Discount humor or comedic find of the year?

Observe and Report, brought to you by director/writer Jody Hill, is not for the feint of heart, but is an interesting look into the psyche of a mall security guard who tries too hard to be the best at what he does. Any psychology majors may want to watch this movie to answer one simple question: how many mental diseases does Ronnie Barnhartd (Seth Rogan) have?

Ronnie, being the head of mall security, battles many foes, including skateboarders, shoplifters, and a menacing flasher who manages to catch the love of his life, Brandi (Anna Faris), off guard by flashing her his goods. After this devastating incident, it’s up to Ronnie and his team of mall warriors- Charles (Jesse Plemons), the Yuan twins (who play themselves, John and Matt Yuan) and Dennis (Michean Pena) – to catch the pervert and put an end to his flashing days once and for all.

For his second film, Jody Hill does a great job at writing and directing what I thought was a hilarious film with a few heavy flaws. It is not slapstick humor nor is it black humor, but an interesting hybrid which hasn’t been seen for quite a long time. If you don’t attempt to understand what is going on in each character’s mind, then you will not get a lot of the jokes. This may turn many people off to watching the film, as it can’t be categorized as smart or stupid humor: it just is what it is.

The amount of violence and obscene images placed in this movie are surprising, but add to the laugh factors. Simply put, this film is not for everyone. Some may find it hilarious, some may find it offending, and others may think it is foolish. This is one of those films which is difficult to tell what kind of people will enjoy it.

Ray Liotta shows he still has what it takes to be a badass as Detective Harrison, in a way we haven’t seen since the 1990 blockbuster Goodfellas. Seth Rogan, unlike his last few films, actually acted instead of playing himself for this film. Instead of coming off as the slightly intelligent good guy, he’s a mentally incapable fool who does what he wants, which leads to many conflicts and the viewer may find himself wanting to guide him along the right way. Anna Faris actually acts a little better than she did in the Scary Movie films (which isn’t saying much). Don’t expect any Oscar winning acting in this film, but as a whole it was well done for what it needed to be.

For only his second motion picture, Jody Hill brings a surprisingly funny film which may not appeal to everyone, although the last ten minutes of the film might be worth it to watch regardless. It has its flaws, mainly in the acting and pacing of the story, but overall it is a film that you might want to check out, although guys may not want to bring their dates as it’s a very testosterone-driven film. I give it 3 out of 4 stars.

Page 11, Entertainment

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Entertainment, Page 11

Metallica makes the Hall of Fame

Metallica made music history by being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on Saturday, April 4. They blew the roof off of the Public Auditorium in Cleveland. The rap group Run-DMC was also inducted. Frontman-guitarist James Hetfield who co-founded the band in 1981 said “Dream big and dare to fail, because this is living proof that it is possible to make a dream come true.” After accepting the award, Metallica played a couple of their biggest hits, including “Master Puppets” and “Enter Sandman”. This marked the first time the tickets sold were open to the public. Eminem presented the honor to Run-DMC’s Darryl “DMC” McDaniels and Joseph “Rev-Run” Simmons. He called them “the baddest of the bad and the coolest of the cool.” After the death of founding member Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell, the band retired in 2002. McDaniels said, “The music that we made then didn’t just impact friends, it impacted a generation. So I guess that’s what rock ‘n’ roll does.” Run-DMC is the second hip-hop act to be inducted after Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. It was a great and proud night for musicians and music fans everywhere of the legendary acts.

Page 12, Sports

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Sports, Page 12

Jordan leads Hall of Fame class

On April 6th, it was announced that 5 people would be let into the basketball Hall of Fame, in Springfield, MA. Of those five, four played in the NBA, one coached in the NBA, and one coached Women’s NCAA. They are Michael Jordan, David Robinson, John Stockton, Utah Jazz Long Time Coach Jerry Sloan, and Rutgers women’s coach C. Vivian Stringer.

The Biggest announcement is of course that Jordan is done. Michael Jordan is in the Hall of Fame. There is no more coming back to the NBA. He is regarded as one of the best players ever, if not the best.

David Robinson won two NBA championships, was MVP for a season, and was selected to the all- star game ten times. He played with the Spurs for his whole fourteen year career. He won in 1998 and 2003.

John Stockton is the all-time assist leader. That should say it all. Now, he did play with Karl Malone, one of the best scorers of all-time, but it is still a remarkable achievement.  The next closest person to him in assists is Jason Kidd, but he is down by 5000 assists. Stockton is also the leader in steals with Michael Jordan down by 700.

Stockton and Sloan have been forever tied together as they were Player and Coach for the same team for fourteen years. Both never played for another team other than the Utah Jazz. Sloan coached Stockton to two NBA Finals and his superb statistics.

Vivian Stringer is the third winningist coach of all time with 800 wins. She is the first coach to lead three different schools to the NCAA Final Four. Those schools were Cheyney State, the University of Iowa and Rutgers University. She is now with Rutgers University.

KNIGHT of the WEEK

Jaime Bee ‘09
Softball

The senior first baseman broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the 7th with a 2-out walk off homerun to give the Knights a 4-3 Commonwealth win over Widener in the opening game of the twinbill homestand.  While Widener took game two with a 1-0 final, the Knights went 3-1 on the week and currently reside in the fourth and final playoff slot behind 3rd place Widener.  In addition to her game winning homerun, Bee hit .583 on the week going 7-12 with 5 runs, 2 RBI while enjoying a perfect week in the field making 34 put-outs with 2 assists.

NCAA 2009 Champs

On April 6, 2009, the NCAA Basketball series came to an amazing end with one team, and one team only, on top.   In an 89 to 72 win against Michigan State, North Carolina went on to be the Champions for the 2008-2009 series.

The road to the final game could almost be categorized as easy for North Carolina, with impressive wins against Radford, LSU, Gonzaga, Oklahoma and Villanova.  No match against the team was even close to a tie, and any team that opposed UNC inevitably walked away with their tail between their legs.  Their most notable win came in the first round against Radford, with a bone-crushing final score of 101 to 58.
North Carolina’s top scorer, Ty Lawson, scored an impressive 21 points, while Wayne Ellington and Tyler Hansbrough scored a total of 19 and 18 points, consecutively.  All three players had an interesting season, culminating in the final game, and a rare display of emotion by all three.

Fans across the nation saw this win coming, including our nations President, Barack Obama.  His highly publicized bracket had North Carolina coming out on top, and he was not disappointed.  The team’s moves were precise, calculated, and executed with stunning finesse; it was hard to think of any other team standing a chance.

Michigan State, however, was not without their notable moments.  Despite the overall defeat in the end, the team had some very impressive wins under their belt.  In the March 28 game against Louisville, the team walked away with a 64 to 52 win; a final that put them in the final four.  However many wins, there is no doubt that the ride back to Michigan will be a quiet one.

There are so many things that come with the title of NCAA champions, including higher possibilities of a draft into the NBA.  The top three scorers of the game actually came back for that specific reason. Overall, North Carolina has worked hard, and fought their way up to their rightfully deserved spot on top.

Front Page

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Front Page

Page 2, News OP/ED

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News OP/ED, Page 2

Man to sail across Pacific on recycled ship

With the amount of waste created in America today, people are discovering that recycling is a great way to cut down on the use of raw materials. For David de Rothschild, he is taking it one step further. Rothschild is building a building a sailing vessel that he plans to take across the ocean from San Francisco to Australia this April. The boat is being made almost completely from thousands of recycled plastic bottles.

“The idea is to put no kind of pollution back into the atmosphere, or into our oceans for that matter, so everything on the boat will be composted. Everything will be recycled. Even the vessel is going to end up being recycled when we finish,” Rothschild said in an interview with CNN.

The ship, named Plastiki by Rothschild, will have to cross over 11,000 miles on the Pacific Ocean before it reaches its destination in Sydney. His crew will consist of three permanent sailors in addition to himself, plus a group that will rotate between stops along the voyage. Rothschild plans to stop in Hawaii, Tuvalu, and Fiji on his way to Australia.

For Rothschild, the ship is meant to be a statement about the uses of recycled materials. “The idea is to take the Plastiki, break it down [after the voyage], and put it back into the system. So, it may come out being a jacket, a bag, more bottles. It’s infinitely recyclable,” he said. Even the electronic equipment on the boat will be charged by solar panels. On the whole the boat is made of 90% recycled materials. Only the masts from the ship were not made from recycled plastic.

For his part Rothschild has experience in adventuring. He is one of only a few people that have traveled through both the Arctic and Antarctic ice caps. He also founded the group Adventure Ecology, which uses expeditions like the one planned for the Plastiki to bring attention to environmental issues.

Although Rothschild is certainly experienced and dedicated, the integrity of any ship he constructs will be put to the test on his tip across the Pacific. His ultimate goal is for people to understand that recycling has its value and that much of the stuff we throw away still has a lot of use. As Rothschild put it, “That’s what this is all about — showcasing cradle-to-cradle products rather than cradle-to-grave.”

From the Editor’s Desk…

To Our Faithful Audience,

Since it has recently come to my attention that people actually read this section of the paper, I have made an extra effort to remove as many typos as I see and to write it before 2 a.m.

This issue is all about that little thing known as Spring Break. For some students it is a time for reckless fun, for others it’s a time to go home and hang out with Mom and Dad. For others it might be reckless fun with Mom and Dad, but hey, whatever’s clever- it’s Spring Break dude!

I hope that wherever you go and whatever you do that you take the time to not study. Class is no excuse, and don’t let me catch anyone doing otherwise. If you get in trouble, you can go ahead and say the school newspaper told you not to. To which your teacher will probably
respond, ‘We have a campus newspaper?’
In any case, I’ll check you on Beaver Beach once the weather gets nice.
Sincerely,

Tyler Peckham

Editor-in-Chief

Man Attacks Chuck E. Cheese

Chuck E. Cheese can be a hazardous place to be a kid. 34-year-old Massachusetts man Trahan Pires was fined $500 after assaulting a Chuck E. Cheese mouse. Pires thought the mouse had pinned his 11-year-old son against a video game. The boy’s family was at the restaurant to celebrate his birthday. According to the 19-year-old man inside the costume and a witness, the mascot was making his way through a crowd that was trying to knock him over and accidentally knocked into the boy. Pires apparently thought differently and ripped the mascot’s head off and started screaming at the man inside. Pires pleaded guilty and was fined. Note to all parents: don’t take out your aggression on Chuck or any other mascots.

-Gina Merlino

Man Stoops Real Low, Cat Gets Real High

In a bizarre case of animal cruelty, a 20-year-old Nebraska man was charged with putting his girlfriend’s 6-month-old cat inside a bong. Acea Schomaker was caught smoking marijuana with a piece of garden hose attached to a plastic glass box where the kitten was stuffed inside. According to Schomaker, his cat, Shadow was hyper and he was trying to calm her down. He had done this three times. Schomaker was fined $400, cited for misdemeanor animal cruelty and face drug charges as well. Shadow was dazed, but in good condition, recuperating at Capital Humane Society. Maybe this is one guy who has seen too many stoner flicks, but it could be just another case of people doing stupid things when they are high. Note to stoners: kittens and bongs don’t mix.

-Gina Merlino

Crippled Man Smugles Cocains in Plain Sight

A 66-year-old Chilean man with a fractured leg is now in custody after trying to smuggle cocaine through an airport in Barcelona. After finding the man suspicious, authorities searched his luggage to discover the drug hidden in both a six pack of beer and the legs of a stool, but that’s not the only place it was hiding. After applying a substance which helps identify cocaine to the man’s cast, the supposed medical apparatus tested positive for the drug.

After further investigation it was discovered that the man’s leg was indeed fractured. However, police believe that he may have intentionally fractured the bones in order to apply the coke cast and fool authorities who may want to verify his condition by x-ray. Officials suspect that the man was using a leg cast hoping to elicit sympathy from airport authorities and distract them from the real contents of his cast.

The police recovered a total of 10.5 pounds of cocaine. The attempted cocaine smuggler, known only by the initials J.S.P.F., was relocated to a local hospital in order to receive proper treatment for his leg and remains there under police observation.

-Teresa Barone

Woman Celebrates her 108th Birthday… or 111th?

Michigan native Mattie Caldwell celebrated her birthday on March 5 but she’s just not quite sure which birthday she celebrated. According to medical records, she was born in 1901; however, an old family bible dates her birth three years earlier in 1898. Due to her home birth, there are no medical records that can indicate which date is actually correct. Regardless of the age “It’s special,” says the 100 something woman. Caldwell celebrated with her family, including her seven plus great-great-great-grandchildren (she lost count after seven).

-Teresa Barone

Page 3, News OP/ED

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News OP/ED, Page 3

How to run a marathon: My first 26.2 Mile Running Adventure

The marathon is a race that commemorates the legend of the Greek soldier Pheidippides.  He was said to run from the town of Marathon to Athens to announce the Greek victory over the Persians at the Battle of Marathon. The marathon even existed as one of the original events for the first modern day Olympics in 1896 to commemorate the legend. Since that time marathons have become popular events for amateur and professional runners all across the world, with hundreds being held annually and the official length of a marathon being set at 26.2 miles. Or, as I now like to think of it, the perfect length no human body can run without feeling like shit for at least three days.

On Sunday, March 1, I ran the B&A Track Marathon in Annapolis, Maryland. I am now writing this a full week after completing the task.
I still remember the morning I decided I was going to embark on the four month adventure of running  that I needed to get in shape. It was after I had made an intoxicated cheese steak binge at none other than Glenside’s own Michael’s Diner. After waking up and still feeling the pile of grease and meat rolling in my stomach, I realized that I was probably in the worst shape of my life. Added to the stress of life, I wasn’t really feeling too good about a lot of things, so I decided I should do something completely irrational: enter the decision to train for a marathon.

My training began with me basically seeing how far I could run. I was pretty happy that I could pull off 3-4 miles right off the start, although it wasn’t as easy as it used to be. Through the four months of training those three miles grew until they varied between 10 and 20 miles during the later weeks of my training. I’ll spare you the details, but I ended up training five days a week with usually three days being dedicated to running and two to hitting the gym.

Not too far into this whole process, I realized I was gifted with what is known as the “runner’s high.” I can say it’s not like any other high I’ve experienced…but it was much cheaper. Basically, once I got into the groove of running my body and mind get into this rhythm where I don’t even have to think about the fact that I was running anymore. Outside of the 17 mile and 20 mile runs I did to prepare for the marathon, I never really had too much trouble with the running part of my training because of this “high.”  I might go so far to say as that I liked it. But then there was race day.

I came into the marathon after taking two weeks where I was pretty much unable to run because of a sore foot and a tweaked knee I got from my 20 mile run. On top of that I went out to Olive Garden the night before to do what is known as “carbo loading,” or “eating as much crap as you can fit into your mouth in one sitting,” as I like to call it. Carbo loading is supposed to help with energy during the race. So on race day I hadn’t ran in two weeks and I felt like a fatty. The race started with me setting a good pace for the time I hoped to finish: three and a half hours. About four miles in my knee started hurting and my foot started acting up. But instead of dropping out I decided that unless the pain got unbearable there was no way in hell I was going to waste all the training that went into this race. As time went by my knee inexplicably felt better, or maybe the rest of my body started to feel worse, but I was able to keep going.

The great thing about the marathon was that it was a big change from all the running I had done on my own to prepare. Almost every couple of miles there were stands where I could get water and small crowds that cheered me on. My parents, who drove me down and came to watch me even ran with me a little on the trail at one point. Even the other runners encouraged each other. But as soon as I went into the uncharted territory of over 20 miles I really started to feel the pain.

All I can tell you is that running the last six miles was probably the hardest things I’ve ever physically pushed myself to do in my life. By the time I reached mile 25 I just remember putting my head down and just counting my breaths and each step. And then, I can’t explain how it happened, but as soon as I saw the finish line my mind suddenly went into T1000 mode from Terminator II and I sprinted the last 1/5 of the mile as fast as I think I could’ve at the beginning. My final time was 3 hours, 29 minutes, and 04 seconds, which was actually 56 seconds less than my goal. Just like the marathon took me from the worst shape I’ve been in to the probably the best shape, finishing the race took me from complete misery to one of the best feelings in my life. When all was said and done I finished 46th out of nearly 250 finishers for the marathon, plus probably another hundred that dropped out without finishing.

I’ll take it.

So now, two weeks later, after all the blisters have healed and I can walk normally again, I can finally look back at my first marathon and really be happy that I went through with it. The sad thing is that I think I’ve missed running this past week, and I know it’s only a matter of time before I get down to Kelly Drive and start running again. I guess like any good high, running has kept me coming back for more– my only question now is whether or not I’m truly addicted to the feeling. So, uhh, when’s the Philly Marathon again?

Political Preview

The Current Conservative Mindset:

So President Obama’s Economic Stimulus Plan was passed? So can somebody tell me why everything is not completely fixed at this point? Wait, now he wants to repeal President Bush’s tax breaks for the wealthy? Well now he’s gone too far. If those hard-working Wall Street executives can’t keep their hard-earned money, well that’s just not fair…no wait, that’s not American. And he wants to end combat operations in Iraq by August, 2010? That’s it I can’t take this anymore. “Honey I’ll be out in the Hot Tub reading Money Magazine…What’s that? Oh of course I’ll be back in to watch the O’Reilly Factor with you.” Jeepers, I haven’t been this upset since I found out that The Colbert Report was actually making fun of me.

For those of you that haven’t been paying attention to the world of politics these last few weeks, allow me to catch you up. First off, President Obama’s economic stimulus plan was passed. He also came out with a new strategy for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and is being attacked from both sides for either dong too much or too little with his plans. And to top it all of,f he lifted the ban on using Stem Cells for medical research. Not bad for somebody who hasn’t even been president for three months yet.

But unfortunately for President Obama, time is not on his side. Americans are sick of hearing about the terrible state of the economy. Trust us, we know it is bad. At this point we just want some good news, any good news. But sadly, I have none of that to give.

Lately I was thinking about the state of global economics and what it means to America. It is no secret that America is in a lot of debt, nearly $11 trillion to be more exact. A lot of this debt is in foreign holding in countries like China and Japan that invest in America. The reason they invest in our country is because we generally make money. In fact, countries were so intertwined with us that investment banks failed across the world because they had holdings in our housing market. But now that America is not so profitable anymore, what exactly is keeping everything afloat?

Like a company in the stock market, investment in America might start to look like less and less of good return. And that means we might start to see our global stock begin to fall. For years America has been the reigning economic superpower in the world, but suddenly we don’t seem so mighty any more. And the bigger they are, the harder they fall. So if America’s economy continues to fall this will not only have obvious repercussions for Americans but for the rest of the world that invests in our economy to make money. Now I’m no economist, but couldn’t this lead to a global recession of some sort?

Well, it’s best not to think about it too much, I suppose. After all these are just some passing thoughts of somebody who probably pays too much to politics. So don’t let it get to you, go have fun on spring break…

Weekly Green Tip

Green Tip: Reduce Waste

Check out Rocko’s modern life recycling song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_6DMi8jvyA

Have you thought about where your old electronics go?  Quite often your computers, cameras, phones, cords, DVD players, etc. are tipped into landfills, incinerated as solid waste, or dumped in developing countries.  Don’t like the idea of children in third-world countries picking though the smoldering remains of your trash to collect bits of metal?  Come to the Used Electronics Drive where everything will be ethically recycled!  Volunteers are needed to help sort and package the electronics.  Saturday and Sunday March 28th and 29th.  For more information contact sarah@ttfwatershed.org or sclymer@arcadia.edu

Page 4, Student Life

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Student Life, Page 4

Knights’ Nook

Dear Ms. Majestic,

I live in one of the dreadful freshmen triples this year but my roommates are actually pretty nice. We don’t hang out much outside of our room. We’re all very different but somehow we still manage to get along which is cool. Anyway, I heard that housing lottery or selection, whatever you call it, is coming up and I’m kind of worried. My roommates are nice but I don’t want to live with them next year, especially not in another triple! My other friends all seem to have plans about where they want to live next year and I’m the odd man out. My parents suggested I get a single but I really want to live in Oak Summit near the rest of my friends.

If I don’t figure this out soon, I just may become a commuter next year. After all, its cheaper and I get to have real food. So help me out Ms. Majestic, what should I do?

-Roommate-less

Dear Roommate,

This is definitely not the first time Ms. Majestic has heard this cry. Every year, about the same time, first-year students who have unique living situations have to make “tough” decisions about the upcoming year and their housing situation. Let me be the first to tell you that housing selection is not as bad or exhausting as other people make it. You go in, choose your housing and you survive. Now it sounds like your real issue is what your game plan will be as far as the people you’ll live with. I’m sure you didn’t know this but you have several options. Since you want to live in Oak, you can asked to be placed in an apartment with a few people that you don’t know. Sounds strange but sometimes it works out for the best. You can wait until housing selection night and see if there are people who need an extra person or, you can talk to your friends to be included in their plans. Don’t look to commute because although it seems feasible, you shouldn’t consider it your last resort because you may resent being home once you get there. Happy Housing Season!

-Ms. Majestic

Dear Ms. Majestic,

I’m really pissed at my roommate right now and I hope he reads this! My girlfriend goes to Temple and she hangs out here alot. My roommate doesn’t have a girlfriend because he’s super pathetic and socially awkward. I introduced him to a few of my girlfriend’s friends and he totally messed that up. The problem is that when my girlfriend is around I think he’s up to no good. He’s always checking her out when she stops by and when I tell him to knock it off, he just laughs like its no big deal. I know my girlfriend is hot but I shouldn’t have to hide her because my roommate is a total DB about her coming around. If he does it again,I might knock his face off and I don’t think that would be cool. Ms. Majestic! Please help me before I beat this kid to shreds.

-Babe’s Boyfriend

Dear Boyfriend,

You may want to look into going to Couseling Services before this thing gets to far. You seem to have some anger issues that probably have gotten worse since this whole thing started. Seriously. I can unnderstand where you’re coming from with your roommate but you have to try to understand where he’s coming from. If he’s as strange as you describe him to be than he probably doesn’t have that many friends. As annoying as he is, he’s only doing what you’ve allowed him to do and what he thinks is appropriate. Have you tried talking to him calmly? Most people respond better to real conversation than yelling and screaming. If that doesn’t work, you need to figure out a way to cope with him until the semester ends. We’re near the end and it would be pointless to move or make things worse this late in the game. And Creepy Roommate–If you’re reading this, knock it off!

-Ms.Majestic

How to maintain a healthy and successful long-distance relationship

We’ve all had our fair share of wildly inappropriate suitors that cause us to fall deeper and deeper into the realm of cynicism. Even when people are offering to set us up left and right and we spend our Saturdays in the self-help section of Barnes & Noble, we have often found ourselves wondering where our true love is hiding. Where are the dates that leave our senses electrified? Where are the men who pick up the tab and still call the next day? And where are the women who aren’t so needy and weighted down with such heavy baggage that it could never be checked at the airport? Well, what if you did meet one of those mesmerizing characters but he or she is about to hop on the red eye back to their home state, come the morning?

Well, like the “cougar” phenomenon (if you haven’t heard, older women are picking up younger men and holding onto them tightly), a modern trend seems to be picking up speed in the LDR department. Long distance relationships, once perceived to be doomed from the start, are garnering more and more attention as rewarding alternatives to the dodgy dating market. Whether the distance is created after a successful local relationship has developed, often due, in part, to job relocations or the armed forces, or one of the partners simply lives across state lines, LDRs are sprouting up all over the place. Web sites like www.ivillage.com and others tailored to the modern woman have countless articles and blogs on how to cope with a love that’s not nearby.

Sometimes it turns out that your true romantic match has not been living quietly in the next town over waiting for your run-in at the bus stop. Albeit difficult, long distance relationships force both partners to tap into their passionate, creative sides to maintain a healthy, successful romance and partnership. If you’re up for it, here are just some of the ways to give your LDR a chance to survive without going broke or spending your nights lost in jealous thought or desperate longing.

BELIEVE IN YOUR RELATIONSHIP

Chances are, if you’ve decided to follow your heart and give a long distance relationship a try, you know something about faith. You must have faith in yourself and your partner to ever have a chance of maintaining a relationship with state lines or maybe even oceans between you. Whatever the distance, to believe in the sanctity of your relationship is an important element in its survival. Tracy Wilkes of Philadelphia, PA has said of her LDR that, “Initially, I believed more in what people said when I told them about Mark and me. I wanted to focus on our relationship but I was constantly being told that 2800 miles was not a relationship. As time passed, I started to see that I was letting the distance mask my true feelings and I started believing more in what we had. Two year later, I cannot imagine not having Mark in my life. The emotional ups and downs have been worth it, because like everything in life, it was a risk to get into this, but I believe in us now.”

TRUST NOT ONLY YOUR PARTNER, BUT YOURSELF

The number one concern for both partners in and out of long distance relationships is trust. To trust another person is often difficult for the most confident of us, because to do so means becoming vulnerable. So having a distance between you and your loved one can allow feelings of jealousy and mistrust to creep into an otherwise solid union.  Do you want to spend the time apart worrying and accusing? Or do you want to put yourself in your partner’s position and realize that they are just as curious about what you are doing as you are they? Trust is to be earned but if it’s not there to begin with, distance could conjure up delusional mistrust that no longer makes either partner happy. Trust in your ability to be honest with yourself and your partner and your time apart will be worth it.

KEEP TALKING

This not only means chatting on the phone at least once a day to let your partner know you are thinking of them, but talking means healthy communicating. Communicate your thoughts, from the mundane (what you felt when you got that paper cut at work today) to the more concrete stuff (how you felt when he didn’t call you after he left his frat brother’s party like he said he would) or about even the more serious issues (when will you actually live in the same city or part of town?). To mask your true feelings is easy when you are not face to face and this is not a good habit to start. Using email, texting, phone calls, webcams and other technology to keep you connected to your partner is a gift, but to communicate false emotions or concerns could lead to disaster. To recognize that you cannot simply wait until you see their face or grab their hand to talk about the real issues is important. But this distance doesn’t have to mean that everything is dipped in sugar when you are apart and the “real” relationship starts when you are together. Communicate whenever you can and be willing to listen as well.

GET CREATIVE

Money for gas, flights, phone bills can add up, but a long distance relationship doesn’t have to break your bank. Have fun tapping into your creative side and showing your partner how often you think of them and miss them. To “web-date” has become a common and cheap way to spend time with someone you love. Just go to www.skype.com and download software for free that will connect you to anywhere in the world via phone or video chat. Sending cards or letters in the mail is a pre-modern mystery to some people but the sentimentality can be powerful. David Coleman, the “Dating Doctor” featured on www.datingdoctor.com, advises couples in LDRs to “Send quick notes, care packages, letters and postcards. Call and leave messages when you know they are not home. Just let them know that you are thinking of them even when they are not around.”

The truth is, even if you live across the hall from your romantic partner, people leave town on business, have busy schedules, or take vacations. We are not always lucky enough to be around our partners 24/7, but do we really want to? LDRs, like any other ones, can be difficult but they allow us to make room for love in our lives while continuing to grow as people and learn about our own strengths and weaknesses. The keys to any healthy relationship are love, trust, and communication with both ourselves and our loved ones. So if you are contemplating or struggling with a long distance relationship, remember to be honest with yourself and everyone involved. As counselor Kara Devers often reminds her clinical patients, “Be willing to disappoint someone as long as you are not disappointed in yourself.” Therein lies the success, even if the relationship does not succeed. Good luck.

Page 6, Feature

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Feature, Page 5

Arcadia Spring Break 2009!

Saturday, March 15 marks the first official day of Arcadia University’s 2009 Spring Break. For some students it is a chance to unwind and relax at home. For others it is a time to get wild in a preferably much warmer climate than Glenside, PA. And for others it is a chance to help out with those less fortunate than themselves.

But with the United States Department of state releasing travel advisories for Mexico, in addition to stories like Natalee Holloway getting lost in Aruba in 2005, students are being told to be more careful than ever no matter where they go for Spring Break. “Do not travel around alone, always stay in groups or pairs and never leave a companion behind,” says Public Safety’s Frank DeMeo.

DeMeo encourages students to also be mindful of the laws of where they are spending Spring Break. Each year many Arcadia students go abroad, often times on the Spring Break “Previews” to Scotland, London, or Spain.

“I’m looking forward to being in Europe since this is the first time I’ve been on vacation in a while,” says Freshman Gina Lichner. Freshman Gina Kozak is also going to Spain for Preview. “I’m a Spanish major so I’m really excited to go to Spain,” says Kozak. “I’m just really pumped in general.”

Although Arcadia’s trips are usually well-planned and supervised, being in a foreign country is not always as predictable as spending a week in the States.  Other students are taking a slightly more domestic take on their Spring Break journeys.

Senior Danielle Trout is going to Jean Lafitte, Louisiana with Arcadia’s Community Service Department to help rebuild homes ravaged by hurricanes in the rural areas surrounding New Orleans. “I’m looking forward to meeting the people I’m going to help,” says Trout. For her, the trip promises to be a rewarding and a welcomed break from classes. “The price is good, too,” adds Trout. “Besides, it looks good on a resume.”

Other students are looking to save some money by only taking a weekend trip instead of forking over the cash to travel across the country. Senior Krista Heim is  spending a weekend in Atlantic City with friends. So what’s a 21-year-old to do in Atlantic City? “Shopping, gambling, probably going out to the club,” says Heim. Other than that she plans on spending time at home.

No matter where students decide to go, DeMeo warns that students should always follow the law. “Do not do drugs or be anywhere where there are drugs especially if you are traveling out of the country, penalties are severe and there are no constitutional guarantees in a foreign country,” says DeMeo. Although it’s no secret students drinking alcohol underage during Spring Break is pretty common, students should aware of the risks they take.

But whatever you decide to do this break, make sure to take it easy. Whether it’s sightseeing in another country or sitting in front of the TV, make sure to get some time off of school. As for this writer, I’ll be down in Ft. Lauderdale. Cheers!

Spring Break: Getting your break on with a budget

It’s that time again: its time to go to Cancun, Florida, Europe, anywhere that you can party, go wild, and regret whatever you did the next day.  It’s spring break, a week that is known for being wild.  Students often look forward to this week because they get to go somewhere other than school or home.  Unfortunately, in this economy money is tight and spring break is expensive.  So what is a college student to do when they are broke and cannot afford to go anywhere?  Surprisingly, there is more stuff to do than most people realize.  I am staying home for spring break and my entire week is filled with things to do.

There is always one thing I do during breaks, I always see my friends from high school.  Instead of lying around all day call a friend from high school and get together with them.  Have lunch, go see a movie, or just hang out.  If your friend goes to college near you and their break does not coincide with yours just go see them.  Call them and ask if you can go to one of their classes with them that way you can still spend time with them.  Another thing you can do is go to appointments.

If you know ahead of time that you are not doing anything for spring break then set up your different appointments for those days you have off.  Have your hair done one day, go to the dentist the next day, then the eye doctor, etc.  This way you can get your appointments done with and not have to worry about missing class for an appointment.  The next thing you can do is probably the one thing you do not want to even think about over break, homework.

Unfortunately, spring break is in the middle of the semester and there is homework to do.  Many teachers seem to like giving students homework that is due the first day of class after spring break.  Even though homework is the last thing you want to be doing during your break getting it done will mean less stress for you when you go back to college.  Everybody else who went somewhere and did not do their homework will have to catch up and do their homework in a hurry.  You can just relax knowing that you did your homework and did it without rushing through it.  Something else that you can try and get out of the way is getting a summer job.

With summer being right around the corner many students are going to need to get a job.  I suggest that you start looking now and applying for them over spring break.  Let the place you are applying at know that you can come in for an interview during your break and that you can start the job when the college year ends.  If you start looking for a job when summer starts it can be hard to find one because all the other college students are looking for one as well.  Getting a job for the summer during spring break can help ease your stress because you know that once college is done you can start making money right away.

The last thing I suggest you do is to catch up on your sleep. Many college students are sleep deprived from staying up so late doing homework and studying.  Spring break is a great time to catch up on your sleep.  What is even better is getting to sleep in your own bed that does not squeak every time you breathe.  So sleep in a few times and enjoy it because once break is over you will become sleep deprived again.

You do not have to go somewhere to have a good spring break.  You can stay home and have a great break.  You can see your friends from high school and hang out with them.  You can accomplish many tasks such as appointments, homework, and finding a job.  Best of all you can sleep in your own bed and not worry about having to go to class.  So don’t be sad about staying home for spring break, instead have fun and accomplish a few things.

If you have looked at The Tower I’m sure you’ve surmised that I write a weekly column. I write for the paper because I enjoy it and I think it’s an important way to express the different things that occur throughout a year of studying abroad. Back at Arcadia I’ve taken a fair share of different writing courses and this past weekend has inspired me to take on a new writing venture.

Letter writing.

This idea came about during a recent trip I took to Bath and a few places relevant to the Jane Austen ‘universe’ with Arcadia. On my nice little excursion out of the chaos that can be London we visited some small villages and smaller cities that thrive on fresh air and their historical relevance. We visited cathedrals that go back as far as the Norman invasion of 1066 and then there was the city of Bath, which was a favorite bathing spot for Romans! In one of the places we went, there were actually people dressed in Victorian costumes; it was kind of like walking into a renaissance fair you didn’t mean to go to.

Back to the letter writing, after picking up a very reasonably priced fountain pen for about $1.30 American, I was inspired to write the letters I have been promising people I would send all year. It pleases me to tell people that I spend my afternoons indulging in some leisurely corresponding that actually makes me feel accomplished. My usual procrastination leaves me feeling useless, but there is something very fulfilling about writing letters. Maybe it’s the product at the end; facebook doesn’t give me anything to show off after the hours I spend navigating around the pages aimlessly bar a few funny anecdotes about bumper stickers.

Moving onto facebook, it’s recently come to my attention that students both in the UK and continental Europe have a very funny facebook custom. I’ve noticed it a few times, but a friend in Italy brought it to my attention that instead of asking for your phone number, students will ask for your facebook name and add you. It seems to be a common thing around here, basically as common as an Australian backpacker who has a notepad full of people’s names and e-mails that they have met in hostels! (I know that must seem stereotypical, but it’s another common thing! Most people who have stayed in a European hostel can attest to that!) Anywho, the moral of that little anecdote is that students here are just as addicted to social networking as the average American student.

Jumping around a bit, I am finally getting some ‘touristy’ things accomplished around London this week as a friend from home is visiting for the first time. Today I climbed a stupid amount of terrifying stairs to the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral and tomorrow we’re going to the London Eye. On Monday I will finally visit Stonehenge and the rest of the week hopefully visit some of the markets and monuments I haven’t gotten to yet.

My final note is that even though I’ve been here for months and seen so many things in this city, every day there is something new to see and experience. I think that’s also true about Philly and  I’ll keep taking advantage of everything London has to offer me.

Page 6, Entertainment

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Entertainment, Page 6

Never Compromise

“Who Watches the Watchmen?” On its opening weekend I’d say a whole bunch of people.  The movie based on the iconic graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons opened this Friday to packed houses all across the nation.  At the helm of the project is director Zack Snyder (300) and his high gloss style.  Since the mid-nineties the rights to Watchmen have been traded between studios the project given to different directors and at one time almost canned for good.  After months of hype and protest from disgruntled Watchmen purists the film finally hit theaters.

The biggest gripe about a Watchmen movie has always been the novels huge and twisting scope.  Each character gets a good chunk of time for both back story and recent history as well as insight into personal affairs of course.  Watchmen lovers also had a problem with condensing own Moore’s work into a movie because the novel takes time to develop the urgency of Nixon’s tyrannical rein in an alternate 1985.  The good news is Zack Snyder does a much better job with Watchmen than he did with 300.

Unlike 300, Snyder invests serious time in each of the Watchmen and through a Bob Dylan soaked opening montage does a great job of showing the plight of the masked heroes before them, The Minutemen.   Snyder follows Watchmen page-by-page and word-by-word at points but indulges a little by elongating fight sequences and upping gore, both of which end up working for the movie. The film’s opening scene, a fight between a masked intruder and the 60 something former Watchmen Edward Blake aka The Comedian is just as brutal as anything in 300 and yet feels like a panel right out of Watchmen.  With the doomsday clock at five minutes to midnight and the world on the bring of nuclear annihilation Snyder takes the audience through the flaws of human nature, the scarred life of former heroes and the view one never compromising right wing vigilante.

Stealing the show is Oscar nominated actor Jack Earle Haley as Rorschach.  Haley not only looks like the Rorschach in the book but also almost comes to embody him; his acting chops really show through as the unwavering fighter.   Another good performance came from Billy Crudup (Almost Famous) as Dr. Manhattan.  Out of touch with humanity and Earth itself Crudup does a great job of pulling emotions from the emotionless and showing the depth of Dr. Manhattan.  With Haley and Crudup as the cast’s big names (or not so big) the lack of star power may come off as a problem but it doesn’t, just see the sex scene between Night Owl II and Silk Spectre II for justification.

Though Watchmen has what it takes to please audiences Snyder does falter from time to time with his directorial choices.  Most elite fans will argue about the absence of the books within Watchmen, “The Curse of the Black Freighter” and “Under the Hood” both of which add significantly to the Watchmen experience.  With the movie running a little under three hours it already feels long at times making Snyder’s cutting of the two books both a good and bad idea.  The biggest issue Watchmen runs into is the slight alteration of its ending.  Snyder ops to omit SPOILER ALERT the books thrashing monster replacing it with a cataclysmic explosion END SPOILER.  While is does detract for fans, Snyder’s choice is legitimate, reworking the ending only slightly to make it more relevant to people today.

If you’re a fan of Watchmen or graphic novels for that matter go see the film.  Zack Snyder is the first director to bring one of Alan Moore’s books (read V for Vendetta then watch the movie) to life the right way, though he strays slightly the overall feeling is correct. Stylistically Watchmen the film is a translation of the book, dark, brutal, and heavy.  If you aren’t a fan of Watchmen read up before you see the movie.  This isn’t Spider-Man 3 and with its ping-ponging story lines, length, and graphic nature Watchmen can easy become a hassle for a viewer looking for Toby McGuire swing dancing.  So read the novel, take a little breather to get pumped, and go check out a movie that doesn’t really compromise but rather condenses what Lost creator J.J. Abrams calls “The greatest piece of popular fiction ever written.”

Sean Penn wins big with Milk

Sean Penn won the 2009 Best Actor Oscar for his performance of the first openly gay politician Harvey Milk.  Milk was slain in 1978 by former city supervisor Dan White (a quietly desperate Josh Brolin, No Country for Old Men).  Director Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting, My Own Private Idaho) weaves the movie around Milk tape-recording his will in the event of his assassination.

The movie begins in 1970 with a closeted Milk finding his love Scott (Spider-Man’s James Franco, deftly playing both charming eye candy and serious adult) in a Manhattan subway station.  Scott and Milk go to San Francisco to begin their lives.  They open a camera shop and essentially build Castro Street into a gay neighborhood full of free love.  When the police continue random brutality for no reason, Milk decides to run for county supervisor to make civil rights changes.

By the 4th election, Milk has gained political victory, devoted followers, a strong campaign staff, and a voice to try and quiet the Anita Bryants of the world.  Proposition 6 is particularly focused on among his many passionate battles, and it was basically a gay teacher witch hunt begun by California Senator John Briggs.  The measure didn’t pass, but it’s an interesting coincidence that Proposition 8 was currently passed in California to ban gay marriage.  1978…2008…the fight for equal recognition is still going strong 30 years later, but what would have happened if Harvey Milk was still alive and passionately fighting in his radical and theatrical way?

Van Sant mixes documentary and news footage into the scenes which gives the movie a proper gritty 1970s vibe.  Writer Dustin Lance Black (HBO’s Big Love) won a 2009 Best Original Screenplay Oscar, and it’s justified as his characterization of Milk is honest and flawed, yet passionate and joyful.  Harvey Milk is not a man often in general American history books, but it doesn’t matter if you’ve seen the documentaries or read the book The Mayor of Castro Street as Sean Penn absolutely embodies his spirit.  He didn’t need those facial prosthetics as his portrayal of Milk’s hope, courage, tenacity, and need to be loved saturates the screen for two hours.

Penn and Franco’s chemistry was palpable from the moment they met each other on the subway stairs, and Van Sant immediately established that this is not a closeted movie by having them immediately kissing and ending up in bed five minutes after the opening credits.  There is a lot of focus on Harvey and “his men.”  Emile Hirsch (Speed Racer) plays Cleve, a student and sometime hustler who became a very vocal activist for Milk.    Scott left Milk before the successful election but remained an active part of his life.  Diego Luna (Y Tu Mama Tambien) plays Jack, the new clingy and dramatic lover who ended up hanging himself.

Brolin doesn’t get a lot of screen time, but his conservative ex-policeman character of Dan White is extremely frustrated by Milk and all the change going on around him.  By the time he pulls the trigger, he has slowly disintegrated into a broken down man.  It’s to Brolin’s credit that he can bring sympathy to a man who committed two acts of murder but got off with manslaughter.  He and Penn have extremely tense filled scenes that build up to eventually make the ending even more harsh and climactic.

Milk is a film that demands to be seen.  Harvey Milk didn’t just want to give civil rights to homosexuals, he wanted to ensure that the elderly, poor, disabled, and misfits all had basic human rights.  He said, “This is not just jobs and issues, this is our lives we’re fighting for here.”  Penn and Van Sant have helped to keep this fight alive through art.

Page 7, Entertainment

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Entertainment, Page 7

Enter the Zone, the Killzone

When the Playstation 3 hit shelves in November of 2006 frenzied consumers ran out to get the newest and most powerful home gaming system ever.  Unfortunately the truth of the matter is Sony’s big black box came out with a huge price tag and an under achieving set of games.  At the 2006 E3 expo Sony needed to show what the PS3 could do if they were going to be able to put a dent in the sales of the mighty and tenured Xbox 360.  A midst a wave a controversy, Sony showed off Killzone 2, the sequel to the lukewarm Playstation 2 title Killzone.   The short video showed no actual gameplay but from the rendered footage consumers got to see some of if not the most impressive graphics to ever hit a game console.  Developer Guerilla Games was pelted by the public due to the games already lofty bar of excellence, three years and a horde of dropped- jaws later Killzone 2 finally hit the PS3.

Before the release of Killzone 2 Sony gave gamers a taste of the PS3’s power with games like Uncharted, Heavenly Sword, and Resistance 2.  Each game had those certain “Wow” moments, Killzone 2, on the other hand, is a game chock full of them.   The stunning opening cut scene shows off facial movements and lighting effects that are hands down (and I mean hands down) the best in a home console game up to this point.  The opening scene is rendered and even in its early stages at E3 gamers knew the cut scenes would pack a punch, which makes the actual gameplay graphics that much more outrageous.

Set in an alternate world the campaign of Killzone 2 takes the gamer through the second conflict between the ISA forces and the Nazi like Helghast.  The fighting takes place on the Helghast home planet of Helghan a dark, grim, industrial world.  Guerilla Games did everything possible to make the lighting, shadows, and colors as close to perfect as they could.  For example, in one scene a group of Helghast ambush Sev, the game’s main character.  The ambush takes place in a dark warehouse, when the Helghast suddenly break through a wall the light comes rushing in glaring and reflecting off of everything it would in normal everyday life.  The character models are also amazing; when a bullet hits an enemy in the leg or the shoulder the enemy twitches and falls like a human being.  Killzone 2 pushes the PS3 further than any game thus far, but even the mind blowing graphics can’t mask a lacking single player.  The game is overly difficult and somewhat short.  The single player does offer one new and interesting idea being one of the only first person shooters to implement a cover system.  The system works by ducking behind cover and then using the left stick to peek over and around the object of cover.  The design is great but with the games fast pace and skirmish type fire fights, it takes a bit to master.

Stepping out of the single player campaign the true gem of the Killzone 2 universe comes to fruition.  The game features one of the most deep and chaotic multi-player experiences on a console.  Taking parts of Halo and Call of Duty, Killzone 2 may be the exclusive title Sony needs to take the lead in the console war (excluding the Wii of course).   The game takes the speed of Halo and attempts to meld it with the precision of Call of Duty. The result is a game with a tough learning curve but a rewarding online experience.  Guerilla took a lot of time working on an interesting system of customization by making classes with perks and in game achievements called ribbons and badges.  Each class has certain abilities; a medic for example can revive downed allies and drop health packs to help damaged ones.  After the player completes certain challenges with a class they are given the ability to combine them for instance an engineer who can drop health packs.  This gives the player numerous ways to play.  Another plus is how smoothly the online works.  Most people complain about the weakness of the Playstation Network as compared to Xbox Live, but Killzone 2 runs without a hitch plus the ability to play each game mode in succession makes sessions seem shorter than they really are.

Killzone 2 is a work of art.  The game looks like nothing else out there and yet feels like a legitimate first person shooter.   Most importantly it gives gamers a real reason to step out and get a Playstation 3.  The black box is looked down on for its price tag, but with a killer exclusive title and the ability to play Blu-Ray the PS3 makes total sense.   Some are calling it the “Halo killer”, the game casual enough for the every now and then gamer and hardcore enough for the most devoted. Killzone 2 has its very polished sights set on topping the futuristic shooter genre.  With tons of downloadable content on the way Killzone 2 is looking to stick around for a while.  Lock, load, and get ready to be blown away.

Late Night Comedy Switch Ups

On February 20, Conan O’Brien record his last show as host of NBC’s Late Night. Taking his place was somewhat less of a comedian than O’Brien, Jimmy Fallon. It’s not really anything personal towards Fallon, well actually after seeing Fever Pitch, maybe it is. Just to get everything straight, O’Brien is no longer the host of Late Night because he will be taking over Jay Leno’s position as host of NBC’s other late night mainstay, The Tonight Show. Conan is scheduled to have his first day as host of his new show on June 1, Leno’s last show will be on May 29.

O’Brien had an excellent run as host on Late Night, building the show to a dominant position in its time slot over the years. With his unique style of humor that was able to create popular skits like the Walker Texas Ranger Lever, he was able to create a very loyal following for his show (if you don’t know about the Walker Lever, get yourself on Youtube and track it down asap).

In the meantime, there is a late night talk show void that needs to be filled. I will say that after watching a couple of episodes with Jimmy Fallon as host, I am pretty skeptical of what Fallon can do. The skits and jokes he tells tend to fall flat more often than not, and you can tell the audience is stretching its enthusiasm to keep the laughs coming. I will say the one thing Fallon does do well is his interviews. Although interviews can usually be the more boring part of late night television, Fallon is really able to get into it with his guests, even going so far as to have a dance-off with Cameron Diaz.

I think if Fallon needs anything it is a Andy Richter type cohort to move his jokes along. Having watched him since his career at Saturday Night Live, I know that Fallon is likable, but I don’t think he ever really made me laugh like any of the greats such as Sandler, Ferril, or even the emerging star of Adam Samberg. Let’s face it, there’s a reason why Fever Pitch sucked other than the fact that it was about the Red Sox.

Until Conan comes back on the air, I probably won’t be watching as much late night TV as I used to. Leno is stale and Letterman is boring. Outside of CBS’s Late Late Show with Caig Ferguson, it just doesn’t seem like there enough laughs on late night. Until then I’ll be waiting for Conan’s triumphant return and probably the overdue retirement of Leno. Jay, it’s nothing personal, but between Conan’s hair and your chin, there’s only room for one of you during late night.

Page 8, Sports

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Sports, Page 8

AU Preview: Womens Spring Sports Edition, AU Softball: Spring ‘09

Arcadia University Softball has been selected to finish fifth out of seven teams in the 2009 Commonwealth Conference pre season coaches poll, announced today by the league office.  The Knights went 11-22 overall and 10-8 while one-year members of the Freedom Conference in 2008,  and earned 23 points for their 2009 fifth place rating ahead of Albright (6th) and Lycoming (7th).

Arcadia’s 2008 squad missed out on the Freedom playoffs last season and despite the loss of valuable experience up the middle of the field, they are loaded with young players full of potential. The Knights return several key players from last year’s team, including Kiersten Hughes, a senior, who will anchor a young but game-tested pitching staff.  Senior Jaime Bee and sophomore Virginia Buechel return to the infield corners and will aid their teammates with a steady defensive presence and an abundance of power at the plate while junior Kristen Burns makes the move from experienced back-up catcher to a starting role in 2009.

Lebanon Valley looks to defend their first Commonwealth title as the pre-season favorite while Messiah (2nd), Widener (3rd) and Elizabethtown (4th) have been selected as the pre-season favorites to nab a post-season berth.

Head Coach Linda Detra will lead the Knights for her 16th season accompanied by assistant coaches Hillary Koehler and Meridith Mayes.    Arcadia will look to their returnees to replace valuable experience up the middle of the field, as they graduated their catcher, shortstop and centerfielder, which included 2 All-Conference players in Amanda Celantano ‘08 and Danielle Discher ‘08.

Jessica Defluri ‘10 and Kellie Reese ‘11 round out the experienced pitching staff while  Diana Rufo ‘09, Brittni Holland ‘10 and Ashley McCarthy ‘11 will give the Knights speed on the bases, looking to disrupt the opposing teams defense.

The newcomers to the program include Erin Wojcieszyn ‘12, Emily Pagnotta ‘12, Lindsey Henchinski ‘12, Katie Pierce ‘12, Helene Bonnot ‘12, Kelsey Roberts ‘12, Amy Johnson ‘12, Allison Russell ‘12, Jennifer Sevitski ‘12, Kaitlyn Chase ‘12, Danielle Sweeney ‘12 and Devin Guerriere ‘12. These talented young players will provide the Knights with plenty ofdepth at all positions, including right and left handed pitchers.

Head Coach Detra said she is excited about the coach-ability of all the players, ”All the girls are willing to work hard and get better and the competition in practice should transfer over to a competitive edge on game days.”  The ‘09 Knights are full of enthusiasm and potential, and are looking forward to a promising season, which could lead to conference playoffs and more. The Knights continue to find ways to make an impact in the community as well through their participation in Arcadia’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service as well as hosting their annual indoor clinic which takes place on March 1 this year.

The team begins their season March 6th in Virginia Beach against Emory and Henry College.  The Knights will play 4 games in 2 days in Virginia Beach before returning home to host their home opener, a Commonwealth Conference double header against Messiah College scheduled for March 10th at 2:00 p.m.

Womens’ Lacrosse

For the 2009 season, Women’s Lacrosse players appear to have more drive then ever before.  After tying in 11th place with  Alvernia in the Middle Atlantic Conference 2009 pre-season coaches poll, AU’s girls are “fueled up” to surprise some of the opposing teams for this years main season.

Leading the team for the 7th year in a row is Head Coach and 1997 Arcadia alumni Cindy Joseph, as well as newcomer graduate assistant Kate Johnston.

While many players are returning to the team this spring, including Seniors Melanie Mark, Kate Beers, Shannon Bustin, and Erin Cunningham, Lacrosse is seeing several new additions to the upcoming spring roster.  Transfer student Kelsey Dobbins is expected to bring a whole new meaning to her position of Attacker this year, while first year Stephanie Holguin is making a jump across the field, leaving her
former defensive position and moving to the midfield.

Also new to the team is defensive freshman Megan Madison, goalkeepers Evelyn Ciaburri and Amalie Kreitman, and “Utility Player” Lori Spangler.

Lacrosse opened their season at home, on March 8th against Kings College.

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Page 2, News OP/ED

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News OP/ED, Page 2

The Case for Obama’s Stimulus Package

By Press Date, President Obama will likely have already signed his $787 billion stimulus package into law. Once passed, the bill promises to be Obama’s first major step towards the recovery of an American economy that is in shambles. Money will be given to infrastructure projects, aid to homeowners and those facing foreclosure, and even legislation limiting the amount corporate CEO’s can be paid to $500,000 if they received any government bailout money. On top of that, Obama has to find a way to spend the second half of President Bush’s $700 billion bailout that was passed at the end of his term. But even before this money has been used, Obama is already facing some very hard scrutiny.

