Ramapo College Newspaper

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RAMAPO NEWS

Just Go With It Page 11

2.17.2011

THE

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A Publication by the Students for the Ramapo College Community

Musician Shares Uplifting Story at Convocation

Pakistani Activist Encourages Students to Pursue their Passions

photo by Stefanie Mauro

Salman Ahmad, the featured speaker at the fifth annual Diversity Convocation, told his story of the hardships and oppression he faced in Pakistan. Ahmad performed his own songs at the event and discussed American and Islamic relations.

By KAITLIN McGUINNESS Staff Writer

Yesterday, the Diversity Action Committee held its fifth annual Diversity Convocation. The convocation is sponsored by the Ramapo College Board of Trustees, President Peter Mercer and the Diversity Action Committee. The convocation was initially scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 2, but was postponed for two weeks due to snow.

The Diversity Action Committee was founded in 2004 to help fulfill Ramapo College’s commitment to diversity. Pete Campbell, a com-

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munications professor, and Paula Straile-Costa, a Spanish professor, are the co-chairs of the Diversity Action Committee.

Straile-Costa said that diversity at Ramapo is improving, but “we definitely have more work to do.”

She said that the college has an impressive mission, a great will for diversity and “excellent programming and lots of exciting curriculum,” but that there is “more work to do in terms of recruitment, hiring, and climate issues.”

The Diversity Convocation is an important part of the Diversity Action Committee’s efforts to make positive changes in the cli-

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mate at Ramapo. Speakers at past convocations have included Cherríe L. Moraga, a playwright, poet and essayist and Dr. Terrence Roberts, a psychologist and one of the Little Rock Nine.

The featured speaker this year was musician, activist, UN Goodwill Ambassador and author Salman Ahmad, whose topic of discussion was “America and Islam through a Rock and Roll Lens.” He is the author of the memoir “Rock and Roll Jihad: A Muslim Rock Star's Revolution,” and spoke about his experiences growing up in Pakistan and overcoming adversity to pursue a

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career as a musician.

Ahmad studied to be doctor, but went against tradition and his family to follow his passion.

“Musicians aren’t respected in Pakistan the same way they are elsewhere,” Straile-Costa pointed out. “He essentially risked his life by playing Western music amidst the Taliban.”

Straile-Costa first heard Ahmad performing in a coffee shop and was moved by his story. She felt that “his music and his message that music can be an instrument of

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‘Loka’ Cleaning Biz Could Get Messy

By GARRET IVINS Staff Writer Many students on campus found a flyer under their door advertising the “Four Lokas,” a new cleaning service on campus. Following the recent rash of incidents related to the once popular energy drink Four Loko, the name choice of this new business seems questionable.

One of the members of Four Lokas, all of whom wished to all remain anonymous, said, “We are in no way promoting the drink; we just felt the name will grab people’s attention.”

The student said, “We are not really a business, just your friendly neighborhood Four Lokas who clean for our neighbors, [who] it turns out are very much in need of cleaning services and we are more than happy to help.”

The Four Lokas expect the business to go well. The four offer services including vacuuming, laundry, garbage removal, bed making, microwave cleaning, and even bathroom cleaning. Prices range from around $5 for small jobs and up to $10 for larger jobs They also offer full room cleaning packages depending on the student’s dorm.

Sophomore and recent customer Alexa DiSenza said, “The Four Lokas were a life saver. We didn't have the supplies to clean our bathroom. I texted them and one of the Lokas came right over.”

One flaw of the business is the legality of operating on campus, according to Pat Chang, Associate Vice President of Student Affairs.

The Ramapo Guide to Living

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Page 2 The Ramapo News

THE RAMAPO NEWS Robert A. Scott Student Center 505 Ramapo Valley Road Mahwah, NJ 07430

(201) 684-7842 rcnjnews@ramapo.edu Megan Anderle Editor-in-Chief

Amy Fezza

Managing Editor

Nicole Alliegro Elyse Toribio News Editors

Diana Stanczak A & E Editor

Andrew Gould Sean Ritchie Sports Editors

Stefanie Mauro Photo Editor

Matt Giuliari

Creative Director

Samantha Ullrich Web Editor

Adam Panella

Business Manager

Dan Sforza

Technical Advisor

Danielle Reed Keri Ann Flaccomio Contributors

INSIDE

Around the Arch Page 3

Viewpoints Page 7

A&E Page 8

Sports Page 13

POLICY

Whenever necessary, The Ramapo News will publish corrections or clarifications in the following issues. All corrections must be brought to the attention of the editor as soon as possible. The Ramapo News strives for accuracy. In keeping with journalistic standards, pre-publication review of any article, quote or editorial is not allowed. Viewpoints may be dropped off at SC-218 or e-mailed to rcnjnews@ramapo.edu. The Ramapo News reserves the right to edit viewpoints for content, style and space.

Anonymous viewpoints will not be accepted.

Paid advertisements are accepted at the sole discretion of The Ramapo News staff and are due no later than the Monday of that weekʼs issue.

Rates are available by contacting the editorial staff by phone or e-mail.

Ramapo Humanitarians Prep for Sierra Leone

Thursday, February 17, 2011

By MIKE JAGENDORF Staff Writer

A small group of Ramapo students and faculty, including President Peter Mercer, will be trekking to Sierra Leone this May for a study abroad trip and humanitarian expedition.

Sierra Leone is a West African nation the size of South Carolina that is in the process of recovering from a brutal 11-year long civil war that ended in 2002. It is one of the world’s poorest countries – most people earn less than $1 per day – and has the world’s second worst infant mortality rate after Afghanistan – one in eight Sierra Leonean babies die before their first birthdays.

Chris McKenna, a junior majoring in international studies, was the first to sign up for this year’s Sierra Leone trip. His academic interests include post conflict transformation and public health.

“Health is a huge issue after a war,” McKenna said. “I’d love to see where they’ve come since then.”

McKenna is a paramedic in New York state and a lieutenant in the ambulance corps on campus, and he is eager to find out what emergency medical response and transport is like in the developing world.

“Is it being thrown in the back of a pickup?

I don’t know,” McKenna said.

Dr. Florence Dorwie was born in the village

“It gives [students] a new perspective on access to health, tropical medicine, and the challenges of practicing health care in the developing world.”

-Ben Levy, director of study abroad

of Bo to a tribal chief, and moved to the United States and pursued a medical education. Dorwie founded a nonprofit organization called Sa Leone Health Pride with the mission of reducing fetal and maternal mortality rates through education. Her “Each One Teach One” philosophy means one-on-one training of Sierra Leonean healthcare personnel, who will in turn pass on their new skills to others, on and on until Western health and sanitary practices are widespread and lives are saved.

Dorwie recruited her friends Dr. Kathleen Burke, the assistant dean of nursing programs at Ramapo, and nursing professor Dr. Elaine Patterson to help with Sa Leone Health

photo courtesy of Kathleen Burke

Lauren Finaldi, a senior nursing student, examines Sierra Leonean villagers during the first student trip to the African country last summer.

Pride’s overseas efforts. The trio works handson with students at the university, nurses at the Connaught Public Hospital in the capital city of Freetown, and directly with midwives and patients in rural villages.

When they went last year they took three students with them as part of an experimental trip.

This year they hope to bring six to ten students as an official study abroad program. “[Burke and Patterson] approached me last year to talk about doing this because students had expressed interest, especially from the nursing school”, said Ben Levy, the director of study abroad at Ramapo. “It gives them a new perspective on access to health, tropical medicine, and the challenges of practicing health care in the developing world,” he said. “They’ll get to see how things are done there differently than at Valley Hospital without all the facilities and technology.”

Levy noted the trip is not just for nursing students.

“We have created a more accessible curriculum,” Levy said. Some students interested in going are majoring in international studies, political science, psychology, social work, or even education.”

Lauren Finaldi, a nursing major who went to

photo courtesy of Kathleen Burke

Dr. Kathleen Burke, Assistant Dean of Nursing Programs, gives a PowerPoint presentation about the Sierra Leone study abroad trip to prospective travelers.

Sierra Leone last summer, loved the trip and said it opened her eyes.

“It made me see how every person deserves the best nursing and medical attention possible,” Finaldi said. “It has made me consider becoming a public health nurse so I can treat people in the United States or out of the United States who are in need.”

The Connaught hospital, where the majority of Sierra Leoneans go for health care, is a beautiful building that was built in the 1850s, but the medicine practiced inside is almost as antiquated as its infrastructure. It has no pharmacy and no kitchen: patients’ families are responsible for bringing them medicine and food. The overcrowded wards are filled with dozens of beds lying side by side right next to each other, separated by only a curtain.

“There might be a patient with an infection lying right next to a burn patient,” Burke said.

“That would be absolutely unheard of here.”

Dr. Patterson is realistic about the limited impact the two week trip can have, but optimistic that its lasting effects will help Sierra Leone.

“We know we can’t do much. Two weeks is not enough,” Patterson said. “But if we educate them, and they can use the new knowledge to educate others, then this is how we are making an impact. We are not making that great of an impact out in the villages, but we are giving them enough information so they can make an impact themselves.”

Mercer hopes to send a message to worried parents by going on this trip.

“In the case of Sierra Leone, there’s a great deal of anxiety over the fact that it’s an impoverished country,”Mercer said. “Until recently, it had been a country at war with itself. Then there are worries about the food, water, and accommodation. But I think if parents see it’s good enough for the president of the college to go, and he still came back with all his limbs and didn’t contract dysentery, it’s okay for their children to go.” mjagendo@ramapo.edu

Thursday, February 17, 2011

THURSDAY’S CHILD

Hollywood socialite and heiress Paris Hilton celebrates her milestone 30th birthday today.

TODAY IN HISTORY

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

Justin Beiber on healthcare in the U.S. The Blaine Act was passed in “Canada is the best country in the world.

