Signal 1/20/10

Lions on a hot streak

The man behind the pixels

Men’s basketball beats Rutgers-Newark for their sixth straight win.

Artist Willie Cole talks about last semester’s colorful artwork that caused mixed feelings among students.

See Sports, page 16

tcnjsignal.net

See Features, page 9

The College of New Jersey Student Newspaper since 1885

January 20, 2010

No. 1.

Vol. CXXXII.

Campus reacts to N.J. same-sex decision

By Brianna Gunter News Editor

Photo courtesy of Heather Lemley

New Jerseyʼs state Senate did not pass S1967, a bill that would have allowed samesex couples to marry. Many students and faculty from the College reacted adversely.

Block also said the College Democrats were even more embarrassed by those democrats who abstained, and Sen. Shirley Turner, an alumna of the College, New Jerseyʼs State Senate turned down a bill “really let us down.”

Thursday, Jan. 7 that would have allowed same-sex Gina Lauterio, vice-chair of the College Republicans, couples to wed, causing a tide of emotions within the also expressed feelings of disappointment.

College community.

According to Lauterio, she and several other members “Itʼs a bitterly disappointing decision in human terms of the College Republicans had been active in advocating because of its cruelty, but for the passage of the bill, also in legal terms because including attending marchit denies a group of citizens “Those democrats who voted ʻnayʼ will es and rallies. Lauterio their constitutional rights,” herself was present for the be judged to have been on the wrong side Senateʼs decision.

John Landreau, professor of history.” of Womenʼs and Gender “Being surrounded in Studies, said. the statehouse by so many — Brian Block, who were praying for Others were personally affected.

College Democrats president the bill to pass, and then “When New Jersey breaking down when the denies me the right to marry decision was reached, was my partner of seventeen years, it also denies my child the one of the saddest things that Iʼve ever experienced,” right to have ʻmarriedʼ parents,” Juda Bennett, director she said. of the Womenʼs and Gender Studies department, said.

Brian Hackett, treasurer of the College Republicans, “We have all been born into a world of bias, but when I felt differently. look at my beautiful child it is difficult for me to imagine “I believe the liberty of (LGBT) must be respected and how that bias can persist.” the best way to do so is improving the current civil union The Freedom of Religion and Equality in Civil Marriage law, which contains flaws. I also believe the supporters of Act, or S1967, needed 21 votes to pass but received only the bill must, yet do not, show a mutual respect for those 14. Twenty senators voted against the bill. who cherish the sanctity of marriage,” he said. “Once the “Those democrats who voted ʻnayʼ will be judged to definition of marriage is changed, it is no longer marriage.” have been on the wrong side of history,” said Brian Block, president of the College Democrats. see MARRIAGE page 2

Student debt at the College higher than state average

By Kelly Johnson Staff Writer

A recent study revealed that 2008 graduates are burdened with an average student debt of $22,088, while the overall average for college graduates in New Jersey stands at $20,169.

The Project on Student Debtʼs latest report showed the Collegeʼs student debt exceeds others in the state, including Ramapo College, Rutgers University, William Paterson University, Felician College and even Princeton University.

However, this debt is topped by New Jersey Institute of Technology, where students had a debt average of $27,930, Rider University with $33,156 and Georgian Court University with $33,620.

Georgian Court graduates have the highest student debt in the state, according to the report.

“There is a concern this year because unemployment, especially for young people, is at its worst levels,” Edie Irons, communications director of the Debt Project, said.

The Project on Student Debt is an initiative of the Institute of College Access

20 00s

Best of the decade

and Success. According to its Web site, the Project on Student Debt is designed to help students find cost-effective solutions to paying off loans, as well as increasing “public understanding” of borrowing for tuition.

The project has been tracking New Jersey student debt since 2004 and reports that the student debt load has increased 24 percent.

The national student debt exceeds New Jerseyʼs with $23,200, but New Jersey has a wide range of averages from Princeton University with $5,955 to Georgian Court University with $33,620.

“There is some comfort in knowing that New Jersey citizens and students at (the College) on average bear a lower debt load on graduation than the U.S. average,” President R. Barbara Gitenstein said.

However, Gitenstein also said the average debt of graduates from the College is still “troubling”.

Gitenstein said the office of financial aid in combination with the Center for Institutional Effectiveness “pays close attention to patterns of student need,” and

TuckerMax.com

Tucker Max tonight The votes are in and the tickets are sold. Tucker Max will be at the College tonight. After weeks of deliberation, protests and student opinion polls, the controversial blogger, author and film producer will be speaking in Kendall Hall tonight at 8 p.m. Toward the end of the fall semester, it was debatable whether a bid would be extended to Max at all. However, a poll done by the College Union Board showed that most student voters were in favor of him coming to speak.

see DEBT page 2

Max not liked by Alumni Our favorite films, books, music Alumni speak out against Tucker Max. and plays of the past decade.

See page 8 See page 11

A Best Value Both Kiplinger’s and Princeton Review recognized the College.

See page 2

INSIDE

Editorials Opinions Features Arts & Entertainment Sports

7 8 9 11 16

page 2 The Signal January 20, 2010

Marriage / Eventual equality ʻinevitableʼ

Photo from nj.com

Gay marriage supporters console each other after the decision was announced by the Senate.

Photo from nj.com

Members of Garden State Equality at the Statehouse react to the Senateʼs decision to reject the legalization of gay marriage. continued from page 1 Yet proponents at the College of same-sex marriage maintain optimism that marriage laws will change. S1967 is currently heading to court for review.

“Weʼre very optimistic and hopeful that the N.J. Supreme Court will do the right thing,” Michelle Stecker, faculty advisor for PRISM and assistant professor of Womenʼs and Gender Studies, said.

Senator Loretta Weinberg, former

candidate for Lt. Gov., is one of the billʼs sponsors. Weinberg visited the College during the gubernatorial election season to promote Corzineʼs candidacy. However, the auditorium was less than filled prompting some students to complain about the lack of attendance and overall political participation of the college community.

“If Corzine had won, he would have had more leverage,” Stecker said.

Governor-elect Chris Christie has stated multiple times his opposition to same-sex marriage.

“Christie is very unsupportive,” said

Heather Lemley, PRISM treasurer.

Lemley also said people with civil unions are often denied access to their partners in hospitals and face other challenges, such as having difficulty getting the same insurance benefits as married couples.

“We fall in love with someone. We want to get married, not a civil union. No one even knows what civil unions mean,” Stecker said. “Marriage, everyone knows what it means.”

Both Stecker and Lemley said they believe marriage equality for LGBT to be inevitable.

College honored as educational bargain

Kiplingerʼs and Princeton Review name College as ʻBest Valueʼ

By Juliana Fidler Staff Writer Rising one spot from last year, the College ranked 23rd in Kiplingerʼs Personal Finance magazineʼs “100 Best Values in Public Colleges 2009-10.” The top spot was awarded to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

“The idea of value is particularly powerful,” said College President R. Barbara Gitenstein. “It combines cost with quality.”

According to the magazineʼs Web site, “a combination of academics and affordability” is the basis of the ranking system with “academic quality” accounting for two-thirds of a schoolʼs score.

Academic quality is comprised of “SAT or ACT scores, admission and retention rates, student-faculty ratios, and fourand six-year graduation rates.”

“One factor that should be considered in determining a best value is how long it takes to complete a degree,” Gitenstein said. “The fact that (the Collegeʼs) retention and graduation rates are some of the best in the nation

makes it a particularly good ʻbargainʼ.”

The bargain not only translates to in-state students, but also amplifies for out-of-state students, as the College ranked fifth on the Kiplingerʼs list in the outof-state category.

