Crescent Magazine December 2010

crescent College Culture Upfront

University of Evansville

December 2010 w uecrescentmagazine.com

magazine

Making

SPIRITS Bright

Evansville festivities bring in holiday cheer

Life as an Extrovert Lucas Roden lets us into his social circle

Paying the

BILLS

Managing college costs and loans

Seeing the OTHER Side

Learning the ropes from our visually impaired peers

HOPEFUL NOT HOPELESS

Suicide is preventable. Can you help save a life? $2.50

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• We do Private Parties! [ October 2010 ] Crescent Magazine

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T

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.2 pers • Dec stmas Ves ri h C d an Advent Dec. 3 ta Party • Purple San .7 ec ops • D Holiday P Dec. 15 • t en mmencem !

Winter Co d ra G uates December Welcome

To:

UE Studen

From:

ts Alumni and the Univeris Frien ds of ty of Evans vill e!

In this Se ason of G iving, We Celeb rate the Tradition of Giving to UE .. .

It all began in 1853, w residents o hen f Moores Hill, Ind., bought sh ares for $20 ea found Mo ores Hill M ch to al Female C ollegiate In e and stitute.

John Coll ins Moore purchased 50 shares and donat ed 12 acre of land fo s r the colleg e.

In 1917, an amazing $ 50 was raised in less than 0,000 a month by the citi zens of Eva nsville to move the college.

UE’s most aggressive capital campaign U•Envisio n 2010 wrapped u p in May 2010. This campaign gave us th e new Ridgway U niversity C enter, the Schro eder Famil y School of Busines s Adminis tration Building an d much m ore.

University of Evansville Alumni Association • www.evansville.edu/alumni

Afternoon Delight

on your College Corner

Splurge

Indulge

on special, unique items at Basket Kases Gift Shoppe

Enjoy

lunch every day at The Slice

Treat

yourself to some scrumptious Jeanne’s Gelato

your sweet tooth with brunch & coffee at The Coffee Cottage

Pamper

yourself at Michael’s Style Center

Visit these fine businesses at the corner of Lincoln & Weinbach avenues [ December 2010 ] Crescent Magazine

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[ THIS MONTH’S ]

directors’

Suicide is not Painless With the recent nationwide spike in student suicides, it is time to take a look at why this is happening and figure out what can be done.

S

uicide is a purely selfish act. To those who have never contemplated taking their lives or dealt with depression, this may certainly seem the case.

But for those experiencing suicidal ideation or tendencies, it truly does seem like the only way. We are here to tell you it’s not. And while the road to mental health is long, there are ways to get out of a slump and live.

Suicide is becoming more of a problem, especially among students, but this is not receiving due recognition, as speaking openly about death — even more so about suicide — is a huge taboo in our society. Topics like depression and suicide remain partitioned off from everyday conversation, assumed to be subjects best left untouched and ignored because, or so it seems, discussing such things “opens the floodgates” and may induce those who haven’t contemplated suicide to consider it an option.

It seems also there is a kind of national stigma associated with mental health concerns, which discourages the open discussion of depression and other disorders. Not 20 years ago we were still of the mindset that those suffering emotional or behavioral disorders did so by consequence of some wrongdoing, something they did. Not 50 years ago we were still dumping friends and relatives into insane asylums for “treatment,” and while our quality of care and attention to the mental health field has vastly improved, we’re still not where we need to be.

You’ve seen the faces on the news of students who have taken their own lives, many of which driven to do so by the deep-cutting pain brought on by bullying and discrimination against them. But we can’t just sit by as more lives are lost.

Awareness should be increased and more things done to reach out to the people crying for help.

More attention is needed to bring greater light to detective and preventive measures. Because suicidal tendencies are often cries for help, all it takes to save a life is knowing what to look for — often, depression and other disorders go undiagnosed. Many suicides are carried out by those who’ve shown no overt, external signs. This doesn’t mean those people are free of emotional turmoil — in such cases, hidden beneath cheerful smiles, many friends and high grades.

Suicide hurts everyone. The rippling effect it creates is more damaging to a victim’s family, friends and peers than that person committing suicide could ever imagine and puts those in relation to that person at a higher risk themselves.

To help a friend overcome suicidal thoughts, the best treatment is to listen and reach out. There are plenty of doors that can lead to a better solution. And while it might take a lot of time and work to get yourself mentally healthy, it is doable and more than worth it. Know that whatever you are experiencing in your life, it can be worked through. w w w Student Publications mourns the loss of Mandy Ruoff, a valued member of our staff. She always said “good morning” or “goodbye” and smiled when we came in and out of the office. She was one of our work studies. More importantly, she was our friend. And in both respects, she took care of us. She will be dearly missed.

Wondering about Campus Crime and what’s happening with Student Congress? visit uecrescentmagazine.com every week for updates

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Crescent Magazine [ December 2010 ]

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crescent MAGAZINE w w w

EDITORIAL Writing Director: Rachel Solava Writing Editor: Brennan Girdler Assignment Editor: Kristin Benzinger Columnists: Regan Campbell, Jon Harvey Contributing Writers: Elizabeth Crozier, Cassie Gutman, Mindy Kurtz, Klara Nichter, Danielle Weeks, Megan Werner CREATIVE Assistant Creative Director: Amanda Topper Photo Editor: Chris Keith Designer: Tiffany Conroy Advertising Designers: Yolanda Alvarado, Ryan Cramer, Andrew Schulingkamp, Amanda Squire Web Designers: Alyssa Key, Duong Pham Contributing Photographers: Jessica Crihfield, Lauren Flinn, Sunny Johnson, Kandace Leehans, Kayla Parshall EDITING Editing Director: Lacey Conley Copy Editor: Nick Holder MARKETING & SALES Marketing & Sales Director: Andy Bennett Advertising Sales Manager: David Riedford Marketing Liaison: Jessica McClure HOW TO CONTACT US: Address: 1800 Lincoln Avenue, Evansville, Ind. 47722 Phone: (812) 488–2846 FAX: (812) 488–2224 E-mail: crescentmagazine@evansville.edu Marketing & Sales: (812) 488–2221 and 488–2223 Advertising E-mail: crescentadvertising@evansville.edu Printer: Mar-Kel Quick Print, Newburgh, Ind. CRESCENT MAGAZINE is UE’s student magazine. It is written, edited and designed by and for students, and distributed seven times during the academic year. The magazine is funded through advertising revenue and a subscription fee paid on behalf of students by SGA. Circulation is 1,700. © 2010 Student Publications, University of Evansville.

Editorial Policy. Commentary expressed in unsigned editorial pieces represent a consensus opinion of Crescent Magazine’s Editorial Board. All other columns, articles and advertising are not necessarily the opinion of the Editorial Board or other members of the magazine’s staff.

Letter Submissions. E-mail your letters to crescentmagazine@evansville.edu and write “letter” in the subject line.

Crescent Magazine welcomes letters from members of the UE community, but material the Editorial Board regards as libelous, malicious and/or obscene will not be published. Letters should not exceed 400 words. For verification, letters must include the author’s name, year in school or title and e-mail address. Crescent Magazine will not print anonymous letters or those letters that cannot be verified. Letters may be edited for length, style, grammar and spelling. They may also appear on uecrescentmagazine.com.

contents

uecrescentmagazine.com

DECEMBER 2010

4 Sports 6 In the Know 8 Schitzengiggles 9 Through the Lens 10 Off the Wall 11 Janky vs. Juicy 12 Entertainment 14 Seeing the Other Side 16 Hopeful not Hopeless 19 Read with Passion 21 Food 22 A Conversation With 24 Health & Science

26 Fascinating People: Life as an Extrovert 28 Sports in Action 29 Campus Comment 30 The Lists 31 A Closer Look 32 Just the Facts 32 Crossword

wwww SLICE of life

On the Cover: Students pack in Roberts Stadium to witness not only the men’s basketball game, but the crowning of the Homecoming king and queen. Cheering with his Lambda Chi Alpha brothers, junior Michael Land helps to bring the noise to a deafening level. Kandace Leehans/Crescent Magazine

[ December 2010 ] Crescent Magazine

3

[ SPORTS ]

by Mindy Kurtz

R

I think the Aces play better against bigger teams.”

—Rachelle Altstadt

the 2,000-win milestone. The Tar Heels became the second college basketball team to reach this goal.

Though UE may be hardpressed to stand up to UNC, Coach Marty Simmons has been working away — perfecting his players’ skills since the first practice.

“We prepare our players from day one on basic basketball skills they all should work on, but for each game there are also specifics we focus on,” he said.

Combating UNC’s speed is a top priority for Simmons, as it is a major part of the Tar Heels’ game. To prepare, the Aces are also working on communication, transitioning, setting screens and executing plays more quickly and precisely.

But this training isn’t just in preparation for the big UNC game.

“Coach prepares us mentally and physically,” center Pieter van Tongeren said.

“We as seniors have to make sure everyone else is in line

did you know...

Coach Marty Simmons played center for the Aces in the 1980s and helped lead the team to three NCAA Tournament appearances as an assistant coach in the 1990s.

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Crescent Magazine [ December 2010 ]

w

eading & Study Day is a day known for preparation — or the lack thereof. But on Dec. 8, students with those prized tickets won’t be flocking to the Bower-Suhrheinrich Library but to Roberts Stadium for the game of the year.

With all 11,000 seats for the UE vs. North Carolina game sold-out by mid-November, Roberts hasn’t seen this much action in years.

“We made the game announcement July 19,” said Dwight Merilatt, senior associate director for external affairs. “Soon after, we had [more than] 1,000 people on a waiting list.”

The game has everyone excited, from students to the players themselves. The cheer team also shows a fair share of enthusiasm.

“We get to play [UNC] at our own town,” junior Jon Hernandez said. “It’s a privilege, the biggest thing we’ve been looking forward to.”

