The Signal January 27th by TCNJ Signal

‘Save the Music’

Why, Hello … Hellogoodbye fronted the Welcome Back concert. See Arts & Entertainment, page 15

tcnjsignal.net

Students and faculty voice anger over the cancellation of music ensembles. See News, page 2

The College of New Jersey Student Newspaper since 1885

January 27, 2010

No. 2.

Vol. CXXXII.

Tucker Max offers words of ‘wisdom’

By Bobby Olivier Editor-in-Chief

Moments before being introduced to the Kendall Hall main stage on Jan. 20, New York Times best-selling author and film producer Tucker Max turned to the nearby College Union Board (CUB) officials and said, “If you smell that … yeah, that was me.” Yes, Max more or less farted in the faces of the organization paying him $25,000 to speak to a sold-out auditorium. This instance of Max’s trademark vulgarity

“No one around says ‘go follow your dreams or take the path less traveled.’ My life does not exist for me to work at a shitty job I hate.” —Tucker Max and obscenity was not an exact microcosm of the performance to come, as Max delved into his experiences as a writer and how he came to sell more than one million copies of “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell.” As anticipated, however, a few fresh stories coupled with his general leases on life were more than off-color. The more popular of his new stories, set to appear in his new book, “Assholes Finish First,” detailed Max’s encounter with a diabetic New York City model who, after giving him fellatio in Granmercy Park, was discovered to

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

Tucker Max entertained with both his brand of obscene stories and serious advice on following dreams.

be, as Max described it, “trying to use my come to regulate her blood sugar.” Max also told a story of a night in Mexico, detailing his failed attempt to individually out-drink each of a group of six Midwestern sorority girls. Although known for his wild college tales, Max

discussed his life choices not as being humorous and disgusting, but as part of an underlying message relevant to the College student population. “Underneath the specifics of the stories, the book is about living the life that you want to live, not the life others push onto you,” he said. “It’s about being the person you want to be, not the person other people want you to be, and it’s about enjoying the time you have.” Max said he enjoyed writing as a child, and wrote a controversial column while attending the University of Chicago. He said he hated Duke University Law School and spent his time creating a Web site that would eventually contain much of his book’s content. He also described how reading “Fight Club” by Chuck Palahniuk changed his life, and said it is impossible to fully understand until “you have worked at a job you fucking hate, after school and you have nothing on the horizon.” For all of his bashing of law school and the corporate world, the College was not immune to Max’s sharp tongue. Early in his talk, Max addressed the controversy surrounding his presence at the College. “I heard there was a little controversy about me coming to campus,” Max said. “I heard that you guys voted twice for me to come here? And my biggest competition was Ace of fucking Cakes?”

HSA calls for aid to Haiti By Juliana Fidler News Assistant

Photo courtesy of the Alternative Break Club

Members of the Alternative Break Club (ABC) spent four days of their winter break in New Orleans.

Helping others is as easy as ‘ABC’ By Amanda Pini Staff Writer Instead of staying home and hanging out with friends, 40 students from the College’s Alternative Break Club (ABC) departed on Jan. 3 for a service trip to New Orleans. After Hurricane Katrina devastated the city four years ago, service trips such as the one set up by ABC have begun to rehabilitate the area. “It was eye-opening to see that New Orleans still needs help despite it not being in the national news,” Sunita Yadavalli, ABC’s treasurer and one of

see MAX page 14

the trip organizers, said. “Everyone was able to work on individual houses and learned much regarding construction.” The trip was not the first for the group as 26 students traveled to New Orleans during last year’s spring break, only six months after ABC was formed. According to a press release, a rise in interest from the College’s population allowed the group to schedule both winter and spring trips this year. ABC worked with the nationwide non-profit disaster relief group, Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, and see BREAK page 2

In an effort to aid victims of the recent earthquake in Haiti, the Haitian Students Association (HSA) is holding a drive for those affected by the devastation, which registered at 7.0 on the Richter scale. The National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) is co-sponsoring the drive. For the next two weeks, HSA will collect “everything from clothes to bottled water, medical supplies, over-thecounter medication and canned food,” said Natasha Celius, junior nursing major and chairperson of community service for HSA. The drop-off location is the Hausdoerffer Hall Office, which is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. to midnight. The items are being stored in Celius’ apartment, and the Salvation Army will bring a truck to pick up the donated supplies, she said. The drive started before the spring semester began. “At first … it was just that we didn’t know what to do in such a big situation,” Celius said. Publicity for the drive began on Facebook and continued with e-mail. “We sent an e-mail to all organizations under Student Activities,” Celius said. “We want it to be something that includes the entire campus.” The organizations received an additional e-mail inviting them to a

meeting, which occurred when students returned to school. Ninety-one students attended the meeting, according to Celius. Celius, a Bonner Scholar, is also working with the other Bonner Scholars and Director Pat Donohue to involve all of the students as well as the faculty on campus. HSA plans to continue its relief efforts following the drive. “The drive is just the beginning to raise thousands of dollars,” Celius said. “For me, it’s such a big tragedy that happened, and it’s easy to feel helpless in such a big situation, but we are surrounded by people who can donate.” The earthquake has personally affected members of HSA. “Some people are waiting to hear from their parents, aunts, uncles and cousins,” Celius said. Some students lost family members, and others heard that their families had lost their homes, she said. HSA is in its fifth year at the College. It was started because “there is a large population of Haitian students, and not too many people know much about Haiti,” Celius said. The organization hosts programs aimed at educating the College community about current events in Haiti. One such program is Global Awareness Week, which offers information about Haiti as well as other countries. HSA will host a candlelight vigil on Tuesday Feb. 2 at 8 p.m. between Brower Student Center and the Social Sciences Building for victims of the earthquake.

First loss in five Women’s basketball lose first in five games.

Study abroad made easier Students awarded Gilman International Scholarship.

Soloists boast tunes Musicians showcase solo talent in the Rat.

See page 24

See page 11

See page 14

INSIDE

Nation & World Editorials Opinions Features Arts & Entertainment Sports

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page 2 The Signal January 27, 2010

Break / Four days of relief

Theft and intoxication rule ﬁrst week of new semester By Alyssa Mease Production Manager

Courtesy of Katie Ward

Areas of New Orleans still suffering the effects of Hurricane Katrina were helped by the rebuilding efforts of the Alternative Break Club. continued from page 1 Project Homecoming, a non-profit group focused on rehabilitation in New Orleans. ABC members worked a total of four days in New Orleans. The result was over 1,280 hours spent towards relief efforts. “Every day we woke up around 6:30 a.m. in order to have breakfast at 7 a.m and leave for work by 8:15 a.m. Work ended around 4 or 4:30 p.m. and dinner was at 6 p.m.,” Yadavalli said. “This trip was

deﬁnitely the highlight within their winter break for all who went. The week was ﬁlled with so many amazing experiences.” However, she also said the week passed by too quickly. When asked about the spring break trip, Yadavalli said, “I feel we will have an even bigger turnout. Especially with such a large group that went over winter, everyone will be able to get word out there about the spring break trip.” Any questions about ABC or the spring break trip can be sent to abc@tcnj.edu.

Police train for emergencies ByArti Patel Copy Editor The College’s police force received special tactical and security training during winter break in order to prepare and plan for emergencies including gunmen roaming the campus and bomb threats against students. In addition to campus officers, the College invited law enforcement officials from the cities of Lawrenceville and Ewing Township and local parole officers to work with the Campus Police department and the Mercer County Sheriff’s office. Chief of Campus Police John Collins said the College’s goal was to prepare ofﬁcers in the event of a crisis. This included providing and encouraging new types of campus safety training, possibly including classroom activities, practical exercises, web-based training and simulations. “The goal for any tactical training is to make the ofﬁcers better prepared to respond in the event of a threat to our

community, both by improving their skills and providing them with a chance to train with our local partners who we would rely on in an emergency,” Collins said. According to Collins, during the past several years the department has engaged in different security exercises during semester break periods, in addition to outsourcing the tactical training of some officers to nearby police academies. The College has also provided law enforcement with “different types of active shooter training,” Collins said, and this month’s training was a “natural progression toward more realistic training.” Law enforcement personnel completed a successful drill Jan. 14, but campus police officers have no plans to repeat the drill now that the new semester has begun in an effort to leave special training outside the scope of daily College activities. However, officer training is currently an ongoing process at the College. “We are always looking for costeffective ways to improve our training and make the campus a safer place,” Collins said.

A textbook was stolen at around 2 p.m. on Dec. 12 from the basement of the New Library. At 4:20 p.m., Campus Police was called to the bookstore where the manager said the student was able to identify her book, which had been sold back, by markings she had previously made in it, reports said. At 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 21, two individuals were brought into Campus Police Headquarters where one received a warrant for receiving stolen property and the other received a warrant for theft by unlawful taking. … An individual discharged pellets from a Mossberg M590 Airsoft Pellet shotgun at around 11:30 p.m. on Monday Jan. 18 in Travers Hall. According to Campus Police, he was issued a complaint warrant for unlawful possession of weapons in an educational institution and was released. … A GPS was stolen from a car between 7 p.m. Tuesday Jan. 19 and 2 p.m. Thursday Jan. 21 on the second ﬂoor of Lot 9. The victim said she left her GPS in the glove box, reports said. … An intoxicated male was found passed out and unresponsive inside a stall of a menʼs bathroom at 3:12 a.m. on Tuesday Jan. 19 in Travers Hall. The victim was breathing but unable to be awakened and answer questions, according to reports. Ewing Township EMS arrived and the male was able to respond that he consumed between eight and nine beers but did not know where, Campus Police said. He was transferred to Capital Health Systems at Fuld for further evaluation and treatment. … An intoxicated female attempted to walk past a security desk, despite the command of the desk attendant to stop and show identiﬁcation at 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday Jan. 19 in Wolfe Hall. According to Campus Police, her speech was slurred, she was swaying back

and forth and was unable to walk in a straight line. She said she was driven to an off-campus party. Lions EMS requested Ewing Township EMS and the female was transported to Capital Health Systems at Fuld. … A wallet was stolen from a computer lab between 10 a.m. and 11:40 a.m. on Tuesday Jan. 19 in Forcina Hall. The victim said he left the room located on the first floor and went up to the second floor. When he returned, his wallet was gone and he was unable to locate it after searching the area, according to reports. … Two sinks were removed from the wall, one sink was loosened and plastic PVC drain piping was removed from a menʼs bathroom between 4 p.m. Tuesday Jan. 19 and 7:45 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 20 in Norsworthy Hall, according to Campus Police. There is no further information at this time. … An intoxicated female was found hugging the toilet with vomit in her hair at 12 a.m. Wednesday Jan. 20 in Cromwell Hall. She appeared semi-conscious and her speech was slurred, Campus Police said. Lions EMS arrived on the scene and requested Pennington Road EMS. The victim was transported to Capital Health Systems at Fuld for further evaluation and treatment. … An intoxicated female was found in a womenʼs bathroom at 1:35 a.m. on Wednesday Jan. 20 in Norsworthy Hall. Lions EMS assumed patient care. According to reports, the female said she drank an unknown amount of alcohol at an off-campus party. … A wallet was stolen between 9 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. on Wednesday Jan. 20 in Kendall Hall. According to reports, the victim said she put her wallet in her jacket pocket while she watched Tucker Max and when she went to retrieve it, it was gone. She searched Kendall Hall to no avail. The wallet and its contents are valued at $102, Campus Police said.

