Montage The
St. Louis Community College–Meramec
APRIL 22, 2010 Vol. 45 Issue 14
5 IS THERE A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL?
After the resignation of campus President Paul Pai, some are left wondering about the future of the leadership on campus
Child Care Center car wash
Students who use the child care services raise money for struggling parents
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Knowing the exquisite vagina Dare to read it
8-9 Battling the elements
A history of natural disasters in the St. Louis region
Montage Reader Poll Where do you like to eat in between classes?
Carlos Restrepo - Editor in Chief -
On March 2, Paul Pai, president of the STLCCMeramec campus, announced to his staff that Stephen Petersen, vice president of student affairs, was no longer with the college because Pai had made the decision, approved by the chancellor, to not renew Petersen’s contract. Student members of organizations and the Student Governance Council protested this decision. Also, representatives from faculty organizations such as the National Educators Association questioned the decision and criticized
the lack of communication between administrators and faculty. Nearly a month later, on March 31, Pai announced his resignation. “This morning, I tendered my resignation as Campus President to Chancellor Zelema Harris effective July 1, 2010,” Pai said in an e-mail sent to all staff. The email, however, did not address the Petersen issue, nor did it show signs of regret for this decision. “During my last annual performance appraisal with Dr. Harris, she asked me to stay many more years,” Pai said. “I stated that even though
I love our students, faculty and staff, my destination is somewhere else. It is time for me to pursue another direction.” Ever since his resignation, Pai has not returned calls from The Montage, nor was his secretary able to say when he would be in his office or schedule an appointment with him. In his official job description, George Wasson, vice president of academic affairs, must fill in for the president as acting president. Wasson confirmed that Pai was no longer performing his presidential responsibilities. He said Pai
has been reassigned to duties in the workforce development area at the Cosand Center. “This is why I am assuming the responsibilities [of the president] because now in his absence I will lead the college until the board of trustees appoints a new interim president.” Wasson also said that in spite of the difficulties the college is going through right now, he sees this time as a time of opportunity.
Wasson’s vision of the future at Meramec Continued on page 3
A
C
B
A. Cafeteria on campus B. A restaurant off campus C. Bring food from home
May 6 Poll Question
Would you sign the petition to reinstate Petersen as VP of student affairs? To vote, visit: www.meramecmontage.com
NEWS 2 Meramec students volunteer at Simpson Park in service project
April 22, 2010
PHOTO BY: DAN HANDING
Volunteers remove honeysuckle from paths at Simpson Park. Honeysuckle is the first plant to bloom in the spring and the last to die in the fall, making it difficult for other plants to grow. To view more photographs, visit meramecmontage.com.
Shane Rice - Staff Writer -
On Saturday, April 18, community volunteers met at Simpson Park along the Meramec River in Valley Park, Mo. to assist in the cleanup of the park and Simpson Lake. Twice a year, volunteers from different organizations combine their efforts in the
cleaning and maintenance of Simpson Park. This spring members from STLCCMeramec, including the Service Learning department and Phi Theta Kappa-Xi Lambda, as well as the Denver branch of AmeriCorps, St. Louis Canoe and Kayak Club and the St. Louis County Parks and Recreation Department, joined forces to contain a
honeysuckle issue that plagues vegetation growth. Sue Kuhnert, project coordinator for St. Louis County Parks and Recreation, said, “This is a huge cleanup project. By removing the honeysuckles it allows the regrowth of the wild flowers and forest life.” Donna Halsband, service learning coordinator for
Meramec, said, “One of the big problems with the honeysuckle is that it’s the first to bloom in the spring and the last to die in the fall. It takes over the floral of the forest to the point where nothing else grows. None of the native plants can keep up with it.” Grand Glaze Creek and the Meramec River sit next to Simpson Lake, and when heavy rainfall causes flooding, it has a tendency to wash trash and debris into the lake, said Jim Lipsmire, lead volunteer for STLC Parks and Recreation. “When we first started this project we were picking up trash like ice boxes and just all kinds of rubbish from the lake,” said Lipsmire. Lipsmire said Meramec has always been the key volunteer group in helping maintain and clean Simpson Lake. “Meramec has just put so much work into getting us where we are now.” Marina Allen, president of Phi Theta Kappa-Xi Lambda, and several other volunteers contributed by removing honeysuckle and trash from the park’s paths and recreation areas. “To see all the debris and things like Styrofoam, plastic water bottles and wrappers that got picked up was nice to see because it shows what we as volunteers contribute,” said Allen. “I also believe that the heart and soul of the student bodies at Meramec showed.” Jenny Curtis, a team leader for AmeriCorps, said, “The parks are absolutely beautiful here in St. Louis, but honeysuckles are invasive.” AmeriCorps is a 10-month commitment program that allows volunteers to travel around the nation assisting with environmental projects
like the Simpson Park cleanup. AmeriCorps has partnered with St. Louis County Parks and Recreation since 2001 and its focuses on this venture are assisting with the removal of honeysuckles and trail building by making way for new trails and maintaining existing ones. According to Curtis, AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps has been involved in projects like this since the early 1990s, as well as projects for disaster relief, education and forests in Denver, Co. which is home to the southwest branch of AmeriCorps. “It’s projects like this that really make you appreciate nature, and the people here in St. Louis are just wonderful,” said Curtis. Last year 97,000 hours of volunteer work were contributed to Simpson Park, said Kuhnert, who said the turnout this year was wonderful and that she hopes to see those numbers continue to grow. This year a total of 125 volunteers, including 88 students and eight instructors from Meramec, assisted with the cleanup of Simpson Park. “This is the largest group I’ve seen yet. It was just amazing,” said Kuhnert. “It’s important that our youth are learning to give back to the communities, and volunteers have been amazed at how hard it is to keep a park nice, especially when there’s 12,000 acres of park throughout St. Louis County.” Halsband said that environmental volunteers are important to the health of the planet. “We want this project to inspire students to learn that volunteering is the rent we pay to be on earth.”
Official Correction
In the April 1 issue of the Pursuit of Happiness, Cheryl Bergin's name was spelled incorrectly. In addition, it was reported that Bergin is no longer with Life Crisis services ((314) 647-HELP, available 24/7). She is still a volunteer for Life Crisis.
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NEWS
April 22, 2010
What’s happening at STLCC NEWS BRIEFS Fundraiser for children in Haiti On April 21 and 22 the Pre-Med club is hosting a fundraiser in the Student Center for the Meds and Food for Kids Organization in an effort to raise money for a Haitian business producing peanut butterbased nutrition supplements for malnourished children. Students are asked to donate a dollar to the fundraiser and in return will receive peanut butter candy and will be entered in a drawing to win a gift certificate of $25-50 to one of several restaurants in St. Louis, including La Salsa, Dewey’s Pizza and Kaldi’s Coffeehouse.