“Itʼs a real testament to the institution as a whole,” said executive director of Public Relations and Communication Matthew Golden of the Collegeʼs recent success in the rankings.“Weʼre a tremendous value.”

“There arenʼt many public institutions in the country that offer this type of educational experience,” he said.

“Even though youʼre paying out-of-state tuition, itʼs still significantly less.”

The standardized test-preparation company, The Princeton Review, also named the College one of the “100 Best Value Colleges for 2010.” Similar to Kiplingerʼs list, The Princeton Review “considers more than 30 factors in three areas (including) academics, costs of attendance and financial aid,” when making its list according to an article in USA Today. The Princeton Review praised the College for the “intimate liberal arts education youʼd

usually associate with a private school.”

According to Golden, small size classes taught by professors contribute to the Collegeʼs private school environment, separating it from other public colleges.

Golden identified Rutgers University, the University of Delaware and Pennsylvania State University as schools that largely emphasize graduate studies “because research can be a revenue generator.”

Gitenstein hopes the Collegeʼs inclusion in the “Best Value” lists will affect this yearʼs application rates because she believes that “in these challenging economic times, families are much more savvy about the value of their investment in higher education.”

“Whatʼs interesting is weʼve seen a pretty consistent trend of applications increasing in the last five to ten years,” Golden said. “These accolades … help continue the strong momentum weʼve built over time and help attract the best students.”

This is beneficial to the state of New Jersey, he added, since students are most likely to work in the state where they go to college.

“Itʼs wonderful to be a great school,” Golden said. “Itʼs an added bonus to be a value school. I think in the world of state colleges, weʼre very unique.”

Debt / Improvement in student Art and IMM building open for business aid waits for Senate approval continued from page 1 “is very attentive to individual student need, providing individual advice and support.”

According to Gitenstein, the development several years ago of the EOF Promise Award and more recently, the decision to delay payment deadlines for tuition bills are ways the College has responded to student debt.

According to Irons, healthcare debate has all but stopped the progress of student aid legislation.

Progress has been made, however, in the House of Representatives, which passed a bill on Dec. 11, 2009 that would create a new agency to protect consumers from unfair and deceptive

financial products and services, including private student loans.

Part of this bill will allow schools the opportunity to consult with students prior to their acceptance of private loans.

According to Lauren Asher, president of the Institute for College Access and Success, “private loans are one of the riskiest ways to pay for college.”

In accordance with helping to ease student debt, the House also passed the Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act in 2009. The bill is currently on its way to the Senate.

If approved, the bill will amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 and will allocate more funding for Federal loans and grants.

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

The new Art and Interactive Multimedia building is now open. According to the Collegeʼs Web site, the building is comprised of administrative and faculty offices, student studios, shared classrooms and seminar rooms.

page 3 The Signal January 20, 2010

page 4 The Signal January 20, 2010

THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY INTRAMURALS AND RECREATION SERVICES

BOWLING SPRING 2010 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. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2010 WEDNESDAY1:00PM-4:00PM A MAXIMUM OF THREE PLAYERS PER TEAM 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 ERIC BOONSTRA, BOWLING SUPERVISOR-boonstr2@tcnj.edu

THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY INTRAMURALS AND RECREATION SERVICES

CO-REC VOLLEYBALL SPRING 2010 ENTRY CARDS: ENTRY DEADLINE:

ACTION STARTS: DAYS AND TIMES: LEAGUES: RULES:

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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 MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY6:00PM10:00PM CO-REC 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/COREY FORD/AMBERLEIGH MCKENNA/KATIE BRIDEAU, 771-2190

THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY INTRAMURALS AND RECREATION SERVICES

THE COLLEGE OF NEW JERSEY INTRAMURALS AND RECREATION SERVICES

FLOOR HOCKEY SPRING 2010

INDOOR SOCCER SPRING 2010

ENTRY CARDS: ENTRY DEADLINE:

ACTION STARTS: DAYS AND TIMES: LEAGUES: RULES:

ELIGIBILITY:

(MEN’S &CO-REC) 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 & WEDNESDAY 6:00PM-10:00PM MEN’S A & B LEAGUE, CO-REC 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, 771-2190DSIMPSON@TCNJ.EDU ICE HOCKEY TEAM, 771-2190

(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! THURSDAY, MARCH 25, 2010 TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, & THURSDAY 6:00PM-10:00PM 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/COREY FORD/MATT KARSH, 771-2190

January 20, 2010 The Signal page 5

Nation & World

Defense chief says no U.S. police role in Haiti ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT (AP) — U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Monday the U.S. forces in Haiti for earthquake relief can defend themselves and innocent Haitians or foreigners if lawlessness boils over.

Gates said he does not foresee an expanded policing role for the United States, however. The United States is chiefly involved in distributing relief and will support the United Nations in providing security, Gates said.

“I havenʼt heard of us playing a policing role at any point,” Gates told reporters traveling with him to India for talks on defense cooperation, trade and relations between India and Pakistan.

Gates gave a fuller explanation of the rules under which U.S. troops are operating than the Pentagon previously provided.

Gates approved rules of engagement for U.S. forces on shore and aboard nearby ships.

“Anywhere we deploy our troops they have the authority and the right to defend themselves,” Gates said, adding that the troops could also defend others “if they see something happen.”

On Sunday, Lt. Gen. Ken Keen of the U.S. Southern Command said some violence has hindered rescue workers trying to help earthquake victims. He said providing humanitarian aid requires a safe and secure environment, and while streets have been mostly calm, violence has been increasing.

“We are going to have to address the situation of security,” Keen said.

Keen said about 1,000 U.S. troops are in Haiti and 3,000 more are working from ships. More than 12,000 U.S. forces were

expected to be in the region by Monday.

Fear of looters and robbers has been among factors slowing aid delivery. After last Tuesdayʼs 7.0 magnitude earthquake, maintaining law and order fell to the 9,000 U.N. peacekeepers and international police already in Haiti, even though those forces also sustained heavy losses in the disaster.

International aid agencies and U.S. officials say they are watching for signs violence is rising as people compete for scarce resources.

“After all we canʼt deliver the food and water if we donʼt have a reasonable security situation, so that obviously has to be an element of any work that weʼre doing with the government of Haiti and the U.N.,” Gates said.

A joint statement Saturday from the Haitian president and U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton referred to an expanded U.S. security role.

“President Preval, on behalf of the Government and people of Haiti, welcomes as essential the efforts in Haiti by the government and people of the United States to support the immediate recovery, stability and long-term rebuilding of Haiti and requests the United States to assist as needed in augmenting security in support of the government and people of Haiti and the United Nations, international partners and organizations on the ground,” the document reads.

President Barack Obama issued an order allowing selected members of the militaryʼs reserves to be called up to support operations in Haiti. Signed Saturday, it lets the Pentagon and Homeland Security Department tap reserve medical personnel

AP Photo

A police officer aims at a man caught taking goods from a quake-damaged building in downtown Port-au-Prince on Jan. 18. and a Coast Guard unit that will help provide port security. More than 250 medical personnel from the Health and Human Services Department are already in Haiti.

The U.S. ambassador to Haiti said Monday that American officials are concerned about security but consider the situation manageable.

“The Haitian police, due to their own significant losses, are degraded,” Kenneth Merten said in a nationally broadcast interview. “The U.N. has had losses.”

But Merten also said “things are going reasonably well. This is not a perfect law and order situation here even in the best of times.”

Merten called the U.S. military presence in and around the island a backup option to handle violence, saying first call would

be the Haitian police force and the U.N. force in Haiti. He credited Brazilians in that force with contributing to stability.

“Our troops are standing by in cases where neither the Haitian police nor the U.N. troops are providing security,” Merten said on NBCʼs “Today” show.

