TORCH ILLUSTRATIONS/MIKE MONTIJO
St. John’s takes fourth in energy reduction competition SARA CAHILL MARRON News Editor St. John’s ranked 4th out of 36 participating schools in the Campus Conservation National Competition last month according to the final results released from the organization’s website last week. Campus Conservation Nationals (CCN) 2010 is a 3-week competition that spans the country. CCN’s website lists some of the major goals of the program as saving money on utility bills as well as to “foster a culture of conservation within your campus community.” In the regional rankings, St. John’s came out on top with 12.2 percent energy reduction campus-wide. Other regional winners included the California State Polytechnic University with a 4.8 percent
reduction and Bowling Green State University in Ohio with 11.4 percent reduction, according to the Campus Conservation’s website. Some buildings at St. John’s posted energy reductions as high as 25 percent, more than twice the reductions of both NYU and Columbia, the website reported. The competition is the first real-time, nationwide electricity and water use reduction competition. The competition ran from Nov. 1-19 and included schools from both the U.S. and Canada. Over the course of the competition, energy consumption was reduced by 508,000 kilowatt-hours, saving $50,200 and averting 816,000 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, according to the Campus Conservation Nationals’ website. Donovan Hall won the competititon between residence halls of the St. John’s
WHAT’S INSIDE News......................1-4 Entertainment....11-16 Features.................5-6 Comics.....................18 Opinion..................7-9 Sports.................21-24
Queen’s campus. All the residents of Donovan will receive hooded sweatshirts purchased from the prize money they won. The prize money is distributed to more than 500 hundred residents of Donovan, equaling about 8 dollars per student. Scott Paton, residence director of Donovan Hall said he was impressed with the student’s efforts throughout the month. “The residents were really proactive,” he said. “They worked so hard to win.” The competition between residence buildings was close; Dasilva finished 0.1 percent behind Donovan, according to Paton. “All the residents were really into it and it became a really good community builder,” Paton said. Students were encouraged to reduce their energy use by unplugging their chargers, laptops, and cell phones as well as
MUSIC All Praise the Zombies AMC’s The Walking Dead leaves audiences on a lively note ENTER RTAINMENT Pg. 16
to attempt to take shorter showers and exchange light-bulbs for more energy efficient models provided by the University. The elevators in Donovan were also covered with paper so that students would use the stairs more often. Students were able to track their progress throughout the month by using the Building Dashboard website. The site provided daily updates on water and energy conservation for each residence hall. The Dashboard also encouraged students to “commit” to energy conservation by showing their support online. According to CCN’s website, research has shown that the competition promoting energy reduction provide the best platforms for engaging and motivating students to conserve. More information about CCN’s effort to promote energy conservation can be found on their website.
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Directory
Managing Board LXXXVIII
JUSTIN THRIFT, Editor-in-Chief NELL O’CONNOR, Managing Editor MARK MCDONALD, General Manager SARA CAHILL MARRON BILL SAN ANTONIO
MICHAEL MONTIJO
News Editor
Sports Editor
Art Director
CAROLYN WARGULA
KRISTEN FARMER
SARAH LANE
Features Editor
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ADELLE PLATON
BRIAN LOPEZ
ELIZABETH MILLER
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ELLEN CAREY
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Entertainment First Listen Lloyd Banks leaves fans hungry for more with his latest album.
Inferno Pg. 15
Features Holiday Charities Professor Jane Paley speaks about her success with Hooper’s Toy Drive.
Features Pg. 5
Men’s Basketball Stunned The men’s basketball team’s five-game winning streak came to an end Tuesday night at Carnesecca Arena.
NEWS
Sports Pg. 22
OPINION PG. 8
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The TORCH
8 Dec. 2010
PERSON OF THE YEAR
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TORCH PHOTO/BRIAN LOPEZ
The annual winter carnival held in front of St. Augustine Hall featured horse drawn carriages, wintry treats, and a firework show on Tuesday night.
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Fall healthcare panel examines system’s overhaul RUBEN MUNIZ Contributing Writer
The Student Chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives hosted the Fall 2010 Healthcare Panel of St. John’s University, sponsored by Tau Upsilon Alpha, Alpha Zeta Chapter, and The College of Professional Studies on Nov. 22. Dozens of students, faculty, and healthcare industry professionals attended the forum in Bent Hall. This year the focus of the panelists was the recently passed Federal Healthcare Reform Bill and the impact it will have in the future. The panel consisted of five professionals in the healthcare industry and representatives from the Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE). Denise Hopkins, St. John’s Staten Island Campus’ Dean of Student Life, said she was grateful for the amount of student involvement throughout the night. “I’m very impressed with our student leaders and their ability to host this kind of event,” she said. “I think it’s wonderful, and would love to see more of these kinds of events happen on campus.”
Jenny Lopez, a senior health services administration major at St. John’s said the panel helped to clarify the bill. “I used to watch the news about the healthcare reform but I never really understood it,” she said. “Now I do.” The first speaker of the panel was Dr. Joan Tropnas, an assistant professor, and director of the Health and Human Services Program at St. John’s University. Dr. Tropnas’ speech was entitled “Human Service Professionals and the Community.” One statistic that Dr. Tropnas brought to the forefront was that 32 million people now have health insurance because of the new bill. She predicted the reform bill’s effects on the future would be “positive, on a local, statewide and national level.” Adam K. Weinstein, FACHE, Vice President for Regulatory Affairs and Corporate Compliance of New York Hospital in Queens, was the second panelist speaker of the night. His speech, entitled “Regulatory Affairs and Corporate Compliance in Hospitals,” discussed the role of Corporate Compliance programs in the healthcare system. Corporate Compliance programs must make sure that major healthcare systems and facilities, such as hospitals, are mindful of their spending of government
funds, and not wasteful, Weinstein said. Mr. Weinstein also spoke about new “whistleblower” laws in the healthcare industry. These laws encourage and reward the report of wasteful spending and unsatisfactory service of one healthcare office by others, he said. The third panelist of the night was Jeffrey Alter, CEO of the Northeast Region of United Healthcare health insurance. His speech was entitled “Insurance: Impact of Healthcare Reform Bill.” Mr. Alter focused on the financial aspect of the healthcare reform bill’s expansion in coverage. He also pointed out that for New York state residents, not many changes will come since the state of New York has had many of the features of the healthcare reform bill in place for 10 or more years. According to Alter, only two percent of diabetics in the United States are keeping up with their medications and treatments. Phyllicia Perry, an undergraduate Education major in her sophomore year at St. John’s, said she was surprised to learn about some of the statistics that were mentioned throughout the night. “That’s shocking,” she said about the low amount of people who actually take care of their diabetes medication. The fourth panelist was Dr.Salvatore
Volpe, President of the New York State Chapter Healthcare Information Management and Systems Society, as well as the New York City Department of Health Primary Care Information Project Clinical Champion. Dr. Volpe spoke of the impact of Electronic Healthcare Records and how the new law will impact them. The final speaker of the night was Susan Santoro, FACHE, Senior Manager of Nexera Inc., a branch of the Greater New York Hospital Association. Her speech focused on the effect the healthcare reform bill would have on the healthcare industry of the United States as a whole. Santoro discussed the need to raise $597 billion in funding to account for the new amenities of the reform bill. Mica Javier, a senior studying Health Services Administration, had positive feedback regarding the Fall 2010 Healthcare Panel. “[The Healthcare Panel] made me more aware of how legislation impacts the reform bill,” Javier said. Nathalie Perez, a 2010 alumna from St. John’s, was surprised regarding the opinions of the panelists. “It was nice to have the physicians point of view, because I thought they would have a negative outlook on the reform,” she said.
St. John’s debates at Ethics Bowl for the first time TERENCE CULLEN Staff Writer
The event, sponsored by the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics, also serves as a qualifying round The Student Chapter of the American College of Healthcare Executives hosted
the Fall 2010 Healthcare Panel of St. John’s University, sponsored by Tau Upsilon Alpha, Alpha Zeta Chapter, and The College of Professional Studies on Nov. 22.
NEWS
8 Dec. 2010 The TORCH PHOTO COURTESY OF DR. GAFFNEY
Ethics Bowl Competitors traveled to Dartmouth University to debate.
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Seven St. John’s students journeyed north to Vermont last weekend where they took part in a debate on some of the crucial issues concerning our culture today. The Ethics Bowl, hosted by Dartmouth University on Saturday, Nov. 20, hosted other schools such as SUNY Buffalo and St. Joseph’s College. Students discussed matters such as pregnant athletes, bull fighting, and immigration, according to the attending students. This was the first time that students from St. John’s participated. Students from St. John’s left campus on Friday, Nov. 19 to make the five-hour journey and returned the next evening. The team, consisting exclusively of juniors and seniors, made it through the morning competitions, which equals six cases in three rounds. During these debates, students may prepare for the events in advance but were not allowed to use their notes during their speech. A selected speaker is granted 10 minutes to present their argument. Teammates are allowed to pass notes to the speaker, but only he or she is allowed to present. Following this, there is a panel discussion where judges may question any or all of the students on the team. Dr. Paul Gaffney, a professor in the philosophy department, was the team’s coach and guided them through the preparation for the event. He spoke of
how he admired the members’ dedication, mentioning that the students prepared for their cases not only during designated meaning times but in any free time they had. “The students prepared the cases very thoroughly, and all seven members of the team participated fully and effectively in the three rounds of the debate,” Dr. Gaffney said. “These students—all of whom are very busy with other commitments—spent a lot of time preparing for the competition by studying the material, doing background research, and challenging one another in practice. This group deserves a lot of credit; they got SJU into the event and they performed extremely well. We will build on their success.” Lisa Rodriguez, a senior, participated in the event. Rodriguez expressed her pride in being one of the first students in her school to participating in the event as well as some of the benefits she took from it. “Being a part of St. John’s very first year participate in the Ethics Bowl Regional Competition was an amazing opportunity,” she said. “Dr. Gaffney did an outstanding job coaching our team and preparing us for the challenges of such an intellectual competition. It was definitely a great way to immerse myself into ethics and philosophy as a whole.” Several of the students who participated are members of Phi Sigma Tau, the Philosophy Honors Society. While others have expressed either a desire to pursue a career in law or have already decided to attend law school.
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Latino organizations dance hip-hop for charity Fraternal and sororal members demonstrate “strolling” in the dining hall RAMIRO FUNEZ Staff Writer
The African Latino Fraternal Sororal Alliance, A.L.F.S.A., held its annual Stroll Expo in Montgoris Hall on Friday, collecting funds for toy drives and showcasing fraternities and sororities within the council of Greek-lettered organizations. Strolling, a musical form of cultural expression through dance, is a tradition innovated by historically black organizations and incorporated into the customs of most Latino organizations that embrace their African heritage. The dances are often synchronized to forms of hip-hop and other Afro-Caribbean
musical forms. The exhibition of fraternities and sororities featured performers from universities across the metropolitan area. “The event was a complete success and had an excellent turnout,” said Jamel Exhem, president of A.L.F.S.A. at St. John’s. “We had a whole bunch of great fraternities and sororities strolling and it was really something big because this place was packed over capacity.” Exhem said. With the holiday season in full swing, A.L.F.S.A. has dedicated its time towards serving those in need, with community service and fundraising being its primary mediums of aid. Throughout the semester, the organization has accumulated over 200
TORCH PHOTO/RAMIRO FUNEZ
NEWS
A.L.F.S.A. members joined together for the perfomance charity event.