Traveling to Evansville might seem a bit much for UNC, but Coach Roy Williams likes to schedule games near his players’ hometowns.

Forward Tyler Zeller is from Washington, only two hours from Evansville.

This close proximity to Zeller’s hometown will bring UNC fans to the game, possibly taking up a large portion of the seats.

UNC finished the 2009 season with a 16–15 record and lost in the first round of the ACC Tournament, reaching

and the TAR HEELS come to town In front of a sold-out crowd and televised on ESPNU, the Aces will face one of the best basketball programs in the country. and treat every game just like the rest, including UNC.” For the Aces, the faceoff against UNC may be just another game, but the cheer team has planned a special show for the crowd.

“This is an opportunity for us to shine and cheer our hearts out — to make the stadium tremble,” Hernandez said.

The team is bringing everything to the floor and working hard to make sure their routine is nothing short of perfect. With such a large audience both at the stadium and across the country, expect the team to pull out all the stops and show off every stunt.

“The game will be a challenge for us because we’re a bit out of our element with such a large crowd,” senior Rachelle Altstadt said. “I’m going to be nervous.”

Fans are also anxious for the game to start, but none so intensely as senior Joe Ettensohn, of the Purple Plague, the student cheering section.

“I was first in line for tickets,” he said.

For Ettensohn and the

Plague, audience participation is a major factor in the outcome of any game — especially when the seats are packed.

“This is a chance for us to upset one of the biggest teams in the country and be known forever, and we can be a part of it,” he said.

And while some think the game will be a cakewalk, others disagree.

“Though the game seems like a real David and Goliath situation, I think the Aces play better against bigger teams,” Altstadt said.

During the Aces’ last meeting with the Tar Heels, they lost by only 18 points.

Against a team like UNC, a loss that close is a good start. After facing UNC, UE’s MVC schedule starts.

“It doesn’t matter what the score ends up being, just as long as we get better and build up confidence for conference,” Ettensohn said.

For the Aces, their matchup with UNC is a chance to prove themselves by taking on one of the best teams in the country in a stadium packed with thousands of screaming fans. w

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off

any Package

All-American Car Wash 805 S. Green River Road•Near Sonic Drive-In From T-shirts to posters, Ace Purple is everywhere — but how did this trickster make his way to being UE’s mascot? ce Purple wasn’t always the cool, crafty character we’ve come to know and love.

In the late 1960s, Larry Hill, a local newspaper illustrator, created the first rendering of UE’s mascot. Hill’s design was inspired by riverboat gamblers and was a way of depicting Evansville’s location on the Ohio River.

The first Ace was anything but friendly or fun. Wielding a spiked club in one hand and a gun in the other, the early character had a sneer on his face and an ominous air that school officials quickly dismissed.

In 1977, UE switched to NCAA Division I athletics, and Greg Knipping, the newly hired sports information director, saw the need for a revamped, more modern mascot. To recreate Ace, he contacted the man who had recently redesigned Purdue’s mascot, Boilermaker Pete.

The revamped Ace is the character we know today, and Knipping convinced the school that while the new Ace still emitted that hometown gambling vibe, his personality and daring game-time antics made him a more suitable representative. Needless to say, officials accepted the mascot.

Many students have worn the costume over the years, their identities a fairly well-kept secret. So, while our modern Ace isn’t anywhere near as menacing as the original, he maintains that necessary competitive spirit — characteristic of any gambler and chock full of Aces pride, he lives to outwit and out-cheer any team that comes his way. w

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[ December 2010 ] Crescent Magazine

5

[ IN THE KNOW ]

Paying the Bills College life is costly, but managing your debt starts with knowing the facts.

by Brennan Girdler & Klara Nichter

w w w w

Few students have considered the long-term effects of loans and credit card use. Deferring payment allows for that cashless instant gratification, in that you can receive an item or an education without necessarily considering the payback. It’s not just swiping your card or signing your name; it’s a real financial commitment.

And it’s manageable as long as you keep on top of your spending.

TACKLING STUDENT LOANS As the cost of college rises, more and more students turn to loans. At UE alone, 65 percent of students took out federal loans in 2009.

Understanding loans is key to knowing how to pay them off. The Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students is a good option for families who must take on a loan, said JoAnn Laugel, Financial Aid director.

If parents are willing to shoulder some of their children’s tuition burden, they can secure a credit-based loan with a fixed interest rate through the program. Parents can also defer payment on the loan as long as their child remains in school. Laugel said 477 parents — 19 percent of all UE parents — used PLUS to help pay for education fees in 2009.

If parents are unwilling or unable to pay for PLUS, students can take on other federal loans for themselves.

Laugel said the more general federal loans are similar to PLUS because they guarantee a fixed interest and a deferral payment program after graduation.

Private loans are also available to lighten students’ tuition loads. Only 9 percent of the student population — 228 students — took out private loans in 2009. Federal loans are more common on campus because students often use private loans as a supplement to existing federal loans rather than a means of paying the entire amount due.

Laugel advises students to avoid private loans unless scholarships and fed-

6

Crescent Magazine [ December 2010 ]

eral loans make them absolutely necessary. Unlike federal loans, private loans do not have a fixed interest rate or a cap on the amount of interest the loan’s provider can charge.

No matter what kind of loan students choose, keeping up with payments is crucial. The Project on Student Debt, a movement to raise financial awareness among students, states that 72 percent of UE students graduated with debt in 2009. The average debt for those students was $25,598 — a startling amount. But federal loans allow a grace period of extended payment deferral after graduation, lasting six to nine months depending on the loan.

It’s best to begin paying off loans as soon as possible to avoid accumulating interest. If you take out a $25,000 Stafford Loan at 6.8 percent interest, you face $34,524 of debt when you add the interest. Your payments would be $287.70 a month for 120 months (10 years), which is already a large fee for cash-straped college students. And the longer the borrower defers payments, the larger that amount becomes.

CREDIT CARDS Many students are strapped for cash, and sometimes the best alternative is to borrow it. Credit cards are an easy way to buy books, pay for living expensTHE BOTTOM LINE

es and pay off loans. Everyone with a credit card understands it is borrowed money, but few understand how expensive that borrowed money actually is.

Sonja Williams, branch coordinator of Momentive Credit Card Counseling Services, said that with a credit card, students lose their hustle.

“You gotta figure out ways to make your money last, but when you get a charge [card] it changes the way you live and spend,” she said. “Average college students are leaving college with $4,000 in debt — that takes 16 years to pay off with the minimum payments.”

Since 2009, the Credit Card Reform Act has made requirements for getting a credit card more stringent, mandating students under 21 have a co-signer or proof of steady income — and a parttime job isn’t steady.

But credit cards aren’t to be feared, and if the holder is responsible, having a card builds a good line of credit.

Credit scores are used so a credit report can be evaluated fast. The number is meant to reflect how well someone has paid on his debt.

“Credit scores could affect your job outlook,” Williams said. “Some businesses are using the information to make a prediction, to see what kind of spender you are.”

Landlords also look at the score to see how financially responsible a prospective tenant is — and the number is important. But credit cards aren’t the only way to raise it.

“The recipe for the best credit relies on a variety of things: mortgage, installment loans, revolving credit cards or even cell phone bills,” Williams said. “These are all alternative lines of credit.”

The best way to handle a credit card is to read the fine print. Know the interest, the payments and the fees and figure out how long it could take to pay off debt. If you charge $1,000 onto a card with a 19 percent interest rate and pay only the minimum monthly payment, it would take more than eight years to pay off the card. The key is to w w w w

Taking out loans to pay for college and using credit cards are the necessary realities for many students, and budgeting one’s finances is key.

pay more than the minimum payment.

“You can become a slave to credit card companies and have lots of problems,” Williams said. “But if you are responsible in paying off your debt and budgeting well, [cards] can be useful.”

PAYING FOR COLLEGE IS A PROCESS Loans pile up, interest grows and a degree doesn’t always equal a job right away. The time between graduating and landing a solid job is when most people accumulate credit card debt, and before a credit card holder knows it, they are thousands of dollars down and sinking further. But there is one sure-fire way to counter dangerous debt — budgeting.

Making your money stretch and using it wisely is the safest way to manage your wallet. If things go wrong, there are programs and debt counseling services available to help.

Laugel said there is a difference between wants and needs. Most students need to take on student loans, and most want to use credit cards. But without proper budgeting, those students could be paying off their bills for years. w

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7

[ SCHITZENGIGGLES ] When I take up the ancient traditions of my people and go on spirit quests, all I see is someplace warm and fiery.

sympathy for the DEVIL

w

There comes a time in our oppressive, perpetually gray Evansville lives that we feel the need to whip around and just start kicking the crap out of something, anything.

I’m feeling in one of those moods, and I want to attack something I think is abundantly stupid, which is probably the same bipolar behavior that got me this job.

Sure, most things are stupid to me. But things get real nasty when I come across something counterproductive to the point of being a real-life oxymoron, something like “Christian Rock.”

I have no beef with Christianity. Though some call my ways “heathenish,” I refer to them as more “typically Catholic.” My beef emerges when I detect someone is afraid of Halloween or sometimes covers their ears and eyes and begins shouting “Persecution!”

My beef starts to tenderize and sizzle when I detect any attempts to marginalize religious experience, something that could affect anyone, into a certain musical category without a single good song to its credit that, in turn, still wants to be an independent genre.

When I’m driving in my car and 107.1 FM starts to get too oppressively glam, I’ll put my radio on scan mode, which usually ends with me listening to public radio.

That end of the dial is also taken up by other listener-supported stations, where some thin voice creaks alongside an acoustic guitar, telling one and all that “now is the time to worship.”

8

When I hear something like that, I cock my head and say, “Yes?” “Come just as you are before your God.” “You are not even trying.”