1933, repealing the 18th Amendment, ending Prohibition. We go to the doctor and we don't need to worry about paying him, but here, your It later passed as the 21st whole life, you're broke because of medical Amendment. bills.”

Local Counselors Use Art to Heal Grieving Families

By ELYSE TORIBIO News Editor “Grief is Not a Monster We Hide From.”

That’s the fearless message of what is probably the least intimidating place in Ramsey, NJ: Hearts & Crafts Counseling. Founded in 1994, Hearts & Crafts is a haven for children and families suffering from grief resulting from the death or sickness of a loved one, a particularly difficult divorce, or even domestic violence. Located in a cozy carriage house on the town’s main street, the counseling center is unique both in its aesthetics and its services provided: therapy is provided through art.

Judith Peck, a professor at Ramapo who teaches an Art as Therapy course and has a long history of experience in the field, explains just how beneficial the practice can be.

“Art therapy is effective in many ways that face to face articulation cannot manage,” Peck said, “Because of many factors including shame, guilt, inability to put emotional distress into words, and not having the words to convey what is needed.”

This ideology was adopted by Laura Hudson, co-founder of Hearts & Crafts Counseling.

After working in elementary schools as a special education teacher and working in various hospitals and counseling centers over the years, Laura Hudson, a certified art therapist, decided to found a center with partner Charlie Lochner that would focus solely on the practice of using the comfort and familiarity of simple arts and crafts to help visitors deal with their mental anguish. Her experience with children of all ages gave her a good basis for what was needed. Two years later, Hudson was joined by Terry DeBrule, a licensed social worker whose experience as a parole officer in the inner city exposed her to the issues of those afflicted by drugs, alcohol and crime.

“She works with all of the adults and some of the teens and I work with the rest of the teens and the younger children,” Hudson said. “She is a social worker where I am a creative arts therapist.”

Together, Hudson and DeBrule have dedicated their life’s work to help those in need through the art of, well, art.

Children who visit Hearts & Crafts attend 45 minute individual sessions with a psychotherapist, wherein they will engage in activities that will help the child open up about the feelings they’re experiencing.

Jessica Ceballos, junior and intern at the Division of Youth and Family Services, sees first hand how effective art therapy can be, especially for kids living through traumatic experiences.

“It works, definitely. We bring in kids that have been taken from their homes, and they don’t talk,” Ceballos said. “So we have a professional therapist come in, and [the kids] end up drawing all these things about what’s happening to them.”

Counseling sessions at Hearts & Crafts also include support groups for children, led by Hudson. Groups are divided by age and specific situation like the death of a parent, or a recent divorce, and can involve anything from painting to music or theater. Participants are encouraged to express themselves verbally as well as artistically throughout the process.

“We talk about everything from memories, to changes, to worries and concerns, to coping strategies, to the future,” Hudson explained. “We draw, we paint, we write, we take photos. Some projects the kids take home with them and others stay at Hearts & Crafts for others to see.”

During the summer, Hearts & Crafts hosts “Camp Grief Busters” for children and their families. Ashley Jade Beasley, junior, volunteered at the camp after a visit to the counseling center for her Illness and Loss class, and saw

photo courtesy of Jessica Ceballos

The Hearts and Crafts Couseling center is small house on Rameyʼs Main Street, making it inviting to grieving children and their parents.

firsthand how effective the program is for its participants. “[Children] have an uncanny ability to bury their emotions inside like the rest of us,” Beasley said, “but when you give them some crayons and paper you get a glimpse into their world.

While the looks and practices of Hearts & Crafts is certainly attractive and soothing for young children, Hudson and DeBrule also offer aid to teenagers and parents, the latter of which are many times overlooked during a particularly painful loss.

Multiple Snowfalls Cause Delays, Disrupts Classes for Students

By STEVIE RAND Staff Writer

New Jersey experienced relentless snowfall this month, and between college closings, delayed openings and early dismissals, both professors and students at Ramapo are only now beginning to settle into their various routines.

“It was a little weird having clases cancelled so soon. But once we got settled in and back into the swing of things, it definitely wasn’t bad at all.”

-Caitlin Bradley, freshman

Many students and professors did not get a chance to meet in class until the second or even third week of school. For some students this disruption made all of the difference on how the semester started.

James Popoloski, sophomore, wasn’t too badly affected by the closings.

“It helped that it was early in the semester. I missed three different three hour classes, but we weren’t into anything too serious yet.”

For others, having classes canceled so soon into the semester was frustrating.

“I missed about one of each class [it was the] most annoy-

ing thing,” Sarah Galo, sophomore, said. “It was harder to adjust to my class schedule since it was inconsistent for the first two weeks.”

Freshman Caitlin Bradley was expecting it to be much harder to adjust than it actually turned out to be.

“It was a little weird having classes cancelled so soon,” Bradley said, “But once we got settled in and back into the swing of things, it definitely wasn't bad at all.”

Others, like Jillian Fishman, a junior and nursing major, the onslaught of snowstorms was an extreme inconvenience.

“We already started having exams the first week of classes, so two of our exams had to be moved around,” Fishman said. “We had several clinicals cancelled, which means we’re missing out on vital experience. There is so much to do and learn that if we miss anything, we’re playing catch up.”

Luckily, her professors were very understanding.

“They anticipate this stuff,” Fishman said. “They know we’re already under a huge amount of pressure, so while they did send up make up work on our ‘days off’ they didn’t pressure us more in class.”

Unfortunately, many professors have had to adjust their syllabi, cutting out miscellaneous tasks that were added for the students’ enjoyment.

Bob Sproul, professor of Social Issues and History of Social Thought, explained that he had to eliminate some of the material from two of the classes in order to keep up with the curriculum. Despite the lack of class meeting time, Sproul’s students seemed to still be focused.

see THERAPY on page 6

“The students seem to have stayed on track and I haven’t noticed any laziness, though I had only had one class in each of those subjects, so I didn’t know the students too well for the most part,” Sproul said.

“The students seem to have stayed on track and I haven’t noticed any laziness, though I had only had one class in each of those subjects, so I didn’t know the students too well for the most part.”

-Bob Sproul, Professor of Social Issues and History of Social Thought

The only major disadvantage stemming from this issue is exactly what Professor Sproul commented on: professors and students are having difficulty getting to know each other and familiarizing themselves with the course.

Save for the Club Fair that was postponed a week due to a snowstorm, it appears that students were able to continue with their extracurricular activities, and eventually settle into their academic schedules, without much issue. srand1@ramapo.edu

Karlin Makes Ground-Breaking Ecological Discovery Page 4 The Ramapo News

By S TEPHANIE DERUITER Staff Writer

Professor Eric Karlin, of the School of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, recently made a noteworthy scientific discovery concerning plant ecology. Karlin, who has been researching peat moss for the past five years, has discovered a genetically identical species of peat moss called sphagnum subnitens which grows across northwestern North America.

“The same genetic plant occurs in Oregon, British Columbia, all the way up through Alaska. We have never seen that before,” Karlin said.

“My question was, ‘How do you have a plant that occurs here in New Zealand, and in Alaska and in Europe?’ Are they really the same or are they different?”

-Eric Karlin, professor

Through his research, Karlin has discovered a 4,115 km. stretch of sphagnum subnitens which began with and perfectly identifies the hereditary information of a single organism.

Most plants can reproduce three different ways. The species of peat moss studied, along with some other species of mosses and ferns, has a unique fourth way of reproduction. One parent can produce egg and sperm that are genetically identical.

This genetically identical organism has survived in a number of climates, and is some-

Thursday, February 17, 2011

thing that has never been studied before.

Professor Karlin has been teaching in the environmental studies and biology programs at Ramapo since the fall of 1979. For six years, he was dean of the School of Theoretical and Applied Sciences until he stepped down in 2005 to continue his research on plants.

“I started my research up again in 2005 and the first phase of that was I went to New Zealand and made a lot of collections of plants,” Karlin said. “Then had an arrangement with a colleague at Duke University to do some genetic analysis of those plants the next summer.”

These plants had never been studied genetically before. His research brought him to the sphagnum subnitens, a species of moss that was believed to also be found in Europe and Alaska.

“My question was, ‘How do you have a plant that occurs here in New Zealand and in Alaska and in Europe?’” Karlin said. “Are they really the same or are they different?

The only way to tell that is genetics so my study in this recent case was to try to figure out are the New Zealand plants from Europe, or are they different from Europe; or are they from Alaska or are they different from Alaska.”

Karlin, along with colleagues from Binghamton University in New York and Duke University in North Carolina concluded that the plants found in New Zealand and Alaska were migrants of the plants from Europe. They also discovered that the plants from New Zealand were produced from two parents of the same species and the plants from Alaska were produced by the unique

photo by Stephanie deRuiter

Professor Eric Karlin, along with colleagues from Binghamton University and Duke University, has been studying peat moss for the past five years.

way of reproduction.

Professor Karlin has been researching plants and their ecology since the early 1980s. Through the years, he has added to the state flora by finding sphagnum in New Jersey. He has also determined a few endangered species which are now protected under the endangered species law. Karlin has published several scientific papers and has had

his research published in various scientific journals, including “Systematic Botany,” which will publish his most recent writing on Australian mosses. He is currently researching Hawaii mosses and their genetics.

The 2011 Job Market on the Upswing for Graduates

By MARIA MARINO Staff Writer

For the first time since the 2008 economic recession, both recent and up-and-coming college graduates are facing a job market that inspires hope rather than fear at the thought of finding full-time work and a steady income.

Although job market conditions in the U.S. are still not ideal, data indicates they are getting better, which means current Ramapo students can be more optimistic about their professional futures. Overall, employers in the Northeast project a 13.1 percent increase in available positions for bachelor’s degree candidates, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). In fact, 40 percent of employers even reported plans to recruit on actual college campuses, good news for soon-to-be grads.