Breakthrough discovery for suffering Alzheimer’s patients
The TORCH
8 Dec. 2010
LIAM LA GUERRE Staff Writer
torchonline.com
hours of community service. “This umbrella of Latino and Black fraternities and sororities is dedicated to community service, day in and day out,” said Exhem. Although the organization committed the event towards raising money for holiday toy drives, the diverse showcase of organizations attracted all kinds of students. Christian Arango, co-host of the event, felt that the stroll expo was a perfect way to combine the culture of A.L.F.S.A. organizations while coming together for a great cause. “I thought it was a great event because it was a great way for all ALFSA organizations to come together and host a show that is meant to serve a greater cause,” Arango said. TORCH PHOTO/RAMIRO FUNEZ “It’s a beautiful thing that all of the Strolling is a form of musical expression used in dance. money is going towards participate the stroll as opposed to charity because we’re all here in college looking to join stepping. Arango, also a member of A.L.F.S.A., organizations that help our communities and what better way than to host an feels that although the organization has event like this, get everyone together accomplished a lot, there is more that can and help those in need, it’s what we’re be done. “All of the organizations within here for,” Arango added. Typically, A.L.F.S.A. holds a step this council should help more of our show in the fall and a stroll expo in the people get into college. In us helping spring. For the 2010-2011 academic the communities, we are continuing school year however, the executive to break the cycle and do a lot of better board decided to hold the stroll expo things to uplift our people,” he said. “As members of these greek-lettered in the fall. The decision was made in order to raise more money for the toy organizations, we can help empower our charity drive, as more organizations people more,” he added.
Researchers may have found a way to give Alzheimer’s patients and their families hope. Dr. Andrew Stamford, director of Medical Research at Merck Laborites hosted a seminar about a breakthrough discovery that has the potential to stop Alzheimer’s disease in St. Albert Hall. The news is the result of the recent discovery of a protein that relieves symptoms in the brain of Alzheimer’s patients. Beta Amyloid, a precursor protein cleaving enzyme (BACE1), “is responsible for producing amyloid plaques in the brain” said Doctor Stamford. He added that “all (Alzheimer’s disease) patients have amyloid plaques in the brain which is believed to contribute to the symptoms.” The goal for researchers and scientists now is to develop an inhibitor to stop this enzyme and block amyloid production,
theoretically stopping the disease, their concern of the availability of the according to Stamford. treatment. A multidisciplined team of scientists “It would probably go to the richer have performed successful tests that have people first and insurance would probably safely lowered give you hell to get the amyloid it,” graduate student in the brains Nicole Olgun said. of rats and Dr. Stamford also prime apes, As much as the situation is said that it wouldn’t Stamford exclusive and that uncomfortable, we have to be said. They the alternative would speak about it. are now be to not make it focusing on available, which creating a will make it more successful expensive to treat. inhibitor for According to the humans. research presented at Dr. Lin Mantell of the College of the seminar there are about five million Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions patients in the United States alone and organized the seminar and contributed the total cost of health care for these by identifying the problems facing patients equals approximately 172 billion scientists. dollars.” “It takes a very long time to really Dr. Stamford said that this is reach the finally destination which is to “projected to rise to approximately 15 cure the disease,” she said, “and it is very million patients in 2050 costing 1 trillion expensive.” dollars.” “Without this major discovery we According to Stamford, this treatment cannot begin to talk about this treatment,” would also be important because currently Mantell said. there are no treatments to slow, stop, or Students at the seminar also voiced prevent the disease.
“ ”
The treatment has the potential to slow the symptoms of the disease,said Stamford. “It would mean patients and families now have access to medicine which will delay significantly the progression of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease,” he said. “They could have a better quality of life.” Stamford believes that Alzheimer’s disease is very widespread and can develop within people of all races and gender. Patients with Alzheimer’s disease lose nerve cells as the brain shrinks that leads to rapid memory loss and mental deterioration. The American Health Assistance Foundation said that “on average, people live for eight to ten years after diagnosis” with the disease. Despite her concerns about the treatment, Olgun said that “It would definitely be a good thing, nobody wants Alzheimer’s.” Can’t get enough TORCH news? Visit our website for online exclusives. torchonline.com
Think Outside...
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Features
Christmas shopping guide for success SARAH FESTA Staff Writer
New York City is the epicenter of all things fashion, music and art. There’s no doubt that some of the most unique and extravagant holiday gifts can be found here. The only problem? Sometimes, the high prices and nominal college student budgets can get in the way of the perfect present. However, a little creativity and knowing where to look can go a long way in this city. Here are some options that are sure to make your gifts stand out on Christmas morning. Vintage clothing and accessories create one-of-a-kind looks and define a style. They also make great gifts for the fashionista who loves feeling unique. New York is one of the best places to find high quality vintage pieces. The best place to visit for your nostalgic gifts is Cheap Jack’s Vintage Clothing (http://www.cheapjacks.com) located at Fifth Ave. and 31st St. The store holds everything from 1980s rock band tees to fedoras and jewelry. Most items are usually found with some discount off the regular price. Don’t be worried, all of Cheap Jack’s authentic items must meet the store’s high level of quality standards before hitting the floor. You’ll also know that you won’t be giving someone the same-old, blasé sweater or socks that they’ll be dreading. If there is a fan of the arts that you are shopping for, gifts of experience will no doubt be greatly appreciated. Is someone a fan of the visual arts? Purchase tickets to the Museum of Modern Art’s latest exhibit (http://www.moma.org) and buy some prints at the gift shop to include in the package.
TORCH PHOTO/BRIAN LOPEZ
The best advice for shopping is to be creative and personal with gifts. Do you know a Glee fan who would love to see live theatrics? Head to the TKTS booth in Times Square to purchase tickets to a Broadway show at a highly discounted price or grab a gift certificate so they can choose the show at a later date. The music lover will love tickets to one of the countless shows in New York City. Even better, Xperience Days (http:// www.xperiencedays.com/East_Village_ Rock_n_Punk_Tour.html) allows you to pre-purchase tickets to a walking tour of Greenwich Village, which stops at famous joints such as CBGB’s. The holiday season is definitely the time to take advantage of the seasonal shops in New York. Both Bryant Park and
Grand Central Terminal put up seasonal shops that feature items ranging from local art and homemade jewelry to luscious, gourmet chocolates made by New York’s Max Brenner. Some items do get pricey so look for something small but personal. Choosing an organic soap for mom, hand made by Sabon (www.sabonnyc.com), adds a personal touch that doesn’t cost more than $30.00. If you are looking to stay in Queens to do your shopping, your best bet is to head to Queens Center Mall. This four-story emporium carries typical retailers and also specialty stores such as jewelry and cosmetic boutiques. Urban Outfitters carries a wide array of gifts for men, women, hipsters and trendsetters. How about a
coffee table book about surviving a garden gnome attack? Maybe you’d rather give someone a giant Eiffel Tower to put on the wall. Urban Outfitters loves to create entertaining pop culture merchandise and retro remakes that take the ordinary to the extraordinary. Modell’s, also in the Queens Mall, holds everything the sports fan could wish for. Buy someone a jersey or sweats with their favorite team logo on it. If they’d rather be out on the field, giving athletic gear is not only thoughtful, but they will actually put it to use. Running shorts, Under Armour and track jackets make stylish and useful gifts starting at $30.00. Call of Duty fans or those gamer fans want the most recent video games, controllers and platforms. GameStop carries all of the major consoles, games and accessories to go with it. Those looking for a new spin on old-school hobbies will find both children and grown-up gifts at the LEGO Store. The kids will love building and playing with their favorite Toy Story characters with sets costing no more than $20.00. Want your own Empire State Building or Rockefeller Center? Grownups (kids at heart) will love constructing their own ($19.99, $39.99). The best advice for creating a shopping list this year is to think small, unique and personal. No one wants to feel as though you’re handing out the same gift to 30 of your “closest” friends. Instead, take time to put some thought into it. The more thought you put in, the less money you have to shell out. Finally, take advantage of living in the city of over eight-million people. Get out and check out the local scene, specialty stores and seasonal shops. Make your gifts as creative as the great city we live in.
Professor Paley praises students for involvement in Hooper’s Toy Drive Staff Writer
8 Dec. 2010 The TORCH PHOTO COURTESY OF HOOPER’S TOY DRIVE FACEBOOK
Professor Jane Paley is hopeful that the Toy Drive will make a significant impact.
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Professor Jane Paley along with the Public Relations students organizes Hooper’s Toy Drive. The professor of mass communications has also spent 11 years working at ABC as the network spokesperson on educational issues and the executive producer of a series of documentaries called “ABC Notebook.” She has also written for HBO, PBS and Court TV and is currently working on a children’s book TORCH: Why did you decide to start Hooper’s Toy Drive? PALEY: I wanted the public relations students to embrace the Vicentian mission and at the same time mimic what they will be doing in the professional arena, which is seen through outlining objectives and strategies and by broadening the scope of this three year tradition. The students were able to exploit the media and encourage participation. What is great about the toy drive’s growth is that there has been a broadened distribution of toys to include St. John ’s Bread and Life, Momma’s House, Shriner’s Hospital for Children and Toys for Tots. We were able to reach out to the Queens Press which led to enormous support from Alumni, the Honors Society, Greek Life, Campus Ministry, Athletics, Residence halls, and the students at large. It is heartening to see how many people jumped on board and embraced our mission.
TORCH: What are your future goals for the toy drive? PALEY: Just to keep getting the St. John’s community more involved. This year, we had screenings, bake sales and raffles at major sporting events. Also, the St. John’s Ad Club helped us with an advertising campaign [through the colorful flyers around campus] and the Film Club created a commercial for us as well. I just want to keep getting everyone to step up and rally together to promote this fundraiser and the organizations we support. TORCH: How did the PR students get support from donators? PALEY: The students were able to solicit the help of local businesses and large chains alike by visiting the stores and informing them about our drive. They were able to find out who they should target based on who was most likely to give. Some even went to their alma mater over break. A lot of the initiatives are in their hands and are a result of their work. TORCH: How has it helped children in the community? PALEY: While we are not always directly involved with the distribution of toys, we know that the organizations, like Bread and Life, are very sensitive to the children and fairly give out gifts based on gender and age which guarantees that the children will get something that they enjoy. If anyone wants to see the results of Hooper’s Toy Drive, visit the group’s facebook page www.facebook.com/hooperstoydrive
FEATURES
MELISSA MCGRATH
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HAPPY HOLIDAYS IN NYC CAROLYN WARGULA Features Editor
With classes almost over and winter break approaching, don’t plan on spending all of your free time on the couch stalking people on Facebook or watching TV. Sure, it might be cold outside but New York has some great holiday events that can only be experienced this time of the year. So put on your shoes and take a subway ride into the city and experience everything it has to offer.