Students and faculty call out to ‘save the music’ By Katie Brenzel News Editor Calls to “Save TCNJ Music” surround the recent cancellation of several classes in the music department. In response to the uproar of opposition from both students and faculty members, music department chair Gary Fienberg and the new dean of Arts and Communication, John Laughton, held a discussion forum in the Mildred and Ernest E. Mayo Concert Hall last Wednesday Jan. 20. According to Fienberg, the primary impetus for the change in classes offered this semester is insufﬁcient enrollment. The Lyric Theatre and Collegium were cancelled, however, in an effort “to facilitate an evaluation of how they may be improved and to further strengthen the curriculum” Fienberg said in an email. Though both Fienberg and Laughton stressed the changes arenʼt strictly budgetary, Laughton said that changes were part of an effort to “curtail how weʼre allocating resources” and restructure the curriculum. Small ensembles, including the Collegium Musicum, Lyric Theatre, Clarinet choir, Flute Choir and horn ensemble, as well as yoga for musicians were canceled this semester, ﬂooding campus with mixed reactions of outrage and confusion. Associate music professor Roger McKinney, also the director of the Clarinet Choir, voiced his anger over the lack of com-

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

The music department held a forum to discuss the cancellation of certain classes. munication to the faculty regarding the planned changes to the curriculum, as well as his fear for the future of the department. “Weʼre being laughed at by our sister colleges because our enrollment is down,” he said. “Iʼm cheated. Nobody told me about this. We have a right to know. Iʼm ashamed of what has happened.” According to Fienberg, these cancellations are not permanent and also reﬂect Laughtonʼs introduction to the school and

the Collegeʼs pending reaccreditation with the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), which “requires the faculty and administration to identify strengths and weaknesses and to formulate a plan to address them,” Fienberg said. Fienberg also identiﬁed the Collegeʼs chamber program as a weakness that necessitates revision. Students, such as senior music education major Jessica Esrig, didnʼt discover the cancellations until two weeks prior to the beginning of this semester when they no longer were registered for the canceled classes. According to Esrig, she is still currently considered a part-time student on PAWS due to the lack of notiﬁcation. “The fact that the faculty had no involvement ahead of time makes me feel worried as a student,” Esrig said. In order to address the delay in communication, Laughton suggested forming a student advisory committee consisting of two students from each department to advocate for students on future issues in a forum more substantial than Facebook pages such as “Save TCNJ Music!” Many students, however, left the forum without feeling that the issue had been resolved. “As a performance major, small ensembles are our lifeblood,” Ian Highcock, junior music performance major, said. “Iʼm concerned about the future of the performance major.” Katie Brenzel can be reached at brenzel2@tcnj.edu.

January 27, 2010 The Signal page 3

page 4 The Signal January 27, 2010

Nation & World

Urgent need for tent cities for Haitian refugees PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — The collapse of much of Haitiʼs capital has a large part of the nation struggling just to find a place to sleep. As many as one million people — one person in nine across the entire country — need to find new shelter, the United Nations estimates, and there are too few tents, let alone safe buildings, to put them in. That leaves about 700,000 other people living on the streets around Porrt-au-Prince under whatever they can salvage. In the case of Jean Anthonyʼs family, thatʼs a blue plastic tarpaulin for a ceiling and a faded pink sheet with a floral print border for two walls. “Iʼm not sure what youʼd call it, but itʼs much more than terrible,” said Anthony, the 60-year-old owner of a collapsed restaurant. Thousands of people were camped around him Monday across from the collapsed National Palace, amid piles of trash and the stench of human waste. “We live like dogs,” said Espiegle Amilcar, an unemployed 34-year-old who has been staying under a sheet of plastic nearby. Disturbances erupted near the camp later in the day when Uruguayan U.N. peacekeepers fired pepper spray to try to disperse thousands of people jostling for food aid. Some people ran, but undeterred young men in the crowd surged forward to grab bags emblazoned with U.S. flags that were filled with pinto beans and rice. It was not immediately clear if anyone was hurt. Aid organizations say they are collecting tents, but few so far are in evidence. And the International Organization for Migration, an intergovernmental agency, says it could take experts weeks to search out suitable sites for enough tent cities to hold earthquake refugees. Vincent Houver, the Geneva-based agencyʼs chief of mission in Haiti, said Sunday that the agencyʼs warehouse in

Port-au-Prince holds 10,000 family-size tents, but he estimates 100,000 are needed. The organization has appealed for $30 million to pay for tents and other aid needs and has received two-thirds of that so far, he said. The fortunate few to get a formal tent so far include Fenela Jacob, though the 39year old has to share the 13-by-13-foot (4by-4 meter) space with four other mothers and 16 children at a camp run by Britishbased Islamic Relief Worldwide. The land was donated by a Catholic church. “Weʼve got a lot more space; itʼs a lot more comfortable” than the bed sheets and sticks people were living in earlier, Jacob said. The tents are so coveted, Jacob said, that she was forced to give up a second tent the charity had offered for her large group because other people threatened to burn both down if she didnʼt give one up. Haitiʼs government wants many of the homeless to leave the capital city of two million people, to look for better shelter with relatives or others elsewhere. Officials estimate that about 235,000 have taken advantage of its offer of free transport to leave the city, and many others left on their own, some even walking. That may have far-reaching effects, shifting the places where aid and reconstruction must be focused, Prime Minister Jean-Max Bellerive told senior foreign officials in Canada on Monday. “The distribution of people (and) their needs have changed,” he said. “We have to reassess the whole country,” in terms of job creation and requirements for housing. An estimated 50,000 to 100,000 people have returned to the region around the coastal city of Gonaives in northern Haiti, a city abandoned by many after two devastating floods in six years. More than 150,000 quake victims have been buried by the government, an official said Sunday, but she said that doesnʼt count

AP Photo

A man stands among tents made of bedsheets, tarps and sticks in a makeshift refugee camp in Port-au-Prince on Monday. As many as one million people need to find new shelter, the United Nations estimates. the bodies still in wrecked buildings, buried or burned by relatives or dead in outlying quake areas. “Nobody knows how many bodies are buried in the rubble,” said Communications Minister Marie-Laurence Jocelyn Lassegue said. Asked about the total number of victims, she said, “200,000? 300,000? Who knows the overall death toll?” An estimate of 200,000 dead was reported last week by the European Commission, citing Haitian government sources. As of Monday, the United Nations was reporting at least 112,250 confirmed deaths, based on recovered bodies. The final toll will clearly place the Haiti earthquake among the deadliest natural catastrophes of recent times. That list includes the 1970 Bangladesh cyclone,

believed to have killed 300,000 people; the 1974 northeast China earthquake, which killed at least 242,000 people, and the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, with 226,000 dead. Attending to the living, meanwhile, is an army of international aid workers who have reached 500,000 people with help at least once, the U.N. reported Sunday. But as many as 2 million people are in need. Key ofﬁcials from around the world met Monday in Montreal to discuss ways to coordinate relief efforts in Haiti. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was among those attending. The worldʼs nations have pledged some $1 billion in emergency aid to Haiti. Organizers of Friday nightʼs “Hope for Haiti Now” international telethon reported the event raised $57 million.

Obama plans to help middle class News Bits WASHINGTON (AP) — Declaring Americaʼs middle class is “under assault,” President Barack Obama unveiled plans Monday to help hurting families pay their bills, save for retirement and care for their kids and aging parents. His comments previewed Wednesdayʼs State of the Union address to Congress. The White House has promised a sharper focus on jobs and the economy as the dust settles from the punishing loss of the late Edward M. Kennedyʼs Senate seat in Massachusetts. Republicans won the seat for the ﬁrst time in decades and took away Democratsʼ 60-vote majority in the Senate, which Obamaʼs party had needed to bypass Republicansʼ tactics to stall legislation. Democrats are trying to regroup to head off more populist anger and stem more losses of congressional seats in November elections. Obamaʼs poll numbers are also off — primarily because of the slow economic recovery and double-digit unemployment. A majority of Americans also have turned against health care reform, the presidentʼs signature legislative effort now in jeopardy. Obamaʼs proposals will not create jobs, but he said they could “re-establish some of the security that has slipped away.” His remarks aimed to lift the dour U.S. mood and show he is in touch with the daily struggles of millions of Americans as resentment runs high about lost jobs and the economy. The initiatives amount to a package of tax credits, spending expansions and new mandates on employers to encourage retirement savings by workers. Most of them will be included in Obamaʼs budget for the ﬁscal year starting Oct. 1, and they will require approval from Congress. Obama will release that budget Feb. 1. The presidentʼs latest rollout of ideas served as a preview of his prime-time State of the Union address. The economic elements of that speech will also cover Obamaʼs plans to boost job creation and reduce swelling

The ﬁve college football conferences that donʼt get automatic bids to the Bowl Championship Series will receive a record $24 million from this yearʼs bowl games, according to BCS ﬁgures obtained Monday Jan. 25, by The Associated Press. Suspected Kashmir separatists detonated a series of bombs in Indiaʼs troubled northeast on Monday. AP Photo

President Barack Obama announces economic initiatives for struggling middle class families. budget deﬁcits — areas of concern to the public. Among the presidentʼs ideas: — Nearly doubling the tax credit that families making under $85,000 can receive for child care costs, with some help for families earning up to $115,000, too. — Capping the size of periodic federal college loan repayments at 10 percent of borrowersʼ discretionary income to make payments more affordable. — Spending more than $100 million to help people care for their elderly parents and get support for themselves as well. The White House maintained that its imperative still is to create jobs. Unemployment remains in double digits, and the economy is the publicʼs top concern. Yet Obama said that squeezed families need help in other ways, too: paying for child care, helping out aging parents, saving for retirement, paying off college debt.

Suicide bombers struck in quick succession on Monday at three Baghdad hotels favored by Western journalists, killing at least 37 people and wounding more than 100. Radiohead raised more than $500,000 for Haiti earthquake relief at a special concert on Sunday Jan. 24. Online bids for tickets ranged from $475 to $2000. A Picasso painting damaged when a woman lost her balance and fell on the canvas last week will be repaired in time for an exhibition of the artistʼs works in April, the Metropolitan Museum of Art said Monday. Information from AP exchange

January 27, 2010 The Signal page 5

Editorial

If we all donate, we can make a difference

As College students, we hold a few truths to be self-evident — class will always be at 8:30 a.m., no matter what status our age may superficially afford us, campus food will never taste quite the way it smells, but it will always taste the way it looks, AP Photo sleep really is the best medicine and Cop Shop is The 7.0 level earthquake that rocked Haiti has caused an overwhelming emotional response slightly sad but a whole lot of fun to read. And, of from all corners of the world, including the College. course, the No. 1 thing most College students have in common — we’re broke. Gas prices are outlandish, Wendy’s is a Greek siren singing her songs of double bacon cheeseburgers and meal plans charge us for thousands of After all the hype, did Tucker Max live up to the love and hate? points we’re never going to use. I don’t even want to think about my College “Show us your dick!” • He was funnier in person! loans. — the members But while we may become self-possessed with • I feel like he didn’t bring anything I haven’t already seen, but it was still enjoyable. all of our personal debt, there are certain times this of Hellogoodbye • Oh man, that was last week? College community must come together, whether shouting at strangers it be protesting controversial speakers, electing • He is an awful human being. on chatroulette.com our first black president or supporting a country in cast your vote @ dire need of our help. tcnjsignal.net “Underneath the While many Americans feel that the outpouring specifics of the of support to Haiti is long overdue — and I agree Last Week’s Results: — we can’t let this blind us to the fact that the Haistories, the book is What do you think of MTV’s “Jersey Shore”? tians need us right now, political posturing aside. about living the life There are so many ways to donate to this cause, that you want to live, 54% I could care less about what those idiots want to do. whether you go the simple route of texting HAITI 25% I hate it. It gives New Jersey and her beautiful shore not the life others to ‘90999,’ going to either hopeforhaiti.com or red- a bad name. push onto you. It’s cross.org to make a donation or finding other orga- 14% I think it’s the best show on television. about being the nizations to contribute your money, time or effort. 7% It has nice beaches, but what does MTV have to person you want to The College’s Haitian Student Association is spon- do with it? soring a drive collecting anything you can think be, not the person of that will help the Haitian people like clothes, other people want bottled water, medical supplies, over-the-counter you to be, and it’s medication and canned food (the drop-off location about enjoying the tcnjsignal.net is the office of Hausdoerffer Hall), too. time you have.” We can actually make a difference. There are Telephone: Mailing Address: Production Rm - (609) 771-2424 The Signal approximately 5,600 undergraduates attending the Business Office - (609) 771-2499 c/o Brower Student Center — Tucker Max on The College of New Jersey College. If we each donate a dollar, that’s $5,600. Fax: (609) 771-3433 P.O. Box 7718 E-mail: signal@tcnj.edu his novel, “I Hope If we each donate five dollars, that’s $28,000. And Ewing, NJ 08628-0718 They Serve Beer in if every undergraduate donates $10? Editorial Offices Donna Shaw $56,000. Hell” Advisor Bobby Olivier Lauren Gurry And since our student to teacher ratio is 13:1, Editor-in-Chief Jillian Polak our approximately 430 faculty members can only Caroline Russomanno Arti Patel “Some people are Managing Editor Copy Editors add to that already impressive number. waiting to hear Brianna Gunter Brandon Gould We can all cough up $10 to help a country in Katie Brenzel Sports Assistant from their parents, News Editors Todd Petty need. We could actually make a difference.

The Weekly Poll:

-Caroline Russomanno

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.