“I’m very optimistic about the job outlook for the class of 2011,” said Debra Stark, who is in charge of employer relations at the Cahill Center and deals directly with company recruiters interested in hiring from the Ramapo community.

Representatives from the Cahill Center for Experiential Learning and Career Services, the office where Ramapo students and alumni can go for assistance in obtaining jobs and internships, have already seen increased employer interest.

Stark has noticed since the start of the new year that the number of employers requesting postings at Ramapo for part-time/full-time jobs and internships has more than tripled since 2009.

More companies are looking to take on new workers in 2011 than in the past two years. This logic is supported by NACE research findings. Results of their Job Outlook 2011 Survey show that 47.7 percent of company respondents have plans to boost their number of hires in the next recruiting

year, as opposed to only 16.9 percent from the previous year.

Still, Ramapo’s class of 2011 is apprehensive about what graduation will bring.

“I’m pretty worried because it was a struggle for me to find an unpaid internship,” said Pat Busteed, Ramapo senior and design major. “So how am I going to get something paid?”

“There will be more job openings this year than last. The difficulty is that 2011 graduates will also be competing with people who graduated last year who still haven’t found jobs.”

-Eileen Quaglino, Cahill Center assistant director

“There will be more job openings this year than last,” said Eileen Quaglino, Cahill Center assistant director and career advisor. “The difficulty is that 2011 graduates will also be competing with people who graduated last year who still haven’t found jobs.”

Both Quaglino and Stark noted that many Ramapo alumni who have graduated in the past year or two are struggling to get hired and have returned to the Cahill Center in need of assistance. Busteed can attest to this as well.

“We all know people who are grades above us who still don’t have jobs,” he explained. “But then again, I know someone who’s done a lot of internships and already has a job lined up after graduation.”

Stark also emphasized the importance of internships.

“Students need to understand that the internship is the new entry-level position,” she said. “Graduating with just your

sderuite@ramapo.edu

degree isn’t going to get your foot in the door anymore.”

This is partly due to an obvious skill gap between individuals who have prior field experience versus individuals who don’t. The other part, however, is economic.

The 2008 downturn resulted in an ongoing budget crisis for many companies that simply can’t afford new hires’ start-up training, Stark explained. So if an employer is going to invest in a worker, recruiters want to make sure it’s someone who can already apply the skills the job requires. Or better yet, employers can hire people as interns first (often with lesser or no pay).

For these reasons, employers tend to take on more interns when the job market is poor. But although money is scarce as an intern, they are much more likely to obtain higher-paying positions sooner than those without relevant work experience in their particular fields.

And as for the job market in general? Quaglino believes it will continue to improve, but very slowly.

“Right now, unemployment is at about 9.4 percent,” she said. “Government officials are predicting it will take four to five years to get back to the ‘normal’ six percent.”

Stark also added that while the job market should be better this year than last, it is still essential that degree-holding candidates prepare themselves with multiple experiences to have an easier time finding work in 2011. Busteed plans on keeping his options open.

“I think one important thing is to keep busy; keep freelancing or just creating things and completing projects on my own to continue improving my skills – even if I don’t have an actual steady job. I’ll also look into grad school and see about doing a fellowship,” he said. mmarino1@ramapo.edu

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Thursday, February 17, 2011

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Speaker Inspires Students continued from page 1

students needed to hear.

Ahmad was introduced by Pinar Kayaalp, Ramapo professor of Islamic and Middle Eastern History. Co-chair of the Diversity Action Committee Peter Campbell welcomed the students and faculty who attended the event, and President Mercer made opening remarks. A.J. Sabath and Vernon Walton, Chair and Past Chair of the Ramapo Board of Trustees, and Edoard Eloi, Berrie Center Operations Manager and Chair of the Haiti Relief Committee, also made remarks. The winners of the “Celebrating Diversity” writing contest were also recognized at the Diversity Convocation and each received $250 dollars.

Four essays were selected from students who submitted their stories about diversity, and a luncheon was held in the Alumni Lounges for the winners before the convocation. Winners Lauren Finaldi, Sarah Hildebrand, Jesus Santos and Sara Shahrabi participated in a panel moderated by Dominique Johnson, a Ramapo professor of Law and Society.

The Ramapo Chorale performed before the convocation and T-shirts were sold to benefit the Haiti Relief Committee. Straile-Costa pointed out that if everyone on campus donated $5 they could extend two scholarships to students from Haiti.

Ahmad performed some of his own songs and also John Lennon’s “Imagine,” and encouraged the crowd to sing along. Ahmad’s

song “Open Your Eyes,” a collaboration with Peter Gabriel, is available on iTunes, and money from each download goes to help flood victims in Pakistan.

Ahmad covered a variety of contemporary topics including the devastating flooding in Pakistan. He also commented on the spread of unrest from Tunisia to Egypt to Bahrain, saying that he learned from his medical training that “if there’s an infection in your big toe, it’s going to spread throughout the body. The planet is the same, it’s a living entity.” He performed in Egypt last year, and he cannot believe how quickly change has come, and that it was “started by civil society, without guns.”

Sophomore Jairo Parra was inspired to hear about someone confronting his fears. “It’s not the kind of music I usually listen to, but I got a lot out of it,” Parra said.

President Mercer was also impressed by Ahmad.

“I think he’s an extraordinary figure,” Mercer said. He was impressed that he was such an accomplished man and “connects to people so easily.”

Ahmad took questions after the performance and signed copies of his book. Fans can also donate to the Salman and Samina Global Wellness Initiative (SSGWI), the charity he founded with his wife in order to “build dialogue between diverse cultures through music,” at http://www.ssgwi.org/.

“If you listen to music, it’ll show you the way…it certainly showed me the way,” Ahmad said. kmcguinn@ramapo.edu

Thursday, February 17, 2011

‘Lokas’ Offer Cleaning Service continued from page 1

to carry on any organized business for the purpose of generating funds for personal profit from their room/apartment. They may not use their room phone numbers or data connections for business purposes.”

When asked about any legal concern regarding the campus and the possibility of other students starting their own businesses, the Lokas said, “As for other businesses, I feel that as long as there are broke college students there will be inspiration to start some

kind of business.”

Plus, the Lokas maintain that they do not use the on-campus phone line or their Ramapo email addresses when doing business.

The Four Lokas offer a service every student on campus may want to use when they need to clean, but do not have the time or the energy. It remains to be seen if the administration will take issue with the girls. givins@ramapo.edu

Child Therapists Heal with Art continued from page 3

Support groups for parents focus on dealing with untreated grief, as well as help in living with a grieving child. Sessions run simultaneously, but separately, from the childrens’.

Turning a profit for the organization has taken a back burner to the main priority: making sure that families get the help they need. As a result, special foundations have been set up to help those families who cannot afford the services.

“Charitable contributions are used to maintain a scholarship fund to ensure that no family gets turned away for lack of resources—a gift they dearly need during their most painful and economically challenging time,” Hudson said.

Donations are made for the organization

throughout the year, and fundraisers are held annually to keep its services affordable for families in need. A recent wine tasting benefit held in November raised over $20,000.

How can a casualty of grief move on in a world where, let’s face it, moments of sorrow seem all but inevitable? Laura Hudson and Terry DeBrule have found a way to prove that something as simple as art just may be the cure.

For more information on Hearts & Crafts Counseling, visit their website at heartsandcraftscounseling.org, call to schedule an appointment at (201) 818-9399 or visit the carriage house at 60 East Main Street, Ramsey, NJ. etoribio@ramapo.edu

VIEW POINTS

Thursday, February 17, 2011 Campus views are the sole opinion of their respective authors, submitted to The Ramapo News and in no way reflect the views of either The Ramapo News or Ramapo College of New Jersey.

‘Skins’ Is Entertaining, Despite Risque Content

By MEGAN ANDERLE Editor-in-Chief

After watching several episodes of the U.S. and U.K. version of the show “Skins,” I have come to the realization that the show is as racy as it is engrossing.

Since the series premiere on Jan. 17, I’ve seen episodes based around main characters Tony, Tea, Chris, Cadie and Stanley. I’ll admit each episode is explicit and inappropriate for viewers younger than 17.

In fact, the show might violate federal child pornography laws.

Most of the actors are between 15 and 19 years old, according to the New York Times.

In one of the first episodes, a 17year-old actor runs naked down a street. Granted, the audience doesn’t see anything other than his backside. The ongoing joke of the episode is his erection that the

character had after consuming a few too many erectile dysfunction pills.

This was just one scene, of milder nature, that upset the Parent Television Council. Members labeled it the “most dangerous program that has ever been foisted on your children.” Harsher scenes include characters masturbating as well as overdosing. The show has also grappled with heavy topics like death, sexual assault, eating disorders, and familial abandonment.

MTV Spokesperson Jeannie Kedas released a statement in regards to the controversy. “‘Skins’ is a show that addresses real-world issues confronting teens in a frank way,” she said in a statement. “We review all of our shows and work with all of our producers on an ongoing basis to ensure our shows comply with laws and community standards. We are confident that the episodes of ‘Skins’ will not only comply with all applicable legal requirements, but also with our responsibilities to our viewers.”

Kedas statement has been “too little too late,” as advertisers have already pulled from the show.

These executives are smart – they don’t want the public to peg them in any sort of negative light. When advertisers for Lifestyles condoms pull from your show, you know you have a problem.

In the grand scheme of things, MTV isn’t doing anything out of the ordinary by running a show

This is not to say I want my 11-year-old sister watching the show. She doesn’t need to know about the recreational use of prescription pills.

like this. The network has always pushed the envelope, running Madonna videos in the 1980s that sparked controversy to the teen mothers and Jersey Shore kids causing mayhem in Seaside.

