The Signal: Spring '13, NO. 7

Son of Hamas Founder visits the College

Brian Broderick finishes in first for Men’s Wrestling

see News page 2

See Sports page 28

Vol. CXXXVIII, No. 7

March 6, 2013

Serving The College of New Jersey community since 1885

Partnership with Sodexo Waitlisted

Potential plans to renovate Stud Room shortage

Christopher Rightmire / News Editor

Trying to get lunch at the Lion’s Den during meal equiv can be a crowded nightmare.

By Jamie Primeau Former EIC

At the College, meal equivalency is synonymous with lengthy lines and the challenge of getting food in a timely manner. On a typical weekday, hordes of students pack into the Lion’s Den to grab lunch between classes.

“When you get here right at 11 or 11:20 a.m., it’s almost impossible to find a seat, let alone wait in line,” said sophomore English major Matt Fuhrmeister.

There are at least five lines leading up to the registers and lines are equally long to order salads or sandwiches.

“I didn’t want to wait in the salad line, so I got this one,” said freshman Megan Bordonaro, referencing a prepackaged salad sitting in front of her. The freshman elementary education and English double major admitted it was not as good as one made fresh.

Although this is what meal equiv looks like now, the College announced last week that they anticipate a longterm partnership with Sodexo Dining Services that will not only enhance dining options, but will also result in significant renovation of the Brower Student Center.

“We envision a renovation that will dramatically improve the ability of Brower to serve our students and the entire campus community,” said Matthew Golden, associate vice president for Communications, Marketing, and Brand Management, in an email.

According to a College press release, potential plans include adding a bistro to the Student Center and upgrades in the Library Café, the Education Café, Armstrong Hall’s Kineticart and T-Dubs. see SODEXO page 5

Police arrest laptop thief

Photo courtesy of tcnj.edu, Brendan McGrath / Editor-in-chief

The highlighted path (left) shows where the thief was chased before being caught in the parking area of Townhouses West.

By Brendan McGrath Editor-in-Chief

Campus Police arrested a man, who is suspected of stealing laptops from campus, just before noon on Wednesday, Feb. 27, according to Matthew Golden, the College’s associate vice president for Communications, Marketing, and Brand Management.

The arrest followed a chase, during

which police pursued the man down the path between Wolfe Hall and the Recreation Center, according to multiple witnesses.

The pursuit began from the Library, according to Golden, and proceeded toward the towers.

By the time the suspect approached the towers, one pursuing officer was in a car and others were reportedly on foot. They continued to chase him past the Recreation

Center and down J and I Streets, the streets behind the towers. At this point, according to witnesses, the police vehicle cut the suspect off before he reached C Street, the street that runs from Metzger Drive to the Brower Student Center, by pulling the vehicle in front of him, causing the man to fall.

The suspect then got up, ran across C Street, and headed toward Townhouses West. At this point, the officer in the vehicle got out and chased him on foot, crossing C Street and catching up with him in the Townhouses West parking lot.

There was resistance after the man was brought to the ground, but the officer was able to subdue him, according to witnesses.

The suspect was then arrested and ultimately taken to Mercer County Jail, where he is being held in lieu of bail, according to Golden.

Photo courtesy of tcnj.edu

Juniors and seniors can live in the apartments.

By Amy Reynolds Managing Editor

This year, approximately 140 rising juniors and seniors who applied for housing did not receive a time slot, according to Emily Dodd, communications officer for Media Relations & Marketing, causing students to question many aspects of housing.

“Historically, about 200 upper class students do not receive a time slot, although recent construction projects have caused this number to fluctuate a bit,” said Ryan Farnkopf, director of housing operations. “For the last few years, the wait list has been smaller than average.”

The College currently has about 6,100 full-time students enrolled on campus. However, there are only 4,000 campus beds, so in order to guarantee on-campus housing for all students for all four years, the College would need about 2,100 more beds. see HOUSING page 7

Lianna Lazur / Photo Editor

Decker Hall is a housing option for sophomores.

Hollywood S.I.N.G. to J.Lo’s R.A.D., girls’ defense class

By Shaun Fitzpatrick Features Editor

There’s a scene in the beginning of “Miss Congeniality” in which Sandra Bullock’s character demonstrates how to take down an attacker. Dressed like a Bavarian maid, she uses what she calls the “S.I.N.G.” method on her unsuspecting partner, much to the delight of the audience.

Get rid of the frilly dress, add in some bright red

INDEX: Nation & World / Page 9 The Signal @TCNJsignal

helmets, and imagine just a pinch more brute force and you’ve got a pretty good idea of what goes on at the College’s R.A.D. sessions.

R.A.D. stands for Rape Aggression Defense System, a national program that “is a comprehensive, women-only course that begins with awareness, prevention, risk reduction and risk avoidance, while progressing on to the basics of hands-on defense training,” according to the College flyer advertising the four-week course. The program was

Editorial / Page 11

Opinions / Page 13

Features / Page 14

led by College patrol officer Jim Lopez, affectionately referred to as “J.Lo” by his students, in the Travers/Wolfe Fitness Center on Feb. 10, 17 and 24 and March 3.

Eight girls warmed up in the middle of the room, chatting as they stretched before what would be the final class of the semester. Before the real test would begin, Lopez asked if the girls wanted to pair up and review any moves. see R.A.D. page 2

Arts & Entertainment / Page 17

Sports / Page 28

Footloose TMT puts on a musical performance

V.P. search in progress Students provide valuable input in search

Celebrity Spotlight Take a different look at the Oscars

See A&E page 17

See News page 2

See Features page 15

page 2 The Signal March 6, 2013

Son of Hamas shares a story of transition

By Brendan McGrath Editor-in-Chief

Mosab Hassan Yousef, quite literally the son of Hamas, has experienced life on both sides of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and he shared his story of transition from one side to the other on the Kendall Hall Main Stage on Sunday, March 3.

Growing up in a loving home, seeing his father taken away by Israeli forces, Yousef found it easy to harbor resentment toward Israel.

Yousef, at 10 years old, did not understand the role his father, Hassan Yousef, played as a founder of Hamas. He did, however, understand that the Israeli forces did not allow his father to return for more than a year.

“The Israelis were definitely the bad guys, and I had to do everything possible to make them feel the pain that we were feeling,” Yousef said.

This statement represents the viewpoint that Yousef said he came to believe in his youth. By age 17, he was arrested by Israel

Nisha Agarwal / Staff Photographer

Mosab Hassan Yousef details his journey from terrorist to spy. for terrorist activities, including buying guns with the intention of shooting Israelis.

When the Israelis asked him to gather information as a spy for them, he agreed, but with the intention of leveraging this information in a way that was beneficial to Hamas.

As Yousef spent time in prison, however, he began to see how Hamas was

torturing its own people. Anyone suspected of cooperating with Israel was subject to torture by Hamas’s militant wing.

This activity came as a surprise to Yousef, who had seen Hamas in the image of his father, humble and nice.

As he came to see Hamas in a worse light, he began his work as an Israeli spy, but decided to aid the cause rather than undermine

it. He ended up preventing many attacks in his time working for the Israelis, but he also built on his perspective in a way that was not available to his peers.

“I saw a much broader picture than the average person, or even intelligent person, could see,” Yousef said.

This highlights a main point Yousef was attempting to make — the Islamic culture in which he was raised did not have the exposure to the type of thought that was necessary to understand why Israel was justified in its actions against Hamas.

Yousef saw everything unfold and decided that he was on the wrong side — he went from being a terrorist against Israel to spy for them. This gave him an uncommon perspective on the conflict that drives the discord in the area.

“We cannot have a (peace) process as long as we don’t have enough people who praise peace in the Middle East,” Yousef said. “There are amazing Arabs and Muslims who believe in peace, I hope at some point they will have the courage to stand for what’s right.”

R.A.D. / Attackers beware, students prepared Girls take on self-defense in police led course

continued from page 1

Requests for help escaping a “bear hug” or “choke hold” were called out, the girls’ voices cheerful despite the fact that they were being held in head-locks.

“Get in your stance,” Lopez called out as the students took turns escaping their partners. Attackers beware: Lopez suggested that the girls aim for the groin and thigh during their attempted escape.

Up until this point, the class seemed fairly simple; the girls would learn defensive moves and then practice on their partners, miming the blows they would give a would-be attacker. How, though, could this prepare them for a real assault?

The entrance of a man covered head-to-toe in bright red pads made it clear that this was merely child’s play in comparison to what the rest of the class would offer.

The man was 1986 College alum Bill Bastedo, a retired police officer who now works for Princeton Healthcare Systems. He was sent by the organization to act as a human punching bag for the girls, who would have to fight him off as though he were attacking them.

One by one the girls donned elbow and knee pads, gloves and helmets, lining up to take their turn. They cheered each other on as they ran through a number of scenarios in which they are approached on the street by an

assailant, or must fight off a thief at the ATM. There was no “Charlie’s Angels”-esque choreography; the fighting was scrappy, with the students kicking, punching and even head-butting Bastedo, doing anything within their power to get away while shouting, “No!” or “Get off of me!” as loudly as they could.

During one scenario, the girls were asked to close their eyes as Lopez led them into the room, disorientating them with loud noises so that they wouldn’t know where the attack was coming from.

“I think with your eyes closed you lose that extra sense that you need ... but your other senses heighten ... it’s nerve wracking,” said senior psychology and women’s and gender studies double major Danielle Cassidy. Later, she admitted that, even after the scenario, her adrenaline was “still pumping.”

When asked why she chose to participate in the course, senior criminology major Rebecca Kelley said, “At first I wanted to take it because I was interested in not only wanting to rely on my size and my quickness, but also on finesse, having skillful movies.” She went on to say, “I felt that when the scenarios happened, I was using things I learned and I wasn’t thinking about it.”

At the end of the class, the group sat and discussed what they would take away from the course.

“You’re looking at things differently, or at least I hope you

are,” Lopez said of the girls’ increased sensitivity to dangerous situations, such as walking alone in a parking garage.

The girls agreed, and some believed that they were better prepared for any danger that may come their way.

“Just having it behind me makes me know I can do it,” Kelley told the group.

Now that the girls have completed the College’s R.A.D. course, they are eligible to take a R.A.D. class anywhere else that it is offered, free of charge. While certainly a perk, the most important thing they take with them is an increased confidence in their abilities to defend themselves.

“You can do this. It can be done. You can survive,” Lopez reminded them.

Photo courtesy of Jim Lopez

Girls attend the R.A.D. self-defense classes.

The search is on: V.P. for Student Affairs

Students and staff discuss roles of position

By Emma Colton Web Editor

The College is searching for a new vice president for Student Affairs. During an open forum on Wednesday, Feb. 27, students and staff voiced their opinions on the role and duties of this faculty position.

William Spelman and Megan Spelman, of the William Spelman Executive Search, a search firm that specializes in the recruitment of leaders for college level institutions, led the meeting in room 115 of the Education Building.

Hired by the College to assist the search, the duo conducted their on-site, campus visit to enhance the process of selecting a skilled and worthy faculty member. In order to select such a member, they needed input from the College’s community.

“Who is this person we should be looking for?” William Spelman asked the audience. “What is important to you and the community? What should this individual bring to this institution?”

The audience, seated in the amphitheater-style room, was not hesitant about voicing its opinions about the duties the faculty member should complete, especially since this position is responsible for campus coordination of services for the student body.

The job entails advising and corresponding with students and staff directly. The forum’s audience vocalized that the person selected must be a team member who delegates and is strongly committed to the College.

Other members of the forum had more

focused ideas on the faculty member’s position. The lack of space for student organizations was a topic brought to the Spelmans’ attention. Some of the audience articulated that the Brower Student Center is too small to house meetings for the College’s more than 200 on-campus organizations.

According to a couple attendees, the new vice president for Student Affairs should provide an efficient method for students to reserve rooms and space for club and event meetings.

Other audience members vocalized desires of improving campus customer service, expressing that students are often given the run-around when they need assistance with collegiate issues.

According to the forum participants, this

issue could be remedied if the person hired to be vice president for Student Affairs is a strong communicator who is open to new ideas on customer service.

“Why would somebody want to come work here?” William Spelman asked the crowd.

The College would be an ideal place to work not only because it is centrally located, but because the students are highly competitive and passionate, yet eager to see peers succeed, the audience explained.

Vicky Triponey currently serves as the interim vice president for Student Affairs; however, according to Megan Spelman, the search committee plans to have selected the new vice president by July 1 of this year.

March 6, 2013 The Signal page 3

New buildings Women’s role in Israeli politics Sodexo contract

By Serena Wasserman Correspondent

Student Government announced upcoming events, visits and meetings at their meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 27.

Three clubs will be attending the next SG meeting in hopes of being recognized. Soka Gakkai International will be the first Buddhist organization on campus, if it is approved next week, according to SG. TCNJ F.I.R.S.T. (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) and TCNJ JIVA, an Indian dance club, are the two other student organizations looking to be officially recognized.

At an upcoming SG meeting, a Barnes & Noble presentation will be given, updating the SG body on Campus Town plans.

Matthew Wells, alternate student trustee, gave a brief update on what occurred at the Board of Trustees meeting last week.

“The Board of Trustees applied for basically six different resolutions passing for the application of funding the new STEM building, accet renewal projects, science building renovations, Armstrong Hall renovations, IT technology infrastructure, as well as academic equipment,” Wells said.

In addition to plans for funding with the Board of Trustees, Wells announced that the College is set to enter a 15-year contract with Sodexo, Inc. SG is looking forward to the opportunities for renovation projects on campus with Sodexo, according to Wells.

SG attended the vice president of Students Affairs search and kept their SG general body meeting brief.

Simona Sharoni, an internationally recognized Israeli feminist and a professor at SUNY Plattsburg came to the College on Wednesday, Feb. 27 to speak about women’s grassroots political organizations and their role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This was the first of several lectures that will be held at the College in honor of women’s history month.

Sharoni focused on describing the challenges and triumphs that women face when trying to organize a political movement with a feminist twist.

“I’ve seen women’s peace groups at their best and at their worst,” she said.

In the Middle East in particular, Palestinian and Israeli women were at first unable to move past basic discourse about their commonalities.

When it came to organizing actual events, members could not come to a consensus.

In one meeting, for example, Palestinian women suggested holding a protest outside of a prison where Palestinian juveniles were being held for throwing stones at Israeli military occupants. Israeli women, however, were unwilling to defend minors who threw stones at the Israeli soldiers. The Palestinian women argued that Israeli occupation was unjust, and therefore pun-

By Natalie Kouba News Editor

Julie Novak / Staff Photographer

Students listen to Sharoni at the first of the College’s Women’s History events.

ishing the children for taking action was unfair and needed to be addressed.

That particular women’s group fell apart, but down the road, others which were more effective took their place.

For example, during the second intifada (the Arabic word for uprising), Palestinian women’s groups organized a website that called for the boycotting of Israeli companies that profited from the Israeli occupation in Palestine. This time, Israeli women were more open to the idea that the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory was wrong, and some participated in the boycott despite the Israeli

government’s declaration that the boycott was illegal.

Sharoni also made a daring connection between politics and domestic violence, one that caused her to receive a lot of backlash from the established feminist community.

“A Palestinian man who has to drive through Israeli checkpoints and show his ID is more likely to get frustrated and then go home and abuse his wife,” Sharoni said. This was a message that she relayed directly from Palestinian women with whom she has come into contact with over the years.

She also cited that the same political-domestic vio-

lence connection holds true in Israel, where as a militant nation, Israeli men are more likely to have access to weapons that they in turn can use to harm their wives.

Attendees of the lecture were fascinated by her stories.

“I thought it was very enlightening to hear the Palestinian-Israeli conflict from a feminist perspective,” said math and secondary education double major Ilana Feldscher.

Sharoni left the audience with a poignant question, “If we don’t create a space where we constantly invite difference … how can we transform the world?”

SFB funds ‘something for everyone’

Francesca Grimblat / Staff Photographer

Students allocate funding for this spring’s Funival and other events.

By Julie Kayzerman News Assistant

The Student Finance Board met on Wednesday, Feb. 27 to discuss the funding of College Union Board, Student Finance Board and Student Government’s Funival 2013 annual spring carnival, as well as several other requests.

CUB, SFB and SG were fully funded for $116,775 to go toward Funival.

“What we’re really trying to do is make sure there’s something for everybody this year,” said senior Lindsay Klein, SFB’s executive director.

