Vol. 96, No. 6 - 11/26/2008

Vol. 96 Issue 6

The Rattler

Reduce, Reuse,...

SGA wants recycling in our future.

Page 6

5th Annual PowWow Event educates about Native American traditions.

Page 18

Christmas to the 4th

Reese and Vince team up for new holiday laugh riot.

Page 23

St. Mary’s University Student Newspaper

Celebrating the season

11.26.08

DIY gifts, cultural insights and holiday spirits wrap up the semester.

News The Rattler

News in Brief On Campus

Off Campus

Mass schedule concludes

Japanese woman to play pro baseball

Sunday, Dec. 7, 9 p.m.

Guadalupe Chapel

Sixteen-year-old Eri Yoshida has been recruited to play for Japan’s professional all-male baseball league. Yoshida is the first woman recruited for the professional league and will play for the Kobe 9 Cruise team.

The campus will hold its last 9 p.m. mass of the 2008 fall semester. The regular mass schedule will resume in the spring semester.

Yoshida’s selection is a milestone for other Japanese female athletes who were previously restricted to softball and minor league teams.

Photo by Analicia Perez

SOURCE: Fox News

Research program holds meeting

Obama works on job-creation plan

Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2 p.m.-3 p.m.

Richter Math-Engineering Building Room 105

President-elect Barack Obama established an employment plan with the goal of saving and creating 2.3 million jobs by 2011.

A meeting will be held for students and faculty interested in applying for the 2009 Undergraduate Research Fellowship program. These fellowships provide undergraduates with faculty and funds to develop their research. The meeting is mandatory for all prospective applicants.

The plan focuses on creating jobs that will put citizens to work and help strengthen the economy. President-elect Obama is counting on bipartisan support to ensure the plan’s success.

Obama’s economic team is still revising the details of the plan, but the administration hopes to implement the plan soon after the 2009 inauguration.

SOURCE: CNN News

Event doubles basketball madness

Book removed from middle school libraries

University Programming Council, Residence Hall Association (RHA), Rattler Athletics, Residence Life, Student Government Association and Greek Life were among the participating organizations at this year’s Double the Madness celebration on Nov. 25.

The book ttyl has been removed from libraries in Round Rock middle schools. The book was removed in response to complaints made by parents in September.

Events included a tailgate from 5 p.m.-7 p.m., dodgeball finals during the men’s basketball game half-time and an RHA-sponsored money grab at the women’s half-time.

Parents complained that the content was too vulgar and sexually explicit for inclusion in a middle school library. The book will remain in the city’s high school libraries.

SOURCE: barnesandnoble.com

Gift wrapping spreads Christmas cheer Tuesday, Dec. 2, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

University Center Conference Room A The University Police Department will sponsor a gift wrapping session for toys donated to the Miracle on 36th Street program. The community is invited to participate and earn community service hours.

The gifts will be given to children at Loma Park Elementary School and Chaminade Apartment complex.

Front cover design by Jon Mike Hernandez

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SOURCE: KVUE News

Mass adoption places children in homes November is National Adoption Month. The month is typically celebrated with mass adoption ceremonies that officially place many children with different families simultaneously.

In San Antonio, this year’s ceremony, held on Nov. 21, placed 91 children of different ages in permanent homes. Some children had been in foster care for 11 years before finding a home, while others under one year of age were adopted by family members.

Most adoptions in Texas take place in Bexar County, which hosted almost a quarter of all adoptions in the state for the 2008 fiscal year.

SOURCE: San Antonio Express-News

The Rattler News

Revitalization Center The near $600,000 HUD grant will allow many services to be provided to the area surrounding the campus t Establish a One Stop Neighborhood Revitalization Center t Allow 100 families to obtain homeownership education t Provided $650,000 in down payment on homes to help to 13 families t Provide 90 individuals with financial literacy training t Build or rehabilitate 13 houses Courtesy of stmarytx.edu

University President Charles Cotrell, Ph D., speaks to the press about the neighborhood revitalization project which includes the opening of a one-stop neighborhood revitalization center in the AT&T Center for Information Technology.

Revitalization part of Vision 2012

By Sarah Mills Features Editor To help the surrounding neighborhood that has long been part of the St. Mary’s community, the university has begun a neighborhood revitalization project that fulfills some of the goals of Vision 2012.

“The mission of 2012 has five goals and one of them is to extend our boundaries in the university and also to continue the Marianist precept of service,” said Charles Cotrell, Ph.D, university president and member of the Neighborhood Revitalization Task Force. “[The neighborhood revitalization project] actually fits in very nicely with the notion that we not only educate and serve within the St. Mary’s community but we also serve and reach out across the street, across the city, across the state, and across the nation in our service activities.”

The project is funded by a nearly $600,000 grant from the U.S Department of Housing and the Urban Development (HUD) that the university received through the Hispanic Serving Institutions Assisting Communities program.

Since receiving the HUD grant, the school has received other funds from sectors including San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, San Antonio Alternative Housing Corp. and the St. Mary’s University Alumni Association.

Part of the neighborhood revitalization project includes opening a one-stop

neighborhood revitalization center in the AT&T Center for Information Technology in Jan. 2009. The center will educate the community about homeownership while offering loans for small businesses and emergency mortgage assistance.

“Most people don’t know what resources are available for changing the façade of houses and this person would help enormously in that regard,” said Cotrell.

Cortell explained that the neighborhood is an aging one and simply needs some financial advice and assistance in renovating the homes.

“The term is ‘revitalize,’ which means to give real life and vibrance to the neighborhood,” he said. “This is exactly what the neighbors want.”

By revitalizing the homes and providing the community with financial advice, the Neighborhood Revitalization Task Force is hoping more businesses will be attracted to the community.

“It’s holistic, it all fits together. A vibrant strong safe neighborhood cannot be strong and safe and beautiful without certain commercial amenities in the neighborhood,” said Cotrell. “It’s that relationship, it’s important.”

More commercial development in the neighborhood will also benefit students.

“One of the whole visions of this project is bringing types of retail and quality of life elements that students look for in their university experience like coffee shops and bookstores,” said project di-

rector Steve Nivin, Ph.D. Nivin notes that the project is driven to improve the economy for the community and also allows for students to participate in the Marianist culture.

“A lot of universities throughout the country have done this; certainly there are some benefits for the university,” said Nivin. “If it’s in a revitalized area that certainly helps to retain and attract students, but I think there’s more to that especially being a Catholic university and with our mission.”

Rev. Cris Janson, S.M., the pastor of Holy Rosary Church, says that students can to play a key role in this mission.

“There are some needs in the neighborhood that the students in the university can respond to,” said Janson.

Janson said that he has had students volunteering paint houses and clean up yards while in the neighborhood.

“Catholic students have a responsibility to reach out to people in need, there is a large need, and if students become aware of that they can help solve some of the problems.”

Students can assist the Task Force in developing surveys for the community and participate in service learning events to improve the neighborhood.

“This is what a school like St. Mary’s university should be doing,” said Cotrell.

“It is not only mission centered and service orientated, it’s also very educational in the sense that people are able to apply many of their capabilities.”

t Offer $300,000 for emergency assistance for utility and mortgage payment t Make fair housing counseling available for 120 families t Give 3000 hours of technical assistance to 60 small businesses t Offer a dozen credit readiness workshops and nine micro-business loans through ACCION Texas

Source: University Communications

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News The Rattler

SPEAKERS COME TO CAMPUS

Annual lecture series begins

By Ari Rivera News Editor As the end of the year approaches, the Lin Great Speaker Series begins. The annual lecture series addresses topics presented by acclaimed speakers from across the nation.

“The Lin Great Speaker Series extends the boundaries of the student’s educational experience at St. Mary’s University by exposing them to eminent speakers in a variety of fields,” said Candice Kuebker, the special events director and editor for the Gold & Blue Magazine. “[Attendees] have the benefit of being introduced to compelling research that is often the newest in its field.”

This year’s topic, which focuses on sustainability issues, is “Green or Gone? What is our environmental future?”

The first presentation was “The Changing Climate of U.S. Politics,”

by David Orr, a professor at Ober-

lin College and the University of Vermont. Orr has authored several books discussing the environmental crisis, with another to be published in 2009.

Focusing on the growing climate crisis and the way in which human development has caused global climate change, Orr stressed that the facts pointing to climate change are undeniable.

The presentation contained slides from Al Gore’s film, “An Inconvenient Truth.” The slides show the rapid increase in temperature of the planet and the amount of melting ice over recent years.

Orr gave statistics on different environmental occurrences, such as global temperatures increasing, sea levels rising and carbon emissions accumulating.

However, Orr said he understood that statistics were not going to move people toward being more environmentally aware.

“We are wired to respond to threats,” said Orr. “We have to

think our way through this.”

Orr explained that as a nation, the United States has been heading toward this crisis for years and, even to this day, the citizens are not helping the situation.

“There’s no innocent person in this room,” said Orr. The lecture continued to discuss the lack of information available for the average person.

Noting that the media coverage doesn’t focus on the climate issue, Orr cited that, while a story on the planet dying would be found on page eight, a report on Terry Schiavo was on front pages across the nation.

Regarding the change in White House administration, Orr said he recognized the significance of the problem.

“I don’t care if you’re a Democrat or a Republican,” he said.

“This is an issue that transcends other issues.”

Students said that the presentation was informative and gave

Photo by Analicia Perez

A display of electric-powered cars, along with the Lin Great Speaker Series, was a part of International Education Week‘s theme of sustainability. them a better sense of the global climate crisis.

“I was really impressed with the lecture,” said David Zapata, a senior political science major.

“I didn’t know half of the information he gave us. This was very informing.”

The final guest speaker for this year’s Lin Great Speaker’s Series will be Alan Weisman, a senior radio producer for Homelands Productions, a renowned sustainability journalist and author of Gaviotas - A Village to Reinvent the World.

U.N. speaker promotes student awareness, involvement

By Ari Rivera News Editor

Gillian Martin Sorensen, the former assistant secretary general of the United Nations and senior advisor to the United Nations Foundation, spoke at the AT&T Center on the United States’ relationship with the United Nations.

Americans for Informed Democracy and The Institute for Diplomacy and Strategic Initiatives sponsored the Nov. 21 presentation titled “The U.N. and U.S. in the 21st Century,” which was open to the public.

Sorensen spoke on the U.N.’s significance in the world.

She began her lecture by mentioning the historical context of the U.N.’s inception. While much of the original ideas for the organization are still in practice 62 years after its establishment, there are new concerns that were not originally addressed.

“There is no reference to environmental issues in the [U.N.’s] charter,” she said.

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She also discussed the The presentation also outpossible decline in U.S. lined U.S. involvement in power and offered advice the organization. on how to get involved, sug“Americans represent just gesting several times that four percent of the populastudents should become flution on this earth,” said Soent in a foreign language, if rensen. “How do we connect not two. to the other 96 percent?”

“If you’re not thinking Also noted was the wideglobally you’re missing spread use of the Internet, its out,” she said. prominence in the world and “If you’re not thinking Some globally-minded the connections that are made students who attended said in a matter of seconds. globally, you’re missing that they have already taken “Everything in the age out.” her advice. of the Internet passes to “I’m actually interested in the world at that speed of - Gillian Sorensen working for the United Nalight,”she said.

