Feb.07, 2008 issue 15 Loquitur

TIHE LOQUITUR

Iraqi students pursue education in America

JAMIE HUFNAGLE NEWS EDITOR JLH729@CABRINI EDU

Omar finished high school in spring 2003 when the United States invaded Iraq. He was not able to get his records or diploma, but he was soon involved in learning to use cameras and recorders to document the chaos surrounding him in Baghdad.

Omar joined other young video-makers in an attempt to go where other media outlets would not go. While some were

killed, others, like Omar, had to leave Iraq to work from Syria.

Currently, Omar’s days consist of classes at the American Language Center, attending a tutoring session four times a week and going to the writing workshop on Fridays. Afterwards, he finds time to play billiards and speak in English with other students when they visit the Russian Cultural Center.

Omar is just one of the university-age students who hopes to participate in the Iraqi Student Project. This project intends to place Iraqi students at participating col-

leges and universities in the United States. He intends to pursue the study of media and wants to major in business administration.

So far, nine American colleges and universities have committed themselves to hosting Iraqi students in the fall of 2008 with either full scholarship or tuition waivers only as a part of the Iraqi Student Project. Many other colleges and universities are currently in talks and those involved with the project are working heavily to form support groups.

Ashley Harrison is a senior po-

litical science major at Evergreen University in San Jose, Calif., and is an active member of a group dedicated to this project, the Iraqi Student Solidarity Committee.

“The student group has been incredibly active around this issue, collecting over 650 student signatures, getting a resolution of support passed by faculty and gathering community support for this project,” Harrison said. “We have made our formal proposal to the college administration and are currently in dialog with them to bring students, but they

have not made a commitment to providing the [tuition] waivers.”

The project currently has 20 students looking for placements and is in need of an additional eight slots for the remaining students.

Michele Pistone is a professor of law at Villanova University School of Law and a member of the board of directors for the project. According to Pistone, those involved with the project have been working to

IRAQI, page 1

New law paves way for student affordability

ASHLEY COOK NEWS EDITOR AAC722@CABRINI EDU

Financial aid offices across the United States, including Cabrini’s, are working to understand the implications of a major new law passed by Congress this fall that made significant changes in financial aid.

The College Cost Reduction and Access Act, signed on Sept. 27, 2007, will make college more affordable for lowincome students by increasing funding for Federal Pell Grants by more than $11.4 billion over the next five years. The Pell Grant program helps ensure that low-income students have access to higher education by providing need-based grants to help students meet education costs.

“This plan will help to ensure that students from low-

income backgrounds are given a fair chance to get a better education,” Adriana DePalma, history and political science major said. “I think it’s about time congress thought about low-income students’ dreams.”

According to NASFAA.org, included in the law are attachments that will pay up to $16,000 for students to become teachers at certain schools and in certain subjects. Graduates working in certain public service jobs, such as firefighters, may also be eligible for partial loan forgiveness

The law allows students with federal student loans with private companies to consolidate or reconsolidate into the Direct Loan program beginning July 1, 2008 in order to qualify for public service loan forgiveness.

The Act decreases payments to commercial lenders and guaranty agencies participating in the

Federal Family Education Loan Program. It also authorizes increases in the amount of Federal Pell Grants and establishes the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant Program, TEACH.

According to NASFAA. org, beginning July 1, 2008, the TEACH Grant program will provide up to $4,000 a year in grant aid to undergraduate and graduate students and students enrolled in a post-baccalaureate teacher credential program, or current or prospective teachers. Eligible undergraduate and post-baccalaureate students may not receive more than $16,000 and graduate students may receive no more than $8,000 in total TEACH Grants.

Students enrolled less than full-time will have their TEACH Grant reduced according to a schedule established by the Department in regulations.

CCRAA will lower the interest rates on some student loans and expand loan repayment options for student borrowers. The Act also creates a new loan forgiveness plan for public service employees. In addition, the Act also provides funding for several institutional grant programs aimed at improving minority-serving institutions.

The bill the President signed will expand this program by allowing the maximum Pell award to increase from $4,310 in 2007 to $5,400 by 2012.

According to whitehouse.gov, The President promises to work with Congress to ensure that the increases in funding for Pell Grants not paid for in this bill are paid for with reductions in other areas of spending - not by raising taxes on the American people.

The Administration will closely monitor the effects of the bill’s provisions to ensure

they do not cause unintended consequences, increase taxpayer costs, or upset the vital competitive balance between the Federal Family Education Loan and Direct Loan programs

The President will also continue working with Congress to expand access and affordability in higher education.

“It seems that any effort to enhance Pell Grants serves the common good,” Dr. Jolyon Girard, history and political science professor, said. Girard said that there are those who would argue that the government should allocate more funds for the program, and others maintain that it is too much additional funding. “Those always tend to be the liberal and conservative aspects of any legislation involving federal fund-

SUBMITTED PHOTO/GABE HUCK SUBMITTED PHOTO/GABE HUCK

For most of the Iraqi students this day at Ma’aloula, a town in the mountains northwest of Damascus, this was their first encounter with snow.

Some of the ISP students traveled together to the Roman ruins at Bosra, about 100 km south of Damascus.

Financial Aid : Huh?

As the editors of the Loquitur sat down to discuss the editorial topic of the week, financial aid, most seemed to draw a collective blank. Only three editors could give a strong opinion and even they admitted the situation wasn’t black and white. Paying off student loans is inevitable. We should have a better understanding of the key points that will have a greater impact on our wallets.

Why don’t we have a better understanding? Is it partly because the loan programs are so complicated?

Sen. Hillary Clinton’s plan would add $8 billion a year in new funds in tuition tax credit, increase Pell Grants, provide $500 million in grants to community colleges, create a “Graduation Fund,” increase the education award in the AmeriCorp program, and simplify the application process for federal financial aid. Clinton’s plan would also require public colleges to publish information about employment rates and earnings of their students after graduation, eliminate the guaranteed student loan program, and require colleges to set multi-year tuition rates. Both candidates plan to eliminate the Family Federal Education Loan Program and replace the loan program with the government’s Direct Loan program.

The Federal government makes loans available to us in two ways, through the Direct Loan program, or funneled through private lenders like banks and companies like Sallie Mae. The Direct Loan program has lower rates and more of the money can actually go to students. The government loans funneled through private lenders sends a smaller percent of money through to students because of higher fees the banks and companies collect from the government.

Admittedly, some people think the marketplace is better than the government for everything. We understand that fear, but in this case, it’s been shown clearly that companies like Sallie Mae have violated our trust and that the government actually is a better lending source.

Although the editors agreed that colleges should release information on graduation, job placement and earning rates after graduation, we think that if the government tries to make us better consumers, it should work hard to develop an accurate system.

Every year at Cabrini the cost of tuition increases by a few thousand dollars. Clinton’s plan requiring colleges to set multi-year tuition rates would allow for students and their families to better financially plan. Some fear that if allowed, the government would start imposing policies on all businesses. Yet, students find it frustrating that year after year tuition is increasing and we aren’t necessarily getting a better education.

Clinton’s plan to simplify the process of applying for federal financial aid by checking a box on your federal income tax returns and in return the Educational Department would provide you with how much you can expect to receive in federal grants and loans seems like an answered prayer to the complicated process.

After studying the financial aid program of Clinton, we can come to a few conclusions. One is that this is an important topic. We ourselves are embarrassed how little we knew going into this. We are also surprised at how little attention higher education gets in this campaign. Why are Clinton and Obama the only ones to have any plan at all? Why has it not come up in any of the debates? Do the other candidates and the reporters who ask the questions not think affordable higher education is important to the future?

Professors enter the world of technology with web video

MEGHAN SMITH STAFF WRITER MES733@CABRINI EDU

YouTube began as a site for goofy video parodies. It has now evolved into a generational icon, with presidential candidates utilizing YouTube to reach a younger audience. iTunes started as a music site. Now it has branched off into iTunesU, devoting a new section of their store to education. As the site grows more popular, college professors have entered into the world of technology, broadcasting their knowledge for all to view. Professors have become the latest stars of iTunesU. Along with other video-sharing Web sites, iTunesU has the potential to expand learning from inside the classroom to a more public art.

“Traditional ways of conducting lectures in classrooms have been changing,” Dr. Janice Xu, communication professor, said.

Web video opens a new form of public intellectualism to scholars looking to partake in a progressively more visual culture. iTunesU hopes to be-

come a venue for academia.

Over the past few months, several colleges have signed agreements with the site to set up official “channels”. In order to set up a channel, colleges are required to sign an agreement with iTunesU. No money is involved, allowing colleges to brand their portion of the site with school logos and colors.

Through this program, colleges and universities are able to build their own iTunesU sites. Faculty are able to post content necessary for their classes so students can access what they need and be on their way.

“The social networking would open many doors for Cabrini and raise public awareness for the college,” Caitlin O’Donnell of Instructional Tech Support, said.

More than half of the nation’s top 500 schools are part of iTunes U, dispensing their digital content to students and anyone who is interested. Colleges and universities have the ability to open all or part of its site to the public, so that learning can be available to all.

iTunesU is altering the way

people learn on campus, off campus and even without a campus. “It’s a neat idea of lifelong learning,” O’Donnell said.

Xu laughed when asked if she would be interested in participating if Cabrini were to join iTunes U. “I wouldn’t want to be the first professor from Cabrini to be on the site,” Xu said.

One faculty member who is ready and able to put content on the web is communication professor Dr. Jerry Zurek. “The fact that my videos on YouTube about slavery in Brazil have been viewed 11,000 times, a pretty impressive number,” Zurek said. Cabrini has begun to take this endeavor into serious consideration for the near future.

“I’m pretty excited about it. I feel it would do Cabrini an awful amount of good,” O’Donnell said.

Loquitur welcomes your comments on this story. Please send your comments to: Loquitur@googlegroups.com. The editors will review your comments each week and make corrections if warranted.

2007-2008 Loquitur Staff/Editorial Staff

Editor in Chief Kaitlin Barr

Deputy Editor Liz Lavin

Managing Editor Nicole Osuch

News Editor Jamie Hufnagle

News Editor Ashley Cook

A & E Editor Grayce Turnbach

A & E Editor Katie Clark

Features Editor Brittany Lavin

Perspectives Editor Jillian Smith

Sports Editor Jessica Hagerty

Sports Editor Kasey Minnick

Copy Editor Megan Pellegrino

Copy Editor Vickie Papageorge

Events Editor Diana Vilares

Adviser Dr. Jerome Zurek

Staff Writers

Jonathan Barnett

Christopher Blake

Alicia Cook

Nicole Duggan

Danielle Feole

Liz Garrett

Christine Graf

Jessie Holeva

Danielle Kaine

Robert Kallwass

Shannon Keough

Christina Michaluk

Sarah Pastor

Nicholas Pitts

Samantha Randol

Christy Ross

Meghan Smith

Jessica Storm

Mallory Terrence

Lauren Townsend

Diana Trasatti

Jake Verterano

Ryan Kirby Britany Wright

Laura Lombardi

Brittany McLeod

Our Mission Statement

The Loquitur is Cabrini’s College weekly, student-run, campus newspaper. It is widely respected as the voice of students, staff, faculty, alumni and many others outside the Cabrini community. The Loquitur has earned its position by advocating for self expression through freedom of speech, and by serving as an outlet for readers to affect change on campus and off.