Wasson’s vision of the future at Meramec
Continued from page 1 Wasson said it’s been difficult for him to have the top two of the three administrators on campus no longer in their positions. However, he said the college is working hard to move forward from this situation.
Blood Drive Members of the community are called to donate at a blood drive on April 27 in the Administration Building Room 105, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Those interested should contact student services at (314) 984-7642 to schedule an appointment. All equipment is sterile and disposed of after use. Any individuals who have received a tattoo or a piercing will be accepted. Blood donors will receive a small physical examination and will be tested for a variety of infections. The results of the examinations will be mailed following the donation.
Geologic Field Experience Students interested in geology are asked to enroll in GEO 501: Geologic Field Experience in North America, an interactive class in which participants will explore Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks and excavate dinasour fossils in the Badlands of Montana. Students will learn basic geologic mapping and measuring with geological instrumentation and understanding geological features, rock types, and mineral and fossil identification. The course is physically demanding and requires walking approximately two to five miles per day. The cost of the course is $1,400 per person and takes place June 5-20, 2010. For more information, contact instructor Carl Campbell at (314) 984-7722.
George Wasson “My main concern at this point is providing some stability and to make sure that we continue to provide educational opportunities,” Wasson said. “This is a team effort; this is not based on an individual. This is not one person or two or three; this is a team effort and it is our strong faculty that make all of this possible and it’s going to take all of us working together.” Wasson said that within the next few weeks he will be delegating the duties of the vice president of student affairs to the managers that worked under Petersen. He also said that he is going to need help from faculty and staff to carry the mission of the college forward. “I expect other people to step up for this time period; we will work through it, we will get through it and we will be better and stronger at the end,” Wasson said. Wasson acknowledged that a problem in the past has been the lack of communication between the administration and the faculty. Wasson said what hap-
pened with Petersen was the result of faculty concerns not heard by the administration when decisions were made. “I think that you can see that there are stake holders at the college that do not feel that their views or opinions were heard in that process,” Wasson said. “I think that you see some of the consequences of a decision that is made and when people don’t feel that they’ve been heard.”
Organizing a faculty voice Robert Lee, Ph.D., and Meramec history professor, said that in the 11 years he has been teaching at Meramec, he has never sensed the morale of the campus so low due to administrative decisions. Lee said he and other faculty members agreed that this was due to the lack of communication between administration and faculty when decisions were made. “Every day I walked this academic year with the question ’what’s going to happen today?’ And not in a fun way but in a ’what’s the next thing that’s going to be dropped on our heads‘ sort of scenario,” Lee said. “This is my eleventh year here and I’ve never seen morale among faculty and staff so low and this absolute feeling that no one knows what’s coming next.” Lee, along with other faculty members, decided to start the process of creating a faculty forum to have monthly meetings with the president. In the meetings, faculty representatives would be able to voice their concerns to the president, Lee said. “We, as faculty, generally found out about decisions that were made basically at the same time students found out and the general public found out,” Lee said. “The administration can hear faculty concerns about issues and know what it is that faculty are worried about at this moment. Because very often, because of the lack of communication, what the administration thinks faculty believe, or the administration thinks the faculty are upset about is often very far from reality. This is to open the dialogue from the two sides.” Lee said he is in the process of gathering feedback from faculty, but said he feels a lot of support coming from them. Lee said the reason he initiated this forum was because he did not want to be a hypocrite to his students. “I am always telling students
3
as a history professor that history is made by the people who show up,” Lee said. “I couldn’t think of myself as a hypocrite interpreting history this way and not standing up.” Lee also said it is important that faculty have a voice on campus on the issues that affect the students, also something he learned from history. “There is a misconception about history and we are witnessing it right now in this campus, in that in many ways the most dangerous thing isn’t a revolution, it’s deafening silence; it’s apathy and I just didn’t want to deal with it,” Lee said.
One more push for Petersen
While Wasson and the faculty plan to solve future communication barriers, to some the reinstatement of Petersen remains the one action that can bring back trust in the administration. On April 17, Michael Roman, president of the Student Governance Council, sent an e-mail to SGC members urging them to take the petition to members of the club and other Meramec students for them to sign it. “The Student Governance Council feels compelled to urge the chancellor and board of trustees to reinstate Dr. Petersen, who has tirelessly and unselfishly worked in your best interest,” according to the petition. Roman said he feels this is the next logical step in the struggle to re-instate Petersen as vice president of student affairs. Roman addressed the board at the last meeting regarding this decision. At every meeting the board announces that it will reply to every person that addressed them in the meeting with a written response. “They haven’t acted on that. They haven’t responded to us,” Roman said.
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4 NEWS
April 22, 2010
Meramec students spend spring break in the ninth ward
Hurricane Katrina is remembered as volunteers help rebuild New Orleans Shane Rice
- Staff Writer The Atlantic hurricane season of 2005 left many areas in the United States in great distress, most significantly the city of New Orleans, La. Hurricane Katrina left 80 percent of the city under water and although the disaster occurred nearly half a decade ago, destruction is still evident and citizens of New Orleans are continuing to rebuild the city. This has been successful due to volunteers from across the nation, including 20 students from STLCCMeramec who assisted in the rebuilding of the area
New Orleans. “I had no idea what to expect. It was saddening because there’s still abandoned buildings and devastation all around. It’s hard to imagine that all this destruction took place. These were people’s homes and it was just sad,” said student Trevor Martin, a volunteer for the project. Meramec students worked for four days helping rebuild a nursing home and a church in the ninth ward. Volunteers ripped out flooring and pipes in a nursing home that had been a target of the hurricane. “We were tearing up as much as possible so that the building could be rebuilt into a home for the elderly, rather
“I was thinking that things should be getting back to normal and it was heartbreaking to see that it hadn’t.” -Marina Allen during a spring break service trip by partnering with Operation Nehemiah, a nonprofit organization that leads redevelopment projects in
than a nursing home,” said Destiny Mitchell, a Meramec student-volunteer. Mitchell said that because the building received so much
PHOTO COURTESY OF: MARINA ALLEN
Meramec students Alexandra DeClue, Megan Holmes, Lisa Castardi and Louis Choi get ready to demolish damage done to a nursing home in the ninth ward. The building had collected dust, mold and debris so the volunteers wore hard hats and masks for protection. destruction, the facilities could no longer be used for nursing home purposes. Despite the efforts to rebuild a home for the elderly, Mitchell said she was surprised by how much work it still needed after five years. “The basement still had food,
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utensils, buckets of water and even diaries. There are still remnants of the people that lived there.” Meramec volunteers also spent time at a church and school rebuilding offices and a new gymnasium for a basketball court, Mitchell said. “The church is in a community that is kind of poor. Schooling in New Orleans is not up to par, and the only way your child can get a good education is by a private school,” Mitchell said. The church provides free private education to all children that live in the area. Mitchell said the administration of the church was pleased with the work that Meramec students completed. “They were really impressed with what we finished.” Student Marina Allen, a volunteer for the project who also attended the service trip
last year, said she was amazed by how much devastation and destruction was still apparent in New Orleans. Even though Allen said it was beautiful to see the progress that has been made over the last five years, she said there is still a lot of work to be done. “I was thinking that things should be getting back to normal, and it was just heart breaking to see that it hadn’t,” Allen said, remembering her first visit to New Orleans a year ago. “It was just so emotional to see these communities in complete obliteration the first time I went. This time it was just wonderful to see all the new construction and homes being built.” Allen said, “You can read about destruction and devastation, but it becomes more real when you can see and experiences them for yourself.”
