The Signal Nov. 4, 2009 Issue by TCNJ Signal

Women in China

Ballet ‘sucks’

The Roxey Ballet performed the incredible ‘Dracula’ on Tuesday, Oct. 27 in Kendall Hall.

FSP research class uncovers the challenges of women in china. See Features, page 11

See Arts & Entertainment, page 17

tcnjsignal.net

The College of New Jersey Student Newspaper since 1885

November 5, 2009

No. 10.

Vol. CXXXI.

Christie unseats Corzine in gubernatorial race

AP Photos

Governor-elect Chris Christie and running mate Kim Guadagno greet supporters in Parsippany Tuesday night. At right, incumbent Corzine concedes.

Christie promises change in Trenton Students: Mixed emotions TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — Republican Chris Christie, a former corruption-busting prosecutor, unseated the deep-pocketed but unpopular Gov. Jon Corzine on Tuesday in a bruising contest that focused on New Jersey’s ailing economy, its highest-in-the-nation property taxes and even Christie’s weight. Christie, 47, became the first member of his party in a dozen years to win a statewide contest in heavily Democratic New Jersey.

“Tomorrow, starting tomorrow, we are going to pick Trenton up and turn it upside down,” Christie said in his acceptance speech in Parsippany in front of cheering supporters. President Barack Obama invested heavily in the race, campaigning with Corzine five times on three separate visits. A Republican captured the only other governor’s race in the country, in Virginia, a troubling sign for Obama heading into next year’s midterm elections. With 97 percent of precincts

reporting, Christie had 49 percent of the vote compared to 44 percent for Corzine. Independent candidate Chris Daggett, who at one point had been feared as a potential spoiler, had about 5 percent. Daggett may have cut into Corzine’s base. Corzine said he called Christie just before 11 p.m. Tuesday “and congratulated him on becoming New Jersey’s next governor.” see ELECTION page 2

By Brianna Gunter News Editor

Students at colleges across New Jersey had two options concerning the gubernatorial election Tuesday: to vote or not to vote. Shortly after 10:30 p.m., Republican Chris Christie was declared the winner, beating Democrat Gov. Jon S. Corzine as well as Independent Chris Daggett. Students at the College expressed mixed emotions at the election results — and New

see STUDENTS page 2

According to Booker, change ‘fueled by young people’ By Juliana Fidler Staff Writer

Stud hosts fall classic

Jersey politics. One student believed Daggett, who won about five percent of the vote, upset the ballot and took votes away from Corzine. “Of all the third party candidates, why did it have to be Daggett?” Marlowe Boettcher, senior political science major, said. “He’s moderately boring … I don’t understand what his appeal is.” Although a registered democrat,

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

For every World Series game this fall, the Brower Student Center is hosting a viewing of the game on the big screen in the food court. Waitress service is being offered from the Rathskeller for as long as the game lasts. There has been a strong showing from the divided campus community at the event.

Over 320 people attended Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s visit to the College on Tuesday, Oct. 27, according to sophomore Olaniyi Solebo, the Student Government Association’s (SGA) vice president for Legal and Governmental affairs. Booker’s talk was “one of the most successful programs we’ve had, at least this year,” Solebo said. The mayor’s stop at the College was part of his attempt to promote Newark, which he is conducting through visits to universities, television appearances, his Facebook page and Twitter posts. “People still disrespect, disregard and just plain ‘diss’ Newark,” he said, and as mayor, he wants to “sell the city.” “My challenge right now, honestly, is how do I affect percep-

tions?” Booker said. “How am I going to get perceptions to match reality?” During the question and answer session following his talk, Booker addressed various issues brought up see BOOKER page 3

Tom O’Dell / Photo Assistant

Lions go to NJACs Students search for jobs Men’s soccer team makes The Career Fair helped students it to the NJAC tournament. looking for work.

SFB funds Tucker Max bid The writer, blogger, and film producer may come to the College.

See page 28

See page 2

INSIDE

Editorials Opinions Features Arts & Entertainment Sports

7 9 11 17 28

page 2 The Signal November 5, 2009

Election / Christie wins Students / Some happy, others displeased at outcome of election

continued from page 1

Christie accepted public financing in the race against the wealthy incumbent and was outspent $23 million to $11 million. He did get financial help from the Republican Governors Association and other national Republican groups, which bought television time in New York and Philadelphia media markets. Christie ran on a platform of smaller government and relentlessly criticized Corzine for what he called poor economic stewardship. But he was criticized during the campaign for remaining vague about how he would solve New Jersey’s chronic fiscal problems. Christie, who has acknowledged struggling with his weight, endured

personal attacks from the Corzine campaign; his weight was even a central issue at one point. Many voters expressed dissatisfaction with all the candidates. Christie made a reputation for himself by locking up 130 officials without losing a corruption case. His image as an ethics champion was questioned when revelations emerged that he had lent a subordinate money but failed to report it, and that he’d been involved in a traffic accident but was not ticketed. With 98 percent of precincts reporting, 52 percent of voters said yes to the “Green Acres” ballot question that asked them to approve borrowing $400 million for open space initiatives. More than 1.5 million votes were cast.

continued from page 1

Boettcher said he does not identify as one. Instead, he labeled himself as “left.” Other students were happy with the way things turned out. “I’m glad we got change,” Chris Rodrigues, freshman accounting major, said. Rodrigues did not vote in the election. Boettcher also did not vote, saying he didn’t think to get an absentee ballot and did not want to drive all the way home just to vote. A student who did vote expressed her unhappiness with

the election, as well as with politicians as a whole. “Polticians don’t make a difference in getting what people want passed,” Andressa Leite, sophomore international studies major, said. She also said student activist groups have to do more “now more than ever.” Leite, who voted via mail-in ballot, said she is a member of the College Democrats but, like Boettcher, does not consider herself a democrat. She described herself as “far left but not Socialist.” “(The College Democrats)

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

SFB granted $16, 138.40 to bring Tucker Max, author of ‘I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell,’ to the College.

CUB to bid for Tucker Max The College Union Board (CUB) stirred up controversy at the Oct. 28 meeting of the Student Finance Board (SFB), requesting $15,088.40 to bring Tucker Max, a writer, blogger and film producer to the College. Tucker Max is the author of the New York Times best seller, “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell,” which he produced as a film this past year. CUB surveyed the student body of who they would like to come to the College, and Max finished first. Although the content of his material is sometimes viewed as controversial and vulgar, CUB assured SFB that he talks about pursuing his passion for writing, and not just about his escapades. Some SFB members questioned funding this event because of what they called the inappropriateness and controversy of the content. “We are looking for you to approve the funds, not the talent,” said Allie Binaco, junior English major and treasurer of CUB. Although everyone agreed that Max’s stories are controversial, few could dispute that controversy attracts a crowd, as seen several times on the College in the past, such as with Ann Coulter. “You don’t believe that someone could be that way,” said Winnie Rene, freshman representative and accounting major, who believes that Max’s shocking nature will attract people. Ashley La Rose, senior representative and psychology and communication studies major, added, “I don’t think people actually take him seriously, but I think it will be very popular.” Others did not share the same support. “The (College) is doing so many things to combat alcoholism and domestic violence … and we’re going to pay to bring him here,”

Brianna Gunter can be reached at gunter2@tcnj.edu.

SGA passes new bills

By Arti Patel Copy Editor

By Kelly Johnson Correspondent

is a social group for me” she said. The College held some events this fall that were geared toward the gubernatorial race, but not as many as were originally intended. Loretta Weinberg, the Democratic Lt. Gov. candidate and Corzine’s running mate, visited the College on Sept. 30. A debate between the top candidates had been scheduled to take place in October at the College, but was canceled.

said Brian Block, SGA representative. SFB decided to grant CUB an additional $1,350 for a $3 ticket price, granting a total of $16,138.40. The event will take place on Jan. 20 in Kendall Hall from 5-11 p.m., if he accepts the bid. The film will be shown first and then Max will speak. SFB also granted the Leadership Development Program $2,330.13 for the Leadership Lockup 2010: The Building Blocks of Leadership. The Lockup is aimed to help students develop their leadership skills through workshops, interaction, and speakers. The event will be on Jan. 17 in the Student Center. After a unanimous vote, SFB granted INK $736.50 for their semiannual talent show, “The Goods.” This event showcases student talent on campus and will include Michael Dickman, a poet from Princeton. The show will take place in the Rathskeller from 12:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and is expected to attract approximately 200 to 300 people throughout the course of the day. The Rat usually closes at 6 p.m., so INK will need to pay additional costs to keep it open. “It’s very successful every year,” said Garrett Hoffman, junior mathematics major and administrative director. The event will take place on Nov. 21 in the Rathskeller. The Asian American Association (AAA) requested $430 for a food workshop that is specific toward Chinese food, and would consist of sample foods, recipes, and food demonstrations. The event would be part of Experience Asia Month. However, SFB decided that there were already several food events happening in connection with the month, and the insurance would cost more than the food itself. In a unanimous vote, SFB decided to deny funding for the event due to the number of similar events already taking place.

The Student Government Association (SGA) voted to recognize a resolution to support both the New Jersey State Assembly Bill No. 2762 and the New Jersey State Senate Bill No. 1866, which call for the amendment of the drug free school zone law within the state of New Jersey at the Oct. 28 meeting. The resolution, written by senator At-Large Kevin Schroeck, senior criminology major, passed by majority vote after a brief, but intense discussion on whether it is the SGA’s responsibility to support bills of this nature. “We have talked to (director of Advancement) Stacy Schuster from external affairs about this bill,” said SGA Vice President Brianne Stratton. “This bill cornered concern from the administration and it might be borderline not the responsibility of the SGA to support this bill as it goes to the state,” she said. Essentially, both bills presented in the

state Assembly and the state Senate were created to alleviate the sentencing by giving courts the ability to waive or reduce the minimum term of parole eligibility for offenders or place them on probation, as well as give judges the ability to order drug treatment in lieu of imprisonment. Despite the bill’s significance for the College campus’s state policies, SGA President Billy Plastine vetoed the bill. Senators overrode the veto and voted again in order to ensure its passage. “This is such an important bill for our campus,” said Vice President of Legal and Governmental Affairs Olaniyi Solebo, sophomore political science major, “I am definitely in support of it.” The SGA recognized STAND, a lobbying group for anti-genocide legislation in Darfur, Burma, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Club representative Senator of Culture and Society Chris Morris, sophomore political science major, said the group “is part of the anti-genocide coalition and lobbies for legislation which includes money for relief.”

Career fair preps job hunters By Amanda Pini Staff Writer

Students of all grade levels dressed in their finest shirts, ties and heels to tackle the corporate world on Friday morning for the Career Fair in the Student Recreation Center. Over 100 organizations were represented, including Target, FBI and TD Bank. The majority of the positions available were in business, finance, accounting and engineering. Both internships and full-time positions were up for grabs, and in this tough job market students were out to take full advantage of the opportunity to network. Erik Anderson, a senior Communications major said, “(I just want to) see what options are out there … to see that the world isn’t so scary after college.” Diana Karakos, senior history major, had a similar feeling. “I want to put my name out there,” she said. The representatives of most companies were extremely approachable. Each stood up to shake hands and were very eager to give out as much information about their companies as they could. When asked if they had any advice for graduating seniors or students looking for internships in general, the advice was very similar.