Founded in 1959, the Loquitur has thrived and greatly expanded its readership. The paper now has over 2,000 online readers and 1,500 print readers on a weekly basis.

Our mission is to provide readers with an opportunity to voice their opinions freely, in an environment where their voices are effectively heard and respected.

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Loquitur is a laboratory newspaper written, edited and produced by the students of COM 353, 352, 250 and 251. Subscription price is $25 per year and is included in the benefits secured by tuition and fees. Additional copies are $1 each. Loquitur welcomes letters to the editors. Letters to the editor are to be less than 500 words. These are usually in response to a current issue on campus or community area. Guest columns are longer pieces between 600 and 800 words and also are usually in response to a current issue on Cabrini College campus or community. Letters to the editor and guest columns are printed as space permits. Submissions may be edited for length, clarity and content. Name, phone number and address should be included for verification purposes. Personal attacks and anonymous submissions will not be printed. Letters to the editor and guest columns can be

Project hopes to bring Iraqi students to pursue studies in America

IRAQI, page 1

create a support network to assist the students once they are cleared to come to the schools.

“The real thing is getting schools in the area to commit,” Pistone said. “Ideally, we would like to have several students in a particular region where they can then

have contact with each other and have their own support network.”

The goal of the project is to have students cleared and able to attend these colleges when the selection process is completed.

Former teacher and graphic artist Jane Pitz is also a member on the board of directors and is working to gain support from colleges

Law aims to save money

FINANCIAL AID, page 1

ing. It appears to me that the increase seems reasonable and beneficial,” Girard said.

On the other hand some believe that though the act sounds great, the actual benefits will affect relatively few students.

According to the Chicago Sun Times.com, Pell grants made to the lowest-income students increase from $4,310 in 2007 to $5,400 by 2012-- an additional $11 billion in funding over the next five years. Lenders will face a squeeze on profits because of reduced payments from the government to subsidize their activities.

According to the Chicago Sun Times.com, the real story behind these headlines is the fact that many families are suddenly waking up to the fact that

college has become unaffordable. Students graduate with huge debt burdens, larger than their parent’s original mortgage.

Mike Colahan, director of Financial Aid, states that a huge chunk of the college’s budget works towards loans and financial aid. He stressed how hard Cabrini works to keep the costs down.

“The real issue is not the aid, its college costs,” Colahan said.

Loquitur welcomes your comments on this story. Please send your comments to: Loquitur@googlegroups.com.

The editors will review your comments each week and make corrections if warranted.

and universities in South Bend, Ind., where she currently resides.

“How many students we will have here in August 2008 is out of our hands once the students have been accepted and take on the visa application process,” Pitz said. “I have hopes as do others involved in the program that we would have at least 13 students here to

begin studying in the autumn.”

Currently, the project continues through the selection process as the support groups continue to be formed. Many behind the project are working to gain support in the states so that the project can be successful in its transition for the Iraqi students to study.

“ISP and these students need

advocates in the US to get tuition waivers, to build support groups, to let the State Department and Congress and Homeland Security know that we owe Iraqis; yet we Americans too will benefit if these young people can come to do their studies here,” Gabe Huck, member on the board and head of the project in Syria, said.

College students rely on sleep aids

CHRISTINA MICHALUK STAFF WRITER CMM736@CABRINI EDU

Sleepless nights turn into missed classes for many students. The use of sleep aids is becoming more wide spread.

According to Joan Goldberg from the Sleep Foundation, “54 percent of adults said they have experienced at least one symptom of insomnia.”

The college lifestyle changes sleep patterns for students many times throughout the year. Many students are now relying on sleep aids to help regulate their sleeping patterns.

“I take sleep aids about once a week to help me get to sleep if I know I have something to do or if I need to be up at a cer-

tain time,” Vikki Burke, junior social work major, said.

Trouble falling asleep? Insomnia could be why. Insomnia can be caused by factors such as stress, anxiety, depression and poor sleeping habits.

“Freshmen are usually the group of students who have the most sleeping problems. They have a hard time adjusting to living on campus because they are out of their normal environment,” Mary Jo Rose, R.N of Cabrini’s health services, said.

Sleep aids may have a temporary solution to sleeping problems, but they can bring serious side effects that can hinder the expected result. Mixing sleep aids with other medications as well as alcohol can completely change the chemical compound of the sleep aid.

“There have been times

where I have taken too many or I have taken them too late at night so I sleep right through my classes,” Burke said.

Over-the-counter sleep aids are easy to access, so many students rely on them. When using over the counter aids there is more of a risk of an overdose because the dosage amount can vary.

Other students who have been prescribed medications such as Rozerem and Lunesta also have claimed to encountered problems.

Dependency on any sleep aid can be serious. Goldberg recommends that four weeks should be the recommended limit that a person uses sleep aids. There can be a dependency to use them every night after the month of initial use. If a student is using any type of sleep aids they should check with a doctor before use.

SUBMITTED PHOTO/GABE HUCK

SUBMITTED PHOTO/LESLIE EID

Each Friday afternoon, 15 of the Iraqi students who hope to begin or continue their college education in the United States, fill a small apartment room for their Writers’ Workshop, led by Theresa Kubasak, one of the founders of the Iraqi Student Project. They spend two hours writing poems and short essays in English and discussing their work in small response groups.

Pictured above are some of the students currently involved with the Iraqi Student Project.

Program reaches out to students in Norristown

Cabrini College has always been a school strongly involved in the community and service projects helping those in need, making a community involvement course a requirement for graduation.

Due to the amount of outreach work done by the Cabrini community, last fall Cabrini College was awarded a three-year grant from the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Minority Health to conduct a program to high school students in Norristown. The funding is going towards Cabrini’s Youth Empowerment Program (YEP).

“We would not have a program without this grant. The

funding presented an opportunity to dramatically increase our outreach to youth in Norristown and the engagement of students on campus,” David Chiles, director of the Wolfington Center, said.

The Youth Empowerment Program provides a safe environment for the teens where they can learn and grow as individuals.

The program’s mission is to empower students by assisting them in setting and achieving individual goals in the areas of academics, health and wellness and cultural experiences.

The YEP program focuses on the health and success of about 30 teens from Norristown High School. The program offers after school programming and culture experiences.

In September the group

went to see the Broadway play “Wicked,” an exciting journey for the students since most had never seen the movie, “The Wizard Of Oz,” before.

“Norristown is a very diverse high school, so the kids are accustomed and willing to trying new things, especially food,” Andrea Mancuso, program manager of YEP at Cabrini College, said.

The main focus of YEP is to insure that the students have academic success and are prepared for a college curriculum. Workshops are held throughout the week, which integrate the arts, creative writing and critical thinking skills. Tutoring by Cabrini College students is available and a joy for the high school students, according to Mancuso. Students participate in work-

shops on nutrition, physical fitness and mental well being. Fitness classes like pilates and capoeira are offered to the students along with tips on how to manage stress and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Students in YEP will have several chances to come to Cabrini College to visit the campus and get a feel for the college lifestyle. During those visits, they will have a chance to meet professors and eat in the cafeteria.

“They love coming to Cabrini. They found the students at Cabrini to be really open and helpful,” Mancuso said.

Besides being able to travel to Cabrini College, the students in YEP will get a chance to see some of the greatest historical and cultural experiences available in the Philadelphia area. Museums,

theaters, cultural dancing and restaurant visits are among the options available for the students.

This fall the program took a trip to Linvilla Orchards, where their families were able to join and experience the fun the students do on a daily basis with YEP. “Some students had never been on a plain hayride before. They thought it was going to be a haunted hayride. It was a great and relaxing day for everyone,” Mancuso said.

“We certainly intend to continue the program after this grant is completed. We’re already looking at program models and funding sources to keep the YEP going. It has been too successful for our campus, community partners and the youth, to see it fade away,” Chiles said.

New Curriculum deepens students’ commitment to social justice

LIZ GARRETT STAFF WRITER EGG722@CABRINI EDU

Cabrini College will pilot courses for the new core curriculum this fall. Engagements for the Common Good (ECG) seminars provide an entirely fresh, new way for Cabrini students to enrich their educations.

The ECG seminar pilots consist of a freshman 100-level, a sophomore 200-level and a junior 300-level course. ECG 200 and 300 will be piloted in fall 2009 and fall 2010. Faculty from all departments at Cabrini will be teaching these classes.

“No other university in the world has three core courses focused on social justice,” Dr. Jerry Zurek, professor and chairman of the communication department, said. Zurek will be instructing ECG 100 for freshman this coming fall.

This change in the curriculum hopes to deepen Cabrini students’ commitment to social justice. The courses will be partnered with community groups such as those in nearby Norristown, Pa. In addition to these local partners, the college will work with an international partner, Catholic Relief Services. The Wolfington Center at Cabrini will facilitate the partnerships.

While some ECG pilots will be focusing on their contributions and partnerships with cities in the region, professors such as Zurek intend to deal with the pilots that

connect with people globally.

The Cabrini faculty want students to address the causes of problems that currently are treated with charitable acts. Students will explore ways to change the endless cycle of soup kitchens. In addition to service and helping to keep the soup kitchens running, students will learn ways by which people can make a difference by addressing long-term solutions.

The new curriculum will start to incorporate this type of thinking beginning with freshman. Cabrini’s aim is to expose students to the ways in which social classes and groups are in competition but also can be in solidarity. The courses will study the breadth of society from one end of the spectrum to the other, the rich to the poor.

An example of this type of understanding of social differences occurred this past summer and fall when new students read the book “Limbo: Blue-Collar Roots, White-Collar Dreams” and met the author, Alfred Lubrano.

All of the new classes are writing intensive. Freshman will be expected to focus on the common good, the individual and to examine the communities they are a part of. They will be relating the theory of social justice to their own lives.

Sophomore year will stress the core values of respect and community partnership. They will go out into the community the way juniors in SEM 300 now do. Sophomores will directly

work with people from the area who have broken lives. They will be challenged to figure out which laws and structures need to be changed in order to improve these people’s way of life.