“In most cases, the Haitian police and the U.N. forces have been able to handle the situation.”

Roughly 200,000 people may have been killed in the magnitude-7.0 quake, the European Union said, quoting Haitian officials who also said about 70,000 bodies have been recovered.

Merten said it was too soon to put a number on the economic loss. He described downtown Port-au-Prince, the capital city, as resembling “Tokyo at the end of the Second World War.”

Taliban attacks paralyze Kabul News Bits KABUL (AP) — Taliban militants wearing explosive vests launched a brazen daylight assault Monday on the center of Kabul, with suicide bombings and gunbattles near the presidential palace and other government buildings that paralyzed the city for hours.

Afghan forces along with NATO advisers managed to restore order after nearly five hours of fighting as explosions and machine gunfire echoed across the mountain-rimmed city, sending terrified Afghans racing for cover. Twelve people were killed, including seven attackers, officials said.

The assault by a handful of determined militants dramatized the vulnerability of the Afghan capital, undermining public confidence in President Hamid Karzaiʼs government and its U.S.-led allies.

The attacks also suggested that the mostly rural Taliban are prepared to strike at the heart of the Afghan state — even as the United States and its international partners are rushing 37,000 reinforcements to join the eight-year war.

“We are so concerned, so disappointed about the security in the capital,” said Mohammad Hussain, a 25-year-old shopkeeper who witnessed the fighting. “Tens of thousands of U.S. and NATO troops are being sent to Afghanistan, yet security in the capital is deteriorating.”

The violence began shortly before 10 a.m. and persisted until mid-afternoon with attacks at four locations within an area of less than one square mile.

The attack unfolded as Cabinet members were being sworn in by President Hamid Karzai despite that parliamentʼs rejection of most of his choices. Presidential spokesman Waheed Omar said the ceremony occurred as scheduled and that everybody in the palace was safe.

In the first assault, a suicide bomber detonated his explosives at Pashtunistan Square, a major intersection near the gates to the presidential palace, the Central Bank and the luxury Serena Hotel, which is frequented by Westerners.

Clashes broke out as other militants fought with Afghan troops, who converged quickly on the scene in pickup trucks and armored vehicles. Police sealed off the area and helicopters buzzed overhead.

Several attackers then stormed into a nearby shopping mall, prompting a standoff with security forces. Two

Princeton University professor Cornel West spoke Monday, Jan. 18, at the Civil Rights iconʼs church, urging the audience not to “sanitize” Kingʼs legacy or let the president off the hook on issues like poverty.

AP Photo

An Afghan police officer aims his weapon at the scene of an attack in central Kabul on Jan. 18. bombers were killed when their explosives detonated, setting the four-story building ablaze.

About 11:17 a.m., another suicide attacker drove toward the area in an ambulance but blew himself up after he was challenged at a checkpoint near the Education Ministry.

At about 1 p.m., three other attackers entered another commercial building housing offices and stores, holding off security forces for about two hours before they were killed.

Details were provided by Interior Minister Hanif Atmar at a press conference. The dead included an intelligence agent, two policemen and two civilians, including one child, said Interior Minister Hanif Atmar at a press conference. He said 71 other people were wounded, including 35 civilians.

Most of the injuries were caused by hand grenade attacks hurled by the militants, he said.

Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid told The Associated Press that 20 armed militants, some with suicide vests, had entered Kabul to target the presidential palace and other government buildings in the center of the capital.

Mondayʼs fighting persisted longer than any initiated by the Taliban in the capital since they were driven from power by the U.S. and its allies in 2001.

“Nobody is secure,” Finance Ministy employee Emal Masood told the BBC. “You never know when you leave your house whether youʼre going to come back alive to your family.”

Haitian-born musician Wyclef Jean called Jan. 18 for the international communityʼs aid in evacuating his homelandʼs capital.

Israelʼs Cabinet convened Jan. 18 for the first time in Berlin, the former heart of the Nazi regime, for a special joint session with the German government highlighting the two nationsʼ strong bond six decades after the Holocaust.

The Food and Drug Administration recently decided it will have a public hearing to explore stricter tanning bed regulation in March.

Angry Muslim youths set a church filled with worshippers ablaze in northern Nigeria, starting a riot that killed at least 27 people and wounded 300 more on Jan. 18.

Glen W. Bell Jr., founder of the Taco Bell chain, died Jan. 18 at 86.

Information from AP exchange

page 6 The Signal January 20, 2010

Spring Semester

BSC Course Instructors Wanted, & We’ll Pay! Do you have a skill or craft you could share?

Do you like to meet new people who share your same interests?

IF YOU ANSWERED “YES”

to these questions you may be interested in becoming a BSC Mini Course Instructor. Mini Courses provide students with a fun way to learn from each other. Courses are generally offered once per week over a span of two to six weeks. The content, format, session length, and number of sessions, is up to the instructor, YOU! Even faculty and staff have been known to teach a few mini courses as well as take a few.

AND OH, YES YOU WILL GET PAID!

If your Mini Course idea is accepted and taught you will receive from $50.00 to $100.

The amount of pay will be determined by the complexity of the offering and the amount of time required.

Listed below are a few examples of mini courses which have been taught in the past. If you can teach one of these or have an idea for something completely different just let us know. We’ll do all the advertising to attract your participants for you and even arrange for a room in the Student Center for you to use.

Contact BSC Assistant Manager Jeff Lail (lail@tcnj.edu) by January 30 if interested.

Contact Jeff Lail if you are interested.

GUITAR DRUMS BASS INSTRUMENTS KNITTING, CROCHET, NEEDLE POINT DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNIQUES SALSA HIP HOP VIDEO OR COMPUTER GAMES CHESS BILLIARDS ACCESS EXCEL POWER POINT WEB DESIGN (beginners) WEB DESIGN (intermediate)

January 20, 2010 The Signal page 7

Editorial

Ode to the Jersey Shore

Growing up less than 30 minutes from the renowned and now, somewhat infamous Jersey Shore, the sun-soaked memories of my childhood summers recap days of beach and boardwalk.

I recall early morning boogie boarding sessions with my dad at Seaside Heights on waves that, in retrospect, were pretty awful most of the time. I remember smashing HeiMtv.com neken bottles with worn baseballs and flipping frogs onto The cast of MTV’s “Jersey Shore” has riled up controversy about how the New Jersey misshapen lily pads for a precious inflatable baseball bat or seashore should be portrayed on television. sweatshop-sewn stuffed animal.

On the Casino Pier, I remember praying for life as that suspicious mini rollercoaster crept out beyond the pier and over the ocean.

I recall being wholeheartedly convinced that the Wild What do you think of MTV’s “Jersey Mouse ride would either snap my neck or finally roll off Shore”? the edge of its narrow track. My reward for surviving what I thought were inevitable deathtraps? Usually a Kohrs vanilla“Those democrats • I think it’s the best show on television. orange soft serve swirl or a cheeseburger. who voted ‘nay’ will • I hate it. It gives New Jersey and her beautiful The water was dirty, the food was greasy and I loved it. I be judged to have shore a bad name. loved, and still love, what I remember of my Jersey youth.

What I do not remember, and therefore do not love, are been on the wrong • I could care less about what those idiots want the guid-tastic adventures of the gang from MTV’s “Jersey side of history.” to do.

Shore.”

• It has nice beaches, but what does MTV have to do These over-gelled, over-tanned, fist pumping, self-serv— Brian Block with it? ing sociopaths have stamped the Jersey Shore that I, and on NJ same-sex cast your vote @ many others, know and love with a stigma of parody. They marriage decision tcnjsignal.net are an embarrassment and disgrace to our little neck of the beach.

Last Week’s Results: This is what everyone probably wanted to hear, right?