Personally, I enjoy “Skins.”

While I understand why the show offends people, each episode is epic, and the shock value is consistently through the roof. Take the season opener, for example. The episode begins with main character Tony brainstorming how he can

get his socially awkward friend Stanley to lose his virginity. As the plot rapidly unfolds, a character overdoses and their borrowed car, owned by a friend, ends up in a lake..

When I watch television, I want to be entertained, and “Skins” delivers in terms of providing a dramatic and unique plot in each of its episodes.

This is not to say I want my 11year-old sister watching the show.

She doesn’t need to know about the recreational use of prescription pills.

“Skins” was originally created in the U.K., where it is critically acclaimed and has won a BAFTA award (British Academy of Film and Television Arts). The show is well-received in Europe because society is far more accepting of sex and deviant behavior. In the U.S., the ratings haven’t been nearly as high, because our media is much more conservative. The U.S. isn’t ready for “Skins” now… will we ever be?

manderle@ramapo.edu

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State of the Union Receives Unwarranted Backlash

By DAN LOUGHREY

After reading the editorial written by Brittany Shann in the Feb. 10 edition of the Ramapo News, I realized that several of the points mentioned were either incorrect or somewhat sensational. That aside, I’d like to point out that the figures reflected on unemployment are slightly inaccurate (or incomplete), and some of the opinions on the attitudes of the President are seemingly misinformed.

I will be the first to tell you, I don’t believe everything a politician says. Not by a long shot. I do, however take issue when someone does not check facts before making wild accusations that a politician, a president no less, “possesses no integrity” and that “patriotism wasn’t important to him.”

Not only is that disrespectful to the man, but it’s disrespectful to the office as well. If you insist that he has not acknowledged our country’s greatness or otherwise lacks patriotism or pride, I encourage you to listen to (or read) his Inaugural Address.

Let’s move on to the policies.

First of all, I will happily admit that President Obama said that the “economy is growing again.” Judging by most factors, it is. When he took office, the Dow Jones Industrial Average was at 6626.94. The day he made the State of the Union Address, it closed at nearly double that, at 11,977.19.

Our Gross Domestic Product, the way we measure our country’s wealth, increased 2.9 percent from 2009 to 2010.

Unemployment is slowly falling from the peak of 10.1 percent in 2009 to 9 percent in January of 2011.

When you compare these figures to the rest of the world,

we’re actually doing pretty well. Spain has an unemployment rate of 20 percent. India is at 10.8 percent. Want to move to Zimbabwe? Have fun finding a job – 95 percent of their people are unemployed. The next closest country in terms of GDP is China, which is at $5.879 billion as compared to our $14.62 billion. Some estimates place our GDP as accounting for 25 percent of the global GDP, and we are still growing.

I fully agree that government spending can, and has been, out of control. Billions upon billions of dollars were spent in bailouts and stimulus packages. Further billions were spent on managing two wars. We continue to spend massive amounts of money on programs such as Medicare and Social Security (which most would agree are fairly reasonable things to put money into.)

Again, if you listen to the State of the Union, there is quite a bit of speech against such spending. A domestic tax freeze was proposed, which would theoretically cut our deficit by $400 billion over the next 10 years and drastically lower discretionary spending to levels found in the 1950s. Reforms to Medicare and Medicaid were talked about, as well as revisions to Social Security (together, these three programs are the most expensive part of America’s budget). Further consolidation and streamlining of the federal government was proposed. All of these things could dramatically reduce the national debt while at the same time making our government more efficient.

And after all, who doesn’t want more efficient government?

photo courtesy ofdloughre@ramapo.edu flickr Creative Commons President Barack Obama at a 2010 State of the Union address.

2011 Grammy Recap

“Just Go With It”

Claire Chapel reviews Sundayʼs award show Page 9

Eileen Tracy reviews latest Sandler flick Page 11

Comedian Sarah Colonna Visits Ramapo

BY AUDREY ZABOHONS KI Staff Writer

Last Friday night, Ramapo welcomed comedian Sarah Colonna to the Berrie Theater. A first-time visitor to the Ramapo campus, Colonna is best known for appearing on E’s late night talk show “Chelsea Lately” where she sits on the roundtable and pokes fun at current popular culture.

In addition to her roundtable humor, she is also a writer for the show. Presently, she is touring comedy clubs across the country, and will soon be one of the stars of E’s newly advertised show,“After Lately,” as well as one of its producers. Colonna is also known for her recent work in photo courtesy of Brightest Young shows including “The United Things States of Tara” amd “Monk” Sarah Colonna visited as well as for being an actor Ramapo on Friday. on the prank show “Scare Tactics.” She was also featured on the BBC show “The World Stands Up,” which features the best comedians internationally.

Quaishon Tucker, sophomore member of Ramapo’s comedy club RASCALS, warmed the audience up for Colonna. Tucker received many laughs from the audience as they awaited Colonna’s entrance.

“The show had a great turnout which was exciting for RASCALS and all the other clubs involved. The audience was responsive, and overall it was a great night,” Tucker said about Colonna’s performance.

Some students like freshman Megan Radispiel were not fans of the show “Chelsea Lately” but ended up being really impressed with Colonna’s pertinent, smart and slightly raunchy humor.

“I came in with low expectations because I don’t like ‘Chelsea Lately,’ but she was really funny,” Radispiel said.

According to freshman Bridget Emslie the show was “so funny, and well worth the money.”

Colonna was remarkably interactive with the audience and had clearly done her research on Ramapo College as she brought up the school’s choice to ban Four Loko earlier this year. Many members in the audience appreciated the fact that Colonna used material throughout the performance that was relatable to the lifestyle of college students such as dating, campus life and popular television shows and actors.

Freshman Jennifer McAndrew expressed the opinion of the majority of the audience members.

“She was really funny, I was laughing the entire time,” McAndrew said.

The show cost $10 for Ramapo students and was a sound economic choice for an evening that provided a decent workout from the nonstop laughter.

The performance was a success and provided a well-spent Friday night for students on a budget. azabohon@ramapo.edu

Bill Blagg Brings Magic Back 2. 17. 11

BY DANIELLE REED Assistant A&E Editor Last Saturday, Ramapo staff, students and community members of all ages came to enjoy the magical performance of Bill Blagg at 8 p.m. at the Berrie Center’s Sharp Theater.

The performance offered the audience a night of magic, comedy and the chance to participate.

“We came all the way from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to be with you guys today,” Blagg said during his introduction. “We are excited to be here with you.”

Throughout the show, Blagg entertained the audience with his performance and asked for volunteers to help with the tricks.

For the first trick, he had an audience member lay down on a table and removed the pieces that were holding the table up so that the table, with the audience member on it, was suspended in midair.

In another one of his tricks, he asked an audience member to tape a dollar to a piece of steel and then Blagg had to walk through the steel to get it.

“I present to you walking through a solid sheet of steel…which looks a lot like aluminum,” Blagg said as he performed the trick.

One of the final tricks of the first act was a trick that Blagg had learned very early in life.

“I want to show you the first magic trick I ever learned,” Blagg said. “It’s also known as the World’s Greatest Magic Trick.”

For this trick, he called an audience member up to the stage to help him cut and restore a rope. He continued to cut the rope into half and then proceeded to restore the rope to its full length within a matter of seconds.

“It was really fun,” Belinda Fornasieri, one of the audience members said. “I thought I would be able to figure out the [rope] trick, but I couldn’t figure it out. This was the first time I had done something like this. It was exciting. He made it fun.”

Blagg reminded the audience of the importance of wonder and magic that is seen in childhood but somehow disappears as adults.

Joe Dans, another audience member, agreed. “[He put] magic and comedy together,” Dans said. “It was hard to figure [the tricks] out with him.”

Before his final trick of the first act, which involved mixing different colors of sand into a bowl of water and then separating them, Blagg told the audience of the inspiration he had found in his grandfather and the books that he had sent him when he was younger.

“On one of the pages in the third volume, there was a note that read “Dear Billy, If anything ever comes of [you doing] magic, this is a great trick to use,” Blagg said.

The second half of the show was filled with equally amazing tricks.

“We are going to kick off the second half with a trick we performed on the Soul Train Awards,” Blagg said

photo by Danielle Reed

Bill Blagg, a magician from Wisconsin, interacts with members of the audience during his performance.

before performing the Plexiglass box trick. During this trick, Blagg was locked in a Plexiglass box that was then covered with a sheet. When the sheet was removed, Blagg was no longer in the box and appeared in the audience.

“It [the show] was excellent,” Dans said. “I liked the Plexiglass box.”

During the second act, Blagg also performed a trick where he poured chocolate milk from a clear pitcher into a milk carton and poured out different liquids like strawberry milk, Coke, 7Up and lemonade from the same carton.

Audience members were asked to try each of the drinks to verify that they were indeed what they appeared to be.

“It was wonderful,” Nicholas Moore said. “[My favorite was] the one where he turned chocolate milk into juice.”

For his final trick, Blagg created a paper snowflake and made it snow on stage. Blagg reminded the audience of the importance of a sense of wonder and magic that sometimes fades as people become adults.

“You forget the wonder, the magic of snow,” Blagg said.

Blagg returned to the stage for applause and introduced his assistant at the end of the show. T-shirts and magic kits were available on sale in the lobby.

dreed1@ramapo.edu

Total Talent Takeover at the 2011 Grammy Awards Page 9 The Ramapo News

By CLAIRE CHAPEL Staff Writer

On Sunday, CBS aired the 53rd annual Grammy Awards Ceremony. This ceremony started at 8:00 p.m. and lasted until 11:30 p.m. This is the biggest night for music and artists and this year’s Grammys celebrated music, fashion, arts education, and philanthropy.