It is clear that the Republican Party has drawn their line in the sand when it comes to Obama and has refused to vote for his plan. Instead of supporting Obama’s ambitious plan to inject some life into a stagnant economy, they have made the bet that Obama will fail. This, they hope, will allow them to regain some more seats in the House and the Senate for the 2010 election. Of course this would imply that they are counting on two things: Obama to fail, and the American economy to be in ruins. Now I know the GOP is typically the party to point the un-American finger at their political enemies, but isn’t there something inherently counter-productive in wishing the worst on our economy so that they can benefit politically? Maybe things would have gone smoother if Obama had taken a page out of the Republican Party’s playbook and called the bailout the “Patriotic Stimulus Injection Plan,” or the “God Bless the Economy Act.” Not to mention that the only thing Americans would be rewarded with, should the Republicans pick up more seats in the next election, is a Congress that could more efficiently stall plans from Obama designed to help Americans.

Realistically, Obama’s lack of support from across the aisle should not come as too much of a shock. After the Republican Party was routed in both the 2006 and 2008 elections there are not very many moderates left. What is left behind are the hardcore conservatives in relatively safe districts. You know the 20-30% that still supported Bush towards the end? Think of these as the representatives of that small (crazy) group of Americans. As a result, they have little to lose by trying to make Obama look bad since they face a minimal threat of being voted out in the next election cycle.

Where Obama’s support needs to come from is the everyday American. His campaign of “Hope” meant a lot of things, but now that it has come apparent that there will not be a rainbow over the White House each day and that Democrats and Republicans were still not going to play nice, Obama needs to focus on just getting things done. The best he can hope for is winning over a few moderate Republicans in the Senate, although it is worth still reaching out as much as possible. The number one way he can lose his political sway is if he hesitates. So far he has emphasized quick action over anything else, and has alluded to this bailout plan as only “one leg of the stool” for rebuilding the American economy. If there is one thing that this first battle with Republicans should show Obama it is that politics will always be a rough business, and the best that he can hope for is that his side wins. The Republicans know that just going along with Democratic policies will only lead to continued Democratic success, which is why they are taking the opposite path. Of course one could also suggest that this is also incredibly selfish, and a great way to make a terrible situation even worse, but who am I to judge?

The next step for Obama will be holding businesses accountable for their actions. The idea that CEO’s should not be compensated for robbing their companies and the American people of their livelihood is a step in the right direction, although it is much more of a novel idea than it should be in our government. Obama has already announced that a plan to rebuild the American auto industry is already under way.

Personally I’m looking forward to the idea that by the time I am ready to buy my first new car that I will have more than one or two options for cars with over 35 mpg. Not to mention Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is making her debut with a trip to Asia this week. So far Obama has been focusing almost completely on his domestic agenda, but expect to see a new foreign policy platform to emerge once Hillary comes back and gets her bearings.

As for us, the students, where many of us were members of the electorate that fell in love with Obama and what he had to say, it is time to see what he is made of. I’m ready to give him a chance, and probably a much longer chance than others to follow through on his promises. As long as he is active and making an effort to change the way things are I will not complain. It will take time for this stimulus plan and his legislation to come to fix the corruption that festered in Wall Street these last decades, and we all knew Obama had his work cut out for him. If Obama can get our economy on the upswing and Americans back to their jobs, then I think it’s fair to say that he is doing his job, too.

From the Editor’s Desk…

To Our Faithful Audience,

Well I’m not sure if The Tower got a sudden burst in popularity or if the janitors threw out all the issues we put around campus, but last week’s issue absolutely flew off the shelves. I’m going to go with the positive here and say you guys actually liked it, and if that’s the case, well then, awesome…I’m not even mad.

Personally, I’ve been looking foreward to this issue ever since I heard about Juicy Campus about a month ago. For those of you that don’t know, Juicy Campus is a place for students (mostly freshmen) to bash each other anonymously online. I’ll let Jake Scalici’s article do the talking, but something tells me we haven’t seen the last of this site or sites like it.

So enjoy, I think this is a solid issue.

Sincerely,

Tyler Peckham
Editor-in-Chief

Drug Designed to
Lengthen Eyelashes

Is prescription medication the future of beauty? A new prescription drug called Latisse, designed to enhance your eyelashes, is now on the market. The beauty solution has been approved for the treatment of hair loss and the product’s maker claims, “it will thicken, darken and lengthen inadequate or skimpy eye lashes”.

Many women are excited about this new cure for eyelash deficiencies and eager to test it out. “I want to be able to look like I have makeup on when I don’t,” says Tammie Wilson of Roswell, Georgia.

Results are a long time coming though, with at least an eight week wait for visible improvement, many people not experiencing the full effect until a whole 16 weeks after they begin the regimen. And if you ever decide to stop taking your eyelash-enhancing pill, the results will be reversed, thus deeming it necessary for the rest of your life to dole out a rather steep $120 every 30 days for a new prescription, in order to maintain your desired eyelash exquisiteness.

First removing all dirt from the face, and then brushing the liquid across the top of the eyelashes with a small applicator, Latisse is expertly administered by a professional doctor. Adverse reactions may most commonly include itching, redness, hyper-pigmentation or a darkening of skin around the base of the eyelashes. It has also been found to help significantly decrease eye pressure in glaucoma sufferers.

With scientific makeup innovations such as these, the advancement in beauty techniques is seemingly endless.

-Teresa Barone

Father and Son
Re-united by
Accident

Chris Walker grew up his entire life without knowing his biological father. The only thing he did know about his father was his name- Clayton Hamilton.

When a man named Claiborne Hamilton got a job at the Richmond Police department where Walker worked, he got curious. After some conversations and questioning, Walker learned that Hamilton’s age, where he grew up, and friends he knew all could be possible matches to his long lost father.

To confirm his suspicions, he called his mother asking if she knew a Claiborne Hamilton. At first Walker’s mother insisted that his name was Clayton and not Claiborne, but after Walker asked about Hamilton’s old girlfriend’s nickname, Billy Joe, she knew that Hamilton was his father. “Billy Joe,” was the old nickname of Walker’s mother.

Soon afterwards, Walker called Hamilton to tell him the news. “It shocked me, but I always believed that there may have been a possibility at the time,” Hamilton said in an interview with the Richmond Times Dispatch. “When I first talked to him on the phone, I cried.”

Since then the two have undergone DNA testing to confirm that they are in fact father and son. The two even went in similar directions in their lives, first going into the military and later becoming police officers. Although few could expect that it would lead them to working in the same office where they discovered each other.

-Tyler Peckham

Lance Armstrong
has Bike Stolen

Lance Armstrong’s comeback into the world of cycling hit a snag after he had his bike stolen after the first day of a nine day race in California. The bike was taken from a team truck only hours after Armstrong had finished racing for the day.

This is Armstrong’s second comeback. The first being his famed 1998 return after recovering from testicular cancer that had ultimately spread to his lungs and brain.

Being highly resourceful, Armstrong had posted the theft on his Twitter account on Sunday, February 15 when he realized it was missing. The bike is custom made and is only used by Armstrong for serious time trials. Armstrong’s plea for the bike’s recovery was somewhat less professional, however. “There is only one like it in the world therefore hard to pawn it off. Reward being offered,” he wrote in a request to recover an extremely valuable piece of equipment.

The bikes of Armstrong’s teammates, Janez Brajkovic, Steve Morabito and Yaroslav Popovych were also stolen. As of press date, there has been no word on the status of the bicycles, but if Armstrong can get over cancer that plagued the two most important parts on a man’s body, let’s hope he can get over this bump in the road as well.

-Tyler Peckham

Page 3, News OP/ED

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News OP/ED, Page 3

From Great to Gone: Celebs Losing Sponsorhips

It looks like celebrities have been royally screwing up lately. First Michael Phelps gets caught smoking pot, then Chris Brown is arrested on charges of beating Rihanna. Not only do they have to face an incredible amount of public heat for their socially unacceptable actions, but they are also dealing with consequences greatly affecting their careers.
Both public figures have faced the loss of sponsorship from big name advertisers. Additionally, Chris Brown has been losing musical exposure as a result of the alleged beating he gave Rihanna.

Following the release of the photo of Phelps taking a bong hit, Kellogg Co. made a public statement announcing that they had decided not to renew their contract with the Olympic gold medalist. “Michael’s most recent behavior is not consistent with the image of Kellogg. His contract expires at the end of February, and we have made the decision not to extend his contract,” said Susanne Norwitz, spokeswoman for Kellogg.

Brown seems to have taken an even harder hit, not of marijuana, but in the loss of corporate support. Not only does he face the possibility of losing sponsorship from the Wrigley Corporation and the Milk Mustache campaign, but he is losing good exposure on the airwaves. Since the allegations against him, Sesame Street has removed re-runs of an episode featuring Brown and radio stations have been refusing to air his songs, due to the heavy volume of listener complaints.

The program director of Cleveland radio station 96.5 Kiss FM explains his reason for removing the artist from their playlists. “It appears that Chris has made some poor choices, we are following the lead of our listeners, and we will not be supporting Chris Brown on 96.5 Kiss FM in Cleveland until the alleged situation gets resolved.”

While this loss of support must be frustrating to the famous figures, it is entirely warranted. The simple fact is that these corporations are merely trying to be business savvy. They are protecting the future of their companies and the image that they are attempting to represent.
I must say that I do sympathize a bit with Phelps’ situation, which was seemingly a lapse in judgment, so unfortunately caught on camera.

Ashton Kutcher put it best saying, “God forbid he hit a bong. Go ask your 20-year-old kid what they did last weekend. I’m not saying it was a smart move. But he doesn’t need to be publicly outed for it.”

Unfortunately, however, he was publicly outed and Kellogg must face the image that he is now forcing them to represent. When a company is trying to tell you that their product is healthy for your body and then the man that they place on their boxes becomes known for an activity unhealthy for your body, it creates a conflict of interest. I’m all for fun just as much as the next person, but Phelps needs to be more careful about who he commits these devious acts in front of, knowing that he could very well face severe consequences affecting his Olympic career.

Brown faces even more career consequences, and rightfully so. I’d have to say that the image of a wife-beater (and let’s face it, that’s the image he gives off when people believe that he has abused his significant other) does not fare well with any advertising campaign. Who wants to buy gum from a company that supports domestic abuse? And as far as the radio station’s decision to drop his songs, they are facing the potential loss of faithful listeners. It’s a smart business move and simply that.

Weekly Green Tip

Recycle!

Americans are using up natural resources faster than ever.  Creating new bottles, paper, clothing, electronics, etc. requires a lot of energy to process the raw materials and turn them into the products we see in our everyday life.  A great way to save resources and energy is to RECYCLE!  When you throw your recyclables into a recycling bin on campus, the materials can be reused to create new bottles and paper with post-consumer content.

Starting on Monday, February 16th you can combine all your paper, metal cans, glass bottles, cardboard, and 1 & 2 plastics in any recycling bin with a clear trash bag.  Recycling is easier than ever, try it out!

If you have any questions about recycling, please contact the EnvironmentalNetwork@arcadia.edu

Death-Row Bride: Childhood Marriage in Saudi Arabia

What little girl doesn’t dream of one day walking down an aisle dressed in white, surrounded by friends and family?  In July 2008, that dream turned into a nightmare for a 15-year-old Saudi Arabian girl.  The aisle she walked ran between death-row prison cells.  Her father gave her away to his cell-mate.  Shortly after her two-day honeymoon in the prison’s special quarters, she discovered she was pregnant.

Unfortunately, childhood marriages occur regularly in Saudi Arabia.  On December 26, 2008, CNN reported the marriage of an 8-year-old girl to a 47-year-old man. The girl’s father arranged the marriage to pay off a debt.  Judge Sheikh Habib Abdallah al-Habib rejected the mother’s petition to annul the marriage, saying that the mother is not the girl’s legal guardian since she and her husband are separated.
Saudi Arabia currently has no laws determining the minimum age for marriage.  Fathers can give daughters as young as one year old in marriage, as long as the husband pledges to delay consummation until the girl reaches puberty.  While the law requires a women’s consent to marriage, some officials allow the woman’s guardian to grant consent for her.

The law may be silent on the issue of minimum age, but various religious opinions abound.  The BBC reported on April 12, 2005 that Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul Aziz al-Sheik banned forced marriages, saying that the practice is not permitted by Islamic law.  Other religious leaders feel differently, including a top cleric who said, “’It’s not correct to say it’s not permitted…A girl aged 10 or 12 can be married.  Those who think she’s too young…are being unfair to her.”

For many families, childhood marriages are a matter of expediency rather than ethics.  According to an Arab News report on August 7, 2008, if a man is the single guardian of many daughters, he may give them in marriage in order to provide for them.  Poor families profit by receiving fees from the groom, while other families hope to prevent illicit relationships.

The myth that marrying at a young age protects girls is dispelled by the United Nations Population Fund report.  There are no official statistics regarding childhood marriage in Saudi Arabia specifically, but studies in Kenya and Zambia show that teenage brides are contracting HIV at a faster rate than sexually active unmarried girls.  In addition, girls age 10-14 are five times more likely to die in pregnancy than women age 20-24.  Over the next decade, approximately 100 million girls under the age of 18 will be married.

The Saudi Human Rights Commission launched a campaign in September 2008 to set the minimum marital age at 17.  Through their diligent efforts, the dream of a vibrant childhood may one day be granted to every Saudi Arabian girl.

Burris Under Fire

Even after former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has been impeached, Senator Roland Burris is still trying to get out from under his shadow. New allegations of perjury have been levied at Burris since the discovery that he may have been solicited to donate funds to Blagojevich’s campaign. Burris allegedly was asked to donate funds after he inquired about his name being mentioned on the list of possible successors for President Obama’s Senate seat while Blagojevich was still in office.

For his part Burris, denies any wrong doing. “I’ve always conducted myself with honor and integrity,” said Burris during a news conference on Sunday.  The information came out in an affidavit released last week by Burris. Republicans charge that this information should have come out during a hearing in front of the impeachment committee for Blagojevich last month. Many Republicans are calling for the impeachment of Burris.

This news does little to help the Democratic Party or President Obama that have already had to deal with the turning down of cabinet posts by former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson and former Senator Tom Daschle because of ethical and monetary concerns. The continuing drama of Blagojevich and Burris seems only to add salt to the wound.

“Clearly, it would have been better if Sen. Burris had provided this information when he first testified. Sen. Reid is reviewing the affidavit and will await any action by Illinois legislative leaders after they review the matter,” said a statement released by the camp of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

As of Press date President Obama is yet to comment on the status of Burris. Burris’ Senate seat will be up for election in 2010.

Page 4, Student Life

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Student Life, Page 4

Knights’ Nook

Questions about life? Email us @
KnightsNook@gmail.com

Arcadia’s own Ms. Majestic answers ALL of your questions about love, life, and the library!

Dear Ms. Majestic,

I’ve been dating my boyfriend since the 8th grade and we are totally head over hills for each other. He is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I don’t know what I would do without him. A few years ago when I was going through some growing pains, he helped me out more than you could even imagine. To make a long story short, I think we’re ready for the next step. I’m a sophomore and he’s a sophomore at Penn State but I think that we’re ready to move on with our lives even though we’re young. All of my friends think that I’m crazy but they really don’t understand that we are far more mature than most people our age and we really love each other. My grandparents got married when they were only 18 and stayed happily married for over 60 years. if they can do it, I know that we can. How do I make my friends understand?
-Ready to be Wed

Dear Ready,

Let me be the first to say congrats on finding someone you love so deeply. These days it seems hard to find that special someone. At the same time, let me also remind you that it is very rare to find a special person and be as certain to share eternity with them as you are. Marriage is a huge commitment and happiness now doesn’t mean happiness forever. Your grandparents had to work very hard to maintain bliss for that long and I’m sure there were plenty of rough patches. You said that the two of you are more mature than your peers, but the real test of that maturity is if you can hold on to your love and get married when the time is right. Get a degree, travel a little… do anything except get hitched.

-Ms. Majestic

Dear Ms. Majestic,

My roommate is a huge pervert. Whenever we go out, he always makes an effort to embarass me and himself. All of the chicks we hang out with think he’s a tool, but he doesn’t seem to realize it. He tells people that he’s a playa, but everyone around him knows that’s not true. Besides being a jerk to every woman he comes into contact with, he’s a pretty cool dude. We vibe on a lot of the same music and stuff. The problem is that my girlfriend hates that I hang out with this kid and she thinks he’s rubbing off on me. I don’t know how I’m supposed to prove to her that I’m just as annoyed as she is and not piss him off. He’s my roommate and I won’t be able to get rid of him so she’s going to have to stick it out but I’m afraid she’ll break up with me if I don’t lose him. What should I do?
-Roomie vs. Chick

Dear RC,

Man, what a sticky situation. You really don’t have a ton of options. Your girlfriend shouldn’t have put you in such a sticky predicamnet because if she had any sense, she would know that you can’t just up and move with a viable reason. I understand that your rommate is a jerk but you also said that he was a pretty cool guy otherwise. Try to make your girlfriend see his not-so-evil ways and maybe she’ll come around. Make sure you talk to your roommate and ask him to lay off his tool antics. It may end up being worse than you ever imagined if this keeps going the way its going. Good luck and stay cool.

-Ms. Majestic

Getting back into the swing of things after my week long snowcation has been tough. Adding to my already lackluster approach to studying this past week was a wonderfully enjoyable bout of tonsillitis to knock me right back into my sick routine of sleeping all day and watching the same movies over and over. After finally dragging some antibiotics out of the NHS doctors, I am on the road to recovery just in time to enjoy my reading week.

If you’ve just started to read my column then a) shame on you, you should have been interested in my life last semester and b) you wouldn’t have a clue about the amazing reading week given in the middle of my semester.  To keep it short and sweet it’s a week off from all lessons and you can use it however you please. It is suggested that you do some reading, but most students use it for excess partying and going home. Last semester I did a bit of reading, but unfortunately spent most of my week on the latter. This semester I hope to redeem myself with a ridiculous amount of reading.

My plan is to read two weeks ahead of schedule which I really think I can do if I would just stop sleeping all day. Sleep to me seems to be the blight of the college student. Most of my friends share the same problem with sleep. We either sleep so much that it is completely unhealthy or we sleep so little that it is unhealthy. I try to find that perfect balance, but it doesn’t seem to fit in staying up til 3 a.m. to finish a book or coming home from a night out at 8 a.m. But I won’t give up trying to control my sleep.

Even if I do get my sleeping patterns under control, I’m not sure I will have enough energy for the upcoming weeks. In the beginning of this week I shall be frequenting the library, but Wednesday I will be boarding a train and making a quick trip up to Oxford where one of my fellow ex-FYSAE and Arcadians is studying. This weekend I also have another Arcadian visiting from Ireland! The following week I am going to the theater and then completely indulging my inner English-major/silly girl who loves Jane Austen. I will be going on a Jane Austen themed overnight trip with Arcadia to Bath, which is a main stay of her writing. It is a bit sad, really. I’m imagining a gaggle of girls who all share the same fantasy of finding Mr. Darcy, but I’m sure it will be enjoyable nonetheless. A week after that one, of my best friends from home will be coming over to visit and then after that I have my twenty-first birthday to look forward too!

With the next month’s extremely busy schedule, I really, really need to get a handle on my procrastination and get ahead with my work. I’m sure everyone’s feeling the weight of a massive workload back at AU as well so wish me luck with mine and get your work done too!

So, with the holiday season past, especially Valentine’s Day, there are plenty of people looking for someone to do. For those of us on the singles circuit, getting our “needs” filled can be tough sometimes. What is one to do? BOOTY CALL. Yes, I’m serious. Get your jollies filled and then go home. There’s nothing wrong with that! Urban dictionary defines a booty call as “A late night summons — often made via telephone — to arrange clandestine sexual liaisons on an ad hoc basis.” Otherwise know as getting laid. As long as you know that it’s a booty call and nothing more.

Follow these signs that it might be a booty call:

1. It’s late at night, usually after 11pm.

2. The other person seems to be under the influence (not the influence of Cupid’s arrow either!)

3. They say things like, “So…my roommates are all out of town….want to hang out?”

4. They also make blunt sexual references… “Me so horny,  me so horny!”

5. Finally, You’ve answered a booty call before and it was GOOOOOOOD!
The key thing to remind yourself, and we’ve all made this mistake, is to not overdo the booty call. It should be used on a URGENT need basis only! Only when you are so horny that masturbating all night will NOT do the job! You don’t want to seem desperate. Really! If you abuse this you are going to get a reputation. Honestly, your roommate is going to leave you a note that says “Really? Again? How much sex can you truly have? For that matter how MANY orgasms can you FAKE?”

Here are some ideas as to how to get a booty call:

1. Talk about sex a lot to someone to see if your sexual interests match.

2. Swap some sexual encounter stories to see if they are willing to have a booty call.

3. Establish that you should “hang out” or “party” sometime.

4. Think of really corny/sexy things to actually say when it’s booty call time: “What are you doing tonight…can it be me?” *wink*

5. Finally, be ready to say, “Want to get laid? Come over.”

Use these tips wisely. You are sure to have a good night. Or maybe several good nights!  Just be sure to keep it strictly to getting booty or you are going to just look sad and pathetic! We don’t want that! What are you waiting for? Get calling!

Page 5, Feature

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Feature, Page 5

Special Report: The Inside Scoop on Juicy Campus

Arcadia is a University built on diversity and acceptance.  There is a diverse amount of clubs, everything from volleyball to Quidditch. The student body is geographically diverse with students from other countries studying in quiet Glenside, and Arcadia also houses a large LGBTQ community.  The differences in people are supposed to be not only accepted at Arcadia but learned from, like a forum for not only education by books but through life.

Spring break trips to different areas in the United States and around the world work to inform students of the way people live around the world, just like FYSAE and other study abroad destinations do for college life.  On campus, Arcadia celebrates this idea of harmony amongst difference with a symbolic Civility Flag.  But  unfortunately for many students of Arcadia University a website has given others a chance to speak out against the differences they don’t like or can’t understand. Throw in some other personal happenings orpossible facts and you have the dilemma that is Arcadia’s JuicyCampus.

JuicyCampus.com is an anonymous gossip website started by 2005 Duke University alum Matt Ivester.  In a New York Times article Ivester talks about JuicyCampus as “gossip 2.0”.  JuicyCampus acts like a virtual bathroom wall according to Ivester a place to write what someone wants about whoever the want.  For example a post might say something like “John Doe banged so and so in the Hienz bathroom last Friday.”  Other prevalent posts are list style like “Top Ten Pot Dealers at (insert school name here).” The site has caused quite a stir in campuses across the nation since its inception in august of 2007, and brought about clone websites in small instances like high schools.  At Arcadia the site has been used one of two ways, for the already mentioned gossip and for all out hatred.   This has been the problem with JuicyCampus in general.  The private gossip, finger pointing, and secrets told haven’t brought flack to the JuicyCampus or Ivester but going beyond intothreats of violence or outright hatred has.

In December of 2007, a student at Loyola Marymount University posted a threat to kill as many people as he could on the campus’ Alumni Mall building.  Resulting in JuicyCampus’s biggest headline to date. At Pepperdine University students moved to block JuicyCampus from the schools servers, other campuses have gone the route of blocking JuicyCampus from their network without a vote, even though it can be seen as a breech of the Constitution’s First Amendment protecting free speech.  Ivester has gone as far as to compare the blocking of JuicyCampus to China’s censoring of the Internet.  All in all, JuicyCampus has name its name on the dismay of the people mentioned on it making its infection of a campus the size of Arcadia University even more surprising.   The schools clashing with JuicyCampuses and Ivester in the headlines have 8,000 or more students as opposed to Arcadia’s smaller more tightly knit 3,600 plus.  The site had been blocked by three schools as of January 2009, Texas Christian University, Tennesee State University, and High Point Unversity.  JuicyCampus expanded over 500 niversities at its pinnacle in late 2008.

JuicyCampus became a problem on Arcadia’s campus causing dean of students Jeff Ewing to bring the issue up to Arcadia’s Student Government Organization, or SGO.  “I did approach SGO to discuss the issue because students had raised it with me and I wanted to see if the students involved with SGO wanted to address it.  The students who spoke to me were concerned about how others were being treated on the site and felt it was something we should address somehow.  From what they shared with me, there certainly seemed to be no positive purpose to the site.” Said Ewing

Unlike at other colleges and universities Arcadia’s issues with the site were resolved without much effort or trouble.  On February 5, 2009 JuicyCampus was shut down due to financial problems effectively ending the sites run at Arcadia or anywhere for that matter.  Some say the site or one like exists at another address but for the most part the online gossip site is dead at Arcadia University for now, but the sting from the things written will be felt for some time for those mentioned.

Page 6, Entertainment

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Entertainment, Page 6

And the Winner is: 2009 Grammy Review

“And the Grammy goes to…” These were the theme words for the 51st Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles at the Staples Center. It was a night of surprises, performances, and, of course golden, awards. The night began with questions, as I watched the E! channel’s Grammy pre-show and learned that singers Chris Brown and Rihanna were going to be no-shows. Both were nominated and expected to perform. No news had broken yet before the show, so the audience was left wondering what happened. It wasn’t until after the show that it was uncovered by countless news stations and the Internet, that Chris Brown turned himself into police for an alleged felony battery between himself and an identified woman. Sources say that the woman may in fact be his girlfriend Rihanna. The craziness didn’t end there. The Grammy’s was a night of stars and surprises.

Famed group U2 opened the award show and delivered a cool performance that set the tone for the beginning of the show. Just when I thought the Grammy’s would be a bust, R&B legend Whitney Houston walks onto the stage looking great! The singer who had some troubles in the past looked nothing like that person. She looked new and approved as she presented the R&B Album Award that went to Jennifer Hudson. Hudson took the prize and received a standing ovation as she thanked her family that was tragically killed, and her family that is with her presently.

The night continued with performances by Al Green, Justin Timberlake, Keith Urban, and Boyz II Men, filling in for an absent Rihanna. For such short notice, the collaboration wasn’t bad at all. Coldplay’s Chris Martin serenaded the audience and then, all of a sudden rapper, Jay-Z walked onto the stage and spit a quick verse. Coldplay finished the performance singing their popular song “Viva la Vida.” Other performers included Carrie Underwood, Kid Rock, Kenny Chesney, Radiohead, Sir Paul McCartney with Foo Fighter’s singer Dave Grohl, Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift together, and Jennifer Hudson’s heartfelt ballad. The night continued to be a collaborative night when The Jonas Brothers and Stevie Wonder teamed up to sing the brother’s “Burnin’ Up” song and then Stevie’s “Very Superstitious” hit. Katy Perry gave an average performance for her song “I Kissed A Girl”, her set was filled with different huge props that were fruits like pears, apples, and peaches. She even had a fruity outfit to match, and I’m not a fashion expert, but did anyone peep the flat green shoes she had on? All I could think was “Step your game up Katy, it’s the Grammy’s. Put some heals on!”

Then, I saw that Kanye West didn’t know what year it was as he performed with British singer Estelle for her “American Boy”song. Kanye, with his shiny Michael Jackson silver jacket and black gloves, accompanying the outfit with his 1985 hair to match was too much to handle. But he redeemed himself later in the show. One of my favorite performances, probably because I LOVE this song was “Swagga Like Us.” Queen Latifah presented “The Rap Pack” featuring Jay-Z, Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and T.I. with a very pregnant M.I.A., who was in fact due on the same day as the Grammy’s. Very strange, yes, but the performance was hot! There were other performances during the night in which everyone was paired off with someone else. All in all, the performance went pretty well. Another highlight was seeing bands that went ghost for a while, like Blink 182 and Green Day.

Some of the winners mentioned walked away with more than one gold award, and some did not walk away with anything. Whatever the case, it was a night that will go down in history. Stevie Wonder closed the show singing soulfully as he played his piano and his harmonica. It was a starry night of questions, some answers, good performances, ok performances, great outfit choices, not so great ones, and new and old faces. The 2009 Grammy’s are long gone, but not to worry, they will be back. Before you know it, it’ll be time to cue the music for the person who’s acceptance speech is way too long. You’ve got to love that, and you’ve got to love the Grammy’s!

Best R&B Album- Jennifer Hudson

Best Country Performance by Duo or Group- “Stay” by Sugarland

Pop Collaboration with Vocals- Robert Plant and Alison Krauss

Best Rock Album-  Viva la Vida by Coldplay

Best New Artist- Adele

Record of the Year- Robert Plant and Alison Krauss

Male Pop Vocal Performance- John Mayer

Best Rap Album- Lil Wayne

Album of the Year- Raising Sand Robert Plant and Alison Krauss

The Lowdown on Chris Brown & Rihanna

After the 51st Annual Grammy Awards premiered on CBS on February 8th, there was a lot of talk about the absence of singers and couple Chris Brown and Rihanna at the award show. Immediately after the show, the internet, news stations, radio stations, and people’s cell phones were buzzing, with explanations for what happened. There have been countless speculations as to what happened between the performers. Two things we know for sure, whether or not Chris Brown did what people said he did or not, his career just might be over. As for Rihanna, she probably just nailed a book deal with a publishing company to tell her story.

So, here’s the scoop and the latest on what went down. The night before the Grammy’s, Chris Brown, 19 and Rihanna, 20 were spotted at a pre-party and seemed to be happy. Sources like BET NEWS, E! Channel, Yahoo News, just to name a few, all seem to agree that after the party things turned ugly. Supposedly, Chris and Rihanna were seen arguing inside of a car. After that, no one physically has stepped forward to clear up what occurred. But, here’s what we think we know: Chris and Rihanna got into an argument and tempers started to flair. Sources say that Chris allegedly hit Rihanna, gave her bruises and she had to go to the hospital for her wounds. “Someone” (more than likely Rihanna or a friend) called the police and reported that Brown attacked her. But wait there’s more…

The internet and television tried to keep the latest news updated and each minute, something new was discovered. The majority of the media is saying that Chris gave Rihanna a split lip, bloody nose and scratches on her face. It is crystal clear that Chris Brown turned himself in to the Los Angeles Police Department due to video released all across the world. Brown was driven to the station by his attorney Mark Geragos, whose past clients include Winona Ryder, Scott Peterson, and Michael Jackson. Geragos’ past clients have nothing to do with Chris Brown, but from what those clients have on their records, it doesn’t look good. The R&B singer was charged with making a criminal threat, and at this point remains under investigation on domestic violence allegations. His bail was set at $50,000, which he posted and he was released. But there are still questions unanswered that fans, and just about anyone who is interested, want to know what is true.

I have heard everything under the sun this past week regarding the Chris Brown vs. Rihanna attack. I’ve heard that Rihanna gave Chris Brown some sort of STD, Rihanna cheated on Chris with rapper Flo-rida, Chris bit Rihanna on her face or arm, someone else may have been with the two when the fight happened, etc. It’s been a lot of talk, and no one really knows what to believe. A few friends and I have agreed that there needs to be some sort of press conference ASAP to confirm what’s going on! There just needs to be some sort of follow-up or conclusion as to what is the truth, so that people can stop making up their own stories.

Chris Brown is most definitely not benefitting from this situation, his Doublemint Gum ad campaign has been pulled and some radio stations are not playing his songs. It’s very sad and disturbing to think that all of these allegations probably happened. Also, Chris Brown is a talented young man who is seen as a lovable guy. Of course, that doesn’t dismiss the fact that he could be an abuser, but I think it’s crazy that such a talented kid could be going through something like this.

More importantly, Chris Brown is a young Black male, and that just puts the icing on the cake. Whenever a Black entertainer does something outrageous or gets arrested, the Black community lowers their heads, because it’s a fact that this young man has potential, but by this happening, it’s not setting a good example for the other young men coming behind him. Hopefully, this will be a lesson for them that no matter how famous you are, you must take responsibilty for yourself, and that fame can be taken away from you in an instant. One can only hope that this whole situation can be settled and that the whole truth will be proclaimed. A lot of people want the truth and at this stage in the game, people can handle it.

Page 7, Entertainment

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Entertainment, Page 7

The Scramble

A brief look at new media.

The return of New Brunswick’s own post-hardcore heroes, Thursday, is a much-needed one.  With the genre falling to stale emo-rockers seemingly by the day the return of the kings came at the perfect time.  On their last release 2006’s A City by the Light Divided, Thursday seemed to be faltering under the weight of their own music.  Strings, keys, synths, and singer Geoff Rickly’s lamest lyrics to date had fans wondering if there was anything left in the tank.   On Common Existaence a refocused Thursday gives the same formula another shot adding in some of their old fury, better synths and most of all, a much better written album by Rickly.  The result is eleven tracks that blend the bands breakthrough classic Full Collpase with A City. Polished raw hardcore mixed with prog pop patches.  Rickly and Co. bring a huge wall of sound style to tracks like “As He Climbed the Dark Mountain” and “Love has Led Us Astray” but without budging from the pummeling style of other songs like “You Were the Cancer”.

I remember hearing about this band a few years ago.  Punk rock, art punk, something rock, Trail of Dead (it’s much easier to type) were the underground golden boys of the early part of the millennium and they weren’t afraid to show off their duel drumming, heavy guitared brand to anyone.  After being picked up by a major label, it seemed like the well went dry for Trail of Dead.  Their albums became dense art rock, soundscapes with layers and layers of instruments and ideas but without the soul of their earlier pieces.  On their latest release, Century of Self, the band went old school, recording all of the songs live and heading back toward their original style.  Century of Self isn’t the band’s crown jewel, but it does make Trail of Dead relevant again.  “Fields of Coral” sounds like a Bruce Springsteen song, “Far Pavilions” is mellow despite sprawling guitars, and “Inland Sea” has a seriously epic intro.  Welcome back Trail of Dead, welcome back.

Whats My Age Again?

My first big concert, that is one not in a gym somewhere, came in the summer of 2001.  I was an 8th grader with an affinity for guitar riffs I could play and songs with things that had lyrics that were important to me at the time, like girls and dick jokes for the lunch table.  No one band fit the bill better than Blink-182.  Mark, Tom, and Travis those were my musical heroes.  Whether it was early Blink like Cheshire Cat and Dude Ranch (the pre-Travis days) or the big hit albums like Enema of the State and Take Off Your Pants and Jacket (my vote for the greatest album title of all time), the leaders of pop-punk’s second wave had everything my 14 year old brain could possibly want.  Unfortunately, the band and my fourteen-year-old brain got older.

High School brought about friends with different tastes, tastes that influenced me.  Metal, hardcore, prog, other genres in general began to flood my iTunes and CD catalog and my love affair with Blink began to fade, thanks in part to their self-titled 2003 release.  The album was a different band.  The voices were the same, even the first single, “Feeling This”, had some of Blink’s classic sound, but in general the band I once knew and loved was gone.  Tom DeLonge moved on to do Angels and Airwaves, his second (and by far worst) side project and Mark and Travis moved on to form +44, both acts paling in comparison to the youthful glory of Blink-182.  Some people said it was a band growing up, trading in high school humor for fears and questions.  Others look at it as a matter of over exposure, a band that didn’t see their fame as a matter of their music, but rather their personalities.  In 2005, DeLonge went on an indefinite hiatus from not only Blink but his two best friends, the fun had ended.

Let’s fast forward two shitty Angels and Airwaves album’s and a plane crash to the 2009 Grammys.  I was watching the show, full of music I really wasn’t that into, only to see Mark, Tom, and a still recovering Travis on stage.  Mind you, in recent years I had begun to look through my albums and, in doing so, rediscovered my connection with songs about peeping toms and hallway gossip.  The simple guitars, catchy melodies, and the feeling of the first times I heard the songs brought the band back to my musical forefront..  Mark spoke out first cracking a joke about the previous segment’s performance saying, “Isn’t it great to see the Jonas Brothers and Stevie Wonder back together again?” After laughing, the next thing I heard was Travis saying that Blink was back together and the smile just crept across my face.

Now lets talk about this new and improved return of Blink-182.  They’re recording, they’re touring, they’re like, really back.  The question is, which Blink are we  going to get?  My worry is that the band will pick up where they left off, growing up.  Dude Ranch, Enema, and TOYPAJ were all about the pains of being young while yearning to get to 21 and buy booze.  I don’t mean to speak for everyone, but I think the majority of fans would say Mark, Tom, and Travis need to go back to the things that made them friends in the first place.  Sure they’re all thirty something dads, but the chemistry between them is in their American Pie, dog-humping humor.  I don’t want an album about the dark times of Blink-182, the hiatus years, because that isn’t what Blink stands for.  In the end, I’m weary but giddy. 2009 brings me a chance to go see a summer tour with the band I saw every summer I could, the chance to hear tunes like “Dammit” and “Aliens Exist”, and most of all the chance to take a trip back a few years to a simpler, brighter time.

Page 8, Sports

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Sports, Page 8

A-ROD……..A-ROID???

Yankee Alex Rodriguez admitts past steriod use

In recent years, U.S. professional sports leagues have cracked down on steroid use by their players harder than ever before. In addition to strictly monitoring current and future use by players, some monitoring bodies and leagues have chosen to dig down throughout a player’s entire career to try to find any incidents of past use. Unfortunately, what’s been uncovered is that many “Sports Heros” of our time such as Rodger Clemens, have at one point or another used illegal steroids.  According to Sports Illustrated, who first broke the story, Yankee prodigy Alex Rodriguez is the new addition to the infamous company.

Sources at Sports Illustrated and CBS News say that in 2003, A-Rod tested positive for the steroids Testosterone and Primobolan.  During the time in question, Rodriguez was playing for the Texas Rangers, and was also the 2003 MVP. At the time, however, MLB did not have penalties for steroid use and tests taken were said to be anonymous and confidential.  Confidential, of course, until a Federal intervention in 2004, resulting in the seizure of all files from a lab in California.

Adding to the actual allegations of steroid use against Rodriguez, the other issue at hand seems to be the fact that in a 2007 interview with CBS News anchor Katie Couric, A-Rod avidly denied any use of any steroids at any point throughout his career.  Now that this news has come out, hypocrite is the word best describing the situation, as well as the player, by many New York and baseball fans.

As of press date, A-Rod has refused to comment on the validity of the accusations, however the timing for this story to break couldn’t have been worse.

Starting on March 3, 2009, SF Giants player and “Home-Run King” Barry Bonds will be on Federal trial for accusations that he lied to a grand jury in 2007, when he stated that “he never knowing took illegal steroids.

With all of professional baseball having steroids on the brain due to Bonds’ trial, along with fans’ support faltering, it’s still not a definite whether or not Rodriguez’s career can withstand the scandal this time around. Despite the fact that these allegations are from 6 years ago, and that the incident was officially dealt with back then, the idea that A-Rod had lied to the public is what’s leaving a bad taste in Yankee fans’ mouths.

A-Rod, however, is no stranger to the world of gossip and     scandal in recent years. Due to his increased role as a Celebrity, in addition to just another Athlete, the press have dissected much more than just Alex’s career, and in fact, have speculated about his personal relationships.

In 2008, Us Magazine reported that Madonna’s 7 year marriage to actor Guy Richie was on the rocks, and that she had hosted several “late-night visits” with Rodriguez at her New York City apartment. Nearly at the same time, A-rod’s wife, Cynthia Rodriguez, (upper-right), had begun filing for divorce, based on her husbands “extramarital” activities.  Despite Madonna’s denial of a physical affair, Cynthia’s lawyers insisted that an “affair of the heart” took place between the two, and that was the basis for the disillusionment of the marriage.

Where A-Rod goes from here will take some serious damage control, and very unlikely forgiveness from fans.

KNIGHTS of the WEEK

Caitlin Sparks  ‘GR, 09
Women’s Basketball

Fifth year player Caitlin Sparks became the new all-time scoring leader for Arcadia Women’s Basketball during this Saturday’s 57-38 loss to Commonwealth Conference opponent Lycoming College at Lamade Gymnasium in Williamsport.  Sparks entered the game needing 13 points and set the new program record (1297 points) on the free throw line with 2:11 remaining in the game, as she sunk the front end of a one-and-one chance to displace 2007 Arcadia graduate Katie Lynch, who held the previous mark of 1296.  For the week, Sparks averaged 14.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game, both above her season averages (13.9ppg/8.1 rpg) while her 27 steals leads the squad.

Damien Palantino ‘10
Men’s Basketball

Junior gaurd Damien Palantino led his team in a tough winless week in Commonwealth play, providing many offensive sparks to keep the Knights in contention against strong teams in Widener and Lycoming.  Averaging 13.1 points per game, Palantino poured in 21 at home in a 68-62 loss against conference leader Widener before hanging a team high 15 on Lycoming in a unsettling 82-63 loss in Williamsport.  He shot the lights out with a team high 63% average from the floor, 50% from beyond the arc, and 86% from the charity stripe while adding 4 steals and dishing out 3 assists and surpassed senior Bobby Mulholland(12.1 ppg) as the season scoring leader.

Arcadia hosts Mid Atlantic Swim Championship

This past weekend, February 13th thru 15th, Arcadia’s Men’s and Women’s swim teams participated in the 2009 Middle Atlantic Conference Swim Championships. The conference, which was held at the Wyoming Valley Catholic Youth Center, included rival teams from across the area, including Kings, Albright, and Lebanon Valley Colleges.

Leading AU’s Men’s team was senior John Konieczny, who placed 14th in the 200 meter Breast Stroke.  In addition to Konieczny, who shaved close to 7 seconds off his qualifying time, was fellow swimmer Steve Haasis, who also beat his best time by 7 seconds for the 200 meter backstroke. By far, however, the most impressive personal time was that of Jason Sharpe, who improved his qualifying time by 11 seconds in the 200 meter butterfly.

Arcadia’s Women’s team also proved successful over this past weekend, with Kayla Kroll placing 19th in the 200 meter Womens Butterfly, as well as Stephanie Bartolotta, who hit a personal best of  2:51:       34 in the 100 meter breaststroke.

A congratulations to all swimmers, both men’s and women’s, as well as to head coach Stephen Rote, on a job well done during this year’s conference and a great overall season this year.

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Page 2, News OP/ED

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News OP/ED, Page 2

Economic Stimulus Debates Swell

As all of you probably know, there has been bad news on the state of the economy. Millions of people are unemployed, thousands upon thousands of jobs have been cut, foreclosures are listed across the nation,  and banks are asking for bailouts like they’re candy. President Obama, along with his staff and the House of Representatives, put together an economic stimulus bill that is being hotly debated by the Senate as far as what to include, what to cut away, and if the bill should pass at all. The price tag has gone up to $900 billion. I am here to defend the bill and I will tell you why.

Since last summer, the state of the economy has gone from bad to worse. Julianne Pepitone on cnnmoney.com reported that in the final week of January, on what was known as Bloody Monday, 65,400 jobs were cut. In 2008, nearly 2.6 million jobs were lost. That was the highest yearly job-loss since 1945. Companies such as Caterpillar and Pfizer cut 20,000 jobs. The unemployment rate for January hit 7.6 percent, the highest since 1992. The U.S. economy lost another 598,000 jobs since January, the largest one-month job loss since 1974. Many companies have filed for bankruptcy, stores across the country have closed, and on top of that, we still have to deal with global warming. Everyone, especially Obama, has been saying that this is the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Americans are hurting. Families struggle to put food on the table, pay their bills, afford college education for their kids, and save up for retirement. College students are up to their eyeballs in student debt and the job market looks bleak. The bill has a huge price tag and other people have been getting bailed out, such as the banking and auto industries. However, this is about putting the nation back to work and getting the economy moving again.

The economic stimulus package aims to inject money into several different venues.  Obama wants to give $26 billion to subsidize health care insurance, $46 billion to transportation projects, $14.4 billion for the Energy Department, and $54 billion in state fiscal relief for education. The plan also includes tax cuts and credits, such as a $2,500 tax credit for college tuition, giving tax cuts to families.
There are opponents to the bill. Bill Dalton of kansascity.com views the bill as full of earmarks and pork-barrel spending. For example, the stimulus has $50 million for water and habitat needs in San Francisco and $198 million to compensate Filipino World War II veterans.
Opponents such as talk radio hosts and Republican Congressmen see a lot of unnecessary spending and are either trying to trim costs or reject it altogether. Many feel that instead of spending, the government should be granting tax cuts.

However, action is needed, and it is needed quickly.

Joan Thompson of the political science department at Arcadia had this to say about the stimulus, “From a political science perspective, President Obama needs to act quickly to reduce the impact of the recession we are now in on middle class households. Otherwise he could be blamed for hard times by his own party as well as by the Republicans.”

The bill has already passed in the House and it currently being debated in the Senate. The package might be modified with more or less spending or have different approaches to certain areas. It is an ongoing news story and its outcome will have a huge impact on the country.

I support President Obama and the decisions he makes. He has quite a lot on his plate to fix. Americans are struggling financially. We need to do something. If this bill gets things moving again, then let’s pass it. Obama plans for the bill to create 3-4 million jobs. That is what we need. We are running out of time and options. If we don’t get something passed, things are going to get even worse. The economic stimulus package won’t solve everything. Obama is not aiming for it to do that. He wants to create new jobs for Americans and get them to work.

Letter: Bookstore Returns are Underpriced

I was reading your article about Arcadia’s bookstore. And you failed to mention that the bookstore doesnt give a lot of money back to students when buying back their books. As much as the bookstore says they’re not trying to rip us off they are forgetting that when we sell back our books they give us 10% back of what we paid! I can just go back to the community college at home and sell back the same books but get 50-60% back of what I paid. Its just ridiculous how much the bookstore gives us back for books that cost over a $100 then they place them back on the bookshelves for a little less then the new priced. There isnt a balance here and it is most certainly true when you mentioned that its a win or win situation for the univeristy as well as the bookstore. I wish Arcadia would start caring more about its hard paying students and less about the extra money they are making.

-Kristin Castelow, Class of 2012

From the Editor’s Desk…

To Our Faithful Audience,

So I hope everyone is excited for Valentine’s Day. If you’re like me, you’re probably not as excited as you could be, because then you would be single. But don’t fret if you are, we have helpful advice for those of you that might be spending V-Day alone this year. And for those of you lucky enough to have someone special, we have some advice for you, too.

In any case, I hope you like last week’s bookstore article, and we’ve tried to keep the good reporting coming with this week’s article on Arcadia’s struggling Music Department. Not to mention Jake Scalici’s write-up of this year’s Philly Car Show. So give this issue a read and you’ll probably find something you like…maybe…hopefully.

Sincerely,

Tyler Peckham
Editor-in-Chief

Michael Phelps: Super
Human Athlete or Normal
23-Year-Old?

Michael Phelps seems to have earned the title of pothead ever since a picture surfaced of him smoking a bong, allegedly packed full of marijuana. The picture appeared in News of the World, a British tabloid. It was reportedly taken in November at a student party at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.

Phelps later admitted it was him in the alleged picture. “I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment. I’m 23-years-old and despite the successes I’ve had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again,” said Phelps in a statement.

The Olympic gold medalist could face several repercussions due to his drug delinquency. According to the rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency, administrator of Olympic and international drug testing, marijuana is classified as a banned “in-competition” substance even though they do not classify it as “performance enhancing.”

Since the release of the photo, Phelps has been suspended from competition for three months, during which he was also cut off financially, by USA Swimming, the governing body for swimming in the United States. The organization released a statement saying “This is not a situation where any anti-doping rule was violated , but we decided to send a strong message to Michael because he disappointed so many people, particularly the hundreds of thousands of USA swimming member kids who look up to him as a role model and a hero.”

Kellogg has decided not to renew a sponsorship contract with Phelps because “his behavior isn’t consistent with Kellogg’s image.”

However, the International Olympic committee has accepted the swimmer’s apology and he will be allowed to compete in the future Olympic games.

-Teresa Barone

Tube Tied Mother
Bears Baby

Calling her child “God-sent,” 39-year-old Monica Tate gave birth to her son Elijah 19 years after having her tubes tied to prevent any further pregnancies. Tate thought it would be impossible to have another child after her operation at the age of twenty, following the birth of her second child.

After discovering she was pregnant, Tate took multiple pregnancy tests to confirm if it was true. Dr. Martin Felder, who delivered the child, said the chances of her becoming pregnant after having her tubes tied, and especially at her age, were slim to none. According to reports the baby and its mother are both healthy and doing well.

-Tyler Peckham

Jenny’s
Number for
Sale

Jenny’s number is being sold on ebay! 28-year-old DJ Spencer Potter is selling the number 867-5309 on ebay for big bucks. These digits became famous after Tommy Tutone’s 80’s hit, “867-5309/Jenny,” in which a guy finds a number for a girl named Jenny written on a bathroom wall. The number being sold on ebay has a New Jersey area code and is already going for over $5,000, according to CNN.com. By the end of the auction on Monday, February 9, Potter says he hopes to earn at least $40,000. What a price to pay for a lifetime of crank phone calls from 80’s music fans.

-Teresa Barone

Man Watches 72 Hours of TV

Sri Lanka-born, Toronto-based Suresh Joachim set a record Sunday by watching television non-stop for 72 hours in Stockholm, Sweden. This new time breaks his previous record of 69 hours and 48 minutes that he set in 2005. Joachim already has 53 other world records attributed to him.

Personally, Joachim is relatively shy, but it is more than obvious the man takes his record-breaking ability very seriously. Among his other records are drumming continuously for 84 hours, running on a treadmill for 168 hours to cover 659.27 km, bowling for 168 hours, carrying a 4.5 kg brick for 135.5 km, crawling non-stop for 56.62 km, dribbling a basketball for 156.71 km in 24 hours, dancing for 100 hours continuously, and probably best of all, moonwalking for 24 hours.

-Tyler Peckham

Page 3, News OP/ED

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News OP/ED, Page 3

Weekly Green Tip

Buy Organic!

“Laboratory studies show that pesticides can cause health problems, such as birth defects, nerve damage, cancer, and other effects that might occur over a long period of time” (www.epa.gov).  Pesticides accumulate in animals and residues are often left on washed produce.  Pesticides pollute air, water, and harm wildlife.  To minimize your exposure to harmful chemicals and protect natural ecosystems… buy organic foods when possible.  The foods with the most pesticides are: peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, nectarines, and strawberries (www.foodnews.org).  This week, buy at least one food item that was organically grown.

To get involved with Arcadia’s Environmental Network, contact Steph at sclymer@arcadia.edu

Arcadia Teach-in Aimed for Greener Tomorrrow

Global warming is becoming an increasing cause for concern among environmental activists. This past Thursday, Arcadia University took an active roll in educating people about this issue. On February 5, a National Teach In for Global Warming was held in the Grey Towers Castle.

The teach-in was not simply about global warming, it was also about sustainability and the environment in general. The teach-in was designed to educate the community about the hazards our world faces and the steps they can take towards sustainability. The goal was to teach others how to live their lives in an environmentally savvy fashion. There were also representatives from organizations dedicated to helping reverse the harmful effects that have already been caused to our environment.

Bridget Foreacre represented the Clean Water Action organization, a grass roots environmental organization based in Philadelphia. This organization focuses on the politics of environmental policy. During the election Clean Water Action heavily endorsed those candidates who placed a lot of emphasis in their campaign on environmental issues.
Clean Water Action is working on a project called Buffers 100 which would create mandatory buffers of at least 100 feet on each side of Pennsylvania streams. Stream buffers create a boundary in which people are not allowed to develop land. This would help reduce pollution and flood damage, enhance habitats for aquatic life and could even increase local property values. Clean Water Action is currently in the process of petitioning to Governor Rendell to enact this Buffer 100 policy.
Executive Director Sarah RobbGrieco was at the teach-in to represent the Tucony-Frankford Watershed Partnership. The main goal of her organization is to clean up the streams in Philadelphia and make strides towards keeping them clean. The Tucony-Frankford Watershed Partnership is concerned with the extremely unsanitary state of Philadelphia streams.

Because of the amount of land development, there is not enough green space to absorb rainwater and it is overflowing our drainage systems and backing up into our creeks, creating a very unhealthy water source, say RobbGreico. Tucony-Frankford Water Partnership encourages people to help create more green space for water absorption by doing things as simple as planting more trees in your yard or letting your grass grow just a little longer than usual.