“The pixel, as What are your plans for the coming winter break?

That MTV has ruined the Jersey Shore for all of us? Get represented in this over yourselves. All that this ridiculous program has done work, links art and 40% Sleep, and more sleep. is bring a pretty hilarious reality into the spotlight.

38% I’m celebrating a religious holiday and/or Festivus. interactive media. In I before spoke of my wholesome childhood memories.

16% Getting a head start on reading for next semester!

My observations as an adolescent and adult are a bit differsculpture, the sphere 6% I’m going someplace warm where there are little ument. For those of you who are not typical shore goers, let is emblematic of brellas in the drinks. me tell you that when the sun goes down and Lucky Leo’s minimalism. In lights up, the Snooki’s and Mike “the situation” Sorrenmedia the sphere tino’s flock by the hundreds to Seaside, dancing at Karma and Bamboo, roaming the boardwalk and even fighting in (as an abstract Beachcomber Bar and Grill. MTV’s version of this “Joisey” representation of the tcnjsignal.net nightlife is not so farfetched – not in the least. pixel) is primary. It In 2006, when Italy won the World Cup for soccer, reTelephone: Mailing Address: Production Rm - (609) 771-2424 The Signal also represents the tailers drooled as “Viva Italia” shirts blanketed boardwalks Business Office - (609) 771-2499 c/o Brower Student Center up and down the Shore, and “guidos” ate it up. Anyone The College of New Jersey Fax: (609) 771-3433 single dot of color in P.O. Box 7718 E-mail: signal@tcnj.edu who has visited either the Seaside Heights, Point Pleasant Ewing, NJ 08628-0718 a pointillist painting, or enormous Wildwood (watch the tramcar please) boardDonna Shaw Editorial Offices or the single particle walks knows that you cannot take more than a few steps Advisor that is the basic without seeing a pizza or Italian sausage stand both in front Lauren Gurry Bobby Olivier Editor-in-Chief Jillian Polak and behind. building ‘dot’ of all Caroline Russomanno Arti Patel The bottom line is that for all of its family-oriented enManaging Editor Copy Editors living things.” tertainment, i.e. Jenkinson’s aquarium in Point Pleasant, Brandon Gould Brianna Gunter Sports Assistant Katie Brenzel the Jersey Shore has become a melting pot of New York — Artist Willie Cole News Editors Tom O’Dell and New Jersey Italian stallions whose hair products, if Garrett Rasko-Martinis Abby Hocking on the theme of the dropped on the wooden planks and ignited, would burn the Sports Editor Photo Assistants College’s ‘pixels’ Jeffrey Roman boardwalk from end to end in a matter of seconds. It is Business Office Features Editor what it is whether it’s filmed or not, and whether we like Matt Huston Diana Perez it or not. Give it up fellow Shore kids, the suck fest is here Arts & Entertainment Editor Business/Ad Manager “It’s nice to have (the Hilarey Wojtowicz Erica Chao to stay.

The Weekly Poll:

—Bobby Olivier

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.

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

Classifieds Manager

Quotes of the Week

bench players) come in and not have anything drop off as of late.”

— Jay Frank, senior basketball guard and captain

page 8 The Signal January 20, 2010

The Signal says ...

Stop: being lazy, sleeping in late, not showering, listening to bad music, being anti-social, missing floor meetings, getting injured, stressing.

Caution: new classes, Eickhoff food, Tucker Max, the New York Jets, natural disasters, late nights in the library, cold weather, New Year’s resolutions.

Go: see Hellogoodbye in concert, get involved in campus events, help the citizens of Haiti, start new trends, protest som ething you believe in, make new friends, take pictures.

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.

Opinions

Alumna speaks out against Tucker Max Jackie Cornell-Bechelli Class of 2004 Over two dozen College alumni recently wrote to Susanne Svizney, chair of the Board of Trustees, and President R. Barbara Gitenstein to express their outrage and disappointment about Tucker Max performing at the College.

While at the College, these alumni were participants in Greek life, cultural diversity and equality groups, the Womenʼs Center, residence life staff members, activists to end violence against women through the educational productions of “The Vagina Monologues”, EOF students, men and women, gay and straight. Many of them minored in the Women In Learning and Leadership (WILL) Program or were Womenʼs and Gender Studies majors/ minors.

They shared with Svizney and Gitenstein that despite their diversity, what they all had in common was that they had found a “home” at the College and were influenced by its environment.

They were proud of the work they did as students to promote a more fair and just world, both on campus and globally. They also praised the good work the College is doing to combat interpersonal violence, particularly under the leadership of the Anti-Violence Initiatives Office. It was for all of those reasons that they felt compelled to share their frustration and anger at the Collegeʼs plan to bring Max to campus.

Both as students and now as professionals, the group expressed that Tucker Max is representative of the very attitudes, beliefs and actions that they seek to prevent. He openly writes

Signal Spotlight

Tuckermax.com

Tucker Maxʼs controversial book ʻI Hope They Serve Beer in Hellʼ is now a major motion picture. and speaks about sexually violating and disregarding women. He does this without remorse, regret or regard for consequences and with promotion and support.

One alumni wrote, “We are horrified that (the College) would promote an individual who casually discusses his own actions of violence as ʻhumor.ʼ The behavior and attitudes that Max promotes will surely send the message that (the College) condones interpersonal violence.”

She expressed that such messaging disturbs both survivors and the College community on the whole.

Alumni received a letter from James Norfleet, vice president for Student

Whatʼs your goal for the new semester?

“To balance school work, “To take over the world.” my new internship, and my DA job.”

—Enrico Bruno, junior English major

Affairs, which outlined the governance and funding structure which allowed Maxʼs performance to continue despite protests. Norfleet “hopes that those on our campus who are offended by the views espoused by Tucker Max will make their voices heard in a constructive manner.” Therefore, several alumni have reached out to Max asking him to donate a portion of the proceeds (he makes $25,000 for one day at the College) to support services for victims of rape and sexual assault. If Max does support women and doesnʼt actually condone the humorless antics he writes about, then he should have no problem supporting survivors of sexual assault.

—Ryan Meyer, sophomore biology major

“To get more involved in the school.”

“To survive to see another one.”

—Sana Bennacef, junior history and secondary education major

—Robert Bruder, freshman biology major

Bored of the same old routine?

Want to try something new this semester?

Write for Opinions! wojtowi3@tcnj.edu

Hilarey Wojtowicz / Opinions Editor

January 20, 2010 The Signal page 9

Features

Artist speaks up regarding campus public art

By Todd Petty Features Assistant Pixels are a tiny element of an image on a video display screen, as well as a large part of the Collegeʼs dialogue last semester. These enormous spheres have their origins in the vision of a single artist — Willie Cole.

Most recently, Coleʼs artistic services were employed at the College. According to a “frequently asked questions” Facebook post from John Laughton, dean of Arts and Communication, a committee was created to choose an artist and a design for the new public art. The committee was assembled of students, faculty and staff with the purpose of creating a list of potential artists from names included in the Visual Arts Registry, a repository of artists, maintained by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.

Cole was one of a handful of other artists who were selected from the Visual Arts Registry, which includes more than 75 names. Cole and these other artists were invited to campus to present proposals and designs for public art.

After proposing their ideas to the committee, Coleʼs proposal for the “pixels” was selected.

Cole is an esteemed contemporary African-American artist who is best known as a sculptor, conceptual and visual artist, however, Cole resists limiting himself to an individual art form.

“Iʼm not just a sculptor. Iʼm an artist — painter, sculptor, photographer, designer, musician and writer,” Cole said.

Much of Coleʼs work can be described as found art, a process that utilizes ordinary domestic objects to create powerful and metaphorical works of art. An assortment of stiletto heels becomes an African mask, a rooster is made out of mostly matches, and plywood is carefully scorched with an iron to create elaborate and intricate designs.

