Fordham Observer Issue 8

FEATURES

NEWS

WomEn’s Equality

Red Mango

Say goodbye to Freshens, there’s a new place on campus for frozen treats.

PAGE 5

Aug. 26 signifies an important day for women across the nation.

PAGE 19

the observer www.fordhamobserver.com

August 25, 2011 Volume XXx, Issue 8

Photo Feature

features

Freshman Insider Guide

By Darryl yu Features Co-Editor

You ate where?! What a freshman mistake! Take the stairs! These are some of the things I heard during my freshman year at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) back in the fall of 2008. Excited to be in college, I committed a number of “freshman mistakes.”

As another school year begins at FCLC, many freshmen will commit a number of these “mistakes” during their first few months at FCLC. But don’t worry! As a veteran student of FCLC I would like to share a few tidbits of information for the incoming class of 2015. In hopes of a smooth transition into the FCLC community, here are some of unofficial tips to get you quickly settled at FCLC. Explore Your Neighborhood One of the early mistakes I made was not exploring the surrounding area. Normally after a busy college day I would often find myself walking alongside Columbus Avenue looking for a place to eat to finally settle for an overpriced diner just a few blocks away from Fordham.

I ended up buying expensive food that I could have gotten back home for at least half the price. For an unemployed college student, this was an unnecessary amount of spending. However, through further exploration of the surrounding area I found out that just an avenue over on 10th Avenue there was a whole slew of cheap eateries. From Boston Market chicken (885 10th Ave.) to the Chinese food of Ocean Dragon (877 10th Ave), the back end of Fordham offers places that cater see Freshman guide pg.20

SALMA ELMEHDAWI/The Observer

The Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy glistens in the summer sun. Observer staff documents their summer vacation in this issue’s photo feature.

Mass of Holy Spirit Celebrated on Sept. 11

By Laura Chang News Editor

Fordham University will celebrate its annual Mass of the Holy Spirit, which falls on Sept. 11.

“This year the mass coincides with the tenth anniversary of Sept.

11 and we also want to remember the Fordham families that suffered loss, but also ponder about how we could ask the Holy Spirit to help us

live in a peaceful trusting way,” Fr. John McDonagh, the new director of Campus ministry at FCLC said. “This is open to the community, and is a chance for everyone to come together.”

The Mass of the Holy Spirit is an annual Catholic tradition that, according to Fordham’s website, “is offered to invoke wisdom and guidance in the coming school year.”

The Mass, which begins at 8

Inside SPORTS

New Baseball Coach Named

Coach Leighton looks to lead the Rams to new victories. u PAGE 26

LITERARY

Stories and Poems Short fiction explores the complexities of infidelity.

u PAGE 24

OPINIONS

Youth in revolt

Who’s to blame for recent riots worldwide?

u PAGE 8

p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 11 in the Church of St. Paul the Apostle, will be paired with a “Remembrance of 9/11.” An Interfaith Prayer Procession and light ceremony will follow in the Robert Moses Plaza.

“Students will be given candles in church and bring these lights over to Robert Moses Plaza where we will gather,” Fr. McDonagh said.

At the Interfaith Prayer Procession students of different religious faiths

will participate and share their experience of Sept. 11.

While Fr. McDonagh will lead the Catholic blessings to represent Christian traditions, members of FCLC’s Muslim Students’ Association (MSA) and Jewish Student Organization (JSO) will “recite how their traditions try to make sense of the 9/11 horror.” The two confirmed see 9/11 pg.4

arts & Culture

Lincoln Center Senior’s Music Site Starts to Spread Its Roots By mike madden Arts and Culture Co-Editor

You can usually see senior Alex Mitchell, Fordham College Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’12, standing outside the doors of McMahon, cigarette in hand, friends in tow. From the outside looking in, he looks like any run of the mill college student, but what most don’t know is that he could probably give Charlie Daniels a run for his money.

A violin virtuoso since he was young, Mitchell has played everywhere, from a room of nine people to the extravagance that is Carnegie Hall. However, it was his time playing in local bands through-

out the venues of New York City where he noticed the life of a college musician wasn’t exactly all glitz and glam.

“I feel like there’s a problem out there,” Mitchell said. “The artist has been made illegitimate. No one takes the artist seriously. It’s hard. It’s sad because it’s hard just selling music these days.”

Since September 2009, Mitchell has been working and researching to reverse this growing trend, through a music service he developed himself called Hypetree.

Similar to the concept of “The Mash Up” in the movie “The Social Network,” a visitor to Hypetree is faced with two songs. Once done listening, the indi-

The Student Voice of Fordham College at Lincoln Center

vidual can choose which song he or she liked better, eventually leading them to the musicians profile with a wider range of songs. Originally intended for artists looking to get their music out on the Internet, visitors can listen and rate the song based on a scale, giving the artist feedback on what songs worked and which ones didn’t.

“The major thing that you are going to see that you’re not going to see anywhere else is a ton of indie music all in one place being delivered to you in a very easy and fun format,” said Mitchell.

“I think the major difference between us see Hypetree pg.13

2

News

August 25, 2011 The Observer

www.fordhamobserver.com

Briefs METRO

Strauss-Kahn Case Dropped The sexual assault case against Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the head of the International Monetary Fund, was dismissed by prosecutors on Aug. 23 in New York. According to the NY Times, prosecutors from the Manhattan district attorney’s office dismissed the three month old case after being convinced that the accuser, Nafissatou Diallo, was not telling the truth. Diallo was a hotel maid at the Sofitel New York, located in Times Square, when she reported the Strauss-Kahn attack in May.

Bloomberg Praises NYC Film Industry On Aug. 22, Mayor Bloomberg proclaimed his gratitude of the growing film industry at the Brooklyn Navy Yard with actresses from TV drama, “Pan Am.” According to the NY Times, Bloomberg stated that the television shows and films have been a great boost to the NYC’s economy. The entertainment industry is a 5 billion dollar business that employs 100,000 workers in New York.

Columbia Dean Resigns Before Classes Begin After two years, Michele MoodyAdams, the dean of Columbia College, resigned on Aug. 22.

The NY Times reported that Moody-Adams felt the University was performing administrative changes that compromised her authority over “crucial policy, fund-raising and budgetary matters.” The President of Columbia University, Lee C. Bollinger, said that he promised an “interim dean” would be named soon.

NATIONAL

East Coast Earthquake On Aug. 23, an earthquake epicentered in Mineral, Virgina sent trembling waves through the East Coast affecting states including New York. According to CNN, the 5.9 quake began at 1:51 p.m. and closed monuments and parks in Washington D.C. The Pentagon evacuated its workers, but were allowed to return to the building by 3 p.m.

PETA Launches Porn Site People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, an animal rights group, talked about plans to launch a pornography website showing animal abuse on Aug. 22.

The Huffington Post received a statement from PETA spokeswoman Lindsay Rajt: “We live in a 24 hour news cycle world, and we learn the racy things we do are sometimes the most effective way that we can reach particular individuals.”

International

Qaddafi’s Son Appears in Tripoli On Aug. 22, Saif al-Islam Gadhafi, son of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, appeared in the streets of Tripoli despite reports that he had been captured days earlier.

According to CNN, uprisings in Tripoli continued between rebels and Gadhafi’s followers. Three missiles were fired within Libya from the area of Sirte, the hometown of Gadhafi.

Compiled by Laura Chang & Sara Azoulay

Laura Chang/The Observer

The glass encasement depicted here is the first visible step to the Office of Enrollment Service’s new makeover.

Enrollment Services Begins Makeover

By Laura Chang News Editor

Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC)’s Office of Enrollment and Financial Services began its remodeling the weekend of Aug. 20. A glass encasement was placed outside the bursar office on the second floor of Lowenstein. “The goal is to create open space for students to interact one on one with Enrollment counselors,” Dr. Patricia Peek said.

According to Peek, the associate dean of Admission and director of the Lincoln Center Enrollment Group Office of Undergraduate Admission, the encasement is just the beginning of the new configuration of the office and will not be completed until, tentatively, the end of September.

“It feels more professional and gives students a sense of privacy since now they can have personal interaction,” Fannie Wu, FCLC ’12, said.

Ryan O’Toole, FCLC ’12, and president of United Student Government (USG), said, “[The glass walls] make a more comfortable and separate environment. It is welcoming and separate from the second floor lounge.”

Peek has been working with FCLC’s USG since last year in efforts to mediate Enrollment and Financial Aid Services’s relationship with the student body.

This remodeling was prompted by a series of controversial letters that the financial aid office sent to students with outstanding balances last summer. The letter told

There will be a new configuration inside the office that is open for students to walk in and meet with an Enrollment Services staff member at a reception desk. students that if they did not pay the balances soon, they would not be able to attend classes in the fall 2010 semester. O’Toole said USG stepped in and has been committed to making sure frustrated students and the enrollment office can have more effective and efficient communication.

In spring of 2011, O’Toole surveyed over 500 students at the FCLC campus about their view of the Office of Financial Aid. “All the work done this year has a lot to do with the responses we surveyed last year,” O’Toole said. “In efforts to continue improvement, USG will be checking in with the student body again [this school year].”

USG has also worked with Dr. Peter Stace, vice president of Enrollment, who also wants to see these communication improvements.

“The follow-up letters on bills have been timed better [this year] to allow students and families time

to respond and the language was reviewed by students for helpfulness and tone to shape final editing,” Stace said.

According to Peek, the exterior of the financial aid office will still include two open enrollment services windows available for students to use outside the office.

However, there will be a new configuration inside the office that is open for students to walk in and meet with an enrollment services staff member at a reception desk.

Stace said that the new staff member serves to direct students referred from the windows. “Referral flow to financial services counselors will be smoother and easier with the removal of the door that had been in place and introduction of a new reception station inside.”

O’Toole said that USG plans to include signs that allow students to know that they can walk in. “We want students to know there is a difference between the window staff and a counselor, so we want there to be clear signs that guide students inside the office.”

The addition of the transparent glass walls is one of the many initiatives that the Enrollment and Financial Services office added in efforts to improve customer service.

Stace said, “[The glass wall is] the first visible and physical step that Lincoln Center students will notice when classes begin.”

Additional work towards Enrollment’s new makeover includes more than just glass encasements.

A new television monitor, similar to the ones found in the lobby of

Lowenstein, will be installed next to the windows when remodeling is completed.

“The monitors will display scrolling information about registration, enrollment and student accounts,” Peek said. “Also, there will be a bulletin board of new events and information next to it.” In addition, staff members will be given name tags so that students can feel more welcomed.

Stace said that a phone system that uses Automated Call Director (ACD) will also be installed in the office early October. This system will integrate phone response across all three campuses. “An incoming call to any campus can be responded to by a staff member on any campus to minimize waiting time for callers.”

Although the Financial Aid staff and O’Toole are excited for the new look of the office, one student is hesitant about the changes.

Aleksandra George, FCLC ‘13, said “I am not impressed. I would like to think of the financial aid office as a bank where they try to make it as homey as possible with seats outside and I thought that’s what the remodeling would have done.” George said that she felt the glass encasements did not do much to improve a personal feel.

Regardless of student reactions, O’ Toole hopes to have a Student Advisory Board, as part of USG, consisting of students from all parts of Fordham University which will meet with FUEG on a monthly basis. “Ideally I hope it will be twice a month.”

www.fordhamobserver.com

The Observer August 25, 2011

News

3

Calendar SUN., AUG. 28

Freshmen Move-In McMahon Hall

New Student Orientation Outdoor Plaza and 12th Floor Lounge THUR., SEPT. 1

Welcome Back BBQ 10 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

Cafeteria Atrium WED., SEPT. 7

Mock Trial Info Session 6:30 p.m. - 9 p.m.

McMahon Lounge 109 THUR., SEPT. 8

USG First General Meeting 12:30 a.m - 1:30 p.m.

TBA

9/11 Movie Screening: In Our Son’s Name 1:00 p.m - 3:00 p.m.

Student Lounge

Molimo Welcome Back Dinner 5 p.m - 7 p.m.

McMahon Lounge 109 FRI., SEPT. 9 Sara Azoulay/The Observer

This gap on the Robert Moses Plaza is where the Law school and Undergraduate Residence Hall will be constructed as part of FCLC’s renovation.

FCLC Enters a New Phase in Construction

By Monique John Managing Editor

Renovation of the Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) campus has reached a new phase of construction. Excavation for the new building that will house the Fordham Law School as well as student dormitories has been completed and construction workers are now laying the building’s foundation.

Major changes are also being made to Quinn Library, as new compact shelving and seating arrangements are being put in place in preparation for the Law School Library that will take its place in 2014.

Parts of Quinn’s shelving has been sectioned off with tape and carpeting has been ripped out the floor to be replaced. But Dr. Brian J. Byrne, vice president of FCLC assures that despite Quinn’s unsightly appearance, the changes being made will highly benefit students in the future and that construction is done during the summer when it has a lower effect on library patrons.

“The idea is to give Quinn a new,

reconfigured, more congenial home that will be above the grain,” Byrne said. The compact shelving has largely facilitated library storage since Fordham first installed it seven years ago. It increases Quinn’s capacity to hold books by 75 percent per square foot. Therefore, “the disruption is necessary.”

Construction in Quinn began last summer as new lights were put in to better match the new compact shelving. More compact shelving has slowly been installed since, and reading areas are now being changed to specifically aid study group sessions. “The nature of the library world has changed,” said Robert S. Allen, head of access services at Quinn. “It’s no longer a place that’s just to house books. It’s a place for activity and for intellectual discussion.”

In reaction to the noise problems resulting from the construction, both Quinn and the Law Library have made special concessions to students. “[W]e’ve actually been providing ear plugs to all the students throughout the summer,” said Nick Alongi, reference librarian.

He also says they have been directing students to other quieter facilities such as the AV Room, the Law School Library, and informing students when construction ends during the day. “We get a lot of people coming in later in the day because they know it’s going to be quiet.”

The Law School library has made provisions of their own, as they connected with area law schools such as Columbia University, New York University, New York Law School and John Jay College to allow Fordham law students use their libraries during finals and bar exams.

Construction for the new building in Loweinstein’s outdoor plaza has also changed plans for orientation, according to Nusrat S. Jahan, FCLC ’13 orientation coordinator. “[W]e’ve had to rework small groups. It’s going to be a bit difficult to work around the circle being cut in half.” She explained that activities for incoming students will be spread out to less used areas such as the green space between Lowenstein and McMahon Hall.

Alexa Rodriguez, FCLC ’13, also an orientation coordinator, said

SOL Open Mic Night 5 p.m - 7 p.m.

Student Lounge SUN., SEPT. 11

Mass of the Holy Spirit 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

St. Paul the Apostle THUR., SEPT. 15

that constrution did not affect orientation in the negative way they anticipated.

“It seemed like it was going to affect us a great deal, but then we started looking at other spaces we could use,” Rodriguez said. “Now we are looking at the entrance by Columbus to space out.”

Even with the clamor of the renovations, many on campus say the noise has been bearable.

“I haven’t heard anything recently,” Giovanna Monteapone, FCLC ’12, said. “I feel like construction has been pretty quiet.”

Furthermore, school officials claim that the worst of the noise problems are over now that excavation is complete. Byrne explained that the only noise that Quinn library patrons may hear this fall are the occasional sounds of steel beams hitting one another as the frame for the new building.

Allen expressed the pains that come along with change on the FCLC campus, and said, “It’s a big challenge. It’s a difficult time to go to Fordham. We’re doing our best to make it presentable.”

CSA Coffee Break 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Student Lounge

CAC Purple Party 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Student Lounge FRI., SEPT. 16

Paint Ball Outing 4:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

NYC Paintball

Crime Mon., Aug. 1 Between 6:15 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. a student reported he left his cellphone on a computer station on the 6th floor of Lowenstein. He returned a short time later and discovered the phone was missing.

Security searched the area and did not find the phone.

Compiled by Laura Chang

5 Things You Missed This Summer

By Laura Chang News Editor

1) May 17: Christina Vignone.

FCLC ’12, won the $34,000 Beinecke Scholarship award to be used for graduate study.

2) June 12: John Benjamin Hickey, FCLC ’85, won the 2011 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Feature Actor for his performance in “The Normal Heart” 3) Aug. 1: The first day the construction crane went up on Robert Moses Plaza for the next phase of the new Law School/Dormitory building 4) Aug. 4: Fordham Alumni Theatre Company performed “Life Of Galileo” at the David Rubenstein Atrium, produced by Elizabeth Margid, for the first time.

5) Aug. 10: Melanie Moore, former freshman at FCLC, won Season 8 of “So You Think You Can Dance.”

Sara Azoulay/The Observer (Left) / James Dimmock/FOX (Right)

The crane marked the next step of FCLC’s construction. (L) Melanie Moore dances her way to victory in “So You Think You Can Dance.” (R)

4

News

August 25, 2011 The Observer

www.fordhamobserver.com

Scott Strazzante/Chicago Tribune/ Mct

As the city remembers Sept. 11 in this memorial at Ground Zero, Fordham University will have its own memorial at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle and the Robert Moses Plaza.

Tenth Anniversary of Sept.

