Nun on bus visits college
TJ Riley wins deciding singles match
see News page 5
See Sports page 32
Vol. CXXXVIII, No. 10
April 3, 2013
Serving The College of New Jersey community since 1885
College plans to improve local economy By Jack Meyers Nation & World Editor
Often in the local environment, the value that businesses and nonprofit organizations contribute to the community is beyond measure. In fact, without community organizers or the revenue and jobs that businesses provide, growth would be impossible. When the community spends money locally, businesses can afford to hire more people, and the population gets the direct benefits. In addition, when nonprofit organizations use volunteers to provide services at low or no cost to the public, the state government can charge less through taxes, giving people more to spend. Fortunately for the Trenton-Ewing area, the College’s able minds constantly pump out new initiatives and strategic plans to better the local community and the economy. In order to do so, College partners
have mainly taken a two-pronged approach: building the capacity of nonprofit organizations and investing in businesses. “You can’t work in an insular environment,” said Heather Camp, Director of the Bonner Center at the College’s CEL II Program. “You can’t achieve the same amount if you don’t work in a collaborative fashion.” With over a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, Camp has most recently headed the AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service of America (VISTA) project alongside the national Bonner Foundation in Princeton. This program is funded by the AmeriCorps national service and is a multi-campus effort targeted directly at combating poverty. The program is centered at the College’s Bonner Center and runs on a three-year cycle which is in its second year of operation. see LOCAL page 7
Jack Meyers / Nation & World Editor
Debbie Taylor, campus interior designer, sits with local business owners.
The adrenaline-inducing voice Women ‘Step up’
Emergency calls for Lions’ EMS
Colleen Murphy / Production Manager
Lions’ EMS practices technique. By Colleen Murphy Production Manager A call on the radio breaks the friendly, laid back atmosphere of the Lions’ EMS room. The three first-responders become silent and freeze, waiting to see what the person on the radio has to say. Where are they responding to? Is the incident serious? “The Voice,” which is playing on the large Sony television, becomes background noise. The adrenaline in the room increases. All ears are tuned to the radio. False alarm. It was just a call from maintenance saying that a lamppost in one of the lots was out. The first-responders breathe a sigh
of relief. But, on this Tuesday night, the responders were only into their second hour of duty. There were 10 hours ahead of this crew of student volunteers, and they would be ready whenever a call for them came in on the radio. Fifteen years ago, there was no emergency service organization at the College. Before Lions’ EMS, the campus would rely solely on Ewing Township EMS and Pennington Road Emergency Medical Unit to respond to all emergency calls on campus, John DeJesus according to junior biology major and Lions’ EMS crew chief. There were several attempts to form a campus EMS group in the 1970s, according to DeJesus, butit finally took hold in 1998. “Like-minded students trained in emergency care saw a need for a group to respond to emergency calls on campus and a way to use and improve their skills. They petitioned the school and eventually were allowed to form,” DeJesus said. Since then, Lions’ EMS, a division of Campus Police, has responded to approximately 108 calls a semester. During the 2011-2012 academic year, members were on call for 239 emergencies and volunteered more than 3,180 hours, according to the Lions’ EMS website. From January 2009 to today, Lions’ EMS has covered over 915 calls. Last semester alone, the squad responded to 122 calls and volunteered
INDEX: Nation & World / Page 9 The Signal @TCNJsignal
Editorial / Page 11
1,752 hours of duty crew time and about 57 hours of stand-by time at events, according to DeJesus. While a majority of the calls within the 15 years have been for intoxication, there are a plethora of other calls, according to junior biology major and Lions’ EMS Deputy Chief Megan Wyles, who said lacerations, minor burns, possible bone fractures, allergic reactions and diabetic and behavioral emergencies are also common. “We are trained to deal with many types of emergencies that can range from cardiac arrest to complicated childbirth, and many others in between,” Wyles said. “Many of us have come across our fair share of seemingly ‘common’ and ‘uncommon’ calls in the line of duty here at the College.” Lions’ EMS does more than provide emergency care to the campus, though, according to Wyles. “Lions’ EMS stands by at many large-scale events, such as concerts and Funival, in order to make our services readily available to anyone who may need them. We also host an annual blood drive in the fall and provide blood pressure screenings to the TCNJ and Ewing communities at various events throughout the year,” Wyles said. “We have participated in a project run by Student Health 101. These are just a few of many events we have participated in over the years.” see EMS page 19
Opinions / Page 13
Features / Page 15
By Brian Kempf Features Assistant
The Somerset County, N.J. Democratic Committee Chair Peg Schaffer calls herself a “queenmaker,” a title that is sure to raise eyebrows even among Jersey politicos. Schaffer, however, like the other women politicians engaged in the “Step Up” panel discussion at the College this past Wednesday, March 27, is engaged in a sphere of public life that, even in 2013, is still heavily male-dominated. “Step Up” aims to involve women in all aspects of the political process. The College Democrats, along with the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, sponsored the roundtable at which state Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg and mayor of Camden Dana Redd were panel members. Barbara Buono, the Democratic Gubernatorial candidate, was also a member of the panel and was featured prominently as Gov. Christie’s foil and challenger. see UP page 5
Brian Kempf / Features Assistant
Panel talks about increasing the political involvement of women in New Jersey. Arts & Entertainment / Page 21
Sports / Page 32
YouTube Star Motivational speaker comes to campus
Student Government SG recaps Relay and looks into Finals Fest
Asian Remedies The health column explores the Far-East
See A&E page 21
See News page 3
See Features page 15
page 2 The Signal April 3, 2013
April 3, 2013 The Signal page 3
Bill passes, CAP policy review Nick vs. Disney Jr. By Natalie Kouba News Editor
Student Government opened their meeting on Wednesday, March 27 with a presentation from a Barnes & Noble representative. Renee Banach demonstrated how to use the website tcnjlionpride.com to order apparel and merchandise for student organizations. According to the website, students can choose from over 100,000 products, some of which can be personalized. The website, targeted toward larger groups, processes orders no smaller than 24 pieces and tries to offer lower prices. Banach stated that Barnes & Noble is continually adding more products, and in the past three months has added over 7,000 products. SG presented and passed new legislation at the meeting. The bill deals with recognizing political and religious organizations. According to the bill, politically or religiously affiliated groups presenting to SG are allowed to duplicate similar organizations. “The general council who is the head lawyer of the College approached us and just wanted us to assess our approval process and make sure that we were respecting and perfecting the speech rights of religious and political organizations,” said Devin Dimmig, vice president for
Governmental Affairs. Such organizations would still have to comply with leadership standards. This bill does not prevent them from being rejected. “They are allowed to duplicate the purpose of another organization,” Dimmig said. “But we will still be looking at their leadership, their structure and their sustainability.” The bill passed without moving to debate. The CAP attendance policy will be reviewed this week. SG executive president, Christina Kopka, explained the current standing of the policy and announced that a representative from CAP will be coming next week to present to SG. “It is pretty straight forward. Basically, it’s up to the professor how they are going to excuse an absence or not. But it is always on you to prove why you were absent and to let them know prior,” Kopka said. “They are just trying to make sure that we dot all our ‘i’s and have all our ‘t’s crossed with this policy.” Annie Montero, vice president for Student Services, announced that planning for Finals Fest is underway. The committee plans on possibly having an ice cream bar and caricature artist. The College raised over $70,000 for Relay for Life last week. “That number is leaps and bounds greater than we have ever had before,” vice president for Community Relations Tyler Liberty said.
Shift in job market By Courtney Wirths News Assistant • The Standard and Poor’s 500-stock index hit a new record high on Thursday, March 28. The record is an indication that the market still trusts the Fed to stimulate the economy, despite turbulence in Europe and slowed growth in the United States, according to the Wall Street Journal. • The Chinese government in Beijing banned single-person households from purchasing more than one home and increased the required down payment on second homes. The measure is an attempt by the Chinese government to reduce panic about home prices and China’s housing bubble, according to Bloomberg News. • Chesapeake Energy Corp. named Steven C. Dixon acting chief executive while the company continues to search for a replacement for their former CEO. Negotiations with an intended candidate fell through last week, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Warren Fields / Staff Photographer
SG members prepare for the weekly meeting and upcoming announcements.
• The Walt Disney Company’s
first 24-hour kids channel aimed solely at preschoolers, Disney Junior, is expected to beat out the long reigning number one preschooler’s channel Nick Jr. This overthrow is expected despite Nick Jr. being available to 25 percent more viewers than Disney Junior, according to the Wall Street Journal. • As the job market improves, experts are predicting that employees will begin to quit their old jobs in hopes of finding something new and better than their previous positions. This will come as a surprise to companies that have become complacent about employee retention in a tough job market, according to CNBC. • Banks are drastically reducing the amount of branches they have open across the country. This comes with pressure on banks to reduce costs as well as an increase in the use of online banking, according to the Wall Street Journal. • Toys “R” Us withdrew its plans to take the company public on Friday, March 29. The company cites the tough economy as well slowing sales as the reason for postponing the offering, according to CNBC.
Thai researchers take a closer look at HIV Studies with Thaids starting local and going global By Azhane Fleming Correspondent
Professor Lynn Gazley presented her politics forum, “Local Politics and International HIV Research in Thailand,” on Thursday, March 28. Gazley presented students with information on the current and past research being done in Thailand by Thaids, a local clinical research center that has engaged in international research. Thaids began its first study in 1996 with a few clinical trials in which they took patients from Thailand and began practicing solutions to the HIV Virus, Gazley explained. She examined the practice at Thaids and the patients, who some people in the country felt were being used as “guinea pigs.” “Many worried about the power dynamics between the study sponsors and the research subjects,” Gazley said. “Power differences matter.” Gazley explained in her presentation that Thaids made up a class of particular patients. There was the local spectrum
that conducted only “locally relevant research.” Thaids first started its trials with Thaids Beta in 1996 and met the international requirements. Gazley explained that Thaids still had to compete to execute the work they did and compete for reputational resources. Thaids continued many trials including ELAN which was the first international study, however, it had no Thai authors. “It was easy for Thaids to be in lower class participation than higher class,” Gazley said. Thaids’s post-trial study started as a way to provide care. However, it expanded to national treatment programs. Gazley explained that Thaids then moved their focus from seeing their particular patients to a particular science. Although Thaids has become a worldwide research center, one of the few in Asia and one of the best, some of the students in the forum wondered if they should change their focus. “Their first strategy was to be global experts, the more ef-
fective strategy was to focus locally and adapt that to national patients,” Gazley said. Many students in the forum took away very positive and useful information from Gazley’s presentation. “This presentation made me
wonder why Thaids did not get the recognition it deserved,” sophomore international studies major Leonard Schoponhone said. Schoponhone said that he felt that this information was very relevant and useful for his future.
Many other students, like Lauren Lelicon, an international studies major, seemed to take away similar views from Gazley’s presentation. “I learned a lot about Thaids HIV, in a research aspect,” Lelicon said.
Warren Fields / Staff Photographer
Gazley presents Thailand’s HIV research to a group of students at Thursday’s forum.
page 4 The Signal April 3, 2013
April 3, 2013 The Signal page 5
A club receives zero funding for second week in a row By Julie Kayzerman News Assistant The Student Finance Board met on Wednesday, March 27 and fully funded the freshman and sophomore class councils’ “Spring Back,” which will be held on Sunday, April 14 on the lawn outside of Travers and Wolfe Halls. Funded for $5,965, the event will include attractions like a three-lane sports obstacle course, a three sided eurobungy, a wrecking ball and a gladiator joust. “It will relieve stress before finals,” said Brian Garsh, president of the sophomore class, while presenting for the sophomore class council. “It will be one last hoorah before the end of the semester.” In addition, the Black Student Union returned to SFB to request funding again for their fashion show, “Candy Shoppe.” They changed the theme to “Urban Wonderland,” which will be based on
scenes from Alice in Wonderland. They also picked up Unified Greek Council as a co-sponsor. During discussion, SFB was not entirely confident that the event would be able to be executed properly. However, some members of SFB felt that the event would be worth funding, which eventually led to the passing of the motion to fund the event for $6,060 with the stipulation that they charge $5 for non-students. “I think this event is important for this group to have and it would be unfortunate if it didn’t work out,” freshman representative Tom Athan said, “but it would be more unfortunate if we didn’t give them a chance.” “Urban Wonderland” will take place on Saturday, April 13 at 7 p.m. in Kendall Hall.
Also, the Student Film Union was zerofunded to hold “REEL Art: Student Arts and Film Festival,” due to a violation in SFB policy in which they advertised for the event before receiving funding from SFB. The advertisement appeared in The Signal. “This is the second time in two weeks we’ve zerofunded events,” Athan said. “Maybe we can give them some kind of warning.” Brian Green, SFB programming director, agreed, calling for a way to make the policy “more clear.” Lindsay Klein, SFB executive director, explained that SFB has liaisons for this purpose and said, “I understand that it’s a difficult situation, but it’s policy.” Milana Lazareva, SFB operations director, agreed saying, “It’s not our job to make sure they read the policies.” SFB also allocated $2,435.36 to the
Inter-Greek Council to rent a stage and pay for Brower Student Center cleaning after their event, “Airband,” on Friday, April 19 at 8:30 p.m. According to SFB, “Airband,” which consists of several dance performances, requires a sturdy stage. However, in previous years the stage provided by the Brower Student Center has split apart during performances, causing a huge safety hazard. This is why they requested funding to rent a stage. They also needed funding for Brower Student Center cleaning, because Junior Visit Day will be held at the College the following morning. The Art Students Association received $312.44 to hold a Silk Screening Workshop in the Arts and Interactive Multimedia Building. *Even though SFB agrees to finance certain events, there is no guarantee that these events will take place. The approval only makes the funds available.
Nun advocates to end economic injustice
Lianna Lazur / Photo Editor
Sister Simone Campbell organizes a human bar graph to illustrate income change. By Regina Yorkgitis Staff Writer
President Barack Obama kissed her on the cheek. She chatted with Stephen Colbert and annoyed Bill O’Reilly. She spoke at the Democratic National Convention. And she is a nun. “Catholic sisters are not interested in shoving the spotlight on ourselves,” said Sister Simone Campbell, director of NETWORK, a Catholic social justice lobbying group.