Cole was born and raised in New Jersey. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the School of Visual Arts in New York in 1976. He continued studying from 1976 to 1979 at the Art Students League of New York.

Photo courtesy of Alexander and Bonin

Willie Cole is the artist behind the controversial ʻPixelsʼ sculptures on campus.

Since that time, Coleʼs experience as an artist has been extensive. His work has been included in many one-person and group exhibitions. He has received awards, including the David C. Driskell Prize, the Augustus Saint-Gaudens Memorial Fellowship and the Joan Mitchell Foundation award, among many others. His work can also be seen in many museums across the country, ranging from the Museum of Modern Art in New York to the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago.

According to Cole, his decision to become an artist was an easy one.

“Iʼve been making art my whole life, it was a natural decision,” Cole said.

According to Cole, his pixels are thematically concurrent with the new Art and Interactive Multimedia building.

“The pixel, as represented in this work, links art and interactive media,” he said. “In sculpture, the sphere is emblematic of minimalism. In media the sphere — as an

How to spice up your sex life

By Lauren Gurry Copy Editor

After being in a physical relationship with someone for an extended period of time, the day will come when you feel like you are constantly following the same old patterns. This is when many couples fall into a rut and feel thereʼs nothing he or she can do to revitalize both the physical and emotional relationship.

Emotional problems in a relationship are sometimes connected to sexual problems. According to Medline Plus, an online health Web site, “emotional factors affecting sex include both interpersonal problems and psychological problems within the individual.” By keeping your relationship exciting, you are also keeping your relationship healthy.

Here are some tips to spice up your sex life.

Discuss different things you and your partner would like to try. Do you have a fantasy youʼve always wanted to act out? Tell your partner about it – he or she may never know your desires unless you express them. On the flip side, your partner may secretly want to try different locations or become more adventurous in the bedroom. If you both

agree you want to try new scenarios but donʼt know what direction to take, some of the following tricks may help.

Try new positions. Often times, couples fall into a routine and always engage in the same position during intercourse. Trying different positions is an easy way to erase sexual frustration.

Change your location. Itʼs comfortable to fool around with your partner behind a locked door, but thereʼs something to be said for having sex somewhere you can get caught. When thereʼs a possibility of someone seeing the whole ordeal, it is much more exciting.

Experiment with temperature.

Temperature helps engage your senses during intercourse, which is a prime way to increase pleasure. You can buy warming massage creams and lubricants in stores.

Give S&M a try. Itʼs not for everyone, but it doesnʼt mean youʼre busting out the whips and chains. Gently tugging on your partnerʼs hair or scratching their back can be extremely pleasurable, as pain actually releases endorphins. If you want to try your hand at S&M a good place to start is with a blindfold. Also itʼs important for you and your partner to have a safe word. This will let your partner know the pain is too much.

There are countless ways to heat up your sex life. Itʼs important to remember you can make changes to make your love life better.

If you have ideas you would like to share, please send them to gurry2@tcnj.edu.

abstract representation of the pixel — is primary. It also represents the single dot of color in a pointillist painting, or the single particle that is the basic building ʻdotʼ of all living things.”

However, not all students felt united by these individual dots. The pixels have garnered some negative response from students. Isolated attempts at vandalism showed discontent with the pixelsʼ introduction to the Collegeʼs landscape – a disturbance of its feng shui. Two of the four pixels were haphazardly spray-painted while a wooden bench was placed on top of another.

Cole responded to these reactions saying, “This artwork has nothing to do with the money that pays for their education. It in fact is a gift to them, as is the building that it surrounds.”

Some students were upset about the $100,000 pricetag for the pixels, as they felt that the money could have been better spent in other ways.

However, according to Laughtonʼs FAQ, public art projects are stipulated by the Collegeʼs Protocol for Fine Arts for Major Capital Projects. Like all capital projects that have been built on campus since the 1980s, the building was funded solely by bond money, not by taxes or tuition.

The total cost for the sculpture, including Coleʼs commission, design, engineering, fabrication and installation, was $100,000 according to Laughtonʼs FAQ. This figure is equivalent to one-third of one percent of the total $30 million budget of the new Art and Interactive Multimedia building.

Sarah Cunningham, the Art Gallery Coordinator, responded to the introduction of Coleʼs work to the Collegeʼs campus positively.

“I think it is absolutely thrilling that (the College) now owns a major work by Willie Cole,” Cunningham said. “I love the way he repositions the familiar and invites viewers to reconsider everyday objects.”

According to Laughtonʼs FAQ, Willie Cole has been invited to the College for the Fall 2010 celebration of the new Art and Interactive Multimedia Building.

Campus Style

I find myself floating in and out of contemporary and vintage stuff … late ʼ50s-early ʼ60s mod, to classic American styles like J. Crew or Polo. I like bohemian apparel.

What is the first thing you look for when selecting an item of clothing?

To me, the way clothing fits is 90 percent of the battle. You can wear just about anything and as long as it fits well, it can be pulled off. What Iʼm noticing about style is you can rock anything as long as you do it with confidence. Hold your head up high, dare to look a bit different and people will notice.

Kristen Kubilus / Staff Writer

By Kristen Kubilus Staff Writer Craig Dotti Senior English Major What are you wearing?

Iʼm wearing a winter jacket and a flannel button-up with a graphic tee underneath. My pants are just a grey dress pant, skinny fit.

The kicks are some suede desert boots. Most of what I am wearing I got from Macyʼs because I worked there.

Why is fashion important to you?

Perhaps this is cliché, but I think what you wear can be an expression of who you are.

And it doesnʼt take much. I have a good friend who just graduated from the College last year and over the summer he decided he was going to live a simpler lifestyle. He gave away most of his clothes. Thatʼs being fashion forward.

Where do you like to shop?

Recently Iʼve loved H&M because I feel they have a pretty varied selection and itʼs wellpriced. Thrift stores are always great too.

Has this inspired you to give away any of your clothing?

In times like these I think we have all fallen victim to lives of excess, so in a sense, yes. I went through my old clothes and gave away much of what I donʼt wear anymore. The stuff was still in good shape, so I figured why not give it to a charity so people have decent articles of clothing?

How has your style changed over the years?

Read the rest of this column online at tcnjsignal.net.

page 10 The Signal January 20, 2010

January 20, 2010 The Signal page 11

Arts & Entertainment

The Signal recalls our decade in entertainment the epic saga. “Stargate” truly embodied and conquered 2000-2009. This is the best Sci-Fi franchise since “Star Trek,” no lie. ~Carrie

Just when you thought the ’oughts were over and done with, our Signal staff swiftly rounded the bases of pop culture to present you with a retrospective of some of the most memorable music, literature, film, television, theater and gaming of the past decade.

Posterity will have to rely on the wisdom of Signal editors, but you don’t: post a comment with your own favorite cultural relic at tcnjsignal.net.

