Friday, Dec. 1, 2006
C a b r i n i
C o l l e g e
The Loquitur Y o u S p e a k, W e L i s t e n
Plans to increase troop levels in progress
Radnor, Pa.
Distractions lead to car accidents www.theLoquitur.com
Vol XLVIII, Issue 12
BRITTANY LIBERATORE NEWS EDITOR
BCL722@CABRINI.EDU
The United States Defense Department is considering an increase in American troop levels, according to an article in The New York Times. This increase will coincide with an addition of thousands more trainers to work with Iraqi forces. These are the plans that were considered after a review of the Iraq strategy that is already in place. Although these plans are extensive, they are predicted to be temporary. According to The New York Times, the increase in American troops, if this plan becomes a reality, would raise the troop level by approximately 20,000.
MILITARY, page 3
WHAT’S INSIDE
DAN SQUIRE/PHOTO EDITOR
Driving while drowsy or distracted can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles resulting in serious or fatal car crashes. Driving drowsy or distracted are the two biggest accident risks on the road. KATHERINE BRACHELLI KB727@CABRINI.EDU NEWS EDITOR
After a week of partying and cramming for finals before winter break begins, Eileen Kuter, a junior biology major at Millersville University, packs her bags for her two-hour haul home to recuperate after the long school week. Kuter recalls driving in a state of drowsiness and being greatly distracted on her way home. She had no idea that her drowsy state
JASON RADKA
JNR722@CABRINI.EDU
Tattoos Page 8
SPORTS Women’s Basketball Page 13
being involved in some form of driver inattention whether it is drowsiness or cell phone use. Driving drowsy or while distracted are the two biggest accident risks on the road, according to a study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Although no one was hurt in Kuter’s car accident, the memory of her car being slammed into a divider is one that continuously haunts her. Kuter admitted that having no transportation for almost a month did not really
DRIVING, page 3
College costs surmount inflation rates SPORTS EDITOR
FEATURES
would end up in the surprising awakening of her car being totaled because she could no longer focus on the road. After driving into a divider on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Kuter said, “I’ll never drive again when I’m that tired. It happened in the blink of an eye. Sometimes it still scares me to drive home on long car rides now.” Kuter was one of the individuals who fall into the 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of nearcrashes that occur because of
bother her, because she feared getting behind the steering wheel of a car for almost two weeks. Drowsiness is a significant problem that increases a driver’s risk of a crash or near-crash. The NHTSA also reported that driving drowsy may be significantly under-reported in police crash investigations. “This important research illustrates the potentially dire consequences that can occur while driving distracted or drowsy. It’s crucial that drivers always be alert when on the road,” said Jacqueline Glassman, administrator of NHTSA Kuter said, “It’s so easy to become distracted while driving but now when I drive home from school I’m much more alert.” Now when Kuter drives home from school she has a friend accompany her to keep her awake, she brings a cup of coffee for the car ride and she makes sure that she is well rested. The second most common distraction for drivers is the use of cell phones. Although some states are now making it a law that an individual is not permitted to talk on his or her cell phone while driving, the number of crashes and near-crashes attributable to dialing is nearly identical to the number associated with talking or listening, according to the NHTSA.
The cost of going to college, including Cabrini, has gone up this past year faster than national inflation, which is the bad news recently reported by the College Board. The positive news is that it has gone up at a slower rate than in the past. Recently, the College Board released new data saying that costs at four-year private colleges went up two percent more than inflation. In 2005 the national inflation rate was around 3.2 percent, and the college tuition, including fees at four-year colleges, went up by 5.9 percent, more than 2 percent over inflation. Inflation is the average price increase over the course of a year. For example, if the average price for a can of soup, a bicycle and a ticket to a football game has
increased by three percent over a year, then three percent is the inflation rate for the year. The average total of tuition, fees, room and board at private colleges is $30,367. Total student aid has gone up by 3.7 percent, which is better than inflation, but federal aid has not gone up equal to inflation. Students are in awe when they see these numbers. Lauren Beck, sophomore finance major said, “Well, in some aspects it is unfair to the students because in retrospect, it costs more now to go to school than in decades before.” However, the rise in tuition helps faculty and staff in schools nation wide. Beck also said, “But for the faculty, the rises in tuition are needed to sustain their daily lives. I think that education costs should not be raised every single year, but maybe every other year.
INFLATION, page 3
DAN SQUIRE/PHOTO EDITOR
In 2005, the national inflation rate was approximately 3.2 percent affecting both public and private colleges around the nation.
2 | NEWS
EDITORIAL
Student interest in military life close to nonexistent In a recent poll of 15 Cabrini students (10 were printed), only one out of 15 students expressed an interest in joining the military, a testament to how important education is to our generation and how American students perceive the war overseas. Part of the reason students have so little interest in joining the military can be attributed to the emphasis our nation places on the value of higher education. For most students, it’s etched into their brains at a young age that college is the only path to take after high school. But for those who do not have the means, the military may be the only way to pay for that college education today’s society values so much. But with all the media coverage of a failing war in Iraq, what student would want to enlist? There is such a negative connotation attached with the war. You can’t even turn on the news or pick up a newspaper without seeing, hearing or reading about the brutalities in the Middle East. Good news from Iraq is a rarity. In a time when the world is ever more dangerous and we need our troops the most, the military isn’t looking very attractive. Tuition reimbursement, technical training, housing and health benefits are not enough to balance the state of war we are in. Who is going to want to fight for a hopeless cause? This Saturday, Republican Senator John McCain will speak at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. McCain, who is a Vietnam veteran and former P.O.W, is one of the front-runners for in the G.O.P. presidential nomination and is calling for one last push in Iraq. “Without additional troops to ensure victory in Iraq, the U.S. could find itself more vulnerable to terrorist attacks at home,” McCain said, according to FoxNews.com. Many of the potential presidential candidates for 2008 are hoping to clear the air in Iraq to lighten the burden of carrying the war into the election season. The plan would call for 20,000 or more for several more months. That would mark a sharp rise over the current baseline of 144,000, according to the New York Times. So what’s the solution for the decline in military interest? Some elected officials believe that reinstating the draft is the answer. But a draft may stir up feelings of Vietnam. Hopefully, youth would protest before succumbing to governmental desperation to dig ourselves out of the trenches. It’s highly unlikely that the bill would ever leave the House floor. Officials will think twice about passing a law that mandates the deployment of their own sons and daughters. The fact that the idea has even been brought up speaks volumes of the state of our nation. The draft shouldn’t be the only answer our government can think of to entice our youth to enlist. It seems they have offered so many substantial compensations for those that enlist but now it doesn’t seem to be enough. Things have now become so bad that we are resorting to desperate measures. Whether is a desire for a higher education, perceptions of the war in Iraq or needs for more than the military has to offer, the lack of interest is obvious. Nine out of 10 students agree that an education is more important to them than a career in the military.
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Friday, Dec. 1, 2006
Speaker expresses theories on love KARLI MORELLO
KRM723@CABRINI.EDU
STAFF WRITER
Love is a feeling rather than an emotion were the words of Robert C. Soloman. But what is the difference? Solomon gave a lecture about love and how he feels that it is an emotion rather than a feeling. He called his lecture “Is love a second-hand emotion?” “You hear platitudes that love is wonderful and beautiful and so-on, but that is not what I am going to give you,” Solomon said. Instead, he talked about what love actually is and what we feel when we have love and how we know we have it. First, he went into detail about the differences between feelings and emotions. “Feelings are simple and instinctual,” Solomon said, meaning that they just come about. We do not work our way up to feeling angry or sad, they just happen in a moment, according to Solomon. “Emotions are physical disturbances which lead to a sensation which in-turn is an emotion.” Solomon explained that feelings are stages of emotions. An example that Solomon used was when a person is in traffic and a fellow driver calls them an “idiot,” that person gets mad, not upset. But if a person that one is close to calls them an “idiot,” it hurts and turns into an emotion. First, a person would be hurt and sad that their loved one could call them names, then, they would feel angry towards them and wonder what happened for them to be so cruel. As Solomon talked more
DAN SQUIRE/PHOTO EDITOR
Robert C. Solomon, seen above, expresses his thoughts on how love is feeling rather than an emotion on Monday, Nov. 20 in the SET building.
about the differences between feelings and emotions, he explained how love is an emotion, not a feeling. “Love is a process,” he said. “It goes on and takes time to establish; much like emotions.” In Solomon’s words, “Love doesn’t happen to you. You make it happen. You are responsible.” A person does not simply fall in love one day, but they build up their emotions towards someone and eventually “fall in love. Many people do not have a voice about love and Solomon could give them a good grasp on what it might mean to one or more people. Senior history and political science major Bill Elder said, “I think explaining love as a
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process, by comparing it with the grieving process, was the best explanation of love I have heard.” Solomon compared grief as an emotion with love as an emotion and said that grief takes time to build and has a lot of mixed feelings that go with it. “There are stages of emotions,” Solomon said. “One goes through anger, denial and sadness while they are grieving and then goes through another process to heal. It takes time.” As does love, as explained previously. Elder also said, “Solomon’s ideas and supporting arguments were very clear. I think people left the lecture with their own ideas but took a little extra away, based on Solomon’s perspective.”
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Friday, Dec. 1, 2006
Students voice opinions on military involvement MILITARY, page 1
This boost is in hopes of improving safety in Iraq. The military is currently stretched out so much that this expected increase would not be able to last for a long period of time, according to Gen. John P. Abizaid, the head of the United States Central Command.
