LORAS SOCCER
‘THOR ‘ MOVIE REVIEW
Women’s team wins 4th straight conference title; men’s team wins crown by avenging its only loss to Wartburg Page 7
Follow the hero in his next cinematic adventure Page 5 November 14, 2013 — Vol. 92, Issue 6
Lend Me a Tenor lends plenty of laughs by AUSTIN COUSINS | staff writer
Looking for a laugh this weekend? The Loras Players will be performing the laughout-loud comedy, Lend Me A Tenor starting this Friday in St. Joseph’s Auditorium. The cast, which is made up of eight members, started rehearsing in September for the November premiere. “You should come see it if you’re looking for a good laugh,” said junior Anne Spoden,
who has been involved in the Loras Players for three years. “It’s very entertaining, and we’ve worked very hard to make it great.” The experience of the cast ranges from seasoned veterans to newcomers. Two new members of the Loras Players, Lizzie Kuzmeski and Travis Exline, make their Loras debut on stage this weekend alongside sophomores, juniors and seniors alike. “It’s fantastic — the best thing I’ve done so far here at Loras,” said Exline. “It’s like being a part of one big family. Everyone is so welcoming.” Exline’s feelings seem to be shared by the cast, who warm up each night with laughter and jokes. On stage, they play off one another and make the performance the best it can be while still having a good time. While the Loras Players often do more obscure shows, Lend Me A Tenor is a modern comedy
The Loras Players are hard at work rehearsing for Lend Me a Tenor, which premieres this Friday at 7:30 p.m in St. Joseph’s Auditorium. photos by MARY AGNOLI
called “the second-funniest play written by a living playwright.” Lend Me A Tenor premieres Friday, Nov. 15. Showtimes on Friday and Saturday are at 7:30 p.m., with the doors open-
Dashain: Good triumphs over evil by SIENNA SEAS | staff writer
The Dashain festival began as a harvest festival in Nepal, as well as other parts of India. Evolving from a festival celebrating the harvest, Dashain became a celebration of the battle of the Goddess Durga against Mahisasura. Mahisasura stands for wild buffalo. This was a battle of good versus evil. Throughout the presentation, given by Sajjan KC, many pictures were shown of Goddess Durga and her companion, the lion. The battle pictures of Durga and Mahisasura, the lion, were also present helping fight the battle. The celebration lasts a total of 15 days; the dates of the celebration this year were Oct. 5 through Oct. 19. The battle was fought for 10 days, and on the eighth and ninth days of the festival many sacrifices are made to the Goddess Durga. The blood is known to pacify Durga. Even though these sacrifices may seem brutal and unnecessary, it is a tradition. Each part of the animal is used with another part of the celebration, so there is no waste. Sajjan stated that there are 50 to 100 sacrifices per day during this time of the celebration. Some of the animals are put towards the feast. “We all helped cook the food,” said Parishwi Giri, who helped organize and put together the Dashain celebration this year. “It was a good to spend time together. This experience really makes us feel good. Also, it was good to see many younger students here this year. We asked professors to have their students come so they can experience our culture.”
ing at 7 p.m., and Saturday at 2 p.m., with the doors opening at 1:30 p.m. Loras-affiliated receive free admission. General admission tickets are $12 each, and $8 for senior citizens or other students.
Fast & Furious: Honor Band has just 1 day to nail a performance by ANDREA BERNS | staff writer
photos by SIENNA SEAS
Students participate in a ritual in the Nepalese festival of Dashain. The annual celebration lasts for 15 days. Almost every student in attendance tried the food that was prepared. “It was a really cool experience getting to be a part of another culture that I otherwise would not have been exposed to,” said sophomore Sarah Janssen, who was attending Dashain for the first time. “The food was also a really interesting aspect. I felt as though I was actually participating with their traditions.” But before the food was served, tikka took place. Tikka is created with vermillion powder, yogurt and rice. Tikka symbolizes fertility and prosperity while also reiterating familial blood ties. The eldest in the household or family would give this blessing to younger members. The tikka ceremony was extremely interesting. “Tikka is my favorite because it brings people together, especially family,” said Sajjan KC. “It is mostly close relatives that come together, but also during this time distant relatives will visit. It’s amazing to see people come together. The whole celebration just really brings people together.” The celebration of Dashain even on Loras campus brought people of differ-
ent cultures together. Dashain is about bringing people together to celebrate the winning of good versus evil. “I loved it,” said sophomore Dustin Schafbuch. “I love diving into other cultures from around the world.”
The days of high school are a longer time ago for some and perhaps more memorable as well. But current high school students from Hempstead, Beckman, Wahlert, Dubuque Senior, Marshalltown, Columbus, Western Dubuque, as well as from Waconia in Minnesota, Stockton in Illinois, and Royall from Wisconsin were busy Friday making memories. The high-schoolers joined forces to perform their High School Honor Band concert in the Fieldhouse. The 6 p.m. concert followed an intense day of rehearsing for the performance. The concert opened with the New Horizons band, a variety of adult musicians around 50 years of age and older. Then it was the students’ turn playing songs such as Chopsticks” by Herbert Fred, “Of Dark Lords and Ancient Kings” by Roland Barrett, and highlights of ABBA’s music from “Mamma Mia.” The most unique piece they played was “Dinosaurs” by Daniel Bukvich, in which students made creative sounds using wine glasses half-filled with water as they circled the rim with their fingers to generate an eerie, suspenseful ring. In the meantime, they used their voices to sing soft, primal sounds to paint a picture of the prehistoric creatures. At one point, an increase of speed in the vocals as well as stomping of feet generated a mental image of a tyrannosaurus rex running quicker and quicker to capture its prey. The talent was evident, as Hempstead trumpeter Nathaniel Schatz composed one of the pieces, “Overture for Band.” When hearing this piece alone, without knowing who the composer was, one would never know it was written by a junior in high school. “Playing this piece has been a really interesting process today,” said director Dr. Glenn Pohland to the audience. “It’s not often you have the composer sitting amongst you.” Dr. Pohland called the process of rehearsing and performing “a ball” and that he would be delighted if any of these students decided to attend Loras in the future. “It was wonderful,” said Pohland. “They worked hard, they were energetic and they did everything I asked them to do.” With the dedication of the students, the encouragement of the parents in the audience, and the beautiful music performed at this concert, the night was deemed to be quite memorable by all parties.