Former assistant tions, and I thought it would After the lecture, Sorensen secretary general to be a good idea to meet an answered questions conthe United Nations insider,” said graduate incerning the U.N.’s Security ternational relations student Council and particularly how Ericka Avila. governments work.

Sorensen said she wants those who did “The United Nations is not a world government, but a voluntary association of gov- not attend the lecture to understand that the United Nations is important to the ernments,” said Sorensen.

United States.

“The United Nations is a valuable organization and we have a huge stake in its success,” said Sorensen. “I hope [students] learn more about it and support it.”

Freshman political science and speech communications major, Denise Barrera, said she was required to attend a lecture for her political science course. However, she said that it was the subject matter that brought her to this particular speech.

“I was interested in the topic, even though I’m not an international relations major,”said Barrera.

Philippe Nassif, graduate international relations student and regional coordinator for the Southwest Americans for an Informed Democracy, said that he hopes the lecture made an impact on those in attendence.

“I want students to leave with a more holistic and global outlook,” said Nassif. “They should be aware of how much power you have as an American citizen.”

The Rattler News

St. Mary’s celebrates Veterans’ Day

On Nov. 11 St. Mary’s ROTC held it’s second annual Veterans’ Day ceremony. Attendees included veterans from World War I, several of whom are St. Mary’s faculty and staff, students and other members of the community.

This year the ROTC held the event on a larger scale than they did last year; student groups, including the University Concert Band, helped honor veterans in this ceremony.

Photos by Robin Johnson

11.26.08 5

News The Rattler

Photo by Robin Johnson

Senior political science major and SGA President James Escamia presents SGA’s plan for a new recycling program.

SGA officially initiates pilot recycling program

By Keily Rivero Photo by Robin Johnson

Bins will be placed on campus in the 2009 spring semester to encourage recycling and reduce the impact the campus and community have on the environment.

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Staff Writer The Student Government Association (SGA) held the final preparatory meeting for the pilot recycling program on Nov. 20.

The recycling program was conceptualized approximately two years ago by the last two presidents of SGA and the current president, senior political science major James Escamia.

Their efforts, along with those of members of different departments on campus, have produced concrete results for a pilot program, which will begin in the spring semester.

“There is a difference between a pilot program and an official program,” said Escamia. “The pilot program is for the administration to see numerical data; do students really want to recycle?”

Whether an official program is viable and has enough support from the community is determined by the administration, according to Escamia.

“We would get all the data in and it would be a continual process during the semester,” he said.

For this reason, Escamia expressed the need for students to be informed about the ways to recycle properly and to keep track of their contributions to the program.

The members of the committee, who have worked to acquire this recycling

program for the campus, recently obtained financial approval and are ready to start converting their efforts into an official program.

“As of today, our campaign is officially starting on how to educate,” said Escamia. “Everything was officially approved last week and hopefully it’s common knowledge by having this meeting, so I’m really excited about that.”

Escamia explained that this effort to become more conscious of the community’s impact on the environment is something that has become of great importance to SGA. “This is also a really big effort for the student government because we’ve been working diligently on this issue.”

Since the presidential election is over, SGA can concentrate on other issues such as recycling.

When students return for the spring, they will encounter a promotional campaign in the form of e-mails, posters and flyers, which will be geared toward getting the student body to support the recycling program.

SGA will host a kickoff event on Jan. 20 to unveil the recycling bins and will provide activities to encourage participation in the program.

Community members are encouraged to be active participants in this university-wide effort to become more conscientious about our carbon footprint on the earth.

The Rattler Commentary

Mappa Mundi Thinking about Burma

By Alfonso de la Torre Commentary Editor

Source: everystockphoto.com

Some would say President George W. Bush has faced unparalleled challenges; others that he is leaving us unparalleled problems.

An evaluation of the Bush years As George W. Bush’s eight year presidency comes to an end, student analyzes its impact.

As the United States anticipates a new presidential administration, I would like to take some time to assess the performance of the current administration. Over the past eight years, PresiJames Hopkins dent Bush and his administration have faced remarkable, and some would say, unparalleled challenges.

The main concerns of the Bush administration seemed to be the two wars which they waged. These wars had two significant effects. First, they prompted and made possible excesses of governmental power. Secondly, they consumed the Bush administration’s time, resources, and focus to such a degree that domestic affairs became lesser, and sometimes, neglected concerns.

I believe the defining event of the Bush Presidency was 9/11. President Bush had to make an executive decision on how he would lead the nation in response to this event. Of all the choices available to him, President Bush decided to engage in war. Accordingly, within a month of 9/11, US military troops were sent into

Afghanistan to combat members of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.

About two years later, President Bush asserted that Iraq posed a threat to the United States. President Bush told the American public that United States intelligence had reason to suspect Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction. Despite United Nations reports which found a lack of evidence to support President Bush’s claims, the United States military was ordered to invade Iraq in 2003 Yet, the five years between the start of the Iraqi campaign and now have been filled with challenging domestic issues.

The Bush administration’s preoccupation with their two international wars seemed to delay their responsiveness to failing domestic policies.

Because of the cost of maintaining two wars, the economy was allowed to flounder to the point that the United States now faces the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

The economy is further being crippled by our current lack of a national energy policy. As a result, several domestic programs, which many United States citizens consider important, have

been underfunded. Some examples are the health care financing system, the No Child Left Behind Act, and immigration reform. Apparently, the Bush administration’s inability to multitask between national and international affairs has dissatisfied the majority of the United States public.

The Bush administration’s responses to these challenges have garnered them considerable disapproval from the general public. As a result, I have noticed an increased amount of cynicism towards government processes in the media and those with whom I associate. Yet an important question I think we should ask ourselves is: Could we, as citizens, have really expected the Bush administration to manage two very complex wars in addition to domestic issues that continually grew in complexity all in two terms?

While I do not agree with President Bush’s decision to invade Iraq, I understand, why, once he made that decision he felt compelled to remain devoted to it. I think an important thing to remember is that no matter what the president says - the political process is always long and arduous.

Burma, known today as Myammar, is a country that captured international attention during 2007 when a protest led by Buddhist monks was brutally crushed by the government. After widespread condemnation by the international community, things continued to be the same in Burma, and nothing seemed to change in this often-forgotten South East Asian country.

Yet, earlier this year Burma recaptured the headlines. When Cyclone Nargis devastated Burma in May, hundreds of international organizations were prepared to assist the thousands of refugees and homeless left by the natural disaster. The military junta, however, refused to accept any kind of international aid, letting thousands of people die of starvation and disease. Even today, as these lines are written, the magnitude of tragedy in Burma continues to be a mystery The military junta in Burma is probably the most authoritarian, repressive and brutal regime in the world, rivaled only by North Korea. The policies of this junta have not only left most of the Burmese on their own in the face of natural disaster or crushed any attempt of peaceful protest; it has also eliminated national media, killed hundreds of university students, and put children and the elder to work as slaves.

Still, what is perhaps most enraging is that Burma has been for many years an important center for tourism coming from the West, which seeks to enjoy the “exotic” cultural heritage and natural beauty of the country.

This, added to the money it gets from American and British multinational corporations operating in the country (which, by the way, make use of the slave labor that the government provides) and the support of the Chinese government (like if Darfur and Tibet were not enough to account for the most despicable human rights record in the world) is what allows the military junta to continue in power.

Thus, when I am thinking about Burma I always end up making the same questions: if the United States has been so eager, especially under the current administration, to promote democracy and take dictators down, why does it still allow corporations to trade with the brutal regime of Burma and ban them from making business dealings with the (by far milder) government of Cuba?

Why has the United States recurred to the UN Security Council to deal with Burma/Myammar but ignored the same organism when it decided to invade Iraq? Is there an explanation for creating and “axis of evil” that includes North Korea but ignores Burma?

Perhaps the bottom-line question is: do we really care about what is going on in Burma?

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Commentary The Rattler

I am straight and Catholic, and I support gay marriage I am straight and Catholic… and yes, I support gay marriage.

I have no training in theology, but I know that the Bible, in Alfonso de la Torre which I believe, has passages that, when taken literally, can be used to justify genocide, oppress women or lie to your parents. Thus, I have no evidence of a God who opposes gay marriage. The only thing I am certain about is that if we have ever redefined marriage, such an instance happened more than five thousand years ago.

Gay marriage is not an attack against the institution of marriage. The same argument was used against interracial marriage, unions between rich and poor, and non-Christian matrimonies.

The only attack against marriage, which is an institution that does not belong to any religion or culture, is to tell a particular group that they have no right to celebrate a wedding like everyone else.

I am convinced of the power of

love and I believe that it can never be disqualified on the basis of whom it involves. Love, true love, is the moving force of the universe no matter where it comes from.

It is hard for me to understand how so much money and effort is put on “protecting the family” from gay marriages when so many are led by a single, heterosexual parent.

I honestly cannot comprehend how we can regard the love a couple has as illegitimate simply because it does not fit our views.

If the religious leadership of a particular faith is against homosexuality, I respect that position. But I cannot accept that those views are imposed on a pluralistic society.

I am aware that I am at odds with the leadership of my own religious tradition on this issue.

Yet, I do not support gay marriage despite my being Catholic, but because I am Catholic. I believe in a God of love who talks to people through their hearts and minds and not through the literal interpretation of a book.

I am not concerned with Proposition 8 or other states’ attempts to enact the same legislation. I

honestly do not care whether these proposals are passed with 51, 60, or 98 percent of the vote. But I am convinced that they are unjust and, therefore, I have a moral obligation to denounce them, however unpopular that might be.

I refuse to believe that, out of intolerance, we are unable to grant the same civil rights to everyone. I refuse to impose religious values on those who do not necessarily share my religious beliefs.

I refuse to live in a society where my personal disagreement with you deters me from establishing a relationship with you. I refuse to remain idle while hundreds of couples are denied the rights that any marriage confers because of a lifestyle that does not harm anyone.

I refuse to accept that there are people that not only oppose homosexuality but also develop hatred against their brothers and sisters because of a sexual orientation that, for the most part, they did not choose.

But more importantly, as Archbishop Desmond Tutu famously put it, I refuse to believe in a God who is homophobic.

Source: wikimediacommons.org

Despite affiliation, people of various faiths support same-sex marriage.

Immigration continues to be major item of the policy agenda The election is finally over. President-elect Barack Obama has made his mark on the pages of history by becoming the first AfricanCristina Gonzalez American to win the keys to the White House.

But now, in the wake of such a landmark election season, one has to wonder if something very important has been overlooked-something with even more importance here in the state of Texas.

Here’s a hint: It’s not the economy.

Depending on where you look, whether it is the U.S. Border Patrol or the U.S. Census Bureau, there are between seven to 12 million illegal immigrants currently living in the United States. Most are here just trying to make better lives, earning what money they can while doing difficult work.

The common stereotype of the illegal immigrant is of someone

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coming in from Mexico through the Texas-Mexican border, but the fact is that illegal immigrants come from anywhere.

However, the issue is not where they come from; the issue is what should be done about them once they are here on American soil. Not only does deportation not work, it disrupts family units--especially when the situation involves children recognized as citizens just from being born within the United States.

