Obama`s Election Renews U.S., Top Author Tells BCC Book Store

Transcription

JANUARY 2009
VOLUME - 14
WWW.BERGEN.EDU/THETORCH
ISSUE - 1
Also in The Torch...
The Torch
The Art Gallery Closes - pg 9
New Online Advisement - pg 3
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF BERGEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Obama’s Election
Renews U.S.,
Top Author Tells BCC
PHOTO COURTESY/BERGEN.EDU
Sir Salman Rushdie
by:
Huma munir
-co editor-
Sir Salman Rushdie told
a gymnasium full of Bergen
Community College students,
faculty, staff and guests that with
ObamaÕ s election, Ò the United
States re-invented itself yet again.
The world has changed, literally
overnight.Ó
Rushdie came to BCC to
deliver a lecture and sat down
to answer a few questions
pertaining to the current issues
of the world as well as the
Presidential Election. Ò Even with
the impossible expectations,Ó
Rushdie said, Ò It was great to
see that Barack Obama as a first
African American presidentelect was able to make social and
cultural change for his country.Ó
He also said that it is not
possible for any human being to
fulfill all of the expectation and
Ò there is no question that there
will be disappointments.Ó
Rushdie, a British citizen
was born in India and came to
live in New York in 1999. A year
later when President George W.
Bush was elected, he felt as if the
country he wished to live in was
not the same anymore. Shortly
after President ObamaÕ s election
in 2008, Rushdie said, Ò it feels
good to have the real America
back.Ó
The 2008 election was a great
turning point for the way the
world perceives America and itÕ s
people, according to Rushdie. He
said it was a Ò vanguard moment
for the whole Western world.Ó
Rushdie said that he could not
See RuShdie... pg 15
Bergen Community College
Catches a Glimpse of History
PHOTO COURTESY OF LIVEJOURNAL.COM-OBAMA PICS DAILY
Barack Obama being sworn in, with Mrs. Michelle Obama holding the Lincoln Bible.
by
Jona isufi
-staff writer-
On a freezing Sunday
morning, ten Bergen Community
College students piled into a van
to embark on a journey to witness
Barack ObamaÕ s presidential
inauguration.
They were joined by Student
Government Council’s officers
and senators and their advisor, Dr.
Ralph Choonoo. After the long
drive, they were accommodated
at a Marriott Courtyard hotel in
Baltimore, MD. Washington D.C.
was only a few minutes away
from where we stayed. We moved
around using the metro system
and got a chance to look at the
many buildings of Washington
D.C., including the White House.
On Jan. 19th the group was
joined at lunch by President G.
Jeremiah Ryan and his wife, Gail.
The students had the opportunity
to exchange their ideas and
opinions about the inauguration
with Dr. Ryan, and Cid D. Wilson,
See Bcc... pg 3
Book Store Policies: Conspiracy Against Education?
by: natalia arrango
-sports editorCertain Bookstore policies
are deeply affecting students
like Otto Medina, who could
not return the book during the
seven day allotted period by the
bookstore and ended up losing 85
dollars. Unfortunately, Medina
had bought the wrong edition.
The policy states that you
have seven calendar days from
the start of classes or within two
days of purchase thereafter. Any
books bought during the last
week of classes or during exam
times can only be returned under
the buyback policy which states
that the bookstore will pay up
to 50% of the original purchase
price as long as the book is still
in demand.
In the situation of dropped
or added classes, the student can
return the textbook with proof
of class withdrawal for up to
30 days of book purchase. Ò I
thought that they would give me
an even exchange, considering
the circumstances. I was wrong
and now IÕ m out $85 that I donÕ t
have to waste!Ó said Medina.
Medina could not return the book
within the time period because of
a conflicting class schedule.
Medina was told that he had to
wait until the end of the semester
for the bookstore to consider the
buyback of the book. Thus, he
was left with a brand new book
which he had no use for and
little money to buy the book he
actually needed.
There has been much
debate on why textbooks are
so expensive for students and
what exactly is used to set the
guidelines for the sale of these
books to institutions and students.