Yet, Campbell is no stranger to the limelight. On Wednesday, March 27, she shared her passion for ending economic injustice in the United States with students at the College. Her lecture, “Hearts on Fire: Spirituality and Activism,” was an event sponsored by the women’s and gender studies department for Women’s History Month. “It was fantastic to see women’s leadership,” said senior women’s and gender studies major Chaya Himelfarb, who thought Campbell was “definitely a good role model.” “Within the Catholic church, women have not been seen as leaders for a very long time,” said Campbell, who opted to wear a black blazer and dress pants instead of the traditional religious sister’s habit. In April 2008, Campbell and her fellow sisters garnered media attention, when the Vatican released a statement chastising their promotion of “radical feminist themes incompatible with the Catholic faith.” Campbell said that their opinions on healthcare reform troubled many leaders in Catholic church. “They’re saying we’re a bad influence,” Campbell said. “We do fine work, working with the poor and keeping quiet, but they don’t like that we are speaking up for the poor.” This past summer, Campbell traveled to nine states on a
tour called Nuns on a Bus, intended to persuade voters against Congressman Paul Ryan’s budget plan, which she said would hurt impoverished citizens of the United States. On the steps of the Education Building lecture hall, Campbell organized five student volunteers into a human bar graph, to illustrate the change of income between classes over the last 30 years. The activity showed that citizens who have the highest income each year, the top 20 percent of society, have seen their incomes dramatically increase over the last three decades, while the bottom 20 percent — known as the working poor — have seen their yearly incomes significantly decrease. “The fact is, it doesn’t have to be this way,” Campbell said. “Tax policy can make a difference, but it is not enough.” Change, she said, “calls for us to be bold.” “The bar graph was a great way to show how disconnected we are,” said junior biology major Stephanie Cervino. “We don’t really focus on the lower half.” Campbell emphasized that in order to create change, we need to develop empathy and understanding of those in our country who identify in the lower half. “How do we the people form a more perfect union when we’re so far away?” Campbell said.
Up / Women leader panel STI testing emphasized Buono talks about election continued from page 1
Assemblywoman Pam Lampitt kicked off the discussion by noting that her story “is like many other women’s stories.” She was completely removed from politics until she realized that, in her town of Cherry Hill, she “didn’t like the way it looked.” This prompted her to join the zoning committee, and she learned a pivotal lesson in politics: “all you have to do is listen.” After a lessonworthy election, she became an assemblywoman where she significantly reformed the NJSTARS program. Loretta Weinberg’s story shared a similar trajectory. Having moved from Teaneck to Manhattan in the 1960s, she quickly realized that there were “no trees to stand under.” This prompted her to get involved with her town, which sparked in her a desire to be in politics that ultimately led her to be chosen as former governor Jon Corzine’s running mate in the 2009 gubernatorial election. The panel members laid bare the challenges that women face in the entire political process, making clear the fact that women still face an uphill struggle. Chairwoman Schaffer
bluntly noted that politics is indeed a bloodsport, while state Sen. Weinberg noted the male-dominated political organization. But it was state Sen. Buono who discussed what is perhaps the greatest challenge: for women to transcend their own expectations and truly believe in themselves. State Sen. Buono offered choice words for Gov. Christie, saying that the “real Chris Christie has gone into hiding” in time for election season. The real Christie, she notes, is the one scapegoating and castigating people, encouraging them to attack each other. Michael Griffith, the College Democrats president, noted, “We were really excited to be able to bring so many inspiring women political leaders to TCNJ to share their stories about being a woman in New Jersey politics. It’s rare that you get to interact with so many of New Jersey’s leaders at one time and get to hear an insider’s perspectives of their campaigns and the struggles that they have faced.” As for advice for women running for office, Mayor Redd warned that when it comes to women in politics, all of the rules change. But Chairwoman Schaffer noted that Suntzu’s most famous adage remains true: keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.
Brian Kempf / Features Assistant
State Sen. Buono gives remarks on the current Governor.
By Theresa Soya Correspondent
Professor Jessica L. Barnack-Tavlaris opened last Tuesday’s politics forum by asking about what makes it difficult for people to maintain good sexual health. One student responded, “Sex is kind of taboo. People don’t really want to talk about it.” A classroom filled past capacity with students, eager to hear the “Women’s Beliefs About Reproductive and Sexual Health” presentation, begged to differ. Barnack-Tavlaris, who received her Ph. D. from the University of Wisconsin and is currently a psychology professor at the College, hosted the forum that proved to be much more than just another lecture on sex. “Women need more information,” Barnack-Tavlaris said. Barnack-Tavlaris began by addressing some common myths about sexual health to provide some accurate information on the topic, as she joked, “Googling ‘sex’ isn’t always very successful.” She explained that sexually transmitted infections can often be present without symptoms, meaning that they are easy to spread without warning. Some can be transmitted merely by skin-to-skin contact. STIs, once cured, can certainly be caught again, and partners should have themselves checked by physicians regularly. She continued to highlight that the most commonly sexually transmitted infection is Human Papaloma Virus, or HPV. It is an infection, which, in most cases, will resolve
itself in less than two years without causing symptoms. However, in other cases, it can cause genital warts, and in the worst cases, cervical cancer, which can be fatal. Barnack-Tavlaris then detailed the four types of primary and secondary prevention, vital to maintaining good sexual health: abstinence and safe sex, the HPV vaccination, STI testing and a Pap smear test. She additionally stressed that STI testing and Pap smears are two different examinations, and that a Pap smear will test for cervical cancer, but not test for other infections. According to her studies, 75.6 percent of women surveyed falsely believed that Pap smears test for STIs. “I was extremely surprised how many women didn’t know about a Pap smear and its purpose,” she also said that the statistics left her worried about how many girls “had such misperceptions and distorted views of their sexual health,” said Lauren Cordero, a sophomore psychology major. Barnack-Tavlaris relayed that her main concern grew out of the research study she conducted, where 45 percent of the women she surveyed who were sexually active were not tested for STIs. She encourages women to be proactive about getting regularly tested and unafraid of pursuing good sexual health. The importance of this knowledge, Barnack-Tavlaris explained, lies in that sexual health is important to one’s overall physical and psychological well-being. Meghan Doherty, a junior psychology major who attended the forum, said that the talk cleared up several misconceptions for her. “You just have to protect yourself,” she said.
page 6 The Signal April 3, 2013
April 3, 2013 The Signal page 7
Bad parking job garners graphic graffiti Accusations of a counterfeited Hamilton fly By Natalie Kouba News Editor On Saturday, March 30 around 3 p.m. a student returned to her car and found it had been vandalized. According to reports, she was in a hurry the week before while parking her car in Lot 9 before class. She parked partially in the spot next to her. Her car was covered in writing which said, “You are a Douche,” “I suck @ parking,” “Best parking job award,” “Who R U?” and “TCNJ Probs.” Police also found remnants of a drawing of male genitalia on the car, which she attempted to wash off. The following day, the student was able to obtain further information from the TCNJ Problems Twitter Page. According to reports, a follow up investigation will be conducted. …
on Wednesday, March 27 to Travers Hall, and unknowingly paid the delivery man $10 in forged currency. According to reports, she paid her $24.11 bill and the delivery man left. Several minutes later, she received a call from Pete’s saying $10 was forgery and that the delivery man was coming back to get $10. Campus Police arrived and asked the delivery man if he was sure that the fake $10 was given to him by the student. He said he was not sure because he had collected money from other orders in the same night. Police said he later stated he was sure it came from the student because he kept the money from her in the front pocket of his sweatshirt, and the money from the rest of his orders in his pants pockets. The $10 was tagged as evidence and placed in the evidence safe. …
A student ordered delivery from Pete’s Steakhouse
Campus Police were called to Centennial Hall on a
report of a marijuana-like odor emanating from one of the dorm rooms on Tuesday, March 26 at 11:31 p.m. According to reports, police walked past a room with four students playing video games and asked if they could come in the room for a minute. The students said they could. Campus Police noticed one student sitting on the couch place his hands under the table. When asked to see his hands, the student stood up, and a small bag filled with green vegetation fell onto the couch where he was sitting. The student was brought to Campus Police Headquarters and charged with possession of CDS, finger-printed, photographed and issued a summons. … Campus Police were called to the first floor of Norsworthy’s mens’ bathroom on Friday, March 29 at 2:15 a.m. According to reports, a student was found vomiting in the toilet and said he had consumed seven shots of vodka within a four hour period. He was issued a summons for underage drinking.
Local / Small business Exploring cloud software The local advantage continued from page 1
“I think this provides opportunities for nonprofit organizations to get together and talk about what their organizations need,” Camp said, highlighting the importance of building capacity “to better serve the populations that they serve.” This specific VISTA grant sponsored 12 leaders who are assigned to a variety of tasks — from outreach and volunteer management to advising groups on practical applications of research. Camp and one of two VISTA leaders, Stephanie Kraver, have focused on incorporating local businesses into the College’s spending. “I think it’s ideal that TCNJ gets involved in the local economy,” said Kraver, the asset-based community development coordinator for the VISTA project. On Thursday, March 21, Kraver held an event with the Mid Jersey Chamber of Commerce to educate businesses on doing business with the College. At the event, Mark Mehler, director of budgets at the College, gave a presentation on the College’s purchasing procedures. Business owners were given the chance to meet with College staff such as the interior designer and electrician to discuss future purchases. “We’re a big economic presence in Ewing,” Mehler said, highlighting that the College can, in theory, provide local businesses with sustainable profits. “As a small business owner, I see TCNJ as a stable source of recurring income,” said Marilyn Silverman of Word Center Printing in Hamilton. Alongside this businesses initiative, the VISTA project is also taking a social development approach to growth. Part of Camp’s yearly work plan includes strategizing with the nonprofit sector on how to practically execute their missions. “I think people sometimes do
things out of a gut instinct without proper information,” said Kamran Hakiman, community networking coordinator for the VISTA grant, explaining that in order for a community to raise itself out of an adverse state, it needs to make knowledgeable decisions. To combat inefficient tactics, Hakiman is part of a team developing the site policyoptions.org to be launched in May. According to Hakiman, the site will use “schools as information hubs” to “create systemic change” by connecting community planners to relevant data. “Instead of just saying ‘Oh, a lot of people need jobs,’ we can focus on key industries,” Hakiman explained, referencing his report on industry clusters. Nicol Nicola, the MJCC’s economic policy specialist, helps Hakiman and the VISTA organizers to promote community development. “It’s very important because we are engaging the local economy,” Nicola said, “which helps keep the money and jobs in our community.” By joining with the near-by suppliers, Nicola argued, the community is at a distinct advantage for short-term and longterm growth. According to one of Nicola’s recent research projects, a 2003 report conducted by Civic Economics, “concluded for every $100 spent at a chain, $13 remained in the community while $45 remained when spent with hometown businesses.” “You work with small businesses because they live in the community, so they have a stake here to work with local government and to help the local economy,” Nicola said on hyper-local approaches. In the end, what gives development and growth their value is the prospect of giving people the chance to help themselves. “In my opinion, it’s a basic necessity for human potential to be realized,” Hakiman said, satisfied with his work.
By Annabel Lau Staff Writer
Professors Monisha Pulimood and Andrew Carver shared their experiences using innovative software to foster learning outside of the classroom in the Monday, March 25 segment of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning’s Food for Thought series. Pulimood, a computer science professor, led an introductory workshop on the cloud-based software Piazza, an online question-and-answer forum that allows students to ask questions and interact with each other when studying. Users can also send private messages to each other, and the instructor is able to provide clarification or encouragement through comments and corrections to students’ answers. The software received positive feedback from students, Pulimood said. She noticed that there is a “flurry of activity” on the program before an assignment is due. “They will typically be working at three in the morning, and I’m not — I’m fast asleep — and if they’re working on a program and … they’re getting these strange error messages … it’s perfectly okay for other students … to actually respond,” Pulimood said. “I want to try to encourage that.” The software, which the developers stated will remain free for educators, serves as a tool for instructors to gauge the level of participation in a class. Other positive features the software includes are its ease of use and its “amazingly responsive” customer service, Pulimood said. Inspired by the videos on the nonprofit edu-
cational website, Khan Academy, finance professor Carver utilizes a method called “screencasting” to record lectures, which students watch on their own time. Screencasting involves capturing video of a user’s actions on a computer screen, which can then be edited and enhanced with voice overs and other additions. Screencasting can be as simple as adding a sound clip to a PowerPoint presentation or as advanced as a “whiteboard lecture,” which Carver utilizes in his Introduction to Finance class. Carver writes out his lectures on a tablet, dragging in supplementary materials such as news articles when relevant, while the screencasting software, Camtasia, records all the additions. Afterward, Carver edits for hours using Camtasia, adding in voiceovers and visual aids, deleting pauses and making sure that his transitions are smooth. Carver’s course runs in the style of what he calls “flipped classroom.” The students watch the lectures at home and work on what would typically be homework in class. As a result, the students are able to devote the extra class time to working on problems, doing presentations and taking quizzes. As another benefit, students can re-watch the videos as needed, and those with short attention spans can learn at their own pace in the comfort of their own homes. For Carver, however, there is one more benefit to recording these videos. “You feel like you’re a real recording star,” Carved joked. “Don’t try to sing, because that’d, uh, be bad.”
Lianna Lazur / Photo Editor
Professor Carver explaining his experiences with the new software.
page 8 The Signal April 3, 2013
FALL 2013 REGISTRATION APPOINTMENT PERIOD Initial Registration Period for Undergraduate and Graduate Students
Tuesday, April 2 through Friday, April 12
Your enrollment appointment reflecting the first time you will be eligible to register for Fall 2013 semester can be accessed via your PAWS account. To view your scheduled enrollment appointment, visit the Enrollment Appointment section in the PAWS Student Center. Once eligible, students remain eligible throughout the registration period. Undergraduate Students who do not register by 11:59pm on Sunday, April 14th will be subject to a late registration fine. Graduate students have until 11:59pm on July 15th: Undergraduate: $150 Graduate: $125
The Fall 2013 Schedule of Classes is available on PAWS and can be viewed by using the Search for Classes button. Prepare for registration by adding courses to your Enrollment Shopping Cart prior to your enrollment appointment. Use the Validate feature directly from your Enrollment Shopping Cart to check for potential pre-requisite issues.
Check PAWS for Holds that will prevent you from registering. All Hold Flag information can be viewed under the Holds section in the PAWS Student Center. Check your account early and frequently for holds.
Access your Academic Requirements Report on PAWS to view your degree requirements via the Advising Tools link and make an appointment to see your advisor to discuss your Academic Requirements Report. Your advisor’s name and email address can be located in your PAWS Student Center.
Visit the PAWS HELP website for complete information on how to log-in to PAWS, search for classes, browse the Course Catalog, view your Holds, add courses to your Shopping Cart, and register for classes: http://pawshelp.pages.tcnj.edu
Double-check call numbers and course sections prior to your registration appointment for schedule changes and periodic updates.
Graduate Students: If you are a non-matriculant who is applying for Fall matriculation, you should not register during this timeframe. If accepted for matriculation, you will be invited to register during one of the Graduate Studies summer orientation sessions.
THE OFFICE OF RECORDS AND REGISTRATION EXTENDED HOURS DURING THIS REGISTRATION PERIOD Tuesday, April 2 through Friday, April 12 7:30 A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
For ongoing important and timely registration updates, “like us” at facebook.com/TCNJRecReg or visit us at http://recreg.pages.tcnj.edu
April 3, 2013 The Signal page 9
Nation & W rld
The intervention in Iraq: What did it cost us after all?