Funival will include a ferris wheel, Himalaya, Sizzler, Gravitron, bumper cars, firefighter derby and several other types of activities for students to enjoy. This event will take place on Friday, May 3 at 6 p.m. and will be free to all students and cost $10 for all non-students.

“I like this year how everything they’re doing is really like a carnival,” said senior representative Joseph Lacerda. “They’re bringing a lot of different factions for everyone.”

CUB was also funded an additional appropriation of $6,925 to go toward their

25th annual Into the Jungle Latenighter, which was previously funded for $30,031.

SFB allocated a total of $36,956 to CUB for this event that will include a jungle obstacle course, exotic bird display, reptile shows, green screen photo booth and several other free activities for the students to enjoy on Friday, April 5 at 8 p.m. in the Brower Student Center.

In addition, Union Latina presented four separate multicultural requests to SFB for their events during Latino Awareness Celebration Month.

SFB fully funded Union Latina for $4,939 to bring Maria Costa to the College to present her discussion “Macho Men and the Women Who Love Them,” which will “show the campus the culture in a hilarious way,” according to the presenters for Union Latina. It will take place on April 5 at 8 p.m. in Kendall Hall.

Union Latina was also allocated $3,492.40 to go toward their annual Copa Night, which will be a celebration of Latino Awareness through traditional Latino music in a live band format.

“I like how they’re kind of stepping it up a little bit,” said junior representative

Samantha Hoffer. “They put a lot of effort into planning this.”

Following, Union Latina was funded for $950 to be used for a bus trip to New York City to see the play “En el Tiempo de las Mariposas,” based on the book “In the Time of the Butterflies” that is also being taught in several courses at the College.

Finally, Union Latina’s request for funding of their Opening Ceremony was tabled because members of SFB felt that there is a lot more that they can do with the event to make it more successful.

After that, SFB funded the TCNJ Swing Dance Club $945 for their event “A Night of Ritz and Glitz,” which will feature live music and swing dancers from the local intercollegiate area.

“I’m all for this event,” said Nicholas Ruppino, SFB’s assistant financial director, as SFB unanimously voted to fully fund the event.

Another special appropriation request was from INK for their event, “The Goods,” which will allow students to read poetry and prose and perform skits and music. It will be headlined by poet Matthew Zapruder.

The event was funded for $1,335 and is free to all students and will take place at the Rathskeller on Saturday, April 27.

PRISM was also funded by SFB for $2,100 to bring Sam Killermann to the College on April 17 to present “It’s Pronounced Metrosexual.” This event is a one-man comedy act about snap judgements, identity and oppression, according to PRISM, and will be free to all students.

The Japanese Culture Club also presented to SFB to host a trip to Sakura Matsuri, an annual cherry blossom festival in

Washington D.C., which was funded for $3,400 and will be free to all students.

The trip will take place on April 13.

“It’s a lot of fun,” said the presenters for Japanese Culture Club. “It’s like this big street festival with good food, vendors and performances.”

The Spanish Club was also funded for $1,700 to host a bus trip to Washington D.C. to go to the Smithsonian for the exhibition on Central American Ceramics.

The event will be open and free to all students will take place on Saturday, April 6.

Another bus trip was funded by SFB for the American Marketing Association to host an open trip to attend a professional development session with Development Counselors International. The event was funded for $1,150 and will take place on Wednesday, April 10 and will be free to all those who attend.

“I think it’s a great event,” said freshman representative Brandon Klein. “As a nonmarketing major, I would want to go to it.”

The New Jersey Christian Fellowship was funded the full $1,390.75 requested to attend Basileia, a regional conference.

The Gospel United Ministries was zero funded for their request to host a Gospel Extravaganza. Members of SFB thought the idea was good, but because theyhaven’t done programming in the last two years, they don’t have the manpower to host the event and should start with something smaller. *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.

page 4 The Signal March 6, 2013

March 6, 2013 The Signal page 5

B.O.T. meeting Arab spring aftermath analysis Sunshine Agenda

By Colleen Murphy Production Manager

Receiving approval to apply for over $97 million in grant funding was the main issue of the Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 26. The grant money would go toward building the new STEM building, the destruction of Holman Hall, asset renewal projects, renovations to the Science Building and Armstrong Hall, improvement of technology infrastructure and the purchase of academic equipment, according to trustee Jose Caballero.

“We might not get all of the money, but we’re going to give it a strong try,” Caballero said during his report of the Finance and Investment Committee. Even if the College is granted all $97 million dollars it is applying for, more money would still be needed to complete the projects and purchases.

Along with the approval of applying for the state grants, the progress of Campus Town and the increase in admissions numbers were addressed by President R. Barbara Gitenstein in her Report of the President.

According to Gitenstein, the Campus Town project is advancing, but slower than expected. The projected Fall 2014 opening of the project is no longer attainable due to several outside circumstances the College had over, including damage to the developer’s site from Hurricane Sandy and the deal with Barnes & Noble being harder than expected to reach.

The growing success of the winter term was also discussed.

From the first year of the winter term to the second, there was a 100 percent increase in students; last year there were 85 students, and this year 180 students enrolled in the winter term.

The number of applications to the College has increased yet again, according to Gitenstein. There were over 11,000 applications for next year’s school year, a 8.25 percent increase from last year. The number of out-of-state applicants grew by 11 percent. There was a 6 percent increase in black applicants, a 12 percent increase in Hispanic applicants and a 34 percent increase in Puerto Rican applicants. Every school saw an increase in applications, with the School of Arts and Communications rising by 10 percent.

Board of Trustees secretary Eleanor Horne spoke about the most recent Town/Gown meeting during her report of the College Advancement Committee. She said that there was a lot to be happy about coming out of the meeting and that “the state of college advancement is strong and getting stronger.” The idea of a new neighbor-to-neighbor program, Lending a Paw, where students can do community service in the Ewing community, was discussed.

There was also the suggestion to assign a student intern to the Ewing Township government to further strengthen the relationship between the College and the surrounding community.

The College is also adding two policies, the Protection of Children Policy and the Safe Campus Policy, according to trustee Susanne Svizeny in her report of the Audit, Risk Management and Compliance Committee. The first policy requires that any suspected child abuse be reported while the latter policy requires the College to follow the Cleary Act and report campus crime. These two additions are already laws followed by the College, but they are now under the College’s own set of policies as well.

The next public meeting of the College’s Board of Trustees, the annual tuition hearing, will be on Tuesday, April 16 at a time and location to be announced.

By Mike Nunes Correspondent

It has been almost three years since the protest movement in the Middle East known as the Arab Spring altered the region. The protests have led to civil wars, regime changes and, in some cases, democratic reforms.

On Wednesday, Feb. 27 the College welcomed three experts on different countries in the region to give an indepth analysis on what has changed in countries affected by the Arab Spring.

It’s hard to go a week without hearing about the tragedy continuing to unfold in Syria. Between Aleppo and the massacre at Homs, rebels continue to fight back against government forces.

“The government controls less than half of the country,” said Bassam Haddad, professor and director of Middle East studies at George Mason University.

Despite being pushed further toward the capital of Damascus, it is unclear when revolt will end.

“It is very difficult to know,” Haddad said about the fall of the regime. “It looks like it is not going to go away anytime soon.”

There are currently over 70,000 people who have been killed in the conflict as well as 1.5 million refugees.

Egypt, the land by the Nile, has seen major political change over the last two years. Between electing its first democratic leader, Mohamed Morsi, and writing a new constitution, life is changing for its citizens.

Under the deposed Mubarak regime, social inequalities as well as social media helped to spark an uprising. Hordes of young Egyptians from all walks of life took to the streets. The protests have become so popular that the focal point, Tahrir Square, has become a national landmark.

But all is not yet well for Egyptians. In recent months, new protests have started against the new government. Some citizens feel that their voices are still not being heard.

“The way the system is set up now, there is not civilian control of the military as one would imagine in a democracy,” said Diane Singman, professor of Middle East studies at American University.

In addition, over 16,000 Yemenis took to the streets in the

capital Sana’a to protest against the 30 year rule of Ali Abdullah Saleh. With the stepping down of the old regime, a tug of war on the international stage for influence in Yemen has occurred between the Iranians and the Americans.

As of now, the country is in a phase of transition. On March 18, country leaders will hold a national dialogue in order to write a new constitution. Elections are planned to be staged by next year.

Despite the new democratic reforms, many things in the state are uncertain.

“I suspect elections will only be a partial solution,” said Charles Schmitz, professor of geography at Townson University.

There are still many “festering” problems in the future of this Gulf state. Schmitz believes that if Yemen is to succeed and form a new government, communication is needed.

“The best scenario would be continued dialogue,” Schmitz said, concluding the presentation.

“I thought that each presenter gave a full picture of the issues going on in the Middle East today,” said freshman English major Robert Handerhan. “It was very interesting how they would complicate and problematize the picture that is stereotypically held.”

Warren Fields / Staff Photographer

Three experts speak about the challenges that Middle Eastern countries still face.

Sodexo / Mealtime innovation

continued from page 1

“The Sodexo partnership will provide funding for both dining space upgrades and overall, large-scale facility renovations,” Golden explained.

After a competitive bidding process with a variety of vendors, the College selected Sodexo, the same company they have worked with for the past 10 years. The current five-year contract expires in June, but this new agreement could be for up to 15 years, Golden said.

The agreement is not yet finalized, according to Golden, but the Board of Trustees authorized execution of a multi-year contract at last Tuesday’s Board of Trustees meeting.

“It is highly likely that the deal will be finalized during the next couple of

months,” Golden said. The student center renovations would take roughly three years to execute.

The College plans to establish a group with campus-wide representation, including student representatives, that will help develop the vision for the renovation plans, Golden said.

Not only is the College excited about the anticipated agreement, but

Sodexo seems equally pleased.

In the press release, the College’s Sodexo General Manager Patrice Mendes said, “Sodexo Campus Services views this agreement as an opportunity to build something that will truly move the campus dining industry forward, and we think TCNJ is the perfect place to launch such an innovative and comprehensive project.”

Christopher Rightmire / News Editor

Students at the Lion’s Den wait in line to purchase their lunches.

Laptop larceny and pools of vomit abound

By Jack Meyers Nation & World Editor

On Saturday, Feb. 23 at 8:25 p.m., Campus Police were called to an off campus house where a student discovered that his living room and bedroom had been ransacked. When the student heard a door open in his house, he thought it was his roommate. The student explained that his laptop and backpack were missing from his room and his Xbox and controllers were missing from the living room, totaling $2,430 in missing belongings.

A TCNJ Emergency Alert message was sent to all students and staff about the event. There is no further information at this time. ...

On Monday, Feb. 25 police officers were dispatched to the Library’s 3rd floor on report of a laptop theft. A student called

the campus police at 2:05 p.m. after he had left his belongings covered with his coat in a study room in order to grab a drink from Eickhoff. After having closed the study room door, he came back to the door opened and his $2,000 17-inch black laptop gone. The student searched every floor of the Library and could not find it, which is when he called Campus Police. The officer that was dispatched spoke with students in the vicinity of the study room but no one had seen anything. ...

On Monday, Feb. 25 at 3:05 p.m., police were called to the Brower Student Center on report of a theft. A student had set his belongings down in the hallway overlooking the College bookstore to use

the restroom. He came back to his seat where his $1,000 Macbook Pro and his $500 Samsung Bolt phone were missing from their chargers. Students in the area were questioned and knew nothing of the theft. The student was then taken to Campus Police to submit his laptop’s serial number and was prompted to contact Campus Police with his phone’s serial number.

This information would be submitted into N.J.’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) in the event that his belongings are found. ...

On Saturday, March 2 at 1 a.m.

Campus Police were dispatched to the second floor men’s bathroom in Travers

Hall where a male student was reported to be vomiting. The student was alert and conscious, but admitted to consuming four shots of vodka in one hour. He was issued a summons for underage drinking. ...

On Sunday, March 3 at 2 a.m., police were called to a Travers Hall room on report of an intoxicated female student.

When police arrived, the student was found lying in a puddle of her own vomit with her eyes closed. Police asked if she knew her location, and she answered “I’m fine.” Lions EMS evaluated her condition. According to reports, the student and her friend had consumed six shots of vodka each. The student was transported to Capital Health System-Hopewell Campus. She was issued a summons for underage drinking.

page 6 The Signal March 6, 2013

Compounds & Cuisine The Science of What You’re Eating

Have you ever thought about the connection between science and food? Science is not just for the lab, but for kitchens too! Join us for this fun event where we explore how science influences what we eat and how we cook.

The Compounds & Cuisine lunch, part of TCNJ’s Week of Science, will feature guest chefs, along-side our campus Executive Chefs, demonstrating techniques in molecular gastronomy like gelification, turning liquids into powder and making ice cream from liquid nitrogen.

/TCNJDining

@TCNJDiningServ

Wednesday March 20th 11am – 2pm The Atrium at Eickhoff

Sponsored by the School of Science Student Advisory Board

March 6, 2013 The Signal page 7

Housing / Future plans Luxury college housing IKEA meatballs tainted continued from page 1

However, according to Farnkopf, not all students choose to live on campus. In fact, while about 95 percent of first-year students and 90 percent of second-year students apply for housing, only about 50 percent of juniors and seniors choose to do so.

Students who apply for on-campus housing but do not receive a time slot are encouraged to sign up for the wait list, which takes a student’s distance from home, class year, gender and date of application into consideration.

“Wait list offers are not made on a firstcome first-serve basis,” Farnkopf said.

“However, since we make offers as soon as vacancies arise, putting your name on the wait list early increases your chances of receiving on-campus housing.”

Although it is too early to say with absolute certainty, Farnkopf believes that most students who did not initially receive a time slot will be offered housing by the start of the fall semester.

“Some of those offers will be made immediately after room selection if we have any vacancies,” he said. “The rest will be made throughout the spring semester and summer as existing students take leaves of absences, transfer, go abroad, etc.”

Although housing is not guaranteed for typical juniors and seniors, some students are granted this luxury. In fact, out of state

students, as well as some specific scholarship recipients whose funding includes on-campus housing for all four years, are guaranteed housing for their duration at the College, as long as they apply on time.

In addition to rising juniors and seniors, transfer students are also not guaranteed housing. However, there are two separate wait lists — one for current students and one for transfers. The goal is to get through the wait list of current students before focusing on housing for transfer students over the summer.

Campus Town will also create more housing options for students in the future.

“Campus Town will likely alleviate some of our demand for housing and provide an opportunity for commuters to live closer to campus,” Farnkopf said.

Although housing doesn’t drive enrollment numbers, Residential Education and Admissions work together to make sure that there are enough bed spaces for first year students, who are guaranteed on-campus housing.

In addition, some students with physical challenges may need access to rooms with special accommodations. In these specific cases, students who are registered with Disability Support Services can go through a modified room selection process.

“At TCNJ, we keep fairness and equity at the center of our housing policies, so we don’t manipulate time slots or wait list placements,” Farnkopf said.

By Courtney Wirths News Assistant

• Traces of horse meat were found in the Swedish meatballs famously served at furniture giant IKEA. The company stopped selling meatballs in European stores where the meat was found until inspections are conducted, according to the Wall Street Journal.

• Markets were rattled across the globe when Italian election results were inconclusive, thus leaving another fog of uncertainty over the European economy. Italian voters rejected austerity measures that had been in place by supporting parties that promised lower taxes and a removal of previous emergency reform policies, according to the New York Times.

• Large home builders such as Lennar Corp. and Toll Brothers Inc. are buying land near large college campuses to construct upscale off-campus housing.

The move diversifies the company’s projects and enters them into a market that they feel is more recession-proof than housing, according to the Wall Street Journal.

• Target Corp. is expanding outside the United States into Canada by acquiring up to 220 locations from the department store Zellars. Target hopes to compete with Walmart, which moved into Canada 17 years ago, according to the New York Times.

• New Jersey is now the biggest state to allow regulated online gambling in the nation. The change would allow casinos to run websites that let individuals make bets on casino games, according to the Wall Street Journal.

• GameStop, a video game retailer, experienced flat earnings lately due to the looming threat of streaming and digitally downloaded video games. Additionally, the company is worried that Microsoft will ban the use of online games on its new console, according to CNBC. • The College’s Economics Club meets on Mondays at 3:30pm in the Business Building room 214. The club is a resource for students looking to network with fellow students and professionals, as well as discuss current events and career development.