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News
The Lorian Nov. 14, 2013
City launches ‘Inclusive Dubuque’ campaign by NINO ERBA | staff writer
Business appears to be booming in Dubuque. Unemployment has been lower in Dubuque than nationally for years, with July of this year logging a 4.9 percent unemployment rate. The September financial reports indicate that the city has brought in a surplus of revenues. Loras has brought in more incoming students than in the last several years. The city is also a hub for major companies such as John Deere, IBM, and Sears. And these are just a few of the many reasons to believe that Dubuque is doing well as a city. However, there are still some issues that need to be addressed by the community. Dubuque made headlines earlier this year when the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development accused Dubuque of racism due to the city’s handling of housing vouchers. Incidents such as this raise the question of what can be done to make
the city better. There is one initiative which is looking to make this difference. “Inclusive Dubuque” was launched last month by the city to improve the interconnectedness of Dubuque. Jessica Rose, director of strategic initiatives for the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque; Nikola Pavelic, Community Engagement Coordinator who works for the City of Dubuque; and Kelly Larson, the Human Rights Director for the City of Dubuque, are among the many who are working to make Inclusive Dubuque a reality. “Inclusive Dubuque is an effort to reach out into the community, and try to address the gaps that are happening in Dubuque,” said Larson. Although the initiative is still in its beginning phases, the vision of the initiative is clear. “The goal is to try and achieve a high quality of life, and establishing that through major touch points,” said Pavelic. . Inclusive Dubuque is including input from at least 25 different organizations who are mission partners for the initiative. The emphasis includes getting businesses, and particularly the city, involved. Higher education also plays a part in the initiative, with it drawing from Loras, NICC, University of Dubuque, UW-Platteville and Clarke University. Through their efforts, Inclusive Dubuque will aim to connect the different groups within the city and also try to be more open to newcomers, in efforts to increase the retention of newcomers and to bring diversity
Loras partners with ARK Advocates by SEABELO MONTWEDI | staff writer
With Loras aiming at putting in 175,000 hours of community service in commemoration of its 175th anniversary, the eDUcation club is putting its best foot forward and helping the school achieve this goal. This past Saturday, ARK Advocates held their 14th annual Walk and Fun Day to raise money. This is a smaller version of the big fundraising activity held every spring. The event was held in Graber Center, and although this was the first time the eDUcation club volunteered at the event, Loras College has been hosting the fundraising event for the past 14 years. “We had members of the community making pledges to raise certain amounts of money,” said Alexandria Settanni, junior and president of the eDUcation club. “This day is a way of celebrating how much they made and their initiative to raise money.” ARK Advocates is a group of concerned adults and parents advocating with and for the needs of persons with disabilities. The goals of this non-profit organization are to educate persons with disabilities and their families of their rights and advocate for persons with disabilities in the legal, educational, and health fields. The two main services offered by ARK Advocates are an equipment lending library and respite nights for disabled individuals. However, this is not the first time the club has been involved with ARK Advocates. They are mainly responsible for hosting and coordinating respite nights where they host children with disabilities so their families could have quality time together. The club also hopes and plans to have a long and fruitful relationship with the organization. “This is our first year helping out at this event so we are learning as we go, but we definitely plan on getting more involved as the years go by.” said Settanni. Other clubs that volunteered at the event were DuBuddies, nurses from Finley Hospital and Physiotherapy students from Clarke University. In addition to the walk around the track, there were a lot of other fun activities such as face painting, jumping castles and different games. The president of ARK Advocates, Aulanda Krause, who is also a special education teacher, said it is the children, those who are
Dubuque offers scenic views and numerous attractions to its residents and visitors. City leaders work to open Dubuque up to others to enjoy everything it has to offer. photos by CASSANDRA BUSCH
to the city. The City Council of Dubuque has been supportive of this initiative, with Mayor Roy D. Buol giving the opening speech for the launch of Inclusive Dubuque. On Loras’ part, a major participant is Sue Hafkemeyer, director of marketing and communications at Loras. She sees this initiative as something which can ultimately benefit students. “There will be an effort for the city to be seen as welcoming, which will help students stay here since they provide the future
Moot court participants make their case by CASSANDRA BUSCH| news editor
the ARK Advocates’ beneficiaries, that are the reason she “choses special education and is involved in ARK Advocates”. This walk and fun day provided these beneficiaries a time to enjoy themselves. “Carson has a great time at the respite nights, and he never wants to leave whenever he visits,” said Jenny, the mother of a beneficiary. “He loved the big pumpkin he got to take home the last time he visited. We can’t wait for the next respite night. We are so thankful.” This thankfulness was a common attitude that the parents had towards ARK and the walk and fun day. “I am so appreciative of the opportunities offered by ARK Advocates,” said a parent, reluctant to give her name. “The event was a nice way for us as parents to see how the volunteers interact with our children and for us to know that our children are in good hands.” Although the money raised has not been totaled, three people raised more than four hundred dollars each. “The event went very well. The children had fun and their parents were very appreciative. ARK Advocates can use all the money it can get, so any amount that is contributed is appreciated,” added Settanni.
workforce,” said Hafkemeyer. Some ways that Dubuque has worked with Loras so far include the mayor signing letters to first-year Loras students and Loras working with businesses in Dubuque such as IBM. Hafkemeyer also noted that President Jim Collins is incredibly involved with Inclusive Dubuque as well. It’s hard to tell how Inclusive Dubuque will unfold, but there is widespread hard work being done to keep this moving forward. Expect to see more about this in the future.
Students interested in Constitutional Law had an opportunity to participate in or attend an exhibition of appellate advocacy being debated on Nov. 8 and 9, at Loras. Loras was host to the 2013 American Collegiate Moot Court Association (ACMA) Upper Midwest Regional Moot Court Tournament. The ACMA is the only national organization that exists for intercollegiate students to try their hands at moot court. The organization was founded by University of Texas political science professor Dr. Charles Knerr, and Dallas attorney Andrew Sommerman. The Championship Tournament has been hosted by the ACMA since 2001. In 2006, the organization decided to implement national qualifying tournaments at colleges and universities all across the nation, such as the Regional Moot Court Tournament. Moot court differs from mock trial in the fact that mock trial is usually a simulated jury trial or bench trial, while moot court is a simulation of appellate court (court of appeals) or arbitral case (resolution of disputes outside the court) on constitutional issues. Many of the mock trial participants at Loras also partake in moot court. Senior Jessie Donels is one of these students, and also is the captain of mock trial. The moot court team is led by coaches Deone Merkel and Christopher Budzisz. “I like moot as opposed to mock because it is a purely legal exercise. Mock trial requires a lot of theatrics and flare. Most of the points go to theatrical skills such as acting and emoting,” said Donels. “In moot, there are 100 points per four categories: knowledge of subject matter, response to questions, forensic skill and courtroom demeanor, and organization, logic, and clarity of the argument. The judging is less subjective and more focused on your abilities to put together a case and convince the judges that you are right. It is argument focused, which suits me well.” Besides being enjoyable for its participants, moot court provides numerous other benefits for students as well. “The benefits of participating in Moot Court from a student level are multiple. If
the student has any interest in going to law school, it is an excellent exposure to some of the rigors they will face,” said Merkel. “For all students, interested in law or not, the constitutional issues that it deals with are important to learn about since they have huge impact on us all. Additionally, Moot court is a great way to hone speaking skills. It requires students to think on their feet in order to answer the questions that the judges ask. Moot court is a great combination of critical thinking and oral communication.” The case for this tournament revolved around a potential violation of the Fourth Amendment (warrantless tracking of the petitioner via cell phone technology) and an Article II issue, which was whether or not the powers of the president included the right as CommandMoot court er-in-Chief to detain the same petitioner is a great indefinitely as a combination of potential terrorist. critical thinking Students particiand oral pate in the competition in teams of communication. two. Three teams of Deone Merkel Loras students parMoot Court Coach ticipated in this particular competition. At the end of the first competition day, Donels and fellow senior Dale Elenteny ranked fourth overall. All three of the Loras teams advanced to the second competition day. Sophomore Blake Gibney and senior Megan Horst joined Donels and Elenteny in earning a spot in the top eight, but were unable to move on to the semifinals. Sophomore Julian Valdes and first-year Brandy Rubin made up the third Loras team. The teams that placed in the top three on Saturday qualified for Nationals, which are going to be held in January in Arizona. “We had a very successful Moot Court Regional Tournament this past weekend. While Loras did not earn a bid to Nationals, our three teams performed well and gained valuable experience. We are hopeful that the majority of our competitors will be back to argue next season,” said Merkel. Students interested in participating in moot court should contact either of the coaches or the current team members.