None of these songs seem to have anything to do with spirituality. They seem to set out with huge aspirations of lifting their voices to the heavens, but when some of these guys get out of the van to write a song, all they can come up with is telling a supreme deity that He is “good.”

At which point, they each begin sucking more “divine inspiration” through their wellused roach clips.

I keep expecting to see an ad for those worship CDs with a new hit single called “Lord, You are God.” If I were Jesus, I would be pissed to hear somebody say that about me.

In order to kill a snake, like a zombie, one must “remove the head, or destroy the brain.”

And in the case of Christian Rock, I have a feeling of where the head of this androgynous monster lies.

A long time ago Elvis Presley came around and shook his hips — an apparently innocent formula that ended up ruining all of Western civilization.

Then he thought he’d salt the wound by singing gospel songs, such as 1972’s “He Touched Me.” The stage was set for some mortal, moral combat. The job became to evangelize the world with family-safe alternatives to songs like “Good Vibrations,” in these cases accomplished by strategically dropping an “o.”

Maybe I’m completely wrong — maybe the point

Crescent Magazine [ December 2010 ]

is just to let good God-fearers have a music panic room they can run to when Marilyn Manson is up to his incorrigible antics again.

Only certain people are allowed in, though. Sorry, Mohammed.

This confusing mentality can still be seen on the Internet in some fundamentalist blogs that denounce the evils inherent in the music of such bands as benign or wholesome as REO Speedwagon or Boston, respectively.

But the alternative to these evils is too often drab, anemic, boring and frustrating and worth nobody’s time — least of all Jesus’.

It’s far more spiritually appetizing to hear the late Bon Scott insist he’ll be among friends when he finally ends up in Hell.

There’s more saving grace evident when Bono sees “the thorn twist in your side” or when Dave Grohl wants to know “if anything could ever be this good again.”

Every act, from Creed to Audioslave to Eric Clapton, has a song with religious overtones, and they often work because of nonspecificity, allowing the listener to apply the weighted words to their own experiences, putting us in a frame of mind to feel what they feel.

So the only way I’d ever take one of these Christian bands seriously is if I saw them roll up in a van with an epic, psychedelic paint job, featuring a brimming, bare-chested Jesus riding a thunder-spewing dove over a violently cloven Red Sea. Then I’ll know they’re in town on business. w

Maybe the point is just to let good God-fearers have a music panic room they can run to when Marilyn Manson is up to his incorrigible antics again.

w Regan Campbell, a senior creative writing major from Vincennes, presents his special brand of humor on life’s lighter moments.

[ THROUGH THE LENS ] A monthly look at campus happenings

It is difficult to say what sophomores Kyle Tiemann and Alex Seward are more pleased about: gaining another point for the Lambda Chi Alpha team at The Newlywed Show or the thought of their dream woman, Hermione Granger. Lauren Flinn/Crescent Magazine It’s only a matter of time before others discover why freshman Rachel Dougherty and her teammate know each other so well. Her teammate was her twin sister. Lauren Flinn/Crescent Magazine

WILD, WILD & Homecoming 2010 Nov. 8–14

Phi Gamma Delta is the big winner of UE’s Best Dance Crew Competition. Freshman Eric Stoessel, senior Andy Balczo, sophomore Dave Lustro and the rest of the crew whoop it up after their performance. Kayla Parshall/Crescent Magazine Unable to grab this bull by the horns, sophomore Kelsea Guy tries to hold on as long as she can during the first round of Ace Factor. Jessica Crihfield/Crescent Magazine

Junior Kyle Coulson of Sigma Alpha Epsilon and senior Cat Moore of Chi Omega carry their royalty well after being crowned. Sunny Johnson/Crescent Magazine

While Homecoming is really meant to be an alumni affair, students ruled the school this year with a week’s worth of competitions, cookoffs and crownings.

All week long the weather cooperated, and despite the dreary weather Nov. 13, which resulted in the parade being canceled and the Chili Cook-off moving indoors, Homecoming was still full of fun. The Newlywed Game, UE’s Best Dance Crew Competition and Ace Factor drew crowds as students gathered to cheer on the organizations competing. This year’s theme “The Good, the Bad, the UE” inspired students to don cowboy boots and hats for nearly every event.

Junior Kyle Coulson, of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and senior Cat Moore, of Chi Omega, were crowned Homecoming king and queen. And while 13 organizations competed in the events, Sigma Phi Epsilon came out on top as the “Most Spirited Group.” And in the end, everyone came together to support women’s soccer’s Abby Guerra at the Dance-A-Thon, raising more than $850. w

[ December 2010 ] Crescent Magazine

9

[ OFF THE WALL ]

of the

french flamingo

This cocktail is as luminous as the bird it’s named after — but there’s nothing French about it. According to 1001cocktails.com, to make this colorful creation, simply combine all ingredients into a shaker with ice, shake, strain into a glass and garnish with a twist of lime peel or a slice of pomegranate.

Ingredients: Just found 1 oz vodka 1 oz orange liquor pregnancy 3/4 oz lime juice 3/4 oz pomebathroom. granate juice

Toastmaster When Laura Hadlan saw 600 loaves of bread, she immediately pictured her mother-in-law.

As a tribute to her close relative’s birthday, Hadlan created a 1,378-square-foot toast mosaic in her likeness. Needless to say, she broke the world record.

UE TFLN a positive test in the

Do you think I should turn it into Lost and Found or post a noBATHROOM BUBBLES • Dump a few cups of liquid bleach into a toilet. Hopefully, an unsuspecting victim will need to take a load off, and when they flush they’ll be surprised to feel a surge of bubbles exploding beneath them.

At least the victim will be squeaky clean. And for the environment’s sake, be sure to use non-chlorinated bleach.

MACLEODVISION

(toilettanklid.com)

by james macleod

10

Crescent Magazine [ December 2010 ]

tice on AceNotes?

Vending Crustaceans Several vending machines have been added to locations throughout Nanjing, China, but instead of offering candy bars or soda, these machines contain sedated crabs, which are put in special plastic boxes and are kept alive long enough to be sold for $2–$7 apiece.

wi

Oddlaws Real Butter Required

Butter substitutes are not to be served in any state institutions such as hospitals or prisons. Such injustice!

sc

Playing Pinball Machines

It is unlawful for a minor under the age of 18 to play a pinball machine. They’ll have to wait to become a pinball wizard.

nm

Expectorating on Sidewalks

In Deming, it is illegal to spit on the floors or steps of hotels, opera houses and schoolhouses.

fl

Animal Cruelty

No one shall confine a pregnant pig in a cage or crate so that it cannot turn around freely. Afterall, porkers are so active.

or

Carrying Child on Vehicle

It is illegal to carry a child on the hood, fender, running board or other external part of a vehicle. Why?

ia

Fortune Telling

No one shall tell fortunes, read others’ palms or practice phrenology in the city of Cedar Rapids.

Information provided by dumblaws.com

WE’RE CELEBRATING WHAT...

Bingo’s Birthday Month • Horizontally, vertically or diagonally, whichever way you play, Bingo is fun at all ages.

Grab your dauber.

Love Your Neighbor Month • Yes, even in residence halls when that neighbor keeps you up all night blasting Miley Cyrus tunes.

Bellybutton Picker What started out as curiosity turned into a harvesting and excavation project. Graham Barker collected his own bellybutton lint for 26 years, breaking the world record. He preserves his age-old lint in a series of jars and is extremely proud of his collection.

Nudist Zoo Guru, a 20-year-old ape, went from a circus to the Mysore Zoo in Indiana. Unfortunately, the performing primate was born with a rare disease that caused him to lose his hair. Veterinarians are consulting dermatologists for a solution.

Loud-Mouth Francisco Joaquim from Angola has the world’s widest mouth. He can stretch his jaw and lips to fit an entire soda can — sideways — into his mouth. Recently featured on an Italian TV show, he noted that the fame brought on by his talent is a dream come true. compliments of telegraph.co.uk

Just a few of our favorite things Take off with this outrageously expensive motorbike. At a measly $700,000, the Dodge Tomahawk V10 Superbike is a force to be reckoned with.

According to BusinessWeek.com, this hot ride can go from zero to 60 mph in 2.5 seconds and is

a

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National Tie Month • Whether you prefer the classic black or a fun Snoopy tie, express yourself through neckwear this month.

estimated to top off at 300 mph.

The bike weighs in at 1,500 pounds. Have fun trying to hold that up at a stop light.

least common multiple

t

300 1/3

The number of bones a person is born with. .

of women in the United States dye their hair.

13

seconds.

The longest recorded flight of a chicken.

101

degrees.

The average temperature of a shower.

40

percent of women have thrown footwear at a man.

PROFTIFICATING

w w w w

“If [hibernation] slows down metabolism, why is that a bad thing?

Sometimes, you wanna take a nap.”

—Noah Gordon, assistant professor of biology

yvs. k n

rcasteel.com.

Janky: Snap Bracelets — Ah, back when bondage was innocent.

Playfully slapping these nylon-covered pieces of plastic on each other’s wrists is so fifth grade. Grow up and invest in a pair of handcuffs.

Juicy: Silly Bandz — Collect them all! Have fun sporting all your favorite animals, objects and words in vibrantly colored and variously shaped rubber bands. Sport your love for Justin Bieber — he has his own line of silly bands.

Janky: Kindle — Where does technology draw the line? Taking all the fun out of having a library like Belle’s in “Beauty and the Beast.” If there are no books, there can be no wall-to-wall shelves of them.

Juicy: Books — Don’t be technology’s slave. Maintain the sanctity of literature and keep a hard copy. Besides, what is the point of having your more interesting choices of reading materials if no one can see them on your shelf?

Janky: Fruitcake — No one actually consumes these unidentifiable fruit-blend monstrosities, but they continue to be exchanged during the holiday season. Don’t worry about wasting them, they have many other uses — doorstop anyone?

