incident was reported to LAPD, and the case is now closed.

www.laloyolan.com

report of two intoxicated students in need of medical attention. The case has been referred to Judicial Affairs.

Doheny Hall - On Sunday, Dec. 4, DPS received a report of underage students Alumni Mall - On Tuesday, Dec. 6, DPS reported in possession of alcohol and refusing to provide vandalism to the Nativity campus officials with idenscene. The case is now tification. The case has closed. been referred to Judicial Whelan Hall - On Monday, Affairs.

Dec. 5, DPS reported grafRains Hall - On Sunday, fiti in a hallway. The case Dec. 4, a student reported is now closed. receiving harassing text messages from an unHannon Apartments - On Monday, Dec. 5, a student known person. The case is now closed. reported being assaulted by a suitemate to DPS. The case has been referred to 1 LMU Drive - On Saturday, Dec. 3, DPS received Judicial Affairs. a report of an intoxicated student in need of medi1 LMU Drive - On Sunday, cal attention. The case has been referred to Judicial Dec. 4, DPS received a

Affairs.

Rosecrans Hall - On Saturday, Dec. 3, DPS received a report of an underage student in possession of alcohol. The case has been referred to Judicial Affairs.

McKay Hall - On Saturday, Dec. 3, DPS received a report of student marijuana use. The case has been referred to Judicial Affairs.

Whelan Hall - On Saturday, Dec. 3, DPS received a report of student marijuana use. The case has been referred to Judicial Affairs.

1 LMU Drive - On Saturday, Dec. 3, DPS received a report of a student who fled from a taxi without paying the fare. The case is now closed.

Information compiled from the Department of Public Safety’s Daily Crime Log

Have Yourself a

Cinematic Season!

www.laloyolan.com

News

DPS escorts magazine salesman off campus Solicitor from Page 1 University policy, according to Cantrell.

“He was not aware that we [are] a private university,” Cantrell wrote in an email to the Loyolan.

As a private institution, LMU must approve any solicitation that occurs on campus.

Ray Dennis, LMU’s associate vice president of Auxiliary Business Services, said that unauthorized activities like this remain a constant challenge for the University, particularly because of LMU’s “open campus.”

“LMU has procedures which require all guests who come on to campus to identify their purpose,” he said.

Though fraudulent activity has not been determined in this case the Loyolan has verified that at least one other male has recently approached LMU students with a similar sales pitch. A different male approached sophomore English major Erica Perednia two weeks ago, while she was standing with a friend in front of St. Rob’s.

“He approached me and a friend outside of St. Rob’s … and asked if we could help him win a scholarship competition. He didn’t mention that we would have to buy anything at first, but eventually told us he would get points towards his scholarship if we bought magazines from him,” Perednia said.

Perednia decided to buy a

magazine to be sent to a children’s hospital, but now she questions the legitimacy of the sale.

“In hindsight, it was strange that the subscriptions were cash only and that all the magazines cost the same price. He never showed any proof that he was actually competing in something, and none of the materials he had looked very official,” Perednia said. “The way he encouraged us to buy a magazine for charity was really forthright, which seems suspicious,” she added, explaining that she has no way to assure that the magazine she bought will get where she was told it would go.

Dennis explained that “vendors

and companies approved by [LMU] Conference Services will have registration documentation indicating they are approved for on campus,” and said that individual sales people without this documentation are “likely [part of] an independent unauthorized company or individual acting on their own behalf.”

These types of situations do not present a new concern for the University. In November 2006, DPS discovered that a trespasser known as “Danny” was soliciting oil changes on campus.

If a student suspects an intruder of any sort on campus, DPS should be notified at (310) 338-2893.

Kenzie O’Keefe | Loyolan

Department of Public Safety (DPS) officers approached Christopher A. Coppick in front of St. Robert’s Hall due to soliciting subscriptions to students and was escorted off campus.

December 8, 2011 Page 5

Classifieds

For Rent Room for Rent in Westchester Who: You! What: Room for rent in a house in Westchester close to campus.

When: Immediate vacancy Why: Because it’s a new semester and you’re tired of driving to campus and sleeping on your friend’s couch.

Rent is $950/ month. Includes all utilities.

Washer Dryer in unit, big back yard.

Call for more information (503) 799-1040

Opinion Student Editorials and Perspectives

December 8, 2011 Page 6

Board Editorial

Board Editorials represent the voice of the Loyolan. They are written in collaboration by the Executive Editorial Board.

Laura Riparbelli Managing Editor

Kenzie O’Keefe Editor in Chief

Angelica Cadiente Public Editor

Michael Goldsholl Asst. Managing Editor | Sports Editor

The necessity of a consistent policy

T

hough the semester is at its tail end, students shouldn’t wind down just yet. Final exam season is notorious for the collective high-stress levels students experience during it.

Complaints about LMU’s exam schedule arise every semester.

Some students wish for time off before the start of finals during which to study. Others bemoan too many tests and papers in the week preceding finals. Others argue that learning new material up until the last day of classes doesn’t leave them with enough time to bring together a semester’s worth of information.

Given students’ different study habits, there is never going to be a single type of finals schedule that meets the needs of each student. However, expectations and class requirements differ vastly between classes during a semester’s final two weeks and because of this, more institutionalized consistency is in order.

Without a consistent policy in terms of what professors can and cannot require in the weeks leading up to finals week, students are left with various problems that need addressing. While some professors cancel classes in the week preceding finals in order to give students more time to study, others mandate attendance, administer tests and require the completion of final papers or projects during the week before finals.

Admittedly, each class and the demands of each subject vary across the board, but some things, like classes with midterms during the week before

finals, just don’t ever seem appropriate. And if the classes require administering last-minute exams or quizzes and collecting final projects or assignments at the end of the semester, then students need some time between those assignments and finals week. The addition of a “dead week” or even just a few extra days off before finals would be beneficial for students who need additional time to prepare for final exam week.

Another option to consider would be a split finals week, similar to that of the Univeristy of Southern California. The last day of classes is the Friday before finals week and students are given “Study Days” from Saturday until Tuesday, during which there are no classes and final exams.

Finals week begins on Wednesday and goes on until the Tuesday of the following week. Not only does this give students a few days to prepare before the start of final exams, but it also gives them another weekend in the middle of the finals “week” to prepare for any additional exams.

While some students will inevitably use the extra time unwisely, it has the potential to be extremely beneficial to those who could use more time (even if the time is spent catching up on much-needed sleep, which is often scarce this time of year). If the University can’t regulate the amount of work professors can demand in the days leading up to finals week, then students should at least be given a few days free of class time to prepare for the most stressful week of the semester.

www.laloyolan.com

Letters to the Editor

Re: “Lifelong married love,”(Nov. 21, 2011, Page 5) Dear Editor, Staff Writer Kenneth Vlahos recently stated his case against allowing homosexuals to marry. I believe that the evidence behind his position is flawed.

Bringing up polygamy as a reason to prevent homosexuals marrying is a weak argument. There is a fine line between allowing two people of any gender to marry and allowing multiple people to marry. To sum it up, supporters are advocating for the right for people to marry somebody they love, not anybody. Homosexuals are only able to fall in love with a member of their own gender, while polygamists are still able to marry a sole person of their choosing.

Another commonly misplaced argument is that marriage is set in stone and unalterable. The first misconception is that someone has a right to define marriage for everyone else.

To a devout Christian, God’s word certainly has worth, but for atheists, there is no divine authority to dictate the terms.

Still, that applies the opposite way around – churches and their followers are not being forced to appreciate or even recognize homosexuals getting married.

The celebrity marriages may certainly serve as an example of marriages that insult the foundation of marriage. However, it is a bit hasty to assume that all celebrities are marrying simply for publicity. Besides, there is no direct connection that can be made between silly socialites and legitimately loving homosexuals marrying. In fact, that is a flaw in the system: Heterosexual couples who degrade the legitimacy of marriage are allowed to marry, while homosexuals who wish to preserve monogamy are barred from the right.We all have our own opinions on marriage. But opinions, even if they are in the majority, should not inhibit the rights of others.

James Ho Freshman computer science major

We’d Like To Hear From You: Loyolan Letters Policy

Letters@theloyolan.com The Loyolan welcomes letters to the editor. All submissions must include the author’s first and last name, phone number, e-mail address and year in school or relation to the University (i.e. alumnus, professor, etc.). Submissions should be typed and no more than 300 words.

