Crescent Magazine November 2011

crescent University of Evansville

College Culture Upfront • November 2011

magazine

Got Birth Control?

Contraception makes unwanted pregnancy a thing of the past

F

Various combinations make us take note

AB

by the numb3rs

CD

AB

CDF

Has the letter grade become more important than the knowledge?

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crescent MAGAZINE

11.2011

20

Got Birth Control?

With so many options available to couples these days, knowing what works to prevent pregnancy should be a no-brainer.

03 Dorm Storm

Moore Hall’s Karolina Toth boasts her roots and mastery of minimalism.

14 By the Numb3rs 11/11/11 is a number to bet on, yet 6–6–6 is not beloved. How come?

24 Fascinating People The lads and lasses of UE’s medieval roundtable talk fun and fantastical.

w w w

17

Making the Grade When did getting a C become a bad thing? Now that A’s are the norm, some students will do anything to succeed in this highpressure academic world.

28 Between Whistles The Evansville Icemen take to the ice, but why do Americans give hockey the cold shoulder?

2/Viewpoint • 3/Dorm Storm • 4/Vox Populi • 7/Arts & Entertainment • 8/Giving Back • 11/Health & Science • 13/Food • 26/Footwear Fetish • 27/Through the Lens •30/Campus Crime • 31/Third & Short • 32/Off the Wall • 34/The Lists • 35/A Closer Look • 36/That’s What She Said 11.2011/Crescent Magazine

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Our Viewpoint

crescent

Keeping in Control

MAGAZINE

Know your options. Plan ahead.

Let’s face it: Most of us probably shouldn’t even have a potted plant, let alone a child. While some students are able to jugMaking tHe grade gle school and parenthood, it’s certainly not easy. Sexually active people who aren’t ready for pregnancy shouldn’t have to worry about having children yet.

Luckily, we live in a country where most people have access to some form of contraception. Enjoy sex but don’t want children or a disease? Take a pill and use a condom. Sounds like a simple enough solution. So why then is birth control such a big deal?

Birth control implies sexual activity, so people tend to keep it quiet. We don’t really talk about birth control. Our hush-hush attitudes about sex — and its consequences — discourage us from having open conversations about sexual health. Even commercials for women’s birth control are usually about having lighter or fewer periods, not about avoiding pregnancy.

Let’s take a moment to look at the double standard working here. Sexually active men usually don’t have to hide their activity and are even encouraged by their peers to have sex and carry condoms. But it takes two to tango. So who are all those men having sex with?

crescent University of Evansville

College Culture Upfront • November 2011

magazine

got BirtH Control?

Contraception makes unwanted pregnancy a thing of the past

F

AB

By tHe nuMB3rs

Various combinations make us take note

CD

AB

CDF

Has the letter grade become more important than the knowledge?

$2.50

For women, contraception is contraband. Our culture tends to discourage women from thinking they should be allowed to enjoy sex or have it for reasons other than to procreate. The result is that they are many times not encouraged to use birth control. Planned Parenthood and other health organizations offer access to women’s health care — for now.

But some women are too ashamed to take advantage of these resources. And many women who do take birth control pills feel like they have to hide them anyway. We don’t know our options. Our society does not emphasize sex education as much as it should. Instead, we are taught to be ashamed or secretive about sex, and so it’s not something we feel we can talk about freely.

And then, there are some people who use birth control for issues other than pregnancy but still face a negative social stigma for using it. We shouldn’t have to be embarrassed about something that keeps us healthy.

Today we have more available knowledge and more options than ever when it comes to birth control. Avoiding an issue does not resolve it. Pretending that people don’t have sex or feeling that they shouldn’t because it makes us uncomfortable is a bad habit we, as a society, need to grow out of. We have enough things to worry about without adding unwanted pregnancy to the list — especially when it is preventable.

editorial Writing Director: Mindy Kurtz Writing Editor: Kate Wood Research Editor: Danielle Weeks Columnists: Mark Boxell, Lacey Conley, A. J. Ogundimu Contributing Writers: Josh Garrett, Brodie Gress, Taylor Hamilton, Kayla Hammel, Cory Hart, Jessica Ingle, Chelsea Modglin, Amy Reinhart, Rachel Willis

editing Editing Director: Lacey Conley Copy Editors: Jenelle Clausen, Glen Miller

CREATIVE Creative Director: Amanda Squire Photo Editor: Nathan Edmiston Page Designers: Yolanda Alvarado, Kaylee Harden, Katie O’Brien Advertising Designers: Jeffrey Buente, Andrew Schulingkamp Contributing Photographers: Mariah Gardiner, Amy Rabenberg, Jessica Crihfield Taylor

marketing & sales Marketing & Sales Director: Blair Wissinger Advertising Sales Manager: Ryan Cramer Sales Associates: Qassem AlMosslem Marketing Assistant: Taylor Paquette Circulation Assistant: Michael Armanno

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how to contact us Address: Ridgway University Center, University of Evansville, 1800 Lincoln Ave., Evansville, Ind. 47722 Editorial E-mail: crescentmagazine@evansville.edu • Phone: (812) 488–2846 • FAX: (812) 488–2224 Marketing & Sales: (812) 488–2221 and 488–2223 • Marketing & Sales E-mail: crescentadvertising@evansville.edu

Crescent Magazine is the University of Evansville’s student magazine. It is written, edited and designed by and for students, and distributed six times during the academic year. It is funded through advertising revenue and a subscription fee paid on behalf of students by the Student Government Association. Circulation is 1,700. Printed by Mar-Kel Printing, Newburgh, Ind. © 2011 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. Letter Submissions. E-mail letters to crescentmagazine@evansville.edu and write “letter” in the subject line. Crescent Magazine welcomes letters from UE students, faculty, staff, administrators and alumni, 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 email address. Crescent Magazine does not print anonymous letters or those that cannot be verified. Letters will be edited for length, style, grammar and spelling.

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Crescent Magazine/11.2011

Dorm Storm

This Moore Hall resident assistant knows what she wants, and she is not taking “no” for an answer.

by Jessica Ingle

D

“Don’t try this at home, kids.”

This is sophomore Karolina Toth’s advice when it comes to each crazy component of her life — one that includes late night strolls in the rain and her wish to make clapping a professional sport.

“When Karolina is in the room, you know,” said Emily Fiedler, international student services coordinator. “She lights up the room.”

This is actually easy to see when entering Toth’s minimalistic Moore Hall room. While the walls are bare and only schoolbooks and homework lay scattered on her desk, Toth’s gregarious spirit prevails, even in this open space.

The exuberant student is originally from Budapest, Hungary, where, she said, higher education is free. But since everyone there has a chance at earning a degree, the unemployment rate is high.

Toth said she wanted something different. She was an exchange student in New York for a while, but a scholarship from UE caught her eye. She started as a communication

Who Knew?

Nathan Edmiston/ Crescent Magazine

brighten up the room and give it a personal flair.

Toth plans to stay at UE through graduation. After that, she hopes to work toward earning her doctorate so she can, as she says, become ridiculously rich, a sentiment many of us share.

“I want to get a Ph.D. just to say I have a Ph.D.,” Toth joked.

“You’d have nothing on me!”

But even if her plan for inordinate wealth does not pan out, Toth will continue living life to the fullest, dancing in the rain and clapping enthusiastically as she goes.

Quick Facts

major and changed to a double major in cognitive science and philosophy this year.

Now, Toth said she has to study more than ever before.

Her schedule is bursting with classes and clubs — including the Book Club, of which she is president.

“We only read one book a semester,” she said. “It’s really not like the nerd club!”

Fiedler said it only took Toth a short time to get adjusted to life at UE, being able to find her niche without sacrificing her individuality.

“She knows where she

came from and who she is,” Fiedler said. “She makes her mark anywhere she goes.”

Toth is also a Global Living and Learning Community board member, a resident assistant and a member of the Skeptical Society. She believes all the hard work is worth it.

“I’m very interested in studying,” Toth said, “or I wouldn’t be paying for it.”

Taking a break from academic talk, she walks over to a drawer and pulls out a large Hungarian flag.

She hopes to find the right place for it, saying the flag will

n Life in a Word: “Ludic,” which means “playful” n Mission: To explore the world (since the galaxies are off-limits) n Favorite TV Show: “House” (though she admits she does not watch much TV) n Favorite Song: “Loca People” by Sak Noel n Favorite Band: Jimi Hendrix and the Band of Gypsys n Biggest Challenge: To find a balance between studying and partying n Stay-Up-Late Method: Drinking coffee with honey n Quote: “Life is too short to always behave appropriately.”

The chance of you dying on the way to get a lottery ticket is greater than your chance of winning. • Cherophobia is a fear of fun.

11.2011/Crescent Magazine

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Rise or fall of 99 percent Students take their frustration to Wall Street, the nation’s economic capital. But are they justified?

Vox Populi / A. J. Ogundimu org, the unofficial central resource for those involved. It Disenfranchised and disreads in many ways as an idealistic, largely liberal rant illusioned people all across against the government and corporations, with calls for a the Middle East engaged in single-payer healthcare system, more open borders and protests this spring — some trillions to be spent on infrastructure and conservation — of which even brought down but again, this is only one person’s opinion. The only pregovernments — in what was vailing theme among the protesters is a sense of rebellion dubbed the Arab Spring. toward perceived oppression by “the system” itself.

Now students have filled part of New York in a protest So then the main question here is whether or not this known as Occupy Wall Street. The struggling economy and is a legitimate reason to travel to New York, Boston, Atlanpoor job prospects brought them to the symbolic center ta or another major city to camp out in protest. Are midof American capitalism as they ask the question many are dle-class families struggling to make ends meet; students asking: Why must they struggle to gain employment while facing unemployment or underemployment; and major the wealthiest among us live on in comfort? corporations spending millions on The incident has been painted advertising, private jets and parties by some as a group of naive leftTrue, in some just to then scam Americans out wing college kids merely complainof money and cause environmenways these students ing about having to work. But there tal damage, all so we can buy iPads is one undeniably true aspect of are simply going and eat processed cheese? the movement: It isn’t as easy as it A better question is: Why are we through the growing seems to be a middle-class Amereven asking these questions? ican, and it definitely isn’t getting pains of preparing True, in some ways these stuany easier. dents are simply going through the to enter the work The movement first took root growing pains of preparing to enter in the Internet, with related web force. But it’s not just the work force. But it’s not just colsites and Twitter hashtags poplege-age people getting involved. college-age people ping up everywhere online. It all The 99 Percent Project, a sister started with the Canadian magagetting involved. action to Occupy Wall Street, enzine Adbusters promoting a Sept. courages frustrated citizens to take 17 event on Wall Street, and things pictures of themselves bearing a story about how they are just spread from there. part of “the 99 percent,” the majority of Americans living Even the infamous bad boys of the Internet, members a less-than-lavish lifestyle. Among the young, worried and of the online group Anonymous — known for their “hackidealistic are old faces and stories of lost homes and no tivist” protests and pranks against the WikiLeaks Scientolmedical insurance. ogy scandal — are getting involved. In many ways Occupy And yes, protests — especially in this country — are, by Wall Street is taking its cues from the Arab Spring, using their very nature, symbolic. There is no coherent plan of the tools of the digital age to spread its message and reaction here, just a massive wave of frustration pouring outcruit supporters to its cause. ward, toward anyone perceived to be in power. Occupy And what is the cause? There is no need to go over Wall Street is unlikely to effect any kind of tangible change, the economic difficulties confronting Americans nowabut that’s not really the point. The point is that Americans days. Unemployment, Congressional gridlock, the nationeverywhere want things to change. The point is that disal debt — these are all known issues that badly need to be sent is the backbone of democracy. The point is that if you addressed, and soon. Presumably this is what has the proare reading this, you are probably part of the 99 percent. testers so riled up, but the truth is this leaderless movement lacks an official unified course of action. The closest Vox Populi columnist A.J. Ogundimu is a junior creative to such a thing that can be found is a “Proposed List of Dewriting major from Evansville, Ind. mands” posted by a single forum poster on occupywallst.