By Cait Flynn Staff Writer
As the reflections of the Iraq War continue, it is important to mention the costs. The loss of life, the amount of money spent, and the enormity of veteran care may be what ultimately define this war. In 10 years time, 4,488 American soldiers have lost their lives in battle, along with the 131 troops from England, and 32,000 Americans were wounded, including 1,500 amputees. The American casualties can be documented alongside an estimated 100,000 Iraqi civilian lives lost during the war. Also, the U.S. government incurred $2 trillion in costs.
The tactics of war changed dramatically in Iraq. The U.S. military faced new challenges not before seen on this scale. Iraqi insurgents used the fairly new tactic called an Improvised Explosive Devise. They lined the IEDs on roadsides and, as American cars drove over them, the bombs were detonated. These explosives have caused 126,000 cases of Traumatic Brain Injury, which for troops coming home manifests in memory problems, increased anxiety and problems functioning through everyday tasks. The mental wounds of Iraq Veterans are just as present as the physical scars. A reported 70,000 Iraqi veterans have been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD has led to an epidemic of veterans
coming home and finding it impossible to adjust to civilian life. A study released by the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2010 reported that more American soldiers died at their own hand than died in battle, and for that year as many as 20 soldiers were reported to have committed suicide each day. Those numbers are staggering, and the question of “was Iraq worth it?” will inevitably pop into the public discourse. It is a necessity, however, to remember that there was a regime change, and with time Iraq may become an oasis for democracy in the region. Check online this week for a comparative time line that traces the war from beginning to end in Iraq and the U.S.
AP Photo
Veterans like Rep. Duckworth have been elected to the U.S. Congress.
American interests are tested as the landscape changes
AP Photo
Evolving public opinion is putting pressure on politicians to change with the times.
WASHINGTON (AP) — After a dozen years of war and a half-dozen of economic troubles, the United States is beginning to wrestle with a question even more existential than those big events: What does it
New Jersey Report
New Jersey Powerball winner owes child support money: The New Jersey man who just won a $338 million Powerball jackpot is now due in court. Pedro Quezada is scheduled to appear Monday afternoon in state Superior Court in Paterson. Authorities say he owes $29,000 in payments dating back to 2009. Oyster research to rebuild ‘aquaculture’: Researchers gathered enough data to learn that an oyster-restoration program wrecked by Superstorm Sandy will work, and they now have more than $16,000 from the Dave Matthews Band to help re-establish the research on a Navy pier. All information from AP
mean to be an American? Immigration reform and gay marriage. Affirmative action and voting rights. Gun control and, more broadly, the role of government in our lives. Today, the Supreme Court, Congress, the White House and the public all are confronting a collective slate of issues that, taken together, speak to the country’s evolving identity. Fueling this debate: dramatic demographic changes that are causing equally dramatic shifts in public opinion on various matters. They suggest that the notion of how we define being an American may be shifting. President Barack Obama, being inaugurated for a second term in January, seemed to see this coming at us. “We have always understood that when times change, so must we,” Obama said as he began his second term with an agenda heavy on domestic issues. “Decisions,” he said, “are upon us, and we cannot afford delay.” There are two key reasons why identity issues haven’t pushed to the forefront until recently. The 9/11 attacks produced a strong focus on all matters
of terrorism and war. That included privacy, torture and anything related to national security and foreign policy and, of course, protecting ourselves from another attack. First Afghanistan weighed heavily, then Iraq. Then the economy showed signs of softening. The economic slide began and the bottom dropped out, plunging the country into recession as 2009 began. Now, the Iraq war is over, the Afghanistan one is winding to an end and immediate fears of further terrorism have, to some extent, faded. The economy has been rebounding: The job market is growing healthier, home prices are rising and consumers are starting to spend more. According to a Gallup Poll in March 2001, education, ethical issues and the economy ranked as the nation’s top problems, and no other issue reached double digits. Spans of peace and prosperity typically usher secondary issues to the forefront. This is because we have time to worry about, and address, things that feel less important during wartime and recession.
Around the World:
Myanmar
A new press promises new freedom YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — The newspaper industry might be shrinking in the rest of the world but it expanded Monday in Myanmar when privately run daily newspapers hit newsstands for the first time in 50 years. For many people, the rebirth of daily papers is a novelty: Many weren’t even born when the late dictator Ne Win imposed a state monopoly on the daily press in the 1960s. But for 81-year-old Khin Maung Lay, it’s like a second lease on life. He is chief editor of Golden Fresh Land, one of four dailies that went on sale Monday as Myanmar takes another step in its march toward democracy. “We’ve been waiting half a century for this day,” said the veteran editor, adding that the paper’s initial print run of 80,000 copies was sold out by late morning. “It shows how much people long for private daily newspapers. This morning, I was in tears seeing this.” He’s old enough to recall there once had been a big and vibrant daily press in the Burmese, English, Indian and Chinese languages in the period of parliamentary democracy after Myanmar, known then as Burma, won independence from Britain in 1948. Khin Maung Lay worked as a senior newsman at the Burmese language Mogyo daily before it was driven out of business by government pressure in 1964. Now as chief editor of Golden Fresh
AP Photo
Citizens reading weekly newspapers, which had been owned and commissioned by Myanmar’s government for 50 years. Land — the name sounds less awkward in the original Burmese — he heads a team of young journalists he recruited from various weeklies, journalists who have only the briefest of acquaintances with the concept of a free press, having grown up under the military government that ruled for five decades. They are up against some media behemoths and papers belonging to the country’s top political parties. The ruling USDP party launched a daily called The Union, and the wellestablished weekly The Voice is converting itself into the Voice Daily. All the newspapers are in Burmese, ranging in price from 150 kyat-200 kyat (US20 cents- 25 cents). Khin Maung Lay acknowledges there are innumerable challenges
ahead, but said he is ready to face them “in the name of freedom of press.” He’s well acquainted with the cutting edge of the concept — he went to jail three times under Ne Win, including a three-year stretch in “protective custody,” a catch-all phrase the military regime used when imprisoning critics. “I foresee several hurdles along the way,” he said. “However, I am ready to run the paper in the spirit of freedom and professionalism taught by my peers during the good old days.” The newspaper renaissance is part of the reform efforts of President Thein Sein, who took office in March 2011 as head of an elected civilian government that promotes national development.
page 10 The Signal April 3, 2013
Classifieds Country Club Apartments www.clubtcnj.com
Premier Off-Campus Complex 1.9 from Campus Fully Furnished / Fire Pits / BBQ Hangouts / Wireless Everywhere / Full Kitchens / Private Bedrooms Roommate Matching Free Month with AD Dedicated to the Students of TCNJ
Activist: Clean Water Action is offering full time jobs and paid internships. We are a non-profit, environmental lobbying organization. Candidates must have strong communication skills, positive attitude 2:00 to 10:00 PM, Mon –Fri; $450+ per week; Call 973-744-3005 www.cleanwater.org/nj
rentals@clubtcnj.com 516 236 0269
business.rutgers.edu/pamba
Your competitive advantage is at Rutgers. With over 130 alumni connections as partners and principals in the Big Four firms - and many more at regional and local CPA firms - Rutgers Business School accounting programs are leaders in educating highly sought after accounting graduates. All Rutgers accounting programs meet the 150-hour requirement for the Uniform CPA Exam. Rutgers MBA in Professional Accounting > ONLY 14 MONTHS! > No previous business or accounting courses required! > Starting salaries average $60,000 with 90% placement! > Application Deadline: May 1st Apply Today! business.rutgers.edu/pamba
OFFERING FULL TIME JOBS AND PAID SUMMER INTERNSHIPS We are a non-profit, political powerhouse working to hold polluters and politicians accountable to a clean and safe environment.
Must have strong communication skills, positive attitude, and passion for environmental issues. 2:00 to 10:00 PM, Mon –Fri; $450+ per week Montclair Long Branch 973-744-3005 732-963-9714
www.cleanwater.org/nj
Like what you’re reading? Follow us on Twitter: @tcnjsignal Like us on Facebook: TCNJSignal Watch us on Youtube: The Signal@TCNJ
April 3, 2013 The Signal page 11
Editorial
Getting involved on campus
When I first came to the College last year, I think the thing that was most drilled into my head during Welcome Week was: “Get involved right away.” To me, this was a no-brainer. Some people say that they’ll get involved halfway through their freshman year (some even say their sophomore year) and that it’s best to get assimilated to college life before jumping into a multitude of activities. These people could not be more wrong. I’d been extremely involved in high school — from choir to sports to other clubs, I was involved in a wide array of activities, and I wasn’t about to do anything differently at college. Now, we’ve got some great professors at the College, but I can honestly say that I’ve gained far more from all the activities and clubs that I’ve been a part of. I began writing for The Signal during the fall semester of my freshman year. I’ll admit it; I was a little intimidated at first. I mean, The Signal office is located down a creepy stairway in the basement of the Stud; most of you right now are probably asking yourself, There’s a basement in the Stud? Yes, there is. And there’s no cell service or any windows. So, like I said, it was a little intimidating. But I went anyway, because I knew that it would eventually lead me onto the right career path. This past year, I also began tutoring a Kindergarten ESL student. Growing up, I had always thought that I wanted to be a teacher, but before college I realized that wasn’t the right career path for me. However, I still thought that education was extremely important, and I wanted to be involved somehow. At first I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy tutoring; it wasn’t something I had ever done before, especially with such young children. But even after just the first day of tutoring, I couldn’t have been surer of my decision. If I hadn’t decided to “try out” tutoring, I would have never learned that I want to work for a children’s publication after graduation. And if I had never become a part of The Signal, I would have never learned the skills necessary to get me there. I don’t want to say that classes aren’t important — they are, and it’s necessary to always try your best. But at the same time, nothing is more important than getting involved around campus. In fact, prospective employers aren’t going to care if you had a 4.0 GPA if that’s all you have to show for you college career. They want to see that you can multitask, that you have skills in your area of work, that you’re ambitious. Don’t wait until next year to get more involved on campus — do it now. Getting involved during your college years is so important. It’s where you’ll meet your friends, it’s where you’ll gain career skills, and it’s where you’ll eventually love to be. I couldn’t be happier with my decision to become involved on campus. I’ve met some pretty great people from the clubs I’m in, and I’ve gained some pretty great life skills as well. I promise you will too.
— Amy Reynolds, Managing Editor
Editorial Content Unsigned editorial opinions are those of the Editorial Board, which consists of the Editor-in-Chief, the Managing, News, Features, Arts & Entertainment, Opinions, Photo and Sports editors and the Business Manager, unless otherwise noted. Opinions expressed in signed editorials and letters to the editor are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Signal.
Janika Berridge / Photo Assistant
If you’re not already involved in various campus activities, become a part of something now. You’ll gain experience and have a great time doing it.
tcnjsignal.net Email: signal@tcnj.edu Telephone: Production Room (609) 771-2424 Business Office (609) 771-2499 Ad Email: signalad@tcnj.edu
Mailing Address: The Signal c/o Brower Student Center The College of New Jersey P.O. Box 7718 Ewing, NJ 08628-0718
Editorial Staff Brendan McGrath Editor-in-Chief mcgrat28@tcnj.edu Amy Reynolds Managing Editor reynola1@tcnj.edu Christopher Rightmire Natalie Kouba News Editors rightmc1@tcnj.edu kouban1@tcnj.edu Chris Molicki Sports Editor molickc1@tcnj.edu Shuan Fitzpatrick Features Editor fitzpa28@tcnj.edu Thalia Ortiz Arts & Entertainment Editor ortizt1@tcnj.edu Tom Kozlowski Opinions Editor kozlowt1@tcnj.edu Lianna Lazur Photo Editor lazurl1@tcnj.edu Jack Meyers Nation & World Editor meyersj2@tcnj.edu Katie O’Dell Review Editor odell4@tcnj.edu
Colleen Murphy Production Manager Emma Colton Web Editor Peter Fiorilla Sports Assistant Brian Kempf Features Assistant Julie Kayzerman Courtney Wirths News Assistants Janika Berridge Vicki Wang Photo Assistants Mylin Batipps Andreia Bulhao Michael Oliva Angela De Santis Jamie Primeau Melisa Easaw Copy Editors Emilie Lounsberry Advisor Business Staff Dan Lisi Business/Ad Manager Emmett Slobodzian Matt Napoli Business Assistants
Quotes of the Week “This is a great group of girls who all have a passion to play and to win, and our friendships both on and off the field really help that to happen. Everyone has been contributing to our success, which makes each win really feel like a team win.”
— freshman Jackie Oram, softball
Corrections In the March 27 issue, the SFB article stated that the event,“Do You Hear the People Sing Along,” would be held on March 30. The event will actually be held on Saturday, April 6. We regret the error. In the March 27 issue, the article, “Students solve murder mystery skit,” stated that the event was hosted by the Mixed Signals. The event was actually organized by CUB Rat. We regret the error. In the March 27 issue, a caption in the article, “Punk bands shake it up,” stated that A Loss For Words was pictured. The band in the photograph is actually Modern Baseball. We regret the error.
page 12 The Signal April 3, 2013
April 3, 2013 The Signal page 13
Opinions
No shame Capitalism 2013: Dow and dirty Roe v. Wade
This article was written in response to Greg Burr’s opinion piece “The Real Libertarians of Ewing Township,” published on March 20.
By Chaya Himelfarb Member of VOX
Jan. 22, 2013 marked the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that decriminalized abortion in the United States. The Court’s decision affirmed a woman’s constitutional right to privacy and guaranteed the fundamental right to make their own personal medical decisions without encroachment from other individuals or institutions. Despite this achievement, women who seek abortions to this very day are often confronted with state-enacted roadblocks, such as waiting periods and intrusive ultrasounds. Such measures are intended to shame, belittle and scare women who wish to do nothing more than exercise their right to autonomy over their own bodies. Contrary to shaming techniques, abortion is a safe, common medical procedure; as a matter of fact, one out of every three American women will have an abortion at some point in her lifetime. Moreover, a majority of Americans believe that abortion should be safe, legal, accessible and left to a decision between a woman and her doctor, even if they don’t personally identify with either pro-choice or pro-life labels. On an individual level, choosing whether or not to end a pregnancy can be a complicated, multifaceted decision that comes with a wide range of accompanying emotions, including sorrow. But there are just as many, if not more women, who experience much different feelings — feelings of conviction that they made the right decision, feelings of relief, and yes, even feelings of joy, with no hint of regrets or remorse. For, at the end of the day, blame doesn’t stop abortion. It just perpetuates stereotypes about women who choose to end their pregnancy while simultaneously affronting them on a very personal level. Ultimately, whether a woman chooses to continue her pregnancy, opt to make an adoption plan or choose to get an abortion should be her decision and not anyone else’s. And shaming a woman for her decision isn’t the way to go, especially when you don’t know her circumstances. It doesn’t matter if you’re pro-life or pro-choice — you’re not in her shoes.