The idea of building a wall across the country’s southern border seems, to the rational mind, a bit extreme. Yes, immigration is a problem. But are we really so desperate for a solution so as to erect a massive blockade? The answer came with the unfortunate price tag of three million dollars a mile.

The tragedy of the current situation is that, at the moment, the only reason anybody is thinking about those three million dollars is because that money could be going towards fixing this recession

we seem to have gotten ourselves into.

Immigration seemed to be present early on in the election; everybody blazing the campaign trail seemed eager to voice their opinion on the matter (along with the issue of healthcare). But then, like the quiet middle child of a large family, it and healthcare were pushed to the side when their older sibling--the U.S. economy--decided to cause half a scandal by being totally disruptive in public.

Certainly, immigration was still important, but everyone was (and still is) focused on what the economy was doing, figuring out how to keep the economy from Illustration by Jaymee Baxley

getting worse and wondering whether or not the simple answer was to throw more money at the problem (when it seems that throwing money around was exactly how this whole mess started).

Meanwhile, people are risking their lives trying to sneak in (often trusting complete

strangers with darker intentions) and families are being broken up because of where someone was or wasn’t born.

If it were up to me, people would be able to live wherever they choose to, regardless of borders. Perhaps I am too much of a dreamer or perhaps I am spoiled by my natural citizenship, but I have never been able to completely wrap my mind around why it is so complicated for someone seeking a better life to just pick up and go to where they might find what they are looking for. Why are we so picky and so desperate to keep people out when a good number of our ancestors probably came from somewhere else?

For all the time we spend talking, complaining and joking about immigration, we forget that these are real people with needs and aspirations that have just as much merit as our own.

The Rattler Commentary

Presidential election revives debate on abortion

“It is a poverty to decide that a child must die so that you may live as you wish.”

These words uttered by Mother TheFrancesca resa continue to resonate Garcia deep within society 11 years after her death.

As our nation awaits the historic inauguration of its first African-American president, we must consider the moral ramifications of President-elect Barack Obama’s policies.

When asked if he personally felt that life began at conception, his answer was, “This is something that I have not come to a firm resolution on. I think it’s very hard to know what that means, when life begins.

Is it when a cell separates? Is it when the soul stirs? So I don’t presume to know the answer to that question.” However, what he did know is that “there is something extraordinarily powerful about potential life and that that has a moral weight to it that we take into consideration when we’re having these debates.”

Yes, abortion is an issue of great

moral stamina, yet it is because of this that we have to evaluate our beliefs with rigor before making judgments that will ultimately affect the lives of the unborn.

Each of us has an obligation to define the point at which we believe life begins.

Most of us will look for guidance in religion and science, making our judgments based on what we have been taught.

However, what we should avoid at all costs is using our political identities tomake these judgments.

As we wait for President-elect Obama to take office, we should take it upon ourselves

Source: everystockphoto.com

Pro-life protesters urge the public to “Protect the Embryo.”

to inform our fellow students about the moral and ethical ramifications that came with Roe v. Wade in 1973. To say that one is a student of a proud Catholic and Marianist institution like St. Mary’s while at the same time proclaiming that controlling the fate of the unborn is a matter of “choice” is an unacceptable contradiction.

I don’t mean that St. Mary’s should be an unwelcoming place to such dialogue or to those who hold opposite views. Rather, I am merely arguing that, when it comes to a controversial issue like abortion, we are obligated to understand the teachings of our faith and the moral obligations that come with them. There are important decisions to be made by the Obama administration in regard to this issue, including the future of President Bush’s 2003 ban on late-term abortion and a possible Supreme Court vacancy.

People who oppose abortion are not against choice, nor are they enemies of women’s rights. We simply believe that life starts at conception and, based on that, we believe that human life is not a matter of choice. A baby is a human being; therefore, the choice is not the mother’s. A mother does not decide whether her two-year old child lives or not because, as a human being, the child has inalienable rights. The same happens with the baby: his/her inalienable rights preclude any authority that the mother could have.

We should never forget that freedom is not about doing what is more comfortable, but rather about doing what we know is right.

Latin America reacts to election of Obama

After months of apprehension and uncertainty, there is finally a new president-elect.

The expectations have been Lorna so high that Cruz people from around the world have expressed their opinions on this new beginning, particularly those from the countries of Latin America.

This region is so heavily influenced by the United States that it is very concerned when it comes to the U.S.’s internal politics; this usually determines what sort of economic treaties are made and what sort of aid is presented towards Latin America.

The presidents of Venezuela, Argentina, Honduras and Dominican Republic, to name a few, communicated their happiness in regard to Obama’s triumph, particularly because of the breakthrough of many racial barriers, as well as

their anticipation towards developing better relationships with the United States.

These relationships have had a severe decline in recent years, especially with countries such as Bolivia and Venezuela.

The presidents from both Brazil and Bolivia have said that they hope Obama will examine the situation with Cuba carefully. Brazilian president Luis Inacio Lula da Silva said he would like to see the embargo against Cuba lifted.

Not only were the presidents of

Latin American countries pleased about the outcome of the elections, but so were the citizens of these countries. People from around the region were overjoyed.

Thanks to the speeches Obama has given towards the Latin American community, his proposals of opening up relationships with these countries and his consideration of new courses of action with old issues, such as the conflicts with Cuba, have also bolstered support from Latin American citizens.

To Latin America, it is not so

much a matter of who won the election, but rather the enthusiasm of a new beginning and new opportunities for an improved region.

Barack Obama did not only provide hope to people from his country, but also to the people beyond its borders. After years of feeling ignored and disregarded, Latin Americaanticipates renewed cooperation and dialogue with one of its most influential allies.

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Commentary The Rattler

Senior Commentaries

The Rattler Editor in Chief Elizabeth Ruiz Managing Editor Christine Le Layout/Design Manager Jon Mike Hernandez Copy Editor/Writing Coach Dominique Vargas News Editor Ari Rivera Commentary Editor Alfonso de la Torre Features Editor Sarah Mills Entertainment Editor Stephanie Sanders Sports Editor Chris Filoteo Photo Editor Robin Johnson Assistant Photo Editor Analicia Perez Staff Cartoonist Jaymee Baxley Advertising Manager Kimberly Vela Assistant Ad Manager Katie O’Donnell Faculty Advisers Margaret Luevano Brother Dennis Bautista, S.M., Ph.D. Standards The Rattler upholds the Mission Statements of St. Mary’s University. The publication follows the Canons of Responsible Journalism, the Associated Press Stylebook and the Student Publication Policy.

The Rattler is a member of the Associate Collegiate Press, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, the Society of Professional Journalists and the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association.

Contact Us The Rattler St. Mary’s University One Camino Santa Maria Box 83 San Antonio, TX 78228 210.436.3401 / 210.431.4307 (fax) rattlernews@stmarytx.edu Letter to the Editor The Rattler welcomes letters to the editor.

Letters should not exceed 500 words and must include writer’s name, classification, major and telephone number.

Editors reserve the right to edit submissions for length, grammar, spelling and content.

Letters may be delivered to Room 258 in the University Center, faxed to (210) 431-4307, mailed to The Rattler, St. Mary’s University, One Camino Santa Maria, Box 83, San Antonio, TX 78228, or e-mailed to rattlernews@stmarytx.edu.

For more information, call the newsroom at (210) 436-3401.

10 11.26.08

When I started my college career at St. Mary’s in 2004, I really had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I figured I would answer that Jon Mike Hernandez preeminent question sooner or later as I progressed through the semesters. Nine semesters later, I discovered what I am truly passionate

about and what I would enjoy doing every day until life ceased to course through my veins. What I didn’t expect to find in that time span was the rather large, yet tightly knit circle of friends that I have today.

What made my time at St. Mary’s truly memorable were the people that I spent that time with.

I’ll be honest and say that most of my close friends are the people that I worked with on The Rattler. The

A pivotal moment in my college career happened two years ago: I saw the sun come up from an office window; I had been sitting in front of an approximately 15-year-old Mac for almost an entire day and I still knew that I had more work to do.

I could have run away and fallen Elizabeth asleep on a bed of leaves somewhere, Ruiz but I knew that the experience and the subsequent long press weekends would make more than just great cover letter fodder.

The time spent in this office was not an array of weekends lost, but experiences that I was gaining, which was initially lost on me in the mental cloud one feels after lost sleep and hours of editing and designing.

I gained a sense of what a small group of students could do under tight deadlines and hectic schedules.

I learned that in a team, it’s impossible to be solely responsible for yourself, and that the best work places combine arduous work with hysterical (sometimes delirious) laughter.

Even as I mark the final red scratches over the edited pages, I can’t help but get nostalgic for the small office in the middle of campus.

I know that in our future careers, even if they are not in journalism, we will most likely work this hard again.

But there are few opportunities in one’s career in which everyone has equal stake in the outcome and the combined efforts are shown in every page.

I’m glad I spent all those countless sleepless nights of AP-style fun in that same office. If I hadn’t, I could have missed out on the well-rounded experience of writing, editing and designing that I couldn’t have received at even the biggest journalism programs. (Refer to Dominique’s article adjacent to mine for the inside references.)

friendships I made working there really showed me the value of true camaraderie.

The staff eventually became my second family, not only confined to just the newsroom, but also on the outings and trips that we took together. The stories, laughs, awkward moments and facetious fights we had are going to stay in my mind until the eventual onset of Alzheimer’s cleans out my brain. The friendships I made with

My college education has provided me with many important lessons in addition to the standard academic fair.

It is possible to develop a physical depenDominique Vargas dence on Dr. Pepper.

It is also possible to stay awake for more than 24 hours straight and still be fairly productive.

“Much Ado About Nothing” starring Keanu Reeves as Don John, any Jane Austen remake with Colin Firth, and the “Crying Game” are, cinematically speaking, the best ways to learn about love in British literature and life.

Euphemisms are best discussed in relation to “Lady Chatterley’s Lover.”

Oregon is greener and rainier than one would imagine. Re-tracing the steps of Jack Nicholson in “The Shining” on a closed floor of a hotel undergoing construction is scarier than I thought it would be.

Bust lines should always be present in photographs.

A trip to San Francisco for a newspaper convention can result in a voluminous list of adjectives for one’s state of being: old, cold, pale, pasty, brie (not an adjective), cantankerous, etc.

The shortcut to place a story on InDesign is Apple + D. AP stylebooks, “The Elements of Style” and the MLA handbook

several members of the faculty and staff at St. Mary’s also showed me that real friendship doesn’t depend on one’s age or status in life.

So as I leave St. Mary’s, I leave knowing who I can count on to be there for me. Thanks to everyone at The Rattler, old and new, and thanks to the faculty and staff that helped me realize what my passion is.

are invaluable, even if they read like stereo instructions.

IHOP and Jim’s are the best places to study/vent/start or end a road trip. The attic of Reinbolt and Treadaway Hall are almost certainly haunted.

Jon Mike may or may not own a pair of women’s pants. Political journalism is not my cup of tea.

Mike Rowe is my ideal husband.

Jokes aside, I have learned so much during my time at St. Mary’s.

My courses and professors gave me a direction and an outlet for the creative and intellectual energy I had stored in the recesses of my mind.

