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A Publication by the Students for the Ramapo College Community

Saturday Snowstorm Hits Campus, Mahwah Hard 11.3.2011

XLII No. 8

Curling Iron Causes Residence Hall Fire

By NICOLE ALLIEGRO News Editor

photo by Stephen Fallon

Snow unexpectedly fell in the Northeast over Halloween weekend, and severe weather conditions led Governor Chris Christie to declare a State of Emergency in New Jersey. See the full story on page 2.

College Releases First Institutional Effectiveness Report

By ELYS E TORIBIO News Editor

An institutional effectiveness report that details the progress of the College’s goals was published and released by the administration to the Ramapo community this week. The report has been in progress for approximately five years, and is the first in a series that the College plans to administer every three years.

Babette Varano, assistant vice president for the Institutional Effectiveness and Planning, explained that the administrators as well as the heads of offices across campus were heavily involved in determining what the College’s main priorities should be for each

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cycle.

The idea, Varano said, would be that “the institution would see exact transparency, where we’ve had our successes, and where we could all share data driven information--the same data driven information.”

Through collaborative strategic planning, it was determined that the top priorities for the next three years will be to focus on meeting Middle States expectations, enhancing student engagement in and out of the classroom, and repairing and renovating various areas around campus.

Already, there have been successful results from this research and focus, Varano explained. A study of recent surveys determined that the

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majority of the student body has positive feelings toward advisement on campus.

“In most schools advisement doesn’t shine brilliantly,” Varano said. “But in this school we had rave reviews about faculty advisement from our students.”

The College has also seen progress being made on the initiatives to make necessary improvements to the school’s infrastructure. The heating, ventilation and air conditioning system was replaced in the Student Center over the summer, and roofs on the buildings were replaced at no cost to the school thanks to solar panels. The G-wing is also preparing for a major renovation and the construction of a new nursing facility.

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In President Mercer’s State of the College address in early September, he indicated that the College was looking into developing revenue initiatives. This is detailed in the Report and mentioned by Varano.

The introduction of new masters’ programs, certificate programs under the Center for Innovative Learning, online courses and the adult degree program are all elements of the initiative, though not all have progressed as planned, Varano explained.

“The masters programs did not launch as quickly as we had hoped,” Varano said.

see REPORT on page 6

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Mackin Hall residents were evacuated at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday after a fire broke out, displacing freshmen living in the dorm for about two hours.

A curling iron was left on in Room 320, which fell onto a task chair and became covered by the clothing that was draped over it, said Anna Farneski, vice president of marketing. No one was in the room at that time, and no one was injured.

Fire Safety Officer Dennis Harrington and other Public Safety officers responded to the incident, as well as the Mahwah Fire Department.

Harrington said that he, accompanied by Public Safety officers, went up to the third floor and could see smoke coming from the room as the door was opened.

“I went in the hall and grabbed a fire extinguisher,” Harrington said, “and as [the Public Safety officers] opened the door, more smoke billowed out. We went into the room…and saw that there was some material smoldering in a chair, so I put the fire out.”

The fire extinguisher was enough to put the fire out, so the sprinkler system in the building did not go off.

“There was some flame, but it wasn’t significant,” Harrington said.

Once the fire was put out, the Ramapo officials left the area so that the Mahwah Police Department could take over, a “standard procedure,” according to Harrington. The Mahwah Fire Department set up exhaust fans to

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see FIRE page 3 High 56 Low 42

College Prepared for Surprise October Snowstorm THE RAMAPO NEWS

Page 2 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

Nicole Alliegro Elyse Toribio News Editors

Diana Stanczak Danielle Reed A & E Editors

Andrew Gould Sports Editor

Stefanie Mauro Photo Editor

Matt Giuliari

Creative Director

Kaitlin McGuinness Web Editor

Valerie Canubas Business Manager

Dan Sforza

Technical Advisor

INSIDE

Around the Arch Page 3

Viewpoints Page 7

A&E Page 8

Sports

Thursday, November 3, 2011

By CARRIE S LOME Staff Writer The most anticipated event of the month, or “Halloweekend” as it’s been called, started off with Ramapo students roaming around campus in wild costumes and colorful face makeup. The celebration was halted early Saturday morning, however, by severe weather conditions, including “high winds, rain, snow, and mixed freezing precipiations,” according to the governor’s State of Emergency announcement . In Chris Christine’s press release, the governor urged residents to stay indoors, and most importantly, off the roads. Trees and power lines fell, blocking roadways and disturbing the general peace in Mahwah.

Although its surrounding conditions were extremely hazardous, the College’s response team of Public Safety and Facilities took immediate action on campus and worked together to brave through the storm.

“Everything went smoothly from a Facilities standpoint,” said Ronald Martucci, director of Facilities and Campus Planning.

Martucci said the destruction was minor and limited to approximately 20 trees. Broken limbs made up most of the damage and only a total of five trees were completely lost. Luckily, no power lines came down on campus, and due to most of the feeds being underground, there were no power disruptions.

As soon as was permitted, Facilities had their cleanup crew out and about, assessing the damage and clearing the campus roadways and parking lots. Public Safety also increased their staffing

so that more emergency responders would be immediately present if necessary.

According to Michael Cunningham, associate director of Facilities, the initial snow operation began around 1:00 p.m. on Saturday and was cleaned up by 6:00 p.m. on Sunday.

“Preparedness for snow season is a year-long process,” said Cunningham. “We begin planning for the next snow season as soon as the last one ends.”

Cunningham said Facilities had already met with the snow contractors and had begun moving equipment on to campus in the prior weeks. All of Ramapo’s own equipment, such as snowplows and salters, had already been serviced and were ready for use.

“Facilities maintains a stock pile of salt and sand,” he said. “So having the necessary materials to keep the campus safe was a non-issue for us.”

Chief of Public Safety, Vincent Markowski, and Director of Emergency Planning and Business Continuity, Donna Singer, agreed that in order for weather-related incidents like this to run as smoothly as they do, communication between the school’s organizations is crucial.

Weather assessments are reviewed and updated on a frequent basis before a major storm hits. Public Safety also directly coordinates with the Mahwah Police, so that on- and off-campus issues are known and communicated by both units.

During this storm, however, Mahwah Police were more than overwhelmed by the effect the storm had on the town. A lot of

damage occurred, including numerous trees coming down and many limbs falling on a significant portion of property power lines. The Mahwah school district has been without power since Monday, and two of its elementary schools are still closed. Many families still do not have electricity in their homes as well.

“We’re working all the time,” said Mahwah Police Captain Steve Jaffe.

Jaffe said the first 12 hours of the storm were the worst in the town, because there were still a lot of cars out on the road. Several accidents occurred, some involving police vehicles. Stop signs were put in place in various locations where traffic lights were out.

Jaffe said they were overwhelmed by the high amount of dispatch calls which went out over a period of 12 hours.

“It may have been more than [Hurricane] Irene,” Jaffe said, referring to the amount of calls the police department received.

Markowski believed that Ramapo College was very lucky to have not experienced similar issues on campus.

“We made sure we were prepared before the storm started,” Markowski said. “We always plan for the worst and hope for the best.”

While the administration and staff did as much as they could to take the best course of action during the storm, students were faced with the dilemma of whether or not to brave the harsh climate and continue their Halloween weekend festivities. Many students who had left campus Friday evening to celebrate the holiday at other schools or at

home could not return because of the damage and danger on the roads. Some of those who decided to make the trip back to school faced hours of slow-moving traffic in horrible conditions.

Jake Silverman, a junior commuter, was shocked by the severity and aftermath of the storm. He and his fellow housemates in Upper Saddle River were not only forced to cancel their Halloween bash, but also lost power and hot water for several days.

“I was shocked by how it actually stuck to the ground,” Silverman said, “I was expecting flurries, not a nor’easter.”

Juniors Marissa Fox and Anna Dorsey were not just disappointed by the storm, but said their ride back to Ramapo from New York City the next morning was a very scary experience.

“We got in a car accident on [Route] 202,” Fox explained. “Our car spun out in the snow and hit the guardrail. Then, another car did the same thing and hit us.”

“The cops didn’t come for twoand-a-half hours and AAA wasn’t answering,” Dorsey added, “so we were basically stranded on the side of the road with no assistance.”

Even after being shaken by the incident, the girls still decided to celebrate with their friends later in the evening.

“We made the most of our weekend,” said Dorsey. “Nothing ruins Halloween!” cslome@ramapo.edu

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.

photos by Stephen Fallon

Snow unexpectedly fell on Saturday, surprising students and leaving Mahwah Township scrambling to address damages, including downed power lines and trees. Public Safety reports, however, that the College was ready for the severe conditions.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

THURSDAY’S CHILD

Anna Wintour, editor-inchief of “Vogue” and inspiration for Meryl Streepʼs character in “Devil Wears Prada,” turns 62 today.

TODAY IN HISTORY

In 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first animal, a dog named Laika, into space on Sputnik 2.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“It misjudged what consumers would bear. I was the wrong fee at the wrong time.”

- Mark Schwanhausser, a banking analyst on Bank of Americaʼs decision to cancel its planned $5 debit card fee

Mackin Hall Fire Displaces Residents for Two Hours FIRE continued from page 1

clear the smoke from the building and officials use infrared cameras to check for any fire extension, according to Harrington. The Mahwah Fire Department set up exhaust fans to clear the smoke from the building and officials used infrared cameras to check for any fire extension, according to Harrington.

“They [also] removed the contents of the room that were involved in the fire,” Harrington added, including the desk chair and some clothing, which were doused with water after being brought outside.

Harrington said that while the Mahwah Fire Department was inside the building, Public Safety and Residence Life staff focused on keeping the students away from the building and evaluating when they could be permitted to reenter the residence hall.

According to Linda Diaz, director of Residence Life, Mike LaPorta reported to the scene as the on-call administrator, as well as Kamisha Sykes, the residence director for Bischoff Hall.

Ian Reynolds, the residence director for Mackin, “was initially on the scene” but was sent home, “being that he was very sick,” according to Diaz.

Coincidentally, Diaz said, “The Mahwah Fire Department happened to be in Bischoff dealing with a fire alarm at the time and were able to respond to the fire in Mackin very quickly.”

The fire alarms in Bischoff Hall went off shortly before the incident in Mackin due to food being overcooked in a microwave at 4:20 p.m. on the second floor, according to Farneski.