“Be a mad dog,” Patrick Daly, the representative from Unum, an insurance company, said. “Be aggressive, take the initiative, do the little things,” he said. Desiree Mingo and Diane Skwara, representatives from McGraw Hill made a very important point that could be overlooked by students. “Take time to ensure your résumé is professional, do your research on the company you are applying with,” they said. They made sure to specify that job seekers should investigate all facets of a company. Students should know more than just the way the company is represented on the surface when applying at a company. Doug Ross, a representative from Hewitt Associates noted that internships “are like a three-month-long interview, get them as early as you can.” A common thread noted throughout the fair was the presence of College alumni company booths — there were an overwhelming number of graduates of the institution representing these companies. The students that attended the fair are hoping to be on the other side of the table one day. “I want to get a feel of what every organization offers and find what suits me,” Arash Nouri, a junior psychology and communication studies major said.

November 5, 2009 The Signal page 3

Prof. advocates policy change for state prisons By Laura Herzog Arts & Entertainment Assistant

New Jerseyʼs $1.3 billion dollar annual prison budget, the steep rise of the prison population and challenges concerning criminal justice reform are all components of the stateʼs penitentiary system today. These topics were addressed by Bruce Stout, associate professor of criminology, in the crowded Oct. 29 politics forum; “Politics and Punishment in New Jersey: A Costly Calculus.” “Often policy is like sausage — you might like the ﬁnal product, but you donʼt want to see the process. With criminal justice policy-making, the ﬁnal product can be pretty ugly as well,” said Stout, who has worked as criminal justice policy advisor to both Gov. Jon Corzine and former Gov. Christine Whitman. Stoutʼs 45-minute presentation focused on the history of incarceration in New Jersey after 1979, when the stateʼs Criminal Code was rewritten to include harsher mandatory-minimum prison terms in response to heightened rates of violent crime. According to Stout, the result was a shift from a focus on rehabilitation and a

Abby Hocking / Photo Assistant

Bruce Stout said the current state fiscal crisis is a good time for reform policies. historically stable $70 million budget and 7,000-cap on the prison population to a “through-the-roof” explosion in the prison budget and a prison population that, at one point, exceeded 31,000 people. “People were literally hanging off the roof,” said

Stout. Although crime rates dropped in the 1990s to the lowest levels in history and stayed there, policy has remained unchanged, Stout said. He also said implementing changes in policies is incredibly difﬁcult, because “thereʼs this fear of being called soft on crime.” To illustrate his point, Stout highlighted a failed attempt by Corzine during the 2007 election year to reform drugfree school zone policy, which disproportionately affected minorities in crowded urban districts like Newark, where 76 percent of the residential area falls within the zone. According to Stout, the majority of inmates have a serious drug addiction problem. Focusing on this addiction could reduce the crime and high recidivism rate, he said. “Many addicts would rather lay up in a prison system than go to treatment. Treatment is actually very tough,” said Stout, who is currently advocating mandatory drug treatment for addicts. He encouraged students to get involved in policy reform, explaining the state ﬁscal crisis is “a window of opportunity” for reform as it forcing the state legislature to evaluate its policies.

Homecoming weekend brings intoxication, theft Booker / Mayor By Alyssa Mease Staff Writer Campus police found an intoxicated female sitting on the ﬂoor with her head on a toilet seat in a bathroom at 2 a.m. on Oct. 24 in Cromwell Hall. According to reports, the student said she consumed at least four shots at an off-campus sports team house. Her speech was slurred and her breath smelled like alcohol. She was transported by Pennington Road EMS to Capital Health System at Mercer Medical. She was issued a summons. … An intoxicated male was found at 12:55 a.m. on Oct. 24 in the Travers/ Wolfe Hall main lounge, reports said. He told police he consumed an unknown amount of jungle juice at an off-campus party. Pennington Road EMS transported him to Capital Health System at Mercer Medical. He was issued a summons. … A Building Services employee found an intoxicated male lying on the ﬂoor at 9:45 p.m. on Oct. 23 in a storage closet in the Brower Student Center. The victim, who smelled of alcohol, said he drank about six beers at the Rathskeller, reports said. Lions EMS and Ewing Township EMS responded and treated the victim, who received a summons for prohibited acts in a public place. … An intoxicated female was found staggering in a hallway at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 24 in Travers Hall, police said. The victim said she consumed seven beers in various locations in Lot 3 during the Homecoming football game.

… An intoxicated male was found at 2:45 a.m. on Oct. 24 in Cromwell Hall. According to police, he said he consumed an unknown amount of alcohol at an off-campus party. He was transported by Pennington Road EMS to Capital Health System at Mercer Medical for further evaluation and treatment and was issued a summons. … An Apple iMac desktop computer was stolen between 1 p.m. Oct. 24 and 12:30 p.m. Oct. 25 from The Signalʼs production room in the Brower Student Center. One of the editors noticed the computer was missing after she arrived early Sunday afternoon, when she found the door ajar and a light on. There was no sign of cut cords and the internet connection was still on the desk. … A bicycle was stolen between 2:30 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Oct. 25 outside of Norsworthy Hall. The victim said he locked his Mongoose BMX bike with his locking chain to a railing before reporting for his shift as the resident desk assistant. According to police, he returned, and found his bike missing, although the chain was unlocked and hanging from the railing. … An intoxicated male was found at 2:35 a.m. on Wednesday Oct. 28 in a menʼs bathroom in Travers Hall. The victim said he consumed several beers and shots of vodka. He was issued a summons. … A female reported that somebody had used her Wachovia Debit card on Tuesday Aug. 10 to make an online purchase. Reports said the purchase valued $99.99.

Darfur refugee raises awareness

Tom OʼDell / Photo Assistant

Daowd Salih educated students on the origins of the Darfur conflict and how they can help the crisis today. By Hyuna Yong Correspondent Massacre, assault and civil war have been a part of Darfur, Sudan, since the Darfur conﬂict began over a decade ago, but on Oct. 27 the issue was brought to the College. Daowd Salih, president of Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy, spoke about the current situation in Darfur during a presentation sponsored by the Collegeʼs Amnesty International. Mohamed Adam Yahya, the founder of Damanga, was also expected as a speaker to the event, but was not able to come due to lack of funding, according to Amnesty Internationalʼs president,

Jacqueline Bossart, junior sociology major. During his presentation, Salih discussed the origins of the conflict in Darfur, which stem as far back as the 1990s when non-Arab ethnic groups, such as the Fur tribe, which are Muslim but still strongly follow their African culture, were massacred by Arab militias. “They donʼt believe our Islam, because we are not completely Muslim, they think” Salih said. Today the conflict is not only a matter of race and religion, but also an issue of land and resources, he said. “Itʼs a very, very complicated crisis,” Salih said. Salihʼs organization, Damanga Coalition for Freedom and Democracy, seeks to “aid the disempowered, including the victims in the Darfur conflict” and promote awareness about such conflict to the United States, according to the organizationʼs Website. It was founded by members of Representatives of the Massaleit Community in Exile (RMCE), which wrote one of the first letters in history about the ethnic cleansings in Darfur. Salih, one of the founders of RMCE when he was a student in Cairo, also stressed how students can make a difference by bringing awareness about this issue to the campus. He also said students can volunteer or intern through Damanga by editing, utilizing their computer skills, and fundraising. Overall, the presentation had a positive effect for the audience. “I thought it was really informative because you donʼt hear much about it,” said Emmanuel Martinez, sophomore chemistry major. He said the first-hand perspective of a refugee enhanced the lecture and was pleased with the speakerʼs stress on the importance of education.

talks to students

Tom OʼDell / Photo Assistant

Booker was made an honorary SGA member after addressing students. continued from page 1 by students. One student asked about Bookerʼs endorsement of New York City Mayor Michael Bloombergʼs re-election campaign and the $26,000 Bloomberg contributed to Bookerʼs campaign, which was reported in The New York Times. “Mayor Bloomberg and I have had a relationship for years,” said Booker, referring to New Yorkʼs Republican mayor as the “Papa Smurf of mayors.” He also said he and Bloomberg agree on the importance of non-partisan elections and on issues like gun control. Booker also said 65 percent of people who return to prison after being released are ready and willing to do the right thing, he said, but donʼt have the skill sets needed. “We desperately need to prepare people,” Booker said. “Education is critical for achievement.” In response to a question about studentsʼ safety on Newark college campuses, the mayor said that the “campus areas are booming,” and that he could not remember any incidents during his administration. More colleges are building dorms in Newark, he said. The mayor talked about improvements being brought on by young people. “You guys could make a difference in a very powerful way,” Booker said. SGA awarded the mayor a book signed by President R. Barbara Gitenstein and a certiﬁcate of honorary membership to SGA, as well as a sweatshirt and hat from the College. “In April , we decided we wanted to bring someone inspirational to campus,” Solebo said. “Booker hands down is that person in New Jersey.” Newark native Delisa OʼBrien, junior journalism major, was in attendance. “I just love that he is invested in the little things … Iʼm proud that he takes the time,” she said.

page 4 The Signal November 4, 2009

November 5, 2009 The Signal page 5

Nation & World

Afghan election commission names Karzai president KABUL (AP) — Afghanistanʼs election commission proclaimed President Hamid Karzai the victor of the countryʼs tumultuous ballot Monday, canceling a planned runoff and ending a political crisis two and a half months after a fraud-marred ﬁrst round. The Obama administration — which has been waiting for a government deemed legitimate to emerge in Kabul before announcing whether to deploy tens of thousands more troops — quickly commended the ruling. “We congratulate President Karzai on his victory in this historic election and look forward to working with him” to support reform and improve security, the U.S. Embassy said in a statement. Britain and the United Nations also issued statements of congratulations. The cancellation of Saturdayʼs vote came one day after former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah announced he was pulling out of the Nov. 7 vote. Abdullah said the ballot would not have been fair and accused the Karzai-appointed Independent Election Commission of bias. The annulment is a huge relief to organizers who were scrambling to hold the election before the onset of Afghanistanʼs harsh winter, as well as to authorities who feared a wave of bloody violence on polling day after a Taliban spokesman threatened attacks against anyone who took part. Election commission chairmanAzizullah Lodin announced Karzai the winner during a news conference in Kabul. “His excellency Hamid Karzai, who has won the majority of votes in the ﬁrst round and is the only candidate for the second

round, is declared by the Independent Election Commission as the elected president of Afghanistan,” Lodin said. There is a chance that the ruling could be contested, but the international community came out strongly in support of it. The U.S. statement said the commissionʼs decision was in line with “its mandate under Afghan law.” A spokesman for Abdullah, however, said the decision did not reflect Afghan law but declined to say if the candidate would challenge it. “The announcement that was made by the electoral commission today will not solve the problems of Afghanistan, and it doesnʼt have any basis in law,” Fazel Sancharaki said. He said Abdullah would give his reaction in a speech Tuesday. “We expected that this commission would announce something like this because this commission has never been independent and has always supported President Karzai,” Sancharaki said. Ronald Neumann, a retired U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, said canceling the runoff was the countryʼs best available option and that few were likely to contest the decision. “Itʼs over. He withdrew. Karzai wins. I think we are much more hung up than they will be on rules,” Neumann said. Karzai has led Afghanistan since U.S. forces invaded to oust the Taliban in 2001. He won elections in 2004 and his latest victory will give him another five-year mandate. The U.S. will have to find a way to work with the Afghan leader, who has fallen

AP Photo

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, second right, inspects with U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, right, an honor guard in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Nov. 2. out of favor in Washington after openly criticizing U.S. military tactics, including the heavy use of air power that has killed many civilians. The mass ballot-box stufﬁng that characterized the Aug. 20 vote further sullied Karzaiʼs reputation. Fraud investigators threw out nearly a third of Karzaiʼs votes, dropping him below the 50 percent threshold needed to win outright. Worried that Karzaiʼs government would not be seen as legitimate, a bevy of international ﬁgures, including U.S. Sen. John Kerry, U.S. Secretary of