“Spamalot” Smack in the middle of a decade afflicted with terrorism, wars and economic turmoil, something wonderful emerged. This was Monty Python’s “Spamalot” (2005). The musical comedy by Eric Idle comes complete with fish slapping, a look at the correlation between Judaism and Broadway, a murderous bunny and dancing knights, but most importantly — laughter. Definitely the best play of the ’00s. ~Brianna “Alias” The television show “Alias” (2001-2006) — as rich in suspense, romance and drama as it was in wardrobe changes — changed my life in middle school. Essentially, it made me a (not so) closet-geek and refueled my feminist aspirations, first instilled in me in a big way by the Spice Girls’ “Girls Rule!” campaign of the ’90s. Perhaps most importantly, the series inspired me to want to see the world, go after my dreams, and aim high. “Alias” told me that women have all the equipment and more to conquer the world; after all, a round-house kick to the world’s face is only more deadly in stiletto heels. ~Laura “Stargate” It was hard to pick one TV show to highlight, so I didn’t; I picked a franchise — the “Stargate” franchise. The main plot is that of an interplanetary (and intergalactic) ‘gate’ that transports civilians and military to other worlds to make first contact and try to defend Earth against the many menaces found. “Stargate SG-1” (1997) started the Sci-Fi powerhouse at the end of the 20th century, “Stargate: Atlantis” (2004) kept it going last decade and now “Stargate: Universe” (2009) will continue

The “Harry Potter” films The “Harry Potter” series may have come out in the ’90s, but the movies really helped the books to take off during the past decade. J.K. Rowling’s fictional alternative world of magic and good vs. evil came to life on the big screen, and there is no denying the fact that everyone fell in love with the actors playing everyone’s favorite characters. Harry, Ron and Hermoine’s adventures at Hogwarts and their quest to defeat Voldemort have captured our attention since the very first time a spell was used in the movie. Knowing that the last and final movie is coming out this year, it is sad to think that this cultural obsession will be coming to an end. Nevertheless, the fantastic world of witches and wizards will live on for generations. ~Hilarey “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close” Through the witty perspective of nine-yearold Oskar, Jonathan Safran Foer delivers a simultaneously tragic and hilarious journey surrounding the death of Oskar’s father. Foer’s brand of stream-of-consciousness vividly captures Oskar’s voice, while alternatively delving into the minds of the individuals he encounters. Released in 2005, this book both playfully and seriously explores what it means to be human, offering painful and compelling insight in the connections lost and made from destruction. ~Katie “Cunt: a declaration of independence” Inga Muscio’s “Cunt: a declaration of independence” was one of the decade’s mustread books. Published in 2002, it tackles all kinds of women-related issues such as whoredom, self-protection, rape, menstruation, masturbation and, of course, sex. If you are a woman, like women, know any women, or even plan to become a woman, you have to read this book, even if the only thing you take away from it is, “men who refuse to use condoms do not deserve to be fucked by anyone but other men who refuse to use condoms.” It’s vulgar, hilarious, inspirational and, besides its eyecatching title, the content will keep you talking after the final glance. ~Alyssa “Rock Band” In the past decade, no video game left a more lasting impact on me than the first installation of the “Rock Band” franchise (2007). “Rock Band”

exposed me to an entirely new niche in gaming.

It expanded on the rhythm game experience by popularizing a new level of cooperative multiplayer gameplay with the addition of the drum set and microphone peripherals. The experience of playing a song on “Rock Band” with three other people playing four different parts of the song was unmatched at the time.

While there are a plethora of video games that I enjoyed more for the story and artistic expression, no video game in the last decade opened me up to a new gaming experience like Rock Band. ~Garrett “Origin of Symmetry” (Muse) Though in 2010, British rock trio Muse is bigger and louder than ever before, the band’s strain of eruptive elegance was never more pure than on 2001’s “Origin of Symmetry.” Armed to the teeth with fuzzed-out guitars, subversive piano riffs, bombastic rhythms and ceiling-smashing vocal melodies, the “new-prog” group did more than meet frontman Matthew Bellamy’s aspiration to embody the British response to Rage Against the Machine. By splicing rock music with prog, electronic, classical and jazz and grounding the mixture in 52 seamless minutes, Muse set an early water mark for what eclectic rockers should accomplish in the new

millennium. ~Matt

Illustration by Rachel Razza

“Clear” (James Ferraro) James Ferraro’s “Clear” (2008) is my favorite album of the past decade due to its experimental nature. He has invented a sound on this album that incorporates synth pop, drone, noise and ambience into a musical concoction unlike anything I’ve ever heard. This album has inspired me so much when creating music of my own and will go down as a piece of music I will always remember. ~Jeff “Alive or Just Breathing” (Killswitch Engage) Released in 2002, “Alive or Just Breathing,” recorded by heavy metal titans Killswitch Engage, undoubtedly shaped the melodic metalcore, as well as the American heavy metal genre for the duration of the decade. The album, unlike KsE’s mostly hardcore-based debut, fused driving metal riffs and screaming with clean vocals and uplifting lyrics by former vocalist Jesse Leach to create a musical combination that is now commonplace in modern American heavy metal. Three albums later, KsE has risen to the forefront of the genre, but “Alive or Just Breathing” was the beginning for its current style, as well as that of many other bands throughout the decade. ~Bobby

‘Left 4 Dead 2’ breathes new life into zombie franchise

By Alex Sisko Correspondent

“Left 4 Dead 2” was the target of one of the largest fan boycotts in gaming history due to its suspiciously swift development and release on Nov. 17, just one year after its predecessor, which was a first-person shooter/survival horror hit. Yes, as fans have held, this game would have been more appealing if it had been a free expansion to “Left 4 Dead.”

That said, fans of its developer, Valve Corporation, have been spoiled by the astounding value of many of Valve’s previous products (The Orange Box video game compilation comes to mind, as it was possibly the best-ever value for a new game release). The fact is that the value point of “Left 4 Dead” exceeds most games released this year, and some of the most bitter supporters of the boycott bought “Left 4 Dead 2” on the day of its release.

The recent announcement of a massive free expansion to the game that includes a new multiplayer mode, weapons and a new campaign further bolsters the game’s value. “Left 4 Dead 2” adds a new multiplayer mode, called “scavenge,” that is possibly the best part of the game. Scavenge matches are quite short and exciting. Gamers playing as the “survivors” scramble to gather gasoline and protect their buddies, while those playing as “the infected” take advantage of the predictable areas that the

survivors must enter in order to ambush the survivors and score points. This mode promotes more complex cooperative play than the original’s cower-in-a-corner-and-don’t-stop-shooting gameplay and is a significant innovation.

The characters in “Left 4 Dead 2” are more interesting than those in “Left 4 Dead,” but that’s not saying much as the characters in both games seem to have just met and appeared out

AP Photo

Left 4 Dead 2 updates the infectious world of its predecessor with new strategies and weapons.

of thin air on the roof of a building. Besides that, the perplexing arrangement of weapons, which lay in neat piles as if someone has scouted areas ahead of you, and other things interfered with the experience and felt contrived. Valve made a point of trying to expand the storyline and believability of the franchise with “Left 4 Dead 2,” and they failed miserably.

It seems that the design team was split between people who didn’t see the need for deeper characters and people who wanted a more immersive game world. As a result, what “Left 4 Dead 2” created was not a convincing alternate reality but a comic and over-the-top fiction where the specifics often feel unnatural.

Still, the game world is varied and original. The monsoonlike episodes of the hard rain campaign were especially engrossing and overall, the level design is a big improvement over the first game. The meticulousness with which the new infected zombies were designed results in neat combinations, such as when a bedeviled “Jockey”-type zombie jumps on you and steers you into a pool of acid spit, created by another player using the “Spitter.”

The new weapons and special “infected” unquestionably deepen the gameplay. The true accomplishment of “Left 4 Dead 2” is this masterful level of balance between the “infected” and the survivors. This game should appeal not only to fans of the original but also to new players.

page 12 The Signal January 20, 2010

Arenʼt these puppies cute?

Do you know what else is cute…?

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Reading The Signal online at tcnjsignal.net!

January 20, 2010 The Signal page 13 Wrestling

No. 7-ranked Lions drop first match

College advances to finals at Lycoming

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

Tom O’ Dell / Photo Assistant

The New York Knicks are reportedly interested in Gilbert Arenas. Great, it’s been a while since they had a shooter.

Miami’s Michael Beasley says he wishes he worked at McDonald’s so nobody would care about his marijuana use. One more arrest and he might have that chance.