Who Knew?

4

You are about 1 centimeter taller in the morning than in the evening. • Your chance of being murdered is one in 20,000.

Crescent Magazine/11.2011

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Crescent Magazine/11.2011

Entertainment

Immerse yourself in the beauty of the season at Henderson’s Winter Wonderland Art Exhibit.

English indie rockers The Kooks join the fray as the band kicks off its new tour at 8 p.m. Nov. 26 at Chicago’s Vic Theatre. Promoting the release of its newest album “Junk of the

local scene

Look no further. Evansville’s nightlife is teeming with recreation, from live music and karaoke to cheap drinks and ‘80s nights. Leave those schoolbooks behind and hit up these bar events.

Heart,” which was released in September, the multi-platinum selling band first garnered success in 2006 with its debut album “Inside In/Inside Out.” Since then, the band has sold more than 3 million records worldwide. Tickets start at $50 and can be purchased at seatgeek.com.

Arts & Entertainment / Joshua Garrett Reba McEntire & The Band Perry

Straight No Chaser

The best-selling female country musician of all time headlines the 7:30 p.m.

Nov. 11 concert at the Ford Center. Joining McEntire is The Band Perry, which became country’s breakout act in 2010, and Edens Edge. Tickets start at $57 and can be purchased at the center box office or through ticketmaster.com.

Come hear this award-winning men’s a cappella group at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 1 at The Centre. Composed of former members of the original Indiana University group, SNC won the CARA award for best holiday album in 2009. Tickets start at $63 and can be purchased at The Centre box office or through ticketmaster.com.

John Mellencamp

RAIN — A Tribute to The Beatles

The legendary rocker performs at 7 p.m. Nov. 13 at the Louisville Palace. The concert starts with the rocker in an acoustic setting, fronting a small combo, and ends with his full rock band. Tickets start at $42 and can be purchased by calling 502–583–4555.

Direct from its successful Broadway show, the internationally-acclaimed Beatles concert makes its debut Dec. 2–3 for three shows at the Kentucky Center’s Whitney Hall. Tickets start at $22.75 and can be purchased by visitng kentuckycenter.org.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra Winter Wonderland Art Exhibit The Henderson (Ky.) Fine Art Center showcases a series of holiday- and winterthemed two-dimensional artwork from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Nov. 13–Dec. 15. For more information, visit ohiovalleyart.org.

The rock orchestra brings its tour to the Ford Center at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7. TSO is known for its elaborate concerts, complete with a full orchestra, a massive light show, lasers and pyrotechnics. Tickets start at $74 and can be purchased at the center box office or through ticketmaster.com.

“The Great Russian Nutcracker” The Moscow Ballet brings its performance to The Centre at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 29.

With an ensemble of more than 30 trained Russian dancers, the production features 200 lavish costumes and embellished 3-D effects. Tickets start at $27.50 and can be purchased through The Centre box office or at ticketmaster.com.

Who Knew?

Jeff Dunham Be part of the madness at the puppeteer’s “Controlled Chaos” show at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 2 at the Ford Center. Dunham gets plenty of help on stage with his signature puppets. Tickets start at $79 and can be purchased at the center box office or through ticketmaster.com.

Buzzkill Mofos

Evansville’s newest band has a sound that can get the shyest of audiophiles off their barstools and onto their feet. The Buzzkill Mofos cover songs ranging from favorite one-hit wonders to those featured on radio stations every day. Catch the Mofos’ next show at 10:30 p.m. Nov. 25, at the RiRa Irish Pub, 701 N.W. Riverside Drive.

Karaoke

Need a study break?

Unleashing your inner American Idol at the Fox and Hound, located in Village Commons Shopping Center, just off the Lloyd Expressway, is a great alternative to an evening nap. Sing your heart out at 8 p.m. every Tuesday. The Fox also serves $2 pint-size drafts you can enjoy while singing or watching others belt their favorite tunes.

‘80s Night

Let your next weekend be one big blast from the past. Visit Hammerheads Bar, 317 Main St., for a totally tubular ‘80s night every Saturday. The fun starts at 7 p.m. and lasts until the final round at 3 a.m. And don’t forget: Ladies get in free. Grab some friends, raid your parents’ closet and get seriously McFly.

Women wishing to enter Canada to work as strippers must provide naked photos of themselves to qualify for a visa.

11.2011/Crescent Magazine

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by Jessica Ingle This Veterans Day, take time to remember the men and women who have served in our military, giving our nation a sense of strength and peace of mind. In their honor, here are some online organizations that will help us serve them. n The Veterans Site Charity.com co-owners Tim Kunin and Greg Hesterberg created The Veterans Site, a web site to help provide meals to hungry veterans and their families. Nearly 12 percent of the nation’s homeless population is veterans, and Kunin and Hesterberg found an easy way to help.

The process is simple: Visit the web site and browse the extensive list of items available for purchase; then make your selection. The site has everything from necklaces to sweatshirts, and a portion of each item’s sale price goes directly to funding meals for veterans.

—theveteranssite.com

Giving Back

Giving back to those who have served is as easy as taking an online shopping trip. From patriotic to everyday items, everyone can find a way to donate.

n Buy4

n Stars and Stripes

n eBay Giving Works

n Defenders Lodge

Home to more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations, online fundraising tool Buy4 allows you to easily provide assistance to the cause of your choice.

Shop any of the 1,700 online retailers that are represented on the web site, including Target, Walmart and Amazon.com, and a percentage of each purchase will go directly to the effort you chose. The process costs no more than what you would normally spend shopping online, and using this method means that several causes are only a click away.

Established on Veterans Day, 1999, The Flag Store provides a variety of high-quality state, military and international flags.

The store is owned by the Veterans Outreach Center, a nonprofit organization that has helped more than 32,000 veterans since 1973. It is the only retailer from which all proceeds go directly to providing help and services to veterans in need. Flag products also include the American flag, as well as a selection of historical flags, and range in price from $14 to nearly $2,000.

The well-known online shopping and auction web site is running a promotion in honor of the 10th anniversary of Sept.

11. As a part of this, a large number of nonprofit organizations and individual sellers are listing items through eBay to help support veterans. At least 10 percent of each sale goes to a veteran-related charity. Products — given the diverse nature of eBay — include everything from books to jewelry and electronics to antiques. Prices vary from 99 cents to in the hundreds of dollars.

As a part of the PenFed Foundation, the Defenders Lodge is a web site dedicated to the construction of a facility that will serve as a home for wounded veterans waiting to be hospitalized or receive medical treatment. The web site includes an online store where at least 10 percent of each purchase goes to support veterans directly or fund the construction of the Defenders Lodge. Each item for sale bears the Defenders Lodge logo. Available merchandise includes hats, clothing, gift cards and travel bags.

—buy4.com

—eflagstore.com

—donations.ebay.com

—defenderslodge.com

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Crescent Magazine/11.2011

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• • • Valid UE ID required to sell books • • • 11.2011/Crescent Magazine

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Eastland Mall 812.477.2505 Your copy’s waiting for you at Student Publications Ridgway Center, 2nd floor

Health & Science / Taylor Hamilton

Scientific fact or fiction Is soymilk harmful? What is the cause of our post-Thanksgiving meal slumber? Does cold weather cause the sniffles? Read on to find out.

Milk in Moderation There are rumors abound as to whether soymilk is beneficial or detrimental to one’s health. Several sources claim that since soy contains plant estrogens, it can wreak havoc on human reproductive systems, especially men’s. One source claimed that ingesting soy at a young age could cause early puberty. A Men’s Health article states that one man began to develop feminine sexual characteristics due to his frequent intake of soymilk, but he drank more than 3 quarts a day, far more than the recommended daily amount.

But studies such as one by the University of Minnesota suggest that at normal amounts, soy can provide small health benefits to both men and women. For women, soymilk can help reduce the risk of breast cancer. Plant estrogens in soy bind with women’s naturally produced estrogens, which reduce the total amount at work in the body, decreasing the risk for cancerous tumors. As for men, soy will not cause any sexual health problems — unless they drink vast amounts of it daily — and it has even been suggested that soymilk may reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

All reputable sources state that soymilk, used in moderation, has few, if any, negative effects on the human body, and that it may even provide some health benefits. As always, moderation and variety in any diet are the keys to good health.

Turkey Found Not Guilty Many blame the tryptophan in turkey for the food-induced coma most experience after their Thanksgiving meals. While tryptophan is indeed found in turkey, it is at a level comparable to most other meats. And while tryptophan, an amino acid, does contribute to the production of serotonin, a calming hormone that can cause drows-

Who Knew?

iness, tryptophan seems to work best (meaning it will most effectively put people to sleep) on an empty stomach.

Tlc.discovery.com explains it is more likely that all the other foods consumed at Thanksgiving — mashed potatoes, stuffing, bread, pie — are what cause everyone to snooze after dinner. Your body is so busy breaking down the complex carbohydrates and fats you just took in that little energy is left for doing other things — like staying upright and awake.

What the Fact?

You cannot catch a cold from being cold. A cold is a virus, and regardless of what Grandma might say, illnesses do not float around on chilly winds waiting to attack people without coats or with wet hair.

Several studies, including one published

by Oxford University, have shown that people exposed to warm temperatures are just as likely to start sneezing as people exposed to the cold temperatures if both are equally exposed to a virus.

The old wives’ tale does hold a bit of truth, though, considering that cold weather can strain your body’s immune defenses.

The human body works best at 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, and when it has to work harder than normal to maintain that temperature, less attention can be paid to the upkeep of the immune system. So, while running around with your coat off outside may not necessarily give you a cold, it may be best to wear one anyway.

Health & Science writer Taylor Hamilton is a senior applied biology major from Owensboro, Ky.

Thinking Green Bottled Not Better

OnlineEducation.net provides information to guilt even the most intense supporters of bottled water into drinking tap.

Water from bottles is 10,000 times more expensive than tap, and it’s not even higher quality. It also takes three times the water needed to fill a bottle simply to make it.

Keep this in mind: Bottled water companies are not required to verify the source of their water, test it for E. coli or provide quality reports. Tap water providers, on the other hand, must do all of these things.

Plastic Not Perfect

Plastic is a derivative of petroleum, and it takes 17 million barrels of oil a year to produce the plastic bottles necessary for the bottled water business, only one-fifth of which end up recycled. The rest end up in landfills, creating 3 billion pounds of waste each year.

Meanwhile, it takes little effort to purchase a reusable water bottle and fill and refill it from a tap. Drinking tap water is healthier, cheaper and more environmentally friendly.

The average American spends one-third of his or her time playing online games and using social networking sites.

11.2011/Crescent Magazine

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Soup-erstars have it out

I

Two local soup hotspots push for top potage. Which joint has the best broth?

lacks is a personal touch.

Zoup!, though, really goes the distance. Upon entering, you are greeted and offered up to four samples of soup, and with the restaurant’s selection of a whopping 12 soups, with several flavors rotating on and off the menu by day, the samples come in handy when it is time to choose one.

Unfortunately, Panera falls flat on both soup selection

and friendliness. Panera only offers six soup options, excluding the restaurant’s few signature soups, and while the cashier offers you a buzzer to alert you when your order is ready, it just does not compare to hearing a friendly Zoup! server call your name.

Panera’s soups are your average run-of-the-mill choices and taste close to something out of a can. Classics like chicken noodle and potato soup are filling but do little to truly thrill the taste buds. And though bread comes with every soup order, there are no bread options, which can be bland.

