Tuesday, October 30, 2007 Volume 134, Issue 1 0 2 October 30, 2007 2 News 6 Who's who in Newark 12 Editorial 13 Opinion 17 Mosaic 21 delaware UNdressed 26 Classifieds 28 Sports 28 Sports Commentary w<~l> exclJJsives Check out these articles and more on udreview.com ? FORMER SORORITY HOUSE USED FOR FRESHMEN HOUSING ? APPLICANTS TO U.S. LAW SCHOOLS ON TWO-YEAR DECLINE ? POLICE URGE AWARENESS AS MAIL SCAMS TARGET NEWARK CITIZENS The Review is published once weekly every Tuesday of the school year, except dur ing Winter and Summer Sessions. An exclusive, online edition is published every Friday. Our main office is located at 250 Perkins Student Center, Newark, DE 19716. If you have questions about advertising or news content, see tlie listings below. 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Editor In Chief Wesley Case ExecuHve Editor Sarah Lipman Editorial Editors Maggie Schiller, JeffRuoss Copy Desk Chiefs Kelly Durkin, Tucker Liszkiewicz Photography Editor Ricky Berl Art Editor Domenic-DiBerardinis Art Director John Transue Web site Editor Christina Sollecito Blogger Dane Secor Managing News Editors Sarah Kenney, Joe Zimmermann Administrative News Editor Jessica Lapointe City News Editor Katie Rogers NaHonai/State News Editor Elan Ronen News Features Editor Brittany Talarico Student Affairs News Editor Elena Chin Senior News Reporter Kristin Vorce Managing Mosaic Editors Laura Dattaro, Andrea Ramsay Features Editors Caitlin Birch, Liz Seasholtz Entertainment Editors Adam Asher, Sammi Cassin delaware UNdressed Columnist Sarah Niles Fashion Forward Columnist Larissa Cruz Managing Sports Editors Kevin Mackiewicz, Michael LoRe Sports Editors Matt Gallo, Greg Arent Copy Editors Brian Anderson, Catherine Brobston, Sarah Esralew, Jennifer Hayes, Jennifer Heine, Elisa Lata Advertising Director Amy Prazniak Business Manager Lisa McGough Jjt October 30, 2007 3 'Nobel' professors win Peace Prize CEEP ta?culty works with .AI Gore o?n climate change BY BRIAN ANDERSON Copy Editor Two university professors, Frederick Nelson and John Byrne, were members of the cominittee that was awarded the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize along with former Vice President AI Gore. efforts are worthwhile and useful," he said. "This-is definite ly inspiration to continue working in this general area of sci entific endeavor." winning such an award. "It's very stunning," he said. "As a researcher, you don't think about these sorts of things. It's b~yond anything I could have imagined." Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change were awarded the prize for their work on heighten ing public knowledge of climate change and a better under standing of what needs to occur to counteract those changes. John Byrne, director of the university's Center for Energy and Environmental Policy, said CEEP was founded in 1981 to bring fields like science, economics, engineering and public policy together to address energy ? and environ mental policies and problems. CEEP has been interested in climate change since the early '90s. . Byrne said winning the award inspires him and CEEP to continue their efforts, but he also hopes the work motivates the U.S. government to make international change and the people of the United States to take a stand on this issue. Nelson, a professor of geography and director of the Byrne said he was overwhelmed when he learned the IPCC won the Nobel Peace Prize and is still in shock from "I'm really hoping that the people in the U.S. will . become inspired and say we really need to make commit university's Permafrost Group, stated in an e-mail message that while doing field work in Michigan, he received an e-mail from the IPCC chairman informing him all the contributing members of the IPCC had been awarded the Peace Prize. "I don't think that a singkNobel Prize has ever been awarded to a large body of people before," Nelson said. "My initial reaction was to think that bestowing the award this way is entire ly appropriate because science is indeed a collab orative enterprise." The IPCC was founded in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Programme, Nelson said. One of the group's primary roles is to pro vide an objective, scientifically based understand ing of the risks of climate change on society. He said he has been involved with the IPCC since the late '80s because of his work in permafrost. Since then, he has written reports and conducted research on the effects of climate change on permanently frozen ground. The IPCC does not conduct research, but analyzes the literature already written on the sub ject, Nelson said. After reviewing the work that has already been published, the group presents its findings in larger, more comprehensive doctrines. Nelson saj.d receiving -the Nobel Peace Prize has motivated him to continue learning and researching climate change. ments," he said. "Hopefully, they will say that it's time now to take this problem seriously." Melanie Schimek, a graduate student and member of Nelson's Permafrost Group, said she has worked with Nelson for the past two years and is proud of him for his accomplishment. Schimek said Nelson, who is also her aca demic adviser, allows her to create her own edu cational path. "He doesn't want to tell me to do anything specific," she said. "He always wants his students to decide for themselves, to do the research, the reading and then make our own conclusions." Schimek said Nelson has an incredible work ethic and is always busy doing research at the university and in the field. Nelson is always looking for a better understanding of climate change and its effects on the environment. "He works very hard," she said. "Every time I go in and talk to him, he's working on a research paper or trying to get another grant in. He's always working on something." Byrne said winning the Nobel Peace Prize reminds him of an idea the 2004 award winner, Wangari Maathai, addressed when she said cli mate change is an issue that affects everyone as human beings. "It's very . satisfying to see the IPCC reports being regarded so positively and to know society recognizes that our collective scientific Courtesy of UD Public Re.lations/Kathy F. Atkinson Geography professor Frederick E. Nelson (left) is the director of the Permafrost Group at the university. "The greatest threat to world peace, at this point, is climate change," he said. "If we don't interrupt this process, great ?biodiversity loss occurs and so? many human beings are made vul nerable to serious, serious threats." Newark Police serve as personal ~bouncers Officers encourage stt;dents to report unwanted partygoers BY BRITTANY TALARICO News Features Editor Due to recent dange;rous situations ?at house parties, the Newark Police Department has offered to assist party hosts in the removal of unwanted party attende-es. Lt. Brian Henry of the Newark Police Department said police have been working on this policy for two years and made it public in an attempt to thwart unmanageable parties that can lead to criminal activity. ? "We are trying to prevent the robberies, thefts and large fights," Henry said. "If we can get the homeowner to call before these things occur, we [would be] preventing a big problem." A pacyy host seeking police assistance in such instances would not be subject to the same enforcement action taken when a com plaint is received from an independent caller, he said. - "We are trying to encourage people to call the police when they have a problem at the house, without the fear of getting arrest ed," Henry said. "If you call the police for assistance, you won't get arrested for a noise violation or other minor offenses. We would rather get there and help you and dis miss you getting in trouble for a noise viola tion." When it comes to underage drinking, the party hosts themselves will not be sub ject to arrest, he said. Other party attendees who are underage may be detained, howev- er. If called, the police would take care of the problem, speak to the hosts, advise them of problems that could have ensued and inform them how to prevent such issues in the future, Henry said. He said he is unaware of any college students who have utilized police assistance for their parties, and he hopes nothing is preventing students from taking advantage of police backup. "We are trying to tell [students] to help us out, and we are willing to overlook minor problems," Henry said. "Unless students don't think that is the case, then I couldn't see the reason for them not calling." Public Safety Chief James Flatley said providing this support is a positive, proac tive step by the city's police department. "The Newark Police are reaching out to the community and trying to do what they can to keep the community as safe as po.ssi ble," Flatley said. He said Public Safety has a functional working relationship with the city depart ment. "If the city of Newark called upon us for assistance, we wquld help,." Flatley said. "We have in the pas(and will continue to do so in the future." kids there and I was providing the alcohol,': Junior Dara Poltrock said students do not call the police often because they are afraid of getting in trouble. Public Safety has made some students skeptical about calling the police in general because students who utilize the safe-ride system can receive violations for being intoxicat ed, Poltrock said. She said students should call Newark Police if they feel threatened. "I think it's a good thing to call the police when you're having a problem and not to have to worry about incriminat ing yourself," Poltrock said. Senior Seth Riblett said if a problem occurred at a party he was hosting, he and his Riblett said. "I would be inclined to handle it myself." "If you call the police for ass1stance, you won't get arrested lor a noise violation or other minor offenses." - Lt. Brian Henry, Newark Police Department He saidif he had a party that became violent, he would con sider calling the police. "If weapons were involved, I would call the cops,'' Riblett said. Senior Homer Nelson said it sounds like a beneficial idea in theory, but the poli cy might be too good to be true. "Basically, it's like they're free bouncers, but I feel like they're going to come in and bounce everyone and write up violations," Nelson , said. "Figuratively roommates would try to handle it first before involving the police. speaking, what would they do if the house owner's roommate was upstairs smoking and the smell of weed was in the air?" "I would be hesitant to call the police to a party especially if there were underage 4 October 30, 2007 Man charged in Newark robbery BY ESTHER WALSH Staff Reporter One of three armed robbers who held up nine people during a party at Main Street Court apart ments on Oct. 6 has been caught. On Oct. 18, Newark Police arrested and charged 23-year-old Tourean Yonnel Daniels, of the 200- block apartments of East Ayre Street in Newport, Del., with five counts of first-degree robbery. He was also charged with possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, first-degree burglary, four counts of aggravated menacing, second-degree conspiracy and eight counts of unlawful imprisonment. Lt. Brian Henry of the Newark Police Department said two of the victims whose apartment was invaded earlier this month saw Daniels and identified him as one of the three perpetrators. "The police contacted the sus pect for another matter and were detaining him," Henry said. "Consequently, one of the victims of the home invasion saw this detection and was able to identify him as one of the suspects who committed the robbery." He said at the time the victims identified Daniels, he was not being charged with any other related crimes. "I believe at the time, he was just being documented as a 'suspi cious person,'" Henry said. "I don't think he was charged with another crime related." Daniels and two other uniden tified suspects entered the Main Street Court apartment complex on 236 E. Delaware Ave. at approxi mately 3:30 a.m., and ordered the nine occupants into the back bed room. Daniels and his co-conspirators held the victims at gunpoint and told them to surrender their proper ty. After collecting wallets, cell phones and other possessions, the assailants fled the apartment, police said. . After failing to post a $129,000 secure bond, Daniels was commit ted to the Young Correctional Facility. Iffound guilty, he will face a minimum mandatory jail sentence of three years for first-degree rob bery, Henry said. "He can be looking at up to mandatory sentencing of 25 years with all of his other charges, if found guilty, in addition to first degree robbery," he said. Henry said the Newark Police are continuing to investigate the robbery and are working closely with detectives to identify the two remaining suspects. "The investigative steps that the detectives will take will include fmding out who Daniels' main asso ciates are," he said. "If he has been in crimes 'with other people before, then obviously those are people we will look for." Police said Daniels' criminal history information cannot be made available to the public and, as of now, a photo of Daniels will not be released. Senior Lee Hummel, a resident of the Main Street Court apartment complex, said prior to the robbery he felt safe leaving his door unlocked, but now he and his room mates are taking more precautions. "Usually, if we are down the hall or at a friend's house or outside smoking a cigarette, we' ll leave the door open," Hummel said. "But now, we are kind of apprehensive about it. Our door is always locked, even if we are all in our apartment just hanging out." ? Senior Ian McPheeters, a resi dent of the complex, said he is glad to hear Daniels has been arrested. However, he still does not feel com- pletely secure. . "I might feel safer if all three of them were caught," McPheeters said. "I mean it doesn't say much about the security of our building really. On weekends, people are in and out all of the time." Both Hummel and McPheeters said they did not receive an official document or e-mail message regarding the robbery. Hummel said he found out through friends. "There was no official e-mail from the building," he said. "It was just by word-of-mouth. A couple of people said they talked to the office and the office said they were going to send an e-mail, but I never got one." Lisa Ward, manager of Main Street Court apartments, could not be reached for comment. ? McPheeters said he feels Main Street Court apartments were not specifically targeted for the inva sion and that every student who lives on or off campus in Newark is at risk for crime. "I don't think our building was targeted for a certain reason. It can happen anywhere around here," he said. A Closer Look Timeline of Events: Main Street Court robbery ? At 3:30 a.m. on Oct. 6, three men entered an apartment party at the Main Street Court apartment complex at 236 E. Delaware Ave. ? After one of the men pro duced