11 Remembered at Mass

student speakers are Nusrat Jahan, FCLC’ 13, and president of MSA, and Emelie Amar-Zifkin, FCLC’ 13, and vice president of JSO. “I think it’s great to have shared experiences that everybody will be able to see different perspectives and viewpoints that maybe they wouldn’t have considered before,” Jennifer Morano, FCLC’12, said of the ceremony. “I think it will be interesting and enlightening for someone, Muslim for example, to speak about their experiences with 9/11.”

Fr. McDonagh said, “While of course I am very happy to lead the prayer, I am very happy that students are interested to cheers the prayer and lead it for their colleagues, their classmates.”

Jahan, who will be presenting various Islamic prayers regarding loss, forgiveness and peace from the Quran thinks the ceremony is a good idea.

“I’m glad Campus Ministry has reached out to all religious clubs on campus because, [Sept. 11] being 10 years, it is very important for us to commemorate and remember it together regardless of our religious backgrounds,” Jahan said.

FCLC’s Sept. 11 memorial will also include a bell ringing ceremony where students will read the 39 names of the Fordham Community directly affected by Sept. 11. “They are sons and daughters of faculty and staff as well as parents of students,” McDonagh said. Fordham’s Chamber choir led by Robert Mi-

notti, M.D., and FCRH’s ROTC color guard will also be in attendance.

Fr. McDonagh said that faculty, staff and students not part of the Fordham family ten years ago will have the opportunity to add their names to the Book of Names, a collection of names of those impacted by the Sept. 11 attacks 10 years ago.

It will be available at a podium placed on the plaza the day of the ceremony, but students from United Student Government (USG) will be tabling and recording names prior to Sept. 11.

The evening will conclude with the Fordham Community Reception at 9:30 p.m. in Robert Moses Plaza. Guests will have ice cream and desert at the reception and be joined with neighbor schools: John

Courtesy of campus ministry

Guests attending the ceremony will receive a pedant symbolizing the Christian cross and 9/11 in roman numerals.

Jay College, NY Institute of Technology and Juilliard.

Fr. McDonagh said that this ceremony “is not limited to remember-

ing but also asking God, to renew our perception of our sisters and brothers and to help us live on this planet with peace with one another.”

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News

5

Campus Ministry Introduces New Staff To FCLC

By Laura Chang News Editor

Campus Ministry introduces new faces to the Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) this semester. With the departure of former assistant director, Father Damian O’Connell, S.J., and former associate director, Joan Cavanagh, the office welcomed two new members to its department: Carol Gibney, M.S.W. and Fr. John P. McDonagh.

FCLC’s Campus Ministry is located in LL 217 and is there to support students of all faiths. According to their mission, the office encourages students “to embrace their own religious faith traditions and experience spiritual growth during their formative collegiate years.”

After 13 years at Campus Ministry, Father Damian O’Connell, S.J., departed from his position as assistant director late June of this year.

He now begins a sabbatical year at Jesuit’s American House on West 56th Street in New York City.

In addition, Joan Cavanagh was assigned the new position, director of Campus Ministry at the Westchester campus.

“I will absolutely miss the students, faculty and staff at Lincoln Center,” Cavanagh said. “I’ve enjoyed my work for 14 years and I’m looking forward to working at Westchester.”

Fr. John McDonagh, the new director of Campus Ministry at FCLC, studied urban economic development at Boston College High School where he prepared for a career in urban planning at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. It was after graduation that he went to seminary in Rome and became ordained in 1982 for the Diocese of Springfield.

McDonagh said that while attend-

Courtesy of fordham.edu

Fordham College at Lincoln Center welcomes Carol Gibney, M.S.W. (L) and Fr. John P. McDonagh (R) to the stuff of Campus Ministry.

ing Boston College High School, he was “captivated by the call to be a Christian for others.”

In recent years, McDonagh has ministered in the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst College, Western New England College,and Duke University. He has also co-taught an undergraduate course at Smith College.

“I think Fordham is very welcoming, and it’s an exciting and stimulating place to be,” Fr. McDonagh said. “I see my mission in life is to enable people to trip over the presence of God in their life, not telling them where God is, but inviting them to think and explore what God might think of life.”

Alexander Lupo, FCLC ’13, said

“[Damian and Cavanagh] really accepted me when I came into Fordham so I they will be missed in a special way.” Lupo said he felt insecure when he first arrived at FCLC. but, “I went to a Jesuit school before this one so they made me feel at home.”

Carol Gibney, M.S.W., the new associate director of Campus Min-

istry at Lincoln Center worked with the Campus Ministry at the Westchester campus for eight years before moving here. She is currently on a pilgrimage for World Youth Day 2011, a worldwide encounter with the Pope that is celebrated every three years in a different country, and will return when the new school semester begins.

Red Mango To Come To FCLC Cafeteria This Fall

By Sara Azoulay Photo Co-Editor & Asst. News Editor

This fall, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) will have a new addition to the Lowenstein Café: Red Mango. This popular frozen yogurt chain will replace Freshens, the frozen yogurt and smoothie provider previously located across from Sodexo’s kitchen.

According to Brian Poteat, the general manager of food services for Fordham, Sodexo has been on the look out to improve the services for the students at Lincoln Center for the past three years.

“Over the past two or three years, Sodexo has been working with USG on surveys,” Poteat said.

“We had an action plan for improvements to services at Lincoln Center. One of the things that kept coming up in all the surveys and the research we did is the need for a recognizable national brand on campus.”

Poteat said that originally, Sodexo thought of just adding a new food service to the lobby of Lowenstein before agreeing to include Red Mango in the cafeteria. However, there are no water and gas lines connected to that area for it to work.

Instead, Red Mango provided Sodexo with an alternative solution to Freshens. They offered to renew the former Freshens space with a new salad toss station and keeping the NY deli that shares the space.

Sodexo accepted this offer and Red Mango is currently working on these improvements in the cafe.

“We knew that Red Mango was making an impact in the city and also started to show up in other college campuses,” Poteat said. “ We also consider it a better product - this is fresh fruit. Freshens was frozen and was concentrated.

We were looking for a more natural

Sara Azoulay/The Observer

Fomerly where Freshens was located in the Lowenstein Cafe, this sign is now posted in place of where the new Red Mango will open in the fall.

product and more in line with the profile that students are looking for these days.”

Red Mango offers customers core flavors of all-natural, nonfat frozen yogurt including Original, Pomegranate, Madagascar Vanilla and Mango. Their toppings include blueberries, strawberries, mango, dark chocolate chips, mochi and more. They also have 20 varieties of fruit smoothies and fruit parfaits.

As for the cost, Poteat said that

the pricing structure is dictated by Red Mango and will not stray too much from Freshen’s pricing.

“You will be able to use your declining balance. As a Fordham student, you get a 5 percent discount,” Poteat said. “We will be doing things like frequency cards and giveaways.”

According to Poteat, Fordham will be in a yearly license agreement with Red Mango. The employees will be Sodexo employees

but will be trained by Red Mango staff.

Students were enthusiastic with the addition of the chain on campus.

Jamie Marino, FCLC ’13, said “What is there to say about it? I love delicious frozen yogurt and I’m glad Fordham finally has something decent in the cafeteria. I can’t wait.”

Michelle Tam, FCLC ’13, agreed with this and said, “I’m honestly

really looking forward to it because I’m interested in seeing how they’re going to do it.”

While some students are excited about the addition of Red Mango, some students are unsure.

Amy Bucknam, FCLC ’14, was a little hesitant to accept the change. “ I thought the Freshens smoothies were the thing our cafeteria had to offer, so I just hope this new company can do just as well, if not better.”

Opinions

August 25, 2011 The Observer

STAFF EDITORIAL

Our past inspires our future

T

he class of 2015 comes to New York during a challenging time. As we have learned during the summer, the current state of our economy and the political strife that has ensued have left many feeling distraught about the year ahead. Trouble overseas in Libya, Syria and London, as well as the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11 quickly approaching, may cause some starting their lives at Fordham to feel apprehensive of what lies ahead.

As Laura Chang’s article, “Mass of Holy Spirit Celebrated on Sept. 11” on pg.1 notes, we as a school will commemorate those lost on Sept. 11 with a ceremony that will serve as a reminder that while difficult times are devastating, they will not stifle our quest for knowledge nor hinder our ability to make positive change. Recognizing the anniversary of Sept. 11 shows us that present and future conflict, whether at home or abroad, will be met with a calm fortitude of a people that realize the importance of a

While difficult times are devastating, they will not stifle our quest for knowledge.

free nation.

With recognition of the past also arrives new beginnings. Coming to Fordham for some new freshman can be a struggle.

Whether excited to start life over or distressed about leaving family and friends behind, newcomers to our campus venture to the city with the ability to create a new name for themselves. If high school was a difficult, this is the chance to learn from it and bravely move forward. As a nation, we

use our memory of past tragedies to build toward the future. Similarly, freshmen can respect the past with an eye toward creating the future they want—whether it be meeting new people or starting a new career.

The beginning of a new semester may be met with hesitation by anxious vfreshman concerned about their next four years, or worried seniors unsure of whether an unstable economy can promise them employment. But regardless of the climate, we realize that education is important.

Students come to Fordham with the intent of making an investment in their future—a future that they hope will be better. As we begin classes and read the news, we don’t know what politicians will promise or how deep our nation’s debt will submerge. We don’t know if revolutions overseas will resolve. But we do hope that we can continue to rely on Fordham to provide our education, listen to our petitions for change on

A Congressional Circus: American Politics Turn Farcical Parties’ Focus on Humiliating Each Other Leads to Downgraded Credit Rating Audiences of CNN, FOX and MSNBC tuned in nightly only to see the theatrics of the Ringling Bros.

Circus.

MONIQUE JOHN Managing Editor

All summer long, headlines across television and computer screens exclaimed the urgency of the national debt crisis as our country came closer to possibly falling into default. As with all political issues, the Democrats and Republicans proposed different solutions to solve the issue.

Yet what began as a tempered debate with a possible compromise turned into a complete impasse as both sides became obsessed with humiliating the other party.

Audiences of CNN, FOX and MSNBC tuned in nightly only to see the theatrics of the Ringling Bros.

Circus, as opposed to the serious dealings of a functional Congress.

Finally, on Aug. 5 Standard & Poor’s (S&P), our nation’s credit rating provider, reacted by downgrading America’s top credit rating from “AAA” to “AA+.” It is a significant change that reflects the volatile national economy and the company’s pessimistic views on the competency of our government. In their justification of the downgrade, S&P states: “The downgrade reflects our opinion that the fiscal consolidation plan that Congress and the Administration recently agreed to falls short of what, in our view, would be necessary to stabilize the government’s medium-term debt dynamics…[T] he effectiveness, stability and predictability of American policymaking and political institutions have weakened at a time of ongoing fiscal and economic challenges to a degree more than we envisioned when we assigned a negative outlook to the rating on April 18, 2011.”

The reason for taking such a drastic measure? S&P argues that current political divides are too strong to allow officials to compromise on a fiscal plan that will alleviate the nation’s debt.

Huzzah! The elephant in the room is no longer plastered against the wall, too timid to make a sound. Its call is loud and strong, commanding

jeff wheeler/minneapolis star tribune/mct

Politicians seem more concerned with attracting attention to themselves rather than the issues at hand.

the attention of our politicians with a much needed reality check.

The downgrade from S&P was initiated by a long and harrowing game of tug of war for the spotlight.

After the nation hit its debt limit of $14.29 trillion in May, Congress had to decide the best way to maintain the country’s economy and an operating government before their deadline of Aug. 2.

President Obama pushed for the Democrats’ demands to raise the debt ceiling to avoid default. He proposed cutting spending while increasing taxes to build revenue.

On the other hand, the Republicans insisted on going into

default. Republican Speaker John Boehner tirelessly demanded to stop further stimulus measures and wanted to cut spending on entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security without increasing taxes.

The deadlock was surely frustrating. But at least watching the politicians’ shucking and jiving kept us entertained. Pundits across the channels started shouting matches at whatever chance they could get.

And Boehner could not help but join in on the theatrics; to the dismay of citizens and fellow officials, he refused to sign a proposal drafted by the Democrats to fix the debt crisis

just three days before the country automatically fell into default.

In the end, what was supposed to be compromise came to be a cop-out.

Yes, the fiscal plan has increased the debt ceiling by 2.1 trillion, maintaining entitlement funds and increasing Pell Grants. But the public is now left with cuts in those same entitlement programs and discretionary spending in services such as the military, various agencies and subsidized loans for graduate students.

Most disappointing is that Obama failed to include tax revenues from wealthy Americans, his main solution to fighting the national debt. Fiscal analysts were

quick to criticize the final product, disapproving the lack of critical entitlement reforms and skeptical that spending cuts alone would take us out of such a large debt. At the end of the exhausting and futile battle, people across America did not know whether to laugh or cry.

I watch the news at night to educate myself and to form my views for the 2012 elections. But I find myself becoming more apathetic toward our politicians’ misguided actions. Once again, the American people have had to pay because of the Republicans’ extreme actions to get the Democrats out of the White House and because the Democrats cannot stand their ground. It is clear that our officials have become too distracted by their partisan motives to seriously address the public’s needs.

While politicians are preoccupied with gaining a stake in the upcoming elections with photo ops and a sound byte on the 6:00 p.m. news, our children’s academic skills are falling behind their counterparts around the world due to an inadequate public education system. Our middle class is getting smaller and smaller. Parents are losing their savings, no longer able to ensure their children a better life. Students are leaving campus with useless degrees unable to find work. If current conditions are not startling enough, fiscal analysts are predicting a second recession.

The American public is losing patience and we need our government more than ever. I challenge our nation’s officials to step out of the spotlight, stop posing for the cameras and to face our nation’s problems head on.

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sara azoulayThe Observer

TCM may not be on McMahon’s TVs, but the channel’s board game and bobblehead of host Robert Osborne help make up for the forlorn absence.

Turner Classic Movies: For Your Consideration Why TCM is a Valuable Learning Tool Rather than Just Another Brainless TV Station COLLEEN THORNHILL

Layout Editor Amanda Fimbers Photo Co-Editors Salma Elmehdawi Sara Azoulay Asst. Photo Editor Mario Weddell Online Co-Editors Beata Cherepakhina Ariella Mastroianni Business Manager Natalia Ramirez Faculty Advisor Prof. Gail Belsky Faculty Layout Advisor Kim Moy Faculty Photo Advisor Amelia Hennighausen

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Opinions Editor

Turner Classic Movies (TCM), for those of you who don’t know, is the best station on television. I understand that’s a bold statement, but where else can you find certified fantastic films playing all day long commercial free?

I rest my case.

August is an especially glorious time for TCM. In August, TCM celebrates Under the Stars month.

Each day this lovely channel features the films of one talented star. For a film geek like myself, I can count on TCM to feature the works of wellknowns, such as Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor, or perhaps the lesser known names of yesteryear, such as Jean Gabin (famous in his native France) or Ronald Colman (silent movies, anyone?).

As I look at the month’s schedules of stars and their films, it pains me, yes, there is literally an ache in my heart, as I realize all the missed movies I could be watching. At McMahon Hall, we get a pretty good selection of television channels. USG saw to that a year or two back when they surveyed the student body on their preferred television channels.

We got the Food Network—that was a happy day for me. Yet we still lack the golden channel of the golden age

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of movie making, TCM. TCM isn’t just another trashy channel filled with trashy shows.

(Although I’m hardly bashing the likes of “Real Housewives of New Jersey” or “Say Yes to the Dress.” Let’s just be clear on that point.)

TCM is the vehicle for films that have stood the test of time. Any true film lover blesses the day the channel came into existence. Films are constantly played every hour of the day, every day of the week. I hardly know what could be better.

Oh wait. I do know what could be better. If we at Lincoln Center actually got TCM on our TVs! If, instead of reading the film schedule online and pondering what fun tidbits film historian Robert Osborne will provide before each film, I could actually turn to the station from my very own McMahon Hall apartment—oh! how lovely would it be!

Okay, perhaps I get carried away.

Maybe I should concentrate more on getting my work done than what’s on the television. Oh, but wait once more! Movies are my work. I’m a film studies major. Actually, film studies is my concentration. I’m really a communications and media studies major. As is every other student at Fordham. No, I have not fact checked this whatsoever, but based on my interactions, I’d say a fair amount of students at Lincoln Center are communications majors or minors.

No self-respecting film student should go around without having witnessed a Bette Davis glare or a Jimmy Stewart plea.

They’re everywhere, folks.

As communication and media studies majors, it’s safe to say they love movies. (Unless of course their concentration is journalism, in which case, forget those snobs.) Let’s not leave out the visual arts majors, with their keen eye for cinematic detail.

TCM is this grand tool any student can use to his advantage. For the historian, it provides a window into the past—how people dressed, spoke, even behaved. For the philosophy major, why not take a look at how film presents moral struggles? Heck, I took a class called Movies and the American Experience—perfect for any American studies major. You’d be surprised how much you can learn about the values of American culture through cinema.

And of course, the value of TCM to the average film studies major is fairly evident. No self-respecting film student should go around without having witnessed a John Wayne

gunfight, a Bette Davis glare, or a Jimmy Stewart plea.

Then there’s the Lincoln Center student body in general. Film appreciation runs high at Lincoln Center. Most girls’ apartments have a photo of Audrey Hepburn staring longingly at a glass case of diamonds somewhere in their suite. And you’d be hard pressed to find a male student without some sort of admiration for the likes of Paul Newman or James Dean.