More complicated actions include installing green roofs, which allow plants to be planted on the roofs of buildings, and using porous pavement on sidewalks, which allow for a much higher percentage of water drainage than the average sidewalk.

There are also many simple ways that students can “go green” by just making minor changes to their daily routine. “Easy things like turning off the water when you brush your teeth or not spending a lot of time in the shower,” says Senior Jess Grazel, one of the coordinators of the teach in. “Even that can help decrease water usage so much.”

Grazel is also involved in the Environmental Network club where they are working on creating more events like the teach-in to educate students about going green. One of the strides the club has taken is the introduction of Trayless Tuesdays in the dining hall. Not allowing students to use trays can significantly impact the environment, explains Grazel. “We’ve gotten mixed reactions but we are going to continue with it because it is saving us a lot of money. It’s supposed to cut down on water usage and food waste. We’re actually trying to get it to be Tuesdays and Thursdays. We’re trying to take little baby steps towards helping the environment.”

They may be baby steps, but it is these baby steps that make a difference towards a greener future for our planet.

Controversy for Couple That Cloned Family Dog

It has always been a normal process to mourn the passing of a beloved pet, especially when a family considers them as more than animals, even worthy of having a seat at the dinner table or sleeping alongside them in bed. Yet the Otto family has taken it one step further. When Edgar Otto and his wife, Nina, who live on a 12-acre estate located in western Boca Raton, Florida, first heard news that their yellow lab, named Lancelot, had cancer, their preparations for his death were a little different. Edgar and Nina now own and love the first single-birth, commercially-cloned puppy currently in the United States.

Edgar and Nina Otto, who have nine other dogs, 10 cats, six sheep and four parrots, had his DNA frozen five years ago immediately after hearing of his cancer, guessing that pet cloning would one day be possible. After Lancelot’s death at age eleven, the couple found a California based company which claimed they could take the frozen DNA and produce a clone of their beloved late Lancelot. The dog was genetically engineered in South Korea at BioArts International, as part of the company’s Best Friends Again division, a company that advocates for the cloning of beloved deceased pets. BioArts took the DNA from Lancelot and inserted it into the egg of a Korean dog similar to the breed. The company then inseminated another Korean dog with the fertilized egg.

And how much exactly did it cost to bring back the dead? All of this was done for a fee of $155,000, paid at a San Francisco biotech firm’s dog-cloning auction last July. The Otto family believes the rebirth of their beloved family member was worth all the money in the world.

Yet, Edgar explained that the family is hardly hurting from the huge bill. His father cofounded NASCAR, “so I won that lottery,” he says. On top of that, Edgar himself started a successful medical company. All money aside, BioArts International created Lancelot Encore in South Korea, where he was born about ten weeks ago. Not so cleverly named “Lancelot Encore”, the newborn clone was flown first class into the Miami International Airport. According to these proud new parents, Lancelot Encore looks just like their former pet, and it is the couple’s hope that the dog will have the same personality and intelligence of their first dog, that they loved so much. The cloned puppy was completely healthy at birth and is apparently expected to live a long and happy life.

However, cloned animals or people are not the real thing, no matter how much they look like the source material, and nothing could replace the original. The Otto couple’s feelings aside, there are many that think spending so much money on cloning a pet when there are rescues and kennels and shelters overflowing with unwanted animals is wasteful. Even President Obama plans to rescue a dog from a shelter, rather than buying a purebred from an expensive breeder. Yet, the couple claims to have donated more than the sum paid to clone Lancelot Encore to the Humane Society. Interestingly enough, according to CNN, it is the exact same Humane Society that speaks against the cloning of animals. The Ottos also promise that if they ever decide to bring their eleventh dog home, it will come from a shelter.

Page 4, Student Life

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Student Life, Page 4

Knights’ Nook

Questions about life? Email us @
KnightsNook@gmail.com

Arcadia’s own Ms. Majestic answers ALL of your questions about love, life, and the library!

Dear Ms. Majestic,
Do you have any ideas on things to do on campus for Valentine’s Day? I don’t really have a car and I want to treat my girlfriend to a really nice time but we can’t go very far. I have a few bucks to spend  and she has a lot of friends who are going to be doing really nice things with their mates. No, its not a compeitition but I want her to have nothing but nice things to say.  What do you think?
-Blank Gift Canvas

Dear Blank,
First, don’t worry about her friends’ mates. They are not who you want to impress. Second, your girlfriend will appreciate whatever you do for her, as long as it comes from the heart, so keep that in mind. I suggest you order her favorite Chinese dish, check out a movie from the library and take a moon-lit stroll. Face it, on campus your options are limited but it could end up being a magical night if you execute it just the right way. Good luck lovebirds!
-Ms. Majestic

Dear Ms. Majestic,
So here’s the deal. I’m dating these two guys and I don’t know what the hell I’m going to do on Valentine’s Day. Both guys are my boyfriends (can’t eat just one!) and now I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. Both of them are on a budget and I want to hang out with both of them. I also don’t know how I’m going to explain the gifts to each of them. Like if one gives me a ring, how am I supposed to hide it? I just need your help Ms. Majestic! Save me from the potential chaos.
-One Girl with Two Guys

Dear One,
First, why on earth do you need two boyfriends? That’s a bit excessive, don’t you think? You can’t posssibly focus on two people at the same time and Valentine’s Day requires a ton of attention for any partners. To put it to you plainly, you need to drop one. Once you’ve done that, that day will run smoothly. If not, you’re destined to be running around, switching outfits and lying until they both get fed up with your shady behaviors.You want me to save you from your potential chaos but its all up to you. Save yourself and enjoy Valentine’s Day!
-Ms. Majestic

Every week I sit down and try to think of the most exciting things I can share with the Arcadia community about my life abroad and, to be honest, I feel bad most of the time because it may not be nearly exciting enough. This week was full of commotion but as far as my weeks go, not necessarily my most productive, which isn’t really that surprising. This week I was lucky enough to have not just one, but two snow days

I’m sure you may have seen it in the news; London was literally shut down by the largest snowfall to hit the city since the early 90’s. Being used to winter in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, the snow was pretty heavy, but not a monumental occasion in my eyes. This week I was lucky enough to have one of my friends studying in Italy come up for the weekend. We were FYSAE together so it was really fun to have her here for a little bit. We visited some of our favorite old places and did plenty of shopping. When the snow began on Sunday, night we were a bit panicked but after fighting with the local taxi agency, got her to the train on its way to the airport for a reasonable fee. Having waited up to help her get to the airport after the bus service had been suspended, I passed out once she went.

To my horror, at 6 a.m. my phone rang and all flights out of London had been canceled. The worst part was that her Italian phone battery had died and there was literally no way from the airport back to London. Trying to get back to sleep for a few more hours, I was very displeased when a loud banging on my door woke me up about two hours later.
Sometimes living with mostly freshmen makes me feel really old and a bit like a child minder. That morning was definitely one of those times. My flat mates were banging on my door, essentially ripping me out of bed in order to drag me out into the fresh snow. I like snow as much as the next person, but this was not my ideal time to make snow angels, and I knew it would definitely end up with me miserable, covered head to toe in snow. After ignoring the loud barrage of fists hitting my door for as long as I could bear it, I was coerced into joining my ‘children’ in the snow. I did indeed end up completely covered in snow, but I now realize that was imminent.

Later that day, after learning that there was one bus line running from central London to my halls, my friend made it back after a series of unfortunate snow related hurdles. With the city basically dead due to all of the snow, I was pretty excited to have all of my lessons the following day canceled. On Tuesday night, my friend was finally able to get out of London and by Wednesday the city was mostly running normally, but it was a nice little snowcation. I will dearly miss it when I have to go to all of my classes this week, but I’m not too worried. In one weeks time it will be reading week, and I will actually spend it productively with a more proportionate reading to going out ratio. At least I hope!

Forget the Roses: Be Practical on Valentine’s Day

As much as many Americans hate to admit it, Valentine’s Day is not about love. The cheesy cards that sing, the spiritless teddy bears covered in red fur and the pounds of cheap chocolate. Oh the chocolate! For most of us, this day is just another excuse to go out of our way to prove to someone how much money we were able to scrap together. And for the select few who will spend the 14th at home wearing sweats and watching a sappy movie, this list if for you.

Here goes nothing… a list of the most practical (and a few you shouldn’t even consider) Valentine’s Day gifts that a woman could ask for.

1.    Pajamas- No, not the lacy string things that the ladies at Victoria’s Secret try to pawn off on you. We’re talking real pajamas. Something so when your lady slips it on she feels warm and cute, all at the same time. Although lingerie is good here and there, she’s not going to wear that thong set everyday. Just not going to happen.

2.    Fruit Bouquets- Flowers die and there is nothing more practical than food. Imagine the look on your lady’s face when she sees a bouquet that is not only pretty but edible at the same time. And if you’re smart, you’ll get the chocolate-covered strawberries. Chocolate is a known aphrodisiac and it just might pay off.

3.    Perfume- Unless you know the exact fragrance that she wears, don’t even bother. Buying your lady beauty products like soap and perfume say one of two things. One- I couldn’t think of anything else. Two- I know you like this so here’s some more of it. Stay as far away from Bath and Body Works as possible and don’t even dare consider some off-brand cosmetics.

4.    Underwear- Almost all women like a great pair of undies to compliment a pair of jeans or to slide on beneath their favorite skirt. It may be hard to resist the urge to buy the things that you really want to see, and there really isn’t any harm in slipping a few of those in the gift box but the number of thongs should be limited. Get her a few pairs of quality panties that are sexy but will cover her entire backside. She’ll appreciate it for sure!

5.    Jewelry- It’s hard to resist jewelry with all of it’s glitz and glitter, but if you fall into the temptation, you’ll be trying to outdo yourself until the end of eternity. Buying a necklace this year means you’ll be buying a ring next year and from there it just gets worse. Remember, a diamond lasts forever and if you don’t plan on sticking around that long, don’t commit that crime.

6.    Clothes- With the assumption that your lady friend isn’t a pure nudist, clothes are far more practical than anything else on this list. If she’s going to start looking for jobs, get her some trendy work wear. If she’s always in pajamas, get her a few pairs of nice jeans. When in doubt, get a gift card but try your best in the women’s department. At least you tried!

7.    Favorite Hobby Goods- Whether she’s a movie buff, a knitter or scrap booker, this gift could definitely win her heart. If she already has a hobby, you can’t go wrong in getting her a basket full of her favorite supplies or things that she’s wanted but would never buy for herself. This will also show how much you’ve been paying attention (or researched) and that will make her feel extra special.

8.    Makeup-This is twice as bad at perfume. When you toss a couple sets of blush and eyeshadow in a woman’s directions, especially if she didn’t ask for it, you could be in real danger. Even thought you may not be trying to, you’re telling her that she needs some sprucing up and something like that could only backfire.

9. Spa treatments–There are millions of women who would die…seriously die to have a little time at the spa. It really doesn’t matter if she’s a woman on the go or just a schlump, she’ll be excited to got to the spa and brag about you to all of her single friends.

10. Adult toys–It’s been said that this day has the highest sales for these types of items but it really is a toss up. Buying the cheap stuff from Spencer’s can make you look pathetic but if she’s not into that kind of stuff, you’ll just look like a tool. Get tactful stuff is she has an adventurous side and stay as far away from The Mood if she’s just not that into it.

Whatever you end up getting, do yourself a favor. Make it personal, original and special; not just for her but for you too. Gifts that work out for both partners are always more fun and they usually create memories that you would have never had with just a vase full of roses.

Page 5, Feature

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Feature, Page 5

Arcadia’s Music Department: Marching to the Beat of broken Drums

When it comes to Arcadia, the term “Liberal Arts school” is thrown around a lot. Well actually Arcadia defines itself as a “comprehensive university”. But just for the sake of arguement, the Encyclopedia Britannica Concise defines “liberal arts” as a “college or university curriculum aimed at imparting general knowledge and developing general intellectual capacities, in contrast to a professional, vocational, or technical curriculum.”

When it comes to Arcadia, this definition rings true, for the most part. Yet, when going down the list of undergraduate fields of study, it is obvious that not all programs are created equal at Arcadia.
The program that is  perhaps most disregarded is the music program — or lack thereof — here at Arcadia.

Dr. William Frabizio, Chairman of Arcadia’s music department, knows first hand the problems that Arcadia’s music program faces,  “We lose students all the time-we lose students who are already here to study music, and we lose our potential students who come and take a look and I have to level with them that there’s not much support, and really, it’s a shame, it’s really a shame,” says Frabizio.

“It’s always a puzzle as to why administrators are against something. It really is. I wonder why. And, they mention liberal arts eighty-some times in the catalogue. Music was one of the first seven liberal arts as established in the 800’s,” added Frabizio.

Every year, fresh faces enter the University ready to take on the challenge of the college life.

Freshman Alyssa Reiner has noticed the lack of support for music at Arcadia, especially when compared to her friends’ choices for college. “A bunch of my friends went to other colleges and I came here and was incredibly disappointed at the lack of musical groups and any kind of focus on music,” says Reiner. “Maybe make it from a minor into a major because there’s so much focus on fine arts with theatre and everything, and music is so closely related to those, yet there is barely anything.”

Freshman Michael Cunnane agreed with his classmate. “The music department is pretty much nonexistent and I don’t understand that. I find it really strange that you can’t major in music here,” says Cunnane.

Cunnane says he is happy at Arcadia overrall, yet he sees room for improvement.

“I’m already in the school-I’m in too deep.  Music should definitely be something we can do here-at least get a major in.”

Problems in the music Department seem to come fast and often.  Music Professor Alvin Byer had a class he was giving rescheduled from Room 114 in  Boyer Hall to Stiteler Auditorium.  “That big open room behind the auditorium which is not a very pleasant room to give private lessons in. It’s very big, it’s totally open, and people can walk in and out,” says Byer.

According to Byer even the instruments supplied to the ailing Music Department fail to meet basic standards. “Both those pianos, the one in Boyer and in Stiteler are in very poor condition. They have notes that don’t play, and when the student is playing something for me and I don’t hear a note, I think it’s because they missed playing it but in fact, she hit the key and it didn’t respond,” says Byer. “I get the strong impression that the music program is given lowest priority. It’s very embarrassing and discouraging. We get the crumbs that are left over.”

Freshmen Andrew Hutz echoed Professor Byer’s sentiments. “I think that one of the major problems with this school’s music department is the fact that there seems to be a fundamental lack of respect for musicians and what they need in order to work,” says Hutz.

President Jerry Greiner points to a lack of student interest for the decline of the program. “I think there was a point in the history of Arcadia where there was a very active major program and there was a number of students who participated in it,” says Greiner. “Then it began to dwindle, became smaller and smaller, so that the decision was made to reduce the major down to a minor in order to make it more economically feasible to have a music program.”

According to Greiner, Arcadia has made few changes to the budget of the program since its transition from a major to a minor.

Dr. Frabizio remembers it slightly differently.

“When I first came here we had a music major, we had two music majors undergraduate. And, for some reason, they lifted me out of the chairmanship for a year, rerouted a lot of money that had been developed for music into other fields, and ultimately eliminated the music major,” says Fabrizio.

Greiner also points to a lack of space as a limitation for a more developed music program. “My hope would be that in our next building, which is the University Commons, we would be able to find space within that building that could be dedicated, or nearly dedicated, for the use of students. We’d have to work on the design of that space to make sure that it’s soundproofed in ways that would make it possible for students to practice there without disturbing the offices that are above or next door to the space,” says Greiner.

But even with more space Greiner still does not see the need to create an undergraduate Music Major. “I’m not getting the impression from people that I’ve talked with that there’s an interest in having a major,” says Greiner.

Dr. Frabizio suggests making it easier for students to let their voices be heard about the program. “I had suggested to the president  that it would be a good idea to have, for lack of a better term, a series of town meetings, where just the president of the college and students met, without any other administrators or faculty or anybody there and field questions from people and comments from them and he would have a pretty good idea of what’s going on,” says Fabrizio. “I think the student voices are the ones that would be heard. I’m not trying to incite anything, but I think students are the ones who can say ‘Hey, we want this’.”

Frabizio feels losing the music program entirely would be a great loss to Arcadia. “If we exclude it from education, in favor of what they’d like to call the three R’s, or the basics, or fundamentals, or something like that, we’re skipping a large part of communication that they don’t think about.  I don’t know of any other subject that people can be so passionate about what they’re doing.”

A very single Valentine’s Day

Me: “Hello, my name is Elishia, and I’m single.”
Therapy Group: “Hi Elishia!”

This is the feeling I get when I announce to people that I am single. It feels like a “single’s only” club that I am always invited to, and I often get the V.I.P. treatment, or in my case “S.A.M.” (Single And Manless) treatment, where people who are in relationships act like they feel bad for you, and they seem to question my single status and sometimes wonder why. Being a single 21 year old female at a given time has its perks, but there is one particular day where it can either suck or its not even a problem. But one thing is for sure, Valentine’s Day reminds me that I am a single lady.

I’m the kind of girl that has had guys who were friends, or guys who claimed to be my boyfriend, or a relationship with a guy that hadn’t exactly been dubbed anything, he was just there. So when the big February 14th rolls around and I’m single, it doesn’t phase me much like the guys who have come IN and OUT of my life. But, this particular day does make me think, is being single on Valentine’s Day really that bad? Many singles out there up front might just say “No!” But then there may be some who say “Valentine’s Day sucks!” Whatever the case, this particular day is exactly what it is, a day. So, I’ve learned not to be so upset about being single every Valentine’s Day. This day shouldn’t define that I am lonely just because on a day that’s all about love,  I’m alone No, this Valentine’s Day I’m saying, “So what if I’m single, I’m happy this way.”

I am a Communications major so I almost always notice different ploys that go on, especially in the media. The media pushes Valentine’s Day to be this day for couples only. The commercials with cupid hitting some guy in his back and all of a sudden he’s in love with somebody, that’s corny to me. Or when you walk into Hallmark or any store that sells cards, most of the cards are geared toward people who have a mate, never just a card that says “I just wanted to say I love you.” It’s always a card with a cheesy couple on the front holding hands. Don’t get me wrong, it’s kind of sweet, but let’s be a little versatile and not only speak to couples, but to people who are dating someone but not actually in a relationship, for the singles out there, for everybody!

It’s pretty easy for me to not be depressed on Valentine’s Day because back at home, my mom, dad, my grandmother, or friends might give me something nice like candy and flowers! So, if I end up just sitting at home watching movies and eating like a pig on the 14th, so what! But seriously, I’m not that worried about this Valentine’s Day as much I thought I would be, I’m cool. I’m prepared to do whatever comes up. So if all of my girls want to go out to dinner, or gossip the night way, let’s do it! Or, if it’s just me chilling on the couch watching one of my favorite movies, like The Godfather or Scarface, then so be it! Yes, neither of these movies are about love, per se’, but I LOVE watching them!

You see, being single does have its perks, no disrespect to those that do have a mate, but being single, especially on Valentine’s Day, I can do whatever I want. If I want to treat myself to a day of shopping that doesn’t include buying something for someone else, that’s great! Or, if I want to buy myself flowers just because, I can do that too. I’m not saying that non-singles are trapped, but in a sense there seems to be certain rules to follow when you are in a relationship with someone. It’s expected that you go out to dinner, buy flowers, or have a romantic evening at home with your special someone. You can’t just wing it on Valentine’s Day, and if you do, then you might have some explaining to do with your significant other. This Valentine’s Day, my single self IS wingin’ it! Whatever happens, happens.

All of my single ladies, don’t be afraid to put your hand up! Be proud of this single status. Hey, I am. I know everyone is different and everyone handles certain situations differently, but let’s look at it this way, being single isn’t the end of the world, and neither is just being single, period. If you are feeling icky about being single on Valentine’s Day, try your best to look at the brighter side of this. Make this Valentine’s Day a day to learn more about yourself and maybe you’ll realize that it’s not that bad! I’ve learned that every year brings something new and sometimes you have to be patient and wait for something to happen, and I’m ok with that. I’m ok with being a strong, independent, single young woman 365 days of the year, and I’m ok with being single on one of those days which is Valentine’s Day. Let’s leave it at this, something Carrie Bradshaw from Sex & The City said on one of the episodes: “The most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself, and if you find someone to love the you, you love, well that’s just fabulous!”

Page 6, Entertainment

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Entertainment, Page 6

Best of Show: Philly’s 2009 Auto Show

From January 31st through the 8th of February the Philadelphia International Auto Show invaded the chilly snow-covered City of Brotherly Love, bringing with it vehicles for anyone and everyone.  Housed inside the Philadelphia Convention Center the annual Auto Show limped into town on the world auto industry’s first yearly losses since 1950.  The news didn’t seem to put to much of a damper on the crowds of the show though as people flocked to the Convention Center for a look at the new, the old, the practical, and the expensive vehicles auto makers had to offer.

Upon entering the Convention Center, the Auto Show chose two luxury companies to welcome the crowds.   Lexus and Mercedes, legendary for their engineering, luxury, and price tags shined as the first stop.  Lexus seemed to outshine the juggernaut Mercedes, mostly due to the beautiful and powerful ISF sedan.  At $56,000 and change the ISF has a 416 horsepower 5.0 liter V8.  The Benz sedan in the same class as the ISF is the E-Class which, fully loaded (AMG version), is about $88,000.  In a time of economic crunch the victory goes to Lexus. .

Moving from the atrium to the show’s main hall included stops in two small areas with custom rides.  The small exhibits had some of the shows most outrageous rides like 50 Cent’s white on white Bentley Continental or a near 2000 horsepower Mustang GT 500 Twin Turbo.  Other customs included a Nissan GTR from Japan, steering wheel on the right and all, as well as custom choppers and crotch rockets.

The main hall housed the car companies for the everyman like GM, Ford, and Honda as well as more upscale vehicles like Volvo and Acura.  One of the most crowded companies had to be Chevrolet.  With four examples of their soon to be released Camaro, the newest and most powerful version of the Corvette ever, and a slew of vehicles getting 30 MPG plus, Chevy had quite the crowd in their floor space (on the Thursday I went of course).  The biggest pull seemed to be the Camaro. With four versions announced, Chevy looks to be aiming the Camaro at the new drivers as well as the fat wallet wielding mid-life crisis crowd.   “The V6 model has 304 horsepower and a price tag in the low thirties. As the power moves up so does the price with the LS7 version being in the low $40,000 range,”  said a GM representative.

The 2009 Camaro which is modeled after it’s 1969 brethren is making it’s return to the Chevy line up since the beloved muscle car was ousted due to slumping sales in 2002.  The new ZR1 Corvette also turned heads with its 610 horsepower, post 200 MPH top speed, and most of all it’s $120,000 price tag.  Chevrolet also has cars for the normal human like the Malibu sedan or the Cobalt SS, which was rated by Car and Driver as the best small performance car for the money thanks to its stiff suspension, 260 horsepower 2.0 liter turbo engine, and 30 MPG rating all for a car around $20,000.  Oddly absent, however, was the Volt, GM’s electric car which doesn’t use gas until 40 miles into a drive thanks to its revolutionary battery.  “The Volt is in Washington for testing,” said a GM representative.  Many experts are saying GM is hanging their hat on the Volt and its ability to be not only affordable but reliable.  Hopefully the crowd will be a sign of hope for the floundering GM Corporation.

Another big crowd in the main hall was housed around all-wheel drive masterminds Subaru.  In the past, Subaru has been known for dependable performance-driven vehicles, despite some mundane styling.  However, it seems Subaru has plans for both beauty and function with their new model line.   The new Forrester and Tribeca aren’t the grocery grabbers they once were; each got an aggressive styling upgrade making them more akin with Subaru performance.  The new Impreza was also a head turner. Moving away from the four door car style of the WRX, Subaru brought back the 5 door hatch back version of the car along with a more integrated, though no smaller, hood scoop.  The base Impreza comes with a 2.0L 150 horsepower four cylinder but the legendary STI model is propelled by a 2.0L twin scroll turbo engine pumping out 304 horsepower.  Add in substantial stiffness and suspension upgrades and the new Impreza is a great buy from about $18,000 to $35,000.  Finally, Subaru’s ace in the hole was their Legacy sedan.  A sporty car with luxury styling, it had a custom brushed metallic paint job that was attracting more than a few curious onlookers.

Other highlights of the main floor included a look at the new Dodge Challenger.  Dodge released the modern muscle car this summer in hopes of beating Chevy’s new Camaro to the punch.  The Challenger looks sweet with it’s old school body lines and light bar tail light but the bland interior and underpowered base model hurt a bit.  The 2009 Acura TL also brought turning heads by mixing power, performance, and edgy style to the mid-level luxury class.  Another great entry into the same class as Acura’s TL is Hyundai’s Genesis.  The Genesis offers superb almost German styling and couples that with luxury and an engine that’ll have the Genesis going from 0-60 faster than a Porche Boxster.  Finally the struggling college student can breathe easy with impressive cars from Volkswagon, Toyota, and Saturn.  The Rabbit, Yaris, and Astra are all offered nicely equipped for under $17,000.

Whether the goal is to have a good time, look for a possible new car, or faint over the price tag of a Lamborghini the Philadelphia International Auto Show always has something for everyone.  Not to mention the fact that the Convention Center is part of Market East Station and right across from Reading Terminal Market.   Take a train, get some lunch, and prepare to sit in about a million cars, all for the fun of it.

Page 7, Entertainment

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Entertainment, Page 7

The Scramble

A brief look at new media.

On their third trip around the block, leather-clad Swedish disco-punk quartet Franz Ferdinand don’t do much to change their formula.  In 2001 they exploded on the scene with the breakthrough hit “Take Me Out”. In 2008 the same Saturday night fever bass and drum groove are bouncing through the speakers.   FF has the goal of making albums both listenable and danceable.  For example, “No You Girls” will have your dad reaching for the polyester while “Ulysses”, a song about getting high out of boredom, might appeal to the ‘Arcadian’ in you.

What sounds like a dusty old west tale full of whistles and handclaps? Well, the latest melodic virtuoso Andrew Bird of course.  What sounds like an episode of planet earth complete with violin and warm acoustic guitar?  Yep, you guessed it, Andrew Bird’s Noble Beast.  Bird is constantly working on material.  The Chicago native has side projects and collaborations galore all showcasing his infallible songwriting, improvisation and thesaurus-wielding lyrics.  The best part of Bird’s music, Noble Beast included, is the sublime cohesiveness Bird crafts throughout his sweeping scenes of musical flavor. One minute Noble Beast sounds like the soundtrack to a movie about a professional hitchhiker (“Tenuousness”) and minutes later Bird makes like the Discovery Channel all the way down to talk of microorganisms (“Anoanimal”).  Noble Beast is cinematic and vivid, always painting a picture with the harmony Bird demands.

Hitting close to home for the majority of Arcadians (j/k), Taken, an action thriller whatever, takes place abroad specifically France.  In the film, businessman Bryan Mills (played by Liam Neeson) prepares for his 17-year-old daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace), to arrive on her European vacation.  When she does dear ol’ dad warns Kim about a certain “type of people” that make being a tourist in France dangerous.  Of course Kim gets snatched up and Liam Neeson finds himself breaking necks, stabbing baddies, and shooting up a bunch of Albanian (they couldn’t be French too) hoodlums to get his daughter back.

Bonnaroo gets big

Bonnaroo has become the one bright light of the summer season.  Starting in the summer of 2002, Bonnaroo brought the music back into the stale summer festival getting rid of the sponsors and the soaring prices.  The humble beginnings were mirrored by the choice of bands Bonnaroo presenters went with.  Headlined by Trey Anastasio and Widespread Panic, the festival focused in on jam bands and a folky undercard.  In recent years the festival has started to aim at bigger acts like Kanye West and Dave Matthews while keeping the card diverse and interesting with smaller bands.

The 2009 edition of Bonnaroo may be one of the most diverse and yet satisfying in the festivals history.  Headlined by the suddenly busy Bruce Springsteen and his compadres The E Street Band and the legendary Phish (Anastasio included) Bonnaroo is looking to move out of the shadow of its underground roots by bringing the mainstream and the counter culture together.  Other acts like The Mars Volta, Ted Leo and The Pharmacists, Andrew Bird, and Okkervil River make the line up appealing to all kinds of fans.  Some artists are also returning to the line up like Band of Horses and Rodrigo y Gabriela.

The summer music festival seems to be dying but the fact is Bonnaroo makes the difference.  A Great lineup, a solid location (Tennesee), and an atmosphere like a modern day Woodstock (but not Woodstock ’99) make it the best choice this summer.  Tickets go fast so get on saving and finding a way to a week long party complete with solid soundtrack.

Page 8, Sports

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Sports, Page 8

The Flyers look strong, but is it enough?

As playoff time for the NHL looms on the horizon many Philadelphia hockey fans are wondering if the Flyers can bring a second championship back to the city of Brotherly Love. So far, so good. Philadelphia has to like where their second place standing in the Atlantic Division behind only the New Jersey Devils, and a fourth place standing in the Eastern Conference. Complementing this nicely is Jeff Carter’s breakout season and solid contributions from Captain Mike Richards, Scott Hartnell, and a finally healthy Simone Gagne. Suddenly a team without Briere doesn’t seem so bad. And on that note, the less they play Briere’s good friend, goaltender Martin Biron, the better they do as well.

If there is one chink in the Flyers’ armor this season it has been goaltending. At the end of last season Biron looked like he was ready to take the number one role between the pipes, but has done little to prove that this season. He sits at an unimpressive 15-11-5 record with a 2.96 goals against average. Meanwhile his counterpart in the net, Antero Nittymaki, has a 13-4-4 record coupled with a .924 save percentage. The only problem with this is that no Philadelphia fan can forget the dismal 2006-2007 season where they posted a record breaking number of losses with— guess who—Nittymaki as the number one goalie. I’ll stake the claim now that Nittymaki is only doing well because he has the role of coming in and saving the day when Biron is falling apart, if the spotlight gets put on him I think we’ll see some different results.

Of course, a possible solution for the Flyers might be to stop letting 30 shots or more per game. But something tells me they won’t be stopping that  now. Instead of developing a new defensive structure, the Flyers have opted to just ramp up the offense to the point where it doesn’t matter if a team is scoring three goals on them a game. Probably the most impressive example of this is their 4-3 overtime win over the Conference leading Boston Bruins last week (in Boston!). A win against the Bruins is no small feat, let alone a comeback win in overtime.

For the next five games the Flyers have a decent opportunity to pick up three or four more wins. If the rival New York Rangers manage to stay in a slump that leaves some favorable matches against Ottawa, Pittsburgh, and Buffalo, and a good opportunity to start padding their points for the playoffs.

Right now the key for the Flyers is to stick with what works. They don’t quite match the finely tuned machine that is the Detroit Red Wings, or the explosiveness of the Bruins, but Philadelphia has something good going for them. The number one key for them is to get Biron playing at the level they need him at while letting Nittymaki get just enough time to stay hot. As far as the offense goes, don’t change anything. Expect 80-points or more seasons from Carter, Richards, and Gagne, also look for Carter to break 50 goals this year. With point production like that Philly has a great chance of sneaking up and taking over the spotlight when it gets into the late rounds of the playoffs this April and, God willing, this May.

Knights of the Week

Kim Milligan ‘10

Women’s Basketball

In a 1-2 week for the Knights, Kim Milligan stepped up for a team playing two games minus their leading scorer Caitlin Sparks, and averaged 16.3 ppg, 6 points above her season aveage (10.3), 8 rebounds, four above her (4.1) season mark and captured 6 steals and blocked 2 shots to lead her squad.  Milligan opened the week with her best balanced collegiate outing, nailing 18 points and hauling in 17 rebounds in a 73-59 win over The College of Notre Dame, before scoring 14 at Albright and 17 against #11 Messiah to end the week.   She has scored in double figures in ten games this season.

John Konieczny  ‘09
Men’s Swimming

In his final collegiate home meet, team captain John Konieczny left it all in the pool.  To open their meet against Lebanon Valley, Konieczny helped his relaymates to a 1st place win in the 200 Medley before pulling out a dominating victory in his final regular season individual heat, the 500 Free.  Konieczny’s perfect start allowed him to outstride his nearest opponent, eventually outmuscling his second place opponent by 8 seconds to win (5:31.24), closing out his career with individual and relay wins.

Jason Sharpe ‘11
Men’s Swimming

Jason Sharpe helped his team to open their final home meet with a 1st place win in the 200 Medley Relay,  victorious by more than two seconds to second place Lebanon Valley College.  Sharpe, who anchored the final leg of the relay, went right back to work in the 1000 Free and out-performed the Arcadia program record in that event by .26, setting a new school record of 11:17.65.

Khalief Trawick ‘12
Men’s Basketball

In a 1-1 week for the Knights in Commonwealth action, Khalief Trawick averaged 16 ppg, nearly double above his season average (8.6) and helped the Knights earn a vital league win over Messiah College, positioning the team into a four-way tie for fourth place in the standings.  Trawick drained 4 free throws in the final :27 of play against the Falcons to help seal the 70-62 win behind a 14 point-7 rebound afternoon.  In a loss at Albright earlier in the week, Trawick led the Knights with 18 points on 7-8 shooting and perfection from beyond the three point arc.

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Page 2, News OP/ED

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Local fireman gives his take on the Coatesville, PA arsons

Citizens of Coatesville, Pa, a Philadelphia suburb in Chester County, have been living in fear for the past few months. The fear is that their homes could be suddenly burned down in the middle of the night.

Since the end of 2008 the town of Coatesville has had a severe problem with arson. There have been more than 30 fires in the past year, leaving numerous people homeless. The year of 2009 has already experienced 14 suspected arsons.

Two of the most recent fires were set on Thursday, January 22 and late on Saturday, January 24.

Thursday, a fire was set on the 1100 block of Olive Street. Just a few minutes later, trash cans were reportedly set on fire on Hope Avenue. The trashcan fire was reported by the boyfriend of a homeowner who described a 5”2′ white male suspect around 16 years of age.

The Saturday fire occurred on the 300 block of Fleetwood Street. It began at 11:31pm and quickly spread to 15 row homes, becoming a seven alarm fire. It took 150 firefighters almost three hours to extinguish the flames. The blaze was finally under control at 2:07am on Sunday morning.

Saturday night’s fire was so intense that it was no match for Coatesville’s Fire Department. They were forced to call upon several other companies for assistance, including our own local Edge Hill Fire Department.

The Fleetwood Street fire proved devastating, leaving 11 families homeless. 32 adults and 18 children were forced to find alternative housing.

These people were lucky to escape with their lives, says former Chief of the Roslyn Fire Department Jeffrey Glynn. “If the fire had started any later there probably would have been fatalities. Luckily, most people were awake at the time and were able to be alerted to safety,” says Glynn.

Red Cross funded hotel rooms for those displaced by the fire until Tuesday night at which point Chester County took over financial responsibility. County officials were hopeful to find more permanent housing for these families by Thursday. Food is being provided by donations made to Coatesville Memorial Community Center and the Salvation Army.

These reoccurring arsons have left the town of Coatesville in a state of alarm. Chester County has declared a county-wide disaster emergency. This declaration is designed to help the county respond faster in the case of any future fires.

An arrest was made last December in the case of the Coatesville arsons but it has not stopped this fire phenomenon. State and federal agents have since gotten involved in the ongoing investigation.

Police patrol has increased throughout the town and firefighters have been going door-to-door, offering free smoke detectors and batteries. The town is urging citizens to keep their porch lights on at night and remove any flammable objects from their porches.
“I can only hope that they determine who is setting these fires. It is a terrible tragedy,” says Glynn.

Chester County has recently added $5,000 to a reward fund that they set up for anyone with information regarding the fires in Coatesville. Anyone that witnesses suspicious activity is urged to call 610-636-0514.

From the Editor’s Desk…

To Our Faithful Audience,

Alright, alright, I hope everyone enjoyed and is hopefully fully recovered from their Super Bowl celebrations. I have to say that I am pretty happy that we have had two exciting Super Bowls in a row now, and I am also glad that those upstart Cardinals got put in their place after what they pulled on the Eagles.

As far as this week’s installment goes, I’d like to think we did a good job this time. I’d like to thank all of those that contributed this week and I look forward to keeping up this style of thorough and well-researched news reporting. And I hope you readers also enjoy what our staff managed to put together.

Sincerely,

Tyler Peckham
Editor-in-Chief

23-year-old crowned Wing Bowl Champ

Every Friday before the Super Bowl, sports-talk station WIP-AM sponsors a chicken wing contest. This year at the Philadelphia Wing Bowl no professional eaters were allowed to enter the contest, but organizers say they’ll be back next year. So this year was the year of the underdog. John Squibb, a 23 year old of Berlin, New Jersey, took the title of chomping down the most wings. Nicknamed Super Squibb, he ate 203 wings in about 20 minutes! Not bad for someone who did not have a lot of experience in eating a mass of yummy chicken wings. Squibb’s stomach may have felt a little bubbly after the contest but his pockets definitely benefitted from the good eatin’. He walked away with a spanking new car, a $7,500 diamond ring, and a crown of miniature chickens! One of Super Sqibb’s opponents, Richard “Not Rich” Razzi, came in second by eating 180 wings, not bad at all. But Squibb is the champ, the chicken champ that is.

-Elishia Peterson

Toddler Chokes on Condom

A family from Massachusetts is filing a lawsuit against a hotel in New Jersey after their 22 month old son chocked on a condom. According to the Philadelphia Daily News in an article written by Jason Nark, the Wolfe family was staying at the Homewood Suites in Mount Laurel, Burlington County, preparing to continue their journey home from Florida. The morning of January 3rd, the Massachusetts family was caught by surprise before they left the hotel. The toddler was thought to have been watching TV on the couch, but it turns out, according to the lawsuit filed, that he had found a used condom that had been there before the family checked in, and put it in his mouth. The toddler’s mother, Amy Wolfe, noticed he was choking and came to his rescue, but it was a bit too late, for the toddler had swallowed the contents. The baby boy had to go through many tests and still does to ensure he did not contract any sexually transmitted diseases like HIV or AIDS. The Wolfe’s attorney, Norm Hobbie, said of the family’s anguish, “It’s an extremely sensitive time for them.” Daily News writer Jason Nark uncovered that the Homewood Suites did not return any phone calls or emails for their comments on the lawsuit filed January 29th.

-Elishia Peterson

Man demands breast implant back

Call it revenge of the ex. One woman had to experience it in cruel and unusual circumstances. A 26-year-old woman was stabbed six times by her ex-boyfriend because he wanted her breast implants that he paid for back. Thomas Lee Rowley, 28, attempted to cut them out. He is now on trial for false imprisonment, attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, and stalking. The woman has survived the stab wounds and her chest was repaired. Rowley apparently thought he had the right to do this. “I’m gonna cut em’ out and get em’ back.”

-Gina Merlino

Sister tears wedding apart

Weddings can be stressful enough, but then there is the question of who to invite. For one woman, not inviting her sister turned ugly. Nicholas Landry and Lori Kappes were having their reception when Kappe’s sister, 23-year-old Annmarie Bricker, showed up uninvited and launched at the new bride, pulling out some of her hair. Bricker was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of battery. Bricker said all she wanted to do was discuss family issues with her parents and sister, but witnesses tell another story. One has to wonder if Bricker had taken the film Bride Wars too literally.

-Gina Merlino

Page 3, News OP/ED

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Hidden artifacts found in the Grey Towers Castle

Although Arcadia University purchased William Welsh Harrison’s estate back in 1929, what we all know and love as Grey Towers Castle apparently still has mysteries left to be discovered. In such a large building (especially with a lot of it restricted off), it is easy for history to hide in the dark and endless mazes of the castle basement. Just last semester the university was notified by castle maintenance of recovered artifacts dating back to the early 1900’s, found in an incinerator in a forgotten corner of the basement, hidden all these years behind boxes.

Arcadia University’s Grey Tower’s castle was designed in 1893 by Horace Trumbauer for Mr. Harrison, then co-owner of the Franklin Sugar Refinery. By the year 1891, Mr. Harrison had expanded his estate to 138 acres, deciding to also expand the house to include a gate house and stables. He employed the skills of 23-year-old architect Horace Trumbauer who completed the stables and gate house a year later. Yet in 1893, the main house (called Rosedale Hall) was burned to the ground in a raging fire. After finding a temporary residence in Glenside proper, Mr. Harrison once again employed Trumbauer to build him a new home to replace the one that was lost forever, right on the scene of the crime. In March 1893, the young architect took orders from Mr. Harrison to build a grandiose mansion inspired by Alnwick Castle, the medieval seat of the Dukes of Northumberland. And thus, Grey Towers Castle was born.

Even now, there are secrets to the castle that have only just been discovered. After the artifacts were pulled from their brick prison, they were immediately cataloged for university records and studied by students in the Castle Restoration Society. Among some of these objects retrieved from the dust were an orange juice can, pieces of broken white stone and broken glass, a Tasty Cake wrapper (labeled “cherry pie”), a pair of baby shoes, stockings, black socks, numerous beer cans, a deck of cards (incomplete), an apothecary bottle (with medicine still inside), and a perfume bottle, still carrying a lingering floral scent.

Also found were many purposefully torn letters with their addressed envelopes, pieces of torn up newspaper, and a women’s corset and lace. Although yellow and fragile, the date “1917” can be plainly seen on the newspapers, complete with lines of comics. On the torn up letters the female names “Irene” and “Elizabeth” are seen scribbled in fine cursive, and their twin envelopes indicate that they were written by Mr. Harrison himself.

Interestingly, the letters themselves are too torn to piece together the body and read them in full detail. Of course, everyone would love to assume that these mysterious unknown women were Mr. Harrison’s mistresses, as he was notorious for being lucky with the ladies, except for his wife. Why would these letters be purposefully torn and sent to be burned in the basement, along with a woman’s corset?

“It’s really easy to jump to conclusions about the objects, and why they were in the incinerator of all places,” says Christine Klepper, a senior history major and leader of the Castle Restoration Society at Arcadia. “But a lot of the stories about the Harrisons were rumors fabricated by students. We have to remember to use the clues given and find fact, not just assume because it’s fun. All these things that were found could just have been broken, and placing them in the incinerator was just a way to get rid of them.”

Despite what mysteries these objects create, only one thing is for certain. What back in the early 1900’s may have just been trash is now treasure, and the university archives will go through these artifacts and pick what they want to save. Some things, like the comics, may end up being displayed somewhere in the castle. Yet the most exciting thing about this is that there is still more to be discovered. At least two more future trips are planned to investigate other rooms in the basement in hopes of falling upon more hidden treasure, hopefully as exciting as the first discovery. “Hopefully this stirs up interest again for Grey Towers Castle,” Christine Klepper says. “In no way is it neglected, but I think this is still a good reminder to all of us to respect all of its history.”

Monday, Bloody Monday

Last week started off with the cutting of over 65,000 jobs.

The final week of January started off with enormous cuts on the job market as over 65,000 people were left jobless.   On Monday the 26th, seven Fortune 500 companies made the massive cuts.   The most surprising cuts came from drug company Pfizer, who cut  20,000 jobs after cutting 4,700 jobs earlier in the year.  Pfizer is known for being able to make its way without cuts.  Others include construction equipment maker Caterpillar, lawn and farming equipment company Deere&Co., Home Depot, Sprint Nextel Corp. and Texas Instruments.

Other big cuts came the on Wednesday the 21st, as nearly 40,000 jobs were lost. 27,00 of the lost jobs came from BHP Billiton, Clear Channel Communications, Intel, Rohm and Haas Co., UAL Corp. and Williams-Sonoma.  The trend seems to be continuing as other companies like Time Warner and ING began to announce their need for possible cuts in the near future.  Even the almighty Microsoft is feeling the hurt as they plan to cut 5,000 jobs.

There is no telling what the future holds but according to Robert Brusca, chief economist at Fact and Opinion Economics,  as reported by CNN, there is hope in sight for Americans looking at the job market. “These recessions are like geometry,” Brusca said. “It looks like we’ll have a V-shaped cycle, in that we’re going into this with very sharp losses. This intense-phase recession will probably recover fairly quickly, with the job market coming out of it at the same angle it came in.”

Dollmaker Ty denied creating Sasha and Malia Obama dolls

Malia and Sasha Obama have been the talk of the town since two dolls were released by the Ty company that makes Beanie Babies. Ty claims that the two dolls are merely a coincidence and that their intention was to release dolls for their Ty Girlz collection and pretend that the likeness and names of the dolls to Sasha and Malia Obama were simply a coincidence. But since the dolls faces have been plastered across the internet, this is far from the end. How could it possibly be a coincidence that two dolls have the same names as the President’s daughters? Ty has some explaining to do.

It is true that the dolls hardly have any resemblance to the Obama girls, even though Ty says that is the definitely the case anyway, but we all know that these dolls were supposed to reflect the two young girls.“Sweet Sasha” and “Marvelous Malia” are the names of the 12 inch dolls and the ONLY dolls in the whole collection that our African American. Hmm, ironic right? Ty stands by their word and holds onto the fact that the playmates are not the Sasha and Malia everyone is thinking of.

“Information concerning the development of our products and how we come up with names, how we select them, how we trademark, that’s considered as proprietary, I can’t go any further with that question,” said Ty Senior Vice President of Sales Tania Lundeen when asked by CNN about the coincidence of the dolls. Lundeen continued to say that “Sasha and Malia are beautiful names that worked well with the dolls we were making.” Is that so?

Well, Ty may think that the dolls are not a big deal, but others are not condoning this product. First lady Michelle Obama’s press secretary Katie McCormick Lelyveld also spoke to CNN about the ordeal. “We feel it is inappropriate to use young private citizens for marketing purposes,” said Lelyveld.

The Ty company’s website has been booming since this whole situation began, and many seem to be interested in finding more information on the dolls that are being sold at $9.99 each. One can only wait and see if the dolls will actually go of stock. So far it is true that the two young girls have some selling power. After the Inauguration of President Barack Obama, Malia and Sasha’s J.Crew coats were on many parents’ minds because they wanted the same winter coats for their daughters. So you can only imagine what these dolls will have parents going nuts for.

The response of these fluffy characters from 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha have not been too good. Many cannot believe the audacity of the Ty company and why this was even done at all despite the company’s denial of what the dolls stand for. Could it be true that the flat faced depiction of the Obama girls is just a coincidence? Or, is it a cheap attempt by Ty to make a few dollars off of two little girls?

Whatever the case, Ty has caused a lot of controversy and this little stunt is not to be forgotten. Maybe the “Sweet Sasha” and “Marvelous Malia” dolls will be a thing of the past like Ty’s precious Beanie Babies. Here today. Gone tomorrow.

DTV Switchover Switched

At the last meeting of The Tower, I was given a piece of information regarding the switch from analog to digital television broadcasting. Apparently the United States Senate had voted unanimously to postpone the upcoming switchover from the original date of February 17 to June 12, 2009.

They didn’t count on Congress. As of January 28, the bill supporting this, backed by President Obama and Federal Communications Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein, failed to get the two-thirds House majority that is required to pass it. The vote came in at 258 to 168. The date of February 17 will stick, for now anyway.

The Nielsen Co. estimates that over 13.5 million American households rely on analog television sets. Once the switch happens, analog sets will turn dark unless they have a digital converter box. The government had implemented a $1.34 billion coupon program which allowed each household up to two $40 coupons to help subsidize the purchase of the converter boxes. This recently ended when the funding limit was reached. An estimated 6.5 million households have yet to receive their converter boxes. Anyone who tries to apply for a box now will be placed on a waiting list.

The House vote was mostly split along party lines, with Republicans being concerned that moving the switchover to June would do more harm than good. They say it will confuse owners of analog sets. The February 17 date has been set since mid-2005. According to Paula Kerger, president and CEO of PBS, millions of dollars have been spent to alert consumers. Delaying the transition would also cost them up to $22 million.

Republicans were also concerned that because local TV stations are ready for next month’s change, the proposed postponement would mean more maintenance and power for broadcasters.

Democrats could try and change the proposal that would enable it to pass the House with a mere simple majority. Although that bill would have to return to the Senate for final approval.

While I associate myself with no political party, I have to agree with Republicans on this particular issue. A delay this close to the deadline will not help. If someone is not ready now, I doubt they will be ready in June. It’s only been five years since the date was set. The general population has known about the deadline for at least a year, if not more.
I do not find it to be a big deal if people have to go without TV for a short while.

The solution to this is fairly simple in my opinion. The government should just fund the $40 coupon vouchers a bit more. Allow those on the waiting list to receive one as quickly as possible. If someone had yet to apply, then let them deal with the switch. Eventually, everyone will adapt.

If you have an analog box and have yet to apply for one, you can do so by going to https://www.dtv2009.gov

Page 4, Student Life

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Knights’ Nook

Questions about life? Email us @ KnightsNook@gmail.com

Arcadia’s own Miss Majestic answers ALL of your questions about love, life, and the library!

Dear Ms. Majestic,
How come I seem to be the only person who thinks that sitting with people in the dining hall that I don’t know is a good way to make new friends? Sometimes when I go into the Dining Hall before my my hallmates or frineds get there, I’ll find a few people that I don’t know and grab a seat. I don’t like sitting by myself and the people I usually eat with are late a lot. Arcadia isn’t a big place, but I really like meeting new people and I don’t see a real problem with it. On the other hand, my friends all think I’m crazy. What’s the big deal?
New Friender

Dear New,
No, you’re not crazy. You are one of the very few people who is brave enough to go up to a table of semi-strangers and say hello. In college, all of that stuff seems to be really peculiar, especially when your reputation is on the line. Your friends will have to get used to your friendliness or learn to be on time for meals and you have every right to let them know, if indeed that’s how you feel. People are hard to please so if you feel comfy meeting new people, by all means, meet them and tell your friends to shove it.

Ms. Majestic

Dear Ms. Majestic,

My brother is a serious player. I’ve heard so many stories about the girls he’s hooked up with and dated. its ridiculous. I had to listen to him say really mean things to his girlfriends over the phone and I feel bad for them…they’re actually interested in a such a loser. It’s a real shame. The major issue is that now my roommate likes him. When he helped move me in, she claims that they made a connection and she was bugging me for his number when school started. She found him on Facebook and now she’s all over him. When I went home for break, I asked him about her and he acted as if she didn’t even exist. Meanwhile  she thinks he’s really into her! I don’t know what to do. I gave her fair warning and now she’s in too deep. Should I do something?
Unhappy Bromance

Dear Unhappy,
The answer to your question is yes. The only thing you should do is mind your business. You said you gave your roommate a fair warning and that’s all were required to do since you knew that your brother wasn’t looking for anything serious in her. Both your roommate and your brother are adults and you should let them mess up on their own.You don’t have an obligation to either of them and hopefully karma will put everything in its place. Now go out and enjoy life!

Ms. Majestic

It’s been awhile since I’ve last relayed the hectic goings on of my life in London. In the past month I had to leave my family and my puppies back in the United States and take the flight back across the pond only to return to exams! After finally getting through exams, and almost certainly single-handedly ruining my GPA, I have embarked on a new set of courses that force me to spend ungodly amounts of time in the library. Oddly enough, I am starting to feel like the student I came here to be. I have a membership at two University of London libraries and I have 4,000 words about John Milton under my belt, so I’m feeling a bit less like an imposter in this academic setting.

Last weekend I took my first trip for leisure to visit friends in Ireland. Traveling on economy flights is always thrilling to me; I think it’s something about picking your own seats. This term I hope to be able to take a few trips around England and Scotland; it’s a bit shameful that I’ve spent almost a year of my life in England and I’ve never properly looked around anywhere but London. I am very excited about one of the Arcadia scheduled trips that is basically a Jane Austen weekend. It probably makes me sound very sad, but I have been waiting to go on a Jane Austen weekend forever; the hunt for Mr. Darcy is always underway!