Garrett Rasko-Martinis Sports Editor Jeffrey Roman Features Editor Matt Huston Arts & Entertainment Editor Hilarey Wojtowicz Opinions Editor Alyssa Mease Production Manager Tim Lee Photo Editor Kelli Plasket Senior Web Editor Cameron Prince Esteban Martinez Web Editors Laura Herzog Nation & World Editor Megan DeMarco Senior Editor

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Quotes of the Week

aunts, uncles and cousins … There is a large population of Haitian students, and not too many people know much about Haiti. ”

— Natasha Celius, chairperson of coummunity service for the HSA

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January 27, 2010 The Signal page 7

Opinions The Signal says ... Stop: fighting with your friends, doodling in class, complaining, eating unhealthy food, skipping the gym, tripping on the stairs. Caution: community service hours, quiet hours, interviews, homework, dirty dishes, bad singers, busy schedules, roommates, bad hair days, early mornings, unoriginal pick-up lines. Go: get a job, help a friend, donate money, wash your laundry, cut your hair, shopping, join a club, to T-Dubs, pull an all nighter in the library.

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.

Help Haiti and other nations in need

The earthquake that struck Haiti on Tuesday Jan. 12 was completely devastating to the Haitian people. An estimated 111,000 lost their lives in the quake which was Katherine Widmer measured to have a magnitude of 7.0 — such strong earthquakes are only seen about 20 times a year as apposed to smaller, 2.5 magnitude earthquakes seen 900,000 a year. A world-wide effort has been launched to provide Haitian citizens with financial support. The United States government, along with many other nations, has donated both time and money to the cause. Celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, John Mayer and George Clooney have each donated a large part of their fortune to Haiti relief funds. To inspire more people to donate, Clooney hosted a “Hope for Haiti Now” concert on Friday Jan. 22, where stars such as Beyonce, Madonna, Christina Aguilera and Bruce Springsteen performed. Their performances can be bought on iTunes for 99 cents each and all proceeds go to Haiti. Though it is heartwarming to see such care given to others during a time of need, it brings about the thought — why just now? Haiti has been in economic trouble for years. According to hopeforhaiti.com, 80 percent of Haitians fall below the poverty line. One of their main problems is simply having clean water to drink. Haiti is not the only country struggling with poverty. Ethiopia,

Signal Spotlight

AP Photo

The citizens of Haiti suffered an earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 on Jan. 12, causing an estimated 111,000 deaths. Niger, Liberia, Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, North Korea and Nepal are just some of the countries that could use our help. Though it is unrealistic to suggest that wealthy Americans donate a large portion of their income to every country in need, just a small donation can truly make a difference. According to The Tap Project, an organization formed in 2007 dedicated to giving poor countries their most basic necessity, one dollar can buy a child clean water for 40 days. Whether you give one or one million dollars, your help is always appreciated.

To donate to The Tap Project, go to www.tapproject.org/donate. To donate directly to Haiti, go to www.hopeforhaiti. com. You can also send $10 to the American Red Cross by texting HAITI to ʻ90999.ʼ For information on how to help as a member of the College community, join the Facebook group “TCNJ Here for Haiti.” Sources: www.cnn.com, www.tapproject. org, www.hopeforhaiti.com, www.boston. com, www.geo.mtu.edu

What do you think students can do in order to help the citizens of Haiti?

“Donating money through “Find a legitimate texting.” organization.”

“Donate your spring break to helping Haiti.”

“Educate themselves. Knowledge is power.”

—Dan Goodman, sophomore interactive multimedia major

—Jillian Shaw, junior communication studies major

—Valisha Desir, senior political science major

—Gab Avitabile, junior communication studies major

Tired of writing papers already? Well, take a break by writing for Opinions! wojtowi3@tcnj.edu

Hilarey Wojtowicz / Opinions Editor

page 8 The Signal January 27, 2010

January 27, 2010 The Signal page 9

Real pirates hold hostages for ransom

The world has a pirate problem, and this time it has nothing to do with Black Beard, Jack Sparrow, or Orlando Bloom. This maritime threat is real and is creating a lot of buzz on the worldʼs stage. Daniel Pazos These pirates, known for their ruthlessness and connections to terrorist organizations, have kidnapped Paul and Rachel Chandler. The New York Times conﬁrmed the two were in the hands of Somali pirates, on Oct. 27, through a source identifying him as Farah Abdi. The Somali Pirates do not discriminate by nation, hijacking and attacking boats from the United States as well. On Nov. 30, The New York Times reported the pirates had hijacked and stolen an oil tanker loaded with $20 million in crude oil that was headed from Saudi Arabia to the United States. In late October of this year, two retired citizens in their late-50s were sailing off the coast of Tanzania when Somali pirates hijacked their ship. The couple, known sailors, decided to sail around that area although aware of the dangers of piracy. More than a month has passed since the day the Chandlers were kidnapped, and according to the BBC, the pirates have demanded $7 million over a phone call. The British government responded to the ransom through the British Foreign and Commonwealth Ofﬁce by stating “The government will not make substantive concessions for hostage takers, including the payments of ransom.” Their 38-foot yacht, Lynn Rival, was later found abandoned in the international waters. The Somali pirates are known for using small boats to capture these massive

ships, containing cargo or potential hostages. The pirates brandish high-powered assault riﬂes, most likely funded by terrorist organizations, as The New York Times reports that most of the pirates are poor ﬁshermen. Recently, BBCʼs channel 4 has received a video featuring the Chandlers held at gunpoint by their captors. Mr. Chandler is concerned in the video, stating that if the British government does not do something fast they will “sleepwalk to a tragic ending.” Mrs. Chandler pleads with the government saying “we ask the government and the people of Britain and our family, to do whatever they can to enter into negotiations with these people to buy back our lives.” The BBC reports that the Somali pirates have never killed any of the hostages they have taken, but they may be in talks to sell the couple to a terrorist group, AlShabaab. The problem facing the British government is a large one due to the fact that innocent lives are on the line. The family of the Chandlers misses them deeply and “urges their release.” In a situation like this a government is tested and pushed to limits not usually seen in everyday happenings. The United States took a similar stance in 2006, claiming to “not negotiate with terrorists.” If the British government does not act soon, they will have the chance to “not negotiate with terrorists” just as the United States had. On the one hand, the British government is attempting to be strong-willed in its refusal to pay the cash ransom for the Chandlers. But in the recently released video, Mr. Chandler states that the pirates will not hesitate to kill him and his wife if their demands are not met within a week. The Somali piratesʼ ransom strategy has worked for them prior to this occasion. In

The American dream to the ‘Max’

Nytimes.com

Somali pirates used small boats to hijack ships and to kidnap innocent people in exchange for money. early November, the Spanish government paid $3.3 million for the freedom of 36 hostages taken from a Spanish trawler on Oct. 2. Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero responded to the cash payment by stating, “The government did what it had to do.” Zapatero believed, “the important thing is that the sailors will be back with us. The ﬁrst obligation of a country, of the government of a state, is to save the lives of its countrymen.” This statement by Zapatero does not suggest that the British governmentʼs ﬁrst obligation is not the lives of their countrymen, but it seems that if they do not act fast, the lives of two will be lost. If the demands of the pirates are not met, there is a chance the pirates will kill the hostages. The real question here is: what is a

Letters

By Laura Herzog Nation and World Editor

“Go and Follow Your Dreams,” said Tucker Max. I donʼt know what Tucker Max thinks is a dream, but he clearly isnʼt much of an authority on the subject when it isnʼt preceded by the word “wet.” Whether or not Americans want to acknowledge this in a time of reality television stars and get-rich-quick schemes, I say the quality of the dream still matters. Letʼs not forget the great man, Martin Luther King Jr., whose birthday—and whose Dream—we were meant to be celebrating only days ago. Iʼve frankly lost any and all respect I ever had for Tucker Max as a decent storyteller after hearing him speak. I took offense to his opening line about understanding “why the guys are here, but not the women.” If heʼs sexist, all the men I am friends with who were there also were equally “guilty.” But if there is one statement that infuriated me more than any other it was when Tucker Max said that the people he “hates” most are religious conservatives and extreme liberals, the protesters — people, he said, who were exactly the same because they both are trying “to restrict you, tell you what to do.” Letʼs consider this a moment, please. Does anyone remember the “freedom of speech” debate that raged through campus to get Max here? Tucker Max, one man I might have thought would truly understand the value of such a right — and whose livelihood depends on controversy and social opposition — seems the most igno-

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

Tucker Max has generated much debate at the College over the months because of his opinions.

rant of its virtue. You can speak your mind — as long as you agree with him. If Tucker Max had half the courage that the protesters did, I would be amazed. The “courage” it takes to live a self-serving, hedonistic life does not impress me. The courage it takes to be a good guy — ﬁnishing last time and time again, does. I heard some people snickering at the protesters and questioning what they “thought what they were doing was accomplishing” — but that doesnʼt matter, because what they were doing was as admirable as it gets. The thing is, they knew the show would go on — my friends in the protesting crowd even waved and laughed at the situation as I apologized and walked inside. They did not hate the people who were going

government to do? A hostage situation is one of the most difﬁcult a nation has to deal with. Sometimes, governments can be stubborn in dealing with these types of atrocities and the lives of innocent people can be lost over money and diplomatic negotiations. Either way this situation is one where the lives of innocent people are in jeopardy, and their governments have a chance to save their lives. Whether or not they do so, is up to them. According to the International Maritime Bureau, in the past two months, 38 ships have been attacked and 10 hijacked. The world must look quickly to do something about this increasing threat in our international waters. Sources: www.nytimes.com, www.foxnews. com, www.dailyﬁnance.com

for going, because they knew that nothing would change their minds and that they did not necessarily believe in what Max was about. But they were standing there to start a dialogue — to get us thinking about “sexism” and discussing whether or not Tucker Max is a pig. For some people the answer was no, but at least the discussion and thought-process occurred. Sometimes protest is not about getting demands met, itʼs about the sheer act of protest. And there is nothing I can think of that is more honorable and more ideally American, than that. So in some ways, perhaps, Tucker Max serves his purpose in spurring his part of the dialogue, for bringing out a latently hedonistic, shallow, cynical, insecure and sexist part in all of us — men and women alike — and forcing us to acknowledge that it isnʼt pretty but it exists. However, that doesnʼt make Tucker Max a hero. It makes him a pig that got so fat off eating everything he wanted, just for himself, that he managed to stumble out of the dirt and win a ribbon at the county fair. But unlike Wilbur, heʼs not worth saving. Heʼll make the American family a truly mean pork roast. Some pig. So, in conclusion, Iʼm glad I went to his talk, if only so that I could go see him, hear him, process what he said and — not spit it out like a sheep — but throw it up. Because I thought it over, and guess what? I realize that it was all bullshit. Iʼm all Tuckered out. Note: The views of the individual staff members do not represent those of The Signal.

How do you feel about the events going on around campus? Let your opinions be heard! Tim Lee / Photo Editor

wojtowi3@tcnj.edu

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

page 10 The Signal January 27, 2010

5x8

January 27, 2010 The Signal page 11

Features

Scholarship winners bid farewell to College, study abroad By Jeffrey Roman Features Editor Visiting a foreign country, studying abroad and experiencing culture firsthand may seem like an obstacle to may students, but to Angy Plata, junior psychology major, it was about “making memories that will last a lifetime.” Plata, along with Carolina Chica, a sophomore communication studies and women and gender studies (WGS) major, won the Gilman International Scholarship this year, which is awarded every semester and aids in reducing the financial obstacles involved with studying abroad. Jon Stauff, director of International and Off-Campus Programs, acknowledged the great value in the Gilman International Scholarship Program. “[The Gilman Scholarship] is an opportunity for students already receiving a Pell Grant to receive up to $5,000 in additional aid to participate in an approved study abroad program,” he said. To apply, applicants need high academic merit, they must already be collecting a Pell Grant (a federal program that provides need-based grants to low-income undergraduate students) and have a plan to share their experiences abroad with their students, friends and communities. “These two young women completed an extensive application online and developed a plan to spread the word about their study abroad experiences,” Stauff said. Chica, who will be studying at the American University in Cairo, knew she wanted to study abroad, but recognized that finances would be the biggest challenge. “Where there is a will, there is a way,” Chica said. “One of the many reasons why people choose to not study abroad is because of their financial situation. I believe that things such as money should never be an excuse to not experience different cultures.”