Juniors will be asked to use their advanced skills to do indepth research and advocacy projects. According to the needs of the partners and the student’s skills, students will produce research needed by the partner, create videos or other types of multimedia to enlighten others about the ideas of social justice, or lobby legislators to affect legislation and policies. They will become experienced by using the abilities of their future professions to help improve the lives of people in surrounding communities. Juniors will be challenged to ask, How can Cabrini affect, change, and build with communities regionally and globally?

Once these students reach their senior year, they will plan on making commitments to social justice in their careers and for the rest of their lives. These concepts go much deeper than typical community service. The objective is to have students show a growing commitment and understand what it means to practice social justice. It is also getting students to think about the difference between community service and social justice.

This new curriculum is going to embrace what the college has taught these 50 years and contin-

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“The faculty is really excited about this and extremely encouraged by how involved the stu-

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dents will be by learning about core values,” Ratmansky said. “It matches the mission of our school. This is an embracement of where the college’s values are now, and taking it to the next level by having education benefit others.”

MALLORY TERRENCE STAFF WRITER MTT723@CABRINI EDU

With the piloting of a new core curriculum, Cabrini will work with international partner, Catholic Relief Services in addition with community groups in Norristown Pa. to deepen students’ committment to social justice.

Students from Norristown High School participate in the program. The Youth Empowerment Program provides a safe environment for the teens where they can learn and grow as individuals.

State of the union speech puts politics aside in this year’s election

BRITANY WRIGHT STAFF WRITER BLW723@CABRINI EDU

President George Bush delivered his seventh state of the union speech on Jan. 28 calling for voters to put politics aside in this year’s upcoming election. The speech itself revealed that there have been some positive moves in the Iraqi War. It also did not contain a lot of new ideas by the president himself. However, he did inform lawmakers that he would not be compassionate about vetoing any proposed laws.

Edwards and Giuliani concede as presidential candidates

Democratic candidate John Edwards and republican candidate Rudy Giuliani both announced that after their long campaigns to be president that they will no longer be vying for the presidency. With the sudden withdraw of the candidates the race has suddenly become a four-person election.

Campus implements emergency text messaging system

JESSIE HOLEVA STAFF WRITER JH734@CABRINI EDU

Cabrini College’s Public Safety is taking campus awareness to a whole new level with text messaging alerts. This instant communication is to alert faculty, staff and students of a crisis on campus.

The Director of Public Safety, Lillian Burroughs, has been spending her days in Jazzman’s assisting with the registration process.

“I’m going to be here as long as it takes,” Burroughs said as she urges the campus community to sign up for the voluntary emergency texts.

The emergency text message system has been created to enhance communication in the time of a crisis. The texts would quickly inform the receiver with a simple command and then possibly be followed up with further instruction via text or even e-mail.

“We need to be able to tell

you what to do in as few words as possible,” Burroughs said.

The only requirements for signing up are five minutes to spare and a cell phone. The process seems easy and proficient. Enter some data, phone number, name and graduation year. Wait for an almost instant text with a code and then enter it.

People tend to rush through the process. There are numerous choices of cell service companies to choose from and it is easy to pick the wrong one, especially when it comes to joint companies like Cingular and AT&T. Also, when the text is received many disregard opening it because they assume the number it’s sent from is the code. To get it right, opening the text is imperative.

“Think about it, when things went bad in Gotham, Batman had a bat signal. When things go bad at Cabrini we’ll have a text message,” Charles Bush, a junior English and communication major, said.

Bush is a Resident Assistant and as an RA was urged to join the text message system. He feels it is almost necessary so that information will travel fast.

E.J. Gilchrist, a senior elementary education major, was unaware of the new alert system but thinks the concept should be required for incoming students and should be included in their paper work.

“It’s 2008, everybody looks at their cell phones,” Gilchrist said. He agrees with the concept but doesn’t necessarily think a simple text will keep you safe.

Loquitur welcomes your comments on this story. Please send your comments to: Loquitur@googlegroups.com. The editors will review your comments each week and make corrections if warranted.

Recession affects the jobs of American citizens

The possible economic recession will not only be affecting the monetary value of houses or livelihood of credit card holders, but also the job market. For the first time since 2003, 17,000 jobs of Americans have been lost in the month of January so far. The government had been counting on the increase of jobs and wages to help home owners prosper economically. Economists are skeptical of the estimated 70,000 more jobs that Americans will have this year that congress will be pushed to create.

Power struggle between Microsoft and Google on the rise with the aid of Yahoo

Microsoft attempted to counter the power of Google with the help of Yahoo with a bid of 62 percent premium over the site’s current price share. This bid represents the struggle that all online companies have against the monopoly Google has over most online sites. If the two companies converge then it will slow down Google’s strife to be the richest online company.

Depression affects the longevity of U.S. soldiers

Reports have been issued declaring that 2,100 soldiers attempted suicide in 2007. This rate has increased immensely in the past five years. In 2002, the suicide attempt rate was at 350 soldiers. Reasons for the increase of suicide attempts could be Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, the quickness of deployment from home and broken relationships. The United States congress has issued extra funding to help with the psychiatric care of the soldiers.

BRITTANY LAVIN/FEATURES EDITOR

The college ran an emergency text messaging test to those students and faculty whom signed up for for the alerts. The test ran on Jan. 31.

Perspectives Perspectives

Celeb for Prez: The new trend

IN MY OPINION

Nothing’s hard to believe in world of celebrity news

“no” to that question, or else Edwards would still be in the race.

LIZ LAVIN

DEPUTY EDITOR EAL723@CABRINI EDU

Every time I turn on the TV these days, I’m bombarded with constant coverage of the 2008 election, with everything from the previous night’s debate to the one out-of-place hair on Hillary’s head.

Needless to say, it’s just a little over the top. However, the one thing that stands out to me in this election is not the media digging for stories to keep things controversial.

No, it is the candidates themselves and the fact that they think celebrity endorsements will help them win this election.

Since when does being an actor mean that you have validity as a politician? Oh wait, it doesn’t. Reagan could pull it off, but that doesn’t mean everyone else should try.

So what is Oprah doing campaigning with Obama?

Or Chuck Norris with Huckabee?

These are only two of the many celebrities publicly endorsing their favorite candidates and all of the candidates are welcoming them with open arms.

Is that really what matters to our country?

Did John Edwards really think that his numbers would jump if James Denton went on record about supporting him? I’ll admit, when I saw Denton standing, coincidentally, directly behind Edwards in New Hampshire, I watched for a few minutes longer than I would have had he not been there, but it was more out of the shock of seeing a “Desperate Housewives” star doing something political. And he looked gorgeous. But would any of that influence my vote?

I guess I wasn’t the only one who answered

Someone I take only slightly more seriously than James Denton is Chuck Norris. Most of us could crack Chuck Norris jokes all day, but do we really want the man who will roundhouse kick you in the face telling us what’s great about Huckabee? The man is a martial arts pro, not a political activist.

And then there’s Oprah. Oprah is a living legend, she makes women (and probably men) all over America laugh and cry and she’s devoted large amounts of time and money to numerous charities.

But Oprah is not a politician. I personally would not take political advice from the same woman who has made it her personal responsibility to inform women that 85 percent of us are wearing the wrong bra size.

Don’t get me wrong; it’s great that celebrities are showing interest in the election. Maybe it will influence more people to vote and take an interest in the major issues affecting our country but they are going about it in the wrong way. These celebrities are obviously doing this for the publicity or else they wouldn’t be strategically placed right in front of the cameras.

These celebrity endorsers should be sending a message encouraging people to think for themselves; to find out what issues matter to them and research each candidate’s stance on it. We should be voting for someone because we care about their cause, not because Walker Texas Ranger is voting for him and that show was pretty cool.

Will people vote for Obama because they agree with his health care plan, or because Oprah said they should?

As Election Day draws nearer, these celebrities need to take a step back, leave the campaigning up to the candidates and save their support for the polls.

IN MY OPINION

Trying to keep up with the latest celebrity gossip is almost impossible considering the constantly changing details, and significant others, in the lives of many Hollywood socialites.

It is as if celebrities almost try to become involved in another outrageous scandal if they have been out of the headlines for more than a few weeks just to stay on the public radar and keep up their superstar status.

If it were not for the media frenzy surrounding her sister Britney the pregnancy of Jamie-Lynn would be just another case to add to the national statistics. But because she is Britney Spears’ younger sister the announcement of Jamie-Lynn’s unplanned pregnancy made national headlines.

graphed making a dramatic exit from the back door of a mental hospital.

Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of Americans get psychiatric treatment everyday of the year, they just conceal their problems better because they do not have a flock of paparazzi capturing their every move.

Overdoses! Teen Pregnancies! A day in the life of Britney Spears!

It seems like everyday there are more shocking and tragic events in Hollywood than in the rest of the country combined.

In a place where the wealth and power are endless, it seems ironic that there are so many miserable people who are literally dying to make headlines on Page Six or a major tabloid.

Most of us can only imagine what goes on behind the closed doors of the hottest clubs and mansions of the rich and famous, but based on all of the scandalous and troubling stories that constantly grace the pages of People Magazine or tmz.com, it seems it may be safer on the other side of the velvet ropes.

While some celebrities are more low-profile than others, many of the most well known faces in Hollywood are more famous for their social lives than their accomplishments in the entertainment industry. It is easy to get caught up in the ritzy and alluring lives of these icons but in reality most of the events publicized are not very different from those in the lives of the rest of the public.

Consider one of the latest shockers to surface in the news: the unplanned pregnancy of 16-year-old Jamie-Lynn Spears, the younger sister of renowned Britney. Her situation is unfortunate in any right but is also all too familiar to the other one million teenage girls in the United States who wind up unexpectedly pregnant every year.

Although this was definitely negative press instead of positive, it still made a huge impact on the public and added even more flare to the never ending saga of the eccentric Spears family.

But even this was not enough drama to suffice Britney’s need to be in the spotlight; within a few weeks she once again overtook the media by having an alleged nervous breakdown and jeopardizing her custody over her two sons from her previous marriage to wannabe rapper Kevin Federline.

Her behavior shocked the public but once again it is not uncommon to have a mental breakdown or overdramatized divorce in the world outside Hollywood limits. Britney Spears finally gets diagnosed with bipolar disorder and the next day we cannot believe how tragic it is as she is photo-

The recent sudden death of actor Heath Ledger from overdosing on prescription pills was completely unbelievable to most people in the general public. It is heartbreaking to hear about such a tragedy for anyone but again this situation happens to thousands of people in the U.S. every year.

Ledger was not reputed to be troubled or suicidal so his death was extremely surprising.

Hollywood may be full of extremely rich and famous celebrities but its residents are still susceptible to the same problems and accidents as people living anywhere in the country.