Policies The Signal is published weekly during the academic year and is financed by the Student Activities Fee (SAF) and advertising revenue. Any student may submit articles to The Signal. Publication of submitted articles is at the discretion of the editors. The letters section is an open forum for opinions. Submissions that announce events or advertise in any way will not be printed. All letters should be sent via e-mail to signal@tcnj.edu. Handwritten letters should be sent to The Signal, c/o The Brower Student Center, The College of New Jersey, PO Box 7718 Ewing, N.J. 08628 or placed in our mailbox in the Student Life Office. Letters must be received by the Friday before publication and should not exceed 300 words. The Signal reserves the right to edit letters for space and clarity. All letters must be signed, with a phone number and address of the author. Requests to withhold the author’s name will be honored only if there is a legitimate reason. All materials submitted become the sole property of The Signal. The editors reserve the right to edit or withhold all articles, letters & photographs. The Signal willingly corrects factual mistakes. If you think we have made an error, please contact The Signal at (609) 771-2424, write to the address listed above or e-mail us at signal@tcnj.edu.
AP Photo
Protesters at Occupy Wall Street question the unrestrained activity of commercial banking and business. By Vincent Aldazzabal Greg Burr’s articulate, passionate and concise defense of free market principles is a noble one. However it is my assertion that Mr. Burr’s rebuttal to Mr. Werner’s piece may lack an understanding of economics as a branch of history, and severely underplays the fact that many free market practices have come at the cost of infringing on the very civil and human rights that Mr. Burr claims to adamantly defend. Such a stance provokes a more transparent look into the role of free markets in American domestic and foreign policy. I seek to show that there is overwhelming evidence that unregulated free market practice have dominated the discourse of American policy at home and abroad, especially since World War II. More importantly, while Burr condemns presumably most — if not all — forms of government regulation in the free market, he refuses to see the immense role that corporate influence has played in restricting and perverting the very democracy he defends. For instance, it is highly visible that the voice of the individual citizen has come second to the power of corporate interest and, in effect, the unlimited capacity for the wealthy to endlessly finance attack ads and other propaganda mechanisms. Now, Mr. Burr fairly asks the question: where is there convincing evidence of harm from free markets? Of course, it would be absurd to claim that the theoretical models themselves are harmful. While Mr. Burr makes a most subjective argument that free markets are the best we have to offer, it operates under the false pretense that they are innately superior — a static representation — and never succumbing to the negative influences of “Big Brother,” socialism, and communism. While Mr. Burr admirably defends the credibility of economic models treasured by academics, he overlooks the consistent recklessness of many free market practitioners. Last year, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, close to 50,000,000 Americans were not granted health insurance because a corporately bought Congress and health insurance executives trusted that the “free market” would organically provide crucial access to healthcare, satisfied with
the health of America’s citizens being a private sector commodity exploitable for profit. In 2008, greed on Wall Street reached its height — seen through the exploits of Burnie Madeoff and countless others who followed such behavior. In this calamity, we witnessed AIG executives’ use of citizen’s tax dollars for private jet excursions, and a crash in the housing market spurred on by deliberate misinformation distributed by those in power. This obsession for profit caused the layoffs of millions of loyal employees. A study conducted by the University of Cambridge found that with each one percent increase in the unemployment rate, there was also close to a one percent increase in the national suicide rate. Mr. Burr and his libertarian cohorts argue that they were adamantly opposed to the U.S. occupation of Iraq. Now, the most major point Mr. Burr seems unable to realize is that the U.S. military itself has in many ways become, both in past and present, an arm of unregulated desire for and practice of free market pursuits, thus ensuring Western hegemony. In 2003, the United States launched an invasion of Iraq again, fighting for the security of military dominance in the Middle East. In the 2007 documentary “No End in Sight,” it is chronicled that while precious Iraqi museums and other cultural centers were left unguarded — some of which contained
the oldest artifacts of human civilization — the U.S. military received direct orders to prioritize protection of the Iraqi Ministry of Oil within the first weeks of the invasion. Furthermore, according to a 2009 article in “The Economist,” Blackwater USA — a private military contractor — has in the past faced charges of war crimes including participation in torture of detainees and the killing of 14 Iraqis. The lethal marriage of military and capitalism is not a new occurrence. In the 1950s following the assassination of Iranian Prime Minister Ali Razmara, the newly appointed Mohammad Mosadeq sought to nationalize Iran’s oil supplies, thus limiting foreign access. Operating under the direction of the “free market’s” quench for affordable oil, both the United States and British forces removed Mosadeq, securing Western economic interests framed under the guise of defeating an imminent communist threat. Anglo-American forces thus helped re-instate the Shah, who in turn, signed over 40 percent of Iran’s oil fields to US oil companies. Based on all these facts, it would be conclusive to say that where Mr. Burr sees the theoretical free markets as necessary for a free society to exist, the reality is different. The reality often reflects that free markets are tainting democracy, manipulating thinking and eroding the decency promised in their own pure models.
AP Photo
During Operation Iraqi Freedom, American forces especially ensure that the Iraqi oil supply will remain free-flowing to Western markets.
page 14 The Signal April 3, 2013
n o i nt e
Atte
t a u s d t a n r e g ud st
GRADUATE & PROFESSIONAL STUDENT APPRECIATION WEEK APRIL 1–5
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 3 Cupcakes and Conversation with Faculty, plus raffle prizes! 4–5 p.m. Education Building, Room 110
For more information or to RSVP, see www.tcnj.edu/graduate
April 3, 2013 The Signal page 15
Features
Bynes’s vagina tweets
Campus Style
By Johnanthony Alaimo Columnist
By Heather Hawkes Columnist We’ve all done it. After spending hours obsessing over trends on the runway from fashion week, you start pulling the most obscure pieces from your wardrobe until you realize that your Forever21 infinity scarf will never pass for a Vera Wang cable-knit head wrap. Rather than getting discouraged, get inspired. This spring, the runway is filled with chic combinations that can easily be transformed into your everyday wardrobe. Balenciaga’s Sring/Summer ’13 runway collection is a great source of inspiration for this season. One ensemble in particular pairs a structured, butter cream crewneck tank with a black and white striped circle skirt. The texturized top and patterned skirt keep the look modern, while the color combination gives the outfit a softness that screams springtime. The line has modern, yet sensible pieces that can easily be found at your local retailers. Though it is tempting, buying directly from the designer would set you back well over $1,000. Fortunately for the thrifty college student, affordable vendors such as ASOS and Urban Outfitters carry a variety of pieces that will help you effectively pull off this look for a fraction of the price. Don’t get caught up in trying to mirror the look precisely. Take the main concepts or ideas and make them your own. Key components to focus on are color combinations, textures, patterns and clothing structure. Let these be your inspiration to create a runway-inspired look that is all your own. So stop trying to make that infinity scarf a replication of the Halston frock dress Halle Berry sported back in 2011 and go hunt for a few staple pieces to create your very own Spring/Summer collection.
Photos courtesy of Balenciaga
High fashion doesn’t necessarily mean high prices. Be thrifty!
Amanda, PLEASE … calm down. The former Nickelodeon star, Amanda Bynes, has decided to take on her most challenging role yet: A meltdown. The actress/ Twitter abuser has taken the social media world by storm after she began acting erratically following her hit-and-run charge. Bynes has especially taken a likening to Twitter, tweeting such infamous quotes such as “I want @drake to murder my vagina.” Bitch, if you want to be on “Law & Order: SVU,” this ain’t the way to go. Actually, now that I think of it, I think Justin Bieber got on it by tweeting the same thing. But that’s beside the point. That’s still a tall order, Ms. Bynes. Drake is a busy man. He has tours to perform, music to write. Vagina murdering cannot go on his schedule until at least 2014, if that. And besides, Drake is not the murdering type. He’s more of a monologue kind of guy. What other insane stunts Amanda Bynes will pull is anybody’s guess, but I’m betting she’s going to be doing more than just dancing with lobsters by next week. In other news, the famous Duggar family of child farming fame is thinking about having more children. Thankfully, they’re not talking about having kids the traditional way because I’m pretty sure her uterus has checked out. Instead, Ms. Baby Factory is thinking of adopting. Now, hold on a minute. You have 19 children already. Shouldn’t you focus on remembering Child 17’s name before you add another? Can someone please give the Duggars a beanie baby or something if they’re so intent on collecting things? An adopted child wants to join a loving family, not a traveling circus. They’re trying to escape conditions where they’re surrounded by hundreds
of kids. Shoving them into a situation where the number has dwindled down to only 19 kids does not do much help. But alas, Mrs. Duggar is “praying” to God about whether or not she should go forward with the thought. Meanwhile, I’m praying to God adoption agencies are screening for the Duggars’ number. And finally, Demi Lovato will join the sinking ship that is X-Factor once again next season. Gurl, you’re lucky Britney has moved out of the spotlight (with her own two legs) so you can finally hear the one person chanting your name. Now, I’m not at all bashing Demi. She is a talented singer/ actress/whatever it is she does. But let’s face it. Britney was the star of last season’s run. But of course, Britney had to leave to work on her upcoming album and to get over the break-up with her fiancé and more importantly, the Kit-Kat bar she accidentally sat on. Jessica Simpson Baby Watch!: Jessica Simpson does not want @drake anywhere near her, well, you know.
AP Photo
Maybe the Duggars can adopt Amanda Bynes.
Back to basics with Asian remedies slew of aches, pains and ailments. In fact, these natural forms of healing are actually being encouraged today as an alternative to expensive prescription drugs.
1. Ginger Ginger, although predominantly known for adding flavor to many dishes, boasts significant healthful properties. This root is capable of aiding digestion, easing morning and motion sickness, and relieving irritable bowel syndromes.
Their health benefits give new meaning to the idea of ‘magic mushrooms.’
2. Garlic As it turns out, the only downside to garlic is bad breath after consumption. Otherwise, it possesses quite the variety of benefits. Garlic can lower cholesterol, reduce cancer risk, and treat high blood pressure. It has also been used to stimulate hair growth and as a topical for warts.
In conjunction with “Mystique of the East: Down the Panda Hole,” the College’s largest student-run cultural show that took place this past Saturday, here is a compilation of Asian medicinal remedies that have been scientifically proven to be effective. Sometimes, such tonics are scoffed at by modern medicine, but such an attitude happens to be completely unjustified. Prior to the advancements of science and technology, these herbal remedies were used to cure a
3. Ginseng Ginseng has recently garnered much attention for its capacities as it is now added to a variety of beverages. Specifically, it functions as a cure for erectile dysfunction, an energy stimulant and stress reliever. In addition, ginseng can help strengthen the immune system, so it would be particularly helpful with the current weather fluctuations.
AP Photo
By Ruchi Shah Columnist
4. Ginkgo biloba Ginkgo biloba, a Chinese herbal remedy dating back over 5,000 years, has become a central Western supplement. Firstly, it is replete with antioxidants, which function in the removal of damaging agents from living organisms. Gingko biloba stimulates circulation to the brain, ultimately lessening the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, Glaucoma and other such age-related illnesses. In addition, it aids in relieving depression and vertigo, asthma, tinnitus and diabetes. 5. Mushrooms The theme of this year’s Mystique show was “Alice in Wonderland.” Just as the caterpillar advised Alice to take a bite of the mushroom, I will advise you to do the same. Shiitake mushrooms have been found to relieve cold symptoms, Hepatitis B symptoms and certain cancers. These mushrooms also relieve the negative effects related to chemotherapy. Another type of mushroom, the Maitake, strengthens the immune system. It is most unfortunate that with current advancements in technology and science, we tend to forget our roots, quite literally. The aforementioned herbal remedies are effective treatments to a plethora of common ailments and a great alternative to expensive drugs that are routinely prescribed by physicians. Keep in mind that the East holds much mystique.
page 16 The Signal April 3, 2013
April 3, 2013 The Signal page 17
page 18 The Signal April 3, 2013
Campus Corner Laundry Ethan Kisch David DeLooper Daniel DeChiara
M&S Guitars Tim Pfenninger Alex Matteson James Seyffart
SurpriseMe
Sean Kilgannon, Andrew Bak, Sean Piersanti, Tushar Gupta
3 Teams...
Finale: April 3rd, 5-7 p.m. Science Complex, Physics 101 Spectators welcome. http://business.pages.tcnj.edu/events/mbpc-2013/
April 3, 2013 The Signal page 19
Cloning extinct animals — A mammoth of an issue By Sorraya Brashear-Evans Columnist
Normally when an animal becomes extinct, it’s a permanent sentence. Never was there any thought about bringing an extinct animal back to life. UNTIL NOW. Within the past 10 years, science has opened doors to possibilities of reviving certain species of animals that perished long ago. Animals such as the woolly mammoth, dodo bird and saber-toothed tiger could be revived. Imagine it: taking your kids to a wildlife preserve and saying, “This animal lived during the Ice Age and now it’s back again.” I can’t help but think of “Jurassic Park.” In theory, bringing back extinct species seems cool, but it soon becomes an ethics issue: “Who are we to play God?” “If we’re talking about a species we drove extinct, then I think we have an obligation to try and do this,” said Michael Archer, a paleontologist from the University of New South Wales who was quoted in National Geographic. “I think we played God when we exterminated these animals.” There is one species that has the potential to be successfully cloned and survive. The woolly mammoth, a distant relative to modern-day elephants, was said to
have stood between nine and 11 feet tall with thick coats to protect them from the chilling weather. They became extinct between 7,000-10,000 B.C., but because they met their demise during the tail end of the Ice Age, many carcasses remained well preserved in the permafrost of Siberia. The challenge lies with harvesting a viable egg from a modern day elephant (the Asian elephant was said to be the species of choice) and injecting it with a preserved nucleus taken from the mammoth remains. No one has successfully obtained an elephant egg. While advances in medical technology have come very far, cloning still remains a mystery to us. The ibex experiment of 2009 ended with a newborn 4.5- lb clone of the Pyrenean ibex dying only 10 minutes after birth due to a lung deformity. Her maternal clone, “Celia,” the last of her kind, died in 2000 after spending nine months in the Monte Perdido National Park with a radio-tracking device strapped around her neck. Spanish scientists kept her preserved cells in Madrid, hoping for a chance to bring her back. Although this was considered another failed experiment, it served as a breakthrough and raises hope for what the future can hold. To some, the process of de-extinction of earlier species brings new biodiversity opportunities which can benefit both humanity and the natural world. Resurrecting old genomes brings forth new ingredients for a larger gene pool, something Harlan and de Wet deemed vital for life
to continue. Meanwhile, others say it’s better to leave this issue alone, the idea of creating life seems unethical and something solely reserved for a supreme being. The whole idea of bringing the dead back to life can go one of two ways. It can offer a second chance to the species we’ve carelessly killed off thousands of years ago and make humanity appreciate the natural world or it can make us careless and cease conservation acts, because we’ve “cheated” extinction. Only time can answer this question, so we’ll all just have to wait and see.
AP Photo
This woolly mammoth skull was found preserved in the ice of the Siberian tundra.