As I write this I can’t believe that January is basically over and February will soon be underway…it will already be underway by the time you read this. The idea of a year abroad is so daunting until you are there and everything goes by so fast. This semester I plan to work a lot harder but also do some more fun and exciting things. My entire floor has banded together and decided we will begin to make weekly visits to different museums and tourist haunts in the city. It’s already in the back of my mind that in a few short months I will be on my way home. In the next few months I look forward to making the most of this beautiful city, visiting some interesting places, most notably Morocco and the Netherlands, and turning 21 on St. Patrick’s Day! Put together with all of the studying I have in store, I should be very busy up to the day I leave. Already thinking ahead a bit, I’m currently on the search for grad schools in the UK and then there’s where I’ll be living at Arcadia next year. Well now I’m off to collect a former FYSAE friend that is visiting from Italy. I look forward to a weekend ahead of reminiscing about freshman year, which seems like it was yesterday when we first came to London.

Sighs for Sheng Wang: comedian stirs emotions

On January 30, Arcadia students turned out to laugh – and sigh – at Sheng Wang, the Student Programming Board’s first comedian of the semester.  A Taiwanese Texan who currently calls the San Francisco Bay area home, Sheng Wang is known for performing on Comedy Central’s “Live at Gotham” and touring with the renowned Comedians of Comedy.

Onstage in The Chat, Wang established rapport with his audience by chatting casually with them about Arcadia’s heritage and social scene.  He served up an entertaining round of his particular brand of humor, reflecting on the amusing side of ordinary life experiences.  Although there were some of the usual mind-numbing potty jokes (after all, is anything funnier than the porcelain “skating rink”?), anecdotes of Wang’s battles with dental floss and the “friendly fire” of pigeons kept students snickering.

Laughter was not the only response Wang evoked.  English major Abby Grosslein captured his poignant undertones when she stated, “He was really funny, down-to-earth, and relatable; but he was kind of sad, too.”  Perhaps it was the “expired hope” of his love life or the notion that his receding hairline would one day leave him with “a whole head of face,” but Wang evoked as many “awww” moments as laughs from the crowd.  While self-deprecation is the norm in Wang’s performances, the melancholy strain seemed to be more than a joking matter.

Offstage, Wang shared his perspective.  “Traveling is rough.  I’ve been doing this for six years and I’ve done the most traveling this year.  I’m home for one week out of the month and I don’t get to see my friends for weeks at a time.”  When asked how he enjoys performing at colleges, he stated, “It was kind of another reality check.  I thought they would be the best thing ever – smart and sober and kind of progressive.  I thought they would relate well, but as I’ve grown older, my humor has developed differently.”

Arcadia’s enthusiastic response seemed to bolster his spirits. “It was a really fun show.”
Reflecting on the positive aspects of his career, Wang stated that his inspiration comes from performers such as Mitch Hedberg.  “He was the first comedian who let me see I could be myself and do my own kind of comedy.  His comedy was silly and personable and relatable,” said Wang.

He also did not always know he would be a comedian.  After graduating college with a business degree, he felt that the corporate world was not for him.  He considered pursuing photography or poetry, but decided he liked the instant feedback he received from comedy.  He appreciates the opportunity his career has given him to work with both veteran comedians on tour and with his friends in local comedy clubs.

According to Heather Sterner, Assistant Director of Student Activities for Campus Programming, Wang’s performance was a good start to the spring line-up of comedians, with a  record number of 125 students attending.  Jeff Whyte-Capone, Comedy Chair for the Student Programming Board, urged students to watch for upcoming events, including an appearance by Jason Stuart of Will and Grace fame on February 5 and student performances during the Knight of Comedy on March 7th.

Page 5, Feature

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Online or Overpriced: the challenge to getting cheap textbooks at Arcadia

As most students know, Arcadia’s resident bookstore, Templeton Books, is located on the second floor of the Kuch Center.  For many it is a dreaded stop at the beginning of each semester. It is not unusual for students to end up spending upwards of $200 or $300 for text books in one semester. With certain books reaching into the triple-digits, many students are quick to point blame at Templeton Bookstore for the steep price they pay for their education. Templeton’s Store Manager Meg Lavan and Text Manager Lydia Whitelaw are not convinced students  are pointing their fingers in the right direction, however.

“We put a lot of time to get as many used books as possible,” says Whitelaw. Used books are often the cheapest option for many students, as they can often be discounted by 25% or more from the price of a new book. Whitelaw says she makes every effort to stock as many used text books as possible, but she can be limited by unavailability from Templeton’s owner, Nebraska Books, or by Arcadia’s professors not giving her enough time to order used books. “If we have an order from a professor we know what [used books] to buy back,” says Whitelaw.

Currently, Templeton books is on an extension of a five year agreement they signed with Arcadia. In exchange, Arcadia gets a commission on items sold at Templeton. “It’s a win-win situation for the university,” says Lavan of the arrangement. “Buying from Templeton is a way of supporting Arcadia.”

This sounds good, but what about the students already paying over $40,000 to “support” the university? Many students look to buying their books online to save some money. Not a good idea says Whitelaw and Lavan.

“You don’t know what you’re getting [online],” says Whitelaw, referring to the possibility that someone selling used text books might not send the book or send the wrong copy. Despite the potential unreliability of a seller online, it is hard to argue with the prices. Used copies bought off of sites like Amazon.com and Ebay’s Half.com typically sell for lower than the prices for even Templeton’s used copies. But Lavan is quick to point out what is perhaps the number one advantage Templeton has over its online rivals: convenience. “You get your book right away, no shipping,” says Lavan.
Despite the higher prices, Whitelaw and Lavan defend Templeton as advocating for the students by trying to purchase used and affordable books. Some students are slightly less convinced.

Faced with an increasing tuition and a general downturn in the economy, the last thing students want to shell out cash for are text books. While books are a necessary evil when going to college, spending on average more than $200 a semester on some high-gloss, hard-covered information seems a bit steep. Not surprisingly, most students hold little regard for Templeton.

“I buy my books online,” says senior Psychology major Courtney LeCompte. “I feel like the bookstore is insanely expensive, and if I can get a book for half the price online, then why not?”

Other students opt to buy from Templeton for its convenience and reliability. “I usually buy them at the bookstorejust because it is more convenient,” says senior Biology major Alyshia Newhart. For her, Templeton’s prices might be hard to stomach, but at least she knows she will be getting a quality product. Freshman Elementary Education major Becca Hayman is also wary of buying textbooks from the Internet. “I thought about it, but a girl in my class bought online, but she got the wrong edition.”  Both Newman and Hayman agree that they will probably continue to buy from Templeton.

What seems to be at the heart of the problem for both students and Templeton is the constant production of new editions by publishers. In some areas like Political Science or International Studies, it is important to keep text books updated so that they stay relevant to the subject. But how many new discoveries are there in the newest edition of a Calculus textbook?

Templeton’s Text Manager Whitemarsh says the only limit to students getting old editions is whether or not Arcadia’s professors request them. The trouble is that the publishers of these books often send new editions to professors free of charge to try to get them to use them for their class. The result is that students are stuck footing the bill for the eleventh edition of a book that might only be slightly changed from the tenth.

“The new editions are the biggest obstacle to getting cheap prices for students,” says Co-chair of the  Political Science Department Dr. Joan Thompson. “I encourage students to look for ways to get used books or pick them up online.”

At the same time Thompson recognizes that the topic she teaches requires her to stay up to date with current events. “I want to talk about [Sarah] Palin and Hillary [Clinton] in a class, so a book that is two years old won’t cut it,” Thompson added.

For now textbook buying will remain one of two things for Arcadia’s students: painful or potentially unreliable. It is almost certainly cheaper to buy used books online, but the quality and reliability of service is something students should be aware of. For diehards like Arcadia senior LeCompte, the reward is worth the risk. “If I have to pick between highlighting in a book and paying $50 to $100 more, I’ll take the highlighting.”

The Superbowl: From a chick’s perspective

I’m not sure if there is any other annual American tradition that puts beer, lizards, and Doritos together like the Super Bowl. After watching the 43rd Super Bowl, I think I’ve turned a new leaf on life. I don’t need a job. I don’t need this Arcadia education. I don’t need food. I need the know-how to write and direct a 3 million dollar Super Bowl ad and I’ll be set for life.

It took me a few commercial breaks to realize that the game was the least important aspect but I did finally figure it out. I mean, besides the millions of fans who probably bought tickets to the game instead of paying their mortgage, no one seemed to be paying attention to the game once it got started. And in the beginning I started feeling bad for the teams, but once I realized that their salaries triple what my closest 50 friends will make in the next five years, I got over it.

Actually, I had double the fun watching the game—critiquing the commercials and watching the Steelers duke it out with the Cardinals. Before the game even started I was struck by the mini music video that Faith Hill had. I would really like to chase down whoever wrote the lyrics and scream ‘Why!’ into their face. She looked ridiculous and sounded even worse. Who thought that having a country music superstar sing the intro to the Super Bowl was a good idea? Hill made up for it when she sang America, the Beautiful but that doesn’t just count.

While I watched the game intently, I tried my luck at my football vocab. Yea, really bad idea. I remember calling a regular tackle a sack in the first quarter, asking what a false start was and trying to figure out why one field goal was worth three points. I always thought they were worth one…turns out that’s only after a touchdown. I was kind of thrown for a loop when I saw one player in this Count Dracula get-up, decked out with the wide collar and all. I still haven’t figured out what the hell that was for.

I can tell you that I paid close attention, well as much as my brain would allow, to the actual game. I saw Pittsburgh get that touchdown taken away in the first quarter. And I saw Arizona miss and/or drop the ball more times than deemed acceptable. I was definitely watching when 92 of the Steelers ran 100 yards and scored a touchdown. It was like watching a really good romantic comedy and the girl finally gets the guy. I felt all warm and fuzzy inside. Unfortunately, I watched Pittsburgh get too damn comfy and left the Cardinals come back a little, but I enjoyed watching them take back the victory in the last minute and 56 seconds. Almost as good as finding a great pair of shoes on clearance in your size. Might actually be better…its debatable.

At the end of the four and a half hour ordeal, I stopped sweating but remained confused. For some odd reason, I couldn’t pick my favorite commercial. I was so used to watching them online that I did not realized how much the momentum of the game changes how you receive the commercials. Although I thought all of the Bud, Pepsi and Doritos commercials were supreme, I’ll declare here, on this page, that my favorite was the Bridgestone ad with the astronauts landing on the moon and getting stranded. Something about two astronauts shaking their groove things that really gets to me!

Page 6, Entertainment

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Album of the Year

Coldplay- Viva la Vida

The alternative British group hopes to be saying “cheers” to themselves if they grab the album of the year award at this year’s Grammies. Coldplay has been that group to watch out for, simply because of their catchy lyrics to songs like “Viva la Vida” which is on the album. And of course props go to lead singer Chris Martin for belting the songs fans love. Can Coldplay get their hands on the Grammy?

Lil Wayne- The Carter III

Weezy Baby has had quite a year with his hits off of his album, such as “Lollipop”, “Got Money”, and “Mrs. Officer”, among many others. The New Orleans native has been dubbed one of the best rappers alive by some, and he continues to make his presence known by hopping on other artists tracks and spitting fire. So, does Mr. Carter have what it takes to cop the Grammy? We’ll see.

Ne-Yo- The Year of the Gentleman

The song writer and singer had a big year due to his ability to write hit songs for himself and other artists. Ne-Yo had the radio on lock down when he released his songs “Closer”, and “Miss Independent”, and he has no intentions of stopping. The soulful and stylish gentleman knows just what he’s doing when he opens his mouth to sing to the ladies. Let’s wait and see if his vocals are enough to get a Grammy.

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss- Raising Sound

70’s hard rocker Robert Plant is back on the scene to see if age is nothing but a number. Accompanied by  country singer Alison Krauss, the pair get together and make versatile songs that young and old listeners might enjoy. Plant strives to get the gold with Led Zepplin swagger while Krauss floats to the top with her smooth delivery.

Radiohead- In Rainbows

Radiohead are not newbies to this music game but their most recent album is a new taste and sound to this year’s award show. The group collaborated on songs and tried to keep their fans happy with their music. Like the other artists in this category, Radiohead too has had their eyes on the golden statue.

2009 Grammy Preview

The Tower takes a look at the

surprises, the favorites, and the

festivities of music’s big night.

“And the nominees are…..,” these will be the theme words for the 51st Annual Grammy Awards which will air February 8, 2009 at 8pm on CBS. The Grammies are the hottest award show known to the music business. Of course music artists look for the MTV Awards, or American Music Awards to snatch up a few trophies, but getting your hands on the golden Grammy award is the real deal. This awards show will be the 51st show marked down in music history, but who will claim the prize? Let’s take a look at who is nominated for the biggest categories.

Record Of The Year
Adele: Chasing Pavements
Coldplay: Viva la Vida
Leona Lewis: Bleeding Love
M.I.A.: Paper Planes
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss: Please Read The Letter

Song Of The Year
Estelle Featuring Kanye West: “American Boy”
Adele:“Chasing Pavements”
Jason Mraz: “I’m Yours”
Sara Bareilles: “Love Song”

Best New Artist
Adele
Duffy
Jonas Brothers
Lady Antebellum
Jazmine Sullivan

Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group
Coldplay: “Viva la Vida”
Eagles: “Waiting In The Weeds”
Gnarls Barkley: “Going On”
Maroon 5: “Won’t Go Home Without You”
OneRepublic: “Apologize”

Best Alternative Music Album
Modern Guilt by Beck
Narrow Stairs by  Death Cab for Cutie
The Odd Couple by Gnarls Barkley
Evil Urges by My Morning Jacket
In Rainbows by Radiohead

Best R&B Song
Jazmine Sullivan: “Bust Your Windows”
Raheem DeVaughn: “Customer”
Keyshia Cole: “Heaven Sent”
Ne-Yo: “Miss Independent”
Jennifer Hudson: “Spotlight”

Best R&B Album
Love & Life by Eric Benet
Motown-A Journey Through Hitsville USA by Boyz II Men
Lay It Down by Al Green
Jennifer Hudson by Jennifer Hudson
The Way I See It by Raphael Saadiq

Best Rock Song
Bruce Springsteen: “Girls In Their Summer Clothes”
Radiohead: “House of Cards”
Death Cab for Cutie: “I Will Possess Your Heart”
Kings of Leon: “Sex On Fire”
Coldplay: “Violet Hill”

So there you have it! These are a few of the many nominees for the good ol’ awards. It seems to be a battle between the new and old artists. But who will take home their very own Grammy? Tune in on Sunday February the 8th to see who rocks it on the red carpet in the best and worst outfits, and, see who leaves the stage a winner. Expect performances by Adele, Coldplay, and Duffy, just to name a few. The other theme words for next Sunday will be “And the winner is…”

Page 7, Entertainment

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The Scramble

A brief look at new media

On his third album this decade, The Boss heads back toward his pop roots.  With the triumph of Barack, Springsteen brings back the flavors and layers of his earlier work with Working on a Dream, straying away from the Bush era skeletal folk.  The layered wall-of-sound is soaked with Springsteen’s blue-collar voice.  Lyrically, Bruce strays away from the idea of the everyman, but revisits it through a host of characters and musical flavors.  Songs like “Outlaw Pete” and “Working on a Dream” are sprawling and layer, vintage Bruce while other tracks like “Queen of the Supermarket” take different routes to get the point across.  The sound is bigger, the message is the same, and The Boss is still The Boss.

The ninth album from Brooklyn psychedelic noisemakers Animal Collective marks a blurry focal point in the band’s evolution.  Like The Grateful Dead, Animal Collective have cut out some of the hard edges to fall into warmer, smoother trips through their sonic wonderland.  Merriweather Post Pavilion still has its share of awkwardly arranged acid tracks, but Animal Collective transcended their niche for the most part.  “Brothersport” is a vat of melodies all swirled into one and other songs like “Summertime Clothes” simply trampoline off the eardrum with perfection.

Livin’ in a skater’s paradise

Skateboarding is a sport that never got proper treatment in terms of video games.  Thrasher Skate and Destroy, Grind Session and, everyone’s favorite grind the globe franchise, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater never really got down the core, but instead loaded the game with arcade fun for the whole family.  In the fall of last year, EA released Skate.  With innovative controls and a stylish way at looking at the sport EA changed the skateboarding game forever.  Then came Skate 2.

EA puts in not only tricks the first game was missing, but tweaks the graphics and joins in the creatable content revolution with a new replay editor as well as Create-a-Spot.  The story (which is completely irrelevant) goes something like this:  You are “This Guy”, as you will be referred to most of the time (Dude also works), and a pro skater sent off to jail after the original Skate.  Now you’re back, but San Vanelona, your Skater Paradise, has been clamped down on by the ugly corporate grip of Mongocore. Plus you lost all of your sponsors. Bummer bro.  Along the way you meet all kinds of skaters and other people that help you to your eventual goal of getting your status back.

Like in the first Skate, the point is to get your reputation up and find sponsors.  This time around EA has beefed up the career mode, making the challenges not only more abundant but significantly more difficult at higher levels.  Part of the increased difficulty comes courtesy of the much-expanded trick list, featuring everything from hand plants to hippy jumps.  The other big change for Skate 2 is the new ability to get off of the board and walk around.  Though the walking is clumsy to say the least, it holds a bigger purpose.  Through the city of San Vanelona random objects are thrown about.  Rails, tables, traffic barricades, dumpsters, signs, pretty much any lose object can be moved and set into positions making a once empty stair gap the perfect place for a picnic table jam session.   EA also took time to substantially work on the multi-player aspect of Skate 2.  Offline old favorites like Spot Battle and S.K.A.T.E. return with a new mode called Hall of Meat where wiping out and breaking bones is the ever so gnarly goal.  Online EA embraced a free skate mode allowing you can a plethora of buds to skate around certain chunks of San Vanelona.  Each place has challenges and goals to reach, plus what’s more fun than watching your friend wipeout in real time?  The “Create a Spot” feature lets the architect in you post the lines and spots you set up and post them online for others to check out.

Skate 2 has expanded on the first Skate in almost everyway.  More tricks, a better city, and the ability to walk and move are all welcomed additions. The best thing EA did is what Skate 2 didn’t do.  Without changing the way the controls worked, EA took a game and made it innovative and creative.  Skate 2 still feels perfect in terms of the reward for time played.  Sometimes it can be as simple as spending an hour trying to nose slide a huge rail, other times things can get a little more technical.  Skate 2 improves without rebuilding, but rather expanding, a key trait in the longevity of a sick franchise…dude.

Weezy puts the horns up on new rock disc… WTF

Before during and after the release of his highly acclaimed 2008 album Tha Carter III, Lil Wayne was slowly but surely straying away from the style that made Tha Carter II so insane when it was released in 2005.  The mix tapes had vintage Weezy cuts mixed in with the new party jams and abstract rambles like “A Milli”.  With all that said, Tha Carter III is a sweeter but no less interesting or successful version of Lil Wayne.  On April 7th Weezy is set to drop another album and a definite departure from his down south hip-hop roots.

Rebirth will be, unbelievably enough, a rock record.  Yes, grills and all, Lil Wayne is dropping a rock album.  The first single “Prom Queen” leaked a week or two ago only to be announced as the first single in the last few days.  My first thought was “Well I’ve seen Weezy holding a guitar, not really playing it and he has some songs with rock samples maybe he’ll just lean on that aspect a little more.” My second was “He must be high as a kite.” My first thought was wrong.  “Prom Queen” has a distorted riff, rock drums and sparsely placed keys with Weezy singing ala “Lollipop” over the new background.

In the past we’ve seen the combination of rap and rock go both great and miserable.  I mean who doesn’t like Run-DMC and Aerosmith’s version of “Walk This Way” or Rage Against the Machine’s metal rap fusion? Hell, Linkin Park even sounded good with a little help from Jay-Z, but then there were problems like Limp Bizkit or any other Nu-Metal band (sans Korn).  Granted, Lil Wayne takes a radio-ready pop/rock formula and, by adding his name to it, gives it even more appeal.  Who knows, maybe it’ll work out for him.

First it’ll be a Rock Band track pack, then a spot on Letterman, followed by a tour with Metallica where he does a guest spot on “Master of Puppets”.  Could you imagine Lil Wayne jamming out with Dave Matthews on a summer stop in Camden?  The possibilities are endless, and hilarious, but Rebirth is no joke.  Weezy is stretching his influence into an uncharted place; hopefully he doesn’t stretch it too far.

Page 8, Sports

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Superbowl XLIII

After the embarrassment felt among Philly fans during the January 18th game against the Cardinals, many Eagles fans have put their money, and more importantly their hopes, in the Steelers avenging their fellow PA team.  However, despite what many would like to believe, Super Bowl XLIII was not a sure thing by any means for either team.

On February 1, 2009, the 43th Super Bowl began in Tampa to receive very mixed feelings on its outcome. Many took the first quarter as a strong indication of the game’s overall outcome.  In the starting minutes of the first quarter, the Steelers had a 10 point lead on the Cardinals.  Even furthering their confidence was a nearly 100 yard touchdown by the final seconds of the first half, but things would start to look very different after halftime.

Slowly but surely the Cardinals began to pick up their defense by the early minutes of the third.  Similar to their past games, including that against the Eagles, by the end of the third quarter, their offense was also taken up a notch.

The score was 16 – 20 by the final minutes of the fourth quarter.  Suddenly, the game took a turn for the Cardinals when Quarterback Kurt Warner threw a 64 yard touchdown pass to receiver Larry Fitzgerald.  It was with this goal that Arizona took the lead for the night, 23-20.

Despite this truly jaw dropping play by Warner, Roethlisberger still managed to lead his Steelers to victory in the final minutes of the game with one final touchdown, making the final score a close knit 27 to 23.

Despite the excitement ever present in the actual football game, many Super Bowl viewers are either more obsessed with, or at least equally so, with the Super Bowl commercials and halftime show.

In recent years the elite standard in Super Bowl commercials has always been Budweiser, and this year has been no exception. In 1994, the Bud Frogs, named Bud, Weis, and Er, debuted and revolutionized the way viewers thought of the brand.  After several variations, including Louise and Frankie, the Brooklyn-accented Chameleons and their “Hitman- Ferret”, Bud has since moved onto the Clydesdale and the Dalmatian “approach.” Similar to recent Super Bowl games, Sunday’s game also brought about several variations of the Clydesdale, once again showing Budweiser’s domination of Super Bowl commercial time.

For Super Bowl XLIII, the halftime show became very much a “blast from the past” when the legendary singer/songwriter Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed.  Nicknamed “The Boss”, Springsteen started his mainstream career in 1972, with his debut album, entitled Greetings from Asbury Park, NJ.  Since then, he has had more than 15 albums and is currently launching the new and highly anticipated Working on a Dream, which was released on January 27 of this year.  Despite being almost four decades later, Springsteen and the E Street Band are still holding their own and still mesmerizing fans, both new and old.

In truth, this Super Bowl very much had something for everyone: an edge of your seat, minute-by-minute football game, a series of heartwarming animal ads, and a halftime show that truly proves that some things never go out of style.

Knights of the Week

Terell led the Knights in an 0-2 week in conference play with season-best numbers.  The senior forward led Arcadia with 13 ppg and 5.5 rpg on 8-11 (73%) from the line and 9-16 (56%) from the floor averaging 26.5 minutes.  Terell also dished out 5 assists, caused two turnovers and blocked one shot on the week.  His season overall performance on the floor (52% FG) leads the squad, as do his team-high 9 blocks.  For the week, he shot above his season averages for both points (8.7 ppg) and rebounds (4.9 rpg).

Knights defeat Falcons in Commonwealth Openener

Senior Bobby Mulholland and freshman Khalief Trawick combined for 33 points to help Arcadia Men’s Basketball defeat the Falcons of Messiah College 70-62 in the second half Commonwealth opener this afternoon in Glenside.  Today’s win avenges a loss to the Falcons just two weeks ago as the Knights improve to 3-4 in the league and 8-11 overall.  Messiah also stands at 3-4 in the league and drops to 5-14 overall.

The Knights opened the game with nice 7-0 run, leading by as many as 18 in the first half.  Messiah crawled their way back to make it an 8 point game at the half, 35-27 Knights, as Arcadia held the Falcons to just 27% shooting while causing 13 Falcon turnovers throughout the opening twenty.

Although Arcadia never trailed in today’s game, a layup by Jason Miller brought the Falcons to within 1, 46-45 with 11 minutes to play and to their credit Messiah kept Arcadia on their heels for the remainder of the game as a three pointer off the hands of Drew Sneeringer with 43 seconds to play made it 64-62 game with Arcadia in front.   Both teams were in the double-bonus down the stretch, but with Messiah forced to foul, both Trawick and Mulholland were perfect from the stripe in the final 27 seconds to seal today’s much needed win.

Mulholland, playing the final 12 minutes with 4 fouls, was red hot this afternoon, nailing 7-9 from the floor and a perfect 4-4 strikes on the line for a 19 point performance with 4 rebounds and 3 steals.  Trawick went 5-10 and 4-6 from the line to finish with 14 ponts and 7 rebounds.  Trawick added 2 steals and put home a dunk in the first half.  Senior Terell Varnado added 9 points, 7 rebounds and blocked 2 shots for a Knights squad that committed just 5 turnovers all day.  Junior Damien Palantino netted 5 points and owned team highs in assists with 6 and steals with 5.

Arcaida shot 46% from the floor and 73% from the line, as their defense held the Falcons to just 35% shooting while causing 20 Messiah turnovers.  Jamie Yoder led the Falcons with 18 while Colton Reitz contributed 16 points and 8 rebounds.

Arcadia will look to even the score with Widener University this Tuesday at home at 7 PM

“Join the Arcadia community in  its fight against breast cancer.”  On Tuesday, Febuary 17 AU will be hosting the “Pink Zone” basketball game against Albright College in the Kuch Center.  The game will be free of charge and donations would gladly be accepted to help the world’s fight against breast cancer. In addition to the game itself, which will tip off at 6:00 P.M., there will be a free t-shirt for the first 50 guests, prize raffles during halftime, and a free “give-a-way” to the first 100 people wearing pink.  All proceeds will go to the Kay Yow BCA Cancer Fund.

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World’s First Air-Powered Automobile Makes a Splash

India’s largest automaker began producing the world’s first commercial vehicle that runs on nothing but air. The “Air Car”, first developed by ex-Formula One engineer Guy NËgre, uses compressed air to push the engine’s pistons instead of gas-and-oxygen explosions of internal-combustion models. It may seem a little extreme, but some six thousand zero-emissions Air Cars already hit the streets of India last August.

In Paris, a Luxembourg-based Motor Development International has scheduled the launch of the Air Car in France next year. Called the MiniCATS, the car is a three-seater and one of two models the company hopes to sell. A commercial version of a prototype of the compact three-seater showcased at the 2002 Paris Motor Show and was priced at $9,850, while the six-seater sedan will retail for $16,000. “It’s safe, doesn’t pollute, doesn’t explode, is not poisonous and not expensive,” said MDI representative Sabastien Braud.

The way it works isn’t rocket science, either. An electric pump inside the car compresses the air into the tank at a pressure of 300 bars. Years-old, off-the-shelf technology uses the compressed air to drive old-fashioned car engine pistons instead of combusting gas or diesel fuel to create a burst of air to do the same thing. The pump plugs straight into an ordinary household socket and takes four hours to complete the recharge… much more than your cell phone would. The Air Car’s pistons are pumped by the escaping compressed air that can take the car up to 70 miles per hour. It can travel up to 50 miles at top speed with a full tank, or further at lower speeds, and the only exhaust that comes out of the tail pipe is cold air. The modern and much pricier hybrid cars achieve higher speeds and longer ranges by running on a combination of compressed air and gasoline, or bio-fuels derived from organic matter. MDI claims that the air-only car models meet the needs of most urban drivers who average just eleven miles a day.

However, even environmentalists are wary about the Air Car’s claimed “benefits”. Converting energy from electricity to compressed air is inefficient, says Karsten Krause of the European Federation for Transport and Environment. Krause claims that by consuming more energy from the power plant than it delivers on the road, it could do as much environmental damage as a gasoline-run vehicle. Basically, there is no pollution being exhausted from the car itself, but the electricity used for upkeep of the vehicle might be just as much an environmental burden.

The catch, of course, is that the car itself is hideously ugly. However, if you are one of those people who can put “saving the environment” (that is, if it does what it claims) before fashion, you might be able to put the box-like appearance of the car behind you. The vehicle itself looks like a Playschool Power Wheel, and whether or not this Air Car will be a success in the gas guzzling and fashionable culture of America in 2010 is questionable. High gas prices make this idea a little more persuasive, but only time will tell in 2010.

Letter: Keep up the Theatre Coverage

As a representative of the Theatre Department, I wanted to thank you (and by extension, your staff) for your recent coverage of happenings with Arcadia Theatre. We put a lot of work into what we do, and the Tower hasn’t always been so keen to cover it in years past, so it was great to open up recent issues and read a thorough description of the season (although I already knew what it was) and a great, thoughtful review of Rocky Horror. I hope you plan on continuing in your trend of reviewing the productions.

Overall, great work with the Tower this year – being a Senior, I have seen where the Tower was, and I’m glad to see where you’re taking it.

-Steve Carpenter, Class of ‘09

From the Editor’s Desk…

To Our Faithful Audience,

Alright everyone, I know you are excited about Thanksgiving and so are we. That is why we at, the Tower, will be taking the Fall break that Arcadia isn’t giving anyone else. What I’m trying to say is that there will not be an issue for next week. So that means you’ll have to enjoy this one twice as much.

I think we put together an excellent issue this time around. We hope that our feature is timely and something that matters to you. We also took a break on covering President-elect Obama. I think if we ran anymore after the marathon we’ve been doing on the election, I might have had a serious Barack Attack (and not the good kind).  So you’ll have to settle for Sarah Palin this time around.

Also, we have two exciting things to mention. We received our first letter to the editor this past week, and it was positive as an added bonus. On top of that, last week’s issue was the first in recent Tower history to be completely sold out. I know they’re free,but usually we have a decent amount left over. This time there is only the handful we keep for our archives. So thank you for picking up The Tower and for your feedback. This is your student newspaper, and it doesn’t mean anything without your interest.

Tyler Peckham
Editor-in-Chief

Corrections:

The web address given in last week’s ad for our website was incorrect. The correct address is:
arcadiauniversitytower.wordpress.com.

The Tower’s weekly round-up of quirky, interesting and mildly relevant news.

Man Escapes Prison in Box

According to the BBC News, a 42-year-old Turkish citizen had escaped a German prison by mailing himself out: Express. The convicted drug dealer had been serving a seven year sentence in the prison. He too soon decided to make a mad dash for it out! A manhunt is underway in western Germany for the man who escaped unnoticed.

The BBC discovered that the convict had been making stationery with other prisoners destined for the shops and, at the end of his shift, the inmate climbed into a cardboard box and was taken out of prison by express courier. The escapee cut a hole in the box and jumped out of the truck that was carrying packages. The driver alerted the police after he noticed the box flapping in the breeze!

Today, his whereabouts are still unknown. Chief warden of the prison, Beate Peters, told the BBC, “This is an embarrassing incident. He must have had accomplices outside the prison. We have no idea where the fugitive is hiding. We assume that he is still in the country and is lying low before making his move.” Employees at the prison have been complaining for the past few years that they need to beef up security and that the government needs to provide them with guards. For now, the prison will have to deal with one of their prisoners literally being shipped out!

-Elishia Peterson

Blue Man Group Opens School

Looks like the famous “Blue Man Group” is doing more than painting themselves in shiny blue paint, miming, and playing instruments. The performance artists Chris Wink, Phil Stanton, and Matt Goldman, who have made a name for their troupe worldwide, have since decided to take their off-Broadway stardom and go back to school.

According to The New York Post, the Blue Men have opened a private elementary school in the East Village of New York that uses black lights, yards of plastic tubing and a padded “wonder room” with a light-up floor to stimulate thinking. “It isn’t that we just think that teaching the arts would be nice. What all the professions out there need are creative thinkers and good collaborators,” said Chris Wink.

He and the other Blue Men occasionally come to the school as instructors and teach the kiddies to be creative problem solvers. There are certified teachers who instruct the students but don’t wear the blue paint. Though they do encourage their students to say good morning in foreign and fictitious languages when they come to school! The blue and bald men, along with their wives, started the Blue School back in September, with 61 kids in kindergarten and early-childhood classes. The New York Post reported that the independent school is set to grow by a grade each year through fifth grade.

But get this: tuition for the whole year is set at an astonishing $27,300 for kindergarten and first grade students! That’s a college education right there. With 27G’S, I bet the parents will be feeling “blue” by the end of the school year.

-Elishia Peterson

Man Arrested for Stealing Communion Wafers

A Connecticut man allegedly tried to steal communion wafers during a service. 33-year-old Samuel Ricci of Canton grabbed a handful of wafers from the priest during communion at St. de Porres Catholic Church in Jensen Beach. He was cornered by fellow churchgoers and the police were called. Deputies showed up and arrested Ricci. He was charged with theft, disruption of a religious assembly, and two accounts of simple battery as two churchgoers received minor injuries during the scuffle. He was being held at $2,000 bond at the Martin County Jail. The motive for trying to steal communion wafers remains unknown, but one can bet the Lord wasn’t pleased.

-Gina Merlino

Free Viagra for South of the Border

Viva Viagra! That is what men are saying in Mexico. Viagra and other impotence drugs are being given out for free in Mexico City to men 70 and older. Mayor Marcelo Ebrard says that sexuality “has a lot to do with quality of life and our happiness” and is therefore implementing the plan. On December 1st, the government will start handing out doses. There will be three centers where the pills will be distributed and men will be examined before receiving the pills. These centers specialize in sexual health for the elderly.

-Gina Merlino

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Opinion: Forget the Sexism, Palin Simply Was Not Qualified

In politics, there is much going on with Barack Obama and him transitioning to the White House. At this point, it is obvious to everyone that Obama will be the face of the Democratic Party for at least the next four years. But what about the GOP? Sarah Palin has emerged as the new face of the Republican Party.

From the time she was announced as John McCain’s running mate to now, there has been a lot of curiosity about the governor of Alaska. Along with this curiosity came the other unavoidable side of politics: criticism.

Her wardrobe, her family, her accent, and her experience as an Alaskan governor were all scrutinized soon after she accepted the offer to become the first female vice-presidential nominee of the Republican Party. The Republicans that remained faithful to Palin have complained that the treatment she received from the press has been sexist. To them and others it seemed like the only reason Palin was treated the way she was is because of her gender.

Throughout the time that Palin has been a part of the election, the reasons the so-called liberal media has been hounding her with questions isn’t due to her gender. When you are running for the second-in-command of the United States, scrutiny comes with the job. The simple fact of the matter was that Palin was unqualified for the Vice Presidency. She didn’t know important facts, wasn’t prepared for important questions, and couldn’t tell you what the Bush Doctrine was.

I know it sounds good to blame the media for Palin’s short comings, but this was the same person who defended her foreign policy experience by being able to see Russia from her house. Then, in place of the real answers, Americans got Palin bragging about eating moose burgers, and stories about being the mayor of a town whose city hall looked like a laundromat. I can keep going. The main idea here is that Sarah Palin was not qualified to begin with.

The interviews and $150,000 shopping spree showed the lack of judgment the McCain campaign had. The end results are no surprise. What the future holds for Sarah Palin is uncertain, but if there is one thing she did show us, it’s that she is ambitious, and she won’t be going away anytime soon.

palin started out as a long shot to save the McCain campaign when he needed a running mate. He needed Palin to get more conservative and evangelical voters but, in the process, lost many of the moderates that Obama was able to pull over to his side.

Her failure in this election is not due to her gender; to say  that would be an insult to the intelligence of American women. We are smart enough to see that Palin was not ready for the job. She was in way over her head, and the questioning that the press did shed light into a shoddy campaign. Here is a hypothetical situation: What if instead of Obama getting the nomination, Hillary Clinton won it? How would republicans have responded?

Although McCain kept it clean, there were more than a few instances of racist remarks at McCain and Palin rallies, plus a huge among of Republicans that actually believed that Obama was a Muslim (God forbid!).

So before you jump on the liberals and, the media that they supposedly reside in, ask yourself if things would have been different, or worse, if Hillary Clinton was in Palin’s shoes.

NASA Loses Spirit Rover

The Second Phase of NASA’s exploration of Mars  is slowly coming to an end as one of the two newest rovers to roam the red planet has ceased communication.  The Spirit rover which arrived on Mars in January of 2004 has the second longest period of time on Mars behind the nuclear cell powered Viking 1.  In early November the Spirit seemingly lost ability to communicate full messages back to NASA this after a dust storm damaged parts of the rover’s solar array power source.

The Spirit has a few notable firsts while on Mars.  It explored a crater known as “Sleepy Hollow”, an area of Mars NASA had been trying to get at for some time.  Also the Spirit was equipped with a panoramic color camera.  The pictures it took of the surface of Mars are the highest resolution color photos of another planet ever.  The Spirit as well as its twin Opportunity also had a Rock Abrasion Tool used to grind and bore through rocks and sand dunes.  It was the first time a rock from mars had ever bored through.  Maybe the biggest finding on Mars at the hands of Spirit came when the rover found a volcanic rock dubbed “Mimi”.  Mimi is one of the main reasons NASA has found the possibility of water on Mars.  The rock is the equivalent of a Volcanic rock here on Earth and the crystallized crevasses lead scientist to believe the present of water on the red planet as being totally possible.

Though the Spirit rover seems to be on its last legs, or at least to be loosing the ability to communicate, NASA has not yet given up hope.  Many feel that like the other problems the Spirit has had like memory malfunctions or power cell issues the communication break down maybe something that can be worked out.

Campus Bicycle Program in the Works

“I want to ride my bicycle —
I want to ride it where I like!”

Community Bicycle Programs have been a hot commodity over in Europe for many years now; however, it’s taken us quite sometime to catch on. Thankfully it’s a growing interest of a couple of cities in the US and, just as important, a couple of college campuses. That is why, here at Arcadia, we, the Class of 2012 officers are proposing a Bike Share Program that will essentially enable you pick up a bike from any bike rack, ride it around to wherever you see fit, and bring it back when you’re done. Seems pretty simple, right? Although this has many benefits, such as convenience, little or no negative environmental impacts, and heck, it’s free, the potential problems of safety and theft are a concern. That is why we’re asking anyone interested in furthering this great program to step up and let us know! The more interest shown and the more help we get, the sooner this exciting program can be implemented. We have some great ideas of our own, and we’re eager to hear some of yours. If you’re interested in getting this program rolling (no pun intended), please contact Niquelle Gebbia, Vice President of the Class of 2012, at ngebbia@arcadia.edu.

Weekly Green Tip

Recycle your old cell phone.

It may not sound like much, but tis the season for new tech gadgets, and cell phones are at the top of that list. If you’re planning on getting a new cell phone this holiday season, make sure you put your old one to good use. The waste that millions of tossed cell phones create contains mercury which is pretty bad for old Mother Earth.

Several companies will allow you to ship the used phone to them and get a coupon for some other accessories so check with your carrier before you toss it!

Page 4, Student Life

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Student Life, Page 4

Knights’ Nook

Dear Ms. Majestic,

I really like this girl. She’s really smart and she’s taught me so much. She’s really pretty and I don’t even think she knows it. She makes me laugh all the time and she even laughs at my jokes. My friends think she’s cool too but they think that she’s out of my league. When we see each other on campus it’s like there’s a connection—like I just feel it when she looks at me. The problem is I don’t know what I should do about it. I mean…she is my professor. What do I do?
-Student in Love

Dear Student,

WOW! I actually am speechless. First let me tell you that the feelings you have for your professor are not wrong. Thousands of students each year develop romantic feelings of some sort for faculty or staff members they interact with on a regular basis. As far as how you deal with the situation, there’s only one happy solution. You can NOT have a romantic relationship with a professor. I’m not sure if there are some written rules about it but I know for a fact that it looks really bad on the professor’s behalf. My guess is that this woman is more than a few years older than you, so a relationship with her would be pretty extreme even if she wasn’t your teacher. I think the only safe thing for you to do is leave her alone. That’s probably hard for you to hear and you probably don’t plan on following this advice, but know that dealing with her on any level past platonically is dangerous. Weigh your options—what may seem perfect just may not be.
-Ms. Majestic

Dear Ms. Majestic,

I’m an exec board member for a club in campus and we’re having some issues. The president of our club is really supportive but he’s also really good friends with everyone else on the board. He doesn’t like rocking the boat so he doesn’t like making hard decisions or telling people what to do. It’s kind of weird because as the president you would think that the person is prepared to do whatever it takes for the club but he cares more about his friendships than the club. I don’t know what to say to him because he’s my friend too and I don’t want to hurt his feelings. How do I deal with him? I care about the club and that’s my priority, but I don’t want to lose my friends either.
-Executive Friend

Dear Friend,

This is a sticky situation. If you’re too harsh, you may just lose your friends but if you don’t address the issues, the club will suffer. You have to find a happy medium and the only way is to talk to your friend. He probably has no idea that what he is doing is not only hurting your friendship but harming the club. Have a serious but light conversation with him and let him know how you feel. Tell him how his behavior is affecting the club and its members. Make sure you aren’t stern because it may come off that you’re only looking out for yourself and not the club. Whatever you do, make sure you keep your friendship intact. Good luck!
-Ms. Majestic

After the glorious week spent sleeping and doing some reading it was back to reality this past Monday. Monday not only brought a new week of classes; it was also the day I had to hand in my first bit of coursework. I was actually way more prepared to hand in my work this past Monday than I have ever been to hand in anything in my entire life. I had my cover sheet ready, the entire thing was printed, collated and stapled. I put it in my folder and even packed my stuff for school the night before. I was so ready.

When I got to class I took notes and really enjoyed discussing “Paradise Lost” in my seminar. Afterwards I got the tube with one of my friends and thought I had had a great day. Needless to say that was not the case. I found myself seven stops away from my school on the Circle line, which happens to be the slowest line in the entire tube, and I realized I never handed in my coursework. Of course the most practical thing to do at that moment was cry and freak out so I did that. Getting off at the next stop I embarked on a taxi hailing adventure finally getting one after standing in the pouring rain for twenty minutes.

At this point the deadline for submission has nearly passed and I am a second away from hyperventilating. As we pulled up to the main building I ran out of the taxi and up to the English department so fast I almost took down an old lady in my rush. Luckily when I got there I was able to hand it in but it was just a terrible time. The woman asked me why I was running late, the only answer I had was blatant stupidity. She just said “fair enough.”

After that little incident I was very on edge. This coming Monday I have an essay due in that is 40 % of my grade. I am so terrified of this that I am nearly beside myself with fear. At least I also found out that my British counterparts are just as scared; that helped a little. So while all of my flat mates run around London this weekend I will be in my room writing a paper about how family dramas shape Victorian texts. I can’t really complain though; after all school work is the reason I came here.

It’s weird to think that after this paper I don’t have any work to hand in or any exams until January. I am so conditioned to do homework every week and hand it in that this is completely warping my idea of things. Well I should continue my productivity and move it along to my paper so I don’t spend my Sunday night cramming last minute thoughts into incoherent sentences.

Every hour I spend here seems to go by ten times as fast as it would if I were at Arcadia. Even right now I feel like I have only just gotten here and the semester is nearly over. Four weeks from today I will be at home on my couch with my family preparing for Christmas and studying for my exams. Hopefully the time is going by just as fast at home; it’s just so hard to comprehend how I will manage to do all of the work expected in the next few weeks, but oh well. If you’re feeling stressed just remember that you get a Thanksgiving break!

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)
The stars will test your resolve this week when you will be offered a variety of different paths for the road you seek.  Fortunately for you, they all lead to a midnight hoagie run to Wawa.

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)
The independent style that the Sagittarius tends to embrace will take a turn for the worse this week when you decide to turn the triple you’ve been living in into a single, much to the despair of your two roommates.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)
The stars show that the elements of Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water are all in your favor this week. This explains why you do nothing but watch a “Captain Planet” marathon for two days straight.

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)
This week will be the dawning of a new Age of Aquarius.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20)
Although your sign is already that of the fish, your actions this week will give a whole new meaning to the phrases “slippery when wet,” and “drinking like a fish,” coincidentally in the same night.

Aries (March 23 – April 29)
You will find value in some things this week that many others have regarded as washed up and ill-conceived at this point. You will also buy the new Guns n’ Roses album and see the newest James Bond film.

Taurus (April – May 20)
The Taurus’ stubborn nature strikes again when you fail to heed the warnings of a sign reading “Caution: Electric Fence.”

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)
Just when things start to look up for you, someone throws a stick in your spokes this week. Literally. Thankfully for the rest of us, someone caught it on tape and put it up on Youtube.

Cancer (June 22 – July 22)
The stars foresee the brakes of your car unexpectedly failing in the near future. Lucky color for the week is green. Unlucky is red..

Leo (July 23 – August 22)
The mighty Leo shows its gentler side this week when you opt to buy the lavender-scented fabric softener.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22)
It is usually wise to keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Except in this case when you are entered into a tandem bicycle race as a team.

Libra (September 23 – October 22)
It’s true that Libras are quick to make new friends, except your roommates have started to wonder why you have to keep bringing your new friends back to your place every weekend.

Page 5, Feature

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Feature, Page 5

Feeling the Squeeze: How Arcadia is Feeling the Economic Crisis

For the most part college students expect to be poor. We understand that while we are off earning our degree we might have to drive a hand me down car, wait until Christmas to update our wardrobe, or settle for Ramen  noodles instead of a night out.

This is all part of the trade off we make for our future, because after we graduate, we expect to be able to make enough money for the things we want.  But with the economy in the state it is now, many students are starting to wonder if the grass is actually greener on the other side. Instead of preparing for a lucrative career in the workforce, many Arcadia students are wondering if they will even be able to land an entry level position coming out of college.

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers these last few months have shown ominous signs for college grads. There was a decreased expectation in college hiring across almost all sectors of the economy in the months of August, September, and October. The only sector that saw a rise in hiring was government.
For some students, this bleak outlook has made them turn to graduate school as a way to wait out the troubled economy while developing a specialty to use for a job upon graduation. The problem with graduate school is that it adds another two years of college debt to many students that are already in the red financially.

“I’m thinking I’m going to have to work a year since I can’t afford to go to grad school,” says Arcadia senior Alex Timmons. For Timmons and others graduating this year, they feel that grad school might be the best option, but it is a costly one. “Grad school is my ultimate goal, but we don’t always get what we want,” adds Timmons.

Other seniors are looking to go into high paying jobs in medicine or law. Mark Keller is a biology major looking to get into medical school after graduation. “I’m going to medical school right after, so there will always be jobs there unless things get so bad where they have to start closing hospitals,” says Keller. “My big concern would come if I didn’t get into med school and then trying to get a job in the mean time.”

According to a recent ABC News  article, some college graduates can hope to slip into vacant spots left by retiring baby-boomers.  The article points to positions for students with Engineering and other applied science degrees as being sought after currently, despite the state of the economy. For those at Arcadia where there is not even a Physics degree offered, let alone Engineering, many students wonder if a degree in English, History, or some other social science will be able to land them a job.

“I’m worried about getting a job with any relevance to why I went to school,” says sophomore Political Science major, Chelsea Christiansen.  Christiansen and fellow underclassman, junior Christie Shaub, are worried even if they have a year or more until graduation.

“I’m $52,000 in debt, and I currently plan to go to grad school, so I don’t know how I’m going to pay for loans,” says Shaub. In addition to their worries about getting a job and student loans, both students saw their college funds almost disappear because of huge losses in the stock market. Shaub estimates her loss at around $13,000.

Perhaps some of the students most nervous about graduation are those that chose the Arts as a field of study. Although Art majors were never known for making huge salaries right out of college, things are starting to look especially bleak in today’s economic environment.

Senior Angela Kent is an Interior Design major graduating in May. “Just last summer trying to get a simple job at a restaurant was hard because a lot of older people were looking to pick up a second job to pay the bills,” says Kent. “Interior Design is already a hard job to get because it’s so competitive, but [with the economy] it’s already hard to get any job.”

Senior art education major Nicole Polizzi has similar worries. “With a lot of schools’ art budgets being cut, it’s going to be difficult,” says Polizzi. “I’m not trying to worry about it yet, I have another semester to come back to,” adds Polizzi.

To be sure, anxiety is natural among seniors no matter what the state of the economy, but the current situation only adds to the stress. Banking on the retirement of baby-boomers seems like a long-shot, and unless you are one the few students lucky enough to be interested in a job with the government, the best many of us can do is hope for some improvement between now and May. Until then we might just have to start getting used to the idea of driving that beat up Honda or Toyota and eating that steady diet of Ramen noodles.

View Points:

How has the downturn in the economy affected you?

Sarah Graybill, Freshman,
“My dad basically got laid off from his job, he’s having a terrible time finding another one, and the money is dwindling. And I’m stuck here at this college that’s really expensive and it’s hard on my family.”

Helen Dwyrer, Senior,
“The economy doesn’t affect me because I have no money anyways. I haven’t really noticed because I haven’t been paid enough to notice. Maybe it’ll affect me when I try and go buy a house in several months, but not now.”

Jacky Widger, Sophomore,
“Gas is more expensive therefore I can’t go home and have to stay on campus more and I can’t drive places.  You have to change your lifestyle, it sucks.”

Interview and Photos for Viewpoints by Photograph
Editor Ash Wise

Opinion: Personal Finance Key to Keeping Your Head Above the Financial Water

What would you do if you were given $5000? Would you splurge it all on material things such as clothes, video games, movies, and CDs?

Here’s a bit of math: let’s say that as a kid you get $10 a week for allowance—that’s $520 a year. If this has been your allowance since eight years old and stayed that way until you turned eighteen, you would have received $5200 from allowance alone. Let’s not even worry about birthday money, odd jobs, or the regular job you may already have. So, many of us have been given $5000 already. What have you done with it?

It’s probably safe to say that many of us, myself included, have spent most of their money on things such as new movies, hot games, and nice clothes. According to a survey conducted in 2006 by Charles Schwab Corp, an institution that specializes in finances, nearly a third of teens are already beginning to accumulate debt from credit cards and other means even before reaching the age of 18.

We need to be very careful and very wise with how we handle our money as we prepare to enter the working world. A lot of us, especially as college students, need to start focusing on our financial literacy as much as we focus on our midterms, the Phillies, and what concerts we plan to go to during the weekend.

We can all easily develop our spending habits by building up our financial literacy. Financial literacy is a person’s ability to manage their finances in a smart way that considers their present situation while taking future plans into account. Many of us can agree that with the economy’s recent downturn is making life harder for a lot of us. After all, our parents and friends are continually getting laid off, our grandparents are suddenly losing their retirement plans, and many of us will feel the hit as we find ourselves searching harder for financial aid. So many of us are probably getting our money acts together, right?

Not really. In reality, the average financial literacy of America’s youth is actually decreasing. According to the 2008 Jump$tart Financial Literacy Surveys of High School Seniors and College Students, high school seniors answered about 48.3 percent of the financial literacy questions correctly in 2008, which is almost 10 percent lower than the 57 percent from 1997.  All of the surveys’ average scores have been close to 50 percent since 2000, meaning that your average high school senior knows about half of what he needs to know about making good financial decisions.

Of course, some of us are luckier than others in the face of the changing economy, so the increase of financial literacy doesn’t seem as urgent. I remain fortunate enough to be able to go to college since my parents worry about all the finances, and they remain generous enough to pay for my phone and a good portion of my college tuition. However, as an English major in my junior year who is still undecided in my desired career path, I have a good reason to be worried about my financial stability and independence.

As tuition costs rise and student loans fall, families struggle more to pay for college costs. As more parents continue to lose jobs, students need to borrow more money from suffering companies and banks, which means there is not enough money to go around.
According to an article posted on October 25 in the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Pennsylvania State Board of Education found that tuition costs have increased considerably in the last five years: 22.5 percent in two-year public schools, 31.1 at four-year public schools, and 14.1 percents at four-year private schools. In another Inquirer article posted on October 20, Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education will have PA colleges prepare for a budget cut plan that will likely raise tuition costs by about 4 percent. Regardless of whether you chose to go to Arcadia or not, paying is going to be difficult.