Following the lives of celebrities may be hard to resist but remembering that at the end of the day they are still normal human beings like the rest of us makes the shocking events publicized easier to believe.

Modernized pageant not so different

“modern” pageant, when the entire time, they acted the same as always.

When I was little, a girl I went to grade school with always had her birthday parties on the weekend of the Miss America pageant. We would have a sleepover and have contests on who the winner would be.

birthday parties, the talents of the contestants were always either singing, dancing or twirling batons.

KAITLIN BARR KMB738@CABRINI EDU

One thing I never realized about having a baby was the fact that you really don’t have a life. If I’m not at school, I’m home with my daughter. As much as I love every minute of it, when I found myself watching the Miss America pageant on a Saturday night, I knew at that point; I really have no life.

That’s beside the point, however.

What I don’t understand is why the Miss America pageant was portraying the fact that it’s the new and

We all looked forward to her birthday parties because we always had such a fun time and pretended to be the contestants. Whatever, I was young, oh well.

When the pageant began, they had a DJ on the side of the stage ready to “hit it” as the hosts would say.

Speaking of the hosts, I’m not sure who they were, but if I had any advice for the Miss America Organization, it would be to get new hosts, because the ones they had this year tried to act way too cool.

From what I remember from all those years of

For making this year all about being “the modern day woman,” all their talents were exactly the same. A few dancers, few singers and one amazing violinist were all the talents this year.

The terrible thing about the talent competition though, was not the talents themselves, but it was that they had all the top 12 girls advance, thinking they were all going to show off their talent, then right before someone would perform, they would eliminate one. How awful is that?

Those poor girls dressed in talent outfits then bam, they’re out of the contest.

Another thing I thought was weird and unnecessary was having all of the girls who did not advance to the finals sit on the stage. I’m sorry, but if my dream was to become Miss America, and all of a sudden it was taken out from under me, I wouldn’t want to sit on stage for hours and watch someone else be crowned Miss America.

One thing I always wondered, but not enough to actually research it is, what’s the difference between Miss America and Miss USA? Is it the fact that they include the Virgin Islands in Miss America and not Miss USA?

It’s weird and random that they have two different titles in the U.S.

STAFF WRITER

SEP722@CABRINI EDU

SARAH PASTOR

KAITLIN BARR

Can’t hide behind menus anymore

add the calorie content of food on their menus, I still have mixed feelings.

STAFF WRITER

SEK723@CABRINI EDU

Burger King was always the place to go in grade school when we had a half day for the first Friday of the month. On weekends I would stay over my grandparents’ house and on Saturday mornings we would go to Burger King for breakfast sandwiches or French toast sticks.

I admit that it was a disgusting habit but it was so exciting to look forward to then and I didn’t know any of the harmful effects.

If I did know it probably wouldn’t have changed my mind because I was too young to worry about health issues.

After reading about New York’s decision to enforce restaurant chains to

I view eating at fast food places and eating at restaurants completely different, as I’m sure many people do. This new law, however, will pertain to any restaurant that has more than 15 restaurants in the U.S. from McDonald’s to the Olive Garden.

I think that the New York City Board of Health has good intentions for making this law because of the obesity epidemic and its effects but I’m not sure it will be successful.

I think many people who watch their weight are already aware that fast food is an unhealthy choice. People that aren’t interest-

ed in making healthy decisions probably won’t think twice about a 1,000 calorie difference.

Although I only eat at fast food restaurants on occasion, I realize that many people consume it almost everyday whether they want to or they need to because it’s cheap. The only time I do eat it is when I’m in a hurry or it’s my last resort. don’t look forward to eating it anymore.

Fast food restaurants are quick and cheap, which many people see as a luxury in their busy lives. Cooking food at home is more expensive and time-consuming. To many people it’s not a matter of what they

are eating, it just matters that they are eating.

When I go out to a real restaurant though, it’s like a treat. I love going out and not caring about what I eat because I know I’ll eat better the next day. If every time I sat down in a restaurant and I had calories staring me in the face, I’d feel really bad about myself. I would probably end up ordering something that will make me feel better at the moment but not half as satisfying.

Eating healthy isn’t the only solution to obesity though. Exercising is also a huge part of weight loss and being healthy. I doubt that they will give free gym memberships to everyone in New York though.

I say it’s worth a shot to try this as a solution because there is a huge problem. I just wish that they would only experiment in the fast food industry. New York will be the guinea pig for this healthy trend and I think other states should wait to see the results of the law before they adopt one of their own.

Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor

Fraternity dispels rumors; clears name

Cabrini Community:

Alpha Delta Chapter of Alpha Delta Gamma National Fraternity wishes to respond to an opinion piece written by staff writer Shannon Keough titled: No Greek life, no party, no problem for administration.

Our intentions of this response are to give the population of Cabrini College a better understanding of who we are and what we stand for. We as a collective would just like to address certain issues and misconceptions of who we are.

We first and foremost are Cabrini students, and however, do not in any way affiliate our National Organizational ties with the school.

First, we wish to dispel the stereotypes and stigmas related to Greek organizations. We are an organization to continue

Punishment needed for murderer of pregnant marine

of oxygen within the child’s lungs. Oxygen inside the lungs would indicate that the child had taken a breath and hence have been living. If there is oxygen found, then Laurean will face an additional murder charge.

STAFF WRITER DLT722@CABRINI EDU

The death of eightmonth pregnant Marine Cpl. Maria Lauterbach by accused fellow Marine, Cpl. Cesar Laurean, has caused shock and disgust across the country.

Lauterbach was only 20-years-old when she met her early and brutal death at the hands of now-convicted Laurean.

Lauterbach was burned to death and her remains were found buried under the fire pit in Laurean’s back yard on Jan. 11.

Lauterbach had previously accused Laurean of rape.

It is absolutely ridiculous that tests need to be conducted on a dead child to determine if someone should be punished for their death. Oxygen or no oxygen, this baby may not have been born yet, but they still had a life that was violently taken away from them prematurely by the hands of a coward.

How dare Laurean and doctors play God in this situation? If it was not for Laurean, that child could be alive today, happy and healthy.

the growth and experience that is college. We strive for the betterment of each and every one of our members and we continue to come together to create a stronger and more capable student and human-being.

College, to us, is about evolving, having exciting and new experiences and finding who we are and what we are made of, along with strengthening the knowledge we gain through the classrooms.

The leadership opportunities and experiences that are built within our organization will last a lifetime that will help us become productive and well-rounded individuals in our society and a world that is ever so changing.

We have also learned not only from our time in our fraternity but also from our time spent at Cabrini, it has taught us working through diversity and

learning from our mistakes is the key to success within our fraternity as well as the community. We have a vision of a Greek System that will continually give back to the community in which it lives and grows in.

We are willing to work alongside the administration, faculty, and the Cabrini Community as a whole for that reality. We understand that is a far-fetched dream but we will continue to work and live as a model.

We would like to extend our gratitude to the Loquitur for giving us an opportunity to give us a voice. We strive to live up to Cabrini College’s standards of core values along with our own.

As a Fraternity, as a group of young men, as one, we have attempted to uphold these values and commitments as one entity. We attempt to achieve that through service, experience

and the moral fiber that is our National Fraternity.

We have also, in the years that we have existed, made a strong effort to dispel the stigma that has surrounded our organization. We intend to get the fullest experience of what college is, just like any other student on this campus. We have learned through our mistakes, experiences we have shared, and the wealth and knowledge that Cabrini has given us.

We appreciate what Cabrini has given us and always will. This is only a small synopsis of who we are and we look forward to responses and additional questions.

Respectfully,

Adam Poresky,President and the Brothers of Alpha Delta Chapter

New Orleans articles highlight students’ compassion

To the Editor:

I just have to thank the staff of the Loquitur for the wonderful spread of articles discussing six Cabrini students’ experiences working through Habitat for Humanity to assist in the rebuilding of not only houses, but

hearts and spirits in New Orleans.

These stories were beautifully candid, moving, and immensely inspirational. It was truly a gift to learn about the wonderful social outreach the Cabrini students participate in and through which they trans-

form on so many different levels.

Thank you for highlighting the stories of these dedicated and socially conscious students. I love to be reminded that we should always have hope for our shared humanity can triumph above any and all

pain and disaster. Thank you again and keep up the fantastic work.

Most sincerely,

- Tara McFalls Coordinator of Adult Student Services

I do not know what part of this story creates such an extreme shock factor. The victim’s young age certainly adds to the amount of tragedy in the situation; but it is the death of Lauterbach’s unborn child, whose life was just beginning, that undoubtedly brings disgust to the heinous crime of the spineless perpetrator.

Who could possibly lack so much humanity and sense of morals that it leads them to kill a woman who is eight months pregnant?

A crime like this is upsetting and surprising no matter who is responsible for it, but the fact that a Marine corporal is accused may cause even more unsettlement. Marines are supposed to represent their country and be role models, not cold blooded killers.

Laurean faces charges of murder for the death of Lauterbach, but tests still have to be conducted to determine if he can be charged in the death of Lauterbach’s child.

It is being investigated if there are any traces

How can anyone with an ounce of humanity wonder whether charges should be brought about for ending this child’s life before it could even begin?

It is thought that Laurean is currently hiding in Mexico with family members. If this is the case, then Laurean will be spared the death penalty. This is due to the fact that Mexico will not extradite prisoners that could possibly be put to death. If Laurean is found anywhere else, then prosecutors will possibly seek a punishment of death.

Laurean needs to be brought back to the United States to face his charges and be put on trial. If his guilt is found, then he should be punished for his crimes accordingly.

No matter how harsh the punishment it will not bring back the lives of Lauterbach and her child. It will not erase the pain that lives inside her family and friends everyday.

Even if the perpetrator is never caught and formally punished for what he has done, hopefully the pain he has caused lives inside him everyday.

Did we pin point your view point?

Please send all submissions to loqperspectives@googlegroups.com

The Loquitur: You Speak, We Listen.

Girard to retire at semester’s close

rard for his humor and antics in the classroom.

Monday:

people’s heads.

the worst day of the week?

At the end of the 2008 spring semester, Cabrini will have to say goodbye to one of its veteran teachers. History and political science professor Dr. Jolyon Girard has announced his retirement.

“It feels like the right time to move on and let newer faculty members step up,” Girard said. “I’m also tired of driving the Schuylkill Expressway from Cherry Hill, NJ to Radnor every morning.”

At his time of retirement, Girard will have completed 34 years of teaching at Cabrini, specializing in areas such as United States history, Latin America and modern Europe.

He has also researched in fields such as American diplomacy, and the U.S. military and constitution.

Girard also helped establish the men’s sports program at Cabrini.