At Zoup!, you can almost taste how good the soup is just by reading the names. Sicilian Pizza, Twice-

Baked Stuffed Potato, Ginger Butternut Squash and Chicken Potpie are just a few. With each meat-based soup hearty and each veggie soup flavorful, even the Lemon Basil Chicken soup lives up to its name.

With a full-bodied, bold, lipsmacking taste, the broth itself has an enticing texture. Both the lemon and basil are prominent tastes, with fresh carrots, celery and onions and tender meat in every spoonful.

And in addition to excellent soup, the restaurant offers a choice of sourdough, French or multigrain bread with every order — all of which are soft and scrumptious.

In the end, it seems Panera’s bread-laden menu, abundant in panini options, leaves little room for soup selection to grow. If you find yourself at Panera wondering which soup to get, you should probably stick with a sandwich and save the soup-slurping for Zoup!.

Penn Station 137 N. Burkhardt Road penn-station.com

Smiling Moose Deli 724 N. Burkhardt Road smilingmoosedeli.com

Jimmy John’s 701 N. Burkhardt Road jimmyjohns.com

Quizno’s 5525 Pearl Drive quiznos.com

Though Penn Station is all about the perfect hot sandwich, do not forget the restaurant’s cold deli classics, ranging in size from 6-inchers to footlong subs. Penn Station’s bread is freshly baked, and meat-lover classics use only prime steak, along with other top-of-the-line deli meats.

Size up your sandwich with some hand-cut fries and freshly squeezed lemonade.

Stop by the Smiling Moose for both hot and cold sandwiches and a variety of wraps. Try one of the restaurant’s World Famous Cheeseburger Grinders — the Sloppy Mo comes smothered in barbecue sauce, condiments and flavorful veggies. You can even build your own. And with seven breads and four tortillas to choose from, any decision is bound to be a tasty one.

Though most Jimmy John’s sandwiches are far from average, the restaurant also caters to the especially daring. If you are feeling adventurous, check out the J.J. Gargantuan: a salami, smoked ham, capicola, roast beef and turkey sandwich all in one. Pair the mouthwatering monstrosity with a specialty dessert, like a giant chocolate chip cookie, or side, like the jumbo kosher dill pickle.

Quizno’s is the place to be for the both the traditional and nontraditional sub. The restaurant offers its classic Flatbread Sammies, Toasty Torpedoes and smaller-sized Toasty Bullets. And for the calorie-conscious sub-enthusiast, there are also several sandwich options, such as the Baja Chicken sub or the Bistro Steak Melt Sammie, with less than 500 calories.

If you are looking for a soup with a home-cooked taste but have little time to cook for yourself, drop by one of Evansville’s two go-to soup spots: Panera Bread, 220 N. Burkhardt Road, and Zoup!, 6240 E. Virginia St. While the two restaurants share interior schemes, both incorporating inviting shades of red and yellow, the difference lies in the level of intimacy that each place provides.

Panera is almost three times larger than Zoup! with a great deal more seating, which makes it ideal for a dinner outing with friends, but what the establishment

Others of Interest

11.2011/Crescent Magazine

13

by Rachel Willis & Brodie Gress

To celebrate this issue’s Nov. 11 release, we looked at the mysterious influence certain dates and number combinations have on the world around us.

It is not every day that paranormal creatures escape through a gateway to ravage the Earth, but if you believe the movie trailer for “11–11–11,” set to open today, something is coming through that opening, as a man learns his life is plagued by events that occur at 11:11. Beware.

Numbers are a part of everyone’s daily life. We just cannot get away from them. We come and go based on numbers. We contact our friends based on numbers. We get up and go to sleep based on numbers. We cannot purchase meals on campus without numbers. We are individually identified by a series of numbers. Numbers simply surround us.

This year alone has seen several dates with repeating numbers, such as Jan. 11, Nov. 1 and Nov. 11. Cultures worldwide ascribe meaning to different number combinations — and while we know why some numbers freak us out, others appear to be knee-jerk superstitions.

Mathematicians are quick to point out that everything in life can actually be reduced to numbers, and there is a lot of truth in that. But many of us suffer from numerophobia, also known as arith-

mophobia, a legitimate phobia where a person fears numbers.

Some people fear specific numbers, most notably the number 13, which is known as triskaidekaphobia. And who can pronounce hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia, the fear of the number 666?

Octophobia, the fear of the number 8, seems mild in comparison.

Since Biblical times, when Judas was the 13th person to arrive at the Last Supper, the number 13 has been associated with bad luck and the occult.

From these origins, mistrust and fear of the number has grown and evolved. The fear of 13 is noted in ancient Greek accounts where bands of 13 travelers were often murdered. Annemarie Schimmel, in her book “The Mystery of Numbers,” pointed out that European legends saw misfortune happening to families with 13 siblings. But in medieval Christian theology, 13 was sometimes considered to be a good number because it combined the Ten Commandments with the Trinity.

There are all kinds of phrases based around numbers, too. Two wrongs don’t make a right. The

Check out these intriguing dates: 10/10/10 — A deaf man, George Immad, suddenly was able to hear at 10:10 p.m. with no explanation from doctors. It was a mystery and the only conclusion doctors had was that he was lucky.

2/2/22 — The groundbreaking novel “Ulysses” by Irish writer James Joyce was published. Only 1,000 copies were initially printed, but the book attracted controversy and scrutiny, with some calling it obscene, blasphemous and unreadable.

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Crescent Magazine/11.2011

3/3/33 — Mt. Rushmore was officially declared a national park, even though construction of the monument was not completed until 1941.

5/5/55 — The U. S., France and Britain agreed to give West Germany its independence after controlling the territory for a decade.

4/4/44 — Charles de Gaulle, president of France from 1958–69, became head of the French armed forces during World War II.

6/6/66 — Civil rights activist James Meredith, who in 1962 became the first black student to successfully enroll at the University of Mississippi, was shot by a white sniper during his solitary March Against Fear.

1/23/45 — Hungary withdrew from World War II, signing an armistice with the Allies.

7/7/77 — In Nora Robert’s 2007 bestseller “Blood

third time’s the charm. Three sheets to the wind, six to one, half a dozen to another, the seven-year itch, behind the eight ball, dressed to the nines, on cloud nine, the whole nine yards — they seem to be endless. And while the origins of these phrases are almost impossible to determine, many people put a lot of faith in numbers and their meanings.

Answers to many questions about numbers lie in numerology, the study of the supposed mystical relationship between numbers and real occurrences. Many theories have surfaced to help explain why numbers hold different meanings for different people.

“The field of numerology and number magic has fascinated humanity throughout the millennia,” Schimmel wrote.

Some believe there is a spiritual meaning behind all numbers. The numbers six, eight and nine are believed to have favorable meanings to the Chinese because when spoken they sound similar to words that have positive meanings.

In Japan, women and men have bad luck ages. The Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii reports that for men, 25 and 42 are supposed to be bad years, while women need to be cautious about turning 19 and 33. People of those ages have special ceremonies and parties to ward off the bad luck.

There is the belief that bad news comes in threes, but it comes in fours for some cultures. Tetraphobia, the fear of the number four, is common in Korea, Japan, China and other parts of Asia because the pronunciations of “four” in their languages are similar to those of the word “death.” It is not unusual for hotels, apartments and offices in those countries not to have a fourth floor.

Just as four is the Asian equivalent to America’s 13, eight is seven’s parallel. In Chinese, eight is a homonym for the words

prosperity and wealth. This number has so much power that it has influenced people to plan events on specific dates and times. The 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing started at 08:08:08 p.m. Aug. 8, 2008 (8/8/08).

The number seven is considered by many to be God’s perfect number. You need lucky sevens to win a slot machine jackpot in any casino. But those sevens must come in a set of three, or you are out of luck. Just be glad you do not have to hit 6–6–6 to win. That number’s negative meaning originated in the Bible, which indicates that 666 is the number of the beast, linked to Satan or the anti-Christ.

Dates with repeating numbers often correspond with special events — whether planned or unplanned. New York City’s temperature on Aug. 8, 1988 — 8/8/88 — hit a high of 88 degrees. That same day saw the “8888 Uprising,” where student leaders promoted a set of 10 demands for the restoration of a democratic government in Burma, resulting in the largest ever Burmese demonstration demanding democracy.

Even though statistically it is not surprising that something notable happens on certain dates, people still consider them to have special meaning. But where did superstitions floating around a day like Friday the 13th come from?

The sixth day of the week and the number 13 both have sinister reputations said to date from ancient times. Jesus was crucified on Friday, and Friday has been considered an unlucky day since “The Canterbury Tales” was published in the 14th century. Many professions regard Friday as an unlucky day to begin projects or start journeys.

According to some sources, Friday the 13th is the most widespread superstition in the United States, and the date can occur from one to three times a year. There will

be three such occurrences in 2012, threatening more misfortune than some minds can handle. Some people refuse to go to work on Friday the 13th; some will not eat in restaurants. Many would not think of setting a wedding on the date.

How many Americans suffer from this condition? Donald Dossey, a psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of phobias and coiner of the term paraskevidekatriaphobia — given to those who have an irrational fear of Friday the 13th — said the figure might be as high as 21 million. If he is right, about 10 percent of Americans are affected by a very old superstition.

Number associations also shift with time periods and geographical areas. In medieval times, numbers were linked less with daily life and more with the Bible.

While people today connect the number 12 with a dozen eggs or 40 with the Top 40 songs, people during the Middle Ages most likely related the numbers to Christ’s 12 disciples or the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert.

“Numbers back then had more religious significance,” said Annette Parks, associate professor of history. “Today, they have more secular value.”

This secular stance was highlighted in Smithsonian magazine, where writer Paul Hoffman explained that a massive amount of consumer money is lost monthly on the 13th because of travel cancellations and other plans due to superstitious beliefs.

And although any building with 13 or more floors always has a 13th floor, you would hardly know it. Most are never marked.

Many athletes refuse to wear the superstitious number on their jerseys or helmets.

And in a deck of Tarot cards, the death card is the 13th.

Whatever the numbers, their assigned and inherent significance continue to influence the mindset of people and cultures around the world.

Brothers,” the novel’s main characters — Cal, Gage and Fox — were born on this date.

ing numbers and upset the world. Nothing happened.

Omen” was done to collaborate with the date’s religious significance.

8/8/88 — The lights came on for the first night game at Chicago’s Wrigley Field, but the Cubs’ game against the Phillies was called after three and a half innings because of rain.

9/9/99 — Some thought this day would be a Y2K precursor, a day when computers would choke on confus-

1/20/01 — George W. Bush is sworn in as the nation’s 43rd president.

3/11/04 — The Madrid train bombings occurred 911 days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

6/6/06 — The opening of Doomsday-related film “The

10/10/10 — The Netherlands Antilles was dissolved, with the islands being split up and given a new constitutional status.

1/11/11 — It was a marketing dream for Apple as Verizon had its official launch gathering for the iPhone 4 in New York City.

11.2011/Crescent Magazine

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C

DF

AB

Everyone knows grades are important, but what about the knowledge that is supposed to accompany good ones?

by Mindy Kurtz & Amy Reinhart

Making Gr Ade

“Is that question going to be on the test?” is a question professors hear all the time.

When teachers hear it, Mark Durm wrote in The Educational Forum, they should realize that some students probably think grades are more important than learning, and securing a higher grade point average takes precedence over knowledge.

Although there is nothing quite like the feeling one gets when a midterm test is returned with an “A” boldly scribbled on it, for most there is also nothing like that sickening pang in the pit of one’s stomach when getting one with an “F” plastered on it instead. A simple letter has a huge impact on the lives of students everywhere.

In college, students are constantly challenged and their performance is evaluated on everything from projects and tests to essays and comprehensive final exams. Under so much pressure to excel, it goes without saying that grades make a difference. Certainly, course grades determine students’ grade point averages, but that cumulative GPA may also affect grants and scholarships, graduate school admission, the quality of resumes and future careers, not to mention the pleasure — or displeasure — of parents.