Chica chose the American University in Cairo because of her WGS major. “I will be taking WGS courses while abroad that include gender, power and the Islamic state,” Chica said. “I will study how government affects women, especially in Egypt and the Middle East.” Plata is currently in Costa Rica living with a host family. She balances life with her “new” family along with classes she is attempting at Veritas University. “I love my host family,” Plata said. “They are the most accommodating, supportive, loving family.” Adapting to life in Costa Rica surprisingly has not been difficult. “I feel like Iʼm home when Iʼm here,” Plata explained. “I donʼt feel like Iʼm in a strangerʼs house where I canʼt touch or use anything.” For Plata, figuring out how to study abroad and be a psychology major was somewhat of a challenge, but through careful planning she managed to dedicate the fall semester to her major and her studying abroad experience to fulfilling liberal learning requirements. “The university I attend is an art, design and architecture school so all of their courses are geared towards those subjects,” Plata said. “I am fulfilling all five of the liberal learning and civic requirements. And at the same time, I feel like you donʼt need a psychology class to learn about psychology. By interacting with so many different people youʼll learn about cultural differences which are always beneficial.” Benjamin Rifkin, dean of the school of culture and society, said, “Love it or hate it, all the study abroad veterans with whom Iʼve worked come back saying that they have been transformed by the experience. Thatʼs why we call study abroad a transformative experience.” Stauff explains, “If more Pell Grant recipients considered applying for the Gilman scholarship, they too may find them-

Photo courtesy of Angy Plata

Angy Plata is currently in Costa Rica, living with a host family, attending classes and exploring the country.

selves on a plane next semester heading to their study abroad destination.” For Chica, looking around and asking the right questions were what got her to ﬁnally study abroad. “Students need to do research and ask places such as the International and Off-Campus Programs ofﬁce for advice on how to go about selecting and applying to schools,” she said. “As far as jitters go, they will always be there. But if hundreds of students have been through the experience, why canʼt you?” Both students are currently maintaining blogs documenting their experiences abroad. For links to Plata and Chicaʼs blogs, go to tcnjsignal.net.

Strategies to overcome Tips to achieve your resolutions breakups while at College By Andrea Thyrring Staff Writer

By Lauren Gurry Copy Editor

Breakups are tough. Everyone goes through them, and we all know how painful it is when it happens. No matter how calm you can be, there is still a deﬁnite process everyone goes through after a breakup. Everyone handles the situation differently, but there are some general rules. Donʼt sit alone in your room. Everyone faces a wallowing period of several days, but after that, itʼs not healthy to sit in your room crying and eating chocolate all day. Most people have one friend who will turn the lights on, force you to shower and bring you out. Even though you donʼt want to move, itʼs for your own good to be active. Donʼt try to be best friends with your ex. When you break up, it dramatically changes the face of a relationship, and by acting normal, it only makes things more complicated. If you continue talking to them on a daily basis, you will be sending and receiving mixed messages. Be civil when you see them. If you and your ex both attend the College, thereʼs a high chance youʼll run into them in your dormitory, across campus and at off-campus parties. Youʼll both feel awkward saying “hi” in passing and having a “normal” conversation, but youʼll probably feel even more awkward if you ignore

one another. Hang out with your friends. More than anything, friends are what will get you through a breakup. They are the people who will let you cry on their shoulder and vent in anger. Your friends will understand how you feel, and itʼs important to go out with them – even if itʼs just to Eickhoff Hall. Donʼt think random hookups will make you feel better. In college, a common mistake is to get wasted and hook up with people after a breakup. Often times this will only make you feel worse. Think about it. Alcohol is a natural depressant, so your negative feelings may become heightened, and youʼll be physically engaged with someone who isnʼt your ex. Donʼt jump into a new relationship. Many people are serial monogamists and feel uncomfortable when theyʼre not in a relationship, but itʼs not healthy to jump from one relationship to the next. Your wounds wonʼt be healed from your previous relationship, and you may probably still have feelings for your ex. Donʼt change who you are. Just because you and your ex couldnʼt work things out, that doesnʼt mean thereʼs anything wrong with you. Regardless of how you feel after a break-up, realize that itʼs not the end of the world. Your life will continue and sooner or later you will ﬁnd someone else who makes you happy. If you have ideas you would like to share, please send them to gurry2@tcnj.edu.

Pushed to the side by the end of January, many New Yearʼs resolutions are doomed from the start. The reason is simple — they are made in response to something negative. For instance, many women (and an increasing number of men) ﬁnd themselves displeased with their physical appearance. But rather than embrace a positive life change, the majority turn to strict resolutions in attempts to change their body. According to Vic Johnson of the Web site SelfGrowth.com, a 1998 survey sponsored by Gardenburger found that more than threefourths of all women between the ages of 25 and 54 made diet and weight-loss plans each year. Nearly nine of 10 respondents reported only occasional or no success, while almost half lost little or actually gained weight instead. This backslide is not an uncommon result, whether it is in weight loss or in other resolutions. Why? It is difﬁcult to begin a positive life change from pessimistic views on appearance, health or academic ability. “It is always easier to move toward some-

Andrea Thyrring / Staff Writer

Yoga is an easy resolution that will have you feeling great.

thing rather than away from something,” Jackson said. So how can you avoid falling into old habits and increase your chances of improving your lifestyle? It is simple — take on a positive attitude. Rather than focusing on your imperfections, think about improving your lifestyle. Fill your thoughts with positive images of a healthier you. Like Johnson said, moving toward this positive image is much easier than pushing away negative thoughts. Creating more realistic goals will also help you in the long run. If you want to get in shape, do not set the bar too high. Instead, set minigoals to help you celebrate your success along the way. Rather than saying you will run a sixminute mile, aim to cut a minute off of your initial start-of-the-semester time. When you reach that goal, celebrate your achievement, and then set a new objective to aim for. Having a plan to implement these goals will also enable you to reach success. Following a system like Couch to 5K (coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml), a beginnerʼs schedule for getting new runners get off the touch and onto the roads, or planning your meals will take the guesswork out of your resolutions. And most importantly, make sure you enjoy what you are doing. If you hate running, donʼt sign yourself up for a marathon. If you know you enjoy tennis, ﬁnd a buddy and set up a schedule to play in the recreation center. If you are simply interested in trying out a new type of workout, consider signing up at the TraversWolfe Fitness Center and sampling the classes. In any case, attitude is everything when it comes to carrying out New Yearʼs resolutions. Forget the negative thoughts of the past, and instead focus on creating a new healthy you. Come next January, youʼll be happy you did. For story ideas, thyrrin2@tcnj.edu.

e-mail

Andrea

page 12 The Signal January 27, 2010

the

Calendar LONDON Study Abroad at the TCNJ Center in London

•

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27th 2:00-3:00 PM in Social Science Building 103

HOW TO stand IN THE OUT

MED-SCHOOL ADMISSIONS PROCESS

Representative from FIE (Foundation for International Education: London), Erika H. Richards, will visit TCNJ to speak to students about opportunities to study abroad through TCNJ in London.

LIFE IS SHORT. Writers and Performers from the Emmy Award winning ‘30 Rock,’ ‘Bored to Death,’ ‘Late Night w/Conan O’Brien,’ and the UCB Theatre come together to play for your entertainment in this Star-Studded, Long-Form Improvised Show.

WED, JAN 27th time: 5:30 PM-7:00 PM where: TCNJ Library Auditorium Room 7

SUNDAY, JAN. 30th NEW YORK CITY 5:30 PM-9:00PM

Students will hear experiences from TCNJ alum, Eli Levin, a D.O./Ph.D candidate, and UMDNJ School of Osteopathic Medicine representative, Ms. Paula Watkins. Students will learn how to STAND OUT in the Med School application/admission process

Tickets on sale at BSC Box Of�ce 1/25 $10

Sunday

TU B’SHEVAT SEDAR

Time: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM, Norsworthy Main Lounge, celebrate Tu B’shevat with a delicious assortment of fruits, nuts, and bread. We will do a small seder, eat plenty of interesting foods, and hang out with friends. Sponsor: Hillel/Jewish Student Union

Monday

TCNJ MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. PENN STATE- BRANDYWINE Time: 7:00 PM, Packer Hall, Free with TCNJ ID

Tuesday

CUB MOVIES

Brower Student Center Food Court Movie Time Pirate Radio 8:00 PM Law Abiding Citizen 10:00 PM Sponsor: College Union Board

ANΩ FRATERNITY, INC. PRESENTS: PRAYER SUNDAYS

TCNJ FACULTY RECITAL ~ MARK MOLITERNO, BARITONE

Time: 2:00 PM, Mildred and Ernest E. Mayo Concert Hall, Music Building Sponsor: Department of Music

ANΩ FRATERNITY, INC. PRESENTS: PRAYER SUNDAYS

Time: 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM, Brower Student Center 201A Sponsor: NU Chapter of ANΩ Fraternity, Inc.

STUDY ABROAD AT CENTER IN LONDON

Time: 2:00 PM – 3:00 P Building 103, Students experience ﬁrsthand Lo interdisciplinary coursew internships, service lear opportunities. Sponsor: Ofﬁce of Inter Programs and Foundati Education: London

Time: 5:00 PM, New Yor PM, show is at 8:00 PM, Admission: $45 Sponsor: College Union

“HOW TO STAND OU MED-SCHOOL ADMI

Time: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM Auditorium Room 7 Sponsor: Career Servic Science

TCNJ WOMEN’S BA RICHARD STOCKTO

Time: 6:00 PM, Packer H

TCNJ MEN’S BASKE RICHARD STOCKTO

Time: 8:00 PM, Packer H

WEDNESDAY AFTER SERIES

Time: 12:30 PM – 1:30 E. Mayo Concert Hall, M recital featuring TCNJ M Sponsor: Department o

WOMEN IN SCIENCE SUMMER (& SEMES

Time: 12:30 PM – 1:30 Lounge, Six TCNJ wom exhibit photos and talk a in Hawaii, Kenya, Florid Sponsor: School of Scie

Time: 9:00 PM – 10:00 PM, Brower Student Center 201A Sponsor: NU Chapter of ANΩ Fraternity, Inc.

Wed

JERSEY BOYS: THE FRANKIE VALLI & T BROADWAY BUS TR

when:

LETS HAVE A BALL! UPRIGHT CITIZENS BRIGADE

8 FLYERS/DEVILS BUS TRIP

Time: 5:30 PM, Wachovia Center, leave TCNJ at 5:30 PM (meet at Stud at 5:15 PM); game starts at 7:00 PM; back to TCNJ around 10:45 PM, Tickets go on sale January 28th. Admission: $27 Sponsor: College Union Board

9 CHRIS HEDGES - EMPIRE OF ILLUSION Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM, TCNJ Library Auditorium Sponsor: History Department

CUB MOVIES

Brower Student Center Food Court Movie Time The Men Who Stare at Goats 8:00 PM Precious 10:00 PM Sponsor: College Union Board

Snow

January 27, 2010 The Signal page 13

January//February

dnesday

T THE TCNJ STUDY N

PM, Social Sciences have the opportunity to ondon society through work as well as tailored rning and research

rnational & Off-Campus ion for International

Thursday

POLITICS FORUM: ANNE HISKES “THE POLITICS AND RHETORIC OF HUMAN EMBRYONIC STEM CELL RESEARCH” Time: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM, Social Science 223, Forum with Anne Hiskes (American Council on Education Fellow; University of Connecticut) Sponsor: Political Science Department

Friday

DR. MARTINOVIC TALK: NATURAL LANGUAGE UNDERSTANDING AND GENERATION”

Time: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM, Science Complex Physics 101 Sponsor: School of Science

FRIDAY NIGHT SHABBAT SERVICE

Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Spiritual Center Sponsor: Hillel/Jewish Student Union

APPETIZERS AT APPLEBEES WITH HILLEL

E STORY OF THE FOUR SEASONS RIP

Time: 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM, Meet @ Spiritual Center, After Shabbat services, come to Applebees for appetizers with us! Sponsor: Hillel/Jewish Student Union

rk City, Meet @ Stud 5:00 return around 12:00 AM.

n Board

BROWER LATENIGHT- BINGO

UT IN THE ISSIONS PROCESS”

Time: 9:00 PM – 12:00 AM, Brower Student Food Court Sponsor: Student Finance Board

M, TCNJ Library

ces & the School of

Saturday

TCNJ MEN’S AND WOMEN’S SWIMMING AND DIVING VS. ROWAN UNIVERSITY

Time: 2:00 PM, TCNJ Aquatic Center, Free with TCNJ ID UPRIGHT CITIZENS BRIGADE– LET’S HAVE A BALL! Time: 5:30 PM, New York CIty, leave TCNJ @ 5:30 PM; the show is from 7:30 PM until around 9:00 PM. Tickets on sale in the BSC Box Ofﬁce Monday, January 25th, Admission: $10 Sponsor: College Union Board

CUB MOVIES

Travers/Wolfe Main Lounge Movie Where the Wild Things Are Zombieland Sponsor: College Union Board

Time 8:00 PM 10:00 PM

ASKETBALL VS. ON COLLEGE

Hall, Free with TCNJ ID

ETBALL VS. ON COLLEGE

Hall, Free with TCNJ ID

RNOON RECITAL

5 FRIDAY NIGHT SHABBAT SERVICE

NO EVENTS

Time: 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM, Spiritual Center Sponsor: Hillel/Jewish Student Union

PM, Mildred and Ernest Music Building, Informal Music Majors of Music

BROWER LATENIGHT- LASER TAG

Time: 9:00 PM – 12:00 AM, Brower Student Food Court Sponsor: Student Finance Board

E - AMAZING STER) EXPERIENCES

PM, Biology Building men science students will about their experiences da, Australia and Texas ence

*Spend the night in a hotel

Time: 8:00 AM, Overnight bus trip! Snow Tubing, Dinner, and Snowball Concert all for one great price! Tickets on sale in the BSC Box Ofﬁce on Thursday, January 21st, Admission: $70, Meet @ STUD Sponsor: Hillel/Jewish Student Union

TCNJ MEN’S BASKETBALL VS. VALLEY FORGE COLLEGE Time: 1:00 PM, Packer Hall, Free with TCNJ ID

$72

HOW DO I GET MY EVENT IN THE CALENDAR?