Ford nets $1 billion in 3rd quarter DEARBORN, Michigan (AP) — Ford, the only U.S. automaker to dodge direct government aid and bankruptcy court, surprised investors with net income of nearly $1 billion in the third quarter and forecast a “solidly profitable” 2011. The automaker said Monday earnings were fueled by U.S. market share gains, cost cuts and the “Cash for Clunkers” program, which drew flocks of buyers to showrooms this summer. Fordʼs shares rose 68 cents, or 9.8 percent, to $7.68 in morning trading. The latest results signal that Fordʼs turnaround is on more solid ground. The company lost more than $14.6 billion last year and hasnʼt posted a full-year profit since 2005. While it made a profit in the second quarter, that was mainly due to debt reductions that cut its interest payments. Ford, based in Dearborn, Michigan, reported thirdquarter net income of $997 million, or 29 cents per share. Its profit forecast for 2011 was a step above previous guidance of break-even or better for the year. Fordʼs key North American car and truck division posted a pretax profit of $357 million, the divisionʼs first quarter in the black since early 2005. Ford cited higher pricing, lower material costs and increased market share for the improvement. Excluding one-time items, Ford earned 26 cents per share, blowing away analystsʼ expectations of a loss of 12 cents. The earnings came despite an $800 million revenue drop. But Ford said it cut costs by $1 billion during the quarter, accomplished through layoffs in North America and Europe, reduced pension and retiree health care costs and improvements in productivity and product development. Chief financial officer Lewis Booth said the company took in $1.3 billion more than it spent in the quarter, an improvement over its $1 billion cash burn in the second quarter. “Thatʼs a huge deal,” Booth said. Fordʼs plan to create demand and get better prices for its products, coupled with cost cuts, gave the company confidence that it will make money in 2011, Booth said. But Ford still faces obstacles in its turnaround. Last week,

State Hillary Clinton and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, pressed Karzai to consent to a runoff. But on Monday, U.N. SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon, who was in Kabul on a surprise visit, welcomed the decision to forego the runoff. “This has been a difﬁcult election process for Afghanistan, and lessons must be learned,” said Ban. “Afghanistan now faces signiﬁcant challenges and the new president must move swiftly to form a government that is able to command the support of both the Afghan people and the international community.”

News Bits President Barack Obama greeted Hamid Karzaiʼs election victory with as much admonishment as praise on Monday, advising that he must make more serious efforts to end corruption in Afghanistanʼs government and prepare his nation to ultimately defend itself.

AP Photo

A 2010 Ford Fusion sedan is reﬂected in the chrome grille of an 2010 Edge at a Ford dealership in Denver on Sunday, Nov. 1.

workers overwhelmingly rejected an agreement with the United Auto Workers that would have brought Fordʼs labor costs in line with rivals General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC. Workers objected to clauses limiting their right to strike and freezing entry-level wages, and felt the company was healthy enough and didnʼt need further concessions. The third-quarter profit makes it extremely unlikely that the company will push to head back to the bargaining table before the current UAW contract expires in the fall of 2011, and union leaders also are unlikely to take another deal to the membership, Chaison said. The other area where Ford has a cost disadvantage is debt. Ford reported $26.9 billion in debt, up $800 million from the second quarter. The company avoided the same fate as rivals Chrysler and GM by mortgaging its factories and even the familiar blue oval logo to borrow $23.5 billion before credit markets froze last year. Ford didnʼt quantify the impact of “Cash for Clunkers”, which offered buyers rebates to trade in their vehicles. The program helped Ford cut costly incentives and raise production. It also won buyers; the fuel-efficient Ford Focus sedan and Ford Escape, a small SUV, were among the top five sellers under clunkers. Ford sales climbed 17 percent in August thanks to the program.

As U.N. climate talks reconvened Monday, the United States came under increased pressure to come up with a plan for ﬁghting climate change and to offer an internationally acceptable policy for curbing pollution. An international group of scientists has decoded the DNA of the domestic pig, research that may one day prove useful in ﬁnding new treatments for both pigs and people. A suicide bomber killed 35 people near Pakistanʼs capital Monday, as the U.N. said spreading violence has forced it to start pulling out some staff and suspend long-term development work in some areas. Government investigators say the U.S. government is unlikely to recover all of its investment in General Motors or Chrysler because the companiesʼ value would need to “grow substantially above what they have been in the past.” Information from AP exchange

page 6 The Signal November 4, 2009

November 5, 2009 The Signal page 7

Editorial

Christie: Remember us college students After an election season full of negative advertising in both directions, N.J. voters elected Republican Chris Christie the 55th governor of the state of New Jersey Tuesday, unseating incumbent Democrat Jon Corzine and handily beating Independent Chris Daggett. AP Photo Congratulations to Christie, and to all the student volunteers and workers who tirelessly contributed Governor-elect Chris Christie has made promises regarding higher education during the campaign, but will he keep them once in office? to his campaign. The governor-elect said in his acceptance speech that he will lower taxes, decrease spending and end corruption in the state – all honorable causes. But, as students, we also want Christie to address Did you vote in Tuesday’s gubernatorial the status of the Garden State’s colleges and unielection? versities. The College of New Jersey’s budget was cut by $8 million dollars in 2007, under the Corzine • Yes, I voted for Jon Corzine. “I just can’t administration. As a result of budget cuts, the Out- • Yes, I voted for Chris Christie. believe how standing Scholar Recruitment Program was elimi- • Yes, I voted for Chris Daggett. quickly my time nated, potentially leading to a “brain drain” of New • I didn’t vote. here has gone, Jersey’s best and brightest heading out of state for college. and I am very cast your vote @ On his campaign Web site, Christie promises thankful for tcnjsignal.net to “reinstate the Higher Education Incentive Enhaving the dowment Program to spur private investment in Last Week’s Results: chance to play higher education and help with tuition stabilizaWho will you be rooting for in the World Series? at such a great tion, scholarships, recruiting faculty and building new classroom and research facilities by providing 49% Go Yankees! program. My state matching funds for endowment contributions 44% Go Phillies! experience of at least $1 million at a rate of 10 percent per 5% I don’t care. Not even a little bit. here has been year, helping to encourage and reward attainment 2% All of my friends are watching, so I’ll be watching, but I really don’t care. nothing short of of major private gifts.” enjoyable and He also says he will “create a new ‘Outstanding Scholars’ program to provide public and indepenmemorable dent institutions of higher education with campusthanks to all the based funding to recruit high achieving New Jergirls and coaches sey students as measured by class rank and SAT I have played tcnjsignal.net scores.” with and for.” Other promised improvements include, “CreTelephone: Mailing Address: Production Rm - (609) 771-2424 The Signal ating a tuition tax credit scholarship program for Business Office - (609) 771-2499 c/o Brower Student Center — senior The College of New Jersey Fax: (609) 771-3433 low-income students in failing schools to attend P.O. Box 7718 E-mail: signal@tcnj.edu goalkeeper Jessica public and non-public schools that agree to admit Ewing, NJ 08628-0718 Clarke. any applying student and accept the scholarship as Arti Patel Editorial Offices payment-in-full.” Kristen Lord Copy Editors Megan DeMarco Most of these ideas sound like promising solutions “Often policy is like Editor-in-Chief Hilarey Wojtowicz to help alleviate the financial challenges currently Bobby Olivier Sports Assistant sausage — you Managing Editor Tom O’Dell facing many of New Jersey’s college students. might like the final Abby Hocking Caroline Russomanno Then again, how often does a campaign promise Photo Assistants Brianna Gunter product, but you News Editors Laura Herzog get put on the back-burner once the candidate is in Garrett Rasko-Martinis Arts & Entertainment Assistant don’t want to see office? Sports Editor Business Office the process. With Jeffrey Roman As students and future taxpayers in this state, we Diana Perez Features Editor criminal justice should expect to be high on Christie’s priority list. Katie Brenzel Business/Ad Manager Arts & Entertainment Editor Erica Chao We wish him good luck upon inauguration – policy-making, the Diana Bubser Classifieds Manager and we hope he knows we will hold him to his final product can Opinions Editor Kaitlin Olcott promises. be pretty ugly as

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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.

Production Manager Tim Lee Photo Editor Kelli Plasket Web Editor Matt Huston Nation & World Editor Donna Shaw Advisor Lauren Gurry Jillian Polak

Quotes of the Week

well.”

— Associate professor of criminology Bruce Stout.

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Loop Bus Schedule

November 5, 2009 The Signal page 9

Opinions The Signal Mayor Booker’s College visit inspiring says ... Stop: ignoring emails, egging houses, burning your toast, stressing out, using flowery language. Caution: PAWS errors, contamination, afros, overzealous politicians, too much sleep, country music, scams, the ‘Glee’ hiatus. Go: see Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, step it up, learn how to cook, watch a Disney movie, listen to ‘West Side Story,’ experience Asia, try som ething new, take a mental health day, drink warm apple cider, exercise.

Policies The Signal is published weekly during the academic year and is ﬁnanced by the Student Activities Fee (SAF) and advertising revenue. Any student may submit articles to The Signal. Publication of submitted articles is at the discretion of the editors. The letters section is an open forum for opinions. Submissions that announce events or advertise in any way will not be printed. All letters should be sent via e-mail to signal@tcnj.edu. Handwritten letters should be sent to The Signal, c/o The Brower Student Center, The College of New Jersey, PO Box 7718 Ewing, N.J. 08628 or placed in our mailbox in the Student Life Ofﬁce. Letters must be received by the Friday before publication and should not exceed 300 words. The Signal reserves the right to edit letters for space and clarity. All letters must be signed, with a phone number and address of the author. Requests to withhold the author’s name will be honored only if there is a legitimate reason. All materials submitted become the sole property of The Signal. The editors reserve the right to edit or withhold all articles, letters & photographs. The Signal willingly corrects factual mistakes. If you think we have made an error, please contact The Signal at (609) 771-2424, write to the address listed above or e-mail us at signal@tcnj.edu.

Three frogs are sitting on a log. If one decides to jump off, how many are left sitting on the log? Three. They all decided to jump off, but didnʼt actually jump. People often have great ideas — rarely do they transform Chris Morris them into action. This was one of the points Cory Booker, the mayor of Newark, made when he came to campus last Tuesday. Booker was invited to attend a dinner with select staff, faculty, members of the Student Government Association (SGA) and constituent students. Unfortunately, he had to cancel because his meeting with Gov. Jon Corzine and former President Bill Clinton ran late. However, the night was saved with an insightful, engaging and inspirational speech by the mayor. I was lucky enough to sit in the reserved seating for SGA, the organization which hosted the event, in the second row, center stage. But as I looked around at the audience, I got the feeling it didnʼt matter where you sat — every seat in the Mildred & Ernest E. Mayo Concert Hall was perfect. Booker was inspiring, to say the least. He talked about his education and how football got him into Stanford, but he took advantage of the opportunity and got straight Aʼs there before attending Oxford University and Yale Law. With Bookerʼs resume, he could have had any job he wanted, but he chose to work in Newark, determined to make it a better city. Before he was mayor, Booker went on a 10 day hunger strike to protest drugs and violence in Newark. It started out as just Booker, only a councilman at the time. Then, policemen joined him, because they couldnʼt let him sleep in a tent in one of Newarkʼs worst neighborhoods by himself. By the end of the 10 days, there were

Signal Spotlight

Tom OʼDell / Photo Assistant

The mayor of Newark, Cory Booker, gave a speech at the College last Tuesday that was ʻinsightfulʼ and ʻengaging,ʼ according to Morris. hundreds of people who had joined him. Booker described one moment in which everyone there held hands and prayed. “I felt like I could have moved a mountain,” he said. Once he became mayor, one of the ﬁrst things he did was get the police to be more proactive. He even went on drug busts with them. It wasnʼt easy to win the mayoral spot, though. In 2002, still councilman at the time, Booker lost the election to the incumbent mayor Sharpe James, who was later convicted of fraud and conspiracy and is currently serving prison time. Booker was able to win the next election by going door-to-door throughout Newark to introduce himself to the people, and more importantly, to see what they wanted from their next mayor — honesty, hard work, and connecting with the people, quite the opposite of Jamesʼ strategy.