Similarly, there were no injuries or damage.

Mackin residents were allowed to return to the building at 6:20 p.m., except for the third floor high side residents, according to Diaz.

“Those residents had to wait until the carpet was shampooed and the hallway aired out, because the dry chemical from the fire extinguisher was all over the hallway,” she said.

These students were able to get back into the residence hall around 7:00 p.m.

At press time, no officials had fully determined the fire’s damage, though Diaz said the fire extinguisher chemicals could pose a problem for the residents of room 320.

“Personal belongings, like laptops, computers, and other electronics and belongings, may be damaged from the dry chemical that comes out of the fire extinguisher,” Diaz said. “We do not know as of yet.”

Harrington said that Facilities, Residence Life and the students would determine the damages at a later date.

Some students were surprised, according to Nick Farfalla, freshman, about the fire, as Mackin Hall had a drill earlier in the morning.

“Being a New Jersey state college, there are actually mandated fire drills four times a year in the residence halls,” Harrington explained.

As students were evacuated to the Pavilion for about two hours, many felt inconvenienced and stranded without their personal belongings.

photo by Amanda Pontone

Freshmen residents of Mackin Hall were evacuated to the Trustees Pavilion after a fire in Room 320 needed to be extinguished by a fire extinguisher.

“It’s not a fun experience,” Dave Keator, freshman, said. “It’s very inconvenient. I have a lot of homework [and] all my stuff is in my room.”

Farfalla, though, was a bit prepared.

“I grabbed my computer,” he said. “I thought the building was on fire.”

Harrington actually suggests students make a “grab and go bag” in the case of a fire, filled with essentials students may need—car keys, identification, medications—if they were to be evacuated for a long period of time.

“You don’t know how long you’re going to be out of the building,” he said.

Plus, Harrington advises students to be especially cautious with appliances in their room, taking care to turn them off and unplug them before leaving the room or going to sleep.

While Diaz said that Mackin residents would be discussing fire safety in their next floor meetings with their resident assistants, some students recognized the fire was accidental.

“I understand it was an accident,” Amanda Pontone, freshman, said. “It could have happened to anyone, [but] I’m extremely careful about curling and straightening irons.”

Nine Students Present at Conference Representing College

nalliegr@ramapo.edu

Student Research Showcased at COPLAC Regional Conference

By MEGAN ANDERLE Editor-in-Chief Last weekend, nine Ramapo students had a unique opportunity: to present their research among five other public liberal arts colleges.

The eight students, Marianela Clavelo, Asa Hilmersson, Amy Nasse, Allison Culvert, Thomas Bulger, Amanda Lentino, Jackie Thomas, Greg Gentile and Elizabeth DeSmet, represented different disciplines of the College.

The regional conference, called COPLAC (Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges), featured Eastern Connecticut State University, Keene State College in New Hampshire, New Hampshire, University of Maine-Farmington, State University of New York, College at Geneseo and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, and was held at Keene State College in New Hampshire.

Provost Beth Barnett and Vice Provost Eric Daffron attended COPLAC with the students.

“All the students presented well and represented Ramapo College well,” Daffron said.

Culvert, who participated in a Service Learning project through her Literature of Americas course last semester, taught a Ramapo employee English, every week for an hour last semester. This was the first time presenting at a conference.

“Her main goal was to pronounce harder sounds in the English language, such as ‘th-’ as well as work on her writing,” Culvert, a senior literature major, said.

Throughout the semester, Culvert created writing activities, and “th-“ word and sentence scramble worksheets. Culvert also helped the Ramapo employee correspond in letters with her son’s teacher, which was another objective, Culvert said.

“She was extremely motivated and did an absolutely fabulous job throughout the semester,” Culvert said. “We got so much accomplished.”

This semester, Culvert is working with another employee of the College, helping her learn English.

“While we are doing different activities, as she has different goals for the semester, we are still making an astounding

amount of progress,” Culvert said. “The women I have gotten the chance to work with motivate me just as much, if not more, than I have motivated them.”

Lentino worked with Todd Barnes, professor of literature at Ramapo, to research and present a paper on Asperger’s Syndrome.

In the 25-page paper, Lentino addressed the social struggles individuals with the disability face, rather than cognitive struggles, which is what a lot of the literature about Asperger’s Syndrome explores.

She hopes to get her paper published in the Psi Chi Journal, a national social science academic journal.

“Hearing other students’ research inspires you to get your own work out there,” Lentino said. “I finally got to learn about what people from different schools at Ramapo were exploring.” manderle@ramapo.edu

Guest Speaker Dissects State of U.S. Economy, Financial Crisis Page 4 The Ramapo News

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Former Trader Explains Who’s Responsible for the Crisis, How to Fix It

By ALEXIS LOPEZ Staff Writer

The Finance Club hosted guest speaker John Mattana on Tuesday to discuss the financial crisis the country is currently facing. Mattana, who has 23 years experience working on the trading floor, shared his views on what the financial crisis is, what caused it and how to fix the problem.

“The financial crisis was all about a crisis of mortgages,” Mattana said. “[It] comes down to one basic principle, and that is, should every American own a home?”

Mattana explained that in the 1970s, the U.S. government became involved to make sure as many Americans as possible were able to obtain the “American Dream.” He accredited much of how the crisis started to the Community Reinvestment Act, which was enacted under the Carter administration.

“The act was designed to encourage banks to lend money to low income neighborhoods,” Mattana said.

“Unfortunately, the scheme enabled Americans to own homes but it was enacted with little regards for possible downsize or negative consequences.”

According to Mattana, the Community Reinvestment Act was really accelerated during the Clinton administration, when banks were pressured banks into these high-risk loans in order to expand their businesses.

“You had to make your fair share of them or you couldn’t really grow your business,” Mattana said.

Mattana posed a question to those in attendance asking if the banks (Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan Chase, Citibank, and others) are a bunch of thieves or if they have just received bad publicity. The room remained quiet as he gave an answer to his own question.

“The way I see it, they are a bunch of thieves,” he said.

“But I think they’re a bunch of thieves within the confines of the rules.”

Mattana referred to a set of tightly written rules that “govern banking or slews of government regulators.” He attributed much of the issues regarding the rules to the fact that Wall Street and the banks are the ones who wrote them.

Another contribution, according to Mattana, was directly related to politics and campaign contributions. He said that the banks were in cahoots with the politicians.

“It’s the perfect storm,” Mattana said. “The agenda of the banks was much the same of the agenda of the politicians.”

He explained that politicians were happy with the large amounts of loans being given as long as they were helping

WHO’S TO BLAME?

photo by Stefanie Mauro

John Mattana spoke to students at an event hosted by the Finance Club on Tuesday. Mattana believes the economy was most negatively affected by poor practices in real estate and mortgage loans.

the everyday American get homes, and banks were happy because they were doing more business.

“A lot of the things he said are true,” Nikhil Bhatia, president of the finance club, said. “But I also believe that there are a lot of things that happened behind the scenes that we can suspect but that we’ll never really find out if it’s the truth.”

When it comes down to who is to blame for the financial crisis, Mattana has his percentages all figured out. He broke it down into three groups: the government, the “greedy bankers” and the “irresponsible borrowers.”

“Seventy percent is the government is responsible, 20 percent the bankers are responsible and 10 percent the borrowers are responsible,” he said.

He explained that although the people borrowing money from the banks are sometimes well aware that they are buying homes they cannot afford, it is the government who is widely responsible because they are the ones getting rid of

BORROWERS 10%

BANKERS 20%

GOVERNMENT 70%

graphic by Matt Giuliari

Financial expert John Mattana attributes the economic crisis mostly to the government, because they create the nationʼs regulations, but he said bankers and borrowers are also responsible in part.

and changing rules, including lowering lending standards.

Bhatia explains why these issues are so important, especially for the Ramapo community.

“The financial crisis is important because a lot of Ramapo students are looking for jobs and the job market has been severely damaged,” he said. “It’s much harder to find jobs now because of the financial crisis.”

Jennifer Regensburg, sophomore, agrees that the financial crisis is of importance to members of the Ramapo community.

“The financial crisis is important because a lot of Ramapo students are looking for jobs, and the job market has been severely damaged. It’s much harder to find jobs now.”

-John Mattana, financial crisis expert

“One day we’re going to have our own mortgages too,” she said. “Along with our student loans and others debts, so of course it’s a concern for Ramapo students and Americans in general.”

One good thing to come from the financial crisis, according to Mattana, is that the cost of housing has gone down.

He explained that there is an oversupply of houses that the government banks will want to buy and that he doesn’t anticipate housing costs to increase anytime soon.

“I don’t think the housing market will be going up in much of a hurry,” Mattana said.

Mattana suggested that one solution that could fix many of the financial crisis problems is that that the government needs to be less wasteful in its spending. He described the government as not nimble with its spending and stressed that as being a problem.

“I’m concerned about the future, it looks pretty iffy,” Matttana said. “Until America wakes up and smells the coffee, we’re going to have some rough years ahead of us.” alopez3@ramapo.edu

Two Filmmakers Discuss ‘Made in India’ Documentary

Page 5 The Ramapo News

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Haimowitz, Sinha Screen Film, Speak about Global Women’s Issues

By NICOLE ALLIEGRO News Editor

When two documentary filmmakers living in Brooklyn, New York teamed up to address the complex, yet little-known issue of transnational, commercial surrogacy in India, the highly-praised, feature-length film “Made in India” was created. Directors and coproducers Rebecca Haimowitz and Vaishali Sinha screened excerpts of their film at Ramapo College on Oct. 27 and held a discussion with students on their work, their documentary and the current phenomena of “outsourcing” surrogate mothers to India. The Schomburg Grant and the Contemporary Arts Platinum Series sponsored the screening.

“Made in India” follows the journey of Lisa and Brian Switzer, an infertile American couple seeking to have a young woman in India, Aasia Kahn, carry their child. In the film, East meets West as Haimowitz and Sinha explore the booming global trade of “reproductive tourism” and its personal impact on the real people involved.

The documentary aims to question the audience’s ethical views on “citizenship, human rights, global corporate practices, choice, reproductive rights, commodification of the body, legal accountability and notions of motherhood,” according to the film’s website, madeinindiamovie.com.