Say it, don’t spray it when it comes to conflict

A

s of late, America seems to have developed an affinity for pepper spray.

From Occupy Wall Street protests to Black Friday shopping madness, the past few months have seen the status of pepper spray go from a standard defense mechanism to a trending topic. Rather than using the chemical spray for Over a Glass p r o t e c t i o n , people have

By Amanda begun to see Kotch it as a tool Opinion Intern for promoting their own interests.

The situations range from mildly comical to devastatingly serious.

A man in Seattle, going by the name Phoenix Jones, is a member of a clan of self-professed “superheroes” and took to patrolling the city in a black and gold costume armed with good intentions and two cans of pepper spray. Yet his detachment from reality led to a few unwanted pepper spray attacks on falsely identified “bad guys” and his subsequent arrest on the grounds of assault in October. On the other end of the spectrum, peaceful protestors from the West Coast to the East have been met with brutal police forces spraying the chemical directly into undeserving faces, including that of Dorli Rainey, the 84-year-old woman whose chemical-drenched mug shot has been making headlines in a photo taken from a midNovember Occupy Seattle protest. Then there are the just plain ridiculous, with a woman

pepper spraying fellow Black Friday shoppers at a Wal-Mart in Porter Ranch, Calif., with hopes of securing a dirt cheap Xbox gaming system.

Regardless of the particular event, all share an inappropri-

chemical that’s making national headlines.

In response to the recent controversy at UC Davis in which police used the powerful spray on student protestors sitting on the grass, Loghman says it

in any of the recent spray incidents in the United States.

Loghman continues, “It is becoming more and more fashionable in this day and age to use the chemical on people who have an opinion and that, to me,

Associated Press

Students at UC Davis held a rally on Monday, Nov. 21 to protest police use of pepper spray on peaceful student demonstrators earlier in the week. ate use of pepper spray by some party, bringing harm to those who did not deserve it.

In a Nov. 9 Democracy Now! interview, journalist Amy Goodman spoke with Kamran Loghman, the expert who worked with the FBI to develop weapons-grade pepper spray in the 1980s, along with the police department guidelines for its use. In the segment, Loghman explicitly states his opposition to the recent improper use of the

was “a completely improper and inappropriate use” of pepper spray.

“Normally pepper spray is used when there is a physical threat to the police officers or bystanders or there is a possibility of property damage, and you see that things are going haywire,” says Loghman.

Pepper spray was developed as a means of protection from physical threats, physical threats which were not present

is a complete lack of leadership both in the police department and [for others] who cannot really deal with the root of the problem, and they want to spray people to quiet them down.”

So when did America decide that the answer to the world’s problems is found in a can of pepper spray?

It may be because it offers a certain kind of instant gratification without the worry that the consequences will be too

extreme. It burns, it itches; you can swell up, tear up or even throw up, but it isn’t a bullet breaking flesh, and so some have come to view it as an easy fix to their problems.

Pepper spray does offer a certain sense of power to those who abuse it. Though by no means akin to a gun, you just point and click and your enemy becomes helpless, at least temporarily so.

Time and time again, however, both have proven to be detrimental when making their way into the wrong hands.

“We are a spray-first-askquestions-later, kind of society.

I don’t like your political views.

Where’s my pepper spray? I don’t like your religious views.

Where’s my pepper spray? I am having a bad day and you are in close proximity to me. Where’s my pepper spray?” writes Michael W. Waters in a Dec. 5 Huffington Post article titled “Pepper Spray Hospitality.”

It seems easy to make a mockery of the product. It’s not a real weapon. But the idea of a “pepper spray nation” is sad and embarrassing.

If you can’t exercise control without spraying a chemical into an innocent face, that is a clear sign of incompetence.

Whether against the protestors, in love with the sales, or taking a stab at fighting neighborhood crime, all forms of pepper spray use exhibit our “tendency to seek and destroy rather than work towards compromise,” as Waters puts it.

This is America on a power trip, replacing one’s voice with a chemical in a can. Please, put down your “weapons.”

This is the opinion of Amanda Kotch, a sophomore art history major from Huntington Beach, Calif.

Please send comments to akotch@theloyolan.com.

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A

Opinion

December 8, 2011 Page 7

Make your boring break bloody brilliant

h, Christmas break. It’s coming up quickly (and though we’re still within the hell storm better known as finals season), we can’t help but daydream about the wonderful things we’ll do once we’re free from the shackles of exams and term papers.

Yes, all the free time is wondrous to think about, Randomosity but for those of us who

By Angelica don’t have Cadiente many plans, Public Editor this presents quite a predicament. My biggest fear is that I hardly ever have anything good to say when people ask me if I did anything exciting over break.

Inevitably, after every break or school-sanctioned day off, people will ask the dreaded question: “What did you do over break?”

Besides “What’s your major?” (which, by law, is the first thing a freshman must say upon meeting you), asking someone what they did over break has to be the most widely-circulated inquiry on a college campus. Statistics back up this claim. According to a survey I conducted, in which I asked a reliable source what the most popular question asked by college students after winter break was, the source answered, “Oh, that’s easy. People always ask, ‘What did you do over break?’” Sure, the source I interviewed was myself. That’s beside the point.

So, what about those of us who are unable to regale the asker with heartwarming tales of rescuing baby deer while strolling through winter wonderlands or exciting stories of skiing down treacherous mountains?

Are we left with nothing to do but answer dully: “Well, I didn’t really go anywhere,” “You know, spent time with the family,” or my personal favorite, “Got tons of sleep. It was wonderful.”

Yes, sleep is great, but it doesn’t make good conversation. No one is going to be interested in hearing about your REM cycle or that dream you had about an igloo. So what do we do about this predicament? How do we make our winter breaks seem more kick-ass than they actually were? Lie. You spent Christmas with the Queen of England. Speak only with a British accent and recall how you spent a fortnight with dear Lizzie at Buckingham Palace. You had a jolly good Christmas, noshing on bangers and mash, puddings and trifles.

Sprinkle words like “knickers” and “titchy” into the conversation. When they ask why you’re speaking with an accent, reply, “Oh, you’re such a cheeky bugger.” And when you run out of British terms, excuse yourself by saying, “I think the

obsession with all things Kurt Cobain.

Tell your friends you’ve found irrefutable proof that Cobain is still alive, but you respect his privacy enough not to reveal his whereabouts. Kurt’s friend Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters (who is also in on this) has sworn you to secrecy and has let you into his band in exchange for your silence. Say hello to the Foo Fighters’ new tambourine player.

You’ve also started your own movement to bring grunge back, and you’ve got the look to go with it. Hello unwashed, chin-length hair and plaid, flannel shirts tied around your waist. Plaid is the new black.

You were spotted by a talent scout at the mall and were cast in “Flag Day,” another spin-off of “Valentine’s Day.” There you were, minding your own business, waiting in Alberto Gonzalez | Loyolan line at the food court when a director came Duchess of York is ringing me on up to you and said the telly. Pip pip, chap. I must you had silver screen-worthy be off.” looks. No, he wasn’t a creeper You’ve reached Nirvana. trying to hit on you in the hopes No, not the enlightened state. of sharing your pretzel. He was a The band. You’ve gotten back talent scout, and he wanted you into it and have developed an to be in his next box office hit.

The cast includes the entire list of actors that were in “Ocean’s Thirteen,” “Twilight” and “Sex and the City.” You’ll be playing Bradley Cooper’s love interest who is actually in love with his best friend but can’t do anything because his best friend is married to your best friend, and you blabbed all of this to Bradley Cooper’s best friend’s sister, but you can’t remember doing it because you were drunk.

Here are some other great lies (you can fill in the details): You made an ice sculpture of Ryan Gosling (which sadly melted away because, like the real Ryan Gosling, being with it forever was just too good to be true). You’ve taught yourself Latin and have spent the last few weeks translating ancient manuscripts. You devised a way to solve world hunger using an intricate algorithm and a breakthrough farming method using sheep. Man, you’re awesome.

So, I hope I’ve equipped you with some ideas for your very own exciting Christmas break stories. Gone are the days of lame answers about relaxation and cold weather. Say goodbye to ears bleeding from the pain of having to listen to one of your dull responses. Just like that, you have the winter break story that none of your friends will be able to top. Think of this as an early Christmas gift from me to you. You’re welcome.

This is the opinion of Angelica Cadiente, a junior business administration major from Los Angeles, Calif. Please send comments to acadiente@theloyolan.com.