If these plans of an increase in troops take place in the United States, who will make up all the troops? Ten Cabrini College students were asked if they had ever thought about joining the military. Out of the 10 who were asked, only one student has ever thought about joining the military. These are the responses from the students:
• “No, I never thought about joining the military because I wouldn’t want to go to war, but I have a lot of respect for those who do it though.” -Steve TreDenick, junior criminal justice major • “I don’t think I’ve ever considered it. I fully support all the men and women in the armed forces, but I don’t think it’s something that fits with me.” -Kristie Sandefur, sophomore psychology major • “To be honest, I’ve never really given it any thought; I guess because I’d rather focus on my education. Although, if I couldn’t afford school, I’d probably give it some more thought since the military offers to pay for your education after your service.” -Brian Scelzo, junior finance major • “I wouldn’t mind helping out the war effort in another way, but actually joining the military and fighting in combat would not be for me; I don’t think I would even be able to survive boot camp.” - Andrea Mory, sophomore business major • “No, I never thought about joining the military because I never want someone else telling me what to do in every aspect of my life.” - Rachel Davis, sophomore biology/clinical lab sciences major • “Joining the military never looked like something I would want to do. I never considered anything but going to college right out of high school.” - Alexis Merrill, freshman secondary education and history major • “Yes I have considered joining the military because it gets you in shape physically and mentally and you get paid great money in the long run, but I wouldn’t be accepted into the military because I have a plate and six screws in my arm. I was going to apply for a marine program in the summer It helps out with tuition, you get paid for going and you don’t have to commit to the military. I didn’t because it was in Virginia and it was for 10 weeks.” - Eric Euganeo, freshman exercise science major
Distractions while driving increase risk of car accidents www.theloquitur.com
NEWS | 3
DRIVING, page 1 put on make-up or read while away from the forward roadway
Laurissa Gendel, a senior business administration major, said, “Using cell phones while driving should be banned. It’s so frustrating when people are driving and talking on their cell phones and they cut me off because they are not paying attention.” The NHSTA also reported that reaching for a moving object increased the risk of a crash or near-crash by nine times. In addition, contributing factors to an increased risk of a crash were activities such as looking at an external object, which increased the risk of a crash by 3.7 times; reading by 3 times; applying makeup by 3 times; dialing a hand-held device, typically a cell phone, by almost 3 times; and talking or listening on a handheld device by 1.3 times. Gendel also said, “I can see why people use there cell phones while driving because everyone has so much to do. Sometimes I even find myself distracted when I drive because I talk on my cell phone and I do other things.” Tanesha Bates, a junior English and communication major, said, “We have to do so many things to keep up and to be on time. I think that’s why so many people talk on their phones,
they drive.” Drivers are often unable to predict when it is safe to look away from the road to multi-task because the situation can change abruptly, leaving the driver no time to react, even when looking
Things to do before a long car ride:
• Always make sure that the driver is well rested • If the driver is tired pull over and take a quick nap • Avoid the use of cell phones or any hand held device • Pull over if you need to look at a map or read • Have everyone in the car ready for the ride so there are no distractions
Inflation rates affect all colleges INFLATION, page 1
every year raise is a problem” A federal grant is the money that the government gives college students to help pay college tuition. However, the federal government is not upping the amount they give each year to keep up with the inflation number. In addition, each year, in their jobs people are supposed to get raises that at least keep up with the inflation rate at a minimum.
CHARLIE GRUGAN/GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Some students are concerned with the education they are paying for. Cristina D’Amelio, a senior psychology major, said, “From what I understand about college costs, we are overpaying for the amount of education we are getting. We should be able to get a higher education at a more affordable price to make us better qualified for better jobs.” College students have a problem with where the government has been unloading their funds and have strong opinions on
• “No, I never considered joining the military. I wouldn’t be able to finish school, and I honestly don’t think I’d be mentally prepared for war.” - Lauren Aiken, junior English and communication major • “No, I never thought about joining the military. I’d rather get an education than risk my life. I went to a school in a military base and just watching the soldiers there, supports my decision of not wanting to join the military.” - Julian Cruz, junior human resources management major • “I thought about joining the military when I was little because I used to like to play war games with my brother and his friends and I thought it would be cool to have a gun. But now, I haven’t thought about joining the military because the thought of a bullet in my stomach scares me.” - Amanda Urquhart, sophomore exercise science major
for only a brief time, reported the NHSTA. Kuter said, “I’ll never forget the day I was in that accident. It was horrible but at least now I’ll pay more attention to the road when I drive.”
DAN SQUIRE/PHOTO EDITOR
Cabrini College is one of many institutions that represents an increase of 5.9 percent, or 2 percent after adjusting for inflation.
where the more important places should be. Ryan Kirby, a junior English and communication major, said, “I don’t know if there is an easy answer, but I think the government needs to reevaluate the budget and realize that spending billions of dollars a week in Iraq is not as necessary as they would have us think.” Kirby also said, “Some of that money could be used in several areas and college tuition reimbursement should definitely be one of them.” According to a collegeboard.com press release, “published tuition and fee charges at four-year private colleges average $22,218 in 200607. The $1,238 increase over 2005-06 represents an increase of 5.9 percent, or 2 percent after adjusting for inflation. The average total tuition, fee, room, and board charges at private four-year colleges and universities are $30,367.” Cabrini College falls under this category. Kirby ended with, “I think it’s a hard situation because even since I’ve been at Cabrini, I know how high the tuition price has risen and it puts pressure on the students and parents to have enough money in scholarships and aid to soften the blow.” Loquitur welcomes your comments and questions on this story. Please send your comments to: Loquitur@googlegroups.com. The editors will review your comments each week and make corrections if warranted.
4 | NEWS
Friday, Dec. 1, 2006
www.theloquitur.com
Worm study relates to humans AIDS Day expects to increase awareness MEGAN PELLEGRINO STAFF WRITER
MRP727@CABRINI.EDU
Dr. Sheryl Fuller-Espie, associate professor of biology and student research assistants, Mukti Patel and Rosa Smith, have been developing an experimental method to study the effects that prove earthworm’s natural killerlike cells truly kill human target tumor cells. From the research done here at Cabrini, Fuller-Espie was invited to attend the Eighth International Symposium on Earthworm Ecology in Krakow, Poland. She presented a poster and was a chairperson at one of the workshops called Earthworm Immunology. About 200 people were invited to attend the symposium from around the world. Today, the research done at Cabrini is in the process of being reviewed for publication in the “European Journal of Soil Biology.” “Our paper is very promising,” Fuller-Espie said. She feels that all the information, statistics and research are definitely there to prove that this new method truly works. In their thesis, they use earthworm’s natural killer-like cells and human tumor cells called K562 that come from a patient with chronic myelogenous leukemia. The tumor cells are killed when they interact with the earthworm’s natural killer-like cells, but if the natural killer-like cells are exposed to environmental pollutants, this killing effect is suppressed. A chemical compound called dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, referred to as DMBA, is very similar to some environmental pollutants called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Earthworms have natural killer-like cells which can be extruded from their bodies when they come into contact with a buffer containing 5 percent ethanol. The cells are released from the earthworm’s dorsal pores, which separate the natural
DIANA VILARES STAFF WRITER
DVV722@CABRINI.EDU
DAN SQUIRE/PHOTO EDITOR
Dr. Sheryl Fuller-Espie, associate professor of biology, discusses her recent experiment on earthworms.
killer-like cells from the earthworm’s cavity so the experiments can be conducted on the cells released from the earthworm’s body. DMBA is added to the cells after extrusion so it does not harm the earthworm in any way. Therefore, the earthworm is available to be used repeatedly with no effects. The natural killer-like cells that are extracted are treated with DMBA before being added to the target tumor cells, to study the effect of DMBA on the killing activity of the earthworm cells. In Fuller-Espie’s research, she uses fluorescent dyes to distinguish which tumor cells have been killed and which cells are still alive. Therefore, the tumor cells that have been killed will fluoresce in a way that will be noticed compared to the unaffected tumor cells. Counting the number of cells
that are defined into each category after they have been mixed and settled is done by analyzing them on a flow cytometer. The flow cytometer then counts each cell and separates the cells by color, leading to a count and ratios of how many target tumor cells are killed by the natural killer-like cells. The conclusions have been drawn that earthworm natural killer-like cells truly kill human target tumor cells and this immune response can be concealed out of the body following exposure to DMBA. The results are interpreted because of the colors and dyes taken up by the tumor cells. “By having a program like this at Cabrini, students learn to think analytically on their feet. What Cabrini and the SET research facilities can do now compared to two years ago is amazing!” Dr. Fuller-Espie said.
of violence among males as well and not just women. Men continue to be the most predominant violent images in the media. Yet, we are seeing more and more strong females talking about violence.” According to Chesney-Lind’s “Girls and violence: Is the gender gap closing?” the FBI has reported that girls’ arrests increased 6.4 percent from 1992 to 2003, while boys decreased 16.4 percent. Even more unexpected, girls’ arrests in result to committing assaults increased by 40.9 percent from 1992 to 2003, while on the other side boys’ arrests due to assault increased by 4.3 percent. Chesney-Lind explains that one reason why there is an increase in arrests for young girls due to their violent behavior is
because of policy changes. In the past, behaviors such as running away from home and fighting with parents were not recorded in the violent offenses category. In addition, many schools have instilled a zero-tolerance policy, which means that smaller petty crimes that typically were once dealt with by the school have now been turned into a larger deal with punishment resulting in arrest. As a result, more girl offenses are being reported and showing up in public records. “I think the criminal justice system is more willing to prosecute females than they used to be. So females are not necessarily committing more violent acts, but we are recording them more in the criminal justice system,” Gingerich said.
International World AIDS Day is taking place on Friday, Dec. 1 to spread awareness of the disease that has infected 40 million people worldwide. The Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, is developed when untreated Human Immunodeficiency Virus becomes more recognizable when the immune system begins to show signs of weakness. According to AVERT.com, people infected with HIV don’t notice any radical change in their health pattern, yet some do develop flu-like symptoms that go as quickly as they come. Both illnesses, however, can go undetected for months, even years. While HIV is most popularly known as being transmitted through unprotected sex, it can also be transmitted through the mixing of certain bodily fluids if one of the persons is infected with the disease. AVERT.com notes unsanitary tattoo and piercing parlors as risk factors for people if the tools used aren’t properly cared for. HIV and AIDS can also be passed on through childbirth if the mother has been infected with the disease before her pregnancy.
In an article found on Scott RealityCheck.org, Swenson, an HIV positive man from Washington D.C., said that denial had one of the most “devastating effects” he had ever encountered. “We all take responsibility for the choices we make in this life— that’s what life and free will are about,” Swenson said. World AIDS Day’s purpose is to bring people together and end the prejudice that so many endure due to this growing epidemic so that people can feel more comwith themselves. fortable According to worldaidsday.org, red ribbons are the symbol for HIV awareness that was began by Visual AIDS, a New York Based organization supported by artists who came together to help stop the discrimination and encourage education. Christine Hyson, director of health and wellness education, said that the Health Hut and Health & Wellness are getting together to promote sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS prevention next week at Cabrini. For more information on how to take action during the month of December, or all year round, visit w w w. w o r l d a i d s d a y. o r g . Information can be found to create events or make a donation.
DALLAS MORNING NEWS/MCT
People who are affected with the HIV virus are forced to take various forms of medication in order to survive. International AIDS Day which takes place on Dec. 1, is used as a platform to spread awareness.
Crime rates among girls on the rise NICOLE OSUCH STAFF WRITER
NAO722@CABRINI.EDU
Girls now account for 29 percent of all juvenile arrests, up from 23 percent in 1990. Girls are getting arrested more and are gaining on boys in juvenile arrests. This news is reported by Dr. Meda Chesney-Lind, a women’s studies professor at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Dr. Jeffery Gingerich, a sociology professor, speculates that violent images in the media are just one of the culprits of the rate of arrests among girls rising. Gingerich said, “We would expect that this would also increase rates
“The other larger issue that I would add is that it seems to me that there has been a significant cultural shift in what it means to be feminine in our society,” Gingerich said. “Femininity is no longer defined as being quiet and submissive. Rather, women are encouraged to be assertive and to stand up for themselves.” Gingerich added that, “This change in society is great progress for society, but it also may at times translate into increased violent behavior among girls because our society has a misguided way of confusing assertiveness with violence.” Sarah Egan, a sophomore, elementary education major, said, “I think that it is good that girls are standing up for themselves. Why
should it be a big deal that girls are getting in fights now when boys always have?” Instead of making girls who commit minor forms of youthful behavior into criminals, Chesney-Lind suggests that we need to advocate better responses to violence problems, and organize gender specific violence prevention programs. In addition, Chesney-Lind suggests that we need to seek opportunities with the media for example, meetings with journalists and editors to challenge media images of crime that sensationalize girls’ violence rather than putting it into context.
