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April 22, 2008
Sports
Vol. 80 Issue #27
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Hate Crimes on Campus Rainbow Banner Vandalized a Fourth Time; Hateful Gestures Appear Around Campus By Barry Nickerson Anchor Editor The series of attacks on RIC Rainbow Alliance’s advertising campaigns has continued since two weeks ago. The banner hanging in Donovan Dining Center that advertises the second half of Queer Month disappeared for the fourth time. Besides the banner, hateful language has appeared in several places on the campus. One such place is a stairwell in the western wing of Gaige Hall, where “Fags suck” was chalked to the wall. Another example is a restroom in Craig-Lee Hall that now has swastikas scribbled on the stalls. Rainbow Alliance members Aaron Buckley, sophomore, and President Jenn Vieira spoke to Student Community Government Parliament on Wednesday night about the recent vandalisms. “I talked to Parliament about how I feel unsafe on campus and I don’t see the administration actively trying to protect me and make me feel safe on this campus,” said Buckley. Buckley said that Student Parliament needs to “actively denounce this kind of behavior, because an attack on one student group is an attack against all and an attack against Parliament itself.”
Parliament unanimously four occasions. Acts of intoler- what occurred. Baptista said that he has not passed a resolution to send a ance, hatred and vandalism have message to the student body in no place in this community, and experienced any situations on the form of yet another banner in Rhode Island College condemns campus that make him feel unsafe due to his race, but that he such behavior,” said the email. Donovan. Sophomore Justin Baptista, a believes homophobia has “bePresident of SCG, Inc. Nicholas Lima said that he is member of Rainbow Alliance come more subtle, more internal” “deeply concerned about the who identifies as African-Ameri- because “if a student acted out growing number of students at can, said that he thinks it is sus- with homophobia, they would that the banner get in trouble.” RIC who are fearful of simply picious Freshman walking from one Dee Tavolaro, a building to the Secondary Educanext.” The banner has a rainbow pattern in the tion major and “A major issue background; it states: “Student Parliament member of Rainfor next semester’s condemns the hateful acts perpetrated against bow Alliance, said Parliament will be that she “gets a lot to encourage the the RIC Rainbow Alliance. An attack on one of weird looks” College Administrastudent group is an attack against us all. We around the Coltion to take a proacwill stand together to ensure that no student, lege. tive stance against “I’ve been acts which make club, or organization lives in fear of called a dyke and students feel unintolerance and hate. Wow as the Student fag on campus,” comfortable or Body look forward to the responsible party or said Tavolaro. She frightened on campus,” said Lima. parties being found and justice served. Passed said this has happened at least In response to Unanimously by Parliament on April 16, 2008.” three times this sethe vandalisms, an mester. email from Dr. Scott Tavolaro said Kane, Dean of Students, was sent to all students, disappeared with nobody catch- that during the day she feels safe, but “as soon as classes start to condemning the actions against ing the perpetrator. “It clearly shows a method,” end, I don’t feel comfortable Rainbow Alliance. “Removing or vandalizing said Baptista. “I find it suspi- walking alone on campus.” “The big concern is that a lot college sponsored banners or cious that the banner was taken other college property is a viola- down four times but no one has of us do not feel safe on campus,” tion of College policy. As re- come forward.” Baptista said said Tavolaro. “What if someone ported in our student newspaper, that there were either witnesses goes from speech to action?” A freshman who was not The Anchor, banners promoting who saw what happened to the Queer Month events have been banner that remained silent out identified has been called a stolen or vandalized on at least of fear, or who were fine with “dyke-ho” while walking near
Climate Awareness Day Kellye Martin Anchor Editor and member of the Planning Committee for Climate Awareness Day RIC’s first Climate Awareness Day was held on Wednesday April 16th. The all-day event sponsored by the RIC Geography Program, The Rhode Island Geography Alliance, and the Office of the Assistant VP for Academic Affairs took place in and around Gaige Hall, and was attended by students and faculty. The purpose of Climate Awareness Day was to promote environmental awareness as well as to connect the field of geography to other fields such as education, literature, and science. Outside on the quad, passersby could stop and learn about the Toyota Prius and Camry Hybrid, as being demonstrated by FOX Toyota of East Providence. There was also a presentation by Nat Harris of Newport Biodiesel, LLC, that ended with a demonstration on the quad of a Ford F350 Heavy Duty that ran on biodeisel. Other presentations given during Awareness Day included a Google Earth demonstration, a GIS workshop, a presentation on the disappearing Pacific island of Tuvalu, a presentation from Providence Emergency Management, a Weather Channel Weather
Classroom presentation Forcast Earth: The Current Effects of Climate Change, CNN Classroom: Broken Government Scorched Earth, and a discussion about the Human Element of Global Warming as led by RIC’s own Dr. Joseph Zornado, referencing his book 2050 Gods of Little Earth. Attendees could also have their picture taken with a giant inflatable Earth, and watch or participate in a Jeopardy style Geography Bowl. The Geography Bowl started
with a written test to narrow the contestants down to 3 finalists, which consisted of one Geography student, one teacher, and also the winner of the Rhode Island state National Geographic Geography Bee. Following the Geography Bowl was a lecture about Global Warming by a presenter who had trained with Vice President Al Gore.
Students view environmentally friendly vehicles. Anchor photo by Mike Shiel.
Gaige Hall. People have looked at her and asked, “What is that?” to her friends. “It’s ridiculous. It shouldn’t be happening,” said Tavolaro. “I think part of terrorism is letting someone control your life through fear. Tavolaro said that this is “a very specific version of terrorism.” However, Tavolaro feels that RIC is doing a lot of things right when it comes to diversity and awareness of minority groups. “The fact that we have groups for the underrepresented students is that awareness,” said Tavolaro. Tavolaro said that for the most part, there is a lot of awareness on campus. “I haven’t heard of anyone being beaten up on our campus. You hear that happens a lot” at other schools, she said. “We don’t have everything yet,” said Tavolaro. “But we’re getting there. Sometimes it’s hard, but we all get through it together.” If you know what happened to Rainbow’s banners or any of the other hateful graffiti, Dr. Scott Kane’s email contains contact information for the Department of Safety and Security. Please contact ccote@ric.edu or call (401) 456-8201.
Parliament Acts to Oppose Hatred on Campus By Aaron Buckley Anchor Staff Student Parliament convened last Wednesday to address, among a number of bylaw changes, the Rainbow Alliance’s troubles with vandalized banners and flag poles. April is Queer Month at Rhode Island College, and to celebrate, Rainbow is running a gauntlet of events from April 3rd to the 30th. Readers may recall learning about the vandalism of Rainbow’s advertising banners throughout the last few weeks in the Donovan. It took four consecutive attacks until the banners found the attention of the school administration and Student Community Government. At Parliament’s weekly meeting, the body vowed to oppose the blatant discrimination by select members of the college community against Rainbow and by proxy all of its member organizations. Scott Kane (Dean of Students) and Gary Penfield (Vice President of Academic Affairs) both pledged the support of the college administration. Parliament also mulled over the issue of flag poles. Back in March, Rainbow had requested permission from the college to have a rainbow flag hung from one of the flag poles in our quad,
in front of the Murray Center. The administration denied the request, citing an ‘administrative decision’. When the verdict was appealed, a college official again denied access to the flag pole. At a meeting, Rainbow was told that the flag was a symbol of racial diversity, not of the queer community. When challenged, the “cost of paying labor” to raise and lower the flag was raised. Challenged again, the administration complained that if the Rainbow Alliance were allowed to fly a flag, every student group would request the same right. Parliament deliberated over these issues and is considering the purchase and placement of several flag poles behind the Student Union, to be used by SCG and the other student organizations to display flags to advertise events and important holidays and celebrations. If RIC already has flag poles in the quad, our public space as students, then why does the responsibility fall on SCG to purchase additional poles? A review of the United States Flag Code shows that, as long as a student organization’s flag does not fly on level with the US flag, and it flies under the State of Rhode Island’s flag, the college would be breaking no guidelines.
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RIC Presidential Search Open meeting with candidate Alfred J. Guillaume. Jr. Tuesday, April 22, 2008 from 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. in Alger 110 Dr. Guillaume is currently the vice chancellor for academic affairs and professor of French at Indiana University South Bend. RIC END: The Newlywed Game Tuesday, April 22, 2008 from 8 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. in SU Ballroom Winners of the night will receive a night out on the town in their own private winner, Six Flags tickets, and more.