Juicy: Being a Fruitcake — There’s nothing wrong with being a little eccentric. So go ahead and show your more unique side. The holidays are the perfect time to freak out your relatives with your unconventional qualities. We won’t judge you for it.

[ December 2010 ]

[ ENTERTAINMENT ]

Making

by Cassie Gutman

Bright ‘Tis the season of peppermintflavored beverages and reruns of “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” Evansville is jumping on the sleigh when it comes to Christmas cheer.

here’s a nip in the air and Christmas jingles playing nonstop on every radio station.

Evansville is overrun with twinkling lights and plywood reindeer. And while the cold air might encourage a night in, roasting chestnuts and slinging eggnog all alone, don’t be a Grinch — join the fun. Grab your festive hand-knit Christmas sweaters from the back of your closet and head out to these holiday events around town.

HOLIDAY POPS UE brings holiday spirit to the campus and community with its annual Holiday Pops concert, a collaborative effort on the part of the Music Department, featuring

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Crescent Magazine [ December 2010 ]

the University Choir, Men’s and Women’s choruses, the Symphony Orchestra and the Wind Ensemble. Each participating ensemble will perform a few pieces, and all will combine for the finale.

The concert is at the Victory Theatre in downtown Evansville, which in the past has decked its halls with traditional wreaths, festive trees and boughs of holly.

Sophomore Melanie Bacaling, secondyear University Choir member, is anticipating the Christmas season.

“Since the concert is located at Victory Theatre in downtown Evansville, it brings the whole community together,” she said.

Thomas Dickey, orchestral activities director, expects a great turnout this year.

“Some people feel their holiday season has been shortchanged without a Pops concert,” he said. “It doesn’t feel like Christmas without hearing ‘The Nutcracker Suite.’”

The ensembles will perform popular carols and Christmas-themed songs, as well as a few lesser-known holiday tunes. Special faculty performances will also be featured.

The finale, a traditional medley, will allow audience members to get involved.

“At the end, we always sing a carol medley, which is a sing-along with the whole audience,” Bacaling said. “It’s my favorite part.”

The finale puts a congenial close on the concert — with some fun audience participation.

“I thoroughly enjoy seeing the audience enjoying themselves — they become a part of the music making,” Dickey said.

He guarantees a wonderful time to all those in attendance.

“It’s an opportunity to forget about the stresses of the end of the semester and to not freak out about exams for an hour or two,” Dickey said. “It will definitely put you in the holiday spirit.”

The concert, which is free and open to the public, will be at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7.

“A CHRISTMAS STORY” “You’ll shoot your eye out!”

This timeless phrase is set to ring through the auditorium as the Evansville Civic Theatre presents “A Christmas Story.”

This play presents the well-known tale of Ralphie Parker and follows his quest for a Red Ryder BB gun. And from 24-hour TV marathon showings to collectible fishnet-stocking leg lamps, there’s no doubt “A Christmas Story” is an essential part of the holiday season.

“The movie has become a modern Christmas classic, filled with the nostalgia of youth,” said Christopher Tyner, director of education and box office manager for the Civic Theatre. “All of the great memorable elements from the screen version are in the play. Scut Farkas, the tongue-versus-lamppost incident and some extras are thrown in for good measure.”

This classic hits the stage at 8 p.m.

Dec. 3–4, 10–11 and 17–18 and at 2 p.m.

Dec. 12 and 19. Student tickets are $12. To make reservations, call 812–425–2800 or order online at civic.evansville.net.

HOLIDAY BALL For a more traditional celebration — a taste of the “Christmas past,” come to the holiday ball at the Thrall’s Opera House in historic New Harmony.

Originally built as a community residence hall, the house was later converted to a Victorian theater, where seasonal performances and holiday parties were held all throughout the 1860s.

In more recent years, those attending have enjoyed waltzing and tangoing to the backdrop of elegant holiday decorations and participating in the initial Grand March to show off their guests and apparel.

“The holiday ball provides a great reason for people to don holiday clothes and socialize,” said Donna Creek, holiday ball committee member.

Guests can also dance to big band music by the Temple Airs, an elaborate 17-piece orchestra, and enjoy punch and refreshments.

The ball begins at 8 p.m. Dec. 11 and is sponsored by Historic New Harmony and the Kappa Kappa Kappa Beta chapter, a Unified Program of the University of Southern Indiana and the Division of State Museums and Historic Sites. “[The ball] is also a social function that allows people to give back to the community,” said Creek. “The proceeds benefit different projects — whatever is in need at the time.”

Tickets are $15 per person and can be purchased by calling Creek at 682–3089.

PEPPERMINT POPS In addition to UE’s Holiday Pops, the Victory Theatre will host Peppermint Pops, a conjoining of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, the Evansville Philharmonic Choir and the Evansville Children’s Choir.

According to the Philharmonic Orchestra’s website, America’s Tenor Steve Amerson and Broadway star Laurie Gayle Stephenson will be featured.

This year, enjoy music from the timeless Christmas movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” and traditional Christmas melodies such as “Silent Night,” “Winter Wonderland” and “Sleigh Ride.”

The concert takes place at 7:30 p.m.

Dec. 4 and 2 p.m. Dec. 5. Admission begins at $25, with prices varying depending on seating preference.

Tickets can be ordered online or by calling the Philharmonic box office at 812– 425–5050. w

[ December 2010 ] Crescent Magazine

13

[ VISUALLY IMPAIRED ]

the

eeing

By Danielle Weeks

Side

Visually impaired students overcome challenges and stay positive.

fter exiting Hale Hall from the side that faces the Bower-Suhrheinrich Library, walk straight and take a right turn; then cross the street from blended curb to blended curb. Make another right turn and walk on the sidewalk for a few feet, then trail the benches on the left.

Cross to the trashcan that sits at the end of a long stretch of bricks and follow them, keeping them on your left side. Once you feel the double doors, open them to find yourself in the Ridgway Center.

Sound familiar? While sighted students probably supplemented those directions with visual cues, this is the route that freshman Bryce Weiler, who suffers from retinopathy of prematurity, the abnormal blood vessel development in the retina of the eye of some premature infants, takes to get to Ridgway. He simply follows that path using an auditory and tactile system by using his cane.

14

Crescent Magazine [ December 2010 ]

Senior Kayla Ryan, who has nystagmus (involuntary movements of the eyeballs) and retinitis pigmentosa, which refers to a group of diseases that cause a slow but progressive vision loss, finds her way around campus with help from her seeing-eye dog.

“A lot of things we do differently we don’t see as being different,” she said.

“It’s just our way of life. You learn what works best for you, just like anybody does.”

Visually impaired students such as Weiler and Ryan have developed different methods to travel and study than sighted students, but visual impairment focuses on only one surface-level, shared aspect of the students’ separate lives and passions.

“They have that one thing in common, but for the most part that’s it,” said Ronda Stone, Disability Services coordinator.

Visually impaired people can do most things for themselves, including

ironing their clothes — which is more greater amount of independence than gree. Weiler, who is passionate about than many other students, sighted or generations before, they still face daysports, keeps in contact with coachnot, can say. to-day challenges. es and broadcasters such as Marty Sim“I hate the stereotype: How do blind Even once students have memomons and Don Fischer from Indiana people get dressed? It’s like, how does rized their way around campus, inclem- University. anybody get dressed, you Samuel said that havknow?” joked freshman ing to learn independence “A lot of things we do differently we don’t see as beTyler Samuel, who has and how to adapt to difing different. It’s just our way of life. You learn what ferent situations from an Harboyan syndrome, an extremely rare dystrophy early age helped her beworks best for you, just like anybody does.” of the corneas. come more responsible Honestly, crossing and eased her transition —Kayla Ryan Weinbach or Lincoln can into college. be treacherous for anyone, regardless ent weather and obstacles can be frusRyan has developed a heightened of whether he or she uses a cane or see- trating. Weiler cannot put up his hood sense of hearing, which has helped her ing-eye dog. when it is raining or snowing because it balance certain difficulties of her music “Sometimes things just happen and interferes with his hearing. As a result, classes — such as not being able to see you almost get plowed just like anyone his head and hands get soaked and cold. the director’s baton — by giving her an else,” Ryan said.

Obstacles on or beside the sidewalks ear more attuned to music.

And the threat of bad drivers ceralso cause trouble sometimes, but Wei“It’s almost a blessing,” she said. tainly has not kept the students in one ler does not let these snags — like Sometimes sighted students worplace. Senior Justin Hodge, who has thorn bushes — discourage him. ry about potentially offending visualLeber’s Congenital Amaurosis, a rare “Bryce — you can’t be afraid of ly impaired students, but Weiler, Ryan, inherited eye disease that appears at bushes. You’ll never get anywhere,” Hodge and Samuel all agree that they birth or in the first few months of life Weiler tells himself. do not want their respective disabilities and affects about one in 80,000 people, traveled to Harlaxton in fall 2007, and Ryan has traveled to New York, New Jersey and California.

Not only are these students conquering real-world challenges, but an increase in sophisticated technology has also allowed them to become more independent within the classroom.

Stone said that UE provides services — such as audiobooks, assistants and extra time to take tests if needed — to visually impaired students, and technology, such as Job Access With Speech, which reads aloud word documents on students’ computers, has allowed students to become even more self-reliant.

With this technology, students can take notes in class on their laptops and take tests by themselves instead of relying on an assistant.

“The availability of technology is huge,” Stone said. “It is easier now for someone than before we had all this.”

Although modern technology has granted visually impaired students a

Students face challenges outside the classroom, too. Finding room numbers in buildings can be difficult enough — especially in the labyrinthine Koch Center — but the numbers on top of doorways are completely useless to most visually impaired students, as Samuel pointed out.

Math and science are largely visually based subjects because of graphs and charts, and the computer programs visually impaired students typically use to read homework aloud pronounce math and scientific symbols incorrectly.

“I’m a visual learner,” Samuel said. “It’s kinda weird.”