We here at Lincoln Center already appreciate the unique, the extraordinary. Why else would we choose to go to school in the heart of Manhattan?

Yet I’ve learned many a suite with a “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” poster has little to no knowledge of the actual film’s plot. They worship the poster, the icon, the image, but they have no idea what stands behind it all. With a channel like TCM available, these students might actually learn why it is they’ve grown to worship cultural icons like Holly Golightly.

I’ve always pined for TCM here at Fordham, but I suppose TCM’s annual Summer Under the Stars has left me wanting it even more. I went home for one week and I was treated to a whole day of Humphrey Bogart films. It’d be wonderful knowing I’d always have TCM awaiting me on the television. Perhaps, as time goes by, my hope will be realized.

BLOGS Keep an Eye out for The BLOG! News Entertainment Campus Internships To read these blogs and more, visit observatorylc.com

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Youth in Revolt:

London Riots Signify Fear of the Future SARA AZOULAY Photo Co-Editor & Asst. News Editor

I painfully admit that no positive adjectives really come to mind when trying to describe the youth of today.

In fact, the only fitting ones seem to be along the lines of “confused” and “lost.” The future for us is not clear, and we cling ever so closely to the possibility of broken dreams and disappointments. So what are we really doing to show our confusion and misunderstanding?

Just recently, we watched riots erupt in London shocking mostly everyone around the world. (I think my jaw actually dropped upon seeing the shocking image of the burning double decker bus). Most of the rioters were the youth of London and I believe most were acting on their insecurities regarding the future. The youth in revolt, after all, are usually immature, outrageous and very frightened of the future.

There are approximately one million people from the ages of 16 to 24 in Britain who are officially unemployed and not enrolled in school. Especially suffering are those with learning and social disabilities.

In recent years, there has been a rise in young gangs and violent crimes in Britain, specifically near the same neighborhoods where the riots began.

Northern London is ridden with the unemployed, socially-challenged individuals and gangs. The youth of northern London are anything but confident in their future. Most of them struggle to keep money for food while others feel stuck in the same rotting position because of their disabilities. Finding a job is difficult,

The goal of the riots is much broader than freedom from a tyrannical leader. We are fighting to secure a future in a doubtful economy and world. regardless of one’s capabilities.

London, which last experienced a riot back in the 1980s, is usually viewed as a put together and dignified city. It was almost like a sign of the apocalypse—London is burning and the people there have gone mad. The looting, burning and rioting were signs of uncivilized people in London.

Many voiced their negative opinions, calling the rioters barbarians, stupid and crazy. These comments were seen on Twitter and blogs, and even some media outlets took a side in the situation.

I understand that the riots were a dangerous time for people in London, and they must have felt victimized by the rioters—but I don’t think the youth acted out for no particular reason.

The public perceive the London riots very negatively, and I believe it’s because of the context of the riots. This spring, the world watched as Egyptians took to the streets protesting their anger with their government. The demonstrations in Egypt were deemed a revolution* because the Egyptian people took matters of injustice into their own hands. In February, their protesting proved victorious as Mubarak stepped down from his position as president. It seemed that it was a victory for freedom lovers everywhere.

This revolution paved the way for several other demonstrations,

including protests in Yemen, Syria, Libya and Israel. Democracies, like ours, saw the beauty in these revolutions. The media portrayed these with much more positive light even if they were just as violent, or more so, than the London riots.

The media and the mass population are missing the troubles of the youth in London (and well, the youth everywhere). The goal of the riots is much broader than freedom from a tyrannical leader.

We are fighting to secure a future in a doubtful economy and world.

Maybe the riots didn’t evoke any change in the system, but maybe that’s because it’s just the start of a bigger revolution out there to come.

We are the youth of the world and as we struggle through college, we, too, are very frightened of what comes after. What’s next for us? There is no clear-cut answer, but the riots were just an outcry from the scared youth in the UK who are damaged from the economy and society they’re in. Rioting doesn’t have to be the answer to our problems.

I hope we don’t have to achieve more answers through violence.

But maybe we should start thinking about how we’re going to change things in America and everywhere else. After all, we are the youth and we can, and must, be a factor that determines our future. We can no longer be afraid nor can we sit back and watch the burning.

anthony devlin/pa photos/abaca press/mct

Julie Sell/mct

Riots in London have left the public confused as they wonder at the violence and try to understand the purpose of the protesters.

Avoiding Smart Technology: Why I Don’t Want the iPhone The Struggle to Understand the Appeal of the Latest and So-Called Best New Phones I dragged my feet to the Verizon store. I lamented as I watched the employee start up my new iPhone.

I don’t even own a Mac. Steve Jobs, to me, is a snooty, little, gray-haired man who’s slowly taking over the world. I didn’t want to give into the Apple marketing scheme. I felt myself above all those “If you don’t have an iPhone, you don’t have an

COLLEEN THORNHILL Opinions Editor

For six years I had a f lip phone. My first little beauty was a round, silver, high-tech (for 2005) thingamajig made noteworthy by the little picture screen on the font.

I’m not sure it could take photos, but it had those nice generic kinds one finds pre-programmed, such as a red rose or a golden sunset over a misty mountain.

My second phone was bona fide cool, a Chocolate. Sure, I could have gotten a free upgrade to a Blackberry at the time, but that just seemed so modern. Emails?

Facebook notifications? Sent to your phone? Who needs that? My pale blue Chocolate was just lovely.

Sleek, razor sharp and it could take pictures. What’s not to love?

My sturdy f lip phones were dropped, soaked in waterreated with the kind of respect you’d expect from someone of our generation who takes technology for granted.

I looked with disdain on those people who dared to whip their Blackberries out at every available moment. The iPhone just looked complicated. And in recent months, this whole Droid phenomenon reminds me more of a Terminator movie rather than a step in the right direction.

Yet even I can’t run from modern technology forever. After three years, my Chocolate phone seemed to be reaching its end.

Although I replaced the battery,

I don’t even own a Mac. Steve Jobs, to me, is a snooty, little, gray-haired man who’s slowly taking over the world.

Mario Weddell/The Observer

Colleen looks with horror at the iPhone as she grips her lifeless flip phone, which remains useless and abandoned in her right hand.

it would always die after just a few hours. I often didn’t get text messages until much later. And when people sent me lengthy texts, they arrived out of order.

Eventually my keypad randomly broke down. I would have to let my phone “chill out” for a while before I could type on it again.

This summer I finally decided it was time for a new phone. But a smart phone? Me? Ulgh. The horror. After much debate, my parents convinced me to buy an iPhone. Yes, that’s right, my parents asked me to try a snazzy, expensive, heavily marketed phone.

iPhone” commercials.

Frankly, I didn’t want an iPhone.

The selling point, however, was the fact that I could put my iTunes on the little slender device. Of course, I had to lose my iPod about four months ago on a plane. Thus, I was sold. There’s only so many more months I could take of music-less commuting on a packed subway.

So, now I have an iPhone.

And I simply don’t get it. I don’t get why people lined up overnight to buy them when they were first released. I don’t understand why kids beg their parents for them. I don’t understand why Steve Jobs is so filthy rich.

I just don’t get it.

You can’t text on this thing. The touch screen keypad practically begs the user to make errors so it can show off its autocorrecting

skills. Autocorrect, in this case, however, is relative. Let me just say that it has led to some awkward sent text messages.

And what’s the fuss about Angry Birds? Am I just an anomaly? It is not that fun. I know Angry Birds isn’t an iPhone-only app, but its appeal is just so mind-boggling I had to mention it.

I had my email on my phone, too. Tried that for a few weeks. It’s now off my phone. The last thing I want is to see a glaring red number on my phone showing me all the work I’ve been ignoring. Who wants that in her life?

I suppose someone used to carrying their laptop with them at all times would love the iPhone, but I still take notes on a cute little spiral notebook.

But isn’t it great having the Internet right at your fingertips?

Don’t you love Google maps?

It’s called planning ahead and carrying a map, people. If you just tried a little, you’d realize life is quite passable without the iPhone.

Yet I won’t be returning my new hip phone anytime soon. Because if I did that I’d have to buy both a new cell phone and an iPod. More money wasted. Curse you, Steve Jobs, for thinking of everything.

You would predict that I would lose my iPod and be desperate for an Apple device that would enable me to listen to my ’80s classic rock playlist once more.

So here I am. Stuck with an iPhone. I feel selfish, spoiled and conceited, all because I don’t want this phone. Alas. #whitegirlproblems

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The Observer August 25, 2011

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Who Counts in the Census? A Few Suggestions The City’s Challenge Opens up Debate for Who Actually Matters in New York

HARRY HUGGINS Staff Writer

This summer, the City of New York revealed a “mistake” that proves a belief I’ve held for years: people living in parts of Queens and Brooklyn don’t matter. For those who missed the news, early this August, city officials filed a challenge to the results of the census Bureau’s 2010 population count. Apparently, the Census missed around 50,000 people in the Queens neighborhoods of Astoria and Jackson Heights and the Brooklyn neighborhoods of Bensonhurst and Bay Ridge.

My reaction when I heard this: “I wish I could pretend Brooklyn didn’t exist!”

Apparently these numbers actually matter because data from the census is used in configuring federal spending and Congressional districts, so the mayor has good reason to fight for a higher number.

But I think the Census Bureau has something here: maybe some New Yorkers shouldn’t count.

I do think they may have picked the wrong people to ignore; I don’t know much about the other three neighborhoods, but I know Astoria as a land full of blessed people who care little about whether or not someone is legal! Also, they have that whole diversity thing, including my favorite ethnicity, the Greeks. Any survey that misses a culture that gave us Tina Fey is a sad, boring survey indeed.

Yes, the census may have overlooked some important areas of

the city, but there are definitely some residents of the five boroughs that most people would agree shouldn’t be counted with everyone else.

First among these is anyone who has ever starred in a reality show (i.e.

“Mob Wives,” “Real Housewives of New York,” “Jersey Shore”). Sure, they may entertain us for a few episodes every year, but do we really want to count these attention-whoring, talentless creatures as part of New York? That’s not exactly the image we’re going for, right?

Next up on the “does not count” list: cabbies. Now, I don’t have anything against cab drivers–they get you anywhere in less time than it would take to apparate–but I do question whether or not they should count as humans. They obviously never sleep, eat or bathe, and I’m 90 percent sure that they have cell phones attached to their heads. Does that sound like something that should be counted in a human census? Sorry cabbies, I’ve been on to you ever since I saw “Men in Black.”

Another group of “people” whose human status I question is subway conductors. Again, I respect and appreciate everything they supposedly do, but I’m just not convinced that they exist. To most people, subway conductors exist as a disembodied voice, and if you do catch a glimpse of one, he or she is seldom more than an upper half.

These “people” are obviously just robots with very human features.

Roosevelt Island is another mysterious entity that I’m pretty sure is a myth on par with SNL tickets and the end of construction. I’d be surprised if the Census Bureau would

risk sending anyone to explore that unknown land.

Anyone familiar with my previous writing might expect me to use this opportunity to go on a rail against hipsters, but, always the contrarian, I’m actually all for them counting.

Please, let us count them all so we may gather their data and hunt them down, one-by-one.

Unlike hipsters, anyone who has ever called New York “the Big Apple” should definitely not count on the census. Come on, the only easier ways to know you’re not from the city is either wearing an “I <3 NY” shirt or taking photos of any landmark.

Along these lines, anyone who can’t give directions to the nearest Starbucks from any given location probably hasn’t spent much time in New York or is above mainstream coffee shops and should only count as half a person.

I’m hesitant to include the Upper East Side in New York’s census figures, at least until they realize that Manhattan is more than just their apartments and their offices and that New York is more than just Manhattan and a couple distant airports.

Finally, to make up for all these groups suddenly removed from New York’s official population, I propose adding the following to the 2020 census: rats as one-fourth of a person each, Fordham students as three people each, horses (for police or carriages), the Statue of Liberty as however many people visited her and,of course, every diner as 100 people each. This new approach would give a much truer picture of New York.

Richard derk/los angeles times/mct

Lady Liberty welcomes everyone to her shores. Well, almost everyone.

A Nostalgic Look at the Necessity of Orientation

College May be Frightening But Those First Three Days Help Lessen Pre-College Jitters COLLEEN THORNHILL Opinions Editor

This year Fordham University will welcome a whole new body of students. Fresh-faced 18 year olds, right out of high school, will move into McMahon, journey up the escalators to Lowenstein, and bask in the glow of Lowenstein Café’s heating lamps.

To welcome these eager young students, Fordham must first orient them to the college world.

This basically means three days of introduction to college life. New Student Orientation (NSO) leaders will run around like chickens with their heads cut off in an attempt to keep track of the students and make them realize no matter how awkward they feel, there are always orientation leaders (OLs) looking a lot odder than they do.

Yet some students feel like orientation is unnecessary, a waste of time and a hassle. I should know.

Just three short years ago, I came to Fordham, terrified out of mind at the prospect of roommates, navigating the subway and college professors.

As I said good-bye to my parents, there was barely enough time to register the fact that I wouldn’t be seeing them again for three months until Thanksgiving. Instead I immediately went off into a small group where I played awkward games with kids I didn’t know and then felt like Lindsay Lohan in that scene from “Mean Girls” when she eats in the girls’ bathroom on her first day of high school. (I didn’t eat in the girls’ bathroom, but the situation sure seemed preferable to asking random strangers if I could

courtesy of Luke Villapaz

Orientation leaders know no bounds in their efforts to make new students feel welcome at Fordham.

sit and eat with them.)

Upon returning to my dorm, I had some forced conversations with my new suitemates. There was the native New Yorker, the dancer, the Midwesterners and the California girl. I was the Southern girl who, remarkably, had no accent, as I was told repeatedly.

Hell bent on getting along and trying not to begin the year on the wrong foot, we exchanged small talk until an overly enthusiastic OL came banging on our door, telling us we should go to the “Wild West” party happening that evening in

the atrium. My suitemates and I had two options: sit and continue staring at each other too terrified to say anything that might embarrass us for the whole semester or go to this party where the upperclassmen would surely be embarrassing themselves enough for the bunch of us. We went with option two.

I won’t say I had the time of my life at the party. The terror I felt upon arrival made me leave almost the second I got there. But, ah, what was at this party but karaoke, and what fun-loving girl doesn’t enjoy karaoke?

Three of my suitemates and I guzzled down some Coca Cola’s and threw caution to the wind as we belted out our very own rendition of “Wake Me Up Before You GoGo” by Wham! Actually, I could be entirely wrong about the song, but the point is, we’d only know each other a few hours and already we’d bonded over our love of subpar 80s pop. If it hadn’t been for that party orientation provided us with, we probably would have all retired to our rooms and called our parents, lamenting our first day at Fordham.

At McMahon Hall, one of the

downsides is the closed-door policy.

You end up going most of the year without meeting anyone on your floor because it’s a fire hazard to leave your door open. The nighttime activities actually allow you to meet other residents and learn you have semi-decent people on your floor worth hanging out with, which was a promise of hope if you already found yourself not getting along with your suitemates.

Plus, orientation helps bring residents and commuters together.

With half of Fordham’s student body commuting and half of it residing, sometimes it’s difficult for the two sides to match up. Orientation tries to break down that barrier from the start, making it so that commuters and residents evenly take up each small group.

Just this past year in the laundry room I ran into a girl whom I’d met at orientation. We hadn’t really seen each other in three years, but we immediately started talking, remembering how scared we were as freshmen. If it weren’t for orientation, we probably wouldn’t have even known we were in the same year.

I ended up enjoying orientation enough to become an OL my sophomore year and then a captain the following two years. I thought after freshman year I was as comfortable as I was going to get at Fordham, but each new year’s experience with NSO has made me more confident in my role at FCLC. Thus, NSO serves as both an ice breaker for new students and returning ones.

No student is going to spring into college without at least an iota of fear. Orientation helps lessen the intimidation and shows students that even if they feel completely lost, they’re definitely not alone.

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August 25, 2011 The Observer

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9/11 10th Anniversary Remembrance and Mass of the Holy Spirit ROSE HILL

LINCOLN CENTER

SATURDAY, 10 SEPTEMBER 2011

WEDNESDAY, 7 SEPTEMBER 2011

9 A.M. – 2 P.M.

2:30 – 7:30 P.M.

Day of Community Service

Day of Community Service

SUNDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER 2011

SUNDAY, 11 SEPTEMBER 2011

5 P.M.

8 P.M.

Mass of the Holy Spirit and Remembrance of 9/11

Mass of the Holy Spirit and Remembrance of 9/11

University Church

Church of St. Paul the Apostle (Columbus Avenue at 60th Street)

6:15 P.M.

9 P.M.

Interfaith Prayer Procession to Fordham’s 9/11 Memorial

Interfaith Prayer Procession to Fordham’s 9/11 Memorial

Finlay Hall Gardens

Robert Moses Plaza

6:45 P.M.

9:30 P.M.

Fordham Community Reception

Fordham Community Reception

McGinley Center

Robert Moses Plaza

12-0357_VPMM_911_Holy_Spirit_Observer_AD.indd 1

8/22/11 12:12 PM

Arts & Culture

August 25, 2011 The Observer

FAith Ringgold and Young new yorkers (ages 8-19)/fabric and acrylic

Quilt created by Faith Ringgold and New York City students featured in the upcoming Met exhibit.