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THE ANCHOR
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Ducey Student Media Center Student Union Plaza Rhode Island College 600 Mount Pleasant Avenue Providence, R.I. 02908
RIC END: Field Day - Relive Your Childhood! Wednesday, April 23, 2008 from 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m. in the Quad Take a trip back your younger years! Be a kid again! Gladiator jousting, a moonbounce obstacle course, airbrush tatooes, candy, $200 in giftcard giveaways, and 90s themed t-shirts to remind you of the good ol’ days! RIC END: 90s Night - Saved by “Belding” Wednesday, April 23, 2008 from 6 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. in the SU Ballroom Meet Mr. Belding (Dennis Haskins) of Saved by the Bell fame! RIC Presidential Search Open meeting with candidate Nancy Carriuolo Thursday, April 24, 2008 from 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. in Alger 110 Dr. Carriuolo is currently the interim vice president for academic affairs at Rhode Island College and deputy commissioner and chief academic officer at the Rhode Island Office of Higher Education. RIC END: Future Fusion Dance Party Thursday, April 24, 2008 from 8 p.m. – 10 p.m. in the SU Ballroom Enjoy the last night of RIC End with a dance party with smoothies, t-shirts, and prizes! Baseball vs .Western Connecticut - DH Saturday, April 26, 2008 at 12 p.m. in Anchorman Field
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News
April 22, 2008
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THE ANCHOR
China’s Issues With Foreign Media By Bienvenue Ndahiriwe Anchor Contributor In the last few days, the Chinese leadership has been very critical of foreign media. As far as they are concerned, the crisis between Tibet and China has been receiving an unfair media’s coverage, especially in Western media. Of late, tension between China and the media reached its record high on April 15, 2008 when Jack Cafferty, a CNN journalist, made some comments that angered Beijing. According to the New York Times, Mr. Cafferty made his controversial remarks on April 9 while doing his daily appearance on The Situation Room, a show hosted by CNN’s anchor journalist Wolf Blitzer. When asked to give his assessment of today’s China as opposed to that of ‘a few decades ago,’ Mr. Cafferty is quoted by the New York Times as having said: ‘I don’t know if China is any different, but our relationship with China is certainly different… We’re in hock to the Chinese up to our eyeballs because of the war in Iraq, for one thing. They’re holding hundreds of billions of dollars worth of our paper. We are also running hundreds
of billions of dollars’ worth of trade deficits with them, as we continue to import their junk with the lead paint on them and the poisoned pet food and export, you know, jobs to places where you can pay workers a dol-
lar a month to turn out the stuff that we’re buying from Wal-Mart. He continued saying, ‘So I think our relationship with China has certainly changed, I think they’re basically the same
bunch of goons and thugs they’ve been for the last 50 years.’ During a news briefing on April 15, the Chinese government, through a spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, asked CNN to apologize for what it considered
a s defamatory comments toward the Chinese people. CNN made it clear that Mr. Cafferty’s comments reflect his personal views and were directed not to the Chinese people but to its government. Despite this, the spokesman of the
Foreign Ministry is quoted by New York Times as saying, ‘We are shocked at, and strongly condemn, the vicious remarks [by Mr. Cafferty] against the Chinese people. We solemnly demand that CNN and Cafferty retract his vicious remarks and apologize to the whole Chinese people.’ Prompted by the attention his statements received, Mr. Cafferty came out to clarify what he meant. He contended that when he used the words “goons and thugs,” he was merely commenting on China’s government and not its people. When and how this controversy is to fade away certainly remains to be seen. The only thing one can tell is that since the circulation of a photograph that falsely identified a police crackdown against Tibetan protesters in Nepal as having occurred in China instead, the media, and Western media in particular, has been discredited in China. It is in an attempt to show his anger that a man of Chinese citizenship recently put up an ‘anti-CNN’ website. With the 2008 Olympics Games looming, the tension between China and the media might induce Beijing to in reconsider its promise to grant full access to foreign media agencies to report on China and the Olympic games.
President Update By Kameron Spaulding Anchor Editor This week, the first two presidential candidate finalists came to the campus. They both held several meetings with various oncampus groups such as student leaders and faculty members. Both Dr. Folkins and Dr. Kleniewski answered many questions and laid out there ideas on RIC’s campus situation. Dr. Folkins is currently the Chief Executive Officer at the Bowling Green research institute. He had served as Provost and VP of Academic Affairs at the college as well. He was a professor and assistant provost at Iowa before his time at BGSU. EDUCATION Bachelor of Arts, University of Redlands; Redlands, California May 1970 Master of Science University of Redlands; Redlands, California June 1971 Doctor of Philosophy University of Washington; Seattle, Washington May 1976 Postdoctoral Research University of Washington; Seattle, Washington June 1976 through June 1977 ADMINISTRATIVE APPOINTMENTS Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Bowling Green State University, May 2000 to present. Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education, University of Iowa, July 1997 to April 2000. Associate Provost for Academic Review and Academic Support Services, University of Iowa, July 1993 to July 1997. Chair, Department of Speech
Pathology and Audiology, University of Iowa, August 1986 to July 1993. Dr. Kleniewski is currently the Provost and VP of Academic Affairs at Bridgewater State. Before that, she spent many years as a professor and then Executive Assistant to the President at the college. She has a B.A. from Emmanuel and here M.A. and Ph.D. from Temple. EDUCATION 1981 Ph.D. Temple University, Sociology 1972 M.A. Temple University, Sociology 1970 A.B. Emmanuel College, Sociology and Behavioral Sciences 2003 Certificate, Institute for Educational Management, Harvard University PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE 2002- Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Bridgewater State College 1996 -02 Dean of Fine Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences and Professor of Sociology, University of Massachusetts Lowell 1993-96 Executive Assistant to the President, State University of New York, Geneseo 1991-93 Chair, Department of Sociology, SUNY Geneseo 1991 Associate Dean of the College, SUNY Geneseo 1996 Promoted to Professor of Sociology, SUNY Geneseo 1981-91 Assistant to Associate Professor of Sociology and Co-Director of Urban Studies, SUNY Geneseo
By Amanda Hooper Anchor Staff This week’s Weird Weekly News is a good one In Eugene, Ore., Teresa Rossiter, a pet store owner, is saying that the police sergeant saved her life. Apparently, while showing a 12 foot Burmese python to a customer, it bit her and wrapped its immensely strong body around her arm and threw her to the floor. The Burmese python is one of the six largest snakes in the world. It was an awfully good thing a friend was at the pet store to keep the snake from coiling around Teresa’s neck and face. The police were called. Sergeant Ryan Nelson came in with a knife to kill the snake but Rossiter asked that the snake not be killed. It’s not every day that a giant, expensive snake is in Eugene, Ore. Nelson put on gloves and pried open the mouth of the snake. It took two more people to uncoil the snake from around the rest of her body. Suddenly, this snake does not seem as easy to sell as before. In Ely, Nev., a two year old Siberian husky returned home after running off. The twist is that she ran off about 77 miles away. Doug Dashiell was driving home when he decided to let his dogs out of his truck. He stopped in Tonopah. Moon, the runaway husky, slipped off her chain and ran off. After searching for several hours, Dashiell gave up and went home with his two other dogs. He never really expected to see Moon again. About a week after her escape, Moon turned up at the animal clinic in Ely. The
clinic worker called Dashiell and told him Moon had been taken to the clinic because she had clinic tags. She seemed no worse for wear. She did smell of skunk though. Better that than turning up pregnant as many a runaway does. In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, a police officer was arrested for breaking into a car. He allegedly broke into the car to steal the CD player out of it. He was found sleeping in the comfortable Mercedes Benz luxury seats and he was also high. The police officer has been connected to a gang who is known for break-ins and
theft. Three other cops on the force were found to have ties to the same gang. All four are being detained. Maybe they’ll learn not to sleep on a job, especially one where they are doing blatantly illegal things. The things that happen to people can be strange at times. The randomness of it really keeps us on our toes so as not to end up in this weekly column. Thanks for reading and we’ll return next week with more stupid criminals and zany events from around the world.
Sports
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April 8, 2008
THE ANCHOR
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New Women’s Basketball Coach By Bobby Kazarian Anchor Editor After a brief search for a new Women’s Basketball Coach, Rhode Island College’s Athletic Director, Donald E. Tencher, announced the new Head man of the Women’s Team will be Marcus Reilly. Reilly, who was most recently the Head Coach at the Community College of Rhode Island, takes over a RIC team that is coming off a 12-13 season under recently fired Coach Spencer Manning. Reilly’s coaching resume is an impressive one, first starting off as the top assistant coach and recruiting director for the University of Jacksonville State. During his tenure there, he helped lead the Gamecocks to its first ever Final Four of the Ohio Valley Conference and a Division I record for the school with 18 victories. Among his other accomplishments at Jacksonville
State was recruiting the team which led to the school’s first victories over SEC and Conference USA Opponents in the school’s history. Most recently, Reilly led the CCRI Lady Knights to its second straight New England Championship in his second full stint as CCRI Head Coach. This past season, Reilly led the Lady Knights to a 26-8 record. In his two separate stints as Head Coach, his team compiled an overall record of 77- 35. Along with his success, Reilly also brings a very strong talent for recruiting and developing players. Since Reilly started coaching at CCRI, his former players almost always make the transition to Division I basketball in high talented conferences. As for what Reilly thinks about joining the RIC family, he says that he is “excited to become a part of one of the most proactive Div. III athletic departments in the country. Along with my family and my stu-
dent athletes, I look forward to becoming a positive and active member of the Rhode Island College Community.� Reilly, who is a graduate of Cranston West High School, still resides in Cranston with his wife Lindsey and his two year old son Olsen.