a gun, they ushered nine party-goers into a back bedroom and stole from them wallets, cell phones and other possessions. The assailants then fled the party. ? Later, while at the Newark police station, one of victims iden tified a man being detained as a "suspicious person" as one of the three perpetrators. Later, while at the Newark police station, one of victims identified a man being detained as a "suspicious person" as one of the three perpetrators. - compiled from The Review archives Electronics contain many hazardous materials, which if not recycled properly can contaminate the environment. Universities offer recycling services for old electronics BY JOSH SHANNON Staff Reporter Technology changes so rapidly computers are often obsolete within a few years. Many of the old discarded computers end up in a landfill, where they can leak harmful chemicals into the environment. Kevin Eichinger, a chemical hygiene officer for the university's Department of Occupational Health and Safety, said when computers and their accessories - monitors, key boards and flash drives - as well as other electronics such as televisions and iPods are taken to a landfill, they can release chemicals into the envi ronment. "You would be surprised about the amount of hazardous material in computer and electronic goods - the lead, the selenium, the chromium, the cadmium," Eichinger said. "All these types of materials go into landfills and leach into drinking water." To help alleviate the environ mental risk, the university started a program approximately six years ago to collect and recycle old computers and electronics. The university recycled 44,000 pounds of computer equipment in 2006, Eichinger said. As part of the program, unknown to many students, depart ments wishing to remove old com puter equipment can call the univer sity's Movers Services, which will pick up the equipment from the department and transport it to the General Services Building on South Chapel Street for a fee, he said. Students who have computer equipment to recycle can either pay Movers Services to pick it up, or drop it off at the General Services Building themselves, Eichinger said. "[Movers Services] shrink wraps and palletizes everything," he said. "It's stored over in the General Services Building until they have a bunch of truckloads of the material and then our people take it to the Delaware Solid Waste Authority." DSWA is the agency responsible for landfills and recycling in Delaware. A representative for DSWA could not be reached for comment, but according to the agency's Web site, DSWA's electronics-recycling program allows any individual, busi ness or school to drop off unwanted electronics for free at one of several DSWA facilities around the state. "DSWA contracts with another company and the material is all recy cled," Eichinger said. "[The contract ed company] takes everything apart and recycles the plastic, gold, printed circuit boards, cathode ray tubes, et cetera." Recycling electronics is manda tory for university departments. "We prohibit anything with a printed circuit board or cathode ray tube from being placed in the dump sters," Eichinger said. "Our trash truck drivers are trained to call us to pull that stuff out." There is no penalty for dispos ing electronics in a university dump ster, however, he said. Many students are not aware the university collects electronics for recycling. Senior Chris Prado said he nor mally holds on to his old electronics but would use a recycling program if he could find one. "I wouldn't know where to start," Prado said. Freshman Rebecca Zerby said she was unaware of the program but thinks it is a good idea. "People get new stuff all the time, so they should be able to dis pose of [their old equipment] proper ly," Zerby said. Prado said in order for the recy cling program to succeed, students would need to be made aware of it. "People generally think it's important, but we're not going to go out of our way to figure out how to throw something away," he said. Eichinger said the program has been heavily promoted to depart ments, but not necessarily to stu dents. "Maybe we haven't done a good job promoting this to students," he said. "Maybe we need to do some media events that target students." The University of Maryland has a similar effort to collect old electron ics, but takes its program a step fur ther, operating a thrift store to resell the usable goods it collects. Mike Painter, the manager of the 13-year-old Terrapin Trader program, said the program collects old elec tronics, as well as unwanted chairs, tables and other office furniture and displays it in a showroom. University departments can take the equipment for free or the general public can buy _it at a reduced cost. "It started as a way to redistrib ute capital assets among the universi ty system," Painter said. "It's also a way to protect the environment." Terrapin Traders participants are able to pick up the equipment from University of Maryland departments, as well as from surrounding universi ties, for free because of the money they make reselling the goods, Painter said. Departments that donate old equipment also receive part of the profit. Painter said approximately one third of the electronics collected are resold. The rest are sent to a private recycling company, which shreds the equipment to destroy personal files and then sells the metal and other raw materials. Eichinger said the University of Delaware could only establish a reselling program if the proper resources were provided. He said DSWA does salvage usable equipment collected by its electronics-recycling program and donates it to nonprofit organizations. DSWA also runs a mercantile shop in New Castle where it sells items sal vaged from recycling programs. Corin Larraga, who works at the art department's computing site in Recitation Hall, said old equipment from the computer lab is often reused by other sites in the department. "We try to keep the old machines within the art department, so in that way we are making use of older machines," he said. Eichinger said while there is no university-wide program to reuse computers, many departments start their own initiative. "A lot of departments won't send something for recycling unless _ they've pulled all the parts out that they can use," he said. "A number of the departments will try to reuse the computers internally and recycle the ones they can't use." Eichinger said no matter how computers are recycled or reused, it is crucial that they be diverted from landfills. "It's extremely important because they contain hazardous materials," he said. "We don't want hazardous materials going into municipal landfills." lit QctQber JQ, 2QQ7 5 Mother Nature . caSts a dry spell on Del. BY AMY PRAZNIAK Staff Reporter Despite recent rainy weather, Delaware is under a statewide drought watch, which Gov. Ruth Ann Minner declared on Oct. 20, asking for voluntary conservation among Delawareans. State water coordinator Gerald Kauffman said the water conditions in Delaware have been inspected over the past week and water levels have been found to be below normal. This led to the recommendation of a drought watch, later declared by the governor. "The stream flows were at low levels that we usually see about once every four to five years," Kauffman said. "Even though we are in the fall, when people are not watering their lawns anymore or washing their cars as much, it was recom mended that people go on a drought watch to save water now and through the winter time." Tom Hubbard, a representative from United Water Delaware, said conservation at the current time is for preventa tive reasons to better prepare the state for the upcoming seasons. "Typically over the winter months is when everything recharges with more water," Hubbard said. "The concern is that if we have a drier-than-normal winter, come spring or summer next year, that's when we will have some problems." He said there was a record drought in 2002, but the drought today is not near that level of severity. Kauffman said he agrees the drought watch is not an emer gency yet, but mostly a warning to the public. "The impacts at this point aren't very significant. It's all voluntary," he said. "We're asking people to take shorter show ers, load the dishwasher and the laundry until it's full, wash your car on the lawn, that sort of thing. If we were to go to a drought emergency, then it would basically be against the law to water your lawns." According to Kauffman, a drought watch is the first step, a warning is the second and finally the third, and most severe, is a drought emergency. Lester Stillson, state operations manager for Natural Resources Conservation Service of Delaware, said there were certain parts of the state w:hich were more affected by the drought. "New Castle folks got a little bit more rain than Kent County and Kent County got more than Sussex," Stillson said: "Sussex was the worst hit by the drought." He said the issue of the drought is something that will only worsen if it is not addressed by the public. "The issue is not immediate. It's one of those things that builds up," Stillson said. "This year, we aren't putting as much water back in the water table, so eventually it has this cumula tive effect. The governor is saying 'let's start being wise about the way we use our water resources right now so we won't potentially have a problem.' " Stillson said agriculture uses a lot ol water, so his organi zation is working with farmers to make irrigation systems more efficient. "You use less water to get the same results," he said. "We call it irrigation water management." According to Kauffnian, the drought has caused problems for farmers in Delaware this year. "For the farmers, there's been a big impact," Kauffman said. "Specifically, southern Delaware and Sussex County, where farmers have lost crops because there wasn't enough rain. They weren't able to harvest as much crops as they usual- ly do." ? Stillson said certain crops were damaged this summer and fall because of the lack of rain. , "The biggest impact was that rain didn't come at critical periods," he said. "Com crops need to have rain right at the time it's going through its reproductive cycles. If you have real dry, hot weather during that period of time, you get very poor fertil ization of the com, so you have very small ears of com with no kernels on it." Kauffman said recovering from the drought is not going to be solved by a few days of rain now and then. "It takes many dry months to get into a drought and it takes many months to get out of a drought," he said. "We've had dry months since last April and these mild, soaking rains are great storms-for recharging the aquifers and streams, but we need at least two to three more of these per month for several months." Kauffman said because of voluntary methods of conserva tion, there is an approximate 10 percent decline in water demand. Hubbard said he felt voluntary conservfltiOn is helpful dur ing a time of drought. "We all know that Mother Nature tends to let us know who's in charge from time to time and its important for all of us to listen," he said. "I think that [voluntary conservation] has shown to be effective in the past. People do step up to the plate when they are asked to." United Water Delaware's service territory covers 55 square miles and provides water to many families outside of Newark. Hubbard had tips for conserving water at home, which could reduce water use by approximately 20 percent. "The average Americans splash, pour and flush between 40 to 130 gallons of water a day at home," he said: "Two-thirds of all water use in the home is in the bathroom. It's a good [idea] for people to check for leaks in the toilet, and to check for drip ping faucets. A leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons of water a day and just one dripping faucet can waste 2,000 gallons of water a year." Hubbard also said the washing machine can use up to 50 gallons of water per load, so he suggested people do not use the dishwasher or washing machine until they are completely full. He also had suggestions for water usage in the bathroom. "The next thing you can do, is try to shorten your show ers," he said. "As far as the toilet goes, just use it for what its intended for. Everyone's probably been guilty at one point or another of throwing a piece of tissue paper in there or a bug and flushing it down, but don't do it. A toilet flush requires five to seven gallons of water every time." Hubbard said in the average American househol<;l, 28 per cent of all the water used in the home involves toilets. The next largest culprit is the washing machine at 22 percent, showers and baths at 20 percent and faucets at 15 percent. John Ewart, a representative from Delaware Aquaculture Resource Center, said water conservation should be practiced year round and not just during droughts. "Good quality freshwater is a precious commodity here. We just don't realize it until we get into situations where it does n't rain and we have extended dry periods which cause a prob lem," Ewart said. "Most people are really not aware of it because it doesn't affect them immediately, but there's not much you can do about it but to conserve." Wildfires se.t Southern Cal-ifornia ablaze Cltizens evacuate; Go.v. Schwarzenegger requests federal aid BY EMILY RILEY Staff Reporter California Go:V. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency last Sunday for seven counties in the state's southern region due to rapidly spreadllig wildfires, which have consumed approximately 500,000 acres of ? land, officials said. The fires, occurring just days after National Fire Prevention Week, have been blaz ing since Oct. 20. According to Rochelle Jenkins, a spokes woman from California's Office of Emergency Services, the current damage is unmatched by any event?in the state's history. "Right now, we can't even begin to esti mate the financial and final structuraJ destruc tion," Jenkins said. "Until all the fires are con tained, we have to hope for the best." According to OES statistics, at least 15 separate fires have resulted in seven deaths, at least 70 injuries and an evacuation of approxi mately 32,000 people from Los Angeles, San Diego and Orange counties, among others. Within these 90unties, 2,114 residences have been destroyed while 68,550 homes remain threatened~- Jenkins'said the definite cause ofthe wild fires has yet to be determined. Randy Eardley, spokesman for the National Interagency Fire Center, said the region's autumrt weather patterns have aug mented the intensity of the fires. He said the Santa Ana winds are to blame for the fires' dis persion and destruction. "The winds are a seasonal phenomenon in this area," Eardley said. "They are very warm and dry, and also very strong. They have been the primary drivers for these wildfires." He said some of the fires may have been ignited by a combination of these winds, drought conditions and fallen, live power lines. "We're facing 50 to 80 mile-per-hour winds, and this environment results in extreme fire ?behavior and rapid spreading," Eardley Said. . By declaring a state of emergency, he said California is able to receive federal resources to aid in combating the flames. These resources include military aircraft:s and increased finances to support California's fire departments. According to a press release from the gov- . emor's office, California's fire departments are operating at maximum capacity and are cur rently utilizing equipment and personnel assembled from area prisons and rehabilitations institutions to increase,efficiency in containing the fires. "Consistent with state and federal emer gency. declljl'ations, I am directing staff and fire departments at all of the state's prisons to mobi lize and direct available firefighting resources to southern California immediately," Schwarzenegger said. Lorena Nava, media relations specialist for San Diego State University, said as the fires continue to blaze, colleges and universities in the area have been affected. She said while SDSU did not need to evacuate, several precau tions were employed to ensure safety. "We canceled classes for the week and we are advising students and faculty to stay indoors as much as possible for the time being," Nava said. "We are currently utilizing-air monitors to gauge air quality in ol!r buildings." Air quality has become a serious issue within and outside of the danger zones. University of California, San Diego senior Zach Hom, who lives two miles south of one of the mandatory evacuation zones, said smoky conditions were prevalent throughout the week. "The air quality had [a] definite effect on my lungs, making it very uncomfortable to be outside or have windows open for any period of time," Hom said. .? SDSU senior Tiffany Schorr said she was not directly affected by the fires, but was still aware of the threat of danger. "I witnessed the San Miguel blaze atop a hill on- Monday night from my driveway," Schorr said. "That was the only time I actually felt scared throughout this ordeal, so I ran inside and packed a bag just in case." She said she knew people personally affected by the destruction. "A good friend almost lost her house, but she was lucky," Schorr said. "At least six of her friends weren't. They lost their houses to the Rancho Bernardo fires." Courtesy of the Los Angeles Times/Washington Post News Wire Wildfires have spread rapidly across Southern California for the past two weeks. 6 October 30, 2007 who's who i11 Newark Hip bus driver brings art and fashion to rolJtes -. BY JENNIFER HAYES Copy Editor Nader Assawah is known for several things. The first is purely aesthetic- he sports a unique fashion of wearing a blue beret and utility belt with his uniform. After his take on clothing, Assawah is recognized for his day-job as a university bus driv er, in which he transports students across campus or around Newark while blasting techno music. But his vehicles are one of-a-kind, because Assawah paints original designs on the cars "Freedom of speech and freedom of expression are highly valued over here, which are important to me and values I want ed to enjoy," Assawah said. tiona! sense - watercolors, oils, acrylics," Assawah \aid. "But of course, I have to abide by today's language and the computer is the tool to do so," Assawah said. After marrying his wife, he moved to Delaware to work at his mother-in-law's photo-print plant, where he ran the dark room operations. He worked there for two years until the busi ness closed. He said having a job driving a bus, going from one atmos phere to another, stimulates his artistic abilities. "The panorama is constantly changing as well as the pas sengers," Assawah said. "Different input to the mind always trig gers creativity through the design concepts, from looking at nature, to cars out there and even outfits." he drives. Besides transporting students, Assawah is an artist. He works as a freelance graphic designer, creating posters, business cards and brochures. ? He said he designs a number of clothing items, includ- He is both a bus driver and an artist. "I like to consider myself a fine artist, meaning the tradi- ing the berets he wears, as well as various hats and costumes. He Assawah, 44, has been driving for the universi ty part-time for one year. He said he enjoys his job as a bus driver because of the nature of the people he transports. "I almost feel they have the mental capacity to accept and not reject," Assawah said. '~It is always rewarding to feel appreciated and that triggers the mental mechanism of reflecting some kindness to each other, which unfortunately is a rare path that peop1e choose." He said he also drives children at the Margaret S. Sterck School, Delaware School for the Deaf. Those students require him to be aware of their per sonal needs more than the large masses of students he transports at the university. Assawah said he tries to interact with students every chance he gets, but sometimes it is not possi ble. He described a situation in which he was telling a student how driving is therapeutic. "When I saw his eyebrows past his head line, I thought he did not believe me," Assawah said. "When I elaborated about how therapeutic it was, especially the part where I don't hear the therapist saying 'time's up and we have to wrap this,' I told him I do the wrapping and the driver's seat is my La Z-Boy." Originally from Alexandria, Egypt, he said he immigrated to the United States approximately 25 years ago. He moved to the north Philadelphia area """"'~~~~~=---~---"""-" also modifies things he did not design by scratch, such as eye glasses. "I have always enjoyed standing out because that filters out the narrow-minded people and those who seek to approach me are usually the adventurous ones," Assawah said. "That, I think, is a good basis to build a friendship or anything else." He said his outfit may cause him to be per ceived as cold, but that is the exact opposite of who he is. "I am a [People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals] member and I have cans of cat food to feed the strays at night," Assawah said. He said he tries to break down stereotypes people have in their minds. Assawah's bus is known as the "techno bus," he said. He uses an iPod to play upbeat music for the students. "I play what suits my state of mind," Assawah said. "Trance music fulfills a large spectrum of age groups. When I see older passengers, I switch to calmer, yet still strong music, like pure mood tracks and techno classic." In his free time, he said he enjoys a good meal followed by a workout on the dance floor and the drive back home during sunrise. with his mother. His sister had already been living in the area and was attending school. Courtesy of Nader Assawah Nader Assawah has driven university buses part-time for one year. "My weekends are more exhausting than the weekdays, but they are fulfilling to my nature and there is not enough time in the day to execute all the designs I have developed on the road," Assawah said. Biden discusses potential policy for Pakistan BY SARA WAHLBERG Staff Reporter As presidential primaries draw nearer, the situation in the Middle East has become one of the main issues coming to the fore- front. ? Joe Biden, presidential hopeful and U.S. Senator from Delaware, is joining Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) by going public with his plan to send U.S. military forces to Pakistan if he is elected president in 2008, according to a interview with ABC News' George Stephanopoulos broadcasted on an Oct. 21 episode of"This Week." Biden's campaign press secretary Mark Paustenbach stated in an e-mail message that Biden, the chairman of the Senate's Committee on Foreign Relations, is also known to be an outspoken advocate of pulling U.S. troops from Iraq. The senator has proposed a five-point plan of keeping Iraq together while protecting America and bringing the soldiers home. Pakistan, an ally of the United States in the War on Terrorism, recently re-elected President Gen. Pervez Musharrafby an over whelming vor~. Musharraf currently has close relations with President George W. Bush. Material science professor Ismat Shah said because Pakistan is on the border of Afghanistan, the politically volatile nation has been allied with U.S. forces to aid in fmding terrorists. "The Pakistan government will do most of the fighting against the al-Qaeda element right at the border and help in finding Osama bin Laden,'' Shah said. "Pakistan is a big ally in the fight against terrorism." Paustenbach said the United States has not always had friendly relations with Pakistan. ? "Since Pakistan was founded, we've been on a rollercoaster relationship, helping them when it was in our interest - like dur ing the Cold War and after 9/11 -and ignor ing them when it wasn't,'' he said. Paustenbach said Biden's plan is to focus on building a solid alliance with Pakistan while helping the moderate majori ty of the country find its voice in elections and improving education in Pakistani schools. If Musharraf were taken out of power, Biden said he would "probably" want to go into Pakistan to secure their nuclear weapons, according to the interview on "This Week." Junior Muhammad Hussain, a Pakistani-Arllerican, stated in an e-mail mes sage that he believes having U.S. armed forces go to Pakistan to secure nuclear forces would not be a beneficial move. "The notion that nuclear facilities can be secured in Pakistan through a U.S. or 'coali tion' military police action seem~ rather ridiculous and na'ive,'' Hussain said. "The idea that the Pakistanis would allow their nuclear weapons to be used is ridiculous." Biden said he is firm in his decision to lend aid to the nation if elected. "Pakistan is a vital ally, but it is also a country with nuclear weapons and a growing fundamentalist movement,'' Hussain said. "The last thing we need octhe world needs is a radicalized Pakistan." Junior Sania Mirza, president of the Muslim Student Association, said Pakistan is not a volatile country, despite the recent media coverage of the attempted bombing of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto last week. "It's a very stable country," Mirza said. "You don't have rioting every day, but things happen every now and then." Although Mirza said Pakistanis in and out of the United States and Pakistan would be opposed to having U.S. troops standing in Pakistan, she said she does think Biden could come up with a plan to support the nation. "The smarter thing to do would. be to give Musharraf a bit more support and back ing and resources to get the job done,'' Mirza said. As for Biden 's apparent contradiction for supporting the pulling of troops from Iraq while advocating putting troops in Pakistan, Hussain said he believes U.S. efforts are needed to stabilize Iraq before anything else. "It is amazing how so many of our politicians were ready to fight defenseless Iraq, destroy every major functioning infra structure, and be ready to go toe-to-toe with another state,'' he said. Courtesy of Biden For President Delaware Sen. Joe Biden released his plan for Pakistan if he wins the 2008 election. ~arry Potter fiction Staph spreads inQ~I~:?~z-7 to beCome reality Resistant strain of bacteria Univ. of Maryland scientists caUses nationwide concern develop invisibility cloak BY AMANDA LOPEZ Staff Reporter Humans may eventually have a power most recently popularized by Harry Power - the ability to make themselves disappear with an invisibility cloak. Engineering professors at the University of Maryland have creat ed the world's flrst "invisibility cloak." Christopher Davis, a professor of electrical and computer engi neering at Maryland, is a leader of the project, which includes a team of three. "I think this is a hot new topic," Davis said. "A number of groups are becoming interested in it and we are extremely excited." ' The "cloak," which is only 10 micrometers in diameter, sends electromagnetic ener gy around the surface of a central region, allowing the waves to continue on the other side of it, mak ing it less visible, he said. "For light trav eling these special ways, light experi ences a negative refraction," Davis said. "Kind of how a stick looks when you place it in water, it looks bent. But in this case, the light bends in the opposite direction, making the object appear as if it has never been touched." He said the uses for this type of tech- in the scientific world, the possibil ity of using it on a mass scale for humans is low. "It is very difficult to work with 3-D objects," be said. "We have to be very careful with this technology. We can't just assume that there will be invisibility cloaks all over the place." Currently, this technology ?only works on two-dimensional objects on a special type of surface, Da_vis said. An additional type of coatmg is also required to give this effect on other various two-dimensional items. Smolyaninov said the first electromagnetic-invisibility cloak was created one year ago at Duke University to be used in the frequency range of microwaves. The invisi bility cloak produced at the Maryland is the first of its kind, creating invisibil ity from visible light. "Our results sug gest that we can proba bly create a cloak for very small 3-D objects, which may work in the infrared," he said. Davis said another positive factor in the invisibility research is its relative affordability. While the research itself is inexpensive, the measuring equipment used in measuring the operating invisibility is costly. "The actual service preparation is actually quite cheap," he said. "Though as soon as the Department nology are ? THE REVIEW/John Transue of Defense builds any thing, it is safe to assume it is going to be very expen endless . ? Officials at the Department of Defense have taken a keen interest in the subject, with the hopes of using it in military vehicles and planes, though the possibility of this usage is a long way from implementation. "You might be able to use the cloak on an aircraft, maybe," Davis said. "It is much more complicated to work in 3-D, and t~chniques might help in making objects less visible, not so. much invisible." Igor Smolyaninov, a visiting researcher-a~ the Maryland and co leader of tM project, said he su& gests using this technology for scl entiflc reasons. "This could be used in applied physics research to probe t~st objects without interfering w1th laser illumination," Smolyaninov said. "Computer applications have been suggested, too." . . ... Davis said although mvlSlbih ty research bas reached new heights sive." Davis and Smolyaninov have been working on this research for 10 years, working alongside sever al professors from :rurdue University as well as Prmceton University. . Junior Mike Neely sa1d although he has never heard of this type of research, the idea seems feasible. "It sounds possible," he said. "And I can understand where they are going with it. as far as its .con struction. It deflmtely sounds like a good idea with a lot of possible end uses." Though the possibility of_using invisibility in everyday hf~ IS not promising, researchers smd they like to remain hopeful. "Everybody in this fleld r~al? izes that invisibility is never gomg to be perfect," Smolyaninov said. "It is not prohibited by the laws of nature. However, practical invisi bility is a very difficult problem." BY RACHEL ALPER Staff Reporter Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, a . drug resistant string of staph bactena, has found its way into schools, homes and day-care centers. ? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site, this infection is responsi ble for approximately 18,650 deaths each year in the United States, a mortality rate that is greater than that of AIDS. MR.SA is resistant to penicillin and similar antibiotics, but drugs are available to treat the infection. Heidi Truschel-Light, the spokeswoman for. the Delaw~e Division of Pubhc Health, said Delaware has reported approximate ly I ,500 MRSA infections this year, none of which have been fatal. "It's not uncommon. It's occur ring in age groups from babie~ to senior citizens," Truschel-L1ght said. Nicole Coffin, a spokeswoman for the CDC, said there are two kinds ofMRSA. "There is the healthcare-com munity virus and the community virus " Coffin said. "The healthcare co~unity one is typically more life-threatening, whereas the com munity one is usually just mild skin infections with mortality being low." According to the CDC Web site, approximately 85 percent of~e invasive MRSA cases were associat ed with the healthcare community. Of those 85 percent, two-thirds occurred outside of hospitals and other health centers, while the remaining one-third occurred during hospitalization. Fourteen l?ercent of the infections occurred m people who were not widely exposed to healthcare facilities. Truschel-Light said if someone sees large pustules on their skin, they should bandage them quickly .. "If you cover the sores, It reduces transmission," she said. "Frequently-used s~aces ~hould ~e sanitized, no matter 1fthey re pubhc or private." The simplest way to prevent MR.SA is to practice good hygiene, Truschel-Light said. This includes washing with soap and water, not sharing towels, cleaning off wo!k out equipment after use and cleanmg communal areas. The easiest way to contract MRSA is through skin-to skin contact. Those with infections should make sure all the surfaces they contact are sanitized. She said people should realize there are many illnesses more com mon than MRSA. According to records provided by John Hammond, assistant to the director of Maryland's Department of Health, Maryland has had two reported outbreaks of MRSA so far in 2007, both of which have occurred in schools. Truschel-Light said any diag nosis of MRSA should be reported to the Delaware Public Health Association, as required by Delaware state law. Coffin said 30 percent of the population has staph in their nose, while one percent has the drug resistant type. ? The disease only becomes malignant when it enters the body. On Oct. 19, a teacher at Mount Pleasant Elementary School in Wilmington was discovered to have staph, but not the drug-res~st~t kind. Brandywine School District Superintendent Jim Scanlon said the teacher has returned to work and the school district has taken measures to ensure students and faculty do not contract the infection. Scanlon said parents received both a letter and a phone call notify ing them about the national scop?~ of staph. He said the school was taking extra precautions by wiping down equipment and telling students to wash their hands frequently. He said while others in the dis trict have had the infection, there is no widespread outbreak. He does not think the infection is being reported adequately to the public because it is important for people to know about it. Dr. Joseph Siebold, director of Student Health Services, recently stated that the university is aware of the problem and urges the student body to practice good hygiene and to keep cuts covered. . According to the CDC, staph IS one of the most common skin infec tions in the United States and can lead to pneumonia, surgical wound infections and bloodstream infec- tions. Coffin said some of the symp toms include pimples or red boils that are inflamed and painful, with little or no drainage. Some can be drained and the infection will go away, but others require a stronger drug treatment. "Some it makes sick, and others it doesn't," Coffin said. "We really don't know why." Coffin said he recommends people keep themselves clean and not share personal items such as razors or towels. If symptoms appear, she said, the area of ~fection should be bandaged immediately. ?~ A Closer Look Staphylococcus Aureus ? Staphylococcus aureus is a bacteria commonly found on the skin and in the nose of healthy people. ? Occasionally, staphylo cocci can get into the body and cause an infection. This infection can be minor (such as pimple~,. boils and o~her skin conditions) or senous and sometimes fatal (such as blood infections or pneumo nia). ? Person-to-person trans mission is the usual form of spre4d and occurs through contact with secretions from infected skin lesions, nasal discharge or spread via the hands. ? MRSA are staph t.h~t ~re resistant to the antlbwtlc, methicillin and other com monly used antibiotics such as penicillin and cephalosporins. - compiled from the Centers jor Disease Control and Prevention Web site. 8 October 30, 2007 New Maine law may force college apps. on students BY SAMANTHA BRIX Staff Reporter A state law pending in Maine could require high school seniors to complete at least one college application in order to receive a high school diploma. Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives Glenn Cummings derived the idea from Poland Regional High School in Maine, which has made applying to college part of its graduation requirements. Maine officials hope more students pursue higher education, as only 50 percent of high school seniors in the state currently attend college during the fall after gradu ation. Some individual high schools in Texas, Pennsylvania and other states have an application requirement, but no state law man dates college applications. Newark High School Principal Curtis Bedford said he sees Maine's policy in a positive light. "If the purpose is to get stu dents motivated to look into? life long education experiences, then it's a good one," Bedford said. He said he would like to see how the policy works in Maine before pursuing a similar law in Delaware. He said he agrees high school administrators should encourage students to meet their potential and look into opportuni ties, such as two or four- year col leges or trade schools: He said not every student who applies would necessarily be accepted, and there. would be a capacity issue at the university-admissions level. Michael Scott, assistant prin cipal of the lOth grade at Newark High School, said he sees the poli cy differently. "It's a Catch-22 because you'd like to see more students apply and have that option open, but not everyone's college materi al," Scott said. He said after high school, some students pursue different paths to trade schools or military jobs. Scott said he would like to see different measures taken in the college application process, such as waiving application fees for stu dents in need. If the policy is enacted in Maine, he said he does not believe more students will end up attend ing college. "Students who don't want to go shouldn't apply," Scott said. He said he feels university admissions offices would be flood ed with applications and would be forced to become more restrictive. Louis Hirsh, director of admissions at the university, stated in an e-mail message that the poli cy is "a fairly silly idea." He said he thinks if students do not want to further their education, they should not have to apply and some people are not ready for college when they are 18. "The problem is getting a workforce that has the education to serve them and our society through the rest of the 21st century," Hirsh said. "Simply making everyone apply to college won't address any of these issues." _ The reasons high school stU dents are not applying to college should be examined on a deeper level, he said. "The solutions are likely to involve a close look at how teach ers are trained, how they are com pensated and how school districts might pay for the faculty members and the facilities they need to inspire their students," Hirsh said. He said the solution politi cians have generated does not deal with these issues and will only cre ate extra work for admissions offi cers. He said he hopes this resolu tion does not make its way to Delaware. "It won't have much of any effect other than to create a lot of unnecessary applications from stu dents who have no interest in going to college," he said. Newark High School senior Rob Lundgren said he thinks although college is not for every one, the policy would benefit him personally. He said while he plans on applying to Delaware Technical and Community College, he admits he would take a more time ly approach to the college search if he had to abide by such a policy. He said he is not sure the pol icy is the best way to encourage more students to attend college. "Visiting a college is a better way than just filling out a form," Lundgren said. Keely Hill, a Newark High School senior who plans on attend ing college, said she disagrees with the policy. She said while she understands what lawmakers are attempting to achieve, politicians see the issue in terms of statistics and not individuals. ? Hill said college is not for everyone and officials often dis miss alternate options such as entering the workforce directly after graduation or joining the mil itary. "It's possible to not go to col lege and have a good life and do fairly well by joining the military," she said. Hill said she thinks such a law might negatively affect education in high schools by creating resent ful, non-co1lege bound students. "The policy would only result in more college dropouts, not grad uates," she said. Hill said visiting a college class and gaining exposure to the college lifestyle are more realistic options in encouraging higher level education. )lt Picking up the tab Students argue over drinking with profs. BY EMILY RILEY Staff Reporter When senior Allyson Merola studied in Australia last Winter Session, going to the bars with her professors was a common and accepted occurrence. Though the students were 21 or older and all parties involved acted responsibly, Merola said she recog nized the possible implications of ? such actions. While movies such as "Animal House" explore the humor ous and taboo aspect of students smoking marijuana with their pro fessor, it also prompts consideration of the line drawn between authority and pupil. "I think the university has big ger problems to deal with than catch ing professors getting a social drink with their of-age students," Merola said. According to the university's faculty handbook, professors "accept the obligation to exercise critical self discipline and judg ment in using, extend ing and transmitting knowledge." While there is no direct rule stating that professors cannot socialize with their students, the con ditions of the Standards of Conduct promote responsibility and an understanding of potential ramifications. "As long as Some students believe socializ ing with their professors is harmless as long as the students are over the legal drinking age and the professors conduct themselves in a respectable manner. She said these types of exchanges are common in a work environment, especially in dealing with prospective clients. "In any field of work, it's not uncommon for clients or colleagues to catch a drink or two after work," she said. "It helps establish good relations and demonstrates how you can handle yourself in a public situa tion." D. Michael Kuhlman, associate professor of social psychology, said if a professional attitude is upheld and the law is not broken, then -.... socializing over drinks is aeceptable. "It's absolutely appropriate, assum ing the act and event itself are done in a respectable manner," Kuhlman said. "Some of the most interesting and engaging conversations I've had were with my professors over a beer." On the other hand, many stu dents wish to uphold the level of sep aration between the academic and social spheres of college life. Junior Caitlin Drueding said interactions between professors and students outside of the classroom can affect the level of respect between a professor and his or her students. "Ifl found out a professor acted this way, I would. definitely respect them less," Drueding said. '.'If I was already in their class and found out this hap pened, I would feel cheated, like the class was a waste of time. Ifl wasn't in their class to begin with, I probably would not want to take it once I found out about that." She also added that the legal drinking age is not a justification for this type of action. nobody is taking body shots off the bar, I see no problem with it," Merola said. THE REVIEW/John Transue It is not uncommon for students and professors to be seen socializing outside of the classroom at local bars. "I think that it would be inappropriate for a teacher to drink with his or her students, even if the students are over 21 years old," Drueding said. "It's also more likely an inappropriate relation ship could form between students and teachers in a setting with alcohol." Two locals hit the jackpot BY MATT HOFFMAN Staff Reporter The chances of winning the lottery are slim. The chances of two men winning the lottery inN ewark within three days of each other are even rarer, but that is exactly what happened when two men recently won the Multi-Win Lotto jackpot. One winner purchased his ticket from Fairfield News and the other with a ticket from Four Seasons 7- Eleven in Newark. On Oct. 5, Fairfield News employees sold the winning lottery ticket, worth $162,025, and on Oct. 8, the Four Seasons 7-Eleven sold the winning ticket, worth $50,000. The winners have chosen to remain anonymous. Brian Peters, deputy director of the Delaware State Lottery Association, said he expects the wins will increase lottery ticket sales at the two locations. "It's an interesting phenome non," Peters said. "It should gener ate more interest and also more sales at these Locations." Piyush Upadhyay, manager of Fairfield News, said it is too early to tell if selling the winning lottery ticket will have any effect on sales, but hopes to see an increase soon. "My store has sold winning tickets before, to the amount of $2,500 and $1 0,000," Upadhyay said. "~ut lottery-ticket sales are only a small portion of our busi ness." Ahamed Rahim, manager of the Newark 7-Eleven, said