Vol. 99, No. 2 - 09/21/2011

rattler the

A St. Mary’s Student Publication since 1925

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Vol. 99 Issue 2

4 NEWS

Renovations completed for Assumption

11 FEATURES

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September 21, 2011 •

stmurattlernews.com

Rowdy Rattlers bring back school spirit

PG. 8

Spiking up the past For full story see pg. 16

New laundry service available for university

12 ENTERTAINMENT

15 SPORTS

Heat wave gives men’s soccer team an edge

/ Courtesy of Robin Johnson / St. Mary’s Athletics.

Restaurants battle for your taste buds

News

2 The Rattler

September 21, 2011

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CONTACT US The Rattler St. Mary’s University One Camino Santa Maria Box 83 San Antonio, TX 78228 OFFICE: 210.436.3401 FAX: 210.431.3407 EMAIL: rattlernews@gmail.com WEBSITE: www.stmurattlernews.com

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STAFF Editor-in-Chief

Sports Editor

Managing Editor

Entertainment Editor

Copy Editor

Photo Editor

Layout/Design Editor

Assistant Photo Editor

Web Editor

Advertising Manager

News Editor

Staff Cartoonist

Commentary Editor

Faculty Adviser

Azhmir Acosta Amanda Cano Nick Canedo

Chrystalla Georghiou Emily Scruggs

Katherine Benavides Briana Perez

Features Editor

Joe Rodriguez Dania Pulido Felix Arroyo

Jennifer Sims Leo Reyes Eric Vijil

STAFF WRITERS Emily Artalejo Alexander Eakins Austin W. Newton Angelica Radacinski Jessica Valles Denice Hernandez

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHERS Nicolas Campana Alejandra Diaz Jenny Wendover Miriam Cruz Analissa Cantu Brittany Horack Sarah Tardine

NEWS IN BRIEF >> >>

Brother Dennis Bautista, S.M., Ph.D.

Arturo Osteguin Jr.

Alex Meyer Ari Rivera Matthew Rodriguez Lena Scalercio Jessica Valles Julie Losoya Anthony De Jesus

Cheryl Pearson, who became a Muslim in 1994, speaks at an event hosted by The Muslim Student Society of St. Mary’s on Sept. 14 in the UC. Pearson focused her presenation on recognizing if Muslim women were oppressed in their faith. / Photo by Miriam Cruz.

Cheyenne Palmer Sarah Dwyer Chanti Lee Vong Francis Mell Rubi Doria Melina Cavazos Miriam Dorantes

Documentary viewing to be held on Sept. 22 In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the University Programming Council is co-sponsoring the viewing of “Longoria Affair” on Thursday, Sept. 22. The first viewing will be at 12:30 p.m. in the library’s Media Viewing Room and the second viewing will be at 5 p.m. in Conference Room A of the UC.

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Is San Antonio drying up?

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Ready for the corporate world?

Come learn about the city’s current and future water needs at a free event presented by the St. Mary’s Institute for Public Administration, Politics and Public Policy on Wednesday, Sept. 28. The presentation will be held at 6 p.m. in Conference Room A of the UC. For more information, contact Jennifer Hooker at jhooker@mail.stmarytx.edu.

The Civic Engagement and Career Development Center will be hosting a Networking and Discussion with professionals event on Thursday, Sept. 29 at 3 p.m. in the UC. Students have the opportunity to talk with corporate leaders on how to prepare for the transition from college to the corporate environment.

POLICE BLOTTER

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.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR POLICY

The Rattler welcomes letters that do not exceed 500 words and include the writer’s name, classification, major and telephone number. Editors reserve the right to edit submissions for length, grammar, spelling and content.

INDEX news 1-5 commentary 6-7 features 8-11 entertainment 12-13 sports 14-16

Aug. 27 >> Saturday, Employee texting while driving through Lot B struck parked vehicle causing damage. Insurance information was exchanged.

Aug. 30 >> Tuesday, Student attempting to enter Java City was forcibly pushed back outside by an unknown suspect. Suspect then held door closed barring student entry into building. Suspect departed the premises.

Sept. 06 >> Tuesday, Suspect found rummaging around inside parent’s vehicle in Lot D. Supect became belligerent and verbally abusive towards officer. Criminal Trespass Warning was issued and the suspect was escorted off campus.

Sept. 07 >> Wednesday, Parent received call that student in Adele Hall had been kidnapped. Director on Duty was contacted and student was found safe and sound.

News

September 21, 2011

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City firefighters control wildfires in surrounding areas

By Mercedes Kelso Contributing Writer

Over the past few weeks, the San Antonio Police and Fire departments have been fighting wildfires in South Bexar County, Camp Bullis and Bastrop County.

Though the fires have been contained fairly well, many continue to flare up around the city.

According to ksat.com, as of Sept. 15, Bastrop firefighters have contained 75 percent of the wildfires that broke out in the Central Texas county.

On Sept. 5 “the Stoke Oak fire sparked, starting in Bexar County, and stretched into Northern San Antonio, and then on Sept. 7 a fire ignited in the Camp Bullis area off of 1-10 and Ralph Fair Road and rekindled the following afternoon,” Bexar County Fire Marshall Ross Coleman said.

A 250-acre fire extended into Medina, and over the course of the following week, small fires have sparked in various areas.

Though the university has been safe, many students have family and friends who have been affected by the wildfires.

Freshman criminal justice major, Alyana Stokes was visiting home in the Stone Oak area over Labor Day weekend, when a “nearby neighborhood received fire evacuation warnings.” Stokes says that though she was “not personally affected, [but] we were concerned because we could see the smoke and smell the fire.”

Although located north of the city, San

Antonio firefighters have traveled to fight the extensive wildfires in Bastrop County.

According to Coleman, in this area, “over 1500 homes have been destroyed.”

The month of September has proven to be a busy time for the San Antonio Police and Fire Departments according to Deborah Foster, F.A.O. of the Public Information Office at the San Antonio Police Department who claims that since the start of “September, the San Antonio Fire Department has responded to 245 grass fires throughout the city.”

Sophomore psychology major Sarah Ann Del Toro explained that she and her family were constantly updated with news from the nearby firefighters while helping out the communities that were affected around the area of her hometown in Giddings, Texas.

“Many times, we honestly had no idea where the fire was at, until volunteer firefighters would tell my family members or the news would finally update us,” Del Toro said. “My family and I went out and assisted elderly families collect what little of their belongings they could keep and helped with the shelters around our town.”

The severe Texas drought has caused many of these fires, as the dry ground creates prime conditions for fire ignition.

As Coleman pointed out, “we are on unprecedented dry conditions…and until we get a substantial amount of rain, we will stay at the status quo.”

Because of the extremely dry conditions, fires are expected again in the near future, affecting the air quality and environment.

According to assistant professor of earth sciences Evelynn Mitchell, “The fires can affect our air quality by adding particle matter and a variety of gaseous compounds to the atmosphere.” These environmental impacts will have longterm effects on the environment because of “an increased draw on our already stretched water supply…loss of habitat for many species in the area and a loss of a root system to keep with soil in place.”

Though these fires may appear dangerous and seemingly unpreventable, it is important for citizens to be properly educated on fire safety, prevention and knowledge. As stated by Coleman, online resources such as firewise.org can be beneficial in providing basic information for homeowners on preparing their homes for the fire season and by offering “fire wise community programs” that provide workshops and training on fire safety and prevention.

In spite of the recent rainstorms San Antonio has experienced, the weather forecast predicts another week of heat and sunshine so it is important to be alert for upcoming fire conditions and danger.

Read more on wildfire safety and evacuation tips in the sidebar provided alongside this article.

Wildfire Safety Knowledge If a wildfire threatens your living area If you feel like you’re in danger, leave.