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NEWS
April 22, 2010
5
Meramec makes a splash for parents of child care center
Car wash raises $200 for struggling students seeking child care services Joe Ray
- Online Editor -
Andrea Royals - News Editor -
A black Ford pickup truck pulled into STLCC-Meramec’s parking lot on April 17 to get a scrub down at a car wash fundraiser. The event was held by student parents to raise money for those struggling to find proper child care services. The door of the truck opened as Bob Nelson, former board of trustees member, stepped out to get his pickup washed with a donation in hand. Nelson is one of four trustees who voted to end the child care services at the Meramec and Forest Park campuses last December. Nelson said he believes his vote on the decision does not reflect how he feels about child care services. “I absolutely still support the parents and I never did not support them. My vote was an economic situation when I realized what the college is going to face in the future with a drastic reduction from state funds in the years 2011 and 2012,” Nelson said. Despite the negative response he received after the decision, which he believes cost him the April 6 election, Nelson said he supports child care services only when the college is able to afford it and that he would not reverse his opinion.“I am not opposed to child care. If they had a car wash every week, I’d donate every week,” Nelson said. Nelson was one of several
PHOTO BY: JOE RAY
Students and parents at STLCC-Meramec washed approximately 20 cars on Saturday, April 17 to raise funds for parents seeking alternative child care services now that the child care center is closing. The donations will be given to eight parents who are stuggling to find proper care for their children. passersby, including a few faculty and staff members who stopped to have their car washed at the fundraiser held to raise donations for eight families that are struggling to find child care services for their children. The Meramec Campus Police Department also made a donation toward child care services and had two of the
patrol cruisers washed before the event ended. “I think we had a great turnout today for the car wash,” said Michelle Duerlinger, a student and parent who organized the event. “We have had at least 20 cars come through.” Many generous community members who were leaving the Children’s Festival that
Children “spring into reading” Service project gives books to city students Shane Rice - Staff Writer -
Inspiring Communities Unconditionally (ICU) will be working with parents and children to help resolve a growing illiteracy issue among student youth on May 1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and May 2 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Kirkwood Station Plaza. “A child that leaves school at the end of the school year and does not have access to books can lose up to two or more grade levels in their ability to read,” said Vickie Nitzsche, performance coordinator for ICU. ICU has partnered with
ALIVE (Alternative Living in Violent Environments), Urban Futures, St. Louis City Library, Redbone Products Inc. and Scholastics Book Inc. to help resolve this growing issue. Based on a report done by Anne McGill-Franzen and Richard Allington, professors at the University of Florida, “the key to stemming summer reading loss is finding novel ways to get books into the hands of children during the summer break.” ICU’s annual event, Spring into Reading, is a program intended to show children that reading can be exciting. Tammie Renfro,
coordinator for ICU, said the mission of the organization is to create and inspire a greater passion for reading among children. “This is a win-win situation for the children of our community,” said Renfro. More than 10,000 St. Louis City children in the summer reading club will receive an empty book bag sponsored by the St. Louis City Library. The goal of ICU is to fill these bags with books. There will also be a scholastic book sale, live children performances, carnival games, story time, face painting, live music and a children’s activity center.
was held on campus the same day stopped by the fundraiser and gave donations without even getting their car washed. Duerlinger said the goal of the car wash was to raise $1,000 in donations, but were short of their goal, raising approximately $200. A few parents brought their children to help wash cars to show that the purpose of Montage 1/4 main ad_Layout 1 3/24/10
the fundraiser was for them. Students, parents and children lined the sidewalk with posters in an attempt to get the attention of people driving. One poster advertised the car wash with the words, “Save R School,” and another reading, “We love our school!” Said student and mother Ann Kinkendeall, “We are doing for1 the children.” 2:19 PMthis Page
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OPINIONS
April 22, 2010
“Benji, you know Israel is my bestest good friend!”
President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu in an unsuccessful meeting regarding the controversial land between Israel and Palestine.
GRAPHIC BY: RICHARD RHODES
Ending the cycle of domestic abuse Stephanie Stough - Art & Life Editor -
Women bring diversity to the world and, more importantly, life. They feel, they love, they nurture, and they provide for the people they love most. Unfortunately, every day they are raped, abused and killed, mostly by their intimate partners. According to the U.S. Department of Peace, 1.5 million women are raped each year. There are 5.3 million reports of abuse on women from an intimate partner each year, and from 1976 to 1996 a reported 31,260 women were murdered by a partner. Studies by the Office of the Surgeon General report that domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44, and that they these injuries more common than automobile accidents, muggings and cancer deaths combined, according to the American Medical Association. According to the FBI, among all female murder victims in the United States in 2003, 30 percent were slain by their husbands or boyfriends. It goes without saying that domestic violence statistics are shocking. Not only are they appalling, but they are rarely
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discussed. When did the land of the free become a place for such violence? Women are a vital part of the human race. They are no lesser than their male counterparts. Women are just as capable of achieving their goals as men. Abuse against women needs to come to an end because simply, women don’t deserve it. No woman deserves to be a victim of violence, especially by someone they trust in an intimate relationship. Regardless of a woman’s words or actions, nothing justifies rape, abuse or murder by their husbands or boyfriends. There are plenty of things that people can do to prevent violent acts against women. The first is to know the signs of abuse from both the victim and the perpetrator. Someone who may be in an abusive relationship may feel helpless or be afraid of her partner. They may think that they deserve to be hurt or mistreated. The abusive partner may be overly protective, may be critical, or even blame their partner for the abusive behavior. Knowing the signs of an abusive relationship early on can prevent domestic violence before it takes place. If abuse takes place, tell someone trustworthy or call (800) 799-SAFE (7233), the National Domestic Abuse and Violence Hotline. Another way to help prevent abuse is to boycott media that may encourage abuse against women. Both men and women can become desensitized to
Shannon Philpott Faculty Adviser sphilpott@stlcc.edu Carlos Restrepo Editor-in-Chief Collin Reishman Managing Editor Jeanetta Roberts Online/Photo Editor Joe Ray Asst. Online Editor Jacob Hight Graphics Editor Andrea Royals News Editor Stephanie Stough Art & Life Editor Anna Nowotny In-Depth Editor Spencer Gleason Sports Editor Julie Wells Sr. Copy Editor Joe Douglas Jr. Copy Editor
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abuse after seeing it in movies, music videos and TV shows and music, such as the popular song by Sublime titled “Date Rape” Be able to recognize scenes and references to violence against women and be knowledgeable, but never forget that all violence is wrong. Another tactic to help prevent domestic abuse is to talk it over. When couples are very open about the limits of the relationship, the chances of abuse will likely decrease. Couples with a mutual respect for each other will have a much more successful relationship. Open up. Tell each other what is okay and what is not, especially when it comes to dealing with conflict. It may be beneficial for couples to call a “timeout” when they think an argument is getting too heated. The most effective way to prevent domestic abuse is to have self-respect. When women have respect for themselves, they are strong. When a woman demands respect from her partner, she cannot fail. If abuse comes in the way of a woman who has respect for herself and her body, it will be much easier for her to get out of a violent situation, for she has set limitations for herself. For more information about domestic abuse and counseling, visit the Counseling Department at STLCC-Meramec in Clark Hall. Otherwise, go hug a woman.