Since becoming mayor, Booker has done a phenomenal job. He has cleaned up the streets a signiﬁcant amount and lowered violence, even though expert criminologists told him it couldnʼt be done. As Booker went on telling stories, the audience became more engaged and more sympathetic to the cause. I think itʼs safe to say that most of the people in attendance left the speech feeling like Booker is one of the coolest, most inspiring men New Jersey has seen in recent years. I wouldnʼt be surprised if people who saw Booker speak began embracing some of his messages and introduced the themes which he talked about — vision, discipline, and love — into their everyday lives. After hearing Booker speak, I expect to see more action around campus, and more people jumping off logs. Source: nytimes.com.

Did you vote in the N.J. Governorʼs election?

“Yes, I voted for Christie.”

“No, I didnʼt know about it.”

“Yes, I voted for Corzine.”

“No, I didnʼt vote. I was working.”

—Gina Lauterio, junior political science and philosophy major

—Natalie Diratsaoglu, sophomore political science major

—Sumer Mohamed, freshman biology major

—Andrew Zucker, senior business major

“No, I donʼt know enough about politics.”

“No, and I feel bad about it.”

“No, I didnʼt register in time.”

“No, Iʼm registered to vote in Pennsylvania.”

—Marcelo Rivera, junior finance and economics major

—Steve Milano, sophomore finance major

—Paul Nichilo, junior —Jason Baggitt, open options business senior psychology major major

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Features

Rumi Nights relaxes with music, poetry

Abby Hocking / Photo Assistant

Rumi Nights featured performers who read poetry and played Suﬁ music in the Library Auditorium. By Hannah Gow Correspondent Four talented and seasoned performers showed off their cultural knowledge, reciting 13th century poet Jalal al-Din Rumiʼs verses and whirling to traditional Sufi music during Rumi Nights: Iran and Beyond.

The event was held Thursday in the Library Auditorium and was sponsored by the department of Education. The event was made possible by the two year Title VI Grant awarded by the State for the purpose of expanding the department in areas such as Central Eurasia and the Middle East.

Benjamin Rifkin, Dean of the school of Culture and Society, in addition to Jo-Ann Gross, professor of history, and Cynthia Paces, associate professor of history, attended the event as well. The performances were based on the teachings, rituals and poetry of Rumi — a Persian poet, mystic and scholar. Rumi was born in present-day Afghanistan and composed over 70,000 verses of poetry. The intimate auditorium set the mood with dim lighting, traditional rugs and props, a recognizable smell of incense and a spotlight highlighting the stage. “I came late, after a stressful day, and immediately felt the mood from the soothing music, recitation and incense, though I was worried about finding a seat,” Caitlin Kelleher, freshman history education major, said. Gross began the night welcoming the audience and performers and introducing Sufism. The poetry reading began with Peter Rogen, former Shakespeare performer of the Helen Hayes Equity Theater at Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Rogen read the poem in a deep, articulate voice while Amir Vahab played the tanbour. As Rogen recited a poem, Vahab, a professional musician and singer, followed with a Persian translated version. Harpist and flautist Arsalaan Fay was dressed in a Sufi traditional sikke hat and black robe with white garments underneath that flared out during dervish whirling — a traditional dance. Sufism refers to the inner, mystical dimension of Islam. As the music picked up, the music of Vahab with his “shorr” technique — literally translated as “waterfall,” due to the fingers strumming across the strings in a continuous motion like water. “A lot of it was improvisation,” Vahab said. “I play what I feel and what I feel the audience wants to receive.” The night was centered on the celebration of Rumiʼs tradition and was brought to the College in hopes of introducing the rich culture from East Asia and the Middle East. “This was a way of giving our students the ability to learn about Islam and Sufism in a different way and getting

passed that one-sided view of Islam that so many people have,” Lauren Daidone, junior history major and president of the newly-founded Central Eurasian and Middle Eastern Studies Society, said. Secretary of the society, Esther Tetruashvily, junior international studies and English major, mentioned Sufismʼs universal appeal and importance to the campus and its cultural knowledge. “This is the first time something like this has come to our school,” Tetruashvily said Nagesh Rao, professor of English, commented on the importance of the show. “Listening to this reminds me of rich traditions in other parts of the world weʼre so ignorant of,” he said. “It was such a treat.” Those who missed the show may get another opportunity to learn about these cultures. “We are thinking of coming back March 21 for the Iranian New Year and possibly for Persian calligraphy as well,” Vahab said. For more information on the tanbour or Vahab and his music, visit tanbour.org or myspace.com/amirvahabrumi.

Students showcase hardships of modern women

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

ʻFrom Tiananmen Square to TCNJʼ featured presentations on the struggles of Chinese women.

By Grace Slobodzian Correspondent

Dozens of tealight candles in white paper bags lined the paths around the Science Complex fountain, reﬂecting off the fountainʼs water last Monday, which had been dyed purple in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month which takes place in October. The ambient setting provided a soft yellow glow and opportunity for meditation. The words of Rana Shariatdoust, sophmore economics and political science major, echoed in the complex as she read an original poem dedicated to the memory of Cassandra Renee Mitchell, a Trenton victim of domestic violence who was allegedly shot and killed by her boyfriend, in front of her three young children over the summer. Mitchellʼs three children “still wonder what happened to their mother,” Shariatdoust said. Promising to end the cycle of domestic abuse, Shariatdoust concluded her poem, “We (women) will bear the future as we have birthed the past.” Shariatdoustʼs poem was the conclusion of a forum held Monday night, “From Tiananmen Square to TCNJ: A Global

Perspective on Women,” which featured student presentations about the changing status of women in China and America. The program emphasized the issues of domestic violence, human trafficking and womenʼs rights in education, the workforce and in reproduction. Qin Shao, professor of history, introduced the four panels of students from one section of her freshman seminar program (FSP), “Women and Family in Modern China.” Activism was a theme of the forum, with freshman music education major Julia Lobiondio providing information about organizations to combat domestic violence, such as All-China Womenʼs Federation, Amnesty Internationalʼs Stop Violence Against Women, and the local organization Womanspace, where the FSP students had the opportunity to complete their community engaged learning. Paula Figueroa-Vega, associate director for the Bonner Center, and Amy Weintraub, program coordinator at Womanspaceʼs counseling and support services, were on-hand to provide information about the Mercer county nonprofit organization that helped over 10,300 adults and children last year. Domestic violence is a problem that affects the global community and “transcends beyond China and the United States,” Lobiondio said. “Silence is one of the major enemies of domestic violence,” Shao said, encouraging students to get involved and, like Shariatdoust, use their voices to take action against domestic violence. In addition to domestic violence, human trafficking “violates a womanʼs rights in every single way,” said Andrew Lee, a freshman chemistry major who presented on the topic during the forum. Human trafficking is a problem that pervades every community and exists “right under our noses,” Shao said. Rachel Morris, freshman open options culture and society major, likened womenʼs reproductive rights to a Chinese finger-trap, a woven, bamboo toy that “traps” the userʼs fingers in the cylinder, tightening when the user attempts to pull his or her fingers out. Morris said that in much the same way, government “traps” women in policy about reproductive rights beyond womenʼs control. Given the sensitive nature of the subject of reproductive rights, often, “What gets lost in this conversation is a womanʼs right to choose,” Morris said.

Morris explained the impact of the One Child Policy, a Chinese government policy designed to restrict parents to one child in an effort to control population, which resulted in the trend of sex-selective abortions of female fetuses. Similarly, Morris cited the May 2009 murder of Dr. George Tiller, a doctor who performed late-term abortions, to emphasize the controversial nature of the subject in America. However, Morris said, “No matter what your beliefs are … the reproductive rights belong to the woman.” The evening culminated in the “Communities of Light” candle lighting ceremony, a fundraising event to help support Womanspace, presented by students from Shaoʼs other section of the FSP. “Domestic violence is an epidemic,” Jackie Deitch-Stackhouse, the coordinator of the Ofﬁce of Anti-Violence Initiatives (OAVI) at the College, said. “Itʼs something we want people to talk about.” OAVI provides services for victims, survivors, and those affected by what Deitch-Stackhouse referred to as “power based violence,” including domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. She commended the students for their work in the FSP and saw the forum as a springboard for activism. “Showing up tonight is a ﬁrst step,” Deitch-Stackhouse said. Deitch-Stackhouse urged students to take action against domestic violence. “The lives will be lost in vain if you donʼt take this opportunity to act,” she said.

Photo courtesy of Kaitlin Whitman

In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, candles lined the Science Complex Fountain.

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5x8

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Before putting ink to skin, learn the risks By Andrea Thyrring Staff Writer Tattoos used to be for bikers and inmates, but have become a common form of self-expression for people of all ages, especially college students. According to WebMd, 25 percent of 18-30 year olds have a tattoo. Projections estimate that within the next few years, this number could rise to 40 percent. And believe it or not, up to 65 percent of those with ink are women. There are many forms of tattoos, from amateur, to cultural, to cosmetic. Some tattoos are not decorative, but are instead used for medical reasons, such as alerting health care workers in case of an emergency. Whatever your reason for getting inked, there are some major factors to consider before submitting a design. First and foremost, think about your future. Are you hoping to work in a school, a corporate business, or in an otherwise conservative atmosphere? People still have preconceived notions about those who get tattoos. The design you get now, and where you put it, could make the difference between getting your dream job and being turned down. Similarly, if getting a tattoo is something your family is against, consider the consequences before moving forward — are they open to a discussion about it, or do you stand to lose your college tuition? Once you have thought your decision through, your next step is to find a clean and licensed studio. Getting a permanent tattoo involves breaking the skin and coming in contact with blood and bodily fluids. Making sure the studio is as clean as a doctorʼs office will prevent you from coming in contact with a number of dangerous diseases, such as Hepatitis B and C, tetanus and even HIV. Talk to the artist you plan on working with, and check the facilities of the shop. Look for a separate area for tattooing that has clean surfaces with no clutter to contaminate the work

area. A basic rule of thumb is to also check the bathroom — if itʼs dirty, you can be assured that cleanliness is not their ﬁrst priority. After selecting a clean and reputable studio, talk to the tattoo artist about your design. He or she may have some insight as to a good location, or how to adjust your idea to better ﬁt your body. If you feel at all uncomfortable or are worried about your tattoo, do not be afraid to ask questions. New Jersey has strict practical requirements on those licensed to tattoo, which include a 2,000-hour apprenticeship and a year-long operation of a tattoo studio, among many other provisions. If you have selected a licensed studio, your tattooist is well versed in his or her craft and is more than capable of addressing your concerns. When you arrive to your appointment, keep in mind some basic tips to ensure your safety. Donʼt drink alcohol or take drugs (especially aspirin) 24 hours prior to getting your tattoo. According to Tattoodesign.com, alcohol and aspirin thin the blood, making you bleed more when getting a tattoo. Also, the ink wonʼt stay in the skin and it will take a longer time for the tattoo to heal. If you are sick, or questioning your health, talk to your artist and reschedule your appointment. Make sure all needles are removed from sterile, singleuse packaging before use. The studio should also have sterilization equipment to clean the non-disposable instruments after each use. Check that your tattoo artist cleans and prepares the work area before starting your tattoo. There should be no previously used materials or other non-sterile objects like water bottles or purses in the area. Your tattoo artist should also wash his or her hands before putting on new sterile gloves. After your tattoo is completed, be sure to follow the cleaning and care instructions provided by your tattoo artist. Most often, you will be required to have your tattoo bandaged for a period of time. This is to prevent airborne bacteria from invading your open tattoo, so be sure to leave it covered. Do not, however, allow your tattoo to be wrapped with plastic or saran wrap — this will prevent

circulation and suffocate your tattoo. After a couple days, you may notice some peeling or scabbing. You may also notice that your tattoo begins to itch. This is completely normal and can be remedied with an unscented lotion to moisturize your skin. Do not pick and do not scratch at your tattoo. If it itches, you can either apply a moist compress to soften the scabs (wait for them to dry before applying any sort of ointment), or slap your tattoo — believe it or not, it works. After you have made the decision to get a tattoo, you may want to jump feet ﬁrst into the process. However, taking a few simple steps before you sit down under the needle could prevent a number of health risks, as well as regret. Your tattoo will be with you forever — make sure youʼll be able to enjoy it.