It’s always better to be safe but if you have time, you can take extra steps before you evacuate: •Remove anything combustible •Close up everything •Turn off all your lights •Pack your car with emergency supplies •Fill any large containers or pools with water

Staying safe while you’re evacuating It’s very easy to panic, but if you keep your cool and prepare for emergency situations, you’ll increase your chances of make a safe evacuation. If you’re driving: •Roll up your windows and close your air vents •Drive slowly and turn on your headlights •Don’t drive through heavy smoke •Stay in the car if you are trapped •Don’t lock your doors

Compiled by Katherine Benavides Source: Allstate.com

Decreasing participation in campus study abroad program

By Ari Rivera Staff Writer

The university’s study abroad program is following a national trend as fewer students are going overseas to take classes, according to Director of International Education Programs Minitia Santizo.

Santizo admits that lack of funding is the main reason many students do not study abroad. However, the financial aid a student is awarded can be applied to the study abroad program, and scholarships specifically for such programs are offered.

“The majority of students that study abroad go with financial aid,” Santizo said.

“There’s a very minimal amount of students that pay completely out of pocket.” Santizo also encourages students to apply

again if finances or other outside influences prevent them from studying abroad for a particular year.

Santizo also cites academics and required courses for the decline in student participation.

The programs only offer specific courses that do not always fulfill upper level requirements.

“Courses become less flexible as the student gets closer to graduation,” she said.

Still, faculty advises students to do what they can to study abroad. “Because the experience of studying abroad is such a great experience, I hope to encourage students to take the opportunity,” visiting assistant professor of anthropology and sociology and director of the Spain program Grace Keyes said.

While funding has decreased at the university and affected

student scholarships, the study abroad program has yet to feel the pain directly.

“There are no budget cuts to this program,” said Steve Neiheisel, professor of political science and the director of the London study abroad program.

Faculty does not expect to see the program affected anytime soon either. “Numbers have declined somewhat recently, but we are now seeing a trend for a greater number of applicants, which is very promising,” Keyes said. “This is always a concern to all educational programs, but I do not anticipate any major impacts in the immediate future.

And some potential impacts may be balanced by the availability of new scholarship opportunities.”

The London program consistently receives applications from students, with ten students currently in London

University staff and students, who are currently studying abroad in London for the Fall 2011 semester, take a group shot in front of the London Eye. / Courtesy of Christian Ekleberry.

for the semester.

“Our students have found that to be an enriching and exciting way to learn,” Neiheisel said.

“London will change your life. It is an investment in yourself and your development!”

Many that have participated in the past have no regrets in

their investment. “The price I paid couldn’t amount to the lifelong stories and memories I made,” alumna Briana Roberts said about her trip to London.

“Financially, the quantity of the experience isn’t pleasing to think about, but the quality of what you pay for is priceless.”

News

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September 21, 2011

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Altar dedication gets first university worldwide broadcast Archbishop of San Antonio among many guests celebrating the completion of Assumption Chapel renovations.

By Lane Swenson Contributing Writer

Top Photo: Assumption Chapel in Reinbolt Hall before the renovations started in February of this year. / Courtesy of Rohn & Associates Design Inc. Bottom Photo: Assumption Chapel during the Dedication of the Altar Ceremony which was held after the renovations were completed in September. / Photo by Miriam Cruz.

The university’s first worldwide broadcast took place on Sept. 15 during the dedication of the new altar located in Assumption Chapel in Reinbolt Hall.

According to Vice President for Mission and Identity Rev. Rudy Vela, the ceremony—which marked the closing of the chapel renovations—showcased the dedication of the new marble altar and other liturgical pieces, which were blessed by the most Rev. Gustavo Garcia-Siller, Archbishop of San Antonio.

“This is a university event, which is why we are streaming live and providing the latest in technology to make sure that the entire university, city, state, nation and Marianist world can view [the ceremony] and participate,” Vela said.

Individuals who attended the dedication were University President Charles Cotrell, the Executive Council, the Deans, the Marianist family, members of the Board of Trustees, representatives from various departments and students representing different organizations. Also among the key guests were benefactors Ruben M. Escobedo and his wife, Veronica Salazar Escobedo, who contributed to the chapel renovations through their charitable fund.

Renovations to the chapel began in February and were deemed necessary for the upcoming school year, according

to Vela. “It was dirty and in need of attention. We needed to relook at the inviting character of the worship space,” Vela said.

However, it was not until last December that the first preliminary ideas were discussed with Director of Rohn & Associates Design Inc. Rolf R. Rohn, who created a proposal for Assumption Chapel.

“The focus is bringing back the architectural and aesthetical dignity of the chapel, removing those details which are not in harmony with this beautiful neo-contemporary architecture and renaissance style,” Rohn said. The ideas Vela and Rohn discussed focused on the design, layout and finances.

Aracely Alcala, a sophomore mathematics major, has come to appreciate the new and improved chapel.

“I think it is gorgeous,” Alcala said. “I love the colors, the fact that it’s bigger, and the painting of our Lady of Assumption. It’s all breathtaking.”

The renovations consisted of new tile flooring—which replaced the carpet that was there before—a marble and tile podium/altar, a new lighting system and temporary chairs which will be replaced with new chairs at the end of the month, according to Vela.

IT members work to fix printing issues in campus library

By Alexander Eakins Staff Writer

The library’s new printing service, Easy Print, has made printing difficult for students, but should be resolved within the next few weeks according to H. Palmer Hall, director of the Louis J. Blume Library.

Launched on Aug. 15, Easy Print is the university’s new printer system, which requires students to log into their Gateway accounts and select the Easy Print option rather than selecting the print option directly.

According to the university website, every student is set with a 100 dollar charge as their spending limit on their account.

Based on the number of copies made up to Oct. 15, Dec. 1 and Dec. 15, charges will be billed to each student’s account. The

account will only be billed for the number of pages printed and not the line of credit offered.

While the solution may seem rather inconvenient and complicated, several benefits to the Easy Print system will be notable once the essentials are understood.

“I think convenience should be one of the biggest benefits,” said Director of the Academic Center Kathe Lehman-Meyer.

Using the program, students can print documents from their residence hall through Gateway, and pick them up at one of four locations available, which are the bottom and second floor of Louis J. Blume library, and room 108 and room 208 of the law library.

Students will be able to access the system through their smart phones and iPads, which

is a new advantage. Students can also see graphic reports of their print history.

Easy Print will save students money in the long run according to Lehman-Meyer. “It saves you from having to worry about buying ink.” Ink cartridges can be costly, and price ranges often fluctuate.

Although students still must pay to print using this system, the cost remains at five cents per page and, ultimately, can be significantly lower than purchasing an ink cartridge.

Printers can also be difficult to maintain. “I think you have the benefit of having it centrally monitored,” Lehman-Meyer said.

With the centralized printer system, Information Technology Services will be supervising the printers, so students do not

have to deal with paper jams, ink cartridges or other problems associated with printers.

The shift to the new system came about when Hall realized that the printers in the library were outdated, with some printers over ten years old.

“I called the law library director, Robert Hu, and he was amenable to turn over photocopying/ computer printing to ITS,” Hall said. This collaboration caused the two libraries to turn over all the control of the printing system over to ITS. According to Executive Director of Resource Management and Planning Louisa Martin, the change to the Easy Print system was necessary because of the problems the prior system was causing which included incompatibility with the Macintosh and Windows 7

operating systems. According to Hall, Easy Print allows students to be conscious of the environmental impact of printing.

The system tracks the amount of pages and the amount of print jobs that the student has sent through the system, and generates statistics that inform the student of how many trees have been sacrificed, how much carbon dioxide has been released into the atmosphere and how much energy has been consumed.