The Rattler became my second home; my fellow editors became an extension of my family—unavoidable when you spend 36 to 48 hours straight with 10 other people in a tiny office every other weekend.

Though my career goals are hazy specks on my proverbial horizon I know that I have the support I need to attain them.

I have felt the gamut of emotions in regard to St. Mary’s and my time here. As I write this at 8:43 p.m. on a Saturday in the newsroom, I am thinking of the pages I still need to copy edit for the last edition of The Rattler that I will help produce, and I feel nostalgic, kind of sad, and proud of what I have accomplished thus far.

Thank you to my professors, friends and colleagues. You have touched my life and I will be forever grateful.

Letter to the Editor To the Editor: The letter to the Editor in the last issue (Vol. 96, No. 4) contains some rather serious charges.

I have known Alfonso de la Torre for some time and he is most certainly not an idiot, nor a hypocrite, nor would I have any reason to question

his integrity. My point, however, is not to defend Alfonso. Rather, I question whether such un-Christian and uncharitable accusations belong in a publication by a Catholic University.

In addition, Alfonso’s comments were a matter of opinion. The letter writers’ statements are purportedly facts. There’s a difference. It seems

to me that there are ways of disagreeing without being vitriolic. Perhaps the writesr would be better off going some place where such attitudes and language are more acceptable. They certainly aren’t here.

Bro. Robert Wood S.M. University Archivist

The Rattler Commentary

Student reflects on meaning of upcoming holy days

It’s interesting how our idea of a “holiday” has evolved. The original term, “holy day,” seems to have lost sigAngela nificance as its Santana biblical, “out there” reference has slowly been removed from our contemporary mindsets.

A few weeks ago, during the evening Sunday Mass in Guadalupe Chapel, attendees were asked to team up and write down what holiness “looks like” in the lives of today’s young adults.

With virtues such as humility, respectfulness and patience and actions such as voting, helping others and participating in Mass being answers, I wondered, just how often are we taking our responses to this question and using them to challenge ourselves?

If we call ourselves people of faith, shouldn’t holiness itself a priority for us? Or is it still too “out there” for us to relate?

Admit it: It is simply too easy to act according to the status quo, to become a victim of routine, or to simply let today become another day. As people of faith, we are called to do far more.

We are called to follow Christ: our God who entered into time as human and lived every minute as a response to the challenge of holiness.

Something that is holy is distinctly set apart from all else. If it is closely connected to God, even if were to begin as ordinary, when it becomes holy, it becomes extraordinary.

With this, I challenge you to ask yourself where holiness fits into your vocabulary. Think: Who am I? Who has God made me to be? How can I, with the grace of God, work towards this ideal of holiness?

Calling upon every person, even those who feel they are the most humble, weak and unworthy, holiness asks of us to challenge ourselves as we all seek to embrace a true definition of faith during the upcoming holy days.

Courtesy Photo:

Holidays provide a time for reflection on the meaning of faith and community.

Automotive bailout a weighty issue for Congress

The financial hurricane has not stopped yet, and several industries beyond investment banks are suffering the consequences. This Alvaro Zapatel time, the turmoil has affected Detroit’s Big Three Automakers: Ford, General Motors and Chrysler.

The three corporations have already asked the Congress for a bailout worth $25 billion out of the $700 billion financial rescue plan designed by the government.

The problem with these companies is that they have been mismanaging their resources and the have lost credit from politicians, who have repeatedly seen them acting with a shallow administration of their budget which

included, for example, expensive jet plane flights.

Furthermore General Motors (GM), the corporation with the most problems of the three, had several problems with GMAC Financial Services, formerly known as General Motors Acceptance Corporation, which is the financial branch of the company and the main lender of GM. Indeed, GMAC would follow the same destiny its predecessors have had in the last months, finishing in an outstanding bankruptcy.

Hence, the three corporations have been arguing with the Congress about the consequences of a possible bankruptcy of them, which they claim would lead to the loss of millions of jobs. They also caution that the government would suffer losses due to unemployment and health care assistance.

There would also be

a considerable fall in automobile production.

On the other hand, Republican representatives have been reluctant to accept this bailout, and they argue that this would affect taxpayers considerably, since the bailout money comes from tax revenues.

Therefore, there is a delicate tradeoff that the government and the Big Three will have to deal with, or at least, reach a common point where the taxpayers will be will be least affected.

The financial problem that the Big Three are facing is something that no one would have imagined 50 years ago, due to the economic power these firms had.

Nonetheless, the current financial crisis is showing us that even the most “invincible” powers of the world are vulnerable to the flow and imperfection of the markets.

Hopefully, this problem will not

Courtesy Photo

The automobile industry, now in jeopardy, has been a mainstay of the Detroit economy. be as bad as expected, and both the government and the Big Three will find a solution through which they will avoid unemployment, tax increases and inefficiency in the automobile production.

A recession is unavoidable, but the government must be clever enough to make it as slight as possible through the decisions made and their effects on policies.

That is the challenge that

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Features The Rattler

The Peanut Gallery

Students plan pro-life organization

By Sarah Mills Features Editor

With the introduction of a new pro-life organization on campus, we want to know:

Do you support it?

“I won’t be opposed to it, but I wouldn’t join. I think it’s expected since we’re in a catholic university.”

-Claudia Ramirez , senior biology major “I would support it because I think abortion is murder.”

- Sarah Wilkinson, freshman accounting major “I wouldn’t support it, but I wouldn’t be against it because they have every right to believe what they want. ” -Lorena Cruz, freshman marketing major

As the director of University Ministry, Wayne Romo said he feels that it is natural to have a pro-life organization on a Catholic campus.

“In terms of our own Catholic values, it’s important that what we’re trying to advocate is the choice for life,” said Romo.

Since no such organization exists, Romo has partnered with freshman interdisciplinary major Adrianna Borrego in planning Rattlers for Life, an organization they hope will fill the absence of a pro-life group on campus.

“I think pro-life is an issue that is ignored by a lot of college-age people. It’s really important for us to fix that and make sure that everybody knows that life is precious from conception to natural death,” said Borrego.

Romo and Borrego both said they believe that students ignore the issue of abortion because it is often seen as a

religious conviction that is too personal to discuss.

“There is a tendency to think that the pro-life choice is a religious choice and people want to tend to keep religious choices as privacy issues and not public dialogues,” said Romo.

One of Rattlers for Life’s purposes is to help draw students into a conversation about choices that are life-giving as opposed to the alternative.

“People don’t want to talk about it and that’s why we need to start an organization where people can come to talk and where there’s no fear of talking about it,” said Borrego.

Borrego already has an agenda prepared with a list of events for the Rattlers for Life, sponsored by University Ministry, to participate in as soon as they officially become a Recognized Student Organization next semester.

The events on the list include community service projects such as holding baby showers for young mothers at the Guadalupe Home, a shelter for pregnant

homeless women, and attending “ProLife Lobby Day at the Capital,” sponsored by the Texas Students for Life, a statewide coalition for pro-life students.

In effort to educate students about abortion, they are receiving assistance from Melissa Pici, chapter development director of Texas Right to Life, a statewide organization that helps college pro-life organizations by providing resources and materials for them.

“Every student is a factor whether they realize it or not. Most women who choose to have an abortion have said that, if only one person would have reached out to them and offered them another option, they would have not chosen to abort their child,” Pici said.

Sophomore English literature major Francesca Garcia, who attended the informational meeting for Rattlers for Life, agrees that informing others is an important part of discussing abortion.

“I’ve been very passionate about being pro-life, but there’s always more to learn,” said Garcia.

Fair trade sale held to raise awareness

By Christine Le Managing Editor In an effort to raise awareness about fair trade, sophomore theology and psychology major Greg Camacho approached the University Ministry with an idea.

“While participating in the Marianist Leadership Program, social justice and fair trade was discussed,” said Camacho. “The topic stood out to me and inspired me to take the initiative to inform others on the issue.”

With this in mind, Camacho proposed holding an event that would promote doing trade in a fair, equitable way, which caught the attention of Brother Halderman, S.M., University Minister for Social Justice.

“It seemed appropriate that I got involved,” said Halderman. “I strongly support the initiative for fair trade and it’s important that the students are informed on what it is and why it is important.”

After two months of collabora-

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tion, Camacho and Halderman organized a Work of Human Hands Fair Trade Sale.

Held over the span of three days beginning Nov. 18 in the University Center Atrium, the sale, sponsored by Catholic Relief Services and the University Ministry, featured items made by a variety of artisans from around the world.

On display were intricate jewelry pieces of semi-precious stones and sterling silver from India, hand-painted ceramic mugs from Vietnam and fine coffees processed in Costa Rica.

Hand-woven, vibrantly colored baskets from Uganda and Tanzania also stood out along with votive candleholders made in the Philippines.

Every product for sale was made by disadvantaged farmers and artisans in developing regions of the world.

The crafts’ appeal became apparent as Camacho and Halderman saw the majority of the items sold within hours.

“There was a great turnout,” said

Camacho. “So many people were interested in the cause.”

Among those in support of the effort for social justice was international conflict resolution graduate student Phillippe Nassif.

“I actually make it a point to buy fair trade coffee and chocolate,” said Nassif. “I think that this sale is a really good idea. Fair trade is an extremely important issue to promote.”

The highlight of the event, according to Camacho, was bringing items from the developing world to the university while offering them at prices fair to both the artists and the buyers.

“That’s the whole point of fair trade,” explained Camacho. “These artisans deserve to be provided a just wage for their labor and products.”

According to Halderman, it was important to bring the issue of social justice to the campus’s attention.

“The sale represented a campus-wide support for the fair trade initiative,” he said. “We declare a huge success.”

Photo by Emily Scruggs

Necklaces, bracelets, and earrings were some of the many items available for purchase from countries across the globe.

The Rattler Features

Photo by Analicia Perez

The University Ministry leads students in a prayer prior to the festivities of Christmas in the Quad. Various Registered Student Organizations, fraternities and sororities participated in the event, which was held in the Quadrangle on Nov. 20.

Christmas in the Quad returns

By Elizabeth Ruiz Editor in Chief and

By Jaime Perez

Senior Staff Writer The boughs of holly may have been replaced with sorority and fraternity colors, but the spirit of Christmas was in full force during the annual Christmas in the Quad event, back from a one-year hiatus.

On the evening of Nov. 20, the Quadrangle was brimming with members from various Registered Student Organizations, fraternities and sororities congregating for a good cause.

This good cheer, however, did not take the same form as it did in the past. Absent were the evergreens that used to stand in the Quadrangle, which are now replaced with wreaths to be donated to area families.

The participants spent the eve-

ning decorating wreaths that will be distributed to families in need.

Senior human resources major and one of the event’s organizers Nicholas Medina named several reasons why the physical form of philanthropy was changed this year, including lack of maintenance and cost efficiency.

“Animals would mess with the trees or the wind would knock them over,” he said. “It’s also a little more cost efficient at $7 apiece over $25 apiece.”

After gathering for an opening prayer, the participants braved the relative cold front to adorn their wreaths with colors representing their organizations but that were still appropriate for a family home.