Johnson & Johnson business competition

Courtney Wirths / News Assistant

Four teams compete at Johnson & Johnson’s exclusive competition. The company chooses only 10 schools in the country to participate in the competition.

By Courtney Wirths News Assistant Judges settled into swivel chairs behind the long wooden tables of the College’s Business Building. In the front of the room, a line of suits and blue ties anxiously waited to begin their presentation. After a nod from a judge, team captain and sophomore economics major Davis Craig stepped forward to introduce team Juke and Jab, the final team of the day in the Johnson & Johnson University Case Competition.

“Juke and Jab — knocking out one problem at a time,” Craig said, sharing the team’s slogan with the audience.

A total of four teams from the College participated in the University Case Competition on Wednesday, Feb. 27. This was the first year the opportunity has been offered to students at the College, explained Richard Minevich, senior financial analyst at Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and alumnus of the College. Only 10 schools are asked to participate in the

competition each year.

“We only want the best of the best,” Minevich said. Participants were challenged to take the decision-making role in a hypothetical Johnson & Johnson-like company called Pantheon. The students needed to decide whether they wanted to internally develop, buy from a third party, or license from a third party a new oncology drug called Abrira. The drug’s purpose was to extend the life of prostate cancer patients who had stopped responding to chemotherapy.

The students then presented these decisions along with an in-depth financial analysis to judges who were then free to ask the team questions. The panel of judges was made up of professors from the College as well at employees from Johnson & Johnson.

“We want to see how well they stick to their guns and defend why they chose one decision over the other,” Minevich said.

Team Juke and Jab was the winning team from Wednesday’s event. They will now move on to the corporate level of the competition, which will

be held at Johnson & Johnson’s headquarters over spring break. There, they will compete against the winning teams from other participating colleges.

The victorious team formed at the competition information session that was held earlier this year.

“I went to the information session, saw a couple kids who were sitting there and they didn’t look like they had a team. I went and sat next to them and said, ‘Hey you guys need a team?’ and just kind of formed a team from there,” Craig said. The team has since become good friends.

In addition to teaching students about the nuts and bolts of a major corporation, the competition serves as a recruiting tool for Johnson & Johnson.

“It gives us an opportunity to get to know students. We look at TCNJ as a great source of future leaders,” said Megan Correll, judge for the competition and alumna of the College.

The College is what Johnson & Johnson refers to as a core school, which means the company looks to heavily recruit from the finance department

and business school, explained Stephanie Giordano, judge and alumna of the College.

“The competition itself is a great opportunity to network within J&J and have them get a real look at you and what you are capable of doing. So that opportunity is fantastic,” said David DeLooper, junior finance major and participant in the competition.

DeLooper’s team presented second on Wednesday and networked with Johnson & Johnson employees at the competition luncheon.

“You are working together as a team, a large team, with different schedules and conflicting ideas and values, so you got to work through conflicts. You got to persevere and actually put the time in so you are able to create success,” DeLooper said about the competition.

The competition case was based on a real drug that Johnson & Johnson had recently released called Zytiga. The drug’s launch was the largest in the company’s history, explained Minevich. Johnson & Johnson

hopes that the competition raises awareness about the dangers of prostate cancer.

“One in six men are diagnosed with prostate cancer,” Minevich said in the closing of the competition. “Men don’t talk about these things, and they don’t go to the doctor until it’s too late.”

Johnson & Johnson said they plan to bring the competition back to the College next year and for many years to come. The College plans to increase the number of student teams next year as well, said Debra Klokis, employer relations specialist at the College and one of main coordinators of the competition.

Following the closing of the competition, team Juke and Jab exchanged handshakes, smiles and hugs before grabbing wastes for a group photo.

“It’s a three or four week thing, where you can jump in for a month with a team and compete in something that could potentially be really rewarding,” Davis said, recommending the competition to other students.

page 8 The Signal March 6, 2013

ExpErimEnts at thE intErfacE of chEmistry & cuisinE

As Part of TCNJ’S Week of Science, The College of New Jersey School of Science Presents

Kent Kirshenbaum, PhD March 20, 2013 • 3 – 4:30 P.M. Education Building room 212 Lecture, followed by a “meet the Expert” reception Kent Kirshenbaum

Everyone eats.

This simple fact makes food a relevant topic of scientific inquiry for the entire population. Cooking instruction is gaining popularity as entertainment and as a central focus for improving public health. A study of cooking thus provides a palatable route to foster an appreciation for the scientific method and the chemical composition of matter.

The Experimental Cuisine Collective was created at New York University to provide a venue for collaborations between scientists and chefs.The Collective enables dynamic interdisciplinary discussions of the overlapping influences of science and cooking. We highlight the chemical investigation of foods such as: stretchy ice cream, mango caviar, liquid smoke, and an unusual combination of dessert topping/floor wax. Our objectives are to excite students about chemistry, to formulate new recipes, to encourage cooking skills at every level, to impart knowledge relevant for making dietary choices, and to improve human health.

Sponsored by the School of Science and the Chemistry Department

was born in San Francisco and was raised amidst fog and hippies.

He studied Chemistry at Reed College and then obtained a PhD in Pharmaceutical Chemistry from the University of California, San Francisco.

Following post-doctoral studies at Caltech, Kent joined the faculty at New York University, where he is an Associate Professor of Chemistry.

His research explores biomimetic chemistry and macromolecular design.

His laboratory pursues new antibiotics and cancer therapeutics.

Kent co-founded the Experimental Cuisine Collective in 2007 with Professor Amy Bentley (Food Studies) and Chef Will Goldfarb (Pastry).

Television appearances include Food Detectives (Food Network) and Sid the Science Kid (PBS).

March 6, 2013 The Signal page 9

Nation & W rld

Terrorism may be easier to find than it is to explain

By Jack Meyers Nation & World Editor

Terrorism is a violent and sometimes coercive form of action. However, groups involved in “terrorist” activities, according to some nations, are assigned a legitimate political party status by others, as is the case with the Lebanese Hezbollah.

In order to analyze their political, cultural or religious objective, it is important to understand that terrorist entities tend to use violence to influence the masses. Nonetheless, each terrorist’s exact motive varies.

Perhaps most significantly, these motives are perceived differently based on

who is discussing them — that is, “do they promote or undermine our cause?”

As far as news coverage goes, though, it is easier to pinpoint the violence than it is to explore why and how it is used.

According to the Global Terrorism Index, the first ever comprehensive global terrorism report, “the number of fatalities (due to terrorism) has declined by 25 percent since 2007.” With that said, rationales for such violence are much more elusive and therefore less accessible for analysis.

What can instead be found in mainstream media are headlines about individual terrorists and crimes, excluding coverage of deeply rooted conflicts.

A few headlines to look at for example: “3 suspected Islamist terrorists arrested in France” from CNN.com; “4 California Men Accused in Terrorism Plot” from nytimes.com; while there are analyses like “How serious is Sahara terror?” on BBC.com, which serves more to list terrorist groups than to explain why they exist.

It is obvious then that terrorism is not just an abstract ideology, but it is the vehicle by which the military sects of non-governmental parties achieve their goals.

Whether those goals benefit or harm the government in question depends on who is asking.

AP Photo

European countries consider Hezbollah a political party, says NPR.

Politicians split over how much to tax the rich

AP Photo

A chart by the Tax Policy Center explains tax distribution based on income.

WASHINGTON (AP) — With Washington gridlocked again over whether to raise their taxes, it turns out wealthy families already are paying some of their biggest federal tax bills in decades even as the rest of the

New Jersey Report

An ethics investigation:

Sen. Robert Menendez is the subject of an ethics inquiry on Capitol Hill due to a piece of legislation he proposed which, according to an AP investigation, he pushed forward on behalf of his biggest political donor.

Pension values disappoint:

The multibillion-dollar system that funds pensions for New Jersey state troopers, local police and firefighters, and public workers has experienced lower return on investments than expected.

In the first year public workers were required to pay more toward their retirements, New Jersey State PBA members are frustrated with politicians’ unfulfilled promises.

All information from AP

population continues to pay at historically low rates.

President Barack Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress say the wealthy must pay their fair share if the federal government is ever going to fix its finances and reduce the budget deficit to a manageable level.

A new analysis, however, shows that average tax bills for high-income families rarely have been higher since the Congressional Budget Office began tracking the data in 1979. Middle- and low-income families aren’t paying as much as they used to.

For 2013, families with incomes in the top 20 percent of the nation will pay an average of 27.2 percent of their income in federal taxes, according to projections by the Tax Policy Center, a research organization based in Washington. The top 1 percent of households, those with incomes averaging $1.4 million, will pay an average of 35.5 percent.

Those tax rates, which include income, payroll, corporate and estate taxes, are among the highest since 1979.

“My sense is that high-income people feel abused by

being targeted always for more taxes,” Roberton Williams, a fellow at the Tax Policy Center, said. “You can understand why they feel that way.”

Last week, Senate Democrats were unable to advance their proposal to raise taxes on some wealthy families for the second time this year as part of a package to avoid automatic spending cuts. The bill failed Thursday when Republicans blocked it. A competing Republican bill that included no tax increases also failed, and the automatic spending cuts began taking effect Friday.

The issue, however, isn’t going away. Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress insist that any future deal to reduce government borrowing must include a mix of spending cuts and more tax revenue.

“I am prepared to do hard things and to push my Democratic friends to do hard things,” Obama said Friday.

“But what I can’t do is ask middle-class families, ask seniors, ask students to bear the entire burden of deficit reduction when we know we’ve got a bunch of tax loopholes that are benefiting the well-off... It’s not right.”

Around the World:

Syria

Opposition leader confronts destruction BEIRUT (AP) — Following rebel gains, the leader of the Syrian opposition made his first visit Sunday to areas near the embattled northern city of Aleppo as fighters trying to oust President Bashar Assad captured a police academy and a border crossing along the frontier with Iraq.

Assad, meanwhile, lashed out at the West for helping his opponents in the civil war, delivering a blistering rebuke to Secretary of State John Kerry’s announcement that the U.S. will for the first time provide medical supplies and other non-lethal aid directly to the rebels in addition to $60 million in assistance to Syria’s political opposition.

Aleppo, the nation’s largest city, has been a major front in the nearly 2-yearold uprising. Government forces and rebels have been locked in a stalemate there since July.

Mouaz al-Khatib met Sunday with Syrians in the two rebel-held Aleppo suburbs of Manbah and Jarablus, a statement said. The stated goal of his trip — his first since being named the leader of the Syrian National Coalition late last year — was to inspect living conditions.

But his foray to the edge of Aleppo also could be an attempt to boost his group’s standing among civilians and fighters on the ground, many of whom see the Western-backed political leadership in exile as irrelevant and out of touch.

The areas along Syria’s northern

AP Photo

The Syrian regime continues to rain bombs over civilian homes, as is depicted by the utter destruction above in Homs, Syria. border with Turkey are largely ruled by rival brigades and fighter units that operate autonomously and have no links to the political opposition.

The territorial gains are a significant blow to Assad, although his forces have regained control of several villages and towns along a key highway near Aleppo International Airport — an achievement that could signal the start of a decisive battle for Syria’s commercial capital.

Also Sunday, the government troops launched an offensive in central Syria, sweeping through Latakia and Hama provinces, trying to dislodge rebels from towns and villages.

The army also shelled opposition strongholds around Damascus

with artillery and airstrikes in what opposition groups said were the regime’s “desperate attempts” to reverse the rebel advances.

The rebels have trying to storm the capital for weeks, pushing ever closer to Assad’s seat of power.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based opposition group, said the rebels seized the police academy in Khan al-Asal after entering the sprawling government complex with captured tanks.

At least 120 regime soldiers and 80 rebels were killed in the fighting, according to Observatory director Rami Abdul-Rahman. He said the rebels control all buildings inside the complex, which was abandoned

by Assad’s forces early Sunday.

page 10 The Signal March 6, 2013

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March 6, 2013 The Signal page 11

Editorial

Take a step back from technology

Last semester, my Italian professor told our class that we should all read at least one long classic novel each year. At first I thought, “Who, as an average college student, has the time for that?” After all, many of us are involved in an array of campus clubs and activities that take up nearly as much time as all of our classes. In fact, even I, who has enjoyed reading my entire life, didn’t think that this was a possible task, at least during a hectic school year.

Then I thought about it for a little while. Maybe reading a long classic novel each year is not only beneficial, but extremely important. In fact, with the advancement of technology, our attention spans are greatly decreasing. Rather than reading thought-provoking articles online (or in print), truly grasping an understanding of what’s going on in the world around us, we barely glance over 140-character tweets, learning close to nothing. In fact, getting through a long article, let alone a long novel, has grown increasingly difficult for our generation.

Taking this into consideration, I think it’s necessary for us to all take a step back from technology. Thanks to autocorrect, people no longer know how to spell correctly. Thanks to Google, people no longer remember what they’re researching.

And thanks to texts and emails, people no longer appreciate inperson conversations.

Because of all these technological innovations, people are quickly losing their creativity. When I was a kid, I could spend hours playing “house,” writing and acting out plays, using what was called an imagination. These days, it’s much different. In fact, the kids that I babysit literally can’t spend more than a half -hour away from their iPad or DS. I remember getting so excited when my mom would read me a book when I was younger, but as soon as I suggest that idea to the six-year-old I babysit sit, she screams “No!” and turns immediately to her computer.

According to an article in Atlantic Magazine, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” the human brain still develops and changes in the adult years, and because of the Internet, millions of minds are altering all around the world. Worldwide, innovative thoughts are becoming a rarity. The same concepts shared on common websites are what people know, learn and spread — new ideas are not frequently generated.

Considering how much our thinking processes have changed in the past decade, it is difficult to imagine where technology will take us in the next 10 years, or even 50. “Learning” will take place at home, social connections will dwindle and creativity will have vanished. The human brain is capable of things that the modern computer can’t quite handle, yet as computers advance, our brains are headed in the opposite direction.

The human population is headed toward a place where thinking isn’t a necessity, but more of an annoyance. Children no longer play “house” or even use their imaginations at all, because sadly, they no longer have to. We’re headed toward a place that revolves around technology and our brains are quickly evolving from intricate thinkers to mere controllers of technology.

I can’t stress enough how important it is to take the opportunity to rely on your brain for once, rather than technology.

Spend a day reading a novel. In fact, skip out on the Internet all together. See where your mind takes you.

— 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.

AP Photo

With the advancement of technology, our brains have started to lose their creativity.

Take the time to delve into an intricate novel and see where your mind takes you.

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 “We’re here to talk about how to make you really, really rich ... just one of you.”

— Warren Buckleitner, Brown Bag Lecturer

“Men don’t talk about these things. They don’t go to the doctor until it’s too late.”

— Ricahard Minevich, speaking of prostate cancer patients

Corrections In the Feb. 20 issue, the Cop Shop column incorrectly stated that a bronze bust sculpture of president John F. Kennedy was stolen from the Library. The sculpture was actually stolen from West Hall. We regret the error.

In the Feb. 27 issue, the article “Recital series educates” incorrectly stated that Jasmine Chen played the Double Bass, when she actually plays the piano. We regret the error.

page 12 The Signal March 6, 2013

March 6, 2013 The Signal page 13

Opinions

Free yourself from free market mentality

By Jack Werner

The market fundamentalists and libertarians have seized the College campus. IHS, “The Morality of Capitalism,” The Students for Liberty, really any of these organizations you see all advocate the same thing — laissez-faire markets. It’s so pervasive that even YouTube videos are showing ads about the wonders of capitalism and markets.

So what is all this? And, more importantly, are they right?

Let me say right now, before I go any further, that they’re wrong. Totally wrong. So next time you see them trying to “spread freedom,” I want you to think to yourself, “Nope, that’s absolute nonsense.”

What do you mean you don’t love the market? That’ll probably be the first question you receive. Of course, this will be followed by a basic lesson in microeconomics about supply and demand curves. And this is wrong why? Simply put: the myth of perfect information. Let me give you an example. Let’s say you’re trying to buy gas for your car. In the perfect competition model (the one with supply and demand curves), you’ll never buy gasoline somewhere that it’s more expensive, because why would you? The price of gasoline is said to stay at equilibrium.

But, have you ever bought gas somewhere more expensive, only to slap yourself on the knee and say, “Dammit!

It’s cheaper over there!” How come you didn’t know that?

Well, frankly, there is no perfect information. It’s a myth.

In other words people consistently buy goods well above their “market price.”