Opinion

December 8, 2011 Page 8

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California dreaming leads to overpopulation

H

ours stuck in traffic on the 405, excruciatingly long waits at Starbucks and hellish Christmas shopping mall lines are some of the more mild misfortunes of overpopulation that Angelenos experience.

Living in the second most populated city in the United States comes with its fair share of inconveniencTill the AM es when it

By Anna-Michelle comes to overpopulation Escher and crowdAsst. Opinion Editor e d n e s s .

However, the overpopulated and crowded nature of Los Angeles is just the tip of the iceberg for the statewide issue of overpopulation.

There are many reasons why Americans move to California: favorable weather and a leading culture of growth and advancement being a few of them. The lure of California has been so great that the state’s population has nearly doubled within the last 40 years, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The state grows at a rate of one person per minute, and is projected to be populated by 60 million people by 2050, according to PR Newswire. For loyal Californians, the consequences

are much more dire than a long line at airport security during the holidays or a 405 traffic jam.

Californians for Population Stabilization (CAPS) is a nonprofit organization that aims to spread awareness about overpopulation through activist campaigns and works with politicians to combat the issue of overpopulation. One characteristic of this organization is fervent opposition to undocumented immigration.

The CAPS website calls attention to the negative outcomes of overpopulation, especially the effects of Mexican immigrants have had on healthcare in California. “Hospitals have closed due to insufficient funding of emergency rooms as well as illegal aliens’ inability to pay medical bills. It was estimated that in 2010, illegal aliens accounted for approximately $1.25 billion in unpaid medical care at California hospitals,” claims CAPS. Although I take numerous issues with the intentions as well as the rhetoric within this organization, they have a point: Overpopulation is negatively impacting the well-being of Californian society in multiple ways.

Schools, which require a large portion of California’s budget, are overcrowded, and students are not getting the attention they deserve, leading to a higher rate of high school dropouts.

Approximately one out of every

“Overpopulation is a bleak reality that affects all Californians.”

four students drops out before finishing high school, according to the California Department of Education (CDE). A trip down to City Hall in downtown Los Angeles will show the unemployment issue through our very own Occupy Movement (that is if you can get through the traffic – another dilemma caused by overpopulation).

CAPS reports that according to the International Traffic Scorecard, California is “home to five of the nation’s 20 most congested metro areas and eight of the worst bottlenecked traffic corridors.” This should come as no surprise to native Californians, or anyone who has ever passed through the state by freeway.

The intention of CAPS is to be an organization that attempts to spread awareness about overpopulation, and its proposed solutions are political and mainly geared toward eliminating undocumented workers in California. While overpopulation is a bleak reality that affects all Californians, it is preposterous for the organization to attribute these dilemmas solely to Mexican immigrants. The number of illegal immigrants is unknown and high, but Mexicans or any people who come to California in search of better opportunities for themselves and their families are not the primary reason that California is overpopulated, as CAPS harshly argues.

Aside from the heartless nature of the CAPS organization, overpopulation is a problem that is plaguing California

especially. The only solution that CAPS offers is cracking down on illegal immigration.

However, there are other causes of overpopulation, such as the desire to live in California that so many Americans follow.

It’s difficult to envision these issues when LMU students live on a spacious and comparatively small campus. Registration for us is a breeze compared to the University of California and California State University systems’ registration processes in which many students don’t get any of the classes they need to graduate. Although we don’t necessarily experience the inconveniences of overpopula-

tion on a daily basis, it still affects our state and will cause difficulties for us come graduation and our entrances into the real world.

It’s more than long lines and traffic. Overpopulation is a problem that is diminishing the quality of life for Californians. Humans deserve to be at the standard of living with enough resources and opportunities, but the luxury lifestyle California offers has stretched too thinly over too many people’s needs.

This is the opinion of Anna-Michelle Escher, a junior communication studies major from Stanford, Calif. Please send comments to aescher@theloyolan.com.

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December 8, 2011 Page 9

Del Rey Players perform magic in a day Theater Spotlight

were bringing back.

“It’s kind of a really cool artistic exploration,” Bryson said. “This

By Sonja Bistranin was something Del Rey [Players] Staff Writer used to do years and years ago. en students, 24 hours, one We found a flyer when we were gogoal: Create a masterpiece. ing through our archives, and we This was the challenge the thought we should bring this back.”

Del Rey Players (DRP) of LMU The finished product, titled “She undertook this past weekend. The Doesn’t Need to Know,” was a play team began writing a script at 10 about a young girl, senior theatre p.m. Dec. 2 and ended with a per- arts major Ashley Donnert, and her formance of the finished product 24 relationship with her guiding spirhours later. it, freshman English major Patrick Senior theatre arts major Caitlin Sullivan. The story follows the Bryson, the artistic director of the spirit as he becomes conflicted over DRP, said that creating a produc- whether to fulfill his responsibility tion in such a limited time was a of ending her life and escorting her unique idea from the past that they soul to the afterlife or to spare her.

The students sacrificed sleep and homework for 24 hours to focus completely on the play. Sleep deprivation and loss of focus were worries among the team.

“Staying up is going to be a challenge,” said Bryson before the production period began.

“There’s probably going to be a point around 2 a.m. or 3 a.m. where everyone starts crashing, and working through that will be hard. This show is nothing but crunch time; it’s like pulling an allnighter for class or Kevin Halladay-Glynn | Loyolan for finals, but we’ll Junior theatre arts major Thomas Wickboldt was one power through it.”

Throughout the of the 10 students producing a play in 24 hours.

T

Kevin Halladay-Glynn | Loyolan

Members of the LMU Del Rey Players perform “She Doesn’t Need to Know.” The group wrote, put together and performed the piece in 24 hours on Dec. 2 and 3.

24-hour period, the DRP pulled random challenges from a box, such as “a character must remove an article of clothing” and “someone must be slapped onstage,” to be incorporated into the play. According to junior animation major Chloe Looper, these additions created a new dimension to the script.

“The challenges were hard at times, and they forced us to rethink and edit our script, but it ended up improving it,” said Looper. “They would give us some new inspiration, make us take a step back, think about what we could do,

where we could improve and how we could push ourselves to make [the play] something different and unexpected.”

Props, costumes and the set for the production were all acquired and constructed within the 24-hour period. According to junior theatre arts major Thomas Wickboldt, the lighting presented the crew with further problems.

“The most time-consuming technical aspect was hanging and focusing the lighting fixtures,” said Wickboldt. “Normally, the lights would be put together over several

days, but we did it in three or four hours.”

Wickboldt believes the final result was worth all the challenges the cast and crew faced.

“I was really happy with the finished product. For only having 24 hours together, I thought we put forward an impressively complete product,” he said.

According to the students involved this year, the DRP plan on continuing the tradition next year because of the unique experience it provides for both the performers and the audience.

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December is here and winter break is fast approaching.

Need a study break? Can’t find anything to buy your sister for the holidays? For gorgeous knit sweaters for the winter months or a flirty red dress for the season, romwe.com has a wide selection accessible to women across the globe. This acclaimed high-street fashion website has everything from the most basic necessities such as scarves and tights to dressy blouses and statement jackets. Whether you are spending the winter break in Mammoth or by the shore in Hawaii, romwe.com features apparel that can be worn in any climate. With a price range of about $15-$750, there are many purchase options depending on your personal budget. As an added bonus, romwe.com provides free shipping worldwide. You can buy a little something for yourself and get an early start on Christmas shopping.

On romwe.com, you can find something for all the women in your family.

– Dol-Anne Asiru

December 8, 2011 Page 10

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

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Veggie Ventures

Nearby vegetarian restaurant disappoints T

here is something strange about going to a veggie joint when the word “vegan” or “veggie” is in its name. It’s like going to a steak house called “Let’s Eat Cows!” But given Go Veggie’s inarguably close proximity to our beloved bluff, I couldn’t not try this mom ‘n’ pop vegetarian place. It’s on CentiVeggie nela Avenue Ventures 2.0 right off Jefferson

By Luisa Barron Boulevard, Asst. A&E Editor quite appropriately next to the Marina Farms, a fruit and vegetable shop.

The health department letter grade displayed was a big, forebodingly green B. This only slightly worried me. Though I rarely see anything below an A, I’ve also seen places get a B from time to time, so I let the letter grade slide for Go Veggie.