UPPER EAST SIDE Brave the cold weather and go to Central Park for a day. Whether it’s throwing a snowball fight with friends or a romantic walk through the park, anyone can find something of interest to them. On December 22nd, the park will have a “Solstice Stargazing” event starting at 5:00 p.m. in which you can gaze at the beautiful stars and planets through a telescope and learn about Jupiter, Neptune, and other celestial bodies. Head over to Fifth Avenue and do some real or imaginary Christmas shopping. Visit FAO Schwartz for a trip back to childhood to view the exotic toys. Walk a few blocks down to Dylan’s Candy Bar on Third Avenue and order sweet treats like M&M-covered pretzels, and all kinds of licorice and jelly beans. Don’t forget the Holiday Market in Columbus Circle right outside of Central Park. Open until 8:00 p.m. everyday, the holiday market with food, gift baskets, handmade jewelery and 100+ vendors to find unique gifts and finds.
MIDTOWN
CAMPUS December 11th - The Christmas gospel concert featuring the Voices of Victory choir, the official gospel choir of St. John’s University, the band, and special guests will perform at 7:00 p.m. in the Little Theatre.
TORCH PHOTO/BRIAN LOPEZ
The Sponsor-a-Family Christmas program run by the Unviersity and the St. John’s Bread & Life soupkitchen hopes to bring the Christmas cheer to over 2,000 families this year. Students can donate $70 towards a family who will receive a turkey, other holiday foods, and age-appropriate toys for the children in need. Students can volunteer on the 11th, 12th, 18th, and 19th by organizing, packing and distributing the toys and food.
BRYANT PARK
torchonline.com
The TORCH
8 Dec. 2010
FEATURES
PHOTO COURTESY OF SOCIALROOTS
Go see the classic Rockefeller Christmas tree which is lit up everyday until 11:30 p.m. Don’t forget to grab some coffee at Magnolia’s Bakery between 6th Ave. and W 49th street to keep warm as you’re ice skating on the rink. With the Prometheus statue and the tree in the background, the experience is one to remember. However, it can be expensive with tickets going at $19 and ice skate rentals costing $9. If you were lucky enough to score tickets, go to a show like Saturday Night Live or take a tour of NBC Studios. Take the F to Rockefeller Center.
Go skating on the Citipond in Bryant Park. Admissions is free, so pack your skates for a full day of fun overlooking the scintillating Christmas tree. Head to the New York Public Library afterwards next to the park to warm up. Not only does the library have an exhibit dedicated to the history of New York, but the original Winnie the Pooh bear, one of the Gutenberg Bibles, and Recollection: Thirty Years of Photography which portrays New York photography.
BROOKLYN
HOGSMEADE
Take the F to Prospect Park to visit the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. The expansive garden was named one of the 18 most stunning gardens in the world by the Huffington Post. For only $4, students can enjoy expansive landscape from themed gardens, the conservatory and the celebrity path in which stepping stones are inscribed with names of famous Brooklynites from Walt Whitman to Barbra Streisand.
Can’t make it Hogwarts for the holidays? Take the F to 9th street and go to “The Harry Potter Yule Ball” sponsored by the Bell House in Brooklyn. Starting at 5 p.m. on December 18, dress up as your favorite character and attend the concert featuring “Harry and the Potters,” “The Macaroons,” and other artists. Tickets are $18 and the concert benefits the Harry Potter Alliance which raises funds for Haiti and contributes to social justice.
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Section
Editorial Board LXXXVIII JUSTIN THRIFT Editor-in-Chief NELL O’CONNOR Managing Editor SARA CAHILL MARRON News Editor MARK MCDONALD General Manager
FLAMES OF THE TORCH
Green praise for STJ
EDITORIAL POLICY ions expressed in editorials, columns, letters or cartoons are not necessarily those of the student body, faculty or administrations of St. John’s University.
Mail letters to: The TORCH, St. John’s University 8000 Utopia Parkway, Jamaica, NY 11439 Submit letters online at: torchonline.com/opinion
Please include your full name, year, and college (or department). Letters have a limit of 500 words and may be edited for content, grammar, or space. Unverifiable or anonymous letters will not be published. All letters are subject to the approval of the Editorial Board of The TORCH.
Robert Kerns Class of 2013 Re: LGBTQ To the Editor: I find it annoying that I have to endure the complaints of St. John’s students regarding the absence of an LGBT club on campus. Before enrolling at this University, students knew that it was a Catholic University. This wasn’t some secret. So then why are students surprised that St. John’s doesn’t want to endorse a club that goes against the Catholic Church? Just because St. John’s doesn’t allow this club, doesn’t mean that homosexuals or anyone else of a different sexual orientation isn’t to be respected. Students need to accept the fact that they have to abide by the rules while they go to school here. If you don’t like it, or don’t agree with it, then leave. You don’t have to be here. Don’t call St. John’s narrow minded because it wants to remain a faithful Catholic university. You knew what you were getting into when you came here. Thousands of years of Catholic tradition and ideals aren’t going to change just because society tells it to. Hannah Gutierrez, Class of 2013 Annysa Rodriguez, Class of 2014
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TO CONTRIBUTE
Re: Montgoris Dining Hall and turkey sandwiches To the Editor: How many students on the St. John’s campus actually feel that they get their money’s worth when they walk into Montgoris Dining Hall? I’d be willing to bet that the number is small. It closes too early every day. From around 10:3011:00 a.m. there is literally nothing served that isn’t covered in Saran wrap. The day-to-day variety leaves something to be desired and the meal periods seem too constricting. Last week, I planned on pulling an all-nighter to study for a biology test the next day. I decided that I would make a turkey sandwich in Montgoris when I went to dinner and take it back to the dorms for later that night. What ensued caught me by surprise. I put my dinner plate on the conveyor belt and then went to put the sandwich in my bag. Behind me, I heard a voice saying, “Excuse me, you can’t do that.” Caught in the act. A woman who worked with Chartwells had seen me. I immediately apologized, but in my mind, I paid to get into Montgoris and had paid to eat the food that was prepared. This should be where the story ends. In a perfect world, I would have apologized and handed her the sandwich. I would have walked out, pulled my allnighter, and crashed sometime in the night. That’s not what happened. Before I had a chance to do anything, she motioned for the garbage next to me and told me to throw out the sandwich. She would have rather had me throw away a perfectly good sandwich than to take it outside of the precious walls of Montgoris. I was moderately appalled. The words “throw it out” were the first words out of her mouth. Does this mean
The TORCH
Editorials are the opinions of the Editorial Board of The TORCH. Columns are the opinions of the author(s) and are not necessarily those of The TORCH. Opin-
Michael F. Scott Class of 2011
that it is Chartwells’ policy to throw out good and edible food, if ever they catch a student taking it outside of Montgoris? The month of November is Hunger Awareness Month, as the windows of Montgoris advertise in bright color. During Hunger Awareness Month, the main dining hall on campus would rather throw away food than feed its patrons. I wasn’t going to throw it away. That would be ridiculous and counterproductive to the same cause that St. John’s was supposedly endorsing this month. I asked her if I could sit at a table and just eat it inside. She said that would be fine. My friend and I sat at a table and decided that once the woman left, we would just leave, sandwich-in-hand. So that’s what we did. We walked out with Montgoris food. Oh, the horror. I’m allowed to walk out of Montgoris with ice cream, a cup of popcorn, or a drink of soda. However, I’m not allowed to walk out with two pieces of bread and a slice of turkey. Where is the line between permitted and forbidden? Soon after, the friend that I had eaten with decided to walk to buy a ticket to the soccer game that night. As she walked past Montgoris, she was stopped by the Chartwells employee, her boss, and a Public Safety officer. Yes, you are reading that right. A Public Safety officer. The Chartwells woman must have seen us walk out with a sandwich, called Public Safety, and waited at the door of Montgoris to confront me. The fact that Public Safety was called for such a laughable reason as a turkey sandwich is shocking to me. The fact that they responded to the call might be even worse. In no logical universe was this sandwich stolen. I wasn’t taking a napkin dispenser or a panini press. I paid for food. I paid a large amount of money to get into Montgoris and “enjoy” the food that was offered. To steal implies that there was a lack of right. Public Safety and Montgoris proceeded to put a flag on my account and confront me the next time that I walked in. I’m just a poor college student craving a turkey sandwich.
8 Dec. 2010
that student interest at St. John’s is there, and our student body is clearly willing to make the effort. While the school has introduced a seemingly large scale recycling effort—placing bins in classrooms, offices and cafeterias—it isn’t as transparent to students as it could be. Making this initiative clearer to students by producing monthly updates and detailed information about the effects of their recycling efforts may be the proverbial shot in the arm that students need to take the next step. We feel that an effort to eliminate bottled water from campus would prove to be huge in the overall effort to help the environment. Bottled water represents one of the biggest challenges facing the broader recycling effort, and education on campus could make a very important difference. By getting rid of bottled water, the campus’ waste could be reduced enormously. While it may seem like a small change, it would be a giant step forward for the St. John’s environmental initiative. All of the suggestions or ideas that we put forward probably seem somewhat insignificant, but they are part of a much larger picture. St. John’s has taken the first step, and now they need to continue following the path laid out before them. All of the small changes made by the University add up to one larger effort, an effort that culminates in successes like the one at the Conservation Nationals. This is just the tip of the iceberg for St. John’s. The University needs to come hard again next year and jump over the bar it set for itself this year. The fruits of this labor can only be more green.
Re: November 15 Academic Forum To the Editor: It was good to see a fairly packed room for the November 15 Academic Forum. It was equally as good to see a mildly engaging panel of deans and administrators (a stark contrast to the previous forum last spring where the panel looked as if they’d rather be putting needles through their eyes). However, the silly (and oftentimes infantile) questions of the student community seemed to undermine the legitimacy of the entire proceeding. It seemed as if many students in the audience were trying to think of questions on the spot that served no other purpose other than to shout down the administration and inflate their own egos. The administration rightfully pointed out that many upper level students should know the answers to their questions by now (which many of them did indeed concede knowing). Many students used this event to stage their own Howard Beale “I’m mad as hell and I’m not gonna take it anymore” moment. (Look no further than the silly faux “outraged” Facebook statuses and events advertising the event). The administration has a script they need to stick to, and while I am not their biggest fan, I think it is even worse for St. John’s students to use these forums as an opportunity to express trivial and petty matters that are designed to make the administration look bad, but ultimately end up reflecting poorly on themselves, and the student body as a whole.