Margaret Stevenson, assistant professor of psychology, said because of these many considerations, grades go a lot deeper than pen marks for most students. “For a lot of us, it’s a reflection of self-worth,” she said. “It’s [the student] carrying that anxiety — not anything external, just that fear of failure.”

Most students want to do well, but what does the letter grade really represent?

11.2011/Crescent Magazine

17

D

GRADING SYSTEMS

urm writes that experimentation with grading systems at universities was the norm during the early years of formal education in America, with grading first used at Yale in 1785 to differentiate students. Various descriptive adjectives and numerical rankings used to evaluate were tried before Harvard started classifying students based on a 100-point scale in 1877.

It was not until 1883, again at Harvard, that the first use of a letter as a way to evaluate was found. But it was at Mount Holyoke College in 1897 that the letter grading system was perfected, and while the totalpoints-equals-letter-grade scale has been altered in different ways, it remains the standard today.

Assigning grades has been a topic of debate for years, mostly because they are viewed differently by different schools and different professors. Hampshire College, a private, liberal arts school with an enrollment of 1,500 in Amherst, Mass., forgoes the practice of doling out grades and instead administers written evaluations at the end of each academic semester.

The school claims this method is an improvement upon other existing systems because the purpose of evaluation is to provide constructive and meaningful feedback, not to promote competition.

And those at Hampshire are not the only ones who think this. Even Yale and Stanford have replaced letter grades, swapping out the traditional alphabetic system with different levels of achievement. Yale evaluations organize students into one of four categories: honors, pass, low pass and fail. At Stanford, grade point average and rank in class are not calculated. But what does this really prove?

“I think grades are important in that they provide an incentive, and if they [didn’t exist], neither would the incentive,” Stevenson said. “I wouldn’t work as hard if I knew I didn’t have to.”

But each institution has — as does each student — its own view of letter grades, and culture sometimes plays a part in the formation of those views.

Fusae Ekida, associate professor of Japanese and a student of the Japanese educational system, said school was about learning the basics — and at any cost. Students were required to study nine different subjects they had been taught all their

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lives, then they were tested on those subjects as their entrance exam for college.

“In high school I would come home from volleyball practice and have dinner, and then I would study,” she said. “I would be studying from 7 p.m. until 1 a.m. most nights.”

Ekida explained that schoolwork was all about memorization, with little creative input, and students were pressed to excel at every one of their subjects.

For Japanese students, only one exam stood between them and the most acclaimed universities, and the higher one’s score, the better the chance of being accepted into a noteworthy school.

She said some students received huge amounts of pressure from parents to gain acceptance into top institutions, and if their scores were not good enough, they were encouraged to wait — and study — for another year.

To make sure their children did well on the test the first time, parents often sent them to “cram schools,” facilities designed to teach to parts of the exam. Students attended these supplemental classes after a normal day of school, which many times lasted into the wee hours of night.

“I remember late one night, I saw a little boy, who looked to be in sixth grade or so, studying in the subway, coming home from cram school,” Ekida said. “That’s the point when I told myself, ‘This is just too much.’”

Chair Daniel Gahan, professor of history, recalled his time as a student in 1970s Ireland and adopted his view of grading systems from those experiences.

For him to receive his high school diploma (called a leaving certificate), Gahan took a three-hour exam in each of the nine subjects he studied. All were comprehensive and covered not just one year’s worth of information but two. There was no way students could bluff their way out.

“My professor called it ‘the annual vomit of undigested knowledge,’” he said. “It was a really stressful time.”

College worked much the same way.

Courses, usually eight, lasted for a year, not a semester. Yearly exams featured a threehour test in each subject and determined 100 percent of course grades.

“I have to say, of all the exams I have ever taken, including at undergraduate and graduate levels in university, the leaving certificate was the toughest,” Gahan said.

When Gahan moved to the U.S. in 1980 and begin teaching at the University of Kansas, he noticed students were completely open to receiving average grades.

“Students were happy with getting C’s,” he said. “They realized that an A was a rare grade to come by.”

I

GRADE INFLATION

n the early 1980s, it was rare for American students to receive A’s in their coursework. Now, there is no shortage of A’s on grade reports and transcripts — especially at private schools — and this is because of grade inflation, when higher grades are assigned for work that would have received lower grades in the past.

“If an A becomes a typical grade, something is very wrong,” Gahan said.

But that might just be what is happening. Based on 2007 data on letter grades awarded by more than 200 four-year colleges and universities and compiled by researchers Stuart Rojstaczer and Christopher Healy, the share of A’s awarded has soared over the years, and private schools are the biggest offenders. The information collected from 160 schools showed that the average GPA at private schools today is 3.3. At public schools, it is 3.0.

“It is likely that the reason grades are slightly higher at private colleges is that professors in those schools choose to grade a little easier for a given level of student performance,” Rojstaczer, a former Duke professor, wrote on his blog last year.

Based on the survey’s results, The New York Times reported about 43 percent of all letter grades given at colleges and universities are A’s, an increase of 28 percentage points since 1960 and 12 percentage points since 1988.

The allocation of B’s has stayed fairly constant, and the growing share of A’s comes at the expense of a dwindling share of C’s, D’s and F’s. Only about 10 percent of grades awarded are D’s and F’s. It was also found that GPAs increased from a national average of 2.52 in the 1950s to about 3.11 in the last decade.

Grade inflation is a trend that first cropped up in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s because professors were reluctant to awared grades to young men who could ultimately end up in Vietnam if they flunked out of school.

It leveled off following the war and re-

occurred in the late ‘80s, and is especially common in high schools where it is thought that by giving students higher grades, it will boost their self-esteem or provide an incentive to work harder.

Rojstaczer and Healy also credit the increase in grade inflation to a more “consumer-based approach” to education, believing it benefits the institution when faculty grades generously. They believe more liberal grading can produce better instructor evaluations and helps students be more competitive candidates for graduate programs and the job market.

There are students in every major who feel the pressure, believing they must get an A on every test, project or as a final grade — or they have failed.

“I once got a 93 on an organic chemistry exam, and it threw me a little bit,” said sophomore Dalton Snyder, recalling a moment of grade-related anxiety.

Snyder pressures himself to maintain a spotless GPA. What really drives him is something he cannot put his finger on.

“There’s just something in me that can’t stand when somebody does one point better than me,” he said. “I’m not sure why.”

R

study time

esearch by two economists at the University of California also shows that students today study less than students did in the past. Full-time students devoted 40 hours per week toward class and studying in 1961; by 2003 they were spending about 27 hours per week.

Others say the cause for reduced time spent studying can be explained by students increasing their hours spent in offcampus jobs to pay for their education.

But Facebook may be the ultimate culprit. A study done at The Ohio State University found those who use the social networking site spend less time studying and have lower GPAs than those who do not.

“Our study shows people who spend more time on Facebook spend less time studying,” said Aryn Karpinski, a doctoral student in education. “We can’t say that use of Facebook leads to lower grades and less studying, but we did find a relationship there.”

Whatever the reason, some majors may have more riding on perfection than others and, as a result, are subject to stricter stipulations, rules — and studying.

One of those majors is nursing. UE’s nursing majors have to maintain more than a 75 percent average in order to stay in the program. For them, a C spells failure.

But to Chair Amy Hall, professor of nursing, such pressure is not without good reason. At the end of nursing students’ undergraduate career, they have to take the National Council Licensure Examination in order to practice their profession.

“Current evidence shows that students who earn less than a C average on their exams tend not to be able to pass NCLEX,” she said. “We have to ensure that students can pass NCLEX — if someone does not pass the exam, [he or she] cannot practice as a nurse.”

But pressure to perform comes not only from how nursing students do at the end of their schooling, but also from current testing procedures. The integrity of nursing students was jeopardized last year when a few students were caught cheating. As a result, several faculty amped up their testing policies to curb any dishonesty.

“In national studies, nursing continues to be ranked by the public as the most ethical profession,” Hall said. “When a student cheats on an exam or on an assignment, we begin to wonder what types of decisions that student will make in a clinical situation.”

Now, when nursing students enter some classrooms to test, they draw numbers and sit in the corresponding numbered seat. This environment forces students to focus not only on the test, but on adjusting to the space itself. Though this may not seem like much, when cumulative material and two supervising proctors are added, a student may feel under scrutiny with every move he or she makes.

I

cheating

t is often this type of pressure that pushes some over the edge. Unprepared, tense students who have never cheated may find themselves doing whatever they can in order to succeed.

Dean John Mosbo, senior vice president for Academic Affairs, said students might be afraid of disappointing others.

“Students nearly kill themselves to keep getting A’s,” he said, adding that more students are now going to extremes to bolster or maintain high grades.

To this end, the normally comedic Col-

legeHumor.com conducted an informal study in 2007, producing statistics that were altogether sobering. An astonishing 60.8 percent of the survey’s 30,000 respondents admitted to cheating while in college — and 16.5 percent did not regret it.

In fact, a U.S. News and World report stated 85 percent of all students — even those who said they do not cheat — said cheating is necessary to do well in college.

What is even more frightening is the fact that cheaters are generally high-achieving students — not those many would think of as slackers. A poll conducted by Fordham University pointed to a significant gap between the GPAs of cheating and noncheating students. Self-reported cheaters, according to the study, boast a 3.41 GPA, while non-cheaters hover at about a 2.85.

But desperation and pressure aside, cheating is hurting students far more than it is helping. If students are not studying and retaining information in order to obtain knowledge, they are not getting the education they need in order to successfully apply it to their areas of study and their lives.

In a sense, these students are setting themselves up for failure because they are far too concerned with deceitfully getting answers, rather than studying to be able to answer honestly. And when this happens, students are not learning.

Educators agree that a good education is not about how many questions one has answered but about closely considering those that cannot be answered. To them, that is the true beauty of learning.

“You’re beginning to learn when you realize how little you know,” Gahan said. “It’s like when a child walks out into its backyard and says, ‘this is the world,’ when in reality, the world is much bigger than that.”

Gahan said knowledge is not about knowing everything. Most students are not supposed to know it all — for now. To him, college is a time to ask questions and to learn — become knowledgeable — through asking and reflecting, not by being worried about the letter grades received.

Some students yearn to eat their textbooks and simply digest the answers, but that is not the way it works. Before students can get the answers, they have to learn. Education is about gaining knowledge, and if we gain knowledge, does the letter grade really matter?

11.2011/Crescent Magazine

19

by Kate Wood & Kayla Hammel

Got Birth Control?

If you do not want a happy accident, contraception is the way to go. Getting wise about options means fewer post-sex freak-outs and more sexual healing.

F

rom a pregnancy test through delivery, a newborn costs anywhere between $6,800 and $10,600, and that is a conservative estimate, according to Parenting Weekly. While health insurance will pick up most of the charges while a woman is pregnant, there are a number of out-of-pocket expenses as well. And if the expectant mother does not have health insurance, charges can be as high as $11,000. Plus, as soon as the little bundle of joy is born, the baby is the parent’s financial responsibility.

The first-year price tag of caring for a baby’s needs is about $11,000, many sources report. If the mother returns to work after the baby is born, PW said child care can cost as much as $4,500 the first year. But the National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies reports the average price for full-time daycare in 2009 was as high as $14,600 in some parts of the United States.

If the mother does not breastfeed, formula costs about $100 per month.

Clothing may run as much as $600 the first year. Items, such as a stroller, breast pump, crib and car seat, can cost considerably more — between $2,000 and $6,000. And you will do lots and lots of laundry — every day — because babies are messy little things. Plan for the water and detergent bills to climb.