This Week in Sports Rhode Island College Men’s Baseball (21-9) Results this Week : Tuesday April 15 Johnson & Wales University 3 – Rhode Island College 13 Wednesday April 16 Rhode Island College 3 – Curry College 2 Saturday April 19 Game 1 Rhode Island College 5 – Eastern Connecticut State 8 Game 2 Rhode Island College 8 – Eastern Connecticut State 19 Rhode Island College Women’s Softball (27-5) Results This Week: Tuesday April 15 Game 1 Rhode Island College 8 – Umass Dartmouth 0 Game 2 Rhode Island College 5 – UMass Dartmouth 1 Thursday April 17 Game 1 Westfield
State College 8 – Rhode Island College 0 Game 2 Westfield State College 0 – Rhode Island College 8 Saturday April 19 Game 1 Rhode Island College 6 – Plymouth State University 2 Game 2 Rhode Island College 6 – Plymouth State University 0 Rhode Island College Women’s Lacrosse (3-8) Results This Week: Tuesday April 15 Rhode Island College 11 – Lasell College 10 Thursday April 17 Rhode Island College 17 – Nichols College 14 Saturday April 19 Rhode Island College 10 – Western Conn. State University 23
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Sports
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April 22, 2008
THE ANCHOR
Providence Basketball Ends Fiasco KENO DAVIS NAMED HEAD COACH press about his love of the Red Sox after the press conference where he was announced new head coach. To those who worry Bob Driscoll may have saved about throwing him into big time his job last Tuesday with the signbasketball, he tried to answer ing of Keno Davis as the new those questions. Davis said head coach of the Friars. He had “Kristie (Davis’ wife) looked out to hear the drums beating as the at the gym before we came out rally for his head was starting here and said, ‘wow I’m not used over on Smith Hill. Davis looks to this’ and I told her, ‘well neito be a good fit and the fans seem ther am I,’” addressing the large to like the move towards youth. turnout at the event. Driscoll took what can only be “I met with the team and taken as a swipe at former head they are a great group of guys,” coach Tim Welsh when he said “I Davis said. “That is what it is all don’t want any more excuses, I about, getting quality young want somebody that says, ‘Hey, men. You can find talent we can get the job done.”’ anywhere but if you get “When you look around the country and you “I don’t want any more excuses, I good kids you can be a program to be proud of.” look at some of the unbelievably successful coaches, want somebody that says, ‘Hey, we When asked when he knew he was interested in the PC that doesn’t mean they were can get the job done.’” job, Davis was quick to rethe first choice when they - Bob Driscoll spond, “Immediately, when were hired,” Davis said. “It it became open.” doesn’t have to be the first Providence forward choice, it just has to be the right ture and his desire to return Friar one - so I’m looking forward to Basketball to national promi- Jonathan Kale added, “I was ecnence. His hiring is one of the static when I heard the news this proving them right.” Davis was the 2007-08 U.S. many steps we have taken to im- morning.” With the search beBasketball Writers Association prove the Friar men’s basketball hind them, the Friars can now unite behind their new head Coach of the Year at Drake in his program.” “That’s all I can ask - is our coach and prepare for the next first year as head coach. Davis led Drake (28-5, 15-3 Missouri players’ best effort,” Davis told season. All their players, except Valley) to a Top 25 ranking and reporters after a news conference for Charlie Burch who graduated, put the Bulldogs in their first introducing him as coach. “How will be returning. There are also NCAA tournament since 1971. many wins that means, I don’t many unconfirmed reports that In the tourney, his Bulldogs lost know. I’m not going to put a Dwain Williams may transfer, ruin one of the best games of the number out there that we have to mors that only grew when he whole tournament on a buzz live up to or live down to de- was the only player not at the pending on how successful we Davis announcement. beater to Western Kentucky. Now Providence can move are.” Then Davis joked with the By Kameron Spaulding Anchor Editor
on from the debacle that has been the last year, highlighted by a horrid handling of the hiring process. Providence had already offered the job to George Mason’s Jim Larranaga, Massachusetts’ Travis Ford and even Davidson’s Bob McKillop but they all turned the Friars down. “I believe Keno Davis has the knowledge, passion, commitment and ability to bring Providence College basketball to another level,” Athletic Director Bob Driscoll said. “From the first moment I met Keno, I was impressed with his competitive na-
Fox on Fire By Ryan Fox Anchor Contributor Hello everybody and welcome to Fox on Fire ala Anchor Edition with yours truly giving you the lowdown on what’s going on in the world of sports. Happy Jackie Robinson Day: Last Tuesday, April 15, was the second year Major League Baseball had Jackie Robinson Day. For those who don’t know, that specific day marks when baseball legend Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in major league baseball when he played his first game for the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers on April 15, 1947. In 2007 to honor his achievement, MLB dedicated every April 15 to be Jackie Robinson Day. And to those who wonder why players or even whole teams wear #42 on their jerseys, here’s a little clarification. The #42 jersey that you sometimes see players wearing is actually Jackie Robison’s jersey number which was retired on, you guessed it, April 15, 1997. However, with the permission of Rachel Robinson, Jackie Robinson’s widow, and MLB Commissioner Bud Selig, players are allowed to wear #42 on April 15 to honor Jackie Robinson. So next year when April 15 rolls around, don’t forget to say “Happy Jackie Robinson Day.” Red Sox/New York Yankees Media Hype: There has been a lot of Boston/New York buzz in the past few weeks that, not sur-
prisingly, the sports media (especially the Boston sports media) has blown out of proportion. Remember the incident a few weeks back where a hawk attacked a girl at Fenway Park? That only got hyped up because the girl’s name was Alexa Rodriguez and she was 13 years old (Alex Rodriguez, the Yankees’ third baseman, has jersey number 13) Then last week, you had the infamous Red Sox jersey being buried in the site of the new Yankee Stadium. And just last Thursday, the big commotion was Yankees relief pitcher Kyle Farnsworth throwing at and hitting Red Sox outfielder Manny Ramirez after Manny hit two home runs earlier that game. However, all those incidents were all hyped up by the media. The incident with the hawk and girl was hyped up because of the name and number connection. The buried jersey in the construction site of the new Yankee Stadium got hyped up because of the lengths a fan will go
to try and foil a rival team. And with Manny getting beaned by Farnsworth, it was given press because of the competitive nature between the two teams. After that happened, Manny and the Red Sox merely shrugged the incident off. Moving on, I think maybe the media is just pouncing on every little Boston/New York incident they can find. It’s entertaining to watch this classic baseball rivalry but I would also like to watch other baseball and sports news that doesn’t involve the Red Sox and Yankees. Big Green: Nope, I’m not talking about the Hulk. I’m actually talking about the Boston Celtics. Yup, who would have thought they’d not only make the playoffs but be the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference, have the best record (66-16), and have a 25-5 record against teams in the supposedly dominant Western Conference. I mean, just last year everybody wanted to run both head coach Doc Rivers and Ex-
ecutive Director of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge out of Boston. Now they are praising them both and praise should be given. By acquiring All-Pro forward Kevin Garnett and All-Pro Guard Ray Allen via trade to help compliment current Celtics Guard Paul Pierce, they have created what some call to be the next ‘Boston Big 3.’ Also signing free agent veteran guards like James Posey, Eddie House, and Sam Cassell and drafting Forward/Center Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis, the Celtics created a strong bench with mixed young talent with veteran leadership and overall create a balanced, team chemistry where everybody wants to chip in to help. With those two components in place, you can say that this could be the year that the Celtics bring home a championship. Olympic Buzz: To people who are unaware of what is going on, here’s a quick synopsis: The 2008 Summer Olympics are being held in Beijing.
China is oppressing the province/region of Tibet, which wants its independence. And now people all over the globe are protesting this and they are turning their attention to the Olympic Games. There are some protestors who are going as far as to try to boycott the Olympics and even one protestor tried to put out the Olympic Torch. To all protestors out there, I want you all to pay attention when I say this: LEAVE THE OLYMPICS OUT OF THIS. The Olympic Games is the most cherished competition in all of sports history. It gives young men and women from countries the chance to bring glory and pride to not only themselves but to their respective nations. The Olympics also help promote peace and unity between countries through means of friendly competition rather than wars. So if you’re going to try to protest over what China is doing to Tibet, try boycotting China-made products and let the athletes’ performance during the Olympics do the talking. If you want to hear more or discuss more on sports or sports news, tune to Fox on Fire on the radio, Saturdays from 8-10 a.m. or e-mail me at Zero_Fox18@hotmail.com. That’s it for now and until next time. This is Ryan Fox saying goodbye and go RIC Anchormen and Anchorwomen.
April 22, 2008
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Say Yes, Yes, to No, No, Nanette By Jessica Albaum Anchor Editor Oh, the 1920s! It was a time filled with corny musicals with spectacular dancing. No, No, Nanette was no exception to this. Rhode Island College’s production of No, No, Nanette was a treat for the eyes and ears. Roberts Hall was abuzz with laughter on Friday April 18. The scenery, costumes and lighting worked together in perfect harmony. The bright colors entranced those witnessing the performance. The costumes were dazzling, filled with sparkles and, most importantly, were appropriate for the time period. The wigs were excellent; they could have been mistaken for the actor’s real hair. The orchestra, comprised of RIC students, did a good job. I feel that if there had been more time for rehearsal, they could have been even better. Every once in a while, I caught a wrong note being played from the pit. Thankfully it was not distracting. Typical of a 1920s musical, the plot had twists that were predictable but pleasing. Nanette, a young girl “wants to raise some hell” before settling down, lies to her beau and goes to Atlantic City. Other mishaps cause her aunt and her friend and her uncle with his friend to also go there, unbeknownst to each other. Of course, hilarity ensues and everything turns out well in the end. The actors in this comedic romp were well cast and impressive. The show opens with Pauline (Talia Triangolo) who steals everyone scene she is in. Her comedic timing caused the audience to laugh until their sides hurt. Mrs. Early (Kristen Quarterone) came out as a triple threat in this show. Her dancing, singing and acting skills were on display. Nanette (Danielle Marcene Trial) was cast especially well. She was sweet, young and naïve. I don’t think Bill Wilson, the director, could have cast someone more per-
fect for that role. I do, however, believe that she could use some more work on her vocals. She has great raw talent when it comes to singing but she could be even better with more training. Jimmy (Stephen J. Gaskin Jr,), Billy (Kevin Martin) and Tom (Justin Robinson) were all entertaining to watch in their respective ways. Kevin Martin as Billy made dancing look easy. Stephen Gaskin added humor and was committed to his character Jimmy. Justin Robinson gave Tom a beautiful voice and a vulnerability that is hard to achieve on stage. The Four Happies were hilarious Flora (Manon Yoder Kreider), Betty (Jennifer Selke), Winnie (Hayley Woodbine) and Fifi (Ashley Rodrigues) showed off their singing talents as well as their “assets.” They each had very distinct characters that added their own level of comedy into the show. The choreography by Angelica Vesella wowed me over most out of everything. It was original, adorable and appropriate for the time period. I especially liked the beach scene. The fabric used to make water had a great effect and added even more humor to the scene. The show was well received by the audience. It was very close to being full in Roberts Hall. The audience laughed, clapped, and in some classes sang along (which was annoying). I heard several people, including myself, leave the theatre singing “I Want to be Happy.” No, No Nanette was a fun evening filled with entertainment. It was wholesome and comedic at the same time. That is very rare nowadays. I almost wish that RIC shows ran for two weekends so that I could go see it again and bring more friends. Unfortunately, everyone will have to wait until next year to see another musical at RIC.