Yeah, what’s your point….? My point is that libertarians base their ideas on perfect competition and perfect information. It’s why they praise capitalism and markets. Once you

realize that these arguments are based on models, not the real world, libertarianism seems very dangerous.

Deregulation! We want Deregulation! That’s the next line you’ll probably hear from the Tea Partyist or Ron Paulian. The best way to dismantle this argument is to point out the ways regulations engendered greater freedom in the market throughout history. Let’s take Ida M. Tarbell, John D. Rockefeller and Standard Oil, for example. From 1882 to 1911, Rockefeller was one of the most powerful men in the entire country. Prior to the federal government stepping in, Standard Oil controlled roughly 90 percent of the refined oil flows in the United States. How’d he do it?

Was it just being competitive?

Well, I mean, if you think intimidation, back room deals, and sending your own private army to put people out of business is competitive, then yes, Rockefeller was quite competitive. There was a reason he could start business meetings by saying, “Join me or else.” What a great entrepreneur, right? Without Ida M. Tarbell’s compelling History of the Standard Oil Company and the Sherman Antitrust Act, who knows how long Rockefeller would have ruled the free market.

Well, that led to lower prices for oil right? That’s good for the consumers! Zing! True, Standard Oil’s practices did lead to lower prices. But, at what market and social cost? Poor working conditions? A large, multinational, corporate empire? If you really believed in the free market, you wouldn’t defend large corporations and the tactics they use to systematically conceal the truth. Perhaps, if you knew what Coca Cola or Nestle Tea did to bring you a bottle of soda for $1.50, you wouldn’t buy it. As prominent intellectual Noam Chomsky said, “Businesses

put enormous efforts into ensuring that uniformed consumers will make irrational choices.” I can’t think of a better argument myself.

I don’t know. I’m not convinced. Well, let me try again.

Two words: “Big Tobacco.” Beginning in 1952, the first news was published linking cigarettes to cancer. At first, Tobacco CEOs panicked. But two years later, they released the famous “A Frank Statement to Cigarette Smokers.”

What exactly did it say? “We accept an interest in people’s health as a basic responsibility, paramount to every other consideration in our business.” Wow! The free market really does care about costumers! Corporate Responsibility!

Imagine the surprise then in 1994, when it was revealed that Brown and Williamson Tobacco Corporation contracted a scientist named Dr. James F. Chaplin to genetically engineer tobacco to double nicotine levels from about 3.4 to about 6 percent. This was after decades of informing the public that companies were working for “lowtar, low-nicotine products.” That’s the free market at work.

Tobacco companies had no regulation; they advertised to whomever they wanted and created misinformation. My overarching question to the libertarians out there, then: did government intervention in the Tobacco industry help people or not? If it did help, that’s regulation and taking away the rights of business at the max.

We’re bombarded with a lot of information nowadays.

I’m not sure why people have taken up laissez-faire capitalism again. Maybe it’s all the Ayn Rand and Milton Friedman literature that is reemerging. Or maybe it’s the poor economic conditions since the 2007-2008 Great Recession.

Regardless, let’s not turn to an erratic, naive solution. Please, we already did that once, his name was George W. Bush.

The five worst people to meet at a concert AP Photo

An example of ‘the over-zealous fan,’ crowd surfing into a naked coma.

By Craig Ismali

Every time I attend a concert, I tend to run into people that are your average, runof-the-mill bad concert-goer. I have seen the concert-goer who yells at the opening band to get off the stage, the person who screams for the headlining band to play their biggest hit right as the band starts their first song, and the fan who hits the open bar in the venue early and often countless times. All these people, while annoying, I can tolerate. But the following five subjects take the annoying quotient and ratchet it up to a level that makes concert-going a sometimes unbearably annoying task. The concept for this article was loosely based off Mitch Albom’s “Five People You Meet in Heaven,” if Mitch Albom was a masochist and paid 25 dollars to have a run in with the most awful people he could possibly meet in heaven.

5. The Shield Boyfriend/Bubble People.

“Bubble People” — (noun) People who are

not made aware that purchasing a ticket to a sold out general admission show means giving up your right to a three-feet bubble of “personal space.” The Shield Boyfriend and Bubble People are lumped together in this list because often they are a couple attending the show together. The Bubble People will become fickle if they are shoved, but are so passive aggressive that they will almost never physically push back. That’s where the Shield Boyfriend comes in. He feels it his sacred duty as a man to protect his woman in the crowd. If that’s what the guy has to do to stay out of the doghouse, then good for him; but perhaps next time it’s best to stay out of a rowdy crowd if you are worried about your companion’s well-being.

4. The over-zealous fan. These are the opposite of bubble people. The overzealous fan makes his presence physically known to those around him. This is the guy who just “cares so much about the band” that he has to express it in the most obnoxious ways possible. This particular offender can be seen a) crowd surfing 30 times in one song b) generally not giving a damn about anyone else in the crowd’s well-being and c) finding the tiniest girl in the crowd he can and “accidentally” kicking her in the face.

3. Mosh Pit Mafia. This class of concert-goer keeps busy by beating up invisible ninjas and generally looking like bigger douchebags than NBC when they cancelled “Community.” This group of people is the most likely to step on somebody when they

fall down in the crowd instead of picking the person up (a cardinal sin in my concertgoing handbook) simply because they are too busy being “br00tal” and getting the metal out. They are most likely to be found wearing a metal-core band’s custom basketball jersey and a snapback hat with the label still on the brim.

2. The Guy Who Yells “Freebird.”

Please don’t ever be this guy. This joke wasn’t funny 20 years ago, and it certainly isn’t funny now. If I am ever sent back in time, I know that one of my stops will be in 1973 to stop Lynyrd Skynyrd from ever releasing this song.

1. Paparazzi. We’ve all seen them. The people who spend all night looking at the stage through the tiny screen of their old LG Chocolate, recording the show in 30 second clips of dark, lo-res images of little pixels which may or may not be the lead singer. Is this person ever really going to watch the concert over again on their camera phones? This video they had to have is just going to take up space on his or her phone’s memory card until the culprit deletes it to have more room for duck-faced mirror photos. Or worse, they will post the video on Youtube, where decent concert footage will be blocked out by 20 videos that sound somewhere between radio static and New York Subway terminal. Adam Lazzara of Taking Back Sunday has made it a regular part of the band’s set to denounce his support for this type of concert-goer.

“What I’m trying to say is ... you spend all day everyday behind this little screen,”

Lazzara said during the band’s recent tour.

“So why are you going to pay a lot of money and come here and spend it behind this small, little screen? I’m right here. Be with me!” He said it better than I could have possibly said it myself, explaining with certainty why this is my least favorite type of concert-goer.

Each one of these types of concert-goers will appear at different concerts to varying degrees. Some may only have one or two of the types in attendance if it is a particularly well-behaved show. While some shows may entirely consist of this awful cesspool of terrible human characteristics. In fact, you may even have taken one of these stereotypical roles once or twice if you’ve been to enough concerts (please don’t write in and tell me you are a Juggalo), but now that you are aware of your etiquette-breaking past, you can enjoy future shows without aggravating everyone around you.

AP Photo

‘Free Bird’ is not a good song. It was never a good song. Please stop.

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page 14 The Signal March 6, 2013

Features

PRISM shows that all deserve love

Photo Courtesy of PRISM

Students use mock weddings to push marriage equality.

By Tom Kozlowski Opinions Editor

In the past ten years, two similar movements have walked hand in hand toward larger goals — the equality push for same-sex marriage legalization and PRISM’s annual Queer Wedding. Comparatively, their sizes are dramatically different. Yet in scope, they advocate and embrace the same ideals that make their cause all the more worthy.

Here on campus, PRISM is the only organization devoted to nurturing the many sexual orientations of its students and members. They strive for acceptance and tolerance for all walks of life, regardless of “who they love.” Naturally, then, the 10th anniversary of PRISM’s Queer Wedding, held on Thursday, Feb. 28, cast the event under a particularly powerful light, a scene luminous with love and community, yet still carrying a torch amid society’s apprehension.

It was a close-knit ceremony. A small crowd gathered within the Allen drawing room to watch their dearly beloved friends marry lifelong partners — fictionally, of course. But the ceremony was set up to mimic the spirit of a real wedding. An aisle between the chairs, vows exchanged, even a sullen piano playing the intermittent score to a dramatic romance.

More importantly, the PRISM members leading the event were energized to lead a program so dear to them.

“Thanks for coming out tonight, no pun intended,” senior women’s and gender studies major Remy Lourenco said. “We’re here to show that if we can foster and produce love between friends, then we can also do it between couples.”

With that said, four couples were wed for the occasion, each representing a different cultural significance behind marriage. The first, a Hindu ceremony between a sophomore participant and freshman Jordan Stefanski, expressed the passage of love as a series of seven steps around a candlelit table, each movement propelling their union to a deeper spiritual level. As they finished, a particular line resonated with the ritual, “As the heavens are stable, as the mountains are stable, as the entire universe is stable, so too will our union be stable.”

Following the Hindu wedding was the Jewish rendition, wedding debonair freshmen partners Andrew Edelblum and Amanda Vuocolo. Their portion highlighted the notion that “everybody gets married at a wedding,” spiritually if not physically.

In reality, though, the crowd was most

Focus on the core

By Samantha Sorin Columnist

I hear many people say that they have no abs. If this was really the case, many of your organs would be flopping about because they would have nothing to hold them all in place!

Everyone has an abdominal wall, you simply may not be working it enough to notice that it is there.

But if it is already doing its job by keeping your organs in check, then why sweat or cut out the sweets? Strengthening the core goes far beyond wanting to look good.

Lower back pain plagues scores of people, especially those of the nine-to-five variety. And though you may be a spry young student now, enjoying the lack of responsibility and cubicle view, you — along with everyone else — age. As people age, bone strength and muscle elasticity usually decrease. The discs begin to lose fluid and flexibility, which diminishes their power to cushion the vertebrae. One way to help counter this is to strengthen the core. Typically when core muscles are not strong, people tend to dump into the low back and let their belly stretch forward. By reinforcing the strength of the front body, you are taking pressure off of the back body. Thus, this can help to relieve the lower back.

Not only does the core affect the spine, but it also has an impact on the way you stand, sit and squat. When you do a “core exercise,” the abdominal muscles are not the only ones being affected. You are also training your back, glutes and thighs. And when I say “core” or “abs,” I do not simply mean the six-pack that everyone is looking for. The core muscles are all of the soft tissues that surround your spine, rib cage and pelvis.

A few big important ones are the rectus

abdominis, the transverse abdominis and the obliques. The rectus abdominis is what people know as those washboard abs. While the average person who just wants to look good in a bikini is not as familiar with the transverse abdominis, it is a vital part to obtaining a flat stomach and providing thoracic and pelvic stability. Additionally, the obliques act as a corset that not only help you flatten, but tighten as well.

Also, a strong core might make you look good, but more importantly it will make you feel good. Many of the muscles of the core are also muscles involved in respiration. If there is any inhibition in the use of these tissues, it affects our breathing mechanics. Once you start to target the core muscles, you will begin to see you have more stability and balance as well as an easier time breathing.

How does one strengthen the core? One way is to introduce instability into workouts you are already doing. Here, you are allowing the muscles to work together, as opposed to isolating one specific muscle. As stated, the core is not just one muscle, it is made up of many. Trying out a Pilates or yoga class will give you a greater sense of how this can be done. So get out there! Those core muscles aren’t going to strengthen themselves.

excited to watch Edelblum triumphantly stomp on the traditional glass, cries of “mazel tov!” hailing from the crowd.

The third marriage was a special case — an Aztec pagan wedding between freshmen Disha Dass and Tommi Granados. Even without a formal religious code to follow, the couple professed their devotion to one another while sitting on an ornate throw rug spread on the drawing room floor.

Finally came the Christian wedding, on this occasion pairing two women: freshmen Hailey Marr and Sierra Shade Holland, with Marr donning the gentleman’s suit. This required some audience recitation of a blessing said in unison and bestowed upon the lovely couple. For the women, though, they were pleased just to be a small part of the ceremony. “(The wedding) had much more of an effect on me than I thought it would initially,” Holland said. “I was so excited when Hailey p roposed to me, but couldn’t be more grateful to be a part of the beautiful ceremony that took place that night.”

Marr, too, was glowingly in agreement.

“It was a wonderful experience, and each of our ceremonies held similar elements of love, commitment and dedication to one another,” she said.

With a reception, dancing and lavish honeymoons in Eickhoff Hall yet to come, the ceremony came to a close, but not without leaving audience members with a few thoughtful musings.

“We are vulnerable, but that is not a bad thing,” said Lisa Caton, the campus chaplain.

Campus Style

By Carly Koziol Columnist D.I.Y. Body Chain Materials: • 6-7 feet of thin gold chain • 6 mini jump rings • 1 charm with holes on both ends • Lobster clasp • Needle nose pliers If you’re headed to a warm vacation spot for spring break, pack this body chain in your luggage along with your swimsuits. Body chains are an up and coming trend that has been making its way into Victoria’s Secret swim shoots and can be seen draping the body of Rihanna on the cover of GQ. Wear one while poolside to spice up your vacation look.

1. Drape the chain around your neck holding one end an inch below your bra line. Snip the longer end so the two sides are even at the marked area.

2. Open one of the jump rings and hook the two ends of the chain into the hoop. You should now have what appears to be a basic necklace.

3. Take another jump ring and attach to it to the charm and the hoop from Step 2.

An apple a day...

Sam Sorin / Columnist

“It makes us need each other, and it is a sign of our humanity.”

Ultimately, these sentiments echoed through PRISM’s mission membrane and the larger movement at hand. The drive for samesex marriage equality on a national scale is just as human as the matrimony witnessed here on campus. It is the definitive sign of faith and reliance that evokes the humanity mentioned above — anyone present at The Queer Wedding could stitch that intangible connection.

And indelibly, it leaves a mark.

“By holding the Queer Wedding as an advocacy event, anyone in the audience can see just how simple the right to marry can be,” Holland said. “I was raised to believe that nobody should ever be discriminated against due to their sexual preference, gender, religion, ethnic/racial background or anything else that makes ‘ze’ who ‘ze’ is. This lesson is one I have and will continue to carry with me in my heart and through my life” The Queer Wedding may not have the national stopping power to end discrimination against sexual equality, legal and real, but that would be an unreasonable request. What it accomplishes, though, is almost immeasurable— the bonding of different students of diverse backgrounds into spiritual unions unlike any other. If college undergrads can manage to fictionally commit themselves to one another, then those couples fighting for unorthodox marriage in reality deserve the love and support witnessed so clearly among PRISM’s members.

4. Cut the unused chain in half. Slide

Carly Koziol / Columnist

Unchain your fashion sense this summer with this D.I.Y. accessory.

each individual chain onto a jump hoop. You should have two chains hanging from one hoop.

5. Take the hoop from step 4 and hook it onto the bottom end of the charm.

6. Attach the lobster clasp to the two hanging chains. You may need to make adjustments in length so that the chain can hook behind your lower back and sit loosely without feeling snug.

March 6, 2013 The Signal page 15

At event, WILL proves that girls can be in charge

Jamie Primeau / Former EIC

Girls from Trenton high schools spend the day participating in workshops with WILL.

By Emma Colton Web Editor

High school girls from Trenton and Ewing participated in a day-long female empowerment workshop on Saturday, March 2 in the Brower Student Center.

Women in Learning and Leadership hosted the day to enforce methods of female success and empowerment. Workshops allowed the girls to learn more about the ugly, virtual world of cyber bullying, facts of sexual health and the realities of body image, while methods of attaining collegiate success and career opportunities were presented through short speeches.

“I really hope that if the girls take anything from today’s activities, it is that they are strong, capable and beautiful,” said Nicole Fasano, freshman philosophy major and community service co-chair for WILL. The day was designed to get the girls to discuss and participate and to get them to think of ways to ensure their own personal success.

During the cyber bullying workshop, nearly every girl had an opinion on the cruel and cloaked world of virtual bullying. More importantly though, the girls showed support for people who have felt the harshness of online harassment, and learned tips on how to deal with these realities.

Disha Dass, freshman psychology major and membership co-chair of WILL, spoke on a panel of WILL members and a few high school girls on how she was cyber bullied in high school for being bisexual. These messages, according to Dass, did not impact her emotions too forcefully, though she did not sit idly by.

“I used to write back to them and say, ‘What you’re doing is illegal. This is cyber bullying, and it’s illegal,’” Dass recounted to the audience.