Photo courtesy of Andrea Thyrring

Columnist Andrea Thyrring got her new tattoo last Friday after much preparation.

Virgins: ﬁguring out life at college By Lauren Gurry Copy Editor

There is a common misconception in popular culture that everyone has had sex by the time they move into college. This, of course, is resoundingly false, and there is nothing wrong with coming into college a virgin. Oftentimes, virgins feel like theyʼre out of place in a college environment because so many people are focused on hooking up. Some students unfortunately donʼt help and make virgins feel uncomfortable among their peers. People are very honest, especially after Welcome Week has happened and residents know each other better. The downside of this openness is that some people will share details about their sex lives with new friends before these friends are prepared. When you start college, you obviously donʼt know everything about your friends, and itʼs entirely possible that some of them are virgins — even if theyʼre in a long-term relationship. By assuming your friends have sex, youʼre putting them in an uncomfortable conversation if they donʼt want to discuss sexual acts. Your peers may also feel pressure to have sex to ﬁt in better with a new crowd of friends. By telling people how great sex is and

inquiring about why they donʼt do it, youʼre putting pressure on them to do something they may not be prepared for. There are also a plethora of teen movies about having sex before, or immediately after starting, college. These movies only perpetuate the conception that everyone has sex before and during college. People usually have moral reasons for waiting to have sex. Some want to wait until theyʼre married for religious reasons, and others are just waiting to meet the right person. Both are respectable, and they are options students should consider before making fun of peers or pressuring a significant other to have sex. Virgins can feel pressure to have sex from not just friends, but significant others as well. Although it makes sense that a partner who has already had sex may want to move things along, itʼs also unfair to put pressure on their significant other. “Love waits” is a popular saying for why a significant other should wait to have sex with a reluctant partner. If someone is waiting to

have sex, he or she likely wants it to be special when it finally happens, and that often includes being in love. For many people, sex is a big step in a relationship. There are many dangers to having intercourse, and some may find it more difficult to cope with the possibility of these circumstances. Other people are nervous about trusting another person only to wind up being hurt. If you are in a relationship with a virgin, it is important to let your boyfriend or girlfriend know you care, and even if you do want to have sex, youʼre not going to pressure him or her. Virgins or not, people should always have sex on their own terms. If you donʼt feel comfortable having sex with someone, donʼt hesitate to say you donʼt want to do it. As cliché as it sounds, itʼs your body, and itʼs your choice what to do with it. Donʼt let anyone pressure you into feeling otherwise. For story ideas, e-mail Lauren at gurry2@tcnj.edu.

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

Donʼt be pressured into something youʼre not ready to do. Respect yourself and your body.

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

Students swarm for Asian cuisine The Asian American Association (AAA) hosted a multicultural buffet last Wednesday in the Brower Student Center Atrium as the opening ceremony for Experience Asia Month. The buffet featured food from different Asian cultures, including India, Japan, the Philippines and China, as well as bubble tea.

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Arts & Entertainment

Mixed Signals bewitch with hilarity By Emily Brill Staff Writer Several minutes after 8 p.m., the crowded basement of the Business Lounge showed no sign of the Mixed Signals. That is, until they thundered into the room in an exhilarating blur of sound and color, clad in an mishmash of wacky Halloween costumes and singing “It’s A Small World After All.” The Mixed Signals, the College’s improvisational comedy troupe, seemed an off-kilter, funny and quirky group of individuals — an impression they maintained throughout the night. In penguin costume was Steve Fingerhut, senior math major, who kicked off Thursday night’s Halloween show with the popular “Good, Bad and Ugly” game. Featuring Steven Avigliano, junior English major, Cat Cosentino, senior communication studies major and Liz So, sophomore self-designed international study of gender major, the game required its participants to give alternately good, bad and ugly advice to questions posed from members of the audience. The vivacity and impeccable comic timing displayed in the first game continued throughout the night, piloting the comics through 12 improvisational games, including “Pull that Line,” in which the Mixed Signals performed an everyday scene interrupted occasionally by lines written in by members of the audience. In this case, the “everyday scene” consisted of a rambunctious preteen being fried by chemicals after jumping into a neighbor’s over-chlorinated pool. “Let me know if she surfaces!” cried Jill Hernandez, junior philosophy major, as the mother of the drowned neighborhood punk, prompting howls of

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

Senior math major Steve Fingerhut (left) and junior philosophy major Steven Avigliano perform in the ‘Good, Bad and Ugly’ game. laughter from the audience. Students in attendance appreciated the animated sense of fun that characterized the Mixed Signal’s

comedy. “I was laughing the entire time,” said Joe Montes, freshman biology major. “They put on a great show.”

Roxey Ballet terrorizes with fangs and footwork

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

Marc St-Pierre as Dracula claims the young Mina Harker (Evalina Carbonell) as his next victim doomed to become another of his vampire brides. By Katie Brenzel Arts & Entertainment Editor

Waves of creeping fog, ominous music and crimson lights transformed the Kendall Hall main stage to the vampire-invested Carfax Abbey. Craving a night of terror, and perhaps culture, students’ thirsts were quenched by the Roxey Ballet’s presentation of “Dracula” the ballet on Oct. 27. The Lambertville-based contemporary ballet company mesmerized the crowd with an original re-staging of Bram Stoker’s novel “Dracula.” Featuring the choreography of Mark Roxey, a combination of original and other music, and extensive set and video projections,

the ballet captured the simultaneously seductive and frightening story of Count Dracula and his victims. The choreography of the production combined classical ballet with more inventive modern moves without sacrificing technique. Dracula’s three wives, played by Janessa Cornell, Joanna DeFelice and Catherine Long, brilliantly accomplished this. The three maintained the graceful synchronization expected of Pointe dancers, yet much of their routines consisted of convulsive movement such as abstract extensions, split rolls on the floor and lifts in which they coiled around and fell from their partners in a snake-like manner.

Julia Cobble as Lucy, the latest victim of Dracula’s seduction, mastered the appearance of being under the Count’s control, abruptly flowing in and out of arabesques at his whim. Though Dracula (Marc St-Pierre) was a vital presence in the duet that establishes Dracula’s control over Lucy, with flawlessly executed lifts, the amount of time he danced independently was disappointing given his role. Although duets such as those between Dracula and Lucy, and Mina Harker (Evalina Carbonell) and Jonathan Harker (Jesus Pacheco) were perfectly coordinated, when all the couples danced simultaneously, their timing was consistently off, some instances more glaring than others. Se-Yong Kim as R.M. Renfield, the first of Dracula’s victims who is initially deemed insane by his peers, exercised striking precision as he repeatedly fell and contorted himself in response to Dracula’s hypnosis. Impressive jumps and leaps while in a straight jacket flaunted Kim’s expertise. In addition to tackling an unconventional topic for a ballet, the company boasted its innovative nature with its largely theatrical undertones. According to the company’s Web site, the production “breaks through the normal boundaries of dance performance to draw the audience deeply into the world created by the dancers and the story.” This was chiefly accomplished through each performer’s intense facial expressions, which conveyed a range of emotions. The performers communicated passion, fear, rage and sorrow with their entire bodies. The incorporation of the set, as well as

props such as wooden crosses, garlic necklaces and hospital stretchers also aided in illustrating the story to the engaged audience. “I thought it was amazing. The people were so talented. It was a really interesting ballet, definitely different from any ballet I’ve ever been to,” said Michelle Pinamonti, junior special education and Spanish major. With the aid of dynamic lighting, fog, fangs and powerful music, the performers developed the plot without a sound, with the exception of hissing and the occasional blood-curdling scream. K a t i e B re n z e l c a n b e re a c h e d a t brenzel2@tcnj.edu.

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

Jonathan Harker (Jesus Pacheco) dances with Victoria Van Helsing (Kaori Fukui).

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Dirty Pickles spice up Rathskeller

Photo courtesy of Jane Howell

Frontman Matty Boland of Matty B and the Dirty Pickles introduced the band’s blend of rockabilly, or ‘picklebilly,’ ’50s sound to the Rat. By Emily Brill Staff Writer Matty Boland, frontman of the trio Matty B and the Dirty Pickles, begins one of his band’s original songs with a jubilant shout — “Get on up! It’s Pickle time!” Students heeded the singer’s command Friday night during the College Union Board (CUB) sponsored 1950s style band’s performance at the Rathskeller. The band had been billed on posters advertising the event as a “high-energy assault of ’50s music.” Though its music could be more aptly described as a loving tribute than as an assault, there was no

question that the band delivered on the first half of the pledge. Introducing themselves as “the Dirty Pickles from Erie, Pa.,” the band consists of lead vocalist and guitarist Matty Boland (Matty B), drummer Dave Schroeder (Dig !t Dave) and bassist Ben Roemer (Ben Jammin’). The band launched the show with an enthusiastic original song that implored listeners to get up from their seats and dance. Though students didn’t react immediately, the band’s playful, infectious melodies and rhythm soon changed their minds. Sampling heavily from its first album, “Picklebilly,” as well as the so-far unnamed

new album, the band offered up a healthy share of original material, as well as several well-timed covers. Among the most popular with the Rat crowd were two of Elvis’s hits “Blue Suede Shoes” and “Hound Dog,” as well as the “Monster Mash.” “We learned it in time for the holiday,” joked Boland. The Pickles’ spirited cover of Gene Vincent’s 1956 hit “Be Bop a Lula,” saw almost everyone in the audience on their feet. A large group formed in front of the stage, dancing, bopping and swinging to the music. In addition to Boland’s irresistibly energetic voice, dipping and lurching upward over the music’s many stylistic beats, the singer also put on a show in every sense of the word. He ventured into the audience, playing his electric guitar close to delighted students, jumped off the stage and balanced on the partitioned border between sections of the Rat, walking and hopping one on leg as he sang. Jared Turner, Rat employee, had never seen anything like it. “It was awesome,” he said. “The energy was great. We’ve probably had one group here that had the same level of energy. It was definitely a fun show. And I’ve never seen anyone walk across the border like he did.” Students echoed the sentiment, commenting on the exuberance of the band’s performance. Nat Sowinski, freshman international studies major, compared the show’s energy level to other performances she’d been to and couldn’t find an equivalent. “I haven’t been to as energetic a concert as this in a long time,” she said.