Anchor photos by Alex Tirrel.
Anchor Elections On Wednesday, April 23rd at 12:30pm The Anchor newspaper is holding elections for its editor positions for the 2008-09 school year.
Executive Editor Editor in Chief of the newspaper. This position holds executive power and legal responsibility for the newspaper. Managing Editor In charge of managing staff and being an effective liason between the editorial board, staff, and the Executive Editor. Business Manager In charge of the budget and all treasury responsibilities. Public Relations Manager In charge of public relations, events, recruitment, etc. News Editor Responsible for maintaining the news section, writing news stories, and encouraging staff to write news stories. Arts & Entertainment Editor Responsible for maintaining the A&E section, making sure that on and off campus events are covered, and encouraging staff to write reviews and previews.
Graphics Editor Responsible for the comics section of the newspaper, creation of newspaper’s graphic content, and encouraging staff to contribute comics. Experience in PhoSports Editor Responsible for maintaining toshop a must. Experience in the Sports section, making Illustrator a plus. sure that all major on and Ads Manager off campus sports events are covered, and encouraging Responsible for the management of ads, communistaff to write. cations with ad customers, and keeping track of payCopy Editor Responsible for making ments in conjunction with sure that all content is up to the Business Manager. the AP Style standards for Technology Editor grammar, syntax, and Responsible for maintaining spelling. the newspaper’s website, and maintenance of office Layout Editors Experience Two positions. Responsible technology. for the layout of the news- troubleshooting in hard paper. Experience in ware and software for both QuarkXPress or InDesign a PC and Mac a must. must. Distribution Manager Responsible for the distriPhotography Editor Responsible for the photo bution of the newspaper to content of the newspaper, the entire campus, as well as Roving Reporter, taking pic- maintaining the archives. tures of on and off campus events, and encouraging staff to take photos of events. Opinions Editor Responsible for maintaining the Opinions and Lifestyles sections, and encouraging staff to write.
SIGN-UP FOR ELECTIONS OUTSIDE ANCHOR OFFICE
The Anchor Do you enjoy writing? Drawing? Design? Photography? Do you care about what is going on around campus? Sports? the arts? Have an opinion? Want friends? Looking to add to your resume? or get involved on campus? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you belong in The Anchor! anchorweb.org Meetings Wednesday @ 12:30pm in the Ducey Media Center 456-8280
Opinions
Page 14
April 22, 2008
THE ANCHOR
Questioning The Safety Of Diversity By Barry Nickerson Anchor Editor Hate crimes, repressed races and genders, discrimination— who is really to blame? It seems that when we search for answers, each side is blaming the other for reasons of being too “accepting” or too “strict.” Radical rightwing folks blame the left for being too “liberal” and allowing people to express themselves in ways the right deems “inappropriate;” the radical left-wing folks blame the right for stifling their creativity and allowing backlash. With all these old white men in suits bickering over the fate of America’s youth, what are we, the Rhode Island College student body, supposed to do? Should we express ourselves freely or silence the ones who do so? The gap between these two extremes is widening; now more than ever, this student body is dichotomizing, and we are seeing signs. We see these signs when we walk to class and see things like “Fags suck” and “Die fags” written on walls in Gaige Hall. We feel the fear our ancestors felt when we find swastikas scribbled all over a bathroom in Craig-Lee Hall. When people shout racial slurs as we walk through the Quad, we feel stifled and shunned. When banners are ripped down, an entire campus community is erased from the big picture. I had always considered myself to be one of those “in-be-
tween” sorts; I don’t overtly advertise my diversity and I believe in full freedom of expression for those that do. However, my mental blocks and restrictions were called to question last Friday when the Rainbow Alliance held their annual Drag Show. Dressing up as a woman and performing on stage? Me? It felt surreal and like something I just wasn’t ready to do. Stepping into someone else’s shoes—literally— seemed like a step farther than I was willing to go. In a way, I was afraid. I am not afraid to put on a dress (why should I be?), but to go into public in front of a soldout crowd as a drag queen and face this school’s student body seemed very intimidating. It was not because I am afraid of further marginalizing myself; it was something of the knowledge that just maybe the people who spread their hate throughout the school with their vandalisms could be sitting there in that audience. Maybe they had guns. Maybe I’d get killed for expressing myself in public. After all, it happened to Lawrence King in February—and he was in middle school. Lawrence King was an eighth grader in California who was shot in class because he asked another boy to be his valentine. His memorial Web site is filled with messages of condolence and, sadly, a portion of people who believe that it’s the left-wing’s fault for letting him express his sexuality. After all, if he had remained
silent, he’d still be alive, right? But then he would have been lying to himself and to the world. That is how I felt that night when Rainbow asked me if I would perform. Some of the competitors had not shown up; I felt a call inside me that said, “Go ahead and do it.” That little devil on my shoulder tried to hold me back. The other side of my conscience (probably my Cancerian tendencies) was telling me to stay safe and low, and sit with my friends in the audience. What is the fun in sitting, when I could be dancing? I had been to a bunch of drag shows already. It was time to perform. A girl I had never met before that night took me to her girlfriend’s apartment and dressed me up as fantastic as twenty minutes of finding the right sized stuff for a broad-shouldered guy can allow. I went on that stage and danced with my friends to “Argh I’m a Pirate” by Zolof the Rock and Roll Destroyer. Many of my friends associate that song with me; I wanted them to know that even though I was buried under makeup and
could barely walk in those heels, I was still the same person I was when I was sitting in the audience, ready to write the article about the Drag Show for the Anchor. No matter what we wear or what our skin color is or where our parents came from or where we were born, we all still bleed the same red blood. Everyone is human; we are all rock stars in our own rock-and-roll worlds where we are the normal ones and everyone else is kind of strange. Everyone should shine as the stars of their lives and share their light with everyone no
matter how different they may be. We all have families and friends who love us no matter who we are. Why is this so hard for people to see through? We only live once; why choose hate when love is so much more fulfilling? To hell with survival of the fittest. Everyone has the right to life. Barry Nickerson is a junior, a Math major, and openly gay. Barry sees “Fags suck” on the wall every time he walks to a math class—three times a day.
Anchor photo by Mike Shiel.
Thoughts From The End Of The Rainbow: An Open Letter To Two Members of Our Campus Community By Andrew Stewart Anchor Contributor I usually spend a few days thinking and mulling a column over, composing in my mind the order and organization I wish my syntax to use when expressing my ideas. However, recent developments implore me to wing this off quickly on what is an otherwise beautiful day that I could be using to improve the shade of pale in my mostly Mick skin. I refer to the non-stop vandalism of the Queer Month poster in Donovan. This is an open letter to two people on this campus. You know who you both are, so I won’t name names. In fact, I only know one of your names, but I’ll keep it private because you have chosen to do so also for many years, which I respect, having come from the generation you did. But I’m getting ahead of myself. First, to the genius who keeps on vandalizing the poster. Basically, here’s the deal, pal. What you are doing is trying to intimidate me, a male who identifies with certain aspects of the LGBTQQ community. You obviously have either some decency or retain your high school-level affinity for watching lesbians kiss, because you don’t seem overly concerned with writing some slur about the female members of this community on those posters. Nope, you’re pretty dead set on getting up in my face.