Easy Print was facing problems with bandwidth at the beginning of the semester being that it is web based, according to Lehman-Meyer. But since the bandwidth has recently increased fivefold, within a few weeks, the Easy Print system should not be of much difficulty any longer.

September 21, 2011

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The Snake Pit Dive-In Movie Students cooled down at the University Programming Council event, “Dive-In Movie” co-sponsored by SigEp on Friday, Sept. 16 at the outdoor pool. The featured movie was “Jaws.”

Photos by Nick Campaña and Brittany Horak.

Commentary

6 The Rattler

September 21, 2011

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USPS cutbacks a bi-product of the financial crisis On Sept. 6, the head of the United States Postal Service, Patrick Donahue, appeared before Congress and reported that the Alex 236-year-old agency is on Meyer the verge of collapse.

Citing a $5.5 billion payment to its retiree health fund and a nearly $10 billion deficit this fiscal year alone, Donahue pled for approval to make drastic changes to the agency to prevent it from complete shutdown.

Few options remain for this relic of a bygone era.

Email and electronic communication have all but replaced conventional mail, and competition from delivery services like FedEx and United Parcel Service has severely affected the Postal Service’s delivery division.

Leaders within the agency have proposed changes, such as discontinuing Saturday services or terminating up to 120,000 jobs. Many of these cuts would lead to the closure of smaller, rural branches of the service. These proposed changes will harm the elderly and rural residents—those who rely on the service the most.

Something must be done because the agency cannot continue at its present state.

At a time when Washington is obsessed with reducing spending, funding an agency that is slowly becoming obsolete is impractical.

The Postal Service must be reinvented.

The problem that USPS is facing is a reflection of a much larger issue—the financial crisis. Political campaigning for the upcoming elections has become consumed with tax cuts and government cutbacks, drawing away from government agencies.

Our government must do their part by making essential cuts, but we, as taxpayers, must step up too and do our part. This might mean paying more in taxes than we would like, so we do not lose out on services meant for our citizens.

What Rattles Your Cage?

Would USPS cutbacks affect you personally?

Share your opinion and see those of your classmates on our website: http://www.stmurattlernews.com in the Community section.

Join the debate!

Cartoon by Jasmaine Aquino

New abortion law contested in court PRO

New law could be first step to outlawing abortion.

Though Oklahoma is currently the only state in the U.S. that requires a woman to have a sonogram before the decision to abort her fetus, Texas may follow suit soon with the right Dana reasoning.

Traugott According to the Texas Tribune, Gov. Rick Perry “enthusiastically” signed a bill in May which requires all females seeking an abortion to view their fetuses before the procedure, have it described in detail by the physician and then wait 24 hours before the procedure takes place. However, if the patient lives more than 100 miles from the nearest clinic, the waiting period is only two hours.

It may sound horrific—and most of it truly is—but this new law could prevent future abortions from taking place. By viewing her living fetus, a woman may be compelled to change her mind because this forces her to contemplate the decision of giving life or taking one away. The 24 hour waiting period should provide ample time to think about the decision carefully.

In addition, the law does not apply to rape or incest cases, medical emergencies or fetuses with defects.

The law will hopefully help people realize that their choices should be reviewed microscopically, especially before they engage in the doubtful action of abortion.

The law may help emphasize personal responsibility and how we cannot shy away from it.

Moreover, another purpose of the law is to prevent potentially scarring situations. The Texas Legislature and Gov. Perry are reducing the long-term pain of killing an unborn child. The law is so shocking that the positive results from its possible implementation may be the first step toward illegalizing abortion.

The law is now being disputed in the federal court.

There is also no decision yet as to how the law is to be enforced, which is another shaky topic that could lead to further contention.

This new sonogram viewing law may be controversial, but it would be an effective tool to decrease abortions in Texas. While some may only see the negative aspects of the law, there is something positive to be gained out of this—human lives.

CON

a Point+ + +

C O U N T E R -

Requiring women to view sonogram is unconstitutional.

On Aug. 30, U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks struck down the much debated “sonogram law” by temporary injunction.

Originally, the law required women Emily seeking an abortion in Texas to Artalejo undergo an ultrasound, view an image of the fetus and listen to the doctor’s description of its development. Afterward, the woman must wait 24 hours to have the procedure done.

Judge Sparks disapproved of the law, stating that several portions are "unconstitutionally vague.” The preliminary injunction prohibits states from penalizing any doctors or patients who do not comply.

Thank you Judge Sparks for taking the time to examine this extremely biased and poorly thought out law. It seems that Texas legislators, in the fervor of pro-life sentiments, did not evaluate its unconstitutional nature.

The sonogram law does not allow for truly informative discussion between the doctor and patient, but attempts to shame women into choosing childbirth over abortion.

The law does not contribute to an informed decision, but further perpetuates a pro-life, no-choice agenda.

Lisa Hollier, the chair of the Texas district of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, said that before 10 weeks of pregnancy, a pelvic exam is necessary to attain a clear image and find the heartbeat.

This is a method in which the ultrasound tool must be inserted vaginally and shifted by an ultrasound technician.

The law is also exclusive in which lives it seeks to protect. Particular exemptions to the law may be made in cases of fetal abnormalities.

Suzanne Shepherd, with the Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas, fights against the exemption clause. Shepherd said, “In the name of protecting unborn life, it stigmatizes and degrades people with disabilities.” The law is flawed in the fact that its goal is to (forcefully) direct women toward the choice of childbirth, but only in the cases of a normal, healthy pregnancy.

Thank you, again, Judge Sparks for reminding our Texas legislators that the Constitutional rights and medical autonomy of its citizens are more important than the pursuit of an ideological agenda.

Point

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September 21, 2011

Commentary

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STAFF EDITORIAL

Unity remains imperative In these past weeks, citizens across the United States have paused their busy lives to reflect on this past decade. On Sept. 11, 2001, we suffered a national tragedy that resulted in the loss of nearly 3,000 innocent lives. The attacks were senseless and ruthless—but as a whole, we should use the memory of this event to continue to foster a sense of community within our nation, rather then let anger and bitterness consume us.

After the initial shock of the 9/11 attacks, Americans were reminded that the only way the U.S. would recover was to stay united. We were reminded to reach out across gender, class, race and religious barriers to become one. For a period of time after the twin towers fell, the nation was never more united. But too soon, these sentiments slowly washed away as we returned to the norm of spiteful rhetoric and divided sentiments.

As we mark the ten-year anniversary of 9/11, the importance of unity is just as important as it was in 2001. Our country is facing huge obstacles—rising unemployment rates, the budget crisis, an upcoming election and the continuation of two wars. The goal of those fateful attacks was to not only cause mayhem for a day, but also to continuously tear at the fabric of America. The best way to destroy the intentions of the terrorists who attacked our country is to strive forward in prosperity and, most importantly, in union.

Comedian toes the line of racism On Aug. 27, comedian Katt Williams performed a stand-up routine in Phoenix provoking a Hispanic audience member to interrupt the piece with expletives. In response to the heckler, Williams took nearly eight minutes to taunt the audience member.

Williams began an aggressive rant in which he singled out Alexander the heckler while managing to deliver a borderline hate speech Eakins toward the Hispanic community. The rant began as a joke, but became very real when Williams began to argue “geography” with the heckler. In an interview with CNN, Williams said, “The guy said that all of this [land] is still Mexico, and I was just giving him geography. This is America, greatest country in the world.” It is clear this rant stems from racial and nationalistic tension and extends to even deeper concerns, such as constitutional rights.

Although Williams claims that the comments he made were not racial, it is evident they were when he said, “We were slaves, b----, y’all just work like that as landscapers.” By using this stereotype, Williams humiliated Mexicans by saying they all willingly choose to work as manual laborers in America. By calling slavery and stereotypes into play, Williams made race a factor—whether he is racist or not.