Since the film’s debut, “Made in India” has been well received and has been honored on numerous occasions. The documentary was an official selection in both the “HotDocs” Canadian International Film Festival and the Balinale International Film Festival in 2011. Plus, “Made in India” has won the best documentary award in Magnolia Film Festival and two jury awards for best documentary feature, at the Florida Film Festival and the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival in 2011.

Haimowitz and Sinha corresponded with “The Ramapo News” via email for a question and answer interview.

Ramapo News: Could each of you describe your backgrounds? Where did you study and how did you get into film?

Vaishali Sinha: My work at a non-profit organization in India, where we used creative media to promote women’s voices, inspired me to get into films.

Rebecca Haimowitz: I studied film at Columbia University, where I had also studied women’s studies. I was always interested in using film as a medium for social justice. It’s such a creative and powerful tool for bringing the emotional and personal aspects of big issues to light for an audience.

RN: How did you get involved in the subject of outsourcing surrogate mothers to India? What particular facets about this timely topic interested and/or inspired you two? Explain.

VS: Two things: 1) I’ve always been interested in questions of personal choice and body politics. So, I was intrigued by the story and an opportunity to explore the lives of the surrogate women in India who enter into commercial surrogacy. I wanted to understand their decisions and challenges. 2) I was also fascinated by this phenomenon of transnational surrogacy which symbolizes class issues within the U.S. (a middle income family forced to look for cheaper), and the fact that there is a growing industry to capitalize on this.

RH: I was interested in surrogacy because it’s an area that represents the cross-section of issues from body politics to economic justice. I wanted to look at how certain reproductive technologies potentially commodify women’s bodies, but also to examine the other side regarding personal choice and autonomy. There’s such a rich and complex clash of issues to explore the topic—especially when you’re looking at transnational surrogacy and issues of globalization. I wanted to make a film that explores all of this without sensationalism: a film that doesn’t tell the audience what to think, but rather, asks deeper questions.

RN: Briefly describe the film-making process. How much work did the documentary entail?

VS: Our initial research filming began back in spring 2007.

We conducted interviews with other U.S. couples, as well as other surrogate mothers in Anand, Gujarat and Pune [India].

Our initial research also included interviews with other medical practitioners, clinic providers and more. We really wanted to understand the process better and hear different stories; our research only led to a richer film. However, ultimately, we felt that the best way to tell this story was by focusing on one U.S. couple and their Indian surrogate—in order to create a compelling and fleshed out narrative framework for the film.

RH: We went into this film knowing that we could not plan the ending. All our subjects took a leap of faith because they desperately wanted this to work out each for their own reasons. But, because there is no legal regulation of surrogacy right now in India, we the filmmakers were aware that any number of complications could arise. Not to mention that pregnancy in general is risky, especially in the case of twin pregnancies. It was somewhat scary that so many things could (and in many cases did) go wrong—but that's life!

And that's what makes documentaries so compelling.

RN: Why do you two feel outsourcing surrogacy is a pressing issue in today’s society?

VS: It is first and foremost a pressing issue because it is happening as we speak, in a legal vacuum within India without any substantive laws, and with very minimal awareness about rights and health issues among most first time surro-

photo courtesy of Rebecca Haimowitz

Ramapoʼs screening of “Made in India” was sponsored by the Schomburg Grant and the Contemporary Arts Platinum series.

gates. Many of the surrogates in India right now, much like Aasia in our story, have very little negotiation power to ensure their health and rights are protected.

RH: It is also doubly important to address this issue of ethics within the U.S., where many of the medical tourism companies and third party industry players liaison between western clients and Indian fertility clinics (who in turn recruit surrogates). For young adults, the phenomenon is a great jumping-off point to discuss cross-cutting issues that impact the global south, like the importance of girl education, equal opportunities as well as understanding personal choices.

RN: How can individuals make a difference in the lives of young Indian surrogate mothers?

VS: Individuals can make a difference in the lives of young surrogate mothers like Aasia by engaging with their stories in a way that encourages more voices of women and young girls from India and developing countries to emerge. They can also make a difference by discussing bioethics of businesses and assisted reproductive technology industries that are proliferating at an increasing rate.

RH: If students are specifically interested in talking about many of the issues that the film bring up, then we also encourage them to visit our website (www.madeinindiamovie.com) for answers and resources.

RN: What’s up next for you two, in terms of “Made in India” or in other projects? Explain.

VS: We are screening “Made in India” at universities around the world and using the film as a tool in our Outreach Campaign to raise awareness on the issue. I am currently working on post-production for the film “Kashmir.” The information is available here: www.ethnoframes.com.

RH: I am currently working as a freelance producer and director on various video projects and am also working on a screenplay, and I am developing new ideas for another feature documentary. photo courtesy of Vaishali Sinha

A screen shot of the documentary, featuring a young Indian woman, Aasia. She is a surrogate mother whose story Haimowitz and Sinha followed throughout the film.

nalliegr@ramapo.edu

Page 6 The Ramapo News

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Institutional Advancement Report to Keep College on Track REPORT continued from page 1

photo courtesy of the Institutional Effectiveness Report

The institutional effectiveness report indicates that the retention rate has been relatively steady, but in the last two years, retention dropped two percentage points. As a result, a closer focus will be placed on this issue, said Babette Varano, assistant vice president of institutional effectiveness and planning.

While all programs are enrolled in for the semester, the numbers are not what was expected. A variety of factors contributed to this, Varano said, but one reason that has been targeted is the marketing of the programs, or lack thereof. A branding campaign for Ramapo College is in its final production stages and will launch in the coming weeks, which may help with enrollment rates in the future.

“It’s just a matter of letting people know it’s there,” Varano said of the masters programs.

The College’s retention rate, which has been steady over the years, dropped two percentage points this year. For that reason, a stronger focus will be put on the variables that can help to improve retention rates for the next few years.

Still, despite the shortcomings, Varano assures that departments are not penalized for not meeting its goals.

“Everybody has individual outcomes, and every year they are quantified if they’ve been met,” Varano said. “If they don’t, we figure out a different way to do it so we can succeed.

It’s all for continuous improvement.”

It seems that the efforts in revenue generating initiatives have made a difference, and have helped to meet another targeted goal. The report indicates that the operating budget expenditures were held and raised only slightly, 3.8 percent over a span of years.

“We have increased, by amount of money, at a slower rate than the cost of living has gone up,” Varano noted.

A new report is expected in 2012, and Varano expects that the more time passes, the more

the data will prove to be informational and of more use. This being the first publication, Varano finds it notable that over 65 percent of the goals initially outlined were met.

“It paints a really nice picture of how hard we’ve worked, and we can demonstrate how we did,” Varano said.

For Varano, there is not one specific thing that will necessarily make the College “better.”

The administrators strive to look at everything holistically.

“We look at it as what’s most important to us as in priorities, and the priorities are based on circumstances we’re currently in,” Varano said. “Everything is purposeful. We’re very focused on moving forward strategically.”

The dedication to achieving goals for Ramapo has also extended to garnering more attention for the school outside of the area. A section of the effectiveness report focuses solely on the external honors and recognitions of the College--that’s where the branding campaign will come into play.

“We’re trying to find a niche, something that’s unique from other schools,” Varano said.

“We’re big enough to count, but small enough to care.”

That’s the sentiment that drives the institution to continue publishing these comprehensive reports, Varano explained. “You always want to keep trying.” etoribio@ramapo.edu

VIEW POINTS

Thursday, November 3, 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.

Rush Limbaugh Misuses Freedom of Speech

By JAKE HYMAN Staff Writer

A few weeks ago a very important story went uncovered largely by the mainstream media so I decided to use my platform of writing for this paper to shed some light on the situation.

On Oct. 14, President Barack Obama announced in a letter to Congress that he will be deploying about 100 troops to Uganda to rid the country of a terrorist rebel group entitled The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) which is headed by Joseph Kony, one of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives in the world.

This group is known for its extreme crimes against humanity which include but are not limited to: rape, the kidnapping of children and forcing them to become soldiers, maiming, possessing sex slaves, and murder. Kony is wanted by the International Criminal Court for the atrocities he and his army have committed over the last two decades. The LRA and the Ugandan government are currently involved in a long, bloody civil war that has been ongoing since 1987.

What seems like a clear cut, positive,

humanitarian move by Obama has already been met with harsh criticism at the hands of a giant, and I mean giant, media mogul in Rush Limbaugh.

If you do not know who Rush Limbaugh is I am actually quite happy for you. But I must inform you for the sake of the article.

Mr. Limbaugh hosts his own hyper conservative radio talk show every day on WABC and spouts off his perceptions of the world to a right-wing audience who call in and boost his ever-growing ego. He truly does exercise his right to free speech.

After Obama announced he was sending troops into Uganda to combat Kony and the LRA, Limbaugh took the time to broadcast the news to his listeners, but with his own insane spin on it. See, Rush is infamous for his ways of taking any sort of action Obama does and portraying it as some maniacal, anti-white American scheme.

Limbaugh said to his viewers, according to transcripts from his show, “Lord’s Resistance Army are Christians. It means God. I was only kidding. Lord’s Resistance Army are Christians. They are fighting the Muslims in Sudan. And Obama has sent troops, United States troops to remove them from the battlefield, which means kill

them.”

“So that’s a new war, a hundred troops to wipe out Christians in Sudan, Uganda…”

Limbaugh added.

Later on in the show Limbaugh did say that he had not done his full research on the LRA and was not aware of the things they had been accused of. However, there was no apology to Obama for accusing him of sending U.S. troops to kill Christians or to his viewers for twisting a story completely out of control. This particular incident epitomizes what is wrong with the Republican Party and the conservative media who stand behind them.

You cannot have someone on a nationally syndicated radio talk show spewing out dangerous opinions on topics he knows absolutely nothing about. How many Americans are now misinformed on what the LRA really is thanks to Rush Limbaugh? All the victims of the crimes committed by this group will not get the full attention they deserve because of some egotistical, ignorant millionaire who sits behind a microphone all day looking for ways to bash the President because not only is Obama a Democrat, but he is black.

Our country will continue to spiral down-

hill if people keep listening to Rush Limbaugh and he continues to have an outlet for his rants. I am all for free speech, but I honestly think some people should have to be monitored very closely, especially if they serve a large audience. That’s right; I am talking about the most hated word in Conservative politics: regulation.