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Opinion
Voter-ID laws nurture discrimination L
ast week, we had an election. I didn’t vote — Iowa didn’t have any ballot measures this year, and the special election to replace State Sen. Kent Sorensen (Republican, resigned over ethics violations) isn’t until Nov. 19. Offyear elections don’t get Jessie Donels a substantial amount of media coverage, and the issues on the ballot tend to be less important (or perceived as such). Although Iowa specifically didn’t have any major issues to consider, I’ve become increasingly bemused at the concept of putting these important election topics — yes, I think they are important — on off-year ballots. Strike that, I’m becoming frustrated with voting in general. Voter turnout is incredibly low, even in presidential elections. In 2012, only
DONELS DEBATES
57.5 percent of the eligible, voting-age population voted. This level of turnout is pretty standard — we haven’t had more than 60 percent of voters vote since the ’60s. In off-year elections, the turnout is much lower (statisticbrain.com). To my way of thinking, low voter turnout is a sign of the failure of democracy. A democracy is supposed to be based on the desires of the voters, yet we, by and large, don’t care enough to make it to the polls. A democracy is supposed to enable the people to influence their government, to make it work for them. Yet, we are largely uninformed, and our government works hard to keep it that way. The latest trend in keeping us uninformed and apathetic is to make it more difficult to vote. In recent years, voter-identification laws have become increasingly complicated, making it harder to know if one has the right type of identification to get a ballot. Several registration laws unfairly target specific groups of people, who
frankly (coincidence?) don’t need to be inconvenienced any further by our government. Texas is the most recent example, with the Republican-led state legislature passing voter-identification laws that require the name on your license to be identical to your legal name. Seems simple enough. We wouldn’t want people voting if we couldn’t verify their identification. But who is this law actually targeting? Young women. As a demographic, young women are the most likely to change their names, as they marry and divorce. Changing your name on your license can be difficult, time-consuming and, in some cases, costly. Changing one’s name doesn’t change one’s identity, legal standing or ability to vote. So does this simple factor really matter? The answer is yes. The introduction of new voter-identification laws is nearly always correlated with lower voter turnout, as it becomes more difficult to vote. The influx of voter-identification laws across the country would suggest certain politicians
Call to clean up ENDA ambiguities T he Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) just passed the Senate last week with a significant majority. Action from the U.S. House of Representatives remains to be seen but is likely unlikely. The Senate version of ENDA is one where most persons who identify as LGBTQ would be protected from discrimination in the workplace: a noteworthy objective, I say. As a federal law, ENDA would include exemptions for employers who employ Jack Mescher less than fifteen people, the military and certain religious organizations. As an objective consideration, attempts to reduce discrimination of any person in a free society should be applauded. It is paramount for such a society to avoid engaging in the establishing of preferences toward certain members of its society above others. The U.S. adheres to constitutional law as its guiding doctrine of our free society. In the case of ENDA, the classic “battle of amendments” may ensue. One could conceivably predict ENDA, a federal law, pitting the Tenth Amendment (states’ rights) against the Commerce Clause; perhaps another possibility would divide the First Amendment against itself regarding Freedom of Religion versus Freedom of Speech. However, caution should be taken in passing this particular version of ENDA. As has been seen with the numerous lawsuits over the Affordable Care Act’s HHS Mandate, there may be too much room for subjective interpretation in the language of the bill. The use of ambiguous verbiage in the Senate version of ENDA does not clearly define the breadth and scope of religious organizations. Without clear definitions, lawsuits and concerns over the autonomy of religion from the state will be unavoidable: case in point being the many lawsuits seen today among religious businesses and
READ AND RIGHT
HHS Secretary Sibelius. The protection of religious liberty is absolutely fundamental to this society’s survival. Every scrutiny should be applied to any law, which could impact it. As a further consideration, calling into question the exemption for the military should occur. In a logical sense, it would seem odd to not have an anti-discrimination policy such as ENDA apply to the military, which is so charged with protecting ENDA (that is, the law) from any foreign or domestic foe. Such an exemption seems very inconsistent with the outlined intent of the law and calls into question an apparent prioritization of the military elite above the rights of the masses. Thirdly, the exemption of small businesses (under 15 employees) seems to undermine the principled objective of this bill. Since it aims to define discrimination against LGBTQ identification as unlawful — even objectively wrong — questions arise in the swift exemption of small business. If it’s wrong to discriminate in corporate business, why not so in the smaller arenas? These holes, which exist in the current Senate form of ENDA, should lead the House, if they take up the bill, to add more clear language and close logical holes in the present form. Partiality should be granted especially to religious liberty so as to avoid further legal conflict between church and state. This nation would know much more stability if it focused on passing not only legislation with good intent, such as EDNA, but also good legislation, that is to mean: clean, clear and logically written law that leaves little room for subjective interpretation. To have a good intention is one thing: equally important, however, is the drafting of that intention into language, which is able to protect and carry out the mission, lest it be undermined. As written, ENDA is sloppy and vague. Hopefully, but doubtfully, the House would be able clear up the inconsistencies and ambiguities.
A case of Republican inconsistency R
iding a wave after his comfortable re-election as governor of New Jersey on Nov. 5, Republican Chris Christie is finding himself receiving more nudges from within the party to sweep up any remaining traces of the Romney debacle and be the GOP’s chosen standard-bearer in Dale Elenteny 2016. Christie publicly postures himself as a man’s man — someone you could sit down and have that proverbial beer with. He’s a red governor of a blue state. His blunt retorts and grounded persona supply plenty of fiery conservative sound bites. His electoral appeal also extends to women and minorities, votes perennially short in supply in a party dominated by white men and overt contempt for reproductive health. Don’t forget his dismissal of pesky civil libertarianism from the national dialogue. What’s not to love? Christie, as we see him on TV, is a refreshing change from Mitt Romney — he doesn’t have the rigidity (or jawline) of an action figure, and I never get the impression that he snaps a puppy’s neck over his knee to let off steam before appearing in public. His snappy comebacks and swaggering down-to-business rhetoric even draw parallels to Ronald Reagan,
A DALE-Y DOSE
the messiah of American conservatism. Personability is political gold, and Christie has plenty of it, padding his appeal as a national candidate. The Republican Party wants a figurehead that gets votes from Joe the Plumber and other red-blooded Americans. Isn’t that who they say they’re here for, the industrious little guy? Sift through the regurgitated talking points about big-wig Washington liberals or union kingpins and it becomes increasingly evident that Christie’s perceived populism is a facade. His allegiance lies on America’s top shelf and panders to the homophobes, Drug Warriors, and phone tappers that work to keep the population obediently prostrate. This summer, Christie met Rand Paul’s criticism of the NSA with an emotional appeal to 9/11’s widows and orphans. Voiced skepticisms of carte blanche spying were written off as “esoteric, intellectual debates,” which, in today’s America, is a political insult. Christie’s tug on collective heartstrings is yet another display of neoconservative fear-mongering, the same phenomenon that littered American history with a litany of crimes, from Japanese internment camps to the Iraq War. These threads of logic eschew dialogue in favor of submission and venerate security over personal freedom, the purported foundation of Christie’s party. Where is the optimistic relatability in that? Part of Christie’s reputation as an American for all Americans also comes from his more moderate stances, such
as reluctant approval of a stringently restrictive medical marijuana bill (it sat unsigned for two months) and a separate measure which made gay conversion therapy illegal in New Jersey. The marijuana legislation was criticized as neglect of vulnerable children (see: fearmongering). The latter was decried by social conservatives in the Garden State as a progressive attack on religious freedom, which increasingly seems to be the license to dissolve all other freedoms. These, along with in-state Medicaid expansion and praise of Obama’s management of Hurricane Sandy are painted as testimony of his ability to work outside the confines of party lines and weigh pragmatism over ideology. While willingness to cooperate is a virtue starkly absent from politics these days, and any espousal of it is admirable, I’m not sold. The Republican Party of the Bush years, still dominant today and exhibited in Christie, frames itself as a champion of character and individuality, slayer of the big-government dragon. The same party, often joined by the Democrats they construe as insidious flying monkeys borrowed from “The Wizard of Oz,” is leading a persistent assault on all of those same stated principles. Civil liberties are brushed aside with gusto by one hand, the constitution held up in the other. Freedom to drink a Big Gulp is foundational, but smoking a joint is anathema. As an entity, the Republican Party has no interest in limited oversight or individual sovereignty. Don’t be fooled.
The Lorian
Nov. 14, 2013
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Creating a new norm, an authentic ‘good’
J
ust about every Saturday I have late night chats with a friend who I will call ‘Nutter Butter’ (for the sake of not asking him if I could mention him in my weekly bluster). We don’t sit around clucking away like old chickens because we particularly enjoy Kalli Miner each other’s company, but rather because our entourage, our ‘posse’ of American branded ‘big kids’ (21+) have by then left us and headed downtown to the, let’s call them, ‘hostelries.’ And, Every Saturday after a few shufflings of the card deck and amidst droopy eyelids our gang of all too sober pals roll back through the front door to tell us this week’s version of the hook-up bar story. The girls tell of their troubles trying to dance ‘like normal people’ while the testosterone zombies that are their male college colleagues begin to do the bump and grind behind them. Not cool. Then, the guys in our group tell stories about how they had to ask several other guys to back away from our lady friends, and how some of the women at the bars ‘are trying very hard to attract one particular kind of attention.’ Ah yes, the hook-up culture. Dr. G had us read a book about it in her intro class explaining how the culture of one night stands have been around forever, just at different levels of discretion. Regardless of how long this culture of sorts has been around, let me hopefully not be the first to point out that this ‘exchange’ is, well… a bit awkward. Russell Crowe’s character in the film ‘A Beautiful Mind,’ points this out as he brilliantly asks a woman at the bar whom he finds attractive if ‘she would like to participate in an exchange of bodily fluids.’ I offer my sincere apologies or the vulgarity of that example, but his sarcastic criticism of this unusual social norm is spot on. Besides, this very phenomenon is much more uncouth than Crowe’s line. Rob Thomas and his band Matchbox 20’s song “Get it Back 2 Good,” also does a great job of criticizing the ‘hook-up’ norm. The song is basically one big satirical ballad about how “So everyone here, hates everyone here. For doin’ just like they do. And it’s best if we all keep this quiet instead.” Here Thomas hits on the hypocritical attitudes we have towards each other, as we are constantly trying to point out the sliver in everyone else’s eyes, so to speak, meanwhile we’ve all got logs in our own. Secondly, in the same line, Thomas points out the ‘underground’ nature of the whole things. We all pretend like we’re heading down to the bars for a good time, while many of us go to seek out a good time afterward. But, we don’t talk about it, we’ll just pretend like that isn’t actually happening. In the end Thomas says that ‘he’s sorry now, and he doesn’t know how to get it back to good,’ or how to reverse things back to the way they used to be. But, of course Dr. G’s aforementioned book would say that there is no ‘good’ to go back to. So, until we can all agree to call off the overly-sexed charade, my friends will just have to stick together and not join the hormone driven walking dead on the dance floors. Of course, their disdain has not led them to stop going downtown, but their morals hold true just the same as I’d trust anyone of them to write these words. Granted they wouldn’t get any closer to ‘getting back to good,’ but maybe our synergetic efforts could create a new norm, an authentic ‘good.’