To place an advertisement, contact the advertising manager for rates, sample issues, etc., (314)984-7955. Editorial views expressed or content contained in this publication are not necessarily the views of St. Louis Community College, the Board of Trustees or the administration. The Montage is a student publication produced seven times per semester at St. Louis Community College - Meramec, 11333 Big Bend Blvd., Kirkwood, Mo., 63122. (314) 984-7655.
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7
OPINIONS
April 22, 2010
SELF-HELP
PURSUITofHAPPINESS
Procrastination: putting off happiness Joe Douglas
- Jr. Copy Editor -
Mark Twain once said, “Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow.” Ever have one of those weeks where everything is due? Heaven forbid on the same day? Your College Algebra test is on the same day your threepage paper in Composition I is due. Maybe you have three pieces of artwork due a couple of weeks before finals and you haven’t made much progress on them. As we approach the end of the semester, the assignment sum-up ritual creates an imbalance between academic and social life. We gather stress like we breathe air and it accumulates until we can no longer breathe. This is the most stressful time of year for many students, especially for those who procrastinate. Putting off the tough stuff is putting off happiness.
POLITICS
Procrastination is a debilitating habit that affects many college students. If comparing the balance of academic and social life to a scale, we often weigh social life as more important and put our academic lives on hold. When deadlines come around, reality hits and it’s no longer viable to ignore homework and projects. When I was a senior in high school, I had a five-page essay due in class on Monday. I started my research on Saturday, and began writing Sunday. I couldn’t write the five pages and found myself doomed to turn in an incomplete final paper. A snow day saved me and I was able to complete the paper. Instead of taking it as a sign of invincibility, I instead decided to change my habits. Now, instead of waiting for miracles (and at Rockwood Summit, a snow day was a miracle) I try to take advantage of the time I’m given. Part of surviving the culmination of procrastinated assignments is saying “no” to distractions. These include phone calls, side conversations, texts, and entertainment media like television, internet and music with words. In fact, listening to music with words
will more likely distract you and slow you down. Listening to music by Mozart, Pachelbel, or music from the Baroque period has been known to increase thinking power and concentration. Mark Gorkin, licensed clinical social worker and known throughout the web as “The Stress Doc,” provides a list of ways to defeat procrastination in an article he submitted to Selfhelp Magazine. He says, “You must be tortured and made to acknowledge your sins.” He suggests finding someone to nag you into doing the work. Also, “Do know your limits and don’t limit your ‘no’s!’” If procrastination is an issue for you, the STLCC-Meramec Academic Advising and Counseling Center has information on reducing and eliminating procrastination habits and other negative habits and anxieties. Now is a better time than ever to overcome procrastination and get ahead of the game, or in many students’ cases, catch up, and be that much closer to a summer of happiness. You have the right to pursue happiness. Change it. Do it. Be happy.
theAMERICANDREAM Going up in smoke
Collin Reischman - Managing Editor -
Oh no. Another college student is going to talk about marijuana. You pick up this column and think, “Another 20something student who wants to legalize pot, just so he can smoke freely on his drive to class and stink like hell when we wanders confusedly into a McDonald’s.” If that’s your disposition, then nothing can be done, and a few hundred words won’t convince you. April 20 is celebrated althroughout the country as the unofficial holiday of smoking marijuana. This year, though, it comes on the heels of one of the most serious discussions the nation has ever had about the ever-controversial drug. In November, California will place on its ballot a proposal to decriminalize small amounts of marijuana for recreational use among adults. Fourteen states have standing
legislation legalizing medical marijuana. Several states, including New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Hawaii and Oregon, all have laws in place, or under consideration, that would decriminalize small amounts of the drug for recreational use. The obvious question is “why?” Why legalize a drug that has landed millions in prison? Why legalize a drug that seems to promote unsavory lifestyles, complacency and lung damage? Marijuana has been used for medical purposes, religious ceremonies, and good ol’ fashioned parties for centuries. The obvious and most prevailing argument is that marijuana seems to be far safer than substances that have been readily legalized. Cigarettes, which contain one of the most addictive substances on the planet, and demonstratively deteriorates the health of any regular users, has never been illegal in the United States. Alcohol, which can severely inhibit judgment, coordination and decision making was banned only briefly by the 18th Amendment until the nation recognized its collective need to sit down and have a drink.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as of 2009, more than 41 percent of Americans report that they have used marijuana before, with 15 percent (just over 6 million) describing themselves as regular users. The association with laziness and overall malaise is so powerful; it is overpowering our common sense. With the nation’s economy still struggling, and states all across the country heading into deficits, it’s time for new and innovative ideas to help provide more revenue. The legalization and taxation of marijuana could drastically reduce state and national debts. With many more danwgerous and toxic substances freely available to the citizens, the continued punishment for recreational marijuana-use becomes more and more insulting. Decriminalization can save states drowning in debt, and provide a new product for large midwestern states that are already agriculturally inclined. We can no longer afford our stance on marijuana, and the change needs to come soon. When the going gets tough, the tough get stoned.