Identity theft becomes a Shiites attack reality for college students Sunni mosques Friday, Dec. 1, 2006
NICOLE OSUCH STAFF WRITER
NAO722@CABRINI.EDU
Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America, with 900,000 new victims each year. In today’s information age, nobody’s immune, according to bankrate.com. For most students, identity theft is the last thing on their minds after an avid school work load and a social life. Research proves that college students are rather unconcerned about the threat of identity theft. According to a recent survey of college students done by Impulse Research for Chubb Group Insurance Companies, “49 percent of college students receive credit card applications on a daily or weekly basis. Almost 30 percent of students throw out card applications without destroying them.” As a result, an identity thief could obtain the application and fill it out using the student’s name. Business professor John Heiberger said, “Students should tear up bills before they throw them away so people can’t get information from them.” It is also a good idea to tear or shred old bank statements, medical statements and credit card receipts. Another alarming fact produced by Impulse Research is that, 30 percent of students rarely, if ever, reconcile their credit card and checking account balances. Leslie Osifat, a sophomore undeclared major, said, “We learned how to do bank reconciliations in accounting class but I never do it because it takes up too much time to do.” As if college students already are not in enough debt, imagine adding their thief’s expenditures onto their tab. By keeping a close eye on their credit and bank statements, students should look for any purchases that they did not make. This may be one of the first signs that their identity has been stolen. Heiberger also recommended students to save copies of receipts from stores and restaurants. Some warning signs of attempted identity theft are to
NEWS | 5
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VICKIE PAPAGEORGE STAFF WRITER
VP724@CABRINI.EDU
Shiite militiamen who were seeking revenge for the attack the previous day in the capital’s largest Shiite district, attacked Sunni mosques in Baghdad on Friday, Nov. 23. The militiamen rode through Baghdad firing at mosques on the Muslim day of prayer. The attacks believed to have started after the Prime Minister Nuri Kamal-Maliki was supposed to meet with President Bush. Anti-American cleric, Moktada al-Sadr stated his beliefs that the U.S. was the cause of the violence in Iraq. His army of men were blamed for the attacks on the Sunni and have developed an increasing amount of tension between the two groups of people. The president’s meeting with the prime minister has not been canceled and the attacks are regarded as an incredible disgrace. Scott Stanzel, a White House spokesman, said, “These ruthless acts of violence are deplorable. It is an outrage that these terrorists are targeting innocent civilians in a brazen effort to topple a democratically elected government. These killers will not succeed.” Lebanon official assassinated
CHARLOTTE OBSERVER/MCT
It is recommended that students never give credit card information unless the on-line site is secured.
look out for people standing too close to them at an ATM because an identity thief could be peering over their shoulder specifically looking for their PIN number that they punch in. Today, technology opens students up to a whole new realm of threats especially on the internet. “You should never respond to internet requests from your social security, bank or credit card company even if it looks like the company is contacting you. There are lots of people creating fake official looking websites to try and get information,” Heiberger said. According to Commerce Bank’s official site, people should not reply to e-mails or pop-up messages asking for personal or financial information. The site noted that legitimate companies like Commerce Bank will never ask for personal or
financial information through an e-mail. Heiberger added, “Don’t give credit card information on-line unless you know it is a ‘secure’ site.” Students should look for the Trust-e symbol or a Better Business Bureau online seal. These symbols and seals represent that the company has been audited and reckoned a secure and trustworthy site. 48 percent of students have had their grades posted by Social Security number according to Impulse Research. This leaves students more vulnerable to identity theft. In addition, many colleges use student’s Social Security numbers as their student identification number. Cabrini College does not do this and instead, uses randomly generated student numbers instead. Students should guard their Social Security number and only give it out when it is absolutely necessary. Students should never carry around their social security card in their wallets. Students should never let their guard down when out in public as well because an identity thief could be lurking. Heiberger said, “Students should be careful with their purse and wallet when they go to the bar and not leave it lying around on a bar, table or under a seat at the movies or a concert.” Heiberger said, “If you find that someone has stolen your identity, immediately notify the police, your bank, credit card companies and a credit reporting agencies such as Equifax.”
Pierre Gemayel, a Lebanese cabinet minister was gunned down in his car on Tuesday, Nov. 22. Gemayel was a strong opponent of Syrian influence in Lebanon and his assassination has increased the ongoing tensions between the anti-Syria coalition and the Syrian-allied opposition, led by Hezbollah. The Iranian-supported Shiite group, Hezbollah threatened street protests if they were not given more power. The assassination shook the nation instead of the expected street protests. The prime minister, Frouad Siniora said, “I pledge to you that your blood will not go in vain. We will not let the murderers controls he fate of Lebanon and the future of its children.” Gemayel is the fifth anti-Syria figure to be killed since February 2005. President Bush said that the killing was probably an attempt to “foment instability and violence” in Lebanon by Syria, Iran and its allies. This assassination also threatens the possibility of Syria helping the U.S. to stabilize Iraq. Civilian death toll reaches new high
In October 3,709 civilians were killed in Iraq , according to a report released by the United Nations. This figure makes October the deadliest month for civilians since the war began in 2003. The toll increased by 11 percent since September and surpassed the last high that occurred in July. The figures were compiled from morgues and hospitals in Baghdad and across the country. They show the stress the American military troops are putting on the country to gain stability. Sixty-five percent of deaths in Baghdad were claimed as unidentified corpses. This trend has portrayed the impact the killings have on the Iraqi society. The Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki criticized the figures as inflated and now the American military has also criticized the number of deaths as high. President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice are preparing for meetings next week to discuss the security situations in Iraq. Sectarian attack worst in Baghdad since invasion
Explosions from five car bombs and a mortar shell tore through the Shiite district of Sadr City on Thursday afternoon making the attack one of the deadliest in Baghdad. The attack killed at least 144 people and wounded 206 people. This attack furthered the segregated capitol between Sunni and Shiites and could propose a possible civil war for Iraq. Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al Maliki said, “In this painful tragedy, I call on everybody to practice selfrestraint and stay calm.” Iraq insurgency has funds to sustain itself
A classified U.S. Government report has concluded that Iraq insurgency has funds to sustain itself through illegal activities. Through oil smuggling, kidnapping, counterfeiting and other crimes has raised tens of millions of dollars to fully sustain itself. The Iraqi government has not been able to prevent this from happening. The New York Times received a hold of the report which stated that as much as $36 million each year comes from ransom money from hundreds of kidnappings. Many terrorist attack groups are raising this money. The report shows the difficulties the United States faces with Iraq.
6 I PERSPECTIVES
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Friday, Dec. 1 , 2006
Perspectives
Thanksgiving traditions has changed drastically. My dinner table has gone from a five-place dinner setting to four and back to five. In September 2004, I lost my dad to a massive heart attack. In July 2005, my boyfriend, Dave, came into not only mine but my family’s lives. The passing away of my father and the gaining of my boyfriend has given me a different outlook on holidays and life. The holidays are an important time to be spent with your loved ones such as your family and friends. This Thanksgiving was the first holiday that I have had to share with my boyfriend, who lives far
my house for Thanksgiving dinner number two. Thanksgiving dinner at my house consists of just my immediate family. This holiday is what we call the calm before the storm. My entire family, my dad’s 6 brothers and sisters and children and many friends come to my house for Christmas Eve, ChristJACKIE TURCHI mas, New Years Eve and STAFF WRITER New Years, so ThanksgivJTT723@CABRINI.EDU ing is a time for us to just relax and prepare for the Holidays are a time of upcoming holidays. the year when families After dinner, we have a come together to celebrate tradition where we all go to the importance of being the movies. This year we surrounded by loved ones. saw,“Flushed Away,” an Thanksgiving starts off adorable animated movie the holiday about a season with h o u s e the act of mouse who g i v i n g lives in luxthanks to The passing away of my father urious Kensone another. ington, Thanksgivand the gaining of my boyfriend E n g l a n d is ing is also a who time to rehas given me a different outlook f l u s h e d member down the loved ones on holidays and life. toilet. who have H e p a s s e d quickly away, famlearns that ily members who are serv- away from me. there is a whole world ing in our armed forces Dealing with the traffic, waiting to be explored and welcoming new faces dinner times and different when he falls in love with into the family. traditions was all new to me. a girl mouse that shows My Thanksgiving Day We did have some similari- him how to have courage normally consists of going ties such as going to cheer on and the importance of to watch my former high his high school, St. Augus- family and friends. school Ss. John Neumann tine Prep play his local pubThe Thanksgiving holand Maria Goretti play our lic high school in their iday is now over but the local public high school, private vs. public Thanksgiv- meaning of Thanksgiving South Philadelphia High, ing football game the night can be carried with us in the annual Thanksgiving before Thanksgiving Day. throughout the year. Day Catholic vs. public When dinner rolled With Christmas apleague football game. around, the room was filled proaching, keep the spirit After long conversa- with conversations, laughter of giving thanks to those tions and a victorious win, and cheer from many of his who are less fortunate in I head home just in time mother’s 10 brothers and your heart. for the turkey. sisters and their children. These past three years, Once dinner was over, Dave my Thanksgiving holiday and I hit the road back to
Time flies when you’re in college and high school was just a blur
YADIRA TOLEDO EVENTS EDITOR
YRT722@CABRINI.EDU
As college students, high school has become a thing of the past; those four years have been pushed to the far back corner of our memories. In fact, for most of us, high school is that blur in time that occurred somewhere in between freshm e n first-day jitters and the highly anticipated seni o r graduation. Like most of my peers, I have become preoccupied by a list of worries ranging anywhere from loans to part-time jobs at the local mall to searching for the perfect summer internship. Time has led me to realize, that at some point, during my three years as a college student, though I can’t quite pinpoint exactly when, my care-free days vanished. But as I slowly approach my senior year of college and inch one step closer to coming face-to-face with the “the real world,” I find
myself wondering where all the time has gone. Then, suddenly, like something straight out of an after-school special, my mind gets all fuzzy and starts to drift back to what, in hindsight, seems like a much simpler time, high school. Whether you thrived off of the never-ending popularity contests and the incessantly churning gossip-mills or wilted in this fickle, almost cut-throat, environment, high school was a necessary part of our growing experience. In fact, I believe that those
f o u r years, the good, the bad and the ugly, embody a care-free spirit that most of us have since lost. I can vividly remember the voice of my balding high school guidance counselor encouraging me to enjoy each moment of the high school experience because,“there would never be another time like it.” Little did it know, he was right. I could not wait to gradu-
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ate from high school. The moment after my junior prom, I decided that I had outgrown the entire experience. High school had become so repetitive; the same faces crowded the narrow hallways, girls were always spreading one rumor or another, and the guys were usually the cause of the constant animosity between the girls. By that time, I was convinced there was nothing left to look forward to but my graduation, which was an entire year away. I came to college to get an education all while gaining my personal independence; in the process, I was forced to welcome the responsibilities t h a t came w i t h t h a t freedom.