Even diapers add up. By the time a baby is toilet trained, at least $1,600 will be spent on diapers, according to a number of estimates. And the cost of caring for a baby does not go down after potty training. Between the ages of 5 and 13, a child’s needs and desires for food, clothing, shoes, toys, music and movies grow as steadily as the cost of supplying them. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported in June that a family could expect to spend about $226,920 — $286,860 if inflation costs are factored in — for food, shelter and other necessities to raise a child over the next 17 years. That figure does not include the cost of a college education.

And you thought putting gas in your car was expensive.

Some college-age students are not sexually active, but many are. Data suggests that most young people have their first sexual experience at about age 17. And while unplanned pregnancies of females 15–19 have decreased in recent years, that figure has increased for those 20–24 — a staggering 73 percent of pregnancies of unmarried women between the ages of 20 and 24 were unplanned, according to a 2008 report published by The National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancies.

The National Journal reported in August that almost half of all pregnancies in the U.S. in 2006 (the most recent data) were unplanned — about 3.2 million a year. Of those, six in 10 were to women 20–24. And education level does not appear to be a factor. Among unmarried women in their 20s with at least some college, nearly eight in 10 (77 percent) pregnancies were unplanned.

“Unintended pregnancy can be life altering for the individuals involved and impact education, employment and health,” said Kathy Lever, associate professor of nursing. “A sexually active college-age student who does not use contraception has a 90 percent chance of becoming pregnant within one year.”

We live in a time when unplanned pregnancies should be a thing of the past. So if we are having sex, what is it about birth control that we do not understand?

Birth control is a contraception technique and refers to the use of a device or medication that will keep a woman from becoming pregnant. Women have tried to rid themselves of unwanted pregnancies since ancient times, and forms of birth control have been used

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Crescent Magazine/11.2011

for hundreds of years. Kathleen London of the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute writes that these forms included male withdrawal; using suppositories designed to form an impenetrable coating over the cervix; inserting into the vagina devices that covered the cervix and were withdrawn after intercourse; post-intercourse douching designed to kill or drive out sperm; condoms; and the rhythm method. And believe it or not, variations of all these methods are still used today.

WITHDRAWAL METHOD London said studies in the 1920s and ‘30s found the pull-out or withdrawal method to be the most common form of birth control.

It is still a common practice — about 35 million couples worldwide rely on withdrawal, and many refer to it as male birth control.

Planned Parenthood said it is only effective if it is done correctly.

“If the male partner withdraws before ejaculation every time a couple has vaginal intercourse, about 4 percent of couples will become pregnant over the course of a year,” Rachel K. Jones, of the Guttmacher Institute, which studies reproductive health matters, told The New York Times.

It is risky and a method that should only be used if a couple has control, trust and experience with each other. Lever said withdrawal is an option frequently reported by young people, but it is not a reliable means of preventing pregnancy. Planned Parenthood said it is an acceptable alternative when no other option is available.

BARRIERS condom — The male condom has been around since the 16th century; the first one was produced in the United States in 1840.

Made of latex or plastic, condoms are worn on the penis during intercourse and come in different styles. Condoms have been improved upon greatly though the years, but in order for them to be effective, they need to be worn correctly. While few

women get pregnant when a condom is used properly, 18 of 100 women get pregnant annually when condoms are not put on the right way.

“According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and a CDC survey from 2010, 95 percent of sexually active adolescents report using a condom,” Lever said.

And that is a positive thing since condoms also protect partners from sexually transmitted infections. They cost about $1 apiece but are free at the Health Center, and are more effective when used with spermicide, an inexpensive substance that stops sperm from moving in the vagina.

A female condom is similar to a male condom, but it is inserted into the vagina.

Effectiveness also depends on proper use.

Planned Parenthood states they are just as safe as male condoms and as successful in protecting partners from STIs, but they are about four times more expensive. Failure rate is about 21 percent, according to the American Pregnancy Association. diaphragm — The concept of blocking the cervix during intercourse has been around for thousands of years. Birth control activist Margaret Sanger introduced the diaphragm to the U.S. in 1916 after spending time in Europe, where the device was legal and popular. In 1940, one-third of married American couples used diaphragms. Its use dropped off after the birth control pill was introduced in 1960.

A diaphragm is a silicone cup that a woman inserts into her vagina to block the opening to the uterus. Like other forms of contraception, its effectiveness correlates with proper use and it is more effective when used with a spermicide.

Many women dislike diaphragms because they must be inserted before having sex, may be difficult to insert and can be pushed out of the way by the penis. A diaphragm can last for two years and gener-

ally costs between $15–$75. The APA reports the failure rate is about 18 percent. cervical cap — It was not until rubber was chemically processed in the mid1800s that caps became popular, becoming the most widely used barrier method in Western Europe and Britain. Along with the diaphragm, the cap became accepted in the U.S. in the late ‘20s, but its popularity diminished with the advent of oral contraceptives in 1960. It was banned by the FDA in 1976, but reintroduced in 1988.

The cap, also a silicone cup, works much like the diaphragm. Its effectiveness correlates with proper use, and it is more effective when used with a spermicide.

Women dislike it for the same reasons they dislike the diaphragm. It also can last for two years but is more expensive than a diaphragm, about $60–$75. The APA reports a failure rate of about 20 percent. sponge — The contraceptive sponge was introduced in 1983 but had some manuafacturing problems in 1994. It reappeared in 2005, disappeared again in 2008 and was reintroduced in 2009.

About 2 inches in diameter, the sponge is made of soft, plastic foam and contains spermicide. It is inserted into the vagina before sex and covers the cervix like a diaphragm, but unlike the diaphragm, it continuously releases spermicide. Effectiveness of the sponge has been questioned.

Planned Parenthood reports it is more effective with women who have never given birth. The New York Times reported last year that the sponge could have a failure rate of more than 10 percent, with the APA citing 16 percent. No prescription is needed to purchase the sponge, which costs about $10 for a package of three.

HORMONE-BASED birth control pill — It was the addition in 1960 of the birth control pill that kept many women from having unplanned pregnancies. It was an instant hit. Five years af-

birth control My ths Myth: A woman cannot get pregnant if she does not have an orgasm.

Fact: A female who is old enough to ovulate can get pregnant, whether she has an orgasm or not.

Myth: Douching prevents pregnancy.

Fact: Douching is not effective. If sperm has already pasted the cervix, nothing can stop its movement.

Myth: Plastic wrap or balloons are acceptable substitutes for condoms.

Fact: Neither fits properly and may tear during sex. Condoms are made specifically to ensure protection and a secure fit.

Myth: There is a “safe” time to have sex.

Women are only fertile one day a month.

Fact: Trying to pinpoint the precise day a woman ovulates is difficult because not

all women have regular periods and hormone cycles can be disrupted by a variety of things, including stress and medicines.

Myth: A woman will not get pregnant if she urinates or takes a shower/bath right after sex.

Fact: Urinating or showering will not keep sperm from entering the uterus.

— Cleveland Clinic 11.2011/Crescent Magazine

21

most effective ter its introduction, 6.5 million American women were on the pill. Today, it is estimated that more than 100 million women worldwide use the pill daily.

Lots of advances have been made since 1960, and many types are now available, prescribed depending on a woman’s needs.

On the market for more than 50 years, it remains the No. 1 form of contraception.

The pill is made of hormones that keep a woman’s ovaries from ovulating and block sperm from reaching a woman’s eggs. It must be taken daily. There is at least a 99 percent effectiveness rate if used as prescribed, and other benefits include help with severe menstrual cramps, acne and heavy and irregular periods. As with all hormone-based contraceptives, the pill requires a prescription. Costs range from $15–$50 per month. shot — The FDA approved a hormone shot to prevent pregnancy in 1992. Like other hormone-based contraceptives, it works by blocking ovulation. Given in the arm, its failure rate is less than 1 percent, with one shot lasting for three months.

Cost ranges from $35–$75.

Patch — Introduced in 2001, the patch is applied three weeks a month, followed by a patch-free week. Hormones are absorbed into the bloodstream so the patch works like other hormone-based contraceptives. Many women who use the patch have more regular, lighter and shorter periods, and because the patch works like the pill, it offers many of the same benefits.

It is 99 percent effective, according to the APA, and while most women can use it safely, Ortho Evra, maker of the patch, reports that because it releases such a high dose of hormones, it elevates the risk of blood clots. A one-month supply costs about $15–$70. ring — Marketed in the U.S. since 2002, the ring is inserted into the vagina monthly for three weeks then removed to allow for menstruation. It is small and flexible, and like other hormone-based contraceptives, it blocks ovulation. Additional benefits mimic those of other hormonal-based contraceptives. The APA states it has a failure rate of less than 2 percent. Cost ranges from $15– $70 per month. implant — Approved for use in the U.S. in 2006, it has been used by more than 2.5 million women since then. The only FDA-approved implant is Implanon, which

22

Crescent Magazine/11.2011

Planned Parenthood describes as a flexible matchstick-sized rod inserted into the upper arm. It contains a hormone that is released into the body to prevent ovulation.

It must be inserted by a doctor and costs between $400–$800, but it works up to three years and is more than 99 percent effective, the APA reports. According to Implanon, some women who have used the product complained that their periods became irregular and unpredictable. iud — While the pill became the most popular form of birth control in the United States by 1964, other forms of birth control were being devised. In 1976, the FDA approved the intrauterine device, or IUD. Today there are two options: the copper IUD and the hormone IUD. Each is a small, T-shaped device inserted by a doctor into the uterus. It is one of the most effective types of birth control, with more than a 99 percent effectiveness rate. IUDs can be expensive; costs are $550–$1,000 — one type lasts for up to five years and the other lasts for up to 12 years. Some women complain that the IUD results in heavier periods and an increase in menstrual cramps.

Lever said the main disadvantage to any of the hormonal methods versus a barrier method is that they do not provide any protection against sexually transmitted infections or HIV. “For this reason, it is very important to use a condom in addition to hormonal birth control,” she said. “Using two methods of birth control also decreases the risk of pregnancy.”

Finally, while not a form of birth control, there is emergency contraception. It comes in two forms: a pill and an IUD. The pill, which came on the market in 1998, is a backup for preventing pregnancy when taken within five days of unprotected sex or contraceptive failure. The sooner it is taken, the more effective it is.

Millions of women have used the morning-after pill with few side effects. Vomiting and nausea are the most common complaints. Most types are available without prescription to those 17 and older. Cost is between $10–$70. The copper IUD can also be used as backup emergency contraception if inserted within 120 hours — five days — after unprotected sex.

“Birth control is 100 percent accessible,” junior Taylor Lewis said. “There are so many forms of birth control. It’s not just for

Besides abstinence, no birth control method is 100 percent effective. But here are the top most effective methods and prices to help you find the one that works best for you.

• Pill — $15–$50 per month Taken daily; Many options • Implant — $400–$800 Lasts up to three years One option: Implanon • Patch — $15–$70 per month Lasts a month One option: Ortho Evra • Shot — $35–$75 Lasts three months One option: Depo-Provera • IUD — $550–$1,000 Lasts up to 12 years Two options: Paragard and Mirena the [woman], but the guy too.”

And what about guys? Besides condoms, options for men are lacking. Other than withdrawal, outercourse (any sex play without vaginal penetration) and abstinence, there really are not any other birth control methods. But eventually it will be the man’s turn.

“New options for males are being researched worldwide,” Lever said. “The options are similar to those for women, hormonal pills, patches, implants and injections, and may be available in a few years.”

MSNBC reported last year that a male pill could be available within seven years and implants could arrive even sooner.

Locally, Planned Parenthood, 125 N. Weinbach, #120, and TRI-CAP Family Health Services, 727 John St., can assist you with your contraceptive needs.