SEX
ADULTCONTENT
Knowing the exquisite vagina Jacob Hight
- Graphics Editor -
Centuries of penis worship must be attributed to the fact that it’s easier to carve monolithic dicks and parade them down the center of town. After all, many people are lazy and a giant penis statue is just, well, easier. Not that the male package isn’t magnificent and delicious in its own right, but the vagina is beautiful, elegant and blatantly possessing. While the vagina can be approached like a video game, frantic and random pressing of buttons in the hopes the you hit that special combo, it is worth the time and respect of being savored and approached knowledgeably and intently. Where to start? More and more sex literature acknowledges that many women do not orgasm without some sort of clitoral stimulation. An easy way to locate the clitoris is to follow the inner set of lips to where they meet at the top. The clitoris has a hood over it, protecting it from direct stimulation. Rubbing directly on the hood, rubbing around the hood, and pulling the hood up and down are all things to explore. So is firm, but gentle, slapping/spanking at the top over the larger lips. Sometimes the clitoris will retract into the body when extremely excited or tense. If your partner appreciates a more aggressive approach, an attitude of “you can run, but you can’t hide” might be beneficial. Put your lips together and make them vibrate as if you’re going to play a trumpet or brass instrument and blow raspberries on top of the hood. The vibrations will penetrate into the skin, reaching
where fingers and tongue might not. Some women might experience spirals or waves of pleasure in the womb during love-making. Another thing to try is blowing open-mouthed raspberries on the stomach, just below the navel. If the vibrations are strong enough, they can sink deep into the belly and womb, evoking these mysterious motions within. Immediately inside the vagina there are a few options. The first is petting the backside/root of the clitoris: curl the finger up as if trying to touch it to your thumb. Feel for a firm bump and stroke. A little further in on the roof are a series of fleshy ridges; these will roughly indicate the location of the celebrated “G-spot:” these can be stroked or licked. If it feels as if there is a puffy “balloon” behind these ridges, wag your finger side to side. During penetration, targeting the roof by slightly angling the object upward will focus on this spot. Toward the back there are other spots.Even stroking, encircling the cervix are worth trying. Rule number one: never think you know more about your partner’s body than they do. Though some things are generally true, everyone is different; listening to feedback is just common sense. Trying to impress someone with a lot of tricks that just don’t work for that person just doesn’t work for anyone. Rule number two: accept no substitute for an orgasm. Faking cheats everyone out of something wonderful. If your partner is close to coming and you vocalize sympathetically to increase the intensity of the moment. That’s okay, but it’s just a technique, a way of acknowledging and encouraging your partner’s pleasure and should not replace an orgasm. Next time "the proud penis." Until then make love.
read.think.blog. Read The Montage online for exclusive phoGod.Music.Politics.Chants.Texting.Baseball. tos of the ‘ChalkBoyz,’ The Improv group, Smoking.Writing.Photos.Art.Bands. and Meramec Magic wrestling. Staff blogs are online. Get exclusive content, photos and videos. Only at meramecmontage.com
InDepth
Bracing for IMPACT! Natural disasters hit home in the St. Louis region While every region has its share of bouts with the forces of nature, St. Louis seems to be cornered by the convergence of three potential heavy-hitters. Perched above the northern tip of the New Madrid fault, stranded in tornado alley, and wedged between numerous major rivers, St. Louisans must face the fact that earthquakes, tornados and floods come with the territory of living in the heartland. STLCC-Meramec Professor of Physical Science/Geology Carl Campbell and Meramec Police Chief Paul Banta weigh in on the inevitable sequel of some of this region’s harshest disasters in history and how to safeguard against them.
Shane Rice - Staff Writer -
Anna Nowotny - InDepth Editor -
When Campbell and his wife were awakened by the sound of their windows rattling on the morning of Friday, April 18, 2008, they said they quickly determined that they were experiencing a mild earthquake. While his wife drifted back to sleep, professor Campbell lay awake, silently calculating how far away it was and its magnitude. “I got very, very close all in my head,” said Campbell. The next morning, his calculations were confirmed by the news that a magnitude 5.4 earthquake had occurred in southeast Illinois, at a depth of 7.2 miles in the Wabash Valley seismic zone, located to the north of the New Madrid fault. “I calculated the time between the P wave and the surface wave. P wave is the first one that comes in and stands for primary.” To demonstrate, Campbell slammed his hand against the chemistry lab table. To demonstrate the surface wave, Campbell made the motion of a wave with his arm. “The surface waves come in and that’s the back and forth, forward and back, and that’s what causes the most damage, the surface waves going up and down, because you get P waves and S waves interacting and you get positive reinforcement. So that’s what most people feel.” Campbell said that scientists are able to predict the probability of earthquakes based on statistical analysis of historical information and the use of instrumentation. “For frequency of earthquakes, all you can give is probability,” Campbell said. “The probability of a magnitude six or greater earthquake in the New Madrid system is, I think, 40 percent in the next 50 years.” Campbell said that in the event of an earthquake, it’s best to get in the basement, the bathtub or under a table. “If it goes on for more than 10 seconds, and it seems to be increasing, then it may be a big one and you may want to take some precautions. But if it’s just kind of mild and goes on for a few seconds, enjoy it. It’s fun, you know; you might lose some china, but that can be replaced.”
March 18, 1925 seemed to start l Missouri Ozarks were carrying on routines unaware of and ill prepared store for them. At 1:01 p.m. the skies turned bla the time they saw the tornado plung too late. Nothing could stop the G sweeping across three states, leaving path of more than 164 sq. miles. Approximately 695 people lost people were injured, and more th destroyed. “The chance that another even happening again is not likely, but n Campbell. “St. Louis has much better w and people of the Midwest are more aw and their impact.” Campbell offers a few simple per precautions that can mean the differenc life and death. “The best things for students to do at Meramec is don’t panic, stay away fr windows, and avoid the southwest corne of the buildings. Most tornados come in from the southwest and are more likely to hit at night.” According to Campbell, another good practice for surviving a tornado is either to go to the basement or get in a bathtub and cover it with a mattress.
April 22, 2010
Disaster Trivia ~According to Carl Campbell, animals can sense the
low frequency from earthquakes. Dogs start barking, birds start chirping and horses run away seconds beforehand. In Sumatra, elephants survived the earthquake because they literally ran for the hills.
~According to http://spc.noaa.gov, windows do not
need to be opened in order to equalize pressure in the event of a tornado.