It’s a small space, and it was quiet and empty during the late morning when I went by. I’ve never been able to deal with being the only customer in a restaurant, so I got my order to go. Their menu has an array of nine different vegetarian and vegan sandwiches, along with a salad and soup bar. Unfortunately, it’s never been personally appetizing to have cold food sitting out in trays all day (from which my disgust for Souplan-

tantion undoubtedly comes), but for those who do like to pick and choose their salad and cold pasta combos, everything is $5.99 per pound.

While I was waiting for my prepared-to-order sandwich, the cashier gave me a sample cup for the self-serve bar. I picked

Go Veggie 5462 S. Centinela Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90066

310-577-0167 Hours: Monday-Friday 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Saturday 10:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Closed Sundays Alberto Gonzalez | Loyolan

the capellini with julienne vegetables. It was certainly edible but a bit lifeless, and again, cold pasta has little to no appeal for me.

All the sandwiches come in at about $5 or $6, but they come without a side. I ordered the number one, the basic grilled veggie sandwich. It usually comes with feta cheese, but still being on a self-imposed vegan kick, I got it without. Otherwise, it was simply zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper, basil and balsamic vinegar on whole wheat bread.

When I got it hot off the grill, it smelled great. But the first

bite proved disappointing. The vegetables were cut rather thick, so every bite was a challenge.

Also, the consistency of all the vegetables involved didn’t really mesh, and there was no sauce or spread to balance out the taste and texture of the sandwich.

The balsamic vinegar was either lacking, or I just couldn’t find it beneath the heavy vegetables.

I also ordered a lemonade, which sounded intriguing as it was infused with lemongrass and mint. It was decently priced at $1.75 for a 16 oz. cup (that was inevitably filled three-quarters of the way with ice). It was refreshing to sip but a tad too sweet. Being a pretentious vegan, I prefer sweet drinks made with agave, because I could taste the sugar granules, but it wasn’t an unpleasant drink. The lemongrass and mint, however, were pretty much nonexistent, which was disappointing.

One can appreciate the efforts of a small, mom ‘n’ pop vegetarian restaurant, and its convenient location near campus makes me want to like it more.

But the small sampling of food I tried just seemed dry and unimaginative. Although most uppity vegan places, like Real Food Daily and Native Foods, are also a bit pricey and located farther away, at least you know you’re getting your money’s worth when you fork over $12 for a wrap and side salad.

This is the opinion of Luisa Barron, a junior screenwriting and philosophy double major from Houston, Texas.

Please send comments to lbarron@ theloyolan.com.

Where to go for festive baked goods and treats U

ntil New Year’s Day comes around, you have every reason to engage in the cardinal sin of gluttony.

However, there’s no excuse to be eating grocery store snacks. You want the gourmet goodies, especially if the campus experiences another

By Brandon power outage and you Cudequest have nothStaff Writer ing to do but eat food. Gorge on!

Urth Caffé: The perfect place for pastries and organic teas, there is a subdued but sophisticated vibe to the store’s menu. Ranging from oolong teas to chocolate-covered espresso beans, there’s a little something for every person ad-

Holiday Spotlight

dicted to caffeine. Urth has a few holiday gift boxes that are sure to make the season bright.

The challenge is to decide if you are in the mood for biscotti and winter roast, or the equally delicious combination of lemon poppy pound cake and mint green tea.

If none of its pre-made baskets are your cup of tea, you can custom order one to your liking.

Disneyland: Sure, there’s an $80 admission fee ($105 if you want to go to both parks), but around the holidays Disney pulls all out the stops to give you the most for your money.

Each of its restaurants has a special holiday dish, and Main Street U.S.A.’s pastry shop has some of the best gingerbread men you’ll ever eat. A popular combo is getting a delicious treat from the pastry shop and grabbing a great spot for the Christmas

Fantasy Parade on Main Street U.S.A. For those interested in a more magical experience, Disneyland also makes huge handmade candy canes during the holiday season. The candy canes are so popular that you need tickets in advance to buy them.

Sweet Lady Jane: The Yule Log, the quintessential holiday dessert, and other tasty pastries can be found at this Santa Monica bakery.

You’ll be able to find every type of pie and tart imaginable on this bakery’s menu. Its signature holiday item, the Yule Log, serves 15 to 20 people, and for $110 it is no stocking stuffer.

However, the local business has been making baked goods for over 20 years and has a plethora of rave reviews, so you know you are getting your money’s worth.

This is the opinion of Brandon Cudequest, a sophomore recording arts major from Montvale, New Jersey. Please send comments to kokeeffe@theloyolan.com.

Luisa Barron | Loyolan

Go Veggie is a small vegetarian joint on the corner of Centinela Avenue.

Their grilled veggie sandwich and the salad and pasta bar were both underwhelming, according to columnist Luisa Barron.

www.laloyolan.com

Arts & Entertainment

December 8, 2011 Page 11

Pick your holiday drink at The Lion’s Den

A

s cooler weather creeps up on us, many people are no doubt in search of some holiday beverages to warm up, and nothing screams the holidays like that comfy, homey feeling, right?

Which is why for this edition of “Drink to That,” I stayed close to home.

By close to home, I mean I went to The Lion’s Den. There are places on Randomosity few campus that

By Angelica capture the Cadiente holiday spirit better than Public Editor the Den. Walk in and you’ll hear the Christmas music playing.

There are lights strung about, paper snowflakes, Christmas-tree cutouts, wrapped “presents” up on the counter and frantic students cramming for classes. Ah, the holidays.

What’s the clear activity of choice when it comes to cold, winter days?

No, it’s not snuggling. It’s drinking hot chocolate, which might be better than snuggling, because you’re allowed to check your phone while you’re drinking hot chocolate without looking like an insensitive jerk.

Try pulling that off while you’re snuggling.

Luckily for us, the Den is offering several “spruced up” hot chocolates just in time for the holiday season.

Though they offer several unique additions to liven up your cocoa, I stuck with the peppermint and the hazelnut. In both cases, I made the decision to go with the whipped cream because it’s the holidays, and

it’s an unwritten rule that during this time of the year, you’re competing with the rest of America to see who can cram as many calories into his or her mouth as humanly possible. I’m competitive. Therefore, I get the whipped cream.

In the first drink, the peppermint kick is strongest at first sip, and it hits you mostly at the back of your throat. But the longer you drink it, the more the chocolate flavor somewhat drowns it out. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, considering I’m a girl, and we’re apparently hardwired to like all things chocolate. But I was expecting it to taste like a chocolate covered candy cane exploded in my mouth (except less painful). More of the peppermint could have given it a great hot-cool combo that would have made it perfect. Though there were no explosions, it was still a great drink to sip on.

The next spruced up hot chocolate I tried was the hazelnut. I was hoping for a chestnut flavor (reminiscent of Nat King Cole crooning about chestnuts roasting on an open fire), but since they didn’t have that variety, I opted for the hazelnut. I figured it was close enough. You can definitely taste the hazelnut in this drink, and it goes perfectly with the chocolate. The way the hazelnut complemented the chocolate made it so much more rich and creamy than plain hot cocoa. This drink was warming from the inside out. Think of it like a drink version of Nutella, except you’ll feel a lot less guilty drinking a cup of this than eating a cup of Nutella.

The last drink I tried wasn’t one of the hot chocolates, but was one of the seasonal holiday drinks the Den offers: the peppermint mocha. At

Angelica Cadiente | Loyolan

The Lion’s Den is decked out with Christmas lights, decorative paper cutouts and a multitude of stockings on the walls, making it a festive spot to sip on spruced up holiday drinks. first sip, I thought, “Wow, this sort of tastes like gingerbread,” which is odd because there’s no gingerbread in this drink. Maybe it was something about the coffee muddled with the peppermint that triggered the cake-y, slightly bitter taste of gingerbread. The peppermint wasn’t a standout at all. If you didn’t know there was peppermint in the drink, you probably wouldn’t have

noticed it at all. You know it’s not just straight up coffee, but the exact taste of it is difficult to pinpoint.

Overall, the drink wasn’t unpleasant, but the peppermint and the mocha as a duo just weren’t as great of a match as the lovely holidaysounding name suggested.

All in all, the hazelnut hot chocolate was the best of the bunch, with the peppermint hot chocolate com-

ing in second and the peppermint mocha falling short of the two.

The Lion’s Den certainly gives us sugar- and caffeine-craving college kids a place to gather and enjoy the tastes of the holiday season.