Keep hunger at bay at Maidenhead Bagels
Emma Colton / Web Editor
It’s called pork roll. None of this ‘Taylor Ham’ BS. By Emma Colton Web Editor
Breakfast is probably the best meal of the day. It’s east to make or buy, not too filling, yet gives you what you need and, as a bonus, it’s usually inexpensive. So when I heard about Maidenhead Bagel Co. in Lawrenceville, I knew I had to give it a shot. The little bagel shop is tucked in along Main Street, hidden from the unobservant
eye, yet when my brother and I pulled into its rear parking lot, there were cars from Pennsylvania and Delaware, in addition to a sea of Jersey license plates. This breakfast-to-lunch bistro gets a lot of attention and I was about to find out why. To get inside, we used the back door, which made us feel welcomed, like we were going into a family member’s house for dinner, not a bagel shop. The warm smell of fresh bagels and frying eggs hit us immediately. The atmosphere was friendly, but a bit dingy. Tables with red checkered plastic tablecloths lined the walls, with the shabby ordering station facing out. Basically it was like a drabber version of Luke’s diner from “Gilmore Girls,” friendly and homey, but it could use some maintenance. The list of food options was endless, mostly sandwiches served on freshly baked bagels. Since I’m a girl whose need for spicy foods and sauces can never be satisfied, I ordered a pork roll, egg and cheese on a jalapeño bagel. The bagel, as expected, was delicious. It
had just the right amount of jalapeño peppers, and it wasn’t too bready (that’s not a word, but you get what I mean) or yeasty. The eggs were actually fried in a skillet, not nuked i n a microwave, and the pork roll (yes, pork roll, not taylor ham) was just the right thickness. Like 2 a.m. infomercials say, “But wait, there’s more!” Since it is a place where breakfast-goers dine, good coffee needs to be a staple. I consider myself a coffee aficionado. I’m the kid who showed up to college with a french press coffeemaker for her dorm. When it comes to coffee, I don’t mess around. So, when I saw the lined-up coffee pots sitting on a constantly running stove, I thought the coffee might taste burned or too strong. I was wrong. I opted for the very vanilla coffee splashed in some cream from a very extensive selection of creamers, and enjoyed my morning brew. The coffee was bold, pipping hot and had just the right amount of vanilla notes. My meal cost under $7 and pleased my breakfast cravings. Take a quick trip
to Lawrenceville for your bagel fix. You won’t be disappointed. Maidenhead Bagel Co. Where: 2645 Main Street Lawrenceville, N.J. Contact: (609) 219-9292 Hours Mon. - Sat.. : 5:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Sun. : 6 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Overall Rating (4 out of 5)
EMS / On-call and roaring into action continued from page 1
But three years ago, the services Lions’ EMS provides were all in danger of being shut down due to the resignation of its then-supervisor, according to junior nursing major and Lions’ EMS Secretary Alana Barouch. College employee Scott Sferra took on the position, and has now supervised the squad for three years. Under these years of his supervision, Lions’ EMS has grown to be stronger than ever, according to Barouch. “We wear more professional, personalized uniforms and badges for the first time. We’ve acquired new radios and equipment,” Barouch said. “Most importantly, we finally have a hard-earned response vehicle. Our electric car, equipped with EMS supplies and emergency lights, allows us to respond to calls much faster than when we responded on foot with heavy backpacks.” One major way in which the squad has become more efficient and timely is having a central location to respond from. Up until a few years ago, Lions’ EMS had no squad room — their equipment was stored in a closet in Eickhoff Hall, according to Wyles. When a call came in, the responders on duty would have to run to Eickhoff to grab their supplies, and then to the scene. Fortunately, the need for a room so that the members can respond better as a group was seen. A vacant residence director’s
room in Decker Hall was converted into the squad’s response room. Equipped with a bathroom, kitchen, lounge area, and two sets of bunk beds, the room is said to have a “family-friendly atmosphere.” The crews on weekend shifts are assigned chores, including washing and folding the bed sheets, cleaning the bathroom, vacuuming, and making sure all the radios are fully charged. It is in this room where crews stay for hours at a time, ready to answer any calls that might come in. “Each three-member duty crew has an 11-hour night shift every other week, and about one 24-hour weekend shift a month. We cover every night and all weekend, totaling 103 hours a week, plus standing by at events on campus,” Barouch said. “Also, we are beginning an ‘all-call’ system, in which members can keep their radios on during daytime hours on weekdays, and respond to calls when available.” While Lions’ EMS has had its obvious positive impacts on the College within the last 15 years, the organization might have had its biggest effect on its 35 active responders. “Being a part of Lions’ EMS has shaped my experience at the College. I’m proud of how much time, effort, skill and dedication we put into providing care to the TCNJ community. I love the work we do and the close bonds we form, and everything we’ve been able to learn from each other,” Barouch said. Fifteen years ago, there was no campus emergency
response team. Three years ago, Lions’ EMS was in jeopardy of folding. But today, it is stronger than ever, and its supervisor, Sferra, could not be more impressed. “I’m extremely proud to have the opportunity to be the supervisor of a fantastic organization. Each member brings to the organization medical knowledge, experience and dedication that has proven time and time again in caring for (his or her) patients,” Sferra said. “When I was asked if I was willing to supervise Lions’ EMS several years ago, it was an honor for me to be asked. Each year brings new members and new challenges however the commitment of each member makes those challenges very conquerable. I could not be more proud of a fine group of emergency medical providers.”
Colleen Murphy / Production Manager
On-call every night, for the College’s safety.
page 20 The Signal April 3, 2013
April 3, 2013 The Signal page 21
Arts & Entertainment
YouTube sensation motivates campus
Jack Meyers / Nation & World Editor
Cancer survivor Josh Sundquist brings education through laughter.
By Jack Meyers Nation & World Editor
One amputee and cancer-survivor-madeYouTube-persona goes beyond what is normally expected of a motivational speaker. Josh Sundquist spoke at an event hosted by the Sophomore Class Council in the Brower Student Center Food Court on Thursday, March 28. With almost 150,000
YouTube subscribers and over 17,000,000 views on his channel, he has built up his career by speaking on college campuses and reminding students the importance of treating people kindly, regardless of their differences. Yet, his brand of inspirational speaking is distinct — he uses humorous situations to start a discussion about diversity. “When someone asks me ‘what do you say when someone has a disability?’ I respond with ‘why do you feel the need to say anything at all?’” said Sundquist, a self-proclaimed “one-legged stand-up comedian.” So, with exaggerated expressions, flailing crutches and a grounded sense of humanity, he regaled the crowd with the story of when his journey first began. At age nine, Sundquist was diagnosed with bone cancer in his left leg. “I was given a 50 percent chance of living,” Sundquist said. Laughter ceased and the room fell silent. In the wake of one his lighthearted anecdotes, Sundquist told the audience that before most kids were thinking about their futures, he was forced to make a decision
that would change his life forever. His choice was boiled down to either living without a leg or possibly no life at all. A few moments later, Sundquist deliberately fell on stage — his crutches flying forward and his face hitting the ground. “It’s this huge ordeal when the guy with one leg falls,” Sundquist said standing up, explaining that he feels uncomfortable when people go out of their way to help him up. “I know they are just being nice, but sometimes it gets ridiculous.” What others need to remember, Sundquist suggests, is that people with disabilities want to be treated the same as everyone else. “Treat them like a normal person,” he said. “Because guess what? That is exactly what they are.” On the other hand, Sundquist advised that those who are set apart from the rest of society should change the way they look at their disability. For example, he re-branded his limp as a “natural pimp walk.” “With your attitude you can take a problem in your life and make it something else,” Sundquist said.
Wooing the audience into thoughtfulness, Sundquist reiterated his take on diversity and why an individual’s attitude can change his or her life. When his leg was first amputated, and the chemotherapy was draining him of sufficient energy, he found himself waistdeep in pity. However, Sundquist has recently found himself in a romantic relationship — the first one in his life. After years of doubting himself and his social abilities, he realized that it was an issue of perception. “The only thing wrong with me was thinking there was something wrong with me,” Sundquist said. With that statement, he reminisced on the successful life he currently leads, having left behind a childhood riddled with adversity. “We all have those moments when we feel like everything is falling apart,” Sundquist said, sauntering toward his audience on his crutches. “The best that you can ask for is the courage to stand and the strength to walk.”
Brit hit ‘Matilda’ comes to Broadway By Katie Dougherty Staff Writer
During this past January term, I was lucky to be one of the 15 students, along with instructors Diane Steinberg and Jean Graham, who journeyed across the pond to jolly old England in the LIT 367: British Theatre class. The basic outline of the class was not only to take in all of the exciting sites, such as Westminster Abbey and William Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, but to study and bear witness to seven British plays. One of the most impressive plays we saw abroad was the Royal Shakespeare Company’s “Matilda The Musical.” The name “Matilda” sounds quite familiar, right? If the name rings any bells or even just a slight chime or two, then you are probably thinking of Danny DeVito’s 1996 film “Matilda.” All of the bookworms reading this article are
hopefully going back in time to their childhoods. Perhaps you eagerly flipped through the enchanting pages of British writer Roald Dahl’s classic 1988 children’s novel “Matilda.” The basic storyline of Dahl’s original revolves around a sweet young girl, Matilda Wormwood, who is unfortunately born into a family that praises television, money and laziness. However, Matilda is an intellectual prodigy who develops telekinetic powers that eventually aid her in finding solace. Since this production has been so successful in the United Kingdom, on April 11 of this year “Matilda The Musical” will come to the United States and hit the Broadway scene at The Shubert Theatre. Now this beloved literary classic will come alive for American audiences. When in the actual audience, one cannot help but notice the brightly
colorful and beautifully rich set design singing for attention before the actual performance of the musical even begins. Rob Howell truly deserves a standing ovation and several “Bravos” for his artistic and ingenious set design for “Matilda.” From afar, the stage appears to be bordered by hundreds and hundreds of books, which highlight Matilda’s own love of reading and storytelling. Despite all of the incredible performances achieved by the principal and child actors, the ever-evil headmistress and ultimate villain, Miss Trunchbull, is most likely one of the most memorable performances of “Matilda The Musical.” The particular show our British Theatre class saw in London cast theatre actor David Leonard as “The Trunch.” Yes, Leonard is a man. Yes, he is playing a woman. Unlike actress Pamela Ferris who portrays Mrs. Trunchbull in Danny DeVito’s film adaptation, playwright Dennis
Kelly decided to take a different approach and depict the infamous headmistress in drag. She, or, more accurately, he, transforms Dahl’s timeless character into an antagonist that audience members would love to hate. When exiting down the center aisle, which she (or he) does multiple times during the show, Leonard gives the audience ample opportunity to get a real close-up of his lovably demonic and animated face. Leonard’s absolutely hilarious facial expressions force the audience to slap their knees with contentment. The Royal Shakespeare Company’s choice to convert Dahl’s novel into a musical rather than a strictly dialogically-based play was a wise one. Although the actual lyrics of the songs are often hard to interpret and sung rather quickly, the overall musicality of the show truly enhances the magical emotions
AP Photo
Childhood book favorite hits theater stage.
readers discover within Dahl’s classic literary characters. Now that it has come to the States, American audiences can certainly gain a little piece of the United Kingdom and learn all about the increasingly celebrated “Matilda The Musical.” For more information, go to the website, us.matildathemusical.com.
Logo TV’s ‘Drag Race’ provides big laughs
AP Photo
A trailblazer on the drag scene, RuPaul gives new drag queens the chance to shine. By David Sanchez Correspondent
Ladies, tighten those tucks and tease that hair! It’s time for a good ol’ fashion “Drag Race” review! “RuPaul’s Drag Race” is a reality competition airing every Monday at 9 p.m.
and combines the challenges of “Project Runway,” “America’s Next Top Model,” “L.A. Hair” and “Dance Moms” into one extravaganza. Hosted by celebrity drag queen RuPaul, it showcases 13 drag queens vying to be America’s Next Drag Superstar. The winner of the competition is awarded a sum of $100,000, a supply of Colorevolution makeup, a spot promoting Logo’s Drag Race tour and a vacation. The season five cycle began with the unfortunate elimination of the viewers’ choice, Miss Penny Tration. The format of the show typically relies upon one mini-challenge, a main challenge and a fabulous runway look which will all factor into who the judges choose to eliminate. After deciding on a bottom two, host and producer RuPaul informs the queens that they are to fight for their spot on the show in a heated competition known as a “Lip Sync for Your Life.” During this performance, the two queens duke it out by putting on their best performances to a previously decided-
upon song. This is the final chance to impress the judges and make use of any split, pirouette, backflip or wig-toss that could keep a queen from elimination. So far this season, viewers have watched Penny Tration, Serena Cha-Cha and Monica Beverly Hillz sashay away. In a surprise twist, RuPaul instituted a double elimination and sent home Honey Mahogany and Vivienne Pinay. RuPaul stated that she would not tolerate “half-steppin” performances, and encouraged the queens to approach each challenge energized and ready to put on a show. “Drag Race” is not RuPaul’s first venture into media. Long before the GLAAD (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Media Award-winning talent secured his empire with four programs on Logo TV, he was hard at work acting in movies, creating music, hosting radio shows and introducing numerous characters to the world on his VH1 program, “The RuPaul Show.” Big laughs are in store for this season, so don’t miss an episode. If you do not have Logo, you can always catch up the day after the show airs on logotv.com.
page 22 The Signal April 3, 2013
The School of the Arts and Communication announces the
Integrated Performing Arts Minor
- Ready to explore the arts? - Interested in a variety of disciplines? - Want to make a difference in your community?
With an IPA minor, you will: • Identify personal social concerns and examine how those can be addressed in performance • Create original work or reinterpret existing work through mentorship with professional artists and companies • Learn the significance of the performing arts in the development of civilization • Understand why humans are driven to create and express themselves through performance Students interested in declaring the Integrated Performing Arts minor should arrange to meet with Dr. James Day (day@tcnj.edu), Assistant Dean of the School of the Arts and Communication. For more information, please visit www.tcnj.edu/ipa
April 3, 2013 The Signal page 23
Healthcare equity: nationwide cause By Jamie Michel Correspondent
Renata Schiavo, a public health specialist, spoke about the inequity of healthcare across the country and the world at a Brown Bag lecture in Mayo Concert Hall on Friday, March 29. Schiavo is the founder and CEO of Health Equity Initiative, whose mission is to build community, capacity and communication resources for health equity. “Health Equity Initiative is committed to making a difference in people’s health and lives,” Schiavo said. The ultimate goal of this organization is to ensure that everyone has access to health care. However, some challenges arise in the face of this, as de-
cades of growing public health crises have left society with more problems than solutions. Health equity is the quality of health and healthcare among different racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and socioeconomic groups. It influences economic and social development, impacts people’s life opportunities, and is a basic human right. “We are not just healthy or sick because of disease,” Schiavo said. “We are sick or healthy because of the environment.” For instance living in a dangerous environment can prohibit someone from exercising outside. If a person lives in an area where everything, specifically the doctor’s office, is far away but does not have access to a car, this situation can hinder his or her chances of getting the proper care.