OPINION
It appears that St. John’s can bleed green as much as it can bleed red. Coming in 4th place in the 2010 Campus Conservation Nationals, the University has proven that it is seriously committed to reducing its footprint on the environment. What’s more impressive is that St. John’s beat out other major metropolitan area schools like New York University and Columbia, making a statement in the tri-state region. Some buildings on campus reduced their energy usage by over 25 percent, while the campus reduced its total energy usage by 12.2 percent, saving the University a total of $50,200. We applaud the efforts of everyone who made this fantastic accomplishment possible, especially senior Erin Chalmers who has worked tirelessly over the past few years to make St. John’s a greener place. This is a reassuring sign of all that dedication and hard work paying off. It signifies a movement and dedication from the student body, especially the resident students who pledged to adopt new energy-saving practices. We also acknowledge the heads at the University for their vital role in this effort. Truly, things have begun to change at St. John’s. But the changes cannot stop here. Just because we’ve reduced our footprint, doesn’t mean we can stop treading lightly. While this competition displayed the school’s endeavors to save energy, this is only one aspect of going green. Just like the University took a stand for saving energy in campus buildings, we would also like to see a stronger effort to increase the visibility of the recycling initiative on campus. The Conservation Nationals proved
Letters to the Editor
8
TORCH Opinion
online at torchonline.com/opinion
torchonline.com
The TORCH
8 Dec. 2010
OPINION
Transfer app, anyone?
Allow me to ask you a question, quiet reader. Have you ever found yourself wondering what your college days would be like had you enrolled elsewhere? I have. Over the past seven semesters I’ve thought about it a lot, actually. As an underclassman I thought about it every time I stepped foot in Montgoris and fell victim to the Monty effect. I thought about it as a freshman in pursuit of a more traditional college party scene, or as I sat in theology class wanting to break something. The first time I attended a St. John’s men’s basketball game, it immediately crossed my mind. I thought about what it would be like to be a part of those student crowds on ESPN, you know, the ones that demonstrate intense passion for their school’s team with signs. I think about it every time I have to spend hours in the Port Authority because my high school self thought it would be fun to go to school far from home in the most overwhelming city in the nation. Speaking of home, I think about it when I realize that the majority of my St. John’s classmates don’t live on or around campus, they live at home with their folks. If you’re anything like I was as an underclassman, you’ve probably considered transferring. Maybe you’ve even started a few transfer applications (like I did) or maybe you’ve already been accepted into a new school for next semester. Congratulations to ya! But before you so rashly bid good riddance to the Harvard of Queens, know that it gets better with time, and that no school in the country is going to make college awesome for you—it’s what you make of it. I know, I know. You’ve heard this hackneyed cliché a million times before from your loving parents and grandparents. But believe me, they’re right about this one, and not just because they’re saving thousands from that St. John’s scholarship you’re on. I know this now because my experience at St. John’s drastically changed when I stopped wondering what I was missing somewhere else and got proactive. I became more engaged, made a group of lifelong friends, and moved off campus. My experience reflected this, and I began to enjoy the people I was meeting and the things I was doing. To be clear, getting involved doesn’t mean you have to sell your soul to bake sales, Greek Life or Vincentian clubs. Just find something you enjoy and feel passionate about, and if it mixes well with what you want to do with your life, that’s a bonus. Study abroad, or get an internship in Manhattan. For me, getting involved meant writing opinion articles in the TORCH and criticizing this institution’s administration for all the things I thought were corrupt and wrong with the school. As a result of my efforts to embrace my time at St. John’s, some of the people I’ve met here and the experiences I’ve had have changed me for the better. Now, I can honestly say that St. John’s has been an invaluable part of my young life, and I wouldn’t trade the past few years for anything. If you’re seriously thinking of transferring out of St. John’s, I’m not trying to convince you to stay. In fact, you could probably make a very convincing argument against mine. If your mind is made up, chances are I can’t change it. The last thing I want to be is a school ambassador. But you should consider your own circumstances honestly before assuming that a transfer will transform your life and make you an infinitely happier student. From what I’ve experienced, and from what friends have told me who did make the leap out of St. John’s, that isn’t always the case. The choice is yours my friends. See you (or not) in 2011.
Justin Thrift is a senior English major who has nothing left to editorialize this semester. He can be reached at: torcheic@gmail.com
TORCH GRAPHIC / MIKE MONTIJO
2010: A look back billionth time? Or couldn’t you listen to something with substance, like “Easy Lover” or “Sussudio?” Some people just have no taste in music.
So you’ve been waiting with bated breath to hear who will be my World’s Greatest and Most Best Human on the Planet of the Year. Understandable; people always are. I know the year is not officially over, but does anybody really break through in December to win any kind of Person of the Year honors? No. If Justin Bieber stops a terrorist attack, remakes the film Junior and actually gets pregnant in real life while simultaneously inventing a teleportation device all in this month, then I will eat this column with a side of baby seal. But first, as always, my list of “The Top 4 Things That Were Completely Stupid and/or Annoying This Year:” 4. I WHIP MY HAIR BACK AND FORTH! I WHIP MY HAIR BACK AND FORTH! I WHIP MY HAIR BACK AND FORTH! Just in case you didn’t know, Will Smith has several annoying, scientologist, bionic children whom he can demand be put into any entertainment media. I WHIP MY HAIR BACK AND FORTH! I WHIP MY HAIR BACK AND FORTH! Do you get it yet? You MUST love Will Smith’s children! The Karate Kid remake starring Lil’ Willie Smith makes a perfect stocking stuffer! Buy it or they will never stop! I WHIP MY HAIR BACK AND FORTH! I WHIP MY HAIR BACK AND FORTH! 3. THE TEA PARTY. These people are – you know what? I can’t anymore. I’m just going to pretend they don’t exist. 2. NOBODY APPRECIATES PHIL COLLINS. I was at a party last week and I asked the guy playing the music to put on some Phil Collins. He looked at me like I was crazy. Hello! Do you really need to hear “Like a G6” or I WHIP MY HAIR BACK AND FORTH or need to be taught how to Dougie for the
1. HOMOPHOBIA. Bullying. Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. Gay marriage still isn’t legal in the majority of “The Land of the Free.” I literally cannot fathom that there is any point to being homophobic. Homosexuality is not contagious; nobody can be “turned” gay. They can’t make your kids gay. They want to have sex with other gay people, not you. So on the most basic level, somebody who is homophobic – and by that I mean if you don’t think gay people should be married to each other, or think gay people should not serve in the armed forces, or you have a hatred for all things gay – thinks it’s icky when two dudes kiss. (But man, do straight males LOVE their lesbian porn or what!) That’s what it comes down to. Never mind that gay people have to see straight people kissing almost 24-hours a day, every day, and yet they don’t hate you for being straight. They just feel that the love that two married straight people have is the same as their love. And they are humans, like everybody else, and should be allowed the same rights as any other human. So what is the point of being hateful? And now, to the moment you’ve all been waiting for. The World’s Greatest and Most Best Human on the Planet of the Year Award goes to: Me! Speech! Speech! Speech! Well, alright. I’ll let me talk: “I am so happy to win this award for the 20th out of 22 times, though still upset for those two I lost [note: “My Blankie” was the winner in ’89 and, shockingly, again in ’07]. While I understand this does not mean I am a good person, but rather only the smartest, best-looking and most highly influential person that I know, I hope this award inspires others to work just a little bit harder to win it next year. Wherever you are, Keyboard Cat, this one’s for you – play me out, buddy!” Well, tough luck everybody. What can I say, I certainly deserved it. Have a great break, and do something fun in 2011 – because the world’s ending in 2012 anyways.
Jeffrey Gilbert is a senior. He can be reached at: jeffreygilberttorch@gmail.com
TORCH Opinion
online at torchonline.com/opinion
9
The differences in iPads and Ninja Turtles
My favorite toys when I was a kid were my Ninja Turtles action figures. Like most people, I can still vividly remember playing with them for hours on end, setting up showdown after showdown of the Turtles fighting the evil Shredder. Over the years, those turtles received more nicks and scratches than a teenager’s first car. I loved those toys, and even now cannot bring myself to part with them. They have no collectible value and many are almost completely destroyed, but that doesn’t change the memories I have associated with them. Being a child at Christmas seems like a lifetime ago, but none of us have forgotten how excited we were to open up our presents and begin playing with our new toys. These days, our toys have gotten more expensive. Whether it’s an iPad, Wii, MacBook, Playstation, Xbox, TV, iPhone or any of the seemingly endless electronics out there, we all have something on our wish list that seems to us like it will be the
greatest item we’ve ever owned. It’s become nothing short of normal to want “the next big thing,” something newer, shinier, and more powerful. But what happens to those toys when they begin to slow down, the shine fades and they seem powerless in comparison to newer models? Maybe we’re all chasing after that one item that will make us feel like a kid again, that gift that sends us back to Christmas morning when we’re only five years old. Time after time, we buy more and more, hoping it will bring back those memories and fill all of the voids in our life. And, time after time, we are disappointed. What’s the difference between those beat up Ninja Turtles and a new iPad? You don’t grow attached to the iPad, because you know it will eventually be replaced. When I was little, I didn’t care about the next big thing; I only cared about having fun. Maybe we’re simply missing that childlike sense of wonderment, or maybe it’s something more. Even if we all decided to slow down and enjoy life without worries, the next big thing will always be pushed on us. If you were one of the original iPhone owners, Apple didn’t leave much choice but to upgrade to a newer one. Without upgrading, many of the apps you paid for would no longer work on the phone. When new computer software comes out, it’s usually not designed to work on machines more than 3-4 years old, and
even that can be rare. Like it or not, we’re stuck in the upgrade cycle, and stuck with the next big thing. So how do we get that feeling back? What magical electronic device is going to make us feel like kids again? None of these things are going to capture that feeling. Sure, you may get flashes of it, but nothing sustainable. No
“
What’s the difference between those beat up Ninja Turtles and a new iPad? You don’t grow attached to the iPad, because you know it will eventually be replaced.