Nearly three years later, as I sit and reflect on those old high school memories, I wish that I would have listened just a little more to that guidance counselor. While college offers a new and unique experience all its own; high school symbolizes the years of pure care-free adolescence. Like most things in life, high school can only truly be appreciated once it is gone forever. Sadly, I have come to terms with the truth; my care-free days are over and will never return.
Sem 300 level class to be held in local prison
JILLIAN SMITH STAFF WRITER
JKS724@CABRINI.EDU
Ever wonder what it’s like to take a class in a prison with inmates? With the new Seminar 300 level class, crime and justice,
taught by Dr. Jeff Gingerich, associate professor of sociology, and Ms. Laura Gorgol, campus minister, one can go beyond the barbed-wire and experience a different kind of learning experience at Montgomery Country Correctional Facility, an all male prison right outside of Norristown. Starting next semester, Gingerich and Gorgol will be taking 15 students from Cabrini to the prison once a week on Monday afternoons to meet with 15 students from the correction facility. A national model, the In-
side-Out Prison Exchange Program, is the reason behind this class. Started by Lori Pompa at Temple University in 1997, she took 15 inside students, incarcerated men and women, and 15 outside students, students from a local university, and brought them together to teach them one class. Gingerich and Gorgol went through national training. They have learned the ways in which Pompa has made the class and success and are both certified for this type of work. Gingerich explained this class as “a new way of
doing education” and he hopes to make it “one that is much more exciting for both the inside and the outside as well.” The class is just a regular class with the topic of criminal justice. There will be readings, papers, projects, tests, and group discussions, just like any other class, except for the fact that the class will be held in a prison instead of classroom. “I really think the real learning will come through talking [with the prisoners],” Gingerich said. Each student was interviewed before being se-
lected to partake in the learning experience. The Cabrini students will have a mixture of females and males, where the prison will only have males, however, with a mixture of ages. “Everybody in the class will be a student, whether they live at Cabrini or whether they live at the prison,” Gingerich said. “The Cabrini College students are not studying, they’re not working, they’re not serving the incarcerated people, nor are the incarcerated people being studied. They’re taking the same
class,” Gorgol said. Both professors feel that this class is a good way of taking community service and really getting involved. According to Gingerich, “It’s a new way of looking at service learning and community engagement in a way that kind of puts us all a little bit more of an equal level,” said Gingerich. Gorgol also agrees. “I think it really fits in with our mission at Cabrini with our core values of community and respect. I’m really excited to apart of this project!”
Friday, Dec. 1, 2006
www.theloquitur.com
PERSPECTIVES I 7
Student supports unborn at Supreme Court PATRICK WALSH GUEST WRITER
PCW722@CABRINI.EDU
I was soaked, cold and tired. Standing outside the Supreme Court for the hearings for the lift on partial birth abortion ban. Waiting there all through the night in the pouring rain, I had a lot of time to think and pray about what was really about to go on. When the sun finally came up, I was holding up a tarp for a few people who were trying to sleep. I was somewhere in between dreams and reality and I woke up to the sound of hurried people, jostling for spots to get in line to see the hearings, yelling obscenities at us, cops investigating under all our tarps and belongings. I will never forget, nearing this looming, deathly pallid building. I will digress from my memory to explain it for one moment. Partial birth abortion is the procedure whereby in definition, in the third trimester the child is birthed feet first, taken out at least past the naval and the skull collapsed. Since the child is not fully out of the womb it is legally not a person, and so this procedure was practiced until 2003. This is the law that was in question in the hearings of Gonzalez v. Carhart and Gonzalez v Planned Parenthood which I was about to attend. We had set up our speak-
ers and the staging of demonstration the night before and early that morning. We brought up one of our speakers, and then one of the pro-choice advocates to speak on behalf of their side. They never left for the next hour or so, as our speakers came up to give voice for the lives of millions silenced, they were accompanied by angry shouts in vehement defense of the slaughter of my generation. In that moment as I looked over at the turmoil at the feet of the Supreme Court, I thought of how ridiculous it was that anyone was there in the first place. Amidst the raging rhetoric and beaten cliches that go along with the battle over abortion, I stepped outside myself, outside time and saw us from a historical point of view. My eyes sunk back, my jaw clenched and the smell of damp and decay overwhelmed me. Heavy disgust and disbelief took over my face and I walked into the courthouse with nausea, drenched clothes, and a heavy heart. I walked in with others who wanted, for whatever reason, to see what was being said in that place of “justice”. People dressed cleanly in suits and ties and me, looking like a soaked vagabond, walked in together. I was in seat 49 out of the 50 available public
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Abortion opponents march past the U.S. Supreme Court, Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2003, during the “March for Life,” recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Supreme Court's Roe vs Wade decision legalizing abortion. The struggle between pro-life and pro-choice activists has continued throughout different branches of government for decades.
seats and I watched as about a hundred people in line behind me were locked out. I came into the room, draped in thick maroon curtains that hung from the soaring ceiling, and plunged in perfect ripples to the floor. The justices came out and took their seats, and after the attorneys had all been presented to the court, the hearings began. The next two hours were spent in more intense bafflement. The main argument of the plaintiffs (a group of abortionists) was that no abortion procedures should
be illegal especially without proper exceptions for the health of the mother because they wanted to give all possible options to their patients. I cannot put into words what it is like to hear these justices and lawyers use such phrases as “dismemberment of the fetus” with an unaffected face. These abortionists want to be able the get the child out of the mother with the least pieces left behind possible. This was a main point argued in the first hearing. Therefore procedures such as partial birth abortion, where the child is almost
out of the mother already, are considered safest in some cases. In our country we still hold that a nine month old baby is a not a person but a fetus with no rights. The language used was very manufactured and glossed so as to be able to conduct conversation of these gruesome topics for such an extended period of time. Killing the child was deemed, “fetal demise.” I remember at one point laughing as one of the justices accidentally called the baby a baby instead of a fetus, he quickly recovered though and fixed his mis-
Borat: overrated, unnecessary, but hilarious
NIKKI SABELLA A&E EDITOR
NS722@CABRINI.EDU
As many have seen, the character Borat from “Borat: Cultural Learnings ofAmerica for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” has done a good job at stirring up controversy. But it doesn’t really faze me too much. Sacha Baron Cohen, currently best known as his role in Borat, grew to his fame in his British comedy show, “Da Ali G Show.” In the show, Sacha plays three different reporters. Ali G, the main host of the show, who is a hip-hop-rapper Brit that speaks in slang; Bruno, the flamboyant fashionista with a “faux hawk” and Borat, correspondent from Kazakhstan that speaks broken-English and claims the outlandish acts he does on interviews is natural in “his country.”
For anybody who has watched “Da Ali G Show,” it is hard not to laugh at how the interviewees respond. So, if all of this satire was going on in Britain, why is it such a big deal now that it has come to America? There are some American comedians that have been making fun of hillbilly confederates for some time now, but Borat goes above and beyond. Director Larry Charles has worked on other shows such as “Seinfeld,” “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Entourage.” With that said, one can only expect such over-the-top, extreme offensiveness; I love it for the mere fact that it is out there, it is known and it should be exposed. From those who are sexist, racist, homophobic and anti-religious, Borat pushes the envelope by exploiting each and every one of them. Cohen’s goal for this character is to unveil the true feelings of some Americans who strongly believe in these. Along his journey, Borat interrogated conversations of how women are inferior to men with a Winnebago-full of drunken college
students. He spoke to an old cowboy who tells Borat that he should shave his beard because he looks like a Muslim terrorist. Christian fanatics also scorn him because he brings a scantily clad “friend” over for dinner. He also has a lot of antiSemitic jokes, such as saying that the Jews were responsible for the attacks on 9/11. These are just a handful of the shenanigans that Borat proceeds to do throughout the film. In my opinion, the film really wasn’t as good as all the hype made it out to be. I thought it was a little overrated in fact. A small fraction of it was unnecessary. But I do admit that Cohen is a genius for bringing to life his outrageous foreigner alter ego to the silver screen. It is important to break the barriers and make light of the radical and suppressing individuals that are still throughout the United MCT States. I thought it was a fantastic mockery of the faults that America has. So if you do decide to go see Borat insulting Americans, I just hope you laugh at him and not with him.
take. Did anyone realize what was actually going on here, was anybody listening? I did not understand. Discussion of such madness takes us to such places of anger and despair. To see my country in such a state was a sobering experience. This was a place of controlled language, controlled movement, controlled speech, a place where truth and dissent is dragged out of the courts and locked up. I did not feel as if this place was my home. But it is. This is your home too.
Did we pin point your view point? If you have something to say, E-mail your opinion to:
loqperspectives@ googlegroups.com Please include: your full name, year, major and E-mail address with your opinion in 150 words or less, double spaced.
8 I FEATURES
www.theloquitur.com
Friday, Dec. 1, 2006
Getting ‘inked’ is a permanent way to engrave lasting memories KASEY MINNICK STAFF WRITER KM735@CABRINI.EDU
LAUREN DICKSON/ SUBMITTED PHOTO
Lauren Dickson, a junior psychology and philosophy major, has an unfinished tattoo on her backside that is a work in progress. Many of those people who get tattoo enjoy adding on to their previous ones for a purpose of creating whole scenes on their bodies.
There’s a feeling of a racing heart while sitting in the waiting room as beads of perspiration start to form. Maybe this isn’t the right thing to do, not now, not ever. But just then, a name is called and it’s time to enter the room. It’s time to get “inked.” The word tattoo is said to have two major derivations. One coming from the Polynesian word “ta” which means to strike something and the Tahitian word ‘tatau’ which means to mark something, according to designboom.com. The history of the tattoo began over 5,000 years ago. In North America, only Jesuit accounts testify to the widespread practice of tattooing among Native Americans. These tattoos found on Native Americans distinguished them within their tribes. On Ontario Iroquoians, complex tattoos were a sign of their status and in the Northwest, Inuit chins were women’s stamped to indicate that they were married according to designboom.com. Chris Lasher, a freshman accounting major, said, “Honestly my tattoo is in memory of a girl who I was in a relationship with. I was going through a hard time and wanted something to express the pain and a tattoo came to mind.” Many Cabrini College students can be found with their own “trademark” on
their bodies, but on a very website, popular facebook.com, there is even a way to broadcast them to people over the Internet. This group, “Cabrini inked” is a chance for students here to show-off their tattoos to their fellow classmates. Lauren Dickson, a junior psychology and philosophy major and creator of the group, said, “I chose the back piece because I wanted something really extravagant and of something I really enjoy which are star-gazer lilies. The entire piece is not done yet. It won’t be finished completely until April.” But how did people first realize that they can put artwork like this all over themselves? Tattoos are created by inserting colored materials beneath the skins surface. Historians say that the first tattoos were probably created by accident. Someone could have had a small wound and then it was rubbed over with a hand full of soot and ash from a nearby fire according to designboom.com. Not all ink that is inserted beneath the skin wants to be visible though. Kara Driver and Samantha Falzone, sophomore elementary education majors, said, “We both got tattoos near our feet because we don’t need people to be able to see them constantly, especially with us becoming teachers.” Christina Romano, another sophomore elementary education major, got
her butterfly tattoo on her foot for another reason. Laughing, she said, “I personally just love my feet.” With getting a tattoo, there can be a few pangs of pain which can cause some very uncomfortable feelings. Dickson said, “The only horrible thing that happened with the first session of my back piece is that it took three hours of straight drilling with only a few breaks in between. We took these breaks because I was crying too much because the pain was so excruciating on my spine.” Chaz Gorman, a sophomore business administration major, said, “Me and my buddies have the same tattoo. Actually seven of us went at the same to get them done. This is sort of like a pact for us.” There are people who absolutely love tattoos and others who can easily do without them. Kyle Hater, a senior business administration major, believes that tattoos are one of the best things he has ever had. Harter said, “My tattoos mean the world to me and I would never get rid of them. I designed them both myself and they have a lot of heart behind them.” Loquitur welcomes your comments on this story. Please send your comments to: Loquitur@googlegroups.com. The editors will review your points each week and make corrections if warranted.