~According to http://usgs.gov, two feet of water is enough to carry away an average-size car.
like any other. The people of the with their normal day-to-day d for what Mother Nature had in
ack and roared with thunder. By ge from the sky it was already Great Tri-State Tornado from g destruction and death in its
their lives that day, 2027 han 15,000 homes were
nt of this magnitude not impossible,” said weather forecasting ware of tornados
rsonal safety ce between
o here rom er
ILLUSTRATION BY: JACOB HIGHT
Tornados are another natural disasters for which St. Louisans need to be prepared. According to the Red Cross, floods are among the most frequent and costly natural disasters. According to The National Weather Service floods can be caused by several factors. The Great Flood of 1993 was caused by a combination of excessive moisture in the soil from the rainy autumn in 1992, heavy snow fall in the winter, late ice break up, the reservoir levels in the Missouri and Mississippi river basins, and failure in some of the levees. Between June and August the flood killed 32 people and resulted in $15 to $20 billion in damage. “St. Louis has a flood wall set downtown that is in need of repair and was almost overtopped in the 1993 flood. But in all actuality we have more people killed by flash floods each year than by regional floods which is what the flood of 1993 was, regional,” said Campbell. Meramec is in the process of improving its emergency alert system. Banta said the STLCC Safety and Security Committee will have an alert system installed on campus soon. “Our system will be automatically tested at the same time of month as the county systems,” said Banta. One of St. Louis County’s emergency alert systems sits directly across from the Meramec campus, on Geyer Road. Banta said that having an alert system on campus will enable campus police to warn students about intruders, active shooters or emergencies specifically related to this campus, as opposed to the county. A campus police dispatcher monitors the National Weather Service from 7 a.m. until 12 a.m. When there is an emergency, campus police receives an alert that instructs them to turn on the radio or television in order to view emergency warnings before turning on the siren. The alert system will have six tones each for signifying a different type of emergency. “It’s not a matter of if these types of disasters will happen again but a matter of when,” said Campbell.
9
ART & LIFE PlayREVIEW: American Buffalo Jacob Hight
- Graphics Editor -
It is a rare thing to see audience members walk across the stage during a theatrical production, but that’s exactly what happened April 1, and it was no joke. From March 31 to April 4 STLCC-Meramec “by special arrangements with Samuel French” presented David Mamet’s “American Buffalo,” under Keith Oliver’s direction. The play is about a pawnshop owner’s plans to steal a rare buffalo nickel, aided by his young protégé and his own mentor. The production was for “Mature Audiences only,” no doubt due to the violence and fourletter language. The programs clearly stated, “There will be no late seating for this production,” though, the evening did not proceed according to planned, in more ways than one. Upon entry into the theatre, patrons saw that the scene was inverted, the set facing inward towards the
back of the stage, the audience seated at the back of the stage behind the magnificently detailed pawnshop set. This novel seating arrangement had the potential to play a significant role in the experience of the play, especially capturing and focusing the tension of the second act. It was a brilliant and exciting experiment, that wasn’t allowed to succeed. Despite the warning on the program, during the first 15 minutes of the April 1 performance, latecomers were allowed in. This was a devastating distraction, as the stragglers were literally wandering on the set searching for a seat (the actors took it in stride and stayed in the moment). The exposition of the play was virtually obliterated, and the innovative seating remained a subtle distraction during the remainder of the evening for at least one audience member. Even more distracting than the seating was Jeff Kramer’s performance of
Walter Cole (“Teach”), the pawnshop owner’s mentor. Kramer’s portrayal of Cole was convincing, powerful and provocative, fully invoking the character with his voice and body. Tragically, his vivid performance was continually punctuated by self-correcting paraphrased lines, even single words. Cole’s partner in crime and owner of the pawnshop, Donny Dubow, was played by David Harleman. Harleman’s performance of Dubow was very clear and focused, but was almost overly sympathetic. Dubow’s warmth and concern shown toward Bobby (played by Stephen Henley), though refreshing, was practically maternal and on full-strength from beginning to end, giving his character nowhere to grow. Some of Dubow’s dialogue in the second act actually seemed out of character for the degree of compassion Harleman imbued the character with. The production was given purpose and substance by Stephen Henley’s exqui-
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April 22, 2010
PHOTO COURTESY OF KEITH OLIVER
Community members Jeff Kramer, who played “Teach,” David Harleman, who played “Donny Dubow” and Stephen Henley who played “Bobby” act out a scene in “American Buffalo.” “American Buffalo” was presented in the STLCC-Meramec theater from March 30-April 1. sitely human performance of Bobby, a young man who’s fallen in with Dubow. Without Henley’s completely committed, prepared and insightful performance in the second act, the theme and humanity of the play would
have been completely lost, rendering it an ultimately gratuitous exhibition of unkindness. “American Buffalo” is a powerful reminder of how precious free speech is and how powerful art remains.
11
ART & LIFE
April 22, 2010
Exploring the powers of John of God Meramec professor investigates the enigma of a spiritual healer in Brazil Carlos Restrepo - Editor in Chief -
In South America, 80 miles from the capital of Brazil, Brasilia, there is a town called Abadiania. In this town resides John of God who is referred to by natives as “The Miracle Man of Brazil.” Recently, an STLCC-Meramec faculty member witnessed first-hand this spiritual healer’s work. Over spring break, Gulten Ilhan, philosophy and world religions professor at Meramec, traveled to Brazil to research this individual. What she saw cannot be explained by logic, she said. “It was an out-of-thisworld experience,” Ilhan said. “I teach logic class, and this doesn’t make sense; there is no rational explanation, but something out of this world happens there.” Joao Teixeira de Faria, commonly known as John of God, lives on a ranch in the middle of Abadiania where people come to his free clinic for health problems ranging from headaches to cancer to brain tumors. John of God is not a licensed doctor. “I am merely an instrument in God’s divine hands,” John is quoted as saying on http://johnofgod. com, a website made by one of his followers. A friend of Ilhan who had lime disease went to see John of God and told Ilhan about her experience. Ilhan said when she first heard about it, she was skeptical about John of God and wanted to learn more about him. “I was very cynical. I was even making fun of it before I went,” Ilhan said. “If somebody came and told me what I am telling you, I would claim that the person had become insane-that he is bogus. This guy is real. Whatever is happening, I cannot explain.” When he was 11, John of God had a vision that he had to go to a church. In this church,
he supposedly healed his first patients and continued to do so throughout his life, Ilhan said. When Ilhan went to the house where John of God resides and sees his patients, she said she saw hundreds of people there every day looking for medical care. “This guy, John of God, when you go in front of him he supposedly scans you. You don’t even have to tell him what the issue is,” Ilhan said. “Then he makes recommendations. He may prescribe herbs or he may do invisible surgery. There is no touching you. Supposedly, spirits do the surgery.” Studies of John’s powers, however, remain inconclusive, according to a 2000 article titled “Cirugia espiritual: uma investigação” (Spiritual Surgery: an investigation) in the “Revista da Associação Medical Brasileira” (Magazine of the Medical Brazilian Association). According to the article, “The surgical procedures are real but we couldn’t evaluate the efficacy. It didn’t appear to have any specific effect,” “Findings are undoubtedly more of an exploratory kind than conclusive ones. Further studies are clearly necessary to cast light on this unorthodox treatment.” As a world religions professor, Ilhan said she is investigating and studying more about this new field she had never explored before. “I know it sounds very bizarre, extremely out of this world. Logic cannot explain it; rationality cannot explain it,” Ilhan said. “But all I know is that people are swearing that they are cured from AIDS, blindness, cancer, alcoholism, you name it.” Ilhan said in the future students may expect a class offered on this subject. I bought many, many books and I am reading more. Hopefully, one day I may offer a course on spiritism.”