LOGO COURTESY OF EFOLLET.COM
The National Association of
College Stores reports that from
2007-2008, the average student
spent between $921.00-$988.00
Winner of the General Excellence Award for the New Jersey Press Foundation 2007-2008
Better College Newspaper Contest
See Book policeS... pg 3
The Torch
Page 2
January 2009
BCC News
The Incredible Lou Ferrigno
by:
Michelle ha
-staff writer-
Notorious for playing the
raging green monster on the hit
1970Õ s TV show The Incredible
Hulk, Lou Ferrigno came to
Bergen Community College on
Wednesday, October 15, 2008.
Being hard of hearing himself,
the former Mr. Universe proved
himself to be an inspiring role
model, especially to the deaf and
hard of hearing youth.
Ò My most powerful message
to give you is that everyone has a
disability in one way or another,Ó
said Ferrigno to the students who
came to hear him speak or to even
catch a glimpse of the famous
actor. In FerrignoÕ s opinion, the
impaired youth have nothing to
be ashamed of in their lives.
By the age of three, Lou
Ferrigno had lost 80% of his
hearing due to an ear infection.
Ferrigno had his share of the
all too common hardships that
the hearing impaired of the
1970s had to deal with. He was advocated. Ò If it wasnÕ t for my
tirelessly teased and was largely loss of hearing, I wouldnÕ t be
rejected by his own father. On where I am today.Ó he stated.
top of that, Ferrigno was also He reminded everyone that it is
challenged academically because important to be Ò nice to yourselfÓ
of his impairment and Ò Éha d and said, Ò If you donÕ t feel
to study extra hard than average good about yourself, you affect
peopleÓ , he said.
everything else.Ó
The foundation of FerrignoÕ s
Ferrigno accredits his iconic
successful career was established status to his former mentors,
first from his motivation to Billy Bixby, Milton Katselas,
become a bodybuilder. Lou and Howard Fine. However,
Ferrigno had discovered the value only a brave man with enough
of weight training. He began dynamism and inner endurance
to participate in bodybuilder can flourish like Lou Ferrigno.
competitions, and at the mere age Ò We all have different disabilities.
of 21, Lou Ferrigno won his first But you canÕ t let fear dominate
Mr. Universe title. His resiliency you because it will only lead to
and drive to succeed is what anger, suffering, and hate. I never
ultimately led Ferrigno to play take no for an answer. Life is too
the role of The Incredible Hulk.
beautiful.Ó He said.
Lou Ferrigno was truly
Ferrigno believes that those
encouraging to the audience as with vulnerabilities possess more
he divulged them about hard power than those that donÕ t.
work and accomplishment. Ò It Ò People who pretend to be perfect
doesnÕ t matter if youÕ re blind or and wonderful all the time, they
handicapped, you can achieve are the ones that are handicappedÓ
anything you want to, as long as he acclaimed.
you put your mind to it.Ó Ferrigno
Lou Ferrigno, now 57,
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PHOTO COURTESY/COMICBOOKMOVIE.COM
Lou Ferrigno as “The Hulk”
continues to work out daily
See Hulk... pg 14
The Torch
January 2009
Page 3
BCC News
College Creates New Initiative
to Improve Advisement
BCC
...continued from pg 1
by
See BCC... pg 15
A new effort to improve
the advisement process is well
under way, according to Dr.
Peter Dlugos, Vice President of
research, planning, assessment
and quality and a project leader
of the Advisement Initiative.
In the coming 12 months, the
Advisement Initiative will focus
on a core set of changes to
substantially improve the ways
students get advised at BCC.
Ò We hope to see in the future,
rather than getting advising either
in the Advising Center or perhaps
during high volume registration
periods, that there will be a suite
of different ways to get advising,Ó
says Dlugos. Ò WeÕ re hoping one
of these ways is online in a kind
of chat room or e-mail format.