I spent years totally confused, scared, and unsure of anything, worried about what my family and friends would say if I told them the truth. When I did come clean and admit that, for some reason, I do get attracted to the same sex, things were pretty crazy. My home life was flipped for a while. It was in that time that I saw how a lot of things really are in the culture I come from, and saw how people I love react to these types of things. It scared me. Frankly, I’m still scared, confused, and unsure of anything really these days. To cope, I focus on things that have stayed the same, which, in order of priority, have been 1) My dad, 2) a certain member of the editorial board with an affinity for ducks, 3) my friends, The Howie Ave Skate Crew of Warwick, and 4) The Star Wars Trilogy. Things have been totally loony for me all year. I lost everything I had worked for over the course of my freshman and sophomore years about this time last year because of a really stupid lie that hurt a lot of people and made me have a breakdown when I was in the Pacific Northwest. From that breakdown, I was able to admit that this issue was a major cause of my stress, and had to come clean. I just couldn’t with hold the truth anymore, it was making me insane. I wasn’t trying to make a statement or be political or make my society aware that anyone can have a secret like this, even the
person you least expect. It was simply me needing to make a confession, like an alcoholic finally needing to admit that he has a problem. And now you want to get up in MY face, pal? Someone I don’t even know, who does not even have the guts to be civil and write something like an opinion piece expressing their discomfort or their opinions of propriety in a dining hall, and who instead had to be petty and vandalize as to try and intimidate me? Earlier in this piece, I mentioned that I’m Irish. I also mentioned Star Wars, my dad, and my friends. Do the math, junior. I’m a nutty Mick with a lot of friends who watched a lot of action films and learned how to fight from a Navy navigational officer. I’ll make a deal with you. Cut this nonsense now, go back to that backwater swamp from which you were inbred into existence with the assistance of a boar, a turkey baster, and your Uncle Jimmy’s outhouse, and we’ll be good. I am not going to be pushed around by you, pal. You don’t scare me. To quote John Cleese: And now for something completely different. This is to a certain member of our campus community who has chosen to stand by in the background and has, for the sake of greater campus community, never been vocal about issues such as these. His or her identity is their own, and I will not be
party to the old ways which tried to sacrifice privacy for solidarity. This person came of age when it was still a mental illness to have these feelings, a time when it truly was the love that dare not speak its name. I admire your choice, and you have had every right to operate as such. By doing so, you have helped in our growth tremendously. Things have changed somewhat, but not totally, as the aforementioned mental midget has shown in the last few days. I’m not asking you to end your silence, and you have every right to just move this aside and get on with the paper work of your everyday job. But please know that there are students who are scared. There is someone, or a group of someones, who not only defile a poster, not only intimidate us, but disregard everything that so many have worked for this College to stand for. Every English student has to read Plato’s Symposium to fulfill a GenEd requirement. This College is meant to be a symposium, a place of thought and dialog. It is meant to allow different cultures and attitudes to flourish, to be part of a diverse discussion about how to prepare the youth of today to make a better tomorrow as adults. These vandals are trying to force singularity and myopia upon us to encourage hatred and intolerance rather than openness and understanding. What’s
worse is that their methods are violent and they are being encouraged by this on AM radio shows such as Buddy Cianci’s. Student Government passed a resolution encouraging immediate expulsion of this individual, but SCG can only go so far. They are just students. We need the adults to step in now. The safety of students is at risk. Play time is over; we have to move beyond clubs being angry. Every member of this community who has been chosen to profess the truths they believe in now must unify as one voice and say “This WILL stop.” Note that I didn’t say “This SHOULD stop” or “This MUST stop.” “WILL” is the word. Every professor needs to stand with us, the students, and make us feel safe. There is always the complaint of Rhode Island College being a downer of a school, a sort of “13th grade.” But I doubt that there ever was such a time as now that we as the Rhode Island College community needed to stand together. Please, if you do not call yourself gay or bisexual, be an Ally. Know that your peers are being slandered and intimidated by forces which should have been ended years ago. We must all stand together and fight this hatred. The line must be drawn here, and let it be remembered for years to come that we said “This WILL end,” that Rhode Island College defended understanding and unity despite our differences.
Opinions
April 8, 2008
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THE ANCHOR
New Hall: Only As Green As Its Residents By Jane Smith Anchor Contributor I live in the New Hall and have noticed one thing in the course of my year living there: The building may be green, but the people in it are not. As residents in the building, we are provided with a trash can, both green and blue recycle bins, and green cleaning products. Although I myself am guilty of not always using green products (because the messes some people leave just will not come up with that spray), I would like to note that I at least know how to throw away my trash. The people I live with in my suite have no sense of what to do with these bins. In my suite, as in several others, we have papers taped to the wall above each bin, explaining what goes in them. I would like to note that this has not stopped me from finding full cups of Maruchan Soup in the green bin, used paper towels in the blue bin, and cans and bottles in the trash. There was even one point last semester where I moved a piece of cardboard from the trash can to the green bin, only to find it the next day back in the trash. This moving back and forth of the cardboard went on for a week before the trash can was finally emptied. Now, this article is in no way meant to be as a running list of complaints against my suitemates, but I would also like to note some other not so green practices of theirs. One that particularly annoys
me is letting the water run. I have witnessed one suitemate turn on the shower and walk away for 10 minutes before returning to take a 5 minute shower. I personally have never had a problem with water temperature in this building, and I am at a complete loss as to why it is necessary to waste twice as much water while in your room, as you use while in the shower. Another suitemate has a habit of turning on the water in the sink, at full force, while brushing their teeth. This is a big waste of water, and something that public service commercials has been trying to stop since we were old enough to watch TV and understand the commercial. One last annoying practice I would like to point out, which has not so much to do with the greenness of the building, but more for the sanity of Physical
Plant. We do not have a garbage disposal, so please; stop dumping your food down the drain. Dumping food down the drain will only clog the pipes, and I do not want to see an overflowing sink. So for all readers out there, please remember, paper and cardboard in the green bin, empty cans and bottles in the blue bin, and everything else in the trash can, and please do not waste water, you do not need it on while brushing your teeth, and you certainly don’t need it to warm up for 10 minutes before your shower, as the water in the New Hall is usually a constant temperature. Also, if you don’t want to clog the drain, please remember that there is no garbage disposal in the kitchen sink.
He’s My Brother Or Should I Say Sister By Laura Horton Anchor Staff Lately, I have been very appalled by the way the people who keep vandalizing Queer Month banners in the Donovan Dining Center. I feel that it is very selfish. Here is why I am not happy with the events going on around campus: I was about sixteen years old when my half- brother came out to my parents that he wanted to change who he was. He wanted to get a sex change. This was a huge shock to me because it came out of nowhere, but he was thinking about it for years. When he told my parents this, my dad went into a slight depression and everything went a little hectic in my house. It hit me more than it hit my father. I looked up to my half-brother even though he was one of the laziest people I knew. He was a free spirit and that’s what I liked about him the most. The following summer, my mother, his step-mom, kicked him out of the house because of his lazy tendencies and the fact that he was up all night playing World of Warcraft and keeping me up when I had school the next day. I
Old Crime, New Car By Kellye Martin Anchor Editor It’s a problem that’s existed since before I was a student here, and its one that will exist long after I or anyone else reading this leaves, but that does not make it any less annoying. What am I talking about? Car break-ins. As I left my room Sunday morning to go to work, I arrived at my car, pressed the unlock button on my key fob and was greeted by 3 beeps. Thinking maybe I had hit lock I grumbled and hit unlock again, and walked to the driver’s side of my car, only to find that the little triangle shaped window in the back had been smashed, glass lay on the ground, and the
sticker I had had on the window, still holding its large chunk of glass together, lay on my back seat. No doubt I was annoyed as I walked to campus security. Now I was going to be late for work. I suppose I lucked out, as the only thing missing was a book containing a small selection of my CDs. I find it ironic that the person who broke into my car did not take the rest of the CDs, which were actually closer to the broken window than those taken, but I’m still annoyed. Not only did this book contain CDs I had paid for with my own money, it contained about 7 years worth of memories, for you see apart from the real CDs, and a few auto-
graphed CDs, there were burned CDs; mixes made for a friend’s Sweet 16, a CD made for me by an ex-boyfriend, mixes for good days, and mixes for bad days, and not to forget the memories of driving around in my car with friends, windows rolled down, and music playing. I wondered, as I looked around my car in disbelief, what are the chances that the person who broke in even listens to the same music as me? Are they going to keep my CDs or just chuck them in the nearest dumpster? Because I can pay the $320 for a new window, and I can buy new CDs, but I cannot buy back my memories.
never really got to see my halfbrother that much anymore. Only on certain holidays he came around, just so he could get money out of our dad. Now that I am in college and always on campus, I hear people talking about an ugly woman who looks like a man who works at a store nearby RIC. This made me suspicious. When I found out that these people were actually talking about my half-brother and making fun of how he looks and acts, I became pretty upset. I let it go though because people can have their own opinion about him, but ever since the repetitive queer month banner incidents, I have had a change of heart to the whole situation. Vandalizing the queer month banners in the dining center not only hurts the college community as a whole, but it hurts a large group of people on our campus. Gay, lesbian, bisexual transgender and transsexual people are just like you and me. We all have feelings and even if you don’t agree with their views, destroying something that shows these views that these people have is childish and prejudice. Doing it repeatedly is very immature and whoever is doing it should stop and confess to their wrongdoing. And if you know who is doing it, say something; it’s better than keeping quiet about it.