The location was optimal for the event to have a lively environment, which was held in conjunction with the student activities event Thirsty Thursday. “[In the quad], we have the vis-

ibility; people might have night class or professors who are leaving for the day,” said Medina.

The organizers worked with the Service Learning Center to find agencies that could identify with families that would ultimately be the recipients of the wreaths.

The organizations were also given a card per wreath to sign for the families.

The wreaths will be delivered to the families on the Friday of study week.

For Rebecca Lopez, Greek life intern and senior criminal justice major, being out in chilly air is a small price for giving back to the community.

“I think we don’t always appreciate the things that we do have. Sometimes we take things for granted,” she said. “The fact that we do go to a private institution, I think, is a good way for us to come together and actually do some good.”

Photo by Analicia Perez

Students work together in assembling a wreath to be delivered to families on the Friday of study week.

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A

The Rattler

Crafty Christmas

Strapped for cash this season?

The Rattler can help you out with some crafty ideas.

By Kimberly Vela

Advertising Manager

Shopping for the holidays can easily break one’s bank account in a matter of minutes. When it comes to giving gifts, though, the time and care one puts into a gift is often more valuable than the gift itself. This holiday season consider crafting one-of-a-kind objects or supporting the local art scene.

San Antonio is a safe haven for crafters to seek one another.

One such group in the community, which supports local artisans, is the San Antonio Chapter of Craft Mafia, originally founded in Austin.

According to the Austin Craft Mafia’s Web site, the organization is made up of “independent business owners who represent multiple create disciplines in fashion, jewelry, handmade goods, fine art, writing and craft design.”

San Antonio Chapter member

and mafia “Don” Myriam Lanau, said that the local chapter was formed in April 2006. To join the Craft Mafia, individuals must live around the San Antonio area, fill out an application and own a craft or art business.

Lanau said that she considers crafting a positive attribute to the world.

“I think anytime someone creates something, it brings something positive into the world be it a masterpiece of art, a book, a symphony, and even a collage card,” she said.

“I’m a firm believer that if you teach a child to create, they will not learn to destroy. Being a part of the ‘SA Art Culture’ is just a great way to balance one’s life.”

Laurel Gibson, another member of the SA Craft Mafia, also views crafting as an important aspect of society.

“Traditionally craft implies a sort of functionality whereas art functions as something to

Bookmark:

Approximate time: 20 minutes What you need: • one piece of cardstock • various magazine ads and images • an X-acto knife or scissors • a pen • a ruler • glue • a paint brush • Decoupage glue, like Mod Podge, available at craft stores First measure and cut a two inch by six inch rectangle out of the cardstock. Then cut and paste colorful magazine pictures and advertisements onto the file folder. Add fresh flowers or other objects to the bookmark. Next paint a layer of Mod Podge over the entire bookmark. Let dry. Then use the X-acto knife to cut a slit into the top portion of the bookmark. Or, cut a hole in the top, and loop a piece of yarn or ribbon in the hole. Tie the end of the string with a colorful bead or charm to personalize the craft.

Owl Mask:

be viewed and reflected upon.

Many craftsmen are artists as well,” she said. “Art and craft are both very important serve to improve quality of life for artists and art appreciators.”

Gibson and Lanau said that they find inspiration from a variety of sources that weave in and out of their lives.

Whether a gift is made up of embroideries or fine jewelry, crafts seem to be a way for individuals to express themselves as well as find pride through creation.

A great way to get started on crafting one’s own gifts would be to check out some craft Web sites like craftster.org, sublimestitching. com and craftygal.com.

The Rattler has provided a few, simple DIY projects to help make gift-giving an involved, thoughtful process without the financial hardship.

Feather Hair Clip:

Approximate time: 10 minutes What you need: • Assorted feathers • Assorted gems • A hot glue gun, glue sticks • A hair clips of different shapes, available at beauty supply stores and craft stores • Stiff felt • A small piece of ribbon • Scissors First cut out the desired shape of the hair clip from stiff felt. Circles and ovals work well, but feel free to be creative. With hot glue, attach hair clip to felt piece. Hot glue a piece of ribbon onto the top of the clip to fasten the clip to the felt. Then cut feathers into desired shapes. Arrange and hot glue larger feathers onto felt first, then add smaller feathers. Attach feathers to felt by placing hot glue along the spine of the feather. Add gems or jewels on top of the feathers with the hot glue. Now bask in your beautiful hair clip.

Record Bowl:

Approximate time: 10 minutes (time it takes to find a good record not included) 2 minutes prep, 7 minutes in oven and 1 minute cool What you need: • One vinyl record, available at Half Price Books • One large cookie sheet • About a teaspoon of cooking oil (any kind works well) • One small paint brush • One bowl, interesting shapes help make interesting record bowls • A sheet of aluminum foil to cover the bowl (if the bowl is plastic) • A spatula • An oven First turn the oven on to 250 degrees. Paint a thin layer of oil onto both sides of the vinyl part of the record. Place painted record on cookie sheet.

Then place cookie sheet into oven for about seven minutes. In the mean time, line bowl with aluminum foil to prevent the vinyl from sticking to the bowl. Remove record from oven. Be careful: The record will not be too hot to handle, but the cookie sheet will be quite hot. Remove the record from the sheet with a spatula and place into the aluminum-lined bowl.

Shape the record how you would like it to look, but work quickly; the record will harden within a couple of minutes. Finally, allow the record to cool then fill with goodies and give to a loved one.

Approximate time: 30 minutes What you need: • 24 inches of ribbon • Needle and thread • Different colors of felt for eyes, nose, and mask • Smooth fabric for lining • Scissors • Hot glue gun First cut out a bean shape out of the felt and the lining. Thread the needle and sew the bean shaped felt and lining together. Then cut out two circles out of felt for the eyes and two smaller circles out of different colored felt for the pupils. Hot glue the smaller circles onto the bigger circles to complete the eye. Then hot glue the completed eyes onto the felt part of the mask. Cut a diamond shape out of felt for an owl nose. Hot glue nose to mask. Cut ribbon in half so that there are two ribbons. Glue each ribbon to the top corners of the fabric side of the mask. Pair the mask with a scented candle and give to a friend who needs some sleep.

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The Rattler

Record Clock:

Approximate time: 20 minutes What you need: • Clock that can be disassembled • Record cover • Scissors • Pencil First disassemble clock along and remove clock hands. The trace circumference of clock face onto record cover and cut out the circle. Cut a whole in the middle of the circle so that the clock hands can be reattached. Attach hands to record cover circle and reassemble clock parts so that the clock has a new face.

Photos by Robin Johnson and Kimberly Vela Graphic Illustration by Jon Mike Hernandez

11.16.08 15

Features The Rattler

Christmas around the world Take a look at how the holiday is celebrated outside of America.

FRANCE Receiving gifts from Pere Noel, French children are visited on Dec. 6, St. Nicholas Eve, as well as on Christmas Day. As for the adults, gift exchanges are usually held at the turn of the New Year. Happy holidays from France: Joyeux Noel.

BRAZIL As Papai Noel brings gifts to the Brazilians, a large Christmas dinner, similar to that of a United States’ Thanksgiving meal of turkey and ham is served. Happy holidays from Brazil: Feliz Natal.

GREECE Customs include children traveling from house to house on Christmas Eve offering good wishes and singing kalanda, the equivalent of Christmas carols, and a feast of lamb, pork and sweet loaves of “Christ bread” known as christopsomo are eaten. On St. Basil’s Day on Jan. 1, there is an exchange of gifts. Happy holidays from Greece: Kala Christouyenna.

COMPILED BY CHRISTINE LE

Photo by Robin Johnson

Igboanugo said that he has not experienced culture shock living on campus, because his sister graduated from St. Mary’s and he had been in the United States twice. He hopes to return to Nigeria after he completes his degree and use his education to help make change in his country.

Merging cultures and traditions International student from Nigeria shares how his family celebrates the holidays.

By Keily Rivero Staff Writer As the weather begins to cool and Christmas trees appear, many begin to anticipate the celebration of the holiday season.

St. Mary’s University hosts many international students who celebrate the season differently.

Since leaving his home in Nigeria, sophomore engineering major Ug Igboanugo has familiarized himself with American culture.

Igboanugo jumped at the chance to offer the community a glimpse into his own culture.

Igboanugo said that there are there are three different tribes in Nigeria and each tribe celebrates differently depending on their religion and traditions.

Igboanugo is Catholic and is from the Igbo tribe.

He explained that Christmas is the

16 11.26.08

time when people try to prepare as much food as possible.

One of the dishes served for Christmas is a traditional pepper soup.

“We usually kill a huge cow and parts of the cow are distributed among the family based on seniority,” said Igboanugo. “Killing a cow is not something you do every day and a lot of people look forward to this [pepper] soup because it has cow meat in it.”

Holidays are also celebrated differently in urban and rural Nigeria.

“Because I’m Igbo, my dad tries to ensure that we go back to the village and we try to visit some families that he recognizes from when he was growing up,” said Igboanugo.

Igboanugo said he enjoys visiting family members who do not live near him in the city.

“You kind of feel a sense of belonging, you have somewhere else to call home apart from the city, apart from our

place where we stay on regular basis,” said Igboanugo. “The village can seem like a meeting point for everyone.”

As for as Chrismas décor, the cities in Nigeria are more likely to have the kind of decorations traditionally seen in America, but the people who live in rural villages decorate differently.

“In my grandfather’s house, a lot of people bring Christmas cards and they hang up all the cards around the living room,” said Igboanugo.

Igboanugo said he has noticed that people begin preparing for Christmas earlier in the United states.

“For kids, one of the main differences that I recognize is Santa Clause.

We call him Father Christmas and we view it as something that just happens during Christmas.”

Though the season is celebrated across the world, the person you sit next to may have their own way of celebrating.

The Rattler Features SOUR PATCH CANDY CANES Redberry, lime, lemon, orange Staff Favorite This pucker-inducing candy cane has a sour beginning followed by a mellowed fruity flavor.

Staff says: The sour coating of the cane provided an enjoyable contrast for the fruity center. The sweet center was very similar tasting to the Sour Patch Kids gummy candies. The reberry and lime flavors were our favorites.

HERSHEY’S CANDY CANES Chocolate mint A chocolate-mint twist on an old classic, this Hershey’s candy cane provides the creamy taste of a Hershey chocolate bar cooling effect of the mint.

Staff says: The chocolate tasted more like a Tootsie Roll and at various points the chocolate taste overpowered the mint flavor. However, the candy cane had a distinct smooth taste and had an easy crunch when bitten into.

Candy canes take on new twist The Rattler staff tastes sweet versions of a Christmas classic.

By Jaime Perez Senior Staff Writer How do you know it’s Christmas? The appearance of candy canes, of course.

This holiday treat has been delighting seasonal celebrators for centuries. Yet, despite its large following, the origin of the candy cane still remains a mystery.

Many believe that the candy cane is a religious symbol. According to snopes.com, the candy cane is sometimes believed to resemble a “J” for Jesus, as well as a staff to represent the “Good Shepherd.”

However, this account has been largely disproven.

Snopes.com attributes the creation of the cane to French priests of the 1400’s; however, the candy cane looked radically different from the cane that we know and love today.