Not being able to see those elements needed to solve the problems makes them more difficult. Even these difficulties do not hold visually impaired students back from achieving their various goals or pursuing their interests.

Hodge has more than overcome science- and math- related challenges; he is in the Honors Program and will graduate with a mechanical engineering de-

to deter people from talking to them.

Sighted students often do make slight blunders — such as waving to a visually impaired student or using phrases like “Did you see that?” — but Hodge said he just laughs those off.

“If you can joke about something like that, then you can accept it,” he said.

Samuel said that, to her, a greater offense than an awkward question is when students refrain from talking to her at all.

“I definitely don’t mind questions.

You can tell when people are being genuine,” Ryan said.

The students agreed that keeping a positive attitude and carrying oneself confidently is vitally important.

Weiler said that, whenever he can, he listens to the famous ESPY speech by the late Jim Valvano, who coached men’s basketball at North Carolina State and died of cancer in 1993, where Valvano said, “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up.” w

[ December 2010 ] Crescent Magazine

15

[ SUICIDE ]

Hopeful not hopeless

Suicide is the second leading cause of death in college students — why does this happen, and what can we do to prevent it?

by Kristin Benzinger & Rachel Solava

WITH ALL THE STRESS IN OUR LIVES, it is easy to let things pile up. Assignments, classes, student loans and relationships can all be troublesome — these things weigh on our minds.

But what happens when it is all too much?

When it becomes a challenge to even get out of bed? When it seems like the only option, some choose to take their own lives, to escape the pain — of discouraging events, perceived shortcomings or a major depression, but it’s important to recognize that suicide is never the answer.

A former U.S. surgeon general called suicide a national health epidemic. This is how Shannon Hart, ‘97, began her recent lecture “Suicide is Not Painless,” which aimed to educate the campus

16

Crescent Magazine [ December 2010 ]

community about suicide and ways to prevent it.

Hart explained that she launched into an active role in suicide prevention following her own brother’s suicide several years ago.

Suicide is no longer a problem society can choose to ignore. Suicides occur everywhere in the country, and the number is rising each year. Depression, one of the mental disorders associated with suicide, is often characterized by a decrease of serotonin in the brain, making it clear that the problem is in fact a medical one.

“We call depression the common cold of psychopathology,” said Mark Kopta, professor of psychology. “That being said, there are different levels.”

Everyone experiences sadness, but when that sadness persists over a long period of time, it can be classified as a depressive disorder. For some, this results from a biological predisposition; for others it is situational — triggered by an event in their lives.

“Suicide is not about dying,” Hart said. “It’s about having so much pain and wanting the pain to end.”

Without meaning to, people often gloss over the seriousness of these issues. We all say things like “just shoot me” or “I can’t go on” without any intention to act on our frustrations, but we need to be aware that statements like these, for some, are cries for help. The taboo of suicide — of death in general — deters many from discussing it, but we need to ask the hard questions; those around us may be in danger.

“Most suicidal people communicate intent. It could be a whisper or a shout,” Hart said. “You need to take all threats seriously. You never know what might be that cry or that whisper.”

Suicide is preventable, and the key is recognizing the warning signs, which include a person’s disinterest in activities that were once enjoyable, increased recklessness (substance abuse or sexual promiscuity), changes in eating or sleeping behaviors or attempts to “tie up loose ends,” characterized by expressions of final sentiments and the giving away of prized possessions.

“Most college students tell somebody, give some sort of warning — some sort of expression of hopelessness,” said Sylvia Buck, Counseling Services director.

Last year alone there were seven suicide attempts on campus, with another 17 students being classified as high risk — and those are just the reported cases.

With suicide a leading cause of death in college students, second only to automobile accidents, we must ask ourselves: Why are students at such a high risk?

“It is a time of transitions,” said John Felton, assistant professor of psychology. “Leaving home, starting a new life at college and [being urged to] perform at a higher level can cause a tremendous amount of stress.”

This increased pressure to perform contributes to the 1,200 college students who die by suicide each year.

“You can’t talk someone out of suicide, they have to work through it; But you can open the door.”

— Shannon Hart

Through his CelestHealth Research Group, Kopta has studied more than 13,000 students across the country who have utilized their universities’ counseling centers. As a result, he has found that 20 percent of these students can be classified as suicidal. One in 20 is severely suicidal.

The fact that these students are utilizing college counseling services is a step in the right direction — just by discussing their issues in a therapeutic setting they are taking steps toward overcoming their problems. Certainly we have all experienced feelings of desperation in a tough, emotional situation, but there is a big difference between responding to a traumatic event and contemplating suicide.

“Many people have fleeting thoughts of suicide with no plan to act on them,” Buck said. “Really the issue is wanting to not feel so bad, to escape the pain.”

A traumatic event — for example, a shift in relationship dynamics, such as a break-up — is one trigger that can push someone to extreme or impulsive behavior. In fact, there are three primary risk factors, which are involved in most suicide attempts. The “lethal triad” is a term used to describe the simultaneous presence of a person in emotional distress, an access to drugs or alcohol and the availability of a weapon — this combination exceedingly increases the chances for violence.

“I believe 100 percent if [my brother] had not been drunk, he would not have killed himself,” Hart said. “Those three things came together when he hit rock bottom.”

Hart is now able to recognize with hindsight the signs of her brother’s downward spiral that resulted in his suicide. She firmly believes that these three factors — the lethal triad, combined

[ December 2010 ] Crescent Magazine

17

[ SUICIDE ] with her brother’s undiagnosed depression, led to his suicide.

“Not everybody who needs treatment, in terms of mental health, gets it,” Kopta said.

“There is a significant number of students who • Inability to think or concentrate, indecisiveness, loss should be going but aren’t.” of rational thought More than 90 percent of people who take • Expressing no reason for living, talking about sui- their lives have some sort of psychiatric disorder cide, making a will — most commonly, a depressive disorder — whether diagnosed or not. Depression, for one, is treat• Significant weight loss or gain, increase or decrease able and can be overcome through talk therapy, pos in appetite sibly in junction with antidepressants. But those who • Giving away belongings and prized possessions are experiencing suicidal thoughts or tendencies often feel guilty or ashamed and may not realize that they • Threatening suicide or making suicide attempts have a medical problem — something no different from a physical ailment, something they should not be expected • No interest in previously enjoyed activities to deal with alone.

• Withdrawing from friends, family and society Asking for help is not a sign of weakness, but strength.

When someone is overwhelmed with feelings of hopeless• Dramatic mood changes, sudden outbursts ness and helplessness, it is difficult to take that first step. It is also the responsibility of friends and family to identify and re• Recklessness or self-destructive thoughts spond to concerning behaviors.

• Sleeping all the time or refraining from sleep Simply asking whether someone is contemplating suicide does not encourage a person to commit suicide or “plant the • Depressed mood (feeling sad or empty) seed” for self-harm; more than likely, a person will be grateful you recognized the warning signs. Our fear of upsetting others and “in• Feeling trapped, with no way out ducing a suicide” contributes to our silence. Opening communication • Hopelessness, helplessness or futility is necessary.

“You can’t talk someone out of suicide, they have to work through • Neglecting personal appearance it,” Hart said. “But you can open the door.”

And while confronting someone or even taking them to therapy is • Lethargy or tiredness best, there is only so much you can do as an outside influence. The sui• Increasing alcohol or drug use cidal person needs to take on an active role in his or her recovery.

“They have to see there are options — there is hope — and then they • Anxiety, agitation, rage or tension have to pursue those options,” Felton said.

Free counseling services are available to all students. There are three li• Sexual promiscuity censed clinical social workers with mental health backgrounds employed in the • Feelings of guilt and failure Counseling Center, and someone is always on-call during non-business hours.

Any student who requires immediate help can speak to a professional by calling • Hoarding pills, hiding weapons Safety & Security at 812–488–2051 and asking for the counselor on-call.

And counseling is not just for students experiencing suicidal thoughts or tendenIf you or someone you know is cies — those who have lost a loved one to suicide may also benefit from therapy. exhibiting any number of these behaviors, contact a mental Losing a loved one to suicide is one of the hardest things to go through. So many health professional for help. questions, what-ifs, come to mind: Did I miss a cry for help? Could I have done someCounseling Services can be thing? If only I’d been there at the time. reached at 812–488–2663, “It’s a pretty bad way to lose somebody,” Buck said. “Death is hard to take in any or for immediate help, form, but this just has so many added emotional dynamics.” call Safety & Security at Suicide can be prevented. No one should have to lose someone in this manner, and no 812–488–2051 to be conone should feel as though taking his or her life is the only option. nected with the counselor Through talk therapy or medication, people who are struggling with these thoughts can on-call. be lifted from a major depression and learn coping skills that will improve their lives. Through the intervention and earnest questions of a caring friend or family member, those who are Information provided by the Southwestern Indiana Suicide Prevention Coalition contemplating suicide may see that there is hope and help available.

“Any positive action can save a life,” Hart said. “You never know who you will save.” w

18

Crescent Magazine [ December 2010 ]

[ READ WITH PASSION ]

OMG RIP :(

Your circle of online friends ranges in the hundreds, and anything can appear in their statuses.

Can you deal with what they have to say when that includes mourning a loss?

w

We don’t live in residence halls, houses or apartments — we live online. Communication is possible at the speed of “refresh,” resulting in a flood of posts ranging from the obscure to revelations of deep thoughts and cries from the heart.

Many feel like these expressions of love or pain should be reserved for a close-knit group of friends, but instead, they are openly displayed for all to read.

Is it appropriate to tell a mix of close friends and mere acquaintances all that lies in your heart — especially when that includes commentary on a loss?

Announcing deaths on Facebook pushes people out of their comfort zones by forcing them to read unfiltered streams of serious personal news.

But while this method has its problems, it satisfies our need — as social animals — to communicate and report information and seems to have become an accepted behavior in our technology driven world.