We’re all in college because of all the statistics and information you hear from your parents and teachers about going to college: high school grads on average will make about $30,000 a year, college grads with four years will make about $52,000 a year, and doctoral degree level grads will make about $89,000 a year.

If you’ve already been saving  and are miles ahead of me in planning your financial future, more power to you. But those of us who aren’t need to begin preparing our money so we can live easier in the future. Of course, we’re always going to buy things we like just because we want to, but we can practice a bit of foresight when managing the money we receive. Take a portion of your money and keep it off to the side so that you always have money should you ever really need it. Talk to parents, teachers, or friends to help increase your financial literacy in simple ways, like learning to balance a checkbook. Most importantly, be consistent with any system you choose to manage your money; money is hard to earn, but very easy to lose.

Page 6, Entertainment

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Page 6, Entertainment

Author Michael Crichton Dies at 66

To everyone’s surprise, the super-selling sci-fi writer Michael Crichton, best known for his novel Jurassic Park (for those of you who are not fans, yes, it was a book first) and for creating the TV show hit “ER,” has passed on unexpectedly after a courageous and private battle against cancer. Only 66, Crichton died of lymphoma in Los Angeles on Tuesday, November 4th. The author was diagnosed only last spring and loved ones were confident he would beat it, especially his brother Douglas Crichton, 59. “This is a shock to a lot of people, even his physicians,” Douglas told the press. Crichton’s brother claims he was not even worried for his older sibling until about two weeks ago, when his brother could barely speak due to stress from chemotherapy. “While the world knew him as a great storyteller that challenged our preconceived notions about the world around us – and entertained us all while doing so – his wife Sherri, daughter Taylor, family and friends knew Michael Crichton as a devoted husband, loving father and generous friend,” says a statement on Crichton’s website written by this family.

Michael Crichton’s suspenseful, page-turning, and sometimes horrifying sci-fi books include “Jurassic Park,” “Disclosure,” “Rising Sun,” and “The Terminal Man,” which have all sold more than 150 million copies. People knew and will remember him as an extraordinarily brilliant, gracious, thoughtful, and humorous man. “ER” producer John Wells, a close friend, says, “No lunch with Michael lasted less than three hours and no subject was too prosaic or obscure to attract his interest. Sexual politics, medical and scientific ethics, anthropology, archeology, economics, astronomy, astrology, quantum physics and molecular biology were all regular topics of conversation.” Through his series of novels, Crichton became an inspiration for students, challenged fellow scientists in many fields, and with his creativity illuminated the mysteries of the world in a way that was universally understandable. He even has a dinosaur named after him, Crichton ankylosaur.

From an early age, Crichton eagerly displayed his talent. Douglas Crichton speaks fondly of the brilliance of his brother and recalls watching the sci-fi classic, “Forbidden Planet” with Michael, who used inspiration from that film to build his first robot in their childhood home of Roslyn, Long Island. Crichton was born in Chicago in 1942, with a journalist father, the influence which led to his own interest in writing. He attended medical school partly out of concern he would not make it as a writer, but the success of his first novel, 1969’s “The Andromeda Strain,” changed his mind. Though he was still an M.D. his whole life, he became a distinctive figure in Hollywood filmmaking and television along with his famous novels. He was also physically distinctive, standing at 6 foot 9 inches tall. “Michael’s talent out-scaled even his own dinosaurs of ‘Jurassic Park,’” Steven Spielberg said of Crichton. Throughout his lifetime, although short, the author won an Emmy, a Peabody, a Writer’s Guild of America Award for “ER,” to name a few.

Crichton married five times and had only had one daughter, with a supporting family that will hold a private funeral service, and no further details were released to the public. He has left behind a part of his brilliant mind for fans, his family, and the scientific world, and we will miss him.

Def Jam Exec. Commits Suicide

Sad news surrounds the Hip-Hop and R&B world, and this time it isn’t a rapper or a singer. Def Jam Recordings executive Shakir Stewart was found dead in his suburban Atlanta home. Officials say that Stewart committed suicide due to a single gunshot wound to the head on November 1st. It was very unclear why the exec would pull the trigger, for no suicide note was left. To those who knew him he seemed like a happy man.

Shakir Stewart signed famed songstress Beyonce’ before she was known to the music world, along with rappers Rick Ross and Young Jeezy, singer Ciara, and a host of other performers. The Def Jam boss had just filled the shoes of Brooklyn’s own Jay-Z back in June, so he had a tough act to follow. With Stewart running such a major business, there was probably little room for mistakes. Def Jam artists and fellow co-workers are still confused by the tragedy for he seemed to be doing a good job as the head of the company. The New York Daily News spoke to someone who knew Shakir Stewart well. “Whatever happened over the past 24 hours is not a testament to who we all know,” said longtime friend Christopher Hicks, a fellow music executive. He went on to say “He was a one-of-a-kind individual.”

Def Jam had this to say in a statement on November 2nd that described Shakir as “an amazing man, in every sense of the word.” There was no word on funeral arrangements to report as of yet from the record label. Police will investigate the suicide to be sure no clues were left out. The bright and talented young man leaves his wife and children to grieve his death. Could it be true that the more money you make, the more problems you see? Let’s hope not.

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa Brings the Fun

The New York zoo animals are back with a sequel full of laughs and more furry friends to add to the mix. Alex the lion, Marty the zebra, Gloria the hippo, and Melman the giraffe are on the scene again and still in Madagascar right where the first film left off. From the smart penguins, to lemurs King Julien and his side kick Maurice, and the hilarious chimps, the movie will have you laughing from start to finish. It’s a cute movie that keeps you singing the memorable song from the first movie: “I like to move it move it!”

The first Madagascar ended with the animals about to take their journey back to New York. This film begins with the animals off to their Big Apple home with the help of the penguins and the cool chimps. Alex, Marty, Gloria, and Melman have enjoyed their stay on the shores of Madagascar and are ready to go home. The military style penguins repair an old plane and have found a way back to the U.S. King Julien and small sidekicks Maurice and squeaky voiced Mort tag along on the adventure and are ready to fly. Once on the plane, things seem to be going good. But not for long. The plane makes an abrupt landing and the bunch are not in NYC, but Africa.

This strange land is foreign to the New York animals and the others. They encounter Africa and more animals just like them. Marty finds zebras that look and sound exactly like him. Gloria hangs with girl hippos and thinks she’s found her male hippo match, with a hippo named Moto-Moto. Melman is a big hit with other giraffes, and Alex finds more than he bargained for; he finds his mom and his dad. The mane man lion had forgotten his African roots and he finally gets to see where he came from. Alex and his family have some trouble communicating, for Alex is known as “Alex the King of New York,” the dancing, friendly animal at the Central Park Zoo. His parents, especially his dad, want him to act like a real lion and toughen up. All of the animals experience a change of scenery and try to adapt to this new world they are in.

Madagascar is filled with celebrities, but you don’t see them. These actors and actresses are the voices of the characters brought to life on the big screen. Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett-Smith, David Schwimmer, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Cedric the Entertainer lend their voices yet again for the cartoon. Newcomers who keep the animalistic flavor going is the late comedian Bernie Mac who plays Alex’s father Zuba. 30 Rock’s Alec Baldwin, daytime show The View’s Sherri Shepard, and even “The Black-eyed Peas” front man Will i am play animals in the movie. The movie’s stardom allow the cartoon to be what it is…. funny!

The jokes in the movie kept you intrigued, but maybe a little too intriguing for the kid in the front row of the theater. Some of the jokes in this movie are not kid friendly. There is a lot of adult humor that a kid wouldn’t get, or if they do, that makes it worse! A lot of the “under the table” jokes were slid in, I’m guessing for the enjoyment of the parent taking their kids to see it. At one point during the movie, lemur King Julien asks for his “nuts on a silver platter,” and the hippos have more junk in the trunk that jiggled occasionally in slow motion. That might be why the movie is rated “PG,” so parents can witness the grown-up funny business.

All in all Madagascar is a great movie to see with family, friends, or all by your lonesome. The animals have escaped their crates and are running wild! This a movie you don’t want to miss. If you like to “move it, move it,” then move it to see Madagascar. The animals are in the house, and at a theater near you.

Page 7, Entertainment

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Entertainment, Page 7

The Scramble

A Brief Look at New Media

In 2006 Taylor Swift did something you don’t see much of today.  Her debut album sold 3 millions physical copies, and at 18 she dominated the boys club that is Nashville.  Now two years later, Swift opens up her book of secrets on Fearless.  The album is packed with Swift’s pop power and the southern drawl that keeps things “down home.”  The best part the scorching hot Swift isn’t only a pretty face (or a killer bod).  Her songwriting talent seems infinite and the fact that she plays her own instruments packs twice the sexy.  Songs like “Fearless” and “The Best Day” are crafty pop tracks minus the bubble gum, while others like “Hey Stephen” sound like they jumped off the pages of Swift’s diary.

I’m going to let a Philadelphia crowd do my review of Nickelback’s latest album Horse Shit….I mean Dark Horse. At the 2001 Y100 (R.I.P) Feastival Nickelback came on second right after Lit (yes, Lit). After about two songs Nickelback lead dickhead Chad Kroeger started yelling at a fan in the front row.  (The exact phrase I couldn’t make out but I’m sure it was something really clever…) Kroeger then proceeds to say, “Get this asshole outta here.” So security pulls the fan out of the front row, and the crowd immediately starts giving Kroeger the business.  From that point on the crowd booed Nickelback before during and after every song.  Later on Blink-182 bassist Mark Hoppus commented on it saying something along the lines of  “Man, you guys were rough on those Canadians.” (it’s hard to remember back to 2001)  What’s the moral of the story?  Fuck Nickelback.

In the first James Bond movie not to be based of the iconic book series Daniel Craig returns as a Bond on the edge as much as ever.  For the 22nd installment to the series, Casino Royale Producer Michael G. Wilson came up with the plot in which Bond seeks revenge for the death of Vesper Lynd.  It looks like Quantum of Solace is doing the same thing to James Bond that the Dark Knight did to Batman; it’s showing a hero as a human.  Craig is a solid Bond and the movie looks to up the action in the series.  I won’t say anymore, expect a review next issue.

Game of the Week: Resistance 2

The whole war against some crazy alien race taking over the world thing is a big deal on consoles.  Games like Unreal and Halo brought the idea into popularity while others like Gears of War and Half-Life brought it into its prime.

When the first Resistance (Fall of Man) launched with the Playstation 3, developer Insomniac (Twisted Metal: Black is one of my all time favorites) took the general formula and tweaked it just enough in the right places,  not to mention the addition of hordes of kick ass weapons, to make PS3’s only legit launch title.  In Resistance 2 the story of the first is picked right up.  You play Lt. Nathan Hale an American soldier infected by the deadly Chimeran virus, but unlike the masses, Hale’s body resists the infection, giving him the heightened physical abilities of the Chimera while maintaining his humanity, for now.  In the second installment Hale is brought back to America to help cripple the mass of Chimera making their way across the nation.  Insomniac amped up pretty much everything from the last game to come up with an experience of perfect story telling and stunning visuals.

Resistance 2 looks a lot less like the alternate World War II you play through in the first game. With that said the colors and attention to detail make the art style and graphics some of the most solid on the PS3.  Another strong point is the scarily intelligent A.I. who constantly try to out flank, out maneuver or out think you as you play through the grit heavy levels, not to mention some pretty cool boss fights.   Guns like the “tag, you’re it” Bull’s-eye appear again along with a revamped version of favorites like the Auger, and the M5A2 Carbine, but unlike the first Resistance the emphasis isn’t on ammo but on weapon choice since the player is only allowed to carry two weapons at a time.   Other guns like the midrange Marksman and brutal saw gun Splicer are fun new additions that work better in a combo than on their own.

Insomniac also revamped their duck and cover system making the gameplay even faster than the blistering pace of Fall of Man.  Online you can either go into one of the huge multiplayer games (try 60 players….totally insane) or the online co-op where you play as different characters in the same universe.  If you own a PS3 I suggest you get 60 bucks together, take the weekend off from studying or work (as if you needed another reason) and enjoy an enthralling white-knuckle experience you won’t be able to Resist.

Animal Crossing: City Folk-Wii

Characters interact with a cartoonish city the same way they did on a farm in previous games.  The selling point is Wii Speak, which allows players to talk while playing on the internet.  Just remember, Skype is free and about as entertaining.

Gears of War 2- XB360

While I don’t have a 360 I can tell  you this.  Gears of War 2 is the front runner for game of the year. Just go get it.

Page 8, Sports

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Sports, Page 8

Arcadia Men’s Basketball Wins Thriller over Rowan in Triple Overtime

Knights Need Triple Overtime to Nab Season Opener

Glenside, PA: 11-15-08:  It wasn’t an easy victory but Arcadia Men’s Basketball escaped with a 94-90 victory after three overtime periods were needed to decide the non-conference season opener between the Knights and the Profs of Rowan University Saturday afternoon in Glenside.  Playing just five minutes shy of two back-to-back regulation contests, the Knights allowed Rowan to chip away at their 8 point halftime lead, with the Profs scoring 17 second half points off of Knight turnovers while using 23 points from their bench in the second half to force extra minutes.

Rowan gradually built up a 9 point lead after ten minutes of play but the Knights hung around and with the first of five three point buckets from senior Blaise Pepitone, the Knights took a 19-17 lead before finishing out the half leading 36-28.

That lead would grow to 14 as sophomore Darrell Mills worked hard under the glass to make it 44-30 with three minutes gone by in the second stanza.  But just as the Knights did to them in the first half, the Profs chipped away with near perfection from the charity stripe and a dominating presence in the paint, going on to erase the Knights 14 point advantage as Rowan senior Kevin Darby hit the back end of a one-and-one with 2 ticks remaining in regulation, sending the game into overtime tied at 67-all.  While Darby would go on to finish with a game high of 31 points, the Profs couldn’t solve the red-hot junior Damien Palatino, who not only led the Knights with his career high of 29, but poured in 17 points through three overtime stanzas.

Palantino swished a trey to open the first overtime and Darby finished for Rowan on a pair of free throws with seconds remaining to force the second overtime, tied at 75-all. Rowan’s Dan Reddan put the Profs in front with one minute left in the second overtime but Pepitone took the ball into the paint and made it 83-all. The Knights failed to get off a shot in their final possession thanks to swarming defensive play by the Profs and the two resiliant squads gladly kept playing until a winner was decided. Palantino hit another triple and then a jumper to open the third extra stanza, giving the Knights the 88-85 edge but Rowan would again tie it with 37 seconds left thanks to a triple from Aaron Spellman.  Palatino hit another jump shot and a layup underneath from first year Khalief Trawick, putting the Knights in front for good 94-90.

Palantino finished with 29 points, 3 boards and 5 assists to lead Arcadia. Pepitone poured in 21 on 5-8 from behind the arc and added four assists. Senior Bobby Mulholland added 11 and nabbed 5 steals.  Senior Terrell Varnado added eight points and a team high 10 rebounds.  Three other Knights would finish with 7 points apiece, including Mills, who also added four steals and 3 assists, Trawick, who pulled down 4 caroms and first year Andrew Vose who pulled down 8 caroms while blocking a team high 3 shots.

08 — 09 Men’’s & Women’’s Swiimmiing Season Preview

Arcadia Swimming. There are both men’s and women’s events, but all play for one entity: Arcadia Swimming. They pride themselves on their unity and this year, both teams have something to prove. Second year Head Coach Stephen Rote agrees: “Last season was a stepping stone towards the future we would like to build for Arcadia Swimming.  We broke numerous school records and showed the conference that we are one of the up and coming teams.”

Both the men and the women lost four-year standouts due to graduation which will no doubt be a big early season void to fill. The women will miss Michelle McCandless ‘08, who was named to the MAC Second Team and graduated with several school records. For the men, the Knights say goodbye to the lengthy and strong Brendan Peters ’08, who backboned the men’s lineup for the past four years.  Other graduated swimmers include LJ Morgan ’08 and Bryan Alexander ‘08, both of whom, along with Peters, placed in the 2008 conference championships. As a team, Arcadia Swimming set 14 new school records at the championships in 2008, with the women finishing in 9th place (60 points) and the men in 7th (167) in the nine-team field.

For the 2008-09 season, they would like to continue building on that success with 14 returning to the team, all with experience in both short and long distance. Four are featured on the men’s squad, and Coach Rote expects all of them to qualify for conference playoffs and place. They include senior and team captain John Konieczny (Philadelphia, PA/Archbishop Ryan), junior Steve Neafsey (Admore, PA/Lower Merion), and sophomores Jason Sharpe (Burlington, NJ/Shawnee) and Will Ruocco (Brick, NJ/Brick Twp. Memorial).  Konieczny and Sharpe helped to lead the men’s relay team into the MAC championships, culminating in a new school record in the 800 Freestyle Relay.  Neafsey and Ruocco bring even further consistency to the Knights team in short, distance and relay events.

The women have ten swimmers returning this season, including an intact 200 Free Relay team that competed consistently with each other last season.  The women’s squad, flanked by four juniors and six returning sophomores give this team depth and experience against the many competitive conference teams.  The juniors feature Jen Alfano (Reading,PA/Sinking Springs) who Rote expects to qualify for the post-season, Tamar Paltin (King of Prussia,PA/Upper Merion), C.J. Lacy (Chambersburg, PA/Chambersburg Area), and Nicole Henninger (Levittown, PA/Harry S. Truman). The sophomores are Steph Bartolotta (South Brunswick,NJ/South Brunswick), who Coach Rote also expects to both qualify and place in conference playoffs, Danielle Disanto (Sickerlerville,NJ/Timber Creek), Gina Ruppert (Boyertown, PA/Boyertown), Sam Sunbury (Southington,CT/Southington), Lauren Meyers (Lancaster,PA/Hempfield), and Holly Hamilton (Blackwood,NJ/Triton).  Myers, Ruppert, Alfano and DiSanto led the relay teams well into last season, and with Hamilton and Paltin also returning with relay experience, the women’s squad will look to place a relay team in the conference championship in 2009.

The men and women both have quite a few newcomers to the team as well, many of whom are expected to contribute to the team and even qualify for conferences. On the men’s side there is junior Benjamin Zee (Beachwood, NJ/toms River-South), sophomore RJ Perzinski (Forest Hill, MD/York Country Day School), and freshmen Steve Haasis (Ridely Park,PA/Ridley) Andrew Buczkowski, Aaron Knock (Glenside,PA/Abington), and Adrian Chan(Lincoln,RI/Lincoln). For the women, Rote names juniors Kayla Kroll (Middletown,DE/Middletown), Amanda Ricci (Robbinsville,NJ/Allentown), and Melissa Yaeger (Stratford,NJ) and freshmen Jessica Parker (Hillsborough,NJ/Hillsborough), Caitlin Culhane (West New York,NJ/Memorial), Amalie Kreitman (Hillsborough,NJ/Hillsborough), and Elly Fernandez (Bernville,PA/Tulpehocken).

The 2008-09 Knights had their opening meet against Ursinus College on Wednesday, November 5th. While both the men and women came back with losses, freshman Jessica Parker showcased two first place finishes in the 50 and 100 Freestyle races for the women while for the men, John Konieczny just missed a first place win in the 200 Free. Both teams travel to FDU-Florham on Saturday, November 8th for their first Middle Atlantic Conference meet of the year at 1 PM.

All Knights Athletics Articles courtesy of Arcadia
University Athletics; Photos courtesy of University
Photographer Josh Blustein

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Front Page

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Front Page

Page 2, News OP/ED

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News OP/ED, Page 2

New Age, New Era: A Black President

For as long as I shall live, will I remember where I stood on November 4th, 2008. I will remember how I clenched my teeth as I flipped through news stations that reported different electoral vote winnings. Forever will I remember seeing the smile of a man whose visage reflects my own and who stood proud before a country he was destined to lead. And I will always remember the moment in history that will change American society-whether she’s prepared or not.

When I watched the celebrations around the world as people celebrated a deserved victory, I was speechless. What could I say that would express the joy that enveloped me at that momentous time? What could I say that would equate the humongous sigh of relief I felt? What words could compare to the amount of honor I felt for the hundreds of ancestors who died and fought so that one day something of this magnitude could happen? There are no words to match this triumph and I’m thankful for the silence. The silence has helped me to examine the enormity of Obama’s success, not just for himself but others alike.

There are many citizens that have worked earnestly to erase this day in history and all that accompanies it. One element that can not be erased is the ethnicity of the president-elect. I hate to burst the bubble but, let’s face it…This is a race thing. It’s a race thing because as soon as Obama mentions the melanin in his skin, he’s accused of playing the race card. It’s a race thing because as soon as Obama announced his intent to campaign, that’s all media agencies could talk about. It’s a race thing because for the millions of voters who voted for Obama, there are millions who did not-because of his race. Understand that in a nation where the idea of race and status was birthed, we can not escape those histories.

What we can do is be proud of a nation that, amidst all of its transgressions, elects someone who they truly believe can get the job done. We can be proud of a black man who has not lived up to the emasculating stereotypes of the media rather he has exceeded some of our wildest dreams. We can be hopeful that he will make such a deep impression on American politics and the folks up in Washington that they’ll name a building after him. We can believe in the promise for a better tomorrow and devote ourselves to doing our part. After all, politics is supposed to be about the people.

While we count down the glorious days until Bush is out of town and back in the Lone Star state, many of us can only imagine the perils that Obama will face in the coming months, days and years. If he chooses the wrong dog for little Sasha, he’ll never hear the end of it. If Malia matures during their time at the White House, the world will speculate on her future. And if Obama does not live up to the expectations set before him, the world will not forgive him. For the sake of young Black Americans who live in the age of racism 2.0, where we are asked to be more “Obama-like”, pushing our blackness aside to please our threatened white counterparts, we need him to be the change. We hope that he does not bring more shame to a group that for centuries lived beneath a permanent cloak of such. We hope most off all that the next president, Barack Obama, just proves us all right.

From the Editor’s Desk…

To Our Faithful Audience,

Hold onto your hats, Arcadia Scarlet Knights and Beavers, this issue is going to make your day. As you can tell, we have the whole presidential thing under control, and it looks like I will not have to eat the words I wrote about Obama winning.

I know everyone is probably tired of the electio, and so are we, thankfully this is the last of it until another four years. Make sure to check out this weeks feature story on the new University Commons. Our very own Tim McLaughlin landed an interview withthe head architect of the project, and in the process landed us some exclusive pics.

We also have an article from London this week from foreign correspondant Jen Pacheco. And, perhaps best of all, we have a High School Musical 3 review (I was convinced I was going to cancell the issue unless I got one). So kick back, relax, and enjoy this week’s Tower.

Until our next installment,

Tyler Peckham
Editor-in-Chief

Corrections:

None to mention.

The Tower’s weekly round-up of quirky, interesting and mildly relevant news.

Mariah Carey Consimates Marriage with Class

Superstar singer Mariah Carey decided not to belt out an intimate high note with boyfriend Nick Cannon until after they were married. Carey made the decision to wait for the special night to give her all to celeb Nick Cannon.

Mariah revealed to London’s Daily Mirror newspaper saying “It’s not that we had no intimacy, we just didn’t have complete intimacy. It’s just me, and my feelings. I definitely won’t want to push it on anybody else. But we both have similar beliefs, and I just thought that it would be so much more special if we waited until after we were married. And it was, and it still is.” The couple tied the knot back in April in the Bahamas after their two-month romance. Looks like Mr. Cannon didn’t have to wait that long!

Carey insists that she wanted to wait until they took their relationship to the next level before she got it on with her man. The pair met back in 2005, but at the time they were both dating other people. They met again a few years later on the singer’s video shoot. Maybe it was just meant to be, and the long two month wait is finally over!

-Elisha Peterson

McCain Giths Until the Very End

Yes, the Presidential election is over, but that doesn’t mean we still can’t have a little fun about a special candidate. It’s been a long road for McCain and during his campaigning he couldn’t stop using a certain f-word. It’s not the one you are thinking of. The word McCain repeatedly destroyed was the word fight! Video that online newspaper The Huffington Post presented was a minute piece of how many times the senator said fight. The video shows the white haired gentleman claiming that he intends to fight during the election. “I am an American and I choose to fight” or “I’m not afraid of the fight” were his choice of words at almost every appearance he made. The hilarious video shows McCain saying the word fight, fight, fight, back to back like he’s a tape recorder. McCain may have intended to be a fighter, fight the fight, and win the fight, but he lost, lost, lost! Let’s see if he can make a speech using the horrifying L-word. Nah, he’d probably rather go out fighting!

-Elisha Peterson

Page 3, News OP/ED

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News OP/ED, Page 3

U.S. Election Big Across the Pond

As the election of Obama still incites both cheers and tears of joy, for the newest president elect it is more than just his campaign for change that got him here. He was able to take his new ideas and convince not only people around the United States to vote for him; he owes his win to the Americans living outside the mainland US as well.

The number of people living abroad that were eligible to vote by absentee ballot in this election, otherwise known as expats, is numbered at about six million people.. Whether a person is just studying abroad during an election or has never held a permanent residency in the United States, if they are a citizen they have the right to vote abroad as well as pay their taxes to the IRS.

Both candidates targeted expats in this election as well as in the previous few elections. According to SKY News UK, thousands of Americans held result parties across the UK; both Republicans and Democrats, American and British alike, watched the results in unprecedented numbers.

Though election coverage surely took over the American media, the foreign press also picked up this election like none other. Splashed all over the front pages of British, Irish, French and countless other European newspapers were photos of both McCain and Obama; coverage began to quadruple every day as the election loomed closer. This election wasn’t just for the American public to enjoy; the whole world was watching.
For Americans studying abroad this election was an opportunity to take part in something distinctly American with a foreign perspective. Daniel Rockoff, junior political science major from Northwestern University studying in London, was able to take in the election the Danish way. Spending the big night watching the coverage in a pub called The Happy Pig in Copenhagen, Denmark he found that in Western Europe people were very aware of what was going on with the election. “The European view is that US presidential elections affect them to an extent that I think Americans really don’t stop and think about it,” said Rockoff.

He found that people were very positive when discussing the results, while asking for directions a Danish woman even stopped to congratulate him on the election of Obama. “I think Obama’s victory really instantly changes a lot of people’s perceptions of America, and that’s a good thing,” added Rockoff.

Jared Salisbury, junior mathematics major from Northwestern University studying in London, also felt the positivity as election night came and went. “British people were so excited about our election. Everyone was asking questions about who we had voted for and they seemed to be really invested in the results. It was covered in the same way it would be at home, the BBC only covered the results all night and there were a lot of places where you could watch it with other Americans. It was a really cool experience; one I’ll never forget,” said Salsbury.

Arcadia junior Erin Gilbert who is studying at the University of Greenwich also enjoyed the election abroad. “It was different than it would have been if I was at home. It was almost more exciting. We went to an election night party at the London School of Economics student union and it was packed with way more British people than Americans. They were excited that I voted for Obama; there were a lot of boos for McCain and cheers every time Obama won a state” said Gilbert on her election experience. “I didn’t realize before hand how much this election meant to other countries but it seemed to really resonate with all of the British people I was with.”

Many British students took notice of the election, not only on the big night but beforehand as well, watching the debates and following the campaign. Alexander Sanné of Sturry, England who is a second year theology student at King’s College London began following the candidates early on. “I was more interested in the external issues of their platforms. I found that it was hard to separate John McCain from President Bush. He didn’t seem to bring any fresh ideas to the table. Our countries are so closely related economically and your [American] foreign policy has a large influence on ours. As far as I’m concerned Obama’s foreign policy and ideas for the economy fit better with what I would want to influence the UK; his attitude on the issues is way more important that his experience.”

Amber Smith, first year geography major from Preston, England found solace in the election of Obama as well. “I feel reassured in the United States now that Barack Obama has won. The decisions and actions made by the Bush administration had made me personally lose a bit of faith in your government and this gives me a bit of faith back. I really trust Obama to make the right decisions.”

Whether American or British, everyone agreed that this election was a major turning point for the world’s view of the United States. It sparked a lot of interest and got people really excited for the future of the US and what that could mean for their respective countries. The streets of streets of London were full of headlines celebrating Barack Obama’s victory and five days later the BBC is still closely following the progress of Obama, having set apart a whole segment of their website just for his presidency. As President Bush’s days are numbered the Obama administration has already been pushed to the forefront of global politics. The question now is not only can he deliver at home, but abroad as well?

Obama’s Grandmother Passes Before Victory

Barack Obama winning the election was without a doubt a huge triumph and a new chapter in American history. Unfortunately, the woman who helped raise him died the day before the election.

Madelyn Payne Dunham, or “Toot” as Obama referred to her, died in her home in Hawaii at the age of 86. She had a long battle with cancer thatsadly came to an end. Obama was informed and shed tears as he told a crowd of 25,000 about her death. Obama’s grandparents raised him while his mother was an anthropologist studying in Indonesia. Her nickname Toot was a version of the word “tutu”, which is Hawaiian for grandmother.
During his acceptance speech in Denver, Obama paid tribute to her.

“She’s the one who taught me about hard work. She’s the one who put off buying a new car or a new dress for herself so I could have a better life. She poured everything she had into me. And although she can no longer travel, I know that she’s watching tonight, and that tonight is her night as well.” Dunham never entered the campaign spotlight due to her ailing health. All people saw of her were from old photographs.

Obama has often described his grandparents as true American heroes. Obama’s grandfather served in WWII and his grandmother worked on a bomber production line. “She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility, said in a joint statement by Obama and his half-sister Maya Soetoro-Ng Obama. Two weeks ago, Obama halted his campaign to fly to Hawaii and be by her side. It was the last time he would ever see her. Many people including John McCain extended their condolences to Obama and his family.

For Obama, winning the election was bittersweet. He made history, but his grandmother wasn’t there to see it. We can imagine, somehow, she is smiling down at her grandson and his family, loving and proud of what he has accomplished.

Going Green Tip

No one wants to be the smelly kid in class so we aren’t telling you to conserve water by showering once a week BUT cutting your shower time in half could help save thousands of gallons of water. Are you one of those people who let’s the water run for a few mintues before you hop in? Just imagine how much MORE water you’re wasting. So this week, try to skim a few minutes from your shower. The planet thanks you!

Page 4, Student Life

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Student Life, Page 4

Knights’ Nook

Arcadia’s Own Miss Majestic answers ALL of your questions about love, life, and the library.

Dear Ms. Majestic,
My roommate is suffocating me with SMOKE! When we met during Transfer Orientation I had no idea that she smoked but she seemed really cool so I asked her to be my roommate. AT the beginning of the semester she told me she only smoked when she was stressed out and now it seems like she’s stressed out everyday. She smokes outside but when she comes inside, it’s as if the cigarette was still stuck to her lips. I HATE THE STENCH! Like really…it’s disgusting. I smell it on our couch and it doesn’t come out. I don’t have any medical conditions but I don’t want my life to be shortened but inhaling her bad habits. Other than smoking, she’s a fabulous girl. What should I do?
Secondhand Smoker

Dear Secondhand,
I know exactly what you mean when you mentioned the stench that returns when your roommate comes back from smoking. For some odd reason, the scent just carries. I don’t know what its like to have a roommate that you really love hanging out with but who has a terribly (and life-altering) bad habit but I know what its like to feel helpless in stressful situations-which I suppose is how your roommate feels. You said she only smokes in stressful situations and maybe she really is going through something and smoking is the only relief. If you confront her about the smoking and point the blame at her instead of trying to help her deal with it, it may get worse. Try talking to her. Even though you’re having a hard time dealing with her habit, unlocking the reason why she’s smoking may cure the entire situation. And if she’s as cool as you say she is, everything from there will go smoothly.

Dear Ms. Majestic,
Someone is stealing my panties! Sounds crazy I’m sure but someone in my suite is stealing my panties.  What the hell am I supposed to do?
Panty Victim

Dear Victim,
The only logical thing to do is tell someone. Tell your RA or AA about it because maybe they have some definite solutions. BUT before you go around accusing people of raiding your drawers, figure out how you realized your undies weren’t there. Did you recently do laundry? What exactly do these panties look like? Could they be hidden from your eye’s view? Not that you should keep an inventory of what your panties look like but you should be able to identify which ones are missing and if you can’t do that, try cleaning up. They could be right under your nose!
-Ms. Majestic

Another week has come and gone… this one which was meant for reading was spent sleeping more than anything. The one week that should be spent being productive was wasted away on Facebook and trying to get motivated to do work. I knew it was coming; I just kind of ignored it and pretended that the next day I would get some work done. I can’t say I didn’t do anything over Reading Week; I just didn’t do everything I was supposed to.
For once I wanted to spend my weekend doing nothing that had to do with work but I know I will spend my Saturday trying to catch up on some reading while I spend my Sunday toiling away on the computer to finalize my first actual bit of coursework that is due in on Monday.

It’s so hard to believe that it is now November and once this month is over I will be taking the flight home for winter break. Unlike my fellow Arcadians, my winter break won’t be carefree because I will not be finished. King’s College has exams in the beginning of the second term so I will get to study and write papers while I am at home visiting my family and friends!

Part of me keeps thinking that maybe if I do more work now I will have a less stressful last few weeks before break but I can’t help myself get motivated. I feel like if I admit that I only have about a month left before winter break than I will become very stressed but if I kind of just coast along the first semester can’t come to an end right?

I have to say, outside of not doing work I have done some other stuff this week. On Tuesday I spent my night traveling around London trying to find a place covering the election. My student union had coverage but it was mobbed; they were enforcing a one-in-one-out policy and it was impossible to see/hear/sit/think so we tried to go to a bigger student union. To no avail when we got to the London School of Economics student union it was even more crowded. At this point my British companions decided to throw in the towel and head home.

There was no way I was going to miss the coverage so I luckily found one other person to keep on the search with me. After finding our way to Piccadilly Circus we ended up in Planet Hollywood of all places. I haven’t been in a room full of so many Americans for awhile and it was really cool to be in the middle of a group of people who were feeling the same thing as you. We didn’t stay there until the end but the entire time we were there it was very exciting. Riding home on the bus everyone was asking me about the results and my mom was calling to let me know how the big states were coming in.

It was really great to see how interested British and European people were in the election. The newspapers were all covering it and the BBC was streaming the coverage on the internet. It was really great to be here for the election because people are so excited for us.
The next night I got to experience Bonfire Night which was really cool. It’s kind of like a 4th of July type of celebration. Unfortunately there are no more big events to keep me procrastinating so I will have no excuse not to do work anymore. Enjoy your week while I read the rest of mine away!

Sex and Candy

AN INSIDER’S VIEW OF WHAT SEX REALLY IS

Sex, Sex, and MORE SEX
Have you ever stopped to wonder just how many kinds of sex you can have? No, I’m not talking about how many positions you can twist your body into. (Although if you can turn yourself into a pretzel, let me know!)   There are countless reasons for having sex. If you just started counting, stop that, and if you finished counting, well you need to experience more!

LoveMaking: Sex for love.  A beautiful human interaction.  Expressing how you feel through touching, groping, and being “together.” Nothing says love like being hot and sweaty tangled together for hours and hours.

Break Up: Sex because you just broke up. This has its up and downs.  If they are a good lay, it’s a great last hurrah, but otherwise you might just want to collect the stuff they just threw out the window and book it! It can complicate matters, you want them to leave because you are truly done with them, but they want to stay because they still want you. The best break up sex though, when you both know it’s over and just really want one last roll in the hay. In which case it’s probably a little rough and dirty, just to get any left over feels out of your system, of course.

Make Up: Sex to show you love each other again. *ROLLS EYES* You’re sorry, they’re sorry. So you go at it. It’s good, it’s passionate and usually full of pent of emotions. Rough here, soft and sweet, to normal, just to feel the sense of being together.
Reunion: Sex because you haven’t seen each other in a long while.  Mad, crazy, longing, and yearning. You can’t stop touching because if you do they may disappear again. Using every surface possible to go at it, regardless of the consequences. Sex every which way, emotions flowing (along with other things!)  Enjoying each other in every manner possible.

Group: Groups sex, as Wikipedia defines it, may involve three or more people of any gender or sexual orientation. Did you know that humans aren’t the only ones who have group sex? Animals like bighorned sheep and bonobos also participate in group sex. Group sex has it’s advantages. Lots and lots of parts to play with and touch, never ending activity, always something or one to do! Just watch the jealousy, none of that is needed here.

Phone: Simulating sex on the phone. It’s late, you’re horny, your partners horny, and you’re miles apart. Find a private spot with good signal and tell them all the naughty things you want to do. Go ahead and have some fun with yourself, let them know you’re “thinking” about them. Just watch where you are because walls are very thin and avoid using home phones, because you don’t REALLY want Mom to interrupt that conversation!

Cyber: Simulating sex online.  Very much like phone sex, but using the computer.  This is also great for some relatively safe fun with strangers. No touching of people you don’t know, but lots of touching yourself. Just be careful, computers weren’t made to have fluids on them, so play nice.

Public: Sex in public. Risky, dangerous, full of excitement. If you love having people watch this is for you! Try having it in discrete locations first, until you get the hang of it. Like parking lots, or public restrooms (You may want to lock the door….or not). If you want to be more adventurous, try someplace where there is a lot of expose like a park, or an open baseball field.  I might suggest to keep at least your shoes on, if the cops come you don’t want to worry about tying up your laces!

Quicky: Sex very fast.  Only have twenty minutes before class? Don’t know when your roommate is coming home? Well jump on it already! Get going. Have sex and quick.  Foreplay is nice, but when it cums down to it, get the job done.  Or if you want to combine types of sex have a quicky public sex. Try an elevator.  Not a lot of time, but a lot of pleasure. Get in on the bottom floor and hit the top floor button and go to town. (Though this won’t work on campus, there are only three floors anywhere and no one likes a one pump chump).  Quickies are great for those of us with very busy schedules. As I sometimes say, “WHAM, BAM, THANK YOU MA’AM!”

There are lots and lots of other types, but if I keep going I’m not going to have time for any of them! Haven’t tried something and you want to? If you have a partner, talk to them about it. If not, go to town and find out what really turns you on!

*Kiss Kiss*
Sex and Candy

Page 5, Student Life

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Student Life, Page 5

Arcadia’s Evolution: The New University Commons

Frances Halsband knows Arcadia. Her architecture firm, Kliment-Halsband, designed the Landman Library’s expansion and her design for the University Commons will soon come to life in front of the Kuch Center. We spoke with  Ms. Halsband about her vision for Arcadia and the future of Beaver Beach.

Tower: This is the second major project Kliment-Halsband has designed for Arcadia. What architectural themes have you maintained or improved upon from the Landman Library?

Frances Halsband: For the Landman Library we were designing a building that wouldn’t compete with the castle, but would hold its own as an anchor on the other side of campus. The library is kind of a serious limestone building. When we got to thinking about the University Commons, we were trying to make a building that would connect and reach out to the library and the grey towers castle. So the building as a design, and an architectural organism, is meant to connect the campus. There is a bridge that connects the castle to the upper levels, there is an entrance on the ground level near the soccer field and a rear entrance, so we’re hoping it connects the different areas of the campus. The goal was to make this building permeable and welcoming visually.

Tower: Does Kliment-Halsband specialize in a particular architectural style?

Frances Halsband: Most of our work is on university campuses, so we specialize in the problems of college life. We needed to make this building a place of the future. Focusing on making it a green building and letting a lot of natural light in.

Tower: What specific elements about the design make it a green building?

Frances Halsband: Well, the obvious ones: using as much light as possible, and as many recycled materials as we can. Right now, we’re doing a study to see if the building could be geothermal. We will drill under the soccer field to see what type of heat could be collected for geothermal uses.

Tower: The soccer field is a beloved landmark on AU’s campus, becoming a social center (lovingly nicknamed Beaver Beach) during the warmer months. What steps have you taken to respect or enhance that environment?

Frances Halsband: Well, first of all, let me just say if the building is geothermal, it will all be under the grass. They will not prevent anyone from playing soccer. Soccer players will not disappear into the wells. But, more than that, the student lounges all look out on the field and there is an outdoor deck that we really see as a place to watch games, or hang out and watch whatever other event is going on. So we really see the University Commons as an extension of Beaver Beach.

Tower: Arcadia has a long history with distinctive architecture, the Castle being the most obvious example. What do you think makes the University Commons distinctly Arcadian?

Frances Halsband: Well, when we started designing the library the curve design came up as a way to tie the buildings together. It had a resonance in the circular shape of castle. When we looked at the student center, we thought doing another curved building would be too much, so we tried not to make such a drastic curve design. But the roofline is still a distinctive curve. The curve on the inside is actually a delineator between the lounge areas and the meeting rooms. We’re also using similar materials to tie the buildings together. Near the castle, we are using the same grey stone the castle is made out of. Then near the library, it changes to glass along with a similar stone as the library, but it’s a darker stone.

Tower: Glass is also a major element in the University Commons’ design. Why did you decide to use glass?

Frances Halsband: Well, for two or three reasons. First, bringing daylight in. And second, making connections with things inside the building and outside. It’s really about making connections between the different sections of campus.

Tower: Is there anything else you would like Arcadia students to know about the building?

Frances Halsband: I would just tell them there will be many smaller meeting rooms of various sizes, but I think what will make the building useful are big rooms that can be designed by students over time. There is a big student activities space on second floor and considering the nature of student clubs I think it will really evolve and develop in the future.

AU Students get Pumped at Knight Madness

And they say Arcadia isn’t big on sports. On Thursday, Nov. 6 Arcadia students came out to the gymnasium in the Kuch Center to support its athletic teams at the annual Knight Madness Pep Rally.

The night consisted of several audience participation relays and activities, such as the traditional basketball game between faculty and staff and students selected from the audience. Attendees at the event watched intently as both teams went head to head. The game was tight but students scored a basket in the last few minutes of the game resulting in a winning 8 to 6 game.

You didn’t have to participate in an activity in order to win big. There were several raffles drawn throughout the evening that gave students the chance to win big value prizes such as tickets to the Philadelphia Eagles and the Philly Soul, and even a Nintendo Wii.

As always the Knight Club had a chance to show off some of the moves they’ve been working on for the upcoming Knight Performances, and like years in the past, they were a huge crowd pleaser.

The newly vamped Knight Cheerleading Squad also took the floor getting the crowed amped as they showed off their acrobatic skills and enthusiasm for the school.
All sports teams, Fall, Spring, and Winter had the chance to come up and give their Seniors a send off in front of the student body.

The night was also used to debut new Sweatshirts that are being sold by the Senior Class in order to raise money for their Senior Week activities and the newly designed Arcadia mascot. Both the sweatshirts and the Knight were designed by Graphic Design Major Dan Sypolt ‘09.

The evening ended as the Arcadia Student body welcomed the basketball team prepping for the start of the 2009 Winter season and the opportunity for students with eligible raffle tickets to win $500. Selected students were given the chance to make a basket from half court for the chance at this Grand Prize. Unfortunately, no one walked away with this prize this year.

Page 6, Entertainment

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Entertainment, Page 6

Get Pumped: High School Musical 3 Review

Wait no longer High School Musical fans! The big screen version of the Disney musical, hit theaters October 24th, and is available for your enjoyment. The gang is back at it again and this time it’s to say goodbye. High School Musical 3: Senior Year is all about the last year for the chipper, dancing, singing bunch. In the movie, the teens stage a spring musical for the school play to depict their experiences throughout high school and their hopes for the future. Surprisingly, having only seen parts of the previous installments, the big screen debut wasn’t half bad!

If you’ve seen the Disney High School Musical movies, you kind of know what to expect. Of course, there is lots of singing, dancing, and corny one liners. You also know that Zac Efron who plays the main character “Troy Bolton,” is every pre-teen and teenage girls fantasy. His long brown hair with bangs in his face make him so dreamy! Wait, what am I saying?! I’m past the teeny bopper years, but boy did Mr. Efron make me want to be a teen in the movie! Though in real life Zac is not a teenager, he is still the object of a teenage girl’s affection. But he’s taken ladies as you know by Vanessa Hudgens who plays “Gabriella Montez,” his sweetheart in the movie. To Gabriella and the rest of the Wildcats gang, Troy is the center of their “East High School,” and everybody loves the basketball playing god! Troy is a multi-talented specimen who can play ball, sing, and dance, there’s nothing he can’t do! But he has a few set backs during the movie.

It’s senior year so all of the characters are excited about graduating and going to college. Troy’s best friend “Chad Danforth” played by wild haired fellow Corbin Bleu, is going to a school where he can keep playing basketball, and everyone else knows where they’re headed after high school except Troy. His high school love Gabriella already knows where she’s going, and it’s not where Troy will be. Gabriella is prepared to leave her BF. and enjoy college, but Troy is confused with where he should go. His father is the captain of the school’s basketball team so of course he wants him to go to school where there is a basketball team. Torn between living his father’s dream and being with his girlfriend, Troy has a decision to make.

The movie did a good job with keeping me entertained, for there was no way you couldn’t enjoy even a sprinkle of the sequel. At an hour and fifty-two minutes, I thought the movie was a bit long, but luckily I have the attention span of a college student who can handle a little length. However, for the seven year old in the theater watching it, it may have been a tad bit too long. Even with the singing and bright colors, it could have been hard to sit through all of that. When the movie was on the Disney channel there were commercials, this time around it’s all in one shot!

Another thing I noticed was the rating of the movie. It was rated as “G,” but maybe the film company should have added a “P” in front of the “G.” There was one scene where Troy comes to Gabriella’s bedroom at night with a surprise. He brings her favorite pizza and get this, chocolate covered strawberries. You see why the “P” needs to come in the picture? Then, after they have downed the pizza, there is one chocolate covered strawberry left on a plate. Troy asks her “Are you going to eat that strawberry?” Gabriella responds no. Troy informs her that she ought to eat it for it could be the best strawberry in the world, but she wouldn’t know because she didn’t eat it. So Gabriella agrees to eat it, but Troy helps her. Troy proceeds to feed her the strawberry and Gabriella adds a nice long “Mmm” as she tastes it. Yes, that’s right! Where’s that “P” when you need it?

Despite the strawberry tasting session, the movie was bearable. I am not a crazy High School Musical fan with Zac Efron pictures on my wall, but out of curiosity I was a movie goer who wanted to see what all the hype was about. As the first movie’s theme song says “We’re all in this together!” Mission accomplished. Now I can go back to being a grown up!

Page 7, Entertainment

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Entertainment, Page 7

The Scramble

A Brief Look at New Meda

When you have a debut album as big as Bloc Party did the rest of your career can be an uphill battle.  After the huge success of Silent Alarm (hit single, commercials, video game… the list goes on) their sophomore release Weekend in the City got tons of hype but failed to deliver the relevant Brit-rock Bloc Party have been known for.  On Intimacy, Bloc Party combined the whirlwind rock of Silent Alarm with some of the atmospheric drone of Weekend in the City.  The result is a thumping album of jittery rock with tales of life in London.

The clubs must be on fire, T-Pain is back with some new jams.  If you don’t know T-Pain here’s a quick recap.  In 2005 T-Pain, who was a rapper, needed to find some success.  Thanks to a computer program known as Auto-Tone, T-Pain found fame as a singer (not really though).  Auto-Tone took T-Pain’s shitty voice and turned it into a robotic sounding cyber R&B hit.  With Thr33 Ringz T-Pain brings more of the same.  Big beats, big hooks, and a sense of leather clad style (he wears a top hat people).  So if you’ve ever imagined C3P0 holding a forty, wearing grills, and hanging out with Plies, then Thr33 Ringz is the freak show for you.

Anyone who has seen the commercial for Role Models knows there something just a little off with the movie.  It looks like Seann William Scott is in a funny movie, and he’s not playing Stiffler.  In Role Models, Scott along with Paul Rudd (Knocked-Up) end up mentoring kids for community service.  The combination of Rudd, Scott, and Christopher “McLovin” Mintz-Plasse mesh together in comedy harmony, but they seem to be overshadowed slightly by middle-schooler Bobb’e J. Thompson. Role Models promises some hilarity and tons of one-liners to quote with your friends.

Game of the Week: Tome Claney’s EndWar

In the gaming world strategy games are a niche subject.  They are mainly a staple of the hardcore “sit down and watch my day melt away” type gamer do to their complex controls and think ahead style gameplay.  With the introduction of Tom Clancy’s EndWar the status quo seems to be changing.  EndWar takes place in the year 2030 during a third world war, this time Russia, Europe, and the United States are all at each others throats.  The campaign mode allows the player to play as any of the factions.  Using different battalions like riflemen, artillery, tanks, and choppers the player takes on enemies while trying to capture control points.  The control points allow the player to bring in airstrikes, electronic scramblers, or even a non-nuclear WMD.  While most of these factors are familiar to real time strategy games the controls for EndWar are what set it apart.  The entire game can be played through voice command.  The player simply goes through a series of commands to make the on screen battalions do any number of bad -ass duties.  This feature makes EndWar easily accessible and while bringing the player even further into the experience.  So if you have a dad like mine who’s into video games but cant really get the whole buttons on a controller thing down, Tom Clancy and Ubisoft has the problem solved.

Motorstorm: Pacific Rift- PS3
Slip and Slide physics make this all-terrain racer unique but its the crashes that make it entertaining.  Think Jet Moto  for the next generation.

Wii Music- Nintendo Wii
Own a Wii? Finding it to be less fun than you thought it would be? Check out Wii Music, it’ll be cool for about a week.

Stonewater Rapture Gives Haunting Performance in The Chat

If you’re like most people, there is someone you know in your circle of friends that everyone wants to get laid. Maybe they’re a late bloomer, maybe they’re a little bit awkward around the other sex. The bottom line is that they want to get some, and everyone’s rooting for it to happen, everyone wins right? Enter Doug Wright’s Stonewater Rapture to decimate any positive thoughts on this, or sex in general.

At first this play, held in the Chat from November 7 to the 9th, felt a bit like a cliché coming of age story. The first half of the play consists of a couple of teenagers struggling with ideas of sex and religious values. Well into the first twenty minutes it starts to come off as if the biggest conflict in the play will be between the young Whitney’s libido, played by senior Steven Carpenter, and Carlyle’s religious prudeness, played by sophomore Kimberly Rossi. What eventually amounts to some awkward kissing and touching, which personally made me as an audience member feel a wee bit naughty, Carlyle storms off all in a tizzy about God. Leaving the audience to assume that the second part of the show would consist of the two getting back together and finally getting it on, or round two of the Libido vs. Jesus matchup.

What happened next, however, blew me the hell away. The plot suddenly takes a turn for a much, much darker side of  both sex and religion. Without going into graphic detail about what exactly happened…Cough Group Rape, Cough Cough Male to male penile contact…We learn some very dark secrets from the two characters. What started off as a play about a couple 18-year-old kids walking the hormonal tight rope turns into the disgusting truth about the small town of Stonewater. The play offers little foreshadowing of the events to come other than a celestial vision of naked angels surrounding Carlyle and Whitney’s occasional gay-bashing.

For my part I was blown away by the twist of this play. In the acting department, the dialogue between the Carpenter and Rossi was awkward at times, but each hit their high points as well. Rossi’s nailed Carlyle’s disillusioned religious interpretation of what happened when the football team got her drunk in a way that made me cringe more than once. Carpenter’s revelation of Whitney’s homoerotic contact was just as strongly played. This play definitely saved its best stuff for the last part of the show, which still lingers long after you’ve left.

2007 alumnus Delante Keys returned to direct Stonewater Rapture following a stint of successful acting parts in the area. The show ran smoothly with no obvious hang-ups, although it once again proved how inferior the Chat is as a place to put on a play. I often found myself maneuvering my head to see the action on stage. For his part, you could tell that Keys came back to Arcadia with the goal to impress, and he did not come up short. This play masked its intent well, luring the audience in with a relatively benign tale that goes horribly awry.