‘MINER’ DOUBLE TAKE
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The Lorian
Nov. 14, 2013
Features
The last eminem Eat Breakfast, or Break Fast. With his eighth and raved over “The by CONNOR COLLINS | staff writer and final album Slim Shady LP,” those being released last who loved him during Tuesday, the era of Marshall Mathers, “The Marshall Mathers LP” and “The better known as Eminem, has come Eminem Show,” those who questioned to an end. In this final album, “The him with “Encore,” those who stayed Marshall Mathers LP 2,” Eminem brings loyal to him through “Relapse,” and resolution to his previous records and those who missed who he used to be gives closure to his loyal fans. during “Recovery” are the people that A sequel to perhaps his most revered this album will speak to, reminding them album, “The Marshall Mathers LP,” most of the man that spoke to them through listeners thought because of the album his rhymes, lyrics and beats. title, Marshall would fall back into the The fan-favorite track, “Rap God”, evil persona that so many people fell in gives Marshall one last chance to remind love with in the late 90’s, Slim Shady. everyone (and I mean everyone) that Now, I believe that Slim is part of every he is the greatest and most influential Eminem song in some way but was most rapper of all time and that no one will be prevalent early in his career and in the able to achieve what he has. Many people Relapse album that came out in 2009. would disagree with this bold statement, However, Slim Shady did not make but I am here to prove the nay-sayers very many appearances in MMLP2. In wrong. Even In his early years, he was tracks such as “Stronger Than I Was,” fearless in striking back when he was “Headlights,” and “Legacy,” Eminem is so prone to controversy. Eminem is not heard as the hardcore angry rapper relentless and ruthless with anyone some people have stereotyped him as. who attempts to take shots at him, Rather Eminem blocks Slim Shady out whether at his daughter or his career. and gives listeners’ headphones a break His songs can range from fun, party by harmonizing in a way he never has. He songs to deathly frightening, screaming gives resolution and closure to his career melodies and finally to his inspiring and even apologizes to his mother whom masterpieces. Whatever type of track it he has bashed many times in multiple is, it is hard to find a style he does not songs over his career, something nobody excel at. The fact is that Eminem is the expected. The album reaches back to highest selling artist of the 2000’s with when Eminem portrayed a screwed-up over 100 million albums sold worldwide. kid from a broken home who used gays Add the 13 Grammy Awards that he has and women as punch lines. It concludes been rewarded with to his resumé and it with “Evil Twin,” in which he admits that is hard to deny that Marshall Mathers is his psychopathic alter-ego, Slim Shady, the greatest artist of all time. will always be a part of him. Who knows what the future holds for After only a week, MMLP2 has the Eminem? His music will live forever in potential to be Eminem’s greatest album the hearts of his fans and will continue of his career. Most outside listeners will to inspire (and maybe scare) those who not agree and would rather stick behind listen to it. Marshall Mathers has fulfilled his mainstream “Recovery” album. But a legacy of a legend and even though he true fans who have heard every single will no longer be making music, he will side of Eminem, those who accepted remain a legend, and legends never die.
Think about how a constant supply of by CASSIE BUSCH | staff writer you start your day. nutrients to function For most of us, this involves hitting the properly, and eating something first thing snooze button at least a couple of times, in the morning keeps this supply going. It rummaging through an overflowing also helps regulate hormone production closet trying to find something to wear, so we don’t get cranky from hunger pains and trying to finish up some last-minute midmorning. assignments. With all of this chaos in our Breakfast is also important in regards daily routine, it is easy to bypass a very to mental health. According to the article important detail: breakfast. “The Importance of Eating Breakfast…” Breakfast often gets overlooked in by Carole Van Wees, “Studies show the pandemonium of our mornings. that those who do not eat breakfast However, most people do not truly have reduced memory function, poorer understand its significance in the rest attention span and reduced performance of our day. Breakfast affects our mental, in tasks requiring concentration (i.e. emotional, and physical well-being. If poorer cognitive function) than those who we make time for anything, we should consume an adequate breakfast.” be having breakfast. It only takes a few However, it is important to note that all minutes to grab something quick to eat, breakfasts are not made equal. Breakfast but the lasting effects are definitely worth foods also give us another opportunity it. to fit more of the essential vitamins and Regarding physical health, breakfast minerals that we need into our daily can actually help people to lose or diets. Your breakfast should account maintain weight. Many falsely believe for approximately 25% of your daily that the opposite is true, and see it merely calorie intake, and include a balance of as more calories added to their diet. fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and However, these calories are put to good protein. Calcium is also a great thing use, as long as it is a somewhat healthy to incorporate. Eggs, apples, bananas, breakfast. After a long night of not eating, grapefruit, whole grain toast and English getting something in our stomachs within muffins, low-fat yogurt and milk are some half an hour of waking up restarts our common choices that qualify as healthy furnace and gets our metabolisms going choices. again, so it can start burning calories once Make time for breakfast in your daily more. Also, if you choose options with routine to reap the benefits of staying protein or whole grains in them, they full longer, having more energy and provide slow-release energy that fuels concentration, avoiding mood swings, us for the rest of the day. This makes us and eating yummy food. Set your clothes less likely to reach for sugary or higherout the night before, pack your bag ahead caloric snacks later on. Breakfast is also of time, or finish homework while you important for our physical health because sit in the cafeteria to make extra time eating it regularly has actually been for that first morning meal! Another shown to reduce the risks of diseases later option is to keep grab-and-go choices in on, like Type 2 Diabetes, coronary heart your room to eat on your way to class or disease, and obesity. work if there just isn’t time to go for a sitBesides physical benefits, eating down breakfast. Whatever it takes, make breakfast also improves our mental and breakfast a priority in your routine to emotional well-being. Our brains need improve your all-around health!