“I’m in love with the Grammys!” sophomore Casey Piolo enthusiastically commented about the Grammys.

Piolo and thousands of avid music lovers were restlessly waiting to see what music stars would be going home this year with awards.

Of course the talk of the town before the Grammys even started was Lady Gaga arriving on the red carpet in a fake egg-like figure and oxygen tank to collaborate with her new song, “Born This Way.” Most fans and viewers watching reacted by saying, “typical Lady Gaga.”

The ceremony began with a montage and tribute to

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Aretha Franklin, performed by Christina Aguilera, Martina McBride, Florence and the Machine, Yolanda Adams and Jennifer Hudson. Each woman did an outstanding job vocally and it was certainly a memorable, fun and upbeat opening act.

“I thought this year’s Grammys were so much better than previous years. Not just the awards but especially the performances.”

-Jennifer Confortini, sophomore

Christina Aguilera remembered all of her lyrics in this performance, unlike her slip-up during the “Star Spangled Banner” at the Super Bowl opening.

Aretha Franklin herself thanked the performers afterwards in a video. In the video, Aretha Franklin apologized for her absence from this year’s Grammy Awards due to her recent hospitalization for health reasons. However, she promised to be at next year’s Grammy Awards.

Aside from the impressive opening act there were many other performances that were absolutely outstanding as well. Some that really stood out as some of the best of the night were Cee Lo Green, Gwyneth Paltrow, and the Muppets singing “F*** you” or otherwise known as, “Forget You.” Lady Gaga performed her newest song “Born This Way” that will appear on her album coming out May 2011.

Justin Bieber and Usher paired up for a performance as well.

The awards themselves were presented between each musical performance. The first award of the night, “Best pop performance by a duo or group,” went to the artist Train for his song, “Hey Soul Sister.” Since it was esti-

Gaga Losing the Fame?

photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons Lady Antebellum was just one of the many performers at this yearʼs Grammy Awards.

By TOM VAN HOWLING Staff Writer Two and a half years ago, Lady Gaga burst onto the music scene when her debut single, “Just Dance,” tore up the radio. Now she’s back at it again with the debut title track and first single off her soon-to-be-released album, “Born this Way.” In “Born this Way,” the originality of her past singles like “Bad Romance” and “Poker Face” is gone. Instead, the creativity is replaced with a mediocre Madonna impersonation.

Many fans are calling Gaga a sellout and comparing the song to Madonna’s “Express Yourself,” released in 2006. On Saturday, Madonna’s brother, Christopher Ciccone, voiced his opinion about the song to radaronline.com.

“All I can say is ‘What the F**K!” Ciccone said. “It sounds just like ‘Express Yourself.’

I can’t believe it, to tell you the truth.”

Ciccone went on to compliment Gaga on her talent but referred to her as “Madonna on speed.”

Madonna impersonation or not, it’s clear that Gaga is trying to shock people.

“Don’t be a drag, just be a queen,” Gaga proclaims in the lyrics. While it’s all the rage lately to have songs about loving who you are, “Born This Way” seems to fall flat compared to Katy Perry’s “Firework” and Ke$ha’s “We R Who We R,” two upbeat songs about expressing yourself.

The problem is not the song; it’s the fact the Gaga seems as if she’s trying too hard. When her debut album “The Fame” and her EP, “The Fame Monster” were released in 2008 and 2009 respectively, it was clear that Lady Gaga was making the kind of music she wanted, uninhibited by anything. Now, however Gaga has gotten a bit too cocky.

Over-the-top or not, music listeners have mixed opinions.

“I like it, I think it has a good message,” senior Jalissa Allen said. “It’s not too depressing like other songs that try to be uplifting,” she added.

Some feel differently, however.

“It’s just not as catchy,” senior Lauren Fiorilla said. “She always has a really fun chorus that you just wanna sing and dance to, and I feel this one is different from that.”

With “Born This Way,” Gaga’s lost a bit of her edge and gone towards what the mainstream wants: a Britney Spears and Madonna copy.

The lyrics don’t live up to past Gaga efforts, and the music sounds like just about any other pop/dance song currently getting radio airplay. Hopefully Gaga will leave the sound of her decent single behind her and return to being the amazing musician we all know and love on the rest of her sophomore album. tvanhowl@ramapo.edu

mated this year that Justin Bieber would win just about every award, Train started his speech humorously saying, “Thanks Justin Bieber for not being a duo or group!”

This made the audience laugh.

Shockingly, Justin Bieber went home empty handed.

Other winners of the night included Muse for “Best Rock Album,” Lady Gaga for “Best Pop Vocal Album,” Bruno Mars for “Best Male Pop Vocal Performance,” and Eminem who was nominated for 10 Grammys and went home with 2 awards, one for “Best Rap Album,” and the other for “Best Rap Solo Performance.”

However, Lady Antebellum stole the awards ceremony with five Grammys. One for “Best Country Album,” as well as her single “Need You Now” winning “Song of the Year,” and lastly, “Record of the Year.” She was visibly honored and excited for these awards as the gave her acceptance speech with tears of joy streaming down her face.

Many students on campus were huddled up in their dorms watching these awards together.

“I thought this years Grammys were so much better than previous years. Not just the awards but especially the performances. I absolutely loved Rihanna and Drake’s performance and my favorite of the night was Katy Perry.

Her voice sounded beautiful and she looked radiant as usual,” sophomore Jennifer Confortini said.

So there we have it. Another full year of new music and new artists, and another fun filled night of performances and artists going home with a Grammy. Music fans now anxiously wait to see what type of music the rest of 2011 will bring. cchapel@ramapo.edu

Motorola Attempts to ‘Xoom’ Past Its Competition Page 10 The Ramapo News

BY VINNY PARISI Staff Writer

The annual International Consumer Electronics Show, CES, takes place every January in Las Vegas.

Showcasing the latest the technology industry has to offer, CES provides attendees and consumers a look at what’s next for the future of electronics.

As always, there is a “Best of CES” award presented to the device with the most promise; a gadget that is guaranteed to steal both the hearts, and wallets, of anyone interested in the latest tech. This year the winner was the Motorola “Xoom” was privileged with just such an esteemed award.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

The Xoom is a tablet computer, a niche device that is increasing in popularity due to the recent success of the “iPad.” What makes Motorola’s entry into the market noteworthy is the continued partnership with Google. In this case, the software is the latest version of the popular Android OS called Android 3.0, or “Honeycomb” as it is nicknamed. Honeycomb, the most advanced, upgraded version of Android to date, is designed specifically for Tablets and the Xoom is the first to feature it.

The Xoom has not only won the affections of the press, it has also gained the support of the consumer as well.

Austin Savill, a student at Ramapo College, is looking forward to Motorola’s entry into the Tablet market.

“I’m glad it’s coming out,” Savill said.

He also thinks it will be competition for Apple.

“It’s good to see someone else release a product which I feel will be more than a competitor and actually give Apple a run for it’s money,” Savill said in regards to its current competition, Apple’s iPad. While the newest version of Android is more than enough reason to get excited, the rest of the hardware

with support for the latest version of Adobe Flash, in addition to the HDMI output support for streaming content to a TV. The Xoom is powered by a 1 GHz dual-core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor and boasts a whopping 10 hours of battery life for video playback. It will come with 32GB of internal memory and will be SD card compatible, after a post-launch software update, for even

packed inside the Xoom is also impressive.

The tablet features two cameras; a five megapixel rearfacing camera that can record 720p HD video and a two mpx front-facing camera used for video chatting. The screen is a whopping 10.1” and will run at a resolution of 1280x800 allowing for video playback of up to 1080p;

vparisi@ramapo.edu

While the newest version of Android is more than enough reason to get excited, the rest of the hardware packed inside the Xoom is just as impressive.

“It’s good to see someone else release a product which I feel will be more than a competitor and actually give Apple a run for it’s money.”

-Austin Savill, Ramapo student

more data storage.

While the Xoom is confirmed to be released in a Wi-Fi only version, the tablet is at its best when running on a 3G network. For the futurists looking ahead, the Xoom”is also 4G upgradeable to Verizon’s latest 4G LTE network, with an update that will be available in the near future.

The Xoom is expected to release on Feb. 24, but does not yet have a confirmed price. It is expected to release somewhere around the $800 mark and will support various data plans for those expecting to use 3G or 4G networks. Sign-ups for preordering will be available at most retailers within the upcoming week.

Cotton Club Performs for African Ancestry Month photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Motorola hopes to surpass Appleʼs Ipod with the new tablet PC “Xoom.”

Students Get the Chance to Enjoy Soul Food and Big Band Music

BY JULIANNE BRANDA Staff Writer

This Tuesday from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. in Friend’s Hall, the New York based band “The Cotton Club” visited Ramapo for a night of soul food and big band tunes.

Their performance brought the rich heritage of the Harlem music scene at that time to the modern era.

The Cotton Club is named after the club in Harlem, New York which was a speakeasy in the 1920’s and remains open for business today. Famous artists such as Duke Ellington and Bill “Bojangles” Robinson performed at the Cotton Club during the early 20th century.

“The music was very relaxing. It was a change of pace

The music was very relaxing. It was a change of pace from rap, pop, and all the fast and loud music we’re all used to. It was very soothing,” -Ashley Garcia, freshman

from rap, pop, and all the fast and loud music we’re all used to. It was very soothing,” freshman Ashley Garcia said.

The band played a great range of big band music, jazz, blues and Motown. Many of the band members performed solos on the drums, saxophone and guitar, adding a unique flair to music that has been played for decades. Members of the audience got up to dance while other guests feasted on classic African American cuisine such as collard greens, yams and fried chicken.

“This event was held to kick off African Ancestry month.

Ramapo college brought the Harlem Cotten Club to month.