Opinions
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April 8, 2008
THE ANCHOR
The World through Windows By Aaron Buckley Anchor Staff Most of us have grown up using a Microsoft Windows PC. The Start button, My Computer, and the standard three-button suite of “Minimize, Maximize, Close” in the upper right hand corner of each window should be second nature by now. Some things in life never change… until you try Apple’s OSX. Whereas Windows users have “Start,” Mac OSX has the Finder. My Computer disappears, replaced by actual drive icons on your desktop. Our three familiar buttons shift to the upper LEFT side of the title bar and become “close (red), minimize (yellow), and zoom (green). Windows leads the market against Mac OSX and it’s not difficult to see why with all the software that works with Windows as compared to Mac. Now, don’t get me wrong, Mac OSX is a beauty of an operating system. It does what it has to do and it does so with a simple, elegant style. The problem is that OSX simply doesn’t have the power Windows has nor does it have the versatility and compatibility of Microsoft’s flagship OS. I use Windows Vista and I love it. My PC hasn’t been rebooted since I moved into my dorm and it’s still running as fast as it did upon boot up. My PC, for instance, has no problem surfing the web on Firefox while defragmenting in the background, with me typing this article in Word, my game EverQuest II in the background, listening to 30 Seconds to Mars on Windows Media Player, with 17 conversations open in AOL Instant Mes-
senger! Windows Vista caught some bad press upon launch, some deserved, but a year later I can’t imagine working with Windows XP again, never mind Mac OSX. Of course, I’m not a complete Microsoft fan boy. Windows does crash. However, Wi n d o w s also
has to be able to work on every single computer hardware configuration that you (or a company) can build. If I threw together a computer with a random assortment of parts and turned it on, I’d expect Windows to install on it and work. Apple is the only company that builds Macs, so they don’t have this problem. Macs are also terrible with video games, a staple of my life, and I’m sure some of you can relate. The flip side, of course, is that OSX absolutely rules when it comes to audio and video editing. It’s designed for such tasks, unlike Windows. I take care of my Windows Vista machine. I use Windows Live OneCare to ensure it stays defragmented, spyware free, virus free, and for all intents and purposes optimized. I personally
think Internet Explorer is trash and use Firefox to surf the web. It is much faster and more secure than IE. I make sure my drivers are relatively up-to-date. And my computer has been speeding along, crash-less, for four months. All Windows needs is some lovin’, and it’ll take care of your work. Windows does a lot to keep itself organized without user input but if you’re surfing unsavory web pages and allowing spyware to infect your computer, be it Windows-based or a Mac, you can expect crashes and slowdowns. The “Windows vs. OSX” battle has been raging for years and there’s no end in sight. Each OS caters to different user needs. It’s a matter of customization versus simplicity. The clash is about to escalate further too: Microsoft says that in the next year or two, Windows “7” will succeed Vista. Apple is working on its feline-nicknamed OSX heir to “Leopard” as well. When it comes down to it, if you want a computer that can access anything the world has to offer and do it with speed and style, without restriction, you want Windows. The Vista “Aero glass” interface just makes you look even cooler doing it.
THE BIRD-REPTILE CONNECTION By Adam D. Bram Anchor Staff I’ve been hearing rumors and whisperings that the scientific community is considering reclassifying birds as reptiles. I haven’t found any official documentation on this subject so I don’t know how true this is. However, if there is any validity to these rumors, it will be the most ridiculous idea since the demotion of Pluto. From what I’ve been told, the idea comes from the striking genetic similarity between birds and reptiles, compounded by new discoveries regarding their missing link, the dinosaurs. Change some genes around in a chicken embryo, and it’ll grow reptilian scales, claws, and teeth. Here is a newsflash: If you regard the theory of evolution as true, (and if you work in biology, you probably should at least assume that it is,) then of course birds came from reptiles, as did mammals. Reptiles came from amphibians, which in turn came from fish. So saying that a bird is a flying reptile is the same as saying a human being is a land-fish. Of course there will be similarities, perhaps moreso between the other vertebrates than us because mammals broke off from the reptiles earlier than birds did, but it’s still a different classification. Reptiles, by definition, are cold-blooded. Birds are warm-blooded, so by that alone they deserve a different classification. They also grow feathers, which no other official classification does. Sure, their feet are still
scaled, but the scale structure is different than most reptiles. Now, I say “official” classification because here is one thing that I’ve always maintained which does need changing. Dinosaurs, having evolved from reptiles and into birds, were truly unlike anything before or since. Most were warm-blooded, and even those that weren’t did not have reptilian physiology. Specifically, their legs were straight underneath their bodies as opposed to a reptile/amphibian’s sideways sprawl. Some of them even had feathers. For the longest time, they were classified as reptiles. But that just doesn’t seem correct based on what we know about them. Were they birds then? No, still not quite right. Instead of lumping birds and dinosaurs under the blanket of “Reptile,” they should each have their own classification. The taxonomy of “Dinosauria” should be as separate to “Reptilia” as “Mammalia,” “Amphibia,” “Pisces (fish),” and yes, “Aves (birds).” Sure, they are quite similar to reptiles and birds, but they have too much of both to be one or the other. Any prominent member of the scientific community thinking of reclassifying birds as reptiles should consider this alternative: just make dinosaurs independent. Adam D. Bram is a theatre major and a staff writer/cartoonist at the Anchor. He has been a dinosaur nut since the age of 3 and urges anyone who doubts evolution to look at a velociraptor skeleton next to that of a hawk. The first PG-13 rated movie he saw in theatres was “Jurassic Park.”
RIC -TV: The Underdog Comes Up Swinging By Mery Vieira Anchor Contributor It is safe to say that RIC-TV has its fair share of doubters. We all know everyone likes a winner. We also know that it takes real guts to stick by a losing team year after year. As any true Red Sox fan knows, loyalty has nothing to do with the season’s batting average, nor the year’s winning or losing streak. Loyalty has to do with passion for the team. Now, if RIC-TV represents the Red Sox, then surely The Anchor represents the Yankees. After all, the Anchor has more money. They have the largest team. They have better equipment and a larger training facility, (The Anchor office is almost three times larger than RICTV’s). Some would even argue that The Anchor has a more hands on advisor. Watch out though, RIC-TV’s coming up swinging at the bottom of the ninth. Prior to Jon Fonseca’s
presidency, RIC-TV seemed more like the cast of Bad News Bears than a real major league contender. Fonseca joined RICTV three years ago amidst a circus of office politics. He was there when officers had 24/7 access to the office and used the equipment for their personal use rather than for RIC-TV purposes. He was there when RIC-TV’s equipment was stolen. He was there when the office was vandalized. He was there when other members simply quit and took off with the office supplies. Anyone who encounters Jon is immediately disarmed by his casual demeanor. But don’t be fooled. Behind the easygoing smile is a quiet ambition. In his second year as a RIC-TV member, he ran for president and won. Fonseca conducted studies to see what types of shows students were watching and when they were watching them. He noticed that students were drawn to shows that looked more professional and that students com-
plained about the lack of variety. He also realized that RIC-TV had no cables to connect the TV servers to the TV’s on campus, “so basically no one could watch it,” says Fonseca. On top of it all, the old server finally crashed. He came up with a game plan and set out to accomplish it. “I had [specific] goals I wanted to achieve,” says Fonseca. The first “was to get new equipment, so we could keep up with current technology.” The second was to “film shows that look professional,” and finally to “create a website [that] would get RIC-TV streaming online.” RIC-TV has now installed state-of-the-art equipment, including a new server. This summer, the server will be programmed and new fiber optics will be installed into the office. RIC-TV has also changed its logo and commissioned a web developer to create an official website for the organization. The once tiny, cramped office space, has also been “decluttered, vacuumed, and Windexed” says
Fonseca. In an effort to also eliminate office politics, Fonseca and his newly elected board (VP – Paul Medeiros, Treasurer – Jason Russell, and Public Relations Coordinator – Alicia Astarita) collectively forced former Vice President Nicholas Rondeau to resign. Apparently, Rondeau was not doing his job. New members are now required to sign an attendance sheet and most importantly, old “frequenters” of RIC-TV that were not “active members” were revoked access to RIC-TV. Now only board members have access to the office, and only with assigned passwords. Although RIC-TV was founded in 1984, this past fall was the first time in RIC-TV history that two original shows were filmed in one semester. Both A La Carte, (an info-entertainment variety show) and RIC – Profile, (a Charlie Rose spinoff), are taped and currently in the editing phase of production. Both shows will air on campus and stream
online in the fall. RIC-TV also shot live footage of Barack Obama’s rally. The raw footage will be edited and used for another original news-comedy show hosted by Nigel Evangelista and Fonseca himself. The biggest change to occur to RIC-TV this year will be the loss of former Treasurer Jimmy Spicola. Spicola is expected to graduate this May. Although most people know him for his stubborn ways, his emotional outbursts, and self-deprecating humor, no one can deny his tireless contribution, unwavering loyalty and commitment to improving RIC-TV. “Jimmy will definitely be missed,” says Fonseca. “He’s one of a kind.” For more information on how you can become a member, rather than just a fan, of RIC-TV visit its page on Facebook or drop by the office at the Ducey Media Center.
Lifestyles
April 8, 2008
Page 17
THE ANCHOR
Dating Adv ice for Guys By Andrew Massey Anchor Editor Every guy has his own strategy for wooing women; some are good, some are great, and some fail horribly. While I cannot tell any guy exactly how to woo any one girl as all girls have different tastes, I can give you some general tips that will work for almost any girl. Confidence – I cannot stress how important this is. Without confidence you can pretty much throw any hope for wooing someone out the window and into oncoming traffic. Ever wonder why all of the jerks get girls but a lot of the nice guys do not? It is because of confidence. Most of the jerks are cocksure of themselves and that confidence is a turn on. This does not mean you can become a jerk. Jerks only woo the girls but nice guys can keep them. If you ask a girl out, look her in the eyes when you do it and stand up straight. Try your best not to stumble or stutter. This brings me to my next tip. Keep it simple, stupid – For the love of whatever higher power there may be, keep it simple when you ask a girl out. You do not have to explain any of the conditions of said date. If you are asking a girl out, it can easily be assumed what is going to happen, you are going to go out, get
to know each other, and hopefully hit it off. Just simply say “Would you like to go out some time?” or “Want to get coffee?” etc. If a girl is going to make you work harder than that for a simple first date, she is probably high maintenance. Open your ears! – This is the most important thing right behind confidence. Listen to what the girl says. She is not talking to you for her own amusement. If you listen to her, you can learn a great deal about her. Also, you can pick up some ideas for the next date. For example, if the girl mentions she likes a certain type of food, like Italian, take her to an
Italian restaurant. If she mentions she likes lilies, get her a bouquet of those. Little things like this can put a big smile on the girl’s face. Also, take notes of her dislikes and try to avoid those. Also, I know we are college students and have raging hormones, but if things get physical on a first date, or any date, remember, no means NO. Only take it as far as the girl wants you to. Do not try and guilt her or persuade her to do more. If she says no, then listen. I cannot emphasize this enough. The First Date – So you finally asked the girl out and you have a date lined up. Congrats.