Features
The Lorian
Nov. 14, 2013
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Lorian ‘Leven
11 People and Groups Whose Fans You Do Not Want To Challenge by LOUISA PAVLIK | staff writer
For whatever reason, our generation is obsessed with the idea of one-upping each other and forcing their friends into submission when arguing. I don’t know who’s to blame, but sometimes you just don’t mess with insulting what someone likes. 1. How I Met Your Mother: I just...I don’t get it. I’ve watched a fair amount of episodes and still fail to see just what exactly it is that differentiates this show from every other comedy about a tight-knit group of friends living their young adulthood in the city. Then again, I never really did get into Friends, either. I am aware that the last 50 words are a death wish from some crazed HIMYM fan. 2. Neil Patrick Harris- I don’t mind myself some NPH. I really don’t. What I do mind is his cult-like following whose members’ sole purpose in life is to demonstrate just how much more they know about his personal life than you. Can’t I be a fan without knowing what the birthmark on his left leg looks like? (There’s no actual birthmark,
but you get the idea). 3. Mumford and Sons- Or any indie band really. Not that you can really classify this banjo-banging horde of fedora-wearers as indie anymore. Don’t you just hate the mainstream? If you have any hopes of holding your own against a hipster in an argumentative conversation about music, you better study up. Know former groups, instruments played, and, if you have time, middle names. Stage names don’t count and biographical details are encouraged. 4. The Republican Party- What a bunch of hard heads! 5. Democrats- Driving this country into the ground! 6. Libertarians- Such a cop-out! 7. The 90’s- It doesn’t matter how many Furbies, snap bracelets, scrunchies, or popcorn shirts you owned, you will never know or appreciate the real culture as much as Joe Shmoe over there does and cannot stop himself from making the daily comparison between now and then. Our music, fashion, and toys will never measure up to those who lived in the golden era of unhappy grunge teens. 8. Hillary Clinton- Straight up
Ferreira Reaches for the Sky In the fifth track and rightfully so. Pentby STEPHANIE LAGRANT | staff writer on her debut album, up frustration can be Night Time, My Time, Sky Ferreira sings, “I felt on several tracks, particularly the powerful just want you to realize I blame myself for my “Nobody Asked Me (If I Was Okay)” and “I Blame reputation.” At this point in her young career, Myself.” She shows a great ability to transition perhaps her reputation precedes her—Ferreira is from pure pop to dance pop to indie pop without arguably more well-known for her fashion world ever missing a beat. “I Will” is a fantastic pop escapades, outspokenness, and recent arrest than track that shows Sky doing her best Debbie she is for her music. Harry impersonation, a logical connection in No one has waited longer for Sky Ferreira’s resemblance and in sound. The stand-out track, debut LP to be released than Sky herself. The however, is the gorgeous “24 Hours,” which story of Sky Ferreira’s tumble through the music allows Sky to showcase her incredible vocal and world is a fascinating history—she’s gone from lyrical talents. a 15-year-old signed to be the next Miley to a Despite the non-musical reputation she’s built, 21-year-old indie pop crossover queen. The Night Time, My Time has finally arrived and agony of all her past disappointments and pent will hopefully make Sky Ferreira a household up frustration come through in Night Time, My name in the same fashion that teen sensation Time and allows Sky Ferreira to finally shine Lorde has become a star. The result of it all in her crowning achievement. is a record that is both a debut and an Because of the unpredictability that enormous sense of relief for the young has followed her entire career, it was indie queen. Shortly after the release, hard to guess what her full-length Sky tweeted, “No radio promotion or album would sound like. Ferreira much label support. Just people. I successfully mastered brash can’t believe it’s actually out.” After dance pop in the 2011 EP As If! enduring so many setbacks in her and went in a more indie pop career, it’s easy to forget that Sky direction with last year’s Ghost Ferreira is just 21 years old. This EP. She combines elements time, however, she’s finally from her two previous releases, victorious. but Night Time, My Time is a completely new direction Recommended Tracks: for Sky Ferreira—the record “Boys,” “24 Hours,” “You’re draws from disparate Not the One” genres, including grunge, Similar To: Marina and pop, 80s, and electronica. the Diamonds, Lorde, Lily Ferreira makes the Allen album all about emotion,
Looking Back
One of the icons of the Loras College campus is Keane Hall, formerly called Loras Hall, which was built in 1913-14. Until 2005 it served as a residence hall for male students. It also included a bookstore, gymnasium, library, and a chapel at one time. Today, the top floors are closed off and the lower levels are used for administrative offices and a few classrooms. It was designed by the noted French architect, Emmanuel L. Masqueray of St. Paul, MN. who also designed the Cathedral of St. Paul and was Chief of Design for the 1904 St. Louis World Fair. He also designed Ireland Hall, at the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. It looks very similar to Keane Hall as seen in the other photograph. Anton Zwack was the primary contractor on Keane Hall which was built at an estimated cost, excluding the heating and plumbing, of $133,344. In 1939, on the 100th Anniversary of the college, the name changed from Loras Hall to Keane Hall in honor of two former chancellors of Loras: Most Rev. John Joseph Keane and Most Rev. James John Keane, both unrelated, but both former Archbishops of Dubuque. (Photo courtesy of Loras College Archives and University of St. Thomas Archives).
untouchable. Untouchable. 9. Wes Anderson- If you know who this guy is, odds are you’re one of the people who will fight to the death to defend his place as the best thing to ever happen to film. Moonrise Kingdom, anyone? No? How about The Royal Tenenbaums? 10. Any martyred musical artist- Think Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, Jimi Hendrix, and (more recently) Kurt Cobain. Why would you ever challenge the brilliance of any of these artists anyway? Jerk. Their legacy lives on in the burning passion of fans who will always wonder what could have been had they not met their fate in an untimely death. 11. Readers of the Lorian- They know what’s up. Did you hear about that one guy who tweeted something like “OMG Lorian sux- I h8 it, bad writing and lame stories!!! RT if agree;)” Yeah. I haven’t heard of him either. He didn’t last a day after uttering such provocative words against the greatest publication with the most loyal reader base you’ll ever live to see. There you have it, ladies and gents. Don’t mess with the above eleven items and you just may live another day without causing a Facebook war with some neurotic superfan.
Thor goes into The Dark World by NINO ERBA | staff writer
Warning: The following article may contain spoilers. Let’s get this out of the way: This Thor isn’t quite as good as the first one. There are parts that actually better the first installment, but otherwise is a good sequel that could have been much better. To make use of a cliché, the plot…it’s complicated. The villain, Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), is a nemesis of Asgard who wants control of this substance called the Aether, which would give him incredible power. The Aether has been locked away for ages until Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) accidentally stumbles upon it. Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is soon to become king, but he must save trillions of lives from Malekith as he yearns for the Aether as a phenomenon called the convergence draws near. To make things more complex, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) gets involved in some interesting ways… Big special effects are common in Marvel movies, and this one is no exception. But what really keeps the movie afloat are the actors. Hemsworth is great to watch as Thor, Portman is versatile enough to do superhero movies, and Rene Russo makes a surprising impression as Frigga, Thor’s mother. However, the show is easily stolen by Hiddleston. It’s clear that Loki is the best thing about the Thor movies, and every time Hiddleston’s on screen the movie gets some much-needed life. What ultimately makes this one lesser than the first one is the presentation. The first one was blessed with having Kenneth Branagh as its director, and went for a lighter tone. This movie, beyond some weak writing, has the mark we probably should expect from superhero movies now: darker, more brooding, less pure enjoyment. Someone needs to tell DC and Marvel there are differences between stylish darkness (the Tim Burton Batman movies) and needlessly dark. It’s hard to pinpoint what exactly caused this shift in tone, but apart from gems like The Avengers, we may end up looking at superhero movies and wondering if they can ever be truly fun anymore. There was a trailer for the new Captain America movie that played before Thor, and that looks like it has great potential to be a good sequel. If Thor had the courage to be as entertaining as Hiddleston was, it would have been a successful sequel instead of a more than slightly disappointing sequel.
The Lorian
Mind & Soul
Nov. 14, 2013
l o o d y
Am I Depressed? Hey Mike: I’ve lost interest in school, my sport, my friends, my family.... everything seems to either frustrate me or bore me. I think I may be suffering from depression. What can I do for this? Can I see a regular physician? How can I do that when I am too far from my regular physician to go there? Thanks. — Depression? Mike says: You sure sound depressed. I can’t diagnose here, but all of the things you mentioned are symptoms of depression. Here is the list of things doctors look for: • Persistent sad mood. • Feeling hopeless, helpless, worthless, pessimistic and/or guilty. • Substance abuse without a history of prior problem. • Fatigue or loss of interest in ordinary activities, including sex. • Disturbances in eating and sleeping patterns. • Irritability, increased crying, anxiety and panic attacks. • Difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions. • Thoughts of suicide; suicide plans or attempts. • Persistent physical symptoms or pains that don’t respond to treatment. You do not need all of them. If you say yes to three or four, it is a good idea to see someone at the Counseling Center, Health Center or see your doctor. And yes, a family doctor is fine. If travel home is too far, the nurses at the Health Center can help you find someone near your college.
FROM THE SEMINARY
End of Year of Faith does not mean we stop growing by TOM HEATHERSHAW St. Pius X Seminary
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his past Sunday the Archdiocese of Dubuque concluded the Year of Faith with a mass at Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Hiawatha. Pope Benedict XVI declared that the start of the Year of Faith would coincide with the 50th anniversary of the start of the Second Vatican Council and also the 20th anniversary of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The reason for this was to encourage Catholics to study and reflect on the documents of Vatican II and the Catechism so that they may deepen their knowledge of the faith. Our Church is so rich in sources to deepen our faith, so this could be a beginning point to learn more about our Church. This past Year of Faith was a chance for Catholics to experience a new conversion— to turn back to Jesus and enter into a deeper relationship with him. Even though the Year of Faith is over, we can continue to renew our baptismal promises and strengthen our relationship with Jesus. It is a chance to live a life of faith every day. As college students, we live busy lives by going to class, studying, spending time at the library, and going out with friends. But we should always make time for our faith and not let that get lost in our busy
Can’t Make Him Trust Me Hey Mike: How do I get the trust built back up with my boyfriend after 3 years? I keep lying to him, and doing things behind his back and he finds out and it blows up into my face. I cannot stop lying to him. He makes me feel like a child sometimes, and then I do things behind his back. Like I went and was texting a friend of his and he looked at my phone and it got ugly. I want to get the trust back and stop the lying. I have been to counseling but that is not helping at all. Please help me, and my relationship. I do love him, but every time we are together we argue and fight and he tells me that he does not trust me and then I get mad and angry at him and we go around and around until one of us gets tired or gets hurt. I hope you have some answers for me. — Sad Brown Eyes
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The Lorian is continuing a column by Dr. Mike Boyd, director of the Counseling Center. Here he will answer student questions concerning anything that relates to keeping it together while doing this crazy thing called college. Send questions or comments to Dr. Mike, Loras Box 100, or e-mail michael.boyd@loras.edu. All names of those sending questions will be kept confidential.