“Community clinics and governmentfunded clinics often offer reduced rates on exams and birth control methods,” Lever said. “TRI-CAP considers income [when determining] the amount you are able to pay, so for most students, this is just a few dollars to obtain birth control services.”

For more information about Planned Parenthood, visit plannedparenthood.org/ health-center or call 812–473–4990. For more information about TRI-CAP, visit tricap.net or call 812–428–2189.

“People know that we are there for them,” Planned Parenthood’s Mai-Lin Poon said. “We provide affordable, comprehensive reproductive healthcare to everyone without bias or judgment. We believe in providing honest and medically accurate information and education.”

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23

‘tis most splendid this way of life

“Put a belt on and add a hat, and that’s period,” he said. “I’m probably the only male in Medieval Society who actually wears tights. It’s not required.”

While some members wear garb on a fairly regular basis, the group also hosts “Garb Days” throughout the year as a way of promoting the society and its love of medieval life.

“I actually enjoy all the weird looks,” Hult said.

Levine said he has gotten so used to wearing garb that he does not normally notice the odd looks he receives anymore.

“We try to be as period as possible,” he said. “[But] you have to be a little crazy to walk around campus in garb.”

Besides wandering campus in period clothing, the group attends fairs and takes other excursions. One event members look forward to every year is the Fishers Renaissance Faire, located Tossing wenches in traditional dances, playing games of near Saxony in Hamilton County.

In addition to seeing many people in garb, the two-day event human chess or crossing swords in make-believe battles hosts such activities as period dancing and music, a jousting — it’s just another medieval day. tournament, swordplay, knighting ceremonies, horse demonstraby Cory Hart & Danielle Weeks tions, arts and crafts and a variety of food. “[It is] a very family-friendly faire,” Levine said.

Senior Allison Hayden said she has been to several faires in the past. A typical one consists of a king and queen ruling over a They were some of the most influential years in the court of fairgoers, and attendees can have an audience with the history of the world. Lasting about 1,000 years, the Middle Ages saw the fall of the Roman Empire, the royal couple.

“Faire is a place for rise of England’s greatest kings, the Dark Ages fantasy as well as histoand the Renaissance.

It was a time of cultural achievements and sci- ry,” she said.

Part of the fun for entific accomplishments, the rise of Christianity Levine was serving as a and the legend of King Arthur and the Knights of guard this year for the the Roundtable. Few time periods packed so much faire’s queen. He said fairinto such a small interval of time. goers have scripts for Medieval history has a certain romance to it, and interest some of the activities, but in the time period may have everything to do with chivalry, most are improvised. And knights-in-shining armor, damsels in distress and pirates.

Kyle Poole because the fair is simiWhat is known is that there are many people devoted to the lar to a daylong stage production, Levine said participants attend era, from the clothing worn to the weapons used. Reenactments training workshops to help them improvise and choreograph of this time in history can be found worldwide, with devotees staged combat. gathering to share their love of all things medieval.

“I was excited,” he said. “I had six different weapons.”

UE’s Medieval Society, which has about 45 members, has The society also went on a hiking been a staple on campus for years. trip last year, where they wandered And it is usually easy to spot its eclec“Who doesn’t want to trails, enjoyed the outdoors and made a tic members. They are the women fredress up and pretend they traditional dish for dinner. quently seen wearing floor-length, bodOn their hike, they had to cross a ice-fitting dresses with eyelet blouses live in a different time? It’s stream and the women had to tuck their and cloaks, men in tunic shirts with a nice change of pace ...” skirts in their waistbands, exposing not sashes, gothic pants and fold-over boots. only ankles, but calves and knees.

And period hats and caps are an impor“It was quite scandalous,” Hult joked. “Hiking in floor-length tant part of dressing up. skirts is fun.”

Sophomore Lizie Hult, who likes to read fantasy books set in Members do more than wear medieval garb. Levine said one medieval times, said she became interested in the society when of the things the society is doing this year is integrating memshe saw members dressed in their distinctive attire. bers’ personas more into their activities. Personas, which are “I want to go to class in costume,” she said she thought to characters created by members as a way to immerse themselves herself. more fully into the time period, vary depending on the person The society creates most its own garments, which is referred creating them. to as garb, because period-looking clothing is relatively simple Hult said her persona is a half-German, half-English woman to make. Senior Mitch Levine said some people dress in period named Roselynne Wolfe. She is writing a book about her persostyles every day without even knowing it.

T

24

Crescent Magazine/11.2011

na, and as a way to get more into character, she even signs her e-mails to members by using persona’s name.

“Personas can be as simple or as complex as you want,” she said. “It’s a chance to let your imagination run.”

Many of the members are archaeology and history majors, so it is easy to see how a mutual love of history also plays a key part in the roles they play. And they think some Hollywood filmmakers should have paid more attention in history class since the society occasionally has informal “spot-the-inaccuracies” parties where they watch movies that were set in the Middle Ages. The films are not meant to be historical documentaries, of course, but sometimes glaring inaccuracies can elicit groans from even casual history buffs. “[During] that opening scene of ‘The Mummy,’ I just start yelling at the TV because the pyramids are not in Thebes,” Hult said.

While the society strives for historical accuracy, most members just want to learn for the fun of it. Hayden said the group wants people to experience history without boring them.

“It’s kind of like history light,” she said.

Members put history into action, too. Hayden said on weekends they often rope off an area on campus and prepare their armor and weapons. Fights are one-on-one, and members challenge each another. They also partner with the local chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronisms, an international organization dedicated to researching and recreating the arts and skills of pre-17th-century Europe, to practice their swordplay and other activities.

Allison Hayden

Mitchell Levine

n Medieval Society personas and events are grounded mostly in the Elizabethan era, a time associated with Queen Elizabeth I’s reign (1558– 1603). This time period is also known in English history as the Golden Age. n While society members might use “Middle Ages” and “medieval times” interchangeably, they will never use the term “Dark Ages.” People in medieval times were not devoid of new technologies or ideas. n Blazons are crests that denote a person’s household. They were used in medieval battles as a way to distinguish warring houses. In the Medieval Society, when you become a lord or lady, you create your own blazon.

The society blazon has a purple background with a white chevron.

Eric Humphrey

When reenacting, there are two types of fighting: heavy fighting and fencing, and each requires different armor and weapons. Even though the weapons have been altered so fighters cannot actually hurt one another, members admit there is nothing more stress relieving than swinging a sword at someone.

“Basically, they just go out there and bash at each other,” Hayden said.

When they are not crossing blades, dancing is a popular distraction. If you see them around campus lined up in rows, be prepared for a bit of Celtic music and some skirt twirling. Three specific dances, Hole in the Wall, Toss the Wench and Korobushka, a folk dance that originated in 19th century Russian ballrooms, are favorites since they were passed down from older members to new ones.

Members also practice with SCA and dance together during meetings and other special occasions like RSA’s “Halloween Bash,” where members dress up in garb to dance and feast the night away.

Whether members like Levine have always been interested in the time period or have recently gained an affinity for that romantic age, they enjoy all that goes along with learning the history of medieval times.

And like many young girls, Hayden said she grew up daydreaming about knights, princesses and castles, adding that the society gives her the chance to combine her historical interests with that whimsical childhood fantasy.

“Who doesn’t want to dress up and pretend they live in a different time?” she said. “It’s a nice change of pace from stressful college life.”

Ashley Motes

n The Society for Creative Anachronism is a nationwide organization that operates much like the Medieval Society, but it is focused more heavily on historical accuracy and education.

SCA members practice fighting, do crafts and produce jewelry. n Medieval Society members do not usually speak in Elizabethan English, although some like to do so when in garb. “How stands the hour?” is a way of saying “What time is it?”

fascinating facts

11.2011/Crescent Magazine

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Through the Lens

photos by Jessica Crihfield Taylor

Eye of the Beholder With fall semester winding down, these Art 340, “Painting,” students show just how creative they can be. With all kinds of projects under way, such as creating an abstract from a still life and painting without paint, innovation takes over their minds and the product is hours of hard work that is sure to catch the eye.

Who needs an easel? With music in his ears and a comfortable spot on the floor, junior Gavin Chura transforms the canvas.

With bright colors and a whimsical design in mind, junior Myra Lamphier duplicates her sketch into a lively final product.

“This above all: to thine own self be true” Making what seems like a Hamlet-inspired still life her own, junior Erin Sparling puts the finishing touches on her dark, yet elegant, painting.

With a quirky smile and a sense of accomplishment, junior Brittany Embry shows just how excited she is about the progress she’s made with her abstract.

Whoever says artists don’t use math has never met senior Jonathan Hernandez. Knowing the exact dimensions is crucial if his piece is to fit in the frame.

Breaking away from the standard canvas size, junior D’vaugn Agu creates a floor-to-ceiling work of fabric and paint.

11.2011/Crescent Magazine

27

by Chelsea Modglin Doesn’t everyone need a little mayhem in their day?

The fast-paced action of the Evansville IceMen may just do the trick.

Playing between the whistles

Someone once joked that hockey is a form of disorderly conduct in which score is kept.

Whether that is true or not can be debated, but everyone knows it is an intense sport, one where fights happen frequently and body slams are a part of the action.

“It is a very physical game,” said Evansville IceMen second-year coach Rich Kromm, who also serves as general manager. “[Fighting has] always been in the game.”

But hockey has had a hard time rising to the top of the sports echelon. One would think it would be more popular given the gripping nature of the game.

The IceMen are hoping to change that.

Hockey is the fourth most popular sport in America. But like soccer, it seems to be one of those that struggles to find a prominent fan base. Although hockey is known as the team sport of Canada, where it has been enthusiastically played since 1875, the same cannot be said of the U.S., where spectators seem to give the sport a somewhat cold shoulder.

While professional hockey has a home on TV — FOX tried to win fans by implementing the use of a highlighted puck during games — some semi-pro squads have had a difficult time getting people excited about the sport.

This has affected the IceMen, a member of the Central Hockey League who started playing in Evansville in 2008. Few people pay much attention to the IceMen — even fewer

28

Crescent Magazine/11.2011

would go so far as to call themselves fans.

But now the IceMen have a new home at the Ford Center. They previously played at Swonder Ice Arena, which seats 1,500. The center can hold 9,200 for hockey, and the hope is that the curious will become devotees.

And fans are an important part of any game.

“It’s so much more fun [to play] in front of a crowd,” Kromm said.

The IceMen finished the 2010–11 campaign 21–45 but started this season with a 5–0 win last month over Fort Wayne. Games are played through March 2012, with about 40 home games scheduled. Tickets start at $10.

“We’ve made a lot of changes,” Kromm said. “We have new players up front. It’s a good balance.”

Hockey must be watched closely, not casually. While the objective is simple, play can seem choppy with its many stops and starts.

“It’s a hard sport to follow,” Kromm said.

“It’s different from baseball or other sports.”

Even though hockey may never measure up to other American sports, hearing the roar of the crowd and adding your own voice to the fray are all parts of the experience. Even waving a stupid foam finger, just missing the heads of the people in the row below you, seems like a thrill. “[Hockey’s] a contact sport, and who doesn’t like contact sports?” junior Sierra Burtis said.

“What the PUCK is happening?”

• A hockey puck is made of about 6 ounces of vulcanized rubber, meaning it is treated with sulfur and heat to produce the kind of toughness necessary for all the extreme punishment it will take during a game.

• The defensive zone is that area of the ice nearest a team’s goal. The attacking zone is that area of the ice claimed by the opponent’s goal.

• Fisticuffs are foul or aggressive plays.

• Checking is any contact initiated by a defending player against an opponent meant to slow him down or steal the puck.

There are two main types: a stick

check and a body check.

• Cross-checking is a particularly offensive fisticuff where one player checks another using the upper part of the hockey stick.

• Boarding is another offensive fisticuff where one player shoves another into the walls of the rink.