He coached the men’s basketball team for the first seven years of its existence, from 1974 to 1980.

“I will miss class teaching, but I can’t say I’m going to miss grading blue books. I’ll miss them about as much as students love writing them.”

Among other colleagues, history chairman Dr. James Hedtke expressed feelings because of the departure of his friend.

“I definitely feel sadness, more for the students than myself,” Hedtke said. “This is a great loss for the students.”

Junior history major Bryan Shinehouse recalled some of his fond memories of Girard.

“Part of the reason I came to Cabrini was because I had heard a lot about Dr. Girard,” Shinehouse said. “When I finally got to meet him, I asked if he were Jolyon Girard and he responded, ‘only if I don’t owe you money.’”

Anna Scholl, a junior English and communication major, will also remember Gi-

“Girard had a very non-conventional way of teaching, but that is what many students liked about him.”

Girard will be interviewing for his replacement this week along with several other history professors at Cabrini. Four candidates have been chosen, one of whom was actually a student of Girard’s at one point in time.

“Someone will come to teach in his place, but Girard was an institution,” Hedtke said. “Girard seems irreplaceable.”

Of the many other duties the new professor will have to fulfill, such as teaching U.S. Survey classes 107 and 108, 7:30 a.m. breakfasts with Hedtke may be included.

“I’ve had more breakfasts with him than my wife in the past 30 years.”

Girard will also miss breakfast with Hedtke and other colleagues three mornings a week.

He did, however, announce that he will still teach a class next fall, for no form of payment.

Girard can no longer officially work for pay at Cabrini because of his retirement decision, but he still wishes to teach a 400level seminar class once a week.

“This way, my colleagues and I will still be able to enjoy breakfast on Wednesday mornings,” Girard said.

Upon retirement, Girard shows no signs of slowing down. He plans on volunteering at the Veterans Administration, as well as spending time on the golf course near his New Jersey home. He also looks to continue his writing, with his second book dated to be published in October entitled “Daily Life in the United States: 1940-2005,” as well as another book in the works.

Finally, Girard hopes to travel with his wife and has a vacation already in the works.

When asked where he was planning to vacation, Girard said simply, “I’ll go wherever there is a good golf course.”

Whether it is a test that you are dreading, a meeting you are not prepared for, or the simple fact that the weekend is over, Monday has a reputation to be the most dreaded day of the week.

There could be hundreds of reasons why someone would hate Mondays.

These reasons could include having to go to the office, waking up early or having to do homework.

Regardless what the actual reason dreading Monday is, it seems to be that day which everyone simply does not look forward to.

The question to ask yourself is whether or not Monday is your dreaded day or whether you are influenced to believe that fact.

There are two sides of the “Monday is the worst day of the week” belief. The first argument is that Monday is the worst day of the week and it is not

The second argument is that dreading Mondays are in people’s heads unless there is a legitimate reason for the hatred.

Everyone’s day should not be the same because everybody leads different lives and has different agendas to dread or look forward to.

Psychotherapist of Counseling Services in Bryn Mawr Pa., Ashley Blair (M.E.d.), has an unambiguous point of view on this subject.

Blair has not only studied the human psyche and behavior at Temple University’s graduate school, but she also takes her knowledge from text books and puts them to use in real life situations everyday at work.

Blair believes the reason for this anxiety of Mondays is due to the reputation it has.

“Mondays being the worst day of the week has no meaning whatsoever in my opinion,” Blair said.

Got A CaseOf ihe MONDAYS

“Based on my knowledge psychiatrically, hating Mondays is mostly by influence and the fact that is ‘Monday’ and the end of the weekend.”

Many believe people are able to mentally psych themselves out of things or oppositely, mentally psych themselves up. For example in sports

if the athlete says to him or herself, “I can’t do this, can’t do this…” then of course they won’t be able to get the task at hand completed successfully. Having the right mind set in a sport is the same in life.

Blair believes that “anyone who enjoys their life and their job may not hate Mondays so much.

“Having the right attitude is everything when it comes to Sunday afternoons,” Blair said.

The work-week can be tough regardless if you like your job. Blair gives some tips on how to get ready for the work week.

“It is all about how you approach the work-week and the mindset you are in on Sunday afternoons. Do aerobic exercise, relax, meditate, do something you love to do and plan your week on paper. Then, Mondays will seem like just another day and not a huge obstacle you have to get through,” Blair said.

Senior English and communications major Alyssa

Moore has an “internship on Wednesdays which she absolutely adores,” which is one of the reasons she looks forward to the week ahead.

“My least favorite day is Sunday just because I usually wait to do all my homework on a Sunday and there is really nothing to do except go to church,” Moore said.

“Looking forward to the Wednesday ahead makes anticipating the work week a bit less brutal,” Moore said. Although there are some who do not hate Mondays, there are still valid reasons for the extreme dislike.

Freshman business administration major Yarcelly Jimenez is one who dreads Mondays. “I hate Mondays because it is the hardest day to wake up to,” Jimenez said. “Once Monday is there, you know your weekend is over.”

Loquitur welcomes your comments. Please send comments to: Loquitur@ googlegroups.com.

Apple premieres world’s thinnest notebook

Mac notebook lineup after the MacBook and MacBook

Pro.

After a long wait from Apple fans and road warriors, Apple Inc. finally delivers the latest state-of-the-art product, the MacBook Air.

Light-weight, thin and mobile, the MacBook Air is an exciting addition to the Apple line.

Priced at U.S. $1,799, it is the third installment in the

Lightasair

The MacBook Air is ideal for professionals, graphic designers, creative types and anyone who finds themselves constantly on the run.

Famously referred to as “the world’s thinnest notebook,” the MacBook Air measures a mere 0.76 inches in height and a measly three pounds in weight.

Sporting a 1.6GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2 GG of RAM memory, 80GB PATA hard disk drive, 13.3-inch

The MacBook Air, the newest addition to Apple's product line, is the thinnest notebook computer on the market.

Price $1,799, 1.6 GHz $3,098, 1.8 GHz

8.9 (22.7 C

Battery 5 hours

Screen LED-backlit

Weight 3.0 lb. (1.4 kg)

1---- 12.8 in. (32.5 cm) ------1

Size compared to a MacBook: Side view; closed

Multi-touch trackpad

in.

Full-size, backlit keyboard

glossy widescreen display, MacBook-style keyboard with backlighting, cool iPhone-like multi-touch trackpad, WiFi and Bluetooth installments and the best part, five hours of battery life, MacBook Air is overflowing with goodies. Ideal for airplanes, studios or conference halls, the MacBook Air has a built-in ambient light sensor that automatically adjusts to brightness of keys as well as display brightness for optimal visibility.

Unfortunately, all good things have their flaws. The MacBook Air does not include an optical drive-space because Apple wanted to make it as thin as possible.

An alternative? A remote disc feature, which is software you can install on another computer or you can purchase the external SuperDrive for $99.

Also, some headphones will not properly jack into the Mac.

But these are just a small price Apple Inc. pays for going thin.

In an interview with slipperybrick.com, Apple’s CEO expressed his excitement.

“We’ve built the world’s thinnest notebook-without sacrificing a full-size keyboard or a full-size 13-inch display,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO.

“When you first see MacBook Air, it’s hard to believe it’s a high-performance notebook with a full-size keyboard and display. But it is.”

Loquitur welcomes your comments on this story.

Please send your comments to: Loquitur@googlegroups.com.The editors will review your comments each week and make corrections if warranted.

CABRINI ARCHIVES/SUBMITTED PHOTO

Dr. Girard with students in 1983.

CABRINI ARCHIVES/SUBMITTED PHOTO Hard at work in his Grace Hall office in 2000.

ASHLEY COOK NEWS EDITOR AAC722@CABRINI EDU

Arts & Entertainment

--Arlt§ & Emittcerttaulmimmcemr(t--

All Time Low gives all-time high

DIANA TRASATTI STAFF WRITER DLT722@CABRINI EDU

Crowds of young girls camped outside of the Dixon Center from 11 a.m. as they huddled together in the frigid cold, rocked out to their favorite bands and desperately tried to get a glimpse of all the events that were taking place inside the Dixon Center. The normal Saturday vacant parking lot was packed to capacity.

Cabrini College’s Cap Board held its annual concert in the Dixon Center on Saturday, Jan. 26. This year the popular pop-punk band, All Time Low, headlined the show.

The planning, preparation and brainstorming for the concert had been going on since May 2007, but to onlookers and fans the real action started that night at 7 p.m.

The show commenced when Cabrini’s Justin Bostwick and his band, Affinity Lost, took the stage as friends and fans overwhelmingly showed their support through cheers and screams. A mosh pit even started to form, but was quickly put to a halt by Bear Security.

The next band up was Every Avenue. The crowd’s energy was up, as swarms of girls sang along to the words and threw gifts on the stage.

Every Avenue’s bassist, Josh, described the experience and coming to Cabrini as “awesome.”

“We were treated really well,” Josh said.

Performing to throngs of screaming fans is not the only perk to being a touring musician. Josh described the antics that were

going on behind the scenes.

“We are currently having a van prank war with All Time Low. We covered their tour van in salsa and peanut butter, but it’s their turn to get us next.”

Just a couple hours before Every Avenue took the stage, a few of its members were walking all around the Dixon Center with fluorescent orange security vests striking conversations with crew members, taking pictures and increasing the crew’s good spirits. They were down to earth and made sure everyone was having a good time.

The newly formed band, Your Sweet Uncertainty, which includes Jeff Kummer of The Early November, was the third act

to take the stage. The audience listened intently as they performed the songs from their new CD. Their cover of Weezer’s “My Name is Jonas” further enthralled the crowd as they sang along.

“The people were responsive,” Kummer said of the crowd’s reaction.

The crowd began to get restless as the last set-change was in progress. Finally, the lights dimmed, fans cried out and the four members, Alex, Jack, Rian and Zack, took the stage. After a few songs, they took time out from their performance to present an autographed banner to the lucky raffle winner, junior psychology, sociology and religious studies, Danielle Murphy.

The efforts that were put into organizing the concert were evident in the events turnout and the crowd’s energy.

“I thought it was well planned. It was a lot of fun and we had a great turn out,” said Megan Kutulis, sophomore English and communications major.

The All Time Low concert has been the most successful concert to be produced by Cabrini in the recent years, with over 700 tickets sold. Attendees included Cabrini students and community members alike.

“I think the crowd responded well to the concert. I think some of the people were a little too young. But what can we do? They paid the money to see their favorite band. Overall, I think the crowd loved all the bands,” said Gabrielle Spano, sophomore international business major.

The band was kind and thanked the crew for everything. The lead singer, Alex, made sure that the swarms of fans that bombarded him all had an opportunity for a picture and an autograph. They were not uptight rock stars, but average guys who just wanted to play music and communicate to their fans.