With free speech cast aside, the comedian retaliated, saying, “In this country, you have to pledge allegiance to America first and your country of origin second.”

Williams uses history to argue that the heckler should return to Mexico, saying, “Do you remember when people used to say ‘Go back to Africa!’? And we had to tell them, ‘We don’t want to.’ So if you love Mexico, b----, get the f--- over there!”

In one afternoon, Williams, who solicits “uncensored thought,” managed to toss aside free speech and advocate nativism. Certainly, this is bitter comedy. Perhaps the heckler was out of line, but William’s reaction shows his true colors. While William’s routine was not very funny, he is certainly a laughable character.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR Student argues that birth control pills are harmful for women.

The article, “No co-pay on birth control will assist women” in the Aug. 31 issue of The Rattler, suggests that contraception is always a healthy option for women and can be used for purposes other than birth control. Having taken the “pill” for three years, I can attest that while it may seem to treat symptoms, the artificial hormones

merely mask problems without treating their causes.

According to the organization, Our Bodies, Ourselves, taking the pill increases risk for blood clots.

The American Heart Association also says that it may factor into high blood pressure. The Cancer Prevention Coalition claims it may also increase our risk for cancer, particularly breast cancer.

The pill prevents pregnancy in three ways. According to the American Pregnancy Association,

Cartoon by Eric Vijil

Facebook risking users' private info In hopes of securing its users, Facebook—the largest social media site on the web—is hiring ordinary citizens and professional software researchers to attempt to hack into its site. According to Facebook Chief Security Officer Joe Sullivan, "The program has also been great because it has made our site more secure by surfacing issues large Frances and small, introducing us to novel attack vectors and helping us Mell improve lots of corners in our code."

In the weeks since Facebook started this unorthodox initiative, they have paid over $40,000 to numerous researchers. There have been instances where impressive finds lead to a reward of up to $5,000, and according to Sullivan, "One person has already received more than $7,000 for six different issues flagged."

However, if a researcher finds a glitch that has already been brought to Facebook's attention, no pay will be given.

This method, though unconventional, is cost-efficient for Facebook since it is cheaper to pay freelancers rather than a full-time staff. Also, having minds outside the system brings in a new perspective and holes can be found that may not have been found otherwise.

Facebook will not press charges against any hacking attempts that lead to data which strengthens the site, even if the information is found in illegal ways. If a person finds a glitch and does not report it, then it will be considered illegal.

But there is a drawback to the master plan—no one wants random strangers bribed to hack into a system that holds personal information. Facebook has the company's best interest in mind, but its users have no idea what information the hackers are acquiring. The job is open to anyone, and with no screening beforehand, there is no telling what intentions the hacker has. If someone wanted to use information they gained by hacking into Facebook, they would be able to do it and spread it before they were stopped.

Facebook may be benefitting from these contributions, but they are also risking their users’ personal information. While this may seem like a challenge for most hackers, it will look like a prime opportunity for others.

it is meant to prevent ovulation, and it also makes it more difficult for sperm to reach the egg. However, if the sperm and egg still unite, oral contraception also thins the lining of the uterus so the embryo cannot implant.

Renee Wratkowski, author of “Contraception: Abortion in Disguise,” deduces that this process causes an abortion of a newly conceived child without ever stepping foot in Planned Parenthood. While a decision to

take a blue or white pill every day may not affect our own lives, it could be destroying other innocent ones.

The writer addresses the idea of pregnancy as a dreaded burden.

While I am fully aware that a child changes the lifestyle of its parents, could we not view the miracle of new life as a joyous, albeit nervewracking, occasion?

The conclusion of the article did not really suggest that women could “stop worrying about the cost” of oral contraception, but reassured

that they could stop worrying about the consequences of their actions, namely pre-marital sex. Natural family planning and even good ol’ abstinence are free and the most effective ways to ensure pregnancy can be the joyful occasion it should be. Maybe, as educated people, we should start there.

Sara Wilkinson Senior Accounting major

Rattlin’ Up S

Rattler spirit is being revived this semester, so paint, a Rattler shirt and a foam finger to brin forget your camera so you can take a picture wi

Graphic / Illustration by Chrystalla Georghiou | Photos by Jennifer Sims |Compiled by Joseph Rodri

Are you going to do anything crazy for games this year?

What are some of your favorite cheers to do?

Sam Regonini Junior Theology and Economics

“I really like taunting the other team almost more than I like cheering. I remember last year we were playing Newman, and the point guard got fouled behind the three point line.

So he got three foul shots, and missed all three. We called him hat-trick for the rest of the game… anytime they do something wrong, we are going to be on them.”

“I know that we are going to try to have a tailgating event before one of the volleyball games. We’ve already painted some people’s Katie Ruesewald faces, and we are going to make some posters too.”

Junior Math

As an athlete, do you think crowds can impact games?

Alex Celerier Junior Accounting

Al m a Mater

“The Bell s of St. Ma ry’s The Bell s of St. Ma ry’s Ah! Hea r they are ring ing They sing out the bright hop e Of hea rts firm and true And whi le they are ring ing Our young hea rts are sing ing The prai ses of the glor y of The Gold and Blue ”

Derek Rodriguez Sophomore Software Engineer

“For sure. You’ll start to get in the head of the other team, and it will fire us up. Especially when the crowd gets into it… when you have people out there, you can’t lose in front of your home crowd.”

Julie Crusa Junior Psychology

Games right around the corn Women’s Soccer

Men’s Soccer

Sept. 23 Newman University

Sept. 23 St. Edward’s University,

Northside ISD 2 p.m.

Northside ISD 2 p.m.

Sept. 25 UIW, Northside ISD 2 p.m.

Some School Spirit

o grab your blue face ng to the game. Don’t ith the Rattler man!

iguez / Jennifer Sims

JOIN TH E RU MBA !

Scho ol sp iri t is back an d big ge r th an

ever

By Katherine Benavides News Editor What makes you a yell leader?

“I want to get the crowd into the game. When I played sports in high school and I would hear the crowd get into it, I would get hyped up. Since this is my school, I want us to win, so let’s do this!”

What are some of your favorite cheers to do?

“We started one this year where we point to the team and say, ‘Lady of Victory, pray for us.’ Then we point to the visiting team and say, ‘Lady of Sorrows, pray for them.’

We take victory over them before they even start.”

This year, students, faculty and staff can take their Rattler pride to the next level with the creation of the new organization, Rowdy Rattlers, intended to bring school spirit to the athletic games.

Just grab a can of face paint, som e pom poms and put on your bes t game face and you’ll be set to join the Rowdy Rattlers that “supports our wonderful stud ent athletes and athletic programs,” Dougherty Hall Director and professional staff adviser of the group, John Carrillo said.

Although this is the first official year the Rowdy Rattlers are orga nized, members of the group have already made their presence known by attending all the home volleyball and soccer games. The outdoor spo rts complex renovations have mad e it difficult for the group to attend every home soccer gam e, but they are currently “organiz ing van/bus trips to major home and away games to support our men’s and women’s soccer team s,” Carrillo said.

Rowdy Rattlers take pride in tryin g to change the culture of school spirit at the university.

According to Carrillo, anyone can join and he emphasizes on never having “too many Rowdy Rattlers…the more the merrier! ” Not only has the group received enormous support and positive feedback from students , but also from teams, coaches and administrators.

The group of about 50 members beg an as a student movement last spri ng by junior theology and economics major and Rowdy Rattlers leader Sam Regonini and other students. Regonini describes that they “wanted to be proud of our school and make a name for the students of St. Mary’s and help our teams hav e a home court advantage.”