Dass’s tips on how to confront cyber bullying were an example of the event’s general message — female empowerment is not just the empowerment of one woman, but the empowerment of all women through mentorship and support.

Alumna Tammy Tibbetts, ‘07, presented the final activity of the day, a talk on methods that lead to success and happiness.

Tibbetts stressed that discovering what makes you happy in life is essential for personal success and empowerment. Tibbetts, however, said that in order for this success to grow, connections need to be made with people who can act as mentors.

She has built her career on great connections.

Graduating with a degree in journalism and working in the magazine industry, Tibbetts has learned the benefits of networking.

Tibbetts confessed to the audience that during her high school days she was painfully shy. This reserved comportment, however, was not a detriment to her success. Through this demeanor, she was listening and observing, though she needed an outlet to voice her opinions and ideas. Social media gave her the platform to reach success, and today, still acts as a facilitator of empowerment.

Tibbetts was the social media editor at Seventeen magazine. Now, she uses social media to bring awareness to She’s the First, a nonprofit organization that supports girls’ education in developing countries. Through social media, she has made connections with not only with philanthropists, but also celebrities like Alicia Keys.

“Just by the fact that you are here today,” Tibbetts said to the high school girls. “By the facts that you are in school now and you’ll be able to continue your education. There are endless possibilities. Every opportunity you get to be at an event like this, make sure you walk away with what is the most important of all, which is great connections who will support you through every step of the way.”

Hollywood celebrates, Perez Hilton procreates

AP Photo

MacFarlane refuses to be upstaged by Hathaway’s nipples.

By Johnanthony Alaimo Columnist

In case you accidentally did something fun last week, you missed the 85th Academy Awards AKA the Oscars AKA The Annual Rich People Drinking Together Social.

The event this time around was hosted

by Seth MacFarlane, who surprisingly was not accompanied by an animated talking animal for once. The entire time I felt like I was watching a mediocre episode of “Family Guy” and kept waiting to see MacFarlane comically crash into a closet and crumple on the floor.

A quick rundown of the highlights! Anne Hathaway decided nipples were an accessory and showed them off on the Red Carpet, Adele reminded us that she is a winner and you’re a loser, and Jennifer Lawrence fell on stage while accepting the award for Best Actress. She volunteered as tribute and TRIPute! I will show myself out of this column for writing that pun.

A quick scandal erupted during Oscar night when the popular satire publication, The Onion, tweeted about the nine-year-

old Best Actress nominee Quvenzhane Wallis, calling her the “c-word.” The full text of the tweet read, “Everyone else seems afraid to say it, but that Quvenzhane Wallis is kind of a (c-word), right?”

WHOA NOW. That is not what the “c” in Hi-C stands for! The only “c-word” Quevenzhane should be called is “child.” The Onion has since retracted the tweet and published a full-length apology. Now, I probably have the best sense of humor around, but there is no excuse for degrading a little girl in this manner. Funny is telling Kristen Stewart that the only thing she aced this year is her foot bandage. Not sexualizing an innocent girl.

And in a really “meta” piece of news, the gossiping blogger has become the gossiped. Perez Hilton is now a father.

The Internet sensation announced the news that he is now the dad to a baby boy,

without disclosing any other details. I can’t wait until the little boy takes his first steps, says his first words, and makes his first crudely drawn jizz picture. Like father, like blogger.

And to top it all off, Nicki Minaj is claiming that she has never had any surgery on her face. And I quote, “I’ve never had surgery on my face. They’ll see contour and they’ll think you had surgery on your nose. No, no, no, look at RuPaul’s Drag Race and you’ll see how you can make your nose look any shape you want.

When people see my makeup, they think all types of crazy things that I’m doing to my skin, but it’s makeup.”

Who in the hell are you trying to trick?

You have more plastic in your face than a Tupperware container. Listen Nicki, there is nothing wrong with getting some cosmetic work done. It’s the only good work you’ve ever done.

Jessica Simpson Baby Watch!: Jessica has started charging her unborn child rent.

Former athlete talks pressures of perfection

By Regina Yorkgitis Correspondent The last time Whitney McMullan was at the College, she was playing girl’s lacrosse for Drew University. Soon after, McMullan began treatment for anorexia and post-traumatic stress disorder.

“Secrets keep you sick,” McMullan said, sharing her personal account of her battle with anorexia on Wednesday, Feb. 27 in the Library Auditorium.

The lecture was a part of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, which was organized by a host of cosponsors including CAPS Peer Educators and Delta Phi Epsilon.

The goal of the week was to reduce the negative view of mental illness, which often stops people from getting help.

McMullan’s glory days were during college. She fell in love, was a talented athlete, and was a straight-A student.

“Everyone on the outside thought, ‘she’s perfect,’” McMullan said, but on the inside, she was falling apart.

“I was angry. I was hurt. I was broken,” McMullan said.

She worked diligently to maintain an image of perfection for the outside world, yet she struggled to repress the feelings of pain and hurt she experienced in her childhood. Unable to cope and put her feelings into words, she isolated herself from her friends and showed her pain by hurting herself.

“My body was just kinda wasting away,” McMullan said. Eventually she decided to seek help.

However, treatment was not an easy process for McMullan. She was reluctant to change her habits and tried many

different programs before going to Timberline Knolls, a treatment center outside of Chicago, where she eventually developed the skills needed for her recovery.

“The great news and the terrible news is only you can help yourself,” McMullan said.

Today a therapist, McMullan says that often people expect her to thrust her fist in the air and shout “women are beautiful,” when she shares her story. “I still struggle,” McMullan said, “but it is so much easier.”

“Her story of resilience was so inspiring,” said junior psychology and education double major Carrie Fippinger.

Fippinger, a CAPS Peer Educator, explained that CAPS chose McMullan to come speak because “a lot of people could identify with her.”

McMullan is not alone in her struggle. The pressure to be thin is inherent in our culture today. According to NEDA’s website, eating disorders among college students have risen from 10 to 20 percent for both men and women in recent years.

A chilling documentary about the media’s influence on our body image, “Miss Representation,” was screened in the Library Auditorium on Thursday, Feb. 28.

“Miss Representation” cites several depressing statistics about the media’s depiction of women. It is common to see women portrayed in film in television as one-dimensional characters who use their bodies and sexuality to get ahead.

Unattainable ideals of perfection in magazine and film ads seduce viewers to buy their products.

“People need to be aware of what they are watching,”

said senior graphic design major Emma Kapotes. “It is entertainment, but people put it into their real lives.”

On Monday, Feb. 25 and Tuesday, Feb. 26, CAPS Peer Educators and DPhiE sisters collaborated to create an interactive poster titled, “Tell Us What YOU Think is Beautiful.” Student written phrases such as “not Barbie” and “screw the media” were posted on the middle of the trifold surrounded by pictures of photo-shopped models versus pictures of real beauty.

“Beauty is confidence,” said sophomore urban education and women’s and gender studies double major and DPhiE sister Tatiana Campos. “You have to feel beautiful.”

Photo Courtesy of Regina Yorkgitis

DPhiE and CAPS Peer Educators create an interactive poster.

page 16 The Signal March 6, 2013

at the rat

Friday, March 22 5pm-8pm free saf funded with

Modern ll Baseba

March 6, 2013 The Signal page 17

Arts & Entertainment

TMT cuts loose in ‘Footloose’ musical

Brian Kempf / Features Assistant

TMT delights audiences in its production of ‘Footloose.’

By Brian Kempf Features Assistant

In small towns, things are never what they seem: just ask the residents of Twin Peaks, Gary, Ind., or Hogsmeade. Bomont, Ill. is no different, as Ren McCormack — the protagonist of “Footloose,” portrayed by a pitch-perfect Ken Abes — finds out.

On the surface, Bomont is a monochromatic, Puritanical one-horse town run by a dictatorial reverend.

Beneath the surface, however, is a community ripped at the seams by tragedy and loosely stitched together by high moral order. Ren, a worldly high-schooler who has just moved from Chicago with his single mother, looks to unravel it all, upon realizing that dance and freedom of expression are outlawed.

The energy and skill of the performers, highlighted by the show’s artful direction

by Malika Oyetimein and production by Rachel Levin and Jenna Rose, proved to be a delight for all in attendance, marked by marvelous music and dance.

Tellingly, one of the first scenes in the show is in a church. The pew-occupiers sing of how “sin is a matter of black and white,” and indeed, the costumes (by Amber Loihle and Allie Tumminia) indicate that the world of Bomont is similarly colored. Ren is already an outcast upon suggesting that “Catcher in the Rye” was an enlightening book, which Reverend Shaw

Moore (portrayed by Jim Bloss, who nailed the intricacies of his character) is looking to ban.

School is no easier. After initial difficulty, he makes a friend named Willard (played by a particularly rustic Zach Ott) and attracts the attention of the reverend’s daughter and perennial bad-girl Ariel Shaw (portrayed by a commanding Monica Blumenstein).

He also catches the wrong kind of attention, where after dancing during school, he finds out that “somebody’s eyes are watching” and is castigated both at work and school, while his family is shunned. Choreography by Kelsey Snedecker is careful and conservative in the musical’s beginning, but gradually becomes more expressive and liberal as the students open their eyes and their hearts to the freedom that Ren embodies.

Freshman early childhood education and psychology double major Tara Bange called the play a “heartwarming performance that anyone can enjoy,” noting that the “cast’s hard work definitely paid off.”

Deep-seated emotional issues underscore the show, and the cast and crew combine to

communicate these complexities. Both Ariel and Ren have father issues, the former with a dad who is overbearing, the latter with one who is absent.

The town’s moral susceptibility is apparent as a group of teenagers (including the reverend’s son and Ariel’s brother) drive off of a bridge after a night of partying. This led to the rigorous strictures that are the law of the land.

However, the minds of the town and reverend are changed as Ren and the town’s youth — empowered by their newfound expression — show that it isn’t just time that heals all wounds; faith and dance help as well. The result is (metaphorically and literally) color returning to the show and Bomont.

Nicolette Naticchione, a freshman math and elementary education double major, played a soloist in the opening scene and a member of the ensemble.

“This show was definitely nervewracking because of the time constraints,” she said, adding that “through all of it I have never seen a group of people work so well together. We pulled it off and are proud of what we’ve accomplished.”

Brown Bag offers media design tips

By Jess Fasano Correspondent

On Friday, March 1, around 50 people sat throughout Mayo Concert Hall to hear Warren Buckleitner present his lecture, “Making Digital Magic-Exploring the Underlying Psychology of Successful Interactive Media Design.”

Students possibly hoping to design the next Super Smash Bros or Angry Birds eagerly listened as Buckleitner discussed why certain apps, sites and video games turn into train wrecks, while others turn into classics.

“We’re here to talk about how to make you really, really rich ... just one of you. I don’t know which one of you it’s going to be, but one of you will be,” Buckleitner said.

Buckleitner, who taught fourth grade and also had a career reviewing children’s products, let

the audience in on the secret of understanding the play patterns of children in order to design good apps and video games for them.

“Child development is like gravity, if you understand child development you have a better chance of getting into space,” Buckleitner said.

He brought in examples of digital media devices, from a floppy disk to an ipad.

He held the ipad up to the crowd and spoke about how with this technology we “can control digital multimedia with one finger.”

Buckleitner also projected a series of interesting slides, images and videos onto a giant screen set up on the stage in front of the audience which grabbed and held their attention.

On one of the slides displayed a quote by Japanese poet, Matsuo Basho, which said, “An idea

can turn from dust to magic, depending on the talent that rubs against it.”

Buckleitner explained that it is important to understand what doesn’t work and that will help you create something successful, or “magic.”

He then talked about the idea behind certain games and why they do work.

Using the game Angry Birds as an example, he explained that the idea of this game is the same one casinos use to keep you hooked to slot machines.

“They are conditioning you people,” Buckleitner said of the game.

Buckleitner gave the audience the keys to creating successful children’s video or computer games, stating that the ideal interface of a game is one that gives the child an instant response.

Also, good attention to the details of the game will go a

long way.

“Craftsmanship will never go out of style,” Buckleitner said.

He stated how games should be created to benefit children and be tailored to what motivates and influences them.

He found through a study he performed that less instructions will keep kids more engaged.

He also explained that the “wait time” after asking a question will determine the quality of the answer.

Buckleitner’s way of thinking was influenced by Mary Budd Rowe, a science education innovator.

Rowe found that the longer a teacher waited after asking a question, the better the quality was of the answer the student gave.

Buckleitner said the same concept applies when writing instructions or asking questions in children’s games.

Vicki Wang / Photo Assistant

Technology expert talks to students about multimedia.

Concluding his lecture, Buckleitner had some parting words for the audience.

“I wish that you all find magic in whatever endeavors you pursue, and that you all die young at a very old age,” Buckleitner said.

Laughs abound in hit ‘Parks and Recreation’

By Chris Minitelli Correspondent

AP Photo

NBC sitcom ‘Parks and Recreation’ emerges as a fan favorite.

After I finally joined most of my friends and caught up on “30 Rock,” I wanted to find another show to watch. I soon decided on another NBC sitcom, “Parks and Recreation.”

Thanks to Netflix, I was able to watch all of this show’s seasons and eventually catch up on it. Now that I’ve started watching “Parks and Recreation,” I have become a big fan and can’t get enough of it.

“Parks and Recreation” follows public officials in the small town of Pawnee, Ind. as they attempt to improve the town.

The main character, Leslie Knope, played by Amy Poehler, is an extremely driven, often over-the-top, yet lovable Pawnee councilwoman. Knope is also the deputy director of the Parks and Recreation Department of Pawnee, where she works with a number of eccentric and hilarious coworkers.

This NBC sitcom is smartly crafted, with great writing and an amazing cast. “Parks and Recreation” stars Amy Poehler, Rashida Jones, Adam Scott, Aziz Ansari and Rob Lowe.

Whether it involves always trying to have swagger or always managing to be the scapegoat for every blunder, the

characters all have unique qualities that make them both familiar and funny.

Throughout this series, the writers have managed to create great characters and put them in hilarious and unbelievable situations.

While the characters have been able to develop and grow with each of the situations and obstacles they have faced throughout the series, the writers also made this growth hilarious and memorable.

Each week, it is almost guaranteed that you will watch these characters go through different awkward, unbelievable and comical situations.

These have ranged from an incident in which a character accidentally yelled at Senator John McCain in a coat closet to a bachelorette party in which characters buried fake Native American artifacts to different encounters with crazy ex-wives.

In the end, “Parks and Recreation” is one of those rare shows that almost guarantees laughs during every episode. It is a show that definitely does not get as much recognition as it deserves. With its smart writing and hilarious cast, “Parks and Recreation” is definitely a show worth watching.

page 18 The Signal March 6, 2013

Student bands battle it out at the Rat

By Tom Kozlowski Opinions Editor

The College Union Board and WTSR’s Battle of the Bands allowed student bands to showcase their talent on stage while raising money for a worthy cause on Saturday, March 2. Emerging victorious was Knuckle Puck Time, defeating last year’s staunch winner The Dundees.

Each band faced a prepped and persuasive repertoire of student groups vying for the title, but a close decision was called in favor of Knuckle.

Their talent and modernized R.E.M. style were ultimately hailed a fan favorite.

In order to crown a victor and raise money, raffle tickets were available for student purchase, each ticket valued at one vote and $1 to charity.

Once bought, students could

support their favorite group in the final vote and compete for prizes given by WTSR, the College’s radio station.

Unlike other Rathskeller shows, Battle of the Bands had a dual appeal through entertainment and charity.

For band members under the gun, reputation and notoriety are at stake in their performances.

As the winner also receives airtime on WTSR, the ambition to play well exceeds the normal occasion.

Yet, on a humanitarian level, the event provided invaluable fundraising for topical issues in need.

Due to ongoing reconstruction efforts in New Jersey and other areas, following Hurricane Sandy CUB’s Rat Chairs decided

that the money raised could best be allocated to disaster relief — in this way, audience members felt more involved with the program, both musically and charitably. “ I t s great to see students come out and support their friends’ bands,” said Rat Chair Brian Green. “There is a lot of good music around here that people don’t notice, and I believe this event gives students the chance to perform too.”

Battle of the Bands is additionally unique for the extra production necessary for a successful show.

Event organizers had to spread the word to students and local musical outlets, promote the event

Photos courtesy of WTSR Facebook and CUB Rat Facebook

The College Union Board’s Battle of the Bands, cosponsored by WTSR, raises money for disaster relief. in advertising, and then audition bands recruited from the area.