Can Rush Limbaugh have an opinion?

Sure. Should he say it to a listening audience of millions without doing his fair amount of research first? No. He needs to be held accountable for his actions, but that will most likely not happen. He will continue to ramble off his skewed perception of the world for three hours every day whether people listen or not. It is up to us, the American public, to decide whether we want to be swayed and influenced by someone like Rush Limbaugh or choose to go our own way, becoming more informed, knowledgeable, and ultimately better human beings.

A Candidate Like America’s Never Seen

By DAN MORRELL Staff Writer

Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain is without a doubt a candidate like America has never seen, for all the wrong reasons. His recent advertisements and interviews have proven that he is unfit for a presidential nomination.

It’s tough to decide where to begin when discussing Cain’s flaws. His proposal for a twenty-foot tall electrical fence and moat with alligators on the boarder of the US and Mexico should be enough to qualify as insane but it’s just the beginning. Two of Cain’s recent campaign advertisements are beyond baffling.

One ad features his campaign manger, Mark Block, firmly speaking into grey filtered camera lens, urging citizens that “we can take America back” with Herman Cain as president.

He then takes a drag of a cigarette and blows the smoke right into the camera. This is followed by a headshot of Cain, in which it takes him ten seconds to smile. When Block was asked on Fox News what the message the ad was supposed to convey, he responded that it was meant to appeal to “real Americans.” Does this seriously mean that the campaign’s idea of a “real American” is a cigarette smoker? Why would any campaign manager condone such an ad, let alone participate in it? It almost makes Cain’s lack of any real political experience

photo by New Hampshire Public Radio, Flickr Creative Commons

seem acceptable compared to it.

Another one of Cain’s advertising masterpieces is a four-minute cowboy movie sketch called “He Carried Yellow Flowers.” At first, it seems like a bad Saturday Night Live skit, opening with the words, “There was a time in American when a man was a man, and a horse was a horse, and a man on a horse was just a man on a horse...” This lyrical genius is followed by a confusing lecture given by actor,

Nick Searcy, about how America has gone downhill and is in need a “real” person who has done “real” things to resurrect it. Then Searcy tells a woman that she has a nice chicken.

Besides the ridiculous advertisements, it’s also important to point out that Cain was accused of sexual harassment during the 1990s when he was head of the NRA (no, not the organization that loves guns, the National Restaurant Association). Although he denies the charges has and even said that the women are the real harassers for perusing the case, they were paid a settlement to leave their jobs. It sounds like Cain is walking himself into that political alligator moat, doesn’t it?

However, recent polls show that Cain is leading the Republican Party (26%), edging Mitt Romney by two points (24%), according to RealClearPolitics.com. I hope this is the doing of Punk’d because there’s no other way to explain such ridiculousness. Before all this, it seemed like the 2012 election would be an easy victory for whichever Republican candidate won the primary, considering the general disapproval for Obama over the last three years.

I supposed we’ll have to wait how this one plays out, but one thing is for sure, Herman Cain is a candidate like America has never seen before. dmorrell@ramapo.edu

jhyman@ramapo.edu

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Mahwah Bar and Grill

The Rum Diary Juan Saliba reviews “The Rum Diary.”

Adriana Cappelli reviews this popular restaurant.

Page 10

Page 11

Ramapo Student Brings Manuscript to Life Senior Literature Major Receives Book Deal for Trilogy 11. 3. 11

BY DANIELLE REED A&E Editor

Most college students begin school hoping to be able to enjoy college life, pass their classes and graduate with a degree that will help them land their dream job. But one Ramapo student has had the privilege of getting her first book published before graduating.

that’s all I knew. I thought it was going to end up as a short story,” Santaniello said. “You have this character, you see him in the beginning [and] he’s in the process of cutting his wrists and the last thing you face is darkness so I thought I was going to end there.”

However, the story didn’t end there and soon became a full story, formed into an entire trilogy.

“A lot of my friends, they actually volunteered to read the first copy before I sent it into the publisher to check for spelling errors or anything like that. I think the problem with me, with my dyslexia, how I can’t always [and] I don’t realize that there’s a spelling error here, a spelling error there, so they were really helpful to point that out.”

- Lauren Santaniello, senior

Photo courtesy of Eve Adams of Stories to Tale

Death of Ignorance is the first book published from Ramapo senior, Lauren Santanielloʼs trilogy.

Ramapo senior Lauren Santaniello’s book, “Death of Ignorance” just got published and is now released in stores.

The first book of a trilogy, “Death of Ignorance” tells the story of anti-hero Alex, who is trying to continue on in the years after his father’s murder.

As Alex continues to be haunted by the murder of his father, he attempts to take his own life. As he heads to rehab, Alex is unaware the questions of religion and life that will soon face him.

“It [the idea] just sort of came to me one day,” Santaniello said. “I was a senior in high school and I was going on college visits…and I just began thinking about everything, you know, life is beginning to change, where we are going to [and] somehow my mind just started focusing on people and about different kinds of people…and somehow this character, a sort of anti-hero popped into my brain.”

After coming up with the idea of this anti-hero, Santaniello began writing, what she thought was going to be a short story.

“I wrote the prologue which is the first scene you see, Alex trying to commit suicide, and before I went any further,

“Somhow I just kept going and I just couldn’t seem to stop,” Santaniello said. “I wanted to find out what happened next to his character and it just started to go from there.”

The road to getting published, however, was not free from obstacles for Santaniello, including her dyslexia and the struggle to learn everything about the world of publishing.

After her friend, David Horner, suggested she submit the book to the company he was interning for, the process for making the book into a reality began.

After sending a one page summary of her book to the publishing company, they asked to meet her in person.

“After meeting them in person, they asked about the book and the storyline, then they wanted the manuscript, so I gave them the whole manuscript,” Santaniello said. “The way it works is the lowest person on the totem pole sort of reads it and then it goes up and if everyone likes it, then it goes to the publisher who will read the whole manuscript and decide whether or not they want to publish it.”

After not hearing back from the publishing company for months, Santaniello finally heard back last October.

“I received an email that they wanted to give me a publishing contract by November,” Santaniello said. “I got the contract and signed it and it’s been going ever since.”

“It’s a struggle because I know nothing about the publishing field and I’m constantly trying to figure out about what do I do now, what can I do,” Santaniello said. “Obviously there is a contract you have to follow, you can’t breach contract…so I’m learning.”

Throughout the publication process, Santaniello had support from her friends and family.

“A lot of my friends, they actually volunteered to read the first copy before I sent it into the publisher to check for spelling errors or anything like that,” Santaniello said. “I think the problem with me, with my dyslexia, how I can’t always [and] I don’t realize that there’s a spelling error here, a spelling error there, so they were really helpful to point that out.”

“My first book is dedicated to my parents because they’ve been through it all with me, with my learning disability and

letting me major in literature.”

Santaniello also has the support of a great publisher to help her in getting her books published.

“I know its hard for people who write books, finding a publisher isn’t easy and for someone who believes in you,” Santaniello said. “Luckily I have an amazing publisher, her name is Eve Adams, who really feels that she saw something in my work, [and that] it can go somewhere. You need someone to believe in you and I really have that with her.”

With the support of her publisher, family and friends, Santaniello gavewords of advice to other student writers.

“One person told me if you really believe your story is worth telling, you can’t give up on it. If you have characters if you have situations that you feel people should know about [and] care about then you can’t give up,” Santaniello said.

She also had words of caution for students who are looking into getting published.

“For people who are really passionate about writing, wait until you’re done with school because there’s a lot of work that goes into publishing more than I originally anticipated.

It’s your heart and soul, it’s your entire life and it’s difficult as a college student,” Santaniello said. “It’s a lot about balancing but it’s a full time job, so if you’re really committed to it then I would definitely suggest waiting before you progress, but don’t give up. “

Photo courtesy of Lauren Santaniello

Santaniello now has a contract with Stories to Tale for her novel she began writing her senior year of high school.

“No matter how stressful everything may be or is, writing is my passion and I would never give that up because I feel that writing is my outlet and you really need to be committed to it 100%” “Death of Ignorance” has been released on several sites and can be purchased on blurb.com, smaashwords.com, barnesandnoble.com and createspace.com. dreed1@ramapo.edu

Kim Makes a ‘Dashian’ For It, Divorces Humphries

Page 9 The Ramapo News

Thursday, November 3, 2011

all about divorce as both Kim and Kourtney have problems with their significant other.

On Twitter, fans gave their input on the situation.

One fan tweeted, “This whole wedding was fake, it is all

By ALEJANDRO HERNANDEZ Staff Writer

After 72 days of marriage Kim Kardashian has filed for divorce from Kris Humphries.

“After careful consideration, I have decided to end my marriage,” Kardashian said in a statement given to “Access Hollywood” on Monday.

“I’m committed to this marriage and everything this covenant represents. ” - Kris Humphries

“I hope everyone understands this was not an easy decision. I had hoped this marriage was forever but sometimes things don’t work out as planned. ” - Kim Kardashian

“I hope everyone understands this was not an easy decision.

I had hoped this marriage was forever but sometimes things don’t work out as planned,” continued Kardashian “We remain friends and wish each other the best.”

Humphries however, had a different tone.

"I'm committed to this marriage and everything this covenant represents,” he said. “I love my wife and am devastated to learn she filed for divorce ... I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make it work,” he added.

On Oct. 31, “The Hollywood Reporter” published an article stating all the benefits that the Kardashian-Humphries nuptials brought along. The “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” stars are said to have made a lot of money off their August wedding. The couple pocketed $1.5 million from “People Magazine” for their wedding photos, as well as $300,000 for their engagement announcement. “OK! Magazine” paid the couple $100,000 for bridal shower coverage. “Us Weekly” paid between $30,000 and $100,000 for

Photo by Joe Behr, Flickr Creative Commons

The Nov. 1 cover of the “New York Post” is just one source of many that feel the KardashianHumphries marriage was a publicity stunt.

their post-nuptial trip to Italy. This is all on top of the $18 million that “E!” paid to air the two-part wedding special.

Media outlets such as TMZ, “People Magazine” and “E!” waited for confirmation from Kardashian and Humphries, but in the end it was “E!” who revealed the news. Kardashian’s new show, “Kourtney and Kim take New York,” is said to be

because they are power hungry, they practically run E!.”