The Rowdy Rattlers set themselv es apart from the former school spirit group, the Fang Fanatics, by “having the official support and partial financial bac king of Student Life, which has helped make it such a succes s so quickly,” Carrillo said.

Carrillo has already collaborated with multiple coaches in order to create ways to encourage more people to attend games. The group meets once or twice a mon th to develop creative strategies for building team support .

The Rowdy Rattlers are putting more play into their game and hitti ng this season hard by implementing specific athletic gam es to be more spirited than usual.

According to Carrillo, the group will designate the con ference games to serve as a them ed night “in order to make it fun for those [people] who would not traditionally com e out.” Also, the spirit team is looking into crea ting a “Rattler Invasion” by taking a large group of students to the Oct. 6 wom en’s soccer and volleyball games at St. Edward’s University in Aus tin.

“Like” the group’s Facebook page, facebook.com/ rowdyrattlers, or contact John Carrillo at jcarrillo5@ stmarytx.edu to receive a newsfee d of all their upcoming events and meetings.

ner Volleyball Sept. 22 University of Texas-Permian

Basin,

Bill Greehey Arena 7 p.m.

Sept. 24 Oklahoma Panhandle

State University,

Bill Greehey Arena 12 p.m.

T hi ng s To Rem

em be r:

R at tler ID Ca rd Pom Poms Meg apho ne Sn ac k Money

a

GAME FACE

Features

10 The Rattler

September 21, 2011

www.stmurattlernews.com

Approaches to prevent students from being ticketed Student experiences with university police give perspective when pulled over

By Arturo Osteguin Jr. Features Editor Police citations are an annoying inconvenience for students, especially since no one wants to pay for speeding on Rattler Drive. To prevent the headache of writing an appeal or dealing with judicial affairs, here are ways to avoid getting ticketed when pulled over by the University Police Department.

First, students must wait for the police to approach them at their car door without making sudden movements. Though this may seem like a no brainer, this is much needed advice for some.

Junior economics major Victor Moreno said, “When the police pulled me over the first time, I made the mistake of getting out of the car. The officer told me to get back in the car. I just wanted to ask why he pulled me over.”

“

When an officer pulled me over, I first began to ask why he pulled me over instead of waiting for his questions. Then I got a ticket.

- Sultan Alotiabi

”

People that make sudden movements when pulled over are usually attempting retaliation on an officer.

This retaliation could be deadly, so officers are trained to react with their weapon when encountering such an action.

Chief of Police David Ott knows that officers are dealing with young adults, and said, “Most of the students that get pulled over are nice to our officers.”

University police pull over a student who speeds in the parking lot. / Photo by Jennifer Sims.

Extreme retaliation is unlikely in students but remains a possibility. In reference to his incident, Moreno said, “The officer was taking long to approach me. That is why I stepped out of the car. I’m not going to retaliate in an aggressive manner.” University Police know who they are dealing with, but nonetheless, must take precautions.

Secondly, do not admit any guilt when being questioned. Responding to an officer’s questions with a direct “yes” or “no” is the proper way to respond.

Junior political science major Alfonso Pachaco said, “When an officer pulls me over, I make sure to only answer what he asks me and nothing more.”

Saying too much during a traffic stop could be a sign nervousness and implies guilt. Talking before an officer is also a bad idea.

Senior accounting major Sultan Alotaibi said, “When an officer pulled me over, I first began to ask why he

pulled me over instead of waiting for his questions. Then I got a ticket.”

Asking a question before an officer does not guarantee that a student will get a ticket, but officers should always speak first.

Finally, and most importantly, cooperate with the officer. Creating an excuse or explaining a situation is not the best way to avoid a ticket. Alotiabi remembers, “I tried to explain to the officer why I passed the stop sign, but it did not work.”

When a student neglects to cooperate with an officer, it often means one of two things—either the student is hiding something, or they want a ticket. Pachaco said, “When I get pulled over by the university police, I remember to be compliant and respectful to the officer.”

According to Chief Ott, the best way to avoid a citation is to “Just do what the officer tells you.”

The Bite: Real Questions, Real Answers Jesse asks: My roommate likes to play too many pranks, especially on me. What should I do?

Ben asks: How can I get my roommate to talk more? He is too quiet and makes me feel awkward.

Expert's response: Don't be afraid to be real with your roommate. You need to be able to be comfortable in your own room. Sit down with your roommate and, all joking aside, explain to him that you do not appreciate all the pranks and that you would like him to stop or at least limit how many pranks he plays on you.

Expert's response: To get your roommate to open up, find a common ground or interest and work from there. Don't be afraid to break the ice with questions such as "how was your day?" or "how did that test go?" Maybe your roommate is just shy, which means he may not open up as much as you would like and you have to adjust.

Graphic/Illustration by Katherine Benavides

For advice on how to solve any issues or concerns pertaining to college life, check us out on the web:

stmurattlernews.com

Features

September 21, 2011

The Rattler 11

www.stmurattlernews.com

The Inception of: Washers History of the Term A "flat ring for sealing joints or holding nuts" a term used in the the mid-14th century that is now applied to modern washers. The meaning is generally a noun of "wash."

Rotary Washing Machine By 1874, a birthday gift changed the way humanity washed their clothes. William Blackston of India invented the first washing machine to remove dirt for home use.

Scrub Board The earliest form of a washer. Believed to be invented in 1797. By 1851, an American named James King invented a drum-like scrub board that resembeled a modern machine; however, it was still hand powered.

Mighty Thor The first electric-powered washing machine was invented in 1908 by the Hurley Machine Company. It was a drum type washing maching with its own electric morter with a tub. Invented by Alva J. Fisher.

Compiled by Arturo Osteguin Jr. Source: about.com

Graduate and Professionals School Fair 2011

The Graduate School at UTSA would like to invite you to The Annual Graduate and Professionals School Fair 2011

This is an opportunity to discuss masters and doctoral degrees, admission requirements, GRE/GMAT scores and financial aid with over 70 universities.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

MH Building Lobby – Main Campus Please register at: http://www.graduateschool.utsa.edu/events/detail/graduate_fair/

Can’t make it to our Graduate Fair? UTSA’s Graduate School will be visiting St. Mary’s University on Tuesday, October 4th, from 2:00 p.m – 4:30 p.m. in the University Center, Conference room A. Come stop by and see us!

Tips on staying and looking cool in the heat

b b b b

Leave early to class to walk slowly and avoid sweating.

Wear sunblock to avoid damaging rays of the sun.

Wear sunglasses to protect vision.

Carry water bottle at all times.

b b b b

Wear comfortable clothes like cotton based shirts.

Eat spicy foods.

Soak towel in ice cold water and place around neck.

Avoid drinking caffeine and salt based foods.

Meredith Shindler, owner of Got Laundry, is picking up subscribersʻs bags to be washed. / Photos by Chanti Lee Vong

Taking out the laundry

By Denice Hernandez Senior Staff Writer

Though washing clothes is a necessity that college students have to deal with almost weekly, the time consuming chore is often neglected.

However, this year students have the option of signing up with a new campus pickup and delivery service, Got Laundry, which will wash and deliver all clothes for subscribers.

“The business was founded in March and it is the first of its kind in the entire city,” said Meredith Shindler, the owner of Got Laundry. Schindler has been in the pickup and deliver business for 15 years. Currently, Got Laundry is also being implemented at Incarnate Word, Trinity and the University of Texas at San Antonio.

The service provides laundry pickup every Tuesday and returns laundry on Thursday at a designated campus spot.

Students who sign up are informed through text messages where the designated spot will be. As of now, the front of Founder’s Hall has been assigned as the most convenient location.

The business provides a laundry bag that can be filled with up to 30 pounds of laundry, and the four member staff sorts, washes, dries and folds all laundry. To prevent loss or mix up of items, each laundry bag is marked with a personal ID number.