”
matter how fervently we pursue it, we cannot buy that feeling back. Believe it or not, we’ve all grown-up a lot since we were five-years old. In that time, other aspects of life have taken precedence over having fun all the time. Between school, work, and the other stresses of everyday life, we all have a much different perspective of the world than we
did all those years ago. You can keep chasing after it, piling up gadget after gadget and eventually throwing away more than you needed in the first place. You can give up on it, and just forget about the way Christmas used to be. Or, you can find a new way to enjoy the most wonderful time of the year. When I think back to my Ninja Turtles, I don’t just think of the action figures. I think of being with my family when I unwrapped the Turtle Van, and the fun times I had playing with the toys with my brother. I think back to my parents’ faces, and I’ll never forget the smiles on them. And that’s the key: It isn’t what you get, it’s who you share it with. It’s about the joy of being with family and friends, and the joy of giving instead of receiving. Instead of chasing after that Christmas feeling for ourselves, we should try to give it to others. Instead of worrying about what the next big thing is, worry about what you can give to someone else. It might just help you find that feeling again. And once you’ve found that feeling, it doesn’t hurt to type up the experience on your brand new iPad. Just don’t forget what made it so special. Mark McDonald is a junior business major. He can be reached at: torchads@gmail.com
Slacktivism online
8 Dec. 2010 The TORCH
torchonline.com
Nell O’Connor is a senior journalism major. She can be reached at: torch.managingeditor@gmail.com
OPINION
Earlier this week, I logged onto my Facebook account, as I do many times a day, and noticed something strange. All of my friends seemed to slowly be turning into animated characters from various cartoons and comic books. Suddenly, my news feed was clogged up with stories about Minnie Mouses, Spongebob Squarepants and several Pokemon. I’ll admit, I was confused. I thought I was missing something, that maybe this was how my friends had always looked or maybe I was dreaming. But then I saw someone’s status and realized that no, it wasn’t a dream, it was the Facebook universe’s way of making a stand. According to the status, the goal was to have not a single human face visible on Facebook in an effort to bring an end to child abuse across the globe. And this was not the first time that many users had turned to the Internet to promote a powerful social message. For example, earlier this year, many girls and women on Facebook crafted innuendo-ridden statuses about where they liked to leave their purses and handbags in an effort to draw attention to the fight against breast cancer. Unfortunately, many of the Facebook generation are perpetrators of slacktivism. Coined some time in the early 1990s, the phrase describes the act of supporting a cause with no consequence other than the individual’s personal satisfaction. The posting of statuses or changing of profile pictures does nothing to bring an end to the injustices they supposedly represent; they merely make the person or persons involved feel as if they are a part of something bigger than themselves, with little ef-
fort needed. I don’t think that slacktivism is entirely a bad thing. Although it is obviously the weakest form of eradicating social injustices, for many it can be a first step to becoming involved. It is up to the status posters to not let the issue die once it fades from their homepage. And for many, that seems to be the hardest part. For St. John’s students, there are more than enough opportunities to get involved on campus and make a meaningful, realistic difference. Organizations like STAND, the St. Vincent De Paul Society and Habitat for Humanity are all activist organizations that need more students who care and are passionate about ending social problems of all kinds. And opportunities are endless in the city that never sleeps. All over New York City are non-profits and charities that are constantly looking for volunteers and assistance in getting their messages heard and putting their cause out into the public eye. Students should also not underestimate their own capabilities. Many of the most popular and influential activism groups started out as grass-roots organizations, run by college kids with dreams of having an impact. Unite for Sight, which works to provide people all across the world with optimal eye care, was started by Yale student Jennifer Staple-Clark when she was a sophomore. Since its inception in 2000, the organization has provided care to more than one million people. Slacktivisim can be the gateway towards inspiring individuals to take up their causes and run with them. It is not enough to update your status once or twice a year. Instead, make a donation, organize a bake sale, write an opinion piece and submit it to the TORCH. Make yourself and your cause known, but not just to your Facebook friends.
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ENTERTAINMENT 8 Dec. 2010
Pg. 13
PHOTO COURTESY OF HARRYPOTTER.WARNERBROS.COM
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Inferno reviews the first installment of the final Potter film
The TORCH
The Beginningof the End
Potter Brings Back The Magic
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THE FIRST INSTALLMENT OF THE DEATHLY HALLOWS SHOWS CHARACTERS’ “MUGGLE” SIDE ABIGAIL HERNANDEZ Staff Writer THE DEATHLY HALLOWS- OUT OF 4 STARS
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here is no mistaking that Harry Potter is all grown-up now. In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, the seventh installment of the series, the movie takes on a more mature and serious side than Potter fans are used to. As expected, director David Yates did not disappoint, keeping the film cinematically and hauntingly beautiful, giving audiences the feel of being immersed in the magical world. Gone are the days when audiences would see Harry (Daniel Radcliffe), Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione (Emma Watson) ride the Hogwarts Express to the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Instead, audiences are reminded of headmaster Dumbledore’s death in the previous film (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) during his mission to destroy the horcruxes (objects containing pieces of his enemy Lord Voldemort’s soul). We see the trio setting out on a journey to continue his quest in order to defeat He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named (Ralph Fiennes). No matter how wonderful a Potter movie may be, even the most avid Potter fan will find an error to pick at, a detail wrongly portrayed or a storyline forgotten from book to film. However, given that the seventh Potter book had to be split into two movies to accurately tell the story without leaving out the essentials, Yates did a very good job of keeping the story intact while trimming the unnecessary fat. Fans must agree that while background stories may seem interesting, they may not be relevant to the overall plot.
Splitting Deathly Hallows into two movies was actually beneficial because it finally allowed time to explain the story without feeling rushed, as in previous Potter movies. It also gave some major attention to the series’ main characters: Harry, Hermione and Ron. The previous films were so focused on telling the story that the bond between these three characters sometimes became secondary. However, the first installment of the final Potter film shows the relationship between the three protagonists as the main focus, given that they only had each other on their journey. With more time to focus on the trio, the blooming relationship between Ron and Hermione became even more obvious, as well as the platonic friendship between Hermione and Harry. Ron suspects his two friends are romantically involved, causing a riff among the trio as his jealousy leads to a surprising turn of events. Actors Radcliffe, Grint and Watson really stepped up their performances in this film. The bond that the three actors have developed over the years is clearly noticeable and aids in the storytelling. Watson, the one most commonly criticized for her acting, did especially well in this performance, from the heartbreaking opening scene involving her parents to her chilling screams in the final scene with daunting Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham Carter). Grint, too, had his share of heartbreaking and tensionfilled scenes, proving that Radcliffe’s character isn’t the only troubled member of the trio. Another character with more screen time was none other than the eerie villain, Lord Voldemort. Fiennes plays the creepy Voldemort so well that it really showed in the film. Audiences learn that Voldemort is on his own quest to find the Deathly Hallows in order to become truly undefeatable. One of the unique features of this
PHOTO COURTESY OF HARRYPOTTER.WARNERBROS.COM
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows focus on (from left to right) Harry, Ron and Hermione as they embark on a journey that tests their friendship. Potter film was the animation used to tell the story of the Deathly Hallows as Hermione narrated it. The story of the Hallows may seem confusing when trying to understand it, but Yates was wise in adding an aesthetically-pleasing explanation. Another pleasant surprise in the movie was the three actors who portrayed the trio when disguised as ministry workers. The older actors David O’Hara, Steffan Rhodri and Sophie Thompson (who played Harry, Ron and Hermione respectively) really did their homework and portrayed the characters in the same manner that Radcliffe, Grint or Watson would have.
They also managed to conjure many laughs despite the severe circumstances of their scenes and the film in general. Even for casual fans who’ve never read the books or seen the previous films, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 is easy to follow with no prior knowledge necessary because of its helpful flashbacks and explanations. Yates does a great job in building up the suspense for Part 2, which also looks very promising. Harry Potter has been a household name for well over a decade now and it is clear that the phenomenon is going to make sure it lives on well after its final movie. Part 2 of the Deathly Hallows is scheduled to premiere on July 15, 2011.
SHOW CHOIR PUTS UNIVERSITY INTO MOTION WITH STELLAR VOCAL PERFORMANCES PETER LONG Staff Writer
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characters were returning from their pilgrimage to the West Coast. As the song digressed, the beat of the modern New York “Empire State of Mind” blasted over the speakers. The show did an excellent job of not only highlighting the talents of the student performers, but also of establishing believable characters that all connected back to the theme. From the hipsters to the pancake house waitress to two stressed out college students, these were characters that the students in the audience could relate with. It was this relation between the performers and the audience that was one of the original goals that Love and McCoy wanted to achieve in the first place. Even though most of the credit will go to Love and McCoy, and deservingly so, the production stayed together because of Courtien and Philips. Their improv skills and chemistry between each other were flawless. Hopefully this performance will spark interest in not only “Vocal Motion,” but also the entire performing arts department. Maybe instead of watching Glee, students can be part of an organization that is just as good.
The TORCH
“Walking in Memphis” as an ode to the birthplace of rock n’ roll for the first acoustic performance of the night. Later, Kurt Cruz and Christian Schwoyer portrayed a couple of hipster street performers playing Mayday Parade’s deep-cut “Jamie all Over,” a ditty about a guy and girl who get lost in the “bright lights” of Las Vegas, a destination that the show’s narrators eventually visit. After the classic sing-a-long “Party in the USA” and a beautiful rendition of the song “Vegas” sung by Daria Coney, the ladies of Vocal Motion took center stage as they performed their version of Katy Perry’s “California Gurls.” Alexa Peyton came out in full Katy Perry garb for this number, throwing candy out to the audience at the end of the song, automatically making it a crowd favorite and possibly the best performance of the night. Justine Woods’ rendition of “Goodnight Hollywood Boulevard” was the precursor to the show’s ending medley, a tribute to New York City. Courtien and Philips performed the original anthem for the state of New York and Billy Joel staple, “New York State of Mind” as their two
8 Dec. 2010
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hile you were sitting at home or hanging in your dorm watching last week’s episode of Glee on Hulu for the hundredth time, you could have caught St. John’s University’s show choir, cleverly dubbed “Vocal Motion,” put on their performance entitled Life is a Highway: A Musical Road Trip Through America. Director Lara Love and stage manager Megan McCoy said that the concept of the show was a “cohesive effort.” “It was all a collaboration,” said Love. “We really wanted a show that people could relate to as opposed to a coffeehouse performance.” Life is a Highway will be the first production done by the group in the Little Theater. Coffeehouse, cabaret-style performances were the only way “Vocal Motion” could present their work when just starting out, but now it seems the choir is taking a step forward. Love said that most of the
music was chosen by the performers, but whether there was sheet music or choral arrangements was a different story. “It takes a lot of work to put the story, the music and the whole show together,” Love said, “but in the end, it’s all worth it.” This showcase of University talent brought us mostly contemporary music that ranged from soft-rock to hiphop. Everything from piano ballads to fun dance numbers were represented during this performance, each song demonstrating the talents of the 24-member ensemble. Such a star-studded songbook can be intimidating for such a young group but McCoy said it was not a problem. “A lot of us have a theater background,” she said. “We had a lot of preparation so we weren’t afraid.” The audience is taken on a road trip with two college students played by Michael Courtien and Justin Phillips. The beginning of the “trip” leads us into the first musical number of the evening, “Life is a Highway,” sung by the entire company. The trip made its first stop in Memphis. Fittingly, John Nico and Stephanie Walsh performed a stripped down version of Mark Cohn’s 1991 hit
ENTERTAINMENT
A Road Trip Through Song
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Tour Celebrates Sneaker Culture SNEAKERHEADS AND HIP-HOP ARTISTS COME TOGETHER FOR A PIMPED OUT SHOW MARIA YAP Staff Writer
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he Sneaker Pimps Tour hit NYC for its last stop on Dec. 4, 2010. For those who aren’t “sneakerheads” (an individual obsessed with keeping their sneaker collection fresh), Sneaker Pimps is the world’s largest touring sneaker and hip-hop exhibition. As stated on their website, the Sneaker Pimps Tour was founded in Sydney, Australia by Peter Fahey and has toured in more than 60 cities worldwide since 2003. Last night, one of Manhattan’s thriving nightclubs, Touch, was packed from wall to wall with sneakerheads and hiphop fanatics. On the main floor, the venue was covered with the rarest and finest of sneakers from a variety of popular brands. Sponsors of the event, including Footaction, The Source magazine and NBA Jam, were at designated tables on the second floor, giving away freebies and promoting their latest products. Aside from sneakers, street artists showcased their original works throughout the night as well. While the crowd patiently waited for the show to start, sneaker vendors and sneakerheads bought, sold and traded sneakers, like vintage Jordans, NIKE SBs and more. Past Sneaker Pimps’ music performances have included: Nas, Lupe Fiasco,
The Cool Kids, Travis Barker, Diplo, Pete Rock and Redman, just to name a few. This year’s event was hosted by “Downtown’s Sweetheart,” Vashtie and Dave Jeff of phliworldwide.com. Musical artists included Phil Ade, The Kid Daytona, Trademark, Rocky Business, Kydd, Thee Tom Hardy, Jasmine Solano, Diggy Simmons, Rick Ross and Curren$y. While some of the artists were new to the scene, the crowd still showed them love with synchronized head-bobbing and arm waving throughout the entire show. Diggy Simmons, as seen on Run’s House on MTV, was well received by the fans, even as the youngest to perform for the night. Rick Ross was another performer who livened up the crowd with some of his latest hits, “Oh, Let’s Do It,” “All I Do Is Win” and “Maybach Music.” As the closing act, Curren$y brought his passion for music to his fans. As the crowd migrated closer to the front, they kept their hands up in the air and rapped along with every lyric. Performing songs from Pilot Talk and his new album, Pilot Talk 2, Curren$y ended the night right. At the end of his set, the rapper jumped down into the crowd and showed his fans some appreciation. The sneaker culture has expanded and come a long way since they were first accepted into the hip-hop realm and fashion world. Sneakers are no longer just worn by athletes to help enhance their performance; they are now part of a trend, a lifestyle and most importantly, a form of expression.