Another person tweeted, “It is not hard to see why they are getting divorced, she is still in love with Reggie Bush.”

Rumors of a fling surfaced immediately after the Monday morning statement to “E!.”

On Nov. 1, Kardashian sent a message to her fans on her blog.

“Everyone that knows me knows that I’m a hopeless romantic! I love with all of my heart and soul. I want a family and babies and a real life so badly that maybe I rushed in to something too soon. I believed in love and the dream of what I wanted so badly. I felt like I was on a fast roller coaster and couldn’t get off when now I know I probably should have,” Kardashian wrote.

Kardashian and Humphries now join the likes of Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, Christina Aguilera and Jordan Bratman, and Charlie Sheen and Brooke Mueller.

Yesterday, Kris Jenner went on the “Today Show” and said, "This is what we do. We have people who have invested in our lives from day one. I feel so blessed and grateful for the TV show.”

Chiku Awali Brings Beat of Africa to Ramapo

ahernand@ramapo.edu

Students of Caribbean Ancestry Hold Drumming Workshop

By S TEFANIE MAURO Photo Editor

Photos by Stefanie Mauro

The Students of Caribbean Ancestry Club held their annual African drumming workshop, led by Rockland Country-based group Chiku Awali, in Friends Hall on Wednesday. The demonstration and workshop was part of the clubʼs participation in Black Solidarity Week, happening now. smauro@ramapo.edu

Page 10 The Ramapo News

CEL? ; H;L? ;MI

‘The Rum Diary:’ More Enjoyable Than a Hangover

By DAN MORRELL Staff Writer

Anyone who walks into the theater to see “The Rum Diary” with the expectation of seeing a sequel to the reckless and psychedelic “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” (1998) will be somewhat disappointed.

While this film rendition of the 1961 novel by the father of gonzo journalism, Hunter S. Thompson, has its fair amount of intoxication and abrasive recklessness, it won’t measure up to the sheer debacle of “Fear and Loathing.”

Set in the early 1960s, Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp), the alter ego of Thompson in this semiautobiographical tale, has made the move from New York to San Juan, Puerto Rico to write for the struggling English-language newspaper, the “San Juan Star.”

Kemp stumbles into a meeting with the editor, Lotterman (Richard Jenkins), in a drunken daze to talk about his duties at the paper. Lotterman recognizes Kemp’s fondness of alcohol and warns him that the island can “be paradise for a glutton,” a theme revisted throughout the film.

Kemp quickly befriends Sala (Michael Rispoli), a photographer for the paper and devout binge drinker. After running up a substantial hotel bill from drinking 161 mini-bottles of alcohol, he accepts an invitation from Sala to stay with him and Moburg (Giovanni Ribsi), the religious correspondent for the paper who spends his time listening to Hitler speeches and drinking 470 proof rum.

When Lotterman sends Kemp to interview the mayor of Miami at San Juan’s Airport he is approached by conniving businessman Sanderman (Aaron Eckhart) about a proposal to write brochures for a new hotel he is planning to build on a nearby island. Kemp agrees but soon finds that he is falling for Sanderman’s girlfriend, Chenault (Amber Heard), and feels compassion for the native Puerto Ricans, who are only allowed on the beachfronts as servants.

The luxurious benefits of Kemp’s partnership with Sanderman come to an end when he brings Sala along to a meeting for the new hotel, defying a confidentiality agreement. The newspaper also shuts down shortly after. In a desperate attempt of journalistic integrity, Kemp, Sala and Moburg try to print one last issue to expose Sanderman and Lotterman’s corruption; however, their efforts are thwarted since the printing machinery has been removed.

“The Rum Diary” seeks to expose the exploits of gluttonous Americans that believe the world is theirs and the hardships of making a decent living as a journalist. The film does a decent job conveying its points; however, it does an equally insufficient job at building tension and staying consistently entertaining. Kemp’s ambitious behaviors never amount to much of anything,

Photo courtesy of WIkimedia

Johnny Depp stars in “The Rum Diary,” a tale of a journalist who travels to San Juan and realizes just how much greed there is in the world.

which is how the story was actually written.

However, the efforts to have this tale made into a motion picture have gone to waste. In the end, this one would have been better off on the pages than on the big screen. Do yourself a favor and spend the ticket cost on the book.

RATING:

###$$

Thursday, November 3, 2011

‘Anonymous’ Paints Shakespeare in New Light

By CHRISTINA FERRANTE Staff Writer

The central premise of “Anonymous” is that William Shakespeare never wrote any of his famous works. To some, this may sound absurd.

Director Richard Emmerich is the man behind boisterous blockbusters such as “Independence Day,” “The Day After Tomorrow,” “Godzilla,” “10,000 BC” and most recently, “2012.” So how does Emmerich end up making a “historical” film about Shakespeare?

For starters, the diverse cast, starring Rhys Ifans, Vanessa Redgrave, Joely Richardson (Redgrave's daughter) and Edward Hogg, makes the film enjoyable due to the mix of well-known and novice actors gushing overly-dramatic dialogue while wearing 16th century attire.

Ifans stands out as Edward de Vere, the illegitimate son of Queen Elizabeth (Redgrave) and a prodigy writing genius. The plot unfolds as Edward is forced to live in the puritan house of Robert Cecil (Rafe Spall) and is forbidden from his creative writing under the thinking that poetry and plays are the works of the devil.

However, this does not stop Edward from writing– only from sharing his work with the rest of society. Instead, Edward attempts to solicit struggling playwright Ben Jonson (Sebastian Armesto) to stage his plays under his name. Jonson declines but the two remain friends until an actor named William Shakespeare (Hogg) takes on the job.

With twists and turns, arrests, betrayals, tortures and flashbacks you almost forget the historical facts surrounding Shakespeare – even though the narrative can be a bit convoluted and it does get tiresome trying to figure out who is supposed to be who. Nevertheless, the production values are astonishing and you get a true sense of the time period.

“Anonymous” may be a bit preposterous to Shakespeare historians and fans, but as historically inaccurate films go you could certainly do a lot worse. Emmerich’s efforts make a solid case that Shakespeare was a fraud.

Senior Nick Grant thinks that despite the historical inaccuracies, the film is worth seeing.

“You can’t go in there thinking it’s an actual historical account. And where the facts are lacking the cinematography definitely makes up for it.”

Overall, this film offers a good dose of over-the-top dramatics and fun.

“Anonymous” is PG-13 and runs for 130 minutes.

RATING:

###$$ cferrant@ramapo.edu

ʻTrilliumʼ Offers Students Opportunity to be Published dmorrell@ramapo.edu

By DANIELLE CORCIONE Staff Writer

On Monday, an opening reception for this year’s edition of “Trillium” was held in the York Room at 1 p.m.

Ed Shannon, Professor of American Literature at Ramapo, hosted the presentation. He discussed the history of “Trillium,” and introduced published students, who read their works.

Poets, including current student Eileen Ramous and 2010 alumni Ryan Sollers read their own original pieces. C.M. Gabbet read his own comical short story entitled “Read The Fine Print,” about a son’s encounter during a family move.

“I can definitely say that being published…was reassuring for my creative aspirations,” senior Brendan Flanagan said. “Beyond the simple ego-boost of being published, though, the experience was valuable in giving me an opportunity to go through the submission process, as well as learning to better handle critiques.

[These are] skills that will no doubt come in handy as I continue my creative work.”

Each of the writers were also given the opportunity to explain the inspiration behind their work.

“Being published in ‘Trillium’ has given me some confidence to write more. I’m kind of a sensitive person,” senior Christine Lundqust said. “I also keep to myself a lot, and by sharing any kind of work I’m immediately taking the chance that the someone thinks it just okay or doesn’t like it all for that matter. It’s hard not to take a reaction like that personally because the work is in some way a reflection of the artist.”

Attendees enjoyed refreshments and were able to get copies of the “Trillium” at the event.

“I thought it was great that there was a reception for the publishing of the “Trillium”and the people working on the Trillium are finding more pieces of its history,” junior Ashley Rockhill said.

“It was nice hearing those publishing talk about their work when they read aloud.”

For more information about how to get published in “Trillium,” contact Dr. Shannon. dcorcion@ramapo.edu

Mahwah Bar and Grill

Page 11 The Ramapo News

Thursday, November 3, 2011

=EE: Popular Ramapo Hangout ; 7J I h W cW f e

d [ mi

Staff Chews Over Smyma Mediteranean Cafe

By MEGAN ANDERLE Editor-in-Chief

Though Smyrna Mediterranean Café, a Greek-Turkish fusion restaurant, is among a handful of Mediterranean restaurants in Bergen County, it has the authenticity and charm many restaurant owners strive for.

Lodged among a diverse set of Ramsey restaurants on East Main Street – GAO Thai Kitchen, Varka Restaurant and Sushi Yoshii, to name a few – Smyrna still holds its own.

Small, welcoming and inexpensive, Smyrna is a breath of fresh air from some of its pricier, more sophisticated neighbors.

This week, our editors chowed down on some gyros, hummus, falafel and, of course, baklava. Most appetizers cost around $5, wraps and

salads are $6 and platters are $11, so this cozy restaurant (rather than café) won’t break your bank.

Our unsolicited advice will help you decide which meals to “pick” and which meals to “skip.”

“The lamb in my lamb gyro was tender and moist, and the vegetables and rice were cooked to perfection, with the right amount of light seasoning. The hummus, less thick than store-bought hummus, was fresh.” – Megan Anderle, editor-inchief PICK IT “The falafel was only okay. It was flavorful, but it was overcooked and a little hard. You could find better.”

– Elyse Toribio, news editor S KIP IT “The baklava was delicious. It was super flaky.” – Nicole Alliegro, news editor PICK IT “I wasn’t blown away by the falafel. It was nothing special. The

Have you heard about Ramapo’s favorite getaway in town? Approximately 100 Ramapo students visit Mahwah lamb was flavorful, and the rice was Bar and Grill every Monday durexcellent; it wasn’t just an after- ing football season to join their thought.” – Kaitlin McGuinness, friends for the restaurant’s popular wing night. web editor PICK IT According to MB&G manage“Much like the Cardinals’ playoff hero Davin Freese, the chicken and ment, between 1500 and 2000 rice greatly exceeded my expecta- wings are sold each wing night tions.” – Andrew Gould, sports edi- at only 40 cents per wing, making it the perfect price range for tor PICK IT “I wished there were more vegeta- a student’s budget.