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lives. Sometimes we need a reminder to slow down and pay more attention to the things that can slip by. Faith can be one of those things that gets shoved in the back of our minds. The Year of Faith was a good reminder on why faith is important and what role it plays in our lives. It calls for us to deepen our faith in Christ, even during the busy-ness in our lives. To my brothers and I who are in seminary, our faith is central to us. We are responding to God’s call in our hearts, and it takes faith to trust in the Lord that he is calling us to serve him in priesthood. Balancing school and our faith life can be challenging sometimes, but the balance can help serve in deepening our faith to know why it is we are studying philosophy or teaching religious education on a Wednesday night. It is to grow in our faith by studying it or sharing it with others. So even during the balancing act of school and our faith life, it serves to strengthen our faith in God. The Vatican plans to publicly display for the first time the relics of the apostle Peter to mark the end of the Year of Faith. Archbishop Rino Fisichella, the president of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization, said, “The faith of Peter will confirm once again that the door for encounter with Christ is always open and waits to be crossed with the same enthusiasm and conviction of the first believers.” I pray that Peter may be an example of faith that we can all look forward to. Even Peter denied Jesus three times, Jesus still came back to him.
Mike says: Well SBE, you should know you are not alone. Couple counselors often say that money or sex are the main reasons that relationships breakup, but actually the biggest reason that relationships fall apart is that people fall out of trust. Trust is easy to lose and very hard to rebuild. In your case, it sounds like you keep giving him reasons to not trust you. That is the first thing you have to change. If you need to, see a counselor again by yourself. Examine what your motives are when you make destructive decisions. Is it just that it seemed like a good idea at the time, or is it rebellion against someone who is acting more like a parent than a lover? Find ways to monitor yourself strictly so that you no longer lie or do the other things that make your boyfriend not trust you. Make sure he knows what you are doing, but also do not expect him to change his own thinking just because you’re making these changes. You will have to prove to him over time that you are trustworthy, and at some point may need to go to counseling together. In the meantime, also control your anger. When he expresses distrust do not get angry. Instead look at it as a challenge to overcome. With time you may be able to show him that you mean it, or you’ll realize that because of something inside him he is unable to change. Either way you’ll be ready for your future.
WWJD: Knight calls for peaceful and loving dialogue
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by COLIN PRIEST | for the Lorian
e’ve heard a few stories recently of people attacking the Church and our beliefs as Catholics. Some dismiss our faith as a mere illusion or wishful thinking. Others might see us as fanatics unwilling, or unable, to discuss matters in a calm, intellectual manner. Still others see us as devoid of reason altogether. In the midst of all these challenges, name-callings and back-biting we must ask ourselves how we might respond to such assaults. Perhaps we even run to the somewhat overused and perhaps even cliché adage, “What would Jesus do?” From my perspective and experience, I can tell you that it’s very easy to get caught up in making defensive arguments and refuting the line of reasoning of the one challenging our Faith. However, I’ve noticed time and again that no matter how logical my argument seems, when I respond with aggression and spite I immediately lose any chance of really opening the heart of the person who doesn’t believe in my faith. Here I am talking about an infinite and all-loving God while I’m yelling at the person I’m trying to teach about love. It’s completely ineffective every time. Now I’m not saying that we should stop defending for our faith. On the contrary, I believe we should never stop preaching the Gospel ever. But I think that when we are challenged by people who do not believe what we believe we should be careful with our response and follow the example of the saints and the apostles, even Jesus Himself. Remember that our Lord dealt with this exact same thing we
are dealing with today; indifference to His word and lack of understanding. In fact, they crucified our Lord for what He taught because they didn’t want to accept what He offered them. Should we be any more surprised when people hate us today? But we should not give up just because someone doesn’t like what we’re saying. We preach and we pray hoping that their hearts will be converted and that one day they will come to love God and accept what He offers (grab your Bible and read 1 Peter 3:15). Our prayer for this person should never be haughty or puffed up, coming from some kind of superior viewpoint, though. It is in the moments of persecution that we ought to call to mind our own sinfulness and the real fact that we ourselves do not live up to Christ’s call to love. When we pray for another, we ought to offer a prayer for ourselves that Christ may live in our actions and love through us. Then people will start to be converted. So if you know of anyone who really needs to be prayed for, offer up a prayer of love for them and for yourselves. Here’s a prayer from St. Francis of Assisi that just about sums it up: “Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light. O’ Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”
What are you looking for? . . . the life that is true life:
Opposition to Faith
by FR. GROSS
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n Cardinal Timothy Dolan’s final address as president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops during their November meeting this week, he spoke to the bishops about the need for Christians to be in solidarity with Christians who suffer persecution. During his talk, he offered a staggering statistic that really shocked me. He stated that since the beginning of the 21st century, over 1 million Christians have died because of religious persecution. He spoke about the countries of Iraq, Syria and Egypt and how Christians are being targeted for violence. He then asked the question, “Do we pray for our brothers and sisters who face danger simply for wanting to make the sign of the cross?” It was a challenging question for me and it made me reflect for the Lorian on relative comfort we have in religious expression. It also made me reflect that religious liberty is a
freedom we cannot take for granted. It made me think about the first reading from this past Sunday Mass. In the first book of Maccabees, a mother with seven sons faced torture and death because they would not violate God’s law. I started to ask myself, “Would I be able to risk persecution for my faith?” As I look at the conversation in our culture, I think Christians face a more subtle persecution. I think one example is the writings of atheist thinkers such as Richard Dawkins who reduce religion and faith to mental illness and superstition before the scientific revolution of the Enlightenment. Subtle persecution of Christian faith also is seen when we hear the argument that religion should be private. When you hear religious devotion equated to the mental illness of schizophrenia in the very pages of this paper, one wonders whether the future holds the possibility of silencing religious speech because
of its perceived irrationality even though the very statement precludes the fact that many people of religious faith are the authors and doers of the most good in the world. That’s why Pope Francis insists that we pray for a culture of mutual respect so that at least we can speak to one another even if we have worldviews that are vastly different. But if people of religious faith are called schizophrenic, how can you have a conversation? It seems to me that if people of religious faith are called schizophrenic there is no desire to have a conversation. It is more in the spirit of mocking faith. Where does that move us toward the common good? May the Spirit’s gift of understanding and openness to others be poured out upon every man, woman, and child. Have a great week and please know of my prayers for everyone on campus as the semester heads towards its conclusion.
Sports
Coach Randy Steward’s wrestling team enters this season with even loftier expectations. With a roster rich in underclassmen talent, Steward designed a slogan that would best fit his new team’s outlook: “New Team, New Tradition.” The goal remains the same: Win the Iowa Conference Championship. Steward and Ryan Birt, who was recently named associate head coach, didn’t lose a single wrestler to graduation in May and have a lineup full of grapplers who have gained valuable mat experience. That is why the Duhawks enter this year as the No. 16-ranked team in NCAA Division III. Despite their inexperience going into last season, seven underclassmen rose to the challenge. Sophomores James Buss, Nick Steger, Greg Vance, Malcolm Watson and Evan Weaver, and juniors Stephan Birt and Joe Butler all amassed at least 20 wins last season. Buss and Steger each eclipsed the 30-win mark. Buss ended his first season on a stellar note, winning the IIAC tournament and placing fourth at Nationals. While the Duhawks return a young team that finished fifth in the IIAC last year, they will be looking forward to the return of seniors Joseph Wood, who placed fourth at Nationals in 2012, and Matthew Holmes, who qualified for Nationals in 2011. With the addition of transfer students Steven DeWitt, a junior, and Joseph Gosinski, a sophomore, the wrestling room has become even more competitive.