This is the opinion of Angelica Cadiente, a junior business administration major from Los Angeles, Calif. Please send comments to acadiente@theloyolan.com.

Christmas Gala Concert spreads holiday cheer

Concert Preview

By Khayla Golucke Staff Writer

W

hen Mary C. Breden became director of the LMU choruses in 1992, she not only took over for her own former college choral director, Paul Salamunovich, but she also took over the job of upholding a tradition that started under his direction in 1964. This month’s Christmas Gala Concert marks Breden’s 20th year as conductor and over 40 years of the choruses’ annual holiday performance.

The program this year will consist of performances by LMU’s Consort Singers, who are a select group of singers composed mostly of music majors and minors, the Women’s Chorus and the Concert Choir, a mixed choir comprised of students, alumni, staff and community members. Each group has its own 20 to 30-minute section in the concert, and there is a final piece featuring all three groups.

Preparation for the two-hour concert included in-class rehearsals since August, as well as combined rehearsals that started in November.

“You can walk by the recital hall where we hold our rehearsals that first day of class, and we’re starting on Christmas music,” Breden said. “There’s a lot of music that we cover so it’s a big, big project.”

The project is one that Breden

intends to make just as exciting and fresh as it is traditional, as she took particular consideration crafting the concert to involve both classic Christmas songs as well as more contemporary selections. She mentioned that the standout pieces of the show include the Women’s Chorus’s major work, “A Ceremony of Carols,” which will be accompanied by a harp, as well as the Consort Singers’s performance of “The Creation,” a rock cantata that will be accompanied by a guitar, bass, percussion and piano.

“It’s a real variety,” Breden said. “I sang [“The Creation”] when I was in college, in the early 1970s when it first came out. The publisher reissued it this year, and I thought, ‘This was such a fun piece.’ We had such a good time with it, and it still stands.

So we’ll open with a very typical, classical Renaissance motet and then we go into an enjoyable rock cantata.”

Having variety in her programs is something Breden stresses every year in hopes that something on the program will meet everyone’s musical interests. Freshman classical guitar major Eric Escalante expressed his excitement over being able to perform in the Concert Choir for this reason.

“It’s going to be a great time with a lot of diverse music. It’s worth seeing whether you’re into choral music or not, to spend a nice night in celebration of Christ-

mas in a way that everyone can enjoy,” Escalante said. “There was a lot of time and work all the singers, and Dr. Breden put into making a performance like this one, and I am excited to be a part of such an established choir as a freshman.”

Breden is sure that the concert will touch members of the LMU community as it has in the past.

“The thing that makes the Christmas concert special is ... in many ways this really is one of those things that helps kick off the holiday season for a lot of people.

There’s a great spirit in the concert,” she said.

For the choral members, this concert is not only a great way to spread Christmas cheer, but is also a way to fundraise for their upcoming summer tour to Germany and Austria. After Saturday’s performance, there will be a reception with homemade cookies, cake and spiced cider with the purchase of a $5 food ticket.

Performances are Thursday, Dec. 8 and Saturday, Dec. 10 at 8 p.m. in Sacred Heart Chapel.

Tickets for Thursday are $5 for LMU students, $10 for faculty and staff and $12 for community members. The Saturday seats are reserved seating only with the front part of the chapel at $15 and the middle/rear at $12. LMU students are still $5 (middle/rear only) and faculty and non-LMU students are $12 and $10 respectively.

Check out the supersized, Christmas-themed Ask a Lion online right now!

Only at laloyolan.com!

December 8, 2011 Page 12

Arts & Entertainment

Three fashion blogs offer their own unique styles

B

logs dedicated to an array of eclectic interests have been taking over the world during the past few years, and f a s h i o n blogs are definitely included.

Many young fashionistas head Sartorial straight Junkie to the web domains of

By Amy Lee these blogs Asst. A&E Editor once they open their Internet browsers.

Most of these blogs center around street style, personal outfit posts, style tips and trend reports, which are all good and deliciously addicting, but some blogs offer unique specialties and themes that defy the banality of the usual components of a fashion blog.

As a religious follower of blogs (a hobby that has consumed most of my homework time in a very good way), I attempt to convert you, so you can become as addicted as me. After narrowing down the number, here are my top three choices of the most unique, must-follow blogs that will always keep you clicking back for more.

1) The Man Repeller I don’t know if I’m being biased because the title of her blog alone personally makes her my Yoda, but Man Repeller Leandra Medine offers young women photos and sarcastically humorous words of witty wisdom to inspire them to dress for themselves, even if it means wearing fashion-forward pieces that may leave men scratching their heads and running away.

These include harem pants, shoulder pads, jumpsuits, immense amounts of layers, bowties and spiked jewelry.

Along with outfit posts, commentary on trends, fashion event and collaboration reports and shopping guides, her daily updates include style tips on accessorizing on a budget (Medine coined the term “arm party,” which is an excessive amount of stacked wrist wear), “Lessons in Layering,” how to make an outfit “From Man Getter to Man Repeller” and “1 Piece, 3 Ways.”

Medine’s signature style encourages women to take chances in their sartorial choices and incorporate new trends to develop their own independent fashion personalities. Check out her blog at www.manrepel-

ler.com.

2) Textbook (something for the boys too) Mix fashion with literature and history, and you’ve got Textbook, a unique blog experience that offers readers a chance to see what our favorite fictional characters and historical icons would wear in our modern times. John Jannuzzi posts compilations of outfits from recent designer collections that illustrate what these famous figures would wear. Past features include Luna Lovegood, Queen Nefertiti, Elizabeth Bennet, Holden Caulfield and Anne Boleyn. Jannuzzi’s posts allow readers to share his ideas of personifying these unforgettable individuals through fashion, encouraging others to look at style with more imagination.

Jannuzzi offers something for the boys too, in addition to his posts on Textbook. He contributes to Esquire magazine’s The Style Blog by posting compilations focused on what iconic men would wear, including Steve McQueen, James Dean and Jimi Hendrix. These posts are updated every Friday at www.esquire.com/blogs/mensfashion. Follow Textbook at textbook.tumblr.com.

3) The Coveteur Erin Kleinberg and Stephanie Mark of The Coveteur answer the prayers of fashion lovers as they offer readers an exclusive opportunity to take a peek into the closets and homes of various style makers and fashionistas that include editors, designers, stylists, DJs, entrepreneurs, socialites, bloggers, PR directors, actors, photographers, writers, make-up artists and more.

The Coveteur takes the notion of fashion blogs further by bringing readers behind the scenes of these people’s signature styles. Each person featured is accompanied with a profile picture and a short biography with personally captioned photos of favorite accessories, clothes and shoes that are strategically yet charmingly placed around the abode.

Almost everything in fashion ever imagined can be found on this blog, including those of the most timeless (vintage Chanel, anyone?), the most covetable of current trends and the unique and quirky.

Visit the blog and take a look at thecoveteur.com.

This is the opinion of Amy Lee, a sophomore communication studies major from Honolulu, Hawaii. Please send comments to alee@theloyolan. com.

Merry Christmas!

We look forward to working with you in 2012

-Communications & Government Relations

www.laloyolan.com

LMU alumni video featured on Funny or Die website

Tom Pena

LMU grads Bennet Silverman (left, ‘09) and John Gasienica (‘10) were the masterminds behind faux movie trailer “The Social Network 2.”

Alumni Q&A

By Kevin O’Keeffe A&E Editor

F

or any LMU students who left “The Social Network” wanting more, two LMU alumni have created just the thing to quench your thirst. A trailer for the fake film “The Social Network 2” arrived online last month, with great feature spots on CollegeHumor [collegehumor.com] and Funny or Die [funnyordie.com]. The trailer asks, in essence “What would the world do without Facebook?”

John Gasienica (‘10) and Bennet Silverman (‘09), talked with A&E Editor Kevin O’Keeffe this week about their production company, Nice Piece Productions, the trailer’s success and giving people a reason

to procrastinate.

Kevin O’Keeffe (KO): How did the idea for “The Social Network 2” trailer first gestate?

Nice Piece Productions (NP): We have a few friends who spend an inordinate amount of time on [Facebook]. We were having a discussion about what these individuals would do without social networking and just kind of ran with the idea. A trailer seemed like the best medium to convey the concept, but we’re really the ones who should be made fun of. The shameless online self-promotion we’ve done for this video has made us both Facebook regulars.