“It is a popular, fun college bles in my dish. I had one string bean, one carrot piece and a half of atmosphere,” senior Ryan tomato.” - Stefanie Mauro, photo Hokanson said. editor PICK IT “The grilled vegetable were sauteed to perfection.” - Diana Stanczak, a&e editor PICK IT “The chicken was super tender and the pita was the best part along wth the homemade hummus.” -Matt Giuliari, creative director PICK IT

Digital Showdown: eReader Revolution

By JILLIAN CENER Staff Writer

Hate them or love them, eReaders are here to stay.

Some people no longer buy paper books, while others vow never to touch an eReader in their lives.

So what is an eReader? This portable device allows you to read books, magazines and newspapers in digital format. You can easily download new books to your eReader with a Wi-Fi connection, turn the pages by clicking a button, and even highlight text and mark where you left off.

One perk of using an eReader is the savings. Online bookstores offer lower prices for many titles.

“I love reading books, and it makes doing so really convenient,” freshman Jessica Perez said of her Kindle.

“It is cost effective because I read a good number of books that were free.”

For avid bookworms, nothing beats the convenience of being able to buy a book and having it at your fingertips within seconds. Often times, books that you would buy in a bookstore are cheaper - or even free - on eReaders.

Environmentalists also praise eReaders for saving trees, as everything is digital. EReaders also save space and are very easy to travel with. Instead of bringing a few books with you on a long car ride that could weigh you down, you just need one, light device.

Not all are convinced, however.

“I’m a really old-school kind of person, so I’m not into newer technologies like eReaders,” freshman Dean Scordilis said.

Those who love the touch and feel of a paper book may feel apprehensive about embracing this synthetic piece of technology. Some eReaders can be expensive, though cheaper models are now out on the market, and there is always a risk of dropping it or having the battery run out at your favorite part of a book.

Three popular suppliers of eReaders are Amazon.com,

By ADRIANA CAPPELLI Staff Writer

manderle@ramapo.edu

Barnes & Noble and Sony.

Amazon’s Kindle, which is described as the “World’s Bestselling E-reader,” comes in four basic models. The cheapest of these is the basic Kindle. For $79, you get a device with a one-month battery life that holds 1,400 books and weighs only six oz. Built in Wi-Fi allows you to download books on the go.

The newest addition to the Kindle family is the Kindle Fire, to be released Nov. 15 for $199. This revolutionary eReader comes with a color touchscreen and access to books, magazines, games, apps, email, songs and documents. This multi-purpose tablet weighs 14.6 oz. and has eight hours of battery life.

Barnes & Noble offers three versions of its Nook: Nook 1st Edition, Nook and Nook Color. The first edition of this eReader goes for $89 and comes with built in Wi-Fi, storage for 1,500 books and a 10-day battery life. Nook Color is pricier at $249, but has a color touchscreen and access to books, music and the Internet.

Sony joins the market with its eReader, appropriately titled “Reader.” There’s only one model with a $149 price tag, but you can choose among three colors. This Wi-Fi-enabled eReader weighs less than six oz., holds 1,200 books, and has enough battery life to read for over a month.

While eReaders may not be for everyone, for those wishing to join in on this trend, there are certainly lots of them to choose from, each with their own ways to help you read as much as you want. jcener@ramapo.edu

Photo courtesy of allendalebarandgrill.com

Mahwah Bar and Grill is a popular spot for Ramapo students.

MB&G has been around for over a decade, although its story goes far back in history. The restaurant belongs to the Kunisch family, and their greatgrandmother started their tradition in 1935 with the opening of Allendale Bar and Grill. Her great recipes, friendly service and reasonable prices were brought to open MB&G back in 1992, where the family was immediately welcomed into Mahwah.

Craig M. Kunisch, one of the family owners, states that MB&G goes beyond business.

They have a great relationship with Ramapo’s faculty and administrators.

“I am very appreciative to all the community of Ramapo for all their support,” Kunisch said.

MB&G is known for offering a grand variety of dishes at very reasonable prices. Their food is ranked as four-star meals in a family atmosphere with pub’s prices, making it affordable for the Ramapo community.

“You cannot ask for better prices,” Hokanson said.

There is a different menu for

each night. The most popular nights among many Ramapo students are the wing night and the pasta night.

“Go there on Tuesday night for good pasta for only $14.95,” senior Elizabeth Stichauner said.

The pasta is made to order and all you can ear, and comes with a beverage as well as soup or salad.

MB&G has become extremely popular among many Ramapo students because of its very convenient since it is only a few miles away from campus.

“I hang out with my friends every week and watch football,” Hokanson said. “It reminds me of a pub in my hometown.”

“They have quality food and great service,” senior Mollie Olive added.

If you want to test your knowledge, try trivia night on Wednesdays.

According to Kunisch, “Trivia night is very good, we pay a company to come and do the questions. In the beginning they are easy and eventually they become challenging and interesting.”

Don’t miss trivia night on Nov. 16; the winner will be receiving a pair of skies.

Since it first opened, the menu has been completely redone with continuing emphasis on quick food for those in a hurry.

“It is a popular, fun college atmosphere.”

- Ryan Hokanson, senior

According to a review on Zagat.com, “The MB&G hamburger has been rated tops in North Jersey for its generous portion and low fat content.”

Recently, MB&G introduced its newest menu, “The Lite Choice,” a selection of cuisine highlighting heart-healthy, nutritional entrees that taste good, too.

Mahwah Bar and Grill is located at 2 Island Road, Mahwah, New Jersey. acappel2@ramapo.edu

Page 12 The Ramapo News

LIFE & CULTURE

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Fend off the Winter Workout Blues with These Tips Stay in Shape Without Leaving Your Dormroom

BY S AMANTHA MUCHA Staff Writer

Is this sudden cold spell putting a damper on your workout? If so, fear not -- you can avoid the trek to the gym without pulling out your snow boots.

You may be used to going for a jog, hiking at the reservation or playing basketball out in the quad, but unfortunately winter is setting in sooner than expected. Even a walk to the gym across campus may start to sound dreadful. Working out in your dorm room may seem absurd, but it’s much easier than you think.

“I have no desire to walk across campus to freeze my butt off.”

-Chelsey Mei, junior

“I have no desire to walk across campus to freeze my butt off, but I don’t really know what I’m doing in my room, but I’d much rather stay here,” said junior Chelsey Mei. For starters, you’ll need to pick up a few supplies. And thanks to stores like Five Below, you can do so without dropping a small fortune. Pick up a yoga mat, some light dumbbells and maybe a yoga video or

two. This entire purchase should come to no more than $15.

Next, you need to clear a space in your room just big enough to spread out that new yoga mat -- yes, it is possible, even in Linden. Pop in a yoga video and stretch and pose your way to Zen. Yoga is not the only activity you can do.

It is still possible to work up a sweat and get your heart rate pumping indoors. If you have an iPhone or any other smartphone you can download tons of free apps that will give you ideas to jump-start your workout.

The Nike Training Club app is one of the best out there. It gives you four options: Get Lean, Get Toned, Get Strong and Get Focused. Again, all you will need is a yoga mat (or even a towel) and some light weights, (or maybe a textbook or two). The app will raise your heart rate through the roof.

“When I get my iPhone that [Nike Training Club app] is the first app I’ll be downloading,” said sophomore Caitlin Bradley.

There are plenty of other apps out there as well, like “Free Daily Cardio” and a plethora of yoga, kickboxing and body specific workouts as well.

If you don’t have a smartphone, you can Google plenty of workouts that can still be

Magenta’s Meals

BY LAUREN MAGENTA Staff Writer

It’s time to put all your leftover Halloween candy to use. Living on a college campus may be fun, but when it comes to desserts no dining hall can produce your homemade favorites. Here is an easy microwaveable recipe that turns chocolate pretzel bites into a festive fall dessert to give you a sweet reminder of home.

Ingredi ents: Pretzels Hershey kisses M&M’s First, fill a microwave-friendly plate with small pretzels: any shape will work, but keep them bite size.

Next top each pretzel with its own Hershey kiss. Microwave on high for 30 seconds. The chocolate should be soft but not melt or lose its shape. Keep an eye on the microwave during the first batch, every second counts.

Once you remove the chocolates from the microwave, top each kiss with a M&M and press down slightly on the kiss so the M&M fits into the chocolate.

Once your bite size chocolate pretzel is complete stick the batch in the refrigerator for about 10-15 minute so the chocolate can harden.

Using fall colored M&Ms is a fantastic way

Photo by Rance Costa, Flickr Creative Commons

Grab a yoga mat -- or even a towel -- and complete a grueling workout without even leaving your dorm room.

done in your dorm room. Use these to collect ideas in order to create the perfect workout that fits you and your body perfectly.

“I like to stay in my room and go along with exercise videos on YouTube and such,” Sophomore Julia Horniceck said.

In truly desperate times, running up and down the stairs is always an option, or even

using your couch for an improvised step class with your roommates.

Whatever your preference may be, working out in your dorm room is easy. Grab some textbooks, a yoga mat and some friends and get sweaty.

Ari es (March 21-Apri l 19) It can be challenging to know where to put your attention. This week, keep an open mind and know that something is trying to make itself known.

week your honesty is not only appreciated, it’s necessary. As much as you hate conflict, the truth will have a way of freeing heavy emotions.

Horoscopes

Taurus (Apri l 20-May 20) You may find your emotions all over the place this week, but change is in the air.

Photo by Lauren Magenta

Use leftover Halloween M&Mʼs and Hershey Kisses to make these sweet pretzel treats.

to have an easy dessert in your dorm room during this time of year or to bring to a party.

As the season moves forward, think about using different color M&Ms to follow holiday themes.

Note: Every microwave cooks at different temperatures, so 30 seconds in one microwave may only need 20 in another, so let your first batch be the test run. lmagenta@ramapo.edu

Gemi ni (May 21-June 20) Sometimes we need to let others know we really mean business, that these are not just words but words in action. The feedback you need is coming and will motivate you.

Cancer (June 21-Jul y 22) If you can keep your emotions in check this week, all will work out well. A healthy detachment in this process is yours for the taking and will be highly effective while dealing with an important other.