Community also impacts a person’s health, according to Schiavo. At most fitness centers there are financial penalties for inactive membership. Therefore those who join a gym are motivated to work out regularly because they are paying whether or not they use the facilities consistently. Another factor that Schiavo stressed cannot be forgotten is the power of peer pressure. People are more likely to lead healthy lifestyles if they have friends or colleagues who encourage them and are also healthy. Schiavo called for a health system-based approach, that consists of different people or resources working together toward a common goal. So far, the Health Equity Ini-
tiative has created task forces on infant mortality prevention in four cities in the United States. The organization has developed resources accessible to other organizations, community groups and professionals. Schiavo spoke of opportunities for getting involved in the Health Equity Initiative, such as joining the health equity exchange and going to their website to take their pledge. “It is important to have brown bags like these,” said Divya Padgaonkar, junior sociology major. “The public should know about this issue because it applies to everyone.” Schiavo concluded her presentation by saying, “Get involved! Share your stories! Talk about health equity!”
Vicki Wang / Photo Assistant
Renata Schiavo advocates healthcare for all at this week’s Brown Bag.
Lackluster film adaptation of ‘The Raven’ dissapoints
AP Photo
‘The Raven’ proves to be more gory and horrifying than expected. By Chris Minitelli Staff Writer This week, I decided to scroll through the new releases on my Netflix account and came across the film “The Raven.” This movie, which came out in 2012, takes place during the final days of the famous poet Edgar Allan Poe’s life.
In Poe’s final days, a crazed madman commits a number of horrifying murders throughout Baltimore that are inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s works. Consequently, a Baltimore detective then enlists Poe’s help with solving these murders and capturing the killer. While the actual storyline of “The Raven” may sound somewhat interesting and possibly exciting, the movie itself definitely does not live up to any expectations. Although this movie may have had a few exciting scenes, they certainly did not make up for the rest of it. As I was watching “The Raven,” I felt that it was trying too hard to be an action or horror film. Throughout the movie, there is way too much unnecessary gore and blood spattering that reminded me of the movie “300.” And while this type of gore worked for “300,” it certainly did not work for “The Raven.” Next, this film also attempts to use graphics and angles like zooming in on
The standout sounds of ‘Optica’ The Shout Out Louds Optica
bullets. This reminded me of “Wanted,” but these just seemed out of place and forced. In all honesty, the only time that this movie uses necessary graphics is when a scene has CGI ravens, which the filmmakers made sure to use to the point where the motif of the ravens became painstakingly obvious and honestly annoying. As the film and its progression were lacking, so was its cast. The part of Edgar Allan Poe was played by John Cusack. While I am a fan of a number of Cusack’s other works, I am definitely not a fan of this one. I felt that he was not very convincing as the famed Poe. Cusack seemed to have a certain kind of demeanor and even tone of voice that just did not strike me as Edgar Allan Poe’s. Throughout the film, it felt to me as if Cusack was not playing Poe. Instead, he seemed to have just grown an unfortunate goatee, put on a long dark coat, and memorized some poetry. The rest of the cast of “The Raven,” which
included Luke Evans, Alice Eve and Sam Hazeldine, also lacked certain qualities that just made their portrayals unconvincing. In the end, I would not really recommend watching ‘The Raven’ unless you’re looking for a forgettable movie just to kill some time. John Cusack undoubtedly has a number of much better movies out that I would suggest watching well before this one.
AP Photo
John Cusack delivers a lackluster performance as Edgar Allen Poe.
This week in photos
AP Photo
By Matt Jannetti WTSR Music Director The Shout Out Louds have had a pretty tenuous relationship with music critics, especially after their last album, Work. However, The Shout Out Louds still deserve your attention, and Optica proves that. Optica starts off with the absolutely catchy song “Sugar.” The Shout Out Louds show right off the bat that they are still capable of some really great song construction. The synthy bleeps that show up in the background of the song will get stuck in your head for quite a while. But the Shout Out Louds are capable of so much more. They manage to create some really cool and beautiful songs such as “Blue Ice” and “Burn.” There is some great interplay between male and female vocals, which is highlighted by their airy quality. Frankly, it’s nothing new, but it is done particularly well here. What makes Optica so good is not its inventiveness, but its consistency. Nearly every song on this album has something to offer listeners. It’s the kind of consistency in an album that every band strives for but few ever achieve. Optica probably won’t be hailed by many as a great album of 2013; however, they might be vastly underestimating it. This album certainly deserves at least to be recognized for the catchy songs that are on it, but it should be remembered for much more.
Janika Berridge / Photo Assistant
Tri-state area bands Such Gold, Save Face and Merit bring catchy tunes and vibrant energy to the Rathskeller on Friday, March 29.
page 24 The Signal April 3, 2013
College home after beating Bears Lacrosse
By Peter Fiorilla Sports Assistant Maintaining dominance in the first half and of unranked teams on both sides of the ball, the lacrosse team rode early momentum to a pair of wins last week in preparation for an upcoming schedule of familiar opponents and storylines. The No. 6 Lions (7-2) ended their threegame road stretch with a 17-6 win at Ursinus College in the first game of the week, methodically building an 8-1 first-half lead that escalated to 11-1 early in the second half. “It’s very important to get up early so that we can set the tone of the game,” senior Jillian Nealon said. “Having the control early allows us to really settle into our style of play.” Bears’ goalies Riley Pembroke and Margaret Philbin put up 14 saves in a valiant effort, but the Lions — led by senior Alex Spark’s game-high seven goals — took care of business to stay in the win column. The College kept Ursinus shot-less
Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
Sparks scores at will with seven goals against Ursinus.
through more than 23 minutes into the game, and junior goalie Kelsey Zinck only needed three saves for the win thanks to positive play in front of her in midfield and on defense. “In the past few games we have done a good job of maintaining possession of the ball and limiting our opponents,” Nealon said. “On the other side of that our defense has been playing strong and not letting the other teams get off good shots.” Nealon found the back of the net five times, while the rest of the scoring was fairly evenly distributed between junior midfielder Lauren Pigott, sophomore midfielder Lauren Karpovich, sophomore midfielder Erin Waller and freshman attacker Carly Walters. The College then returned to Lions Stadium for some home cooking on Saturday against Manhattanville College (1-8), once again building a large lead — this time, it was 12-0 by halftime — while limiting the Valiants to seven shots during the game, five of which were on net.
Nealon scored four of her team-high five goals in the first half and added three assists during the run, while Spark scored four times and junior attacker Jen Garavente returned to the box score with three of her own. A suffocating defensive performance lowered the Lions’ goals against average to 6.11 on the season, which can leave them feeling good heading into a pair of fascinating games this week against Rowan University and No. 8 Franklin & Marshall College. “Heading into this week, I think our defense has gained a lot of confidence and we have settled into a good style of play offensively,” Nealon said. “We just need to start off strong and win the draw controls and ground balls.” On Tuesday, April 2 the College hosts its second consecutive game against conference rival Rowan, who opened NJAC play with a (win/loss) on Friday, March 29 before taking on another familiar opponent in Franklin & Marshall College on Saturday, March 30.
Baseball
Baseball sweeps doubleheader in NJAC
Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
Rizzi comes up with a big hit for the Lions. By Andrew Grossman Staff Writer The College’s baseball team had a strong showing during Saturday’s doubleheader against
New Jersey City University, winning 15-5 and 3-1 in their first conference matchup of the year. These victories helped the Lions continue their impressive play by winning six of their past eight games. Despite starting the season 2-7, the team is looking to be on the right track after this weekend. It was a slugfest with seven extra-base hits during their first game, as the College recorded a season-high 19 hits. Leading the team was senior right fielder Michael Murphy, who hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning, finishing with six total RBI. Also, senior second baseman Scott Kelly, who went three-for-four, while stealing
three bases. “It’s always nice to get a bunch of hits and score some runs to make the pitchers more comfortable,” Kelly said. “We just have to continue being consistent because we have been streaky lately in our hitting, but Coach Woodrow has been really trying to help us in our approach, so hopefully this strategy will give us a little momentum so we can get more hits every game.” The second game against the Gothic Knights was much different than the first with the game tied at 0-0 in the sixth inning. With two outs, sophomore third baseman Mike Murray hit the ball to left field as Murphy was able to slide home. On the
next at bat, sophomore shortstop Anthony Cocuzza had a base-hit to send Murray home, ending the inning with a tworun lead. Throughout this game, defense was key as freshman pitcher Steve Volpe went seven innings without allowing a run. This put the pitcher at 3-0, while extending his streak to 23 consecutive scoreless innings. “He has been pitching extremely well and we are starting to put everything together,” Kelly said. “We just have to continue doing what we have been doing (in order) to put us into a good position to win.” Despite being 8-9 on the season, the Lions are undefeated in the
NJAC after the wins on Saturday. “We have a lot more games to play and there are more teams in the NJAC so you can’t really get your hopes up yet,” Kelly said. “We still have some tough competition to play but I’ll take being 2-0 any day.” With much of the season remaining, the College is trying to build on the New Jersey City University doubleheader victory. “We just have to continue with the momentum that we had from Saturday for next week,” Kelly said. “We have a game Tuesday and then Thursday, Friday and Saturday in conference, so if we keep doing what we are doing then we should be coming out with victories this week.”
Cheap Seats
No. 9 seed Wichita St. belongs in Atlanta Shockers’ Final Four run not as surprising as you think By Chris Molicki Sports Editor
Over the course of the next week, you’re going to hear plenty of Shocker puns. With Wichita St. making the Final Four as a No. 9 seed from the Missouri Valley Conference, the fact that they’re two wins away from a national championship may be shocking to some. However, if you look deeper, it may not be as surprising as it seems. Yes, it did seem like last year’s Shockers had a better Final Four shot (I picked them to go there). No. 5 Wichita St. from last season was led by its top-five scorers Joe Ragland, Garrett Stutz, Toure’ Murry, Ben Smith and David Kyles. None of those players are on this year’s squad. Shocking? Not quite. Enter junior Cleanthony Early: a junior college transfer who has morphed into the Shockers’ best player. With averages of 13.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and a combined three blocks/steals/threes per game. That versatility from a 6’ 8” player is not seen too often. Then there’s Carl Hall, who was on
last year’s team. The senior big man is as tough as they come, averaging 12.5 points and 6.9 rebounds. However, what most people didn’t know until the tournament is that Hall is a victim of neurocardiogenic syncope, which is a heart condition that produces an irregular heartbeat and causes Hall to pass out playing basketball on occasion. Despite this huge obstacle, Hall has taken the necessary steps to keep himself healthy and has thrived through something that many could not. The rest of the cast and crew of Wichita St. have similar “Land of the Misfit Toys” stories that have all meshed together to form an amazing Final Four run. Senior Malcolm Armstead, a transfer from Oregon, has come up big with clutch shots and stellar play in the postseason. Freshman Ron Baker has not looked like a freshman. He’s hit 20 of his 23 free throw attempts, including nine-for-nine against Ohio St. in the Elite Eight, showing poise on the big stage. Another freshman, Fred Van Vleet, was a revelation against the Buckeyes. After averaging 4.3 points this season, he dropped 12 on Ohio St.,
including the dagger bouncing shot that will haunt Thad Matta’s dreams. Finally, sophomore Tekele Cotton, who made 0.6 threes per game all season, poured in 10 during the Shockers’ final four run. This is a team led by head coach Gregg Marshall and is built on stingy defense and physical play. And it also helps that Wichita St. averaged nearly 10 threes per game against Gonzaga, La Salle and Ohio State So let’s face it, this team is built for an NCAA tournament run. And after beating the top-ranked team in the country, a furious Cinderella from the rising Atlantic-10 and the champion of the best conference in the nation, they’ve shown they can play with anyone. That’s why when they’re up against Louisville, this team won’t be shy. Marshall has preached this whole tournament that his team belongs, and they’ve proven that. If the No. 9 Shockers wind up winning the whole thing, they’ll be the lowest seed in history to win the NCAA tournament. Would that be Shocking? Maybe. Then again, especially in this wild season, it may not be shocking after all.
AP Photo
Early knows that his team deserves to be where they are.
April 3, 2013 The Signal page 25
Hot doggin’ hilarity Women’s tourney is Cheap Seats
Baseball
Baseball team has fun also must-watch TV
Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
The team bonds on spring break.
By Matt Bowker Correspondent
Exactly 178.9 feet. That is the distance from third base to home plate to first base. It’s 88.9 feet from third base to home plate, and then another 90 feet from home plate to first base. Those numbers seem simple enough, right? Just ask freshman relief pitcher John Michnick that question and see what he says. The College’s baseball team was on its annual spring break trip to Winterhaven, Fla., when rain caused the team’s game to be postponed
on that Tuesday. In search of some “team event” to do, the coaching staff decided the team would attend that night’s University of Central Florida baseball game. “Right when we walked in, (the staff) spotted us right away,” Michnick said. “25 college kids all dressed in TCNJ shirts, we had to stick out.” The employees at the park asked the team to choose four people to participate in the first annual hot dog race at UCF. “I immediately volunteered,” Michnick said. “No one else wanted to.” Head coach Dean Glus volunteered fellow freshmen Steve Rosen and Mark Mari. With one spot left to fill, the team unanimously decided on freshman catcher Matt Facas. “He looked like a little kid before his first roller coaster,” Michnick said. Ten minutes later, in between the top and bottom of the fourth inning, a hot dog, mustard, a Diet Coke can and a regular Coke can appeared in front of third base, some more reluctant than others. “The plan from the beginning was to stop Facas from winning, no matter what,” Michnick said. As the race began, Mari, the Diet Coke, got out to a huge lead and looked to have the race won easily. Michnick and Rosen were jostling for
second, with Facas not far behind in fourth. “I looked and saw Steve coming up on me, so I tried to take him out,” Michnick said. “I just ended up taking out myself instead”. As you can see on UCF baseball’s Vine page, Michnick, the hot dog, seemed to trip over his own feet. “It was definitely the rain’s fault,” Michnick said. “The field was wet. I would’ve won if I didn’t trip.” Michnick gathered himself and continued down the first base line as the UCF fans started to heckle him. “The best one I heard was some kid yelled ‘Hey, I bought you for a dollar,’” Michnick said. Michnick bashfully trudged across the finish line, to reunite with his teammates, who “just thought it was hilarious.” Facas responded to Michnick’s plan by saying he actually tripped Michnick. “I guess the tables turned on that one,” Facas said. After the race, Michnick begrudgingly took the long walk up to the second level, by the rest of his teammates. “They all thought it was hilarious,” Michnick said. Every team member in attendance would probably agree, that as Michnick put it, “it was the highlight of the trip.”