“This is actually a service offered in hundreds of campuses, but no one was using this service in San Antonio,” said

Shindler. “This is an extension of what was going on all over the U.S., but San Antonio was being left out.”

Shindler explains that the purpose of the service “is to give students more time to do things they enjoy. I think the biggest benefit of our service is the convenience and the time you save. It allows students to use their time more efficiently and conveniently.”

According to James Villarreal, director of Residence Life, Shindler approached the university with the idea this past spring. After approval from the dean of students and the director’s council, the new laundry service is now available to the campus community.

Villarreal said this service would be helpful for students who are involved and have busy schedules.

“Anyone whose schedule is very tight and can’t always carve out time to do laundry, then this will be beneficial to them,” Villarreal said.

Samantha Hubbard, a senior education major, enjoys the idea of the service. “This service will check off another worry on my to do list,” said Hubbard.

Some, however, feel differently about the service.

“Who would want someone else touching his or her personal clothing items? I would feel like my privacy was somehow compromised,” said junior English major Emily Mundschau.

The rate for the service is $425 a semester starting in the spring. All payment must be paid in full at the beginning of each semester.

Entertainment

12 The Rattler

September 21, 2011

www.stmurattlernews.com

Battle

of

the

buffalo w i n g s Bring out the boxing gloves and get ready to lick the sauce off of them once you fight your way through the deliciously heated world of wings.

TOP Flavors: Mango habanero, spicy garlic Compiled by Angelica Radacinski Staff Writer

Popular for its sports bar environment, Buffalo Wild Wings, or BWW, is a popular location for college students and sports fans.

Always loud, with the TVs tuned to sports games, this location is fun for those looking to watch a game with friends and fellow fans. But make sure to arrive early on game nights to avoid the long wait. The service may not be ideal, but customers see past that after tasting the first wing.

Rating: NNNNN

Heat Index: Flavors

are categorized into mild, medium, and hot selections Specials: “Wing

Tuesdays” offer 50 cent traditional wings; “Boneless Thursdays” offer 60 cent boneless wings.

Location: There

are nine San Antonio locations.

The closest to campus is on 7823 Zarzamora St. Hours: 11

a.m. to 1 a.m.

Monday through Thursday and Sunday; 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday Prices:

$4.99 for six wings

TOP Flavors: Compiled by Austin W. Newton Staff Writer

Heat Index: Original

Wing Stop locations are small and quaint, unlike most hot wings places that advertise themselves as a sports bar. The restaurants are dark with a few televisions screen, so customers can watch their favorite teams play in a more intimate setting. The ordering style is similar to a fast food chain, with a desk to place orders and names called when the meal is ready.

Thankfully, the wings are far better than fast food quality.

hot, cajun and atomic sauces are as hot as it gets Specials: Mondays

and Tuesdays offer fifty cent boneless wings Location: There

are 15 San Antonio locations.

The closest to campus is on 4622 W. Commerce St. Hours:

every day

11 a.m. to midnight

Prices: $6.49 for ten wings

Rating: NNNNN

Clark Kent, Geisha Girl, Honey BBQ

Compiled by Angelica Radacinski Staff Writer

TOP Flavors:

Clark Kent, Cravin’ Asian, Tokyo Dragon and Geisha Girl aren’t just the names of upcoming comic book heroes, but the names of the unique flavors offered at Wing Zone.

The underrated Wing Zone is not nearly as big as other wing chains, but its wings and selection are just as good. Wing Zone has a feature on their website where customers can order wings online and have the meal delivered if the order is at least $15.

Heat Index: Rating

Rating: NNNNN Choosing a comically named flavor is just one reason Wing Zone reigns over wing world. / Photo by Jenny Wendover.

Garlic parmesan, original hot, lemon pepper

system of one to four, with four being the hottest Specials: Meal

delivery option if your order is at least $15 Location: 7863

Callaghan Rd.

Hours: 11

a.m. to 2 a.m. on Monday through Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 3 a.m.

Thursday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to midnight on Sundays Prices: $5.99 for seven wings

Entertainment

September 21, 2011

The Rattler 13

www.stmurattlernews.com

Enjoy Fotoseptiembre from home

By Dania Pulido Entertainment Editor

Once again, it is time to celebrate the annual Fotoseptiembre U.S.A.- SAFOTO International Photography Festival. Each year, photography based artists from all over the world exhibit their work in galleries in San Antonio and online. If you are having trouble deciding which exhibits to visit out of the hundreds in the city, or if there are too many to map out and not enough time, take a look at the web galleries on display at Fotoseptiembreusa.com. You do not have to travel too far to see amazing photography with various eclectic themes to suit even the most unique artistic tastes.

Hurricane Story by Jennifer Shaw Nine months pregnant with her first child and one week before she was due, artist Jennifer Shaw and her husband had to pack their truck with a few belongings and evacuate New Orleans a day before Hurricane Katrina wiped out the city. The same day New Orleans was destroyed, her baby boy was born. It began as a cathartic process to deal with the loss of her home and a new child, but it emerged into narrative series of photographs to depict her physical and emotional journey. Her experiences are depicted through portraits of toys. A picture of red toy truck represents what Shaw felt as she and her husband searched for an unfamiliar midwife to deliver her child, figurines represent

the transitions of living with distant relatives, and the final photograph of blurred red ruby slippers is for her return home titled, “In spite of it all there’s no place like home.”

Fairy Tales by Isa Ho This Taiwanese artist brings humor and feminism to her photographs to defy the traditional Asian customs and sexist stereotypes of the modern woman. In Fairy Tales, Ho photographs women in separate frames as if they were asleep against the lens. Each woman represents a fairy tale princess—Cinderella, Ariel, Jasmine—combined with a depiction of the modern woman through her wardrobe. Their mundane contemporary accessories, like cellular phones and stiletto heels, are contrasted by effects of fairy tale characteristics added to the woman’s features, like Ariel’s red hair or Snow White’s puffy blue sleeves. The photographs transition into women in army attire performing tasks in the same uniform: one launching a grenade and the other doing needlepoint. The title of both photographs, “I Got Super Courage,” is just one of the artist’s ironic ways in which she depicts feminism as both embracing traditional womanhood ideals and embodying the modern ones as well. Ho does an amazing job of bringing together the numerous different personas expected of women and placing them onto one colorful and comical canvas.

Source: sahearts.org

Surfing the web galleries is fun, but don’t miss out on experiencing the real thing!

Make sure you check out some of these signature exhibits.

Daniel Lee “Animal Instinct: The Photographs of Daniel Lee” San Antonio Museum of Art 200 W. Jones Ave.

Robots brings real emotion to the screen

“Real Steel” NNNNN

Dir. by Shawn Levy Starring Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly, Dakota Goyo

By Felix Arroyo Photo Editor

“Real Steel” brings a twist to the classic inspirational fighting movies of our generation. Hugh Jackman plays Charlie Kenton, a former champion boxer who observes human society, and goes from enjoying human boxing to the rough and brutal games of robot boxing. Adapting to this new society, Jackman’s impatient character travels around the U.S. seeking matches with hastily made robots, trying to find a way to make easy money. But this changes when Charlie’s son Max, played by Dakota Goyo, makes an epic discovery. Gifted with a new recruit, Charlie must put aside his pride if he is to once again return to the top.

Jackman’s chemistry onscreen is complimented well with a diverse cast including Kevin Durand, Anthony

Mackiem, and “Lost” star Evangeline Lilly. Playing her first major supporting role, Lilly makes a smooth transition from television to the big screen.

A combination of the Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robot toys and the Rocky series, “Real Steel” finds a way to make the audience feel like they are children again.

Watching the robots fight on the big screen brought me back to the memory of childhood games fighting robots.