Museum Opens “9/11 Peace Story Quilt” Exhibit for 10th Anniversary

By Katie Lockhart Arts & Culture Co-Editor

As the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11 looms, Americans reflect on where they were and what they were doing the day of the attacks.

On Aug. 30 the Metropolitan Museum of Art will begin their own reflection with a new exhibit in the Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education titled “9/11 Peace Quilt Story.”

The exhibit will run until Jan. 22, 2012. On the 10th anniversary of Sept. 11, there will be several attractions to commemorate the day. The “9/11 Peace Story Quilt” features the quilt, four posters and nine works of art all representing different young peoples’ vision of peace.

Exhibit curator Rebecca McGinnis said that on Sept. 11, Faith Ringgold, the quilt’s designer, will give a lecture talking

about the quilt and the project as a whole. Ringgold is well known for her story quilts, which combine painting, quilted fabric and storytelling. Her work has been featured at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Studio Museum in Harlem and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum.

During the day there will also be various gallery talks relating to conflict and peace resolutions throughout the museum.

“We wanted to make sure to reach people of all ages and let as many people as possible learn about the quilt,” McGinnis said.

Several NYU graduate students will read poetry from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. as part of a creative writing class held at the Ruth and Harold D. Uris Center for Education. The class will read from a poet’s quilt made up of 36 squares with very short poems and words they took

from documents relating to Sept.

11.

According to the Met’s website, the quilt is comprised of three 75-by-50 inch panels, each with 12 squares on the theme of peace.

Each individual square was created by a different New York City student ages nine to 18 in the years after Sept. 11.

McGinnis said that Ringgold was inspired to make the quilt after composing a book of the children’s drawings called, “What Will You Do for Peace: Impact of 9/11 on New York City Youth.” The quilt was created shortly after the fifth anniversary.

The Met’s website describes the purpose of the work as “poignantly conveying the importance of communication across cultures and religions to achieve the goal of peace.”

Accompanying the quilt are

four posters made by different New York City students after Sept.

11. The nine works of art being featured were made this summer

by Met high school interns as an independent assignment. They were asked to create a work of art inspired by the collection incorporating peace into the design.

“We at the Met thought it was a very apt exhibition to have in commemoration of 9/11,” McGinnis said. “It is also a vehicle for visitors to think about art and their connection to 9/11 and that day.”

According to the 9/11 Peace Story Quilt, “the quilt was commissioned by InterRelations Collaborative Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering cross-cultural understanding through art among the increasingly diverse student populations in New York City and the tri-state area.”

Once the squares, featuring

both pictures and words, were finished, the quilt was organized and constructed by Ringgold and coworker Grace Matthews.

On Oct. 14 the Met will host a behind-the-scenes tour of the quilt for a better look and explanation of how it was made and also offer visitors a chance to try sewing and learn how to make their own quilts.

IF YOU GO 9/11 Peace Story Quilt When: Aug. 30 through Jan. 22, 2012 Where: Metropolitan Museum of Art 1000 Fifth Ave, New York, New York Price: Suggested donatiom More Info: http://www.metmuseum.org

Arab American Comedy Festival Returns to NYC

By Brian Bruegge Asst. Arts & Culture Co-Editor

Salma Elmehdawi/The Observer

Obeidallah performing stand-up last year at a Fordham event.

Dean Obeidallah will be the first to tell you: it hasn’t been easy being an Arab American in New York City since Sept. 11. As the New Jersey-born comedian explains in one of his routines, “the problem is that people are afraid of us because they don’t know who we are. He explains, “There are basically two news stories about us.

There’s the bad story where we’re described as militant gunmen and terrorists, and the occasional positive one where we’re described as alleged militant gunmen and terrorists.”

Obeidallah’s style of comedy is as entertaining as it is informed, seeking to change negative stereotypes about Arab Americans, while simultaneously poking fun at the

culture and common misconceptions. This approach of using comedy to break down cultural divides has caused many to draw parallels between black comedians of previous decades such as Richard Pryor.

From Sept. 25 through Sept.

29, Obeidallah will be appearing as part of the Eighth Annual Arab American Comedy Festival, held at the People’s Improv Theater and the Gotham Comedy Club in midtown Manhattan.

This year’s festival will consist of sketch comedy, stand-up and comedic films, all highlighting the talents of Arab-American comedians, actors and filmmakers.

The festival began in 2003 thanks to the efforts of Obeidallah and comedienne Maysoon Zayid after the pair noticed the lack of awareness about Arab culture in America. From this idea, the New

York Arab American Comedy Festival was born and it has continued every year since then.

This year’s festival will feature two nights of sketch comedy on Sunday and Monday, followed by two nights of the best Arab-American stand-up on Tuesday and Wednesday.

To close the festival, Obeidallah and Zayid will host a “best of the fest” night featuring highlights from the week on Thursday night.

Other shows to check out as part of the festival are Wednesday night’s “New Faces of Arab Comedy,” featuring up-and-coming Arab-American comedians, and the raunchier Haram Show late Thursday night.

The festival begins on Sunday, Sept. 25. For information and tickets, visit the festival’s website at www.arabcomedy.org.

12

Arts & Culture

August 25, 2011 The Observer

www.fordhamobserver.com

Monthly Music Review

End of Summer Release Party

By Mike Madden Arts & Culture Co-Editor

Love art but can’t draw?

Write for arts or join our design team!

FORDHAMOBSERVER.COM

Beirut/Pompeii

Beirut

Ganglians/lefse

Jay-Z and Kanye West/Def Jam

“The Rip Tide” release date Aug. 30

Ganglians

“Still Living” released Aug. 23

Jay-Z and Kanye West

Zach Condon, also known as the brass-filled banquet that is Beirut, is back with “The Rip Tide,” his fifth studio album and his most pop-oriented. While many songs on “The Rip Tide” retain their elegant Balkan sound complete with horns, marching drums and the signature accordion/ukulele pair, Condon engages the art of a pop song but on his terms.

Songs like “Santa Fe” and “East Harlem” exemplify this, but he doesn’t go overboard with it. They still possess the same joyfully, swooping group vocals you may find in the back of a drunk-filled Parisian bar populated by gypsies and vagabonds. “A Candle’s Fire” is one of the best songs on “The Rip Tide” that showcases Condon’s talent for creating some of the most scenic imagery in song lyrics today.

Part of me wants to wear a peacoat, get an anchor tattoo and lose an eye while sailing to Greenland to hunt for sperm whales.

“The Rip Tide” is a safe album

by Beirut standards; nothing is out of the ordinary and there aren’t a lot of risks involved. The melodies are pleasant to listen to, sometimes over and over again. Unlike Condon’s previous albums like “The Flying Club Cup” or “Gulag Orkestar,” the songs off “The Rip Tide” bear no melancholic funeral marches or drastic tempo changes.

It sounds like Condon is comfortable and proud of this album, not paranoid and all over the place.

Ganglians are the grittier cousins of Fleet Foxes, complete with sun-drenched harmonies and reverb-laden pop songs.

Their brand of psychedelic rock is fun and hooky; the sound seems to always be expanding and traveling somewhere new.

At times “Still Living” has a little bit of lo-fi injected in it, and at other times exhibits some great production that Beach Boy Brian Wilson would’ve loved to get his hands on in ’67. “Sleep” is slow and curious sounding at first, but sonically opens up during the chorus to give the listener a nice change of pace from the initial opening chord.

“Jungle” is a chugging romp that sounds as if the members got too drunk to sing their own harmonies—the strange thing is they still sound amazing.

Ganglians brings a lot to the table with “Still Living.” Overall, it may prove to be one of the most overlooked albums of the year thus far.

One of the best hip-hop albums to come around in a long time, “Watch the Throne,” the long awaited collaboration of Jay-Z and Kanye West, is hip-hop done right. I can’t imagine how an album with two of the greatest names in the genre right now would actually be a failure. And I’m glad it wasn’t. For different reasons, I expected this album to have its one hit and fizzle out, generating so much hype around it that the album would initially be a letdown. Thankfully, that is not the case.

All of the songs are exactly because all of them are so incredibly different and all-consuming.

However, “Otis,” which samples Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness,” is the best use of a sample I’ve heard in a long time. West’s incredibly intricate use of samples on “My Dark Twisted Fantasy” rubbed off on “Watch the Throne,” and it’s evident in almost every song. Not only is production great across the board, but Jay-Z comes in as cavalry on horseback to just blow every track away.

Their egos may be big, but it’s justified because they’re good at what they do. “Watch the Throne,” to say it plainly, is just exciting.

While generations of the past have Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra, or Aerosmith and Run DMC, we got Kanye and HOVA.

“Watch the Throne” released Aug. 12

Three Summer Movies Everyone’s Talking About

By Katie Lockhart Arts & Culture Co-Editor

“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2”

It’s no surprise that the final Harry Potter movie made it on this list. Not only is it the highest grossing movie in history, but it left most grown men and women in tears. If you went on Facebook in the days leading up to and the days after July 15, it was obvious that many people considered the final movie an end to the beloved series and to their childhood. Although an overly dramatic sentiment, there is no denying the well-deserved hype and the ridiculous levels of insanity brought on by this movie.

Everyone and their grandmother knows the plot of this movie and the seven before it, but it is evident in the “Deathly Hallows Part 2” that the series has gone on, the movies have not only gotten darker, more gruesome and more frightening, but better. The special effects were spectacular, Ron and Hermione’s weird sexual tension was finally addressed and a glimpse into the future lives of Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione was a perfect way to end the series. I just wish Dobby was there to see it.

“Crazy, Stupid, Love”

One of these three words adequately describes this movie and I’ll give you a hint- it’s not crazy or love.

Ben Glass/Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/MCT(LEFT) / Jaap Buitendijk/Courtesy Warner Bros./MCT(Right)

Gosling helps Carell with relationship problems in “Crazy, Stupid, Love” (left) while Radcliffe and the gang finish up the final Potter movie (right).

I couldn’t count the number of times I rolled my eyes over the romantic clichés and sappy lines. This talented cast featuring Julianne Moore, Steve Carell, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling was squandered by Dan Fogelman’s unoriginal script.

After Emily (Moore) tells her husband Cal (Carell) that she wants a divorce he goes right to the bottle and stays there until Jake (Gosling) comes to his rescue, giving him a complete makeover and showing him how to pick up women. The movie mostly revolves around Jake mentoring Cal,

also includes several different love side stories like Robbie (Jonah Bobo), Cal’s son, confessing his undying love for his babysitter, Jessica, (Analeigh Tipton) and the romance between Gosling and Stone.

This movie is the epitome of a chick flick, which is not always a bad thing.

There were several laugh-out-loud moments involving breakout star Tipton and some naked photos along with; a surprising twist towards the end that completely changed the cast dynamic.

However, the chemistry between Stone and Gosling’s characters was the best

part of the movie, or maybe it was just Gosling’s abs.

“Bridesmaids”

Not since “Knocked Up” or “Mean Girls” have I laughed so hard at a comedy. This brilliantly witty and silly script written by Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo proved to be the best movie of the summer and probably the best comedy of the year. As they try to prepare for a wedding the two main characters, Annie (Kristen Wiig) and Lillian (Maya Rudolph), are

the quirky best friends you feel like you have known for years.

The cast as a whole is dysfunctional but in the best possible way. Some stand- out bridesmaids includes the crude future sister-in-law Megan (Melissa McCarthy from “Gilmore Girls,”) and the Stepford-esque Helen (Rose Byrne) who is coyly trying to take Annie’s place as maid of honor. But Wiig’s performance as the pathetic best friend trying to get her act together is consistently hilarious and unmatchable. Tina Fey should watch her back; Wiig may be the new queen of comedy.

www.fordhamobserver.com

The Observer August 25, 2011

Arts & Culture

13

Lincoln Center Senior’s Music Site Starts to Spread Its Roots Alex Mitchell’s Hypetree, “The Democratic Music Site,” Looks to Evolve Even More With the Opening Weeks of the Fall Semester Hypetree From PAGE 1

and anyone out there right now is our content.”

Mitchell and his team already have a patent pending for the site, with a number of indie music labels interested. Trevor Collins, who attends City College and is partners with Mitchell, is excited about the contacts being made and the ones that are soon to come.

“We’re getting contacted by a lot of actual big artists. I think we’ll be able to get some really cool music on there,” Collins said.

Michelle Panzironi, FCLC ’12, who is charge of marketing analytics and data for the site, is another partner within Hypetree who feels the site can garner some reputable acclaim down the road.

“It’s really getting off the ground.

I feel that it’s a really stable company and that it can be a big player in music if we can make the right connections with people,” Panzironi said.

Mictchell notes, “There is no other open platform like this that delivers personalized music, and that music comes from any artist, not just the ones who can afford to be on Pandora.”

Unlike Spotify or Pandora, who feature signed label artists combined with large ad space, Hypetree allows anyone to create a free account and start posting music on the site.

“We don’t really care how many fans you have on Facebook or if you have a record deal. Anyone can sign up for an account and put it on Hypetree. The song or the band might get a bad score or it might get a good score—it’s open. So as the music lover, you get unique content that you’re not going to find anywhere else,” Mitchell

said.

Posting songs on the site is free but only up to a specific limit. After the limit has been reached, the artist must pay 50 cents for each song they want to post.

Mitchell said it works like a marketing tool for the artist; while they pay a very small amount for posting their songs on the site, they are receiving exposure as well as feedback.

Hypetree also gains profit from small ads.

But for Mitchell and his team, it’s not about being the next Mark Zuckerberg, with Justin Timberlake telling you how to spend your next dollar.

Mitchell said that Fordham’s philosophy has a significant influence on the overall mission of Hypetree.

“There are a lot of smart and passionate kids here,”he said. “A lot of people are doing work on this project without pay. I think that’s the idea that Fordham has instilled in us. Fordham’s ‘for others’ mentality is imbibed in Hypetree where we are creating this to help other people. We could be charging more and putting up more ads, but we’re not looking to be rich.”

Despite his belief that statistically the site may fail, Mitchell is staying optimistic, hoping that his project stays on a steady, lucrative course for as long as possible.

“Just in the job I’m in now, I see a lot of start-ups, and so I see what they’re doing right and wrong and there’s a lot of luck and sweat involved,” Mitchell said. “Do I see this happening long term? I certainly hope so. Statistically we’re going to fail but statistically I shouldn’t have a college education either. It’s one of those things where we’re going to try as long as we can.”

Hypetree photo/courtesy of alex mitchell

Hypetree is being called “the democratic music site,” allowing the user to discover new and upcoming artists.

A

• Are you bilingual?

• Do you want to earn extra money?

A

• Would you like an opportunity to make a difference in a young Latina’s life?

Become a mentor to a middle or high school Latina.

Pick up an application at the office of the Undergraduate Assistant Dean, Joseph Desciak (Lowenstein #804).

 Meet once a week with 2 girls 

Build a relationship with your mentees

 Develop new and useful skills  Earn $300 per semester

j APPLICATIONS DUEi

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2011

Contact Dr. Ellen Silber, Program Director, for more information. silberes@aol.com 718 817-0117 / 718 601-5119

16

Arts & Culture

August 25, 2011 The Observer

www.fordhamobserver.com

the observer Editorial Board 2011-2012 Faith Heaphy Editor-in-Chief

Major: Communication and Media Studies Media Addiction: Mad Men, Nicki Minaj.

Last Text Received: Raid and some mint icecream. Heaven.

Favorite Place to Get Food in the City: Burrito Box, Duane Reade.

Favorite Part About Working With the Observer: Meeting new people.

Fordham Freak-out Moment: Currently, employment.

Laura Chang News Editor

Major: Communication and Media Studies Media Addiction: Pretty Little Liars (Don’t judge me!)

Last Text Received: Hahaha too funny maybe he will bless your food Favorite Place to Get Food in the City: 53rd & 6th Chicken & Rice Favorite Part About Working With the Observer: Working with the greatest people on earth...and I find out everything before anyone else does!

Fordham Freak-out Moment: A friend forgot to get me an overnight pass 24-hours in advance because she was stressed with finals. I freaked out and rushed to Res Life the next morning to make sure I could beg for a pass. I had my own finals the next morning so staying over was pivotal for me.

Colleen Thornhill Opinions Editor

Monique John Managing Editor Major: Communication and Media Studies and African and African-American Studies Media Addiction: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, bglhonline.com/clutchmagazine.com Last Text Recieved: Lol can’t wait!

Favorite Place to Get Food in the City: Stand4-best milkshakes ever! (Try the toasted marshmallow) Favorite Part About Working With the Observer: You build a fantastic network and receive great job and internship opportunities Fordham Freak-out Moment: Falling for the first person I met my first day on campus

Sara Azoulay Asst. News Editor Photo Co-Editor

Major: Communication and Media Studies and Anthropology Media Addiction: Well, I wouldn’t say addicted but I really enjoy the Ridiculist with Andersoon Cooper. Also, the Onion and the art site booooooom.com. Funny animal clips on youtube are always welcome too!

Last Text Received: Wahhhhhh Favorite Place to Get Food in the City: There’s a vegetarian place in Hell’s Kitchen called Zen Palate that I like.

Favorite Part About Working With the Observer: The great health care benefits and the long vacations!