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Friday, Dec. 1, 2006
Bad habits give clues to behavior problems BRITTANY LAVIN STAFF WRITER
BLL722@CABRINI.EDU
A habit can be defined as an acquired behavior pattern that is followed. regularly Habits can be good, bad or even both. However, bad habits tend to have a strong hold on both mind and behavioral patterns. They can also be hard to break, as most college students probably know. College is usually the first time a lot of students are away from home. This kind of newfound freedom may cause problems. Most bad habits that are picked up while in college are the result of personal choices or peer pressure. Bad habits such as alcohol and drug abuse or eating disorders are extreme and are difficult to break. Other less extreme habits may include procrastination, temper control or even watching too much television. According to physorg.com, a study done by MIT in October 2005 showed that while habits are hard to break, they are easy to resume. For example, smoking is probably one of the hardest habits to break and one of the easiest to resume. According to an article published about the University of Connecticut Health Center, there are numerous ways to kick bad habits and even more experts who can help. These experts include therapists, hypnotists and life coaches.
According to the article, the formation of bad habits may be a result of emotional issues such as anxiety, fear or anger. “People need ways to manage these stressors,” Debbie Mendal, the author of “Changing Habits: The Caregivers’ Total Workout for Those Sandwiched Between Children, Aging Parents and Work,” said in the article. The article also states that the first thing to do when trying to kick a bad habit is not focusing on the behavior that needs to be changed, but the reason the habit developed in the first place. Once this is figured out, positive ways of breaking the habit can be formed. Experts also suggest starting small and taking one issue at a time when trying to break a habit. This is a technique for less extreme habits, but the article stresses that more extreme habits such as alcohol and drug abuse require treatment and help from professionals and peers. Perhaps one of the best ways to break a bad habit is to try and replace it with a better, healthier one. However, be sure to remember the old saying: “Old habits die hard.” Loquitur welcomes your comments on this story. Please send your comments to: Loquitur@googlegroups.c om. The editors will review your points each week and make corrections if warranted.
FEATURES I 9
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Holiday preview: saving money for gifts LIZ LAVIN
STAFF WRITER
EAL723@CABRINI.EDU
Walking through the mall right now is like being in the middle of a holiday explosion. It is common knowledge these days that as soon as Halloween is over, Christmas begins. Thanksgiving seems to have been downgraded to “the day before Black Friday.” So now that the holidays have rounded the corner and smacked us in the face, we may realize that our pockets are empty as well as our savings accounts. Fortunately, we can still get by with the “but I’m a poor college student!” excuse for a little while longer. So how do college students make it through this
expensive season? Since the season finds a way to creep up on us every year, we might not be able to save as far in advance as we want. Many of us have jobs to help get us through the holidays. Sophomore pre-pharmacy major Moira Collier is a pharmacy technician at CVS. Though she does not make it a point to put money aside for the holidays; she deposits her money into her checking account. Once that reaches a certain amount, she transfers some to her savings account and will use it if she needs it. This year, she also started putting all of her loose change into a piggy bank. “I’m only up to about $28, but every little bit helps,” she said.
Some family traditions help keep the season from getting too expensive. “I don’t typically save for the holidays, but my family does a pollyanna so I only have to buy for one person,” Morgan Miller, a freshman English and communication major, said. For those with big families, utilize that old saying, “It’s the thought that counts.” Freshman business administration major Ryan Kaysen budgets for the holidays by trying to stay under $500. “I have a large family and do a pollyanna with friends. I budget and look for things that a person likes rather than impressing them by giving huge gifts,” Kaysen said. While saving money
helps, knowing how to shop smart is just as important. You can get great holiday shopping tips online from the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. Their w e b s i t e , http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/online/edcams/holiday, offers ways to shop smart in the store and online. Some of their tips may seem like common sense but can be overlooked in the midst of hurried holiday shopping. They offer consumer reports on topics such as whether or not a sale price is really your best deal and what to do if you feel that you have been somehow wronged with your purchases, especially those that you made online.
yourSelf model themselves after are Frank Sinatra, Ghandi, Bob Marley and Babe Ruth. Since the company started last year, their business has expanded to other areas such as New Jersey, Denver and Georgia. They have added new apparel for both men and women. The women’s line now has T-shirts, tank tops and G.r.a.m. tanks. The men’s line has a variety of T-shirts. Hooded sweatshirts are available for both men and women in a variety of colors. “I have heard of the company but never knew everything that they had to offer,” Jessica Sampson, a sophomore early childhood and elementary education major, said. “Now that I’ve seen their website I would definitely consider purchasing some of their items, es-
pecially with the holidays coming up.” At the moment they are in the process of designing their spring line. “As a business, we plan
www.abyourself.com. To place an order contact Randy Reid at RandyReid@abyourself.co m or Greg Clifton at GregClifton@abyourself.com or stop by West Residence Hall, where both Greg and Randy reside. “This year I am very excited to just keep making strides for the future,” Reid said. “It brings you joy when you see someone you do not know wearing your clothing.” Loquitur welcomes your comments on this story. Please send your comments to: Loquitur@googlegroups.com. The editors will review your points each week and make corrections if warranted.
.aB yourSelf has new stock in store for upcoming season
These shirts, are the newest products being offered by .aByourself. LIZ LAVIN
STAFF WRITER
EAL723@CABRINI.EDU
KASEY MINNICK/ STAFF WRITER
Freshman accounting major Chris Lasherʼs tattoo represents a troubling time in his life.
KASEY MINNICK/ STAFF WRITER
Chaz Gorman, a sophomore business administration major, has a tattoo of two lacrosse sticks. Gormanʼs friends all have the same type of tattoo.
KASEY MINNICK/STAFF WRITER
Kyle Harter, a senior business administration major, has many tattoos that mean things. He designed the tattoo himself and says that he would never get rid of it.
aB yourSelf is a company that was created in August of 2005. The company was started to “create a new culture based on reform of today’s diluted personalities and styles,” according to aB , www.abyourself.com. It was created by current Cabrini students
Randy Reid, a junior accounting major, and Greg Clifton,a junior marketing major, along Cabrini graduates Anthony Bennett and Mindy Paul. .aB yourSelf bases their clothing on three major themes: creativity, originality and brilliance. They endorse individuality and aim to separate us in the real world from the “fabricated
WWW.ABYOURSELF.COM
lifestyles that are created and influenced by the media,” according to their website. The website also states that they were not created to be a competitor to any of the leading clothing companies or music groups today. They are there to encourage people to be comfortable in their individuality. Some of the people .aB
to conduct a very successful clothing line using creativity, originality, brilliance and positive energy,” Reid, a junior accounting major, said. The company plans to expand nationwide and eventually become a household name. To learn more about the company, hop online and head to
10 I A&E
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Friday, Dec. 1, 2006
Illuminating the holidays Toys for the big boys Palm Treo 700p Cell Phone – The
Sony DVPFX810 DVD Player-
The Sony DVPFX810 DVD Player is a portable DVD player that allows you to enjoy music and movies where you may go. One charge offers three hours of battery life and it contains an 8” widescreen LCD monitor. This portable DVD player has a swiveling LCD that moves 360 degrees. The buttons on the LCD frame are used to control the play settings, replay or skip ahead when watching a DVD. This portable DVD player comes with a dual sensor remote, which lets you control functions from a distance.
Palm Treo 700p Cell phone is capable of sending and receiving e-mail from multiple corporate and personal email accounts and provides access to the web using its own Blazer web browser. The phone is capable of taking photos, shooting video, downloading and playing music. It contains a built-in organizer and is capable of downloading, viewing and editing Word and Excel-compatible files, rehearsing PowerPoint presentations and consulting PDF files. It contains Bluetooth technology and dial-up networking.
Estimated Cost: $250-$400
Estimated Cost: $190-$200
Delphi MyFi Satellite Radio-
The Delphi MyFi Satellite Radio is the industry’s first personal XM satellite radio that you can take with you anywhere, as it comes right out of the box. It contains over 130 digital channels and comes with a rechargeable integrated battery pack, antenna, remote control, headphones, home kit and vehicle kit. It is palm-sized and can store up to five hours of XM programming with the press of a button. Subscription to XM radio is required for this product and satellite reception depends on the ability of the antenna to receive a signal.
Estimated cost:$130 to $245
Apple iPod (Nano) Red MP3 Player- The iPod Nano Red holds up to
1,000 songs and 25,000 photos. What makes this gift unique is that $10 from every iPod nano RED sold goes directly to the Global Fund to fight AIDS in Africa. This Mp3 player has a 1.5 inch display and up to 24 hours of battery life. It also contains iTunes integration that lets you import your CDs and search for songs, podcasts and audio books at the iTunes store.
Estimated Cost: $200
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T9 Digital Camera- The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-
T9 digital camera is the size of a credit card and is a combination of shot optical image Stabilization, high ISO sensitivity and RAW Noise Reduction. It contains a 2.5 LCD screen that displays slide shows with a music background. It also contains a Carl Zeiss 3X optical/2X digital zoom lens. This camera has 58 MB of internal memory along with an Ion Lithium battery that shoots up to 240 shots and comes with an optional cyber-shot station cradle in order for hookup to a PC, TV or AC power.
Estimated Cost: $255-$500
A&E I 11
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Friday, Dec. 1, 2006
Something to make a child go wild Happy Feet: Tap Dancing Mumble- From the ani-
mated WB movie, “Happy Feet” comes the tap dancing loving penguin Mumble. Mumble starts to dance around when music is played, either the music given or external music. When the little kids ask him questions, Mumble responds (voice of Elijah Wood).
T.M.X. Elmo- Tickle me Elmo has
Estimated Cost: $29.99
WARNER BROTHERS STUDIO
gone to an extreme. Ten years later (X equals ten), Elmo is revised and more energetic than ever before. The red fuzzy guy gets his kicks by being tickle in three different spots: his chin, tummy and toe. Once tickled he goes slaps his knee and then proceeds to fall on the floor rocking back and forth in laughter. The fit becomes intense with every time after that you tickle him. Although this seems to be not something that a real tickle would make someone do, it seems gets large favoritism from consumers of all ages.