“Real Steel” tells the classic tale of struggle, failure and redemption—and keeps the audience rooting for their favorite metal contender. The easy to follow script and its subtle hints of comedy make the movie enjoyable to watch.

And did I mention the giant robots fighting?

Source:theblackboxoffice.com

Increase yoUr earnInG poTenTIal WITh a UIW GradUaTe deGree.

The University of the Incarnate Word now offers new entry-level and online post-professional Doctor of Physical Therapy programs and a new program for APRN’s interested in the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree.

To find out more about UIW Graduate programs call (210) 829-6005 or visit us online at uiw.edu/admissions

Joan Frederick “Joan Frederick: Photographs With Issues” Bihl Haus Arts 2803 Fredericksburg Rd. Barbra Riley “Bittersweet” Southwest School of Art Ursuline Hall Gallery-Ursuline Campus 300 Augusta St.

University of the Incarnate Word 4301 Broadway, San Antonio, Texas 78209 www.uiw.edu

14

Sports

The Rattler

September 21, 2011

www.stmurattlernews.com

Teams to Watch in MLB Playoffs

The 2011 Major League Baseball postseason will begin on Sept. 30 with four teams in the National League and four teams in the American League competing for a spot in the fall classic.

Here are six teams to keep an eye on as the postseason draws closer.

American League The Favorite: New York Yankees This season is proving to be another successful one for the Yankees, even though they compete in the toughest division in the league. With a playoff-tested roster—including Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Mariano Rivera—the team has a potential of winning the 28th championship.

Close Behind: Boston Red Sox Competing in the best division in baseball will be a huge advantage for the Red Sox come playoff time, even if they do not win the division.

Boston has not been in the World Series since 2007, but the additions of Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez have them primed for a deep playoff run.

Dark Horse: Texas Rangers The reigning AL champs are on the verge of winning their second consecutive division title, and are aiming to return to the World Series to win it all. All-Stars Michael Young and Josh Hamilton continue to have impressive stats that have led the team to another successful season despite some injuries to key players.

National League The Favorite: Philadelphia Phillies The Phillies have met all expectations after an offseason where they formed one of the greatest starting rotations in the history of the baseball. The first team to clinch a playoff berth, Philadelphia is the team to beat, with a pitching rotation that includes aces Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, Roy Oswalt and Cliff Lee. Close Behind: Milwaukee Brewers The Brewers have had an impressive season as the surprise team in the National League. Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, known as the 1-2 punch, continue to make solid contributions to the Brewers that have led fans to believe that Milwaukee can make a deep run in the playoffs.

Dark Horse: Atlanta Braves The Braves—arguably the most successful NL team in the 1990s— are on their way to their second consecutive wild card playoff berth. The Braves are looking to take full advantage of the opportunity, with a team compiled of five allstars, and August’s Player of the Month Dan Uggla.

Compiled by Nick Canedo

No end in sight for NBA lockout

By Joe Rodriguez Sports Editor

The NBA lockout is now three and half months long, and negotiations have gone nowhere.

The NBA Players Association and NBA Owners cannot come to an agreement on how to solve the issue of the owners consistently finishing in the red for their final pay line. The old Collective Bargaining Agreement, know as CBA, caused owners to lose money.

The owners and the league want the NBA to be fair so that every team can compete for the title each year by preventing “super teams,” like last season’s Miami Heat. To make this possible, qwners are trying to do away with the sign-and-trade rule. A sign-and-trade occurs when a player signs a large contract with his original team, and the team then trades that player and receives cash or other players in return.

Another rule the owners want implemented is a limit on the amount of years a player can sign to play with the team. Owners want players to only be able to re-sign with their team for four years, versus six years and sign with a new team for three years, instead of five years.

The players have offered to give up 500,000 dollars of salary over the next five years, but the owners want the players to increase that period to 10 years. This would cost the players a total of 5 million dollars.

The owners also want the league to have a hard salary cap instead of a flex cap. In the flex cap, owners are able to sign players that had been in a 3-year contract to a contract that went over the salary, which makes some teams sign mediocre players to huge contracts and leads superstar players to seek out ridiculously large contracts. The Mid-Level Exception allows teams to sign a player to a one-year contract for the leagues

average salary, which is currently $5.854 million, once a year.

The biggest issue for the opposing sides is the Basketball Related Income, known as BRI. The BRI is determined by all sources of incoming revenue, such as tickets, jerseys, broadcasting rights and anything with an NBA or team logo. The BRI is split, based on gross income, with the owners only receiving 43 percent of the total gross. Owners claim that 22 out of the 30 teams lost money last year, since their investments led to their net gross spending to be in the negative. The NBA Players Association do not believe this and refuse to lower the share anymore then their offer of 54.3 percent.

The league seems unlikely to solve the issues any time soon, but Commissioner David Stern has set the cutoff date for Jan. 1. The last lockout in 1999 caused the NBA to miss half of their season. Players are already anticipating no deal to be negotiated, as many have signed contracts or are considering playing in other countries, such as China, France or Turkey. The owners seem more than content to allow players to miss their NBA sized paychecks though, and are willing to wait it out until they get what they want. wwHeat. To make this possible, qwners are trying to do away with the sign-and-trade rule. A sign-andtrade occurs when a player signs a large contract with his original team, and the team then trades that player and receives cash or other players in return.

Another rule the owners want implemented is a limit on the amount of years a player can sign to play with the team. Owners want players to only be able to re-sign with their team for four years, versus six years and sign with a new team for three years, instead of five years.

The players have offered to give

up 500,000 dollars of salary over the next five years, but the owners want the players to increase that period to 10 years. This would cost the players a total of 5 million dollars.

The owners also want the league to have a hard salary cap instead of a flex cap. In the flex cap, owners are able to sign players that had been in a 3-year contract to a contract that went over the salary, which makes some teams sign mediocre players to huge contracts and leads superstar players to seek out ridiculously large contracts. The Mid-Level Exception allows teams to sign a player to a one-year contract for the leagues average salary, which is currently $5.854 million, once a year.

The biggest issue for the opposing sides is the Basketball Related Income, known as BRI. The BRI is determined by all sources of incoming revenue, such as tickets, jerseys, broadcasting rights and anything with an NBA or team logo. The BRI is split, based on gross income, with the owners only receiving 43 percent of the total gross. Owners claim that 22 out of the 30 teams lost money last year, since their investments led to their net gross spending to be in the negative. The NBA Players Association do not believe this and refuse to lower the share anymore then their offer of 54.3 percent.

The league seems unlikely to solve the issues any time soon, but Commissioner David Stern has set the cutoff date for Jan. 1. The last lockout in 1999 caused the NBA to miss half of their season. Players are already anticipating no deal to be negotiated, as many have signed contracts or are considering playing in other countries, such as China, France or Turkey. The owners seem more than content to allow players to miss their NBA sized paychecks though, and are willing to wait it out until they get what they want.

THE GREATEST VS. THE GREATEST

If Michael Jordan were to go one-on-one with Kobe Bryant, who would win and why?

NEXT ISSUE YOUR

QUESTIONS WILL BE ANSWERED.

Submit your matchup to stmurattlernews.com listed as “THE GREATEST VS. THE GREATEST”

Sample: 1999 San Antonio Spurs vs. 1992 Chicago Bulls

THE MATCHUPS ARE MADE BY YOU! WHO IS THE GREATEST?

/Courtesy of nba.com.

Sports

September 21, 2011

The Rattler 15

www.stmurattlernews.com

Upcoming Games Men’s Golf Sun, Oct. 16 at Dallas Baptist University Golf Club, All-Day Women’s Golf Sun, Oct. 16 at Dallas Baptist University Golf Club, All-Day Men’s Soccer Fri, Sept. 23 vs. St. Edward’s University, Northside ISD, 2 p.m.