Your Fordham Freak-out Moment: Freshman year, I had to dissect a baby pig in my biology lab. I love piglets, so it was a sad day for me.

Mike Madden Arts & Culture Co-Editor

Major: Communication and Media Studies and History Media Addiction: The Jersey Shore, Pretty Little Liars Last Text Received: Yes! You go Glenn Coco!

Favorite Place to Get Food in the City: Lunch Box, Jacques Torres (cookies!), Sara Beth’s Favorite Part About Working With the Observer: I can ramble on about almost anything in each issue, and it’s an excuse to hang out with some pretty cool people.

Fordham Freak-Out Moment: When I tried checking out six books in the library at two in the morning for a 10-page annotated bibliography due the next day and being told that my ID was denied because I had too many DVD fines. Basically, junior year in a nutshell.

Major: Communication and Media Studies Media Addiction: Current TV Last Text Received: BaaBooop!

Favorite Place to Get Food in the City: Ecco Ristorante Favorite Part About Working With the Observer: Darryl Yu’s dimples Fordham Freak-Out Moment: Seeing Darryl Yu’s dimples for the first time.

Brian Bruegge Katie Lockhart Arts & Culture Co-Editor Major: Communication and Media Studies Media Addiction: Dexter, Friday Night Lights, Mad Men, anything Tarantino Last Text Recieved: ?

Favorite Place to Get Food in the City: Eataly Favorite Part About Working With the Observer: Free Press Passes Fordham Freak-Out Moment: When I saw my financial aid package

Mario Weddell Features Co-Editor Asst. Photo Editor

Major: Visual Arts, Communication and Media Studies Media Addiction: I love to read entire Wikipedia articles about things like vitamins, street gangs, and old musicians.

Last Text Recieved: We are the supply.

Favorite Place to Get Food in the City: I’m a huge fan of this tiny dumpling place I found by accident once in Chinatown. I was completely lost when it found me, so I don’t know the name or location of this restaurant.

Favorite Part About Working With the Observer: I like that I can get my week’s worth of YouTube video-watching done in one night in the Observer office. Efficiency.

Fordham Freak-out Moment: One night I finished writing a paper at 4 in the morning, and I was nervous that I wasn’t going to wake up for my 8:30 class in time to hand the paper in, so I sneaked into the classroom that night and slept under a table until the teacher arrived.

Asst. Arts & Culture Editor Major: Communication and Media Studies and History Media Addiction: 70s Kung Fu movies Last Text Received: My cellphone is currently thousands of miles away, which makes this one a bit tough to answer...

Favorite Place to Get Food in the City: Vanessa’s Dumplings Favorite Part About Working With the Observer: Knowing that I’ll be able to proudly tell my kids that I was a part of it all.

Fordham Freak-out Moment: Having my mind blown when they added a huge banner to Lowenstien.

Darryl Yu Features Co-Editor Major: Economics Media Addiction: Community, Modern Family, The Office, The Walking Dead Last Text Received: Are you back in New York yet!?!?

Favorite Place to Get Food in the City: Burger Joint Favorite Part About Working With the Observer: Getting to spend a lot of time with my Observer buddies.

Fordham Freak-out Moment: Having to study for two exams on an Observer production night.

www.fordhamobserver.com

The Observer August 25, 2011

Matt Petronzio

Asst. Copy Editor

Major: English Media Addiction: manrepeller.com Last Text Received: was she real mad?

Favorite Place to Get Food in the City: Rosa Mexicano Favorite Part About Working With the Observer: Finding out what’s going on around Fordham and New York City Fordham Freak-out Moment: Registering for classes

Major: English and Creative Writing Media Addiction: GuernicaMag.com Last Text Received: “Yeah, that would be great.”

Favorite Place to Get Food in the City: For cheap eats, Hummus Place. For groceries, Trader Joe’s. For meals I can’t afford, Hillstone.

Favorite Part About Working With the Observer: 3 a.m. production nights. Just kidding.

Fordham Freak-out Moment: Pending...

Salma Elmehdawi

Amanda Fimbers

Asst. Literary Editor Photo Co-Editor

Layout Editor

Major: Communication and Media Studies Media Addiction: Nylon Magazine, Say Yes to the Dress, Stumbleupon.com Last Text Received: A whole cage full of pillow pets...

Favorite Place to Get Food in the City: Vynl, Trader Joe’s, Ferrara Favorite Part About Working With the Observer: Working with such awesome people.

Fordham Freak-out Moment: Tuition.

Sports Co-Editor

Major: Communication and Media Studies Media Addiction: The Office Last Text Received: The Lion King is coming out in 3D September 16 So Exicted (Girlfriend) Favorite Place to Get Food in the City: 53rd and 6th (Mix Over Rice)/Morgan’s Deli Chambers Street (BLT on a Hero) Favorite Part About Working With the Observer: The amount of fun and jokes we have in the Production Room.

Fordham Freak-out Moment: I realized I missed a mandatory study abroad meeting and had to rush to school to get a make-up session or not go abroad.

17

Anna Luciano

Copy Editor Literary Editor

Randy Narine

Arts & Culture

Major: English (Creative Writing) and Middle East Studies Media Addiction: The Jersey Shore Last Text Received: AHHH! The band manager is officially the new love of my love.

Favorite Place to Get Food in the City: Republic Favorite Part About Working With the Observer: The occasional free coffee & being surrounded by expressive and opinionated people.

Frodham Freak-out Moment: Entering my junior year with an undecided major.

Natalia Ramirez

Max Wollner

Business Manager

Sports Co-Editor

Major: Communications and media studies, minor in business Media Addiction: The Office, Modern Family Last Text Received: “Watch I’m gunna swell up like the blueberry girl from Charlie and the chocolate factory tomorrow.”

Favorite Place to Get Food in the City: Cabana Favorite Part About Working With the Observer: I’ve gained insight of the advertising industry, while working with a great group of individuals.

Fordham Freak-out Moment: Spotting Bill Clinton across the street from school. I was late to French because of it, but it was completely worth it.

Major: Commuications and Media Studies Your Media Addiction: Survivor and other trashy reality TV shows.

Last Text Recieved: I am beginning the festivites - (My roomate) Favorite place to Get Food in the City: The halal cart on 58th and 9th, but only after 7:30 PM Favorite part about working With the Observer: listening to music in the office with all of these wacky people Fordham Freak-out Moment: Every time I have a Freshens smoothie... They’re just... wonderful.

Beata Cherepakhina

Ariella Mastroianni

Online Co-Editor

Online Co-Editor

Major: Communication and Media Studies Media Addiction: Yahoo Shine Last Text Received: Ehh :( Favorite Place to Get Food in the City: Saint’s Alp Teahouse Favorite Part About Working With the Observer: All the amazing people Fordham Freak-out Moment: Two words… financial aid

Major: Philosophy and Communication and Media Studies Media Addiction: Guitar Hero 3.

Last Text Recieved: From Chase bank: Your account balance is below your $10.00 limit. Press 1 to transfer from your savings.

Favorite place to get food in the city: Yaffa Cafe (St. Marks and 1st) Favorite Part About Working With the Observer: Controlling the spotlight.

Fordham Freak-Out Moment: What’s the tuition again?

Sadia Noor Blog Editor

Major: English and Communications, Visual Arts minor Last Text Received: Bull penis tastes weird. But turkey testicles are kinda good, and 1000 year old eggs taste like eggs! :D Favorite Place to Get Food in the City: Street carts!

They’re not just limited to lamb over rice, you know. There is some fantastic food to be had if you don’t mind eating standing up.

Favorite Part About Working With the Observer: The constant, undying pressure to somehow meet the expectations of my extrafabulous peers. But actually, it’s the fact that working on the Observer has helped me realize what I want to do with my life and that I have a lot of work to get to where I want to be. I’m up for the challenge, though. You have to be if you’re in this field.

Fordham Freak-out Moment: When there was a rumor circulating that Denzel Washington had donated $7 million to Fordham. At first I thought it was awesome that Mr. Washington was trying to help out Fordham and its students.

But then I got my financial aid package and I realized that either the money was a myth, or Denzel was. I’m leaning towards the former. Thanks, college rumor mill. Go back to ruining social reputations.

Cristina Romano Asst. Blog Editor

Major: Communication and Media Studies Media Addiction: SocialScope – so I can use Twitter, Foursquare and Facebook at the same time!

Last Text Received: You know that cardboard thing that the babka sits in? It doesn’t taste that good.

Favorite Place to Get Food in the City: Lansky’s Deli at 235 Columbus Ave. Favorite Part About Working With the Observer: I’ve enjoyed watching the Observatory blog grow from its first launch back in my sophomore year, to what it is now. It’s going to be big!

Fordham Freak-Out Moment: dropping an entire tray of chicken fingers while running up the stairs to class. Also, when I first transferred to Fordham in the fall of sophomore year, I was worried my credits would not transfer over – luckily they did!

14

Arts & Culture

August 25, 2011 The Observer

www.fordhamobserver.com

PHOTO FEATURE

The Observer staff shares some of their favorite pictures from the summer. Here they document their various adventures, including the Lollapalooza 2011 festival, a summer in the city, a road trip across the Southwest, a tropical beach vacation, a family trip to Marthaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vineyard, a drive through the Northeast and a literature course abroad.

Sara Azoulay/Chicago/The Observer

Monique John/Marthaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vineyard/The Observer

Darryl Yu/Nevada/The Observer

Sara Azoulay/Chicago/The Observer

Mario Weddell/NYC/The Observer

Katie Lockhart/Hawaii/The Observer

www.fordhamobserver.com

The Observer August 25, 2011

Arts & Culture

15

PHOTO FEATURE

Sara Azoulay/Upstate NY/The Observer

Mario Weddell/NYC/The Observer

Salma Elmehdawi /Venice, Italy/The Observer

Darryl Yu/Grand Canyon/The Observer

Features

August 25, 2011 The Observer

Word of Mouth

Uncle Nick’s Serves Up a Greek Adventure in Hell’s Kitchen

By Darryl Yu Features Co-Editor

For many Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) students, a usual outside meal may consist of a cheeseburger at the Flame or some nachos at Burrito Box. However, what many FCLC students don’t know is how close they are to one of New York City’s food hubs.

Located a few blocks south from the FCLC campus is the Hell’s Kitchen district (34th to 50th along 8th Ave.). Filled with restaurants serving cuisines from all over the world this quaint Manhattan district was very different place only 40 years ago.

Hell’s Kitchen was once filled with violence in the 1970s between Puerto Rican and Irish Americans gangs. However this improvised neighborhood bloomed into oasis as the crime began to trickle out towards the beginning of the 1980s.

Today Hell’s Kitchen is increasingly becoming one of the upscale neighborhoods in New York City and is definitely a place worth exploring for an FCLC “foodie.”

As a self-proclaimed food lover, I decided one day to venture from the FCLC campus south along Columbus Avenue to Hell’s Kitchen to see what hidden cuisine gems I could uncover. Walking amongst the hustle and bustle of yet another beautiful New York City summer day, I was caught off guard when I suddenly saw a burst of flames from the window of a restaurant.

Originating from a simmering golden plate, the flame looked to have cooked what appeared to be cheese. Wanting to find out more about what I just saw I decided to venture towards the “flaming cheese restaurant.” Uncle Nick’s Greek Tapas Bar was the name of the place and it was packed with people! Dazzled by the flaming cheese show, I decided to give it a try.

Darryl yu/The Observer

Looking for a place to fire up your tastebuds? Head over to Hell’s Kitchen and try Uncle Nick’s Greek Cuisine.

As I was led to my street side table overlooking the sights and sounds of Columbus Avenue, I suddenly started to panic. Never having tried Greek food before, I didn’t know what to order!

Recalling a scene in my Big Fat Greek Wedding where the family went crazy with the arrival of the lamb, I decided that something with lamb had to be ordered at this place.

I figured that an indicator of a good Greek restaurant was how well their lamb tasted.

Scanning through the menu my eyes caught hold of number of lamb dishes, but none stood out more than Arnisio Kebob. Marinated lamb smothered with onions, tomatoes and peppers, this eye candy of a lamb dish got my stomach’s atten-

tion.

In addition to the abundance of lamb dishes being ordered at Uncle Nick’s, I also noticed the flaming cheese plates I had seen earlier. Surrounding me like fireflies in a forest, these plates of fire released a sweet aroma of tomatoes and cheese. I had to get one of those.

Called Saganaki in Greek, I later learned it was a simple Greek cheese appetizer. When my Saganaki arrived 10 minutes later, it was served on a small searing hot frying pan.

Bubbling away right next to me, the cheese was further aggravated when my waiter decided to ignite the pan. With a quick burst of flames followed shortly with a shout of “opa!” (Greek word mentioned at the start of a celebration)

my Saganaki was ready to be eaten.

As the first pieces of the Saganaki entered my mouth, I was shocked with the overwhelming taste of the feta cheese.

Instead of being too cheesy, the addition of tomato complemented the Saganaki.

Capped off with an aftertaste of pepper lemons it was a perfect dish for newcomers to Greek food.

Shortly after my Arnisio Kebob arrived. Served on a huge plate with three generous pieces of marinated lamb and a mixture of bell peppers and onions on the side. It was a dish fit for a king. The fall-off-the-bone good lamb pieces were a delight for my taste buds. Coaxed with herbs and spices, the lamb meat melted in my mouth.

With my belly filled, I was happy to find out that my delicious meal was reasonable. Paying around $20 for some authentic Greek food, Uncle Nick’s is definitely a place I’ll try again. If you’re ever looking for a quick snack or a place for a semiformal lunch meeting in Hell’s Kitchen, Uncle Nick’s is the place for you.

IF YOU GO

Uncle Nick’s

$$$ out of $$$$$ Where: 747 9th Ave., New York, NY 10019 (Between 50th & 51st) Darryl’s Recommendation: An

Arnisio Kebob!

NY challenged

An Encounter With a Lone Traveler Leaves Me Wanting More

By Mario Weddell Features Co-Editor

A few weeks ago my friends and I were in Brooklyn at L&B Spumoni Gardens, where they serve the best square pizza I’ve ever had. The pizza is perfect, but that’s not the point.

The point is, while I was waiting for my square, I asked the guy in front of me how long they said the wait would be for the fresh pizza and I soon discovered that he was much cooler than me.

The man turned around. He was tall, Asian and looked thoughtful.

He appeared to be alone and he was wearing a backpack. Nothing too remarkable or strange, but I thought to myself, “What’s this guy doing here? NYU is very far away.” He did look a bit out of place amongst all the Brooklynites in the bleach white sneakers and basketball shorts. Then he spoke and was absolutely out of place.

His accent was glorious and British. He sounded like a James Bond version of Jeremy Clarkson, one of the hosts of the car show, “Top Gear.”

He said to me, “I’m not entirely sure how long it will take. The man either said four to five minutes, or 45 minutes. Either way, I’m quite prepared to wait.”

We continued our conversation because I needed to hear him speak again. He was a medical student from Cambridge named Cheng, and it

sounded like he was just traveling the United States and eating and talking sexy. I brought him back to our table.

We talked about school and Cheng asked us what we were reading. At first I was confused. I wasn’t reading anything at the table. Then I thought I had misheard him. I was about to say, “Oh, I’m eating pizza,” when my friends said they were reading some history books or whatever.

I felt embarrassed to have wasted a summer just working and making money (poor me). The conversation moved on.

He told us he was trying to get a feel for the American medical system by checking out different hospitals in the area. He was staying in Queens and trying to explore as much of New York as he could. He talked about his travels and food experiences, from hanging out with some “real gangster types in the South,” to eating at a San Francisco burger place called Super Duper, with his incredible voice and accent.

“It’s jost the great’st burger I’ve ever had. You ‘ave your burgah, and you just devour it, and then you lie there in a partial coma, with jost the essence of Supah Dupah burgah dribbling down your chin. Then you dribble it back up, because it’s jost that good, and you think t’yourself, there’s apsolutely no way I could eat anything else ever again. And then you get to the fries.”

I was beside myself with joy. We asked him if he had been to Burger Joint in Le Parker Meridien hotel, and he said yes. That was a bit of a shock, so we demanded to know how he had managed to find both our favorite burger place and pizza place.

Most tourists ended up at Grimaldi’s and Shake Shack. The answer, as he put it, was “the Golden Oldies.”

He had been in a bar in the West Village, where a couple of New York natives, 50-year-old Irish men (Golden Oldies), had directed him to all the right places for experiencing the best of New York. He had hit up a couple other bars and a jazz club as well.

I felt so proud to share recommendations with the Golden Oldies.

I felt proud to live in New York, and I was so happy that I was doing it right.

I pictured myself 40 years from now, as an honorary Golden Oldie. In my head they had become a mythical duo of corner-sitting, beer drinkers who only listened to Miles Davis and appeared to the loneliest of travelers.

Sadly, I don’t know what became of Cheng and I didn’t have the presence of mind to offer to show him around. Maybe I should put up a post on Missed Connections. “You: Eloquent, British, hungry. Me: Illiterate.”

Regardless, he did show me that the only way to get to know a place was to talk to the people, particularly the older ones. I’ve got to do that more.