Leo (Jul y 23-August 23) This week can create the feeling of not being able to hold onto someone you want.

It can cause old traumas of loss to resurface, but know that whatever is rising will allow whatever is remaining to be released.

Vi rgo (August 24-S eptember 22) This week, you will be feeling more like your authentic self. Simply follow what feels right and you will attract a world of good, leading to a personal breakthrough.

Li bra (S eptember 23-October 22) We all know you aim to please, but this

smucha@ramapo.edu

S corpi o (October 23-November 21) As much as a certain road has been making you weary, you still have tremendous influence over someone. This week, it will be important to process your concerns with another to gain proper perspective.

S agi ttari us (November 22December 21) Some hidden truths have made their way out recently and it has caused you to spiral. This week anything goes and anything can happen because the sky is the limit.

Capri corn (December 22-January 19) This week, it will feel like certain gates have just opened, inner emotional gates and otherwise. It is time to make the very most of something no matter what is going on.

Aquari us (January 20- February 19) There is no middle ground when the thing you want and need means the world to you.

It’s about putting your whole heart on the line because of the personal value it holds.

Pi sces (February 20-March 20) This week you realize you would rather have it all on the table than hidden.

Whatever you have been hiding holds value.

Horoscopes courtesy of madalynaslan.com

SPORTS

Women’s Volleyball Powers Way to NJAC Tournament 11 . 3 . 11

Roadrunners Seeded Second in Playoffs On Strength of 19-Game Winning Streak

By JONATHAN GONZALEZ Staff Writer On a night that Ramapo honored its seniors, the Roadrunners managed to maintain a firm grasp of second place in the New Jersey Athletic Conference and an undefeated record at home.

Rutgers-Camden walked into the night in the middle of the NJAC (14-15 overall, 3-3 in conference) and sent a group of juniors and sophomore against a Ramapo squad that consisted of seniors Allison DiAngelo, Elizabeth Steck, Michelle Ferrari and Tiffany Fischer, Ramapo’s all-time leader in assists, to the final home game on Senior Night.

With both teams playing loose in the opening points, Rutgers-Camden managed to stun Ramapo with a quick out-burst via strong rally points, giving Rutgers control and taking the first set, 25-23.

Even with a Ramapo squad that has seen its fair share of comebacks but without much to lose, the Scarlet Raptors came out swinging.

With a quick 2-0 start, Rutgers jumped down Ramapo’s throat by exploiting the gaps in the Roadrunners defense. This propelled Rutgers to their biggest lead of the night, carving out a 9-2 run in the opening five minutes.

After their second time out, Ramapo managed to tame the surprising Rutgers offense, yet lost the second set 25-20 as the

photo by Jonathan Gonzalez

Ramapoʼs seniors on the womenʼs volleyball team were honored at their last home game of the regular season. The Roadrunners defeated the Scarlet Raptors to maintain their undefeated record at home.

Roadrunners tried to dig out of their hole.

“We were confident. Starting the first set we were comfortable, then all of a sudden it was like somebody shut off the light, looked like we forgot how to play volleyball,” coach Robert Pichardo said.

After the second intermission, Pichardo, along with his assistants, managed to get

their message across to the streaky Ramapo squad looking to avoid their first loss since late September against first place Stockton College.

With the crowd finally coming alive as they watched a Ramapo team driven by the one-two punch of Fischer and Ferrari, Ramapo overwhelmed Rutgers and their

young inexperienced team. Great communication led to a strong rally, which gave Ramapo a 16-10 lead into Rutgers first time out seven minutes into the third set.

The team looked loose once again as they took momentum with a 25-19 win in the third set sparing the Roadrunners.

“Assistant coach Bill Lee said, ‘Keep up your energy and try to take it on to the next game [set],’” setter Tiffany Fischer said.

As the fourth set rolled in, Ramapo saw that spark that they needed from Ferrari, as her kills came at prime turning point off the match.

Along with Sara Pendleton’s astounding performance on defense and improvements coming on the court and on the bench, Ramapo pulled together to score a 25-21 win in the fourth set.

As a tired Rutgers-Camden team, coped with the intensity of a Ramapo squad wanting to close out the match. A stellar defense showed up at the right time. Ramapo closed out Senior Night with a 15-10 fifth set win and a 3-2 match victory as they continue en route to the NJAC Tournament, where they will play Rowan tonight at 7 p.m. in the semifinals.

Manigrasso: Hard Worker On and Off Field Field Hockey Midfielder Scores Goals, High Grades in Senior Year

By JEREMY KELLY Staff Writer

Midfielder Jayne Manigrasso of the women’s field hockey team has set team records for goals in a season and career goals since she enrolled at Ramapo in 2008. She balances all of that with a 3.95 GPA while studying to earn a degree in nursing.

“I like to be organized so I can do my schoolwork in advance,” Manigrasso said. “So I can incorporate a social life with field hockey.”

“[Manigrasso] never gives up and always gives 100 percent in games. I’m so proud of all of her achievements not only in field hockey, but in school as well.”

- Katie Bruno, forward

She grew up in Atlantic Highlands, N.J. where she originally played soccer. But when Henry Hudson High School didn’t have a women’s soccer team, she started playing field hockey, and was named her team’s Most Valuable Player in 2006 and 2007.

“I was considering [colleges] up in Vermont,” Manigrasso said. “But they were Division I sports, so I came here so I could balance school and work.”

As a freshman, she started every game for Ramapo and was awarded team Rookie of the Year honors; in 2009, she set a team record for goals in a season (18) and was named to the NJAC First Team All-Conference.

Her promising career was set back slightly in 2010 when she suffered a bulging disk in her lower back. However, she only missed a month of playing time, thanks to her work ethic in rehabilitation.

“I really wanted to take the physical therapy seriously,” she said.

Junior forward Katie Bruno also spoke of the pivotal role that Manigrasso plays on the team.

“Jayne is probably one of our most key players on the field and I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like next year playing without her,” Bruno said. “She never gives up and always gives 100 percent in games. I’m so proud of all of her achievements not only in field hockey, but in school as well.”

Manigrasso holds the team record for career goals (33) but has also tied the team record for

assists in a season (9). In Tuesday’s matchup with Richard Stockton College, she tallied two assists to help lead the Roadrunners back from a 2-0 deficit en route to a 3-2 overtime victory, their fourth straight win. Manigrasso, along with four other seniors, was honored before the game. They improved their record to 11-5 and currently await an Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) bid on Monday.

“I think we’ve done great.

We’ve definitely made improvements in years past. We’re mentally tough this year.”

- Jayne Manigrasso, midfielder

“I think we’ve done great,” Manigrasso said.

“We’ve definitely made improvements in years past. We’re mentally tough this year.” The team improved from going 6-11 in 2009 and 9-10 in 2010.

Now preparing for graduation in the spring, Manigrasso says that she wants to be remembered “as a leader off the field, being able to teach somebody anything they need to know, and pushing my team to become better.”

jkelly7@ramapo.edu

jgonzal7@ramapo.edu

RAMAPO SPORTS THIS WEEK

Thursday:

Women’s Volleyball vs. Rowan University at 7 p.m. - NJAC Tournament Semifinals

Saturday: Men’s and Women’s Swimming at Drew University at 1 p.m.

Swim Teams Ready To Dive Into New Season Page 14 The Ramapo News

Men and Women Each Start Season with Loss Against TCNJ

By MELIS S A FALCONE Staff Writer

The College of New Jersey swim team defeated Ramapo this weekend in the season opener for both schools. The women’s final score was 168-88, while the men lost 151-99.

Coach Gary Orr sees great expectations for both the men and women’s swim team this year at Ramapo.

“For the men, there will be continued growth because they have already been established in the Metropolitan Conference,” Orr said. “For the women, we have ten new freshmen girls to form a great foundation.”

“We lost four female seniors and brought in a lot with this year’s recruiting class. This also helps with recruits coming here for next year as well.”

- Gary Orr, coach

Women’s S wi mmi ng The 200 yard relay team consisted of freshman Kelsey Rosko, senior Stephanie Sinck, freshman Jamie Stein and Lauren Keller. The girls finished in third place with a time of 2:03.50.

Then, in the 200-yard breaststroke, Sinck swam 2:41.98 to get second place, sophomore Jill

Tracey gained third place with 2:55.66 and sophomore Chelsea Cummings finished fourth with 2:58.90.

Keller swam in the 200-yard freestyle and got second place with a time of 2:04.67. She also got second in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard freestyle, while sophomore Kari Lafebvre placed third. Next, Rosko finished in second for the 100-yard backstroke. Sinck gained third place in the 100-yard breaststroke.

Finally, in the 500-yard freestyle, Rosko placed second while senior Chelsey Neders got third with a time of 5:58.87.

“We lost four female seniors and brought in a lot with this year’s recruiting class. This also helps with recruits coming here for next year as well,” Orr said.

Men’s S wi mmi ng With the men’s final score being 151-99, the 400-yard freestyle relay team first started by placing second, 3:31.86. The freestyle relay team includes senior Johnny Olsson, senior Richard Maier, sophomore Maciej Maj and junior Andrew English. The next freestyle relay team swimming the 400-yard placed third. This group consisted of sophomore Derek Sclilieman, senior Nikolas Ablan, junior Kyle Plucinsky, and freshman Kevin Landmesser.

In the 200-yard freestyle, freshman Philip Sokoloff accomplished second place, swimming in 1:49.98. Then, senior Stephen Fox

finished second for the 100-yard backstroke in 53.73 seconds. Freshman Anthony Cusamano placed second in the 200-yard butterfly, while Ablan got third place. Fox and senior Mike Waterhouse finished second and third place respectively in the 50-yard freestyle. The remaining events were the 200-yard backstroke and breaststroke, where Sokoloff and sophomore Robert Stein each placed second.

“We only lost one male senior, who was our captain, but we plan to go 6-2 or 7-1 and qualify three to four guys for NCAA’s.”

- Gary Orr

“We only lost one male senior, who was our captain, but we plan to go 6-2 or 7-1 and qualify three to four guys for NCAA’s,” Orr said.

Looking ahead this season, both teams plan to surpass Rowan University, which is number two in the New Jersey Athletic Conference.