Bass player Zack described the feeling of hearing your name screamed by hundreds of adoring concert goers.

“I feel like I’m the greatest person in the world. It is a rush.”

The Loquitur welcomes your questions and comments on this story. Comments can be sent to: Loquitur@googlegroups.com. The editors will review your comments and make corrections if warranted.

DIANA TRASATTI/STAFF WRITER

SUBMITTED PHOTO/ASHLEY CORRELL

All Time Low welcomed back the Cabrini community on Jan. 26 with a concert hosted by CAP board.

Young women waited outside of the Dixon Center in the frigid cold from 11 a.m. till the doors opened at 7 p.m. to get the best seats in the gym to rock all night to some of their favorite bands.

Extreme karaoke entertains eatery

BRITTANY MCLEOD STAFF WRITER BLM726@CABRINI EDU

As students flooded the Marketplace on Tuesday, Jan. 29, they were also flooded with karaoke tunes as they dined.

Toner Sound from Aston, Pa. was in Cabrini’s marketplace for the second time playing songs we all know and love to sing with. Anyone who wanted to could sing a song of their choice as students ate their dinner and watched.

Songs such as “No One” by Alicia Keys and “Hero” by Mariah Carey were sung by a variety of students as the lyrics were shot onto a screen for everyone to sing along.

Junior elementary/special education major Whitney Ford and Junior English major Siobhan Hurd sang *NSYNC’s “Bye Bye Bye” together. “We wanted to do a fun song,” said

Ford. Though Hurd said Whitney forced her to do it, they still had a good time and were happy to entertain everyone.

The emcee on hand went by the name “V” and had been a disc jockey for 12 years before he began doing karaoke around five years ago.

“It’s fun and it keeps me social,” said DJ “V.” He has traveled up and down the East coast and has even entertained local colleges such as Villanova and St. Joe’s.

“It’s fun. You get loose and show off your personality,” said Jahlil Edwards, a freshman marketing major and additional performer.

The Loquitur welcomes your questions and comments on this story. Comments can be sent to: Loquitur@googlegroups.com. The editors will review your comments and make corrections if warranted.

Many students took the stage on Tuesday night at dinner to entertain their peers.

Top Charts

1) Artist: Mars Volta

Album: The Bedlam In Goliath

Label: Universal

2) Artist: Rivers Cuomo

Album: Alone: The Home Recordings of River

Cuomo

Label: Geffen

3) Artist: Kelley Stolz

Album: Circular Sounds

Label: SUB POP

4) Artist: MGMT

Album: Oracular

Spectacular

Label: Columbia

5) Artist: Hoots and Hellmouth

Album: Hoots and Hellmouth

Label: Mad Dragon

6) Artist: Stage Radio

Album: Year of the Crow

Label: Nettwerk

7)

Artist: Whigs

Album: Misson Control

Label: ATO

8)

Artist: Cat Power

Album: Jukebox

Label: Matador

9) Artist: British Sea Power

Album: Do You Like Rock

Music?

Label: Rough Trade

10)

Artist: Dallas Orbiter

Album: Dallas Orbiter

Label: N/A

11) Artist: MOE.

Album: Sticks and Stones

Label: Fatboy

ABC/KRT

Even through the writer’s ongoing strike, the cast of ABC’s hit show, “LOST” gathered to shoot eight episodes of season four, then will be replaced with another reality show, until the writer’s allow the network to premiere the rest of the season.

‘LOST’ season four premieres

“Lost” is back! The end of last season left all “Lost” fans hanging off the edges of their seats. After seeing into the survivors’ pasts for the last three seasons, the twohour season three finale looked into Jack’s depressing future. Surprisingly, his future was off the island.

Naomi, the woman who parachuted onto the island and claims to have been sent by Desmond’s girlfriend Penny to rescue them, has a radio that can contact her ship if they can clear the airwaves. She provides hope for some of the survivors but presents despair for those who don’t want to be found.

Many begin to doubt her and the inten-

tions of the people who are looking for the island, especially when Charlie, right before his death, warns Desmond that it wasn’t Penny’s boat after all. Still, most of the survivors are so desperate to leave the island and go back to their lives that they are willing to believe anything.

Why leave the island though? After seeing how their lives were before they crashed, none of them really have anything to go back to.

The season’s fourth premiere proved that Jack’s future wasn’t the only miserable one. Hurley was also placed back into a mental institution after seeing visions of Charlie. He speaks of people going after him although viewers are unsure of who those people are or what they want from him.

When they will actually leave the is-

land is a mystery. The people from Naomi’s ship just landed on the island in a helicopter but it seems that they have other plans in mind before they rescue them.

There are still many questions that need to be answered about the island before they leave for good. Will they actually be leaving for good? Probably not. In both Jack and Hurley’s futures they talk about wanting and needing to go back to the island.

Unfortunately, the writer’s strike will affect the majority of the season. Only eight episodes have been written and filmed for the fourth season. There is expected to be three more seasons, 16 episodes each, but they will be on hold until the strike comes to an end.

New episodes of “Lost” are on Thursdays at 9 p.m. on ABC. Catch all “Lost” episodes at abc.com.

12)

Artist: Bob Mould

Album: District Line

Label: Anti

13)

Artist: Grey Tide

Album: Grey Tide

Label: Self-Released

14)

Artist: Radiohead

Album: In Rainbows

Label: ATO

15) Artist: Kate Nash

Album: Made of Bricks

Label: Fiction-Geffen

16) Artist: Liam Finn

Album: I’ll Be Lightning

Label: Yep Roc

17) Artist: Acorn

Album: Glory Hope Mountain Label: paper bag

18) Artist: Able Baker Fox

Album: Voices

Label: Second Nature

19) Artist: Plastic Chord

Album: Colonial Conundrum

Label: Smiles N Frowns

20) Artist: Breakups

Album: Eat Your Heart Out

Label: Self-Released

SHANNON KEOUGH STAFF WRITER

SEK723@CABRINI EDU

Charted by: Modern Rock Director Greg Matarazzo

BRITTANY MCLEOD/STAFF WRITER

BRITTANY MCLEOD/STAFF WRITER

Always a bridesmaid, never a bride

CHRISTINE GRAF STAFF WRITER ACG724@CABRINI EDU

“27 Dresses,” released Jan. 18, represents a perfect Valentine’s Day movie for all romantic comedy lovers. It is a film about the beauty and hardships of having patience and finding the man of your dreams.

As with all American romantic comedies there is a spin. Our main character, Jane, played by Katherine Heigl, is not only waiting for love but watching everyone else around her get married. Jane is “always a bridesmaid but never the bride,” 27 times to be exact.

The problem is that Jane, the selfless sweet person who aims to please and “make everyone happy on the happiest day of their life,” is still alone. Jane’s situation intrigues Kevin, a NY journalist for the commitments column, played by James Marsden, enough to make it a story in his column.

The movie is full of one disappointment after another for Jane, starting with her little sister being engaged to Jane’s boss, played by Ed Burns, whom Jane liked. On top of Jane’s sister stealing her man, Jane’s father gives her younger sister their late mothers wedding dress to wear in the wedding. Lastly, Jane faces possible betrayal from her new love interest, Kevin. It seems like life will never turn around for Jane and she will forever be everyone’s go-to-girl.

To a certain extent the movie is inspiring to women who always dreamed of that happily-ever-after wedding, and that having faith can take you past feeling hopeless. Everyone has known or felt like Jane at one time and women can appreciate the comical twist to every girl’s fear, never finding “Mr. Right.”

The story unwinds somewhat predictably but is still very enjoyable and relatable to woman all over.

“‘27 Dresses’ gives girls hope that there is a guy out there for everyone,” Jenna Pin-

to, junior accounting major, said.

“I really enjoyed the movie, it was not only sweet but very funny, not really one for guys but I don’t think a boyfriend would hate it,” Mary Kate Korp, junior education major, said.

CAMPUS ANNOUNCEMENTS

DIANA VILARES EVENTS EDITOR DVV722@CABRIN EDU

Up

‘Til Dawn Benefit Dinner

Up Til Dawn will be holding its 4th annual Benefit Dinner on Friday, Feb. 8 at 6 p.m. in the Mansion. Tickets are available in the Student Activities Office and are $50, but $25 for students with proper ID. Along with great food, the night also offers a great raffle. Proceeds from the dinner and raffle will go to benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital. For more information please contact Anne Filippone at 610-902-8407.

Grease on Broadway

Overall, “27 Dresses” is a good chick flick for women all over who are hopeless around Valentine’s Day, or everyday for that matter. Have faith - you might have to wear 27 bridesmaid dresses, but you’ll walk down the aisle in white someday.

Punk-rock band allows openers to interpret the songs as their own

NICOLE DUGGAN STAFF WRITER NLD723@CABRINI EDU

If you are looking for a new band to get hooked to, try listening to Armor for Sleep. This punk-rock band has been said to affect people in many different ways.

“I like them because I feel like the lead singer sings right to my heart,” Natalie Holzer, a senior Spanish major said. “I really like him. His voice gives me goosebumps.”

Nina Williams, a junior exercise-science major, likes the band for a few reasons. “I like them because their songs and lyrics are really good. They have catchy tunes,” she said. “And I like them because not a lot of people know about them yet.”

The band consists of four NJ natives: lead singer Ben Jorgensen, Nash Breen on drums, guitarist P.J. Decicco and Anthony Dilonno on bass. These four musicians formed a band that has lyrics that everyone can relate to in different ways.

“We appeal to a lot of kids who are trying to figure things out,” Ben Jorgenson told the New York Times back in Dec. “When I was growing up, I was kind of searching. Our fans are looking for something to hold on to. They are hungry for a band that actually speaks to them.”

Armor for Sleep’s newest album, “Smile for Them,” was released by their record label, Sire/Warner Bros. on Nov. 6, 2007.

Going in a different direction than their previous album, this one is about reality television and obsession with celebrities. The record is a lot about the four of them looking around, recognizing and commenting on the “insanity” around them. The album explores the crossroads between cul-

ture and personal politics, leaving it open for different interpretations by all listeners.

“As a band we have no problem writing songs. We wrote probably 40 full songs for this record but only chose a small number of the very best that could even possibly make the record,” Anthony Dilonno told “Outburn” Magazine. “I think with us, the sky is the limit.”

Put on your best leather jacket and pick up your tickets to see Grease on Saturday, Feb.9 Tickets are on sale in the Office of Student Activities for $35. The price does include transportation to and from New York City. The bus boards at 10 a.m. in Founder’s Parking Lot. For more information contact Anne Filippone at 610-9028407.