KO: The video was partially shot on LMU’s campus – what drew you back to your alma mater to film?

NP: The underground tunnel connecting Rosecrans and Desmond suited a lot of our shooting needs.

We’re also huge fans of LMU.

KO: How did you get your video featured on Funny or Die and CollegeHumor?

NP: This is now the fourth video we’ve done so we felt confident enough to send it around to some of the big websites ... Right off the bat we got a feature from collegehumor. com, followed by techcrunch.com, which really launched “The Social Network 2” out into the digital world. Luckily, at Funny or Die, it got shown to a few of the people in charge and apparently they liked it.

It was really a thrill to see Chasen Banks (an LMU ‘10 alumnus actor in “The Social Network 2”) on the front page of Funny or Die. KO: How did your company, Nice Piece Productions, come into existence?

NP: We became friends at LMU … but it wasn’t until after we graduated and realized how annoying it was to work for a living that we started producing these shorts. Bennet [Silverman] had the directing and producing education from LMU whereas John [Gasienica] had the LMU business background and was working on his master’s in screenwriting over at USC. We both liked the idea of giving people a reason to procrastinate and making them laugh while they do it.

KO: What other projects does Nice Piece have in the pipeline?

NP: We have about three or four Nice Pieces in development right now that are almost ready to go into production. We hope to release the next one in mid-January.

To learn more about Silverman, Gasienica and Nice Piece Productions, visit their website at www. nicepieceproductions.com.

Sports

www.laloyolan.com

‘Poor shot selection’ hurts women against UCLA W. Bball from Page 16

Upcoming Schedule Dec. 8 -- 7 p.m.

Dec. 10 -- 2 p.m.

Dec. 17 -- 2 p.m.

Sacramento State Portland State UTEP

Gersten Pavilion Gersten Pavilion Gersten Pavilion

@LoyolanSports

and didn’t hit a field goal in the final 10:50, while shooting three for 27 in the final 20 minutes of play.

“Bad offense leads to bad defense,” said Wilhoit. “And when you put a number of those things together, it zaps your energy, it zaps your confidence and there are a lot of factors that have nothing to with running an offense from A to B to B to C. It becomes all the intangibles that make a team bounce. The way we did against New Mexico and the way we did against Wyoming. The way we have been in practice.”

Tonight will be the third time in history that the Lions and Hornets square off against each other. So far, the two teams have split the two matchups, with the Hornets coming out victorious, 70-69, in the most recent game between the two teams.

In the loss, Cowling scored 28 points and pulled down 14 rebounds.

The Lions and Hornets will tip off play tonight at 7 p.m. in Gersten Pavilion. The game will mark the second of seven consecutive home games for the Lions, who will host Portland State University on Saturday, Dec. 10 at 2 p.m.

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the first half by only six points, 3428, at the halftime break. However, despite riding a hot-shooting performance where the Lions shot six for 11 from deep in the first half, they laid a goose egg from beyond the arc in the final 20 minutes of play, missing all nine of their attempts.

“We didn’t score – we just didn’t hit shots,” said Head Coach Julie Wilhoit. “I think we got a lot of good shots off, they just didn’t fall. The first half I think we really executed well, we defended well, but in the end we’re not deep enough to play a team this athletic and of this caliber at this point.”

Wilhoit also touched on how UCLA was able to exploit LMU for their young roster, which features nine freshmen and sophomores.

“We have too many young players that we’re relying on for playing time.

The weaknesses [and] the inexperience were exposed. The athleticism and length of UCLA pounced on us.

We were not looking for a moral victory, we really believed that we could compete. The difficult thing for us is our youth and our experience.”

Redshirt junior forward Alex Cowling led the team in scoring for the eighth consecutive time this season with 19 points, but missed 12 of her 17 attempts from the field, including two for five from deep. As the team’s leader on and off the court this season, Cowling acknowledged that she might have taken too many shots from the outside.

“I was just feeling it from the outside, and I should have taken it in,” said Cowling. “That was my bad. It was poor shot selection on my part and, it just bled to the rest of the team. I’m an offensive leader, and I need to take better shots – I was taking shots from the outside way too much.”

Freshman guard Hazel Ramirez was the only other Lion to reach double figures in scoring, notching 10 points on four of 14 shooting from the field. The 5-foot-5-inch guard pulled down a team-high eight rebounds too.

The Lions were plagued by woes on offense, only recording nine assists while turning the ball over 18 times. They missed almost as many shots (42) as they scored points (43)

December 8, 2011 Page 13

S ports Loyola Rugby ready to Same ole Lions December 8, 2011 Page 14

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rumble in new season Rugby from Page 16 other clubs or organizations on campus is their two-fold involvement with both social and athletic events.

Stinson, who played football all four years at Damien High School in La Verne, Calif., originally didn’t plan on participating in athletics at all in college.

“I wasn’t looking to play any sports in college,” Stinson said. “I figured it was time to be an adult and get my stuff together. But one of my buddies and I were approached by a member of the rugby team who said ‘Hey, you look big. Do you like to hit people?’ I went to practice that day, and here I am now.”

While Stinson’s friend did not

stick with him through the practice, he now feels a sense of connection with his teammates.

“It was honestly the best decision I’ve made since coming to LMU,” said Stinson. “It gave me an entire group of friends, but more than that they’re like brothers. With football you can be a one-man show, but in rugby there’s more of a brotherhood. In rugby, it takes all 15.”

For Tymstra, being part of the rugby team has shaped his LMU experience.

“Here at LMU, I’d say the biggest difference on the field is the speed and the ability of my teammates,” said Tymstra. “Off the field it’s a great social aspect, just to go out with the guys and have a lot of fun. It’s made rugby a way

more enjoyable thing for me and it’s become a bigger part of my life, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

For Shanahan, a senior leader on the team who has been playing rugby since his freshman year atSacramento’s Jesuit High School, the LMU team has been a defining experience for him in college.

“It’s more than just playing rugby with your friends,” Shanahan said. “There’s a social aspect too.

There’s a good sense of brotherhood, putting your life on the line with everyone on the field, breaking your wrists, spraining your ankles like I did last season. Overall, it’s just been a real good time.”

After four years of high school football at Saint Ignatius High School in San Francisco, Waziri similarly thought his days involved with sports were over.

“I came to LMU to change schools and my career path,” Waziri said.

“I met my first group of friends here from playing rugby. It’s been an awesome time here. I’ve immersed myself in it, and I became the president of the club this year from my love for the team.”

With a competitive schedule ahead of them, including games against teams like rivals Claremont College, perennial contender San Diego State University and UC Santa Barbara, the Lions are always looking to improve their team.

“We’re always recruiting and always looking for new guys,” Waziri said. “It’s never too late to come out to play. It’s a great time and a great way to meet people on campus.”

Wilks World from Page 16 through those games where we don’t respect them; we have to respect everybody.”

Hearing that kind of quote, as well as freshman guard C.J. Blackwell saying, “We have to come out and punch first. [We] can’t be passive, have to be aggressive,” after the next day’s 42-point victory made Friday’s loss sting even more.

With all of the fan support and extra hype from the athletics department, LMU still managed to come out flat in the first game of its own tournament.

Friday, LMU managed to make the guys in the light blue and white jerseys look more like ACC powerhouse North Carolina than an Ivy League team that had only two wins prior. Make no mistake, the Columbia University Lions deserved the win. The East Coast Lions battled harder, shot better and wanted it more. Columbia University used its hot shooting to finish the tournament with a 3-0 record.

No matter how well Columbia showed the rest of the weekend, the frustration remains. It was so typically and unequivocally LMU basketball. Coming off a big win, usually fickle students who were genuinely excited turned out in droves. A flat performance that was only energized once a loss was becoming a reality and inevitably resulted small crowds the next two days.

It’s tough to blame students for the smaller turnouts this past Saturday and Sunday. LMU fans have been burned repeatedly. Even if students are only here for so long, they come to realize that putting too much faith in one of these teams usually leads to the letdown that

many of them felt as they trudged out into the cold on Friday night, shivering in the golden jerseys given out at the game.

The Lions did bounce back the next night with a win that was resounding by score alone. Any 42-point victory where so many players get to contribute and careerhighs are set is a confidence booster, but coming over an outmatched Divison III opponent, it will not matter much in the course of LMU’s season.

Far more important was the de facto second-place game on Sunday night between the Lions and the Mean Green of North Texas.