WTSR’s contributions were also a large factor in the show’s significant appeal.

“WTSR was a huge part of the success of the event and planned a lot of the details. They were fantastic and really helped make the event go so smoothly,”

Green said.

For students and performers who enjoyed this semester’s Battle, they can almost certainly expect to see the shows continue.

CUB’s Rat Chairs hope the event’s popularity will grow with such a diverse source of campus talent, while student musicians remain ever eager to jam out.

The once bright ‘Community’ is now a fading star

AP Photos

NBC’s once popular ‘Community’ faces a lackluster season.

By Brian Kempf Features Assistant

When a television show is so innovative and brilliant that it garners cult attention but goes largely unnoticed, it must be something special.

Numerous shows have fallen into the paradox of being “too good for TV” by presenting an intricacy and quality appreciated by a few, but ignored on a wider scale, prompting their cancellation.

In a bid to save itself, “Community” has opted for broader appeal while maintaining the veneer of its former self. The result has been underwhelming, at least

from a fan’s point of view.

“Community” was the original show for nerds, with no apologies to the achingly unfunny “Big Bang Theory.”

The show’s premise is an unlikely group of community college students (including a disbarred lawyer, a feminist “anarchist cat owner,” a single mother, a millionaire heir to a brand of wipes and a handful of other young adults) more or less forced together into a study group.

When not trying to pass tests in Spanish class, they are launching paintball wars, building blanket forts, becoming claymation or re-enacting “Pulp Fiction.”

This made for brilliant TV, but just like breaking into a group of friends at a new school, if you’re uninitiated, you’ll always be missing something, no matter how welcoming it is.

This is an aspect of “Community” that has always affected its viability: the show has always tried to welcome new viewers, but if the references aren’t understood, it just isn’t the same.

My all-time favorite episode of “Community” was “Contemporary American Poultry,” in which the gang creates a chicken finger cartel and starts to control the school.

The episode is inherently funny, but to have truly “gotten it,” watching Martin Scorsese’s mafia classic “Goodfellas”

was a necessity.

The problem is also evident when the show parodies Ken Burns’ “Civil War,” “Law & Order,” “Apocalypse Now” or any number of cultural references.

There are bound to be viewers who are left out.

It is partly for this reason that the show was not a popular success, and the show runner and creator Dan Harmon was kicked out in between the third and fourth seasons.

This leads to a lackluster season four.

The characters and some of the writers and in-show references are still there. But the heart of the show, Dan Harmon, isn’t.

Some reviewers have noted that shows like “The West Wing” and “M*A*S*H” had also fired their show runners and had gone on to be popular successes, but when a show such as “Community” has its creator so tightly woven into its own mythology and the network is pressuring for higher ratings, it should come as no surprise that the show will suffer in the eyes of its dedicated fans.

The first four episodes have not been terrible. But, to use a popular refrain, it just isn’t the same.

I have no doubts that the current writers and producers want to be true to the original show.

There were undoubtedly moments in the

last three seasons that fell flat, too. However, as long as the new “Community” is held to the same standards as the Dan Harmon “Community,” the show will fail.

So far, season four has among the lowest ratings for all of the show’s seasons.

This has offered a bleak ultimatum: shape up or ship out.

AP Photo

The stars of ‘Community,’ like Joel McHale, fail to impress the TV audience.

Recital Series features well-executed performances

By Linah Munem Correspondent

As Jacquelyn Briggs began to sing, she silenced the fixed audience that sat in front of her. A clear, controlled and pitch perfect song came from deep within her gut and boomed throughout the Mayo Concert Hall.

Briggs delivered a rather impressive and beautifully executed performance of “Do Not Go My Love,” by Richard Hageman to start off the Afternoon Recital Series on Wednesday, Feb. 27.

Five other talented students followed Briggs with equally impressive performances.

Colleen Ferry, accompanied by Kathy Shanklin on the piano, mesmerized audience members with her wonderful performance of “Cello Sonata No. 1 in E Minor,” by Johannes Brahms, on the cello.

Ferry told an emotional story through the strings of her instrument both quickening and slowing the pace of the melody, leaving audience members silent with anticipation.

The golden brass of Taylor Lorchak’s horn shined almost as bright as her talent did under the spotlight in the

Mayo Concert Hall.

Her performance of “Horn Concerto NO. 1,” by Richard Strauss, accompanied by Sally Livingston on the piano, was most entertaining with its dynamic range, quick articulation and its slower, more expressive sections.

Tyler Cudia entered the stage with an heir of confidence that matched his exemplary talents on the bassoon.

With his interpretation of “Romance Op. 62,” by Edward Elgar, Cudia delighted the audience with rich, soft tones and a seamless performance.

Nicole DiBenedetto, a master of the oboe, played a quick and lighthearted song entitled “Concerto per l’Oboe,” by Tomasso Albinoni.

The happy, difficult melody had some audience members tapping their feet to the contagious beat of the song.

Agnes Kalinowski closed Wednesday’s recital the same way it started.

The confident performer sang “If Music be the food of love, Third Setting,” by Henry Purcell. The passion for her craft was made known as the soprano projected her voice to fill the ears of her delighted listeners.

Kalinowski truly seemed “filled with joy,” a lyric of

Janika Berridge / Photo Assistant

Student performers are brought together in the latest Afternoon Recital Series.

what she sang, as everyone listened intently.

“This was actually my first time listening to the singers and musicians at TCNJ,” said freshman math major Alexis Connor. “I was very impressed and I could tell that the performers put a lot of effort into preparing for this ... I would be happy to listen again.”

March 6, 2013 The Signal page 19

Mixed Signals show gives belly laughs

By Mike Herold Staff Writer The following are actual quotes from students at the College: “I enjoyed throwing up way too much,” said junior nursing major Nina Shulgach.

“I liked befriending the tree, it broke my heart when it got chopped down,” said junior computer science major Lindsey Nice.

“I was the tree,” said freshman history

Photo Courtesy of Matt Ritsko

The College’s improv group, the Mixed Signals, have students laughing from beginning to end.

and secondary education double major Rachel Friedman.

No, these students did not hit their heads recently, nor is anything else wrong with them. They are simply members of the College’s improvisational comedy troupe, the Mixed Signals, who performed this past Sunday, March 3 in the Library Auditorium before a full audience.

In a performance which had members of the crowd laughing in what could only be described as a raucous manner (this reporter had his seat kicked by enthusiastic audience members who could not contain their amusement), the group can certainly lay claim to having their viewers rolling on the floor with laughter.

Of course, during the course of the show, that phrase was taken literally by performer Jonathan Dowler, a junior history and secondary education double major who was required by the game to always keep at least three of his body parts on the ground at any given time.

Rolling about, fake-vomiting and sentient trees are par for the course for the improv comics, who participated in such games as Party Quirks, Three Line Scene, Moving People and L’Swipe, which incorporated the entire cast and closed the show. Working with larger groups is not the norm in improv, so the performers were especially pleased with their results in that forum.

“One part of tonight’s show that I really enjoyed was that the games that incorporated a lot of us were the ones that went the best,” said sophomore psychology major Garrett Verdone. “Which is how it should be, since the more we get to feed off each other, the more energy we can put into the scenes and give to the audience.”

Energy and audience are important parts of the performance, according to the cast.

“We tried to come in with a lot of energy, and we had a great audience, which really helped out,” said senior biology major and Mixed Signals president, Dan Loverro.

“I think the audience was very receptive

tonight,” Dowler said. “We’re only half the show, the audience is the other half, so having a great audience really made the show move along and just made everyone feel more comfortable.” Overall, the cast was pleased with their performance.

“I would be watching scenes and be so proud of what was going on, and I’d look into the audience and everyone would be laughing,” said sophomore women’s and gender studies major Morgan Teller. “It’s so great seeing that people like it so much, and then after the show they confirm it and tell us about their favorite scenes — it’s what we work for.”

Other members of the Mixed Signals cast include sophomore music education major Shannon McGovern, junior computer science major Graham Mazie and freshman English and secondary education double major Steve Munoz.

The Mixed Signals’ next show will be their Rock event with special guests the United Citizens Brigade Theater on March 23 in Kendall Hall at 7 p.m.

Indie pop-rock band returns for Rat show

By Shayna Innocenti Correspondent March-madness started off with a bang in the Rathskeller on Friday, March 1 as students filled the seats to lend their ears to the solo artist Ben Lemieux and the band For The Foxes.

Janika Berridge / Photo Assistant

For the Foxes get the crowd dancing at the Rat.

Ben Lemieux, 24, traveled three-and-a-half hours down from Connecticut to open up the show at the College.

“The traffic was surprisingly light,” Lemieux joked, getting settled on the stage.

Lemieux was not alone on stage, however; he was accompanied by guitarist and vocalist, Rich Paquet, 24, and drummer, Mark Hylander, 22.

“I have been in a band since I was 16,” Lemieux said after the show. “Actually, Mark and I were in the same band together for five years, called Brookline Drive. It was just time for something new.”

The pop group performed five cover songs and one original song titled, “Remember When.” Lemieux’s melodic

voice harmonized beautifully with Paquet’s as they collaborated on a cover of Maroon 5’s song, “Payphone.”

In the near future, Lemieux said that he will be headlining a show in his hometown of Hartford, Conn. on March 16 and will be performing in Boston at the Middle East Club on April 13.

Lemieux’s performance closed with two Justin Bieber songs that were mashed into one; the title of the new song was, “As Long as You Love Me Beauty and a Beat.”

The six band members of For The Foxes walked up on stage soon after, setting up their equipment, fine tuning their instruments, and immediately diving into the chords of their song, “We’re Coming Up.” This was the second time

Puscifer covers rock legends Donkey Punch the Night

performing at the College for the indie-pop band.

“When our band was just starting, we performed here in 2008,” vocalist Nicholas Francis said.

“We are actually from Barnegat, N.J., over by Long Beach Island.”

One new song the band played included a ballad titled “The River” that Francis sang while playing the piano.

Francis’s bandmates had cleared the stage, leaving the vocalist alone and vulnerable for the audience, a complete changeup in personality.

One of the last songs that For The Foxes played was a new, untitled song that they wrote. The College got the exclusive treat to hear it first.

“It was cool that we got to try out some of our new music,”

Appeal of ‘Safe Haven’

By Lauren Santos Correspondent

Tom Ciccone Staff Writer

AP Photo

Unlike some ’90s rock heroes, Maynard James Keenan of Puscifer knows the value of his stature in popular music, and he’s wasted no time defining and then defining again who he is to his eager fan base.

On their new EP, Donkey Punch the Night, the strange dynamics of a darker take on synth pop and indie rock are par for the course for any Puscifer fan who has been paying attention since 2007’s Don’t Shoot the Messenger. While the suggestive title of this new EP may raise some eyebrows, its opening track, a sincere version of Queen’s eminent hit “Bohemian Rhapsody,” is well worth the listen.

Queen isn’t the only Euro-rock band that gets covered on this EP. Germany’s metal heroes, Accept, get a cover of their mainstream hit “Balls to the Wall.”

Keenan’s rough vocals differ greatly from his performance in “Bohemian Rhapsody,” with their band driving the tune in a distinct alternative rock attack and slower, more haunting tempo.

“Dear Brother” has clever, calculated structure similar to a Gorillaz track.

Of course, the ample personnel of Keenan’s talented outfit of musicians soon layer in with a beautiful mesh of instrumentation. The candor of Puscifer’s vocal syncopation shouldn’t be missed, especially if you’re a fan of music with a heavy emphasis on multiple vocal parts.

“Breathe” takes a minimalist approach to meshing together basic pop rock with a heavy industrial electronic element, similar in intent to Nine Inch Nails, but very different in approach.

The balanced mix truly brings out the atmospheric power of the band up to the final moments of “Balls to the Wall,” making this EP one of the first gems of the early new year. Vinyl format will be available on March 12.

guitarist Mikey Ballou said.

Four College students enjoyed their music so much that they ran up to the stage and started dancing.

“Their music was very energetic and infectious. It made me want to dance,” said sophomore history and secondary education double major Katie Burke.

Upon the ending of the closing song “Revolution,” the title song off of their latest track, Francis announced that For The Foxes will be playing at the Starlight Ballroom in Philadelphia on March 15 and will also be playing in Vans Warped Tour this summer.

“I had a lot of fun here tonight,” Forsythe said. “It was awesome that I got the chance to be on stage with them with such a great audience.”

“Safe Haven” proves to be just that for longtime Nicholas Sparks fans. Sparks is known for writing beautiful, romantic novels with happy endings that give us hope for our own happily ever afters.

This film was filled with love, suspense, danger and more love.

It has the perfect combination of everything needed for a chick flick.

The story is based on Alex (played by Josh Duhamel), a widower, and Katie (Julianne Hough), a young woman on the run from her abusive husband. Alex learns to love again, and Katie learns to trust again. This is all with the help of loving friends and family.

Sounds like a perfect love story, right?

Well, it pretty much is.

Some fans may be disappointed to see that the film left out a lot of the backstories for the characters. It spends a decent amount of time on Katie’s abusive husband. However, it doesn’t spend too much time on Alex’s past, especially on his wife, who passed away from cancer at a young age.

Instead, the film focuses on the budding relationship between Alex and Katie. This is nice for young couples who want to watch a lovey-dovey flick on Valentine’s Day and then proceed to live out their own lovey-dovey romance for the day. However, many Nicholas Sparks fans would probably prefer the film to have stayed closer to its original work.

Nevertheless, the film wasn’t too bad. It was cute and romantic, exactly what a film that is released on Valentine’s Day should be like.

AP Photos

Nicholas Sparks’s latest chick-flick has the perfect combination of love and drama. However, fans of the book may find some plot details missing.

page 20 The Signal March 6, 2013

March 6, 2013 The Signal page 21

Softball ready to surpass expectations Softball

By Chrissy Onorato Staff Writer

The College’s softball team is more than ready to get their season underway. The Lions are back in the swing of things and are excited to show the talent they have built up over the offseason.

Last season showcased great talent as the team ended with an impressive record of 26-17.

The Lions have a tough feat this season, as they were picked third overall in the NJAC preseason poll. With a total of 10 schools in this conference, this should give the team much incentive to play hard and fight until the end. Montclair State University was ranked first, followed by Rowan University.

This team is led by four returning Conference all-stars: senior infielder Ashley Sogluizzo, senior outfielder Liz Huttner, senior infielder Kelly Hommen and senior outfielder Michelle Casale. Sogluizzo won All-NJAC First Team honors last year for her particularly spectacular

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

The Lions look to use team philosophy to get wins.

performance at second base, while Huttner has received the All-NJAC Second Team position twice.

Hommen and Casale both won prestigious 2012 All-NJAC Honorable Mentions for their performances at third base and outfield, respectively.

The players are excited to get this season started. Their first game was supposed to be on Friday, March 1 against Messiah College, but was postponed to a later date. That date is yet to be determined.

The freshmen on the team are looking forward to their collegiate play debut.

“As a freshman, I am very excited to be at TCNJ and part of the strong softball legacy here,” said freshman infielder Jacqueline Oram. “We have many talented returners as well as a big, hard-working freshman recruit class this year, so I would expect you will see a successful 2013 season. We have been training hard all year and can’t wait to get to Florida to get the season started.”

Oram is one of many freshmen making their appearances on the diamond this season, a total of 11 new members.

The other players also seem very accepting of the new faces as well.

“We have a large freshman class that adds to the talent of our returning players. Hopefully, we will see great things from our team as our season begins,” freshman pitcher Ashtin Helmer said.

The Lions will now begin their season in Clermont, Fla., where they will travel to on spring break and play a total of 12 games to prepare themselves for the rest of the season. They feel like they are ready to show what they have accomplished.

This season looks to be a very promising one for the Lions. Despite the delay of their first game, the pieces are all there for the team to succeed once they hit the field.

It looks likes sunny Florida will be the place to begin that success, and attempt to carry it over to the remainder of the season.

Cheap Seats

Patrick continues to break gender barriers

By Colleen Murphy Production Manager “Boogity, boogity, boogity, let’s go racing boys!”

Racing legend Darrell Waltrip signals the green flag each race with those now-famous seven words.

Viewers of this year’s Daytona 500 did not hear those exact words, though. Instead, this year Waltrip simply said, “Boogity, boogity, boogity, let’s just go racing.” He couldn’t say boys. After all, the main talk of the race was the woman who was competing.