For example, not even two hours after his death, nearly 23 percent of all tweets included the phrase “Michael Jackson.” Only 12 hours after he died, nearly onethird of all tweets featured Jackson, according to betransformative.com. The article “Digital Mourning,” from latkovic.wordpress.com, clocked the number of tweets at 78 per second.

In our society, communication may act as a display of dominance. The first person to relay information establishes him or herself as the alpha person of the situation. By announcing new, media-glorified deaths in our statuses or tweets, we

announce to our friends: “Hey I have the most up-to-date info!

Talk to me!”

This makes our pages seem more pertinent than others. The death itself may not affect us personally, but we acknowledge it hoping for attention.

When someone close to us dies we have a different response. We post to mourn the loss and make others aware of our grief. Users must accept more local, intimate deaths being reported.

In July 2009, a 21-year-old named Laura Etzell was riding in a car with friends late one night when a drunk driver hit them.

Friends from across the nation learned of her death via Facebook.

A number of her friends, including myself, would not have known she had died without such a vocal social network.

Although Etzell had died, her Facebook page remained open and was flooded with messages. When visiting her profile, I was able to learn the details of her accident, including when the trial for the accused would be. All of this information was posted in emotionally charged communications to Laura only a few days after she died.

Even now, personal messages from Etzell’s family and friends fill her page. Laura’s page, as with many others like it, has become a mourning site.

Her wall has been transformed from an everyday place of communication into a space filled with private thoughts one would normally reserve for a gravesite.

These private words also appear in newsfeeds, staring other users in the face. This is an aspect of public

We post to mourn the loss and make others aware of our grief.

grieving that makes other users uncomfortable, but it is something that we need to accept.

Facebook and other social sites have made the healing process more accessible by making it no longer necessary to travel to a cemetery to grieve.

I am a firm believer that this is a healthy way of expressing yourself. At any moment, you can reminisce with your departed friend by perusing pictures or reviewing conversations you may have had with them.

These profiles have the added element of public expression, allowing other users who are mourning to connect and participate in what becomes a group therapy session. This comes in contrast to popularized deaths, which are often cited merely to gain attention.

There is no social protocol yet on how best to respond to a newsfeed filled with reports of a friend suffering a loss. Viewing a page filled with private conversation can violate an unspoken agreement of polite-only conversation — keeping what’s private out of the public domain.

But users need to realize that relaying personal news and information is a need many social network users have.

People feel like they can be more open when using social networking profiles.

This provides, for many, a much-needed release w Jon Harvey, a that should not be senior theater discouraged. w management major from Chesapeake, Va., weighs in on the issues affecting students today. [ December 2010 ] Crescent Magazine

19

tful... h g i l e It’s d elicious...

It’s d It’s...

Celebrating 25 Years Celebrating 25 years

A friendly welcome from Dan (UE ‘74) & Jovanni (UE ‘07) DiLegge

Open: Mon.–Fri. 11 a.m. • Sat. 4 p.m.

Daily Lunch & Soup Specials

Pasta, Beef, Chicken, Seafood 607 N. Main St. (six blocks north of the Lloyd Expwy.)

For Reservations or Carry Out (812) 428–3004

20

Crescent Magazine [ December 2010 ]

[ FOOD ]

KOREAN DISH: Whether you want beef, pork or chicken, you can always count on a hefty serving of rice or noodles to complement your favorite Asian meal.

by Elizabeth Crozier

exoticCUISINE

Finally try those foreign dishes you’ve been hesitant about at these local exotic restaurants.

GRAB A SLICE Thai Papaya Cuisine offers Kao Gra Prow, spring rolls and noodle or spicy shrimp soup, with a menu including red, yellow, green, masman and jungle curry. The restaurant also features its own Thai beer called Singha. • 6450 E. Virginia St. • 812–477–8424 AMERICA HAS many exotic food options as the “great melting pot.”

As immigrants travel around the country, they spread their culture — and more importantly, their cuisine. Lucky for us, Evansville is able to offer many different types of eatery from countries worldwide.

Acropolis is a Greek hot spot offering both a lunch and dinner menu. For lunch, dine on gyros, pork chops or one of several types of pasta. The dinner menu features calamari, hummus, chicken gorgonzola and gyro tortellini. • 501 N. Green River Road • 812–475–9320

Nagasaki Inn features hibachi grills where you can watch the chefs prepare your food. The restaurant offers many types of sushi and will even prepare custom rolls. They also serve varieties of noodles, fried rice, tempura and salad.

• 5720 Virginia St. • 812–423–1442

Vietnamese Cuisine offers many fresh food options. They serve various different tofu dishes, including ginger tofu noodles. Their menu also features green papaya salad, spring rolls, pho noodles and grape leaf wraps. • 4602 Vogel Road • 812–402–6440

Gerst Haus serves traditional German dishes, such as ham rolls and pig knuckle.

Their menu features Bavarian kraut balls, Rosti potato pancakes and Germanfried pickles. They also serve seafood — crab cakes, fried cod and fried oysters. • 2100 W. Franklin St. • 812–424–1420

The ‘50s atmosphere at Talk of the Town Pizza makes for a pleasing, old-fashioned eating experience.

• TALK OF THE TOWN PIZZA • 1200 Edgar St. • 812–402–8696 Talk of the Town Pizza is a true diamond in the rough. Once you walk through the door, you find yourself in a quaint ‘50s diner. The single, spacious room holds both the kitchen and dining area. Wooden booths line the back wall, while bar-stool seating surrounds the brick oven. And while the wait for your order isn’t long, you can pass the time by checking out the memorabilia or jiving to the sweet sounds of blues tunes.

And like the establishment itself, Talk’s pizza is as visually appealing as it is delicious — covered edge-toedge in toppings. While the cheese is a little chewy and tough, it blends well with the tangy pepperoni, making for a pizza like no other. An added combination of basil and oregano is generously sprinkled onto the pie for the extra flavor that leaves your tongue and throat tingling.

Talk’s self-proclaimed “tantalizing” pizza sauce accentuates the crust and toppings without overpowering them. The crust itself is flaky but not so crunchy that it snaps when you bite into it. These elements make for a perfect pizza.

Talk’s menu also features specialty toppings such as stromboli and Hawaiian. Choose from a loaded pizza or Booger Bear, which uses buttermilk ranch dressing instead of the regular pizza sauce along with your favorite toppings. Your order is likely to make it to your table in record time, so even if you only have a short break between classes you can be in and out and full of delicious pizza in less than an hour. w [ December 2010 ] Crescent Magazine

21

[ A CONVERSATION WITH ]

Chris Keith/Crescent Magazine

CHELSEA TOUCHET

The drag queens are coming! The drag queens are coming! And this senior is leading the way.

P

hilanthropies come in all shapes and sizes, but most don’t normally involve dressing in drag. Senior Chelsea Touchet, last year’s Drag Show winner and this year’s PRIDE president, is encouraging everyone to come out to this year’s show, Dragstock.

This annual event, benefitting Mathew 25, Tri-State Alliance and AIDS Resource Group, is one of campus’ most looked forward to events of the year.

“Each organization is doing its part in the community whether that’s providing news on GLBT issues or providing free HIV and STD testing or condoms for campuses,” Touchet said.

But the show isn’t simply an outlet for students to get free condoms; it is about raising money for supporting organizations and educating everyone about the GLBT community.

“I think it is important to support the community you are in — and this is a fun way to do that,” Touchet said. “[By attending], you will be supporting, and you get all the free condoms you could want.”

Each year the show is a big hit. Touchet said that PRIDE raised more than $2,500 last year, and this year she aims to make even more.

“I want to raise $3,000,” she said. “I want there not to be an empty seat in the house and for people to have the most fun they can have.”

PRIDE will also hold a health fair before the show begins, where students can prove they know how to properly put on condoms in order to win prizes.

“You can put condoms on dildos to your heart’s desire,” Touchet said.

The show will take place at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 4 in Eykamp 251, with the fair beginning at 7 p.m.

“I think my favorite part of the show in general is to see the room full, knowing it’s going to a good cause,” Touchet said. “It’s a task if it’s not fun. [The show] is not a task — it’s an absolute joy.” w

by Kristin Benzinger

22

Crescent Magazine [ December 2010 ]

I think it is important to support the community you are in — and this is a fun way to do that.”

—Chelsea Touchet

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[ December 2010 ] Crescent Magazine

23

health&science Learning and Living with HIV/AIDS

December is AIDS Awareness Month, and Dec. 1 is World AIDS Day — a day for raising money, increasing awareness, fighting prejudice and improving education. AIDS is a disease that weakens the immune system, gradually destroying the body’s ability to fight infections and certain cancers. It is caused by human immunodeficiency virus.

People can be infected with HIV and not have AIDS; they do not have AIDS until they develop serious symptoms.

Despite more than 25 years of research, activism and education, the HIV/AIDS pandemic continues to affect the lives of millions worldwide. The U.N. Program on HIV/AIDS estimates that there are about 33.4 million adults and 2.1 million children living with HIV. UNAIDS also estimates that 4.3 million people are newly infected with HIV and about 2.9 million people have died from AIDS. According to aids.gov, it’s estimated more then 56,000 Americans are infected with HIV each year, but 21 percent of HIV positive Americans don’t know that they’re infected. About half of those who become infected with HIV do so before they are 25 and die before they reach 35.

Learn more about HIV/AIDS by visiting worldaidsday.org.

Rub-on Contraceptive Gel may Replace Birth Control Pill For women using birth control, that daily pill may soon be replaced by a addition to the moisturizing routine. According to PopSci.com, a new topical contraceptive gel that works in the same way as the pill has shown effectiveness when applied to the shoulders, arms, legs or abdomen daily — and works without the side effects of sickness, weight gain or muted sexual desire.