Both teams had lost to hotshooting Columbia and stomped lowly La Sierra. For LMU, it was an opportunity to prove that there could be some level of consistency, a proper exertion of its superior talent.

Instead, for LMU, the game turned out to be a turnover-laden affair that dragged the same old issues to surface once again: key starters sat out with injuries, LMU started lethargically, and Head Coach Max Good called for more “toughness” both mentally and physically.

After the 10-point loss to North Texas, LMU is now 2-3 in games following victories, a record that suggests a lack of consistency and focus. The Lions have shown that at their best, they are a talented group capable of having fun, playing loose, aggressive and knocking off nationally-ranked squads. At their worst, the 2011-12 Lions are a sloppy team that gets cocky with success and is fully capable of duplicating last season’s disappointing results unless something changes soon.

This is the opinion of John Wilkinson.

Please email comments to jwilkinson@theloyolan.com.

In t o th n as In tive to Un

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Sports

NBA is all I want for Christmas

December 8, 2011 Page 15

Athlete Spotlight Tammy Choy

Sport: Swimming Class: Senior Major: Business Hometown: Millbrae, Calif.

Position: Backstroke/Individual Medley

Associated Press

Two of the league’s brighest young stars, Kevin Durant (left) of the Oklahoma City Thunder and LeBron James (right) of the Miami Heat,shoot around during one of the many charity basketball game’s that were held during the lockout.. that was clearly evident in their first-round loss to the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies. As for Boston, they remain the most hungry of the four teams. However, the fact that the team’s two starting big men, Jermaine O’Neal and Kevin Garnett, don’t have healthy enough knees for one person, along with the roster’s lack of championshipworthy depth or an elite scorer, are multiple reasons for concern. These teams will surely remain contenders in their respective conferences, but the course of grinding out 66 games in four months does not favor the veterans over the young guns.

tune after passing the ball to Sasha Vujacic and Travis Outlaw while the James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Nets lose 45 of their 66 games?

Erick Spoelstra, Eddie House and If Orlando’s management has Pat Riley could produce the best any sense, they will deal Howard reality show of all time. I hate that prior to the start of the season or they found a way to beat the salary very soon into it. Why? Because, the cap and have three max or nearlonger they wait, the less leverage max players playing together on they will ultimately have. If Howard one team during the prime of their isn’t traded by mid-January or concareer. I hate that they acted like siderable help hasn’t been brought winning championships was going in, you best believe Orlando will to be easier for them than walking struggle mightily while playing with into a club and getting a girl’s phone the inevitable Howard departure number. I hate knowing that even monkey on its back. though they are over the cap, they As for Paul, it’s possible he gets are somehow going to find a way traded, but the more likely scenario to land a group of veteran is he is dealt after the season or free agents, all searching for signs with another team in free a title, that will probably put agency. Paul is classy enough “...Mike Brown brings what them over the edge. of a guy to not demand a trade the Lakers desperately need: midseason, but since the NBA But at the same time, I love the fact that the league has ownership over his New finally has a legitimate team defense and a sense of urgency.” Orleans Hornets, any trade of villains. I love knowing that would have to be approved by no matter what arena they travel How will Mike Brown fare in the majority of the other 29 owners. to, they have a bullseye bigger than Los Angeles?

And don’t expect the 28 other ownthe state of Florida tattooed on Barring a medical advancement ers to turn a blind eye if Chris Paul their backs. I love that, after nearly that literally instills a fountain of is egregiously flipped to the Knicks seven months of being dogged and youth in the aged and physically for Chauncey Billups and Landry criticized for their (LeBron’s) NBA broken, Phil Jackson has more Fields or to the Lakers for Andrew Finals choke job, they are going to likely than not coached his final Bynum – because that will be concome out on opening night, watch game of NBA basketball. In terms of tinuing everything that the lockout Dallas raise its banner and smoke the overall NBA, that simply means was trying to prevent: big market the Mavericks by over 20 points in the passing of a legendary coach. teams preventing smaller-market what will be the first win of one of But for Kobe Bryant and the Los franchises from keeping superstars, the most dominant seasons ever.

Angeles Lakers, it could turn out to and getting them for a collection of The Miami Heat are everything be a blessing in disguise or round pocket lint.

I hate as a Lakers fan, but as a two of the Hollywood hoops drama.

The possibility of an Oklahoma basketball fan, they make the game I’m hoping for the former, because City Thunder vs. Miami Heat 10 times more exciting.

Mike Brown brings what this team NBA Finals It’s the last “hurrah” for the desperately needs: defense and a I don’t think I’ve ever been guilty current veteran cores in Dallas, sense of urgency. If the team buys of blasphemy against my beloved San Antonio, Boston and Los into his system from day one, and Lakers, but if there was any Angeles (Lakers). willingly runs the offense through instance of it, it’s right now. Sorry I hate to say it, but Father Time Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum to all of my fellow purple and gold has started ticking incessantly (something they should have done supporters, but from the perspecloud for some of this past decade’s all last year), they will succeed. tive of a diehard basketball fan, greatest teams. The Lakers, CeltHowever, if Kobe Bryant does is it possible to envision a more ics, Spurs and Mavericks’ rosters not develop a positive or mutually fantastic NBA Finals showdown don’t seem to be getting positively respectful relationship with Brown, than one featuring a battle between younger, and with each team tied it’s going to be a LONG season Kevin Durant and LeBron James? up in massive amounts of salary in Los Angeles. It’s going to be a It would be the type of series that a until at least the 2012 offseason, compromise for both parties, have movie gets made out of. What would I think we’re going to see each of the potential to achieve greatness be better than pitting arguably these teams get exposed for their that Brown could not achieve with the two best players in the game age and mileage in 2011-12. AlLeBron James in Cleveland. A title against each other? Is there a better though shortened by 16 games, the is not out of reach, even for the curdynamic-duo matchup than Durant regular season schedule does not farent roster, but capturing one will and Westbrook vs. Wade and vor teams such as those mentioned require the Lakers to change their LeBron? I don’t think so. As much above. With 66 matchups concollectively complacent mindset and as I would love to see the Lakers densed into just over four months, buy into Brown’s system. reel in their 17th championship – it’s going to be tough for veteran Where will the three pending believe me, I would take that over teams to keep their legs fresh to run free-agent superstars end up? an OKC-MIA matchup any day of with the young, competitive teams The summer of 2010 was loaded, the week – I have to ask myself, is in the league. but the free-agent class of 2012 is that a realistic expectation? Even While Kobe Bryant might be near stacking up to garner significant if the aging Lakers do manage to 100 percent health for the first time hype as well. Headlined by its own make it through the Wild West into in God knows how long, seven of the big three of Dwight Howard, Chris the Finals, would they have enough Lakers’ top eight players (assuming Paul and Deron Williams, each gas in the tank to knock off Miami Shannon Brown does not re-sign player’s respective team – Orlando, or Chicago? In anticipation that the with the team) are on the wrong New Orleans and New Jersey – Lakers just don’t have enough juice side of 30. Dallas isn’t any younger, could very well lose its franchise to make their fourth finals appearand is expected to lose its starting player. Williams stated on a Monance in five seasons, I await the center, Tyson Chandler – who was day morning radio interview that greatest conceivable championship the anchor of the Mavs’ champithere’s a 90 percent chance he’ll rematchup since I was born. onship defense – to free agency. sign with the Nets. However, even if Despite winning over 60 games last he remains with the Nets until his This is the opinion of Michael Goldsholl. season, the Spurs have been on the contract expires, will the All-Star Please email comments to decline for quite some time, and point guard be singing the same mgoldsholl@theloyolan.com.

Two Plus the Foul from Page 16

What is the most interesting class you have taken in your career at LMU?

I am currently taking Product and Business Design sponsored by Hyundai where they donate $50,000 for the class to spend efficiently in order to change the perception amongst Americans of their company. Our class was made up of not only undergraduate students and MBA students, but we worked with Otis product design. We had our final presentation in the class this week where representatives from Hyundai flew in from Korea to oversee the presentation. It really made me feel that this class was applicable to what was going on in the real world.

What is your favorite stroke to swim?

I love the 200-meter backstroke. As opposed to all out sprinting, it allows me to strategize my race. I plan my attack before every race so when I am in the water, I know exactly what the strategy is.

What exact strategy do you plan out?

I want to visualize what every lap will feel like.