Beata Cherepakhina/The Observer

L&B Spumoni Gardens, a “Golden Oldies” favorite place for pizza.

www.fordhamobserver.com

The Observer August 25, 2011

Mario Weddell/The Observer

Features

19

Joe Rimkus, Jr/Miami Herald/MCT

McSorley’s Old Ale House did not allow women inside until 1970 and did not have a women’s Runners compete in the Olympic Women’s Marathon in Beijing, in 2008. Women did not restroom until 1986. have an Olympic Marathon event until 1981.

The Fight for Women’s Equality Spans Beyond a Single Day

By Mario Weddell Features Co-Editor

Have a Drink at McSorley’s Old Ale House

Women’s Equality Day is Aug. 26. It memorializes the certification of the 19th Amendment of the Constitution, granting women the right to vote. The battle for women’s equality extends far beyond suffrage, however, and New York City has seen its share of events highlighting the fight for fairness.

Here are a few ways to celebrate the struggle for women’s rights while you wait for voting day.

This bar is one of New York City’s oldest, not to mention one of its most famous. Although McSorley’s recently made headlines in 2010, when a patron sued the owner because the bar cat allegedly attacked her, the bar is better known for refusing to serve women for over 100 years. In 1969, the National Organization for Women sued the tavern for discrimination, and in 1970, McSorley’s opened its doors to women. The complete story can be found on one of the walls, preserved on an old copy of the Daily News. By the way, a separate women’s bathroom didn’t come along until 1986!

Run the New York Marathon The New York Marathon doesn’t take place until Nov. 6, but it’s probably a good idea to start stretching now. The normal entrance application deadline already passed, but it’s still possible to enter the race through one of many charity groups involved. But how is the marathon relevant to women’s equality? According to the author of “Olympic Marathon,” Charlie Lovett, Grete Waitz’s record-breaking time in the 1979 New York Marathon prompted an editorial in the New York Times that “called for the creation of an Olympic Marathon for women.” Up until 1981, there was no women’s race, but Waitz’s achievement lent credibility to the argument that marathons were not too strenuous (or unpopular) to become a female Olympic event.

Go Topless in Public In 1992, seven women were arrested for being naked and going inside a park in Rochester. In the case People v. Ramona Santorelli and Mary Lou Schloss, women in New York State won the right to go topless wherever men could. The law banning bare chests was criticized for being sexually discriminatory, by defining women’s breasts as sexual, but not men’s. Although private (no pun intended) places (such as restaurants) reserve the right to require clothing, the sidewalks and subways are fair game.

Support the Paycheck Fairness Act Finally, let’s get down to the nitty gritty. According to the United States Department of Labor, in 2010, “women earned 81 percent of the median weekly earnings of their male counterparts.” Although that number incorporates a wide range of factors, the fact of the matter is that women still are not receiving equal pay for equal work. The Paycheck Fairness Act seeks to hold employers accountable for violating wage regulations, as well as to provide employers with the resources they need to make sure they are being fair.

Through the American Civil Liberties Union Website, www.aclu.org, individuals can ask their representatives to support the pending bill.

Dress to Impress! What to Expect for Fashion’s Night Out 2011

By Beata Cherepakhina Online Co-Editor

Living in New York City has tons of perks and perhaps the greatest perk of all is the city’s fashion scene.

New York is bustling with the hottest designers, high-end retailers and all the celebrities that love them.

So when Sept. 8 comes around, get ready for one epic extravaganza as all three come together to celebrate New York’s Third Annual Fashion’s Night Out (FNO).

If you’re wondering what exactly FNO is, look no further then the event’s website. The site explains, “Fashion’s Night Out is an unprecedented global initiative created in 2009 in a partnership between American Vogue, the Council of Fashion Designers of America, NYC & Company and the City of New York to celebrate fashion, restore consumer confidence, boost the industry’s economy and put the fun back in shopping.”

And in the last two years the event has done just that. Filled with great clothes, great gifts and celebrity sightings, here’s what you have to look forward to during FNO 2011.

Official FNO Gear: These items hit the trifecta: they’re stylish, for a good cause and a great souvenir to remember your incredible night out. They include tees, totes and a baseball cap that range from $15 to $50. Snag your own official FNO Gear from various retailers including 3.1 Phillip Lim, 7 for All Mankind, ALDO Ann Taylor, and more. Check out the entire list of retailers at fashionsnightout.com/collection.

Celebrity Sightings: Last year Kanye West’s surprise appearance had FNO patrons going wild. This year should be no different, especially with all the confirmed celebs and a great chance of other stars showing up unannounced. There are currently over 100 stars confirmed to be showing off their gorgeous faces during FNO ,including supermodels Alessandra Ambrosio, Adrian Lima and Heidi Klum, actors Christina Hendricks, Seth Meyers and Michelle Trachtenberg, singers Ne-Yo, Joe Jonas and Nicki Minaj and designers Marc

Jacobs, Diane von Furstenberg and Michael Kors. So make sure to keep your eyes peeled and get a picture with your favorite celeb.

Parties: There will be parties everywhere.

From the Annual FNO Black and White Party at A Man and a Woman to the J Lindeberg FNO party, there’s no shortage of locations to enjoy some refreshments, mingle with New York’s most fashionable and enjoy shopping for a whole new wardrobe. Some locations such as A Uno Tribeca and Maybelline New York Color Studio Hot Spot will even have live music to make the experience even better.

Shopping: There’s sure to be new clothes and great prices all over the city, so get ready to shop till you drop and fully enjoy what FNO has to offer.

Make sure to check out the Barbie Loves FNO scavenger hunt and channel your inner kid. Travel the city looking for Barbie’s new wardrobe from incredible stylists such as Rogan, Tracy Resse and Alice + Olivia.

craig mcdean/arizona muse

This year, party it up in an official Fashion’s Night Out T-shirt!

20

Features

August 25, 2011 The Observer

www.fordhamobserver.com

An FCLC Insider’s Guide to a Smooth and Savvy Freshman Year Freshman guide From PAGE 1

to the budget of a college student.

Therefore, as a new FCLC student, focus on exploring your neighborhood you may get more bang for your buck!

Avoid the Traffic Due to FCLC’s unique position as a one-building campus, a rare phenomenon called “elevator traffic” often occurs within the halls of Lowenstein. One moment the hallways may be dead quiet but at any given moment, a sudden influx of people can emerge from the classrooms and can stream towards the elevators. Incoming freshmen will come to learn that finding your way around the FCLC campus won’t be a problem, but actually getting somewhere will be a problem. Since most freshmen classes would be located on the fifth or lower floors, I recommend taking the stairs to your classes. Not only will you be able to avoid “elevator traffic,” but you’ll be able to get some exercise into your daily routine Learn to Keep Your Costs Down One thing you’ll soon learn as a college student in New York City is that having low weekly expenses can be the difference between being able to go out and not on the weekend. For me, grocery shopping was one of the biggest weekly expenses.

Grocery shopping for the first time on my own, I had no idea of what products to buy and whether they

were good or not. Initially shopping at the nearby Morton Williams, I soon heard from a friend that there was a cheaper grocery store called Western Beef (75 West End Ave) not too far from the FCLC campus. He was right! Filled with an abundance of cheaper food, Western Beef was a much better deal than Morton Williams. I saved tons! Now with the arrival of Trader Joe’s (2075 Broadway), just a 10 minute walk up from FCLC, you can save more and use that extra grocery money for some fun-filled activities in New York City!

Be a Smart Passenger If you’re planning on taking a class in the Bronx during your time at FCLC, you’ll eventually have to take the Ram Van (Fordham University’s intercampus transportation). A gigantic Dodge van, it can bring you from the Upper West Side to the Bronx in just 30 minutes!

However, the enjoyment of this 30 minute ride is entirely based on one important factor-your location. The Ram Van, although efficient, tends to give riders a bumpy ride up to the Bronx. The solution to this is always aim to “ride shotgun,” also known as the front passenger seat of the Ram Van. Offering a lot of leg room and a crucial headrest, this seat will give you total comfort as you venture towards your class. (Note: Don’t try to be the cool kids at the back! Avoid the back seat at all costs. You might hit your head on the ceiling once you reach the highway.)

Darryl Yu/The Observer

Explore your neighborhood! You’ll never know what cheap college eats you can find around the corner.

Getting to Know Dr. Aimee Cox: Dance Vet and Newest Addition to the African and African American Studies Department at FCLC

By Monique John Managing Editor

Like many of her fellow faculty members, Professor Aimee Cox’s resume boasts degrees from the country’s elite universities and extensive work as a writer and anthropologist.

She’s recently been titled the new assistant professor of the African and African American Studies department (AFAM) at Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) and will be teaching a brand new course called Black Feminism. However, something makes Cox stand out in a big way: she was once a professional dancer performing with Ailey II. “I danced my entire life, from the time I was three years old,” Cox said.

Cox is a native of Cincinnati, Ohio.

She said dance lessons were just one of the many options her parents gave her as a child to be active and explore the arts. But there was something about ballet that stuck with her.

“I was obsessed with becoming a ballerina. Dance was something that immediately spoke to me. I’ve always been a very physical, very active, very athletic person. But I’ve also been very artistic and emotional and dance combined that physicality and gave my body a means of expression.”

In her high school years, Cox was a pre-professional ballet student at the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati. She went to Vassar College to get her undergraduate degree in cultural anthropology, but said dance still played a major role in her college experience. In 1992, she was given the option of finishing school early because of her extra college credits. Instead, Cox opted to spend a semester studying on a scholarship at the Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH), the world’s first black ballet company. But despite her relative success studying at DTH, she doubted whether ballet was her best fit. “[I] wasn’t feeling like ballet was the place for me. And that was hard to come to terms with after studying it for most of my life.

After taking some advice from Lowell Smith, one of DTH’s principal

“ This job just spoke

to me. I had no real hopes that I would get it, but I thought it would be so crazy not to apply for it because it was just so much of who I am.”

Aimee Cox, Professor of african american studies

dancers, Cox applied to study at the Ailey School to pursue modern technique. She was accepted and studied there the following semester. Noted for her exemplary performance skills, Cox was invited to come back to Ailey after graduating from Vassar and was soon invited to perform professionally with Ailey II. She danced there for two years.

“At Ailey is where I think I fully became a dancer. At the Dance Theater of Harlem, I was still sort of mimicking ballet. But Ailey was where I really was able to understand how dance is about spirit, tradition, and culture.”

Still, Cox said she felt unfulfilled.

She decided her best move was to go back to school. A year later, she attended the doctoral program in anthropology at the University of Michigan. She did her field work directing a Detroit homeless shelter for young women ages 16 to 21 called Alternatives for Girls from 2001-2004. “I was really embedded in the site,” Cox said.

At the shelter, she closely studied how race, gender, class and sexuality affect the lives of young black women. “I was really focused on being a scholar, and getting my PhD and dance [was] not apart of that. But those young women at the shelter really in a profound and beautiful way brought me back to dance. [T]hey were starting to dance and write poetry and they were using it as a way to kind of create a healing space for themselves.”

courtesy of aimee cox

Aimee Cox, a dancer-turned-professor, is one of Fordham’s new additions to the African and African American Studies department. She will be teaching a new course, Black Feminism, this fall.

The residents of the shelter wanted to expand their experimentation with dance and poetry; thus The BlackLight Project was created in 2005.

“These women weren’t trained dancers, but they were using their bodies and their voices to talk about their own personal experiences and then connect them to each other’s experiences.” The methodology was simple: the girls were to write about their experiences and to use their bodies to tell the stories. The product was a grassroots movement of politicallyconscious performances pieces portraying urban issues surrounding education, local government and women’s rights shown throughout Detroit.

“It moved from this internal space in the shelter to something that was literally on the streets of Detroit.” The experience inspired her dissertation and her book, “Shapeshifters: Black Girls and the Choreography of Citizenship.”

Cox finished doing her fieldwork at Alternatives for Girls, but she certainly was not finished with BlackLight. After obtaining her PhD, Cox brought BlackLight to Newark once she started teaching at RutgersNewark University. She was happy working at Rutgers but leaped at the job opening in FCLC’s AFAM department. “This job just spoke to me. I had no real hopes that I would get it, but I thought it would be so crazy not to ap-

ply for it because it was just so much of who I am.” In addition to teaching the course African Americans in Film, Cox’s brand new course, Black Feminism, will cover feminist theory and how black female artists across genres have impacted the world. “It’s hard to sell African American Studies classes because people think they’re just for black students. But the whole point behind the emergence of [AFAM] was to talk about the humanism of liberal arts…even though black feminism seems so exclusive and closed off, really the core of black feminism is to talk about everybody’s humanity and the need to address that. [T]he discipline is all about the universality of experience.”

www.fordhamobserver.com

The Observer August 25, 2011

Features

21

Q&a: Cara Schultz

Courtesy of melinda oswandel

Cara Lynn Shultz, once an Observer Editor-in-Chief, is now a senior editor at People.com and successful author of the teen fantasy novel, “Spellbound.”

FCLC Alumna Pens Paranormal Teen Novel

By Faith Heaphy Editor-in-Chief

Privileged Upper East Side prep school teens, a family curse and a tall, dark mystery man. Enter the world of Emma Conner, the main character in this summer’s breakout teen novel called “Spellbound.”

Written by Fordham alumna and former Observer Editor-in-Chief Cara Lynn Schultz, “Spellbound” may seem like another cliché teen love story, but witty writing paired with an intricate plot provides for a compelling book. Currently a senior editor at People.com, Schultz graduated from Fordham College at Lincoln Center in 1998. The Observer spoke with Schultz about her latest work and Fordham’s influence on her novel.

Observer: What got you started

on your first book?

Cara Schultz: When I first got

out of college and had my first job,

I was making six bucks an hour. I was photocopying and faxing. Really not doing much and I’m kind of bored during the day. My friend Vanessa was doing a similar job so I just started writing her stories.

They were these little stories about these characters that were college seniors and it just kind of evolved into kind of creepy stories with supernatural touches and romance.

Then I actually started having a busy job and I stopped writing the stories. A few years ago, Vanessa was cleaning out some old stuff and found a bunch of the stories and gave them to me—I hadn’t seen them in like nine years. I’m reading through them and I was like, ‘Why don’t I do something with these characters I invented in 1998?’

Observer: Why a teen novel?

C.S: It has to be that first love or

else it wouldn’t have worked. The whole doomed soul mate thing had to be teenager. It’s called PNR— paranormal teen romances.

Observer: Harry Potter and

Twilight are big, why do you think paranormal stories are so popular now?

professor at Fordham. Did you get any ideas for the characters from your experience as a student at Fordham?

C.S: I think there are always

C.S: Not really the people, but I

people who want to escape to a world where anything can happen. They’re these epic modern fairytales that exist alongside everyday life—supernatural worlds running parallel to the world we know.

Observer: You wrote for the Ob-

server while at Fordham, did you ever think you’d be writing books in the future?

C.S: While a senior at Fordham I

interned at Teen People. My first day there I interviewed Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler for the Wedding Singer and I fell into entertainment journalism. That kind of job was huge—it was 24 hour job.

Observer: In “Spellbound,” one

of the character’s moms works as a

love Fordham so I wanted to give it a shout out. The names of the good people in the book are positive people in my life. All the mean teachers are names of friend’s exboyfriends.

Observer: Which do you prefer,

article writing, blogging or novel writing?

C.S: I like all three to be hon-

est. I love social media—Twitter, Facebook. I love article writing. My favorite thing was always to interview an artist I really respected. I wanted to hear their story and tell their story well. Then there’s something about writing a book that’s your story you’re telling and you’re more exposed. When writing for a magazine, it’s not your voice, it’s the magazine’s. There is something

nice about publishing something that’s all yours.

Observer: I saw that one of the

characters in the novel, Brendan, has his own Facebook. What role did social media play in getting the word out about Spellbound?

C.S: I think it’s a good tool to use. I

got retweeted by z100 and got seven new followers. When you tweet out things that are interesting, it gets people involved. It’s all about branding. For Brendan’s Facebook, I wanted to own the name and it’s also a fun thing to do.

Observer: I hear a sequel is in

the works...

C.S: I had a two-book deal with

Harlequin and I’m writing the sequel now. I have 300 pages done and I’m right before the big final scene now. Everyone keeps asking if there is going to be a love triangle.

I’m like, ‘No that goes against the first book!’ I guess it’s popular in second books to have love triangles.

Who should we profile? fordhamobserver.com

Literary

August 25, 2011 The Observer

Penning The Present The literary section now features a segment called “Penning the Present” in which a creative piece relates to current events.

Whitewash Revolution

By Matt Petronzio Literary Editor & Copy Editor

The Bride of the Sea has torn her nuptial cloth, ripped a band from the waist to wear above the brow as a crown stained with rebel wounds.

Oil bleeds from the scars of the innocent, discontent distends in children’s empty bellies, dissident hands beg the sky for conclusion.

Democracy lags in the throats of hungry leaders, gagged by rebel duty gradually inhaled, but tyranny is tattooed beneath long tongues.

Loyalists wave their white flags made of wedding lace in the face of revolt, while the father of the Bride fears only that his daughter will burn to the ground.

W.Wash Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times/MCT

It is getting near the end now— cheers travel upon the north wind— but as corpses bud across the landscape, uncertainty poisons our tears.

On Aug. 20, Libyan rebels took control of major cities and encircled the capital of Tripoli, often nicknamed the “Bride of the Sea” because of its shore location. On Aug. 21, the rebels passed the city’s outer defense line. Reports stated that loyalist troops barely resisted before they fled from opposition forces. Rumors spread quickly that two of Moammar Gadhafi’s sons were captured—rumors that were later discredited.