PHOTO COURTESY OF: HTTP://WWW.ENLIGHTENEDBEINGS.COM
John of God claims spirits of biblical figures, such as King Solomon, enter his body and do the healing through him. John of God does not charge for his visits. However, according to a documentary by ABC, John of God’s clinic made more than $400,000 in revenue from the selling of herbs and remedies.
“I know it sounds very bizarre and extremely out of this world. Logic cannot explain it; rationality cannot explain it.” PHOTO COURTESY OF: GULTEN ILHAN
-Gulten Ilhan
Gulten Ilhan (Right) with one of John of God’s patients. Ilhan spent spring break in Abadania, a small village in the outskirts of the capital of Brazil, Brasilia.
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS SPRINGFIELD Students interested in this expanding field study on-site at law enforcement headquarters and correctional facilities. Some students spend time in probation offices or at domestic abuse centers. Others work to free the wrongly accused through the UIS Downstate Innocence Project. All students have access to the UIS Pre-Law Center. Interested in crime scene analysis? UIS labs are equipped with the latest technology and professors who can speak from experience. These extraordinary resources are one reason we’re a rising university in:
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ART & LIFE
April 22, 2010
13
A Day in the Life of C.J. Marie
Modern singer-songwriter with a classic touch Andrea Royals - News Editor -
Social networking has become a worldwide phenomenon. From posting opinionated blogs to advertising photos of friends and watching videos on YouTube, social media has connected individuals around the globe. STLCC-Meramec student and singer-songwriter Casey Joan Marie McDonough uses social networking for a much different purpose: to jump-start her career in music. “Going to school and pursuing a musical career is very difficult to juggle,” McDonough posted as her status update on Facebook on March 31, the night before her performance at the Sci-Fi Lounge in University City. The performance attracted friends, family and neighborhood fans as she crooned, guitar in hand to the tunes of Jimmie Davis’ “You Are My Sunshine,” Nat King Cole’s “Nature Boy” and a few of McDonough’s original pieces. “I’ve always loved singing. I’ve been putting [songs] on the Internet and doing shows since I was 16,” McDonough said. With the stage name of C.J. Marie, McDonough began promoting her music through the help of MySpace, where she has attracted a following of more than 700 fans. She said her musical
taste is inspired by Billie Holiday and Nina Simone, American blues and jazz artists who have sparked her style of vocal performance. McDonough said she used MySpace to promote her music on the local level through profile searches. “I would search through St. Louis artists, and I would add them if their music taste was something that I was into,” McDonough said. McDonough said she met several people through local searches on the Internet, including The Mussy Cluves, a band from North County with whom McDonough shared a stage last month. McDonough said she has also used MySpace to create music with people from not only St. Louis, but other states and countries as well. “I was working with someone from Sweden for a while. He would send me music, and I would write the lyrics,” McDonough said. While McDonough said she enjoys singing with other bands, she has been teaching herself to play guitar for the past year to accompany her voice for solo performances. “I like working with other people because it’s more of a challenge, and you can create something more interesting together,” McDonough said. “But I feel the music more when I am playing by myself because then I can mix things up however I want. Nothing is set in stone.”
PHOTO BY: DAN HANDING
STLCC-Meramec student Casey Joan Marie McDonough (C.J. Marie) is a singer-songwriter and has her music up on her MySpace account, http://myspace.com/cjoanmarie. Her next show is May 6 at the Sci-Fi Lounge. Although confident in mances, and her father, who but that she struggles balher abilities as a soloist, Mc- she said encourages her to ancing her career and her Donough said that she fears broaden her horizons and education. her audiences may relate her expand her instrumental “Most of the time, I end style of music to other fe- skills. up writing songs at two and male singer-songwriters-an McDonough said that her three in the morning because image that she said is some- boyfriend, Kenny Alonzo, is I don’t have any other time
“Going to school and pursuing a musical career is very difficult to juggle.” -Casey Joan Marie McDonough (C.J. Marie)
PHOTO BY: DAN HANDING
C.J. Marie said that it can be difficult to balance school and her music and that she writes most of her songs late at night. She writes her own songs and performs covers.
times underestimated. McDonough said that one of the biggest struggles is not being able to ensure that her music is interpreted the way she wants people to see it. Despite the setbacks of genre distinction, McDonough said she receives support from her friends and family, including her brother, who attends her perfor-
also encouraging and consistently serves as inspiration for the lyrics of many of her romantic songs. “Most of my songs are romantic songs, either about heartbreak or hating someone,” McDonough said. McDonough said she plans to transfer to Webster University to pursue a degree in vocal performance,
to,” McDonough said, while also acknowledging the need for late-night lyric excursions. “Songs wouldn’t come to me the same if I didn’t write them at two and three in the morning.” McDonough’s next performance is scheduled for 8 p.m. on May 6 at the SciFi Lounge, 6010 Kingsbury Ave.
,
14ART & LIFE MovieREVIEW: The Last Song Jeanetta Roberts
- Online and Photo Editor -
In the novel “The Last Song,” best-selling author Nicholas Sparks once again moves his readers with an emotional story full of romance and drama, complete with a bittersweet ending while director of the movie version, Julie Anne Robinson, fails to deliver the entire package Sparks created. Sparks beautifully depicts an emotional summer in the life of the troubled 17-year-old Victoria “Ronnie” Miller as she reluctantly spends her summer reconnecting with her father in South Carolina. During her stay, Ronnie experiences an intense summer romance, betrayal of friendship, and all, around heartache. While the movie does a seemingly good job of capturing the flowery summer romance between Will (Liam Hemsworth) and Ronnie (Miley Cyrus) and other heartbreaking issues, it unfortunately left out key points that lead up to the ending and the betrayal and fear that Ronnie experiences with certain friends. The opening scenes of the movie are just like a typical Disney movie until about halfway throug when it becomes completely depressing. Anyone with a heart will be left crying along with the actors until the very end.
April 22, 2010
Hip hot spots: The Funny Bone Curtis Daniels - Staff Writer -
PHOTO USED WITH PERMISSION OF IMDB.COM
Of course, as with any movie starring a singer-turnedactress, how could the corny and completely unnecessary scene showing off Cyrus’s singing “ability” not be included?
On the other hand, the decisions to cast Greg Kinnear to take on the role of Ronnie’s father, Steve, and Bobby Colemn to portray her brother, Jonah, were brilliant as the actors both brought the characters to life just as Sparks describes them. This movie is great for teenage girls who are looking for a reason to cry for a good hour or so but opted out of reading the novel. For those who have read the book beforehand, the movie is simply just a disappointment. “The Last Song” runs 107 minutes and is rated PG-13.