Fun electronica, Banhart isn’t just more freak folk Hockey “Mind Chaos”

By Melissa Virzi Assistant Music Director After a successful College Music Journal’s (CMJ) music festival, a makeor-break festival for up-and-coming bands, Hockey has established itself among indie audiences. Its weird and fantastic sound is accessible enough for casual fans of both electronica and pop. Singer Ben Grubin and bassist Jeremy Reynolds formed Hockey in 2007 while at southern California’s Johnston Center, a free-form college, which allowed the duo to spend their time writing and creating songs for their quasi-band. Early demos attracted the attention of Sony Records, but things fell through and the band remained in limbo. Its fortune changed when the two moved to Portland, re-found some more members and re-recorded. After finding fans in the U.K. via radio play, the two got signed to Virgin Records in Europe and Capitol in the U.S. The group’s single “Song Away” is referenced in every review written about it, but the overlooked “Too Fake” and “Learn to Lose” are of comparable quality in songwriting and execution. For fans of MGMT or other electro-pop bands, Hockey is fun and witty dance music. Key Tracks: “Too Fake,” Song Away,” “Learn to Lose” Devendra Banhart “What Will We Be”

‘Ask Alice’ is no wonderland By Katie Brenzel Arts &Entertainment Editor Peace, love and lots and lots of drugs. Welcome to the counter culture of the 1960s. Detailing the descent of a 16-year-old girl named only by the title, “Go Ask Alice” illustrates the isolated effects of an era characterized by rebellion. The book is the diary of a young girl of middle class suburbia who unwittingly initiates a dependence on drugs when she is slipped LSD at a party. Though critics have long suspected that the book’s editor Beatrice Sparks is the actual “anonymous” author, the book distinctly presents Alice’s voice throughout. With the typical recipe for rebellion — parents that don’t seem to understand, a boy that won’t notice her and a new town where she doesn’t “fit in” — the book has great potential for cliché. However, as Alice liberates herself from heavy drug use, only to find herself controlled by her cravings, her sincerity compels the reader to sympathize with her through her experiences. The tragedy of the diary lies in her realization of her gradual decline and her inability, despite brief interruptions of success, to stop it. Though her parents support her in her rehabilitation, and friends share in her experience, she finds herself ultimately alone in her addiction and self-hatred. Whether or not the account is biographical, Alice comes to life through the pages of her diary. Though the circumstances may seem extreme and the climate heightened by historical context, Alice’s insecurities and tormenting reflections are frighteningly relatable. At 192 pages, “Go Ask Alice” is easily a read-in-one-sitting endeavor. Written in a stream of consciousness style reminiscent of Holden Caulfield’s ramblings, Alice’s diary is engaging and haunting, with an important message for anyone willing to listen.

AP Photo

‘Wild Things’ is a fierce hit By Matt Huston Nation & World Editor

Any collaboration between a popular young director, a star cast, an alt-rock princess and the master of muppets is bound to be a fun time. “Where the Wild Things Are,” the film adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s beloved children’s book, is colored by personality from start to finish. Auteur Spike Jonze frames scenes with the immediacy of music videos, but leaves room for the wide-open landscapes that such a fantastical storyline demands. The wooly wild things beam with equal beastliness and human warmth, thanks to both the aesthetic contributions of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop and voice work by the likes of James Gandolfini, Forest Whitaker and Paul Dano. Singer Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs channels all the ambient sounds of childhood in her soundtrack, whose contributors include members of YYY, Deerhunter, The Dead Weather and The Raconteurs. The relationship between Max (Max Records), the monsters’ ambassador to the world of people, and his mom (Catherine Keener), grounds the film in a sort of organic humanity. Keener plays a relatively small part in “Wild Things’” grand adventure, but Max’s return to the arms of his heartsick mother is something we can all relate to. Between the film’s adventurous beginning and its heartwarming ending, the middle seems to float a little arbitrarily. But that’s often the case with movies adapted from books, and it hardly keeps the beauty from showing through.

By Chris Payne WTSR Music Director On his debut with Warner Bros. Records, Banhart explores the realm of indie-folk in a way that seems primed to appease his bearded, flannel-clad followers, yet extends an invitation to those who may only know his work via the soundtrack of “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist.” For a man who’s been tagged with the genres of “psych” and “freak folk” in the past, Banhart is surprisingly succinct at times, especially in “16th & Valencia, Roxy Music.” Just when he’s seeming a bit mundane, Banhart introduces three consecutive Spanish songs for tracks 10, 11 and 12. Cohesiveness is the main department where “What Will We Be” trips up. Stretched out to 14 tracks, Banhart frequently asks the listener to switch between extended, experimental songs and more direct musings. With this pattern sporadically reappearing throughout the record, it becomes difficult to latch onto Banhart’s central intent. Banhart’s charm, however, likely resides within this ambiguity. Key Tracks: “16th & Valencia, Roxy Music”

page 18 The Signal November 4, 2009

THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY INTRAMURALS AND RECREATION SERVICES BASKETBALL FALL 2009 (MENʼS & WOMENʼS) ENTRY CARDS: MAY BE PICKED UP AT THE STUDENT RECREATION CENTER FRONT DESK ENTRY DEADLINE: ENTRY CARDS MUST BE DROPPED OFF AT THE STUDENT RECREATION CENTER FRONT DESK BY FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2009 BY 6:00 p.m. ALL CARDS MUST INCLUDE A $20.00 FORFEIT FEE. LATE ENTRIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED! NO EXCEPTIONS! ACTION STARTS: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2009 DAYS AND TIMES: MONDAY & WEDNESDAY 6:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. LEAGUES: MENʼS A & B LEAGUE, WOMENʼS RULES: MAY BE FOUND ON THE INTRAMURAL WEB SITE- WWW. TCNJ.EDU/~INTRAMUR . IT IS THE CAPTAINʼS RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW THE RULES. ANY INDIVIDUAL SEEKING PLACEMENT ON A TEAM WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTACTING TEAM CAPTAINS. CAPTAINʼS PHONE NUMBER AND E-MAIL ADDRESS WILL BE GIVEN BY INTRAMURAL STAFF MEMBERS ONLY. ELIGIBILITY: ALL THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FACULTY ARE ELIGIBLE. ONLY 3 EX-VARSITY BASKETBALL PLAYERS ARE ALLOWED PER TEAM IN THE A LEAGUE ONLY. CURRENT VARSITY BASKETBALL PLAYERS ARE INELIGIBLE. NO EXCEPTIONS.

page 20 The Signal November 4, 2009

SignalSports Lions clinch No. 2 seed with clutch win

College squeezes by No. 4-ranked Scarlet Raiders By Garrett Rasko-Martinis Sports Editor With a chance to crack the No. 2 seed in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) with a win on the road, the Lions won their biggest game of the season against the Scarlet Raiders. The College just edged its conference rivals 1-0 in a game that Rutgers-Newark also needed to win for a chance at the No.2 spot. Meanwhile, Rowan University won its last game of the season at home 2-1 over Rutgers University-Camden. The College and Rowan finished the season with the same 5-2-2 conference record, but the Lions were rewarded the No. 2 spot based on tiebreakers. They tied in their only game against each other this season, so by rule, the team with the better record against the next lowest-ranked team would be seeded higher. That team was RutgersCamden, the same team the Lions beat to force the tie. Several weeks earlier, the Profs lost their only game against the Scarlet Raiders, 0-2. “That was a big goal for this team and it feels really good,” senior defender Matt Erny said. “The bye week and the home field advantage are both huge. Now we only need two wins to win the conference and hopefully we can get a bid into the NCAA Tournament.” In the College’s season finale, the senior tandem of forward Kevin Luber and midfielder Anthony Staropoli combined for the game’s lone goal. Luber’s team-leading sixth goal came 10 minutes into the first half from an assist by Staropoli to give the Lions all the offense needed. Both team’s defense shut down the game after that point, and no further goals were let up on either side. Junior goalkeeper Chris Kulik earned his first career shutout, and recorded four saves. “We knew that was going to be a tough game, they’ve done really well also,” Erny said. “We knew we needed a win against see SEASON FINALE page 21

Lions’ Lineup November 5, 2009

Inside

46 53 Around the Dorm page 25

Cross country wins NJAC

page 21

Swimming remains perfect

page 21

Tom O’Dell / Photo Assistant

Staropoli (above) contributed a big assist in the season finale and Cunha (below) helped the stout defense.

Field Hockey loses season finale

page 23

Women’s Soccer

Lions heading into the playoffs as the No. 2 seed Clarke ﬁnishes season with ﬁnal shutout of career By Michael O’Donnell Staff Writer With the last game of the season on the horizon, the women’s soccer team did what they’ve done all season — win at home. The No. 2 seed in the upcoming conference tournament made it known they are ready to make a run after ending the regular season with a dominant 7-0 home win over Rutgers University-Newark. “We feel like this was a good game to get in before postseason started,” senior goalkeeper Jessica Clarke said. “We made sure just to focus on the game of that day, and we wanted to close out the regular season before looking into post season play.” The College has clinched a first round bye thanks to its second place finish in the New Jersey Athletic

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

The Lions finished the season at 15-2.

Conference (NJAC), and will host William Paterson University at home in the first playoff matchup. “We’re just trying to get everyone on the same page, we’re just playing good soccer and it is what it is,” head coach Joe Russo said. “It’s nothing out of the ordinary, and we didn’t do anything different in this game than any other.” In the senior night contest against their NJAC rival Scarlet Raiders, it was all about the four-year players. Senior defender Jillian Casey capped off her stellar year with two goals in the first half to get the Lions rolling early. These two scores were her sixth and seventh of the season. Junior midfielder Casey Caruso scored twice as well for the vaunted Lions offense, including a score just 1:36 into the game off the foot of Briann McTm Lee / Photo Editor Donough. She ends her impressive season with a Toni DeMaio has six points in her first season. team-high 10 goals. “Those goals were important because we got them offense did so as well. The explosive Lions offense early, and they changed the game,” Russo said. “To hit the back of the net four more times in the final score early means you can play more relaxed and stanza, including a remarkable goal by forward Brenna Rubino. with more confidence, and we did that.” The rookie beat Rutgers-Newark sophGoalkeeper Clarke capped off her Scarlet Raiders 0 omore goalie Kat Renteria one-on-one on memorable senior season with a com- Lions 7 a pass from sophomore defender Brittany bined shutout with sophomore Samantha Iamurri. Each goalkeeper played a half to achieve McGinley to secure her third winner of the season. “It was a great ball in by Brittany, and she cleaned the Lions’ 13th shutout of the year. Clarke is amazed with the fact that this huge vic- it up really well,” Russo said. “She played behind back line, and Brenna did a great job running in time tory was her last regular season win of her career. “I just can’t believe how quickly my time here has and finishing.” Goals by juniors Brianna Brennan and forward Jugone, and I am very thankful for having the chance to play at such a great program,” Clarke said. “My lianne Delorenzo would ice it for the College, who experience here has been nothing short of enjoyable tied its greatest margin of victory this season. “We just came out with a lot of intensity, and and memorable thanks to all the girls and coaches I have played with and for.” The defense continued in the second half, but the see POSTSEASON BEGINS page 23

November 5, 2009 The Signal page 21 Swimming

Men’s Soccer

Women’s team strikes for two meet victories Season finale / Lions Men’s team loses first meet on the season to play in semifinals By Michael Zanfardino Staff Writer Women’s swimming improved to 3-0 on the young season, sinking Ramapo College and Stevens Institute of Technology over the weekend. Powered by sophomores Traci Hofer and Laura Pierce, the College cruised past Ramapo at home, winning by a final score of 188-61. Hofer and Pierce each garnered individual wins, in the 200-yard backstroke and 50-yard freestyle respectively, while also contributing to a pair of relay victories. Juniors Danielle Dilts and Margaret Molloy also registered two individual victories apiece on the day. Pierce was at it once again on Sunday in Hoboken, helping the College secure three victories for the second day in a row, as the Lions edged Stevens 150-112. Pierce took first in the 100-yard butterfly, before helping the Lions do the same in the 200-yard medley and 400-yard freestyle relay. Freshman Kristyn Wikoff also turned up

an impressive performance, coming in first in both the 100 and 200-yard backstrokes. On the Men’s side, the Lions gave a “Jekyll and Hyde” performance, routing the Roadrunners on Saturday before being sunk on Sunday by the Ducks. Led by Myles O’Connor, who qualified for the NCAA cut with a time of 58.31 in the 100-yard breaststroke, the Lions cruised past Ramapo 160-91 in Ewing. However, the College was unable to turn out the same performance on Sunday, falling in Hoboken to Stevens by a final score of 144-118. While there were some spectacular individual performances, including a pair of victories by Freshman Adam Schneider, the Lions were held to only one win in the relay events, which ultimately cost them the match. “We’re not that worried about the loss,” freshman Xavier Moran said. “We’re more focused on not losing meets at the end of the season when they really count.” Both swimming teams will be back in action on Saturday Oct. 7 for a 2 p.m. meet with Southern Connecticut State University at the College.

continued from page 28 them, and we played well and got the shutout.” The Lions finished the season with a modest 7-5-4 record overall but a 5-2-2 in the all-important conference play. The Lions will try to earn their first NJAC crown since 2005. In the first round of the NJAC playoffs No. 3-seeded Rowan and No.6-seeded William Paterson played at Rowan for a chance to play at the College on Wednesday Oct. 4 in the semifinals. The Profs just edged the Pioneers 1-0, and will now meet the Lions on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. These two teams met only once earlier this season at Rowan University. The 1-1 tie after double overtime was the third straight game in which the College had tied an opponent after double overtime. Garrett Rasko-Martinis can be reached at rasko2@tcnj.edu.