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Men’s basketball squad revs up for top-ranked teams
Wrestlers enter season ranked No. 16 in nation by BOO WOOD | sportswriter
The Lorian
Duhawks look to rely on depth and experience
Steward says a big part of a successful program is incorporating the work ethic and expectations to a level that the Duhawks refer to as “the wrestling lifestyle,” which involves getting at least two workouts completed in a day on a consistent basis. “I’m pleased with where the team is at right now and will continue to encourage the wrestling lifestyle and behaviors,” Steward said. “Once we get everyone healthy and down to their correct weights, we will field a very tough team. We plan on using the rest of November and December to provide tons of opportunities to compete.” To start the year, the team hosted the Loras Open at the Five Flag Center in Dubuque. As in the past, Loras invites wrestlers from all levels of competition, including the top programs in NCAA Division I, to participate. At most weights, the final pairings usually involved national champs or All-Americans from different division levels. In the tournament, 16 Duhawks took the mat. Steger finished second (141-pound weight class); sophomores Colin Griffin (149) and Ben Kindle (165) placed third; DeWitt (157) finished fourth; Watson (197) placed fifth; sophomore Mitchell Johnson (141), first-year Rudy Johnson (133) and first-year Justin Alonzo (heavyweight) all posted sixthplace finishes; and first-year Dearion Stokes (133) recorded an eighth-place finish. The Duhawks will be traveling to Luther College this weekend to compete in their open tournament and look to bring home some hardware.
by FRANKLIN GRIFFIN | sportswriter
The men’s basketball team returns to the court with high hopes for the start of the 2013-2014 season. Returning to the team is 2nd Team All-Conference forward, junior Nathaniel Smith, along with seniors Ryan Coon and Alex Cline. The Duhawks will begin their season on Nov. 15 at Rockford College. The Duhawks look to answer the bell early on, after falling short in several close games last year on their way to an 8-17 record. This year, the Duhawks will have to deal with a slew of great opponents early on. Loras will play host to three tough teams in the month of November, including No. 5 Wheaton College on Nov. 19, Millikin University on the Nov. 22 and No. 2 Illinois Wesleyan on Nov. 23. Heading into the year, Coach Greg Gorton feels that the early three-game stretch will be a great test for the team, testing its ability to work on their strategy a bit more fluently this preseason. “With three home games against teams picked in the top three of their league and two that are ranked in the top five in the country, I believe that it will show us a great deal that our guys will be ready to compete,” Gorton said. Last year, the Duhawks had an average point differential of -1.4. Nine of the Duhawks losses were by 10 points or
less. It goes to say that Duhawks were one possession or so away from turning a losing season into a winning one. This year the strength for the Duhawks will be their experience from battling through the tough times. After only losing two seniors last year, guard Connor Mooney and forward Kevin Walsh, the team will return eight players, all who played significant minutes last year. The Duhawks will try to look to their experience to help them close games out this year. “This year, we’ll look to use our experience as an advantage,” said Cline. “Last year we lost a lot of very close games, and look to build off those experiences and close out the close ones this time around.” With an up-tempo offense that the Duhawks look to run, it is also important that they are able to limit their opponent from scoring. With 6-foot, 9-inch sophomore Justin Schneider out to start the season while recovering with an ankle injury, it is vital for the Duhawks to keep opponents from scoring and off the freethrow line. Looking to help fill the void will be 6-6 sophomore Mirko Grcic and 6-7 senior Josh Bruns alongside Coon and Cline. Gorton likes the depth of his team. “With all the talent we have returning, (our depth) is a huge strength of ours,” said Smith. “This is a deep and talented team, now we just have to stay healthy. We feel that we have some of the best leadership in the country, we just have to play smart and stay out of foul trouble.”
Soccer teams conquer conference The men’s and women’s soccer teams celebrate after winning the Iowa Conference Championship. photos courtesy of MATT PUCCI
Women win 4th straight IIAC title l Men avenge only loss to Wartburg by KATIE TRUESDALE | sportswriter
Saturday brought a perfect day for two cross town rivals to compete for an IIAC tournament championship. The women had a late afternoon match up in the Rock Bowl against the University of Dubuque Spartans. The two teams have previously met in regular season play, with the Duhawks traveling one mile down Loras Boulevard where the game ended with a 3-2 Loras overtime victory. Saturday’s match wasn’t much different, except that the rivalry was more intense. From the beginning of the match, the Duhawks came out with nothing to lose and were ready to take it to the Spartans on Duhawk turf. With high pressure from the offense and a tough back line, the Spartans began to struggle after the first few minutes of play. The Duhawks were connecting from the start, creating chances in the attacking third and testing the Spartan back line. In the 13th minute, sophomore Katie Truesdale opened up the scoring for the Duhawks as she netted in a loose ball past Spartan goalkeeper, Tiffany Duncan. From then on, the Duhawks took control of the game. In the 32nd minute, senior Madeline Tennant notched her fifth goal of the season, slotting another loose ball off a Duhawk corner kick past Duncan. A 2-0 Duhawk lead remained for the rest of the first half. As the second half went on, any hope for a Spartan season to stay alive began to dwindle away. Although there were many more scoring opportunities on the Duhawk attacking end, the second half
would remain scoreless, giving the Duhawks a 2-0 win over the Spartans, ending their season. The win guaranteed a fourth straight IIAC tournament championship and a record of 37-0-1 in IIAC play for the Duhawks. Overall, the Duhawks outshot the Spartans 19-6 and junior goalkeeper Hannah Wilson recorded three saves throughout the match. “Beating UD meant a conference championship, keeping our four year winning streak alive, and an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament,” said senior Kinsey Campbell. “We are crosstown rivals, and it is always great to beat them. This week, the team really needs to practice with intensity and get ready to play some tough teams this upcoming weekend and prepare mentally.” With this win the Duhawks punched their ticket to the NCAA tournament with an automatic qualification bid. Additionally, Truesdale and senior Sarah Trump were named women’s soccer offensive and defensive players of the week respectively in the Iowa Conference. “We always come out every game looking to play our best but it does feel good to beat our crosstown rival,” said Wilson. “As for preparation for our games, we’ll come to practice with a new focus and take it day by day. Post season is always an exciting time and I know I’m not just speaking for myself when I say we are really looking forward to this weekend.” The Duhawks will play in the first round of the NCAA tournament against St. Benedict at Wheaton College on Friday, Nov. 15.
by KATIE TRUESDALE | sportswriter
The men’s soccer team left fans on the edge of their seats Saturday night as the Duhawks competed against conference rival Wartburg for the Iowa Conference Tournament. Under the lights of a packed Rock Bowl, the Duhawks came out ready to keep their 24-game winning streak at home alive. In their previous meeting in October at Wartburg, the Knights defeated the Duhawks 2-1, giving the men their only loss of season. From the opening kickoff to the final whistle, both teams came out with high intensity, creating numerous scoring opportunities throughout the game. The first half consisted of fouls, shots, and saves, but nothing that put one team ahead of the other. With both teams’ seasons on the line, this game wasn’t going to be an easy win. The second half wasn’t much different. Both teams knocked on the door, but the goals just weren’t coming. The Duhawks and the Knights were both looking for a spark to keep their season alive and to bring home an IIAC tournament championship. After 90 scoreless minutes of regulation, the Duhawks and Knights would have to decide the game in overtime. Just as everyone was ready for the first 10 minute overtime to end, senior Erik Berkowitz sent a ball into the box that found the head of sophomore Richard Lenke, who was able to send it past the Knights keeper and seal the win for the Duhawks with 53 seconds left on the clock. With the victory the Duhawks have their fourth consecutive win in the IIAC tournament, their 25th straight win in the Rock Bowl, and yet another “Rock Bowl leap” into the stands from the entire men’s team. “Beating Wartburg meant a lot for many
reasons,” said senior goalkeeper Dylan Milkent. “Obviously, it was important to win a championship. This sets us up in a good position for the tournament. I believe going in with a winning mentality is very important. Also for alumni and the seniors the Loras vs. Wartburg matchup is one to always get up for and of course the Rock Bowl is a place we feel we can’t lose, and we’ll do anything to protect it.” “Since the day we lost to Wartburg we’d been hoping for another chance to play them,” Lenke said. “For the opportunity to come in the conference finals, it was perfect. We knew what we had to do for us to be successful. Last night was the perfect way to wrap up conference play. Moving forward, we’ll be taking each game one at a time as we have been all year, and we hope to advance deep into the NCAA tournament.” Lenke’s game winning goal marks his fifth of the season. Now that the men have taken home the IIAC tournament championship, they have punched their ticket to the NCAA tournament with an automatic qualification bid. “In terms of the NCAA, we know what it takes to be successful,” said Milkent. “We will follow the game plan, train as hard as we possibly can, and get our minds right to make history.” For their efforts in the win over Wartburg, Lenke and Milkent were named Iowa Conference men’s soccer offensive and defensive players of the week respectively. The men earned a bye in the first round (their first since 2007) and will play the second round of the NCAA tournament on Sunday, Nov. 17 in the Rock Bowl against the winner of the first round game between Luther and Lake Forest.