By Jamie Primeau Former EIC
Louisville was the center of attention on Sunday. From Kevin Ware’s leg injury to the team earning a spot in the Final Four, the Cardinals were a major conversation starter. Something barely discussed? Louisville’s women’s basketball team, who also had an impressive game day. The Louisville ladies beat top-seed Baylor for a place in the Elite Eight, ending the Bears’ 32-game winning streak. Scoring 16 three-pointers, the Cards also set an NCAA record. If you thought the Duke/Louisville game was competitive, the women’s team’s final score was 82-81, making it a really close race. As someone who watched the Super Bowl only to see Beyoncé’s performance, I’ll admit, I’m no authority on athletics. But when it comes to March Madness, I’m a huge fan. Ever since high school, I’ve loved filling out a bracket and watching the games. (Full disclosure: I pick teams based on who has a cuter mascot, but it’s a pretty effective method, since even the most talented sports analysts can’t predict upsets.) As a March Madness enthusiast and a selfproclaimed feminist, I have an embarrassing confession: I completely forgot there was a women’s tournament going on. I was flipping through the channels and saw one of the games on ESPN. I hadn’t even thought about the fact that they’re playing in a championship, too. But I’m not the only one guilty of paying less attention to the ladies’ games — and that’s the problem. Seriously, think about it for a minute. Could you name which women’s teams are
Delle Donne is impressive.
AP Photo
in the Elite Eight without looking it up? The sad truth is that often, women’s college basketball games — and female athletics in general — are overlooked. This is especially shameful, considering that not only is March a time filled with basketball; it’s also Women’s History Month. Even a quick search on Facebook reveals that the NCAA Women’s Basketball page has 33,000 likes, whereas the NCAA Men’s Basketball page has 13 times the amount with 443,000. While the men’s tourney is broadcast on major networks like CBS, TBS and TNT, the women’s games are shown on ESPN and ESPN2. Of course I understand the tradition surrounding the men’s tournament; I just think the women deserve way more credit. Barely anyone sits around filling out the women’s brackets, but they’re still talented athletes. Instead of moping around after next Monday’s final men’s March Madness game, fill the basketball void in your life by checking out the women’s championship game on Tuesday, April 8. See for yourself why women’s sports are equally entertaining!
Track & Field
Track starts spring season off with a bang By Julie Kayzerman News Assistant Boasting high marks at the Ramapo College Northeast Challenge, the Lions opened up their spring track & field season on Saturday, March 30 with some impressive showings. The 400-meter hurdle dash belonged to the College, as sophomore Erik Moutenot won the event with a time of 56.50, while junior Emily Kulcyk won on the women’s side, crossing the line with a time of 1:06.20. This challenge marked the first outdoor meet for the freshmen on the team, who have long careers ahead of them. In the women’s 100-meter hurdles, junior Katie Knight won with a fast time of 15.62, followed by freshman Christine Seddon, who earned third with 16.77. “My nerves got the best of me,” Seddon said. “I ran over the first hurdle with my wrong leg, but all things considered it was a great opening day and I know I have so much room to improve.” Seddon is also looking forward to senior hurdler Brielle Doremus returning back from an injury. “If all goes well, the three of us will surprise a lot of people,” Seddon said. Another event won by the College was the 800-meter, where sophomore Robert Palmarozza finished with a time of 1:58.11. The long-distance runners also had
outstanding performances on the track with freshman Robert Guiducci, who had a great race in the 3000-meter, taking third with a time of 9:05.67. Another third place finish came in the 1500-meter race with sophomore Liz Johnson, who ran a time of 4:51.37, followed by fifth place, senior Cathy Goncalves (4:56.83), who has been working her way back from injury. Off the track and on the field, with no surprises, senior Steve D’Aiutolo won the triple jump with a distance of 14.04 meters, starting off the season on the right foot, as he is looking to become an All-American at Nationals this year. The 400-meter dash was also an area
of success for the Lions, as D’Aiutolo took second in the event with a quick time of 50.10, the fastest among the collegiate runners at the meet. Sophomore T.J. Kelly and junior Michael Spekhardt finished not far behind, taking fourth and fifth, respectively. On the women’s side, sophomore Katelyn Ary took second in the event, crossing the finish line at 58.56, while senior Michelle Cascio placed fifth in the race at 1:02.49. Cascio was also a third place finisher in the 200-meter dash, crossing the finish at 26.48, while Spekhardt took second for the men, clocking a time of 22.64. The high jump was dominated, once
Photo coutresy of the Sports Information Desk
Moutenot makes a clean leap over the hurdle.
again, by junior Brigit Roemer, topping the field with a jump of 1.63 meters. The College took second in the long jump with junior Erica Roberts jumping 5.51 meters. The weight team added significant points, with senior Mary Chismar placing second in the shot put (11.73 meters), followed by fourth place freshman rookie Kristen VanBenschoten (10.52 meters). The men’s side also had a fourth place finish in the event with sophomore Abayomi Arowolo toss a distance of 12.44 meters. The College managed to take third place in the hammer throw with sophomore Joan Hales recording a top mark of 31.52 meters. In his second 400-meter run of the day, Moutenot had another great race as one of the members of the winning 4x400-meter relay team, alongside Spekhardt, D’Aiutolo and Kelly, with a time of 3:23.12. “It was great winning the relay for our heat and the meet overall,” Spekhardt said. “We split up into two relay teams and we both got the batons at the same time. Our relay just went out with the mindset that even though we had teammates in our heat, we were there to beat everyone regardless of uniforms.” The Lions will continue their spring season at the Sam Howell Invitational hosted by Princeton University on Friday, April 5.
page 26 The Signal April 3, 2013
4 6
April 3, 2013 The Signal page 27
LIONS
AROUND THE
DORM 5 3
Chris Molicki “The Ref”
Mike Herold Staff Writer
Joe Caputo Correspondent
Greg Oriolo Correspondent
In this week’s matchup of Around the Dorm, the “Ref,” Chris Molicki, challenges staff writer Mike Herold and correspondents Joe Caputo and Greg Oriolo to answer questions about the best March Madness moment so far, if anyone can stop the Heat in the playoffs, and what the Chiefs should do with the No. 1 overall pick. moment so far. Mike gets 3 points for going the unconventional route and talking about how Harvard’s upset of New Mexico may have been the most stunning win of the tournament. Joe gets 2 points for explaining the gravity in the moment of Comer’s alleyoop pass. Greg gets 1 point for saying how FGCU embraced the win and their coach like nothing else.
AP Photo
1. March Madness has been absolutely insane. What do you think has been the best moment or win so far? MH: I know everyone and their brother is going to say Florida Gulf Coast here, but I’m taking a different approach and saying that Harvard over New Mexico was the best win of the tournament so far. For starters, it was a No. 14 seed beating a No. 3 seed, which is rare in and of itself. But throw in that it was the largest tournament upset an Ivy League school has ever won, and it suddenly becomes a bit more impressive, not to mention meaningful. Add to that Harvard’s lack of EVER WINNING AN NCAA TOURNAMENT GAME and it turns into the biggest win of March Madness. Think about that for a second — Harvard’s been around for about 6,000 years (rough estimate), and this was the first time they’d ever seen the second round. That goes way beyond anything else that’s happened in this tournament, that’s changing ancient history. Plus, we got to see a reaction from an actual Harvard grad, who plays in the NBA currently, which made everything even better. JC: It’s easy to say, but completely true, that Chase Fieler’s alley-oop dunk off the pass from Brett Comer for FGCU has been the best moment of the tournament so far on so many levels. It was the so-called “dagger” of the game that pretty much sealed the deal for Gulf Coast’s improbable win over No. 2 Georgetown, but at the same time was a microcosm of the way the team played throughout the tournament. Their fun, up-tempo and confident style just made them so much fun to watch, and the Fieler alley-oop will be remembered for years to come when recalling March Madness memories. GO: The best moment in the tournament so far had to be when No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast beat No. 7 San Diego State to advance into the Sweet 16. The reason for this is because I have never seen such excitement after a game on the court/in the locker room after a nonchampionship winning game. The crowd, the announcers, social media and, most importantly, the players were celebrating as if they had just won the tournament. More specifically, when all the players surrounded coach Andy Enfield after the game, chanting his name as if he were a king, got my attention most. This is something you don’t see much in sports, and it was amazing to see how appreciative the team was for their coach and how important he was to that team and how they created history. Team sports are meant to bring people together in order to achieve a common goal and there is no doubt in my mind that lowly ranked FGCU making it to the Sweet 16 portrays this better than any other team in the tourney, making it the best
2. The Heat streak was nothing short of dominant. Is there any team in the NBA that can beat Miami in the playoffs, or will they roll to another title? MH: There area handful of teams who could beat the Heat. Too bad they all play in the West and will therefore be much too worn out by each other to put up a fight against a Miami team that won’t see much competition in the East. This is a monster team going up against a conference that was lacking in much challenge for them BEFORE you factored in all the injuries. Give Chicago Rose back, Boston a healthy Rondo, and the Knicks Amar’e, and this might be a conversation, but come on. The Heat will cruise through the East, face whatever’s left of the Nuggets/Thunder/Spurs/ Grizzlies/Clippers (all of whom have a shot at making it and taking it to the champs if fully rested and healthy), and play around while toying with the drained Western champs. If all those key players on other teams hadn’t been hurt (heck, even Philly with Bynum would’ve been interesting), OKC hadn’t traded Harden for squat, and the Lakers hadn’t D’Antoni’d, the playoffs would be a lot more interesting, but as things stand now, Miami’s going to repeat without much challenge.
AP Photo
JC: There is absolutely no team in the Eastern Conference that can beat the Heat in a sevengame series in the playoffs, provided the Heat remain healthy. Teams like the Knicks, Pacers and Bulls may be able to get a game or two on their home floor, but none of them have nearly enough talent to win games in Miami. As for the Western Conference, it’s a different story. The Heat will definitely not “roll” to another title provided they are matched up with the Spurs, Thunder or Nuggets. The Spurs run the best offense in the NBA and their extraordinary depth would give the Heat some trouble when LeBron and Wade are not on the floor. The Thunder, who lost to the Heat in the finals last year, were a couple bounces here and there from making that series competitive, and it’s becoming nearly impossible lately to beat the Nuggets in Denver. In the end, the team I want to see get a shot at the Heat is Denver, and I honestly think they can give them the best series. Iguodala is the best defensive answer for LeBron, and Denver poses a major issue for Miami on the boards,
especially offensively. Additionally, the fact that they can protect their home court with such consistency would make a series between Miami and Denver extremely competitive and entertaining. GO: The Heat are the clear-cut favorite to come out of the East and to win the NBA Championship for the second straight year. As of now, they are my pick to win it all, but there are a few teams that will challenge them in the East and eventually in the Finals. In the East, teams like Indiana, New York, Brooklyn and Chicago can all hang around with Miami. These four teams are pretty complete, all having star power, a solid rotation and limited holes on offense and defense. Will either of them beat the Heat in seven games? Probably not, but there is no doubt that Miami will have to play up to their caliber to win. Now in the finals, I feel that the Thunder have the best chance of taking down the Heat. The reason for this is because they are the only team that I can say matches up well with Miami. Offensively, the Thunder are more than capable of going basket for basket with Miami and, defensively, the Thunder have the athleticism at every position to contain and disrupt the Miami offense. Come playoff time, these two teams will meet, and it will take seven games for a winner to be determined. Greg gets 3 points for saying that despite the East being weak, the Heat will still have to fight hard to get to the finals. Joe gets 2 points for picking Denver as a sneaky dark horse to knock off the Heat. Mike gets 1 point for explaining the deficiencies in every NBA contender besides the Heat. 3. With the NFL draft under a month away and the Kansas City Chiefs on the clock, what should they do with the No. 1 overall pick? MH: Well, since they no longer need a quarterback thanks to the Alex Smith trade, and since we all know how valuable Andy Reid’s QBs are, the Chiefs need to focus on protecting their man in the middle. Fortunately, one of the top prospects in this draft happens to do just that — Luke Joeckel. Not only does he play the perfect position for a team looking to safeguard their passer (which, by the way, the Chiefs happen to really need, since they finished 27th in passer protection last season), but he also happens to be durable and fundamentally sound. These are things Andy Reid enjoys in players (not that he had many durable stars in Philly), and right now the Chiefs have to follow their new coach’s lead. Of course, this is all in the realm of reality — what the Chiefs should really do with that draft pick is attempt to trade it in exchange for, say, another team’s luck. Or give it to the league in exchange for a move to nice, sunny Los Angeles, I hear they’re looking
for a new team. JC: The Chiefs just traded their second round pick this year and a second or third rounder next year for Alex Smith. Although I didn’t agree with what they gave up for Smith, now that the deed is done, they must protect him. Therefore, Luke Joeckel is really the only option for Kansas City with the first overall pick. The Chiefs do have the pieces at skill positions on both sides of the ball, but what fans and teams have been beginning to realize is how important an offensive line is to teams that want to be contenders late in the season. With the talent Kansas City already has and the draft picks that they just gave up for their new quarterback, it is vital that they are able to protect him. When trying to create a toptier offensive line, everyone knows you start with the blindside.
AP Photo
GO: There is a lot of talk about what the Chiefs may do with the No. 1 pick in the NFL Draft. If I were the general manager of the team, I would either take offensive tackle Luke Joeckel or possibly trade the pick, only if the right offer was made. In terms of picking Luke Joeckel, the team needs to enhance the ability of the offensive line. He is considered the best tackle in the draft and after his pro day, Adam Schefter reported that it would be hard for them to pass him up. Last year, they could not protect their quarterbacks at all. Now having a solid starter in Alex Smith, they need to give him protection. The offense has some quality skill players, so in order for the offense to be effective, Alex Smith needs to stay upright, — that is why Joeckel is a smart pick. In terms of trading the pick, the right pieces need to be offered. The team has many holes and if they get multiple picks (including a top-eight pick), a low second round pick, and at least one other piece, a trade may make sense if management feels that they can get the quality players they need to improve their roster rather than one stud tackle. Joe gets 3 points for saying how Joeckel is the only choice for the Chiefs. Greg gets 2 points for giving the package necessary for the Chiefs to trade the pick. Mike gets 1 point for talking about how bad the Chiefs were in pass protection.