“The men will battle Rowan and the women have a legitimate shot at passing Rowan as well,” Orr said. mfalcone@ramapo.edu

Cardinals Top Texas in Seven-Game World Series St. Louis Rally in Epic Game 6 to Pull Off Improbable Championship Run

By RYAN BUCHANAN Staff Writer

The St. Louis Cardinals have earned the right to be the topic of conversation amongst baseball fans everywhere. The Cardinals overcame many obstacles this year to obtain their 11th World Series.

Under the leadership of future Hall of Fame manager Tony La Russa, nine-time All-Star Albert Pujols and World Series MVP David Freese, the St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Texas Rangers in the first best-of-seven World Series since 2002.

The Texas Rangers repeated their success from last year by winning the American League Championship Series against the Detroit Tigers in six games to advance to their second consecutive World Series. Led by Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler, and Mike Napoli, the Texas Rangers will again be a force in Major League Baseball next year.

The best-of-seven series featured several styles of baseball. Games 1 and 2 were dictated by dominant pitching, and victories were split between the two teams. Game 3 featured 23 runs. Game 4 featured a meager six hits.

The topic of discussion for Game 2 was Tony La Russa taking out closer Jason Motte in favor of veteran Arthur Rhodes. Motte allowed Rangers Ian Kinsler and Elvis Andrus to reach second and third base with no outs in the top of the ninth inning. Texas proceeded to take the lead on a couple sacrifice flies, and Texas closer Neftali Feliz closed it in the bottom of the

photo by raglind, Flickr Creative Commons

David Freese watches his gamewinning home run to force Game 7.

ninth for the save.

Viewers of Game 3 witnessed the dominance of Albert Pujols and the Cardinals squad who won the game 16-7. The game was highlighted by a 5-for-6 performance from Pujols with three home runs, four runs scored and six runs batted in. Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson are the only other two players to hit three home runs in a World Series game. MLB.com called the performance the “greatest individual hitting performance in World Series history.”

Texas came out victorious in Game 4 to tie the series at two games apiece, under the orchestration of starting pitcher Derek Holland. Holland

held the Cardinals to only two hits in 8 1/3 innings of baseball. The final score was 2-0.

Texas scored two runs late in the bottom of the 8th inning to win Game 5 by a score of 4-2, thus giving the Rangers a 3-2 lead in the series.

The most climactic point of the entire series came in Game 6, which featured the Cardinals down two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Down to their last strike, with two outs and two men on base, World Series MVP David Freese earned his MVP prefix by knocking in a two-out RBI triple to tie the game. Texas broke the tie with two runs in the top of the tenth.

Again, down to their last strike, St. Louis responded, with a Lance Berkman single to tie the game. It couldn’t be more fitting that David Freese would win the game in the bottom of the 11th inning for the Cardinals, on a solo home run to center field.

The Cardinals took the series in Game 7 by defeating the Rangers by a score of 6-2. Game 7 achieved the highest ratings for any World Series game since Game 4 in 2004.

The success of the Cardinals this year is obvious; they are the champions. However their future is uncertain with the departure of manager Tony La Russa and franchise player Albert Pujols entering free agency. Under any circumstance, the Cardinals have earned the right to be called the 2011 World Series Champions. rbuchana@ramapo.edu

Ramapo Runs Through Tough Conditions

Thursday, November 3, 2011

By VICTORIA AHLERS Staff Writer

The U.S. Postal Service said it right when they said “Neither snow or rain…” as the cross country teams proved that no form of weather could stop them from performing their best.

The teams had a successful weekend at the New Jersey Athletic Conference championship meet hosted by Richard Stockton College. The men took a fifth place finish, with three of their runners achieving personal bests. The women finished in third place overall, improving on their fifth place finish from the 2010 race. They too had runners achieve personal bests.

“As a coach, that’s all you want,” coach Mike Jackson said.

“It’s encouraging to the athletes to see that their training is paying off.”

Despite the unfavorable weather, the teams were able to set that aside and focus on the race.

Sophomore Courtney Schofield led the Roadrunners for the women, with a personal best time of 23 minutes and 47 seconds. She finished 17th overall.

“It felt really good, working really hard is finally starting to pay off,” Shofield said.

She was followed by teammate Taylor Shanley who came in 22nd place overall. Kristen Gray, Erica Colavito and Lindsey McKee all accomplished personal bests, coming in 26th, 27th, and 28th, place.

“It’s the strongest our conference has ever been, and it was the best collective team performance I’ve ever seen.” Jackson said.

The men also rallied in personal best times from freshmen Peter Tuohy, Billy Howell and Kyle Mahoney. Colin English continues to lead Ramapo, finishing 11th overall, despite taking two falls during the race. English, who Jackson said has been training hard, hopes to qualify for nationals.

Both teams are gearing up for the NCAA Atlantic Region championships that will take place on Nov. 12. Jackson says that both teams have a good shot at finishing in the top 50. vahlers@ramapo.edu

Top Teams Humbled Sunday Fantasy Football: Start/Sit Page 15 The Ramapo News

Thursday, November 3, 2011

Giants Escape with Win; Eagles Beat Dallas

By ANDREW GOULD Sports Editor

In a week that saw many top teams in close games with inferior competitors, the New York Giants, on the verge of an upset at the hands of the winless Miami Dolphins, rallied to secure a comeback win that raised their record to 5-2.

The Dolphins jumped out to a 14-3 lead behind the arm and legs of quarterback Matt Moore, but Eli Manning led the Giants to victory with a game-winning touchdown pass to Victor Cruz. Manning, who is having a career season, threw for 349 passing yards and two touchdowns in the Giants’ 20-17 win.

In Baltimore, the Ravens also escaped an embarrassing loss by narrowly beating the Arizona Cardinals, 30-27. Down 24-3 in the third quarter, the Ravens took charge with three rushing touchdowns from Ray Rice.

The New Orleans Saints were not able to avoid an upset, suffering a 31-21 loss to the St. Louis Rams. In their first win of the season, the Rams defense intercepted Drew Brees twice, and Stephen Jackson ran for 159 yards.

The Pittsburgh Steelers maintained control of first place in the AFC North with a victory over the New England Patriots. Despite the close 25-17 final score, the Steelers dominated by doubling the Patriots’ total yardage and controlling time of possession.

Pittsburgh limited Tom Brady to a seasonlow 198 passing yards.

A week after orchestrating a come-frombehind win over the Dolphins, Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow’s flaws were

exposed by the tougher Detroit Lions’ defense. Tebow was sacked seven times and turned the ball over twice, both resulting in touchdowns, en route to a 45-10 victory.

Despite a valiant effort from rookie quarterback Cam Newton, the Carolina Panthers were unable to top the Minnesota Vikings due to a missed 31-yard field goal by Olindo Mare. Newton threw for 290 yards, threw two touchdown passes and ran for 53 yards, but he also had two costly fumbles. Fellow rookie Christian Ponder was also impressive, completing 18 of 28 passes for 236 yards and a touchdown to lead the Vikings to victory.

After a disappointing 2-4 start, the Philadelphia Eagles woke up Sunday night, manhandling the Cowboys, 34-7. For an offense run by Andy Reid, they showed an unusual commitment to the run, handing the ball off to Lesean Mccoy, who compiled 185 rushing yards, a career-high 30 times. The Eagles and Cowboys are tied for second place in the NFC East at 3-4.

In a bizarre Monday Night Football game, the San Diego Chargers somehow squandered a win against division-foe Kansas City Chiefs. Tied 20-20 late in the fourth quarter, San Diego marched deep down the field and began to run out the clock before attempting the game-winning field goal, but Phillip Rivers lost control of a snap and turned the ball over. The Chiefs earned their fourth straight win after Ryan Succop nailed a 30yard field goal in overtime.

NFL

Andrew Gould

Last Week (3-3) Season (21-15)

NYJ @ BUF NYG@ NE TB @ NO GB @ SD BAL @ PIT CHI @ PHI

9

Jeremy Kelly

Last Week (5-1) Season (25-11)

By NICK BOWER Staff Writer

Start:

QB Phi l i p Ri vers – Maybe it's just the law of averages, but it's hard to imagine an elite quarterback like Philip Rivers playing so poorly in three consecutive games.

Green Bay's secondary is far from elite, and as usual when playing the Packers, opposing teams need to throw the ball to keep pace with Aaron Rodgers and company.

RB Knowshon Moreno – Moreno had decent numbers against Detroit's solid front seven last week in his first game this season carrying the load. With Willis McGahee still recovering from hand surgery, expect Moreno to get the same amount of chances this week with improved numbers.

WR Mari o Manni ngham – If Hakeem Nicks can't go, Manningham will become Eli Manning's number one target. Either way, he's still going up against New England's poor secondary. Manning is playing some of his best football of his career, which is good news for Manningham.

WR Roddy Whi te – Although he has been uncharacteristically inconsistent this season, expect this game to be one of his better ones. Indianapolis is playing poorly on both sides of the ball while Atlanta is desperate to keep pace in the NFC.

Sit:

QB Jay Cutl er – Philadelphia's defense is slowly improving, and they will be ready to go on Monday night in Philadelphia. A three-interception performance wouldn't be shocking from Cutler in this game. Chicago also has been more dedicated to handing the ball off to Matt Forte.

RB Ahmad Bradshaw – This has nothing to do with Bradshaw. If conditions permit it, Manning will air it out against New England's secondary, while Brandon Jacobs should attempt to make up for last week’s lackluster performance with a strong one this week.

WR Anquan Bol di n – He's going up against Pittsburgh, who has given up the fewest points to opposing receivers, according to Yahoo! Ray Rice figures to carry the load in this tough division rivalry game.

WR S tevi e Johnson – As Buffalo's number one wide receiver, he most likely will spend all game on Revis Island against the Jets. That alone should warrant a sit. nbower@ramapo.edu

STAFF PICKS

agould1@ramapo.edu

WEEK

Stick with Rivers Despite Slow Start

Ryan Buchanan Last Week (3-3) Season (22-14)

Nick Bower

Last Week (3-3) Season (21-15)

Nicole Alliegro Last Week (4-2) Season (12-6)

K. McGuinness Last Week (4-2) Season (7-11)

SPORTS 10 . 7 . 10

PLAYOFF BOUND! 11 . 10 3 . .11 7 . 10

Women’s Volleyball finishes season at 26-6.

Page 13

photo by Jonathan Gonzalez

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