However, last week we had to postpone it due to the snow,” Emily Davis from Ramapo’s Student Activities Revenue Management said.

“We brought the Cotton Club to Ramapo after researching online and interviewing them.

They are really great.”

Although the snow pushed back the event, the Cotton Club brought everyone’s spirits up by treating Ramapo students to an energetic and classic set of songs, which included “Stand by Me”, “My Girl”, and “Johnny B. Goode”.

“The music takes you back in time,” junior Erika

photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

perform on campus in honor of African Ancestry

Simmons said.

The Cotton Club also offered a unique opportunity to offer different students a glimpse into a culture that they would otherwise be unfamiliar with.

“It was a culturally uplifting event,” freshman Matthew Kobza said.

Indeed the Cotton Club brought a vintage flavor to the students of Ramapo. Students enjoyed the food, music, and dancing, and most attendees agreed that it was a great time. jbanda1@ramapo.edu

Intervarsity Christian Fellowship Holds Coffeehouse Page 11 The Ramapo News

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Event Brings Students and Faith Together Through Poetry

photo by Nicole Mazewski

Members of the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship gathered last Wednesday for a coffeehouse poetry night at J. Leeʼs. down the hall into J-Lee’s. Pastries from

By NICOLE MAZEWS KI Panera Bread were also offered to both Staff Writer performers and audience members. The On Wednesday, Feb. 9, about 30 stuwelcoming, comfortable atmosphere dents came out to J-Lee’s at 9 p.m. to encouraged students to share their own attend and participate in a coffeehouse writing and that of poets they admire, poetry night sponsored by Intervarsity monologues and songs.

Christian Fellowship.

Nick Latrenta, alumnus of Ramapo’s Attendees were greeted by the aroma of Class of 2009, performed a monologue Dunkin Donut’s coffee as they came

for the group. He also spoke about reasons a college student could turn to faith.

“You’re in college and sometimes you don’t know what you want to do - sometimes you do, and you just don’t know how to get there,” Latrenta said.

There were about ten students who performed in front of the group. Some improvised and some had rehearsed prior to that night.

The group frequently holds an open mic night, and they decided to “switch it up” with this coffeehouse.

“We wanted to reach out to a new group on campus. There are a lot of creative people on campus and we wanted to give them a place to show their work,” junior Valerie Picinich, one of the leaders in IVCF, said.

Getting a good turnout for any on-campus event is always a challenge, but IVCF focused on their advertising and giveaways. During the event they held raffles and gave away gift cards to Borders and Starbucks, essentials for any college student.

“You’re in college and sometimes you don’t know what you want to do - sometimes you do, and you just don’t know how to get there.”

“We’re really impressed by the turnout,” junior Rachael Trover, president of IVCF said. “We wanted a place for students to have fun and get to know each other.”

“We wanted to reach out to a new group on campus. There are a lot of creative people on campus and we wanted to give them a place to show their work.”

-Valerie Picinich, junior

IVCF is a national organization and is on public college campuses all over the country. Ramapo’s chapter currently has about 25 members.

“Intervarsity Christian Fellowship helps to spread the word of God and promotes love,” Trover said IVCF follows no specific denomination, and they accept anyone, regardless of religious affiliation. They simply follow the Christian faith, which includes Catholics and Protestants, among others.

The group holds a prayer hour every Thursday at 1 p.m. in the Salameno Spiritual Center. nmazewsk@ramapo.edu

-Nick Latrenta, Ramapo alumnus

Many Fans ‘Get With It,’ Sandler Rolls into Theaters

By EILEEN TRACY Staff Writer

“Just Go With It” starring Adam Sandler, Jennifer Anniston and Brooklyn Decker and directed by Dennis Dugan is a romantic comedy that is sure to warm hearts and keep people laughing the whole time.

Sandler plays Danny, a plastic surgeon who spends his days working and his nights picking up single woman while wearing a wedding ring. This plan seems to work until one morning when everything changes and Danny starts to live a lie.

Sandler plays Danny’s character with such

Sandler plays Danny, a plastic surgeon who spends his days working and his nights picking up single women while wearing a wedding ring.

ease. He is witty, charming, and, as always, funny. Sandler brings his charisma to the movie, especially when it came to meeting women. Danny is a likable character single men can relate to .

Danny is a workaholic and he spends a lot of time with his co-worker, Katherine, played by Jennifer Aniston. They laugh

photos courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Adam Sandler and Brooklyn Decker star in “Just Go With It,” a romantic comedy about a single playboy who creates an elaborate scheme to win over the woman of his dreams. by together, enjoy each other’s company and have Brooklyn Decker, and the two hit it off been friends for a very long time. They right away. They end up falling asleep on joke around with each other and have great the beach together.

The next morning, just as the two are chemistry.

One night, Danny attends a party where a about to exchange numbers, Palmer spots little boy falls and needs stitches. Of the wedding ring on Danny’s hand and course, Danny jumps to the rescue. wants nothing to do with him. Danny is in Immediately after, Danny meets the woman disbelief and is willing to do anything to of his dreams. Her name is Palmer, played get her back, so he thinks of a brilliant plan: Katherine will act as his ex-wife.

When her kids get thrown into the mix, the plan becomes even more complicated.

Aniston plays her character well. She is funny, sweet, charming and gorgeous.

Aniston brought some edge to the movie, especially during a scene where she strips down to an itty-bitty bikini.

Danny and Katherine work together to try to act like that they’ve been married before and ready for a divorce, but they quickly find out its not so easy.

The director, Dennis Dugan, has also directed films like “Big Daddy,” “Grown Ups,” “Happy Gilmore” and “I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. “ The movie grossed $31 million dollars this weekend, according to hollywoodreporter.com.

RATING:

####$

etracy@ramapo.edu

Page 12 The Ramapo News

Life & Culture

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Less Sleep, Less Studying, Less Success

BY DIANA S TANCZAK A&E Editor Most of us are familiar with this scenario: It’s 9:30 a.m. and you’re rushing out of bed to get to your first class in 15 minutes. Your alarm went off an hour ago, but you pressed snooze one too many times. You pull on some sweats and run across campus to your classroom, but you’re so sleepy you can’t focus.

The solution to this problem is simple: get more sleep.

Unfortunately, sleep deprivation and college seem to go hand in hand, and the consequences may be affecting us more than we realize.

As webmd.com simply puts it, “Not sleeping well is not OK.” The short-term effects of sleep deprivation are obvious: not enough sleep leaves us with decreased performance and alertness, and often has a negative impact on memory as well.

Eight hours of sleep is the ideal, but some students have trouble fulfilling that quota. Instead, they skimp on the shut-eye and go through their day of classes without achieving their full academic potential, according to a study done by usatoday.com.

So why do Ramapo students stay up so late?

Sophomore Sam Ruggiero explained her late night habits.

“I stay up late because I procrastinate for no reason. I put off studying until last minute, and end up having to sacrifice sleep in order to get my work done,” she said.

Sophomore Chris Falco stays up late for different reasons.

“When I stay up late, it feels like my day is longer,” Falco said. “Also, I have too much energy at night to go to sleep,” he added.

Both Ruggiero and Falco’s reasons are common, accord-

ing to an article about sleep deprivation on yahoo.com.

“It’s doubtful that so many students work so well late at night when they should be sleeping. It’s even less likely that they like it that way. But that’s the way things are done,” Yahoo contributor Ana Montano wrote.

Weekends pose another problem. Even those who sleep well during the week may be harming their sleep cycles if they stay up late on the weekends.

“I stay up late on the weekends, which leaves me very tired on Mondays, when I have a full day of classes,” junior Liz Kronyak said.

According to Montano, this is common as well.

“If you stay up on your average Saturday night until 4:00 in the morning, and you get a full night’s sleep, you’ll be waking up around noon or one the next day. So you’ll be ready for bed way later than usual on Sunday night, making you extra tired come class time Monday morning,” she wrote.

With long days filled with classes, meetings and parties, its not always possible to rest a full eight hours.

However, there are definitely steps you can take to coming close.

For example, for those who have trouble falling asleep, working out during the day will help you fall asleep quicker come bedtime.

Another strategy is to “disconnect” before bed. By logging off of Facebook and turning your Blackberry off about an hour before bedtime, you’ll find yourself drifting to sleep much more rapidly due to the lack of electronic stimulation.

Falco suggested waking up earlier as a way to go to sleep earlier.

“On the days I have an 8 a.m. class, I’m feeling tired by mid-evening. Maybe if students took early classes it

Magenta’s Meals

BY LAUREN MAGENTA Staff Writer

While North Jersey is fighting through this record-breaking winter, I know the last thing you want to hear is the word “frozen,” but this week I’m sending you to the frozen food section in the grocery store. Here are a few ways to easily work those frozen ingredients into your diet.

Let’s steam things up! Well, the veggies at least. You can steam any vegetable in a steaming basket, which I assume no college student has, so let’s alter the instructions to fit your campus kitchen. Birds Eye has a Streamfresh line, which are packs of veggies that can be steamed in the microwave. Once the veggies are steamed, season away with salt, pepper, butter, or garlic.

Some fruits, like strawberries and blueberries, can be expensive during the winter months. This doesn’t mean you have to live without them; instead, just buy frozen. The benefit of frozen fruit is that it can be purchased and stored in your freezer ready and waiting.

To enjoy frozen fruit, let ¼ - ½ cup defrost and mix into your yogurt or cereal for breakfast. (Note: Yogurt can be deceiving. Many yogurts are jam packed with sugar. If one of the top three ingredients listed is sugar, you

photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Many college students do not realize the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation.

would help fix their sleeping habits,” he said.

Even one extra hour of sleep a night will make you feel more alert, awake and focused during the day.

Horoscopes

Ari es (March 21-Apri l 19) Any amount of force never won anybody’s favor. If your heart is in the right place this week, you can’t lose.