As of Aug. 23, when the Observer went to print, the only functioning hospital in Tripoli was severely understaffed. Rebels overtook Bab al-Aziziya, the stronghold where Gadhafi stayed, but at that time Gadhafi was no longer there. A spokesman for the National Transitional Council said that they believe Gadhafi is still in or near the capital. It was believed that they would need to search his system of underground tunnels.

Rebels call for the end of Gadhafi’s 42-year dictatorship, during which corruption has flourished, children have been malnourished while unemployment stands at 30 percent (despite the nation’s oil revenues) and human rights have been brutally violated. The civil war began in February—shortly after the Egyptian uprising and the resignation of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak—when peaceful protests were met with military force.

Have an interest in current events and a knack for creative writing? Enter the Observer’s

‘Penning the Present’ biweekly contest

Write a poem or prose piece directly related to a current event and enter for your chance to get published!

All submissions should be sent to litsection.observer@gmail.com

www.fordhamobserver.com

The Observer August 25, 2011

Literary

23

Poetry

no-poet man

By Salma Elmehdawi Photo Co-Editor & Asst. Literary Editor

Anomaly

When we handed our bodies back to each other: mine, unsure of its new weight, felt like a thank you note.

Your hands signatured across my back, like a downpayment on my sorrow.

By LAURA CHANG News Editor

You come and go in person and in my dreams.

But every visit stirs up the heart beat... there goes the flutter below in the belly.

I should have known, preacher of poetry, that there would be no revelation behind your words.

Your mouth like a graveyard, placed fresh flowers on all the dead things.

The feelings make me question how I should be, because you’re really not that special, you’re alright, and yet, I still find that you are an anomaly.

Call you no-poet man, nothing ever rhymed but every word knew me like an ancestor coming home.

I barely know you, only brief conversations, too bashful then to admit, but I am certain now that the little made all the difference.

On the balcony, there is an orchestra chiming beneath the gestures of your cigarette.

Within me there is a city skyline unraveling, LIT beneath your fingertips.

You’re really not all that unique, your hair was tousled, your look so scruffy, your eyes were sweet but those weren’t it.

A buzzing, newly heard, in my bones, alleviated suppression, a wishing well coughing up coins, a gift unleashing three wishes in your name a foreign language speaks to me warm as my mother tone. Together, you and I, become homeland.

Worthy of return journeys.

What made you stand out it was simply...your smile. an anomaly.

On the ride home, our words rise to the ceiling like the exhaust fumes of our secrets.

No longer up in arms about it, we are in arms about it.

We know this will soon be a dead thing with a flower on it.

And if we were rioters, we should have rioted for eachother. And if we were believers we would place value on it: to be held in your hands like something you once prayed for.

Short Fiction

Light Blue

By Sara Azoulay Photo Co-Editor & Asst. News Editor

An unearthly silence filled the car. It was a Tuesday, the third Tuesday of the month. It was particularly hot that day, the kind of hot that left your eyes dry and head spinning. She liked the long walk to the train station. She liked the silence that came with her walking, much different from the current silence. Instead, that silence was tranquil and powerful. She especially liked the fact that for a moment, she was alone with her thoughts. She was 60 years old and still held her head up high with dignity. Her immaculate dark and shiny skin was soothing to look at, and she had somehow avoided the ugliness and extremities of aging. She was beautiful in the simplest of ways, and she loved ending her day with that walk to the train station. A quick look to her left revealed a blonde woman, the one that took the responsibility of driving her.

The blonde liked when she didn’t have to drive her. The silence was too much to bear since she was a person who was constantly in conversation. People took time out of their days to talk to her because she was beautiful. Her life was beautiful, too; she had a charming home and a divine family. Her white porcelain skin was flawless and her blonde hair luscious. She had a kind heart and didn’t truly understand the silence. But it was far too hot to let the babysitter walk to the train station. The two of them sat in the car, side by side, without a single exchange as the air conditioner gently hit their faces. The silence grew with each passing minute, making it hard to move even an inch.

And yet the little boy in the back exchanged glances with both of them. He was the common actuality that brought them both together. They both knew that his favorite color was light blue, not to be confused with turquoise or dark blue—it was light blue. They both understood his fear of swings and they both loved the way he said “please.” The babysitter picked up his first lost tooth while later that night his mother safely replaced the same tooth with tooth fairy money.

They had a million stories to share, a million things to say to one another about him. His gleaming smile or the way he smacked his lips when eating peanut butter—they both could probably talk about that for hours. Or that when he got too excited while telling a story, he wouldn’t stop to take a breath. They both took the same steps to calm him down, making sure his story would be heard.

Still, the little boy observed as both of his best friends sat in silence. This was the most perplexing thing he’d ever experienced, for while the silence rang deep in the car, inside he was bursting with things to say, things to share with both of them. He feared the silence more than anything else, so he hesitated to say a word. Instead, he just sat and watched as his babysitter left the car murmuring a thank you with one of her delightful smiles. He smashed his face up to the window to mouth a goodbye.

Later in life, of course, he’d mostly forget about his babysitter and only have his lovely mother. But those moments of everlasting silence in the car?

That he’d never forget. p Brian Vander Brug/Los Angeles Times/MCT

24

Literary

August 25, 2011 The Observer

www.fordhamobserver.com

Creative Nonfiction

And this is how you are touched

By Bianca Leggio Staff Writer

There is a baby chandelier that hangs in my bathroom, rarely turned on. It floats fairy-like over the toilet, its delicate loops outof-place in this room meant for other things. I had forgotten about it until just now: lethargic and with not much interest in life, I impulsively tapped the chandelier’s switch instead of the one for the more practical (less comforting) overhead light. Memories rushed back as I sat on the seat; I felt like crying. There was relief from being reminded of an old solace that hadn’t abandoned me despite the passage of years and friends and memories; sadness at realizing it was this lamp’s drowsy glow that transported me from my loneliness.

I never knew what inspired the chandelier. But I understand why it happened. One day, my mom decided the bathroom needed something special, a little “spiff.” So, a trip to the lighting store was arranged. (The thing to know about my mom is that she holds fast to the ideas in her head. Once there, a “good idea” is never forsaken. These projects that she devises, these links in a long, long chain of renovation after renovation, are her way of making the empty less so, her way of refusing to be bested by the un-whole and the un-fixed in her heart, as if by installing a purple miniature light fixture in the downstairs bathroom, she successfully kicked the bad parts of life out, refusing them re-entry with a resounding “so there!” Each idea is her new and improved solution to the problem of being a human, each notion sure to work this time.) The idea was a chandelier and so it was going to happen.

So. We—me, mom and younger sister—piled out of the car one day at some fancy light fixture place. It had to have been summer because it was white-hot out. In my mind’s eye all I see is glare: from pavement, from car, even from parking lot weeds sprouting from parking lot cracks. In addition to me being extremely put-out that this was how the day was to be spent, doing boring home-improvement things with whom I assumed would be boring home-improvement salespeople to whom I’d have to be boringly polite, I was also a bit nervous. Mom had emphasized the niceness of this place by reminding us that everything in it was glass, i.e., breakable, i.e., WATCH-OUT. I walked through the door with an impending sense of doom, images of splintered glass and raging electrical fires running through my head, all of us consumed by the energy throbbing beneath these beautiful and unknowable creatures, and all because of me. (Also, only adding to my weird mood, it seemed just plain wrong to go into a store whose heat output probably matched or equaled that of the sun that day; it felt the same way I imagine a sunburned person must feel upon realizing that there is no cool shade to retreat to, and that she must remain in the sun some more, passing from sunburn to just more sunburn, from angry red hotness to angry red hotness, a strange dynamic, a strange choice I couldn’t forgive my mother for.)

Anyway, as these things always go, we inevitably entered the store and I grumbled and worried to myself. I don’t remember exactly what happened but we must have eventually seen the tiny chandelier with the precious violet glass loops and we must have fallen in love. In that moment, the day became what it hadn’t been before; it was joyous and it was our own and it was safe. We all three nodded: yes, this was a piece worth buying, and loving, and letting have its way with us. We were enchanted. As my mom filled out order forms, my sister and I sat on cushy white-leather chairs in a giddy peacefulness. I flipped through catalogues that offered lights, smiling to myself, completely proud of the decision we had made together, completely taken with this something so beautiful and so small.

It only got worse (better?) once the chandelier was installed. It was perfect, the most perfect thing we’d ever had in our house, more perfect than it had been at the store. The light it gave was minimal, incidental really, caged like a butterfly is caged by complications of blooms, but it glowed just enough to softly fuzz the purple of the walls and the purple of the fixture’s glass. The first few weeks, we left the light on even when we weren’t using the bathroom. Every time I passed by its open door, I gasped a little, indulging myself in the reminder that this beauty was-mine-was-mine-was-mine; its comfort was absolute in its special meaning for me, in its otherworldliness. My other world. My one piece of reality that was magic, that could stay magic, for it truly looked like a nest for fairies. It was a nest I wanted to escape to, a cocoon of softness and violets.

I distinctly remember that over the years the chandelier became my hope: no matter how hard I had taken life, no matter what distant island I had found myself marooned on, there was my light, my reminder that there existed one perfect thing. I grew up and went to college and forgot about my chandelier…until today. As I went about my business of being human and obligated to my body, there was my chandelier, hanging still and gentle above me, a quiet and peaceful light.

Sara Azoulay/The Observer

Short Fiction

To Have a Home

By Zoë Simpson Staff Writer

Like feathers, swirling up in long, billowing wisps. It didn’t have to be like the real world’s grass. It didn’t even have to be green. I would feel it under my feet, curling up around my ankles, pressed against me by the wind. That’s how real it was. And I would see it, bending and flowing under the current in waves, just like the prairies out in Oklahoma every summer. Only it’d be blue. My favorite blue. A kind of azure.

I would see myself, and my eyes would be this perfect golden brown. My hair would be long, flitting about my face wildly. But always perfect, never in my eyes or getting caught in my mouth. That’s how it was there—everything limitless, perfect and free. Just enough to make me look dangerous and make me feel strong.

Growing up, the backyard was a place for trampolines or catching minnows, always joined by friends. But when the wind hit just right, I’d lose sight of it all, leaning instead into endless, endless blue wilderness. Or I’d start to feel it at recess, out on the hot concrete—the feathery whips rapping around my arms as I rolled over hills, baking under a lavender sky (lavender because it was the softest and most bright).

It must have been sometime in middle school, the day I found the house. A cottage of old, worn stones and creeping ivy. I approached and watched myself greet an elderly woman at the door, as though we were old friends. She led me inside and showed me the things I had come for. Her home was crowded, detailed. I bumped my head on bundles of dried fruit, roots braided into ropes of yarn, bottles of herbs and juices all hanging from hooks in the ceiling or filling the racks and tables and floor. She passed withered hands over her collection, naming and explaining how to grow this, how to cut that, when to take a bite here or whether to drink from those. Outside, we kneeled in soil, digging with our hands. I could feel it so vividly—the cool, wet soil of my land.

Through middle school, through high school, I ran. Out, towards the horizon, into mountains. I discovered cities, then kingdoms. Discovered politics, ambition, losses and need. I found myself wars. Years and years of so many wars. Between us and them. Between us. Between me. And all the while my valley gave me the spices to fill my pockets and the nectar to extract. My valley fed me, sustained me, healed me. Back in my New York apartment, resting on my bed and wondering how or what to finish, or who or how to call, I would breath in the scent of lavender from a lavender sky and let blue feathers sweep across my arms.

My vigor, my assuredness, waned. I found myself wondering where these houses came from, or those roads. I would ask her, the woman, when I came for my things, what lies further. Was I fighting the right wars on the right sides? Would there be more? Who was she, and did she know me? I traveled further, until finally I passed the horizon and stepped out into real blue skies and green, prickly grass that I hardly ever lied down in.

It’s been decades since I was home, in that valley. Tonight the cicadas are almost alone in their noise. When I concentrate, I can make out my husband’s soft snores from one side of the house and a gentle, rhythmic swish in the kitchen behind me. The other side of the house is silent. A light under one door tells me our Danny’s still up, still working on his English essay. Sarah must be asleep.

There is no wind, but the rug feels uneven, almost like soil and grass on a hillside. The fabric of the couch is corduroy. It feels softer, and softer. The house is so still, it leaves me in solitude. The air is fresher, the sky is brighter and more beautiful than any blue sky of earth. She is not here, the woman, and I step inside the cottage. I see myself—jeans, shirt, sneakers, a bun—and I feel old. But I feel safe. Resting on the table is a bottle of the nectar that I used so often in my youth. The roots that healed me in so many battles hang from the ceiling, tied into knots in a line of yarn. I trace my fingers, not yet withered, over my collection and I wonder if Danny or Sarah will ever find such a place. Surely they have homes of their own already. I can only wonder what spices and potions to send them.

Sports

August 25, 2011 The Observer

Are You Ready For Some Football?

After a Grueling Lockout, Fans Will Finally be Rewarded With a Full Season of NFL Games

By Mike McMahon Contributing Writer

On July 25, after many months of legal battles, sacrificed Organized Team Activities and the loss of the Hall of Fame game, the NFL Players’ Association (NFLPA) and the league itself agreed to terms on a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).

The lockout officially began on March 12 when the owners voted in favor of a work stoppage in response to the players’ decertification of the NFLPA. The move to decertify the union was made to allow players to file individual antitrust lawsuits against the league. However, the path towards the work stoppage began long before these technicalities.

In fact, the 2006 CBA was set to expire at the end of the 2012 league year. However, this date was moved up to March 3 when the owners voted unanimously in 2008 to opt out of the bargaining agreement. Later that same year, longtime NFLPA Executive Director Gene Upshaw died of pancreatic cancer, and the union elected Washington-based lawyer DeMaurice Smith as his replacement.

Mediation to create a new CBA began on Feb. 18 and after many failed talks, an agreement was reached to extend the expiration deadline until March 11. In spite of this, the NFLPA rejected the league’s final offer and subsequently decertified. It wasn’t until June before any real talks resumed.

Both sides agreed on a new, 10year CBA that included many new provisions. Included in these is the NFL’s new human growth hormone (HGH) testing policy, which makes the NFL the first professional U.S. sports league to do both random and annual blood-testing for HGH. Additionally, two-a-day practices were eliminated (to the chagrin of many NFL coaches), forcing teams to use their second scheduled prac-

Courtesy of Fordham Sports

NFL Commissoner Roger Goodell (shown above) helped mediate discussions between the NFL and the NFLPA en route to the end of the lockout.

tices for walkthroughs and film study, a change sought for the sake of player safety. Other safety provisions include changing the kick-off location from the 30 to the 35-yard line. This gives coverage teams less distance to cover and increases the likelihood of touchbacks.

As for economic issues solved by the new CBA, the owners will no longer take a fixed dollar amount of the top of revenues. Additionally, the floor for the players’ share of the revenue split has been set at 47 percent, with the upper-band residing at 48.5 percent. The rookie wage

scale has been fixed to prevent large contracts for huge disappointments, such as JaMarcus Russell. All firstround rookies receive 4-year contracts with an option for a fifth year, as well as being paid based on an average of current-player salaries at their position.

With the lockout finally over, fan excitement has soared in recent weeks. The preseason kicked off on Aug. 11 with the regular season set to follow less than a month later.

Located in the heart of the city, Fordham students have plenty to be revved-up about, with both New

York teams poised for a playoff run.

The Jets, a team that has seen great success in recent years, are ready for another shot at the AFC title behind Coach Rex Ryan, while the Giants are looking to dust themselves off from a disappointing 2010 campaign, and return to the Super Bowl behind Eli Manning.

It even seems like the excitement for the 2011 season has quickly erased many fans’ frustrations with the league. When asked for her reaction to the lockout, Emma Gil, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’14, said, “It shouldn’t have

even started,” but she quickly added that she’s “glad it ended when it did,” and will be looking forward to watching the Jets and Packers make a run at the championship. Michael Connolly, FCLC ’14 went so far as to say, “[The lockout] ended just about when I expected.” He too will be rooting strong for the Jets, but sees the perennial-contender Patriots as a team to watch as well.

The NFL season officially begins Thursday, Sept. 8, with the New Orleans Saints taking on the defending-champion Green Bay Packers.

Whiting, Rams Ready to Rush in to New Season

By Randy Narine Sports Co-Editor

“Win.” It’s the word Rams’ star running back Darryl Whiting, Fordham College at Rose Hill (FCRH) ’12, used most to describe his goal for this year’s team, as he looks to lead them to victory following their third consecutive losing season.

Whiting has led the Rams in rushing yards each of the past two seasons, improving each year, as he set career highs last season with 739 rushing yards and seven touchdowns. Personal accolades are not what matters most to Whiting, but rather team success. “My goal for this season is to win. I’m going to do whatever it is I got to and whatever the team needs me to.”

The Rams football team will need Whiting to continue to lead them, as the team has struggled greatly over the past three years, finishing each season with a 5-6 record. Their last winning season came in 2007 when the Rams finished 9-4.

Despite the Ram’s recent failures, Whiting expects the team’s losing streak to be a thing of the past. “I expect for us to win a lot of games this year” Whiting said.