It could also involve telephone
calls. We think that advising at
a distance will better serve some
students.Ó
Ò It may also involve, for
students who want it, some sort
of mentoring relationship, or
advising based on the discipline
being studied,Ó he says. Ò Part
of the project is to rethink and
re-conceptualize what academic
advising is and how do the
College offers it. In addition, the
effort wants to recommend an
approach consisting of multiple
avenues to match what students
want.Ó
The Advisement Initiative is
$2.3 billion in annual sales.
Ò New textbooks for which the
publisher has a suggested selling
price, i.e., a list price, are sold at
that priceÓ said Mr. Stachowiak,
Ò New books that have no list or
preprinted price are sold at an
agreed upon margin between the
institution and Follett.Ó
Most on-campus bookstores
base the prices of their materials
so that the gross margin does
not exceed 25%. Used textbooks
on the other hand, are typically
sold at a 25% discount from the
selling price of the new material.
The bookstore has a policy that
as long as the book is in Ò goodÓ ,
condition, i.e., binding intact and
no missing pages, youÕ re eligible
for a refund with receipt.
Not only that, but only
current editions of a book can be
returned, and an old edition does
not count for the buyback policy,
according to Stachowiak. Supply
and demand also play a role in
this process, and if the book is not
in demand, it cannot be returned
to the bookstore.
Nowadays, students
have found other ways to save
a buck by purchasing texts via
online stores and student posts
such as Amazon or craigslist.
However. that doesnÕ t always
help in situations where certain
textbooks
are
specifically
PHOTO COURTESY OF JONA ISUFI
From left to right: Mimi Marcinova, Rooshab Shah, Jona Isufi, Brittney
Wright, Ron Subramaniam, Anita Pejic, JaeWoo Chung, Daniel Nachoum, Elida Portugez, Lira Skenderi (not pictured)
the secretary of the Board of
Trustees of BCC.
Dr. Ryan said, Ò I am in
Washington D.C. to support
Barack Obama. I am very
hopeful that he is going to be a
transformational president in
different areas. He has more
understanding about different
important issues. I am here to be
part of history.Ó
Dr. Ryan expects the
recent stimulus package under
consideration by Congress to
give direct help to community
colleges. Ò It will increase direct
grants, loans to community
college and give us more
opportunities to have a very
qualified staff,” he said.
This may be the first time in
Bergen Community CollegeÕ s
history that a group of students
were granted access to an event
of such importance. When asked
about his opinion about the
studentsÕ presence, Dr. Ryan said
Ò I am very pleased by the idea of
the SGC to come to this event.
It is a great opportunity that
aManda ferrante
-staff writer-
also the Board of Trustees and
representatives of the school have
come here.Ó
Cid D. Wilson is also an
ambassador to The New Jersey
Council of County Colleges. He
said, Ò It is great to be here. Of all
the times I have been here [once
or twice a month] I have never
seen anything like this. It is great
that Bergen Community College
has the pleasure to be hereÓ . Cid
D. Wilson, who has a Dominican
background, connected with
President Obama by saying,
“Barack Obama is the first
president born from immigrants.
The story is the same of the
Dominican immigrantsÓ .
As
pleased
as
the
administration
was,
the
excitement of the students was
beyond limits. Ò It is great to be
here! I feel part of the history!
Now I have something to tell to
my grandchildren when I grow
old!Ó were among the comments
PHOTO COURTESY OF BERGEN.EDU
Dr. Peter Dlugos, project leader of the Advisement Initiative
comprised of senior staff, deans, for all faculty members in order to
directors and members of the cater more to the studentsÕ needs.
Ò As the college grows and our
faculty. Senior staff oversees
strategy and policy while the staff doesnÕ t necessarily keep
steering
committee,
which pace with that growth, we have
consists of teaching faculty and to find ways of advising that
student life professionals, focuses donÕ t involve man hours and
on the operational aspects of the are a better fit for the way this
new generation of students to
initiative.