Sun, Sept. 25 vs. University of Incarnate Word, Northside ISD, 2 p.m.

Fri, Sept. 30 at University of Texas-Permian Basin 4 p.m.

Women’s Soccer Fri, Sept. 23 at University of Central Oklahoma 4 p.m.

Sun, Sept. 25 at Northeastern State University 11 a.m.

Fri, Sept. 30 vs. Newman University, Northside ISD, 1 p.m.

Cross Country Fri, Sept. 23 at Islander Slash, Corpus Christi, 6 p.m.

Volleyball Thu, Sept. 22 vs. University of Texas-Permian Basin, Bill Greehey Arena, 7 p.m.

Sat, Sept. 24 vs. Oklahoma Panhandle State University, Bill Greehey Arena, 12 p.m.

Wed, Sept. 28 at Texas A&M International University 7 p.m.

Fri, Sept. 30 at Missouri Southern State University 9:30 a.m.

Fri, Sept. 30 at Northwest Missouri State University 1:30 p.m.

Sat, Oct. 1 at University of Central Missouri 9 a.m. *Home games in bold

Athletes adjust to the heat

Men’s soccer team overcomes challenge of high temperatures.

By Arturo Osteguin Jr. Features Editor

While it may seem that the sweltering heat of South Texas is unbearable, the men’s soccer team welcomes the high temperatures as they have learned to thrive off of it.

“The heat plays a huge factor during a soccer game,” said junior exercise and sports science major and striker Aaron Stares.

The extreme heat weakens the player’s Freshman defender Chris Ramirez wipes his face during an endurance during games, extremely hot practice. / Photo by Miriam Dorantes. but the soccer team is becoming accustomed to it. “I feel the heat is in our favor as most of the teams we compete against are from the north, where the weather isn’t so intensely hot,” Stares said.

Freshman exercise and sports science major and midfielder Mark Mendoza feels that the heat leads to advantages in away games. “When we play northern school, the weather is great and gives us an advantage as we are so used to the heat.”

This summer, San Antonio experienced 53 nonconsecutive days of 100 plus degree temperature, according to the San Antonio Express-News.

With reports of heat-related deaths of athletes all through the summer leading into September, athletic teams have had to take more precautions. The men’s soccer team is no exception.

“More frequent water breaks are done to stay hydrated, but we work harder to make up for the breaks during practice,” Mendoza said. The men’s soccer team practice five times a week from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., which is the hottest time of the day.

Staying hydrated is key for players, because otherwise they can experience significant health problems. When an athlete plays in the heat, their body loses a significant amount of water when it tries to cool itself by sweating, according to MedicineNet, Inc. If players continue to sweat without drinking water, they will become dehydrated.

According to the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, severe hydration can lead to swelling of the brain, seizures, kidney failure, coma and death. The players are allowed to drink water any time during practice even though there are plenty of scheduled water breaks.

During scheduled breaks, players sit under the shade of trees to shield themselves from the sun. SportsMD advises athletes to consistently apply sunscreen in order the sun from causing damage to the skin. “I always put sunblock on. It is a must for me,” Stares said.

Sports

September 21, 2011

The Rattler 16

www.stmurattlernews.com

THE

HOT

SEAT

Photo by Alex Diaz

Leia Kirch

Biology Junior

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR TEAMS SEASON SO FAR? “It’s going really, really great. Playing with each other and connecting with the girls. It’s coming together really easily. But we still have a few things to work out. It’s giving us a preview of what the year is going to look like.”

HOW HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING TO COME BACK FROM YOUR INJURY? “I think it’s more mental then anything. I’ve been doing rehab and the usual stuff, but I can’t stand to sit out anymore. I missed this team too much and going out there and scoring goals motivates me to keep going out and win more games.”

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO TO KEEP UP YOUR STRONG START? “Stay focused. Turn all of the negative energy into positive constructive criticism. Remember that we are a team and that it takes all of us and not just one person.”

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOUR TEAM? “The chemistry we have—we all love each other and are close. There are no outsiders on this team—we all just click. It is really easy to play with each other because we all know what we are going to do.”

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR YOUR TEAM THIS YEAR? “Getting to the tournament. We were so close last year, and we all want to make it this year. There are a lot of good teams in our conference, but that is our ultimate goal.”

Compiled by Joe Rodriguez

Freshman Libero Victorria Martinez prepares to pass the ball against Texas Wesleyan University. / Courtesy of Robin Johnson/St. Mary’s Athletics.

MAKING NEW RECORDS

Rattlers credit chemistry for their success

By Danielle Torres Staff Writer

The university volleyball team began the season with the best start in school history, going 10-0 in their first two competitive tournaments. The last time the team was off to a similar start was in 1996 when the team was 9-0.

With such an impressive start, the team has had no problem gelling together and focusing on the same goal of accomplishing more than any other volleyball team the school has ever seen. With a loaded roster, the sky is the limit for this team. “We have to keep this momentum and take it into the season. We want another conference championship,” said senior political science and middle blocker Stephanie Proske.

With such a successful start, it is no surprise the Heartland conference took notice and named two Rattlers “Players of the Week” for the first week

The 10 Historic Games

QUICK FACTS: Played in only nine games last year due to a season ending injury. In the first three games this season she has scored. Named Heartland offensive player of the week.

of the season. Freshmen psychology major and defensive specialist Victorria Martinez was named the Heartland conference Libero of the Week, and junior marketing major and setter Allie Murray was named Heartland Conference Setter of the Week.

Any of the players will tell you that this terrific start is not due to an individual, but rather to the team’s work ethic.

“The team comes first before anything,” Martinez said.

With conference games in full swing, the team’s focus and consistency will be the determining factors in their path to a championship.

The team is balanced with five seniors, one junior, three sophomores and five freshmen. Although there are more freshmen on the team than usual, the upperclassmen are taking the initiative to lead by example. “The best advice is to show them what to do by what I do on the court and to just talk to them and tell them their doing a good job,” said Proske.

With one freshman already capturing the title of conference player of the week, it is clear that these freshmen aren’t the average group of newbies.

Along with hard work and dedication, team chemistry is vital for the team to stay at the top of the standings. “We’re good friends on and off the court and it carries over,” Murray said. “Some of the hitters are my roommates, so we know each other pretty well. I’ve been playing with these girls for a long time now.”

Come support the record-setting Rattler volleyball team when they play their next home games on Thursday Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. against the University of Texas-Permian Basin and on Saturday, Sept.

24 against Oklahoma Panhandle State at 12 p.m. in the Bill Greehey Arena.

Sept. 1 St. Mary’s 3, Texas Wesleyan 2 (25-22, 23-25, 25-18, 22-25, 15-11) Sept. 2 St. Mary’s 3, East Central 2 (25-21, 25-23, 23-25, 16-25, 15-8)

Sept. 9 St. Mary’s 3, Holy Family 0 (25-20, 25-18, 25-22)

Sept. 2 St. Mary’s 3, Pace 1 (25-23, 25-19, 16-25, 25-23)

Sept. 10 St. Mary’s 3, Dowling 2 (25-21, 18-25, 25-21, 19-25, 15-6)

Sept. 3 St. Mary’s 3, Illinois-Springfield 0 (25-12, 25-10, 25-20)

Sept. 10 St. Mary’s 3, American Int’l 0 (25-9, 29-27, 25-20) Sept. 15 St. Mary’s 3, Newman 2 (25-20, 21-25, 17-25, 25-20, 15-12)

Sept. 3 St. Mary’s 3, Tarleton State 2 (18-25, 25-15, 25-21, 19-25, 15-11)

Sept. 9 St. Mary’s 3, Dominican (NY) 0 (25-12, 25-15, 25-10)