•The penalty boxes, also known as sin bins, are two small boxes on the edges of the hockey rink. Players are sent there for a certain amount of time, usually as a penalty for a fisticuff.

• A power play refers to a team’s advantage when an opposing player — especially a good one — is sent to the bin for a penalty.

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UE is proud of its Treasures & Traditions • evansville.edu/alumni 11.2011/Crescent Magazine

29

campus crime The following information was compiled from criminal offense reports filed Sept. 27–Oct. 26 in Safety & Security.

Oct. 23 — 10 reports were filed of license plates stolen from vehicles parked at various campus locations. The plates were recovered, and the student suspect was referred to the vice president for Student Affairs for disciplinary action.

— A license plate was stolen from a vehicle parked on Frederick. The plate was recovered, and the student suspect was referred to the vice president for Student Affairs for disciplinary action.

— A license plate was stolen from a vehicle parked on Rotherwood. The plate was recovered, and the student suspect was referred to the vice president for Student Affairs for disciplinary action.

Oct. 15 — Items were stolen from a Carson Center closet. Loss reported at $400.

— A student reported her car, which was parked on public property, was scratched.

Oct. 13— A WWF vacuum was stolen from Carson Center. Loss reported at $400.

Oct. 12— A backpack containing an IPod and money was stolen from a car parked on the Front Oval.

Oct. 10 — A window was broken out of a vehicle parked in O-lot.

— Bookstore reported receiving checks returned for insufficient funds. Loss reported at $1,004.

Oct. 8 — MVC Championship banner stolen Oct. 3 from McCutchan Stadium was recovered.

Oct. 6 — A bicycle was stolen from the Moore Hall bicycle rack. Loss reported at $174.

Oct. 3 — MVC Championship banner was stolen from the north fence in McCutchan Stadium. Loss reported at $2,000.

Oct. 2 — A student in Hale Hall reported someone urinated on his laptop computer.

Suspect referred to the vice president for Student Affairs for disciplinary action.

Sept. 30 — Obscenities were written on the stairwell walls between the second and third floors of Moore Hall north.

— A mirror was reported broken off a vehicle parked in G-lot.

Sept. 29 — A table was broken in Koch Center100.

30

Crescent Magazine/11.2011

Third & Short / Mark Boxell

Questions of safety in the NHL Recent deaths off the ice and questions about safety have marred the hockey world.

Now the NHL is at a turning point, as exposure increases and problems persist.

T

he National Hockey League, even with its Canadian origins, has held its own in American sports for decades. After trying times in the early 2000s resulted in a player lockout and the loss of the 2004–05 season, the league has stabilized financially and has gradually increased in popularity. But as fans and exposure have increased, questions have been posed regarding the league’s ability to combat illegal hits on the ice. And more complex questions have been raised in the aftermath of this past off-season following the off-ice deaths of three players.

Now the NHL is met with the task of improving the physical and psychological safety of its players while preserving the inherently violent nature of the sport.

Three deaths shook the hockey world this summer.

New York Rangers left winger Derek Boogaard, 28, died due to an accidental mixture of alcohol and oxycodone. Winnipeg Jets center Rick Rypien, 27, and Nashville Predators right winger Wade Belak, 35, both committed suicide.

Notably, all three players were known as enforcers, players whose roles include bringing a physical presence to the game and sticking up for teammates — especially star players and goaltenders — by fighting opponents they deem to be too physical or aggressive.

Who Knew?

While the complexities of Rypien, Belak and Boogaard as men certainly extended beyond the ice, the fact that all three had the same defined role as hockey players cannot be ignored when examining their deaths.

The attitude of violence that comes with being an enforcer and the subsequent effects of concussions — an injury all three players would have experienced multiple times — both heighten the risk of depression, as well as other mental health concerns.

The enforcer role in hockey is a phenomenon that is incomparable to other roles in sports.

Being an enforcer glorifies violence. Furthermore, most players who become enforcers do so usually because they don’t have the skill to take on any other role. Their only chance at a job is to hit — to fight — and it’s ultimately what they are paid to do.

Many hockey purists view enforcers as necessary due to both the history of the sport and the fact that enforcers keep others from playing dirty because they provide conse-

quences for overly aggressive acts. But this attitude makes enforcers out to be the police of the game when in reality they are not protected by the very laws of the sport.

Enforcers are ultimately an abstract manifestation of the violent nature of hockey, and they are nonexistent according to the rulebook. This aspect, I feel, shouldn’t change because it would only further glorify the role and tie up the sport in even more rules. But the hockey world must at least acknowledge the physical and mental tolls of being an enforcer.

There are signs that such an openness is being more accepted. Former enforcer Georges Laraque recently suggested that the NHL should provide mental counseling to players, and after the deaths of Rypien and Belak, Gary Bettman, NHL commissioner, acknowledged that the macho-ism that sur-

rounds the sport must not inhibit players from feeling comfortable about coming forward when they are having issues.

Hockey is an inherently violent sport. But the aggression and mindless activity should not leave the ice. The deaths of Derek Boogaard, Rick Rypien and Wade Belak were tragic and avoidable. What little good that can be gained from tragedy will be gained only through the prevention of any such future occurrences.

In this sense, the NHL must promote and finance the psychological and mental health care that its players need — the league must promote openmindedness about depression and the fact that it’s OK to ask for help even when you are a professional athlete.

Third & Short columnist Mark Boxell is a sophomore history major from Evansville, Ind.

Pittsburgh is the only city in the United States where all major sports teams have the same colors: black and gold.

11.2011/Crescent Magazine

31

off the wall Who Knew?

About 66 percent of people keep their eyes closed while kissing. The rest take pleasure in watching the faces of their partners.

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The Don Draper

Whether or not you’re a fan of the hit TV show “Mad Men,” take some time to feel like a boss and indulge yourself in this drink named after the show’s main man.

Amctv.com says start by filling a rocks glass with ice. Add a cherry, an orange slice and a lemon wedge. Pour in some bourbon — and enjoy it like it’s your job.

Ingredients: 2 dashes bitters 1/2 tsp sugar dissolved using water & bitters 1.5 oz bourbon

it came from the library n Armenian chocolate factory Grand Candy created the world’s largest chocolate bar on Sept. 11, 2010. The 224-inch bar weighed 9,702 pounds. n The word “Chicago” is an Anglicized form of the Indian word “shegahg,” which means “skunk.” n Musical sand is a distinctive feature of the Hawaiian island Kauai. Depending on how the sand is stirred, it produces sounds ranging from pleasing to terrifying. n The first official World Series was a series of baseball games played in 1884

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between New York teams the Providence Grays and the Metropolitans. n The U.S. symbol “$” is possibly derivative of ancient pillars, which were popularized by King Charles V and by the Tyrians, Parents put children’s art on the refrigerator for a reason — because it’s hilarious. It is always children who have the comic genius to draw a man with no body and arms sticking out of the top of his head.

At yourkidsartsucks.com, you can find such mas-

Crescent Magazine/11.2011

whose coinage was the earliest currency of the world. n American Anne Royall was the first woman journalist, the first woman to own and edit a newspaper and the first professional interviewer. terpieces as rainbow dinosaurs and teddy bears with laser beam eyes.

Maybe you’ll find that picture of a cat wearing a house you drew back in first grade. n Quotation marks are used incorrectly for “emphasis” all the time. For some reason, people think that a great way to spice up a sign is to high-

gotta get it If you are still using an ordinary hairbrush, consider yourself behind the times. Anyone concerned with thinning or balding hair knows that new therapies have done wonders to halt and reverse even severe hair loss.

Clinical treatments and salon regimens use lasers to help promote hair growth. And now the Viatek HairPro Luxor Laser Hair Brush brings the magic of laser hair treatment to your bathroom drawer.

This sophisticated bit of technology stimulates red blood cell production using nine lasers and six LED lights, reawakening stagnant light key words by putting quotation marks around them. Are we the only ones who are immediately suspicious of “fresh” food or an “exciting” show? If the grammarian in you can stand it enough to laugh about it, head over to unnecessaryquotes.com, where you’ll find countless “hilarious” examples.

hole in the wall

hair follicles. The hairbrush also has 26 detachable bristles to more fully accommodate your grooming experience, providing options for smoothing, styling and detangling hair. Viatek’s brush also has a rechargeable battery. This important product of human ingenuity retails at $499.99, which is quite a bargain when compared to hair therapy sessions at the salon or clinic that can cost as much as $2,000 per session.

And really — let’s be honest — you can’t put a price on a great head of hair. most-expensive.net

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If you want to lose weight but hate guesstimating calories, download the free Calorie Counter & Diet Tracker app by MyFittnessPal. Calculate how many calories your body actually needs and add meals from a database of more than 1 million foods, including many Sodexo options.

Masturbation is something many women enjoy as part of their sexual experiences. There are many ways to enjoy masturbation, but some women never masturbate. If you’re not interested in masturbating, you don’t have to do so to be normal. The Kinsey Institute says a way to enhance your masturbation is to engage your mind. Try to think of something you find sexy. For some, it’s thinking about having sex. With sexual fantasies, anything is possible. You might fantasize about being dominant or submissive, stripping, engaging in oral or anal sex, dressing a certain way, having group sex or sex with a stranger, kissing an exboyfriend or ex-girlfriend, being sexual with someone you always wanted to and so on. You can do these things alone with your hands or a vibrator. There are many ways to masturbate. While some women stimulate the clitoris, others focus on the labia or breasts. Some women stimulate the area around the anus or insert something into the anus and rectum for stimulation.

O ddlaws ny

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Going Down

While riding in an elevator, one person must talk to no other person and fold his or her hands while looking at the door.

mi

Hoops Away

In Grand Haven, no person shall throw a hoop skirt into any street or sidewalk, under penalty of a $5 fine per offense.

ut

Crack Laws

It is a felony to persistently tread on the cracks between paving stones on the sidewalk of a state highway.

ok

Simulating Sex

It is illegal for the manager or owner of a bar to allow anyone inside to pretend to have sex with a buffalo.

huffingtonpost.com

House Party Atlanta man Roderick Ward came home from vacation to find that burglars had left a camera, a dog collar and a half-eaten birthday cake in his house.

Pictures showed the burglars — two teenagers and a child — having a birthday party, washing a dog and brushing their teeth.

But since the teenagers apologized and returned Ward’s spare set of keys, he did not press charges.

No Gingers Allowed You can choose almost anyone to be your sperm donor, basing your selection on a variety of traits: donor height, ethnicity, temperament and hair color — just no redheads. Cryos International sperm bank has started turning down redheaded applicants due to a lack of demand. Apparently redheaded children are more prone to teasing, which many potential parents hope to avoid.

“Winning” A traveler at a Sao Paulo, Brazil, airport took drug smuggling to new heights when he tried to slip through security with 72 bags — nearly 2 pounds — of cocaine in his stomach.

The 20-year-old Irishman’s swallowed cargo was worth about $200,000. Authorities took the man, who may spend as many as 15 years in prison, to a hospital to have the coke removed from his stomach.

A Night to Die For Robert Young, 43, and Mark Rubinson, 25, went out for a wild night of eating and drinking with their friend Jeffrey Jarret. Too bad Jarret was dead for the fun.

Young and Rubinson drove around with the unresponsive Jarret and used his ATM card to withdraw $400 at a strip club. Only after dropping Jarret’s body back at his home did the pair think to contact police.

n Janky: Fanny Packs — Purses are fashionable, handy and cute — mostly because they aren’t attached to your body, unlike the fanny pack, which resembles a wayward octopus suctioned to your hips.