Travers/Wolfe Main Lounge Movie Law Abiding Citizen Pirate Radio Sponsor: College Union Board

FEB. 6th-7th overnight bus trip!

*Snowtubing *Dinner *Snowball Concert

SNOWBALL WEEKEND 2010

CUB MOVIES

wball Weekend 2010 Tickets on sale in the BSC Box Ofﬁce Thursday, Jan. 21st

Time 8:00 PM 10:00 PM

- The Campus Events Calendar includes art exhibitions, concerts, cultural events, lectures, music and theater events and much more. - Any member may submit an event to the calendar by visiting https://jedi.tcnj.edu/webteam/webcal/wc.html - Please note that each program should have an intended audience of 100 people or more and must be open to the majority of the campus and/or the external community. - Due to space limitations, all decisions regarding which programs to include will be made by the Ofﬁce of Student Activities.

page 14 The Signal January 27, 2010

Arts & Entertainment

Hellogoodbye gets Kendall crowd ‘shimmying’ By Bobby Olivier Editor-in-Chief

Huddled around their laptop and centered on vocalist Forrest Klein, Hellogoodbye took part in an unusual pre-show ritual, continuing to shout a particular phrase over and over at their webcam. “Show us your dick!” they yelled jokingly at unsuspecting users of the chatroulette.com Web site, as the power-poppers linked up with poor soul after poor soul who was instructed to disrobe for the band. Needless to say, Hellogoodbye’s kooky demeanor was both hilarious and disconcerting as a first impression, but it quickly became clear that it was all in good fun, much like the band’s spunky music. The band would later discuss this pastime, as well as its affinity for “The Jersey Shore,” on the Kendall Hall main stage in between upbeat tunes and ukulele/mandolin-based ballads. Modeling themselves after Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, the members explained that their new names, determined and administered backstage, would be “The Scenario,” “The Context,” “The Reason,” “The Consequence,” and “The

Christian,” to the laughter of the audience. In spite of its onstage antics, the band’s hour-long set brought the Kendall crowd through a combination of Hellogoodbye staples such as “Shimmy Shimmy Quarter Turn,” “Oh, It is Love,” and “Touchdown Turnaround,” as well as a handful of new tracks set to appear on a new album, which is expected to drop sometime in the summer, according to Klein and keyboardist Joe Marra. In addition to new music, Hellogoodbye recently covered and recorded several tracks including songs by The Beatles, as well as “early ’90s emo and mid’80s punk” tunes, downloadable for free at hellogoodbye.net/ covers. “We are currently in a legal battle with our record company so in the meantime we were recording some covers since we couldn’t put out our own music,” Klein said. Much like every band that plays Kendall Hall, the band commented on the awkward presence of the auditorium seating and its lack of availability for movement. “It’s like the Oscars!” Klein remarked during the set. Marra also commented on the

venue before the show. “The difference with the college shows from other shows is that there will be like, 500 people like normal, but they’re in a room that hold like 20,000, like a basketball court, and there’s seating too. But (Kendall Hall) is like, average sized for us,” Marra said. Hellogoodbye closed its set with what is likely its most popular track, “Here (In Your Arms),” to the roar of a crowd singing along to the catchy melody. “I know this story is getting written after the show, so I’m just saying this now,” Klein said before the show. “I hope it went well and everybody liked it.” Hellogoodbye will begin a nationwide tour, including stops in Sayreville and Atlantic City, with New Found Glory and Saves the Day beginning Jan. 29. New Jersey native and former The Early November vocalist Ace Enders opened for Hellogoodbye with a far more mellow approach. Grouped with his current project, I Can Make a Mess Like Nobody’s Business, Enders was joined on stage by a keyboardist and lighttapping drummer who were not entirely necessary during Enders’ minimalist set. Enders’ vocals

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

California power-poppers Hellogoodbye supplemented well-known favorites like “Shimmy Shimmy Quarter Turn” with new tracks, set to be released this summer. were undoubtedly powerful and clear, but the drawn-out style of his songs did not exactly fit with the upbeat flow of the night and students were visibly restless by the end of his set. Former College Rathskeller performers Jet Lag Gemini opened the night with an underappreciated, upbeat set. Just as

with the Ace Enders performance, students stayed in their seats, texting and whispering to friends while the JLG guitarist hopped up on boxes placed at the front of the stage for each song’s textbook and somewhat forced solo. Bobby Olivier can be reached at olivier6@tcnj.edu.

Student soloists kick off Rat season Max / ‘Everything I do By Garrett Rasko-Martinis Sports Editor

Sophomore history and education major Brian Gross was the third performer to take the stage at the Rathskeller on Jan. 22 for the College Union Board’s Student Soloist Night. As he strummed along to the chords of Neil Young’s classic acoustic ballad “Heart of Gold” and nailed the Neil Young-trademark harmonica solo, Gross demonstrated his talent as a musician and performer. Gross had the strongest performance of the evening, as he performed a variety of covers that showcased his guitar prowess and depth of musical interests. His Neil Young cover showcased his recently developed love for the music of singer-songwriters like David Gray and Young. Gross also displayed a love for blues-inspired acts with his cover of John Mayer’s “I’m Gonna Find Another You.” “A guitarist most of the time will appreciate the blues,” Gross said. “They understand the showmanship and what it’s about. But I think that guys like (Eric) Clapton and Mayer have made it a little more contemporary so more people can enjoy it.” Senior mechanical engineering major and regular Rat performer Dave Ginsberg turned in another solid performance with a set list full of covers of more well-known contemporary songs. The crowd responded particularly well to Vertical Horizon’s “Everything You Want” and Acceptance’s “So Contagious.” “It was my first show of the semester and I’m pretty much playing as many shows as I can,” Ginsberg said. “It was a good show and the audience definitely responded well to some of the songs.” Sophomore communications studies major Jake Ehrlich opened up the concert with a set list comprised entirely of originals. Ehrlich started his set by explaining a concept album he had recently written, which he went on to perform in its entirety. The songs told the story of a narrator who falls in love with a girl

following an emotional separation from his past girlfriend. “The story is based off of real-life events, just slightly exaggerated,” Ehrlich said. “I just finished writing it so it was a good chance to play it live. I’ve just started writing songs recently, and for me it’s the equivalent of keeping a diary.” Junior graphic design major Colleen Napolitano closed out the event performing under the stage name, “White Star City.” Her set list consisted of roughly half original compositions and half covers. She ended her set and the event with a particularly strong cover of Johnny Cash’s famous “Ring of fire.” “Elliot Smith has to be one of my top influences,” Napolitano said. “In my songwriting I’m always trying to blend real life experience with an aspect of fantasy. It was a good time — I always have fun playing here. Garrett Rasko-Martinis can be reached at rasko2@tcnj.edu.

Abby Hocking / Photo Assistant

Sophomore Jake Ehrlich opened Friday night’s student performances.

is to impress women’ continued from page 1

Max went on to say, “I don’t understand why everyone thinks I hate women. Everything I do is to impress women. If I didn’t care whether or not women liked me, I wouldn’t leave my fucking house. I’d just play video games, watch sports and jack off.” Max also began the night by discussing New Jersey’s newest obsession and regrettable drunken tattoo, “The Jersey Shore.” “Did people not know that Jersey is full of fucking guidos?” Max asked to a roar of applause. Following his talk, students from the audience participated in a questionand-answer session, asking questions regarding Max’s sex life among many other topics. When asked if he had any sexually transmitted diseases, Max credited condoms to a clean bill of health, as he had been screened and deemed uninfected recently. Max also noted that to his knowledge he has no illegitimate children, but did “pay for a lot of abortions.” The College’s controversy over him speaking came up again during this period, and when asked what he thought about being portrayed as promoting a “culture of rape,” Max said, “You are not going to force me to answer for a crime I have never been accused of …what protestors do is control the discussion of male and female relations. Fuck those people.” Before Max’s performance, several protestors gathered in front of Kendall, holding handmade signs opposing Max’s views. Dave Chapman, a freshman

history major, held a sign reading, “’Fat girls are not real people.’ Way to promote anorexia.” “He’s just no good,” Chapman said. “I think his sense of humor is sick and it is just unfathomable how he objectifies women and makes light of serious, serious issues that for decades we have tried to overcome and conquer that he just treats as nothing.” According to CUB director Raquel Fleig, Max’s performance was a success despite the surrounding controversy. “Overall, we were extremely pleased with the event. The show sold out completely in less than two days, and it seemed that all of those in attendance were big fans of Tucker Max or at least had a genuine interest on what he had to say,” Fleig said. “We appreciated that everyone was respectful while he was speaking and the night ran smoothly from start to finish. Tucker’s lecture was mostly focused on his career and offered a few of his racier stories from his upcoming book, which the crowd seemed to respond well to.” Underneath all of his cursing and other vulgarities, Max’s message was that, simply, people should be able to do what they want, not what they are told to do. “I sat in the same seats, drank the same beer, fucked the same girls and passed out in the same fields as you guys … No one around says go follow your dreams or the path less traveled. My life does not exist for me to work at a shitty job I hate.” He may have a point. Bobby Olivier can be reached at olivier6@ tcnj.edu.

January 27, 2010 The Signal page 15

Edgy musicians put noise on record By Jeffrey Roman Features Editor Hearing an alarm go off in a building or the quiet gurgle of a washing machine operating might seem like annoying clatter to most people. But to others, it is an element of life that can be replicated, reproduced and used for artistic, musical and selfexpressive reasons. This is known as noise. Noise is the genre of music, based in avant-garde beginnings, that incorporates non-traditional instruments, distortion, metal objects, fuzz, machine sounds and so on to create a wall of feedback and harsh frequencies, often for differing reasons, based on the artist creating the work. Avant-garde composers like LaMonte Young, an American minimalist composer, and bands such as Sonic Youth and Merzbow, the prolific Japanese noise musician responsible for over 200 releases, are seen as the forefathers of noise music, and help to showcase how the genre can differ. LaMonte Young focused on minimal drone, the dissonance created from piano and other instruments, which led to finding new ways to compose music. Sonic Youth, a rock band, wrote songs that were accompanied by noise that came from the feedback and distortion on their stringed instruments. Merzbow, who is also interested in pornography, S&M and animal rights, creates harsh noise using laptops, self-made instruments, found objects like metal, pedals and tape loops. In an interview published in EsoTerra Magazine, a journal that focuses on extreme culture, Merzbow, whose real name is Masami Akita, explained his reasoning behind noise. “Sometimes, I would like to kill the much too noisy Japanese

by my own noise. The effects of Japanese culture are too much noise everywhere. I want to make silence by my noise.” For Dominick Fernow, who’s project Prurient is as angry as it is beautiful, incorporating distorted vocals with high-pitched frequencies, noise is the true sense of individuality. In an interview with The Village Voice, he explains, “Noise is the real punk. It’s not about the haircut. It’s not about politics. It’s not about an agenda. It’s personal. That’s the key for me. And that’s an intimacy.” Noise walks a fine line between music and art. While the “music” is in all actuality repetitive frequencies, drones and screamed vocals all covered in a thick layer of distortion and fuzz, it can be performed live. And audiences do turn out to see it. Brooklyn’s No Fun Fest, an annual three-day event, helps to showcase some of the bigger acts in noise today. From harsh noise to psychedelic, to minimal drone (a genre based on low frequencies and repetition), the festival helps to give a broad view of the different styles that currently exist in noise. Today’s modern noise culture relies heavily on the outdated and underground to exist. It’s a counter-culture unlike anything happening in music. Random distributors throughout the world release noise on cassettes, a format that has seen its rise and fall, and many Web sites have started up with the purpose of helping to sort through the many artists and releases that pop up each year. Regardless of what people might think, noise will continue due to the imagination and creativity it provides. The College last semester held an art Illustration by Rachel Razza exhibition titled “Distortions: Contemporary Media Art from Mexico,” where an ice record was played until it melted away, creating distortion and noise for the viewers. The idea of noise plays a role in music and art and it is up to the individual artist to decide what that noise means to him or her. So the next time you hear a plate crash in Eickhoff or your iTunes player freezes on a certain part of a song and the track becomes spastic, don’t write it off. You’re experiencing something extraordinary.