Half of the project involves get information,Ó says Dlugos.
using technology in different Ò So another technology piece
ways. The other half is about of the initiative is to create a
using human resources in more user friendly web advisor
different ways, says Dlugos. In scheduler so students can more
the next 12 months, the initiative easily and reliably make their
strives to create an online student own schedules.Ó Dlugos says
orientation, improve the interface advisement should be considered
of the registration screens to from the first point of interaction
make navigation and finding at the College Web site to
online advisement quicker and graduation.
Within the next 12 months,
more intuitive, while improving
the online application process the initiative will also be creating
and establishing a centralized a better intake system where
record keeping system. It will student data (information about
also streamline the in-person the studentÕ s current goals and
registration process in August what kind of advisement they
and January, and draft a new set of
advising roles and responsibilities
See AdviSement... pg 15
Book Policies
$840.00-$950.00 since the
previous year.
Kristofer Stachowiak, Follett
Bookstore Manager at Bergen
Community College, answered
some questions pertaining to the
bookstore policy here at Bergen.
According to Stachowiak, each
department or faculty member is
required to select both Ò requiredÓ
and Ò recommendedÓ materials
for their courses. Prices of these
materials are then determined by
the set cost from the publisher and
the contract between Follet and
the educational institution. Follet
Corporation, the wholesale and
retail distributor of educational
materials, generates more than
formatted for the institutions,
which can only be bought via their
bookstore. The conversation with
Stachowiak answered only some
of the questions that students ask
themselves; Questions like, Ò why
do they spend $100 on a textbook
and then receive a buyback price
of only $30?Ó
Follett and other collegiate
textbook
companies
have
implemented the best way to
expand their profit margin.
Cases of book sale rejection are
too common and are blamed on
reprints of the edition which is a
makeover, consisting of different
color schemes and maybe a
few additional paragraphs of
information. Once the edition has
been updated, the book becomes
discontinued and youÕ re stuck
with a textbook with no resale
value. This makes your previous
edition worthless as well as
lowering the price for buyback
options, proving that even
education is not exempt from the
rules of capitalism. At the end of
the day, supply and demand are
the rules of the game.
The Torch
Page 4
January 2009
Opinions & Editorials
Editorial
by
The Torch
cassandra Veale
-editor-in-chief-
America breathed a sigh of
relief when the media named
Barack Obama the winner of
the 2008 presidential election.
We expected him to save us,
we needed a break from the
Republican regime that drove
our country into the dirt and left
us with two failed war attempts
and a national sense of dread. He
would spread youth and vigor
among the land, he could do no
wrong. Obama is the symbol
for AmericaÕ s hope; hope for a
better tomorrow and hope that we
are indeed capable of fixing this
mess.
On November 4th, 2008
Barack Obama addressed over a
million people in ChicagoÕ s Grant
Park accompanied by his family.
The foursome grinned and waved
from the stage, the crowd was a
mass of love and relief. ObamaÕ s
speech was indeed true to his
persona, he promised change and
he also told the nation that we
were about to grow up a bit.
ObamaÕ s victory was not just
a victory for Barack Obama or
the Democratic Party or the black
man or the poor man or the sick
or elderly or hopeless, it was a
victory for America as a whole.
That election changed the world
overnight; America has proven
that we can do better! ItÕ s high
time that this nation grew up.
By now I hope we all realize
we are not all going to be
rock stars, Google tycoons, or
professional athletes. While the
American dream of attaining
as much property and pride as
possible is still thriving, we know
boundaries not acknowledged
by prior generations. When Alan
Greenspan admits that, perhaps,
this current economic method
Editor-in-Chief
Co-Editor
Copy Editor
Layout Editor
Ad Manager
Cassandra Veale
Huma Munir
Rolliene Mallari
Jed Empleo
Michael Bull
Section Editors
PHOTO COURTESY OF BARACKOBAMA.COM
or practice just may not be able
to support itself after all, when
NJ Food Bank reported a 30%
increase of families needing food
this year, when foreclosures are at
record highs and banks are broke,
we have a problem. We have gone
so long and spread ourselves
so thin spending money we did
not have until, finally, when
collectors came calling, citizens
have no money, thus the banks
have no money, thus the county
has no money, and conditionally,
we are BROKE.