“Last year we were underachieving and this year we are a closer team.”

And although the Rams finished last season winning three of their last four games, the team’s star run-

ning back doesn’t think it will have any affect on the squad’s mentality for this season. When asked if their end of season success would help generate momentum for this year’s team Whiting said, “No, not really.

I think that that was last year and it’s a new year. It’s a new start for us to win games this year. We’re going to take it every game at a time.”

The running back’s feelings are probably justified, as this year’s squad is not the same as the last.

The Rams will have many holes to fill since the team lost some of its most productive players to graduation. The loss of Jason Caldwell, the team’s leading receiver, FCRH ’12, Xavier Martin, the team’s third leading rusher and the school’s alltime leading rusher, FCRH ’12, and Stephen Skelton, the team’s second leading pass catcher, FCRH’12, means that many of this year’s young guys will have to step up.

However, Whiting has great belief in his teammates, as he doesn’t think the young Rams will miss a step. Whiting said of the losses, “I don’t think it will hurt us. We’re a lot closer and we’ve got good freshmen, [wide receiver] Sam Ajala, [FCRH ’15], and [wide receiver] Brian Wetzel, [FCRH ’15]. They’re going to play good and step up to replace what we’ve lost.”

The biggest change of all will be the move of last season’s startingquarterback Blake Wayne, FCRH

’13, to wide receiver. The move was made in order to fully make use of Wayne’s athletic abilities. Wayne finished second on the team with 544 rushing yards and four touchdowns.

Whiting felt the change was a smart move. “I think it’s a good move. He can do a lot for us. He can play wide out and some running back. He’s going to do good stuff for us.”

Wayne’s change of position leaves a question mark on the team’s starting quarterback job. The battle will come down to Ryan Higgins, FCRH ’13, and Griffin Murphy, FCRH ’14. Both are relatively inexperienced with Higgins starting just the final four games of last season and Murphy never starting a game. Whichever quarterback is chosen will need to mesh well with this mostly new young core.

The one main positive the Rams of this season have over last year’s squad is a close bond. Whiting said, “I don’t know what it is really. The coaches want us to be closer and mentally tougher. And with our conditioning we just feel good. We feel comfortable with everyone. It started last year when we brought in army guys for judgment day. It brought us closer as a team.”

The results will be seen soon with Whiting and the Rams beginning their season on Sept. 1 at Connecticut on ESPN3.

Courtesy of Fordham Sports

Fordham running back Darryl Whiting is looking to provide the spark the Rams need to have a winning season.

26

Sports

August 25, 2011 The Observer

www.fordhamobserver.com

As One Lockout Ends, Another Begins: NBA Season in Crisis The road to the 2011 season may take a while due to some major disagreements between owners and players.

By Darryl Yu Features Co-Editor

How would you split 4.3 billion dollars in team revenue? Should basketball players be allowed more stakes in the team’s revenue? According to Business Insider, the NBA says 22 out of the 30 teams will be losing money this year. Should owners continue to lose money while players profit? These are some of the major questions facing the NBA at the moment.

When the NBA lockout began on July 1, all NBA offseason business was stopped. As a result, teams cannot trade, sign, or contact players. In addition, players cannot access NBA team facilities, trainers or staff. In the two months since the lockout was implemented, NBA activity has been greatly disputed.

By now players and free agents would’ve been traded or signed.

Due to the lockout, the annual NBA 10-day Las Vegas Summer League has been cancelled. As a result, many fans were not able to witness their team rookie picks in action.

Nevertheless, since the NFL lockout ended last month, many are hopeful for a similar scenario with the NBA. However, the road to the 2011 season may take a while due to some major disagreements between owners and players. Currently one major dispute is whether the salary cap should be hard or soft. Many team owners want to see around $800 million in salary cuts for players and at least a 50-50 split of revenue. Meanwhile, players want a soft salary cap, which currently gives them 57 percent of the team’s revenue (around 2.1 billion in salaries and benefits for players).

Although it’s still early in the NBA lockout, (they have until Nov. 1) many NBA players have been making preparations in the event that the lockout extends into the regular season. Superstars such as Kobe Bryant and Deron Williams

courtesy of fordham sports

Athletes like LeBron James may be playing overseas if the lockout doesn’t end soon.

have expressed no hesitation in playing basketball overseas. So far, Williams has already signed a contract with Turkish club Besiktas that includes an opt-out clause if the NBA

lockout ends before November.

Williams is currently the biggest NBA star to sign with a foreign club and is expected to make $200,000 a game with the Turkish Club. Bryant

is flirting with the idea of playing in China, but will not be as lucky as Williams. If he decides to play in China, he cannot come back to the NBA if the lockout is lifted. In

a report by China’s official Xinhua news agency, Bai Xilin, Director of the Chinese Basketball Association, said “NBA free agents would be welcome by the Chinese league if they agree to play for at least one season.”

Can you imagine an NBA season without Kobe Bryant or a season without many of the NBA’s stars?

It’s a hard to picture. One student at FCLC had strong feelings on the matter.

David Wall, Fordham College at Lincoln Center (FCLC) ’12, believes that the NBA can take some tips by looking at the European soccer leagues. “In European soccer the governing body doesn’t have control over the salaries,” Wall said.

“The problem in the NBA is that not all salaries are done on a person-to -person case. Unfortunately, this creates disparity between small market and big market clubs but this allows clubs to sign players based on what they can afford,” Wall said. Wall believes that the NBA is doing this for more media exposure. “Any kind of publicity is good and I believe the NBA is doing this to make themselves more relevant even though their season is over,” Wall said.

Although there hasn’t been any real breakthrough yet, only time will tell if there will be an NBA season later on this year. There is still plenty of time left to reach a deal.

NBA players and owners need to get their acts together if we want to have hoop action this fall.

Fordham Tabs Kevin Leighton to Manage Baseball Team

By Max Wollner Sports Co-Editor

After having a respectable 3123-1 record last season, Fordham University hired head baseball coach Kevin Leighton to take the reins and build on the team’s recent success. Leighton will have a prominent tradition to defend, because with 4,074 all-time victories, Fordham’s baseball team is the oldest and winningest baseball program in the history of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Before joining Fordham, Leighton spent the last six years as head baseball coach of the Manhattan Jaspers, where he won more than 30 games every season he was there, as well as leading Manhattan to its second Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MACC) championship and its second appearance in the NCAA tournament.

When asked to sign with Fordham at the end of last season, Leighton said it was a deal he could never pass up. “We used to come here and drool over the lights, campus and everything else. It’s a very attractive place. The support here is tremendous, the facilities are tremendous and along with the emphasis on academic excellence, the location is ideal. This is the perfect fit for me.”

To Leighton, academic success and how the team carries itself off the field are just as important as its success on the field. From 2006 to 2011, 49 of Leighton’s players earned MAAC All-Academic status and in 2008, the Manhattan baseball program was honored with an

“I want to show these guys that winning on a consistent basis is important.”

-Coach Kevin Leighton

NCAA Public Recognition Award for ranking in the top 10 percent of all Division I baseball programs in the multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) report.

Leighton also pushed his players to be stars on the field. During his tenure four of his players were named MAAC Pitcher of the Year, two were MAAC Rookie of the Year recipients, and one was selected MAAC Player of the Year.

Moreover, two Jaspers received All-America honors and seven players were named Louisville Slugger Freshman All-Americans.

“I want our guys to work as hard as possible and to play as hard as possible and it shows,” Leighton said.

This “work hard-play hard” mentality, along with an aggressive style of play, has led to great success for Leighton and his teams, as 11 players Leighton has coached have advanced to the professional ranks, with four currently playing within a MLB organization. Additionally, Leighton is the third winningest baseball coach in Manhattan history going 200-119-1, a winning percentage of 62.5.

2008 and 2009 were recordbreaking years for Leighton and

the Jaspers. They won back-toback regular-season championships and Leighton was named MAAC Coach of the Year in 2009 after Manhattan tallied a program record 35 wins with an overpowering offense. The Jaspers finished fifth in NCAA Division I and set a MAAC record with a .349 team batting average. Manhattan also set MAAC records in hits (657) and doubles (130) in 2009.

Leighton hopes to recreate the offensive success he found at Manhattan with the Rams, and he looks to do that by playing aggressive. “I like to steal bases and hit and run,” Leighton said. “In any sport you want to put pressure on the opponent any way you can and base stealing is a great way to do that.”

Leighton is very excited to manage the Rams next season, although there are some qualities that he wants to see improved.

“I want to see a difference in the culture. I want to show these guys that winning on a consistent basis is important. I want them to have a mentality that [college] is the most important time in their lives that they never get back and they should spend it finding achievement in everything they do.”

Leighton’s first game as head baseball coach won’t be until February, but it is clear that he is ready for the task and determined to guide the Rams to a championship season. Last year, Fordham had a winning season, but with Leighton at the helm the Rams are poised for an even better 2012 campaign.

Courtesy of fordham sports

Head baseball coach Kevin Leighton looks to continue Fordham’s winning tradition.

www.fordhamobserver.com

The Observer August 25, 2011

Sports

27

Eating Right This Semester Begins With Breakfast

By Jasper Chang Contributing Writer

Adelle Davis, American author and nutrionist once said, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.” There is no man more important than the king as there is no meal more important than breakfast.

Unfortunately, some of us tend to forget the importance of breakfast and how it affects our weight, energy level, mental focus and mood. In case you didn’t know, breakfast provides several benefits to a student’s life. After a night’s rest, your body has been void of food for an entire night. Breakfast fills this void, while giving your metabolism an early kick-start. This early start promotes weight loss since your metabolism begins at 8 a.m. as opposed to 12 p.m., when you eat lunch. A good hearty breakfast provides the body with needed nourishment to promote mental focus and boosts energy levels; something we all need in order to get through those morning classes.

Just because a hearty breakfast is healthy, does not mean it cannot be tasty too. The key foundation of such a breakfast is being that is high in dietary fiber and protein. According to “The American Journal if Clinical Nutrition” low-fat sources of protein help increase metabolic rate, while giving a sensation of fullness. Potential sources of protein include hard-boiled eggs, egg white omelets, non-fat Greek yogurt, and lean-meat sausages. According to eHealthMd.com dietary fiber comes from plant-based foods and is found in the carbohydrates we con-

sume. Fiber creates a feeling of fullness that delays hunger. This helps to prevent weight gain, as delays in hunger prevent over-eating. Fiber is divided into two categories, soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. It is recommended to strike a balance between soluble and insoluble fiber because this will help with your digestive tract. Soluble fiber is found in fruits and vegetables; apples, bananas, blackberries, broccoli, lettuce and strawberries are just a few to name. Insoluble fiber is found in beans, nuts, and whole-grains, such as black beans, edamame, oatmeal, peanuts, raisin bran, and whole-wheat bread.

We need a quick approach to a good hearty breakfast. A half-serving of your favorite cereal and a half-serving of bran flakes with a cup of soy, almond or low-fat milk, along with a fruit or a cup of non-fat Greek yogurt is an example of a great approach. Other quick breakfast foods include cold cereal and milk, fruits, hard-boiled eggs, high-fiber muffins, oatmeal with honey or maple syrup, pre-cut vegetables, prepackaged Greek yogurt and wholewheat bread with fruit jam.

Eating breakfast gives many benefits to our body and mind. The boost in energy levels helps to ensure that we get through the day, the increase in mental focus allows us to think clearly, and the early kick-start for our metabolism allows us to better maintain our weight. Starting with a good hearty breakfast will lead to a better morning and probably, better grades.

Courtesy of jasper chang

This recipe is one of many options for a healthy and hearty breakfast.

Potato, Broccoli and Scallion Omelet What you’ll need: 1 potato 1 stalk of broccoli 2 cups of chopped scallion 1 Tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil 1 Teaspoon of salt 6 Egg whites 1 Egg Yolk

Directions:

1. Chop potatoes and stalk of broccoli into bite-sized pieces.

2. Use a large non-stick pan and turn the stove to a medium heat.

3. Place chopped potatoes and half a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil onto pan; quickly stir-fry and allow it to sit for about three minutes.

4. Place in the chopped broccoli, chives, salt, and remaining extra virgin olive oil with the potatoes.

5. Stir-fry and occasionally taste for about 10 minutes. Turn stove off and place cooked ingredients onto a large plate.

6. Grab a large bowl and beat the yolk and egg whites with a fork until the mixture is yellowish-white.

7. Scoop your preferred amount of the cooked ingredients you would like in the omelet and place it into the large bowl.

8. Clean the pan of any leftover residue and wipe the pan clean. Turn the stove to a medium heat and place the mixture of eggs and ingredients onto the pan.

9. Occasionally lift the omelet with a spatula to make sure it is not burnt. When the top begins to be fully-cooked, make the omelet into a half-circle by lifting one half and placing it on top of the other half.

10. Occasionally flip both sides to ensure the omelet is thoroughly cooked.

11. Slide the omelet onto the side with the plate of cooked ingredient.

12. Sprinkle on some black pepper or ketchup.

Wait, You Haven’t Written for The Observer Yet? http://www.fordhamobserver.com/

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The Observer August 25, 2011

Sports

Welcome Back from the FCLC Dean’s Office!

Robert R. Grimes, S.J., Dean Mark E. Mattson, Associate Dean Vincent DeCola, S.J., Assistant Dean for First Year Students Arleen Pancza Graham, Assistant Dean for Sophomores Joseph Desciak, Assistant Dean for Juniors and Transfer Students Cecilia Petit Hall, Assistant Dean for Seniors

Here are some important events during the fall 2011 semester.

Mass of the Holy Spirit and Remembrance of 9/11 Sunday, September 11 – 8:00 p.m. – St. Paul the Apostle Church 9:00 p.m. – Interfaith Prayer Procession to Fordham’s 9/11 Memorial 9:30 p.m. – Fordham Community Reception – Robert Moses Plaza

Dean’s List Ceremony Tuesday, September 20 – 5:00 p.m. – Pope Auditorium

Senior Convocation Thursday, October 6 – Noon – 12th Floor Lounge

Sophomore Convocation Thursday, October 20 – Noon – Pope Auditorium

Fall Research Fair Thursday, November 10 – Lowenstein Plaza

Festival of Lessons and Carols Saturday, December 3 - 8:00 p.m. – St. Paul the Apostle Church

Back to School (B2S) Fall 2011 Fordham IT Updates Student Technology Services – www.fordham.edu/sts Fordham University Portal

Student Job Opportunities at Fordham IT

http://my.fordham.edu

www.fordham.edu/ITJobOpportunities

The University Portal, my.fordham.edu, is the gateway to Fordham’s online services for students, faculty, staff and alumni. To access the portal, go to my.fordham.edu, and login using your AccessIT ID and password. To claim your AccessIT ID, click the ‘First Time Users’ link.

To apply to work with Fordham IT, please visit our student employment website listed above and apply online.

Your E-mail at Fordham http://my.fordham.edu To access your Fordham e-mail (Gmail) visit the above webpage and login with your AccessIT ID and password. There is an e-mail icon located on the top right-hand side of the portal page. Check your e-mail daily as this is the primary means of communication at Fordham.

Computer Based Training (CBT)

Back to School IT Support – Tiger Team www.fordham.edu/STS Our student technology support staff, Tiger Team, will assist with getting your computer connected to the network through wired or wireless access. Connection support is available in your residence hall from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 28, and 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 29, and Tuesday, Aug. 30.

Mandatory Network Security Procedure www.fordham.edu/NAC

Access free MS Office CBT software in Blackboard via the portal. Just click on the link in the center of the page. This dynamic, interactive training program offers self-paced end-user training courses; advanced training is available for most titles.

To access the Internet on campus, you must login through the Fordham NAC using your AccessIT ID and password. To be compliant, your computer must be virus free, have Windows automatic updates turned on, be protected by a University-approved antivirus software packages and have an enabled firewall. For more detailed information and free antivirus software, please visit the above website.

24/7 Self-Service Support – FACTS

New Secure Wireless Networks Available

http://my.fordham.edu

www.fordham.edu/SecureIT

Fordham Answers for Computer Technology and Support (FACTS) allows you to search our knowledge base for Fordham specific and general computer help, or ask a question and receive a timely answer.

Fordham IT enhanced the security of the wireless networks on all campuses by adding Service Set IDentifiers (SSIDs) to the current list of wireless networks. These networks use the WiFi Protected Access II (WPA2) protocol and require a password or ‘key’ to encrypt your wireless network traffic. To access the secure wireless networks, simply select one of the ‘-S’ wireless networks and enter the WPA2 key when prompted for a password. The key is the SSID name.

www.fordham.edu/CBT

Resident Technology Consultants (RTC) www.fordham.edu/RTC Apply to be an RTC! Resident Technology Consultants provide year-round computing help to resident students including immediate in-room support. Contact information and online application are available on the above website.

Fordham IT Technical Support www.fordham.edu/HelpIT Our IT Help Desk and IT Customer Care Centers (ITCCC) are available Monday through Friday as follows:

IT Help Desk

8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

(718) 817-3999 helpdesk@fordham.edu Rose Hill Campus McGinley Center Room 229 8 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Lincoln Center Campus Lowenstein Center Room SL19A 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Fordham IT provides students with the services and support required to achieve their academic goals.

Your feedback and suggestions are important to us; please e-mail sts@fordham.edu.

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