the store makes much of its profit from its lottery sales. The winner was grate ful to the store for selling him the lucky ticket. "He even came in the next day to say 'thanks' to me," Rahim said. He said the store has sold tick ets before that were worth $5,000 and $10,000, but nothing came close to the $50,000 ticket sold. He said the store has already seen an increase in sales as a result of sell ing the fortuitous ticket. "Everybody comes here now to buy their winning ticket," Rahim said. Peters said it is not uncommon for people to garner large prizes, but it is rare for this kind of game to have two jackpot winners so close to each other. He said one interesting aspect was how the Oct. 5 winner actually picked his num- bers. . "He said he was seeing the same numbers all over the place," Peters said. "So instead of using the automatically generated numbers, which give you the same odds, he picked his numbers himself." In a Delaware Lottery press release, one of the winners said whenever he looked at his alarm clock it would be 6:33 or 7:11 and whenever he looked at his truck clock it would be 7:22. The press release also stated that the Oct. 8 winner got his num bers by going online and finding a random-number generator. The Oct. 8 winner said he is planning to use the money to buy his children a new Xbox and to help with his move to Florida. According to the press release, be could not believe his numbers matched the winning picks. ''r checked three times," be said. "Then I started yelling and my kids came running downstairs, but they didn't believe me, so then they checked the numbers. The first thing my kids said to me was 'Now we can get an Xbox!' " )Jt O~tQb~r :JQ, 2QQZ 9 Survey says: Romney, Huckabee ahead Conservative summit discusses values and candidates BY CASEY TILTON Staff Reporter ? has made it part of his campaign to re-assemble the Reagan coalition," Pika said. didate is flawed in some way, which confuses conservative voters. With presidential primary elections approaching quickly, religious conservatives are far from reaching a collective decision on which candidate they will support in the 2008 election. Like Romney, the Reagan coalition also stressed strong families, a strong economy and a strong military. Mycoff said there may also be a leftover George W. Bush effect. According to The New York Times, religious conserva tives held a summit the weekend of Oct. 20 called the Values Voter Summit, during which the Republican presidential candidates had a chance to speak to religious groups. In a straw poll conducted at the event which allowed 5,776 voters to choose their favorite presidential candidate, Mitt Romney received 27.6 percent of the votes. Mike Huckabee received 27.1 percent and Rudy Giuliani came in second to last of the nine candidates on the ballot with less than two percent of the vote. Political science professor Jason Mycoff said he was not surprised by some of the results of the straw poll. Huckabee, over any of the other Republican candidates, is aligned with the Republican voters' values, he said. Giuliani's poor reception at the summit is not surpris ing, Mycoff said. Giuliani has been married three times and his beliefs on abortion, gun control and immigration are sim ilar to beliefs held by Democrats, which makes him unpop ular with many religious conservatives. Mycoff said he found Romney's success surprising because religious conservatives tend to be Evangelicals and born-again Christians - not Mormons like Romney. Alex Burgos, a spokesman for Romney's campaign, said the candidate's outreach to social conservatives has been a strong part of the campaign and Romney is encour aged by the support he has received from these groups. "They ended up being disappointed in Bush in some way, so they are not rallying around another Republican immediately because their hearts were broken," he said. According to The New York Times, some religious con servatives have threatened to back a third-party candidate if a Republican candidate does not cater to their beliefs. Mycoff said the threat to the Republican Party is not seri ous because conservative voters are unlikely to waste their vote on a third-party candidate on Election Day. "Up to Election Day, they publicly support the third party candidate, but when they walk in, they start to think, 'Is this candidate really going to win? Am I wasting my vote? Should I just vote for my second choice?' " he said. Voters who are threatening to vote for a third-party can didate are likely doing so in an attempt to make the Republican candidates match their position, Mycoff said. If this threat is real, the third-party candidate might steal votes from the Republican nominee, which would ultimately hurt the Republican's chances. Ross Perot, a third-party candidate in the 1992 presiden tial election, received 20 percent of the vote that year and some say he stole votes from the Republican candidate, George Bush, Sr., Mycoff said. "Some say Perot shaped the election on Election Day, but it's more likely he shaped the election by constantly talking about the economy," he said. ? "Governor Romney is committed to showing Republican voters how he is the one candidate that can unite all. three elements of the Republican Party - strong fami lies, strong economy and strong military," Burgos said. Courtesy of Wireimage.com Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney leads in polls evaluating conservative values. Mycoff said one must be cautious when looking at statis tics from conferences like the Values Voters Summit because only a small percentage of the country's religious conservatives actually attended and voted in the straw poll. It is hard to tell whether the support for Romney and Huckabee in the straw poll represents the sentiments of the rest of the country, he said. Political science professor Joseph Pika said he is not sur prised with Romney's win in the straw poll. "He's been explicitly courting conservative voters and With Romney and Huckabee receiving similar percent ages of the vote, the results may suggest religious conserva tives are still mixed about who to vote for. Pika said each caq- "It's just who shows up to vote," Mycoff said. "It's as scientific as an election." HarVard prof. wins big with . poker learning tool BY CAITLIN WOLTERS Staff Reporter Poker is no longer just a card game for college students to play to earn extra money on the weekends. According to Charles Nesson, a Harvard University law professor, it is now a way to help college students develop skills to aid them in the classroom and in life. Nesson ?said he developed a Web site called the Global Poker Strategic Thinking Society. The aim of the site is to legitimize poker as an academic tool. "It's to support and demonstrate open education, by teaching through poker about life, business, legal and winning skills," he said. Nesson said the Web site was founded . last August and continues to improved and expanded. Andrew Woods, the executive director of GPSTS and a Harvard law student, said he supports Nesson's belief of the academic ben efits of poker. "I think it's brilliant," Woods said. "Prof~sor Nesson says an idea, and you think it's not right. You think about it for a while, and the nexJ day you think it's brilliant. He said he has been an avid poker player since high school and this experience has allowed him to see a clear correlation between the game and life success. "I think poker develops the type of life and cognitive skills needed in the classroom," Woods said. "It explains why people acted the way they did and the way they'll act in the future. If there's a strategy that's successful, everyone will adapt to it." Nesson said poker is a vital educational tool that can further improve students' minds students. "It's a way of thinking," he said. "It has to do with honing in on an ability to see dif ferent possible stories that explain events in front of you. You learn to see what things look like from an opponent's view. "It leads kids to think sensibly about risk, resource management and probability." Nesson said poker connects students with intelligence and school. "It's a mind game," he said. "It creates heart and courage and trains minds for kids. It leads them to a game that has intellectual depth." Senior Dan Urda, creator of the Facebook group Poker at UD, said he also feels poker has benefits for students . "I really like the idea of the Web site," Urda said. "Because when you play poker you're using skills essential to life- the abil ity to take risks, to read people, to stop. It helps you out in real world." Woods said in addition to being a cogni tive benefit for students, poker helps them make friends and explore a new social life. "From a social standpoint, poker pro vides a bridge between many people," he said. "When you go to high school, you're taking classes with the same groups of peo ple. This isn't true for college. I.think poker finds a way to bridge the gap. People can enjoy hanging out together and doing recre ational activities." Nesson said he does not worry about the gambling aspect of poker in relation to his Web site. He'has set up a specific program to prevent students from gambling their own money. "The kinds of poker I am excited about are not gambling," he said. "They are not cash games, but tournaments. Poker that's popular. on television is tournament play. There is an entry fee to join, but you pay one for any tour nament. You win prizes for how you finish overall. There's no big problem that I'm aware of people being addicted to tourna ments. It doesn't have that response like a slot machine." Urda said i!. is important to remember poker is just a game and not to get too involved in it. "I think poker is a positive and fun game, as long as it's just that," he said. "The money you play is money you can afford to lose - however, poker is very addictive. It can really cause you to get into trouble when it becomes an addiction." ? Urda said he has one rule he lives by when he plays poker. "Gamble responsibly," he said. THE REVIEW/John Transue A Harvard University professor developed the Global Poker Strategic Thinking Society. 10 October 2007 Univ. consortium helps disabled enter ?workforce BY ARIELLE NAPP Staff Reporter The university's National Leadership Consortium on Development Disabilities has been chosen by the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy to receive a grant of approximately $280,000. Michael Gamel-McCormick, director of the tiniversity's Center for Disabilities Studies, said the grant will fund an effort to teach employ ers how to provide work for individ uals with disabilities. Gamel-McCormick said the NLCDD aims to improve the live~ of people with disabilities, as well as the lives of their family members. The NLCDD is a partnership of the university's Center for Disabilities Studies and eight other national developmental disabilities organizations, such as the Human Services Research Institute, the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities, the Association of University Centers on Disabilities and the Council on Quality and Leadership. workforce. "The. talents of Aniericans with disabilities are not fully tapped in our economy," Chao stated in the press release. "This $2.3-million grant will help advance employment opportu nities for workers with disabilities and help them build better lives for themselves and their families." Gamel-McCormick said people with disabilities are often overlooked in the application process, which is unfortunate because they are often committed, responsible employees. ? "Employers need to learn how to utilize people with disabilities and teach them the necessary skills to be successful, because given the oppor tunity, they really can be," he said. ''Not giving them jobs is a waste of a reliable, resourceful workforce." Gamel-McCormick said the unemployment rates of the disabled far surpass the .unemployment num bers of the rest of the country's pop ulation. "They are so underemployed," he said. "Thirty-five to 60 percent of them are unemployed." Gamel-McCormick said he thinks the grant TheNLCDD is led by Steven Eidelman, Robert Edelsohn profes sor of individual and family studies and Nancy Weiss, .executive director of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps and researcher for the Center for Disabilities Studies. will help the NLCDD to do its part to increase employment of the disabled. "Specifically, this money will help us continue to teach employers, from the local 7-Eleven and comer store to larger corporations like Gore and Acme, to hire and help people with disabilities," he said. "Employers need to learn how to utilize people with disabilities and teach them necessary skills to be successful, because given the opportunity, the reallx can be.' ? A public affairs director within the -Michael Office of Disability Eidelman said the NLCDD works as leaders to educate employers and encourage them to hire people with disabilities. Gamei-McCormick, Em p 1 o y men t Policy said the two-year grant was Disabilities Studies given to a group of "We do lead- director of the Center for ership trammg and work with state and local government officials to try and teach employers about how and why they should hire disabled people," he said. According to the NLCDD's Web site, it offers week-long leader ship workshops, mentoring pro grams, continuing education pro grams, distance-learning opportuni ties and undergraduate and graduate level campus-based programs. Gamel-McCormick said the NLCDD benefits a wide range of people. "This is a lifespan service that we provide," l;le said. "We help improve the lives of people with dis abilities, from young children all the way to the elderly." In a press release dated Aug. 30 from the U.S. Department of Labor, Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao said she thinks individuals with disabili ties are under-represented ? in the I institutions, headed by the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers, the State University ofNew Jersey, that works towards the goal of a fully inclusive workforce in America. She said other institutions that received some of the grant are the American Public Human Services Association, the Elizabeth M. Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities at the University of Medicine and Dentistry in New _Brunswick, N.J., and the Community Solutions Group in Arlington, Va. Eidelman said the grant was highly competitive. "The application was like writ ing a book," he said. "It included a half-dozen organizations agreeing to share work and collaborate to earn a grant that was being competed for nationally." ------------ ----------?