Although many trends from the ‘80s seem to be weaseling their way back into fashion, we can assure you that this hipbound catastrophe won’t be doing so any time soon. n Juicy: Pockets — When you simply can’t carry everything, be thankful for

janky vs. juicy

tidbits & assets

the all-purpose holders built into your pants. Depending on their flexibility, everything from IDs to soda bottles will fit in these compartments; even dresses are starting to incorporate them. n Janky: Energy Drinks — Although energy drinks can be beneficial when studying for a midterm, finishing that paper or just generally needing to stay awake, what goes up in a sugar high must come crashing down — probably onto the nearest pillow. Plus, the extra three hours to be distracted by Facebook that Red Bull provides are just not worth the drink’s cough syruplike taste. n Juicy: Coffee — Black or full of cream and sugar, coffee is one of the tastiest and healthiest ways to stay awake. A recent article by The Huffington Post reported that coffee can reduce depression in women, lower the risk of prostate cancer in men and even ward off Alzheimer’s disease. So, drink on coffee lovers. Drink on.

11.2011/Crescent Magazine

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Alexandra Wade

1. “Southern Vampire Mysteries” Charlaine Harris (Ace Books, 2001–11) My sister introduced me to the series, and while I know vampire novels are cliche, Harris’ narrator is different from angsty Bella of Stephenie Meyer’s “Twilight.” Protagonist Sookie is hilarious, witty and pretty much everything Meyer’s characters aren’t. The series takes on a much lighter tone and is the basis for HBO’s series “True Blood.”

Sophomore “Beastly”

It was just jumping on the fantasy bandwagon. It didn’t even follow the book, which wasn’t that good to begin with. Add bad actors to the mix, and you have a pretty miserable film.”

Aaron Johnson

Freshman “Transformers: Dark of the Moon”

2. “The Road” Cormac McCarthy

I absolutely hated it. I didn’t take it seriously to begin with because its concept was robots. I just wanted more substance — and someone better than Shia LaBeouf.”

(Knopf Doubleday, 2006) After reading McCarthy’s work in a literature course, I fell in love with his style. “The Road” is a post-apocalyptic novel that zeros in on the relationship between a father and his son. It struck me how moving and powerful that rela-

Joel Fralick

Senior “I Am Number Four” I didn’t even finish watching because it was so outrageously stupid. The plot just didn’t make any sense. It was cheesy and did not hold my attention.”

as far as senior Cara Schuster is concerned. This creative writing major’s list of favorites was endless, but after some reflection, here are her top choices in no particular order.

tionship can be — it’s astounding how much the author reveals through just the two characters.

3. “The Kite Runner” Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead Books, 2003) I first read the book during my sophomore year of high school — a time when most people are reading the classics — but “The Kite Runner” was so contemporary and powerful. It shows you a world you have little exposure to, and with the way Hosseini writes, you can’t help but feel moved by it.

4. “Catcher in the Rye” J.D. Salinger (Little, Brown and Co., 1951) I feel like most people read this book Who Knew?

34

in high school, but I hadn’t until just last year. I have never been so impressed and entertained by a narrative voice. It was so unique, and I feel like few authors can really capture a character like Salinger does or duplicate that style without sounding phony.

5. “Me Talk Pretty One Day” David Sedaris (Little, Brown and Co., 2000) This book is a collection of essays that intertwine and detail different stages of the author’s life. Somehow Sedaris manages to make every situation hilarious no matter what goes on within the piece. I don’t know if I’ve laughed out loud so much while reading.

worst of 2011 Brittany Triggs Junior “Bad Teacher”

It was horrible. It wasn’t that funny; I thought it was pretty pathetic actually. [Cameron Diaz’s character] was just really mean, and she didn’t deserve any happiness. It just made me mad.”

About $25 million is spent each year on lap dances in Las Vegas. • The winter of 1932 was so cold that Niagara Falls froze solid.

Crescent Magazine/11.2011

favorite study songs Students name their top playlist picks for a long night of hitting the books.

“What’s It Feel Like to Be a Ghost?”

Taking Back Sunday “When I listen to instrumental songs, I don’t have to focus on the words, and this band just puts me in that mood.” junior Alex Robitaille

“Breathe In, Breathe Out” Mat Kearney “It’s very calming and soothing, which is important when I’m studying and maybe stressing out about an exam.” junior Jessi Kraemer

“Africa” Toto “Well, it’s the greatest song ever — that’s why. You can’t beat the pan flute solo.” senior Peter Barringer

“Beautiful Love” The Afters “It keeps me focused but also keeps me upbeat, which [helps] because studying isn’t exactly the most thrilling thing.” sophomore Kate McKnight

“Would You Be Impressed?”

Streetlight Manifesto “It’s just a really catchy song, and it makes doing homework more tolerable. It’s not a very distracting song.” junior Nathaniel McIntyre

A Closer Look

Nathan Edmiston/Crescent Magazine

at WFF’s Theresa Hessen

For the lone housekeeper of Brentano Hall, Theresa Hessen, the workday begins at 4 a.m. After breakfast and a strong cup of coffee, she takes some time to collect herself before arriving on campus at 7 a.m. and taking on her seven-hour shift.

From the Morton & Brentano pit and onward, Hessen cleans and organizes the residence hall, leaving no stairwell, hallway or bathroom unchecked. But she also makes certain that no resident starts her day without having heard a cheerful hello.

“Theresa really cares about people,” said senior Abbey Weintraut, a Brentano Hall resident assistant. “She knows everyone in the building, probably even better than the RAs.” An Evansville native, Hessen understands the positive effect of a clean living space on stressed-out students and has been working diligently at UE for 10 years, striving to keep the hall a suitable home away from home.

“I remember when I first came to UE; I was nervous and overwhelmed,” junior Emily Elkind said. “Theresa really made me feel welcome and at ease.

It helped me realize she’s not just a housekeeper.”

And Hessen is indeed more than a

housekeeper. Not only is she an avid reader, but she is also a major football buff — and a closet fan of the Miami Dolphins. With her children now grown and moved out of the house, Hessen’s home life, she said, is a quiet and an unexciting one. But this does not stop her from coming alive on campus and taking an interest Brentano residents’ lives.

Every year, Hessen’s first order of business is learning all the new residents’ names. In no time, she has learned schedules, worries and the events of students’ daily lives — everything from the harrowing to the mundane. But it is Hessen’s gentle spirit and empathy that really make others feel cared for and loved.

“Some of the things these kids go through … God, I’d throw books,” she said with a smile.

Hessen looks out for residents’ well-being by keeping a close relationship with RAs like Weintraut. If she is concerned about a resident, Hessen passes on the message, making sure no one is alone when in need of help.

“All in all, I enjoy what I do,” she said. “I guess they could get a robot [to do my job], but what fun would that be?”

by Joshua Garrett 11.2011/Crescent Magazine

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That’s What She Said / Lacey Conley

Essay Meet the Monochromes It’s the unicolored life for some. One hometown family prefers to the view the world — and its own dysfunction — through a single lilac-tinted lens.

Every town has them: the token kooks. The old Babushska-esque, ragswaddled woman pushing her cartful of cherishables, handpicked from the dregs of the city dumpsite. The leering man, town laundry-mat bound, train spotting antenna poking up from his car. That one slow fellow — city locksmith perhaps — always happy to regale you on his worsening foot fungus, the oozing wasteland of boils on his back.

Well, I think I can do you one better.

Here’s one, you might want to say, for the books.

North of Evansville by six hours sits little-known Kendallville, home to 10,000 and the strangest family you could hope to meet. Aside from the their bizarre obsession, the Thierrys (we’ll call them) seemed like your average nuclear brood — mother, father, sister, brother. It was only after you’d spotted them regularly, in various sites and settings about town, that you really noticed something was off, that the consistent, if not perfectly coordinated, color scheme each member was sporting was perhaps not just some cute coincidence, nor some planned proffering of family cogency. No. The Thierrys, known to many as just the “Purple People” for their diehard devotion to the bluish-red hue, had built their whole lives around the pigment, professing their love to its fullest extent through their wardrobes, possessions, whatever they could.

It happened that the oldest child, Brent, and I were in preschool together, chance affording me opportunities to stare. When it would come time for a parent to get him, Mrs. Thierry would

Who Knew?

36

arrive in straight-up mountains majesty — in her daily purple sweatshirt, permed locks tumbling down from her periwinkle scrunchie, her glasses slightly rimmed with mauve. My mother and I would see her too, occasionally, harassing the pockmarked Walmart employee for the whereabouts of indigo scouring pads, scowling at his royal blue vest, or buffing the eggplants just a little too long.

Sometimes, Mr. Thierry would be there, swiveling his purple ball cap as he rifled through dark cabbages, donning any one of his collection of maroon-colored work shirts, probably handpicked from garage sales for tone.

It seemed he had resigned himself to denim on the bottom, likely due to the pre-eBay challenge of locating ass-intact and non-spandex amethyst pants.

The Thierrys drove home in a light lavender car. And we would pass, as they turned onto their property — purple trash bags beached roadside like brobdingagian plums, a patch of thistles leading up to the household, which was itself a kind of dusky purple, a puce or grayish tyrian shade.

What it must be like to live like that, I found myself thinking — confined to the prison of your own chromatic preference, the rods and cones of your eyes dying off from disuse.

What concerned me, though, of all things, was the children, raised on a diet that must have solely consisted of jelly, cape broccoli, grape juice and prunes. I mean, some parents impose religion and so forth onto their children, but to hear, growing up, “You can be anything you want to be … as long as

it’s purple” is a whole other game.

But Brent and his sister seemed pretty reasonably functional; no one ever wound up in juvie, and probably most surprisingly, neither offspring ever murdered the ‘rents, even if only just to see, for a moment, the bright red of their blood, the soft pinks and cosmic blues of their entrails, before beholding the stark aubergine of their livers and being transported back to a world of almost comical futility and inexplicable stress when filling a coloring book.

For hope’s sake, I would see Brent later on, in high school, in tan Carhartt jackets and yellow-striped NASCAR hats. I was never sure if this marked a rite of passage in the house — wherein, much like the Amish rumspringa, Brent was allowed a transient stage to sample the lifestyle and ultimately choose — or if he had claimed the right to dress himself. It was always funny to me: to think that somewhere, someone’s angst-riddled rebellion might have been cinched by his giving the finger and flipping open his jacket to reveal, perhaps, a light cyan pullover, howling to a parent through his door-clattering exit, “You don’t own me, Dad! Look! Blue!”

And because I haven’t been home in a while, I often wonder if, given time, the sister too “ran off with Roy G. Biv,” turned on at last to iridescence, or if she simply accepted predestiny, her parentfoisted lot in life, along with a job at the local McDonalds — inside a streetside Grimace suit.

Essayist Lacey Conley is a senior creative writing and psychology major from Kendallville, Ind.

In some parts of England, rum is used to wash a baby’s head for good luck. • 40 percent of women have thrown footwear at a man.

Crescent Magazine/11.2011

Planning to study abroad?

Mark your calendars!

Northern China

great wall

Harlaxton Application Priority Deadlines

, Brazil

San Paulo

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ga Mus

IpIran

• Fall 2012 – Dec. 5, 2011 • Summer 2012 – Jan. 20, 2012 • Spring 2013 – March 2, 2012

Semester Abroad External Providers • Fall 2012 or Spring 2013 – Jan. 12, 2012

Applications and additional information available Office of Study Abroad | SOBA 261 | studyabroad@evansville.edu

www.evansville.edu/alumni alumni@evansville.edu

In this season of Thanksgiving, at UE we count our blessings every day…

7,534 322 93%

• Alumni, Parent, Friends & Corporate Donors

• Endowed Scholarships • of all UE Students Receive Financial Aid as a Result!

The UE Alumni Association thanks all donors and wishes the entire UE family a Happy Thanksgiving.

new at

Ue

Winter Intersession

UE is offering a selection of

onlinE coUrSES during Winter Break

Explore a course not scheduled for Spring Semester 2012 For more information — www.evansville.edu/registrar