Estimated Cost: $39.99
Trivial Pursuit- Totally 80s Game-
Although it seems like only those who were around during the 80s would enjoy this 80s dedicated board game, many teens and preteens are showing interest in the pop-culture of the decade. Labeled as “The most popular trivia game in the world” Trivial Pursuit has 11 new board games and even new DVD board games. The 80s version contains 2,400 questions and six categories that will keep the young and older entertained for hours.
Estimated Cost: $39.99
Penny Pinchin’ Pleasers
Lego Creator 1000-
Picture Frame with Picture- De-
velop your favorite picture and purchase a complementing frame. People enjoy pictures because it is a way to recap on memories.
Estimated $10-15
Piece Tub: Fun with BuildingThe quintessential boy-toy dating back to 1932, Lego has grown into a huge corporation with specialized Lego sets. From Batman and Starwars to Spongebob, Lego is no longer only for boys, but girls alike. Grab a tub of plain Legos to build a new creation.
Estimated Cost: $20.99
Cost:
Baked Goods-
Who is going to turn away a nice plate of holiday cookies? This idea never fails. It is a nice easy way to put a smile on the gift recipient’s face and satisfy their taste buds as well. Complement the dish with a nice cookie tin, colorful wrap or a sparkling bow.
Estimate Cost: $5-10
Mixed CD- Put together 15
songs that the gift recipient will enjoy. Create a holiday theme, or anything you can think of. Burn them onto a blank CD. A CD can be created in no time!
Estimated Cost: Blank CDs typically come in bulk. $6.99
All gift ideas by Jen Davis-Staff Writer-jed724@cabrini.edu, Jamie Hufnagle-Staff Writer-jlh729@cabrini.edu and Nikki Sabella-A&E Editor-ns722@cabrini.edu. All photos: MCT and Creativecommons.org. All Graphics: Charlie Grugan
Do Wii want PS3 or XBox360? 12 I A&E
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“The Playstation 3 because “Nintendo Wii because I it has Blu-ray technology have always been a fan on and I can watch high-defini- Nintendo.” Bryan Shinehouse, sophomore histion movies on it too.” Khaleel Thajudeem, freshman chemistry major.
tory and political science major.
Friday, Dec. 1, 2006
“The Xbox 360 has better first person shooter games and the PS3 lost out on a lot of exclusive games.” Chris Rhodes, freshman history major.
“Xbox 360 because the graphics are out of control, especially in high definition.” Ian Lightcap, senior English and communication major.
ELIZABETH KERSTETTER STAFF WRITER
ELK722@CABRINI.EDU
Pricey PS3: a scarce expenditure
Sony’s Playstation 3 hit stores recently, but many gamers are still left empty handed. The extremely limited number of consoles released will leave the Playstation 3 hanging at the top of many people’s Christmas list. The Playstation 3 is “the most advanced gaming console ever created,” according to Imagine Games Network. The concept behind the idea of the Playstation 3 is the idea of the future. With a Blu-ray disk drive, 512 MB of RAM and a cell processor, no system is alike. Both the cell processor and Blue-ray are cutting-edge technology. When Sony initially announced the release of the Playstation 3 for Nov. 17, they planned to have 2 million units distributed across North America and Japan. Sony, however, did not release 2 million units on Nov. 17. Only 500,000 units were sent out to North America and Japan. Listed at $499 for units with a 20GB hard drive and $599 FOR A 60GB hard drive, the Playstation 3 is the highest priced gaming console one can buy this year. Those who do not have the unit and wish to have it before the end of the year will likely have to pay over $1,000 through an internet seller. Ebay.com has consoles up for bidding anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000 and rising. So for all the Playstation 3 fanatics, hope Santa Clause has some deep pockets.
Xbox 360 still a hot commodity
Although Microsoft released the Xbox 360 over a year ago, it is still in high demand this holiday. Listed at $299 for a core system, and $399 for a premium packaged system, the unit is right in the middle of pricings between the Nintendo Wii and Playstation 3. Last November, when the Xbox 360 debuted and sold out in hours, Microsoft was pleased with the success of their innovative ideas. Wireless controllers, an internal hard drive, backward capability and wireless internet capabilities are just a few of the Xbox 360s features. All of which are now features on the Playstation 3 and Nintendo Wii. Another feature of the Xbox 360 is its high definition capabilities. Xbox.com said, “The folks here at Xbox have taken a bold step by declaring that all games that appear on the Xbox 360 video game system will support high-definition resolutions.” With the ever growing popularity of high-definition televisions, the capabilities of the Xbox 360 are very compatible. An added plus to the Xbox 360, as compared to the Nintendo Wii and Playstation 3, is the ability to read opinions of those who already have the system. Due to the fact that it was released last November, buyers who like to play it safe can find millions of reviews online about the Xbox 360 and research it before starting their holiday shopping.
PHOTOS: WWW.CREATIVECOMMONS.ORG
Nintendo pleases gamers once again
The Nintendo Wii, which debuted this week, has left consumers feeling satisfied. The Wii is Nintendo’s seventh gaming console, and its features are more extensive than anything Nintendo has released before. Like the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, the Wii has an internal hard drive and has wireless capability. The console, with its 512 MB of memory, can be set up horizontally or vertically. A distinctive feature of the Nintendo Wii is that instead of a tray, the unit has a self-loading media bay to play the disks. To make the Wii even more unique in the world of gaming is the system’s feature that allows the players to play any Nintendo game ever made. Any Nintendo GameCube disk will be compatible with the Wii system. Developers of the system boast about the “backward compatibility.” The makers of the Wii are referring to the ability to download Nintendo classics from any of their previous systems and play them on the Wii. Priced at $249, the Wii is cheaper than the Xbox 360 and potentially easier to get than the Playstation 3. Nintendo announced a release of at least 4 million consoles while Playstation 3 continues to decrease their production to around 400,000 units. The Nintendo Wii is a definite option for those looking to stay in their budget for the upcoming holidays.
Cabrini Film Society Second Screening: -Where: Widener Lecture Hall -When: December 3rd, 8:00 pm -Film: Sidney Lumet’s 1976 “Network”
Exposing students, faculty and the public at large to examples of foreign, independent, seminal and pioneering films. Three films per semester
Friday, Dec. 1, 2006
Women’s basketball prevails over Berks KAITLIN BARR STAFF WRITER
KMB738@CABRINI.EDU
The women’s basketball team kicked off their 2006-2007 season with a win against Penn State Berks on Tuesday, Nov. 21 at 5 p.m. Music blared and the crowd piled in as both teams warmed up before the big beginning of the season tip off. As the starting five players on both teams walked onto the court, the energy was high especially on Cabrini’s bench. Head coach Bobbi Morgan started to pace back and forth as her team began to immediately dominate the women on Penn State Berks. The energy that once filled the court soon fizzled out as the Lady Cavaliers continued to up the score while the Lady Lions struggled to make a shot. By the end of the first half, Morgan had subbed in every sub on the bench and even then the Lady Cavs continued to own the game. Each player on the women’s team added a spark on the court. The
lady Cavaliers forced numerous turnovers, blocked shots and obtained rebounds under the boards. Having been able to sub in each player, the women’s scoring averages were all high. Morgan took no mercy on Penn State Berks as the second half began. With the score at 50-17 already, her five starters once again took the floor and continued to up the score. Although Penn State Berks doubled their points from the first to second half, it wasn’t enough to keep up with the Lady Cavaliers. With the final score of 8236, the women’s basketball team started off their season on the right foot. To see when the team’s next game is and other information on the players and their season, go to www.cabriniathletics.com.
UPCOMING GAMES Saturday, Dec. 2 Women’s basketball at Marywood (1 p.m.) Men’s basketball at Marywood (3 p.m.) Women’s swimming at FDU-Florham (2 p.m.) Men’s swimming at FDU-Florham (2 p.m.) Sunday, Dec. 3 Men’s swimming vs. Ocean County College (1 p.m.) Women’s swimming vs. Ocean County College (1 p.m.) Women’s track and field Seton Hall Invitational (10 a.m.) Men’s track and field Seton Hall Invitational (10 a.m.) Monday, Dec. 4 Women’s basketball at Wesley (6 p.m.) Men’s basketball at Wesley (8 p.m.)
The Loquitur welcomes your comments on this story. Please send your to : comments Loquitur@googlegroups.co m. The editors will review your points each week and make corrections if warranted.
Wednesday, Dec. 6 Women’s basketball vs. DeSales (6 p.m.) Men’s basketball vs. DeSales (8 p.m.) Saturday, Dec. 9 Men’s basketball at Widener (3 p.m.) Women’s basketball at King’s (1 p.m.) Coach Bobbi Morgan looks on at practice.
This week in sports KATIE CLARK
STAFF WRITER
Houston Astros
KAC729@CABRINI.EDU
The Houston Astros have signed two new players but old veterans to their team, Carlos Lee and Woody Williams. The Houston Astros, who are known for being the worst hitting team in the NL, signed these two players in hopes of changing the records around. Lee, who was a left fielder for Texas and Milwaukee, signed a six-year contract with the Astros. Lee’s record last season was his fourth straight year with at least 30 homeruns and 99 RBI. Williams, who was a Astros fan while growing up, signed a two-year contract worth $12.5 million with the club option of a third year of $6.5 million. Williams is a 14-year old veteran who was 12-5 with a 3.65 ERA for San Diego last season. Philadelphia Phillies
Adam Eaton, a free agent pitcher, was signed to the Philadelphia Phillies this past weekend. They reached an agreement on a three-year contract that is heard to be worth more than $24 million. Eaton’s salary will go up each year at least one million. He also will receive $1 million signing bonus and there is a $500,000 buyout of the mutual option in 2010. Eaton, who has a 54-45 with a 4.40 ERA, played in parts for San Diego and Texas. Even though he has only pitched 193 innings in the past two seasons due to a finger injury, several clubs have been interested and intrigued by his potential, if he will be able to stay healthy.
New England Patriots
This past Sunday, New England Patriots’ linebacker, Junior Seau was injured during the game against the Chicago Bears. Seau was hurt with only about nine minutes left in the second quarter. While he was tackling Bears’ running back, his right arm was hit back by Cedric Benson’s foot. Seau’s arm was bent back awkwardly and he hit the ground. He was only down for a few minutes, and then he walked off the field, while his fans cheered for him. Head coach, Bill Belichick, and the rest of the Patriots still have not given any detailed information out about Seau’s arm injury as of yet. Atlanta Thrashers
SPORTS I 13
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After Andy Sutton was penalized for a hard check along the boards in the game versus Washington, three fights broke out right afterwards. The fights consisted of the Thrasher’s defensemen, Washington forward, Donald Brashear, Vitaly Vishnevski, Jon Erskine, Marian Hossa, Matt Bradley, and Greg de Vries. Then within the next face off in the game Brad Larsen instigated a fight which was followed by another by Mellanby and Jamie Heward. Brashear was suspended for three games,while Sutherby and Mellanby were automatically suspended for one. The coaches also had a punishment for their teams’ behavior. Both Glen Hanlon of the Capitals and Bob Hartley of the Thrashers were fined $30,000 and $10,000.