I look at the race by 50-meter chunks, as there are four of them in the 200-meter race. My goal in every race is to focus on the third 50-meter because I feel that not many people focus on that lap. I try and make that my fastest lap to gain the edge.

Do you have any pre-meet rituals?

For seven years of my life (high school [through] last year) I did the same thing before every race: the same stretches, same routine, listened to the same music, same pre-meet meal and so on. However, last year I decided to change it up a little bit and take one race at a time, not focus on the routine so much.

What music inspires you before a race?

I am definitely a big hip-hop and rap fan. Kanye West, KiD CuDi and Jay-Z are some of my favorites.

Now that Christmas is coming up, do you have any holiday traditions you spend with your family?

The holidays always center around food. Once we establish what we are doing for breakfast, lunch and dinner, everything else just falls into place. Both my uncle and my mom share the kitchen, so the holidays are an opportunity to spend time with family and eat some good, homemade meals.

What is the key to balancing swimming and school work?

The biggest key is knowing when you have free time and not to waste it. I used to play water polo here at LMU so I used to be a lot busier than I am now. There are enough hours in the day, especially when you have early morning practice. It’s just a matter of using them effectively.

Have you ever overslept for a morning practice?

No way. I am way too scared of that happening.

I would feel guilty to my team for letting them down.

Our coach [Bonnie Adair] has a rule that if a member of the team is late to a practice, the practice time starts five minutes earlier for the rest of the semester. If another member is late, it goes to 10 minutes. I am deathly afraid to be that girl who gets practice earlier than it already is.

What are some strengths and needs for improvement for this current team?

This has been the best team dynamic I’ve seen since being on the team. Everyone is so supportive and encouraging throughout every part of our season. I have gotten extremely close to all of these girls and there is not one person on the team I would mind sharing a room with. We are all that close. I think we could improve on our team spirit and pride a bit more. That will come with time.

In your opinion, what makes LMU special?

The school encourages finding balance between top-notch academics and a great social scene. LMU is a tight-knit community that emphasizes service and educating the whole person. The athletic department is extremely close and everybody pretty much knows everybody, which allows for great friendships to emerge. I’m going to be really sad to leave.

Photo: LMU Athletics Compiled by Dan Raffety | Asst. Sports Editor

www.laloyolan.com

Lion Sports

December 8, 2011 Page 16

Lions suffer yet another letdown

Men’s basketball continues to create great expectations,only to follow them up with disappointment.

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Loyola Rugby

Senior center Abraham Waziri (above center) is the president of LMU’s Rugby team, along with sophomore Matt Tymstra (above center) is coming off of its first season as a part of the Division I Pacific Mountain West Conference, in which the Lions went 4-3 last season.

A band of rugby brothers The Loyola Rugby team is bound by a strong brotherhood among the members of its roster.

By Nick Kemaylan Staff Writer Whether on or off the field, the Loyola Rugby team can be defined by one concept: brotherhood. After a 4-3 season put them in second place in the Pacific Mountain West Conference, the Lions look to focus on continuing the strength of their team as a whole this year.

“Last year was the first year we moved up from Divison II to Division I,” said Team President and center senior Abraham Waziri. “This year we don’t have the athletes like we’ve had in the years past like Zach Fenoglio (2011) and Josh Calistro (2011). We have to focus really on the team and each player learning their role.”

While the losses of athletes like Fenoglio and Calistro will make an impact on the team, Waziri along with other members of the team, are confident that they still can build off their momentum from last season.

“Last season, we grew every week,” said Waziri. “And this year that’s another challenge for us, we always need to be taking a step forward.

Week in and out we kept getting better on the areas we really focused on.”

In addition to focusing on the growth of the team week by week, the team is also looking to improve on their strength and conditioning and did so by hiring Strength and Conditioning Coach Brian Nguyen.

“Brian is one of the best trainers in Los Angeles,” said Waziri. “He’s trained members of the Jacksonville Jaguars and the L.A. Avengers. He’s gone on tour with the Lakers and even trained Mark Wahlberg.”

This season, the Lions are looking for players, such as freshman prop Mark Stinson and

freshman flyhalf Nate Reyes, to step up their game in the upcoming spring campaign.

“Nate is the kind of guy that does well in a leadership position,” said sophomore scrumhalf Matt Tymstra. “Guys like Mark who have never played before are also going to be key for this season. Despite never playing before, he’s been picking up skills lately.”

Additionally, seniors like eight-man Bobby Shanahan and Waziri are also looking to play key roles in the upcoming season.

“Last year I got a chance to play with Josh Calistro, and I learned a lot playing with him,” said Waziri. “We have a bunch of new faces in our backline, and I’m looking to step up my own game. I was called by the coaches the rock of the backline. I’m looking to be more of a leader, more of a finisher than I was last year and become more of an offensive threat.”

One thing that separates the Lions from

s much as things seem to change with men’s basketball at LMU, they always manage to stay the same. Sure, the Lions’ record currently sits above .500, when last year they were below at this point, but the last weekend felt unmistakably the same.

Hosting a tournament at Gersten Pavilion for the first time since the 1992-93 season, LMU went 1-2 in the DoubleTree Los Angeles Westside Centennial Classic.

Wilks World Other than being a

By John Wilkinson brutally clunky name, the tournament ended Asst. Sports Editor up being a frustrating battle for the hosts.

LMU entered the tournament riding high, owners of a three-game winning streak, fresh off an upset of the No. 23 Saint Louis University Billikens. Articles in the L.A. Times had recognized the strength of LMU’s start. With the Centennial Game, lavish pregame festivities and a huge crowd Friday, Dec. 2, things were going as planned for LMU athletics. The only problem: For a full 40 minutes, the effort on the court did not match that off of it.

“Complacency. ... That’s our biggest thing we have to work on this year,” redshirt senior forward Drew Viney said on Friday after he made his first appearance of the season following offseason foot surgery. “Just getting

See Wilks World | Page 14

Lions continue homestand

NBA is back: better late than never

The women’s basketball team hosts Sacramento State tonight at 7 p.m. in Gersten Pavilion.

After nearly six months of being locked out,the 2011-12 NBA season is set to begin on Christmas Day.

See Rugby | Page 14

T

By Michael Goldsholl Asst. Managing Editor | Sports Editor In its previous two games, the women’s basketball team has found itself on polar opposite ends of the postgame spectrum. The Lions (2-6) won by a buzzer-beating 3-pointer on the road against the University of New Mexico last Thursday, and suffered a 41-point thrashing at home by UCLA on Saturday. Tonight, the Lions will look bounce back from their loss, as they play host to Sacramento State University at 7 p.m.

The Hornets (4-4) travel to LMU on the heels of a loss as well, having fallen on the road to UC Davis this past Sunday, 68-57, ending a fourgame winning streak for Sacramento State. Junior forward Kylie Khuns, who is the team’s second-leading scorer, averaging 13.4 points per game, posted her seventh double double of the season with 15 points and 13 rebounds. Fellow forward, and the Hornets’ leading scorer at 13.5 points per game, senior Emily Christensen registered a double-double as well, scoring 15 points and 11 rebounds in the loss.

Prior to being outscored 50-15 in the second half of their loss to UCLA, the Lions played the Bruins close in

See W. Bball | Page 13

Shaina Julian | Loyolan

Redshirt junior forward Alex Cowling has been the Lions’ leading scorer in each of its eight games this season and is the NCAA’s 17th leading scorer, averaging 20.4 points per game.

he NBA was dangerously close to forfeiting one of the greatest seasons of hoops in history. But after nearly 150 days of being locked out, the players and owners finally agreed on a new collective bargaining agreement that was ratified on Tuesday of this week, resulting in a shortened 66game season that is set to commence on Christmas Day. What a great Christmas present that will turn out to be, not only for Two Plus the Foul the fans, but for the NBA too. The

By Michael Goldsholl league was coming Asst. Managing Editor | off arguably its most compelling and Sports Editor climactic season in over a decade and with much of last year’s hype carrying over into this year, along with even more exciting elements added to the mix, 2011-12 is going to be even better.

If the NBA lockout left you questioning your loyalty to the game or the axing of the first two months of the season disinterested you in professional hoops, here are four reasons why you’ll regret missing any NBA action in 2011-12.

Vengeance of the Villains from South Beach I don’t even like the Miami Heat, but I love everything about them. I hate that LeBron

See Two Plus the Foul | Page 15