Sunday, Feb. 24 was historic

for NASCAR and women in sports. For the first time in Daytona 500 history, a woman led the race under the green flag (five laps in total). Also for the first time in Daytona 500 history, a woman finished in the top 10. For the first time in any Sprint Cup race, a woman managed to secure the coveted pole position.

Danica Patrick made waves at the Daytona 500.

But the first-woman stats did not impress her as much as the ones that ranked her among the men.

“I think a stat that I found more interesting is only 13 people, including me now, have led Indy and Daytona. I thought that was a much cooler stat for me,” said Patrick, who in 2005 became the first woman to lead the Indianapolis 500. “I was brought up to be the fastest driver, not the fastest girl.”

And she was the fastest driver going into the race, recording a speed of 196.434 miles per hour, which allowed her to secure the pole position.

Many said she had no chance at winning, but even up until the last lap she was a top contender, staying in the top 10 for most of the 200-lap race.

So what does this all mean?

That Patrick broke down all barriers and that girls will be playing in the NFL next season? Probably not. But Patrick is definitely a role model to all female athletes.

And, if nothing else, Danica Patrick proved herself. She proved that she is good. She proved that she is not a woman racing, but “just another racer.”

She also proved that “just another racer” could be a woman.

AP Photo

Patrick is pioneering racing for women.

Baseball

Young Lions preparing to soak up the sun Baseball nabs first win, gets ready to hit Florida

By Andrew Grossman Staff Writer

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Sophomore Josh Limon shows poise at the plate.

After going 1-2 in their opening weekend against Immaculata University and Oswego State University, the men’s baseball team is preparing to rebound quickly before heading to Florida during spring break.

“We obviously wanted to go 3-0, but we are still a young team,” head coach Dean Glus said. “We have 15 freshmen out of the 30-man roster so that we got experience of playing these guys (was very beneficial).”

During their doubleheader against Immaculata, their youth appeared to get the best of them as they quickly fell behind 6-0 in their first game. After settling down, however, the Lions were able to regain focus as they narrowed the deficit to just one score by the end of the fifth inning. Unfortunately, their efforts were not enough as they lost 9-6.

“We have a saying here that the key to winning a doubleheader is winning the first one because if you don’t win the first one, then you can’t win two,”

Glus said.

With some of the momentum still in the Lions’ favor, however, they were able to maintain their composure as they made sure to not start the season by dropping the first two games.

“It has been cold and we haven’t been able to get outside that much so the opener was our first real test. Although we came up a little short, we played well,” senior outfielder Mike Murphy said.

During their second game on Saturday, March 2, Murphy started out strong after hitting a homerun in his first at bat, and brought in another score as well. This two-run lead was exactly what the Lions needed as they held off the Mighty Macs to an 8-6 victory.

“The guys fought back, we did some good things in the game yesterday,” Glus said.

Similarly to the day before, the following game against Oswego started off quickly as the Lions took an 8-5 lead in the sixth inning. Unfortunately for the Lions, the momentum shifted in the Lakers’ favor as they scored five runs.

Being unable to recover, the men lost a close one by the final score of 10-8. “(Although it was not ideal), we got a lot of good things out of the weekend because we are hitting the ball really well,” Murphy said. “Our pitching staff is a little inexperienced, but they are throwing well and throwing strikes that are getting hit around a bit, but we will be all right.”

With a nine-game stint next week in Florida, the Lions expect to face more tough competition as they open against Wheaton College, the No. 1-ranked Division III team in the country. Although not much is expected for their first game, Glus is aiming toward accumulating a winning record while on their spring break.

“This is our second day outside playing so there are some things we need to improve on,” Glus said. “We hit the ball pretty well, and we have a saying called kaizen. It means to improve a small weakness over a period of time and if we can do that every day then at the end of the year, we will be where we want to be.”

page 22 The Signal March 6, 2013

SUMMER and WintER SESSiOnS

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Maymester: May 13-May 31, 2013* Session B: July 8-August 8, 2013* Session A: June 3-July 5, 2013* Winter Session: January 2-17* * travel and blended courses may begin sooner

summer@tcnj.edu http://www.tcnj.edu/intersession

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Check for winter courses, too.

On campus, blended, and travel.

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March 6, 2013 The Signal page 23

Lions Fantasy World

By Mike Herold Fantasy Guy

League Standings

Nothin’ But Net

Place 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Team Name Team Allen Team Matos Team Friedman Team Molloy Signal Squad Team Nichols Team Vazquez Team Gannon Team Caputo Team McG Team Myshkoff Team Jha

Team Owner Gabe Allen Rob Matos Remy Friedman Kyle Molloy Chris Molicki Marc Nichols Victor Vazquez Andrew Gannon Joe Caputo Brendan McGrath Zach Myshkoff Ashray Jha

Points 25144 23160 23122 22545 21996 21773 21638 21525 18740 18464 17036 13441

Top Performer (Season) Top Performer (Past Week) Jrue Holiday (2944) Paul George (212) Russell Westbrook (3639) Russell Westbrook (210) David Lee (3396) Monta Ellis (212) James Harden (3550) David West (237) Joakim Noah (3136) Joakim Noah (297) Kobe Bryant (3564) Marc Gasol (199) LeBron James (4347) LeBron James (284) Kevin Durant (4122) Al Horford (293) Al Jefferson (2822) Dirk Nowitzki (185) Greg Monroe (3096) Greg Monroe (224) Chris Paul (2990) Stephen Curry (280) Dwyane Wade (2769) Dwayne Wade (213)

So last week Dennis Rodman met Kim Jong Un, and apparently now they are BFFs. That’s right, Dennis Rodman, whom you might remember as that guy on the Bulls back in the day who had differently colored hair every game, is now the first United States citizen to have met the leader of North Korea.

I’ll give you a minute to absorb that one.

I know I took a few minutes to get over it. I remember distinctly, since I first read about it right before a class and kind of zoned out for a while as I took in the information. Really not good, I think I missed something important.

But come on, how could I not be just a little distracted by this?

Here, let me lay it out for you, just in case you’re stumped: All standings are accurate as of 6 p.m. Monday, March 4 Point one: The United States hasn’t exactly been friends with North Korea since that whole war thing happened.

Moves Made This Week Point two: Kim Jong Un is the dictator of North Korea, a position he fairly recently inherited from his father.

Team Friedman: Point three: North Korea has been testing nukes recently. We Added Derrick Williams aren’t exactly fans of them doing that.

Dropped Moe Harkless Point four: DENNIS FREAKING RODMAN IS THE FIRST AMERICAN TO MEET WITH KIM JONG UN. Team Molloy: I mean, this is the guy who is in a two-man race with Ron-Ron Added Marcus Thornton World Peace as “The Mike Tyson of the NBA!” He’s probably even Dropped Vince Carter winning since Ron-Ron got all charitable! He’s known for being way, WAY out there!

Good Moves, or Bad? Here’s my question (well, one of 45,690 questions, but they’re Team Friedman made a smart play, all related): How did this just happen?

Williams has been killing it lately.

I know the actual story, that Rodman went with the Globetrotters and chatted with Kim Jong Un (I’m not sure how best to shorten Thornton has been outplaying Carter that, he’s a dictator with nukes so I’ll give him the respect of using Fantasy-wise, definitely a smart his full name every time) because Kim Jong Un is apparently a big move by Team Molloy. basketball fan.

AP Photo What I mean is HOW this was allowed to happen. The State Department has already “distanced” itself from Rodman’s visit (how Games Worth Watching: does that work? Are there rulers involved?), but how did no one, With only two moves made this week, and spring break next week, I figduring the process of letting Rodman go meet with Kim Jong Un, ured I’d get a little creative. And tell you to watch NBA games. Which isn’t not stop and say “Wait a second, this may not be the best idea” and really creative so much as lazy, but whatever. Anyway, here are the games do something about it?

I’ll be watching in between doing whatever spring breaking college kids do …I’m supposed to be talking about fantasy basketball here, aren’t I? Forgot about that for a second. Hold on, I’ll come up with a (we’re supposed to go extreme basket-weaving, right?): Thunder @ Knicks (March 7 at 8 p.m. on TNT) connection between the two.

The NBA’s two top scorers go head to head.

Got it!

Bulls @ Lakers (March 10 at 3:30 p.m. on ABC) If, in the next few seasons, you see anyone who looks like DenOne team’s on a roll, the other is sinking, both are interesting. nis Rodman, or who is a short Korean man, join an NBA team, imMavericks @ Spurs (March 14 at 8 p.m. on TNT) mediately get him on your team.

The old Texas rivalry, the best grudge match in the coming weeks.

He’ll be putting up big numbers. Possibly nuclear.

I May Be Wrong, But...

Here are the moves I would make in Fantasy Basketball this week: Add: See, I was going to lead this one off with Derrick Williams, since he’s been looking great recently. If only a player in the league hadn’t picked him up and made it look like I was copying him. Oh well, I’ll just suggest grabbing Danny Green and Gary Neal, as they’re the Spurs who are most likely to benefit from Parker’s injury.

Be Cautious Of: The Knicks just fell out of second place in the East and have a losing record in their last ten games. This means they’ll be getting frustrated, which means Carmelo Anthony will probably go back to his old ways. As a result, I’d be careful with anyone else on that team, if Melo starts gunning they’re all going to suffer.

Drop: Tony Parker. He just went down with an ankle sprain Popovich called bad, which means he definitely won’t be playing until the playoffs. Why? Because Pop is Pop, and he doesn’t want another dominant season ruined by an untimely injury. Parker’s not playing again until the playoffs, I’d put money on it. Seriously. I could use the cash. Any takers?

Look Out For: Well, Al Horford has been playing like a beast recently. Looks like after all the trade rumors surrounding the Hawks (especially those ones concerning a certain center from Atlanta who shall not be named here), Big Al’s showing that he’s the only man in the middle the Hawks should be looking at.

AP Photo

page 24 The Signal March 6, 2013

3/31/13

3/31/13

3/31/13

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March 6, 2013 The Signal page 25

LIONS

AROUND THE

DORM 5 3

Mike Herold “The Ref”

Chrissy Onorato Staff Writer

Peter Fiorilla Sports Assistant

Alec Zucker Correspondent

In this week’s matchup of Around the Dorm, the “Ref,” Mike Herold, challenges staff writer Chrissy Onorato, sports assistant Peter Fiorilla and correspondent Alec Zucker to answer questions about what to change about the NFL draft combine, how to make soccer more exciting, and which new faces in baseball everyone should be looking out for.

AP Photo

1. The NFL draft combine finished up this week. Which player’s performance helped his draft stock the most? Who hurt theirs the most?

CO: I would have to say that defensive back Dee Milliner looked very strong and inspiring. He postponed ligament surgery to be able to compete in the combine, jeopardizing his injury even more. He told reporters that his chance of getting drafted was more important and that he had to show his drive this way.

He posted a terrific 4.37 seconds in the 40yard dash and a quick 4.32 seconds in the 20yard shuttle. Milliner is definitely one to be watched in the coming years. One player who I think hurt himself during the combine was LSU defensive back Tyrann Mathieu. He was definitely quick in the 40-yard dash, posting a time of 4.51 seconds. However, he was only able to bench press 225 pounds four times.

I watched an analysis and he was compared to an Arizona State kicker who was able to bench press 225 pounds 13 times. It has been stated Mathieu is not a hard worker and may just not be ready for the NFL. PF: All-American Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner, despite practicing through a shoulder injury, proved he possesses the speed necessary to be a solid NFL prospect with his performance at the combine. We knew he was a large and fearsome corner, but there were doubts about his ability to close down attackers with speed displayed at the pro level. Running a 4.37 at the combine eliminated those doubts, virtually guaranteeing Milliner will be picked between the No. 5 and No. 10 spots, when he might have been a late first-rounder otherwise.

On the other end of the spectrum, I’m having a tough time deciding whether Texas A&M’s Damontre Moore or Utah’s Star Lotulelei hurt their stock more with the combine. Both were projected top-10 picks who I suspect will fall into the end of the first round, but I think Moore’s performance — an ugly 4.95 time in the 40-yard dash and only 12 bench reps — might have been worse than Lotulelei’s unfortunate no-show due to a heart condition.

AZ: NFL fans were largely focused on Linebacker Manti Te`o and how the kid would respond after being publicly humiliated. Fortunately for Te’o and the NFL, there are many other college players that have the potential to steal the spotlight this upcoming season. DT Sharrif Floyd from Florida, already considered a first round pick before the combine, is now a likely Top-10 selection after displaying a powerful combination of strength and speed.

Floyd’s ability to change direction and explode on an opposing player will be a defensive asset for any NFL team. Arkansas tight end Chris Gragg also improved his draft prospects at the combine. After a stellar 2011 season, Gragg failed to meet his high expectations for this past season and scouts were pessimistic on

his draft prospects. However, following a tremendous showing of athleticism, quickness and precision, Gragg has a chance to challenge Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski for the top tight end spot. While NFL analysts say this draft class is weak compared to last year’s, I believe talent is available in this class.

Chrissy gets 3 points for pointing out that Mathieu just might not be a hard enough worker for the NFL. Peter gets 2 points for discussing the problems that can come from doing poorly at the combine and from not attending at all. Alec gets 1 point for talking about the overall talent in the draft class.

2. Soccer is boring. That’s the view of most Americans, anyway. What can the MLS do to entice more American sports fans?

CO: I think that is just because it really is never advertised. The only time I ever watched soccer is around the Fourth of July when the World Cup takes place, but that is the European circuit and not even the American one. For our country, I think the teams definitely need to put their names out there more. You very rarely see soccer commercials when you are watching television, while you may see two or three commercials about a baseball team during one show. I also think the players need to make themselves known more to the fans. For example, many baseball players come out before a game and sign autographs for fans sitting lower in the stadium.

Soccer players should go out to events and get their names out there. They should at least try to make themselves most well known.

AP Photo

PF: The two sentences in the question are not really related. Most Americans like soccer, whether it is shown by playing at the youth level or taking in World Cup action every four years. The problem for the MLS — and I do not believe there is much of a problem at all, as the league has been on a consistent upward trajectory since it was nine teams smaller in 2004 — is that MLS struggles to attract many existing soccer fans. If anyone has any legitimate ideas to crack that nut, then take it to MLS headquarters and make as much money as you can, because there are a lot of wealthy investors in the league who would be more than willing to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on such a solution (most of them have already spent small fortunes on soccer-specific stadiums in the past 15 years).

Really, there is nothing to do besides stay the course and continue attracting higher-profile players, increasing the salary cap and adding more teams in more major markets, which it looks to do with the New York Cosmos in the foreseeable future. There are no easy answers, like bringing in cheap gimmicks or “Americanizing” the game, which failed miserably in the late ’90s. MLS just has to let its product speak for itself and hope the hoards of soccer fans that avoid it will eventually embrace the

constant improvement of the league.

AZ: Don’t get me wrong, soccer is a fun sport to play, though it will never get the same levels of interest and attention that the other major sports receive in the United States. One reason for soccer’s unpopularity is the lack of exposure it acquires from ESPN and other sports media. The chances of turning on ESPN and seeing a soccer game are slim at best. Furthermore, there are no real superstars in soccer that average Americans can recognize or relate to. Soccer is also a non-contact sport, and us Americans seem to love the fighting in hockey, tackling in football, and tough defense in basketball. For soccer to augment its interest among American sports fans, it must invest in a public relations campaign that buys media time, advertises the game effectively, and conducts research on why Americans dislike the game. It’s difficult for even soccer experts to explain why people find soccer boring, so deciphering why this is true through polling is essential before modifying the game play. No matter what the sport does, it’s fighting a losing battle because the other major sports have more resources, interest and credibility at their disposal to compete for popularity.

Chrissy gets 3 points for discussing an actual solution and mentioning that the players and teams need to communicate with the fans more. Peter gets 2 points for remarking that the league needs to let its product speak for itself. Alec gets 1 point for discussing soccer’s lack of media attention.

3. Spring Training is in full swing. Which player on a new team or coming back from injury are you most excited to see?

CO: With Spring Training finally back, this baseball season is looking like it is shaping up to be very different from last year. The player who I am most excited to see back for a full season is the Phillies’ second baseman, Chase Utley. Utley has missed Spring Training since 2009 due to injuries from previous seasons and has had multiple problems with his back, knee and hand. In a recent interview with Utley, he told reporters that he wanted to try something different this offseason. He said he usually took many weeks off from training and enjoyed the off-season but this past year, he took one week off and then traveled to San Diego where he went through intense training and conditioning in the hopes of finally remaining healthy for an entire season. Utley has been an important part of the Phillies ever since his MLB debut in 2003. With a career average of .292, he always comes up clutch when the Phils are in a tight spot. I’m definitely looking forward to and hoping he remains healthy for the entire 2013 season.