Taurus (Apri l 20-May 20) There is an area that has become too fixed and rigid in your life, An open heart takes the whole deal to unforeseen heights.

Gemi ni (May 21 - June 20) The mind has its own limits regarding how much information it can take in. Lean with your heart and let your head follow. photo courtesy of Flickrʼs Creative Commons

Frozen fruits are a great source of vitmains during the winter months. should select a different brand.)

Another easy recipe that lets you add fruit to your daily intake are waffles. Eggos work perfectly. First, spread jam over a toasted waffle, then cover with additional fruit. I recommend a raspberry jam with defrosted raspberries. For a special treat sprinkle powered sugar or whipped cream to top it off.

Look on the packaging and online for additional recipes for frozen fruits and veggies to help you get through the rest of this winter.

This fruit might just make you feel as though summer is just around the corner. lmagenta@ramapo.edu

Cancer (June 21-Jul y 22) There is a time to rest and a time to act.

Stay true to the course, heart open, and a new found speed on the path will kick in full gear.

Leo (Jul y 23-August 23) We can choose at any given moment how to spend our time and what to focus on. The high road is calling and holds rewards of the most unexpected kind.

Vi rgo (August 24-S eptember 22) Your work ethic is admirable Virgo. But you need to begin reducing the amount of pressure you put on yourself. Ease up, lighten and let go – help is here.

Li bra (S eptember 23-October 22) When one door closes, a few more will open this week. Even if it is a challenging week on some level, there will be excitement brewing.

dstancza@amapo.edu

S corpi o (October 23-Noember 21) You may be feeling alone in a crowded room of people you thought you knew well but this is the brink of a change that is about to alter your course. Don’t question the feeling, just find a place within yourself to trust the outcome.

S agi ttari us (November 22December 21) You and another may not be on the same sheet of music, but that does not mean you cannot find another song to sing. Make the difference you were meant to make and life will harmonize again.

Capri corn (December 22-January 19) While managing high levels of responsibility it is essential that you find ways to feel good. You will be amazed how much energy you will have for everything else on your plate.

Aquari us (January 20- February 19) You may search a lifetime and end up with a small number of people you can truly relate to. Let your unique spirit shine and someone will be sure to ‘recognize’ you.

Pi sces (February 20-March 20) Life is about taking chances. A new theme is brewing, new levels of inspiration are finding you, and all because of a little help from your friends.

Horoscopes courtesy of madalynaslan.com

SPORTS

Men’s Volleyball Powers Past Lancaster, NJCU 2 . 17 . 11

Roadrunners Sweep Ramapo Tri-Match to Improve to 7-6

By TOM BABCOCK Staff Writer The men’s volleyball team won both of its matches Saturday to sweep the Ramapo TriMatch and improve to 7-6 on the season.

The Roadrunners defeated New Jersey City University and Lancaster Bible College, winning all but one of their sets en route to a commanding sweep.

Interim coach Robert Pichardo thinks the team is just starting to gel as a group.

“The team chemistry we’ve been looking for is finally starting to come together,” Pichardo said.

Ramapo turned in solid performances across the board, led by sophomore middle blocker Joel Castro, who had a team high 18 kills against NJCU. “We noticed in warm-ups their middles weren’t as quick as us,” Castro said. “We made it our focus to target that area throughout the match.”

The strategy paid off. After dropping the first set 23-25, the Roadrunners went on to win three straight sets, 25-21, 25-15 and 25-22 for a 3-1 victory. Andrew Brown and Paul Konopacki contributed with 15 kills each.

Brown, a senior outside hitter, credited his teammates for helping set the table.

“Mike [Hrehovcik] really stepped up his game and led the team to those two wins, along with

photo by Stefanie Mauro

THIS WEEK

Thursday:

Men’s Volleyball vs. Eastern Mennonite University at 8 p.m.

Friday: photo by Stefanie Mauro

Freshman Mike Hrehovcik sets up freshman Mike Kane for a spike.

Joel,” Brown said.

Hrehovcik, a junior, had a team high 54 assists as the team’s setter.

Senior Kevin McNerney had 13 digs for the defense.

The team agreed that NJCU was a loud group with a scrappy defense. When they fell down 01 after the first set it took some leadership from the captains to regain the lost momentum.

“There’s still a lot of room for improvement on this team. We know we’re better than how we’ve played this season.

- Kevin McNerney, senior

After a slow start to the season, the Roadrunners have won four of their last six matches.

RAMAPO SPORTS

“We’ve had some problems with coming out and just going through the motions this season,” Castro admitted. “So after dropping the first set our captains Mike [Hrehovcik] and Colin [McNeill] really helped get our emotions up.”

Those positive emotions carried the Roadrunners all the way through the second match up of the day against Lancaster. Ramapo cruised to a 3-0 victory (25-14, 25-18, 25-16.)

Freshmen outside hitters Jeff Jones and Nick Hrehovcik stepped up with 10 and seven kills, respectively, to lead the team.

Jones, the 2010 New Jersey State Player of the Year in high school, has already won over the respect of his teammates.

“He’s come in and exceeded all expectations,” Brown said. “As a freshman he has proven that he can also compete on the collegiate level.”

Jones is one player on a young Ramapo team.

Nine out of the 20 listed players on the roster are freshmen.

Pichardo thinks that is part of the reason why the Roadrunners have struggled early this season.

“With so many newcomers this season it is going to take some time to adjust to each other.

Talent wise, this is a great team,” Pichardo said.

“It‘s just going to take some time getting used the coaching philosophy.”

Ramapo had been ranked in preseason polls but has gotten off to a slow start. McNerney echoed the optimism that was felt throughout the team, despite their rough start.

“There’s still a lot of room for improvement on this team,” McNerney said. “We know we’re better than how we’ve played this season.”

Pichardo has not lost hope on this season. He cited last year’s champion as a means for motivation.

“I don’t pay attention to the polls,” Pichardo

“It’s not the way you start. It’s the way you finish.”

- Robert Pichardo, interim coach

said. “Last season Nazareth was seeded 15th and ended up winning the whole NECVA Championship.”

He believes it is more about catching fire at the right time than where the teams are ranked.

“It’s not the way you start,” Pichardo said.

“It’s the way you finish.” tbabcock@ramapo.edu

Men’s and Womens’s Swimming Metropolitan Conference Championship

Saturday:

Men’s Volleyball at River College at 11 a.m.

Men’s Volleyball vs. Wesley University at 3 p.m.

Sunday:

Men’s and Women’s Track and Field - NJAC Championships

Wednesday:

Men’s Volleyball at the Sage Colleges at 7 p.m.

Men’s Basketball Continues Winning Ways at Bradley Center

Page 14 The Ramapo News

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Roadrunners Defeat William Paterson to Close Season with 10-0 Home Record are multiple factors that have spelled success for his team in their home arena.

“When you get a good crowd that obviously helps bring energy and electricity into the building, but it’s also good to be at home to follow the same routine,” McBreen said. “Routine is big and kids obviously love being in a routine and not having to get on a bus and go somewhere.

It changes your eating patterns, and it changes everything you do.”

McBreen feels that the advantage of playing at home can be immense for his team, but he also recognizes the struggle to put fans in the seats.

“We don’t always get great crowds like I think we should based on the fact that there’s not a lot going on,” McBreen said.

“The people on campus just don’t want to make the walk down here.”

Although the support from the student body this season is not as strong as

By KEVIN JOHNSON Staff Writer

The Ramapo Roadrunners men’s basketball team prefers home cooking.

The Bill Bradley Center has historically acted as the ultimate home court advantage in the New Jersey Athletic Conference, as the Roadrunners have run off a string of eleven straight seasons with a winning record on their home court.

“We’ve played some games in the NCAA’s and NJAC playoff games where we sold out, and the building is electric.

When you have 1,500-2,000 people in here it is absolutely unbelievable,” -Chuck McBreen, Coach

The Bradley Center has been the home court of the Roadrunners since it was built in 2004. With a capacity of 2,200 people, the Bradley Center can create an ultimate intimidation factor for visiting teams.

Since the center was built, the team has posted an outstanding 67-19 record.

Ramapo’s dominance at home comes with some irony, as the school gained its Roadrunners name from the fact that most of their sports teams lacked an arena to call home prior to the Bradley Center.

The Roadrunners 62-49 victory over William Paterson on Feb.14 pushed the

photo by Mike Jagendorf

The menʼs basketball team is undefeated at home this season, winning all ten of their games played at the Bradley Center.

team to a perfect 10-0 home record and an overall record of 19-5 this season.

Coach Chuck McBreen feels that there

“Hopefully we can continue to win, and put ourselves in a position to get the home court throughout the NJAC playoffs and if we do we hope we pack this place, and the building will be rocking,” -Chuck McBreen, Coach

McBreen feels it should be, he knows how wild the arena can get for big games.

“We’ve played some games in the NCAA

and NJAC playoff games where we sold out, and the building is electric. When you have 1,500-2,000 people in here it is absolutely unbelievable. It’s a great feeling as a player playing; it’s a great feeling as a coach and it’s just an exciting time.”

McBreen looks forward to the NJAC

With a capacity of 2,200 people, the Bradley Center can create an ultimate intimidation factor for visiting teams.

-Chuck McBreen, Coach

playoffs, and hopes the team can take full advantage of playing on their home court throughout the tournament.

“Hopefully we can continue to win, and put ourselves in a position to get the home court throughout the NJAC playoffs. If we do we hope we pack this place, and the building will be rocking.”