David Beckham says he uses Skype to help his son, Brooklyn, with his homework. That way, Beckham can still have the opportunity to teach his son to quit.

Mark McGwire claimed to have a “Huge rolodex of knowledge” to pass on to Cardinals hitters. We’re guessing it includes Victor Conte’s number.

And John Daly used a 20-year-old wedge at the Sony Open. It’s nice to hear Tiger Woods isn’t the only one using 20-year-olds.

Graduate student and captain Dan DiColo grapples with his opponent.

By Bobby Olivier Editor-in-Chief The Lions’ unscathed season hit a snag on Saturday, Jan. 16, as the No. 7- nationally ranked College lost it’s first dual meet of the year, falling to No. 4 Ithaca College, 25-11. The Lions’ only loss came in the championship meet of the Budd Whitetail Duals, hosted by Lycoming College. The Lions had won 19 consecutive meets prior to their loss to Ithaca.

The Lions fell behind early to the Bombers, dropping their first four bouts by decision. The College bounced back in the mid-weight classes, taking three of four bouts as graduate student Dan DiColo at 157 pounds, freshman Michael Kiley at 165 pounds and junior Mike Denver at 184 pounds were victorious.

Two losses in the 197-pound and 285-pound weight classes sealed the Lions’ fate, as they now stand at

14-1.

A strong performance by the College in the tournament semifinals was a highlight, as they defeated No. 15-ranked SUNY-Cortland, 18-15 earlier in the day. Four consecutive wins by DiColo and Denver, as well as freshman Brian Broderick at 174 pounds and sophomore Kyle Packer at 149 pounds earned the Lions their chance at a tournament victory.

On Friday, the College won easily in its first three tournament matches, first shutting out Muskigum College, 48-0, and Rochester College of Technology, 50-0, as well as a 33-4 rout of Olivet College.

The College will look to bounce back tonight, Jan. 20, as it travels to Centenary College for a 7 p.m. start.

Bobby Olivier can be reached at olivier6@tcnj.edu.

AP Photo

For more of Steve Hofstetter’s minuteorso, log on to minuteorso.com

For more on this article, go to tcnjsignal.net.

Women’s Basketball

Lions start final stretch of the season with four straight wins

College’s dominant defense ranked first in the NJAC

By Michael O’Donnell Staff Writer With two wins over Rutgers University, one Newark and another Camden, and a victory over Centenary College, the Lions are trying to grab every possible conference win in this crucial stretch of the season.

It was a tale of two games against the

two Rutgers Universities, as the Lions edged out the Scarlet Raiders of Newark in a thrilling overtime battle of 61-59.

The win was, in big part, thanks to sophomore guard/forward Hannah Tait, who tallied a career-high 25 points to lead the Lions to victory. The Staten Island native also scored five of her team’s six points in overtime.

Down the stretch, the win came courtesy

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

Junior captain Keri Washington searches for an open teammate.

of great defensive play late. The Lions, the 16 points for the home team. top-ranked defensive team in the New JerThe defense was also the focal point for sey Athletic Conference (NJAC), allowed the Lions, as they held the Scarlet Raptors just three points in the extra session. under 25 percent shooting for the game Despite the strong play at the end, it and forced 20 turnovers. In eight of the was a test of mettle through the second team’s nine wins this season, they have half. The College had led by as much as held their opponent under 50 points.

10 in the period, but Rutgers UniversityLast Monday, Jan. 18, the College hostNewark went on a run to cut the deficit to ed the top-scoring team in Division III. just two.

The Centenary College Cyclones scored The sharpshooting from long distance well below its average in the Lions’ 78-67 by the Raiders knotted the game up at 56 victory. with 1:08 remaining in reguJunior forward Kelsey lation, and that was the way Scarlet Raptors 38 Kutch scored a career-high 71 26 points as the Lions won its things went into overtime. Lions Both teams combined on 19 fourth-straight game. Washmakes from beyond the arc. Scarlet Raiders 59 ington registered the double61 double with 10 points and 11 Senior guard and captain Lions Karen Lassoni had a strong Cyclones 67 rebounds. Tait also added 18 game in the win, recording points.

78 a season-high nine points Lions The dominant Lions’ while posting three assists. Fellow cap- defense once again stifled its opponent, tain and junior guard Keri Washington as the Cyclones only shot 31 percent from also had a strong performance, scor- the floor as a team. ing 11 points while pulling down seven After the fourth straight win, the Lions boards in front of the home crowd at now stand at 10-7 overall and 3-2 in the Packer Hall.

NJAC. Strong play through January and Shockingly, this was only the second February will be necessary if they look to win for the Lions at home this season. The make a run at the postseason. first came just three days earlier as the team The Lions play against only NJAC ripounded Rutgers-Camden 71-38. vals for the remainder of the season, so The game was not close whatsoever. every game is crucial. The College will After opening up the contest 22-6, the host Montclair State University on SaturCollege went from there and led at half- day Jan. 23 at 1 p.m. The Alumnae game time. Once again, Tait led the way, netting will also be played that day, at 9:30 a.m.

page 14 The Signal January 20, 2010

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January 20, 2010 The Signal page 15

LIONS ROUNDUP Date 11/15/09 11/18/09 11/20/09 11/21/09 11/24/09 11/28/09 12/2/09 12/5/09 12/17/09 1/4/10 1/6/10 1/9/10 1/16/10 1/13/10 1/16/10 1/20/10 1/23/10 1/27/10

Menʼs BasketballTime/Result Opponent @ vs. @ @ @ @ vs. @ @ @ @ @ vs. vs. vs. @ vs. vs.

Menʼs Swimming

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

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

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

W W W L W L L L L W W W W W W 8 3 8

83-76 2 OT 96-50 76-71 74-85 93-85 88-97 64-84 46-78 49-90 71-61 86-69 66-60 OT 77-66 73-60 71-63 p.m. p.m. p.m.

Opponent

Time/Result

Montclair State University Ramapo College Stevens Institute of Tech.

So. Connecticut State U. Franklin & Marshall Co. Franklin & Marshall Inv. Franklin & Marshall Inv. West Chester University John Hopkins University New York University William Paterson U. Rowan University Met. Conference Champs.

Met. Conference Champs.

Met. Conference Champs.

W 154-90 W 160-91 L 118-144 W 164-121 W 135-71 1st Place 1st Place W 203-167 W 183-175 1 p.m.

1 p.m.

2 p.m.

9:30 a.m 9:30 a.m.

9:30 a.m.

Wrestling

Date 12/5/09 1/9/09 1/9/09 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

Lehman College Berkeley College Albright Co. Tournament Albright Co. Tournament Muhlenberg College Centenary College Rowan University William Paterson U. Davidson College Delaware University FDU-Florham New Jersey City U. Drew University Rutgers University-Camden Rutgers University-Newark Kean University Montclair State University Richard Stockton College

Lion of the Week

Mike Vernoia Menʼs Swimming

Sophomore Mike Vernoia helped the Lions secure victories over John Hopkins University and West Chester University by placing first in the 100-yard freestyle event, the 200-yard free, the 500-yard free and contirubting to a victory in the 800-yard freestyle relay.

—Brandon

Gould, Sports Assistant

This Week In Sports Menʼs Basketball

Jan. 20 @ Kean University, 8 p.m.

Jan. 23 vs. Montclair State University, 3 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 7:00 p.m.

7:30 p.m.

Noon

Trivia Question Answer to Last Semester’s Trivia Question: 7 times

The New York Jets were given the worst odds to reach the Super Bowl after going 9-7 in the regular season, but after defeating the San Diego Chargers 17-14 in the Divisional Round of the playoffs they are headed to the AFC Championship to face the Indianapolis Colts. The Jets last reached the AFC Championship game in 1998. Who did they face in the AFC Championship game that year?