Thinkers put Radiohead under the lens By Matt Huston Arts & Entertainment Editor

It’s not the first book to comb Radiohead’s intellect, and it certainly won’t be the last. But “Radiohead and Philosophy,” a 2009 installation to the 52-title Pop Culture and Philosophy books series, may bring the greatest number of perspectives to the table. In this collection of essays, which aligns Radiohead’s music with various theories about violence, technology, the environment, the absurd and the postmodern, a team of enthusiastic contributors shows that there is no limit to the interpretation of great songs. Philosophy, of course, can be treacherous ground. The worst parts of these essays crowd our thoughts with varyingly opaque musings. In dry spots, the writers lose themselves in flurries of musical citations that may or may not have anything to do with Nietzsche or Camus. Even worse, they tend to overappropriate Radiohead lyrics in the form of needless puns and section titles. Yet the best of these essays overshadows all of that. Every piece has something to offer and a handful make their points with exceeding clarity and narrative power. Mark Greif’s multifaceted essay, “Radiohead, or the Philosophy of Pop,” stands out as the most widely insightful. Working independently of any particular school of thought, Greif examines such varied aspects of Thom Yorke’s songwriting as his curious usage of collective pronouns (“we” and “they”) and

the schizophrenic way he plays the voices of calm reassurance and overpowering violence against one another. Ideas are poking every which way here, but the writer patches them together well. Greif comes to the conclusion that by reinforcing certain forms of inarticulate knowledge, pop music prepares its listeners to engage in a sort of “defiance,” allowing them to retain a private voice in an encroaching society. A page later, though, the writer destabilizes this idea by acknowledging that pop songs can just as easily deliver “false” feelings, and makes the case that Radiohead knows this all too well. Some of the shorter essays employ a diversity of colorful angles to grab the reader’s attention just as effectively. “New Shades” uses an extended metaphor to contrast Radiohead’s aesthetic focus on the formless and unseen with the existentialism of Pink Floyd and the escapism of The Beatles. “The Impossible Utopias in ‘Hail to the Thief’” suggests that Radiohead’s ability to conjure up sonic dystopias may be the first step towards reviving our shattered dream of a perfect world. The best-titled writing, “The Mutilation of Voice in ‘Kid A’ (Or, My John Mayer Problem),” balances philosophical insight with the casual draw of a musical memoir. Manhattan College

professor Adam Koehler argues that Radiohead’s infamous immersion into electronics on 2000’s “Kid A” unnerves listeners by making them conscious of technology that they would rather ignore. To underscore its effectiveness, he foils the title track against John Mayer’s lessunnerving acoustic cover. In spite of the density that seems to follow philosophy everywhere it goes, “Radiohead and Philosophy” is full of imagination and makes it easy for readers to pick and choose. All fans are welcome: the environmentalist interested in Radiohead’s activism, the anticapitalist enticed by the band’s 2007 “pay what you want” record sale, and the sexpert who’s certain that “In Rainbows” is a lesson in the rules of seduction. With all of these different perspectives, it follows that the authors risk ascribing as many different meanings to the same set of lyrics. But for those who agree that the beauty of art lies in its freedom of implication, a cross-section of theories isn’t going to stifle the discussion. The multitude of ideas in “Radiohead and Philosophy” is guaranteed to get fans thinking about Radiohead’s music in ways they had never thought to — some will learn to appreciate it more than they’d thought possible.

Dream-poppers hypnotize, VW beats soph slump Beach House “Teen Dream”

By Melissa Virzi WTSR Assistant Music Director “Teen Dream,” the third release from Baltimore’s Beach House, is one to be talked about, be it from blogs or hipster friends who think they know more when it comes to cool new music. Making the leap from indie label Carpark to Sub Pop, Victoria LeGrand and Alex Scally make slightly dark, hypnotic music that’s impossible to turn away from. Lush, atmospheric and delicate pianos from Scally seamlessly lend themselves to the sometimesquiet but often-soaring vocals from LeGrand. Fans of Grizzly Bear might recognize LeGrand’s vocals from her guest appearance on their hit single “Two Weeks,” from their latest album, “Veckatimest.” The single “Norway” demonstrates Scally’s dextrous and intricate piano work while LeGrand’s alto vocals provide their standard gorgeous and haunting aura to the song. The always-under-the-radar buzz band of 2009, Beach House is looking like the next indie band to “blow up” in 2010. Included with their physical CD is a DVD with videos for every song, including a bonus one, each by different directors, just to add that crazy-cool Beach House touch. Key Tracks: “Norway,” “Used to Be,” “Zebra” Vampire Weekend “Contra”

By Chris Payne WTSR Music Director Following the unlikely success of their 2007 debut, Vampire Weekend found themselves in a difficult situation. The haters who had been calling them out from the start for their privileged backgrounds and pilfering of African music were eager to watch the band fall into the dreaded sophomore slump on its second album. Unfortunately for them, “Contra” works on everything that made the band so appealing in the first place without coming across as tired or repetitive. “Contra” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Charts, becoming only the 12th independently released album to do so since Nielsen Soundscan began in 1991. Despite the band’s current media saturation, the new record is more musically experimental than its predecessor. Sure, the chirpy guitars, piping keyboards and Ivy League lyrics are still there (singer Ezra Koenig rhymes “horchata” with “balaclava” on the album’s opening song) but the songs reveal an expanded musical ambition within the quartet. “White Sky” finds Koenig using his voice to create a sort of squawking vocal hook and “Cousins” employs breakneck guitars and drums to create an absolutely frenetic lead single. The success of “Contra” not only affirms Vampire Weekend’s musical prowess but means they’ll never have to worry about flavor of the week or one-hit wonder status ever again. Koenig and the kids are here to stay. Key Tracks: “White Sky” and “Cousins”

page 16 The Signal January 27, 2010

Villa Rosa Pizzeria & Restaurant Located less than 2 miles from campus on Scotch Road! We offer 10% off to TCNJ students. *Must show college I.D.

Pizza, subs, wings, pasta, chicken & veal entrees and more! We can cater any event!

5x8

January 27, 2010 The Signal page 17 Women’s Basketball

Swimming and Diving

Rebound / Lions have

Swimmers blow past the Pioneers

win streak snapped continued from page 24 19 points. Imhof built on her strong performance earlier in the week versus Kean by adding another double-digit scoring effort with 15 points against Red Hawks — nine of those coming from the foul line. Junior forward Kelsey Kutch also had a strong impact in the game by providing 15 points of her own from the floor. The biggest effort, however, may have come from the Lions defense. Coach Henderson couldn’t have asked much more of her defense in the first half. The Lions held the Red Hawks to 7-of-25 from the field and forced 10 turnovers to take a 22-16 lead into the locker room. “We always play pretty good defense,” Henderson said. “We make defense a priority and this effort was not anything less than I’d normally expect.” The Red Hawks did not lie down in the second half though. Junior forward Kisandra Ayanbeku and senior forward Catherine Cristino showed the Lions why the Red Hawks came into the game leading the conference in field goal percentage. Ayanbeku finished with 14 points and a gamehigh 12 rebounds, while Cristino put up 14 points, eight rebounds, and three blocked shots. Their efforts were not enough though as Tait hit a clutch three-pointer with 4:30 left in the game. From there the Lions kept a lock on their lead by draining shot after shot from the foul line. The victory puts the Lions at 11-8 overall on the season and 4-3 in the NJAC. The Lions continue their conference schedule on Jan. 27 when they play host to Richard Stockton College.

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

The Lions now sit at 11-8 on the season.

Lions lead NJAC with one meet remaining

By Karissa Hearn Staff Writer

Last weekend both the men and women’s swimming and diving teams proved why they both hold the No. 1 spot in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC). Both teams picked up wins over New York University (NYU) and William Paterson University over the weekend, pushing both teams to 8-1 records. “We have been training at an incredibly intense level and the guys have really had to put their hearts and souls into everything we do,” men’s head coach Brian Bishop said. This was the women’s team’s first win over NYU in the past four years “We went in with confidence and it showed in our races,” senior captain Christina Falcone said. The women won the meet 161-137. Winning three individual events and swimming in the 400-yard freestyle relay, junior Margaret Molloy helped lead her team to victory. Freshman Kayleigh Shangle also won four total events on two indiTim Lee / Photo Editor vidual events and two relays. The swimmers line up and prepare to start the race. The women went on to beat William Paterson University 203-78 on that makes our team cohesive and in the 200-freestyle and the 500Sunday Jan. 24. The Lions placed ﬁrst unique.” freestyle. He was also a crucial part in every event. With help from freshThe men’s team did more dam- of the 200-yard relay. man Kristyn Wikoff, who won both age against NYU, winning 179-101. In the diving competition, sophothe 1000-yard freestyle Right away they set the more TJ Burns placed second in both Lions (Men) 179 and the 200-yard inditone, winning the first the three-meter event and one-meter Bobcats 101 vidual medley, the ladies five individual races. event. ended the weekend with Senior James VanAgainst William Paterson Univer159.5 Biervliet won a pair of sity, junior Joe Tseng, who won both an 8-1 record. As for the Lions (Men) 116.5 individual backstroke the 100- and 200-backstroke races, diving, junior Amanda Pioneers Obst placed ﬁrst in both events and swam the was one of the key players. The Lithe one-meter and three- Lions (Women) 161 back in the medley re- ons won 157.5 -116.5. meter events. “We are going to continue work137 lay winner. Junior Tom Bobcats “I’d attribute our Medvecky placed first ing hard with sights set on winning team’s success to the Lions (Women) 203 in the 200-yard but- the NJAC Conference Championhard work each one of Pioneers 78 terfly, 1000-yard free- ship, the METRO Championship and us put in day after day,” style and 100-yard but- finishing in the top 10 at the NCAA Falcone said. “It also helps that our terfly. Senior Myles O’Connor won Championships,” Bishop said. team has great chemistry with each two breaststroke races and was part Both teams will face Rowan Uniother. Each one of the girls brings of a winning medley relay. Sopho- versity at home next Saturday at 2 something different to the table more Mike Vernoia also placed first p.m. in the regular season finale.

Dominant / Lions remain ﬁerce competitors on the mats Wrestling

continued from page 24

as DiColo pinned Meagher and Matt Regan defeated junior David Kiley. But Brian Broderick’s pin in 6:50 gave the Lions enough momentum to take the last four weight classes and win the meet. “I’m proud of my brother, even if I don’t tell him often,” Ed Broderick said. “He’s become a great asset to our team and I know he’ll accomplish what he wants as far as wrestling goes.” Though the semester started on a high note, the rest of the season won’t be without its challenges. The number of injured starting wrestlers is steadily growing. Notable names on the list include grad student Tyler Branham as well as juniors Justin Bonitatis and Adam Koziol. While some of the Lions key

players are inactive, they are still providing reinforcement for their teammates off the mat.