Open Mic NightMike’s Night

There will be an open mic night this Tuesday, Feb.12 to benefit one of Cabrini’s own. Come help CAP Board support Mike Dunphy’s family, beginning at 8 p.m. in Grace Hall. Anyone who wishes to perform can sign up in the Student Activities Office or the night of the event. There will be a raffle to raise donations for the family, however if any student wishes to make a larger contribution, the Wolfington Center is collecting as well. For more info contact Christa Angeloni at 610-902-8755.

Philadelphia International Auto Show

The Philadelphia International Auto Show will take place this weekend through Sunday, Feb.10 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Tickets are $6-$12 to view more than 700 vehicles. This event would be a great gift for any car lover! For more information please visitphillyautoshow.com.

TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX

Perpetual bridesmaid Jane (Katherine Heigl) revels in her impromptu modeling session of the “Bahama Mama” dress.

Underdog Giants win Lombardi trophy

NICK PITTS STAFF WRITER NDP722@CABRINI EDU

“How ‘bout them Giants,” Deni Crowley, a sophomore education major, said.

How about them Giants.

The National Football Conference wildcard-winning and 12 point underdog New York Giants rallied late in the fourth quarter to pull off perhaps the biggest upset in Super Bowl history over the nearly undefeated New England Patriots.

And they did it with 11 straight wins away from their home turf.

When all of the post-firework smoke cleared, the champagne was consumed and all of the confetti and streamers were cleaned up, New York left New England in disbelief as head coach Bill Belichick and his team fell just one game short of the perfect season.

“We were stopping the best offense in football,” said Giants defensive end Michael Strahan according to nytimes. com. “We shocked the world.”

New York’s victory over the patriots sparked great amounts of disbelief in viewers.

“I never thought I would see the day that Eli Manning would lead a super bowl winning drive,” sophomore communications major Jason Moran said.

Brian Moran, a sophomore history and political science major, agreed.

“I just didn’t see that happening,” Moran said.

Brett Heller, a sophomore business administration major, said, “I didn’t think the Patriots would blow a season like they had.”

Still another group of fans basked more

in the defeat of the Patriots than the victory of the Giants.

“I wanted their only game loss all season to be in the Super Bowl,” Gina Mulranen, a sophomore math secondary education major, said. “I didn’t care who beat them.”

Oddly enough, it was the Giants who were the final prey in the Patriots historic 16th win. But with the loss, the Giants finally found an answer to Tom Brady and his high scoring offense: a monster defensive effort. Former Super Bowl Most Valuable Player Brady was sacked five times and hurried twelve, as he had very little time to make plays the entire game. Ultimately, the Patriots were held to just 14 points.

“They were just more than we could handle tonight,” said Brady, according to NFL.com

With just under three minutes left in the game, Brady led a Patriot go-ahead 80yard drive that ended with a 6-yard pass to Randy Moss. New England was up 14-10 and the Patriots seemed confident.

“When you are winning with two minutes and 40 seconds left, you are hoping you can pull it out,” Brady said, according to skysports.com.

The Giants responded with some lategame magic of their own, as Manning connected with Plaxico Burress for a 13yard touchdown with 35 seconds left, which proved to be the game winning score.

“You can’t write a better script. There were so many big plays on that drive,” Manning said, according to NFL.com.

After four failed long passes from Brady, just one second remained on the clock as the Giants took over on downs. Belichick knew he was beat and left the field after congratulating Giants head coach Tom

Coughlin before New York’s offense could return to the field to take the final snap.

“They made some plays. We made some plays. In the end, they made a couple more than we did,” said Belichick, according to nytimes.com.

It is ironic that the highest scoring offense in National Football League history would also go on to lose the second lowest scoring super bowl in history.

“Every team is beatable, you never

know,” Coughlin said according to nytimes.com. “The right moment, the right time, every team is beatable.”

The Loquitur welcomes your questions and comments on this story. Please send your comments to: Loquitur@ googlegroups.com. The editors will review your comments and make corrections if warranted.

Giant upset: Super Bowl predictions put to shame

Sportscene

By Kasey Minnick

I’m a huge, and I mean huge Philadelphia Eagles fan. If you think about this logically, you would assume that since my team did not even come close to making the playoffs that I would root for another National Football Conference East team. Well, that definitely wouldn’t be the Dallas Cowboys, but how about the wildcard winner New York Giants?

Don’t get me wrong, I was running circles around the regular bar-goers with their Cowboy jerseys on when the Giants pulled the first of three upsets. But really, how did the Giants win that game?

They most definitely won with their defense because Giants’ Eli Manning was 12 for 18 with 163 yards compared to the Cowboys’ Tony Romo’s 18 completions for 201 yards, but with one critical interception that stopped their drive at the end of the game. So, one team down, two to go.

The next week I was again at the “hosie” truly believing the Giants couldn’t do it again, especially playing the Green Bay Packers at Lambeaux Field.

C’mon, these “cheese heads” are bred in negative degree weather, how can they not use that to their advantage? But, yet again, something weird took place and the Packers quarterback Brett Favre choked, literally on the wind chill, and him and his

team lost the game.

Ok, so this time I wasn’t screaming at the top of my lungs in jubilation because I was witnessing something that just didn’t seem right.

Not only were my Eagles not in the Giants’ shoes, but also these all-star teams seemed to all of a sudden blow the games that count most. Two teams down, one to go.

Now, I follow sports pretty closely and I was the most confident I have ever been in saying that the New England Patriots were going to come into Phoenix and blow the Giants out of the water and prove their perfection. An 18-0 team, a record-breaking season from star quarterback Tom Brady and wide-receiver Randy Moss and one of the biggest fan bases in all of professional sports.

How can anything overcome that? I didn’t even think that the Giants, being hot on the road, could cause any threat to a nearly perfect squad.

Coming from a small town based around high school sports, our fans always root for the underdog because our teams were in that position for quite a while.

Me, I’m the complete opposite; the better teams deserves to win.

Yes, I hate Brady because his Alma Mater is the University of Michigan and being a Penn State fan, they just don’t click.

But, with all of that aside, I couldn’t deny his natural talent and had to show my support.

So, again, I traveled home to Weatherly’s

famous firehouse to hopefully be entertained by saddened Giant fans in what I thought was going to be a blowout. As each quarter passed, I couldn’t believe my eyes that the Pats weren’t pulling away.

I kept assuring myself, “Kasey, don’t worry, you won’t be wrong, you know your shit.”

Just as those words flowed through my mind, here comes Brady connecting with Moss in the end zone to take the lead, 1410. Wow, what a relief that was. I pretty much put the game in the bag and allowed my blood pressure to drop.

As the time was dwindling down, I noticed that these underdog Giants were putting forth a pretty strong effort on their drive.

There was no way this was going to happen. Now with 1:15 left in the fourth quarter and the Giants facing a third down and five on THEIR 44-yard line, my emotions were flaring like crazy.

As Manning took the snap in the shotgun and was instantly rushed by Adalius Thomas, Richard Seymour and Jarvis Green and I saw a slight tug of Manning’s jersey, my heart went a flutter.

“He’s going down, it’s over, it’s over,” I said myself.

Then the “miracle play” took place. Manning, stepping back into the pocket threw the pigskin to a tightly covered David Tyree.

This action was one of the most slowmoving passes I have ever seen. There was no way that this ball was going to get past safety Rodney Harrison and into

the soft hands of Tyree. And then, to my amazement, everything that I thought about the entire game meant nothing because I was wrong.

Tyree held onto that ball like he was jumping for the Vince Lombardi trophy himself and keeping the drive alive that ultimately resulted in a Giant touchdown.

In the end, I was the brunt of everyone’s’ jokes that night and I guess I deserved it. I just don’t get it and never will.

How can this team possibly pull three straight upsets like this? And why, oh why did Patriots head coach, Bill Belichick wear a red sweatshirt? Why couldn’t he just do what he was doing all season and wear his navy blue and gray?

Being an athlete, I am a huge believer of superstitions and that just could have been the team’s downfall. I will never know.

I guess all I can take out of this experience is that I should never underestimate the underdog and the cinderella story in the game of sports.

Anything can happen on any given day to any given team and this streak by the Giants proves that.

All I know is next year for the “big game,” I will sit around that same old bar with the same old people and keep my mouth shut and simply enjoy the commercials.

The Loquitur welcomes your questions and comments on this story. Please send your comments to: Loquitur@ googlegroups.com. The editors will review your comments and make corrections if warranted.

DAVID POKRESS/MCT

New York Giant quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning shows off the Lombardi Super Bowl Trophy after a come-from-behind win over the 18-1 New England Patriots.

Wingette recaps 2008 Wing Bowl

NOELLE PENNEY GUEST WRITER LILBUNNI888S@COMCAST NET

This past Friday, I participated as a Wingette in the Philadelphia Wing Bowl. Doors opened at 5 a.m. Friday, Feb. 1 at the Wachovia Center.

When I first said I would participate, I had no idea how early it started. I had to be there by 4 a.m. to check- in and put on my naughty nurse outfit. The contestant I escorted to the stage is known as Dr. Bigtime, a professional eater from Tennessee. Interestingly, he is also an orthopedic spine surgeon, thus why his entourage of men dressed as doctors and I as a naughty nurse. Before escorting Dr. Bigtime on stage, I was interviewed by FOX news and I told them I was surprised as to how many people turned out for this year’s Wing Bowl.

Every contestant had a float, but Dr. Bigtime wanted to be remembered so he brought $1,000 all in single dollar bills and had his girls throw money out into the crowd. People asked me why I just didn’t keep the money, but where was I supposed to keep it? I was wearing a string bikini at that point.

Once we circled the stadium we were brought up on stage. Basically my job

was to stand there and look pretty while handing Dr. Bigtime a new plate of wings every time he finished a plate. It was a great experience to be able to be up on stage with my friend Stacey, who also happens to be Miss 610 sports radio, and listen to the crowd cheer.

Unfortunately Dr. Bigtime was eliminated in the first round so we exited the stage and watched the second and third round from backstage. I think it was staged so that a Philadelphia guy would win, but that’s my opinion.

The winner ended up being Joey Chestnut, a competitive eater from Cali. who once ate 59.5 hotdogs in 12 minutes and because of those wins, won a motorcycle and a Toyota Tundra. Maybe I should enter into competitive eating!

I had a great time participating in the Wing Bowl and it was very flattering to have guys coming up to you asking if you’ll be in a picture with them. I did expect to see more celebrity athletes, however the celebrities there consisted of Pat Croce, who was the announcer of the contest, and Nikki Benz, an adult film star. There were way too many drunken women in the audience taking all their clothes off just to get on the jumbo screen, which made me feel embarrassed for them because it was really tacky.