We stood by as Afghanistan
and Iraq were bombed without
any UN approval or support.
We flashed a middle finger to
the idea of anything threatening
AmericaÕ s
sovereignty
and
proceded
to
disobey
the
supernational
organizations
whose very mission statements
include peacekeeping and global
well-being. The differences
between situational and objective
power were obviously forgotten
since Vietnam, so Americans
flocked behind Bush to invade
Iraq, ignoring the professionals
and experts warning us that
while we could wipe them out
military-wise, we could never
have prepared for the politics
and ideologies expressed by
the guerilla warfare of the Iraqi
people. We did not bother to
investigate the separate nations
within Iraqi borders and somehow
cannot understand why Sunnis
and Shiites cannot Ò put aside their
religious identities and just be
Iraqis.Ó Easy for us to say; we are
taught from Day 1 to be faithful
to your country first, your God,
family, neighbors and species all
come after.
While the election of Barack
Obama is a huge step in the right
direction, it is just that Ð a step.
RooseveltÕ s ideals have to return.
We are going to learn to sacrifice,
volunteer, cut back, donate, and
just care! John F. KennedyÕ s
classic, Ò Ask not what your
country can do for you, but what
can you do for your countryÓ must
be shouted from the rooftops.
Community improvement and
working together for the greater
good is everyoneÕ s responsibility.
Obama cannot do it all for us,
weÕ ve got to be willing to change
our lives in order to improve
them. Compassion, service,
accountability, fairness, and
security are long overdue for their
comeback.
Sports
Features
News
Natalia Arango
Alex Kang
Carina Tesone
Staff Writers
Ervisa Bilalaj
Michael Bull
Daniel Diaz
Michelle Ha
Rolliene Mallari
Advisor
Lew Wheaton
Mailing Address
400 Paramus Road
Paramus, NJ 07652-1595
Room L-115
Phone:
201.493.5006/5007
Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
The Torch, a member of the Associated College Press and the
College Media Association, is the official student newspaper of
Bergen Community College. The purpose of The Torch is to
report on the events at BCC and the local community, and to
offer the BCC community a forum for expression. The opinions
expressed in The Torch are not neccessarily those of The Torch.
All the materials submitted to The Torch become property of
The Torch.
Islamic Fatwa in a Different Light
by:
huMa Munir
-co-editor-
As a Muslim woman, I did
not know how to react to the
presence of Salman Rushdie at
BCC. Indeed, I had heard about
him during the discussions at
my mosque and I also knew the
controversy that surrounded his
book, The Satanic Verses, and
the infamous fatwa issued by a
IMAGE COURTESY OF PHOTOBUCKET
former religious and political
figure of Iran, Ayatollah Ruhollah
Khomeini in 1989.
When Salman Rushdie wrote
The Satanic Verses, he tried
to fictionalize a divine figure
through his misguided notion
that the revelations of the Prophet
of Islam were not divine, rather
devilish. It enraged Islamic
communities on a global scale.
The book caused a commotion
and protest in the entire world,
which in some countries resulted
in violent riots. The Islamic
community asked to ban the
book worldwide, because of its
blasphemous nature. However,
not one member of Ahmadiyya
Muslim community took part in
the riots. A firm directive by the
Worldwide Supreme Head of
the Community was issued that
no Ahmadi Muslim will respond
to this book in a violent manner.
Instead, books were written in
response to The Satanic Verses,
in which an argument against the
beliefs contained in the book, was
presented in the most appropriate
manner possible.
The true Islamic perception
of fatwa is completely different
from what Khomeini believed.
In fact, he distorted the sanctity
of the word fatwa, and presented
it to the world in a manner that
gave other religions a chance to
scoff at Islam. In reality, fatwa
See FAtwA... pg 14
The Torch
January 2009
Page 5
Tips to Take on the Economy
by
aManda ferrante
-staff writer-
The big buzz in America has
been and is centered on the current economic state. While many
people are forced to make financial changes, some are being
forced out of their homes, lack
health insurance and cannot afford the everyday costs of living.