I suppose if there is one silver lining to this dark cloud of moral destruction that was Stonewater Rapture, it’s that in the end Whitney and Carlyle cast aside their initial qualms and get down and dirty. But it’s the price they pay to do it that you won’t be able to get out of your head.

Page 8, Sports

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Sports, Page 8

At the beginning of the season things couldn’t look better for the Philadelphia Flyers. They were coming off of a season where they had knocked off Montreal, the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. Ultimately they fell to Sidney Crosby and the Penguins in the Eastern Conference finals, but not before raising some eyebrows. All in all, it was a very impressive season after the dismal showing they had the year before. So after a start of six consecutive losses to open the season (three counted for an overtime point), which has turned into a 4-4-3 record to start the season, many Flyers fans are rightly asking the same question. What the Hell is going on here?

Personally, my problems run deep due to the fact that my fantasy hockey team is cornered around Simone Gagne, Joffrey Lupul, and Martin Biron. But I’m sure I’m not the only one that expected more from the Flyers to start the season.  For my part, I’m just glad I didn’t invest in the injured Danny Briere as well.

It is hard not to blame the usual suspects for the Flyer’s underperformance, that is, defense and goaltending. For the Flyers these problems are starting to resemble a chronic illness more and more. Martin Biron has simply not come through thus far. A .874 Save Percentage is not close enough to the .900 threshold a starting goaltender should have at minimum, and the 3.79 Goals Against Average is on the verge of embarrassing. When Philly picked Biron up from Buffalo two years ago I thought they were stealing the better goaltender from the Biron and Ryan Miller tandom. Buffalo seemed like a team that never gave Biron the chance to shine by forcing him to play under Miller. But here we are two years later with Miller’s star rising and Biron struggling to hold his position from Flyers’ backup Antero Nittymaki.

To be fair, it is not entirely Biron’s fault (although most of it is), Biron takes an average of 32 shots a game in his starts so far, including a whopping 45 from San Jose on October 18th. With an extremely young defense led by Kimmo Timonen and 23-year-old Braydon Coburn it is hard to imagine Philadelphia’s defense coming together without bringing in some more experience before the season is out. The Flyers have shown themselves to be top-heavy on the offense with Gagne, Richards, Briere, and Carter all capable of hitting the thirty goal mark- but no big name in defense to hold it all together.  Teams built only around an offense can fail easily, just look at Tampa Bay’s last season. And now with the rumors floating around of trying to bring sniper Brendan Shanahan to Philly, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to what is going through GM Paul Holmgren’s head.

Two things need to be fixed for the Flyers to have any realistic chance in going far this season. First is an improved defense in front of Biron, and second is for Biron to step up his game.  He can still be the number one- he proved that in the playoffs last year- but he can’t do it alone. Nittymaki cannot be a reliable starter, and Biron is not worth anything unless given that number one spot. His stint in Buffalo proved that. Until something is done internally or someone brought in to keep the shots seen by Biron to fewer than 30, I sadly see the Flyers struggling to even reach where they fell short last season.

Arcadia University Women’s Basketball Season Preview

First year head coach Crystal Gibson arrived on campus just weeks before the first practice, but she is more than ready to lead the Knights into their first of many seasons of Commonwealth Conference competition.  A former player and assistant at Commonwealth school Lebanon Valley College, she most recently served as the assistant coach at Frostburg State University (MD) during the past two seasons. She is excited and focused for her first season at Arcadia and will look to the five returning players to provide leadership, and to some key newcomers to bring an added spark to the team.

Coach Gibson and the 2008-09 Knights look to improve on last year’s season where they finished 8-17 overall, 4-8 in the Freedom Conference. Returning players from last season include graduate student Caitlin Sparks (Harleysville, PA/Souderton) back for her fourth season of eligibility, senior Shannon Bustin (Glenolden, PA/Interboro), junior Kim Milligan (Crofton, MD/South River), and sophomores Kim Lomas (Somerdale, NJ/Sterling) and Corrine Geiger (Perkasie, PA/Pennridge). While the team loses their physical and emotional leader from last year, point guard Stephanie Bates ‘08, Coach Gibson is expecting Sparks to bring key leadership inside the paint.  At the end of last season, Sparks netted her 1,000th career point, led the squad with 13.2 ppg and 8 rpg, and was named to the Freedom Conference first team and to the D3Hoops All-Mid-Atlantic second team.

In the back court, Gibson expects Milligan and Bustin to use their experience to fill the void at point guard this year. Milligan returns to her role as a starter and brings consistent scoring; in 2007-08 she averaged 9.2 ppg, nailed 40 triples, dished out 32 assists and grabbed 20 steals.  While Bustin saw limited minutes last season, coach Gibson is relying on her quickness and scrappy defensive play to generate turnovers that the Knights hope to convert into points. The team will also look to Lomas and Geiger along with Sparks for strong post play and rebounding. Lomas started 23 of 25 contests as a first year averaging 7.7 ppg while leading the squad in blocks with 17. With one season under her belt, Geiger will be called upon for consistent rebounding on both ends and providing points in the paint.

Three transfer students will be joining the Arcadia Women’s Basketball team this year, including sophomores Brittany Bontemps (Yardley, PA/Villa Joseph Marie), Liz Plum (Deptford, NJ/Gloucester Catholic), Chanel Murphy (Merion Station,PA/Lower Merion). Bontemps, who helped the University of Scranton to an NCAA berth last season, and Plum should see immediate action at the point, off guard, and small forward positions.  First years Brittany Selleck (Selinsgrove, PA/Shikellamy), Samantha Olgesby(Torrance, CA/North High), and sophomore Stephanie Buohl (Parkesburg, PA/Octorara) will provide much needed energy, hustle, and explosiveness. Murphy as the lone incoming forward will provide great leaping ability, rebounding, and hustle down in the post position.

Although the team has more newcomers than returners, experience will be the Knights strength, with all but three players having at least one year of collegiate basketball experience and a coaching staff well seasoned among the ranks of the Commonwealth Conference.  Joining Coach Gibson on the sidelines this year will be Erin Nemshick.  Nemshick is a 2005 graduate of Widener University, where she helped the Pride to a Commonwealth Conference championship in 2004.  She also sports experience on the sidelines, having served in a pair of two-year assistant coaching stints at Cheney University and Manhattanville College.  Coach Gibson boasts of the team’s court awareness and basketball IQ as well as their shooting potential and describes this season’s expectations as “limitless.”

The Knights will open their season at home against Wilkes University on Saturday, November 15 at 2:00 PM.  And it seems only fitting that Coach Gibson and her team open their 2008-2009 Commonwealth slate hosting her Alma Matter, Lebanon Valley College on January 6.

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Page 2, News OP/ED

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News OP/ED, Page 2

Phillies Celebration Turns Ugly

This past Wednesday Philadelphia saw its first major league sports championship since 1983, and the Philadelphia Phillies saw their first World Series Pennant since 1980. After Lidge threw the strike out pitch to end Game 5, I did what many others did in Philadelphia- yell, high five whoever was nearby, and then go downtown to celebrate.

After the Phillies clinched the game, the City of Brotherly Love erupted in celebration. Thousands of Philadelphians poured out of the bars and their homes to celebrate. The impromptu place to meet was Broad Street where a sea of fans swelled. Chants of “Let’s Go Phillies!” could be heard from William Penn’s statue to Temple University. I came into this atmosphere like the rest of them, beer in one hand, a machine gun high five hand with the other, and chanting all the while for the home team.  For awhile it was peaceful. I remember a bizarre Phillies congo line and the pictures with strangers as clear as day. But at some point, for one reason or another, things started to go bad.

In my mind the turning point will always be the image of a guy standing on top of a moving SEPTA bus with a bottle of vodka in his hand (which he eventually threw to his admirers below). It quickly escalated to people scaling light poles to get  the World Series banners that had been put up all along Broad Street. I’m not going to say I was condemning these acts, in fact, I had my own choice words to say to McCain’s Straight Talk Express, which was unlucky enough to be rolling through the mob. Where things really got bad was the destruction that started to take place all along Broad Street.

Planters were knocked over, spilling their contents and breaking them in the process. Newspaper boxes were also a primary target- the streets were littered with  countless Philadelphia Inquirer’s and CityPaper’s. The attacks then began to be directed towards local businesses. Bottles were thrown through the window at Commerce Bank, and people streamed into the lobby before being removed by police. A luggage store was also looted, with thousands of dollars worth of merchandise taken from the store. At least three cars were turned over, and dumpsters were lit on fire. Eventually riot police were called in and I found myself on the front lines of the crowd and the police. The police struggled to contain a crowd that was becoming increasingly hostile and throwing bottles at the officers from afar.

For the most part I was impressed with the way the police handled the crowd. They chose their battles wisely- being outnumbered severely- and only intervened when a fire was set or a store broken into. The worst acts committed by the police were perpetrated by two plain clothed “officers” that went into the crowds to start fights. What should be to the embarrassment of those officers handling the crowd responsibly, I saw a cop of at least thirty years start a fight with a man in his early twenties and then pull his gun out when he retaliated. Later, the same cop and his partner went back into the crowd to start another fight, only this time one of them left with a bloody nose and wounded pride. “Can you believe this?” he asked his partner. “They broke my fucking nose,” he said with a sort of sick laugh. It was one of the laughs a  mobster would have in a movie before he unloaded a clip into someone. Like the worst of the rioters, these two cops were out just to cause destruction.

At this point I would consider it a full-blown riot. No longer could you high five the person standing next to you and a mob mentality began to take hold (on the bright side I think that congo line was still chugging along). The apex of this riot  came when people tried to flip the bus that the police drove  in on, and nearly succeeded in doing so. Soon after the pepper spray came out, and the police were more aggressive in splitting up the crowd.

Shortly afterwards I left the scene and the crowd, which had begun to disperse. Judging by the news coverage in the following days, I had seen the worse of what had happened. Overall, I am still glad I went to the city. When else will an entire city be one big party? And even though that party turned sour, it will  remain a positive memory to me. Besides, now I can check off being in a riot from my list of things to do before I die.  But it will also be a reminder that even the most positive of celebrations can still turn dangerous.

From the Editor’s Desk…

To Our Faithful Audience,

By  this time today you will have already been informed by who the next president of the United States is. Hopefully it is Barack Obama, if not I will be extremely upset and probably skipping all my classes as a day of mourning. In any case, this is going to be an issue that is worth your while.
True, we don’t have the new president on our cover, but we have something easily as important to the rest of the world- the Phillies’ victory. We’re also including a horoscope for the first time in the Tower since 2005, so get excitied.  We’ve launched a new Tower website as well, which can be found at arcadiauniversitytower.blogspot.com. Sure, it’s a mouth full, but our online editor Brittani Ross has really put together something special.  So enjoy and give us some feedback on the new site, which I might add, has a feature to make comments.

Until our next installment,

Tyler Peckham
Editor-in-Chief

Corrections:
-Last Week’s article on Fort Dix was written by Entertainment Editor Jake Scalici, not Mike Smith.

The Tower’s Weekly round-up of quirky, interesting and mildly relevant news

Did you figure it out???

Last week’s Breast Exam Article was False. Not a Bad Story Though…

Couple Travels 9,300 Miles to Vote

Susan Scott-Kerr and her husband flew in Wednesday from India to vote in Tuesday’s presidential election.  The couple has been working in India, but when their absentee ballots did not arrive in the mail, they decided to get on a plane and fly back to New York.

This election has been declared as one of the most important elections in this nation’s history, so important that two people who just became citizens a year ago spent thousands of dollars and endured two lay-overs to make sure their vote counts. Susan is orignally from New Zealand while her husband is from Morroco.  These two citizens care moreabout their civic duty than most “natural born” Americans. I guess immigrants aren’t so bad after all.

-Danielle Trout

Hostage Crisis Solved by Pizza

A prison guard at Risdon Prison in Hobart, Tasmania was taken hostage for two days by prisoners.  Twenty inmates took the guard prisoner, ironically, over conditions in the maximum security prison.  Originally, the inmates made twenty-four demands to authorities, but after two days, they agreed on one: 15 pizzas, Coke-a-Cola, and garlic bread.  The inmates actually controlled the negotiations and demanded that the pizzas be delivered, which was the final tipping point for release of the guard.

-Danielle Trout

College Campus Gives Squirrels Birth Control

It seems that the squirrels on the UC Davis college campus in California have gone wild! The familiar, furry friends that are known on Arcadia’s campus are known to the California campus, but much worse! California’s News 10 station reported on the animals being a hanful and that something had to be done.

According to UC Davis officials, researchers will launch a birth control program to put a stop to the growing population of the squirrels. The school claims that seven years ago none of the animals existed on campus. They also believe that there has to be at least 400 squirrels now! Wow! Looks like the squirrels have been getting busy up in the trees. “They’re cute. They seem great to have around,” said Ecology graduate student Sara Krause. “But what happens is, they get very aggressive when people feed them.” She adds that they can also disrupt campus buildings and nearby farm fields. So, faculty wildlife experts and their students plan to trap the squirrels, mark them and study their behavior through the fall and winter. The squirrels will be recaptured next summer, some will be given hormone birth control injections, while some will only get a placebo as scientific control for comparison. Officials don’t want to harm the animals, but to help them along to stop making baby squirrels!

-Elishia Peterson

Chase Utley Says a Naughty Word

As Philly fans celebrated the Phillies World Series win in Citizens Bank Park on this past Halloween, their favorite baseball player was having a little too much fun on his own. Chase Utley dropped the “F” word while being interviewed on live TV! He proclaimed “World Champions!” to the screaming fans. Though Utley added a nice little f*&%#@$ in between those two words.  The fans cheered for minutes for the remark.

Networks and radio stations who caught the f-bomb while taping, issued their apologies immediately. Though fans didn’t seemed to be disturbed by the comment, it still is looked down upon by the Federal Communications Commission. Unfazed fans commented on cursing Chase, “They hear worse stuff in school,” said Ivette Centeno, 44, of Northeast Philadelphia, was who was there with her two children and two grandchildren. “As a parent, we can explain that is was just excitement, and that we don’t want them to say that.”

Later, Utley claimed he hadn’t planned to throw a curve ball with the profanity. “I was told I had to talk 10 minutes before I talked. Short and to the point.” Well looks like you did just that, didn’t you Chase? Whether Chase got caught up in all the hoopla or he really intended on cursing, what’s done is done. He’s still a f*&%#@$ winner!

-Elishia Peterson

Page 3, News OP/ED

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News OP/ED, Page 3

Weekly Green Tip

Weekly Green Tip: The facts about reusable bags

Have you ever really thought about plastic shopping bags?  According to www.chicobag.com, the average American uses between 300 and 700 plastic bags per year. Some plastic bags are reused or recycled, but many end up blowing around or floating in the ocean.  The world’s largest landfill can be found floating between Hawaii and San Francisco. Wind and sea currents carry marine debris from all over the world to what is now known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This “landfill” is estimated to be twice the size of Texas and contains thousands of pounds of our discarded trash, mostly plastics. Each year hundreds of thousands of sea birds and marine life, including sea turtles, die from digested plastics mistaken for food. What can you do to help?  Find or buy a sturdy cloth bag (or one of those $1 bags sold in many stores) and start using it!

More than Just Parking Tickets: How Public Safety is Looking Out for You

On October 2nd, at approximately 11:00 pm, two males robbed an Arcadia student in Oak Summit apartments.  One of the males was armed with a knife, which increases the chance of serious injury on the victim.  In addition, the night before there was an incident at the Hess Gas Station on Easton Road in Glenside where there was an attempted robbery of someone else.  Arcadia’s Public Safety unit was informed of both situations and is doing their best to fix the problems.  However, safety is the most important aspect at college, especially when Arcadia is close to the city.

Many colleges around the Philadelphia area have had problems with safety in recent years.  For example, Temple and La Salle Universities have had their own trouble in the past with safety, and that automatically raises the awareness of the campus police patrols.  San Fran Scavuzzo of the La Salles Collegian states in their July issue that; “La Salle has had three murders and six shootings from January 1st to June 30th compared to eight murders and 16 shootings at Temple University in the same period.”  In contrast, Arcadia has statistically been a safe campus this year for the most part.  There have been no recent incidents or problems concerning robberies or anything remotely close to that in the past year.  According to Frank DeMeo, the Operations Supervisor of Public Safety at Arcadia University, there are currently 27 security personnel that patrol the entire campus throughout a daily and nightly basis.

But some wonder if, now that there have been a few incidents at Arcadia and Glenside, shouldn’t there be more security? “These incidents will not force us to patrol the campus anymore then we already do.  We always do our best day in and day out to ensure the safety of everyone on campus.  As for the incidents that occurred at the Hess Gas Station in Glenside, the Cheltenham Police were informed and are patrolling that area to the best of their abilities,” said DeMeo.

This issue at Arcadia has grabbed the attention of  some students.  “As soon as I heard about the robbery, I haven’t gone to 7 Eleven or Dunkin Dounuts,” says Arcadia Junior Nikki Adler.  “I feel like I could be the next victim.”

Since the robbery on campus, there was a Public Safety Alert to all students.  The problem might be getting handled at this very moment, but what if it happens again?

“It is up to the students to be aware of what is happening around them and when they do enter a housing facility at Arcadia, that they watch to see if someone entering the building has a key or swipe card.  Suspicious people must be watched out for when entering a building and it is up to the students to take charge and say no to letting just anyone in the building,” added DeMeo.

Whether or not students live in dorms, apartments, or in a house, there are many procedures that should be performed to ensure the personal safety.  Public Safety encourages students to make sure all doors are locked, along with windows and car doors.  Also, make sure nobody that looks suspicious is let into housing units because this could lead to an incident similar to the one that occurred on October 2nd.

The idea is that the only worries students should have to deal with at college are their future and how to better their education, not if they are going to get robbed or hurt. Public Safety cannot prevent all of the instances that occur, but the simple solution is a better effort by all.

View Points:

Did you see the Phillies win the World Series? What was your reaction?

Andrew Hutz,

“Yes I saw it, I screamed and yelled and after it sunk in I got tears in my eyes,”

Al Harrbon,

“It sounded like the entire town was screaming.”

Stephany Rosario,

“Well, not being a baseball fan in the first place I didn’t know what was going on. There was some guy [around Cheltenham] honking [his] horn and making a riot. Others were doing the same andI just assume that Mischief Night started early. It was creepy.”

Page 4, Student Life

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Student Life, Page 4

Keeping Pace with the Times: ‘The Tower’ Launches arcadiauniversitytower.wordpress.com

Miss picking up a copy of The Tower and can’t find it floating around anywhere on campus? Feel the need to comment or critique any of the subjects you’ve found in the paper? It’s all been made much easier to the reader to do all of the above–The Tower’s gone online!

By visiting the site http://arcadiauniversitytower.wordpress.com/, you can find all of the articles, photos, and notices that have been featured in the newspaper. The site is easy to navigate and browse through to find the article you’re looking for. The opening page will lead you to the first page of the paper as well as the leading articles, and, by clicking on Archives, linked below the site’s heading, you will be lead to the rest of the issue’s articles.

Above the title of each separate post will be a short list of tags (i.e. ISSUE 4, SPORTS, DEREK TRACEY). By clicking on any one of them, you’ll be lead to a list of titles of all the separate posts that contain material regarding that particular subject. If you’re looking for all the articles written by a certain author, or you want to read things strictly on Barack Obama, just click on the tag!

Another useful feature in navigating through the site is the Search option at the bottom of the Archives section. It works similarly to any Search option. Just type in your keywords and you’ll be directed to the post containing that search criteria.

The most important feature of The Tower’s new website is the Comment section at the bottom of each post. All comments are posted anonymously, unless you choose to leave a name, and will be available for everyone to read. A comment option will also appear on those separate posts that contain a picture of the entire page, a link to which you’ll find below the preview picture.

The site http://arcadiauniversitytower.wordpress.com/ is open to everyone, and will have each Wednesday’s issue posted by midnight that night. Please stop by and drop us a comment to tell us what you think!

This week has been very interesting. For one thing, it snowed in October for the first time in 70 years. Better yet, the snow stuck and, instead of doing work, I, along with everyone I know, had an extremely messy snowball fight. That was great. Even better was that one of my lecturers got married last weekend so he canceled class this week. That gave me a nice four day weekend. Even better was when I turned up to class the next day only to find that the construction work going on around the campus cut out all the power and classes were canceled all day!

After my five day weekend it was really hard to drag myself out of bed and get to class. Although I am in class for a lot less time than I am at Arcadia, I find them much more exhausting. I’m trying to mentally prepare myself to use this next week, my reading week, productively. After the whirlwind nights I have spent celebrating Halloween, I plan to turn over a new leaf and become a contributing member of academic society this week. I’m really hoping it works but I’ll have to make myself actually do it.

It’s really hard to know that I’m meant to be doing work but I honestly don’t have to. This week also brings a lot of exciting stuff, most notably Election Day and Bonfire Night. One being distinctly American and the other distinctly English, I think it will be a pretty good cultural contrast. Although I’m living with British students and obviously interacting with them every day, I don’t get the chance to do a lot of things that would be very British as opposed to very American. Most of the stuff we tend to do is stuff that we just have in common so it wouldn’t really belong to either culture. I’m very interested in politics to begin with and I’m afraid this election is going to give me a heart attack. If it goes the way I am hoping then Bonfire Night can be a celebration. If not, it may be a pity party, but I am hoping it will turn out well.

Surprisingly, the election is being covered everywhere here, although I am sure it is definitely being shoved down everyone’s throats in the US much more. I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to watch the coverage live but the King’s College student union is hosting an Election Day gathering; the only unfortunate part is that the coverage begins at 11:15 p.m. my time and ends at 6 in the morning! I’ve been fielding a lot of election questions from people that I meet lately. Usually people want to ask a few things about the US and maybe Bush but I’ve met a few people recently that had conversations beginning with “Hi, What’s your name?” with that being immediately followed by “McCain or Obama?!” I somehow feel the questions will get more intense after the election, depending on the results.

Well, I hope everyone votes this week! I sent in my absentee ballot two weeks ago and, I have to admit, I am a little upset because I have never actually been to the polls. I spent 18 years waiting to pull the levers inside the little booth and I have yet to do it! Oh well, I guess maybe I’ll have to take a trip home to New Jersey for the big day next year but I can’t help thinking how much cooler it would be to vote for the president in the booth. I guess I’ll have to wait another four years for that moment (unless Palin somehow gets elected and decides to take away women’s suffrage along with our rights!) Excuse the small joke! Anyway whether you’re voting Democrat, Republican or any other way just make sure you vote this week. It’s a right everyone in the world doesn’t have so make the most of it!

Each week Arcadia Junior Jennifer Pacheco gives students a peek into her study abroad journey in London.

Distinguished Speaker Dr. Debra Rowe Drops Some Eco-Knowledge

Dr. Debra Rowe called students to take action to “make the world a better place” by learning about sustainability development and being engaged in solutions to our environmental problems.

Rowe spoke as a part of Arcadia University’s Distinguished Speaker Series on Wednesday, October 29th at 7:30 p.m. in Murphy Hall’s Stiteler Auditorium.
Rowe is president of the U.S. Partnership for Education for Sustainability Development as well as integrally involved in many other organizations for the promotion of sustainability. She is interested in helping higher education organizations, such as Arcadia University, to integrate sustainability in their missions and curricula.

The goal of her speech, “Sustainable Future: Going Green in a Global World,” was to “…talk about how to make the world a better place, how to improve the quality of life.”
Rowe gave the United Nations’ official definition of sustainability as “…meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.”

She said that education for sustainability “…enables people to develop knowledge, values and skills to participate in decisions that will improve the quality of life now without damaging the resources for the future.”

Rowe talked about the importance of higher education organizations and their students in the changes going on in the world in relation to sustainability. She said that taking action, rather than just talking about ideas, is the only way that change can happen, and that students are sometimes the only people who can make an impact and cause change.
According to Rowe, calling elected officials, joining environmentally active organizations, or starting environmentally aware groups on campus are a few ways that students at Arcadia University can make a difference. Think.mtv.com was one website that Rowe suggested for students to find information on becoming involved in volunteering, voting, recycling, or signing a petition.

Careers in sustainability and energy are increasingly in demand, but information about them is not always available in career offices at universities.

“Education to action – that’s the key,” Rowe said about the importance of colleges and universities in the movement towards sustainability.

Rowe said that the “emphasis on critical thinking is producing ‘armchair pontificators.’” She thinks that teaching critical thinking in colleges is a waste of resources because college is supposed to be a time where students try new ways of thinking and move to action.

“When you get out of higher education you should be aware of sustainability problems and engage in the solutions,” Rowe said.

For Rowe there are two main things that everyone needs to do in order to improve the quality of life: changing private choices or habits, and influencing public choices and laws. According to Rowe, if these changes are made, “We can reduce human suffering, environmental degradation, and social ills now, while creating stronger economies.”

Rowe said that educational organizations need to require sustainability development as a general education requirement in order to promote knowledge and action about sustainability. If students become more engaged in solutions then “we can move from materialism as a goal to reduced human suffering,” Rowe said.

The environmental aspect of sustainability is so important because “we’re in trouble”, according to Rowe. “Rivers are drying up, fish species are dying out, every ecosystem is stressed and in danger.”

Rowe briefly mentioned the greenhouse effect as the cause of the shifting climate, which she thinks is one of the worst effects of our materialistic society.

Climate shifts are responsible for disrupting the food chain, extreme weather events, disruption of water supplies, spread of disease, and the submersion of land masses. She referred to climate change as “civilization disruption.”

“This is not about saving the planet,” Rowe said. “The planet is going to be fine. It’s a only matter of what species are going to be living on the planet.”

Students were intrigued by Rowe’s information and seem interested in seeing Arcadia become a greener campus.

“I think she had a lot of excellent information,” said Susan Annette Holeman, an Arcadia University grad student. “I think that, as a community, country, and world, we need to do something about this. It was overwhelming, but, like she said, you just need to pick a place and start.”

Other websites that Rowe suggested students to visit throughout her speech were powervote.org, playagreaterpart.net, and AASHE.org.

Her slideshow can be found at Heasc.net/sustainablefuture, where she lists many economic ways to promote sustainability, many resources for information on sustainability, suggested sustainability-based curricula and resources for careers in sustainability.

Page 5, Student Life

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Student Life, Page 5

Knights’ Nook

Arcadia’s own Miss Majestic answers ALL of your questions about love, lfe, and the library!

Dear Ms. Majestic,
My roommate is really cool but sometimes she worries me. She goes out a lot with some other friends and she always comes back wasted. She’s 21 and she never lets anyone forget that. She goes out and loses count of how many drinks she had. I used to go out with them, but my GPA was slowing shrinking so I quit partying as much, but she hasn’t slacked up a bit. We both agreed that the partying was becoming a problem but as soon as we came back to school, she got started over again. She’s my friend and I don’t want anything to change but I’m really worried about her. What am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to let her go out and get messed up and suffer? I mean, our friends keep asking like I’m doing something wrong but I don’t know what else to do?
-Worried Bystander

Dear Worried,
I understand where you’re coming from and you have every right to be worried. If your friend doesn’t lighten up on her behavior, she may end up in a place she doesn’t want to be like the hospital or at home. Maybe you should talk to her again and let her know how you feel and, if that has no effect, talk to someone from Counseling Services. The Alcohol and Other Drug Program will also have great resources for your friend, but she may not be willing to go. It sounds like something else is going on with her. She may be dealing with issues that she doesn’t want to talk about, which makes her drink them down. Either way, you should definitely consult the pros because you care about her and you don’t want things to get worse.
-Ms. Majestic

Dear Ms. Majestic,
I want to start a cooking club but I don’t know what to do. How does that work? Where should I go? Who should I talk to?
-Chef-in-the-Making

Dear Chef,
Student Activities has all of the answers for you but here’s how you get started. You need about 6 people to start a club here at AU, which shouldn’t be hard to find for a cooking club. Someone reading this right now may want to be a part of it. You’ll need to draft a constitution that describes the purpose of the club, among other important facts. From there, you’ll probably have to meet with Dian in Student Activities before you present the club before Student Government. After that’s done, your cooking club should be an official club. Good luck!
-Ms. Majestic

Questions about life? E-mail us @

KnightsNook@gmail.com

Jasper Redd Brought the Jokes but Forgot the Laughs

The eve of Halloween was met with much fright. On Thursday, October 30th, comedian Jasper Redd graced us with his presence. A crowd of about 50 people, myself included, sat ready, waiting to laugh. Though to be honest, sadly I’m still waiting on that laugh.

Dry humor has always been something I’ve grappled with. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy it-in small doses, and with very specific comedians. Throw me a Carlin or a Carrey (Drew!) and I’m sold. But don’t talk a good game and not back it up.

Redd is a scrawny black man with a twangy voice. This presentation would seem to lend itself to being, oh shall we say…Chappelley?-A true provoker of comedy. And I’ll admit, I gave plenty of leeway based on how he looked, because, lets face it, if a comedian looks funny he usually is.

He was a sort of Chappellesque-Andre3000 wannabe rambler. Oh, that was a bit harsh. But I did wait for him to get me to laugh. I waited, and waited and waited. I painfully waited and to little avail.

From the beginning he dove in with his comparison of McDonald’s and life…yawn. Then he moved on to race jokes, liking dental floss and teeth to lynchings, which was slightly rousing.

He talked of his experiences as someone originally from Tennessee and living presently in Los Angeles, as well as the humor between he and his gay, white roomate. There was an initial connection between he and his roomate for their placement in society as black and gay. Redd explained to his roomate how the difference between the two is that his roomate can be in the closet and hide his gayness, whereas he being black cannot do the same. He could never say “Surprise, I’m gay!”–Get it! Ha ha.

Do you get the idea that if you were a fly on the wall of their actual apartment, you’d get more of a laugh?

There were some high points though. For me there was the one joke about sex and comedy. Redd said to us that he recounted to a friend once “Sex is not like comedy. When I’m about to bust out laughing, I don’t take back the laugh like ‘oh I laughed too soon, sorry.”

There was also a solid joke within the corny McDonald’s material. In this case, Redd explained how McDonald’s is the perfect way for a parent to explain sex to a child. “Son, when two patties love each other, they make a Whopper Jr.” That was an interesting line of thought, and I’ll admit that it was funny.

Maybe it’s just me. Maybe I’m used to comedians who pack a bigger punch. And to his credit, Redd is young, and up-and-coming. He needs someplace, and any opportunity he can get to get his feet wet and hone his skills.

And this wasn’t a gaffe on the part of the clubs involved in sponsoring the guy. Hell, I was convinced before he started speaking, given his apparent appearance on Comedy Central. Impressive.

Wait, what am I talking about? Give me that laugh I’ve been waiting for!

Scorpio (October 23 – November 21)
This is the favored month of the intense, Scorpio lover. Your successful search for new romantic partners will lead to several pleasant evenings, followed by some very unpleasant test results from Student Health Services.

Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21)
Your love of life and concern for others guides you to make changes in your routine of yelling slanderous comments at pedestrians from the window of your car.

Capricorn (December 22 – January 19)
This is a bad month to go out into the world. You should stay inside and not go to any classes- it’s OK, the stars said so.

Aquarius (January 20 – February 18)
Your sometimes shy way of dealing with others will take a turn for the worst when you don’t say anything to the Public Safety officer putting the boot on your car.

Pisces (February 19 – March 20)
Your  trouble with concentrating will really lead to problems this week when you fall asleep while studying all night for your biology test, but it turns out alright when you wake up with the brilliant idea to buy those sunglasses with the mirrors in them and sit in front of the only kid who got an A on the last test.

Aries (March 23 – April 29)
Your need to take control of the situation will end disastrously this month when you take over the conductor’s controls of the SEPTA train.

Taurus (April – May 20)
Your grounded nature allows you to relax in the face of stress. Unfortunately, you were too busy playing video games and “chillaxin’” that you never got off your ass to write those three mid-term papers.

Gemini (May 21 – June 20)
Your capricious personality leads you to drop all of your classes and switch your major, much to the dismay of Bruce Keller and your senior advisor.

Cancer (June 22 – July 22)
Uncontrollable guilt is in store for the Cancerian this month after you are compelled to go to the all-you-can-eat crab leg buffet.

Leo (July 23 – August 22)
This is a good week to go out and make powerful new friends to expand your circle of influence.  Thankfully George Bush will have more time to schedule that meeting with him you’ve been asking for.

Virgo (August 23 – September 22)
Today is an excellent day for the beautiful sign of Virgo. Bask in your glory and do not be afraid to try something new- unless it involves doing anything that deviates from your normal routine.

Libra (September 23 – October 22)
Your flirtatious acts will catch the eye of a wandering Leo this month and will mark the end of a long-established romantic relationship. It will also result in a bar room fight and no ride home.

Page 6, Entertainment

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Entertainment, Page 6

‘Saw V’ Tries to Get Things Right… Again

It’s Halloween again, and to many of us that means trick-or-treating (for those of you channeling to your inner child), candy corn, and of course, the newest Saw. Some think the Saw series has become redundant, which can be argued of any film series that has extended further than three. Some say the first and original Saw was, undoubtedly, the best and nothing could ever compare. Although that is hard to argue, it is also true that the latter films in the series, including this brand new addition, are becoming progressively more ‘creative’. With each Halloween, Saw’s plot thickens with more complex storylines, although they all seem to run along the same tired, bloody vein as the first. It seems almost as though the Saw series has lost its former glory and film writers are trying too hard to recapture the hit that was the first.

People are drawn to movies like Saw for the intense shock value, but this fifth movie might be considered slightly less of a ‘gore fest’. That is not to say, however, that many scenes are better watched through the cracks of your fingers or under a blanket. However, the third and fourth film focused more on excessive gore, while the newest went back to its storyline roots and into the personal life of the now deceased Jigsaw.

Saw V picks up where the fourth left off. Jigsaw’s new “apprentice” has taken on his role after he died; basically mirroring exactly what had happened in previous Saws. When his secret identity is threatened, the new Jigsaw must go on a hunt to eliminate all loose ends. He learns how to carry on his mentor’s ingenious and careful work through one-on-one lessons and, later, through a series of confusing flashbacks. This, of course, is all painfully predictable. It seems as though all the suspense that made Saw such a thriller years ago has been stretched to the limit. The most (and perhaps only) suspenseful aspect of the film was following Jigsaw’s student’s new game, in which he traps five people in a room that are all somehow connected. All five must work together to survive and learn what holds them all together through a series of gruesome traps. This part of the storyline is intriguing only because there is no way to know who is going to die, and what is the missing puzzle piece to hold the five seemingly different people together.

The movie lost its momentum when it ran back and forth erratically between present day and flashbacks in a very confusing, zig-zag fashion. Because we have seen these “games” before, the film itself seemed flat and unfolded at a snail’s pace until the anti-climactic ending that leaves you wondering if the anticipation of next year’s Halloween is worth it. The Saw films have always been known for their “twist endings”, but when they use the same cliffhangers in each film, it tends to become repetitive.

Many will argue that the Saw movies are less “horror movies” and more thrillers with tons of unnecessary, mindless, sick and twisted gore. However, it is hard to find a horror movie these days that does not strive for the same shock value and uncensored violence that only nightmares are made of. It is true that Saw has been  revolutionary to the entire horror genre and deserves credit for its ingenious originality. It has spawned many wannabee Saws and thus changed the history of horror movies forever. You can only milk it for so long, however, before people become bored with the same predictable storyline.

Saw V does not earn five stars, but maybe three. It was mediocre at best, but is still a good Halloween flick. It’s downfall was not standing out as unique from any Saw before it, and although the suspense is still going to make you bite your nails, it’s not quite what it used to be. There was nothing shocking about the fifth addition to this series if you have seen the first four, or even just one of them. This series has come down to the sad fact that if you’ve seen one,  you have seen them all.

Metallica Goes Vintage on Death Magnetic

The mark of any great band or group is longevity.  Many musicians have found lightning in a bottle and have had brief success in the music industry, but for most, their moment in the spotlight is over before they even blink.  Some artists find a way to push through the ups and downs of the business and stay driven under any circumstance to make it to the top.  One legendary band that has followed this blueprint is Metallica.  The group just released its much anticipated, highly publicized, new album Death Magnetic, on September 12.

For all Metallica fans, Death Magnetic has many underlying stories that create the amazing amount of excitement.   One of the newest songs that has caused the most discussion among the Metallica faithful is “Unforgiven III”.  The original song appeared on the band’s most famous work, 1991’s Black Album, and “Unforgiven II” debuted in 1997’s release Reload.  The latest version of “Unforgiven” does not begin with Metallica’s patented great first note, but the song is sung extremely well by James Hetfield, giving it the possibility to become a huge hit just like the first two .  On the first listen, it sounded like it had more substance than “Unforgiven II”, but still does not quite have the same pop and power the very first “Unforgiven” brought to the table back in 1991.

All Metallica fans were extremely excited to hear new bassist Robert Trujillo’s album debut.  Trujillo has been touring with the band for some time, but has yet to make an appearance on an album.  His performance was more than excellent.  He was so good that it could be argued that one down-fall to the album may be the lack of use of Trujillo. If he was involved in more of the songs and possibly given a couple extra solos it could have taken this already very good piece of work to the next level. Trujillo is an accomplished, versatile bassist, but no song on the album features his great abilities. With so many long songs and so many different parts on the album, I think they could have found a few times to feature some vintage Trujillo.

My two favorite songs on the track were “Judas Kiss” and “My Apocalypse”.  Both songs were different, but very good at the same time.  “Judas Kiss” is a longer song with a very solid verse, up-beat chorus, and many interesting tempo changes.  The song takes a dark turn near the end which really makes it work.  The final song on the album, “My Apocalypse” is both the shortest and heaviest song on the album. This song has been extremely hyped by both the band and the fans and, after listening, it lives up to the hype.  This song is all speed and aggression, with great drum work.  It was a great decision to end the album with this song, because it definitely concluded on a high note.
Metallica is a band that refuses to die and keeps going out and recording smash hits.  Death Magnetic is just another example of this heavy metal quartet from San Francisco with-standing the test of time and prime on making more great music in years to come.

Page 7, Entertainment

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Entertainment, Page 7

The Scramble

A Brief Look at New Media

In 2005, Ryan Adams released three different, somewhat interesting, somewhat unfocused full-length albums.  Now, three years, a drug problem and a few public tirades have  marred the image of the alt country guitar god.    His latest release Cardinology has Adams baring his teeth and going for the neck with barnburners and floating prose.  Sliding into his influences, Adams goes classic rock like some odd version of the Grateful Dead touting the stadium savvy of U2.  Cardinology may be one of the most solid things the on-edge Adams has ever done. Tracks like “Born into a Light” and “Go Easy” have all the proof you’ll need.

Ahhh Hinder.  You know them. Their 2006 album, Extreme Behavior, went three times platinum behind the song “Lips of an Angel”.  You know the song blaring for the 5 millionth time at Chicks after someone just played “Crazy Bitch” for the 10 millionth time.   Still having trouble? They’re like Nickelback except they say they play 70’s rock, and their singer sounds like he’s had strep throat since Limp Bizkit graced TRL… is any of this ringing a bell?  Well either way they’re putting out a new album, Take it to the Limit, and judging by the cover art expect more mindless “We want to sound like Guns and Roses, we have tons of money and bang countless bikini clad models every week” type stuff. If you have a tribal tattoo or think drinking a case of Natty Light makes you the shit, this is what you’ve been looking for.

Kevin Smith returns to his down-and-out, raunch-driven, stoner comedy roots.  This time Jay and Silent Bob are nowhere to be found. Same goes for everybody’s favorite clerks Dante and Randal.  Instead, Smith took aim at Hollywood’s unsuspecting comedy “it” boy, Seth Rogen (Zack), and Elizabeth “I play a slut in every movie” Banks (Miri) to tell the story of life-long friends with a cash problem.   When their funds start to dwindle Zack and Miri, who have been platonic friends since their teens, find themselves brainstorming for a solution to their empty pocket syndrome.  The answer: make a porno.  The plot takes the obvious twist as Zack and Miri start to find feelings for each they never had before.  Despite the somewhat sappy plot line Smith can always deliver on crude sex jokes and with Rogen, whose Superbad was a super hilarious look at teen sex lives, the punch lines promise to pound even harder. No pun intended.

Game of the Week: LittleBig Planet

Since it was released in November 2006, the Playstaiton 3 has always been under scrutiny for its titles and library.   Sony’s black box is more powerful, more flexible, and, surprisingly, more dependable than the 360 but it hasn’t been able to boast exclusive titles to draw people into its lofty price tag.  In the past months Sony has started to up its stock as the failure rate for first generation 360s reaches 70% and with Blu-Ray putting HD DVD out to pasture very early on in the XBOX’s life span.  Add in Sony’s holiday titles and the future looks brighter and brighter for the PS3.  Spearheading Sony’s attack is one, if not the most inventive title on the next -generation systems, LittleBigPlanet.  This inventive platformer from   Media Molecule is wildly entertaining and infinitely creative for people of all ages.  LittleBigPlanet uses classic platformer side scrolling style of game play while keeping things interesting through crazy level design and online gameplay.  Up to four players can run through the games’ levels, jumping through the paper cut out style environments as “SackGirl” or “SackBoy” characters made from a burlap bag.  The most interesting part of the experience is designing and displaying levels that the player can create.  Once the levels are created they can be posted online for others to play, making LittleBigPlanet almost endless.  This is the reason many people need to make the PS3 a holiday purchase.

Fallout 3 (PS3, XB360)
This RPG finishes off the Fallout series with Next-Gen flair.   Some point to the games shotty graphics and slow gameplay as a downside but others don’t see the issue.  Bottom line, its Oblivion with guns.

Guitar Hero: World Tour (PS3, XB360)
Activision adds drums, amps up the graphics, and gives people the ability to create their own songs in the game.  Who needs real music anyway right?

Friends Reach Out to Help Hudson

Jennifer Hudson, the Oscar-winning actress of Dreamgirls and American Idol fame has had recent tragedy come upon her family. Her mother, Darnell Donerson and brother, Jason Hudson were killed in their Chicago home and her nephew’s body, Julian King was found in an SUV. It was a sad turn of events for the 27-year-old, star who earned her fame through talent and hard work. Hudson has a new movie out, The Secret Life of Bees, and her first solo album. Instead, she is in the public eye for the horrible tragedies that have occurred in her family. So far, no charges have been filed in connection with the murders. Hudson began singing in the church choir in Englewood, located in the South Side of Chicago. Many celebrities and friends have reached out to Hudson in support, including Queen Latifah, Simon Cowell, Ryan Seacrest, and Democratic Presidential Nominee Barack Obama. Fans have also expressed their condolences. It is heart-breaking for Hudson to lose three beloved family members. It will take time to heal. Hudson is a talented star who can help others with her story. It could put a spotlight on dealing with grief and ending violence. Our thoughts and prayers go to her and her family.

Page 8, Sports

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Sports, Page 8

The Phils are the 2008 World Champions

I’ll never forget last Wednesday night.  Sitting in G&G Brewers on Keswick Ave. is pretty normal; I go there almost every Wednesday.  The people I’m with are the people I’m always around. The beer is the same beer I have every week, a golden glass of Laughing Wolf.  This Wednesday was different for me and for a lot of people here at Arcadia or in the tri-state area because around ten o’clock the words Philadelphia and World Champions were one in the same.   Phinally.

I like many other Phillies or Philadelphia fans had the common “not this again” feeling after the rain out of game 5.  The Rays tying the game up, our savior Cole Hamels being reduced to half his normal self thanks to the weather, and the unfortunate timing as the Umps and Bud Selig called for the tarp over Citizens Bank Park’s infield.  I’ve been a Philly sports fan all 21 years I’ve been breathing(or since I’ve been able to comprehend it) and once again I found myself, for a split second doubting the Phillies upper hand on the Tampa Bay Rays.  Unlike other chances I’ve watched swirl down the tubes, I quickly realized there was nothing to be worried about, I quickly realized it was just our time to win.

So I settled in at Brewers to watch the three-inning drag race that was the end of game five.  Wincing at every pitch, sweating out every play, I sat with my hands over my mouth and my heart pounding through my now unwashed Phils tee.  With Eric Hinske down 0-2 to Lidge I like every other Philly sports fan under 25 was prepared for something totally foreign, and with one 86 mile per hour slider the eruption began, as the streets of Keswick flooded for the Phils..  Every year it seems o be about next year, but last Wednesday 2008 was about 2008, about being the best in 2008.  From there I made my way to Broad St. for the inevitable party/riot.  Never in my life have I seen or felt anything euphoria like I did in at Broad and Arch, running around the streets as people climbed on anything they could find. The cheers never stopped. The sea of red continued to grow the entire time I was downtown.   The feeling of Philadelphia World Champion city seemed to good to be true.

Looking back on the Phils playoff run there are plenty of moments I will never forget.  Cole Hamel’s absolute domination, Brett Myers sudden hit-streak, Matt Stairs doing his best Mark McGuire impression, Jamie Moyer walking off the mound at 45 after owning the Rays in game three, or maybe most importantly Chase Utley’s fake to first throw out at home in the second half of game 5, a play that may have saved that game for the Phils.  All of those moments and more were part of a run that was nothing short of magical for this area. My childhood friend Pete called me not even 5 minutes after Lidge finished off Hinske.  For me there is no bigger Philadelphia fan than Pete.  Obviously crying when he got on the phone all I could understand was “Bro we finally did it, we finally finished it.”  I don’t think there is a better way to put it really.   Sure the joy of the Phillies win is about victory, about being the best, but it is also about taking the massive weight off of the shoulders of an entire city of people.

So for the next year enjoy Sports Center, listen to 950, check out all the clips of game 5 on Youtube because Philadelphia, in the words of Chase Utley are “ World Fucking Champions” (see Page 2). It’s something to bask in for as long as you can, to relive and talk about for the rest of your lives.  Foreign territory for sure.

KNIGHTS of the WEEK

Ashley McCarthy ‘11

Field Hockey

Ashley helped the Knights to a home victory last week with a pair of goals against the Bryn Mawr Owls, a 4-2 win for the Knights.  Ashley put herself in scoring position in front of the Owl’s cage and tipped home a pass from Morgan Hasson in the first half and then stuffed in a pass from Ashley Griffith to open the second half.  Her two goals were her fifth and sixth of the year, and came on just 4 shots against the Owls.

Sam Schad ‘09

Volleyball

The senior helped the Knights to a 2-0 record on the week, including their tenth win of the season in a pair of 3-0 sweeps over Immaculata and Valley Forge Christian College.  Impressively, Schad led the offense hitting a resounding .516 overall including 22 kills with just 1 error on 41 attempts.  She also contributed 21 digs and one solo and one block assist.

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Front Page

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Front Page

Page 2, News OP/ED

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News OP/ED, Page 2

Fort Dix Suspects Go to Trial

Last May, six  men were arrested in an attempted terrorist attack on the military base Fort Dix in Burlington County, New Jersey.  The men were arrested when they took a videotape of their weapons training to a Circuit City to convert the tape to DVD.  The tape showed the alleged terrorists shooting high-powered rifles and calling out words like “jihad” while praising Allah.  When the video was seen by a Circuit City employe, concern quickly grew, leading him to contact the Mt. Laurel, New Jersey Police Department. From there, Police alerted authorities of the tape and a full-scale investigation took place.  The FBI caught up with the suspects when they tried to purchase weapons from an FBI informant from Egypt.

On October 21, a video shown to the US District Court in Camden, New Jersey showed the plot’s leaders, Shain and Dirtan Duka, making the weapons purchase.  Later in the day the weapons were placed in front of a jury as the alleged terrorists went to trial.   The government points out the alleged terrorists as being inspired by Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda to defend Islam in the United States. The Dukas, their other brother, Eljvir, Mohamad Shnewer and Serdar Tatar are charged with conspiracy to commit murder and attempted murder of soldiers at Fort Dix and could face life in prison if convicted.

The defense of the alleged terrorists is focused on the fact that a hidden camera, planted in the Dukas’ Cherry Hill residence, never talks about any sort of attack, but rather points to the guns being used for trips to the Poconos to shoot high powered weapons.  While the tape does show the crew talking about their Pocono trips, other factors are hurting the defendants.

One of the Duka brothers drew a detailed map of the base and Fred Lang, a senior investigator with the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office and an officer in the Southern New Jersey/Philadelphia Joint Terrorism Task Force, testified that he helped develop the list of weapons that Omar would offer to Dritan and Shain Duka prior to the deal.  The weapons included things like grenade launchers and RPGs, which the Dukas did not ask for when they talked to the FBI informant.  These weapons were brought to the table because Shnewer, in separate recorded conversations with the informant, said that he would like to use them during the attacks. The defense claims the other weapons were placed there to bolster the government’s investigation but, with their purchase of the weapons, the Dukas & Co. look to have too much against them.  The men could face life in prison for the attempted murder of soldiers at Fort Dix.

From the Editor’s Desk…

To Our Faithful Audience,

Thank you again for picking up another issue of The Tower. I really think you’re in for a good one this time. I know we don’t have a free poster this time, but this one is all about election day- so get excited to Barack the vote or McCast your ballot.

We decided to endorse Barack Obama as the next president of the United States. I won’t give you all the reasoning here, but if you just tilt your gaze slightly to the right, you can find all of that good stuff out. We also have a restaurant review in this time, which we will try to get similar things like that together in the future. The idea here is that we want to give you, the readers, some information that you can use. That means next time you go out to eat, hit up thebar scene, or buy a new album, The Tower will have helped you out in some way.

If not, well what the hell, we hope you enjoyed the Bullpen. No but seriously, this is a great issue, and I personally recommend reading the entire issue at least twice. And for the love of God, go out and vote this November 4th.

Until our next installment,

Tyler Peckham
Editor-in-Chief

The Tower’s weekly round-up of quirky, interesting and mildly relevant news.

Can You Guess the Story that isn’t True??
This week we slipped an extra in there that didn’t actually happen.
Find out which one it was next week.

Woman arrested for brutal digital homicide

Divorce can bring out the worst in people, but with technology, some take it to a new level of absurdity. A 43-year-old Japanese woman has been arrested for killing her virtual husband after he suddenly divorced her avatar in the online game, “Maple Story.” The game is similar to the popular “Second Life,” in which people can create their own avatars and engage in social activities, relationships, and fight against obstacles.

She had obtained his password and identification from her avatar husband when they were happily married, but then used the information to access his avatar and kill it.

She told investigators “I was suddenly divorced without a word of warning. That made me so angry.” She has been charged with illegal access onto a computer and manipulating electronic data. If convicted, she could face a fine up to $5,000 or five years in jail. Indeed, this is a bizarre story. Well as the old saying goes, it’s just a game. It should be a lesson for all avatars out there. Save the homicidal urges for a game like Grand Theft Auto.

-Gina Merlino

Man Marries Dog

Although some married men might occasionally think it (but never dare say it), a 33-year-old Indian farmer named Selvakumar can officially say that he married a bitch. The farmer was wed to a stray female dog in an effort to lift a curse that had been plaguing him for years.

The wedding was performed in a remote village in rural India, complete with a feast and festivities. The bride was dressed for the occasion as well, although she reportedly tried to flee from the large crown attending the ceremony.

The reason the couple married was not because of love at first sight, but a belief that Selvakumar could lift a curse from two dog spirits. The marriage was an effort to atone for his  killing of two dogs and then stringing them up in a tree. After performing the heinous acts, Selvakumar complained of a loss of movement, speech, and hearing. By taking his new bride, he hoped to appease the restless spirits of the dogs. Hopefully the couple will live a happy life together, but as far as the rest of married life goes, I don’t think even the comprehensive Kama Sutra can help them there.

-Tyler Peckham

Boy Scouts Try to Earn Breast Exam Merit Badge

Two 12-year-old boys proved that you are never too young to get a job done. Zach Henniford and Brian Sykes appeared on The Onion’s news network announcing that they volunteer to give women breast exams. The pre-teens, who are Boy Scouts of troop 128 in White Hall, New York, said that, in order to earn another badge, they had to complete a community service project. Well, the boys have and did a service for a number of local women, and hope to help hundreds of women examine their breasts! The youngins often have a table set up at various public spots and have a sign that says “Let us examine your breasts!” Putting the icing on the cake is the fact that they have a website to promote these services, AND they plan to do more exams in their very own basements! The boys claim the idea came to them while at a local pool. How lovely!