Here’s some advice for what to do. First, try and keep it simple. If it’s a first date, the chances are good that you do not know too much about the girl. You might think a horseback ride is a great idea, but what if the girl is deathly afraid of horses? Unless you know she would enjoy that kind of thing, do not take that kind of risk on the first date. Dinner and a movie might be cliché but it works well for a first date. Also, a good thing to do for the first date is figure out if your date has any food allergies or conditions like diabetes. It might seem a bit odd, but nothing can kill a first date like a severe allergic re-
action. Also, when you ask, it would be a good time to ask what kind of foods they like. If this girl is a friend of a friend, for example, your friend is setting you two up, pump that friend for information. Figure out the things they would like for a first date. This not only will help insure a good first date, but will show the girl you care about her having a good time. Be honest. Be yourself. – I know this is said all of the time but that is because it is important. Do not try to pretend to be someone you are not. The girl should like you for who you are and if she does not, then it is probably better in the long run that you do not go out. Honesty is also very important. You do not have to tell her everything about yourself but do not lie to her. Nothing is a bigger turn off for a girl than finding out the guy is she out with her is lying. That means from the very beginning of things, she cannot trust you. That is a very bad thing. So save yourself the trouble and be honest. As I said before, every girl is different and will like different things but the things above will help you win over almost any girl. These things have worked well for me in the past and there is no reason for them not to work for you. Good luck guys!
ROVING REPORTER By: Kellye Martin
:
There is currently a committee working on plans for renovating the student union. What would you like to see in the new Student Union?
Rebecca Corregan Elementary Education / Special Education 2011 A bigger area to hang out and relax in between classes, something with couches, tables, chairs, and a TV. Jack Tobin Health and Physical Education 2009 I think they should make the student union more of a comfortable place for students to hang out. They should have some couches and comfy chairs for students to relaz at between classes, and even take a nap on.
Jennifer Mayers Psychology 2008 Another computer lab, that’s roomy, where you can put you books down and have space. Kristyn Britton Political Science 2008 RIC is a wonderful college, but we do not have a place to interact with one another. Many students drive to school and have breaks between classes and go back to their car to sleep! BORING! The new Student Union needs a place to hang out.
Do you have a question you want answered? Send your question to photography@anchorweb.org
Arts + Entertainment
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April 22, 2008
THE ANCHOR
Supernatural TV By Aaron Buckley Anchor Staff Over the last decade, girls have dominated the “hot heroes battle the supernatural” category of American television. Buffy the Vampire Slayer immediately comes to mind, plus Charmed and Dark Angel. The CW, the new WB has decided to diversify the genre with Supernatural and the result has been an explosive
mix of demons, urban legends, and the two (terribly hot) brothers who combat them. Supernatural follows Sam (Jared Padalecki) and Dean (Jensen Ackles) Winchester on a road trip across America, looking for their dad who has disappeared. The trailer begins with an event from their childhood that set everything in motion: their mom is killed by a yelloweyed demon in Sam’s nursery.
BBQ Extravaganza By Ashley Dalton Anchor Staff On Friday afternoon around 4pm, Student Activities and 1 in 4 worked together to sponsor a BBQ that was attended by over 50 people on Weber Beach (the green between the residence halls). Bands of all genres performed, entertaining viewers during the course of the event. Frisbee, volleyball and dancing were just a few highlights of the day. With weather in the mid to low 60s, it was perfect picnic weather which many people enjoyed, while eating hamburgers and hot dogs. Tree climbing, kite flying and tag were a few other activities
which people took part in. 1 in 4 passed out t-shirts advocating their opposition toward rape and domestic violence. Perfect weather, food and friends: what better way to spend a day having fun in the sun? With spring afoot and the end of the semester rapidly approaching, now’s the time to enjoy good company and reminisce. All organizations on campus are working together to make the end of this term one to remember. Programming is having RIC End all this week. The block party will be May 1. There is a long list of events coming soon so check them out and enjoy these last few weeks of the semester.
John Winchester, their father, becomes obsessed with tracking down this demon and learns everything he can about hunting down the supernatural and passing these skills along to his young boys. What sets Supernatural apart from the other “ghosthunting, vampire-slaying, kickboxing-witches” shows is that every episode is based off a real urban myth/historic legend. A favorite episode is number 5 in season one: “Bloody Mary.” The brothers investigate a suicide attempt in Toledo, Ohio, where a man died in his bathroom with his eyes gouged out. When they attend the funeral, pretending to be “friends of their dad from work,” the youngest sister tells them that it’s her fault because she summoned Bloody Mary that night. The episode then goes on to elaborate on the truth of the Bloody Mary legend. Did you know that according to the real legend, Mary will only appear to you in the mirror if you are responsible for someone’s death? The writers of Supernatural investigate every myth and legend they use for each episode. Some favorites include women in white (Google it), wendigos, an exorcism on an airplane in flight, scarecrows, Shtigras (Hindu soul-drainers), salt circles and Solomon’s devil’s traps. So not only do you get to learn actual legends and myths from around the world/rural America, but you get some sincerely exquisite eye-candy while doing it. The show is underrated compared to shows like Smallville and Gossip Girls. Supernatural is on the CW every Thursday at 9pm. It’s currently on season 3, but seasons 1 and 2 are available at Borders, Newbury Comics, and elsewhere. Season 4 will begin next fall.
Rental Raves: Mom and Dad Save the World By Adam D. Bram Anchor Staff This week, we will look at a wonderfully silly little film: 1992’s Mom and Dad Save the World. Todd Spengo (Jon Lovitz, Rat Race), self-proclaimed ruler of the newly-christened planet Spengo, is a complete and utter moron. Fortunately for this ruthless and brainless dictator, the planet is populated almost exclusively by people just as idiotic as he is. After using his planet’s monetary resources to build a spectacular death-beam, he looks for a planet to train it on and, naturally, picks Earth. While studying the planet, however, he comes across suburban housewife Marge Nelson (Teri Garr, Young Frankenstein) and thinks she is the most beautiful creature in the known universe. So, when she and her
husband Dick (Jeffery Jones, Beetlejuice) go on their vacation, they are transported to planet Spengo. Now they must find a way to keep the Earth and their marriage from blowing up. This movie is just ridiculous on many levels but it has a charm to it because of that. The performances, especially from the leads, are hilarious and (in the case of Garr and Jones) heartwarming. The special effects, limited to animatronics, are welldone, though everything has a slightly cartoonish feel to it. It’s definitely not going to fit everyone’s tastes but if you like quirky and funny pictures with some talent behind them, then this is one to check out. Also starring Thalmus Rasulala (Roots) and Eric Idle (Monty Python’s Flying Circus). PG
Rating 4/5
April 22, 2008
Arts + Entertainment
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THE ANCHOR
EverQuest II: Sony’s Answer to WoW By Aaron Buckley Anchor Staff 2004 was a landmark year in Massively Multi-player Online Role Playing Games (MMORPGs). That holiday season, a battle for the hearts of gamers across the world was brewing: an epic choice of where to spend their cash and devote hours of their time. World of Warcraft, based on Blizzard’s wildly successful world of Azeroth, of Warcraft I to III fame, stood in one corner. Facing this juggernaut was EverQuest II, the sequel to the 1999 smash-hit EverQuest, a game that single handedly made the MMORPG genre mainstream with its world of Norrath. The Norrath of EQII was born of a “mistake” by the players of the original game. In EQ’s third expansion, Planes of Power, adventurers breached the homes of the gods themselves. Following a storyline of twists you’d expect from a novel or Final Fantasy game, players defeated god after god until they stood in the Plane of Time, the seat of the pantheon’s last stand. Meanwhile, the true motive of the gods
in the plane, unaware of their pursuing adventurers, is revealed: Zebuxoruk, at one time a mortal who ascended to deityhood as a student of Druzzil Ro, the goddess of Magic, had plans to teach mortals some secrets of the gods so that they could defend themselves from an approaching threat. The Pantheon attempts to seal him away in stasis but adventurers into the Plane of Time put a stop to this by killing their gods’ projections once again. Before Zebuxoruk can tell the mortals what he feels they are entitled to know, Druzzil Ro appears and resets the timeline, undoing the damage the mortals caused. In doing so, he splits the timeline of the Norrath universe. From this point, EQII is born while EQ continues in its own parallel universe (EQ is currently on its fourteenth expansion). Sound exciting? The lore leading up to EQII’s launch is just as intricate. Various events happen after the time paradox: The gods hold a council to decide what to do and decide to withdraw from Norrath for a time. Luclin, Norrath’s largest moon, blows up without warning, raining chunks
down on the world. Without the balancing influence of the pantheon, the world is ripping itself apart with natural disasters. Upon launch, EQII is a world torn asunder. EQII’s graphics are breathtaking, even three years later. Sony made the game engine for hardware ahead of its time and today it is starting to show its real beauty. Various races of fantasy lore, such as elves, trolls, dwarves, gnomes, lizard men, and of course humans are available for play, with over 20 classes to choose from. EQII doesn’t lock you into certain race/class combinations either. Want to be an Ogre Warden (defensive druid class)? Sure, go right ahead. A High Elf Shadow Knight? That’s okay, too. The game mechanics are very intuitive and user friendly. Like World of Warcraft, combat is done by pressing an auto-attack button and casting spells/using combat arts. Unlike WoW, you have the option of stringing together various attacks in “Heroic Opportunities” for added damage/healing/buffs. If you group, you can chain 2-5 spells/arts from various classes together to