Womenʼs Basketball

Jan. 20 @ Kean University, 6 p.m.

Jan. 23 Alumnae Game, 9:30 a.m.

Jan. 23 vs. Montclair State University, 1 p.m.

Wrestling

Jan. 20 @ Centenary College, 7 p.m.

Jan. 22 vs. Wilkes College

Swimming and Diving

Jan. 23 @ New York University, 1 p.m.

Jan 24. @ William Paterson University, 1 p.m.

Track and Field

Jan. 23 @ Princeton Relays, TBA

AP Photo

SignalSports Lions push win streak to six with help from the bench

College drops two Rutgers teams to remain undefeated in 2010

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

Matlock scored a career-high 18 off the bench.

By Garrett Rasko-Martinis Sports Editor For the Lions, the new year couldn’t have come any faster.

Since ending 2009 with four straight losses, the College has rebounded with six straight victories in the new year, including two in the past week against New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) rivals.

“It’s nice to be undefeated in 2010,” senior guard and captain Jay Frank said. “To have this win streak is pretty awesome after going 4-5 and losing four in a row is very exciting.”

The Lions are now 10-5 on the season with a 3-2 record in the NJAC. The College rolled to its sixth straight win at home

against NJAC-rival Rutgers - Newark U, 71-63 last Saturday, Jan. 16. Senior forward Aaron Syvertsen led the Lions in scoring with 20 points, and junior forward Steven Siracusa registered his second-straight doubledouble with 10 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.

Frank had another strong offensive showing with 16 points and three steals. Senior guard William Jett had a great game off the bench, contributing 14 points and seven rebounds.

Syvertsen led the Lions to a 41-31lead at halftime after he scored all 20 of his points in the first half. As a team, the Lions shot 56 percent from the floor and only turned the ball over six times in the first half.

In the second half the Lions never gave up the lead, although the Scarlet Raiders made a late run and got within five points with nine minutes remaining in the game. But the Lions added 10 points from the foul line in the game’s final minutes to gain a comfortable lead.

The College’s fifth-straight win came with a 73-60 home victory over Rutgers University-Camden last Wednesday Jan. 13. The Lions and Scarlet Raptors fought back and forth, but the Lion bench players turned the game around in favor of the home team.

At the end of the first half, the College held a slim 33-27 lead, but the Raptors went on an 18-5 run to start the second half and take back the lead 46-38.

Lions head coach Kelly Williams then subbed out all five of his starters in favor of fresher players off the bench.

The Lions went on a 25-8 run to take back the lead at 63-54 with four minutes remaining in the game.

Sophomore guard Albert Matlock scored 10 straight points during this run to tally a career-high 18 points.

“It’s nice to have (the bench players) come in and not have anything drop off as of late,” Frank said.

Swimming

“They’ve always been good, and we switched up the lineups a bit so some seniors are there with them providing leadership. They’re young and gaining confidence and using their athleticism to score points and really help out.”

The Lions held onto the lead to keep the win streak alive. Frank scored 14 points, and Siracusa added 12 points and 11 rebounds for the double-double.

The College has two games against NJAC rivals in the upcoming week. The Lions travel to Kean University on Wednesday Jan. 20 for a 8 p.m. game. The College then returns back home on Saturday Jan. 23 for a 3 p.m. contest against Montclair State University.

Garrett Rasko-Martinis can be reached at rasko2@tcnj.edu.

Tim Lee / Photo Editor

Senior Jay Frank drives for the layup.

Track and Field

College gaining momentum in 2010 Lions place high in Gotham Cup Runners break school records in N.Y.

By Brandon Gould Sports Assistant

The College started the new year off strong in men’s swimming and diving, while the women’s team suffered its first loss of the season.

The men’s team came out of their tri-meet with victories over John Hopkins University and West Chester University.

The Lions improved their record to 6-1 after defeating the Blue Jays 183-175 and the Golden Rams 203-167.

Sophomore Mike Vernoia’s three individual wins helped lead the Lions to victory. Vernoia won the 100-yard freestyle event (47.46) the 200-yard free (1:41.53), and the 500-yard free (4:43.31).

The sophomore also contributed to the Lions’ first-place finish in the 800-yard freestyle relay. Vernoia added to the combined efforts of junior Pete Goldsmith, junior Tom Medvecky and sophomore Ryan Clark to achieve the winning time of 7:00.88.

Medvecky continued his success by winning two individual events. Medvecky came out on top in the 100-yard butterfly and the

200-yard fly with the respectable times of 51.70 and 1:56.03.

Sophomore TJ Burns was the most productive of the Lions divers—finishing second in the 1-meter event and second in the three-meter event.

Unfortunately, the women’s team did not achieve the same level of success in their meet against C.W. Post. The Lions dropped to 5-1 on the season after falling to the Pioneers by a score of 137-122.

Despite seeing her team suffer its first setback of the season, junior Margaret Molloy put forth a strong effort by winning two individual events. Molloy came out victorious in the 1000-yard freestyle and the 500-yard free with times of 11:20.49 and 5:15.78.

The Lions also had success in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The team of senior Ashley Robb, freshman Kayleigh Shangle, sophomore Traci Hofer and sophomore Laura Pierce continued their dominance by winning the race in 1:39.27.

The men’s team will look to stay hot when they go to New York University on Jan. 23rd, while the women’s team will look to bounce back against the Violets on the same day.

Tom O’Dell / Photo Assistant

Both swimming teams stand alone atop the NJAC rankings.

By Hilarey Wojtowicz Opinions Editor The men’s and women’s indoor track and field teams opened the new season at the New York Gotham Cup on Friday, Jan. 15.

Both teams collected numerous qualifying finishing times for the National College Athletic Association (NCAA) and the East Coast Athletic Conference (ECAC).

Two school records were also broken by athletes on the women’s team. Senior Jianna Spadaccini broke her own school record in the 500-meter race, finishing in sixth place with a time of 1:15.41. Senior Priscilla Senyah ran a time of 8.92 in the 60-meter hurdles, breaking her previous record of 8.94 seconds which she set back in December. Spadaccini’s time qualified her for the ECAC championship, whereas Senyah met the NCAA provisional cut with her time in the hurdles.

The men’s team was not far behind with three athletes running ECAC qualifying times in two different events. Juniors Jule Brooks and Kyle Gilroy finished with strong times of 49.27 and 50.19 in the 400- meter race. Senior DeShard Stevens qualified for the ECAC championship in the 500- meter race with a time of 1:05.45, nabbing him 10th place.

Other athletes outshined the other schools in both track and field events at the meet, as well. Freshman Rachel Morris was the top Division III finisher in the 3,000-meter race, running a time of 10:43.23 to give her 11th place.

Three runners on the men’s team also stood out amongst the athletes in the mile. Sophomore Ian Boyle placed 9th in the seeded mile

Photo courtesy of Sports Information Desk

Brooks ran a great 400-meter race.

with a time of 4:25.71. In the unseeded mile, it was junior Kyle Roos and freshman Andy Gallagher who took the 8th and 9th places, with finishing times of 4:29.24 and 4:29.50.

Both the women’s and men’s teams excelled in field events, as well, with several athletes placing in the top-10 of their event. Sophomore Colin Gold cleared a height of four meters for second place in the unseeded pole vault.

Senior Martin Brown and junior Alexander Necovski placed 7th and 8th in the shot put for the men’s team with throws of 13.37 and 12.90 meters.

The men’s and women’s track and field team will continue the season on Jan. 23 at the Princeton Relays.

Hilarey Wojtowicz can be reached at wojtowi3@tcnj.edu.