The topical gel is similar to the contraceptive patch, which also works by releasing hormones through the skin, but the patch, aside from being unsightly, can fall off. The lotion releases the hormones progesterone and estrogen — just as the traditional pill does — preventing the ovaries from releasing an egg each month.

In a test of 18 women who used it for seven months, none became pregnant — we assume that, in the name of science of course, they were sexually active at the time — or suffered any serious side effects.

Researchers Propose Serving Cholesterol Drugs with Fast Food A group of researchers at Imperial College London have made an interesting recommendation to fast food outlets: rather than fries, each order should come with free statins — cholesterol-reducing drugs. Popsci.com explains that researchers came to this conclusion after examining data from a large study quantifying how a person’s heart attack risk is affected by his or her intake of fats and trans fats.

A dose of statins, they reason, reduces the risk of a heart attack to about the same degree that a cheeseburger and shake raise it. In effect, the two should neatly cancel each other out. In a paper recently published in the American Journal of Cardiology, researchers point out how it’s somewhat backward that fast food restaurants are practically giving away unhealthy substances, while health-promoting statins and other drugs generally call for a prescription.

Also, they note that the cost of statins has fallen sharply in recent years, such that a small dose would cost vendors about the same as a packet of ketchup.

Optical Speedbumps Create Illusion of Child Civil authorities around the world have tried all kinds of tricks to get drivers to slow down:

24

Crescent Magazine [ December 2010 ]

speed bumps, rumble strips, flashing lights, the decoy police cruiser and of course, the good old-fashioned speed trap. The British Columbia Automobile Association Traffic Safety Foundation is taking a different tack: scaring the living hell out of drivers.

In an effort to brusquely remind drivers of the consequences of wanton acceleration, they’re painting an elongated image of a child chasing a ball into the street in 2-D on the pavement in such a way that it appears three-dimensional. Popsci.com notes that the painting, which depicts a young girl darting into the road, is being trialed by authorities in a West Vancouver school zone and will be removed after a week of evaluation.

From a distance it appears as more or less a smudge, but at a certain distance the stretched image becomes coherent to the driver and appears to rise from the pavement in 3-D. The faster the car is traveling, the faster the image pops into view. A nearby sign bears a motherly admonition: “You’re probably not expecting kids to run into the road.”

Beer is Good for your Bones You are not dreaming. Drinking beer can be good for your health, says the Examiner.com. A study of 100 commercial beers shows that beer is a significant source of dietary silicon, which is a crucial ingredient for healthy bones.

For the study, Charles Bamforth and Troy Casey of UC-Davis assessed the silicon content of 100 commercial beers purchased from a grocery store.

Though the FDA currently has no recommended daily levels for silicon, researchers say that Americans consume between 20 and 50 mg of silicon each day.

With the average silicon content of beers ranging from 6.4–56.5 mg per liter, depending on the beer, a person would need to drink anywhere from one half of a beer to five beers to to ingest up to 30 mg of dietary silicon.

But before you get too excited, it’s important to remember that other studies have shown that the benefits of alco-

hol are limited to one or two alcoholic drinks a day. More than that, and people risk adverse effects.

In hopes your cough won’t blow us away,

We’ve hoisted our sails & we’re headed your way!

Bizarrities!

DARPA has been trying to crawl inside the minds of soldiers for a while now, but a new ultrasound technology could let them get deeper inside than ever.

According to Popsci.com, William Tyler, a Arizona State researcher, is developing transcranial pulsed ultrasound technology that could be implanted in troops’ helmets, allowing soldiers to manipulate brain functions to boost alertness, relieve stress or reduce traumatic brain injury effects.

Tyler’s technology, packaged in warfighters’ helmets, would allow soldiers to flip a switch to stimulate different regions of their brains, helping them relieve battle stress when it’s time to rest or to boost alertness during long periods without sleep.

They could even relieve pain from injuries or wounds without resorting to pharmaceutical drugs. In the periods after brain trauma, ultrasound technology could also reduce swelling and metabolic impact that is often the cause of lasting brain damage. w

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[ December 2010 ] Crescent Magazine

25

[ FASCINATING PEOPLE ]

Social interaction, rather than internal reflection, is what drives senior Lucas Roden to cultivate a variety of unique interests.

by Megan Werner

A

man began yelling at his girlfriend in the middle of a store — an obvious domestic dispute.

The man raised his hand, about to strike his female companion when senior Lucas Roden, a black belt in Japanese kumite karate, intervened. He grabbed the man’s wrist and asked him to leave. Although the man was angry, he listened to Roden and chose to leave the store.

Roden, well-known for his eclecticism and prosocial way of life, has skills in everything from psychology to skateboarding. It seems incredible that someone could acquire such a wide range of talents by the age of 21, but one self-report test from a psychology course helped provide a clue. Roden scored an amazing 100 percent extroversion and zero anxiety on the Eysenck Personality Inventory.

“He seems very willing to try new things [and] socially, certainly, he seems willing to put himself out there,” said John Felton, assistant professor of psychology.

One way in which Roden demonstrates his extroversion is through music. He began playing the drums when he was younger and is now an accomplished beatboxer. He has also been freestyling for a year and a half.

Senior Clayton Moore, Roden’s roommate, said that Lucas will sometimes take a radio into the bathroom while showering and freestyle along with the music.

26

Crescent Magazine [ December 2010 ]

Roden said it would be cool to one day record his freestyling, but for now making music is just something he likes to do in his spare time.

Along with music, Lucas loves to skateboard. He has been skateboarding for eight years and used to compete for cash prizes in competitions. His skills were so impressive that he became a representative for both Modest Skateboards and Uprise Skateboards.

Lucas had considerable success in the field, ranking in city-sponsored contests. For the skateboarders out there — or anyone who plays Tony Hawk’s video games — Lucas’ favorite moves are 360 flips, hard flips and impossibles.

“He has that disregard for personal safety necessary to do those things,” said senior Margaret Durkovic, Roden’s girlfriend.

But his friends were concerned for his safety — and their own — when Roden invested in a pair of nunchucks.

“Nunchucks are something I fell in love with in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles days,” he said.

After much experimenting and watching multiple Bruce Lee movies, he finally managed to figure out how to avoid hitting himself in the face with his nunchucks.

“We specifically located the TV so Lucas couldn’t crash through it,” Moore said.

And when he’s not skateboarding or whipping his nunchucks, Roden is busy

cultivating his passion for beer. Those he likes best adhere to the German purity laws, meaning they are made with only water, barley and hops. His favorite type of beer is a German style hefeweizen, and lately he has been trying out Franziskaner Hefeweizen, a Bavarian brew.

Roden’s early days as a connoisseur began at Harlaxton. There he had an epiphany — realizing there is more to life than Busch. Not long after, Lucas was able to attend Oktoberfest in Germany to celebrate his love of good beer.

And as one might have guessed, beer is hardly Roden’s sole interest. He also has a deep-set love of psychology — particularly, in the area of helping children. For the past two summers, Roden has worked as a counselor at a camp that specializes in treating children and adolescents with severe emotional and behavioral disorders.

Through the program, Lucas worked with pre-adolescent boys. His role as a counselor kept him supervising 24/7, which involved him in mealtime and counseling sessions and made him cabin leader for groups of boys six weeks at a time.

“The kids were pretty wild,” he said.

Lucas recalls one incident where a boy started swinging a branch around.

To keep him from injuring himself or one of the other campers, Roden tried to convince him to drop it. When the boy did not listen, Lucas moved closer.

But as soon as Roden approached, the boy took out a can of Axe and sprayed him in the eyes. With his eyes burning — but smelling phenomenal, Roden sought help from another counselor, and order was restored. Despite this and many other challenges, Roden considers his time at camp a truly great experience. “[Working at the camp] was really rewarding — just learning about myself as a person and just how troubled many children in the States really are,” he said.

Roden’s extroverted, outgoing nature drives him to expand his knowledge in the areas he finds interesting.

Because he is driven to outlets of social interaction and attention, Lucas has turned this character trait to his advantage by pursuing a career in psychology, where he will deal extensively with people.

For this reason — because he embraces social interactions, be it one-onone or with a group, he has excelled in the areas of beatboxing and skateboarding and has used his martial arts to focus his excess energy in a positive direction. By pursuing these talents, Roden has been able to develop a distinctive lifestyle of simultaneous learning and fun.

“I’ve never seen someone so mature [who] at the same time maintains that youthful abandon,” Moore said. w

Chris Keith/Crescent Magazine

Living, dead or fictional Lucas would like to meet SHERLOCK HOLMES — Holmes impresses Roden because he knows so much and finds practical application for all of it. He notes that Holmes is the coolest nerd of all time.

Socrates because he believes just one conversation with him would be enlightening. He also feels that, like Socrates, he gathers a lot of information about people through conversation alone.

GREGORY HOUSE — Roden would like to meet House and see what kind of snarky comments this fictional doctor would make to him.

ROB DYRDEK — Roden relates with this star from MTV’s “Rob and Big” because they are fellow skateboarders. He thinks that Dyrdek would know how to have a good time.

HIGHLANDER — If he were to be killed by Roden, then Roden would gain his powers. After all, there can be only one.

SOCRATES — Roden would like to meet

SHAKESPEARE — Roden thinks Willie is cool because no one in history has been better at simultaneously dissing and confusing someone.

MITCH HEDBERG — Roden enjoyed this comedian’s hilarious acts and would simply like to meet him.

BATMAN — Roden has always wanted to see someone’s secret lair.

DAFT PUNK — This band, which recorded hits like “Around the World,” is found amongst Roden’s choices because the group “made techno cool again.”

MEGAN FOX — Roden would like to meet her for very obvious reasons — her many assets. But please, don’t tell his girlfriend.