-Elishia Peterson

Cops Ridin’ in Style

Looks like the Italian police force got an upgrade on their patrol car. The crime fighters will now drive in style since auto brand Lamborghini donated one of its cars. According to Yahoo News, the LamborghiniGallardo supercar boasts a 560-horsepower engine and a top speed of 325 kilometers (200 miles) per hour. While chasing the bad guys, the police will look fly in the Lambo. “This car replaces the former model which used to operate in the Rome area and will now be used in the Bologna region in the north,” a Lamborghini spokeswoman said.

A Gallardo base model is not cheap. It sells for 175,200 euros, which is 220,000 American dollars! Yahoo added that the police force’s model is equipped with a mini fridge to transport donor organs and a defibrillator for use in emergencies. As if that makes it all better, the po-po’s are still riding in a Lamborghini for crying out loud!

-Elishia Peterson

Page 3, News OP/ED

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News OP/ED, Page 3

The Right Man for the Job: The Tower Endorses Barack Obama to be the Next President

After waiting out to see what each candidate has to offer, we at the Tower have decided to endorse Barack Obama for president. As this race has played out, we have seen  what each candidate has brought to the table for the American people, and we believe that, between Barack Obama and John McCain, Obama has provided the best policy, leadership, and confidence to become the next President of the United States.

Senator John McCain has shown himself largely inept in all aspects of what will be faced in the next four years. On the economy, he has refused to back down on increased tax cuts for the wealthiest in America- including oil companies that have enjoyed record profits throughout the Bush administration. His campaign direction has been sloppy and misleading. His choice in Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate was a choice to divide America once again. Palin is increasingly unstable in her remarks, and has made a number of ill-fated attempts to brand the Democratic party as somehow un-American. Racist remarks have become commonplace at her rallies, and she has shamefully done little to quiet them.

On foreign policy, where McCain claims to be strongest, he has presented no plan to exit Iraq but, instead, only gives vague promises of “winning.” He still refuses to acknowlege the questionable circumstances of the war and, instead, argues points on whether or not ‘The Troop Surge’ is working. McCain entered the race with center-right credentials that appealed to many moderate voters and even some Democrats, but instead of sticking to his moderate positions, he has tried to redefine himself as a staunch conservative and, in the process, alienated many Americans with his reckless campaign.

In contrast, Barack Obama has proven himself to be suited for the office of President. His promise of tax breaks to the middle class are needed to restore stability and prosperity to Americans. He also has proposed a plan to guarantee health care to all Americans. This is something especially important to college graduates that will no longer qualify under their parent’s plan. Those leaving Arcadia and other institutions across America next May will face a dismal job market and economy. To expect these young men and women to pay for their own health care is simply unrealistic, but with Obama’s plan, this is one less burden for them to face. Students and the rest of America need new policies to restore our economy, and the outdated trickle-down theories of McCain will not cut it.

Obama will also lead America out of the costly war in Iraq. Not only has this war taken the lives of our soldiers, but it has strained our alliances abroad.  Obama speaks of a new American presence in the world where these alliances will be reforged. Obama’s choice of Senator Joe Biden was a decision to bring foreign policy credentials into the White House. True, Senator Obama has limited hands-on experience in foreign relations, but with Biden as an advisor, we believe his decision will be informed and in the best interest of America.

Perhaps most importantly is what Barack Obama represents for our generation. His organization of grass-roots support has energized this country in an unprecedented way. Many young people came into political awareness under the Bush administration, and we have seen what divisive presidential campaigns produce: a divided and unsettled country. Barack Obama presents a movement that gives voice to this need for change. He speaks to our generation in a way that is sincere instead of just pandering for our vote. At the Tower, we believe it is time for a new face in politics. It is time for a new era of unity and progressive reform. It is a time where our generation moves to elect a capable politician to bring reform to an outdated and out of touch Washington. And most importantly, we believe Barack Obama will do those things as President of the United States.

By the Numbers: Obama Presidential Term Seems Likely, but not Certain

Click on image to enlarge

In order to win the presidency, one of the two candidates must win at least 270 votes in the Electoral College. Each state has a value in the Electoral College based on their number of elected representatives in Congress. For example, a state with two senators, and five members of the House of Representatives will receive seven votes in the Electoral College. So far Obama is leading McCain in the number of states that he has a solid majority in (259 for Obama to 152 for McCain). Neither of these numbers are great enough to win, however, and that’s where the swing states come in.

These pivotal states are where the race is still tight between the two candidates and could go either way in the election. Obama has the edge in many of these states as well, but they are by no means a sure victory. Where Obama has made impressive inroads are in states like Virginia, North Carolina, and Missouri. These states were typically well in Republican column, and few expected McCain to have to defend them this late in the race. Obama has had a significant advantage in the amount of money he can spend on Television ads in these states, and in some cases has out spent McCain eight to one.

At this point the odds are stacked against a McCain presidency, but the votes will not be in until November 4th. Until then Obama will look to increase his lead, while McCain desperately tries to close the gap.

Tom Ferguson-

“Obama. I’d like to vote for
someone who has ideas of a
better world, however unrealistic
those plans may be.”

David Abdul-Muluk-

“Obama. I’d rather vote for
someone who is at least pretending
he’s not a socialist.”

Photographs and interview
provided by Photography
Editor Ash Wise

Page 4, News OP/ED

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News OP/ED, Page 4

Opinion: Local Politics Make me Sick

My friends always tell me how much “Mayfair sucks” and how “crappy looking it is.” Having lived in this neighborhood of Northeast Philadelphia for the first twenty-one years of my life, I was proud of the area, especially since I lived right at the heart of it, behind the Mayfair Diner on Frankford Avenue. It was at this diner where I met President Bill Clinton in 1996, during his second run for President. This shows how important Mayfair truly is.

Unfortunately, last year, I had to make the move away from my beloved neighborhood and into Montgomery County with my parents. Still, this did not stop me from going back to Mayfair to ask about people’s political views. With the upcoming historic election, I wanted to understand how people in my old neighborhood thought about what they wanted to happen this November. Little did I know that, while I have no political affiliation, what I would hear and also what I would read about would upset me dearly.

According to a September 3, 2008 article by Catherine Lucey of the Philadelphia Daily News entitled “N.E. Phila: Key to McCain Pa. Victory?”, Mayfair is “…a white working-class neighborhood of attached brick houses and modest commercial strips in Northeast Philadelphia, where Republicans aren’t an endangered species, Democrats can swing any which way and Obama has his work cut out for him.” This is somewhat inaccurate as, year by year, white people move out and a minority moves in. For example, an immigrant Asian family bought my old house.

After going back to Mayfair and hearing some of the things I did, I agree that Obama has his work cut out for him. When I heard that Sen. Joe Biden would be visiting another local diner right next to Mayfair, I knew I had to go eat there that day. What I heard about and what Dave Davies of the Daily News reported made me sick. Eighty-nine year old Carolyn Bauer was quoted as saying (to Biden), “I told him I’m not going to vote for him… Anybody who runs with a guy with a name like that is not going to get my vote. It’d be disgusting to get a man named Barack Obama as president of the United States. No way. I mean it . . . I’m going to vote for McCain and the lady.”

Those last two words are the ones that make me laugh and cry at the same time. Mrs. Bauer does not even know the name of the Republican vice presidential candidate. This does not make me very proud of the old neighborhood. Should Ms. Bauer even be allowed to vote? Clearly she does not know what she is talking about.

With regards to how well McCain will do, political analyst Larry Ceisler stated on PennLive.com, “I think McCain will do well up there… The problem in some of these places, Obama’s message is change, and people in these places don’t want a change.” This makes Mayfair sound way too old fashioned for my liking.

In a quick question and answer session with Bridget McGeehan, a former schoolmate of mine and niece of Pennsylvania State Representative Mike McGeehan (who fights for Mayfair as well as its surrounding areas), I tried to get a youthful approach to things to balance out the elderly Ms. Bauer: “I am too busy to concern myself with who will win. It’s not like my vote even matters. It would be irresponsible of me to even vote, because I would probably just vote for Obama because of his skin color, just to have something different.”

Obviously my generation seems to be lacking the right state of mind in order to give a solid response. Once again, my beloved Mayfair has come off like a slum of the city. In another non-answer in Lucey’s article, Democrat George Scaricamazza stated, “I’m voting for McCain because Obama is all b.s…. He’s not qualified for nothing.” Also according to her article, Annette Blumenthal, of Pennypack (an area/park in and around Mayfair and all over the Northeast), decided to support McCain because of the race issue, “He’s a smart guy, he’s looks very educated, he has a beautiful wife… I just think the world’s not ready for a black president.”

It is quotes like these that make me a bit ashamed to have come from Mayfair. When Obama came to visit the Mayfair Diner on October 11, the crowd was predominately black and other minorities. If Paris Hilton was running against Obama, would people vote for her because she is white?

Most of the people quoted were of a much older age. They truly represent that Mayfair is old fashioned-I just never knew it before. Perhaps the people in the 55 and older community I reside in now will have a different view on the issues of race, sex, and other topics come November, when it is time to actually vote.

Incident Log for Public Safety 10/17/08 – 10/23/08

Each week the Tower displays noteworthy incident logs from Public Safety’s database. All names and specific residences are always kept private. Reports provided by Jim Bonner, Director of Public Safety.

10-18-08

Theft from Vehicle:
Between 11pm on 10-17-08 and 11am on 10-18-08 someone entered an unlocked, parked vehicle in a parking  lot along Church Rd and removed an iPod and a digital camera.

10-19-08:

Disturbance:
At 4:20am,  it was reported that there was a large, loud group on the second floor of Heinz hall.

Safety tips:

Do not leave valuables in plain view in a vehicle, wherever you park. Some will smash a window to get $5.00 in change and it’ll cost $300 to repair the window.

NEVER JAYWALK.  It has been reported that some are walking against the traffic signals at Church and Limekiln and at Limekiln at Blankley Hall, Easton Rd. and Michaels Restaurant.  Please use caution, and ONLY cross WITH the traffic lights.

Exercising your Right:All You Need to Know to Vote

On Tuesday’s November 4th Election Day, students will not have to worry quite so much about getting to the polls. Arcadia’s Office of Student Activities will be offering a shuttle service to those registered at Arcadia to go vote at Westminster Seminary, Arcadia’s approved polling location at the crossing of Church Road and Willow Grove Ave.

“It’s done every [voting]  year as a service to the students, so that students without a vehicle can exercise their right to vote,” said Campus Activities Programmer, Cate Rooney.

The shuttles will leave from Taylor Hall starting at 9:00 a.m., in fifteen minute intervals. The shuttles will run continually until the final run at 7:00 p.m. Students must bring a valid photo ID with them to the polls. Arcadia student IDs are valid. Other valid IDs include passports or Pennsylvania Drivers Licenses.

The shuttles will be piloted by none other than Arcadia staff members volunteering their time to help students vote.

For students going to vote, there are some important things to remember. “You have to be registered to vote at Arcadia to vote [at Westminster]”,” said Rooney. This is because Cheltenham Township and all of Montgomery County is divided into different sectors, each with their own specific polling location. It is important for students that do not list Arcadia University as their place of residence to find their proper voting location.

In addition, students going to vote should be aware that Montgomery County uses Sequoia AVC Advantage® voting machines. According to Montgomery County’s website, a selection is made by pressing the square to the right of your choice. To make a different choice, simply hit the box again to deselect, and then hit the box next your new selection. You also do not have to vote the entire ballot. When finished, hit the “Cast Vote” button and a tone will sound signaling your vote has been properly cast.  For write-in votes, press the “Write-in” square for the selected office. From there follow the directions and enter the name with the keypad.

For any questions on the shuttles, the Office of Student Activities can be reached at 215-572-4082. For any questions about voting, the Montgomery Board of Elections can be reached at 610-278-3280. The website for those not living at Arcadia, but still residing in Mongomery County, to find where their polling station is located is http://voterservices.montcopa.org/voterservices/cwp/view,A,1459,Q,62525,voterservicesNav,|.asp.

Page 5, Student Life

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Student Life, Page 5

Knights’ Nook

Arcadia’s Own Miss Majestic answers ALL of your questions about love, life and the library!

Dear Ms. Majestic,
I hate my work study! The people in the office are really nice and they treat me really well but everyday when I come in to work, there’s nothing to do. Sometimes I sit for hours with nothing to do. I don’t mind being paid to do nothing but it would be nice if I had something to do to make the time go faster. I don’t want to stick my nose where it doesn’t belong so I haven’t said anything to my supervisor but I don’t know if there will be anything for her to do. I mean, she really doesn’t do much on a day-to-day basis either. My friends tell me that at their work study, they have assignments and sometimes they can even bring their homework in if they want. How come I can’t do that? The thing is, I don’t want to quit because I need the money, but if I have to choose between being bored to death and freedom…I think you know what I’ll pick!
Bored in Officespace

Dear Bored,
Is it really that bad? Will it drive you to quit? Really? I don’t think so, but I do understand what you mean. I’ve worked in so many places and have been bored out of my mind, but I did have to weigh what impact it would have on my wallet. So here’s what you do. Talk to your supervisor to see if there is anything you can help with, but remember that  the work may be confidential, and they may not want student workers’ assistance. I also don’t see any harm in asking to bring your homework with you. Those hours are yours and you should be able to earn them regardless of whether the office has work for you or not. Good luck!
-Ms. Majestic

Dear Ms. Majestic,
I got my 6 week evaluations back and boy were they horrendous! My advisor said that I have time to make up for my early mistakes but do I really? I just think that if I’m doing this bad this early, maybe college isn’t for me. I came here because I figured it would be fun and over the top, but now that same fun has gotten me in lots of trouble. My parents keep asking me about my progress too, and I don’t want to lie, but I can’t tell them the truth. I know I’m going to have a painful break if I tell my parents that I’m not doing so well. How do I fix this mess? I need to get better grades that I can share at the dinner table when I go home and I need to know that I’m supposed to be here. Help!
Clueless about College

Dear Clueless,
Ok so the only way to fix the damage that’s been done is to make a game plan and stick to it. You really do have time to fix the academic part if you really want to but ONLY once you figure out whether you really want to be here. Arcadia isn’t for everyone. Some people need an environment that is larger to function properly and, for some, this place is ideal. You may not be one of those people, but you can try to figure out if you are by doing a pro/con list. Be really specific about what you need out of your school and see if Arcadia fits the bill. If not, its time to reveal the news to the family and start shopping. You wouldn’t be the first person who realized that good ol’ Beaver was not for them and you won’t be the last. Bon chance!
-Ms. Majestic

Questions about life? Email us @
KnightsNook@gmail.com

Green Tip: Trayless Tuesday

The Dining Hall has started Trayless Tuesdays!  According to the Dining Hall’s comment cards, 75% of the responses were in favor of having Trayless Tuesday each week, 10% did not have an opinion and 15% were not in favor of it.  Did you know that many colleges and universities have stopped using trays in their cafeterias?

The trayless movement is an effort to reduce waste: tray use leads to food waste and extra water is needed to wash the trays.  Don’t stop with Trayless Tuesdays, look for other ways to stop wasting food and water as well!  Questions?  Contact goodwins@arcadia.edu about the Dining Hall or sclymer@arcadia.edu about other environmental issues.

When I began this venture, I thought every week I would have something new and exciting to report. Technically I do, but the things that are most exciting are either illegal to mention or things that happen in my hall that I just wouldn’t be allowed to write about. That being said, most of what has been going on in the past two weeks is basically boring. My life has been encompassing a universal theme of college students; I have been procrastinating.

I honestly have so much preparation to do for all of my classes, it is shocking. At first I was in the idea that they must have dropped my study abroad application in the wrong pile and that I was honestly not able to do this work. The problem with that theory was that I am completely capable of doing the work. This semester so far has shown me that I can bring myself up to the level of the people who have been studying these things intensely since they were sixteen. The problem is, sometimes I just don’t feel like it!

Let’s face it, we all get to the point in school where we just want to coast; you can do the minimum and get away with it and catch up later. I have to admit, they make this concept more difficult at Arcadia with the mostly constant homework but it feels like they have designed this semester for me to have just enough leeway to slack off for a week. Not this Monday but next Monday begins my week of reckoning: Reading Week.

I know what you’re thinking; that surely must mean exams are coming up and you will be blind with panic preparing for everything you haven’t done, plus don’t you only get a day for reading before the start of exams? No! For some fantastic reason in the middle of the semester we, in humanities, are given an entire week to collect ourselves. It’s actually a factor leading to my procrastination because I am so excited for Reading Week that I feel alright if I don’t quite finish a novel or two.

That being said, I have to admit, slacking here is completely different from slacking at home. Here, slacking seems to come down to only reading the primary material and not doing any secondary research into the topics you are discussing. I haven’t even abandoned my studies to enjoy the lower drinking age. I usually find myself drawn in to watching Halo sessions with my flat mates or just sitting in the kitchen for hours laughing at nothing. It’s not fair. I mean to do work but I just can’t.

I think the moral of my story is that procrastination is a global phenomenon. To be honest, I procrastinated in writing this piece even though, by writing it, I am procrastinating in doing my work. It’s a vicious cycle but it will all have to change by Reading Week! After that comes the 4,000 word essays and then the real fun begins; I hope my sad pile of work puts your semester into perspective. I am leaving you with this: study abroad can’t always be a giant vacation.

Each Week Arcadia Junior Jennfier Pahcheco gives students a peek into her study abroad journey in London.

Restaurant Review: The Blue Sage Vegetarian Grille

The Blue Sage Vegetarian Grille, located in Southampton on Second Street Pike- only a twenty-five minute drive from Arcadia University’s campus, offers vegan and vegetarian cuisine that is unique and delicious.

At first, it seemed like there was no hostess or maitre’d, but once they realized that new costumers had arrived (Katelyn – Party of Four) we were seated immediately. Reservations are recommended for dinner, but on Tuesday, October 7th there was a more private atmosphere than on more crowded evenings.
Orders were taken promptly and the food arrived in what seemed like a few minutes. The food and the service were both impressive.

The Green Curry Summer Rolls, a vegan appetizer, were a flavorful mix of fruity and Thai flavors, wrapped in rice paper rolls that were raw, not fried. One of the featured items, “Sliders,” is Blue Sage’s version of French fries and mini-hamburgers. But, instead of meat, they contain avocado, yellow squash, zucchini, tomatoes and more, all hidden inside adorable mini buns.

A Mexican-inspired entrée, Quesa Havana, was anything but Taco Bell. Griddled, not fried, whole wheat tortilla buns contained fresh mango as well as other, more traditional Mexican ingredients and spices, such as black beans, cheeses and cilantro.

Many of the meals are served with a small salad with baby arugula, cucumber radish and red grapefruit, or spring mix with chile lime vinaigrette, but the house salad itself is at least as good as any one of the entrees.

For dessert, the White Chocolate Espresso Crème Brulee and the Chocolate Panini were both creative and delightful. Besides the obvious sugar, they contained compatible combinations of flavors such as milk chocolate, walnut and cinnamon.

Throughout the meal, the service was quick and appropriate. There were no uncomfortable attempts at conversation or forgetting to bring the check for a half an hour and the waitress even took a picture for us.

Any age group seems to be welcome at the Blue Sage. All that is required is at least an appreciation for good vegetarian food. It’s BYOB, but the menu’s items can be a little pricey, with most entrées starting around $20, so save money and skip the booze.
Blue Sage Vegetarian Grille is definitely the kind of place any Arcadia student could feel comfortable at and the food is way above and beyond expectations, especially after eating dining hall food for weeks. The dining area is well-lit with very simple, unremarkable decorations that lean towards an Asian or Thai theme. Dress is casual, but I wouldn’t recommend sweat pants or worn tee-shirts.

Jennifer Staley, a Junior Arcadia Student, was pleased with the experience, even though she is not a vegetarian herself. “The service was good, and the food was even better.”
Arcadia Junior and meat eater, Brandon Haze, is more hesitant about his judgment. “I would go again, but I could easily see people disliking it, if you know what I mean.”
Blue Sage Vegetarian Grille is at 772 Second Street Pike in Southampton, PA, 18966. The phone number is 215-942-8888. They are open Tuesday thru Saturday for Lunch and Dinner and hours are posted on the website, www.bluesagegrille.com.

Page 6, Entertainment

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Entertainment, Page 6

Fear Before “March” into Foreign Territory

Coming into their fourth full-length album, Colorado art-core vets, Fear Before the March of Flames, decided it was time to make a name for themselves, or at least a new name.   With their previous two releases, 2004’s Art Damage and 2006’s The Always Open Mouth, Fear Before the March of Flames had cemented their place as an up and coming band with ambition and direction to burn.  So when the band curtailed their name in early September, settling on Fear Before ,many fans were left scratching their heads.  Bassist Mike Madruga explained in a press release the long version of the name as a challenge that the band feels they have met over the last three albums. “The long version of the name was good for us in the beginning because it was interesting and stood out. It paralleled our mentality of playing the music we were writing because we told ourselves, ‘If we can pull off having this name, we had better be able to pull off the music we were writing.’ The new album is 10 strong songs, no fillers or tag-ons… and we want the band name to replicate that.”  Moving on as Fear Before the band’s self-titled new album, like each new release in their history, is vastly different than the one before it, only this time the change is more than just in the sound, but in every aspect of the approach.

From the first verse of the opening track, “Treeman”, Fear Before sounds different than anything the Colorado five piece has every done.  Vocalist David Marion, known for his guttural larynx-shredding scream, is, instead, toned down and mixed in amongst layers of vocals.  It doesn’t take long for Marion to return to form, sounding like the twisted ringleader of some fucked up circus sideshow later in the track.  While “Treeman” is the opening track, it outs the new Fear Before philosophy: more is more. Where Art Damage saw the band on a relentless hardcore tear, and Mouth showed the guys maturing their previous sound with synths, layers, and, most of all, moments to breathe, the self-titled album is Fear Before doing their best to move away those previous records.  In some cases, Fear Before sounds totally different. At other times, “The March of Flames” still burns through. The combination may take time to grow on long-time fans, but in the end, new and old alike should give Fear Before a shot.

Dense is the word to describe Fear Before.  The album, produced by Casey Bates, is ten tracks chock full of erratic instruments, gang vocals, lingering synths, samples, and creepy background noises constantly playing tricks as they pan from one speaker to another.  Early songs on the album like “I’m Fine Today” and the album’s first single “Fear Before Doesn’t Listen to People Who Don’t Like Them” show off Marion’s and guitarist/vocalist Adam Fisher’s twisting, turning vocals.  Since the screaming has been turned down, the haunting prose of the two is finally decipherable, proving the new direction is no more mainstream than the old one.  With that said, there are some cringe-worthy moments, like Fisher singing “No one understands me/ No one understands” on “Bad Day” or Marion on the whiney beginning of “Stay Weird” (an awesome track after that, by the way). Fear Before also hosts a few guest appearances from other bands like The Fall of Troy, Heavy Heavy Low Low, and Portugal. the Man ( PTM appear on one of my personal favs “Everything’s Not Shitty”). The album’s biggest surprise is the fifth track, “Jabberwocky”, (where’s Mario Lopez?) where Fear Before go *GASP!* acoustic. The track has Marion and Fisher going back and forth over a spiraling verse line, ending in an infectious one-liner, “That’s what I’m afraid of these days”.  “Jabberwocky” snaps back into Fear Before norm with new drummer Clayton Holyoak pounding out the path.

Fear Before holds true to their word.  The new album mirrors the band’s name change.  Dense, concise, and, at times, confusing Fear Before is an effort with no trepidation or panic in terms of blazing a new trail.  If you’re a long time fan, give the album a chance. If you’re new to Fear Before, go right ahead and pick this album up first.   For Fear Before, there is no better way to start the next chapter than cutting the fat and adding raw musical muscle, change is their game and once again they’ve found a way to win.

Vote for Obama! All the Cool Celebrities are Doing It!

It’s not surprising that Obama has won over the hearts of many popular Hollywood celebrities, as he has with much of the younger American generation. After all, the possible future president almost rates at celebrity status, himself. Why would young celebs vote for someone who is old (very, very old) news?

We all know that Obama’s speeches make Oprah “cry her eyelashes off”, but she’s not the only Obama advocate. It seems all of young Hollywood has become active in promoting Obama. Black Eyed Peas’ Will.i.am even created a music video inspired by a speech Obama gave after Clinton’s loss in New Hampshire, and Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel took to the stage on October 8th to rouse support for the democrat. The duo received their biggest applause after performing “Hail to the Chief”, the official song of the American President, in honor of Obama. Springsteen devoted his classic “Born to Run” to the Democratic candidate and he recently finished a three-day, free tour in support of him. Jennifer Aniston also donated 2, 300 big bucks to Obama’s campaign, along with Robert De Niro who endorsed Obama at a New Jersey fundraiser. De Niro ,defended the candidate against allegations of inexperience, saying that a candidate who hadn’t gotten his country into war had “the kind of inexperience I can get used to.” The comedian Chris Rock introduced the senator at an event in Harlem, not too far from the Clinton campaign headquarters, and has donated $4,600 to Obama’s campaign. Samuel L. Jackson even skipped the Academy Awards to campaign for Obama, claiming, “We need somebody the world relates to in a very real kind of way.”

Scarlett Johansson sang in the “Yes We Can” video, has campaigned in Iowa, and even joked she was “engaged to Barack Obama.” Ben Affleck and wife, Jennifer Garner, threw a fancy fundraiser for Obama, and Affleck, along with Matt Damon, was a judge for MoveOn.org’s “Obama in 30 Seconds” competition. George Clooney is a self-proclaimed “Obama Guy” and says the democrat has the “aura of a rock star.” Although he says celebrity endorsements can do “more harm than good”, Clooney appeared with Obama at a panel on Darfur in ‘06. The Kennedy Women are also pro-Obama. Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg caused a frenzy claiming that Obama would be “a president like my father” in the New York Times. Her cousin, Maria Shriver, is voting for Obama, despite her McCain-fan husband. Oprah is, of course, Obama’s number one fan, and he is the first candidate she has endorsed in her entire career. Along with campaigning with the senator, she threw a celebrity fundraiser at her California home which collected about three million dollars. Other celebrities known for their pro-Obama attitude include Jessica Alba, George Lucas, Star Jones, Susan Sarandon, Anne Hathaway, Sheryl Crow, Spike Lee, Jennifer Hudson, Steven Spielberg, and Jennifer Lopez.

So which celebrities are voting republican this year? Almost none of them, unless you include miss Heidi Montag, who is good friends with McCain’s own wannabe-celebrity daughter. However, the list of young, popular celebrities voting republican this year begins with Heidi and end with Heidi. McCain, enthralled by his impressive Hollywood following, has admitted, “I never miss an episode of The Hills.” Even those celebrities who gave money to the Republican Party years before are not voting for McCain. Besides Heidi Montag, McCain has collected checks from Dean Cain (Superman), James Caan (Godfather I and II), Jon Voight (Midnight Cowboy), Lou Ferrigno (The Incredible Hulk), Adam Carolla (The Man Show), Angie Harmon (Law & Order), and Victoria Jackson (Saturday Night Live).

This upcoming election, it is obvious who has won Hollywood’s vote. Because celebrity actions have such an impact on the younger generation of voters, it clearly works in Obama’s favor. Unfortunately for McCain, Heidi Montag may just not be enough.

Page 7, Entertainment

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Entertainment, Page 7

The Scramble

A Brief Look at New Media

Eight years in between releases is an eternity in the music business.  For AC/DC, the long hiatus has done nothing but good.  Black Ice, the fifteenth studio album from the legendary hard rockers, is probably the best thing they’ve done since 1980’s Back in Black.  Where Back in Black is the most celebrated entry in AC/DC’s catalog, Black Ice is their most solid.  Vocalist Brian Young wails away like he did 20 some years ago, while Angus and Malcolm Young’s blues rock riffs blare so loud even John McCain can hear them.   With the bands on the radio today acting like they know the formula for panty droppin’, fist pumping, bar brawling man rock (cough cough Nickelback cough cough),  the return of AC/DC couldn’t have been timed better.  The first single, “Rock ‘N Roll Train”, is already tearing up the radio with twice the testosterone as anything else on the underused airwaves.

As soon as Gossip in the Grain starts with the opener “You Are The Best Thing”, there is an essence about the album that just feels right.  Maybe it’s the bellowing brass section, the shimmering piano, or maybe its LaMontagne’s Van Morrison-esque voice.  No matter what does it for you, Gossip in the Grain sounds like an autumn afternoon in 1960-something.  LaMontagne, once again, expands his sound, adding instruments and compositions, something he started to do on his 2006 release, Till the Sun Turns Black.  Evolving from simple lo-fi singer/songwriter to 60s full band folk mastermind has seemed easy for LaMontagne.  Tracks like “Meg White” and “Let it Be Me” show Ray can stay basic, only to flip a switch, turning on the sparkling analog wall of sound.

Ok, so I know that when the words “Death Metal” appear, the page will probably get turned.  This one time, read on.   Gojira, a French (yes, French) death metal band have tons of monstrous low end riffs and creative songwriting to offer, if you give them a chance.  On The Way of All Flesh, Gojira tear down numerous stigmas behind their genre, all while sounding like a run away Mack truck.  The lyrics are poetic, decipherable, and insightful, while the band backing them is about as creative a metal band as you’ll hear.  Taking cues from Meshuggah, Gojira have learned to craft some incredibly heavy music with all the ‘listenability’ ( drinkability is a word…right?) of lighter stuff.  Gojira have found a good balance between melody and malice, making The Way of All Flesh the smoothest of death metal albums.  Check out the track “Orobous” for a taste.

T.I. Has a Story to Tell With ‘Paper Trail’

ATL’s own T.I. is back at it again and, as one of the tracks off his album Paper Trail says, T.I. is “Ready For Whatever”. Recently, the rapper had a run-in with the law and even spent some time in prison for his crime. Now, “The King of the South” is trading his jailbird ways for a chance in the spotlight again. The highly anticipated album instantly was a hit, for hip-hop lovers realized that T.I. meant business. Some naysayer’s may have questioned the superstar’s comeback. But T.I. answers the haters with a banging revival of his new self and new album.

Immediately, as the album begins with the intro “56 Bars,” T.I. informs that the wait is over. Fans who have always nodded their heads to his lyrics were probably hoping that the southerner wouldn’t disappoint them. Well, T.I. makes it happen in sixteen songs, in which each stands on its own with a different message. The majority of the songs are T.I. reclaiming his “King of the South” throne by telling listeners “Don’t judge me” and “Put yourself in my position”. A prime example of his thoughts is track seven, “No Matter What”, which chants in the chorus, “I ain’t dead, I ain’t done, I ain’t scared, I ain’t run, but still I stand, no matter what”. T.I. reassures fans that he is a changed man, but he also makes it known that he can still keep it gangsta with songs like “I’m Illy” and “Every Chance I Get”. Paper Trail could be stamped as a celebration album, for the hip-hopper has much to be thankful for. With a new album, new start at life, it’s a new and improved T.I.

To add on to the greatness, the star-studded creation features music favorites. “Live Your Life”, featuring singer Rihanna, is a hot one off the album. As Rihanna belts “Just live your life, ain’t got no time for no haters, just live your life, no telling where it’ll take you, just live your life, cause I’m a paper chaser”. For all the paper chasers out there, you’ve got to love this track with the hot beat to match. T.I. keeps the star tracks going with songs including John Legend, Ludacris, Swizz Beats, Usher, and even Justin Timberlake makes an appearance on a song called “Dead and Gone”, which is hot! “No one on the corner has swagger like us” is a line from the song “Swagga Like Us”, which features some of the best rappers alive: Kanye West, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, and T.I. himself. The line-up proves that the rappers possess much swagger, with some of M.I.A.’s “Paper Planes” lyrics adding to the ruggedness. The featured artists allow the album to reach major heights, which makes the album worth giving a listen to.

T.I.’s country grammar has earned him another hit album, filled with hit songs. The trail that T.I. is leaving, is leaving him with tons of paper in his pockets. So, give a listen to what he’s been waiting to say. T.I. wants you to snap your fingers to his head banger album and enjoy the sounds of his life. As the popular hit of T.I. says, you can have “Whatever You Like!”

Game of the Week: SOCOM Confrontation

The Playstation 2 is the best selling game system of all time, at this point.  When the system launched in October of 2000, parents fought tooth and nail to get the next big thing to put under the tree that December.  One of the biggest selling points for PS2 was online gameplay, something reserved mostly for computers at that time (Dreamcast does not count).  Many manufacturers had trouble with the Playstation Network but, as usual, Sony’s homegrown projects worked well, the best one being SOCOM U.S. Navy Seals.  Now in 2008, SOCOM has been updated for the Playstation 3 as SOCOM Confrontation.  This multiplayer-only game takes SOCOM’s classic third person tactical gameplay and throws in new twists, like the use of the PS3’s SIXAXIS motion-sensitive controller to duck and lean behind cover.  Combine the new gameplay features with fully customizable guns and classic maps from the first two SOCOM games, and the multiplayer experience couldn’t be better for the hardcore gamer.  With that said, SOCOM does have some issues.  Marathon load times, spotty lag spikes, and poor grenade physics do hurt the fun of 16 vs. 16 firefights but, like other Sony online issues, patches will come out to help the problems, in time of course.  The plan for SOCOM is similar to Sony’s other multiplayer-only game, Warhawk, constantly updating the game with new weapons maps and game modes has made Warhawk better and better as time has gone on.   It would be smart for Sony to do everything in their power to make SOCOM Confrontation an expansion-happy franchise for years to come.

So I’ve found an issue with this Game of the Week column.  I can’t review every game that you, my precious readers, need to hear about before the holiday season hits. So from now on, the games I can’t get/play in time are going to get the one or two line treatment.  Keep reading.

Dead Space (PS3, XB360)
Deep space horror survival with physics like no other. Bottom line, go buy it.  Don’t play Dead Space with the lights off, alone, or at night.  Have an extra pair of pants ready if you have surround sound, for sure.

Fable II (XB360)
Probably the best action RPG on the market.  Everything in Fable II’’s vast landscape is part of the game, where the decisions you make affect your character’s path in life.

Page 8, Sports

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Sports, Page 8

Late Game Scoring Ensures Knights’ 3-1 Win over Griffins

A pair of scores, just under three minutes apart, late in the second half, broke a 1-1 stalemate and gave Arcadia University Women’s Soccer some breathing room, with an insurance goal going on to defeat local Division II rival, Chestnut Hill College, 3-1 Thursday afternoon in Glenside, PA.  Thursday’s win is Arcadia’s second straight as they improve to 8-5-2 (1-1-1 Commonwealth).  The Griffins drop to 5-11 overall.

In a game that Arcadia controlled from start to finish, the Knights took thirty-nine minutes before senior Jamie Bradford rifled a shot, from 25 yards out, that hung just enough over Griffin keeper Kelly Evans for the opening score.  It was Bradford’s third goal of the season.  The Knights retained their 1-0 advantage well into the second half before the Griffins took one of their only offensive possessions of the second half.  The game-tying goal from Chestnut Hill came off the foot of junior Julie Treen who poked home the shot to the left of Arcadia keeper Jacquelyn Eckert.  Sophomore Lauren Riff assisted on the goal by Treen at 52:34.

Caitlin Lafferty, who started the contest playing the field for the Griffins, took to between the pipes to replace an injured Kelly Evans, coming up big on numerous Arcadia shots on goal, but could prevent Arcadia sophomore Jenni Groves from playing a through ball from Janelle Jablonski, which Groves poked in the short side past Lafferty for the go-ahead tally at 76:30. The goal was Groves’ third of the year.  Under three minutes would go by with Arcadia leading 2-1, maintaining the momentum the Knights converted on a pretty cross pass from Groves to sophomore Stephanie Edson, heading home the Knights’ insurance goal at 78:54. Edson’s goal was her second of the season.

Lafferty prevented the Knights from taking a 4-1 lead with 4:15 remaining as she robbed the Knights at point-blank range, finishing the contest with 7 saves.  Evans finished the game with 10 saves before leaving due to an injury.  Eckert made 3 stops for Arcadia, picking up her 5th win of the season.

Arcadia returns to their Commonwealth schedule with undefeated Messiah College on Saturday at noon in Glenside.

All Knights’ Athletics articles courtesy of Arcadia University Athletics, photos courtesy of University
Photographer Josh Blustein

Controversial Game Winner Pins Loss on Knights’ Conference Record

An Albright College free hit that was ruled a goal off of a deflection sparked the Lions 2-1 come from behind win over host Arcadia University in Commonwealth Conference field hockey Wednesday afternoon in Glenside.  The Knights, who remain winless in conference play, opened the scoring in the first half, only to have Albright tie it up with under minute remaining before the controversial goal in the 43rd minute of play.  Arcadia falls to 5-13 overall (0-3 CC), while the Lions of Albright pick up their first Commonwealth win of the year (1-3), improving to 4-12 overall.

Senior Kristin Conrad sparked Arcadia’s first goal, feeding sophomore Caroline Champi for the score and the Arcadia 1-0 lead.  The Knights, who outshot the Lions 9-4 in the opening half, had some other fine looks, but Albright converted on the next goal to tie it up at 1-1 at 33:53, scored by Michelle Pomante from Kimberly Hummel.

The Lions would go on to outshoot the Knights in the second half 12-7, but not before a free hit that would turn out to be the game changer.  Gia Boscola stepped up for the free hit, which made it’s way past Arcadia keeper Brittany Rasmussen and in.  Albright’s Beth Moran was credited with the deflection and the eventual game winner.

Albright held the slight advantage in corners 7-6 and shots wound up even at 16 apeice.  Rasmussen was solid in goal, making 10 stops through regulation.

The Knights travel to Widener next Tuesday and then Lebanon Valley on Nov. 1 for their final two Commonwealth and regular season matchups for 2008.

All Knights’ Athletics articles courtesy of Arcadia University Athletics, photos courtesy of University
Photographer Josh Blustein

KNIGHTS of the WEEK

Katie O’Malley ‘11

Women’s Soccer

The sophomore sailed a thirty-five yard blast high over the head of Elizabethtown goal keeper Angela Freeland at 75:08, breaking a 1-1 game as the Knights prevailed for their first ever in Commonwealth Conference Women’s Soccer victory, 2-1 over Elizabethtown College. The Knights improve to 7-5-2 overall and pull into a four-way deadlock on third place with the Blue Jays (who stand at 9-4-2 overall), along with Widener and Lycoming in the Commonwealth standings at 1-1-1.

Danielle Klim ‘10 and Megan Gillespie ‘12

Women’s Tennis

Megan Gillespie and Danielle Klim entered the MASCAC Individual Tournament, having only lost once as #3 Doubles partners.  On Saturday, the duo advanced out of the first round and captured the fourth seed for Sunday’s quarterfinal round, where they won again, defeating Jen Bader and Maria Cometa of King’s College in a thrilling 9-7 set win.  But winning meant moving on to face the top seeded #3 Doubles pair of Michelle Knight and Rebekah Shanamna from Wilkes ,who held Gillespie/Klim pointless in an 8-0 win for the eventual #3 Doubles Champions.  The duo went an impressive 14-2 overall this season.

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News OP/ED, Page 2

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News OP/ED, Page 2

Opinion: Katrina Still Plagues the Nation

Imagine this: You have no electricity or running water. You’ve heard about a storm coming but that’s the least of your worries. You survived Hurricane Betsy so this one shouldn’t be that bad. The house you stand in is the very pinnacle of your life. You watch people evacuating and wish you had that luxury. If a storm comes, what will your disabled daughter do? If a storm comes, where will you go? If the storm floods your home, where will you live?

These are all things that went through the head of Ms. Daisy, one of the women featured in a recently released film, Trouble the Water. In the film, viewers follow a family led by Kim ‘Kold Medina’ Rivers and her husband as they battle Hurricane Katrina and survive her aftermath.

In the film, viewers get a first hand account of the days before Katrina hit and the damage she left behind, but not from the perspective of your everyday videographer. Rivers is the woman behind the camera and she tells a story like no other.

I saw the film with a phenomenal group of AU students who belong to the American Catastrophe and Words of Mass Destruction first-year seminars, but the opportunity was certainly my pleasure. I can’t speak for other peer mentors but I can say that this experience is benefitting  me to a degree that I never expected.

Besides being able to hang out with a great bunch of students, the course has reopened my eyes to something that my brothers and sisters are still dealing with today. HURRICANE KATRINA is not over. Her aftermath still plagues much of New Orleans and the Gulf even 3 years later. Many of the homes of the Ninth Ward are still damaged. Most of the residents haven’t returned. And can you blame them? They would be returning to a New Orleans that is so unfamiliar to them that they wouldn’t know what to call it.

When I say Hurricane Katrina isn’t over, I’m referring to the social-economic struggles that the residents of New Orleans still face today. Being displaced from the only pace you call home is a tragedy but not ever being able to return is much greater. Feeling as if you are a castaway in your own country has to be one of the most disturbing emotions. What I believe to be troubling them the most today is pain and anger…a pain and anger that much of our country has forgotten about.

Like many things that become commodified tragedies in American history, the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina has escaped the primary agenda of our society and, most certainly, our government.

A recent update on CNN.com describes how actor Brad Pitt has helped move a few families back into their old neighborhoods in the Lower Ninth Ward. Pitt and his foundation helped rebuild over 150 homes with contemporary designs unlike the traditional French styles. Many of the homes feature modern elements like solar panels and “green” appliances.

Although Pitt has helped to remodel parts of one of the most damaged districts, his efforts land on deaf ears. As the federal government focuses on other situations in American society, people who called New Orleans home are not a priority. And as the stock market scares us all into hiding beneath the covers, we forget about what we could and should be doing for people who could have been our neighbors, grandmothers and uncles.

So here is the challenge: I challenge you, Arcadia University student, to put yourself aside and think about what you could be doing. Think about Charles, a man who lost his wife in the storm and had to find her lifeless body 6 months after the hurricane passed. Think about Brian, a recovering addict who lived in a group home at the time of the storm and became homeless once it hit because he had no proof of residency. Think about the hundreds of men, women and children who lost their lives and will never see their hometowns again.

You can do something. The students in my learning community think that change for New Orleans starts with education. Educate people you know. Tell them that just because Mardi Gras happened in New Orleans, that doesn’t mean the entire area is flourishing.

Tell them that the French Quarter is not all of New Orleans. Tell them that their donations will go far but their time and hard work would go further. Tell them to volunteer. The people need you. Arcadia’s Community Service is going back to the gulf for Alternative Spring Break this year, so get involved.

Tell them that the next time they walk into their home or visit their place of worship or favorite restaurant to think about the thousands of Gulf Coast residents who no longer have this privilege and if things remain the way they are, they never will again.

From the Editor’s Desk…

To Our Faithful Audience,

Because you were so patient and understanding we thought we would reward you with a gift. This week, the back cover is a free Phillies Poster courtesy of the Tower and our Entertainment Editor Jake Scalici who designed it.

Sorry we missed you last week, but we had some technical difficulties that prevented us from putting out an issue. For the weekend we lost the Internet, which is a vital part of how we retrieve and write stories and, most importantly, how we send the issue to our printer. To make up for it we added four jam-packed bonus pages for your reading pleasure.

So sit back, watch the Phillies game, and enjoy what this week’s Tower has to offer. I’d ask for feedback, but I know we probably won’t get any. In any case, we hope you’re satisfied with what we managed to put out (clearly we’re pulling out all the stops if we’re giving away posters).

Until our next installment,

Tyler Peckham
Editor-in-Chief

Couple Saws House in Half in Settlement

On Friday, October 10th villagers in rural Cambodia witnessed a divorce settlement like no other. 42-year-old Moeun Sarim and his wife of 18 years, Vat Navy decided that as a part of their break-up, they would split the house…literally.

The couple finalized their divorce last month but Navy claims her husband made the peculiar request to have the house split. Sarim brought relatives and friends to help saw the 20 x 24 ft house down the middle.

Navy adds that her husband called for a divorce after he accused her of having relations with a local policeman. All of the accusations, she says, are hugely false. She told local officials, “He wanted a divorce, and I said, ‘Let’s divorce.’”

Navy now lives in what’s left of the house, which is still standing. Her ex-husband’s half is dismantled at his parents’ house where he now lives.

This only makes you wonder what Sarim would have wanted to do with the kids and the car.

-Maya Stewart

Man Eats 20 Pound Burger

A man named Brad Sciullo took on the challenge of being the first person to ever eat a 20 lb. burger. On October 17, Sciullo finished this monster morsel in 4 hours and 39 minutes, finishing within the five hour time limit set by Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub. The meat alone was 15 lbs., but after adding the bun, lettuce, tomato, cheese, onions, etc., the finished product was just a little over 20 lbs. of greasy goodness.  The restaurant, located in Clearfield, PA, awarded him $400, three t-shirts, and a certificate to hang on his wall so all will be reminded of the sacrifice his heart had to make for just $400 dollars.  I’m sure the heart attack coming within the next few days will be well worth it.

-Danielle Trout

Teenager Changes Name to Web Address

A 19-year-old girl decided to take an act of protest to a whole new level. The former Jennifer Thornburg successfully changed her name to cutoutdissection.com, “cutout” for short. Her new name is also the web address for an anti-dissection page for the group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. It is also the place where she is interning. The former Jennifer first became uncomfortable with dissection in middle school with a school assignment to cut up a chicken wing. “I normally do not have to repeat my name several times when I am introducing myself to someone new”, she said. Surprisingly, her parents are okay with the decision. “It will take me a while. She’s still Jennifer to me. I understand why she’s done it. Believe it or not, I totally respect it,” said her father.

-Gina Merlino

Man Pays for Meal with Marijuana

In Florida, a man was arrested for perhaps the most bizarre incident ever involved in a fast food restaurant. Shawn Pannullo tried to pay for a McDonald’s meal with marijuana. Pannullo was at the drive-thru window and attempted to pay for his food with pot.  The cashier called the Indian River Counter Sheriff’s Office with a description of the vehicle and police arrested Pannullo and found marijuana in his car. He was charged with possession of cannabis and posted $500 bail. It was certainly a bizarre case. Maybe it is a sign of bad economic times or someone who misinterpreted Harold & Kumar go to White Castle.

-Gina Merlino

God Wins Lawsuit

Everyone now and again blames God for things going wrong in their lives, but Nebraska State Senator Ernie Chambers actually attempted to sue God.  He claims that the Almighty is responsible for, as quoted previously by The Associated Press, “wide-spread death, destruction, and terrorization of millions.”  Judge Marlon Polk ruled that the case could not be presented in court. The reasoning was that court officials did not properly inform God of the lawsuit against him because of his unlisted home address.  Chambers may appeal for the permanent injunction against God.  Perhaps Chambers should look to sue others for the death and destruction of millions of people, for example, his employer.

-Danielle Trout

News OP/ED, Page 3

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News OP/ED, Page 3

The Juice Can’t Seem to Stay Out of Trouble

It seems like old O.J. Simpson, now well into his golden years at 61, never really learned his lesson after he was cleared of murder charges thirteen years ago. The former NFL player was recently arrested with heavy charges yet again. This time, however, he carries the heavy burden of twelve charges which include conspiracy to commit a crime, robbery, assault, and kidnapping with a deadly weapon. Simpson could now spend fifteen years to life in prison after Clarence “C.J.” Stewart, a co-defendant, and O.J. were found guilty for the robbery of two sports memorabilia dealers (stealing photographs, footballs, a phone, etc.) at gunpoint in a Las Vegas hotel room on the night of September 13, 2007 (a little more than a year ago). Simpson reportedly led a group of men to break into the room in the Palace Station Hotel to take the Simpson memorabilia by force. Apparently what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas and “The Juice” was arrested three days after the crime was committed. For those who think O.J. got away with murder back in his famous murder trial in 1995, justice is finally going to be served, and this time the glove definitely fits.

The verdicts that proclaimed O.J. and C.J. guilty came thirteen years to the exact day after a Los Angeles jury acquitted Simpson of killing his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Ronald Goldman. Coincidently, Simpson carried out this crime on the day the book about his ex-wife’s and Goldman’s murders was published. Goldman’s father, Fred Goldman, is apparently thrilled with Simpson’s incarceration into jail, where he believes “the scumbag belongs”. Neither Simpson nor his partner in crime testified during the trial, and witness testimonies were sometimes “conflicting and contradictory”. Simpson claims, however, that the sports merchandise had been stolen from him and he was simply trying to recover his property. Simpson admitted to taking the items but denied breaking into the room and denied the claims that he or the people with him carried weapons. “Why are they not in trouble?” Simpson asked concerning the memorabilia dealers, named Beardsley and Fromong, according to police reports. Both men testified for the prosecution, although Beardsley agreed Simpson was “set up” and that the man did nothing wrong.

The stoic murderer-turned-thief sat quietly at the defense table as he listened to the verdicts being read and he reportedly showed little emotion. However, defense attorney Yale Galanter spoke with Simpson after the verdict and said he was “extremely upset, extremely emotional”. On the other hand, Simpson’s sister, Carmelita Durio, was sobbing uncontrollably and even fainted as her brother was escorted out of the courtroom. Paramedics had to be called for help.

Sentencing is set for December 5, 2008, and America has yet another O.J. trial to deal with. This one, however, may earn him his very own cell in Nevada State Prison for the remainder of his life. Though this one certainly doesn’t have the shock value that his first trail did (people are used to crazy, old O.J. now), it will be an interesting one nonetheless.

Scams and Fraud Attempt to Keep Philadelphia Voters Away from the Polls

This presidential race could be considered one of the most heated and involved in recent history. With the nomination of Barack Obama for president on the Democratic side and since the selection of Sarah Palin as Republican Vice Presidential nominee, America has seen an outburst of political involvement. For Obama, his strongest assets comes from two demographics: the African American vote and that of the “young people”, that is to say, college students and other eighteen to twenty-somethings like yourself.

Given that, it is fitting that these groups have been the targets of myths and rumors, both nationally and right here in Philadelphia, intended to keep potential voters from the polls.

Earlier this month, fliers were  spread in Philly claiming that anyone with outstanding warrants or unpaid parking tickets could be arrested if they show up at the polls to vote this election. The information is false, and the fliers were distributed in the areas around the campuses of the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel, and Philadelphia Community College as well as the predominately African American neighborhoods in that area.

“They were signed anonymously, no one’s figured out who’s behind it, in the new technology age it is easy for people to do things like this anonymously,” said Zach Stalberg, the Chief Executive Officer of the non-profit group, the Committee of Seventy, a non-partisan organization committed to protecting the rights of voters.

The flier encouraged potential voters to stay away from the polls for their own protection. It was written as a letter from someone who claimed to hear that undercover officers would be stationed at polls to catch offenders as they attempted to vote. The writer then claimed to have heard this information in class, suggesting that he or she is a student at one of the surrounding universities. According to Stalberg, although initial blame was targeted towards a disgruntled Republican supporter, Republican’s have rebuffed the idea, saying that it could very well have been from a Democrat to give them a bad name.

“The fliers were put out a while before election day which is a little unusual, a little out of character,” said Stalberg who would have predicted a flier like this coming out only a few days before an election, as opposed to many weeks before. This added time allows groups like the Committee of Seventy to inform voters about its inaccuracies.

To be clear, potential voters need not worry about any outstanding traffic tickets or warrants, but there are some necessary things to know before going to the polls. For new Pennsylvania voters there will be some important information given by mail. “They should get their voter registration card in the mail. They will get a post card saying that they are in the file and where they go to vote. Also it will tell them if they need to have ID. If they’ve already been registered they will not get a new voter card, but they will get the postcard. So they get anytime between Tuesday and Saturday before Election Day. It will tell them whether or not it is handicap accessible,” said Bob Lee, Voter Registration Administrator at the  Philadelphia Board of Elections.