If there’s one place in St. Louis that college students should go to hang out for laughs, food, and fun, it is Funny Bone Comedy Club located at West Port Plaza. The St. Louis Funny Bone has been around since September 1984 and is one of St. Louis’s most prominent comedy clubs. Typically, tickets cost $10 to get in, yet Wednesdays and Thursdays are college and military night where students pay only $1 with a valid ID. To many, the Funny Bone is a perfect place to relax after a demanding day of tests and lectures. It’s a hot spot that students may find hysterically therapeutic, as they laugh, smoke, and enjoy the night. Jeff Lininger, an STLCCMeramec biology major said, “You can sit down, have a drink, get food and have live entertainment all at the same time. You can’t beat that.” A mixture of laughter and love go hand in hand since the audience is heavily populated with couples and dates. David Atkinss, a
PHOTO BY: DAN HANDING
The Funny Bone Comedy Club, located in West Port Plaza, hosts shows from famous comedians and even has an open microphone night on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. Meramec life science major said, “I would say it’s a great place to take a date because the comedian does all the work for you and there’s no kids crying in the background.” Tuesday nights at 8 p.m. is Open Mic Night where firsttime and up-and-coming comedians get a chance to make audience members laugh. Some comedians are a hit while others miss the mark, but overall, it’s a night of amusement. Gabe Kea and B.J. Lange are two Meramec alumni who decided to take a chance
at Open Mic Nights and said they have found themselves pretty successful in comedy. Gabe Kea recently hosted Open Mic Night at St. Louis Funny Bone, but now resides in Cincinnati where he is pursuing his comedic endeavors. Though often overlooked, comedy clubs provide students with a new experience and maybe a different way of getting their funny bones hit with entertainment. For upcoming shows, visit http://myspace.com/ funnybonestl.
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SPORTS
April 22, 2010
Superstitions play with the athlete’s mind Joe Ray
- Assistant Online Editor -
Sports superstitions have been a big part of our favorite sports for many years. It is more commonly known in baseball and hockey. The most popular superstitions come out of baseball. According to sports psychologist Richard Lustberg, Ph.D., “Athletes begin to believe and want to believe, that their particular routine is enhancing their performance.” Superstition is defined in the Merriam Webster dictionary as a belief or practice resulting from fear of the unknown or a false conception of causation. This means that most athletes have beliefs or superstitions based on past experience that was never tested but believe it works because it hasn’t failed them before. STLCC-Meramec baseball player Seth Gorman is a left-handed pitcher which is a superstition in itself according to coach Tony Dattoli. Gorman also mentioned that when the team is struggling in a game, they would move to a different part of the bench in the dugout. Sometimes, this would result in a better outcome with the team’s offense, and the team would stick to that section of the bench. “I would put on my left sock first before my right sock, and put my clothes on in a certain order. When you have people around you that have superstitions, you tend to pick it up also,” Gormen said on his experience with superstitions. Hockey is also a superstitious sport. “Off the top of my head, forward Tyler Chapmen puts his pants on after all his other equipment is on,” Meramec coach Ben Lambert said. “A lot of the guys tape their
sticks the exact same way every time. Forward Justin Dye always stands on the bench in between periods when we huddle together as a team.” Baseball has been a superstitious sport for a long time. Even to this day the biggest superstition of all is the Cubs curse. The curse is officially called the Billy Goat curse. It began in 1945 when the Billy Goat tavern owner Billy Sianis wanted inside Wrigley Field with his goat. He was denied access inside the stadium and supposedly put a curse on the team to never win again. The Chicago Cubs curse is looked at as magic or a curse. To this day, the Cubs have not won a World Series. It has been more than 100 years. This is huge proof that superstitions are present in sports. There have been many explanations behind the Cubs curse. In the last couple of years there have been many attempts to cure the curse or make it go away. They have even brought in a priest to try and bless the dugout, to give the Cubs a chance to win the World Series that year. That never happened. Instead, the Cubs were swept during the series and had to wait another year to break that curse. Some myths can be disproven. On July 23, 2009 Chicago White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle had a perfect game going through seven innings. (The current superstition of perfect games is not to talk to the pitcher who is throwing the perfect game.) A perfect game in baseball terms means the pitcher has not given up any hits or walks and his team has not caused in errors in the field behind him. During this game, Buehrle was talking to his teammates in the dugout. He sat in the
ILLUSTRATION BY: JACOB HIGHT
dugout, laughing and joking with his teammates and really didn’t care about the superstition. The result of the game was a perfect game. However, Cleveland Indians pitcher Cliff Lee may just support the superstition. He was throwing a no-hitter through seven innings also. There was a message on the
jumbotron noting that the last no-hitter in Cleveland history. St. Louis Cardinals, Yadier Molina hit a double in the eighth and the no-hitter was given up. Superstitions are all mind controlled and based on the individual. The big following of superstitions in sports has caused it to become very pop-
ular. Even though some may not agree with the rituals, superstitions may just be a good thing because they can cause athletes to strive for better. Visit
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16 Sports
April 22, 2010
PHOTO BY: COLLIN REISCHMAN
Supporters chant songs to support St. Louis’ new professional soccer team, AC St. Louis, at their home opener game on May 7. This day was the return of professional soccer to St. Louis since 1984.
PASSION FOR SOCCER RETURNS TO ST. LOUIS Carlos Restrepo - Editor in Chief -
PHOTO COURTESY OF: AMANDA KEEFE
A group of men dressed in black shirts and scarves gathered outside the parking lot of the Anhauser-Busch soccer park in Fenton on April 17. Drums, smoke bombs and loud chants were part of the armament the supporters group United Knights had prepared for St. Louis’ return of professional soccer. AC St. Louis, a newly formed Division 2 professional soccer team, held its home opener in a sold-out stadium to a crowd thirsty for soccer
since 1984, the last time St. Louis had a soccer team. Fans gathered and chanted throughout the 90 minutes in spite of the loss 2-1 against the Austin Aztex. “Our tradition is usually we have a meeting point in front of the stadium where we all gather and then we have a march in from that point to our actual stands,” said Edi Nurkic, a member of the United Knights whose mission is to promote the return of soccer in St. Louis. “We march in as a group. As you can see we have drums, megaphone, we have banners,
shirts, scarves.” John Lang, another fan at the stadium, said that despite the loss, this is a young team and it must be given time. “Our players are still getting to know each other, not just on the field level, but as people. It will get better. You don’t build a team overnight…” Lang said “… It takes time, but by the end of the season we’re going to be surprising some people. It starts now, but it’s going to keep building.” The next home game for AC St. Louis is against Baltimore at 7 p.m. on May 7. Visit
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For video and more photos of the game
PHOTO COURTESY OF: AMANDA KEEFE
PHOTO BY: COLLIN REISCHMAN