[ December 2010 ] Crescent Magazine

27

[ SPORTS IN ACTION ] A monthly look at Aces athletics photos by Sunny Johnson

Making aSplash T Freshman Jennifer McFarland pushes her way through the water during the 1,000-yard freestyle.

he men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams will finish their fall seasons this month with an away meet against Western Kentucky and another against Delta State. But that’s just the first half of the season for the Aces as they return to competition after Winter Break, including hosting three meets at Carson Center.

So far this season, diver Sadie Wells has been been named MVC diver of the week three times, while diver Andy Balzco won Mid-American Conference men’s diver of the week honors as well.

It was the first time UE has won a MAC award since joining the league last season. Sophomore Alex Seward earned swimmer of the week honors after finishing first in all three of his events against Eastern Illinois. w

Swimming the backstroke is harder than it looks, but senior Chris Nash makes it look easy during his event.

Keeping her body in line, sophomore Sadie Wells twists mid-air before plunging into the pool.

The water is no match for freshman Christopher Weisheit as he makes waves during the 200-yard butterfly.

28

Crescent Magazine [ December 2010 ]

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[ December 2010 ] Crescent Magazine

29

[ THE LISTS ]

it came from the internet

t Last words can say a lot about people.

If these FAMOUS phrases interest you, visit corsinet. com/braincandy/ dying.html for more.

great reads

as far as Annette Parks, associate professor of history, is concerned. She especially finds inspiration reading about dynamic heroines. Here are her top five choices.

1

“The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” by J. R. R. Tolkien (Del Rey, 1986) • Although these are four books, I consider them one because they’re all part of a grand, sweeping narrative. I reread them annually.

“The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood (Everyman’s Library, 2006) • When environmental poisoning leads to a crisis of infertility in a grim dystopia, a coup forms to turn the U.S. into the Republic of Gilead, and the few remaining fertile women turn into “Handmaidens.”

The book is beautifully written — with a fascinating twist.

2

“Mistress of the Art of Death” by Ariana Franklin (Putnam Adult, 2007) • This book, set in 12th-century England, features a coroner who travels from Salerno to England at the behest of King Henry II to solve a series of child murders. It is well written and researched.

3

“Pink Think: Becoming a Woman in Many Uneasy Lessons” by Lynn Peril (W. W. Norton & Company, 2002) • This book is a romp through the advertising and pop culture mores aimed at women in the mid-20th century. I enjoy this book because it is hilarious, heartbreaking and thought-provoking.

4

“A Wrinkle in Time” by Madeleine L’Engle (Square Fish, 2007) • This fascinating read and real tribute to the things that make us human was probably the only “children’s” book I read as a child. I like its special message to young girls — that it’s wonderful to be both smart and individual.

5

30

Crescent Magazine [ December 2010 ]

Am I dying or is this my birthday?

—Lady Nancy Astor ••• Codeine… bourbon.

—Tallulah Bankhead ••• Is everybody happy?

I want everybody to be happy. I know I’m happy.

—Ethel Barrymore ••• I should never have switched from Scotch to martinis.

—Humphrey Bogart ••• I am still alive!

—Gaius Caligula ••• I’d hate to die twice. It’s so boring.

—Richard Feynman ••• I’ve had a hell of a lot of fun, and I’ve enjoyed every minute of it.

—Errol Flynn ••• Get my swan costume ready.

—Anna Pavlova ••• They couldn’t hit an elephant at this dist...

—John Sedgwick

kellie’s least favorite SONGS Junior Kellie Terwilliger names some songs she hates to hear and tells us why she doesn’t like them.

“Baby” Justin Bieber is funny, but his music is horrible. He’s barely prepubescent, so he doesn’t know what he’s singing about.

“Tell Me Something I Don’t Know” I don’t like any music from Selena Gomez or any former Disney actor. It all sounds the same, and it’s all awful.

“Burnin’ Up” Someone used to torment me with this Jonas Brothers song. She played it every day until the end of the school year.

“Gucci Time” Most rap is terrible but enjoyable; this Gucci Mane song is confusing. I don’t understand what it’s saying to do.

w Michael Grassmyer w sophomore w “Live Free or Die Hard” (2007) “If everyone would just realize the spirit of Christmas and learn to get along, they would stop going around shooting each other like they do in this movie.”

w Kelsey Costales w freshman w “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” (2000) I like this movie mainly because it’s funny, but I also like it because it does have a moral even [while being] mostly fun and quirky.”

best holiday

[ A CLOSER LOOK ]

by Elizabeth Crozier

BUENTE

w Mary Pattara w sophomore w “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946) I like it because my dad and I used to watch it — and because it makes you realize that you have an impact. You are important and can make a difference.”

daryl

Chris Keith/Crescent Magazine

Title: Equipment Manager Years at UE: 30, class of 1972 Relationship Status: Married with children Crescent Magazine: What is your favorite part about what you do?

Buente: I like working with people.

I always say, “I take care of the Aces.”

Even when I was a student manager, I thought this.

CM: Is it true you wear purple daily?

Buente: Yes, I do. My sister-in-law finds purple pants for me in catalogs. I bought a lot of the ones I have for half off at a store that was going out of business, and I always wear a purple jacket at games since they are dressy occasions.

I own 20 pairs of purple pants but only wear about five of them; I have the others for when those all wear out.

CM: How often have you been to Disney Land?

Buente: I’ve been there a lot. The first time was with my wife on our honeymoon in 1984. I always dreamed of going as a child. It’s like heaven — you can go there and die happy. The Dumbo ride, Mad Hatter’s tea party and Peter Pan’s

ship are my favorites. I also like walking down Main Street USA. CM: What decade fits you best?

Buente: The present. It’s probably because of my positive outlook on life. I’m always looking ahead, especially to the next ball game. I was once asked if I hated winter because of all the cold, ice and snow. I told the person I loved winter because it’s basketball season. During the warm months, I look everywhere for an Ace’s game, but I can’t find one.

CM: So is basketball your favorite sport?

Buente: Yes, but I also like football a lot too. Back when they were trying to figure out what to do with the football program, they had a meeting to discuss how to make the program more successful. It was clear they wanted money. So, when my next paycheck came in, I wrote a check for $100 for football only. It was sent back to me though with a letter saying the program would be discontinued. w

Interested in Broadcasting Sports on the Radio?

w Erica Ballard w junior w “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (1989) “It’s a part of the holiday season tradition for my friend and me.

Every year we watch it together while we bake Christmas cookies.”

Positions available second semester for Women’s Basketball, Baseball and Softball.

Inquire Today!

Contact Tom Benson at WUEV at tb39@evansville.edu

[ December 2010 ] Crescent Magazine

31

[ JUST THE FACTS ]

[ CRESCENT CROSSWORD ] ACROSS

1860 —

The Moores Hill College rulebook states that students must not convene with anyone in the halls for purposes of conversation or debate and cannot leave town during a term unless permission of one of the teachers is received.

1879

— Records show that a collection is taken at Commencement to make up the deficit on salaries, which are often unpaid at the end of the year.

1907 1917

— A student calls the president a liar and narrowly escapes expulsion by apologizing.

— A trip by several students by automobile to Lawrenceburg, 18 miles away, is found so unusual that it rates a column in the student newspaper.

1937

— The college receives national attention when Coach William Slyker is invited to New York to appear on “We, The People,” a popular nationwide radio program, to explain how a football team could fail to score for 12 consecutive games.

1920

— Students adopt an honor code that is later dropped because students are unwilling to report violations.

— Evansville College hosts a track meet against Oakland City College on Weinbach, which at the time is a dirt road. When EC loses, the Crescent charges Oakland with having enrolled a student for just a few days to compete in the meet.

1 Arabic letter 4 Fr. priest 8 Barge 12 Kimono sash 13 Mayan year 14 Sayings (suf.)

15 E. Indian timber tree 16 Calm 18 Lop 20 Fr. artist 21 Month abbr.

23 Musical instrument (string) 27 Bonga (2 words) 32 Counsel 33 River (Sp.) 34 Of vision 36 Sheep disease 37 Fraction of a rupee 39 Kind of gypsum 41 Small anvil 43 Licensed practical nurse (abbr.)

44 Book of the Apocrypha 48 Growl 51 Pierides (2 words) 55 Amazon tributary 56 Polish border river 57 Melville’s captain 58 Cut edge of coin 59 Jewish title of honor 60 Similar 61 Girl Scouts of America (abbr.)

11 Gob 17 Pro 19 River into the North Sea 22 Palestine Liberation Organ. (abbr.)

24 Basic 25 Revise 26 Give up 27 Unruly child 28 One (Ger.) 29 Nat’l Park Service (abbr.)

30 Shoshonean 31 Sesame 35 Celsius (abbr.)

38 To the rear 40 Negative population growth (abbr.)

42 Stowe character 45 Golden wine 46 Yahi tribe survivor 47 Tree 49 Galatea’s beloved 50 Indian music 51 Mine roof support 52 Mountain on Crete 53 Modernist 54 Compass direction

ANSWERS

DOWN 1 Tufted plant 2 Dayak people 3 Stele 4 Asian gazelle 5 Judges’ bench 6 Pressure (pref.)

7 Ivory (Lat.) 8 Sieve 9 Rom. first day of the month 10 Unity

1932

— College Introduction 101 is a mandatory freshmen class. This course is now reduced to the summer weekend seminar we call SOAR.

1935

— William Wesley Peters, a 1933 graduate of Evansville College, marries the daughter of architect Frank Lloyd Wright. In 1970, after Mrs. Peters has died, Peters is remarried to Svetlana Alliluyeva, the daughter of Joseph Stalin.

1951

— Campus smoking regulations are so relaxed that a handful of teachers allow smoking in their classes.

— Business office staff, frustrated by the lack of air conditioning, purchase a candy machine, which produces enough money in just a few months to fund installing a window unit, which becomes the envy of all other campus offices. w

32

Crescent Magazine [ December 2010 ]

©2010 Satori Publishing

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