PF: I am excited to see new Yankees first basemen Kevin Youkilis, the great hitter who once said he will “always be a Red Sox,” ply

his trade in New York. Youkilis is old, but he was only out of Boston because of an absurd drama with absurd manager Terry Francona, and might have a lot to offer at 33 in return for his $12 million contract. During his 80 games with the White Sox last year, Youkilis hit 15 home runs and added 45 RBI, and he was an All-Star as recently as 2011. He has always been an above-average fielder, too. But what is equally exciting is the possibility Youkilis will bring with him the other, less-desirable parts of his game, like going just .236 at the plate — long gone are the days when Youkilis can be a .300 hitter — on a Yankees team whose batting average was pretty miserable in last year’s postseason. And as a former Red Sox favorite, there will be drama with Youkilis, whether it is instigated by the fans or media. He really is the perfect symbol for the Yankees this year: an above-average but old mercenary who is not inspiring anybody, which is why I will closely watch his performance this year for some measure of guaranteed entertainment.

AZ: With the Red Sox rebuilding and the Yankees licking their wounds after an embarrassing ALCS, the Toronto Blue Jays are favored to win the AL East in 2013. New acquisitions of Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buerhle and R.A. Dickey may help this team reach the World Series. The player I am most interested in seeing perform for this team is outfielder Melky Cabrera. In 2012, the Melk Man got off to a hot start and, by August, was leading the MLB in hits with a .346 average, while also driving in 60 runs and hitting 11 home runs.

However, on Aug. 15, Cabrera tested positive for high levels of testosterone, suggesting illegal usage of PEDs. Cabrera was suspended for 50 games and San Francisco went on to win the World Series without their star outfielder.

Toronto took a risk when they signed Cabrera to a two-year, $16 million deal, because nobody can predict how Cabrera will play on a new team in a completely different city, and after missing the final months of last season.

AP Photo

Alec gets 3 points for pointing out that the Blue Jays have many new players to look out for. Peter gets 2 points for talking about the switch Youkilis made from the Red Sox to the Yankees. Chrissy gets 1 point for discussing Utley’s health issues over the past few seasons.

Chrissy wins Around the Dorm, 7-6-5

page 26 The Signal March 6, 2013

Lions rise to occassion, compete well Winter Track & Field

Tasco sniffs record, moves on to Nationals

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Roberts flys through the air en route to a second-place finish.

By Julie Kayzerman News Assistant

Starting the season on a shaky note and suffering from the flu, junior Dominic Tasco has not only upped his game, but has also demonstrated the successful results that yield from hard work and perseverance.

“It’s a struggle when you aren’t running as fast as you would like to in the beginning of the season,” Tasco said. “It takes a lot of time and effort to be physically and mentally prepared to race, to be able to put together fast races during championship season is such a great feeling.”

Taking eighth place, Tasco produced the top Division III time in the 800-meter with a time of 1:51.39 at the IC4A, an affiliate of the ECACs that contains competitors from Division I and Division II teams.

“IC4As was a great race,” Tasco said. “I stuck exactly

to the race plan and we left Boston with one of the top times in the country. The rest of the field went out a little quick for the first 400 meters and I was able to make my move in the second half of the race to accomplish the goal we set out for.”

Tasco’s time achieved the second-best performance in the College’s program history, falling just short of Jeff Zodda’s record of 1:51.32 during the 2006 season.

“I’ve only heard great things about Jeff Zodda,” Tasco said. “Our Indoor school record time is from when he won the Indoor Nationals. To be that close to his record gives me a lot of confidence for future races.”

Tasco is now mentally preparing for the 800-metersat the NCAA championship next weekend and will compete for an individual title amongst the best of the Division III athletes.

Also roaring their way to success at the Division III ECACs in New York State, the women placed fifth at the meet with 39 points.

“I was really happy to finish second in long jump,” said junior Erica Roberts, who jumped a distance of 5.46 meters. “Going in, I just wanted to place in the top-eight, so when I not only placed, but got second after jumping a personal best, I was really happy and proud of myself.”

The high jump also provided the Lions with a fourth place performance by junior Brigit Roemer, who cleared the bar at 1.64 meters.

The women’s 4x800-meter relay also had a secondplace performance, setting a school record with a time 9:32.37. The team was comprised of junior Anginelle Alabanza and sophomores Katelyn Ary, Liz Johnson and Megan Stack.

The men’s 4x800-meter relay also had an impressive race, placing third at the meet. The team made up of senior Michael Berti, senior Andy Gallagher, sophomore Erik Moutenot and junior James Seyffart boasted a time of 7:49.32.

“Getting medals at ECACs is always a privilege that not many athletes are luckily enough to have,” junior Michael Spekhardt said. “It feels good to see your teammates give 100 percent and share some success with you.”

Spekhardt was part of the 4x400-meter relay alongside senior captain Steve D’Aiutolo, senior Alex Brown and sophomore T.J. Kelly to finish sixth with a time of 3:20.49. Brown also took eighth in the 400meters, running a time of 49.61.

“I love running at big venues,” Spekhardt said.

“It’s special when your races are streamed live online so that friends and family can watch. My dad came to our meet and having him able to support me means the world to me.”

Despite all of their continuous success, the athletes still have high expectations for the rest of their season.

“I’m very happy with how the season has gone so far, but we still have a week to go,” Tasco said. “The goal this season is to compete for the National title for my event, so I will call it a successful season if I qualify for the final.”

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

The College’s relay teams all perform at a high level.

Lacrosse

Spark / Offense finds the net early and often Two other Lions got on the scoreboard, as sophomore attackers Erin Healy and Lauren Karpovich each had a pair of goals to give the Lions separation in the second half, while senior attacker Jillian Nealon accumulated two points and junior midfielder Lauren Pigott dished out a solid game-high three assists.

The win showed the importance of starting off games early for the Lions,

Photo coutresy of the Sports Information Desk

The girls are playing well.

who jumped out to an early lead and maintained control.

“In order to be successful, we need to take control of the game early on in the first half,” Garavente said. “As long as we control the pace of the game and take advantage of the opportunities given to us, we will do well. Lacrosse is a game that is all about momentum, and I think we did a good job at keeping it in our favor against FDU.” “We’re just maybe a fifth of the way through our plays, because I can’t throw them all out on them at once,” Pfluger said. “I’m trying to introduce them in organized fashion, so that I can say ‘okay, now we can combine these plays’ — it’s pretty sophisticated.”

The Lions can build on this start to the season Tuesday at Kean University, who they defeated 20-1 in their last trip to Union, to open the NJAC play in their quest for a fourth straight NJAC title.

“We hold it up to such a high standard every year it’s that point (win the conference),” Spark said. “There’s never anything below that point, we have to win the NJAC. That’s where we start, and then it proceeds into the postseason and winning the NCAA. That’s just the beginning.”

Spark was named the NJAC’s Offensive Player of the Week on Monday, March 4 for her nine-goal performance.

It would be safe for one to bet that’s not the last time she’ll receive that award this season.

Photo coutresy of the Sports Information Desk

The Lions partake in a scoring frenzy against the opposition.

Seconds between goals

The team scored once every 190 seconds, once every 139 seconds through the first seven goals, and never went on a drought of more than 530 seconds.

March 6, 2013 The Signal page 27

ports Week In Review Scouting the opposition, lacrosse

Stats

Chart: Lions are 4-0 against Kean since 2009, outscoring the team 66-7

2012

2011

Kean University

-Has improved record every year over past four seasons, from 6-11 to 9-9 in 2012 -Last year, goalie Jules Keeley led the NJAC in save percentage (46.6 percent) and saves per game (8.59) -Is 1-0 after a 12-8 2009 win vs. Lycoming

2010

Is it worth it, NCAA?

... and other Division III stories -The D-III basketball NCAA tourney is causing controversy: games were drawn on Monday, March 3 but the event will take until April 7, as the NCAA wants all three Divisions playBrandeis is one DIII team unhappy with the NCAA. ing the Final Four at the same time to celebrate its 75th anniversary. “(D-III) teams aren’t built for that. It’s not the world we live in,” Brandeis head coach Brian Meehan told the New York Times. “The N.C.A.A. always likes to say ‘students first,’ but rarely are their decisions for the students.”

-CoSIDA, the 2,800-member organization of collegiate PR reps, media relations folks and SIDs, honored Pat Coleman for his contributions to D3sports.com recently.

-Did you know? Former Detroit Pistons star and current crazy person Dennis Rodman is a D-III grad who competed at Southeastern Oklahoma State for three years.

Follow us at @TCNJSignal for the latest sports information, features, columns and much more!

NCAA Tournament In the past five years, the College has sent an average of four wrestlers to the NCAA tournament and finished in the top 20 in D-III twice, including last year’s sixth-place finish.

AP Photo

STUDENT ATHLETE OF

THE WEEK Sabrina Lucchesi Swimming & Diving

Performed under pressure for qualifying Junior swimmer and diver Sabrian Lucchesi came up big on the second day of the Region 4 tournament to qualify for NCAA nationals, needing at least a fourth-place finish in the1-meter dive and placing third -- first among athletes who had yet to qualify -- with a score of 480.85 last Saturday, March 1.

Lucchesi set up the chance to reach her third straight NCAA tournrnament by finishing seventh in the 3-meter dive earlier in qualifying, on Friday, March 2. She was an All-American last year at the 1-meter dive.

This week’s picks from the staff Georgetown N.Y. Knicks vs. N.Y. Islanders Philly Union vs.

Point leaders vs. Syracuse O.K.C. Thunder vs. N.Y. Rangers Colorado Rapids Peter Fiorilla

Columns: number of Lions sent Wins at thetourney NCAA Tournament Line: team finish at NCAA

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008

The Horizon For

Sports Lacrosse March 9 @ Messiah College, 1 p.m.

Track and Field March 8 & 9 @ Division III Championships (North Central College) Men’s Tennis March 9 vs. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 11:30 a.m.

March 10 vs. Franklin & Marshall College, 10 a.m.

Women’s Tennis March 10 vs. Franklin & Marshall College, 10 a.m.

4

Chris 2 Molicki

Softball March 10 vs. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, 11 a.m. vs. University of Rochester, 1 p.m.

Mike “H” Herold 2 Amy Reynolds1

Baseball March 9 vs. Wheaton University (Mass.), 6 p.m.

March 10 vs. Keene State College, 3:30 p.m.

Jamie Primeau 1 Brendan McGrath 0 Andrew Grossman0

?

Signal Trivia

?

Wrestling

Before Lebron James’ February, this was the last time an NBA star shot 64 percent from the field through one month (at least 200 shots). .

Last week’s Signal Trivia Answer:

New Yorks Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith made famous the phrase “You tryna get the pipe” by DM’ing it on Twitter to a high school senior, who told him she was attending a Knicks game in AP Photo Philadelphia. The age of consent in Pennsylvania is 16.

Signal

Sports

For Lions’ wrestlers, three’s not a crowd

Trifecta for the College heading into NCAAs

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

Broderick puts on a show, and is chasing a title.

By Chris Molicki Sports Editor

They say that three is the magic number.

Whoever “they” are would be correct if they were referring to the College’s success at the NCAA Division III East Regional hosted by Gettysburg College.

Three Lions, senior John Darling and

juniors Brian Broderick and Zach Zotollo, qualified for the NCAA Division III championships.

Broderick won the title for 184 pounds with a 7-4 win over Patrick Sheehan from New York University. He was dominant, being the top seed in his weight class, and picked up four big wins in the tournament to put his season record at 25-2.

The first two wins for Broderick came by fall.

“My overall goal for this year is to place as high as possible at the national tournament, which would obviously be to take home the title,” Broderick said. “This regional tournament was just a stepping stone to get myself as well as my teammates where we want to be. I look at the regional tournament as a roadblock that we need to overcome to get us to our final destination.”

Darling was not as fortunate as Broderick, as he was unable to win his weight class (164), but still qualified for the NCAAs. He started off the day with a pin in his first match, then won two by major decisions before being beaten at the end by Joe Favia from Stevens Institute of Technology. Darling is ranked fourth nationally in his weight class, while Favia is third.

“I’m sure he was a little disappointed

to not win in the finals, but I’m positive that he would much rather trade in a loss now for a win at the national tournament,” Broderick said. “Darling wrestled a tough opponent whom he had wrestled during our first match of the year. It was a close match then and it was a close match this weekend as well.”

By reaching 32 wins after the tournament, Darling is one away from tying a career high. He’ll get a chance to surpass that at the NCAAs. Unfortunately for Zotollo (174 pounds), he had the same fate, succumbing to defeat in the finals by eighth-ranked Zach Thompson of Gettysburg. He wrestled in some tight matches, the first being a 17-14 win and then later on with a 3-1 win. The wins he picked up clinched his first ever 20-win season.

“Zotollo put forth an awesome performance this weekend winning several closescoring matches,” Broderick said. “Zach has been hurt with several injuries this year (thumb, knee and hip) and he was still able to claim 20 victories. Reaching 20 wins in a season is an important milestone as a wrestler because it is certainly a confidence booster but most important, it is hard to be able to compete that many times during a year because there are so many injuries

involved with wrestling. It’s difficult to wrestle as hard as you can every day for six months and not have some type of injury.”

The trio of Lions will take their talents to Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, March 18. It seems like they’re just about ready for the big stage.

“At this point, all you need is the plane ticket to get yourself to the national tournament where wins and losses are more important.”

Photo courtesy of the Sports Information Desk

The team has been fortunate to avoid major injuries.

Super senior Sparks College’s opening victory

Nine-goal performance leads to a big win

By Peter Fiorilla Sports Assistant

Whether it was by cutting inside for a shot into the lower corner, deking a defender to put one in the upper 90, completing an alley-oop off a pass from behind the net or converting freeposition shots, senior wrecking ball Alex Spark scored early and with historic frequency en route to propelling the lacrosse team to a 19-6 win over FDUFlorham last Saturday.

It was an across-the-board dominant performance from the sixth-ranked Lions (1-0) as Spark tied her own programbest of 9 goals in a game, junior Jen Garavante added six more, and the team held firm defensively to win its ninth consecutive game against the Devils (1-2).

“I honestly think we just played really well together as an offensive unit yesterday,” Garavante said. “Even though

Lions’ Lineup March 6, 2013

I n s i d e

Warren Fields / Staff Photographer

The team picks up where they left off.

it was the first game, I think everyone on attack did a great job at playing together, getting each other open, and finding the best passing option. Being a cohesive unit like that can often take a little time, bust I think we did a great job and started off the season on a really positive note.”

Tying the record for most goals in a game, which was originally set in 2004 and equaled by Spark last April, was an accomplishment last year’s leading scorer reached by finding the back of the net in as many different ways as there were goals.

“Her skills are great,”

Pfluger said. “She has a very good sense of where her stick is and how to maneuver around a defender, so that’s why she has the ability to score in a variety of ways.”

“I like to say I’m sneaky on the field – one of the reasons I have a lot of goals is I know when to try and get the ball and when not to, so I make smart decisions,” Spark said. “I just love attacking, I love scoring, I love faking out the goalie.

That’s how I get enjoyment out of the game, I like to have fun with it.”

Piling on the Devils with her own career high in goals scored was Garavente, who set the game’s tone immediately after the opening whistle by penetrating through the left and cutting inside for a lead 13 seconds into the game.

“I thought Jen really came on,” Pfluger said. “She did a great job. She was a little ahead of herself at first, trying to think

of stuff ahead, but she got in a groove and it was great.”

If there was ever a scare it came early in the first period, when the Devils scored their only assisted goal of the game to pull within two, but momentum fell the Lions’ way as they went on a 9-0 stretch that spilled into the second half.

“We started scoring more,” Pfluger said. “We were hitting, but I think defensively – you know, (on) defense you make one little mistake and they can capitalize on it – we steadied ourselves out a bit.”

A defense led by junior goalie Kelsey Zinck, who had four saves, communicated effectively to limit FDU-Florham to 15 shots and one every 5.75 minutes after FDU-Florham made it 5-3.

See SPARK page 26

46 53 Around the Dorm page 25

Tasco nears record page 26

Baseball starts off page 21

Danica Patrick page 21