TORCH PHOTO/ MARIA YAP
The freshest sneakers lined the walls of the Manhattan nightclub Touch as many came to trade, buy and add to their collection of footwear.
A Crime Not Worth Solving
torchonline.com
The TORCH
8 Dec. 2010
ENTERTAINMENT
FLEMING
III’S
LATEST
ABIGAIL HERNANDEZ Staff Writer WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES OUT OF 4 STARS
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hat promised to be an interesting story of two star-crossed lovers entangled in human trafficking and organized crime, turned out to be an anticlimactic read in Connor Fleming III’s novel What A Difference A Day Makes. Trying to pinpoint where Fleming went wrong with his first novel is difficult. It could be the story that fell flat or simply Fleming’s writing style. The most criminal thing about this book was actually his complete lack of proper grammar. At first, readers may be able to overlook a misplaced comma, or a forgotten question mark at the end of a question, but punctuation mark errors occur so often throughout every page it is impossible to pass them off as overlooked mistakes. Another constant mistake, though thankfully not as often as the punctuation errors, was the change from past tense to present tense within the same sentence. Even worse was when Fleming would switch pronouns from “they” to “our” within the same sentence and end up including himself in the story. If the basics of writing can’t be followed, how are readers supposed to expect his stories
NOVEL
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will be well written? Aside from the improperly placed periods, Fleming’s book also lacked dialogue. The book consists of “he said” and “she said’s” throughout. There is not a single page of actual direct dialogue between two characters. In a story supposedly full of unique, colorful characters, dialogue was severely needed to help flesh them out by providing examples of how they interacted with others and show how they differed from other stereotypical mobster characters. Instead, readers are left with blocks of paragraphs that go through entire conversations paraphrased between two stale characters. Direct dialogue would’ve also helped Fleming cut some of the excess from his book. It is understandable that as a new writer, eager to illustrate the entire world he has created, Fleming wanted to share all his characters’ unique backgrounds, however giving a history of characters only mentioned once in the novel was unnecessary and irrelevant to the story that already dragged. There isn’t an action in this crime story until halfway into the book, and even then it is all poorly written and ends so soon it takes a re-read to understand what happened, making it a chore. Overall, the problem lies mostly within its plot and characters. One of the worst characters of the entire book was the impossibly perfect main character, Donny O’Mara. O’Mara is well loved by every single person, has an abundant amount of cash to spend without worries, is incredibly smart, and manages to
LITTLE
“DIFFERENCE”
get away with everything with absolutely no consequences–in short, the character is flawless, except that maybe he is such a grandma’s boy. Not only is this impossible to believe, it is also boring to read. It’s hard for readers to get into the heart of the action that surrounds the almighty O’Mara who helps a stranger (Anna) escape from being a victim of human trafficking and puts his criminal job at risk by doing so. It initially sounds romantically dangerous, but once he returns to the scene of the crime at the burlesque club, everything is fine and Anna’s disappearance from the club doesn’t seem to
PHOTO COURTESY OF BARNESANDNOBLE.COM
Conor Fleming III aims to bring romance and crime together.
TO
READERS
be a problem at all. The entire conflict becomes seemingly useless. However, Fleming still wrote of O’Mara’s “struggle” to escape from the crime-filled lifestyle and disappear to live with the “love of his life” Anna. Fleming describes his first novel as a love story, however the love aspect of this book is written so horribly it makes the action sequences seem like literary works. Readers shouldn’t be told that a couple is in love, they should be shown through the characters’ actions and dialogue, or at the very least descriptive detail. Instead, important events like a first kiss or a marriage proposal are literally written with such an indifferent, unenthusiastic tone, that a reader cannot root for the two characters’ relationship. The fact that the couple doesn’t even know each other, and spends more time apart than together doesn’t help readers believe they are truly soul mates either. The final chapter in Fleming’s book consisted of every single character’s (even those mentioned once!) happy, or not so happy, ending. Fleming’s selfproclaimed unique story was as basic as any other. The bad guys got what they deserved while the protagonist got away to live happily ever after. Even the biggest protestor of the Twilight series would agree that the vampire romance series is a literary masterpiece in comparison to this novel. With a plot that has so much potential, What A Difference A Day Makes requires serious editing and revision before recommendation to others.
Hit or Miss: Banks Reigns
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INFERNO REVIEWS THE LATEST ALBUM RELEASES TO DETERMINE IF THE MUSIC IS RIGHT ON TARGET RALPH BRISTOUT
KARLA RODRIGUEZ
JOSHUA BAILEY
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
LLOYD BANKS
NE-YO
NICKI MINAJ
H.F.M. 2 (Hunger For More 2)
Libra Scale
Pink Friday
(R&B)
(Rap)
OUT OF 4 STARS
OUT OF 4 STARS
(Rap) 1/2 OUT OF 4 STARS
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fter months of anticipation, R&B artist Ne-Yo released his fourth studio album, Libra Scale. Originally scheduled to be released in September, the project was pushed back several times so that the singer could have more time to perfect the album. Unfortunately, the date coincided with the release of albums from the likes of Nicki Minaj and Kanye West. Libra Scale sold around 117,000 copies in its first week, landing the eighth spot on the music charts. In an interview with ArtistDirect.com, Ne-Yo showed no sign of defeat saying, “I don’t make music so that I can go ‘Oh yeah! Everyone is going to buy this.’ I make music because the creative and artist side of it is still what I do it for.” The concept behind Libra Scale is based on a short story the R&B singer penned himself. The story is about three men who must choose between money, power, and fame versus love. The artist says that in the music business, people are forced to choose between the things that will brighten their star or the ones that feed the soul. He adds, “If you weigh it out on a Libra scale, which one would prevail in your life?” Ne-Yo is no stranger to hits, writing songs for artists like Rihanna, Beyonce and Mary J. Blige. Some of his more popular singles include “So Sick” and “Miss Independent.” The songs on Libra Scale are no different. The album provides the listener with storytelling songs that show a man embarking on a journey while discovering his love and admiration for a woman. Songs that display contemporary music styles like “Beautiful Monster,” “Cause I Said So” and “Crazy Love,” are about a femme fatale sort of woman whom he can’t get enough of. For those who are used to the classic Ne-Yo R&B displayed in 2008’s Year of the Gentleman, the songs “Telekinesis,” “Making A Movie” and “What Have I Done” are sure to please. Although Ne-Yo has definitely matured as an artist and experimented with new sounds, his efforts in Libra Scale were not enough to generate the success he received from past albums. Even if he may have been overshadowed by his chart-topping competitors, Ne-Yo still appreciates his fans for buying the album and loving his art. The singer even tweeted, “I do it for those who care and can’t be mad at those who don’t…at the end of the day I’m learning.”
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arbie dolls, Toucan Sam colored wigs, and the color pink come to mind when Nicki Minaj is brought into conversation (Ken not included). Over the last year, Minaj has become a household name in the music industry for her animated delivery and colorful personality, but is she a fad or an artist? Her debut album Pink Friday drove approximately 400,000 listeners to iTunes and retail stores across the country in its first week. Throughout Pink Friday, Minaj plays on her doublesided personality. One side is in need and searching for help, while the other is ferocious, aggressive and a conqueror of all. In a way, this plays perfectly into the grand scheme of her music. It’s hard to categorize Minaj’s art into one genre: The pop music side of the female rapper is soft and delicate while the rap side is tough-skinned and ruthless, thriving off of her haters. The superstar features also reflects on Minaj’s popularity as she calls on guests such as Kanye West, Will.I.Am, Rihanna, Drake and Eminem to add more to her tracks. Rihanna summarizes half of the theme for the album in “Fly” singing about overcoming obstacles to ascend to great heights in her career: “I came to win, to fight, to conquer, to thrive/ I came to win, to survive, to prosper, to rise, to fly.” Minaj shows her vulnerability, however, on “Save Me” where she makes a cry for help out of her loneliness: “This time won’t you save me/ baby I can feel myself giving up.” Minaj’s hits including “Right Thru Me,” “Your Love” and “Check It Out” flaunt the fun side her fans have come to adore. Minaj has managed to create a new breed of female artist, one that blends over-the-top antics of a pop star and the lyrical delivery of a rapper. Former hip-hop queens may dislike her for copying the style of those who came before her, but she is different—Minaj is the birth of pop-rap, making her album a solid win.
First Listen: Stoned Fire SARAH FESTA Contributing Writer
kick off the new year on January 6th, 2011 at Crash Mansion (199 Bowery).