---- ... - ------- The NEED MONEY? RECENTLY DIAGNOSED? We need you! to donate blood -for research, if you have been diagnosed w ith:'- Lyme Disease Hepatitis A Rubella Lupus Cytomegalovirus Toxoplasmosis Epstein-Barr Virus Autoimmune Diseases Ask about other conditions $200 per donation* Multiple donations per month are possibl~ . Please call today for information 888-806-5215 X2211 All calfs strictly confidentivl. Interpreter sevices available. (J} SeraCare Life Sciences, Inc. Donor Recru i tment Program ? Plus mileage reimiJursement. Screening may be necessaty to qur.y the vic tim did.pot occur, Simpson said. POLICE. t~PERSONATOR ARRESTED Newark Police arrested James J. Brown ofNewark on Oct. 24 on charges related to a robbery committed while he and co-defendants impersonated police officers, Simpson said. The incidents occurred on Sept. 29 of this year when the men described themselves as members of a fictitious ''Newark Task Force," and stopped vic tims in a police-style, and even stole money from one victim, Simpson said. Brown surrendered himself to police on Wednesday and was charged with Robbery 2nd Degree, two counts of conspiracy 2nd degree, two counts of impersonating a police officer and offensive touching, Simpson said. -Katie Rogers October 30, 200711 The Green Fairy flies back to .U.S. liquor store shelves BY COURTNEY BAILEY Staff Reporter After being banned from the United States for more than 95 years, absinthe is slowly re-emerg ing. Currently only available in New Jersey, New York and a few locations in California and Illinois, Lucid-brand absinthe is gradually making a comeback in other states. Even though the controversy sur rounding "the green fairy" is as active as ever, the new brand is currently in high demand. Alana Radmin, spokeswoman for Viridian Spirits, the owner of Lucid, said the company spent a year negotiating with the government to obtain permission for Lucid to become the first absinthe in nearly a centu ry to be sold legally in the United States. "There may be oth ers following in our path, but Lucid was the first approved and first [on the] market, thanks to the hard work of Viridian Spirits," Radmin said. thujone being the hazardous com ponent of concern," Herndon said. Brian Ford, a bartender at Klonqike Kate's, said he has tried absinthe before and does not understand its appeal. He said he thinks if it comes to Delaware, it will be popular for the first few months of its release. "The high [alcohol content] is not a big deal anymore because we sell other liquors with [alcohol contents] just as high, such as alcohol regardless of its negative effects. He said he thinks it will be beneficial to have absinthe in a college town because it may cut back on other drug use. "I think if bars on Main Street were allowed to distribute it, then they should, but maybe somehow keep an eye on just how much of it they were giving to each person," Burger said. "Same thing as if they were cutting off someone who was too drunk, they'd have to cut off someone that had enough absinthe and was halluci nating." Senior Megan Louise said she thinks there are many misconceptions about absinthe and it could be dangerous at first because people might abuse it, thinking it will get them more intoxicated than regu lar alcohol. "Most people believe that it makes you hallucinate, but it does not," Louise said. "I think that it is per fectly fine for absinthe to be legal in these states. I drank it when I was in Switzerland and honestly, it did not seem any different from regular alcohol. She the company is expanding its distribution. Viridian Spirits has just launched Lucid in Massachusetts and Texas and is about to launch in Louisiana and several other markets. Radmin said by year's end, the company should be selling THE REVIEW/John Transue Absinthe was re-introduced in some U.S. states. "There is a slight body high that you do not get from alcohol, but you do not get overly intoxicated or wasted like from drink ing tequila or vodka." Senior Scott Lynch said he thinks if absinthe is the product in approximately 10 states with more to join in 2008. Viridian Spirits' officials said they are not sure when it will be launched in Delaware. She said Lucid costs $59.99 for the bottle and has already sold thousands of cases, which was beyond the company's projections. Radmin said some groups attempted to demonize absinthe in the late 1800s and early 1900s. "They promoted mytb..s of absinthe causing madness, sick ness and many other maladies, including that absinthe causes hal lucinations and other strange effects," she said. Lucid is created in a similar method to the original absinthe. It is made by distilling neutral spirits with whole herbs, including a full measure of grande wormwood, anise, fennel and other European culinary herbs. Like authentic absinthe, there is no artificial col oring, sugar nor oils or dyes. The green color is a natural by-product of the herbs, just like it was with the original product, she said. Mike Herndon, a spokesman for the Food and Drug Administration, said absinthe was banned by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the early 20th cen tury. "Our regulations allow the use of this flavor- artemisia, also known as wormwood - only if the finished food is thujone-free, Wild Turkey," Ford said. Michelle Varisco-Brown, a bartender at Iron Hill Brewery, said Lucid could be easily regulat ed at bars by charging more money for it. She has never tried absinthe and said she would feel more com fortable trying it herself before serving it to others. "I think if we begin serving it . here, there will be a big rise in public drunkenness charges," Varisco-Brown said. Senior Otto Burger, who was unaware absinthe was recently legalized, said he thinks it should be legal because people drink ROUTE: legalized, some bars on Main Street would distribute it, but he does not feel it is a safe product. - "The danger lies in the unknown effects that a hallucino genic substance will have on someone," Lynch said. "It's not all stars and rainbow colors and pink elephants. Some of the most night marish events of people's lives happen under the influence of mind-altering chemicals. "The unpredictable environ ment of a bar or nightclub is sim ply not safe for someone whose senses have been tweaked by a drug of this category." LAIRD CAMPUS-RAY STREET, PENCADER, CHRISTIANA TOWERS EAST CAMPUS- PERKINS WEST CAMPUS- RODNEY/DICKINSON SMITH OVERPASS SPONSORED BY: STUDENT CENTERS GAME OAT? OPPONENT GAME TIM? UNoon START OF GAM? BUS 10:30am November3 Jantes Madison November 10 Richmond l pm 11:30am October 30, 2007 H.S. diploma? Apply to college first It should be students' decision to apply to college A law pending in Maine that would require high school seniors to apply to at least one university in order to graduate. This is a horrible idea. It is not the states' place to decide if a student should apply to a universi ty or not - college is not for everyone. Some may choose to take the year off, go into the mili tary or begin a career right after graduation. By forcing students to apply to a university, the state is not only wrongly influencing their future, but it is deciding what is right and wrong. If students do not want to con tinue their education, this process is going to waste their time as well as the time of the people sitting and reading through the applica tions. Besides the extra burden of time consumption, the applica tions cost money, which not all high school students may have to be throwing away on an applica tion they do not wish to complete. The SATs will also cause them to spend extra money. In addition, there will be stu dents who want to go to college, but may have below-average grades and SAT scores, and now their spots may be taken by some- , one who did not even wish ?to attend, but had the grades to. How rewarding is it for a stu dent who does not want to go to college, to get a rejection letter from the one school which they were forced to apply to? This idea is insulting to those who have other? plans for after graduation, because it is hinting that they are wrong for not want ing to go to college. By implementing this law, the state is suggesting high school is only meant to prepare you for col lege and nothing else. Students sho.uld be able to talk to their parents or guidance counselors for advice. Meeting with counselors and discussing plans for the future is a much more effective way of approaching post graduation life. Forcing high school graduates to apply to col lege is not the right solution. College does not guarantee prosperity. Society today portrays the image that college is what is needed to be successful, when in reality, it is not for everyone, and should in no way be considered something that every kid that graduates high school must do. Getting to know your professors Where to draw the line with studentltEtacher behavior An unclear line exists between appropriate and inappropriate stu dent/teacher behavior at universities. Today, society creates the image that this relationship should not exist out side of the classroom. This process of thinking is narrow minded. At smaller schools, it is com mon for professors to invite their stu under 21, there is a strong chance the same professors who are willing to grab a drink with those of age would be willing to get coffee or lunch with others not of age. It is important to create a rela tionship with professors and contin ue this relationship into the future, when searching for jobs or for a good reference. dents over for dinner or coffee without a second thought. "As ~ong as nobody is taking body shots off the bar I see no In order for this to work, both stu dents and professors need to be mature about the situation. , Teachers should be problem with it." At the universi ty, it would be bene ficial for students to know their professors on a different level besides just in the classroom. For example, meeting a disciplined and feel - Allyson Merola. no obligation to University senior mark a paper higher professor for a drink if you are of age, should not be looked down upon, as long as it is done in an appropriate manner. It is not a time to get wasted. Students should be able to relate and connect with their professors, as they are quickly transcending the line between educator and colleague. It is an opportunity to break down the barriers between teacher and pupil and talk on a more personal level. Although many students are just because they took the time to meet a student for lunch. Students should .not feel like they are obligated to receive a higher grade or for the professor to treat give preferential in the classroom. This is a way to humanize our professors. Professors went through college too, and were in the same position many of their students are in now. They have much to offer about life and can be used as extremely valuable resources both now and in the future. ? ? e ton The Newarker HALLOWEEN 2007: Sluts Being Siuts! LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ' ;<;\frican trip ~pens new doors Filling out the study abroad application was one of the best deci stons I have ever made. It was April 2006 and I was applying to go 'to SoUth .Africa . for tb,y up~;:oming Winter Session . . Littledid I .know, 17 mqntbs l<>,???-..,.,-;.?W??? ???~<-XO'IIt.? NcN. 1.a & Cold>l"P""'ali 5:00! JoiN Us Nov. 6TH 6:30- 8 pm at The Bamboo House (College Square Shopping Center) ......,~ 1he Social Network for Eco-lllnded People Why you should be there: Because you are green, because you want to go green, because you want to meet other environmentally minded people. For more info visit GreenTv.com OPE HOUSE 10:00 TO 2:00, FRIDAY- NOV 16th 153 Courtney Street (across from the Harrington dorms} Ar~ you planning to travel abroad or desire a career involving International Business, Hospitality or wish to live in a truly global, secure environment? The INNternationale will be open for Inter national+ American graduates and upper class undergraduate residents, for the Spring Semester, requiring long term or short term guest accommodations. Special accommodations will also be provided for visiting professors and scholars. The "INN" is equipped with the highest fiber optic internet, high definition TV, security systems and competitively priced, comfortably furnished accommodations available. Designed to function as an INN, there are many lounges and kitchens included to add to the comfort of the resident, as well as the larger social areas of the World Cafe and Conference Center and the game room. For more information, please call 302-377-8846 or visit us on our Web site (www.TheiNNternationale.org) for more details. rl_() __ o_c_to_b_e_r_3o_,_2_oo_7~---------------------------------------------------------------------------?--~ Your digital world Your parent's digital world There's no comparison. You're part of the most technologically advanced generation in history. Them? Not so much. So make sure you take full advantage with AT&T's MEdia? Max Unlimited. You can text, send picsl IM, access the wireless Web and even stream videos as much as you want. It's unlimited, people . . What can AT&T do for your digital w.orld? att.com/digitalworld Service provided by AT&T Mobility. ? 2007 AT&T Knowledge Ventures. All rights reserved. AT&T and the AT&T logo are trademarks of AT&T Knowledge Ventures and/or AT&T affiliated companies. THE RETURN OF BRITNEV SPEARS ?? ..... . 'BLACKOUT' REVIEWED see pages 18, 19, 21 and 25 . - October 30, 2007 17 . ..,... - -.~ .. 18 October 30, 2007 A ghost, an alien or an angel? DelaWare folklorist combines history with stories from the other side BY ANDREA RAMSAY Managing Mosaic Editor Between two 18th century buildings on Main Street in Odessa, Del., there lies a pebbled pathway leading to the old Fieldstone Stable. It's Oct. 27 - the Saturday before Halloween. Outside the hollowed-out stone barn, a single violinist sits in the cold, filling the air with an appropriately eerie tune. Inside, folklorist Ed Okonowicz, alongside friend and historian Mike Dixon, stands before an eager crowd of approximately 50 people, waiting to begin recounting some of the countless ghost stories he has col lected throughout the years. The first story he chooses was told to him two weeks before, when a man approached him about a house in Middletown, Del., where he lived with his wife and two chil dren seven years ago. After five years of spooky encounters, the man decided to turn his keys in to his farmer/landlord. "The farmer says, 'Did you see any ghosts?'" Okonowicz says, speaking rapidly. "And [the man] says, 'I didn't, but my daughter saw something in the room upstairs.' 'What'd she see?: 'She saw a girl,' he says. 'A girl in her bedroom.' 'Which bedroom was your daughter in?' the farmer asks. ? 'All the way in the back,' the guy says. 'Behind the bathroom, overlooking the cornfield.' 'Yup,' he says, 'that's where it happened.' 