DAN SQUIRE/PHOTO EDITOR
Cheerleaders work to gain good reputation on campus MONICA BURKE STAFF WRITER
MCB727@CABRINI.EDU
The 2006-2007 Cabrini College cheerleading season is gearing up for what they hope will be a creative and productive year. The cheerleading squad, headed by coach Tiffany Bendistis, is hoping that this season will be one of both fun and hard work, resulting in some great routines. The women of the squad each have their hand in helping to create the cheers and dance routines. However they give most of the credit to captain Jamie Clark, a sophomore pren u r s i n g major. Clark said, “I don’t just come up with the routines on my own, I have help and input from all the girls.” They performed at Midnight Madness in October, which was the highlight of their season thus far. Junior elementary education major and captain Elana Kousisis said, “Midnight Madness was just the beginning for us. It helped to have sort of a debut to the games. The fans got to see us. We were visible. Midnight Madness was a great success for the squad.” The spirit the women have on the court transcends into their personal lives. They celebrate a team night where they show their support for each other through special activites. Elissa Barrett sophomore special education major said, “In October we decorated and carved pumpkins, we used Halloween as our theme. We sometimes decorate the locker rooms. We feel like this helps to promote spirit and unity as a team.”
Senior American studies major and captain Meg Eller said that the team hopes to cheer at 20 games this season. Eller said, “We really want to get the word out about the squad. We want the fans to be excited to see our halftime routines and keep coming back.” The cheerleading squad is a fairly new addition to Cabrini Athletics. Created about four years ago, the girls are working hard on gaining a reputation. They balance their routines with equal parts of dancing, cheering and stunting. The team is largely made up of freshman, eight total. The majority of girls on the squad cheered in high school, mostly with competitive teams. The Cabrini squad currently does not compete but they are working -Meg Eller, junior their way up to that level. This season brought a lot of changes for the team. They recently received new mats, an essential element for stunting and tumbling. They also had to work with the new national regulations that were recently put into effect. In order to protect the girls safety, the new rules forbid stunts or tumbling to be done without mats. Clark said, “I’m glad these rules are in place. They’re meant to keep everyone safe.”
Midnight Madness was just the beginning for us.
The Loquitur welcomes your comments on this story. Please send your comments to : Loquitur@googlegroups.com. The editors will review your points each week and make corrections if warranted.
Philly athletes go elsewhere to win titles
14 I SPORTS
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PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER/MCT
Philadelphia Flyersʼ Mike Richards checks Ottawa Senatorsʼ Mike Fisher into the boards at the Wachovia Center on Nov. 22, 2006. SAM DONNELLON
PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS MCT
The joke was not what was alarming. Alarming, for a fan in Philadelphia, is that no one needed an explanation not a Met, not a Cardinal, not any of the baseball personnel or media who witnessed it at Shea Stadium last month. When former Phillie Billy Wagner tossed a ball at former Phillie Scott Rolen with the words, “Going back to Philly?” during the National League Championship Series, everyone got it. Hah-hah. Go back to Philly? As an-
other former Phillie, Curt Schilling, had said just days before in an interview for this column, “It comes down to two viewpoints. You're either asking someone to come back to prison, or come back to the Garden of Eden.'“ Actually, the Garden-ofEden viewpoint is shared by roughly the same number of exiled superstars as the number of those who lived in the very first garden: Two: Curt Schilling and Mark Recchi. Schilling has said repeatedly that he wanted to come back after winning a championship in Arizona. He still blames the Phillies front of-
fice for not making it happen. Traded to the Flyers after winning one Stanley Cup, Mark Recchi left, came back and left again before winning his second Stanley Cup last year in Carolina. Reggie White found his slice of heaven in Green Bay. Seth Joyner won his Super Bowl in Denver. Keith Byars reached a Super Bowl with the Patriots. Darren Daulton went to Miami for his World Series ring. So did Jim Eisenreich. Most recently, it was favorite son-turnedwhipping-boy Rolen who found his ultimate prize in
St. Louis. Numerous theories have been floated over why nirvana is always found elsewhere. More blue collar than most major cities, we turn too quickly on our stars once their income does not match their output. An overzealous media leads or reflects that. Rather than as an expensive hobby, our owners often have run their teams with the frugality of grocery-store owners. I’m trying to be as diplomatic as I can,” Rolen said shortly before winning his first World Series championship. “There seems to be a unity in St. Louis between ownership, management, players and fans, even media. Everybody wants to win. The media wants the team to win, the ownership wants the team to win, the fans want the team to win, players want to win ... “Players want to win for the fans. Fans want to win for the players. There's just a cohesiveness there that no black sheep or no black mark is going to tear a lot of this away. This is a celebration in St. Louis.” And in Philadelphia? We want to win, don't we? We want to celebrate, right? We want our heroes to become mythic, we want to bond with our team ... We are desperate for it. Too desperate perhaps. “There’s only two experiences in Philadelphia,”' Schilling said. “There’s no neutral experience like in Arizona. I loved Arizona. It was a phenomenal experience there, because I grew up there. But I don't think the fans were crushed when I left. When we won in 2001, it wasn't a life-altering experience for those people. Now in 2004, in Boston, that was life-altering. And it would be that way in Philly.” Schilling, Rolen, Wagner they are part of a much larger constellation of stars who departed Philadelphia to seek that experience else where. Some, like White, left as favorite sons and remain so. Some, like
Friday, Dec. 1, 2006
Rolen and Eric Lindros, started as favorite sons and fell into disfavor. Others, like Randall Cunningham, became less popular as their performance and that of their team failed to live up to expectations. Some, like Schilling and Charles Barkley, mouthed their way into exile, frustrated by mismanagement and mediocrity. Schilling once imagined a day in Philadelphia like the one he had in Boston, millions lining the streets as the team that broke the curse rode through. Back then, he was one of the young arms of a 1993 Phillies team that won the National League pennant. Less than 2 years later that team was in shambles, done in by injuries and bad personnel moves, including ill-advised long-term contracts. Increasingly outspoken, Schilling pleaded with ownership and management to make major deals rather than minor ones, to spend beyond its self-imposed budget to make the team a pennant contender again. “Part of the issue when I was there was the apathy,” Schilling said. “Fans were just tired. Tired of the group that was running the franchise. For me, the origin of apathy was the first comment by ownership that it was a small-market town. “I think fans basically said, ‘We have an ownership team that settles for excuses for not winning.’ The fan base is exactly opposite. They want everybody to be 100 percent accountable.” For Barkley, it was an ownership problem as well not us. “You’re not in control of the championship thing,” Barkley said before his Hall of Fame induction in September. “When I was in Philly, we had the No. 1 pick in the draft (in 1986) and traded it. That’s why I like (Phoenix Suns chairman Jerry) Colangelo. He gave me a chance. He put enough players around me. We had three legit chances
to win the championship. They didn’t do that in Philly.” Not while he was here. But anyone over 45 will tell you of a time when every Philadelphia team had more than a chance. Whether it was adding Julius Erving and Moses Malone to the Sixers, Pete Rose coming to the Phillies, the Flyers grabbing Bernie Parent or the Eagles trading for Ron Jaworski, Philly teams not only made big moves they made the right big moves. “At that time, the attitude here was very positive,'' said Jaworski, who led the 1980 Eagles to the Super Bowl. “Back then everyone saw the glass halffull. It wasn’t, ‘When will we win?' but, ‘How many will we win?’ “Now the losses have devastated the fan base. It’s always half-empty around here now. And they're angry a lot.” Not at the people who mortgaged a young Peter Forsberg and a slew of players to get The Next, but at Lindros for not being The Next. And so on ... Is Jaws right? Is our attitude simply the result of a championship 23-year famine? Do we cannibalize our stars, as Rolen suggests? Or are we a municipality of moaners? What has Sacramento won lately? Charlotte? San Diego? Portland? Seattle? Cincinnati? Why aren't they itching and moaning? And yet would anyone here argue which dynamic duo is thought of more fondly? “I know you've heard the expression, `What have you done for me lately?’ ...Well, this is to a new level.” A level that many who have come through here on their way to a championship have found too oppressive. In an age in which players are as likely to choose their teams as the other way around, Philadelphia fans may, indeed, have become our own worst enemies.
Track separates the women from the girls in 06-07 season ASHLEY COOK STAFF WRITER
AAC722@CABRINI.EDU
Women’s indoor track team, with the help of former runner and coach Danielle Dorsey, plans for success this season. Their goal this season, make the list for nationals. “It’s always going to be the same race.” Kacie Fick, sophomore biology and biotechnology major, said. “The distance never changes, you just need to be focused.” “We are like a big family,” Fick said. “I know that we are strong, stronger than we have ever been, but it’s still a little early to tell.” The first year freshman women are “changing the team attitude into a positive one,” Leslie Willams, a freshman sociology and criminal justice major, said. Even though it’s a small team, the women are all working towards their goals to make it to nationals.
“Our important meets are every meet we run in, cause as one meet ends, it just means one less chance to get on the list for ECAC's or NCAA nationals,” Fick said. One thing all the girls agree on is the capability they have this season. The Eastern College Athletic Conference is a college athletic conference comprising schools that compete in 35 men's and women's sports. It has 317 member institutions in NCAA Divisions I, II and III, ranging in location from Maine to North Carolina. The NCAA is the largest collegiate athletic organization in the world, and because of the great popularity of college sports as spectator sports in the United States, it is far more prominent in the United States than most national college sports bodies are in their own countries. Each woman works each meet to reach the best time possible they are capable of, in hopes to make the NCAA list. “I think these meets separate the women from the girls,” Christiana Taylor, a freshman biology major, said.
“Everyone has had an injury because of the surface we run on,” said Taylor. The women all agree that a new track would higher their chances of making the list of the NCAA’s and lowering the risk of injury. “We really need a new track because it is the cause for most of our shin and ankel injuries.” Fick said. Overall, the women’s team is very excited to get the season started, according to Fick. “I would say the sprints [60-mile], the field, hurdles and relays would qualify for nationals,” said Taylor. All of the women agree on one thing, that their team this season has a shot of making it to the nationals and placing in the top ranks, according to Carolyn Roberts, junior exercise science and health promotion major. “I think the distance medley relay(for the women's team) will be important....hurdles will also be important,” Roberts said. The team has many events they can excel in this year including dash, 60m dash,
55Hurdles, 200m, 400m, 800m, 100m, 4x4 relay, 4x8 relay, distance medley, 100H, 400H, also in the field, jumps (long and triple) and throws. Their first meet is on December 3, 10 a.m. at the Seton Hall Invitational in South Orange, N.J. Directions are posted on the Cabrini College website under women’s track and field. “I’m still learning who we have to watch out for,” Samantha Gerke, a freshman educational studies major, said. “But I’ve heard people have to watch out for us!”
The Loquitur welcomes your comments on this story. Please send your comments to : Loquitur@googlegroups.com. The editors will review your points each week and make corrections if warranted.