For more on the band, visit: stonedfire.com and myspace.com/stonedfire
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online if you can’t make it to any shows. A few things stand out after a first listen of their clips. For starters, Stoned Fire has talent. Not only do they convey the image of classic American rock stars, they also showcase a talented keyboardist and stellar harmonics, best exemplified in the track “Fool.” Stoned Fire also has a greater appeal to listeners. You don’t have to be a hardcore rock fan to appreciate the band’s sound. The vibe is more universal and it’s easy to see that some of their tracks are radio-friendly hits, like the song “Intuition.” Stoned Fire is currently hitting the airwaves around the city and already opened for groups like Hinder and My Darkest Days. Stoned Fire has two upcoming shows worth checking out: December 14th at Don Hills (511 Greenwich Street) and one to
The TORCH
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hat do you get when you combine the looks of Sound Garden, a voice somewhere in between Pete Townshend and Steven Tyler, and a sound similar to Metallica if it got its start on the East coast? Obviously, you’re going to get some wild hair and enough leather jackets to make a PETA advocate cringe. But more impressively, you’ll get the New York City rock band Stoned Fire. Despite being a baby in the New York rock scene, Stoned Fire has already begun making a definite impression—starting simply with the group’s motto of “Once you hear us,
you feel dirty, sexy, fun.” Founded in Brooklyn, Stoned Fire came together after seemingly countless auditions in the summer of 2009. The band consists of Peter Krsikapa (vocals), Gino DeGeso (guitar), Sean Battista (guitar), David Alva (bass), Georgios Pesios (keyboard), and Nate Honor (drums). Stoned Fire pulls influences from legendary rock groups and mixes them with a distinctive style to help create classic rock vibes without an outdated sound. DeGeso prides himself on the group’s sound and style, stating, “Stoned Fire represents the NYC rock scene and is here to bring rock n’ roll back to what it once was.” The group is currently in the studio working on their EP but they do have a sampling of their music available
8 Dec. 2010
INFERNO REVIEWS NEW YORK CITY’S FLAMING ROCK BAND ON THE RISE
ENTERTAINMENT
he hunger of G-Unit’s lyrical assassin, Lloyd Banks, has pretty much remained insatiable since his debut. The raspy wordsmith graced the ears of many with his critically acclaimed debut The Hunger For More back in 2004, which set the stage for him as a top notch lyricist. Things took a turn, however, with the release of his tepidly received sophomore LP, Rotten Apple in 2006, which resulted in his departure from Interscope Records. Now four years later, and with a new record deal, Banks seeks to reclaim the glory from his first album, releasing the highly anticipated sequel, H.F.M.2 (Hunger For More 2). The fire and punch of “Take’ Em to War” creates the overall tone for the entire album: “They want me to lose but I’m gonna win/ I made it here before I know I can make it again.” Backed by a hard-hitting drum beat, the album’s opener is the perfect way to kick things off as Banks brings in his G-Unit cohort Tony Yayo to deliver a gritty, gangster-esque vibe that captures the essence of New York’s underbelly streets. The same vibe continues over on the track, “Unbelievable,” featuring Styles P, which finds the former foes dishing out a lyrical dosage that’s sure to blow listeners away, “I got a thing for beaches, gettin’ my favorite job/Pain happens young scarred that’s what made us hard.” What differs between the original and the sequel is that the latter features a vast array of stellar guest appearances. There are more guests than actual solo spots for Banks on this album, which is a little overwhelming for listeners seeking to hear more of the G-Unit comrade. However, amidst these features are an abundance of exceptional tracks that finds everyone, including Banks, holding their own weight. Tracks like “On the Double” and “Any Girl” featuring R&B singer Lloyd, seem out of place due to their redundant sound that evidently breaks the album’s cohesiveness. However, the fan favorite posse cut “Start It Up,” with Kanye West, Fabolous, Ryan Leslie and Swizz Beatz, finds Banks exemplifying his craft of creating good quality music. Overall, H.F.M.2 isn’t as properly executed as its predecessor, but it is surely one impressive body of work.
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All Praise The Zombies AMC’S LATEST ZOMBIE SERIES BRINGS VIEWERS A LIVELY FINALE AFTER SIX EPISODES LENELI LIGGAYU Staff Writer THE WALKING DEAD - OUT OF 4 STARS
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he Walking Dead blows up! Sunday night’s season finale of the short six- episode series reeled in a whopping six million viewers. For the 18-49 year old demographic, it became the most watched cable series in basic cable ever, according to TVByTheNumbers.com. The Walking Dead, which premiered on Halloween, is based on the comic series of the same name. The show follows Rick Grimes, a good-guy cop who faced a rude awakening upon discovering he is now living in a post-zombie apocalyptic world with a group of survivors learning how to deal in this new environment. It may not have been the usual storyline for AMC (whose other notable series hits include Mad Men and Breaking Bad), but it has proven its worth. The season finale episode began with a flashback giving insight into how Grimes survived to see another day then returns to present time where we find our group of survivors face to face with Dr. Edwin Jenner, the sole remaining human at the Center for Disease Control (CDC), located in Atlanta, Ga. Jenner, a curious character with something to hide, lets the group in, brings them to the underground labs and exposes them to a life safe from the zombie world above them. The little things can finally be enjoyed again: wine, hot showers and
books put the survivors at ease, at least for the night. The following morning proves to be a revealing one. With the help of Vy, the voice-activated computer, Jenner pulls up an MRI scan of volunteer test subject 19, who had contracted the virus. The first MRI shows the synapses in the form of beautiful blue lights pulsating throughout the subject’s brain until the time of death. Jenner explained that “resurrection time” varied from three minutes to eight hours. Then he pulls up the second MRI which shows the “resurrection.” The blue lights are now an eerie pulsating red glow and it restarts the brain stem. But as most zombie enthusiasts know, there’s no brain left. What’s left is just a shell. Ironically, the protective shell for the survivors, which is the CDC, runs on backup generators which we soon learn are about to run out. Once they empty, Vy and the entire CDC system call for desperate measures: decontamination. After locking the group in, Jenner explains that a 5,000-6,000-degree bomb (only second to a nuclear explosion) will detonate to decontaminate the area. The group freaks out knowing that they would rather risk life with the living dead than a death like that. By episode’s end, viewers are left with the question of their survival. Though little zombie slaying was seen in this episode, it does paint a perfect picture of what the show is about: the struggle of the human race to endure against all odds. After the season finale, Entertainment
PHOTO COURTESY OF AMCTV.COM/ORIGINALS/THE-WALKING-DEAD/
Rick Grimes (played by British actor Andrew Lincoln) is seen in the first episode of the AMC series as the lone cop warding off a town of zombies. Weekly spoke with writer and executive producer, Robert Kirkman. He said that it was an incredible task for the show’s writers to create a six-story season that would hopefully build an audience while not being too vague. However, the numbers prove that they were successful: Walking Dead debuted with 5.3 million viewers and maintained a consistent two million viewership during its run. There’s no doubt why the series was picked up for another season.
Kirkman also said that Walking Dead executive producer and finale co-writer Frank Darabont was also mindful of the short story sequence, but knew how to work the plot in a way that engaged audiences and left unanswered questions. The second season is anticipated to return in fall of 2011. Until then, fans will just have to remember Jenner’s words in the finale to stay patient: “We always think there’s gonna be more time, and it runs out.”
TORCHCOMICS 8 December 2010
Kitaro Jennifer Perez
The Adventures of Rufus James Kerigan
Elevator Man Jordan Baum
1-800-ARMSTRACO Johnathan Roman
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St. John’s rulers of the road Women’s basketball team wins third straight road game against BU MIKE CUNNIFF Staff Writer The No. 20/24 St. John’s women’s basketball team cruised to a 66-42 victory at Boston University on Saturday. ST. JOHN’S
66
BOSTON UNIV.
42
PHOTO COURTESY OF ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
Senior forward Coco Hart led the Red Storm with 15 points and seven rebounds Saturday against Boston University.
SPORTS
The win brought the Red Storm to 7-1 in non-conference play, all of which have been by double digits. Playing in their fourth true road game, the Johnnies got off to a slow start, trading baskets in the early going and leading 11-9 with 13:48 left in the first half. But a put-back by sophomore guard Shenneika Smith sparked an 8-0 run that put St. John’s ahead 19-9 and forced a BU timeout. After a Terrier 3-pointer made it 19-12, the Johnnies went on a 13-0 run to extend the lead to 21 points. BU committed eight turnovers during that stretch. Smith was instrumental during the run, scoring four points, grabbing four rebounds, forcing three steals and dishing out two assists, while senior guard Sky Lindsay scored five points and had two steals. Despite having a tough shooting night, hitting just 4-14 from the field, Smith filled up the box score with nine points, a team-high seven rebounds and four assists. Senior Coco Hart scored 11 points in the first half and finished with a team-
high 15 points and seven rebounds. St. John’s used a stifling defense to create offense. They scored 18 points off turnovers in the first half, and 23 in the game. They forced 21 Terrier turnovers and allowed BU to shoot just 28 percent from the field. The teams went into the locker room with the score 38-19. The second half was more of the same, with a layup by senior forward Da’Shena Stevens with 8:33 left to play that gave the Red Storm their biggest lead of the night at 58-30. Stevens, after struggling in the first half with foul trouble, scored 12 of her 15 points in the second half. Lindsay also hit double figures with 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting. The Terriers were led by guard Alex Young, who, in addition to committing six turnovers, scored 11 points and had five assists. They held point guard Mo Moran, fresh off a triple double against Yale, to eight points and no assists. The win marked the Johnnies’ sixth straight since an early road loss to Kansas State. They’ve won four games away from home, with one neutral site victory and three road wins on their résumé. They play one conference game, Wednesday’s home match-up with Seton Hall, before continuing non-conference play. The rest of their non-conference schedule includes trips to Kingston, Rhode Island, to take on the University of R.I. and College Park, Md. to play two games in the Maryland Terrapin Classic. In between those two road trips are a pair of home games at Carnesseca Arena in the St. John’s Chartwells Holiday Classic.
Track and field preps for first indoor meet to step up for the Red Storm. Junior captain Chanel King looks to lead a young group of throwers this winter. King was an All-Big East honoree in the shot put and weight throw last year. Freshman Angela Onye, Natasha Amazan, Danette Hinton and Gina Frisa will join her in the throwing pit. The Bill Ward Invite will get under way around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. St. John’s will look to represent well as a host in their first ever Indoor meet. The Red Storm will also compete at the NYC Armory, the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston, Mass., Rice University in Houston, Texas, Princeton University in Princeton, N.J., and the historic Franklin Field in Philadelphia, Pa., for the Penn Relays.