'What happened?' He said, 'That's where my daughter took a gun and shot her head off.'" Okonowicz says people like this man from Middletown con stantly approach him to share their stories of ghosts and spiritual encounters - at a talk the previous night, he had four. "People are always adding more stories," he says. "Some of them are really good, some of them are not. So you judge which ones are usable and interesting and go from there." ? Okonowicz, a Delaware native who graduated from the university in 1970, says his career in folklore happened by chance. While work ing for The News Journal as a free lancer, an interview with a story teller sparked his interest. He attended an adult storytelling con cert and then took a graduate course in storytelling at Cabrini College. In 1993, he began his life as a teller, mainly for adult audi ences. "I thought it was just for kids in daycare and on the floor of the library," Okonowicz says. "I didn't realize you could do it in different venues and historic sites, conven tions and conferences - every where." In addition to people who Courtesy of Ed Okonowicz Folklorist Ed Okonowicz began teUing ghost stories in 1993. come up to him at different events, ? he collects his stories through tapes from the National Storytelling Festival, reading and interviewing. He says he is particularly interested in the connection between folklore and history, which he uses as a focus while sto rytelling. He uses this technique as an adjunct professor at the universi ty as well, teaching the only course on folklore . "Since the beginning of time, people taught history through folk lore," he says. "When they had campfires, they didn't just tell scary stories like they do today. They told the culture, the history of the area. They told the morals. The historic events are linked with the folklore for the sake of entertainment and education. That's the trick." Dixon, who focuses on docu ment research rather than oral his tory research, has been speaking at events with Okonowicz for years to emphasize the connection between history and folklore, and the two interact in front of a? crowd more like siblings than collegues. Okonowicz says in the beginning of a talk, the audience can't tell whether or not they're fighting since they're constantly interrupt ing each other. "This story I heard two weeks ago," Okonowicz says to the crowd in Fieldstone Stable. "This was really scary." "It wasn't scary like my train one," Dixon interrupts. "I just said it was scary." ''I'm just making sure it's fact." "Now, now you've really gone and put me on the spot," Okonowicz says as the audience errupts in laughter. - Dixon says as a historian he has to be skeptical of everything he hears and, although he doesn't believe in ghost stories, he values the angle Okonowicz puts on their events together. . "The reality of it for me," he says, "is that it's just a way to g~n? erate an _ enormous audience and make it a little fun. If you get a crowd of 15 to 20 people on a his tory walk you think it's a large crowd. Typically for [ghost walks] they're near 100." Karen Quinn, director of the Corbit-Calloway Memorial Library in Odessa, which sponsored the event, says although she works with Okonowicz throughout the year, an event featuring both men is less common. "We usually do one a year with the two of them together," Quinn says. "I think it's pretty com pelling." Dixon and Okonowicz will be appearing together on campus on Nov. 2 to offer a 90-minute walking tour, "Ghosts (and History) on the Green," which features stories from official guidebooks as well as local legends and folk stories relating to Newark and the university. The event is already sold out. See GHOST STORIES page 25 A spooky 'Loop' through Wilmington's bar scene BY ADAM ASHER Entertainment Editor Something seemed a bit off on Main Street Saturday night. It was the weekend leading up to Halloween and costume-clad stu dents were certainly around, but the patio at bars like Grotto Pizza and Klondike Kate's seemed less crowded than usual. The streets were relatively empty and D.P. Dough was not the raging party it usually is after midnight. The roomy streets and bars could have been due to Fall Break, but it was also created, in no small way, by the annual Halloween bus trip through various bars - in Wilmington known as The Loop. Bob Losey, owner of Gallucio's, a karaoke bar on The Loop, says every night is business as usual, but The Loop tends to bring new faces into the bar. He says wh~n college students come to his place, they bring their rowdy lifestyle with them. "With the college kids there's definitely more energy," Losey says. "[On loop nights] it's not been uncommon for us to see due~ up there with a 21-year-old college stu dent and a 50-year-old customer." Gallucio 's is just one of 13 bars on The Loop, each connected by a shuttle bus route. Since 1979, Halloween-worthy students and Wilmington residents alike have purchased wristbands and spent the evt The latest installment of "Saw IV" has not been dulled by the previous tri umvirate of horror/detec tive movies. In fact, the level of gore and carnage has increased, from the sordid and nauseating amounts of the prior movies to almost snuff worthy in its latest incarna tion. Cinema connoisseurs should always be wary of horror movies reaching their umpteenth reiteration ("Halloween H20," "Jason X," "Rocky V"). "Saw IV" is one of the few sequels that is as good as the original. Unfortunately, the original is at best a "Se7en" knock-off with an exorbi tant amount of violence. The premise and structure of the story follow a familiar pattern. Agents Strahm (Scott Patterson) and Perez (Athena Karkanis) attempt to out-wit a serial-killer while the graphic deaths of "innocent" dregs-of-society punctuate key story moments. The one aspect the movie excels at is the creative ways in which its cast members are terminated. There are more intriguing methods of demise in this movie than in the entire "Final Destination" trilo- gy. ' The movie plays like an M-Rated 95- "Avenged Sevenfold" Avenged Sevenfold Warner Bros. Records Rating: ~ 1/2 (out of~~~~*) "I'm not insane, I'm not insane, "sings M. Shadows, lead singer of Avenged Sevenfold in "Almost Easy," the second song off the band's self-titled fourth album. He might be telling the truth, but I for one feel insane after listening to the album. The best way to describe this record is as an amalgam of genres. The sound is metal-core meets nu-metal. Both genres are often maligned and their flaws are only amplified due to their combination. After the first two albums, both pre dominantly metal-core, Shadows ruined his vocal cords. He says they healed, and he chooses to sing the way he does now. Regardless of the reason, the vocals now sound like awful '90s nu-metal meets wanna-be '80s glam-rock crooner. Think left behind. minute episode of "CSI'' rather than a hor ror flick. It opens up with an autopsy of Jigsaw (Tobin Bell), in which a cassette tape is found in the stomach of the killer. There are no creative camera angles to show the progression of the postmortem examination. This is a five-minute non stop gag-scene, the highlights of which include a bone saw to the cranium and the decomposed contents of a stomach. Director Darren Lynn Bousman ("Saw II," "Saw III") does a decent job of explain ing the back-story of Jigsaw, showing the events that transformed a humanitarian into a monster. The story leaves enough ques tions unanswered at the end of the film to milk the wallets of fans with a fifth install ment. The twists in the story, while some what unexpected, are far from inspired. The acting is convincing, but jumps abruptly between characters and into flash backs, giving the movie little sense of con tinuity or the urgency of the protagonist to save the victims before their time runs out. Rigg (Lyriq Bent), who also appeared in "Saw II" and "III," has one of the more compelling storylines in the picture. The few moments of Hitchcockian suspense in the story follow Rigg's search for his lost partner, Eric Matthews (Donnie Wahlberg). "Saw IV" gives the violence its fan base craves and continues the series in a plausible manner. It won't be long, howev er, until the franchise is plagued by the redundancy that ruined the "Friday the 13th" and "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" movies. - Tucker Liszkiewicz, tucker@ldeledu Axl Rose meets Chester Bennington - it sounds con trived, and at times, simply terrible. On top of this, the lyrics are of the Courtesy of Amazon.com usually "emo"- cheese that crowds today's airwaves. Every line sounds forced, every word cliche. "Avenged Sevenfold" isn't a zero-star album, though, because the band has always been known for great musicianship, especially in its guitar work. Unfortunately, pummeling riffs and detailed harmonies are not enough to save what is otherwise a sad effort from a once hard band trying to fit into the mainstream mold of radio-rock. -Jason Westerkon,jwest@)ldeledu "Under the Boards" Saves the Day Vagrant Rating: ~~~ (out of ~~~~*) In the last 1 0 years, Saves the Day has gone through a long, audible transition from a teen angst-fueled punk band to mature rockers. On all of its albtuns, the band has shown a mastery for pop hooks without losing its rock edge. The group's new album, ''Under The Boards," sam ples sounds from its history that bring about feelings of nostalgia for its early music and introduce new ideas that would have been better The first few tracks on the album, most notably "Radio" and "Under the Boards," give the listener the usual metaphoric vio lence and mock suicidal lyrics that lead singer Chris Conley is known for, but with a darker sound. At first, the record rocks hard, reminiscent of a younger band; however, the next half hour is a bumpy ride. There are a few gems on ''Under the Boards" that show off Conley's soft haunting vocal talents along with powerful, screeching guitars rarely seen from the group, which generally prefers to stick to the thick power-chords that have served them well over the years. The acoustic ballad "Stay'' is one of a handful of songs not to be missed, but unfortunately, it's the rest of the songs that are the ones to stick. - Adam Asher, aasher@Jdeledu dela,yarel INdressed One for the grand kids? Sarah Niles Co/umntsi Love occurs every day in mysterious ways. Whether you're ordering a cup of coffee, browsing the grocery aisles or doing research at the library, there are endless oppor- tunities to encounter your one true love. An increasingly com mon courtship story being told by college kids, however, is much less likely to end up as the plot of a Disney movie. No one denies that we live in a "hook up" culture. Our generation has been known to work hard and play harder. It makes sense, then, that more students are building relationships with someone who began as a one-night stand or drunken "mistake." Under many circumstances, waking up next to an unfamiliar face can cause emo tional distress or spark curiosity. Hopefully the previous night isn't a total blur, but often there is some question about how you wound up fighting for the good pillow with someone you barely know. In .the light of day, many choose to go their sepa rate ways and leave their night of passion in Apparently the most shocking celebrity to come out of the closet this year is not des tined to be retired NBA center John Amaechi or financial author Suze Orman. J.K. Rowling, the Brit whose magical quill brought us the "Harry Potter'' series, has seen to that. No, Rowling didn't announce she's gay. Rather, she revealed the homosexual inclina tions of a certain beloved character of hers. At a Carnegie Hall question-and answer session in New York on Oct. 19, one of 2,000 Potter fans present asked Rowling if Hogwarts headmaster and wizard Albus Dumbledore had ever found love. Rowling's casual response, according to ABCNews.com- "Dumbledore is gay." She went on to explain Dumbledore's torturous romance with Gellert Grindelwald, a fellow wizard and childhood best-friend-turned-enemy, whom Dumbledore would ultimately defeat in a wizarding duel. It's at this point I he!~ my glowing cell phone high in the air and allowed Elton John's ~'Don't Let The Sun Go Down rJ forward Don't disguise your hidden scandalous side It's that time of year again. Children masquer ade around town as mini princesses and ninjas, houses are ornamented with faux spiderwebs and carved pumpkins and uni versity kids are given yet another reason to drink and dress up. By dress up, I don't mean pearls, Larissa Cruz Co/umlltvt dresses, ties and your best slacks. I'm referring to, shall we say, "exposing" outfits that come out in public only once per year, mostly by the universi ty's female population. It's an unquestionable tradition. The teen movie "Mean Girls" demonstrates an accurate ? portrayal of Halloween dressing for young adults. Girls wear ensembles fit for porn stars, while guys don witty and humorous costumes. "Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girl can say anything about it," Lindsay Lohan's char acter says. Lohan is right, for once. No other girl can say anything about it, even me. I'm not saying this custom is awful and wrong, because I'm guilty of following it, too. Last year, I was a less-than-wholesome ver sion of Hello Kitty, in a high-hemmed white dress and kitten ears. I feel like a hypocrite for admit ting this fun fact, since I bash skimpy clothing on a regular basis. What's odd is I'm hardly someone you'd describe as a "scandalous girl." I don't take pride in exhibiting my body, nor do I flirt with strangers or dance on tables. I don't write the sex column because I blush at the mention of anything promiscuous. So why do I feel it is necessary to be that "scandalous girl" on All Hallows' Eve? Maybe there's an innate calling for all women to wear less on the last day of October, even though the brisk fall weather certainly does n't encourage this kind of attire. . The best reason to describe females' tenden cy to clad themselves in fishnets and tummy-bear ing t{lnks is that no one judges "hoochieness" or any fashion morals on Halloween. If anything, creativity rules the agenda. Plus, if I reason with myself that everybody does it, then it's accept able, if not expected. The idea of being someone or something we're usually not is exciting and fun. We can take on an entirely different persona, even if it's a risque one. The holiday calls for dressing up, sim ilar to our childhood days minus a few articles of clothing. A few extra longing glances from others are simply an added bonus. The only advice I have to offer is try not to frolic in your panties - leave something to the imagination. Don't be so over the top that your Little Red Riding Hood outfit gets mistaken as a hooker costume. Be tasteful with your choices, while letting go of your inhibitions. So live it up, crazy college kids, and seek creativity with your costume - Oct. 31 only comes once per year. If you happen to see an Audrey Hepburn wannabe, feel free to give me a wave. This Halloween I'll be adorning my cleav age with a strand of pearls - I hav.e to keep it classy, after all: -lcruz@ldeLedu Disagree with