Tom O’Dell / Photo Assistant

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

The women’s swimming and diving teams won both meets this past weekend.

Galicia has four points in his final season.

Cross Country

Men’s cross country speeds ahead to 16th straight NJAC win Women’s cross country claims 15th consecutive conference win By Brandon Gould Staff Writer The College’s cross country teams continued their dominance with the help of a few first-year runners Saturday at the New Jersey Athletic Conference

Photo courtesty of Sports Desk

Wallace finished second overall.

(NJAC) Championship held at Richard Stockton College. The men’s team finished first out of seven teams and secured its 16th consecutive NJAC championship. Meanwhile, the women’s team stayed on pace and finished first out of six teams. The victory brought the women’s streak to 15 straight NJAC championships. The Lions posted a score of 31 and secured half of the top 10 spots in the women’s NJAC championship race. The runner-up, Rowan University, finished with a score of 50. Michelle Wallace played a crucial role in bringing home another NJAC title for the Lions. The senior finished in 2nd place with a time of 24:06.15. The performance was a solid improvement from her 4th place finish as a junior in 2008. Sophomore Katie Nestor would be the next Lion to complete the race. Nestor came in 4th place with a time of 24:06.15. Seniors Kelly Cahill and Nicole Ullmeyer were not far behind, finishing 7th and 8th respectfully with times of 24:13.69 and 24:18.69. Rachel Morris was the fifth Lion to make it into the top 10. The freshman was impressive in her first NJAC championship race, finishing 10th with a time of 24:28.98.

Another freshman, Cathy Goncalves, strengthened the women’s performance even further by placing in the top 20. Goncalves finished in 19th place in her first NJAC championship race with a time of 25:27.97. “It was a great experience to have a freshman. This is a program with a great tradition, winning 15 straight championships and I’m really glad we could continue that,” said Goncalves. The men’s team fared just as well as the women’s team and saw four runners finish in the top 10 spots of the championship race. Junior TJ Bocchino lead the pack for the Lions and finished in 2nd place overall with a time of 26:37.61. Fellow junior Dennis Waite and freshman Max Sparshatt followed close behind finishing in 4th and 5th place with times of 27:03.60 and 27.04.41. Sparshatt was another freshman runner who was impressive in his first NJAC championship race. “It was pretty exciting and I’m happy to help the team win,” said Sparshatt. “We try to keep pace with each other to get better and we learn from each other.” Sophomore Kevin Schikilling also cracked the top 10 with a 9th place finish at a time of 27:25.22. Senior Brandon Rodkewitz’s run

Photo courtesty of the Sports Desk

Captain Bocchino led the Lions. continued the Lions strong outing. Rodkewitz finished the race in 15th place with a time of 27:54.28. The Lions will look to continue their hot streak next week in the ECAC Championships hosted at Williams College on Nov. 7th.

page 22 The Signal November 4, 2009

Signal elections will be held on Sunday, Nov. 29! If you are interested in a position on the editorial board of the award-winning student newspaper, please send us a letter of intent telling us your name, grade, qualiďŹ cations and reasons for interest. Letters should be sent to olivier6@tcnj.edu by Nov. 20 at 5:00 p.m. Elections will start at 4:00 p.m. Be prepared to answer questions from the editorial board. The following positions are up for election: Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor News Editor Features Editor Arts & Entertainment Editor Sports Editor Opinions Editor Nation & World Editor Production Manager Copy Editors Advertising Manager ClassiďŹ eds Manager Business Manager Web Editors For more information on any of these positions, e-mail signal@tcnj.edu.

November 5, 2009 The Signal page 23 Women’s Soccer

Postseason begins / College two wins away from NJAC title

continued from page 28

we only had a couple night games on our schedule this year, we always get excited to play under the lights,” Clarke said. “Our team did a great job all around because we came out aggressive in all positions. Games like that are great because everyone gets

the chance to create a scoring opportunity.” The College ends its dominant regular season at 15-2 overall, including a 7-2 record in-conference. They were undefeated at home (6-0). Despite all the accolades, accomplishments, and records, Russo knows there is still more work to be done.

“We really haven’t accomplished anything yet as far as I’m concerned,” Russo said. “We have an important game to win, and that’s what is getting our complete attention. Yes, we got the ﬁrst-round bye and second place ﬁnish in the conference, but our focus is now on the task at hand.”

By Steve Hofstetter, Keith Alberstadt, Ryan Murphy, and Chris Strait Philadelphia’s transit union has managed to avoid a strike during the middle of the World Series. Cole Hamels also had trouble throwing strikes. Bud Selig has promised to look into baseball’s use of instant replay, claiming he’s “not afraid of change.” Except for his haircut. Bobby Knight has declined an invitation to attend his induction into the Indiana University Hall of Fame. He became disinterested when he realized all seats for the event would be bolted down. Raiders coach Tom Cable was accused of abusing two women. Of course, the Raiders have been abusing their fans for years. And Redskins tight end Chris Cooley had three screws placed inside his tibia. Of course, everyone who watches the Redskins gets screwed.

AP Photo Tim Lee / Photo Editor

The Lions finished the season with an impressive 15-2 record, and a 6-0 home record.

For more of the Sports Minute (Or So), visit minuteorso.com

Field Hockey

College ﬁeld hockey ends year with two conference wins

Lions’ season may end without postseason trip “The upperclassman have the same expectations of us as they have for each other, and it’s striving to reach those The Lions bounced back from a expectations that has helped us adjust,” tough week of games to close out the freshman forward Jillian Nealon said. season with a strong showing, going The Lions now await their postseason 2-1 in a busy week of play. Cougars 3 fate, hoping for an at large On Tuesday they downed a Lions 4 bid to the NCAA tournatough Kean team 4-3 to soment on Sunday. Making a lidify second place in the Roadrunners 0 strong case, the Lions were conference. Lions 3 able to stay with the sixthJust two days later on Seranked Red Dragons all the nior Night, the Lions sent Lions 1 way through regulation on their two seniors, forwards Red Dragons 2 Saturday. Jess Jones and Gabby Cafone, It wasn’t until there was out on a high note with a 3-0 pouncing 5:57 left in the second overtime that of the Roadrunners of Ramapo College. senior forward Liz DeWaters slipped The Lions closed out the week with a shot past the left side of sophomore a hard fought but disappointing 2-1 goalie Shannon Syciarz. loss to the undefeated Red Dragons of Despite Cortland holding a 36-8 shot SUNY Cortland. advantage, the record setting play of By Kristina Shemming Staff Writer

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

Kellyn Riley fights a Roadrunner to get to the ball.

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

Senior forward Jess Jones recovers the ball and dribbles downfield. Syciarz thwarted the Red Dragon attack. Syciarz had 22 saves in the loss, topping Charlotte Heenan’s mark dating back to 1985. “We responded well to our losses and the team was ready to come up with some wins. We played really well against Cortland, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough to secure the win,” Syciarz said. In a tough three-game week, the Lions showed resiliency on all fronts. In their win against the Cougars, an inspired effort from Cafone throughout the game helped keep the Lions composed under the pressure. “We played really well as a team by supporting each other all over the field and capitalizing on corners,” Nealon said. Knowing it could be one of the last

games of her career with the Lions, Cafone was an offensive prowess, weaving through the defense and winning balls in the midfield. Cafone scored two goals, one with just 33 seconds left in regulation. “It was important for us to feel like our hard work paid off and we didn’t want to lose. We went into the game with a refuse to lose attitude and it paid off,” Cafone said. The Lions are hoping to carry that same attitude into the postseason if they are given that chance on Sunday. In the meantime they are living by their hard working attitude as they continue to practice for the duration of the week. “We’ve played a lot of close games and competed with everyone, we just didn’t show it on the scoreboard which is frustrating,” Cafone said.

page 24 The Signal November 4, 2009

4 6

November 5, 2009 The Signal page 25

LIONS

AROUND THE

DORM 5 3

Bobby Olivier “The Ref”

Jason Cantor Correspondent

Michael O’Donnell Sports Writer

Brandon Gould Staff Writer

It’s time to separate the champions from the posers. In the ﬁrst round of the AtD playoffs, Managing Editor Bobby Olivier will quiz some of the best contestants AtD has to offer. Correspondent Jason Cantor and staff writers Michael O’Donnell and Brandon Gould will give their opinions on Vladimir Guerrero’s future, argue whether JaMarcus Russell is a bust, and if Sam Bradford made the right choice staying at the college level.

1. Angels outﬁelder and DH Vladimir Guerrero had a solid post season, but his future is uncertain. Should the Angels re-sign him? Why or why not?