Friday, Dec. 1, 2006
SPORTS I 15
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Campus Announcements YADIRA TOLEDO EVENTS EDITOR
YRT722@CABRINI.EDU
Battle of the bands
On Friday, Dec. 1 students are invited to come watch other students perform and compete in a Battle of the Bands. The winner will walk-away with the title of best band on campus plus a $150. This event is sponsored by CAP board and WYBF and will take place at 8 p.m. in Grace Hall. Students with a Cabrini id will be charged $2, while those without a Cabrini id will be charged $3. For more information please contact Ashley Shoenfelt at (610) 902-8461 or via email at als732@cabrini.edu.
One team, one city and one heartbreak Despite the Eagles recent struggles, fans think they still have a ligitimite shot to make the playoffs.
SHANE EVANS WEB EDITOR
SME722@CABRINI.EDU
Last season was supposed to be the “off” year. It was supposed to be the year the team suffered from the Super Bowl hangover. It was supposed to be due to the myriad of injuries and the headaches. It was only supposed to be one year. After stumbling and staggering and scraping through a 6-10 season that left questions to be answered and decisions to be made, the Eagles were primed to revitalize the franchise going into the 2006 season and bring Philadelphia back to the Super Bowl. Well after an inconsistent first 11 games of the “rebound” year, the team looks just as unimpressive as it did in last season’s still intoxicated with pipe dreams of Jacksonville and injury riddled campaign. Coming into training camp this summer, the team was one. They were a complete unit, hell-bent on returning to the pinnacle of professional football. Everyone was focused and ready for the grind of the longest camp of any National Football League team. Each player knew his job and wanted to be at his absolute best to start the season. The month at Lehigh University seemed to fly by as quickly as the thoughts about the prior season left the players minds. They were all ready to prove the critics wrong. The team had been at the top of the league for so long, that they weren’t going to let one year bring them down. Everything started out so well in the regular season as after five games, the Eagles boasted an impressive 4-1 record, a record that could have easily been an unblemished one, had it not been for one monumental collapse at the hands of National Football Conference East rivals, the New York Giants. They had it all going. The offense was clicking on all cylinders with a healthy mix of quarterback Donovan McNabb’s howitzer arm and the elusive and lightningquick legs of the “ultimate weapon” running back Brian Westbrook. And for the first time since the Super Bowl year of 2004, the defense was on par with it’s offensive counterparts and were
shutting down teams left and right, holding All-Pro runner Tiki Barber to 51 yards in week 2 and soon-to-be All-Pro runner Frank Gore to 52 yards in the following game. In the game that many thought would decide if the Eagles were truly back or not, they trounced the lifeless Dallas Cowboys 38-24 in a game of absolute importance which brought their record to an impressive 4-1. The week following that game was the peak of the season. The city was alive with talks of regaining the NFC East crown, deep playoff runs and gasp…another trip to the Super Bowl. But to the chagrin of many of the green and silver patrons, that feeling was not to last. Nor come back, or even be hinted at in the following six weeks of the season. The team took a page out of 2005’s playbook and to put it simply, tanked. Following the elating victory over the hated Cowboys, the team suffered three straight agonizing losses to obviously weaker teams. First against the New Orleans Saints who had a field day with the Eagles secondary. Next came the Tampa Bay Buccaneers who couldn’t muster 200 yards of total offense, yet were able to send the Eagles packing with an improbable and totally crushing 62-yard field goal as time expired. To close out the threesome of losses was the most mediocre of them all as the Jacksonville Jaguars came to the Lincolin Financial Field and ran all over the Eagles run-stoppers for 209 yards. What went wrong? How could the Eagles manage to go from 4-1 to sputtering into the bye week at an even .500? Well, they seemed to fix things coming out of the bye, defeating the Washington Redskins convincingly, 27-3 in week 10. Everything seemed to go right in that game, and the fact that the rest of the NFC (with exception of the Chicago Bears, 8-1 at the time) was suffering in similar ways, left the door open for a little hope to creep in. Coming as no surprise to Eagles fans these days, or Philadelphia sports fans as a whole, that hope was slapped away further than Joe Carter’s series clinching home run in the 1993 World Series. In weeks 11 and 12, the team was beat
PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER/MCT
by a 2-7 team and a 9-1 team. The funny thing is, both teams beat them convincingly. The Tennessee Titans had their way with the defense and after the center of the Eagles universe was plucked from the field because of a freak accident, the almighty men in blue and white shut down an Eagles offense that already had shown little signs of life. The Colts then continued where the Titans left off and beat a Donovan McNabbless Eagles team into submission 45-21. Now sitting in third place in the division with a 5-6 record, the Eagles are going back to the drawing board. Again. Week after week, that seems to be the answer to the lackluster play of one of the league’s formally elite teams. Luckily for the Eagles, the NFC as a conference continued it’s poor play and by the grace of the football gods, despite their horrid play and loss of their franchise quarterback, the team isn’t out of it yet. But does anybody really care at this point? Led by a late-30 something quarterback and an aging defense that can’t tackle the broad side of a barn these days, the Eagles are losing the city’s faith, interest and love. Things need to change in order to regain what they once had. Unfortunately, that change cant come this season, and if the anterior crucial ligament of #5 don’t heal quickly, next season may be a wash also. It’s time for the team to change it’s philosophy and bring a spark back to the city. Andy Reid used to hold the match that brought the spark. Donovan McNabb, Brian Dawkins and Jeremiah Trotter were the energy that made the spark a flame. Now, it seems as though the match has been thoroughly dowsed in water and needs to be replaced. That needs to happen soon so the thoughts about this season don’t resemble to closely those of last season, and if it doesn’t, we may have many more years of those three ugly ‘s’s…stumbling, staggering and scraping.
Christmas choral concert
The entire campus community is invited to the Bruckmann Chapel of St. Joseph to listen to the soundings of a Christmas choral concert. The concert will begin promptly at 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 3. For more information please contact Adeline Bethany at (610) 9028380. Christmas chaos
CAP Board invites students to come and get their picture taken with Santa, make smores and participate in other festivities on Tuesday, Dec. 5. This Christmas event will be held in the Mansion and is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. For more information please contact Ashley Shoenfelt at (610) 902-8461 or via email at als732@cabrini.edu. Movie series: Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
On Thursday, Dec. 07 the office of student activities will be hosting a screening of the comedy Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. This film starring popular comedic actor Will Ferrell will be shown in the Widener Lecture Hall at 8:30 p.m. For more information please contact Ashley Shoenfelt at (610) 902-8461 or via e-mail at als732@cabrini.edu. Pro-wrestling unplugged
WYBF is sponsoring pro-wrestling unplugged on Friday, Dec. 8 in Grace Hall. Doors are scheduled to open at 7 p.m. There is a general admission fee of $12 or a reduced price of $7 with any college i.d. Tickets for this event are on sale in the cafeteria. Those interested can also see any WYBF staff member for tickets. Rock climbing
Those interested in rock climbing are invited to learn the basics by taking a trip to the Philadelphia Rock Gym on Wednesday, Dec. 13 and Thursday, Dec. 14. This physical challenge is scheduled to last from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. All equipment, shoes, chalk etc. will be provided; those interested in attending are reminded to check the Cabrini shuttle for departure/pick-up times and to wear comfortable clothing. For more information please contact Orlin Jespersen at (610) 225-3909.
Friday, Dec. 1, 2006
SPORTS I 16
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SPORTS
Men’s basketball lose at Al Van Wie Rotary Despite a disappointing performance at the Al Van Wie Rotary Classic, the men’s basketball team still has high hopes for the 2006 season. CHRISTINA CIMMINO STAFF WRITER
CMC737@CABRINI.EDU
The Cabrini College Men’s Basketball team is kicking off their season with a fresh outlook and high hopes for a winning season. Though some may be deceived by their record of 1-2-0, they traveled to Wooster, Ohio to play in the “Al Van Wie” Rotary Classic and have gone up against the number 2 team in the National Collegiate Athletic Association in Division III, College of Wooster. The game ended with a result of 128- 71. However, this has not brought down the confidence of this team at all; it has only made it stronger. Coach Matthew Macciocca, who is in his second year of being head coach at Cabrini, said, “I think with us playing at Wooster it has established a mentality and has established who we are. Even though we lost, we still played hard every possession with passion and energy and if we do that at every game this year we will be in a position to win. To date, we have scored the most points against all the four teams that Wooster has played. My belief is that if we keep playing with that emotion and that energy, every single day that we step across that line onto the floor the sky is the limit.” Charles Bush, a sophomore point guard and English and communication major, said, “I think we are at a good spot right now. Our first two games in our off season, even though it was rough, it was a good learning experience. Our chemistry is phenomenal all the guys are on the same page and we just want the team to get better.” With only five returning players this season, the Cavaliers have a lot of new faces stepping out onto the court. There are also some new editions to the coaching staff that are to be noticed. Captain Randy Reid, a junior accounting major, said, “This year the chemistry has been great we have an awesome group of guys. We all get along well and there are no little clicks within each together there is no order of hierarchy and everyone is on the same level. As a returning player, the chemistry on the team is a breath of fresh air.” Reid scored a career-high 31 points at Wooster and also made all-tournament team. That breath of fresh air was exemplified on Nov. 21 at the Cav’s home opener with a 79-63 win against Penn State Berks. Cap-
DAN SQUIRE/PHOTO EDITOR
From left to right: Senior Bruce MacLelland, freshman Rodney Collins, junior Greg Clifton and junior Randy Reid in defense mode during practice. The menʼs basketball team recently competed in Ohio in the Al Van Wie Rotary Classic.
tain Greg Clifton, a junior wing and marketing major, scored a career-high 26 points. He also made player of the week in the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference. He is the first player on the team this season to be recognized as player of the week. “The Penn State-Berks game was a confidence builder because it was our first victory. The first win is always the most important and the future is bright for many more victories,” said Chris Blake, a freshman forward, and liberal arts major. Macciocca said, “I thought the Penn State -Berks we showed that emotion and that energy, it was led by our 3 captains, Randy Reid, Greg Clifton, and Bruce MacClelland. They all played an intrical part of that game and I was really happy with guys who came off the bench and gave us quality
minutes no matter how long they played to help us win. “I think our starting line-up is good. I think we need to improve away from Randy and Bruce and Greg all the way down to Chris and Charles. If we need to mix things up to help the program, then we will. It doesn’t matter if you start it matters how you finish.” As for the PAC pre-season rankings, the Cavaliers were ranked seven out of a possible ten. However, this has not shaken the confidence of the team. Clifton said, “When someone says you can’t do something, it is of competitive nature to prove them wrong. If they say that we are going to finish seventh in the PAC then we are all going to take that and channel it into winning.”
“We are winning the PAC this year,” Clifton added. Matt Betz, a junior wing and business administration major said, We have been extremely motivated by the preseason ranking and we feel like we can make some noise in the conference because ranking don’t mean anything to us. We believe we can be one of the top teams. It just has given us so much motivation to work harder in practice and work harder than the other teams in the conference.” The Loquitur welcomes your comments on this story. Plese send your comments to: Loquitur@googlegroups.com. The editors will review your points each week and make corrections if warranted.