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The Lorian
Sports
Nov. 14, 2013
Loras falls in ‘Key City Clash’ The football team heads into their final game of the season with little to show for their hard work and dedication. Steve Helminiak enters his third game as the Duhawks Interim Head Coach after suffering a disappointing loss to their cross-town rival, UD last weekend. The final game of the season will be held on “Senior Day” in the Rock Bowl at 1 p.m., and will honor the senior football players. Senior offensive tackle Dan Murray believes that this is just one last opportunity to play football and have some fun. “I’m not a very emotional guy, I enjoy playing football and I am going to have some fun on Saturday,” said Murray. This weekend, Wartburg will be facing off against the Duhawks. If the Knights come out of the Rock Bowl victorious, they will be crowned IIAC regular season champions. The Duhawks’ look to prevent Wartburg from winning the conference and wreak some havoc in the IIAC. “If we win this Saturday, there will be a 4-way tie for 1st place in conference,” said Murray. “Although we would not be tied for the championship, it would be fun to see a little chaos at the top of the standings.” This season brought a lot of hope to the Duhawk faithful, but with only one win, the team looks for positives outside of their record for inspiration. “Every game is an opportunity to better yourself,” Helminiak said. “It is a chance for the team to prove the hard work and dedication put in by our guys. There are no guarantees in football, even if you work incredibly hard there is still no certainty that you will win the game.” The Duhawks have faced their fair share of adversity this season, including a number of injuries to key players, the resignation of their head coach, and a string of losses. But this team is the “epitome of resilience,” according to Helminiak. “These guys have gone through a lot of turmoil,” Helminiak continued. “The physical aspect of football is expected, but the psychological aspect is another animal. I am so incredibly proud with the way our guys have handled this season. Our guys are fighters; they handle every situation like men. This adversity will pay off soon enough; the key now is to simply be patient and to understand that it is a growing pro-
photo courtesy of TODD SMITH
Senior Calvin Smith breaks through the arm tackle of a Spartan defender. cess. This is why football is perfect preparation for life.” Defensive Coordinator Josh Edwards looks at the last game of the season as an opportunity that should be cherished. “Football isn’t like other sports where you have 20-30 games in a season; you have one chance a week to prove yourself,” Edwards said. The Duhawks will honor 14 seniors on Senior Day this weekend. These players have gone through three head-coaching changes, countless hours of off-season training, and an unfortunate amount of losses. “My career at Loras hasn’t gone quite like how I planned, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” said senior offensive linemen Cole Smith. “I’m going to miss playing in the Rock Bowl every week and being around the guys. The football team is my family away from home and the memories I have with these guys are ones I will never forget.”
photo courtesy of TODD SMITH
Sophomores JP Awe and Grant Meyer work together to defend a pass against UD last Saturday.
Volleyball season ends in semifinals by RYAN GRAHAM | sportswriter
The 2013 volleyball season came to a close for Loras Thursday night as the Duhawks dropped three straight matches to No. 2 seed Coe in the IIAC Tournament Semifinals. The Duhawks finish the season with a 15-17 overall record. Coach Jenna Ness talked briefly about what lead to her team’s final loss. “Coe is a really good team,” she said. “They had a lot of experience and a lot of returning players and I think that definitely shows in post season play. They’re strong and they run a fast offense. But I think we fought hard. There were a lot of rallies even though the scores might not show it.” In looking at the season as a whole, Ness seemed very pleased with the performance and improvement of her young team.
“It was good — I’m proud of every single player,” said Ness. “I think we got better every day. Yeah, we were young. But we still made a lot of good strides and did a lot of good things. I think we set the bar and set the standard to get better for next year. We know where we’re weak and we know what we need to do in this off-season to get better for next year.” Much of the Duhawks’ success this season came from their strong defense. Loras finished first in the IIAC in digs and fourth in blocks. Two of the biggest contributors on the defensive end were sophomore Christina Winders, who led the Duhawks with 4.61 digs per game, and first-year Danielle Kennedy who led the Duhawks and finished second in the conference with 0.9 blocks per game. Fellow first-year Tara Blake contributed on
the offensive end, leading the team with 2.51 kills per game. Junior Shawn Rielly was the main facilitator of the Duhawk offense, finishing the season with a team-high 7.14 assists per game. Rielly was responsible for 850 assists on the season, which is close to 75 percent of the team’s assists as a whole. Without any seniors on their roster, the Duhawks will not lose any players to graduation going into next season. Ness talked about what is ahead for her young team in the off-season. “The girls will get a couple weeks off and then we’ll start in the weight room right away and train through the whole spring semester,” said Ness. “We need to work on our strength as well as our quickness. If we can get stronger and quicker laterally, we’ll be a much stronger team next year.”
Maevski named IIAC diver of the week by RYAN GRAHAM | sports editor
The men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams both suffered their first losses of the season this past Saturday at home against non-conference opponent Augustana College. The loss brings the men’s and women’s records to 2-1 for the season. When asked about Saturday’s meet, head coach Doug Colin said the loss was more a product of the level of competition. “We actually swam our best meet of the year as far as our actual times,” said Colin. “It was just a different level of competition with (Augustana).” The Duhawks placed first in six events during the meet. On the women’s side, junior Mary Kate Maher played a part in three
Don’t confuse effort with results
of the six winning events. She placed first in the 200-yard freestyle, 200-yard backstroke and also swam a leg in the Duhawks’ 400 -yard freestyle relay team which also included sophomore Heather Black, senior Katie Callaghan and junior Lexie Mollohan. On the men’s side, first-year Ike Casey took first in the 100-yard freestyle. Additionally, sophomore diver John Maevski took first in both one meter diving events. Maevski was named Iowa Conference men’s swimming and diving athlete of the week for his record-breaking performance against Augustana. Coach Colin talked about what his team would need to work on to bounce back from their first loss of the season. “We have a lot of technical things that
we have to fix as far as starts and turns,” he said. “It’s tough to work on those things when they’re tired and it’s tough for them to remember to do them when they’re tired. But it’s still the little things that are going to make them a lot faster. We’ve been harping on about those things every day.” Looking ahead, the Duhawks’ next meet will take place next Friday, Nov. 22 at Simpson College. Colin was asked how he thought his team will match up against the Storm. “They’re a little weaker than us. But for this meet, the nice benefit for them and us is that they’re in a brand new pool this year. It should be interesting for us to get in and swim in a new facility. It’s supposed to be a pretty fast and pretty good pool, so we’re looking forward to that.”
A
nyone who has read my blog or my column for the Lorian knows that I’m a pretty cynical person when it comes to sports. I’m not into the whole “everyone Ryan Graham sports editor is special and deserves a trophy for participation” philosophy. I make a lot of criticisms with my writing, but I like to think that these criticisms are warranted. There is nothing I hate more than unfair criticism. Unfortunately, here at Loras, unfair criticism has become a problem — and something needs to be said about it. Is the Loras football team bad? Admittedly, yes. You are what your record says you are; and at 1-8, it’s safe to say that the Duhawks have struggled this season. If you want to say the team is bad, that’s one thing. But I have a problem when I overhear people saying things like “The football team doesn’t try,” or “The football team doesn’t care.” People make these statements without any knowledge of the team whatsoever. Why am I qualified to talk about the football team? While I never played on the team, I did serve as the manager of the football team for the last two seasons, before stepping down a few months ago to focus on the Lorian. Keep in mind; I have no vested interest here. I’m not writing this because these negative comments are attacking something that I’m a part of. I’m not writing this to impress the coaches or to make all the players like me more. Frankly, I could care less. I’m writing this mostly because I find joy in exposing bulls#!%. We need to learn to make the distinction between effort and results. If anything, the fact that the team has been losing tells you the players care even more. It’s hard to put in the work every day when you’re not seeing the results on the field. The daily grind wouldn’t be as daunting if the team had a 9-0 record. Sure, the results haven’t been there this year. But you can’t tell me that the effort wasn’t either. Because I saw it with my own eyes. I’ve been to the practices. I’ve been to the games. I’ve been on the bus rides. I’ve spent nights in the hotels. I’ve seen the workouts. Players are in the weight room as early as 6 a.m. for workouts several times a week, even in the off-season. I’ve seen players throw up on the field out of exhaustion. I’ve seen players get injured. I’ve seen how hard the coaches work. I live across the street from their offices in the Field House. I see their cars parked out front when I go to bed, and I’ll see those same cars again when I wake up in the morning. I’ve been in the locker room after a loss and seen the looks of disappointment on the players’ faces. I’ve witnessed seniors break into tears after they had just played their final game in the Rock Bowl. But no, you’re right. They don’t care. What are you really accomplishing here? In reality, you’re no different than the 4th grade bully who makes fun of the kid with the goofy wire-framed glasses. You’re just pointing out the failures of others to shift the focus away from your own flaws and insecurities. When you make those comments, great, you got a few cheap laughs and people think you’re like “so totally cool” now. But all you’re really doing is insulting the body of work that those players put in on a daily basis. You might still think that those players don’t care. Are you entitled to your opinion? Sure. But you have no idea what the hell you’re talking about.
GRAHAM SLAM
by BEN SAVORY | sportswriter
COACH’S CORNER