In its early days, the cane did not yet have its iconic curve or the red stripes that we have often associated with the Christmas treat. It was not until the 1600’s that the cane took on the typical “J” shape.

The popularity of the candy cane is heighted during the holiday season.

According to Health Reference Center Academic, 1.8 billion candy canes are eaten in the six weeks prior to Christmas day. If laid end to end, the almost 2 billion candy canes would wrap around the earth nearly 20 times.

However, a warning to those who plan to eat their candy canes before their holiday dinner.

The oil in traditional peppermint candy canes relaxes the muscle in the esophagus, allowing food to back up.

Not to worry, candy cane fans; according to Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, smelling or eating the oils of peppermint has led to greater motivation, energy and performance for athletes.

As the popularity of the candy cane grew, so did the availability of various flavors as candy and chocolate companies jumped on the cane bandwagon to released several of their own.

The Rattler taste-testing team decided to sample some of these new twists on an old classic.

WONKA EVERLASTING GOBSTOPPER CANDY CANES Watermelon, grape, strawberry, lemon The Wonka gobstoppers offers a large variety for those who are looking for many flavors. The candy cane promises to “change colors and flavors.”

Staff says: The individual flavors, though tasty, seemed to blend in with each other. The fruity flavors were not robust or distinct enough, causing the cane to only have a sugary, unexciting taste.

BUBBLICIOUS BUBBLE GUM FILLED CANDY CANES Watermelon wave, bubble gum, strawberry splash This Bubblicous candy cane is made with bubble gum built right into the center, much like a Blow Pop. Staff says: The flavors tasted like Pepto-Bismol, and we found that the gum center was not worth the taste. One staff member accidentally ate the whole candy cane not realizing that there was gum.

Photos by Robin Johnson

11.26.08 17

Features The Rattler

PowWow educates, entertains

By Robin Johnson Photo Editor and

By Jaime Perez

Senior Staff Writer With the rhythmic booming of drums and chants from nearby dancers swirling in his ears, 10-year-old Samuel Campos swayed to a traditional Native American song at the 5th Annual Learning Traditions PowWow on Nov.15.

Campos, who attends St. Peter Prince of the Apostles School, is a Native American with Comanche and Apache heritage.

“I have been dancing since I was three; it’s fun to be dancing,” said Campos.

Anthropology professor and Native American Student Association (NASA) adviser Grace Keyes, Ph.D., organized the event with members of the club to teach the community about Native American traditions.

“I am very proud of the students for their effort. [The PowWows] have been going great for such a small group [of NASA members],” said Keyes.

The event, which took place at the Pecan Grove, consisted of traditional music and dancing performed by members of the Native American community. Traditional foods and educational booths containing the history of the Native Americans were available to those in attendance.

Top Left: A young dancer performs a dance of prayer; bowing to the four directions–North, South, East and West.

Top Right: Younger participants dressed in full traditional attire at the PowWow. Bottom Left: Ten-year-old Samuel Campos has been dancing since the age of three.

Bottom Right: A total of 25 hoops were set into motion at the end of this hoop dance.

18 11.26.08

Photo by Analicia Perez

Photo by Analicia Perez

Photo by Robin Johnson

Photo by Analicia Perez

The Rattler Entertainment

Entertainment Unwrapped What’s hot this holiday season?

NEW TV! Sci-Fi Channel’s gifts to viewers.

What tops and what flops?

NEW BOOKS! A gift that gives back to the Beatles fanatic in your life

NEW MUSIC! Update calendar & Christmas lists for latest tunes & concerts

NEW MOVIES! Witherspoon & Vaughn give new meaning to ‘home for the holidays’ Top Left: Courtesy photo; Source: scifi.com, myspace.com, rottentomatoes.com, sxc.hu

11.26.08 19

Entertainment The Rattler

Reality TV attempts to live long and prosper on Sci Fi

By Kimberly Vela Advertising Manager In the past, the Sci Fi channel was home to reruns of “Star Trek” and showings of eloquent films such as Killer Clowns from Outer Space. Having also been the home of “Heroes” repeats and an updated version of “Battlestar Galactica,” Sci Fi is not necessarily made up of only antiquated nerd-love.

For the most part, though, the station is not known as the most mainstream channel by any standard.

However, within the past five years, Sci Fi has started to follow the trendy programming that more popular stations feature: reality shows.

“Estate of Panic,” a new “Fear Factor”type show, is one of the newest reality programming Sci Fi has added to its WednesSource: scifi.com day lineup.

Based on Japan’s 2004 “Run for Money Tosochuu,” “Chase” sends money-hungry contestants on misThe show’s premise may intrigue Halsions to reach a $50,000 prize, but they must survive the game’s 60-minute time limit. loween enthusiasts: Seven contestants have in the mansion with the goal of finding the camera” portion which is woven into the epto face some of their biggest fears while attempting to find the most money in the mys- most amounts of dollar bills in the room. The isodes. After each room, participants reflect highest amounts of dollar bills are found un- on their actions. These confessions consist terious host’s haunted mansion.

Unfortunately, “Estate of Panic” just does der creepy crawlers like crabs and worms or mostly of the phrase,“I was scared.”

Overall, “Estate of Panic” is less than imnot work; perhaps the show’s disappoint- hidden in jars of snakes and spiders.

In the premiere episode, one room fills up pressive and not nearly original enough to ment stems from fact that the season for haunting is long gone or from the show’s with water while another room’s walls begin sustain contemporary audiences.

Sci Fi has added yet another realto compress the contestants as they search cheesy lines and obvious characters.

For example, a Jeeves-type butler greets for money. The last person to attempt to ity television show on Tuesday nights the contests with a Lurch-like silence and leave the room and the person who escaped called “Chase.”

Marketed as a real-life video game, the host, Steve Valentine’s speech and man- the room with the least amount of money “Chase” includes 10 contestants referred to nerisms resemble the acting seen in 1970s are eliminated from the game.

The show could be bearable if contestants as “runners” who must escape the grasp of horror films.

Contestants are led to different rooms did not engage in the famous “confession “hunters.” Running throughout specified ar-

eas around a said city, the runners must survive for 60 minutes without being caught, similar to the children’s game of hide-andgo-seek. Contestants who survive the hunt win up to $50,000.

For fans of the Nickelodeon show “Nick Arcade,” “Chase” is the perfect reality show.

High-tech graphics and challenging tasks make this show exciting to watch. Video gamers worldwide will recognize strategies that contestants seem to miss.

Some of the tasks require contestants to work as a team in order to survive, while other tasks require contestants to make a run for it on their own with only a map in hand.

The fact that the audience is able to see how people work with one another adds to the charm of the show.

Watching the male and female hunters in business suits chase the runners is almost comical at times. However, the most entertaining aspect of the show is rooting for the one runner you hope does not get caught.

Plus, the fact that the show presents the participants’ statistics as well as their weapons and tools in a futuristic profile makes the show much more similar to an actual video game.

Both “Chase” and “Estate of Panic” add to the collection of hundreds of reality television shows which have gained popularity in the last few years.

Branching into new programming, the Sci Fi channel has made some good and bad choices. Hopefully, Sci Fi will drop its campy horror show and keep its video game hunt in the coming year.

Really, YouTube? Someone is actually watching this right now.

By Elizabeth Ruiz Editor in Chief

“Stacking Routine “ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHjiblrKDQA Viewed Saturday, Nov. 22, X:XX p.m.

Views on YouTube: 350,369

20 11.26.08

This week in adorably choreographed bartending preschool training videos, middle schoolers Luke and Joel present their charmingly fumbled “Stacking Routine” paired with Daft Punk’s “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.”

With the music blaring in one of their dad’s garages, the boys begin by stacking cups. What was once a mundane stack of

blue plastic cups magically turns into a pyramid (of blue cups) in less than two seconds.

The boys use their orange and blue cups then pull out the big guns half-way through their hypnotic routine. Those “guns” being cups with super-hardcore flames painted on them.

We learned that this cup stacking is also a progressive form of a P.E. credit, reminiscent of Arrested Development character George Michael Bluth’s favorite activity

of hanging on the monkey bars, which is deemed “slightly easier than the slide.”

The fifth time watching this (it’s inevitable to avoid confirming that what you just viewed was actually real), you start to think that the high speed of their trickery is a little suspect. But then you remember that they laugh at their own fumbles and accept that they are not cupflipping childbots, but simply YouTube stars.

The Rattler Entertainment

THE TOUR GUIDE

By Melody Mejia Senior Staff Writer

Courtesy Photo

Model-turned photographer Nancy Lee Andrews, former fiance to ex-Beatle Ringo Starr, recounts a life with classic rock icons through a series of personal photographic essays and anecdotes.

Beatle book relives golden age

By Elizabeth Ruiz Editor in Chief If most of us saw a Beatle in real life, our first inclination would be to whip out the Nikon or even a camera phone.

That urge is not just limited to fans of the Beatles. During their engagement from 1974 to 1980, Nancy Lee Andrews began to photograph her fiancé, Ringo Starr, as well as other rock and roll notables.

Her photos taken during the times she spent with “The Funny One” during the height of his solo career have been compiled into her first novel A Dose of Rock and Roll, which could also be dubbed Imposing Rock Gods and the Women Who Adore Them.

Although the former Ford model has in recent years captured the images of country music stars, this collection is heavy on pictures of rock icons including Keith Moon and The Band. The one-time model has also supplemented her work with stories about her subjects.

Most of us know the former Beatle through his work (or by extension, his role on Thomas the Train or from his recent video request to fans to stop sending him mail), but this book details the intimate moments between the couple, endless encounters with other musicians and personal anecdotes of the Beatles.

However, this book does not signify the first time a former Beatle lover has forayed into literature.

Patti Boyd, the muse who inspired exhusbands George Harrison and Eric Clapton to write classic love ballads, wrote 2007’s salacious Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me, about her personal life with the former Beatle and the lead of Cream.

By contrast, Andrews’ book serves as an extended photo essay by someone who knows her subjects intimately.

Of the two novels, Andrews’ is the perfect Christmas gift for the discerning Beatles fan in your life.

A year since their last appearance in Austin, Dashboard Confessional, led

by Chris Carraba, made its way back to Texas on Nov. 13, but with a slight twist on things.

Instead of headlining their own show in a small venue on a more personal level with the crowd, they joined Panic! at The Disco to co-headline Rockband Live Tour at the Frank Erwin Center.

Openers The Cab, a fairly new band hailing from Las Vegas, proved they had the upbeat, dance-to songs and energetic melodies to rock the stage. Their debut album Whisper Wars, released last spring, had fans dancing along to songs like ”Seventies Song” and “Bounce.”

Lead vocalist Alex DeLeon described the band as “a bunch of 19-year-old guys fresh out of high school.”

The second band to take the stage was Plain White T’s. Bringing plenty of enthusiasm and energy to their performance, pleasing much of the crowd, the guys played tracks off their latest album Big Bad World including “1-23-4”, “Hate” and “Natural Disaster,” many of which were made famous by the ABC Family hit series Greek.

Co-headliners and third act of the evening, Dashboard transformed the stage with decorative backgrounds, complimenting their set with in-between chats with fans.

They introduced their latest album, The Shade of Poison Trees, by playing songs such as “These Bones,” and “Thick as Thieves.”