The Roadrunners proved they can win on the road too when they defeated Willaim Paterson 64-49 last night in their regular season finale. After finishing the season at 20-5, Ramapo will host a to be announced opponent Tuesday night in the NJAC Tournament. kjohnso3@ramapo.edu

Favorites Maintain Status Quo in First Half of NBA Season Knicks Rise to Playoff Contenders While Nets Continue to Disapoint

By DAVE JONES Staff Writer

With the NBA season slightly beyond the halfway point, it is time to look back at who the surprises are, who has exceeded expectations and what fans can expect as the action heats up in the second half of the season.

While the usual cast of teams such as the Boston Celtics (39-14), Los Angeles Lakers (38-18) and San Antonio Spurs (46-9) sit atop the standings in their respective conferences there are a few upstarts who are worth mentioning.

The Miami Heat, led by the Team USA trio of Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh, have managed to share the love on offense while playing tough on the defensive end and sit in first in the Southeast Division with a 34-14 record. Despite injuries and some early struggles, perhaps the most hyped team in NBA history has started to gel and will be a matchup nightmare for any team in the league come playoff time.

Coming off their first playoff appearance, the Oklahoma City Thunder have paced the Northwest Division while running and gunning to a 35-19 record. This up-and-coming young squad is led by Kevin Durant, who continues to be one of the league’s leading scorers, averaging 28.9 points per game for

the Thunder. Russell Westbrook made a case for an appearance in the All-Star Game with his stellar numbers of 22.2 points per game, 8.6 assists per game and five rebounds per game while Serge Ibaka has been a force inside.

The Chicago Bulls (37-16) have also been enjoying a strong season so far and have raced out to a monster lead in the Central Division, where they sit 13 games in front of the second place Indiana Pacers. The offseason acquisition of Carlos Boozer has complimented stalwarts Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah nicely and has given the Bulls another dimension on both ends of the floor.

The key to the Bulls is their defense, which allows 92.3 points per game, ranked behind the Celtics for best in the league.

One of the more surprising teams in the Eastern Conference has been the New York Knicks, who are having a solid season for coach Mike D’Antoni with a 27-26 record.

Although they missed out on Lebron James and Dwayne Wade, free agent signee Amare Stoudemire has been enjoying an MVP-type season and Italian sharp shooter Danilo Gallinari has emerged as a constant threat from the outside.

While the team does not play much defense, their high-octane offense will make for a tough playoff match up for anyone in the east during the first round, which will

photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

Newly-signed Amare Stoudemire has rejuvenated the New York Knicks this season.

only be tougher if they can successfully lure Carmelo Anthony away from Denver. At the very least, the team has returned some hoops pride to the Big Apple and made Madison Square Garden the place to be once again.

Despite having a losing record, the New Jersey Nets (17-39) have managed to become one of the most talked about teams in the NBA. Coming off a season in which they went 12-70, the Nets started fresh with a new owner (Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov), a new coach (Avery Johnson), a new GM (Billy King), and a new roster (with Devin Harris, Brook Lopez, and Kris Humphries being the only holdovers). The team came close to acquiring All-Star sensation Carmelo Anthony on two occasions only to see the deal collapse in the last hour.

Despite this, the Nets sit 8.5 games out of the playoffs with plenty of games left. If they want to make the postseason, Harris needs to regain his previous All-Star form, Lopez needs to show the promise he displayed in the past two years and the bench needs to contribute consistently.

Who will win is still anyone’s guess, but Boston could be the early favorite. The defending champion Lakers have a chance but have been inconsistent this year after losing key reserves like Jordan Farmar and Sasha Vujacic. The Heat looked good in stretches but it is unknown how they will respond in the playoffs. San Antonio, one of the deepest teams in the NBA, is also a contender with the league’s best record. djones@ramapo.edu

Women’s Basketball Falls Short Against William Paterson Page 15 The Ramapo News

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Roadrunners Lose to Pioneers, 60-55, Despite Late Game Run

By KATIE BRUNO Staff Writer

The Ramapo College women’s basketball team lost 60-55 against NJAC conference rival William Paterson University Pioneers in their last home game of the season this past Monday night.

The Roadrunners came out playing flat in the beginning of the first half. While still trying to play their best game, it seemed nearly impossible when the Pioneers started the game by making two consecutive 3pointers.

Sophomore guard Faith Flannery started taking control of the Roadrunners offense, leading them down the court to set up freshman forward Micaela Moore for the team’s first basket of the night.

The Pioneers came back with another 3pointer from their leading scorer, April Smith. Ramapo’s defense struggled to grab rebounds, but Flannery successfully maneuvered through William Paterson’s defense to make a lay-up.

“We needed the win, and if we played our game and kept it interesting we could have had a better shot.”

-Lindsey Gripenburg, forward

In the middle of the first half, the Roadrunners regained their strength on

defense, led by senior center Danielle Beam and freshman center Brittany Howes.

Freshmen guards Samantha Maggio and Alayna Diodano, and junior forward Lindsey Gripenburg also contributed on both offense and defense. At the end of the first half the Roadrunners trailed 38-27.

The halftime show got the whole crowd rowdy. The women’s dance team performed their halftime routine with their newly adopted teammate, 7 ½ year-old Alyssa Hurwitz from the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation. The entire crowd cheered as Hurwitz did the whole routine with the team and kept up with every move.

“We didn’t play so well in the first half, but after some yelling in the locker room we came out in the second half and played as a team.”

- Faith Flannery, guard

“The team taught her the dance in such a short period of time,” dance coach Michelle Fernandez said. “She picked up really fast and went home and practiced really hard.

She blended right in with the girls.”

The Roadrunners came back in a much more organized manner in the second half.

Howes’ rebounds were key in Ramapo’s play, and Donadio’s aggressive offense and defense helped keep the game close.

photo courtesy of Ramapo Athletics

Sophomore Alexa Ryan scored 20 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a losing effort against William Paterson University on Monday.

Sophomore captain, guard Alexa Ryan stepped up her game, racking up 13 points in the second half.

The game became extremely close towards the end with points from Flannery, Ryan and Moore. Unfortunately, the heart that the team played with wasn’t enough. At the end of the game, William Paterson took the win over Ramapo by a score of 60-55.

“We didn’t play so well in the first half,” Flannery said. “But after some yelling in the locker room we came out in the second half and played as a team.”

“We needed the win, and if we played our game and kept it interesting we could have had a better shot,” Gripenburg said. “If we

won we also would have been second seed in the playoffs, but we should have played better and now we know what to expect for next time.”

Flannery anticipated the Roadrunners rematch with William Patterson on the road to close out the regular season.

“We need to play as a team throughout the whole game and stay focused, because we fell apart tonight.”

Ramapo lost the rematch 52-43 to close out their regular season with a 15-10 record. kbruno2@ramapo.edu

Stars Do Not Align for Some of NBA’s Best Players

Josh Smith, LaMarcus Aldridge Highlight List of Top Players Left Out of All-Star Game

By DAVE JONES Staff Writer

The NBA recently unveiled the rosters for the league’s All-Star game that will take place Sunday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, home of the Lakers and Clippers.

The rosters were littered with big name stars and fan favorites like Kobe Bryant, Lebron James, and Dwight Howard, but also included a couple first timers and upcoming young talent like Blake Griffin, Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant.

As is the case with any All-Star game though, several guys who are having solid seasons were left off the invite list. Let’s take a look at some of the notable snubs from this year’s contest.

The coaches and fans may have gotten the Eastern conference right, as there are not many notable snubs. The roster, like the competition, is dominated by the Boston Celtics and Miami Heat, but there are some players that one could make an argument for.

Arguably the biggest snub in the Eastern Conference, Josh Smith, has had a solid allaround season for an Atlanta Hawks team who is sitting in the middle of the Eastern conference. In addition to scoring 16.7 points per game and grabbing 8.9 rebounds per game, Smith is one of the league’s premier shot blockers, averaging 1.7 rejections

per contest. His versatility playing alongside Al Horford and Joe Johnson has been a valued asset for Atlanta and makes Smith one of the more underrated players in the NBA. Acquired in the offseason by the New York Knicks, Raymond Felton has had a solid season alongside All-Star forward/center Amare Stoudemire. His mix of points (17.2 points per game) and assists (9.0 assists per game) ranks him among the most productive point guards in the league and he has really taken to Mike D’Antoni’s fast paced offense. Felton is one of the main reasons

the Knicks have returned to playing competitive basketball night in and night out.

Had NBA Commissioner David Stern recently not named Minnesota big man Kevin Love as a replacement for the injured Yao Ming, there would be a clear winner for biggest snub of the year. After all, Love leads the league in rebounding at 15.5 per game while also scoring over 20 points a night. His 43 double-doubles are by far the most in the league.

Love’s inclusion in the game leaves room for Portland forward LaMarcus Aldridge to grab the not so coveted snub title. During

photo courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

LaMarcus Aldridge has kept the Portland Trailblazers in playoff contention despite injuries to Brandon Roy and Greg Oden.

January, Aldridge led the Blazers in both scoring and rebounding with averages of 24.9 points and 10.4 rebounds. His tough-

[Josh Smith’s] versatility playing alongside Al Horford and Joe Johnson has been a valuable asset for Atlanta and makes Smith one of the more underrated players in the NBA.

ness on both ends of the floor has led him to become the true leader of a Portland team that has been heavily hit with injuries the past few years and was once considered a team on the rise in the NBA. Another player with a legitimate gripe is Lakers forward Lamar Odom. The alwaysversatile Odom has been enjoying arguably the finest season of his career, averaging 15.1 points and 9.3 rebounds per game. His 55% field goal percentage is also the best mark of his career. Odom’s ability to shoot, rebound, defend, and handle the ball make him one of the most complete players in the NBA. djones@ramapo.edu

SPORTS 10 . 7 . 10

Roadrunners Rally 2 . 1710. 11 . 7 . 10

Men’s volleyball looks to turn around season with two wins on Saturday.

Page 13

photo by Stefanie Mauro

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