AP Photo

JC: As much as Vladimir Guerrero has done for the Angels, it would not be a wise decision to re-sign him to the long-term deal he is currently seeking. When Guerrero joined the Angels in 2004 he was in his prime. He won the Most Valuable Player and had one of the most feared arms in Major League Baseball. But Guerrero has not aged well at all. In an injury-plagued season the free swinger put up an unimpressive 50 RBIs and .334 on base percentage compared to a career .386 OBP. Guerrero will be 36-years-old at the start of the 2010 season. It’s quite clear that Guerrero is fading fast. Guerrero is now a fulltime DH and his lack of plate discipline (only 19 walks in 383 at bats in 2009) means that he’s a poor fit for the small ball style the Angels like to play. MO: The Angels are better off not signing Guerrero. His numbers have steadily declined over the last four years, and a more fragile body plus his increase in age could be the reason for it. Guerrero had his lowest home run (15) and RBI (50) output since he played in only 90 games in 1997. He batted just .295 in 2009, which by Guerrero’s standards, is not so good. It was the worst batting average of his career in a full season. The former Montreal Expo is a far cry from who he used to be, and his body will not even allow his subpar 2009 numbers to be replicated. In addition, the Angels have much more important things to worry about than re-signing Guerrero. Chone Figgins is going to command a huge contract this offseason due to his career year, and L.A. knows it is a top priority to bring him back. He can be replaced, possibly in-house and for less money, and with other issues the team needs to address, Guerrero should be on the outside looking in. BG: Vladimir Guerrero had a solid postseason and it is no secret that the guy can hit. But Guerrero is 34-years-old and his best days are behind him. He only played in 100 games this season and 93 of those games were as a DH. His strong arm is no longer a factor of his game and his hitting is declining. I don’t see how the Angels can bring back Guerrero when they have more than enough outfielders who can still play the field or be a DH. Juan Rivera, Reggie Willits, and Gary Matthews can all step up into Guerrero’s

role and won’t cost the Angels nearly as much. Plus, the Angels can use all the money they can get if they want to retain their best pitcher, John Lackey, who is also a free agent. It is unfortunate, but I think it is time for Guerrero to move on to another team. BO: I agree with all of you that Guerrero is no longer worth a big contract, but I like Mike’s point that they will need to re-sign Figgins and may be able to replace Guerrero in-house – 3 points for Mike. Jason gets 2 for noting his lack of discipline as a bad fit for L.A. Brandon gets 1 for the vaguest argument of the three. 2. Oakland Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell is on the brink of being one of the biggest busts of the last decade. What does he need to do to turn it around before he starts making those dubious top 10 bust countdown shows? JC: JaMarcus Russell has looked terrible. He’s been downright awful and the biggest embarrassment to an embarrassingly bad franchise. That being said, it is way too early to call Russell a bust. Last year was Russell’s first complete season. He had a mediocre 77.1 quarterback rating. However, in Peyton Manning’s first complete season Manning had an even worse rating of 71.2. We also cannot forget it took Troy Aikman three years of starting before he turned his career around. While I do not think Russell will ever be in the same category as those guys, it shows that he still needs time before he’s truly labeled a bust. JaMarcus has the raw talent … the speed, arm, and poise to be a great NFL player. At this point he has not been able to put it all together, but with his terrible receiving core as well as a lack of veteran presence it is quite understandable. Last year we were spoiled by Matt Ryan or Joe Flacco. However, history shows that most first and second year quarterbacks struggle. Football is the one sport that someone can go from hall of famer to bust in a week and vice versa (Mark Sanchez and Alex Smith), which is why it is way too rash to label a 24-year-old Russell a bust. MO: You can’t judge JaMarcus Russell on his present situation. He’s in Oakland, and it’s a rarity to even have a good game if you play there. Russell has the luxury of being surrounded by nothing to help him on offense, and with a vote of confidence like that, how could anyone succeed? The former No. 1 pick does still have potential, he just needs a better environment to grow and thrive in. Even in the land of tyrant Al Davis, he’s shown flashes. He did have over 2,400 yards passing along with 13 touchdowns in an anemic Raider offense in 2007. He will never be able to truly grab the brass ring unless Davis decides to put actual talent around him, or trade him. Not that he’s doing it in 2009, but Russell can’t ever do it alone. BG: JaMarcus Russell is a victim of the Oakland Raiders’ front office. Al Davis clearly does not know what he is doing anymore and his bad decisions are making busts common in Oakland.

Russell’s 6’6” 260-pound frame may make him look like a dominant force, but he sure doesn’t play like one. After seven games this season, the former LSU Tiger has a mere 891 passing yards and only two touchdowns. Many experts questioned Russell’s ability when he came out in the 2007 NFL draft. He is never going to succeed in Oakland and I haven’t seen any evidence that a new environment would change his play. It is time to group Russell’s name with the likes of Joey Harrington, Akili Smith, Cade McNown, and Ryan Leaf. BO: You all said that it’s not JaMarcus Russell’s fault, but Jason threw out a great stat with the Peyton Manning passer rating – he gets the 3. Mike gets 2 for discussing Tim Brown. Brandon brings up the rear again, sorry rookie.

AP Photo

3. Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford will enter the NFL draft after his season-ending shoulder surgery. How high in the draft should he go, and was he foolish for not taking the money when he had the chance? JC: Sam Bradford had the right idea to go back and play his junior year. Bradford would have been an obvious 1st-rounder last year, but who knows how effective he would have been. Most successful NFL quarterbacks have more than two years of college football under their belts. It was in Bradford’s best interest to hang around another year. He may have missed out on a huge pay check, but the idea is to have a long and successful career, not just one big paycheck. Bradford might have missed out on a few dollars but I wouldn’t worry about him. He has the ability to be a top quarterback in the NFL for years to come. If Bradford declared for the draft last year he’d have had to compete with Matthew Stafford, Mark Sanchez, Josh Freeman, and Pat White. This year is certainly a weaker draft class for quarterbacks. Other ﬁrst projected ﬁrst round quarterbacks include Jake Locker, Jimmy Clausen, and Colt McCoy. None of these guys have really separated themselves from the rest of the pack. This is why I expect that as long as Bradford can show up strong at the combine he will be a top-15-pick. So far the Rams, Titans, Panthers, Browns, Redskins, Raiders and Bills have shown severe weakness at the quarterback position. Michael Crabtree

and Willis McGahee have proven that you do not even have to be healthy to get drafted in the first round. In Bradford’s case he has time to heal and show the scouts he is healthy. MO: Bradford will be a top-five pick in the draft, and although he should go a little lower than that, he has that aura around him that has NFL coaches and General Managers salivating. His skill set is of a very high and rare quality, and even with his impending surgery, scouts expect him to make a full recovery back to his pre-surgical level. Bradford and Colt McCoy were pegged as the next big thing to potentially hit the NFL, and if surgery goes according to plan, there’s no reason to say the Sooner quarterback won’t come back in top form. As for the money, he wasn’t foolish for not taking it last year by entering the draft, he just wanted to play another year of college ball. For whatever reason, he felt that staying at school was the best decision for him, and who knows what’s best for Bradford better than Bradford? Maybe he felt he wasn’t mentally prepared, or felt he had something else to prove. Regardless, Bradford wanted to go back to school, and his dedication to the game of football has him locked at a top-10 pick. He’s going to get his money anyway, there’s no doubt about it. BG: Sam Bradford has experienced the worstcase scenario of staying an extra year in college. Bradford’s decision to return to Oklahoma cannot be criticized too much, though, because if he hadn’t gotten injured the Sooners would be ranked in the top-three of the BCS. The Sooners have lost three games this season by a combined five points. With a healthy Bradford, the Sooners would be undefeated. However, I believe Bradford’s recent decision to end his career at Oklahoma and have surgery is a wise one. I still think Bradford will go in the top ten of the 2010 NFL draft and keeping that shoulder in top condition should be his number one priority. Quarterbacks usually go high in the draft and a lot of teams will be looking for new signal-callers in 2010, so luckily for Bradford his injury won’t hurt his stock. BO: Jason gets the win with his point that Bradford will go high in the draft due to a worse quarterback class coming up. Mike gets 2 for making good points but not backing them up. Brandon gets 1 for assuming the Sooners would be undefeated with Bradford.

AtD Playoffs No. 2 Brandon No. 5 Jason No. 7 O’Donnell No. 3 Neyman No. 4 O’Donnell No. 6 Garrett No. 1 Duncan No. 8 Bobby No. 9 Drew

Jason wins 8-7-3 Check back next week Check Issue 12

Championship begins for Issue 13

“Arguing the Phils are better than the Yanks is like trying to argue Kobe is better than Lebron, not even close” -Jason

AP Photo

page 26 The Signal November 4, 2009

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November 5, 2009 The Signal page 27

LIONS ROUNDUP Wrestling

Date 11/7/09 11/14/09 11/18/09 11/19/09 11/21/09 12/1/09 12/5/09 12/28/09 12/29/09 1/9/10 1/12/10 1/15/10 1/16/10 1/20/10 1/22/10 1/30/10 1/31/10 2/6/10 2/21/10 3/5/10 3/6/10

vs. @ vs. vs. @ @ @ @ @ @ vs. @ @ @ vs. @ @ @ vs. @ @

Date 10/23/09 10/31/09 11/1/09 11/7/09 11/13/09 12/4/09 12/5/09 12/6/09 1/16/10 1/23/10 1/24/10 1/30/10 2/19/10 2/20/10 2/21/10 3/17/10 3/18/10 3/19/10

Time/Result

Norwich University Fall Brawl at Ursinus Hunter College New York University Oneonta State Invitational King’s College York College Invitational Sunshine Open Sunshine Open North/South Dual Elizabethtown/York College Budd Whitehill Duals Budd Whitehill Duals Centenary College Wilkes College New England Duals Springfield College Oswego State Met. Conference Champs. NCAA Division III Champs. NCAA Division III Champs.

5:00 9:00 3:00 7:00 9:30 7:00 9:30 TBA TBA 9:00 1:00 9:00 9:00 7:00 7:30 Noon Noon Noon 9:30 TBA TBA

Football

Date 9/5/09 9/18/09 9/26/09 10/2/09 10/10/09 10/17/09 10/24/09 10/31/09 11/7/09 11/14/09

Opponent

vs. vs. vs. @ vs. @ vs. @ vs. @

p.m. a.m. p.m. p.m. a.m. p.m. a.m.

T.J. Bocchino

a.m. p.m. a.m. a.m. p.m. p.m.

Menʼs Cross Country Junior T.J. Bocchino led the Lions to the 16th consecutive New Jersey Athletic Conference championship on Saturday. Bocchino placed second overall, with a ﬁnishing time of 26:37.61. The Lions gained ﬁrst place with a total of 33 points.

a.m.

-Hilarey

Opponent

Time/Result

Buffalo State College FDU - Florham Morrisville St. College Kean University The College at Brockport William Paterson U. Montclair State University SUNY Cortland Western Conn. St. U. Rowan University

W 47-31 W 58-28 W 67-34 L 7-28 W 48-34 L 28-43 L 13-16 L 7-30 Noon 1 p.m.

@ vs. @ vs. vs. vs. vs. vs. @ @ @ vs. @ @ @ @ @ @

Montclair State University Ramapo College Stevens Institute of Tech. So. Connecticut State U. Franklin & Marshall Co. TCNJ Lions Invitational TCNJ Lions Invitational TCNJ Lions Invitational C.W. Post New York University William Paterson U. Rowan University Met. Conference Champs. Met. Conference Champs. Met. Conference Champs. NCAA Division III Champs. NCAA Division III Champs. NCAA Division III Champs.

This Week In Sports Nov. 7 vs. Western Connecticut State University, Noon

Menʼs Soccer

Nov. 4 vs. Rowan University, 7:30 p.m.

Womenʼs Soccer

Time/Result

W 151-86 W 188-61 W 150-112 2 p.m. 6 p.m. TBA TBA TBA 1 p.m. 1 p.m. 1 p.m. 2 p.m. 9:30 a.m 9:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m. TBA TBA TBA

Nov. 3 vs. William Paterson University, 7:30 p.m.

Swimming

Nov. 7 vs. Southern Connecticut State University, 2 p.m. Nov. 13 vs. Franklin & Marshall College, 6 p.m.

Wrestling

Nov. 7 vs. Norwich University, 5 p.m.

Cross Country

Nov. 7 @ ECAC Championships, 11 a.m.

Trivia Question

Answer to Last Week’s Trivia Question: 2002

The 2009 New York City Marathon took place on Nov. 1 with more than 42,000 runners from around the globe. Derartu Tulu, 37, of Ehtiopia took first in the women’s race with an overall time of 2:28:52. Meb Keflezighi, 34, of the United States placed first with a finishing time of 2:09:15. When was the last time an American won the New York City Marathon?

Wojtowicz, Sports Assistant

Football

Womenʼs Swimming Opponent

Lion of the Week

AP Photo

STAT OF THE WEEK

The Lions women’s cross country team collected its 15th consecutive New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) championship title at Richard Stockton College on Saturday. The Lions gained the top spot with a total of 31 points. Rowan University took second behind the Lions with a total of 50 points. The Lions will compete in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) championships at Williams College on Nov. 7.