Joe wins Around the Dorm, 7-6-5
page 28 The Signal April 3, 2013
April 3, 2013 The Signal page 29
Lions Fantasy World
By Mike Herold Fantasy Guy
League Standings
Nothin’ But Net In case no one has heard yet, there has been some discussion
this past week based around fouls in the NBA. Now, I don’t want to name any names, but I’m going to anyway because otherwise this would be a very boring column. Here’s the deal: in last week’s Heat/Bulls game, LeBron James took issue with some of the harder fouls the Bulls committed in their attempts to stop him. As the Bulls won the game, ending the Heat’s streak, this made a significant amount of noise around the league. For some reason, Danny Ainge (Celtics’ GM and one-time player) decided to weigh in, and basically called James a wimp. Taj Gibson, one of the players LeBron was complaining about, also made some remarks, basically just calling the plays good, hard basketball fouls. Then Pat Riley did some Pat Riley things, and cursed out Ainge in an official statement. This is why Pat Riley is amazing. As you can see, there are many sides to take here — LeBron’s, Ainge’s, Gibson’s and Riley’s. I’m going to do something unusual, and agree with all of them, while also disagreeing with all of them. Regular readers are probably not surprised. Anyway, starting with LeBron’s point, of COURSE he has a right to be upset. Other players can’t stop him through normal means, so they often bend the rules and do more than they should. He has every right to be upset and voice his frustrations. On the other hand, star players used to get battered far worse all the time (the Bad Boy Pistons of the 1980s are chuckling right now), and complaining about calls when your team just lost is akin to being a poor sport. As to Ainge’s point, I just made it — players these days are too coddled. The stars in particular seem to think that if anyone so much as looks at them funny it should be a foul, which isn’t good basketball. On the flip side, Ainge shouldn’t be talking about players on other teams at all, especially when they aren’t talking about his team. Plus, the last thing the Celtics want is to play against a pissed off LeBron James, which Ainge basically just ensured will happen. Gibson, who has been largely ignored in all this, also makes a good point, in that players have to do their best to stop James, the frieght train coming straight at them. Plus, tough fouls are a part of the game, and it isn’t right for star players to complain about them so much. However, Gibson was wrong in making those fouls, as the league clarified by upgrading one of his plays to a flagrant. Riley … was completely correct. He should have blasted Ainge, and should definitely stand by his players. Pat Riley can do no wrong, and I’m definitely not saying that because I’m afraid he’d read this and destroy me if I said otherwise. The moral of all this? Shut up and play basketball, isn’t that what you’re paid for?
Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Team Name Team Allen Team Friedman Team Matos Signal Squad Team Molloy Team Vazquez Team Nichols Team Gannon Team Caputo Team McG Team Myshkoff Team Jha
Team Owner Gabe Allen Remy Friedman Rob Matos Chris Molicki Kyle Molloy Victor Vazquez Marc Nichols Andrew Gannon Joe Caputo Brendan McGrath Zach Myshkoff Ashray Jha
Points 31085 28837 28782 27912 27493 26231 25781 25321 23061 22395 20656 15558
Top Performer (Season) Top Performer (Past Week) Jrue Holiday (3729) Ricky Rubio (229) David Lee (4106) Dwight Howard (260) Russell Westbrook (4477) Paul Pierce (277) LaMarcus Aldridge(3703) Tobias Harris (222) James Harden (4206) Jeff Green (220) LeBron James (5473) LeBron James (226) Kobe Bryant (4306) Kobe Bryant (259) Kevin Durant (5090) Tim Duncan (217) Al Jefferson (3363) John Wall (298) Greg Monroe (3653) Roy Hibbert (224) Chris Paul (3798) Chris Paul (253) Dwyane Wade (3479) Steve Nash (159)
All standings are accurate as of 6 p.m. on Monday, April 1
Moves Made This Week Team Friedman: Added Reggie Evans, Derrick Favors Dropped Tiago Splitter, Derrick Williams Signal Squad: Added Mo Williams Dropped George Hill Good Moves, or Bad? Well, both teams traded in reliable players for more reliable players, as the teams in this league continue a recent trend of good moves I can’t mock them for. AP Photo
Game to Watch This Week As the playoff race comes down to the wire, here are the games I’d recommend watching: Tuesday, April 2 at 10:30 p.m. on TNT Thursday, April 4 at 7 p.m. on TNT Sunday, April 7 at 1 p.m. on ABC
I May Be Wrong, But...
Here are the moves I would make in Fantasy Basketball this week: Add: Reggie Evans. He has become more than the defensive presence and master of the flop/dirty foul he once was. Now he’s a defensive presence, master of the flop/dirty foul, AND a masterful rebounder capable of monstrous games of 20+ boards, which he had two of this past week.
Be Cautious Of: Did anyone catch that the Heat rested LeBron and Wade against the Spurs, just like the Spurs rested their best guys against the Heat earlier this year? These two teams still haven’t really played against each other, which means if they meet in the Finals, I’m expecting Pop and Spoelstra to send in teams of squirrels to do battle.
Drop: Metta World Peace is out for the season with an injury, so you might want to start there. You might also want to consider dropping or trading Kevin Garnett, since he’s injured and the Celtics definitely want to rest him for the playoffs. Since they’ve all but clinched a spot, he may not see much more action this season. Look Out For: I’m confused, I thought Kyrie Irving was going to be out for the season. Now he’s back and playing just as well as ever. What are the Cavs doing, not tanking right now and risking their best player? I’m confused, I thought NBA lottery teams knew that they should give up and stop trying this time of year.
AP Photo
page 30 The Signal April 3, 2013
April 3, 2013 The Signal page 31
ports Week In Review From rags to riches
Men’s tennis leaders, singles Pierce Cooper
Wins
... and other Division III stories DLa Salle head coach Dr. John Giannini, who led the 13th-seeded Explorers to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1955, coached nearby NJAC school Rowan University for many years, winning a title in 1996 and going 168-38. Giannani, from Rowan to La Salle. DJunior Wichita State forward Cleanthony Early — who also helped his team bust brackets in this year’s March Madness — averaged 22.3 points and 11.1 rebounds for D-III school Sullivan County Community College (NJCAA) over two seasons, helping them finish third in the country in his freshman year. D In men’s basketball, Amherst University and University of Mary Hardin-Baylor will play for the national championship on Sunday. It will mark the first time a team from the state of Texas (UMHB) competes for a D-III title. Early celebrating Wichita’s upset of Gonzaga.
Losses
TJ Riley Howard Telson Billy Buckbinder Jack August Jordan Cruz Marc Nichols Gabe Allen Team: 72-18
Baseball leaders, ERA Team average: 5.19
Stephen Volpe 0.00 (3-0)
Team total: 204 Alex Spark 53 Jillian Nealon 35
Joseph DiLorenzo 0.00 (0-0)
Jen Garavente 34 Lauren Pigott 23
William Worswick 1.42
Erin Waller 20
(1-2)
Follow us at @TCNJSignal for the latest breaking news, features and much more!
Lacrosse leaders, points
Kendal Borup 11
Brendan Kelly 3.16 (4-1)
Lauren Karpovich 9
AP Photo
ST U D E N T AT H L E TE O F
The Horizon For
THE WEEK
Sports Lacrosse April 5 @ Franklin & Marshall College, 4 p.m. Track & Field April 5 & 6 @ Sam Howell Invitational (Princeton University) Baseball April 4 @ Rutgers-Newark, 3:30 p.m. April 5 @ Rutgers-Newark, 3:30 p.m. April 6 @ Kean University, 11:30 p.m. (Double Header) Softball April 4 @ Messiah College, 3 p.m. (Double Header) April 6 @ Kean University, 1 p.m. (Double Header) Men’s Tennis April 4 vs. Washington College, 3:30 p.m. April 6 vs. Hobart College, 11 a.m. April 7 vs. University of Rochester, 11 p.m. Women’s Tennis April 3 @ NYU Doubles Invitational, 1 p.m. April 6 vs. William Smith College, 11 a.m. April 7 @ Swarthmore College, 12 p.m.
T.J. Riley Men’s Tennis
Clinched victory over Trinity, earned five wins overall
Senior T.J. Riley won five of a possible six matches for men’s tennis last week, including the game-winner in a 5-4 thriller over Trinity College, as the College improved to 8-0 on the season. Riley picked up two points in doubles with and went 3for-3 in singles, extending his personal win streak to eight and giving the Lions their third team victory of the week.
This week’s picks from the staff (MLB) Yankees (NHL) Rangers (NBA) Thunder (MLS) Red Bulls
Point leaders vs. Tigers Peter Fiorilla
vs. Penguins
vs. Spurs
vs. Fire
5
Chris 3 Molicki Amy Rynolds 3 Mike Herold
2
Jamie Primeau 1 Brendan McGrath 1 Andrew Grossman0
Last week’s Signal Trivia Answer:
?
Signal Trivia
?
This is the monetary bonus coach Andy Enfield will receive for guiding FGCU, or “Dunk City,” to the Sweet 16 last week.
AP Photo
During the 1971-72 season the L.A. Lakers’ leading scorer was Gail Goodrich with 25.9 points, while Jerry West was just behind at 25.8 points per game. The 1971-72 Lakers’ record of 33 wins in a row was put in jeopardy by the Miami Heat, but after 27 wins Miami dropped a close game at Chicago.
Signal
Sports
Clutch play by Riley keeps streak alive
Tennis cannot be stopped, remain undefeated
Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
Riley notches the final point in the win over No. 28 Trinity. By Chris Molicki Sports Editor
In the heat of battle, the College’s men’s tennis team was locked in a tight one with No. 28 Trinity College on Saturday, March 30. The match had come down to the final singles match, with senior T.J. Riley taking on Trinity’s Musyoka Mbithi. With the match on the line and Mbithi doing his best to make Riley uncomfortable, the senior came through with the win to lift his team
to one of their biggest wins of the season. “I wanted to do it for the team and get a big win to boost our case for a national ranking,” Riley said. “I also wanted to beat (Mbithi) really bad because he had been cheating me the whole match and I didn’t want him to weasel his way out of it.” Along with Riley, sophomore Jack August and freshman Pierce Cooper picked up singles wins. August’s W showed true determination, as he got shut out in his first set 0-6, only to dominate the rest of the way, winning each of the final two sets by scores of 6-1. “He is so good, you can never count him out,” senior Marc Nichols said. “You know he is going to compete at a high level no matter what, which is what we need from him and everyone else on the team.” Doubles wins by the teams of Nichols and junior Howard Telson, along with freshman Billy Buchbinder and senior Jordan Cruz, by scores of 8-4 and 8-3, respectively, were enough to push the Lions (9-0) forward. The Lions began the week by blanking Drew University 9-0 on Wednesday, March 27 in a dominant performance, with none of the singles matches going to a third set and none of the doubles matches lasting more than 11 games.
Nichols started the massacre with a 7-5, 6-2 win in first singles over Hunter Lathrop. Riley followed suit by defeating Djedjy Hill, 6-4, 6-2. August was even better, winning 6-1, 6-0, while Buchbinder won his match 6-2, 4-1 before his opponent retired. The stories of the day, however, were Telson and Cooper. They were perfect in their singles matches, each knocking out the opposition by spotless 6-0, 6-0 marks. “We stay mentally focused in those easy matches by working on certain things,” Riley said. “We will try new formations, new tactics, new shot selections and really try and work on things that we don’t typically do so that we can develop all aspects of our game.” In doubles, the team of Nichols and Telson conquered the Rangers 8-1, Buchbinder and Cruz blew away their foes 8-2, and Cooper and Riley completed the sweep with an 8-3 victory. The following day on Thursday, March 28, it was more of the same: the Lions could not be touched, as they beat Randolph-Macon College 8-0. “The key is to make sure we don’t give them any opportunity to get in the match,” Nichols said. “After doubles, we just kept the foot on the gas pedal
and didn’t give them anything.” Riley and Cooper extended their winning streaks on the season to seven straight each, as they cruised to victory over their Randolph-Macon adversaries by scores of 6-1, 6-1, and 6-1, 6-0 respectively. Telson also got a win, 6-0, 6-1. August, Buchbinder and Nichols completed the singles sweep once again by winning their individual matches. In doubles, the teams were switched around a bit, but still garnered three wins. Telson and Nichols once again won, while Buchbinder teamed up with Riley and Cooper paired with August. Both of those combinations were successful in their matches as well. The Lions, who have their next game on Thursday, April 4 at 3:30 p.m. at Washington College, keep climbing higher and higher, and it doesn’t seem like they’ll come back to earth any time soon. This is something Riley attributes mainly to teamwork and optimism. “We are 9-0 on the season and we’ve worked very hard to make each other better and the key is really positive thinking,” Riley said. “No matter what goes wrong or who is struggling, we all rally around that person and help him get through it and improve from there. The big thing is that we support each other.”
Lions battle their best, pick up victories
Softball starting to heat up at the right time By Chrissy Onorato Staff Writer
It seems as though the weather gets a little hotter day by day, and so does the softball team. Their last loss came on Saturday, March 23 against Haverford College, but this team has been on fire ever since then, winning four straight. The Lions have torn down their opponents with their superb pitching and offense and have proven to be one of the best all-around teams. Last Sunday, March 24, the Lions took on Muhlenberg College in a doubleheader, which they dominated completely. The first game began with a lead-off walk to senior outfielder Liz Huttner and a single from senior infielder Kelly Hommen, which led Huttner scoring. The score was soon 3-0 Lions in the third inning, Hommen also contributed to another one of those runs with a clutch bunt. Unfortunately, a home run by the opponents boosted the score to 3-2. But the Lions wanted to up that
Lions’ Lineup April 3, 2013
I n s i d e
Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk
The Lions haven’t lost in almost two weeks.
score again. Hommen came in the clutch yet again, as did freshman utility player Deanna Utter after a two-run hit that brought the score to 6-2. Another home run by the Mules tightened the score a bit, but the Lions kept fighting. The final score was 7-5, with the Lions being able to hold off the Mules at the very end. Freshman
pitcher Ashtin Helmer pitched yet another spectacular game, striking out nine and holding the team together with her motivation. The Lions had a total of 12 hits. In the second game against Muhlenberg, the Lions were warmed up and ready to win again. This time, they shut out their opponents entirely. Freshman pitcher
Nicole Hroncich took the mound for the Lions and pitched her first complete game shutout. The Lions’ pitching is really a force to be reckoned with — no opponent even reached third base. The Lions scored all four runs in the third inning and backed up the stellar pitching with stellar defense on the field. Junior infielder Kristen Lake and freshman outfielder Christine Desiderio each had two hits in this game while there was a total of six hits for the Lions. Ramapo College was the next victim on the Lions’ list. On Saturday, March 30, the Lions began their NJAC schedule and were victorious in both games. Ashtin Helmer took the mound for the Lions again in this game, and pitched her third shutout game of the season. She struck-out eight batters in her sixth win of the year. Hommen delivered her first home run of the season in the second inning as she put the Lions on the board. Lake and Utter also scored in the same inning, giving
the Lions a 3-0 lead. These two also helped score the final run of the game, giving the College another fantastic shutout. In the second game against Ramapo, the Lions had to go to extrainnings, but came out with the win. Due to an error, senior infielder Ashley Sogluizzo got on base and Huttner brought her home on a bunt to win the game. The team feels great at this point in the season, as everyone is getting along and playing to the best of their abilities. “This is a great group of girls who all have a passion to play and to win, and our friendships both on and off the field really help that to happen,” freshman infielder Jackie Oram said. “Everyone has been contributing to our success, which makes each win really feel like a team win.” This week, the Lions will take on Richard Stockton College at 3 and 5 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2 and Messiah College at 3 and 5 p.m. on Thursday, April 4.
46 53 Around the Dorm page 27
Track gets hot page 25
Lacrosse dominates page 24
Wichita Cheap Seats page 24