“Wrestling is a sport with a lot of variables that you can’t control. Injuries are expected;

Tom O’Dell / Photo Assistant

The Lions have hit the first losing streak of the season.

that’s the kind of sport it is. All you can do is keep your head up and stay positive,” Koziol said. Even though Friday’s dual meet didn’t produce the same results as Wednesday, it was still full of close finishes and excitement. After honoring the seniors for their hard work and dedication, the Lions found themselves trailing by a big deficit. The Colonels won the first four weight classes, giving them a 17-0 advantage with only six weight classes remaining. Sophomore Kyle Packer began the Lions’ comeback with a win over freshman Nathan White. DiColo and Denver also beat their opponents, junior James Histed and freshman Jesse Villella respectively. Freshman Brian Broderick, who was one of three grapplers to pin their opponents on

Wednesday, beat No. 5-ranked Wilkes senior Frank Hefferman with a takedown in overtime, bringing the score up to 17-14. Junior Ed Broderick beat junior Jake Weinrich by a sizeable margin of victory, but Wilkes senior Zach Pizzaro defeated Amponsa to give them a 20-18 victory over the 7th ranked Lions in their final home meet. “The support of our family and friends means a lot to us,” Ed Broderick said. “We really appreciate that they take the time to come and get to see us wrestle. I think I speak for everyone when I say no one wants to compete in a hollow gym. Thank you for coming and supporting the team.” The team continues their season at Williams College for the New England Duals on Jan. 30.

page 18 The Signal January 27, 2010

Politics Forum – spring 2010 Thursdays, 11:30-12:30 223 Social Science Bldg. Please join us! Jan. 28 – Ann Hiskes (American Council on Education Fellow; Uni. of Conn.) “The Politics and Rhetoric of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research” Feb. 11 – Rob McGreevey (Hist),“The Empire State: Puerto Rican Migration to New York and the Construction of ‘Foreignness,’ 1920-1948” Feb. 25- Magda Grabowska (WGS), “Bringing the ‘Second World’ in: Polish and Georgian Feminisms between East and West” March 4 – Rick Kamber (Phil.), “Can Democracy Prevent Genocide?” March 18 – Michelle Stecker (WGS), “God, Gay Rights, and Marriage” April 1 –Lillian Farhat (ML), “Ibn Khaldun and Dynastic Politics” April 22 - Pascal Menoret (Princeton Uni.), “Street Politics in Saudi Arabia” Lunch provided by the Office of the Provost, Academic Affairs

Spring Break Work Trip to Camden When: Sunday to Friday March 7-12th What: Through UrbanPromise (www.urbanpromiseusa.org) we will work with kids, do improvement projects and learn about Camden. Fun outings in evenings. How:

We will live at a local church and cook our own meals.

Cost:

$250. Some subsidies available.

Information Session: Wednesday, January 27th at 5pm at the Spiritual Center. Deadline for registration February 1, 2010. For more information contact: kraver2@tcnj.edu or caton@tcnj.edu.

Sponsors: Canterbury House, Cure for Camden & Coalition

for Change

January 27, 2010 The Signal page 19 Track and Field

Lions place highly at Princeton

College races to top of several events By Gina Kramer Correspondent

By Steve Hofstetter, Keith Alberstadt, Ryan Murphy, and Chris Strait

The Lions stood out among 12 other competing teams at the Princeton Relays on Saturday Jan. 23 with both the men and women taking the win for the 4x400-meter relay and coming up strong in other competitions. Held at Princeton University, the relays involved a number of NCAA Division I programs. Both the men and women’s teams excelled in track and field events that began at 4 p.m. in the Jadwin Gymnasium of in-state Division I rival Princeton University. The Lions won the 4x400 with the outstanding performances and combined efforts of freshman Kayla Ghanavati, senior Jianna Spadaccini, freshman Brielle Doremus and junior Meryl Wimberley earning an ECAC qualifying time of 4:03.26. The men, also coming in first, earned an ECAC time of 3:23.40 with the hard work of four men: junior Jule Brooks, freshman Robert Searby, senior DeShard Stevens and junior Kyle Gilroy. On top of Gilroy’s 4x400 win, he also earned himself two second-place titles with a time of 51.33 seconds in the 400 and 8.28 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles. Spadaccini earned another ECAC mark with a time of 58.75 seconds coming in second place in the 400. Senior Priscilla Senyah also earned a second place spot with a NCAA provision time of nine seconds in the 60-meter hurdles. In the 800-meter relay, sophomore Katie Nestor took the second place title with Wimberley following right behind her taking third. 4x400 runner Brooks also scored a fifth place title in the 300 meter with sophomore Robert Jiggetts also stealing a spot in fifth place in the 60-meter dash. In the field events, junior Thomas Conroy came in sixth place in the weight throw with 15.37 meters while junior Sarah Wehrhan earned a place in the top 10 with 14 meters, just missing the ECAC cut by .05.

Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg recently got married. Which will be the last time he’ll ever get a ring. Allen Iverson has been named a starter in the NBA All-Star game. Next he can be named a starter on his own team. The Mets are interested in Chien-Ming Wang. The Mets are impressed by his velocity, control and history of constant injury. Kobe Bryant has become the youngest player in NBA history to score 25,000 points. Not only that, but he also has three assists. And New York Jets coach Rex Ryan has been offered a seat in the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. A very big seat.

Photo courtesty of the Sports Information Desk

Conroy placed sixth in the weight throw event. “The 4x4 was absolutely insane. Just about every person from (the College) was down on the track rooting for the men and women,” Doremus said, who contributed to the 4x400 meter win. “We held our own up against some D1 schools and proved that we’re not a team to be taken lightly. Overall, the Lions proved themselves notable competitors against Divison I athletes. Competitors in the Princeton Relays included the College, Princeton University, Georgian Court University, Kutztown University, Manhattan College, Marist College, Monmouth University, Rider University, Rutgers University, St. Joseph’s University, St. Peter’s College, Stony Brook University and Temple University. The Lions head to Haverford College on Saturday Jan. 30 for their next meet.

AP Photo

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

Cheap Seats

Men’s Basketball

Seniors / Upperclassmen Jets ﬁzzle out just short of Miami provide skill and leadership

continued from page 24 second half and dropped nine points as well as four rebounds. Added to his five first half boards Jett would finish with totals of nine rebounds, a career high, as well as nine points and four assists, both season highs. Junior forward Steven Siracusa posted a double-double with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Sophomore guard Albert Matlock collected nine points as did freshman

guard Brandon Johnson, a career high for Johnson. The Lions are 7-1 in their last eight games and continue play on Wednesday at home against conference opponent Richard Stockton University. “We’re going to have to take care of home court as the season winds down,” Williams said. “We have three or four games left at home this season and if we can keep winning here we should be in a strong spot for the playoffs.”

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

Siracusa leaps above a Montclair player to bring in the rebound.

By Garrett Rasko-Martinis Sports Editor For almost 30 minutes it seemed like there was a chance for history. For 30 minutes it looked like the New York Jets, a team who went 9-7 during the regular season, had a chance to upset the 14-2 Indianapolis Colts. As I watched Mark Sanchez play what was probably the best game of his young career, I couldn’t help but think back to my New York Giants. It was only two years ago that my beloved Big Blue marched through the playoffs, defying the odds as they upset team after team away from the safety of the Meadowlands. As a New York sports fan I considered it my duty to root for the Jets as they played into November. It was exhilirating to watch Jets fans get excited and cheer their hearts out for their team of underdogs as they took down the AFC North champs on the road. I couldn’t help but smile for my dad, a diehard Jets fan who always expects his football team to blow it when it counts most. Then I watched Gang Green pull off a nearly improbable victory against the San Diego Chargers, the team I expected to not only go to the Super Bowl, but win it. Suddenly I was caught up in the New York Jets, and I found myself screaming almost as loud as any Jets fan when Sanchez connected with Braylon Edwards for an 80-yard touchdown reception.

AP Photo

Mark Sanchez after the Jets’ loss. But when the Jets were unable to hold on to their halftime lead and were forced to watch the Colts put on their AFC Championship gear, I couldn’t help but feel proud of the team representing my city in the playoffs. I’m sure other Jets fans would disagree, but even though the Jets were one game away from the Super Bowl, what they accomplished was simply amazing. A month ago it seemed like the Jets were doomed to miss the playoffs, but they played great down the stretch and earned the No. 5 seed. The Jets took an unimpressive 97 record and turned it into a legitimate chance to play in Miami in two weeks. Even though the Jets played a heavilyfavored Colts team, New York made Peyton Manning and a team that is a four-point favorite to win the Superbowl, sweat for 60 minutes. For any team, that’s a hell of an accomplishment. Garrett Rasko-Martinis can be reached at rasko2@tcnj.edu.

page 20 The Signal January 27, 2010

THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY INTRAMURALS AND RECREATION SERVICES

SOFTBALL SPRING 2010

(MEN’S, WOMEN’S&CO-REC)

ENTRY CARDS: ENTRY DEADLINE:

ACTION STARTS: DAYS AND TIMES: LEAGUES: RULES:

ELIGIBILITY:

MAY BE PICKED UP AT THE STUDENT RECREATION CENTER FRONT DESK ENTRY CARDS MUST BE DROPPED OFF AT THE STUDENT RECREATION CENTER FRONT DESK BY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2010 BY 6:00PM. ALL CARDS MUST INCLUDE A $20.00 FORFEIT FEE. LATE ENTRIES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED! NO EXCEPTIONS! WEDNESDAY, MARCH 24, 2010 SUNDAY, MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY&THURSDAY 6:00PM10:00PM MEN’S A & B LEAGUE, WOMEN’S, COREC MAY BE FOUND ON THE INTRAMURAL WEB SITE- WWW.TCNJ.EDU/ ~INTRAMUR. IT IS THE CAPTAIN’S RESPONSIBILITY TO KNOW THE RULES. ANY INDIVIDUAL SEEKING PLACEMENT ON A TEAM WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTACTING TEAM CAPTAINS. CAPTAIN’S PHONE NUMBER AND E-MAIL ADDRESS WILL BE GIVEN BY INTRAMURAL STAFF MEMBERS ONLY. ALL THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FACULTY ARE ELIGIBLE. ALUMNI ARE NOT ELIGIBLE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: DEBORAH SIMPSON, PROGRAM DIRECTOR, 771-2190 DSIMPSON@TCNJ.EDU DAN YERVES/CARLOS ORTIZ, 771-2190

The College of New Jersey Honors Program is pleased to recognize

Michele Meisner

4 6

January 27, 2010 The Signal page 21

LIONS

AROUND THE

DORM 5 3

Bobby Olivier “The Ref”

Mike Leatherwood WTSR Sports

Mike McLoughlin Correspondent

Andrew Amadeo Correspondent

After Editor-in-Chief Bobby Olivier opened up the season with a win, he’s asking the questions in the second installment of Around the Dorm. WTSR Sports Director Mike Leatherwood and Correspondents Mike McLoughlin and Andrew Amadeo will sound off on the future of Miguel Cabrera, which NBA team will be top dog in the East and whether or not Wade Phillips deserved the contract exten-

1. Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera has been in a rehab facility for alcoholism after blowing a 0.26 only hours before a crucial game against the White Sox last October. Cabrera says he’s turned his life around. Do you buy it, and what are your thoughts on Cabrera being three times over Michigan’s legal limit on a $152 million contract?

AP Photo

ML: Even though Miguel Cabrera hasn’t been the most reliable and dedicated player in the major leagues, I’m buying him turning his life around. Everybody deserves a second chance whether or not you are making $25,000 per year or $25 million per year. We all make mistakes and this happens. He willingly checked into rehab center. If he didn’t care or want to change his life, he never would have admitted he had a problem, let alone check himself into rehab. Granted, Cabrera was wrong and there is never an excuse to be partying before a big game, but let’s give the guy a second chance. MM: While drinking and driving is never good whether you’re on a $152 million contract, or just an average guy on the street, it does not mean the Tigers should be concerned about his behavior. He’s a 26-year-old with a lot of money, and one is bound to have a crazy night or two. The bothersome part is that he was drunk so close before a game, and then went 04 in that critical game later that night. I believe him when he says he has turned his life around, because making a mistake with alcohol seems easy for someone his age with that kind of money. If he does it again, however, it will be a real problem for the Tigers the same way it will be a problem for the New York Yankees if Joba Chamberlain gets another DUI. Bottom line, everyone deserves a second chance, but if you screw up again it’s less forgivable. AA: My thoughts are that Miguel Cabrera can do anything he wants as long as he is legally allowed to play in the games and stays healthy. He has a $152 million contract because of his stellar play on the baseball field, not because of his outstanding credentials off the field. Plaxico Burress and Gilbert Arenas committed crimes that took them off of their respective fields and hurt their teams. Miguel Cabrera is in the top-10 in the American League for home runs, RBIs and batting average. Not many other players can do that. As long as

his numbers stay strong, and he can play healthy, all is well in Detroit. Keep him in a program for his drinking and get him the help he needs, but do not overreact or get him upset. Keep your franchise player, who also happens to be one of the best in the league, happy and healthy. BO: You all basically said that Cabrera deserves a second chance. I have to give Andrew the 3 points here because if Cabrera can continue to produce at that level, he should be allowed to do what he wants. The two Mikes each get 1.5 for similar answers and names. 2. Midway through the NBA season, the Atlanta Hawks are breathing down the Boston Celtics’ necks for a No. 2 seed. Will they make the jump by the end of the season and maybe even overtake Cleveland for the top seed in the East? ML: The Atlanta Hawks have been the feel good story so far in the NBA and as the season progresses, I think it will continue. The Hawks have a great mix of young talent and veteran presence, which any good team needs. The Celtics on the other hand have some injury issues with Kevin Garnett and his knee. I don’t think they are the same without him and I see the Hawks having a good shot at taking the No. 2 seed. However, I don’t think they can overtake the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron James has too much talent around him, not to mention he’s just the best player in basketball. I’ll give the Hawks a good shot at the two seed, but nothing more.