awesome effect. The little things about EQII are what make it such an immersive world. When you arrive in your home city from the training isle, the leader of that city gives you an inn room to orient yourself. As you gain fame and cash, you can graduate to owning an actual apartment or house. Luclin, the shattered moon, is visible orbiting the sky, reminding you of what this virtual world has endured. As you enter the broken remnants of the Plane of Sky in the second expansion, Kingdom of Sky, you step into a multifront war between the natives of the plane and dragons selfishly seeking power, and can choose your allegiances and fight for that faction. It’s truly impressive. If you’re interested in checking out EverQuest II, visit http://everquest2.station.sony.com for more information/a link to download a free 7-day trial. The latest expan-
Lelouch of the Rebellion By Jason Charpentier Anchor Staff What happens when you combine Death Note, Gundam, and a love of Pizza Hut? Why, Code Geass of course! Code Geass initially started airing in October of 2006 to lackluster ratings. However, out of nowhere, there was a massive increase in ratings; so much so that the Japanese people just coming into the show complained that they didn’t understand what was going on and demanded for a recap episode. In the end, there were two recap episodes aired. This resulted in scheduling issues with the final episodes, 24 and 25, which were pushed back for months until last summer, much to the annoyance of many. The basic plot of Code Geass is fairly simple. The Brittanian Empire, a very much medieval style monarchy with a superior army based in North America, has just invaded and conquered Japan, renaming Japan to Area 11, and subsequently renaming the Japanese to Elevens. The show picks up with Lelouch Lamperouge, a brilliant Britannian student living within Area 11 with his sister Nunally. Lelouch, however, gets involved in a situation be-
tween Brittanian soldiers and Japanese rebels who have stolen a secret Brittanian military weapon thought to be poison gas. When the capsule containing the gas is opened, a young green-haired woman comes out. The Brittanian soldiers attack Lelouch and end up shooting the green-hared woman in the head after stepping between them. Lelouch realizes how helpless he is in the situation and the woman whom was just shot in the head proposes a contract with Lelouch. With this contract, the woman gives Lelouch the “Power of the King,” a mysterious power known as Geass which allows the wielder to command an individual to commit an action. With the Geass, Lelouch commands all of the soldiers to kill themselves, which they happily do. Lelouch, now with the power of the Geass, decides that an end must come to the oppression by the Brittanian Empire and that he will fight to take it down and create a world of peace that is safe for Nunally to live in. To further these goals, Lelouch creates a masked alter ego, Zero. Through Zero, Lelouch is able to create his own force of rebels and lead a rebellion against the empire. Code Geass is one of those
shows that doesn’t seem all that special at first glance. As it continues however, you really begin to connect with the characters and likewise come to especially hate and despise another. I’m really not kidding either, when this character shows up and starts to spew his inane logic, you’ll want him dead just like everyone else. And if you don’t, then you’re just a troll. I said earlier that Code Geass was much like a combination of Death Note, Gundam and Pizza Hut, so I’m sure you have been wondering: “What is up with Pizza Hut?” Well, Code Geass was sponsored by Pizza Hut in Japan. As such, there are ads for Pizza Hut throughout the entire series and the greenhaired woman, named C.C, especially loves to eat her Pizza Hut. Code Geass recently entered into its second season, titled Code Geass R2 and the Pizza Hut ads continue. In fact, if you were to buy Pizza Hut in Japan now, you would see Code Geass on the pizza box. The real reason for this review, however, is because Code Geass will begin airing on Adult Swim this Saturday at 1:30 am after Death Note. I will be watching it among friends with a box of delicious Pizza Hut and I encourage you all to do so as well.
sion, Rise of Kunark, is available online/in stores now. One thing to keep in mind, though: EQ2’s hardware requirements are scores above World of Warcraft’s. You should have no less than 1GB of RAM, a 2.0ghz processor, and a good video card to play. The actual system requirements can be found at http://everquest2.station.sony.com/eq2faq.vm.
Arts
Entertainment
RIC EVENTS Student Choreograph y Showcase Thursday, April 24, 2008 Friday, April 25, 2008 8 p.m. Helen Forman Theatre in the John Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts RIC Music: “Trumpet Virtuosi” Friday, April 25, 2008 8 p.m. The Auditorium in Roberts Hall War and Peace: Contempora ry Music Ensemble “New York System” Wednesday, May 7, 2008 7 p.m. Sapinsley Hall in the John Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts
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RIC’s Professor Grund Scribes Latin Translation By Larry O’ Brien Anchor Staff This marks the fifth entry in a series looking at recently published books written by faculty members from the English Department. So far, the Anchor has looked at novels by Drs. Zornado and Cobb, a collection of poems by Dr. Calbert, and Dr. Kalinak’s exploration of the music in John Ford’s Westerns. Dr. Gary Grund has penned an entry in the “Most Unusual” category: his Humanist Comedies, a volume of Harvard University Press’s I Tatti Renaissance Library aims to present important works of Renaissance Latin Literature to a modern audience. Each volume offers the original Latin text on each left facing page and an English translation on the opposite page. This means, for example, that while Grund’s book comes in at 450 pages, only 225 pages must be read (“unless your love of learning compels you,” offers Grund with a straight face). Professor Grund worked for two and a half years on the volume of five period comedies he edited and translated from the original Latin—three of which had never before been translated into English. Says Anthony Grafton in the October 6, 2006 edition of The New York Review of Books: “Dr. Grund’s edition nicely shows how the Renaissance comedy mixed ancient motifs with Christian lessons and offers
fascinating information on the rapid development of comic performances in the Renaissance from pantomimes carried out by single characters, while a single character reads all the lines, to full-blown performances on stages, acted out before scenery painted in the new one-point perspective. (Ask an art major about “onepoint perspective.”) While the edition is extremely erudite, what gets the attention of the casual reader is what Monty Python would have referred to as “the naughty bits.” Originally performed for the aristocracy, these plays are filled with double entendre, single entendres, and sex scenes that are audible off stage. “Soft Porn,” Grund calls it. One of the plays, Chrysis, begins with two priests knocking at the door of a whorehouse, and was written by “a guy who would become Pope Pius II.” It seems like no matter what anyone studies, the lesson always comes around to what a peculiar world this is. Dr. Grund’s interest in this project grew out of his interest in ancient languages. He studied Latin and Greek for six years as a high school student and as an undergraduate. He offers classes in Latin and Greek here at the college. In case anyone thought “the classics” were no longer being taught at the university level, Grund is teaching them in the original Latin and Greek. His interest
in English literature centers on the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Dr. Grund graduated from Harvard before the revolution over the nature of what teaching English literature meant, and he sometimes feels uninterested in some of the current discourse in the discipline. Nevertheless, his scholarly work greatly benefits the college by earning RIC what Dr. Maureen Reddy, the Chair of the English Department, calls “an enhanced reputation.” He is currently working on a volume of Renaissance tragedies. The interview with this
reporter took place in Professor Grund’s office on the second floor of Craig-Lee. His window overlooks the quad and shows the college to its best advantage (particularly on a fine spring day when the trees are beginning to bloom). The view from outside that same window looking in would also do well by RIC; Dr. Grund wall-papered his office himself and furnished it with an attractive couch and chair. You can take the boy out of Harvard, but you can’t take Harvard out of the boy. Gary Grund arrived at RIC thirty five years ago
(records do not indicate that John Nazarian was ever a student in any of his undergraduate classes) after earning his Bachelor’s from Boston College and his MA and PhD at Harvard University. He chose RIC over CCNY in spite of the fact that the New York college was offering nearly 50 percent more money-this in spite of the fact that when he first entered college, he had intended to study accounting. He and his wife Carrie have three children and he dedicates his book to her—in both English and ancient Greek. How cool is that?
RIC Visits Martha’s Vineyard By Ashley Dalton Anchor Staff On Saturday, April 19, over 30 Rhode Island College students and guests attended a Student Activities-run trip to Martha’s Vineyard. The group boarded a bus to the ferry, leaving the school midmorning. The weather was perfect for a ferry ride. The ferry arrived at Martha’s Vineyard around noon. Since the island was
reopening for tourists, only a select few dining places were open. However, all gift shops and bike rental places were fully accommodating. Along the ocean front, there was a chill that hung in the air but most students didn’t mind as they went about playing beach games and collecting sea shells. A few people used the trip as a “first date” experience as well. One thing that was
unexpectedly learned about the Island is that they’re under prohibition. The entire island is “dry.” When asked about such a foreign concept, a waitress responded, “It’s not that bad having any alcohol available here. Sure it’s tough after a long shift and tourists aren’t too happy about it but in general it avoids a lot of problems. People can come here and enjoy their time and family without the need to
drink.” The island was beautiful and well kept. The local people were pleasant to chat with and most helpful in giving directions. Much like any other trip, after shopping for hours, restlessness sinks in. A nice gazebo sat by the water providing shade and comfort to weary travelers. Aside from the lack of open restaurants, the only main let down most students commented on was that no
ice cream shops on the island were open. One street had a half dozen shops and each one was closed. All in all, the trip was a successful and productive way of spending a beautiful Saturday afternoon. The bus ride back to RIC was full of sleepy and sleeping people. Student Activities should be praised for their efforts in conducting the perfect outing.