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finished fourth at the ECAC Championships, this group will look to score points in the mile and 1,500-meter races. Joining Sudbury and Meyerhoff will be Katrina Schaefer, Nicole Cocozzaa, Aryon Trujillo, Angela Jarvela, and Chelsea Trant. The middle distance races looks like an area where this Red Storm team should excel. The team set a school record last year in the 4x800-meter relay and won All-Big East honors in the 4x400-meter relay last year. Seniors Lauren Wynter, Vanessa Thompson, Kim Piard, and Rene Cousins will look to continue to set the mark for this Indoor season. Sophomore Rikka Lovely, an All-Big East runner last year, will look to lead this team in the short sprints. She will be joined by fellow sophomores Alexis Bean and Molly Ellis who hope to have strong seasons in the indoor 60-meter dash. Hurt will also need freshmen Corrine Williams, Maya Lewis, Brittany Wright, and Brittany Petersen
The TORCH
The St. John’s Indoor Track and Field team will open the season Wednesday, Dec. 8 by playing host to the Bill Ward Invite, the program’s first-ever indoor home meet. The Red Storm will look to improve on a highly successful 2009-10 campaign. Loaded with experience, the 2010-11 team consists of 12 seniors and 10 athletes who scored in last year’s Big East Championships. Head coach Jim Hurt, who is entering his 22nd season, knows the ability this year’s squad has and is confident that they can achieve success in a number of different events. “This is one of our most anticipated seasons as we enter the indoor campaign,” Hurt said. “We are led by a tremendous senior class, and we have
outstanding athletes in all of the event areas. We have worked to prepare in the fall, and I hope that our depth across the board leads to team success throughout the year.” Leading the way for St. John’s is senior Priscilla Frederick. Frederick, a long-jumper, who highlighted last year’s season by finishing 8th at the NCAA Indoor Championship and 6th in the Outdoor Championships, as well as earning All-America honors for each performance. Fredrick currently holds the school record with a best jump of 1.84 meters. Sophomore jumper Stephanie Barnes, who finished 10th in the triplejump at the USA Track & Field Junior Championships over the summer, will join Frederick in the jump pit along with seniors Bintou Dibba and Diana DeJesus. Leading the way for the St. John’s distance runners are senior captain Sarah Sudbury and junior transfer Samantha Meyerhoff. After a successful cross-country season in which the team
8 Dec. 2010
TIMOTHY GIBBONS Staff Writer
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MEN’S BASKETBALL
Easy come, easily gone Men’s basketball team blows two double-digit leads, loses to Bonnies BILL SAN ANTONIO Sports Editor A drifter and a dagger—sometimes, that’s all it takes for an upset. Enter Andrew Nicholson, the St. Bonaventure forward whose jumper from the top of the key with six seconds left in regulation served as the game-winner Tuedsay night for the Bonnies, 67-66, over the St. John’s men’s basketball team—the same Nicholson who was held to two firsthalf points but broke out for a 19-point, 13-rebound performance. ST. BONAVENTURE
ST. JOHN’S
67
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The TORCH
8 Dec. 2010
SPORTS
“We went over [his tendencies] in [practice], so we knew what he was capable of,” said senior forward Justin Brownlee, who guarded Nicholson’s shot attempt. “But I think it was just a bad defensive job on my part. I let him get that shot off.” Though Nicholson had been generating most of his offense from the post area, he floated out to the perimeter and took the shot just out of Brownlee’s reach, a shot that would end the Red Storm’s five-game winning streak. “They managed to get some good looks and, at the end in particular, we should’ve chased Nicholson off the 3-point line,” head coach Steve Lavin said. “We had done that all game—on his catches, on the perimeter and his catches
inside. We wanted to double and make someone else beat us.” The effort was the culmination of St. Bonaventure’s (5-2) destruction of two double-digit leads St. John’s (5-2) established throughout the game. The Red Storm jumped out to a 10point lead midway through the half after an 8-2 run put them up 47-37, but Nicholson’s seven points during an ensuing 9-0 run brought the Bonnies back into contention. “I think Nicholson was just demanding the ball more. In the first half he was passing a lot of those out, and in the second he started to shoot more,” senior point guard Malik Boothe said. St. John’s forced 19 turnovers and had 14 steals, but settled for jump shots and struggled yet again from the free throw line. The Red Storm shot 25-of-59 from the field and went 10-of-20 from the line. “There’s pieces or components, like a mosaic, in the first half that are just as important, whether it’s a missed free throw, a missed block-out responsibility, a missed rotation or taking a shot early when we need to make them defend a little bit longer,” Lavin said. Brownlee added, “I thought we could have held the lead. I think we took too many jump shots and we should have been more aggressive. We should have gotten to the free throw line and made our free throws.” St. John’s had the opportunity to break the game open early, going 5-of-7 from the field on a 13-0 run that began when senior guard Dwight Hardy hit a 3-pointer, grabbed a steal and then made a breakaway layup that made the game 5-2 before the dust settled from the
TORCH PHOTO/KRISTEN FARMER
Dwight Hardy broke out of his shooting slump with 24 points Tuesday. game’s opening tip. Hardy, who had been struggling in finding his shooting rhythm entering Tuesday’s game, scored 24 points on 10of-18 shooting and connected on 4-of-9
from 3-point range. “It’s frustrating for a shooter not to hit shots, but I’ve been patient, just putting up extra shots after practice and I knew it was going to come,” Hardy said. “It doesn’t usually happen, but I’ve stayed positive throughout the whole stretch. As long as I stayed positive, I knew I was going to get out of it sooner or later.” After St. Bonaventure hit back-toback shots, however, the Red Storm’s offense stalled. Though St. John’s forced turnovers on four straight possessions near the 11-minute mark in the first half, they were unable to capitalize on numerous fast break opportunities and shot 39 percent from the field in the half. “There was a stretch in the first half when we fell in love with the jumpshot and we had them in the bonus,” Lavin said. “We did a better job in the second half of turning down some of those shots and still being aggressive, using a shot fake, getting into a gap and making that and-one and one more pass for an open look.” St. Bonaventure, led by Michael Davenport’s 12 first-half points, went on a mini 7-0 run and tied the game at 17 with 8:14 remaining. “They got on the boards when we went with a bit of a smaller group and they took advantage with second and third shot opportunities, which was wise on their part to pound away,” Lavin said. St. John’s went to a combination of Brownlee, Burrell and forward Sean Evans, who made his first start of the season, in stopping Nicholson, whose only first-half points came off a pair of free throws. He shot 0-for-5 from the field in the first half but grabbed five rebounds.
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TORCH SPORTS
STORM
CAST
Leavin’ their Mark TCU to join Big East
Texas Christian University has accepted an invitation to join the Big East athletic conference starting with the 2012-13 year. TCU, which participates in 20 sports, will become the 17th member of the Big East on July 1, 2012. The Horned Frogs’ men’s and women’s basketball teams each won their Mountain West Conference championships last year, and its baseball team played in last year’s College World Series. In addition, the school’s football program has garnered national attention for reaching this year’s Rose Bowl and Last Year’s Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. The Horned Frogs went 12-0 during the regular season.
Softball adds game against Dutch National team
TORCH PHOTO/KRISTEN FARMER
The men’s basketball team’s struggles at the free throw line would not be as big an issue if it didn’t also struggle in generating points consistently out of the half-court offense.
Offense still sputtering despite start
The St. John’s fencing team went undefeated at the Brandeis Invitational on Saturday, with the men’s team going 5-0 and the women’s team 6-0. St. John’s competes next on Jan. 14 at the NAC-Division 1 Junior in Dallas, Texas.
Blowin’ in the Wind
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We went over [his tendencies] in [practice], so we knew what he was capable of. But I think it was just a bad defensive job on my part. I let him get that shot off.
”
Headin’ this Way Red Storm home games
Men’s Basketball:
Jan. 3
Consolation
Georgetown
7:00 p.m.
Women’s Basketball: Dec. 8 Seton Hall 7:00 p.m. Dec. 18 Southern Miss. 1:00 p.m.
torchonline.com
Dec. 20 Davidson (MSG 9:30 p.m. Holiday Classic) MSG Holiday Classic TBA Dec. 21 Championship/
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-Justin Brownlee on defending Andrew Nicholson’s gamewinning shot
8 Dec. 2010
Kentucky, but even though St. John’s and North Carolina share issues at the line, they differ in one regard: North Carolina is a flat-out better offensive team than the Red Storm, and despite shooting at a smiliar rate from the field, can score at will in many different ways. St. John’s isn’t just failing to execute from the free throw line, but within its entire half-court offense. St. John’s has wasted too many easy points at the line and has struggled to make up for those points elsewhere. The Johnnies accumulate the bulk of their points off high-percentage shots resulting from forced turnovers, and so far this season the defense has been at its best when the offense has been at its worst. It erased a six-point deficit as part of a 10-0 run against Arizona State in the Great Alaska Shootout title game last month in nearly 15 seconds, a key factor in winning the tournament. But as tight as the St. John’s press can be, it cannot create turnovers on every possession and cannot directly contribute offense. It took St. John’s over ten minutes to score its first points of the game against the Sun Devils, with many missed free throws to blame. The Red Storm aren’t going to shut anybody out, and even if a 10-point deficit is built over a seven minute span, it is still a 10-point deficit that must be
overcome by made baskets. At the very least, if the Johnnies can’t make shots, by making free throws they’d at least be scoring in some form. North Carolina can afford an average day at the free throw line because the team’s overall offense can execute fairly consistently and pick up the slack in the half-court game. For the Tar Heels, free throws then become a luxury, not the necessity they have become with the Red Storm. St. John’s inability to consistently make free throws in accordance with poor offensive showings indicates an alarming trend as the non-conference schedule winds down. Issues like free throw shooting are supposed to be fixed come this time of year, and the half-court offense should be fluid by now—especially with a group as comfortable with each other as this St. John’s team, with the majority of its 10 seniors in the consistent rotation. If anything, the Red Storm’s offense was supposed to get even better with another year’s experience, not suffer the same problems of yesteryear. If the Red Storm don’t have these problems fixed by the start of conference play—and not just fixed, but obliterated, so that the offense is running so smoothly you can wax a floor with it— West Virginia is going to run them out of the building on Dec. 29. Points are scarce and must be had at every possible opportunity. Scoring 65 points a game can beat teams like DePaul, but it wasn’t even enough to beat St. Bonaventure last night and won’t be enough to beat Syracuse and Villanova. By then, they’ll have much bigger problems than missed free throws to deal with.
Fencing goes unbeaten at Brandeis Invitational
SPORTS
Tyler Zeller knocked them down when it mattered most. The North Carolina forward was fouled three times with under 1:30 left in the second half against No. 10 Kentucky, and he made all six free throws. The Tar Heels pulled off the upset, and when the selection committee read’s UNC’s resume in early March, the upset will come in handy. I’m not sure if St. John’s has a Tyler Zeller. I say this despite D.J. Kennedy and Dwight Hardy, who are nearly automatic at the line for the Red Storm. It’s just tough to imagine the Johnnies making free throws with the game on the line, even though they haven’t yet been tested in a tight game. St. John’s went 22-of-36 from the free throw line against Wagner, shooting at a 63.2 percent clip. Though Wagner battled back and made St. John’s sweat out the win, the game was never really close enough to be determined the way the Tar Heels’ upset had been, by late free throws. The Red Storm certainly know how to get to the line, and their knack for getting fouled resulted in multiple Wagner players having recorded three fouls very early in the second half. Because of this, St. John’s was in the double bonus earlier and had even more opportunities to pack on points. But if Hardy (5-of-5 against Wagner) or Kennedy (6-of-8 against Wagner) wasn’t sent to the line, the trip became an adventure, with multiple frustrating misses for Justin Burrell (1-of-5 against Wagner) and Paris Horne (2-of-7 against Wagner). The lack of conversions from the line shouldn’t be a big deal for a team with a 5-2 record. Heck, even North Carolina missed 11 free throws against
The St. John’s softball team will face the Dutch National Softball Team in an exhibition game on March 8, 2011, at 6 p.m. in Clearwater, Florida. “The timing worked out great as they will be in the Tampa-Clearwater area on their American Tour the same week we are in town for our spring break trip [in the USF Under Armour Showcase],” head coach Amy Kvilhaug said.
SPORTS 8 DECEMBER 2010 | VOLUME 88, ISSUE 11 | TORCHONLINE.COM
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The track and field team will host its first-ever indoor meet Wednesday at St. Anthony’s High School.
The women’s basketball team beat Boston University on the road on Saturday.
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