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MM: I do not think the Hawks have what it takes to pass the Cavaliers for the No. 1 seed. Cleveland is a much more complete team, and perform well both at home and on the road. The Hawks, on the other hand, are a mere 10-9 on the road, and in order to overtake the Cavaliers they would need to greatly improve that mark. The Celtics are another story. If Garnett can not play at a high level coming back from his injury, they may not have the ﬁrepower to remain at number two. Ray Allen is scoring less PPG than he has any year of his career, outside of his rookie season, and with Garnett and Rasheed Wallace nicked up, they may be looking up in the standings at the Hawks sooner rather than later. AA: The Atlanta Hawks are a very good

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Eastern Conference NBA team. The team has a solid inside-outside game with Mike Bibby and Joe Johnson along with Al Horford and Josh Smith. They have a future superstar in Johnson and a great defensive star in Smith. Unfortunately, they will not surpass the Celtics or the Cavaliers. Cleveland is too good with LeBron James. He is too tough to guard without a double team, and with Daniel Gibson and Anthony Parker shooting .477 and .473 respectively from the three-point line, and Shaquille O’Neal and Zydrunas Ilgauskas controlling down low, it is just too tough to beat them. The Celtics, without a healthy Garnett and Paul Pierce for some time have still held their own. They have three superstars in Ray Allen, Garnett and Pierce. They have a top two or three point guard in the East in Rajon Rondo along with a great bench with Glen Davis, Eddie House and Rasheed Wallace. Keep in mind that Boston and Cleveland are second and fourth in the NBA defensively, while Atlanta is 11th. Offense wins games, defense wins championships. BO: Mike M. gets the 3 points here for discussing Ray Allen’s poor production so far this season. Andrew gets 2 for mentioning the beast that is Rajon Rondo. Mike L. gets the 1 for a lackluster argument.

football team to be successful with a different coach every year, which is the reason the Oakland Raiders can’t win consistently. I think Phillips has the right system in place. All the Cowboys really need is a few touch ups and this is a Super Bowl team. Jerry Jones holding on to Wade Phillips isn’t “playing it safe,” it’s playing it smart. MM: Wade Phillips proved his worth during the season, not just by winning a playoff game. While Phillips definitely has his flaws, he did an excellent job with the Cowboys’ defense this year. If Norv Turner got a three year extension in San Diego, Phillips deserved a similar deal in Dallas. Both coaches have had similar success over the past few years, and while they may not be the best coaches, they did win a lot of games last year. Phillips proved his worth over the course of the season, and put an exclamation point on it with both wins against the Eagles. AA: Wade Phillips is a very good coach. It is as simple as that — just look at his career record. He is 81-54 with a .600 winning percentage. Unfortunately, he cannot win in the playoffs. Just look at that record of 1-5, which is a measly .167 winning percentage. If the NFL looked at regular season winning percentage, then Dan Marino would be the greatest quarterback in NFL history. Wade Phillips should not have been given an extension, especially with great coaches available like Bill Cowher. Jerry Jones should have offered Cowher anything he wanted and brought the Cowboys back to a top three football team like when they had Aikman, Irvin and Smith. BO: Mike M. takes the 3 points and the game with his answer, mentioning the Norv Turner extension and the wins over the Eagles. Andrew gets 2 for saying that Bill Cowher, a perennial playoff winner, was available. Mike L. brings up the rear again.

3. The Dallas Cowboys extended head coach Wade Phillips’ contract through the 2011 season. Did Phillips prove his worth by winning a playoff game or are the Cowboys just playing it safe for now? ML: I think the Cowboys are making the smart decision hanging on to Wade Phillips. First of all, Phillips has the highest winning percentage of any Cowboys coach (including Tom Landry and Jimmy Johnson). The biggest reason Jerry Jones made the right decision to keep Phillips is continuity. It is so difficult for any

Mike M. wins 7.5 - 7 - 3.5

“I don’t have anymore quotes — I win too much” —Mike

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page 22 The Signal January 27, 2010

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January 27, 2010 The Signal page 23

LIONS ROUNDUP Date 10/23/09 10/31/09 11/1/09 11/7/09 11/13/09 12/5/09 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

Date 12/8/09 12/12/09 12/30/09 1/2/10 1/3/10 1/6/10 1/9/10 1/13/10 1/16/10 1/18/10 1/20/10 1/23/10 1/27/10 1/30/10 2/3/10

Womenʼs Swimming Opponent

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

W 151-86 W 188-61 W 150-112 W 169-126 W 127-74 1st Place 2nd Place 1st Place L 122-137 W 161-137 W 203-78 2 p.m. 9:30 a.m 9:30 a.m. 9:30 a.m. TBA

Womenʼs Basketball Opponent

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

Arcadia University William Paterson U. Marymount University Norwich University York College Alvernia University New Jersey City U. Rutgers-Camden Rutgers-Newark Centenary College Kean University Montclair State U. Richard Stockton U. Ramapo College Rowan University

Wrestling

Date 12/5/09 1/9/10 1/9/10 1/9/10 1/9/10 1/12/10 1/15/10 1/15/10 1/16/10 1/16/10 1/16/10 1/20/10 1/22/10 1/30/10

Montclair State University Ramapo College Stevens Institute of Tech. So. Connecticut State U Franklin & Marshall Co. Franklin & Marshall Inv. Franklin & Marshall Inv. Franklin & Marshall Inv. C.W. Post New York University William Paterson U. Rowan University Met. Conference Champs. Met. Conference Champs. Met. Conference Champs. NCAA Women’s Champs.

Time/Result

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

Time/Result

W 70-47 L 56-62 L 37-58 W 55-41 W 64-49 L 59-64 W 55-44 W 71-38 W 61-59 OT W 78-67 L 43-79 W 65-61 6:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m.

Opponent

Time/Result

York College Invitational Wesleyan University U.S. Merchant Academy Messiah College Morrisville State College Elizabethtown/York College Muskigum College Olivet College Rochester Inst. of Tech. SUNY Cortland Ithaca College Centenary College Wilkes College New England Duals

2nd Place W 26-13 W 30-13 W 25-15 W 43-6 W 20-13/38-0 W 48-0 W 33-4 W 50-0 W 18-16 W 18-16 W 35-10 L 18-20 Noon

Trivia Question Answer to Last Week’s Trivia Question: The Denver Broncos

The New Orleans Saints made it to their ﬁrst ever Super Bowl after defeating the Minnesota Vikings in the NFC Championship Game this weekend. They will now face Peyton Manning — the son of Saints legend Archie Manning — and the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 7th for their ﬁrst chance at the Lombardi trophy in franchise history. How many years of his NFL career did Archie Manning spend with the Saints?

Lion of the Week

Hannah Tait Womenʼs Basketball

Sophomore Hannah Tait helped lead the Lions to a 65-61 victory over Montclair State University. Tait hit ﬁve three-pointers on her way to scoring well over her season average of 12.3 points-per-game with a game-high 19 points. Tait drained one of her ﬁve three-pointes with 4:30 left to secure the victory. —Brandon

Gould, Sports Assistant

This Week In Sports Menʼs Basketball

Jan. 27 vs. Richard Stockton University, 8 p.m. Jan. 30 @ Ramapo College, 7 p.m. Feb. 1 vs. Penn State-Brandywine, 7 p.m.

Womenʼs Basketball

Jan. 27 vs. Richard Stockton University, 6 p.m. Jan. 23 @ Ramapo College, 5 p.m.

Wrestling

Jan. 30 @ New England Duals, Noon Jan. 31 @ Springfield College, Noon

Swimming and Diving

Jan. 30 vs. Rowan University, 2 p.m.

Track and Field

Jan. 30 @ McElligot Invitational, TBA

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SignalSports

Lions’ Lineup January 27, 2010

Lions win nail-biter after tough loss to Kean

College celebrates Alumnae Day with NJAC win By Brandon Gould Sports Assistant

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

Candace Vigo goes for the layup (above) while Katie Occhipinti searches for an open teammate (below).

The College experienced a rollercoaster week in women’s basketball in two conference games against Kean University and Montclair State University. The Cougars came in riding a 17-game winning streak and proved to be too much for the Lions to handle. The preseason favorite to win the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) took home its 18th straight victory by defeating the Lions 79-43. The loss was only the second time the Lions have lost since the new year began and it also snapped a four-game win streak. The Lions recorded the games first basket, but it was all Kean from there. The Cougars scored 18 straight points after the Lions’ initial score on the way to securing a 51-18 lead at halftime. “Kean is an outstanding team and we had some trouble early due to the fact that we were missing a few players,” head coach Dawn Henderson said. The Lions refused to give up though and played the Cougars strong in the second half, scoring 28 points to the Cougars 25 in the last 20 minutes. Sophomore guard Jessica Imhof led the Lions in the losing effort with 12 points and seven rebounds. Behind Imhof were junior guard Stephanie Prall and freshman center/forward Megan Hartline who each finished with seven points. The Lions could have gone into the tank for their next game against the Red Hawks, but they bounced back with an emotional 65-61 victory. The day began with some fun as some of the old Lions players faced off in the annual Alumnae game in the morning and the current Lions squad carried that good cheer into their play Saturday afternoon. Sophomore guard/forward Hannah Tait started the game off strong by hitting two three-pointers. Tait led the way for the Lions most of the game hitting five buckets from behind the arc on her way to a game-high

Inside

46 53 Around the Dorm page 21

Swimmers stay atop NJAC page 17

Runners race well in Princeton

page 19

Lion of the week

page 23

see REBOUND page 17

Wrestling

Men’s Basketball

Grapplers drop second dual meet Lions speed past Montclair at home

College wins 15th match this season By Krystal Spencer Staff Writer The wrestling team started the semester with a strong 35-10 victory over Centenary College last Wednesday Jan. 20. Freshman Kenny Amponsa pinned his opponent, Centenary sophomore Nick Marchiafava in 46 seconds, the fastest pin at the meet. Graduate student Dan DiColo, and freshman Brian Broderick also pinned their opponents. Juniors Dan Hughes, Mike Denver, and Ed Broderick, as well as senior Robert Micheliche came away with victories over the Cyclones. Denver became the ﬁrst Lion to reach 30 pins in one season. “It feels good knowing that all of the

hard work and time that I have put in is starting to pay off,” Denver said. “But even though I put in the time and effort, it is the people in the room that I wrestle with everyday that helps me to wrestle the way I do.” The dual meet began as a close race. Centenary took an early lead when sophomore Jose Vega defeated Danny Franke in a 12-0 majority decision. But Hughes was able to edge out Cody Mooney 4-2 in overtime. Micheliche kept momentum going, but Jon Stillo evened out the score with a tight 3-2 victory over junior John Barnett. The meet continued to go back and forth see DOMINANT page 19 Tim Lee / Photo Editor

Siracusa tries to hold on to the ball. By Chris Rotolo Staff Writer

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

A Lions wrestler stares down his competition on the mat.

On Saturday night, Jan. 23, the men’s basketball team showed New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) rival Montclair State that it’s players are more than capable of bouncing back from a disspointing loss. After a disappointing 61-54 defeat at the hands of the NJAC Southern Division cellar-dwelling Kean University on Wednesday night Jan. 20, where the Lions were out-rebounded 41-26 and devastated by the 17 offensive boards they relinquished, the Lions welcomed Montclair

State, currently resting at the bottom of the North rankings, to their home court and trounced their opponent handily by a score of 96-70. Lions’ senior captain Jay Frank, who leads the team in scoring for the season, bested his 16.3 points-per-game average in the first half alone. Frank’s 17-point ﬁrst half performance put the Lions up 38-33 after 20 minutes. Frank would put up a total of 24 points for the game to lead all scorers. Frank also fronted the Lions defensive attack with three steals in a first half marked by 10 Red Hawk turnovers. His sticky fingers earned Frank another trio of thefts in the second half of the game for a career-high six steals. The Lions began the second half by rattling off a 12-0 run to open a 50-33 lead and would stay ahead by at least 14 points throughout the remainder of contest. Aaron Syvertsen and William Jett also had impressive second halves. “The play of our seniors has been so important this season,” head coach Kelly Williams said. “When they’re on the court they’re scoring points and helping us get the wins. When they’re off the court they’re taking on leadership roles with our younger players and making them better.” Syvertsen knocked down three of four shots from the three-point line and led all scorers in the second half with 14 points. Syvertsen would finish with 16 for the game. Jett came off the bench early in the see SENIORS page 19