Ranging from “Screaming Infidelities,” to “Don’t Wait,” lead-vocalist Carrabba described the setlist as a tasting menu featuring songs from various records.

Before the show’s end, Dashboard invited both The Cab and Plain White T’s back out for a sing-along with the crowd with a cover of

Pink’s catchy hit “So What.” Longtime fans went wild, and new fans were born.

Headliners Panic! at the Disco were finally drawn to the stage by cheers and applause. For concertgoers not familiar with the band’s music, it was an impressive show. Their night in Austin ended with a cover song of “Shout!” by the Isley Brothers.

Although their time on stage was shorter than anticipated, all the bands performed to the expectations of a satisfied crowd.

While Dashboard fans walked out bigger fans of the opening acts, the band itself will still be seen at the top of the fan-favorite list. The wait for their return may be another year, but whether it is a solo concert or a video gamepromoted tour, Dashboard fans won’t be let down.

11.26.08 21

Entertainment The Rattler

Clichéd teen vampires exposed The silver screen conveys the first cheesy movie installment of the vampire chronicle, Twilight.

By Jaime Perez Senior Staff Writer

Giving permission to millions of moviegoers to use terrible vampire-related puns to describe this film, Tw i l i g h t ’s

Hopeless romantic Edward (Patterson) goes to great heights to prove to Bella (Stewart) that their love is a dangerous mix of vampire and human emotions. Edward is undecided in his drive to overstep vampire boundaries, but Bella clings on, hoping that they will be together in a harmomious cross species relationship. Settling for each other’s companionship, Twilight explores the motif of forbidden love.

Source: rottentomatoes.com

reviewers have concluded that “it really sucked.”

Twilight, a teen love-story between a vampire and a human, is based on the popular Stephanie Meyer series of the same name.

It has gained a considerable following, much like the Harry Potter saga; however, unlike the large variety of geeks and geeksat-heart who purchased the book, the Twilight series seems to have struck a cord mainly with young girls. It is unfortunate that the movie had to pan to the same audience.

The makers of Twilight hoped that those who loved the books would love the movie; therefore, a literal translation would be the best route to take when creating the adaption.

In this case, the same cheesy lines spouted by the characters, though forgivable in the book, did not work in the movie.

The dialogue raced back and forth between emotions, leaving no room for subtlety. Even the few comedic scenes in the movie were dialed up and exaggerated, with the actor’s performances making the scenes worse.

When Bella Swan (Kristin Stewart) moves from Arizona to live with her father in gloomy Forks, Washington, she falls in love with the brooding, mysterious

Edward Cullen (Robert Patterson).

As she learns more about the Cullens’ and their mystifying past, she also becomes aware of James (Cam Gigandet), a far more dangerous vampire.

The acting, like the script, is over the top. Stewart’s portrayal of an awkward Bella became annoying with her many “uh’s” and broken sentences.

The heavily-powdered Patterson, though pretty to look at, did not match the sophistication needed for a hundred year old vampire.

Perhaps the best thing that could be said about the movie is the artistic direction.

The location chosen for the cloudy, green town of Forks was beautiful and believable as a habitat that could be occupied by vampires.

Soft blues and grays worked well in the movie and many times the individual presentation of the scenes were far more interesting than the content that occupied them.

In the end, the movie presented very little to its excited audience. Although the film was loyal to the book, it added nothing to the story of Bella and Edward in terms of acting or dialogue.

This is one book adaption that should never have seen the light of day.

Entertain Yourself This Holiday Monday, Dec. 1 North American Red Carpet Massacre. Tour 2008

22 11.26.08

Thursday, Dec. 4 2008 Tour

Friday, Dec. 12 The Day the Earth Stood Still

Duran Duran 8 p.m., Majestic Theater

3OH!3, Innerpartysystem, Chain Gang of 1974 7 p.m., White Rabbit

Movie Premiere

Tuesday, Dec. 2 Ann Patchett’s Run

Tuesday, Dec. 9 “Revolutions in Sound”

Tuesday, Dec. 23 Cats

Book club reading StMU English & Comm. Studies Dept.

3:30 p.m., Charles Francis Hall #007

Warner Bros. RecordsThe First Fifty Years Book & music release

Musical tour 8 p.m., Majestic Theater

The Rattler Entertainment

Grindin’ your gears Adapting from the page to the big screen

By Cristina Gonzalez Senior Staff Wrtier

Whoever came up with the phrase “everything old is new again” certainly lived in an era when book-to-film adaptations were about as common as remaking classic films.

With last Friday’s release of the much-anticipated Twilight, a film adaptation of the first book in the strongly polarizing “tween”-adored vampire novel series, one cannot help but wonder: between adaptations and remakes, where have all the original ideas gone?

Twilight is neither the first nor the last in a string of book-to-film adaptations, but it sits in a precarious place. Like its adaptation predecessors and successors, it faces the pressure of living up to its source material. All adaptations walk the fine line between loyalty and creative license.

If there are too many deviations, the movie fails to honor the original work; if it is too loyal to the book, the film is uncreative and lacking in personality.

Director Peter Jackson faced this when he brought J.R.R. Tolkien’s beloved Lord of the Rings trilogy to life. He understood all too well that there is no harsher critic than a loyal fan.

True, you are never going to please everyone, but there is no fate worse for an adaptation than metaphorical death by fandom.

Despite having to make necessary cuts later added to a special extended version of the DVDs, the trilogy was considered a brilliant success.

Other films, like Stanley Kubrick’s version of A Clockwork Orange, work best when you consider the book and the movie to be two different things.

That is not to say Kubrick’s version is grossly disloyal to the

book–it has many of its key points, as well as its air of unsettlement–but if any book deserves a more honorable adaptation, A Clockwork Orange is it.

The main problem with adaptations from books, especially movies based around fictional novels, comes from the imagination factor. The wonderful, almost magical, thing about books is that they foster imagination.

No two imaginations are exactly alike, and when a movie comes along, it forever alters how people see things in their minds. Even though some people say the book is often better, most people seem to show apathy towards the original work, displaying an ideal of, “Why spend time flipping through 300 pages when you can easily spend two hours watching a DVD?” And what of writers who are in it for writing books?

What sort of message is it sending to aspiring authors when the mark of a bestselling book is a movie deal?

An adaptation, good or bad, is not the sign of good authorship.

It is, in some cases, just another way for people to get rich off a fan base more than willing to pay the price of a theatre ticket.

It is even worse when the author, should they still be living, is openly opposed to such projects.

It undermines their control and ownership of ideas.

Here is an idea: Instead of making a film about the same story, why not use film as a medium for telling a new story about the same characters? For every story they publish, authors have at least a hundred stories they want to tell about those same characters or worlds they have created.

If it worked for Dinotopia, it can work for any series.

And who knows? The fans might surely thank you.

Source: rottentomatoes.com

Trying to cope with the frustration of missing out on a tropical getaway from family on Christmas, Kate (Witherspoon) and Brad (Vaughn) are exposed at the airport, resulting in four, fun-filled family Christmases in a single day.

Holiday hit reaches closer to home

By Stephanie Sanders Entertainment Editor The holiday flick Four Christmases, this season’s big family comedy, hits the nationwide screen to the satisfaction of anxious, turkey-stuffed audiences whose hopes to partake in a laugh riot have been built up along with the film’s hype.

Hope is not lost. Christmases produces a roar of knee-slapping chuckles and obnoxious giggles, at least for all the legally blonde wedding crashers out there.

Reese Witherspoon puts on the comedy makeup.

Her usual wave of simple-mindedness with hidden feistiness upholds here comedic reputation as a classic, rockin’ Barbie doll.

We see this as her character, Kate, pays the holiday visit to her mother’s house, a house full of women.

She grew up to be the independent career woman with no husband or children, living as just a free spirit.

A Ken to her Barbie, Vince Vaughn is in no way a letdown. His hilarious intellect and dramatization in not-so-serious situations as Kate’s long-time boyfriend, Brad, gives him the persona of a gentle giant who has a way with words, women and children.

Vaughn’s typical comedic delivery is best represented in an involuntary portrayal of Joseph in a church play where he out-stages the children, Virgin

Mary and even the baby Jesus.

This unusual behavior blossoms from the couple’s inability to spend their Christmas scuba diving off the coast of an exotic beach. After having no other choice than to succumb to the crazy idea of spending the holiday with their families, they realize there is emptiness in their adventurous lives.

After encountering a perverted grandmother, a spouse’s unknown fear of moon bounces, hick yet surprisingly genius relatives and a number of other oddities, Brad and Kate’s relationship is stretched to the breaking point.

The film’s philosophy begins with the idea “You can’t spell ‘families’ without ‘lies’” in order to avoid family and “the dangers of procreating.” Where do they have left to move in life other than forward?

Christmases shows audiences how truly funny life can be.

Christmases is Meet the Parents meets Christmas Vacation. It’s Sweet Home Alabama meets Fred Claus.

Imagine Vaughn in The Break Up; replace Jennifer Aniston with Witherspoon, and everything is all better again.

As if the family conversation around the dinner table was not enough amusement for one sitting, Four Christmases is another family treat that this generation can definitely relate to and appreciate.

11.26.08 23

Sports The Rattler

BCS needs a playoff

President-elect Obama edorses a playoff system to promote fairness in college football.

By Jonathan Trillo Senior Staff Writer The issue of a playoff system instead of the current Bowl Championship Series, better known as the BCS, has been a hotlydebated topic that even President-elect Barack Obama has commented on.

According to our President-elect, it is time for a playoff system in college Division I football.

Regarding this season, if we had a playoff system, a lot of questions would be answered and there would be more of an understanding of what would be involved.

Quite frankly, with so many competitive teams in the mix, I feel it is a disservice to the teams that there isn’t a playoff system

implemented. While I know that this seems to be a belated argument, I still feel that it is important to remind college football fans of what could be.

With that said, I feel that deserving teams such as Oklahoma University, Penn State and others that have one or more losses on the season should get another shot at the National Title.

For one, they lost to teams that were good; and two, they lost by a small margin, at that.

While I doubt that Obama will go as far as to use his authority in office to initiate a change on how the National Champion is crowned, I do feel that the fact he had mentioned the issue will bring more notoriety to this great college debate.

College football playoffs This is how The Rattler thinks college football should run a playoff system: Have the top eight teams qualify for single elimination playoffs lasting three weeks. This would work because current teams have three to four weeks off from their last game to their bowl game.

Week 1 Source: everystockphoto.com

Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell is one of the leading candidates for the Heisman Trophy this season. He can lead the Red Raiders to their first BCS bowl game in school history.

#1 vs. #8 #3 vs. #6 #2 vs. #7 #4 vs. #5

Week 2

Week 3

Winner of #1 vs. #8 vs.

Winner of #3 vs. #6 Finals Winner of #2 vs. #7 vs.

Winner of #4 vs. #5

SPORTS Source: everystockphoto.com

Number one ranked Alabama is on track to win their first championship in 17 seasons.

24 11.26.08

Write for The Rattler’s Sports Section by picking up a writer application from the newsroom in the University Center, Room 258.

The Rattler Sports

Photo by Nicolas Campana

Fans support the Rattler basketball team and encourage them to repeat as conference champions.