Larissa? Read Jessica's opposing viewpoint. page 13 - 2 2 October 30, 2007 }it When grades go on the bac~-burner AuthOr discusses other important aspects of getting in_to grad school BY ARIELLE NAPP Staff Reporter Dave Mumby, an associate professor at Concordia University, will readily admit he has no idea how he came to be where he is today, Mumby has recently written a book about getting into graduate school; however, he personally admits good fortune was a key factor in his academic success. "I fluked my way into graduate school," Mumby says. "I look back on it now and it's a miracle I got in at all. I know for a fact that I had no idea what I was doing." It is due to this revelation that Mumby felt it was his duty to inform undergraduate students applying to graduate programs of what they should be doing. In his book, "Graduate School: Winning Strategies for Getting In With or Without Excellent Grades," Mumby aims to dispel some of the common misconceptions that undergraduates have about applying to graduate school. He is quick to explain the reasoning behind the book's title. "This is not a book for students who have poor grades, to tell them how they can cheat or trick their way into a program," he says. "This is for students who do have good grades and are relying on them to gain admission into a school, when their other areas may be lacking." The "other areas" that Mumby instructs students to consider are what he calls the objective and non-objective factors of an application. The objective category includes grade point average, standardized test scores and application paperwork. The non objective factors are the personal statement, letters of recommendation and personal interviews. Mumby says students need to focus more of their effort on the personal, non objective parts of their application. "Students often don't realize that how they come across as a person has a huge impact on if they will be accepted or not," he says. The best way for students to improve the more personalized parts of their applica tion, he says, is to become involved in activ ities outside of the classroom. "It is not enough for a student to show up to class on time, be polite, do well on exams [and] write good papers," Mumby says. "They need to get involved in activi ties through their departments." He says that way professors get to know their students on a more personal level and can better guide them toward appropriate graduate programs, connect them with other professionals in the ,field and write convincing letters of recommen dation. "The best letters of recommendation are not just going to say the student does their work well and comes to class. They are going to consider a student's work habits and their character attributes," he says, "This information is not going to come from a relationship that exists only within a class room," Junior Lauren Caminsky says she has a hard time believing that grades, attendance and performance in class would come second on an application to per sonal relationships with class instruc tors. "It just sucks that I can study hard and kill myself over my homework and my papers, and that my parents pres sure me to get good grades," Caminsky says, "but in the end, if my professors don't think I have good character or just haven't gotten to know me very well, that may hurt my chances to go to grad school." Graduate student Andrew Bozanic, president of the Graduate Student Senate, is working on a Ph.D. in histo ry and also empha sizes the impor tance of grades. Courtesy of Arnazon.com " h 1 Mumby's first book gives advice to students applying to graduate school. T ere are a ot Dave Mumby is currently working on his second book due out in June 2008. of important factors in an application, and GPA and GRE scores may be rough num bers, but they will reflect work ethic and time management," he says. "One of the hardest things as a grad student is budgeting your time and having the personal will power to get your work done. If you do that, it will show in your grades, and you'll be successful in grad school." He says he agrees with Mumby that making personal connections with profes sionals who work in the field a student is studying can be beneficial. "Your professors are writing, teaching, researching within their field," Bozanic says. "They know their colleagues, and they can help you establish good relationships with them." As an undergraduate at the University of Alberta in Canada, where he also com pleted his Master's degree, Mumby didn't have access to this type of advice. Although he says he had a decent GPA, he didn't think that it would be enough to get him into grad uate school. "While I was doing my Master's at Alberta, I wasn't thinking too much about how I had gotten in," Mumby says. "I was just glad to be there." Later, however, when Mumby was working on his Ph.D. at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, and while doing post-doctoral work at the University of New Mexico, he began to realize many of the students around him shared misunder standings ab6ut graduate school. . "No matter where I was, or what the discipline students were studying, they had such similar stories and shared the same confusion that I had had as an undergradu ate," he says. "There was an information gap about how the selection process actual ly works." What started as a single sheet of paper with some insightful tips about selecting, applying and getting accepted into graduate schools quickly became a thicker informa tion packet as more students looked to Mumby for advice. After approximately one year of infor mally advising students, and after confer ring with some colleagues, Mumby says he had the idea to create a book on the subject. "I was just thinking, 'Why has no one else written a book about this?' So I finally did," he says. A year and a half later, in early 1997, the book was completed, Mumby says. He says he's currently working on a second edition of the book due to come out in June 2008. "It's roughly nine years old, and we're reworking it a little, but none of the basic information has changed," he says. "Technology is different, some things are different, but the basic points that I address ani no different today than they were when I first started passing out sheets of paper." In keeping up with technological advances, Mumby created a Web site, MyGraduateSchool.com, where students can go to find information about the author, as well as updated tips about applying to schools. Students also have the option of downloading individual chapters of the book, or the entire thing. Mumby says the book also includes a timetable to advise students about what steps they should be taking toward graduate school while they are still undergraduates. "Take little steps each year, like getting to know professors, and then around the end of junior year, start planning and prepar ing," he says. "Get involved early and set yourself up for some strong recommenda tions." Caminsky says one of the most difficult issues she has encountered is that applying to graduate school is different from apply ing to undergraduate school. "In high school, it's like most students plan on graduating and going to college," she says. "Acceptance into college is the ultimate goal. Someone is holding your hand the entire time because everyone assumes that you want to go to college - there's no question about it." Caminsky says in college, there is less guidance because not all students plan on going to graduate school. "I had to take it upon myself to decide whether grad school is for me or not," she says. "Because not everyone plans on going forward with their education, there is no set standard for what classes to take. I felt like I was completely on my own when I researched schools and figured out what credits I needed." Mumby says not every undergraduate should consider graduate school. "Graduate school is not the next logical step for everyone," he says. "Each student has to decide whether they want to charter a career or course that involves graduate school. Become aware of the career options available to you, because you never know where your education can lead." For the students who know graduate school is for them, Mumby says he hopes his advice helps. "Along my way, I realized that I was making impressions and building relation ships that I didn't know would help me in the future, and it worked for me," he says. "I relied on good fortune to get me from undergraduate school to graduate school. My hope is that with my advice, other stu dents won't have to." )Jt October 30, 2007 23 Alum fin_ds chemsitry on not in lab ? ICe, BY JENNIFER HAYES GcpyEditor where they want their life to go. and attractions the cities have to offer," she says. The cast of Disney on Ice glides across the stage, singing, acting and skating to songs from popular Disney movies, enter taining audiences around the world. Included in the cast is univer sity alumna Adrienne Mohadjerin. "You have that slip of paper," she says. "There is never a time where you're like, 'Well, all this was in vain.' You can go back into it at 60 years old if you want." Mohadjerin says it's hard to say how long she will stay with Disney on Ice. ? Mohadjerin, 22, graduated from the university in 2006 with a bachelor's degree in chemistry, but now spends her days on tour in London, ice skating while portraying a variety of Disney char acters. Mohadjerin says many of the skaters in Disney on Ice have either graduated from college or plan to pursue their education when they (inish skating. ? "I have a friend, Charlotte, who is going to medical school once she gets out of Disney," she says. "There are other people who have been halfway into their Bachelor's degree and decided to take a year or two - sometimes that can even be six years - off. You meet people with all different backgrounds." " "Last year, in the beginning, I wasn't sure if I wanted to stay another year," she says. "This year, I'm having such a great time. It's so hard to say when I'll stop. I'll probably stop and do some chemistry in the somewhat-near-future .... I'm not a lab rat so I will probably work in sales of some sort." Mohadjerin says her decision to join Disney on Ice was prompted by her participation in the university's synchronized ice skating team. After meeting others in the program, she decided she wanted to pursue her interest in skating professionally after graduation. She says Disney on Ice made her realize how much she loves performing for people and wants to continue to do so some how. The demands of an international skating tour differ from those of the day-to-day college education, Mohadjerin says. Her "I love entertaining people," Mohadjerin says. "That's been a good discovery and I'll always keep up with that, even if it's just a hobby or something fun to do." "I've had a great time here and I'm really glad I went into it and you know, I can do chemistry whenever," Mohadjerin says. "I might as well skate while I can." During her experiences with Disney on Ice, Mohadjerin says she was involved in "Monsters Inc.," where she played the roles of different monsters, including a child description agent, which she describes as a puffy, yellow monster. In the current show, "A ? Disneyland Adventure Featuring 'The lncredibles,'" she portrays a popcorn vendor, a pirate and an occasional ghost. "I've been skating forever but I think I enjoyed skating as a team so much in synchro, and you're really part of a big team in this job," she says. "It's really fun to perform on the ice and have a lot of people around you doing the same thing." During her time at the university, Mohadjerin says chemistry wasn't an easy major. She chose chemistry in part because her mother pushed for a science and math discipline, but also because she found it intriguing. "I do find chemistry absolutely amazing, thinking every thing I touch is chemistry, everything around us is chemistry, all materials are chemistry," she says. "I find it fascinating but it was definitely difficult for me and I did struggle through it." There are ways to combine ice skating and chemistry in a future career, Mohadjerin says, but that isn't something she is necessarily interested in doing. time at the university has helped transition her into life on tour by giving her independ ence. "It helped me go from home, from mom, to making my own food and figuring things out on my own," Mohadjerin says. "Since we're on the road and constantly traveling, I've been independent three years before this, so it's good." Mohadjerin says a typical day on tour consists of one to three shows. During the weekend, there are three shows per day, known as a six-pack. "Chemistry didn't come naturally to me, so I felt generally stressed out mentally," she says. "Here, on a three-show day, six pack, heaven forbid a nine-pack, you're physically tired, you're exhausted. It's a dif ferent kind of strain and stress." She says the company's first show begins at 11 a.m. or noon and usually last for one hour and 45 minutes. "Between shows, we either hang around the rink or we go out and get some lunch then come back for the other one and do it again," she says. On her days off or days when there is only one show, Mohadjerin says she spends "I could definitely work in manufacturing new materials for skates and stuff like that, but ? honestly, I wouldn't want to," Moh~djerin says. "I am always going to need hobbies in my life." Mohadjerin says taking time off to pursue interests unrelat ed to a graduate's major can be a rewarding experience. It allows people time to decide what they want to do with their life and time exploring the cities and sightseeing. Courtesy of Adrienne Mohadjerin "Now that I am in Europe, I've been Adrienne Mohadjerin joined the cast of Disney on Ice after graduating from really excited to check out all of the places the university in 2006. Local girls learn a mol-e charming way of life BY COURTNEY BAILEY Staff Reporter While 2007 university alumna Elizabeth Cepeda was still attending the university, she says opening a "charm school" for girls was one of her dreams. "Opening the school was something that people asked me about a lot, and I eventually began to consider," Cepeda says. "I used to run the Miss Hispanic Delaware and it made me sad to see girls who didn't have the crown cry. This is when I thought, 'Why don't I have a class where I can teach these girls etiquette and manners, then crown them at the end?' " Cepeda, who graduated with a degree in apparel design, opened Cache Productions, a charm school for girls ages 5 to 17, in June 2007. Her school teaches etiquette, manners and hygiene along with modeling and acting. Cepeda says her school offers 20 different sections over several weeks where girls can better themselves. The girls learn table man ners, social grace and modeling. She takes it a step farther and finds the gir1s modeling jobs and promotional_ work, and also plans events such as p