As for the facts on hoaxes like the flier, “They don’t need to know the facts, they just need to take their voter ID and another ID. If someone tries to take away their right to vote, then they should just go to vote anyway, they’re all distractions and nonsense,” said Lee.

If for some reason the voter registration card does not arrive in time, then a valid Pennsylvania drivers license, a student ID, or a passport will suffice. Students should also check with their county to make sure they are registered if they have any questions. For students registering at Arcadia, the number for the Montgomery County Board of Elections is 610-278-3275. The number for the Philadelphia Board of Elections is  215-686-1500 for those registered in Philadelphia. Additional myth busting (for example you will not lose your financial aid by registering at your school) can be found at the Committee of Seventy website, http://seventy.org/Elections_Election_Myths_Exposed.aspx.

View Points, the AU Parents’ Weekend Edition

Who won McCain and Obama’s Town Hall Debate?

Bob Dean,

“It didn’t seem like they were answering the questions, I just think they’re not on the right page as far as what we need. They didn’t explain their views or ideas how they’ll help us.”

Stacy Ricks,

“Obama did! McCain really didn’t answer the questions, he just went around the questions.”

View Points interviews and pictures provided by Photography Editor Ash Wise.

News OP/ED, Page 4

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News OP/ED, Page 4

Opinion: We Always Pay for their Mistakes

Since we were all little kids, we have heard our parents, principals, and teachers preach, “You have to be ready for the ‘real world’ because it is going to be a lot harder than you think.”  The problem is that when our parents, principals, and teachers were giving this gloomy speech years ago they had no idea of the dire situation this country would be currently facing.  Not one of our elders who gave us this lecture encountered the same type of pressure and uncertainty when they made the transition from being a college student to entering the workplace, and they can not fully understand what we are soon going to experience.

Young people never seem to get the respect they deserve in society.  One example is the current presidential polls; cell phones are never called for polling when it is known that 90% of people that are twenty-five and younger do not have a land line.  Our opinion and outlook is too often overlooked.  Many people from the older generation feel we do not have the knowledge or experience to solve problems, when in reality we are going to be the ones who are going to be responsible for fixing the problems placed upon us by previous generations. These same people do not complain when it is us young Americans who pay into their social security system.  We pay but, more than likely, when it is our turn to collect social security forty years from now it will not be there because of more careless mistakes by previous generations.

Essentially, the old people messed up and we are the only ones who are going to be able turn this around because it is not, by any stretch of the imagination, an overnight process.  It is going to take many years for a complete recovery.  We have had no say in the horrible, crippling decisions that have been continually made in our political and economic system, but now as we all get ready to go out and attempt to get jobs, buy houses and cars, and begin our life in the ‘real world’, we are going to be the ones suffering the consequences of countless mistakes.  It’s not fair, but it’s fact.

Under the George W. Bush administration, our country has borrowed hundreds of billions of dollars from nations in the same fashion as a college kid asking a friend for five bucks at Wawa.  “Borrow and spend” should have been the slogan for this administration.  Running the country on a credit card has put us in incomprehensible debt, and made us extremely dependent on foreign nations’ economies.   Currently, our nation is in debt at an estimated $10.2 trillion and the deficit has grown on average $3.3 billion a day since September of last year according to US News & World Report.

With that being said, where is the money for the new $700 billion plus bailout, just passed by the government, going to come from?  The only two options available include taking the hit now and pay as we go with the necessary evil of taxes.  The other option is if the government continues to plan on borrowing money from other nations, like China, in an effort to pay for the plan and put the country in an even weaker economic situation than we already currently face.  Regardless, the people who will have to pay the bulk of all this debt directly in taxes, or indirectly in an even more unstable economy, are the people who will be around the longest, us, the young people.  When previous generations bought their first house they were not under anything close to the scrutiny we will soon be under.  It was much easier to “grow up” and start your own life back then.

According to Monster.com, 60 percent of today’s college graduates move home with their parents after graduation and that number is going to continue to rise.  It is very possible that interest rates will sky rocket even higher than they currently are on credit cards, car payments, student loans, and house mortgages.  With all the analysis that the economic and political “experts” lay out there, the simple fact is the American people are going to have to pay the consequences for the mistakes.  If a sports team makes a ton of mistakes during a game, they lose.  We, as a country, have made a ton of mistakes and we have lost.  Once we realize this fact, we can begin the healing process and fix this country and restore its reputation as the greatest, most powerful, wealthiest country in the world.
Our generation has the burden of dealing with consequences of this problem and the responsibility to be an active part in fixing the problem.  We are the hope for the future.  Once again it might not be fair, but it is fact.

Barack Obama Comes to Abington

It began on the night of the Vice Presidential debates. I was watching them with some real enthusiasts for Barack Obama, most of them Arcadia students. As Arcadia is a very liberal college, it should come as no surprise that many students enjoy getting together to watch the weekly debates. It might have something to do with the constant entertainment provided, especially when the lovely Alaskan Governor, Sarah Palin, makes a spectacle of herself, as she always seems to do, no matter if you’re on Barack Obama or John McCain’s side. I agree that the American people like to be able to relate to their government officials; however, I don’t think we want someone who describes the average American male to be “Joe Six-Pack”, as the candidate for Vice President.

Mary Cracolice, our hostess, began discussing Obama’s big visit to our own Abington High School the following day. I was really looking forward to going, but faced with the choice of missing classes, and being that I’m a very studious young woman, I decided I couldn’t go. As my night wore on I began to see Facebook statuses informing me of how many of my Arcadia friends would be going to this once in a lifetime opportunity. As someone who never misses a golden opportunity when it’s presented, I grabbed at my second chance to go. So there I was at two in the morning, running around charging my camera and deciding what to wear. I thought to myself, “You never know you might get to meet him”. I frantically called my mom, telling her the exciting news, and she brought to light the fact that if it was two-thirty am, perhaps I should try and rest; I agreed since we were leaving at six-thirty am.

My Manor girls and I were up before the sun rose and were on our way to Abington High School. Of course we stopped for some coffee and stereotypically found Dunkin Donuts full of police officers dressed in their very best, undoubtedly in case Obama stopped in to join them for a donut.  As we parked and began walking down the hill we found that we made it at a pretty decent time of 7am. Yes, it was an ungodly hour to any young student but there were some Arcadia students, such as Libby Kimport and company that arrived around 4am, and had made a little camp-out adventure of it.

Very excited, we took our place in-line about one hundred yards from the gate. Now all we had to do was wait two more hours before we could enter the gates at 9am. As time went by, we watched security setting up metal detectors and saw the masses of people grow into the hundreds that attended. We may have been sleep deprived, but we were certainly glad to have arrived early enough to make it through the gates shortly after 9am. As we were all herded through security, it felt like the hours of waiting would all be worth it. As our group made its way to the right side of the stage I began to shoot all the different camera angels of the podium so that when Obama was center stage I would be ready. Of course, that wouldn’t be for another two hours since he wouldn’t speak until 11am.

Meanwhile, I would have to work to keep my prime spot from all the late arrivals trying to shove their children, armed with their cameras, in front of me and my friends. That’s one thing I learned: don’t mess with amped up college students at an Obama rally. As we all watched the ever-growing line of people on the outside, we counted ourselves as the lucky ones. One minute it seemed that the huge field was wide open and the next there were crowds of people who had been packed in behind us. You could begin to feel the intensity of the eager crowd. I was beyond content. I thought this man could be the next President of my country, and I was going to be right there in the front row to hear his promises of a better future for my country.

As the final hour came about, we couldn’t believe it had been four long hours since our adventure started. We were tired and ready to see Obama! When vans and buses started pulling up, the crowd began to go insane. We heard speeches from several Obama campaign members and Abington’s representatives. A ten year old girl even led the whole audience in the Pledge of Allegiance.

It was a heart pounding moment when security finally led a smiling Obama up to the podium on my side of the stage. The people began cheering for Obama; it was like an adrenaline rush. I went crazy taking his picture and joining in the Obama chant. As he started to speak, the crowd slowly quieted their excitement. Every time Obama mentioned making college more affordable the groups of Arcadia students, placed throughout the waves of people, could be heard above all others. I found myself hanging on his every word and felt like he was speaking directly to me. Being an Arcadia student, I especially felt the pains of tuition prices.

After his speech, Obama made his way around the barricade, shaking hands with people in the front of the blockade. Suddenly the hundreds of people behind us where pushing us forward and we were lucky to have an arm hanging over ready to catch his hand. A friend of mine, Kelly Parmiter, President of Pride at Arcadia, was enthralled to have fought her way through the people and was front and center when Obama came around to shake our hands.  She recounts her personal moment with Obama, “When he finally got around to us, and he shook my hand, I held on a little longer than I should have so he would look at me. He did, and I pointed to him and said, ‘You need to focus on LGBT issues!’ He looked directly into my eyes and said, ‘You got it’. I know, I know, it doesn’t seem that big, but to me, it was huge.”

I vaguely recall my handshake with Obama; it seemed to last forever, yet I know it happened more quickly than I thought. Right after his hand gently slipped out of mine and he was onto the next person, I just stood, stunned, and stared at my friend and we both just screamed and jumped up and down with tremendous excitement. It was most definitely with a feeling of having just experienced a once in a lifetime event that can hardly be described. I personally will never forget the ridiculous softness of Obama’s hands, and how I felt as he had been speaking genuinely to his people.

Student Life, Page 5

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Student Life, Page 5

Mr. Beaver 2008 Does not Disappoint

Where in the world is Mr. Beaver? Well, he just flew in from Alaska in the form of Sarah Palin Saturday, Oct. 18.

This year’s annual Mr. Beaver Pageant filled the gymnasium with Arcadia students and friends to witness the crowning of the new Mr. Beaver. Students were entertained by the comedy of Baron Vaughn, who was a great hit. Students who attended this event were encouraged to come and enjoy the annual male pageant, while donating canned foods for charity in exchange for extra raffle tickets towards prizes given out throughout the event.
Contestants this year included Jonathan Porcasi as El Woods, Matt King as John Travolta, Raymond Reinhardt as Posh Bechkam, and Shawn Lovett as Sarah Palin
Each contestant performed in a series of four categories, swimwear, formalwear, talent, and Q and A. In each category performed, contestants competed in the costume of their character along with the hall, club, and sports teams who nominated them.

The event was emceed by Baron Vaughn, a comedian who has been featured on VH1’s “Awesomely Oversexed,” and in the movie Cloverfield.

Vaughn began his act with a joke about singer/songwriter Lionel Richie’s 80’s classic, “Hello.” “That is the creepiest song ever written,” joked Vaughn

His act ranged in jokes about the “10 second rule,” all the way to one about cereal and a high school experience where he mistook breast milk for left over milk transferred from a gallon jug over to a water bottle.

While Vaughn regaled the audience with jokes, the judges deliberated and came to a decision.

The emcee announced the votes, with King as third runner up, Reinhardt as second, and Lovett as the new Mr. Beaver.

The crowd, unhappy about the results began to chant for a recount. “John Travolta should have won, ” said a member of the audience. The John Travolta character was a favorite of many, especially in the talent competition, where King dressed as Travolta, dressed as Edna Turnblad, signing “You Can’t Stop the Beat.” But overall, the judges decided on Lovett’s portrayal of Palin, who had the crowd roaring in laughter during her debate
However, never in Mr. Beaver history has there been a recount conducted after the final results were announced, therefore, the results are standing.

When asked about the whole experience, the newly crowned Lovett was eager to speak. “It was great and I’m glad Arcadia enjoyed seeing me show off too much leg,” joked Lovett. He says he couldn’t have done any of it without the help of his friends and hall mates.

Audience members didn’t walk away empty handed, though. In addition to an evening of fun and excitement, several prizes were given away by SPB, including cash, gift cards, and the ultimate prize, a brand new iPod nano.

Rocky Horror Show Delights and Entices

Arcadia opened up this year’s theater schedule with a bang. The Rocky Horror Show was led by an impressive cast that delivered a play known for its raunchy comedy, taboo subject matter, and homo-erotic overtones. This cast did more than give it justice- they brought the characters to life in a musical that presents no small challenge to the actors.

The show was headlined by Sophomore Adam Darrow as the infamous Dr. Frankenfurter, senior Ernie Miles as the ghoulish Riff Raff, sophomore Laura Gould as Magenta, sophomore Beth Seybert as Columbia, and seniors Lauren Otis and Dustin Karrat as the young finances Janet Weiss and Brad  Majors that were unlucky (or maybe lucky) enough to stumble upon Frankenfurter’s castle. Arcadia alumni Charles Illingworth IV even returned for the Adonis role of Rocky.

The chemistry in this cast is prevalent throughout the show. The comedic timing is spot-on and  each actor really becomes their character. Adam Darrow, as Frankenfurter, was an excellent choice. His costume and movement during his songs gave the performance a burlesque show style that any good Rocky production should. Otis and Karrat hit their roles exceptionally well, with Karrat looking like a mix between Buddy Holly and the father from Fox’s American Dad. The most stand out performance, however, goes to Ernie Miles as Riff Raff. His body movement and facial expressions take on a life of their own throughout the show, often getting some of his best laughs when he isn’t even speaking. Ren Manley also did an excellent job with the makeup for both Frankenfurter and especially Riff Raff, whose facial expressions and features were a big part of the show’s success.

Narrator Hugh Henry Wyatt adds some great comedy as well with his stoic pose and dry humor that is a mixture of a college professor and James Lipton of Inside the Actors Studio (in a good way).

The singing numbers were some of the highlights of the show, which makes sense, this being a musical. The numbers “Damn it Janet” and “The Time Warp” were personal favorites from among the seventeen songs in the production. Lighting and sound was done well, but during many of the solo musical numbers the audience was left guessing at the lyrics. This reviewer was sitting in the back half of the theater, and at times it was very difficult to hear the otherwise excellent singing. Single voices were continually drowned out by the background music. Only Brad Major’s and Frankenfurter’s solos came through completely clear over the music. Despite this, the singing was excellent and when more than one voice was involved the acoustics were very good.

From the beginning to the end this show promises some great laughs. Characters got laughs not just from their lines, but also their interactions with each other. Excellent chemistry is apparent among this cast, easily some of the best seen at Arcadia’s shows. And for a reviewer that has made almost every one of Arcadia’s shows when not studying abroad, this will go down as my favorite so far- and I don’t expect it to be dethroned anytime soon.

Student Life, Page 6

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Student Life, Page 6

Incident Log for Public Safety 10/03/08-10/09/08

Each week the Tower displays noteworthy incident logs from Public Safety’s database. All names and specific residences are always kept private.

10-5-08

Theft:
A student on a bus trip from campus had money taken from her purse.

10-6-08

Theft:
At 6:08pm a student  reported the theft of several pieces of clothing left in a dryer at the Kistler Hall laundry room.

Minor Disturbance:
At 8:44pm there was a minor disturbance inside the library when an unidentified woman would not produce identification.

10-7-08

Theft/Lost property:
Between 12:20-2pm a student placed their wallet under a desk in Taylor Hall.  The wallet was discovered missing when they were leaving the room.

10-8-08:

Harassment:
A student reported that, at about 11:30am, while walking with another student  along Church Road going back to Oak Summit 2 males, inside a white 4-door older model car, made some inappropriate and harassing remarks and comments to the students.

Theft/Lost property:
Student reported that on Monday, 10-5-08, they had left a wallet unattended in a study room and when they returned it was missing around 6pm.

SAFTY TIP:

1. Please do not leave your property unattended in common areas.

2. Be alert while walking. Walk in pairs.  Walk facing on-coming traffic.

3. Call for an escort if needed.

4. Notify Public Safety immediately of any unusual occurrences.

Knights’ Nook

Arcadia’s Own Miss Majestic answers ALL of your questions about love, life and the library!

Dear Ms. Majestic,
I don’t think Arcadia is for me. I thought this place was perfect when I came to visit last year but now, I’m not so sure. I don’t think I fit in. People here are very different from the people at home and I don’t think I’m ever gonna get used to it. I feel really awkward in my classes and the people on my hall are just different. What am I supposed to do? I don’t want to transfer because my classes are really awesome and I love my professors. The problem is just the people around me. I don’t fit in and I don’t know what to do about it.
Out of Place

Dear Out,
You poor thing. I can only imagine what you are going through and I wish there was an easy answer for what you’re dealing with. I’ll assume that you’re a first year student and of so, this is very typical of students like you. You feel like you don’t fit in because no one fits in. At college, you’ll find that everyone goes to the beat of their own drum. Some peoples’ drums beat in sync for different reasons and others don’t. And that’s ok! Don’t pressure yourself to fit in because then you’ll force yourself to be something other than what you are. I suggest you join a few clubs that interest you. At least you’ll have something in common with all of the people who are there. You may even make friends with some of the members and find time to hang out with them at other times. What ever you do, don’t force it. It’s still early in the semester and you have plenty of time!
Ms. Majestic

Dear Ms. Majestic,
I don’t think my professor likes me. From the first day of class I knew there was something peculiar about him but I didn’t know what it was. He seemed like a pretty friendly man but now that’s all changed. He always gives me these weird looks during class and my friends have seen it too. He grades my assignments really hard while he gives my friends all A’s for doing half the work. He never answers my emails or phone messages-which is really starting to annoy me. I’m at the point where I don’t wanna go to class anymore because he makes it impossible for me to deal with him. I don’t want to get a bad grade but I don’t think that I have control over that anymore. He’s horrible!
Pissed off

Dear Pissed,
Wow. I’ve had some difficult professors but none that sound like this. First, you shouldn’t give him any ammunition to use against you in the future so I suggest you go to each and every class. Be prepared and complete each assignment according to directions. Do all of the extra credit assignments and submit everything on time. If he really does have something against you, don’t give him anything to add to the problem. At the same time, if you feel like his behavior is out of line, try saying something to him. I understand that you may feel awkward doing this but that’s how mature people are supposed to handle situations like this-by talking it through. You could even have another faculty member present to help mediate. If all else fails, you have only have 6 more weeks left!
Ms. Majestic

I am coming to you this week from a much better place. For the first time, I have finally been able to manage my time table and make it to all of my classes. This place is a lot of work to wrap your head around. Besides being impossible to find anywhere you ever need to go, it also requires a lot of prior preparation in all facets of your life.

I spent my week doing the required reading, supplementary reading and then taking notes. I feel almost like a real student. I have to say, I still haven’t been able to get my sleep regimented, and I am starting to think that will never be possible.  When the other 20 people that live on my floor aren’t running around the halls and barging into my room demanding that I join them in gallivanting around like I have no work, we are all out in London doing ridiculous things. I find that between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. is the best time of the day to either get things done or disco nap because it is honestly the calm before the storm. My halls make living on third Thomas my freshman year seem even more boring if possible.

Besides work and insomnia, I also spent my week agonizing over the British banking system. If you go to school at a British university they all seem to have reciprocal agreements with different banks and it is supposed to make your life easier. Surprise surprise, it doesn’t! I don’t want to slander a particular banking institution but let’s just say King’s works with a bank called ‘FatVest’ and FatVest IS supposed to woo me into opening an account by offering me a student rail card and all of these other great student gifts. I was caught in their web and skipped down to the local branch with my passport and address verification letter in tow.

Beginning this jaunt on Monday, I seemed to find the branch closed every time I went there. After the third day of this I was not so happy, so I went to my local branch and, after waiting there, they told me to bring them a different letter and then everything would be okay! Well the next day I followed their specific instructions and, what do you know? Still not enough! After talking to at least four FatVest employees that were unable to project intelligent or coherent thoughts through words, I found myself at yet another bank hoping they would be better at everything. Finding myself at a bank that isn’t getting crucified in the stocks, I now have an appointment to open up an account this week. I won’t be getting a swag bag but I think I will at least get some quality service.

I’m not sure whether poverty or the exchange rate will be the cause of death on my certificate but if the money spending keeps going at the rate it is, I won’t be able to write this column for much longer because I will have to sell all of my belongings on eBay. It seems my word count has run out for this week so have a good one and let’s keep our fingers crossed that Sterling takes some insane nose dive and the US Dollar is remarkably worth 30 pounds!

Each week Arcadia Juniot Jennifer Pahcheco gives students a peek into her study abroad journey in London.

AN INSIDER’S VIEW OF WHAT SEX REALLY IS

Walking the dog, double clicking the mouse, having some fun with “JILL,” the one handed mambo, and having some personal time.  Confused? Well, I’m talking MASTERBATION! It’s the safest form of sex…ever.  Come on, you know you love doing it and if you don’t, well maybe give it another shot. Here’s a fact for you, “Surveys have shown that 80% of males and 59% of females have masturbated by age 18. “  Now that’s a good lot of us.  Next time you’re sitting in class look around the room and think how many people probably masturbated in the last twenty-four hours!  That’ll make biology lecture much more interesting!

Next time you are stressed out, go to your room, lock the door (This is an important step! When your roommate walks in on you cranking one out, don’t say I didn’t warn you!), and get down and dirty with your self!  Why in the world does this help relieve stress, when you should be working on that paper for English?  Masturbation releases endorphins, which is the pleasure hormone, and makes you more relaxed. So take a break from studying already!  You know the best thing about masturbation?  It lets you know EXACTLY how you like it, so when you’re with your next partner, you can give them some tips on how to make it the best experience ever! You could even try tempting them by a visual demonstration of how you like it.

If you’re thinking, I like touching myself, but sometimes I need a little extra something then hold on to your…hat! We’ve all talked about sex toys and some of us have even been lucky enough to see “Big Blue” during orientation, but do we dare buy one?  Where do you even start with finding the perfect one for you? There is a great selection out there of sex toys, for use alone or with someone. Dildos, vibrators, clit stimulators, butt plugs, anal beads, and pocket pussies are just some of the items you can get to help please yourself. Any of these sound interesting to you? Some of them do to me; loving myself is a great way to spend a lonely Saturday afternoon.  You can get these fun-filled toys at an adult store or, if you want to be a bit more discreet, you can order offline. Though that would make an interesting trip to the mailroom.  Imagine opening that package in the Chat! Now, if you don’t have the money to buy a toy for yourself here’s a website I found that has some, well, imaginative ideas for homemade sex toys: http://www.homemade-sex-toys.com.  Feel free to give them a try and let me know how they work.  Try it at your own risk. Remember that  I am not at fault if you hurt yourself in the process of getting off!

So are you ready to go have some fun with yourself? You know I am!  Here are some websites you can feel free to check out yourself.  And don’t forget to LOCK YOUR DOOR!!!!

http://www.store.sinclairinstitute.com

http://www.adameve.com

*kiss kiss*

-Sex and Candy

Entertainment, Page 7

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Entertainment, Page 7

Arcadia Theater Season Preview

Got the mid-semester blues? Were your six-week evaluations much worse than you had expected? Well, take your mind off all of your problems and enjoy an evening or two at Arcadia’s Little Theater, where another great season of theatrical entertainment is awaiting an audience!

Following in the tradition of some of the remarkable actors who were veterans of the Arcadia stage in recent years, such as Marc Lombardo, Cindy Spitko, and Peter Roccaforte of last year’s graduating class, the actors in this year’s shows, such as Dustin Karrat, Ernie Miles and Lauren Otis, are sure to continue the tradition of fine performances on Arcadia’s campus.

“I like to make people think and I like to make people laugh,” says theater department chairman Mark Wade. “Last year, I am told, we were short on laughs, so I tried to make up for it this year.”

Make up for it he has, because a lot of fun and funny shows are lined up. What better way to put a little more fun into the start of the theatrical season and put everyone in the mood for Halloween than to start off with Richard O’Brien’s cult classic “The Rocky Horror Show”, which runs in the Little Theater from October 16th to 26th. For those unfamiliar with the show, it is fair to say that it defies simple summary, but everyone in it does a great job and you should see it if you can. But be warned- it draws very large crowds, if opening night was any indication.

“It’s gonna be an awesome experience,” says senior Ernie Miles, who plays Riff Raff in the show. “I think it’s gonna be probably the best musical that Arcadia has put on in many years. It should blow some minds, I hope.”

While most of the season will indeed contain lighter fare than has previously been offered, the first of two Chat shows will be this year’s only drama, Doug Wright’s “The Stonewater Rapture”, a story of teenage life in the Bible Belt, which runs from November 7th to 9th.

A week and a half later, the lighter side of the Little Theater returns with a production of “The Wind in the Willows”, an adaptation of the classic children’s novel by Kenneth Grahame, which runs from November 20th to December 7th and is sure to delight theater goers of all ages.

After a month or so of winter break, you can finish the year with some laughs as Arcadia presents three great comedies in a row. First is Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s darkly absurd “The Visit”, a satire of greed and other human foibles, from February 19th to March 1st.
Christopher Durang’s bizarre and hilarious “Beyond Therapy” is next, a farce involving a young woman’s attempts to cope with some rather unusual relationships.

And in the Chat, the year’s final production, Gore Vidal’s wonderful satire “Visit to a Small Planet” about a time-traveling alien’s plan to conquer the Earth for fun and profit, runs from April 24th to 26th.

All of these shows are sure to be great fun, so don’t miss ‘em!

For show times, visit http://www.arcadia.edu/theater

Brew Review: Keswick’s G.G. Brewers

Nestled on the bottom of the hill just past the train station lies G.G. Brewers. To many it may be surprising that there is a brew-pub at just a twenty minute walk (or stumble) from Arcadia. Although I’ve been going there since I turned 21 like it’s some sort of ritual, I thought this would be a good place to begin for this first edition of the Brew Review. As a general rule, I like to come on Wednesday’s for the three dollar entree menu, but I’ll leave that up to you. But no matter what day you come, the beer list should be the same. Beers are rated as a full glass being excellent, three quarters as good, half as so-so, quarter-full as below par, and an empty glass meaning ‘Natty Light.’

Keswick Light
The Keswick light is by all measurements a pretty standard light beer. I had hoped for more of a differentiation from most American-style light beers (Miller Lite, Bud Light), but it comes across as a beer with the flavor knocked out from under it.  So pretty much a  standard American-style light beer. That said, it goes down easy and its flavor isn’t offensive, but the idea here is to enjoy the beer you’re drinking, and for that I’d order something else, personally. On the other side, I know some of us are trying to watch our girlish figures here, and if light beer’s your thing, this is the one I’d go with out of the two on the menu. Let me put it this way, I would have a Keswick Light over a Bud or Miller any day.

Red Light Ale
This light ale comes off a bit too strong in its raspberry flavor (hence the ‘red’ of the title) and leaves a bit too much to be desired in its finish. It starts off with a fruity nose that is not altogether bad, but the beer lacks a true hoppy flavor that its ale nomenclature suggests. For a light beer it does hold its own in the flavor department, but I would not choose the words “full bodied” as the best description for this one. I would recommend this to the novice beer drinker looking to make the change from fruity mixed drinks to the wonderful world of beer; but for the experienced drinker, I’d hold off for some of the better selections on this menu.

Laughing Wolf
This lager has a mellow, hoppy taste with a very clean finish. While some might question Laughing Wolf’s lack of a strong flavor, I think its smooth taste works well for this particular lager. Laughing wolf puts value back into the word “drinkability” that has lately been sullied by the major domestics like Budweiser and Coors that claim the word as their own. Keep an eye out for the pleasant taste of the hops that pervades in this brew, but beware of how easy this one goes down. I recommend starting out your night with this one to loosen up before you move up to some of the more complex flavors in the likes of Brown Eyed Girl or the Harvest Ale. Take it from me: I wouldn’t drink any more than one or two unless you plan on calling a cab for the ride home.

Brown Eyed Girl
Brown Eyed Girl starts off with a creamy head and a dark body that lets you know right off that you’re in for a walk on the darker side of the beer spectrum. The body has a malty flavor at first that finishes with a bitter bite to it. This is the most bitter beer on the menu, so for those of you into that I would recommend it. I really liked the malty flavor, and hope to see more like this in the future.

Harvest Ale
I’ve always wondered how a beer like this would taste on tap, and I can now say that it is excellent. This beer tastes like pumpkin pie and Christmas all mixed up into one tasty and alcoholic beverage. This is one of those great specialty beers, spiced ales that are typically put out by breweries like Saranac (which I’ve heard is excellent, by the way).  Take a good whiff of this beer before taking the first sip and let its cinnamon aroma sink in. From there on, the mixture of all spice, cinnamon, and clove only gets better; this is like the dessert of beers. Too many of these will leave you feeling a little full and your taste buds over-saturated, so I would only have a couple of glasses of this in a sitting; but they might just end up being the your favorite drinks you have all night.

Amberly Eyes
One thing I noticed right after I received my Amberly Eyes was the lack of a foamy head. The suds were almost non-existent, and for me the head is like the welcome mat of the beer. So, without the proper entrance, the rest of the flavor did not really click with me. In short, Amberly Eyes came off as too sweet. The sweetness dominated the other flavor in the beer, not allowing the drinker to appreciate what else was going on. There was a bitter taste that worked really well, but again, was hard to pinpoint. I’m not sure if I got a bad pour (I came in on a pretty packed Saturday as opposed to the laid-back Wednesday atmosphere and, there being only one set of taps, things might have been rushed), but this was not a beer I would readily go back to.

Entertainment, Page 8

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Against Me! – New Wave

• JAKE SCALICI- Going mainstream does mean losing your touch for these Springsteen loving punks.  Don’t believe me? Ask a host of media sources (Spin said it was the best of 2007) and, despite some initial hostility, the band’s die-hard fans.  Simple punk, catchy melodies, and relevant song writing keep New Wave brief and poignant.  If you aren’t totally captivated by tracks like “New Wave” and “Thrash Unreal”, just listen to the sixth track, “Borne on the FM Waves” featuring a stunning collaboration with Tegan Quinn.  Against Me! may have a major label release but it rocks straight from Main Street.
• HUNTER HOLLIS- A mainstream album is usually the downfall of a great indie band, but this is not the case concerning New Wave by Against Me! Against Me! is a band from Naples, Florida. The band was formed in 1997, which means that they have been around, making positive additions to the indie music scene for a little over a decade. New Wave has experienced mainstream success, being named the best album of 2007 by Spin Magazine. Many Against Me! fans feel like New Wave is hyper produced and that the band was more concerned about a catchy hook on this album than getting a message across. While New Wave is an album where the melodies are what is likely to be the first thing to catch a listener, Against Me! hasn’t abandoned the meaningful lyrics to go along with their hooks. Songs like “White People for Peace” show off the band’s ability to create an album for the old fans and new ones that may just be in it for the tune.

The Ting-Tings- We Started Nothing

• JAKE SCALICI- The Ting-Tings have attitude.  When their video for “Shut Up and Let Me Go” hit FNMTV last summer (What happened to that?), the Ting-Tings’ brand of techno-infused Brit-pop hit airwaves everywhere.  We Started Nothing is cavity-sweet and has more hand claps than Sarah Palin’s puck drop at the Flyers game.  We Started Nothing has rave tracks (“Great DJ” “Keep Your Head”), slow jams (“Traffic Light”), and a little rock (“Fruit Machine”).  Sure the Ting-Tings seem like a campy everyday one-hit-wonder, but listen closer because We Started Nothing has some big fangs.
• HUNTER HOLLIS- The Ting-Tings is a two person band that originated in Greater Manchester, England. The band is taking a new spin on Brit Pop; and their debut album, We Started Nothing, is a blend of quirky music and even quirkier lyrics that may get a “WTF” from first time listeners. The Ting-Tings’ sound is definitely unique and they are incomparable to most other bands, unless the step is taken to call them a White Stripes rip-off band in reverse (the triangles in the Ting Tings’ video for “Shut Up and Let Me Go” and the White Stripes video for “Seven Nation Army” solidify this comparison for me). While the Ting-Tings’ sound is unique, it gets to be a bit far-fetched at times. There are songs on We Started Nothing, like “Fruit Machine”, which have dull lyrics and seem to be about nothing at all, and songs like “Impacilla Carpisung” with indecipherable lyrics that really are about nothing all. “Traffic Light” is a toned down and enjoyable song on the album, with lyrics that can be understood and sung along to. Besides the few singles that would catch any radio listener’s ear, We Started Nothing is an acquired taste.

Jack’s Mannequin Walk on Glass

Typically, a release date being pushed back foreshadows a great album, something that’s being reworked to perfection and fans should be excited to listen to on repeat for weeks after the release. The Glass Passenger by Jack’s Mannequin, released on September 29th, didn’t quite do that.

Jack’s Mannequin is a band from Orange County, California. The band’s lead singer, Andrew McMahon of Something Corporate, is also its founder. McMahon has battled with leukemia and the fear that his illness would keep him from properly promoting the band’s first album Everything in Transit. He overcame his cancer and Everything in Transit fared well it’s opening week.

Jack’s Mannequin’s sound hasn’t changed too much. It’s still catchy piano rock with lyrics by McMahon, but rather than the songs being upbeat “driving songs”, they are all slow, slightly depressing songs that don’t convey that good old Jack’s Mannequin joyfulness. And after getting halfway through The Glass Passenger, the “didn’t I just listen to this song?” feeling starts to kick in. It’s like listening to “Rescued” (a more drawn out song from Everything in Transit) fourteen times. The subject matter in each song is pretty much the same throughout; all of the songs are sort of melancholy and Andrew McMahon is still talking about the solar system.

“The Resolution” is the first single off of The Glass Passenger, and is the best song to single out and pull from the sluggish, dull mess that the album can become. “The Resolution” begins slowly and then picks up at the first hook. McMahon also delivers what a fan would expect of his on this track, lyrically. The first song on the album, “Crashin”, is a good opening for the album and the song “Bloodshot” is a fun song that could easily be sung along too and has hints of a Maroon 5 soulfulness at times. However, on “Bloodshot” the hook gets a bit too… “hooky”. The lyrics seem repetitive, rather than something that needs to be repeated. The Glass Passenger, unfortunately, has no equivalent to “Dark Blue” or “Holiday From Real” from the first Jack’s Mannequin album.

The Glass Passenger wasn’t a complete bust, but it didn’t live up to the first Jack’s Mannequin album. A majority of the songs weren’t worth listening to more than once and those that were still didn’t live up to Andrew McMahon’s full potential.

Entertainment, Page 9

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The Scramble

A Brief Look at New Media

TV on the Radio- Dear, Science

Go out to the news stand and pick up your monthly copy of Rolling Stone, Spin, Alternative Press, pretty much any music magazine, really, and you’ll find something on the latest album from Brooklyn dance rockers TV on the Radio.  Most of the press is a sounds like “ album of the year bait” or “career defining” making Dear Science, one of the biggest critically acclaimed albums since, well, their last release Return to Cookie Mountain.   TVOTR push their unique brand of funky dance rock further than they have before, but Dear Science really isn’t the bees knees, if you catch my drift.  Sure the album has more handclaps than a PGA Tour event and enough grooves to keep you moving all day, but unless you’re into what TV on the Radio is bringing to the table, don’t believe the hype.

Of Montreal-Skeletal Lamping

Of Montreal, frontman Kevin Barnes is a fan of change.  In the beginning, he found himself as a lo-fi indie rocker — a minimalist with sunny guitars and warm falsetto melodies (not to mention the Outback Steakhouse song).   Starting with last year’s Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?, Barnes has morphed Of Montreal into a Prince meets Freddie Mercury prog-pop collage.  Skeletal Lamping comes out of left field with Animal Collective style samples and 80s club beats, not to mention some down-right addictive tracks.  The opener “Nonpareil of Favors”, and second track, “Wicked Wisdom”, might not do it for you, but listen on and you’ll find plenty of moments to replay over and over again.  My recommendation: the sixth track “Gallery Piece” and its Ziggy Stardust era Bowie sound.

Body of Lies Directed by Riley Scott

In the realm of action movies very few directors combine those edge-of-your-seat, nail-biting thriller sequences with solid story telling and actor choices like Ridley Scot does.  Whether it be the dead-on presentation of Black Hawk Down, or the “holy shit this is crazy” moments of American Gangster, Scott has a gift for putting together style and story.   His latest project, Body of Lies, stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe as CIA operatives working to take down terrorist cells.  From the previews and commercials, Body of Lies boasts tons of action (check out DiCaprio’s trigger happy Jeep chase seen) as well as a few twists and mind games (Crowe and DiCaprio’s characters work together, but not really).  Body of Lies looks to be a must-see movie this fall.  DiCaprio’s stock is always on the rise and, really, when has Russell Crowe done something bad (I’m talking movies of course)? Add in Scott and a big budget and Body of Lies looks the perfect recipe for a thrilling roller coaster ride set across a Middle East war zone.

Game of the Week: Fracture

With the holiday season approaching rapidly (wierd huh?), the Tower will be taking a look at a new video game each issue. So if you have any gamers on your list, take note, and this year things can be quick and easy.

Shooters seem to be the hardcore gamer’s dream on any system.  The overall game of the year for the last two years has been a shooter (Gears of War, Call of Duty 4) but not only one with epic gameplay or a badass story.  Both GOW and COD4 were innovative in their approach to their respective types of game.  While Fracture might not win game of the year for 2008 it does offer one of the most cerebral shooters ever.      Set in the year 2161, you play a soldier in the Alliance Army, a group of Americans from the eastern side of the United States.  The purpose of the Alliance is to take down the Pacificans, a group from the western side.  Lucas Arts opted for a run and gun third person shooter with mediocre controls, but they more than made up for one blunder with the innovative weapon and cover techniques.  Using a gun called the “Entrencher” the player can move the earth around him (if its natural ground) up or down.  The ability to make cover by using the ground, not to mention a physics system that takes climbing into account, make Fracture a thinking man’s game.   So if you bought Halo 3 thinking it was going to be good, I’d say check out Fracture and enjoy the ride.

Eagle Eye Not so Dead-On

There’s nothing more frightening than the thought that someone is watching your every move. It’s always been a popular theory that the government could hear you and track you via telephone. In D.J. Caruso’s Eagle Eye, airing on Sept. 26 in both regular screenings and IMAX, the plot’s main focus is on this exactly–that there is someone who can easily track down and control virtually anything via technology.

The movie starts off with a stereotypical government-initiated military blunder and quickly evolves from there to introduce Shia LaBeou’s character Jerry Shaw the brother who was always second best to his sibling and a rather ordinary young man who would later on whip out fighting styles that easily beat those of highly trained law enforcers. Next comes a high-strung single mother named Rachel, played by Michelle Monaghan,
who is lured out of a bar by a mysterious woman’s voice on her phone, threatening her young son’s life, and then thrown into one of the movie’s several high-speed car chases.

After his latest role in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, which received less than stellar ratings, LaBeouf returns and takes on a more serious role and, with it, an inferiority complex and scruffy face. He brings with him the sharp witticisms LaBeouf fans are so used to and, paired with Monaghan’s character, they make an odd couple as they run across the country, all the while attempting to either disobey or follow the directions of a female voice that contacts them through the use of various electronics.

The movie combines several frightening aspects, including the dangers of our current technology and the misinterpretations of the United States laws, as well as incompetent government officials. But then again, rarely has politics ever been portrayed as a good thing in any sort of movie.

While the movie does not lack in the suspenseful action thrill-seekers crave, the movie is so fast-paced and so full of exploding vehicles and violent deaths that it seems altogether unbelievable–and not in the good way. There is just too much crammed into the space of two hours, and even then the movie seems like it should have ended twenty minutes before it did in order to seem more plausible. The plot had the characters wandering around in useless circles, doting around here, doing barrel rolls there, and jumping back and forth so often from one place to another that by the end of the first hour the viewer is wondering why they can’t just cut to the chase and head straight. There are a lot of destinations that are altogether pointless, and seem to be thrown in just to up the action ante.

To the viewer who’s after a good, action-packed movie with more explosions than a Mission Impossible sequel, Eagle Eye is the movie to see. With more fire and car chases than makes sense, the movie offers bizarre and out-of-the-world logic, but this can be covered by the highly intense action that doesn’t seem to know how to turn itself off.

Sports, Page 10

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Sports, Page 10

Knights Comeback Attempt Falls short

Arcadia University Field Hockey found themselves down 4-0 to Cabrini College well into Thursday’s second half of play before scoring a pair of goals, erasing any Cabrini hopes at a shutout win.  Cabrini’s 4-2 victory gives them an overall record of 12-4, while the Knights fall to 4-11 with five games remaining. The Knights travel to tough Commonwealth opponent, Messiah, this Saturday.

Cabrini scored a pair of quick goals at the ten minute mark of the first half to take a 2-0 cushion into the break before adding their third, just one minute into the second half.  The visitors then added their fourth unanswered tally in the 39th minute before the Knights would respond.  Arcadia’s Adrienne Altera scored off a pass from Ashley McCarthy on a penalty corner at 40:26 to cut Cabrini’s lead to 3-1.  McCarthy then notched a tally at 16:35 off of a penalty corner to cut Cabrini’s once four goal lead in half, 4-2.  Beth Harris picked up the assist on McCarthy’s score. Despite outshooting Cabrini 18-13 in the second half, the Knights failed to convert any more shots into goals, settling for the 4-2 loss in non-conference play.

Arcadia keeper, Brittany Rasmussen, made the start in the cage, but was relieved of her duties after allowing four Cabrini scores.  She finished with 4 saves.  Rachel Palis finished the game in net for the Knights, making 8 stops with no goals against her.  Ashley Griffith and Ashley McCarthy each notched a defensive save for Arcadia.

Knights Drop Tough Conference Match in Lebanon Valley

Arcadia dropped a close 1-0 game to Commonwealth Conference opponent Lebanon Valley Saturday afternoon in women’s soccer action.  The Dutchmen snapped Arcadia’s eight-game, unbeaten streak as they improve to 8-3-2 and 2-0 in Commonwealth play.  Arcadia falls to 6-5-2 and 0-0-1.

The Knights traded opportunites with Lebanon Valley in the first half and out shot the Dutchwomen 6 to 4. Second half play began with both teams battling in the midfield and Arcadia nearly struck gold at 58:46 as Samantha Calhoun sent a free kick in toward Lebanon Valley keeper Alyson Reitmeyer.  Reitmeyer bobbled the ball but eventually reeled it in keeping the score at a stalemate.

The Dutchmen capitalized on a misplayed ball by Arcadia keeper Jaquelyn Eckert at 66:33, as Sara Drabenstadt served a ball from the right side in front of Eckert and Christine Fraser poked it in for the eventual game winner.

Arcadia outshot 16-10, while the Dutchmen held a 3-0 advantage in corners.  Reitmeyer finished her shutout performance with 5 saves, while Eckert made four stops.

Dutchman Remain Perfect in Commonwealth with 3-0 Win at Arcadia

The Dutchmen of Lebanon Valley College made it thirteen straight as they remain a perfect 4-0 in Commonwealth Conference Women’s Volleyball with a 3-0 victory over the Knights of Arcadia University Wednesday evening in Glenside.  Overall, the Dutchmen improve to an impressive 24-2 while the Knights fall to 8-13 and 1-4 in league play.  Game scores were 25-15, 25-16, 25-17.

Game one featured competitive play with the two teams nearly playing point for point until the Dutchmen built a 15-9 lead, complements of a few Arcadia miscues on the front line.  The LVC lead would grow to 18-11 as some big kills eventually sealed the 25-15 game one win.  Arcadia took a 4-3 lead to open the second game but allowed the Dutchmen to take a 7-4 lead that would grow into a 25-16 game two victory.  While the Dutchmen seemed to control the pace of the third game, Arcadia pulled within three points  as sophmore Kim Lomas hit a powerful solo block to pull Arcadia within two, 10-8.  Arcadia held strong and rallied back again to pull it within two at 17-15 but eventually saw the Dutchmen take command and the three game victory with a 25-17 final game score.

Joelle Snyder had the hot hand for the Dutchmen finishing with 11 kills on 1 error, 4 aces, 1 solo and 1 block assist.  Erin Yost put up 24 sets to lead LVC, while Brandi Roth notched 16 digs.  For the Knights, Kim Lomas led with a team high of 8 kills and two solo blocks while Sam Schad earned 7 kills and 11 digs.  Natasha Wetten notched 11 digs and 5 kills while Rachel Glass dished out 18 assists in two games.

Arcadia travels to Immaculata University on October 25th for their next match.

Knights Held Scoreless Against Dutchmen in Commonwealth Play

Arcadia University Men’s Soccer dropped to 0-2 in the Commonwealth standings Saturday afternoon as the Dutchmen of Lebanon Valley College took a 3-0 win over the host Knights.  The Dutchmen improved to 7-6 and remain undefeated in conference play at 3-0 while the Knights drop to 5-8 and 0-2 in the Commonwealth.

Both team’ played an aggressive first half, clogging up the midfield and spreading the ball around the field but neither team could convert a score.  Despite being outshot 16-3 by Lebanon Valley, the Knights were awarded three corner opportunities but failed to connect to settle for the stalemate at the half.

The visiting Dutchmen came out on the attack to open the second stanza, scoring ten minutes in as Chris Hall beat Arcadia keeper Jeff Krathowill for the 1-0 LVC lead.  The Dutchmen made it 2-0 at 67:20 as Ethan Groff fed Justin Hutchinson for the score and at the 88 minute mark, Joe Kopchik made good on a penalty kick to seal a 3-0 victory.

Kratohwill made 15 stops for the Knights and sophomore Joe Clementi tallied a team high three shots for Arcadia.

ARCADIA KNIGHTS HALL OF FAME

Inaugural Induction Ceremony Held Oct. 10, 2008

Ten alumni were inducted into the new Arcadia University Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday, Oct. 10, in an inaugural ceremony that marked a new tradition at Arcadia–the recognition of the contributuions of generations of student-athletesa and their individual leadershp and accomplishments

“Special thanks to the Selection Committee and the Operations Planning Committee for making the Athletic Hall of Fame and this inaugural induction possible,” says Dr. Jan Walbert, Vice President for Student Affairs.

2008 Honorees

• Vicki Dougherty Bannon ‘93
• Rosemary Deniken Blankley ‘57
• Barbara Cooper Dotson ‘86
• Michael Giuliana ‘90
• Barbara Heylmun Longstreth ‘58
• Elenore Pepper ‘46
• Dorothy Germain Porter ‘46
• Brian Thompson ‘89
• Elizabeth Holton Weiss ‘60
• Jean Lenox West ‘57

Sports, Page 11

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Page 11

Gillespie, Wiseman Advance in MAS-CAS Singles and Doubles Competition

A pair of Arcadia University first years advanced out of Saturday’s quarterfinal round of singles play at the Middle Atlantic States Collegiate Athletic Corporation Individual Championship at the Hempfield Complex in Landisville, PA.

First years Megan Gillespie (Oro Valley, AZ) and Kate Wiseman (Milwaukee, WI) seemed to have little trouble with their first round opponents, advancing to Sunday’s semifinals with ease.  Gillespie defeated DeSales’ MaryKate Boylan 6-2, 6-2 at #3 Singles, while Wiseman defeated Lycoming’s Kelly Drinkard, 6-3, 6-3 at #4 Singles.  Nearly making it three Knights advancing in single play was senior Sarah Lapp(Rockville Centre, NY), taking  on Lycoming’s Rebecca Reynolds at #2 Singles.  Reynolds took set one 6-2 but Lapp reversed that with a 6-2 win in set two before eventually bowing to Reynolds 10-6 in the third set tie-breaker.

Junior Cory Mazen (Mendham, NJ) fell to Alvernia’s Jenny McKee 6-1, 6-2 in #1 Singles quarterfinals play.  Other quaterfinalists not advancing were junior Danielle Klim (Elizabethtown, PA), falling 6-2, 6-2 to Messiah’s Sarah Thow and junior Irina Samson (Waymart, PA), downed by Messiah’s Steph Knepper, 6-2, 6-4.  The duo of Sarah Lapp/Irina Samson at #1 Doubles ended their season together as Lebanon Valley’s Sarah Grodzinski and Shayna Heitzelman rolled past the Knights’ top doubles pairing 8-1.

Winners advancing out of Saturday’s Double quarterfinal play were Cory Mazen/Kate Wiseman and Megan Gillespie/Danielle Klim.  Mazen/Wiseman cruised by FDU’s Heather Gehman and Carrie Schwartz, 8-1 while Gillespie/Klim handed Misericordia’s Jennifer Spotl and Ellyn Wingert an 8-1 defeat.  Play continues today at the Hempfield Complex in Landisville, PA.

Why the Phillies Need to Win

In my 21-year-old life I have, like many of you reading this, always rooted for Philly sports teams.  Growing up in New Jersey, I had a fair share of people who affiliated with New York teams, and the occasional Dallas squad (how that works, I’ll never know) around me at all times.  Still, they were outnumbered by Philly supporters and, at the same time, the classic Philly heartbreak.  Last Wednesday when the Phillies, clinched I think, as a city, Philadelphia took a collective deep breath, one of those “this is our time” kind of things.  Around here, the Keswick area had the streets flooded, while, in the city itself, Broad St. was almost impassable as fans got out to celebrate the Phils’ trip to the fall classic.

As a city, Philadelphia needs this.  Constantly lumped in as a place full of beloved franchises with no modern success to show for it.  When it comes to sports curses, the only names ever mentioned are Boston or Chicago, but the fact of the matter is Philly has always had it worse.  Sure it took the Red Sox forever to break their curse, and the Cubs are still trying, but those cities have won hosts of other championships (come on, The Pats and the Bulls), while we Philly fans have stuck by each and every team (ok so stuck by may not be the best way of putting it) just to have our hearts yanked out in the end.  Honestly, I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve heard or said the words, “Next year is our year” or “ We showed a lot of promise, give it time”.  This time I will not say it.  The Phillies have a chance to do what needs to be done for this city and I have full confidence they will. They can take the pressure off Philadelphia, to shut up the writers, to open the flood gates of Philly sports.

Sports in general have ebb and flow about them, a karma if you will.  As much as I hate to do this, I’ll use the New England area to explain this a little more.   The Patriots come out of nowhere in 2001 , beat the St. Louis Rams, and brought a much-needed title to Boston.  They continue to be successful and in 2004 the Red Sox with, help from a former Phil with a bloody sock, break baseball’s most talked about “curse”.   The Sox are still good (who knows, they may even play the Phils — this article was written before game seven) and last year the Boston Celtics, who had very prominent year in the mid to late 80s, made huge offseason moves bringing in Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen and brought the NBA title back to the city.  What am I getting at with all this?  The Phillies could be the catalyst the city needs, It may be a stretch to some of you but winning is addictive and there is no doubt Philadelphia and all of the fans of our franchises need a fix ASAP.  There just seems to be more urgency than ever.  In 2004, when the Eagles soared into the Super Bowl, I felt like there could be no greater anticipation for a championship than that. This trip to the World Series has already trumped the Birds’ Super Bowl run.  The Phillies embody Philadelphia; their brand of baseball is scrappy, never say die type of stuff.  Two years in a row these Phillies have clawed their way to the top late in season like a good sports car shifting into 6th.  Now they’re on the home straight away, and for once I must say, I have no doubt they are ready to get the job done.

So next week when you’re at the bar, in the recliner, or sitting by the radio, never doubt the Phillies; they know the situation, they know the urgency. At the same time I’m a superstitious guy when I comes to sports so I won’t say a certain sentence or two.  I just want the pressure off of the mediocre Eagles (mediocre could be changed to good at some point this season), the rebuilt Sixers, and the seemingly abysmal Flyers.   I want Philadelphia to be able to breathe freely and get out of this rut.  The Phillies have a chance to do all of this, a chance to make people look a Philadelphia not as the toughest place to play, but as the best place to win.  This week, get out and paint the town red every chance you get.  Go Phils!!

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Page 12

Front Page

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Front Page

News OP/ED, Page 2

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News OP/ED, Page 2

News OP/ED, Page 3

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News OP/ED, Page 3

Student Life, Page 4

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Student Life, Page 4

Student Life, Page 5

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Student Life, Page 5

Entertainment, Page 6

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Entertainment, Page 6

Entertainment, Page 7

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Entertainment, Page 7

Sports, Page 8

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Sports, Page 8