Although I had to be on stage in front of hundreds of people in a hot pink, sparkly bikini, I was not nervous. I loved walking around the arena while the men cheered and took pictures; I got to feel like a celebrity for a day.

When the Wing Bowl was over, all of the Wingette’s rushed to the dressing room to take off their costumes. The No. one complaint was definitely how much our feet hurt after wearing platforms for three hours. When we exited the Wachovia Center, men continued to cheer for us as we walked to our cars. Then the men probably went off to the nearest strip club, while I went home to get some sleep. So the event began at 5 a.m. and ended by 10:30 a.m.

I would not hesitate to participate in the Wing Bowl next year; it was a great experience if you don’t mind an occasional man grabbing you as you walk past.

My only regret is that Dr. Bigtime got eliminated after the first round; it would have been cool if he won. But, my friend did win a diamond necklace for being runner-up in the top ten wingette contest so all in all, the day was a success.

JESSICA HAGERTY SPORTS EDITOR JH729@CABRINI EDU

Spygate controversy meeting in planning

The tapes turned over by the New England Patriots last September as a part of a spying probe are being questioned by Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. Specter has been critical of the league’s handling of the controversy and is questioning NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s handling of the situation. Specter’s staff is working to finalize a meeting time in order to discuss the controversy. He also said he is interested in speaking with Patriot’s quarterback Tom Brady to see if he may have benefited from any of the materials that were gathered illegally, according to ESPN.com.

Texas Tech head coach resigns misdeason

Bob Knight resigned unexpectedly as Texas Tech’s head basketball coach on Monday, Feb. 4. In his third season at Texas Tech and Knight’s said his mid-season resignation was due to the fact that he is ready to quit battling the ref’s, according to espn.com. Knight, in his 42nd year of head coaching, has the most wins in Division I men’s basketball and has turned the team over to his son Pat Knight for the remaining 10 games of the season.

Santana signs contract with Mets

Former Minnesota Twin Johan Santana agreed to a $137.5 million, 6 year contract with the New York Mets. The two-time Cy Young Award winning pitcher finalized the trade on Saturday, Feb. 2, according to ESPN.com. The Mets are predicted to be a National League favorite in the upcoming season.

Pat’s Andrews pleads not guilty for possession

After authorities found New England Patriots defensive back Willie Andrews with a half-pound marijuana, he pleaded not guilty to the charge, according to espn. com. Prosecutors said Andrews had $6,800 in cash, three bags of marijuana, yet no means to smoke the drugs. He has been charged with possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and driving an unregistered motor vehicle. He will appear in court on March 18 for a pretrial conference.

Upcoming Games

Thursday, Feb. 7

Women’s Basketball at Immaculata University (7 p.m.)

Men’s Basketball vs. Misericordia University (7 p.m.)

Saturday, Feb. 9

Women’s Basketball at Centenary College (1 p.m.)

Men’s Basketball at Centenary College (3 p.m.) Track and Field at New Balance Collegiate Invitational - All Day (NY)

Monday, Feb. 11

Women’s Basketball vs. Neumann College (6 p.m.)

Men’s Basketball vs. Neumann College (8 p.m.)

Wednesday, Feb. 13

Women’s Basketball vs. College of Notre Dame (7 p.m.)

RENEE ITTNER-MCMANUS/MCT

Cavs upset PAC leader

DANIELLE FEOLE STAFF WRITER DF727@CABRINI EDU

The Cavaliers defeated Immaculata University 6959 taking their first place and undefeated title away. The Cavs improved to 8-12, 5-6 in their league. They suffered from two tough losses and stepped back in the conference and beat the No. one ranked team.

Coach Greg Herenda said, “That was a signature win for our program. Immaculata has been playing great basketball and I cannot tell you how proud I am of our entire team to knock them off.”

Juniors Ryan Oxley and Matt Walsh came up with big three-point field goals that sparked their offense just at the right time. Freshman Glenn Washington had a great game of 13 points and nine rebounds. Seniors Randy Reid and Bruce MacLelland both posted double-doubles. Reid scored 11 points and came through with 10 rebounds, while MacLelland scored 12 points and 10 rebounds.

“This win was huge for us considering we beat the only undefeated team in the PAC,” Oxley said.

Immaculata held a seven point lead in the first few minutes of the first half. Cabrini took charge with seven straight to take over and held a 19-9 score to create a double-digit lead. The Cavs left the court with a 39-26 lead at half time.

“Our overall team defense was outstanding and if we keep playing like that we can cause a lot of trouble come playoffs,” Reid said.

Cabrini took a 16 point lead at the 16:44 mark,

before Immaculata scored 14 points in six minutes bringing the score to a twopoint difference. Sophomore Charles Bush scored a threepoint basket bringing the Cavs to a four point lead.

Herenda said, “Charles Bush’s floor leadership was crucial and Bruce MacLelland

may have played his best overall game to this point. But it was truly about our entire team today.”

Immaculata got within three points at the five minute mark, but the Cavaliers pulled through at the three minute mark and maintained a ten point lead to win.

Smith proves her ‘love of the game’

JONATHAN BARNETT STAFF WRITER JEB724@CABRINI EDU

The women’s basketball team has been bringing its best this season with a group of talented and impressive players. One of these young stars is junior English and communication major Kayleen Smith.

As a freshman, Smith had the opportunity to play in 22 games. During the 2005-06 season she averaged 3.4 points and 2.9 rebounds per game. Smith also registered 13 assists and 14 steals and finished with 27 completed field goals.

After an impressive rookie year, Smith returned to play in 28 games her sophomore year, 27 of which she was in the starting line-up. She blew away her previous years’ statistics by leading the entire team in rebounds with an average of 6.9 per game. Smith ended the season in second place in scoring with an average of 8.6 points per contest.

Herenda said, “We are now fighting for a spot in the PAC tournament and we have the next three of five games at home. We really need our students and fans to come out and continue to make the Dixon Center a great homecourt advantage.”

“You just have to believe in yourself and your team,” Smith said. “You have to want it, put time in on the court and love the game if you want to be successful.”

During her 2006-07 Smith grabbed 57 offensive rebounds, 27 steals and blocked 16 shots. With already astonishing records, she entered the 2007-08 season with high expectations.

As of Jan. 29, the Cavaliers have tallied 12 wins out of their 16 games, giving them a .750 winning percentage. In the conference they currently hold one loss with an 8-1 record.

On Monday, Jan. 21 the Cavaliers hosted Rosemont College, leading to yet another win for the team. During that contest Smith led the team in both scoring and rebounds with 15 points and 14 rebounds.

Following Smith were teammates Alyssa Brady and Kate Walck, both sophomores. Brady recorded 10 points and three rebounds and Walck scored nine points and gained six rebounds.

The Cavaliers had an opportunity of a lifetime when they played the College of Notre Dame at Madison Square Garden. “It didn’t really hit me until I got there. I walked in and I felt this rush, it was so overwhelming,” Smith said.

During the match-up, Smith again led the team with a season-best of 21 points. This accomplishment marked the first time this season that an individual player recorded 20+ points. Smith was also able to grab five rebounds before the game’s end.

Smith and the team have another nine games before the first round of the PAC Championships. “We have a close-knit team, we like to have fun and win games; I can’t imagine my life without them,” Smith said.

CABRINI ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT

NICK STAUFFER/SUBMITTED PHOTO Junior guard Ryan Oxley attempts a layup against Gwynedd-Mercy on Thursday, Jan. 31. Oxley led the Cavliers with 18 points for their victory over Immaculata University on Saturday, Feb. 2.

This past weekend at the Frank Golden Invitational at Ursinus College, the women’s track and field team brought home four gold medals. Pictured above, senior Lauren Deas, captured one of those in the 55 meter dash with a time of 7.21. The team will be competing in the New Balance Collegiate Invitational in New York on February 8 and 9.

CABRINI ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT

Sports

Lady Cavs ignite past Immaculata

CHRISTOPHER BLAKE STAFF WRITER CRB724@CABRINI EDU

Coming off their first Pennsylvania Athletic Conference loss against Gwynedd Mercy University, the Cabrini College women’s basketball team defeated visiting Immaculata University 69-41.

“You are always afraid of an emotional let down after a big game like ours against Gwyneed Mercy. I did not think we were as intense as we should have been but we got it done,” Coach Bobbi Morgan said.

Junior Brittany McLeod led the team offensively with 16 points and five rebounds, while fellow juniors Kate Ryan and Kayleen Smith scored 14 and eight points.

“Every win from here on in is a big win. You are fighting for the playoffs, for seeds and you are trying to get better so you are playing your best when it matters most,” Morgan said.

Cabrini held Immaculata scoreless for the first four minutes of the game mixing their defensive sets from an intense manto- man to pressing with a 2-2-1, a 1-2-1-1 and a run and jump set. At the half, the Cavaliers held a 40-17 lead with 14 points coming off Immaculata turnovers.

“For the first time this season we had a height advantage and were able to beat them up the floor,” Kayleen Smith, a junior English and communication major, said.

Immaculata came out strong in the second half scoring nine unanswered points before McLeod scored two of her 16 points in a dominating 8-of-12 performance from the field.

The Cavaliers held their largest lead, 69-39, with 1:54 left in the second half as the bench scored 20 points in the final 20 minutes.

Cabrini’s shooting percentage dropped from 58 percent in the first half to 34 percent in the second.

“We need to get to the foul line more as a team. In the Gwyneed Mercy game we took too many three’s (7-23) and we need to attack the basket more. We have a very balanced offense and in any given game our starters and even off the bench players can score,” Morgan said.

Immaculata improved their field goal percentage from 24 percent in the first half to 29 percent in the second. The Mighty Macs’ Nina Cammarano led Immaculata with a game-high 17 points.

Cabrini will return to the floor today for a re-match at Immaculata University.

With an overall record of 13-5 including an 8-1 record during conference play, Cabrini is now tied with Misericordia College for second place overall and first place in the PAC Southern Division.

“Our team is trying to continue the rest of the season with one loss in hopes to play Gwynedd Mercy, the only undefeated team, in the PAC Championships,” Smith said.

“It’s been a good season. What better than to finish this off with a strong regular season and a playoff berth? If we play welland that’s the key- we can beat every team we play. But we aren’t good enough not to play well and win and that is what happened against Gwynedd Mercy,” Morgan said.

NICK STAUFFER/SUBMITTED PHOTO

NICK STAUFFER/SUBMITTED PHOTO

Above: Junior Kayleen Smith looks to pass on Thursday, Jan. 31 against Gwynedd Mercy College. Smith led the Lady Cavs with 13 points and five rebounds, yet they fell to Gwynedd for their first conference loss.

Left: Junior Casey Kyler dribbles by a Gwynedd Mercy defender in Thursday’s loss.