Students cheer on their Rattlers Continued from page 28

coming back to more games this season,” said Pena. “It is fun to watch and cheer on the team,” said Casiano.

It was apparent the Rattlers were feeding off the home crowd, evident in their win over Sul Ross State University, 83-48.

The excitement from the fans kept the Rattlers motivated throughout the game.

Member of the Rattler “Code Blue” dance team, junior biochemistry major Courtney Deane said, “I attend every game and enjoy motivating the fans.”

Most of the fans questioned have attended games before and want to continue showing their support.

The team’s performance improved through the night as the crowd kept up with the loud noise.

Some fans used their program

guide as a microphone to help project their voice.

Sophomore biochemistry major Clayton Hill said he would take his dedication to the team on the road. “I have friends on the team, so I like to see how they do,” he said. “I would travel with them if the game was close by.”

The encouragement for the Rattlers is obvious, but it is up to them to see where they end up.

Photo by Robin Johnson

The cheers from the crowd helped the team to a decisive win over Sul Ross State University.

All-women roller team push to top

By Brissa Renteria Staff Writer What do you get when you put together a roaring crowd and a great, local professional team?

No, it’s not the Spurs; it’s the Alamo City RollerGirls (ACRG).

This all-female team is a strong supporter of all female sports teams.

The women who participate are of different ages, with many of them mothers, businesswomen and activists.

Taking on multiple responsibilities, the players prove to not only be team members, but local activists as well.

They have participated in local charity events, such as The Walk for PKD 2007, Cornyation 07, The Fiesta Flambeau 2008 and The Walk for Multiple

Sclerosis 2008 ACRG also promotes gender equality in sports throughout San Antonio.

Thanks to them, the city has now begun to influence other people to form roller derby teams of their own.

Those competing in the ACRG are: The Prim Reapers, The Dragon Divas and The Missyfits.

Having participated in various tournaments as city-league teams, the teams have competed in several games to beat their opponents and gain confidence.

Currently, the Prim Reapers are at the top, with three wins and zero losses.

The Prim Reapers are also part of the Women’s Flat Track Derby Association.

However, the Alamo City Roller Girls are not out to promote themselves.

Rather, they are trying to promote equality among the sports media for our generation.

Through hard work, they have achieved “community building and support for women’s sports and the cultural arts,” as they state on their official myspace page.

Interested? If you are eighteen or older, the ACRG recruitment is the first Wednesday of each month.

The team is asking for women at all levels of skating skills to attend.

For more information on this team go to (myspace.com/alamocity rollergirls.com).

11.26.08 25

Sports The Rattler

Injuries hold Spurs back from being on top

By Chris Childree Staff Writer The San Antonio Spurs have found themselves sinking to the lower depths of the Southwest Division, a division that they have not finished less than second in since its inception.

The primary reason for the Spurs’ decline are the injuries that have plagued this geriatric team long before the season even tipped off.

Closely related is a consistent meter for the Spurs’ chances for glory: Tim Duncan’s scoring performance.

Duncan’s performance so far, demonstrates his teammate’s lag and may suggest a continuation of the team’s sluggish start.

Surprisingly, the elderly heart and soul of the Spurs, center Tim Duncan, is off to one of the best seasons of his career while the club is playing at its lowest level since Duncan arrived.

Perhaps this is because there is a negative correlation between the scoring numbers of Duncan and his team’s performance.

Statistics show that in the postDavid Robinson era, the Spurs do not win championships when Duncan scores more than 20 percent of the team’s total points

Source: everystockphoto.com

The Spurs are picked to finish fifth in the Western Conference by the media, but many think they can win the title. in a given season.

In fact, during the 2004-05 season, Duncan scored a career low 17 percent of the regular season points as the team cruised to the championship.

Duncan’s highest percentage in this era, 20.5 percent, came in 2003-04 when the Spurs won a measly 57 games and were eliminated in the Western Conference semifinals.

This season, in the seven games

played, Duncan has scored close to 27 percent of the team’s points.

A number the center has approached only once in his career.

Following the trend, the Spurs have only won two games, and have been defeated five times.

The increase in Duncan’s scoring load is connected to the injuries suffered by Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili.

While Ginobili was injured during the Olympics and has missed the entire season, Parker sprained his ankle following a game in which he scored 55 points, the most any Spur has scored since David Robinson recorded 71 in 1994.

Perhaps the fate of Parker will foreshadow Duncan’s demise.

At 32, it will be difficult for him to sustain his current playing level and not be sidelined just as

Tournament motivates students to duck and dodge

By Jaime Perez Senior Staff Writer On Nov. 21, dodgeball teams participated in the Marian Residence Hallhosted tournament for students interested in dodging, ducking, dipping, diving and dodging.

The tournament, which was open to all students on campus, accepted submissions from teams of six to play in the school’s first dodgeball tournament of the year.

Junior marketing major Kelly Dowde said she saw the tournament as a place to meet and have fun with new people.

26 11.26.08

“I think it’s really important for students to get involved and to socialize with other people besides their friends,” said Dowde.

The games, held next to the Marian Residence Hall, was organized in a way that would have the remaining two teams play the final match at Double the Madness.

Students who did not participate in the tournament were also able to enjoy the event.

According to senior exercise and sports science major Lizzy Redmond, the games were enjoyable for both the athletes and

the audience.

“It was really funny to see people get hit by the balls,” said Redmond. “Originally, I had no idea that this was going to happen.

But finding that out now, I’m glad that I came.”

Although no other dodgeball tournaments are planned for the future, Redmond said she hopes to participate if another game is planned.

“I hope I get a chance to do [the dodgeball game],” said Redmond. “[The tournament] looks really fun to do.”

his two all-star teammates.

Duncan simply needs some help, but it seems that Roger Mason is the only other Spur willing to lend a hand with the scoring load.

But Mason’s 13.9 points per game average is not enough to relieve the overused Duncan.

If the Spurs want to win, they first need to stay as healthy as possible.

However, they also need more input from Michael Finley, George Hill, Matt Bonner, Ime Udoka and Fabricio Oberto.

Collectively these five players average only 25 points per game, not even up to Duncan’s average alone, and still short of these players’ totals from last year minus Hill.

What is evident is that the current course the Spurs are on will not lead them to a title.

History has shown that they cannot win when their main man places this much of the burden on his shoulders.

Perhaps as the season progresses the injuries will heal, the role players will finally show up and the youth will mature.

But if this doesn’t happen, Duncan should expect to miss the playoffs for the first time.

Corrections In Volume 96 Issue 5 of The Rattler, there was an error in the story “After successful season, teams look ahead” by Ivonne Aguilar. Natalie Gamez and Rachel Jones were picked as pre season all conference team by the conference coaches and sport directors.

In the last line of “After successful season, teams look ahead” the sentence before the story continued to page 24 was cut. The sentence should read “With many returning on the team this year, only three players add to a talented freshman class.”

The Rattler Sports

Courtesy of Chris Filoteo

This picture of a young eight point buck helps hunters determine his movement as well as the overall population of different animals on a given piece of property.

High-tech hunting is here Modern hunting techniques help hunters keep an eye on what is going on in the woods.

By Chris Filoteo Sports Editor With the whitetail deer season upon us, hunters everywhere are shuffling through their equipment looking for the perfect gizmo to fool a whitetail.

Just as with anything else, there are many different accessories to attract whitetails: grunt calls, deer scents and deer decoys, to name a few.

In recent years, companies have manufactured a product that will allow you to scout your property without physically being there.

This device is available in 35mm film or digital capacity.

As constantly developing 35mm film can be expensive and inconvenient, it would be easier to go for the low-maintenance of a digital camera.

Though digital cameras tend to use more batteries, the 35mm versions cannot compare with the quality of the digital pictures.

This product is popular because hunters can see what animals are in their hunting area.

With prices ranging from $50 to $500, everyone can have the opportunity to better their odds despite their budget.

In preparation for the hunting season, hunters can begin to prepare

months in advance with the use of these trail cameras.

While using grunt calls and scents can improve your hunt, the use of a trail camera will give the hunter an edge over any game.

Logging information such as the times and dates of the game pictures will help judge when it’s the best time to hunt.

Depending on weather conditions and the moon phase, it is almost impossible to know exactly when and where game will be.

And while this difficulty remains no matter how experienced the hunter, trail cameras can help with recording the amount of game on a particular property, also assessing any signs of other animals: feral hogs, coyotes and bobcats.

With these other animals all posing risks to the hunting grounds and game, this capability of the trail camera is definitely to the hunters and landowners’ advantage.

Wild pigs are a major problem to land owners because they burrow looking for food, which in turn destroys the land.

The wild hog also contributes to the loss of newborn fawns.

Coyotes and bobcats similarly play a role in losing fawns.

This being my third year using

a trail camera, I still see animals I have never seen before, which I think makes it fun.

In my experience with trail cameras, the technology has taught me how to pattern game better and determine the age of whitetails more accurately.

Spring is usually the time of year when many people spend less time in the field, but the use of a trail camera can alleviate this problem.

You can find out precisely when bucks shed their antlers and what time fawns are born; this information can add up to a successful hunting season.

Nearly all trail cameras are easy to set up and take little time to get started.

Different companies offer multiple options for the more expensive camera: video capability, infrared images and sequence photos up to one frame per second depending on which model you choose.

With limitless capabilities in preparation for deer season, this product is not only a vast improvement in technology, but also a superior advancement in hunting technique.

If there were only one piece of equipment I could, or would want to use, it would be a trail camera.

Courtesy of Chris Filoteo

Trail cameras help document important information for land owners, like this coyote on property in Crystal City, Texas.

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Rattler Sports Vol. 96 Issue 6

St. Mary’s University Student Newspaper

11.26.08

System in despute BCS debate reaches oval office.

Page 24

Technology in the field Photo by Robin Johnson

Rattler fans sitting in the front row cheer on the basketball team on Nov. 22 in the Bill Greehey Arena.

Students support Rattlers at home

By Chris Filoteo Sports Editor St. Mary’s students have every reason to support their defending conference champions Rattlers.

The men’s team started the season with a five hundred record and is seeking motivation from their school.

Residents don’t need to look far when there is a game on campus. The diversity of fans was evident in the Bill Greehey Arena for Saturday night’s game against Sul Ross

State University.

The Rattlers are trying to maintain their status as Heartland Conference champions, but they can’t do it on their own.

The Rattler asked some fans a few questions at Saturday night’s game why they attend St. Mary’s games.

Senior marketing major Kevin Pegg said, “This is my first game of the season, but I went to all of them last year.”

Pegg also said that he intends to attend the rest of the season’s games.

Sophomore engineering management

major Clark Janson said, “I came to the game [Friday] night and I plan on coming back for the rest of the season.”

There was a considerable amount of students in attendance considering the early 5:30 p.m. tip-off.

Fans trickled into the arena to support their Rattlers.

There was a broad difference between the average ages in attendance.

Joe Casiano and Margaret Pena don’t just watch the team play, but also their son, who plays in the Rattler Band. “We plan on Cont. on PG 25, SEE “STUDENTS”

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Discover different ways to hunt game this season.

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Spurs off to a slow start Players age shows as the season begins.

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