While everyone is feeling the
pain, college students are getting
hit way below the belt. Homeowners are watching foreclosure
haunt their blocks, which is bad
enough, but for college students,
the chances of becoming a
homeowner decreases slowly but
surely.
Beyond the recent stock
market turbulence, prices have
been, and still are, going up on gas,
grocery and luxury merchandise.
Prior to this, college aged students
had their Ò disposableÓ income to
rely on for goods like clothing,
entertainment
and
leisure
activities. What a word to useÑ
disposable. Now, everything
we see preaches going green
PHOTO COURTESY OF WORDPRESS.COM
and economizing, and not only
because of a preferred choice, the
thriftiness we are acquiring is out
of necessity. That is a frightening
thought.
We are raised in a country
that prides itself on differences,
preferences and most importantly,
options. Those options are no
longer as prevalent as they used
to be. In the past decade, the cost
of a college degree has nearly
doubled, resulting in high-priced
student loans that may serve to
advance the economic drought
for years to come.
If and when one does manage
to pay for their tuition, there are
still a few fiscal matters waiting
at your doorstep. Purchasing a
textbook can easily amount to
$100 or more, which is what
some families may allot for
weekly groceries. Also, letÕ s not
forget that some of us take more
than one class! Students working
on a minimum wage pay are
hardly able to save, which makes
the American dream seem further
away than ever.
It is easy to complain and
stay stuck in the rut of economic
astonishment, but at the end of
the day, you have to work with
what you have. Here are five tips
to get thrifty and nifty:
1. Tend
to
Textbook
Troubles: There is no reason to
either buy brand new or from
the bookstores. You can peruse
the college bulletin boards for
flyers (most prominently during
the beginning of the semester)
for used textbooks at great
prices. Most sellers are willing to
negotiate prices, which you wonÕ t
find in stores. You can also find a
friend taking the same class, or a
classmate in your section, to go
half on a book with you. If you
do this in all of your classes, you
may cut your textbook spending
in half, or more! Third-party
sites like half.com are also great
options.
2. Brown Bag It: To those
who may enjoy the nearly $3.00
French fries from the College
pizza place: there may be a whole
lot happening for your taste buds,
but the craving is hurting your
wallet. If you buy them (or other
$3.00 items) just twice a week,
thatÕ s $6.00 times thirty school
weeks and youÕ ve saved yourself
nearly $200.00! The food the
College has to offer is pricey and
offers little to no nutritional value.
Spend time on Sunday nights
making some homemade food
that you can pack in Tupperware
for the week. YouÕ re saving
money and your tummy.
3. DonÕ t ShopÑS ocialize:
A few months ago my friend
was cleaning out her room and
bagging up clothes to give away.
She gave me first dibs on a bag
full of sweaters and I made out
like a bandit. I probably saved
$100 or so that I would have spent
on my winter wardrobe. Since
See eCOnOmy tipS... pg 14
Age of Obama
by
aManda ferrante
-staff writer-
At 11 P.M. Eastern Time, on
Tuesday November 4th, 2008,
the world as we know it changed
forever. In my two decades on
this planet, there have only been
two occasions where I have seen
the world change dramatically
in a single instant; September
11, 2001 and November 4, 2008.
Once again, the global stage was
focused intensely on the United
States. For better or worse, history
will remember our generation
as the one that elected Barack
Obama as our next President. We
are the Obama Generation.
For months, I have only had
four words come to my mind when
it came to the insurmountable
hype that surrounded Barack
ObamaÕ s candidacy: I donÕ t get it.
While many saw the beacons of
hope of our generation within the
Illinois Senator, I saw an average
politician who played the game
of politics extremely well. In
terms of marketing campaigns,
ART BY GERRY POWERS
his was among the most effective
since Paul Joseph Goebbels,
the propaghandi director of the
Nazi party. But, in spite of my
misgivings, I wonÕ t deny being
caught up in how powerful the
events of November the 4th were. movement, and Obama detractor
For the first time in nearly fifty with tears of joy streaming down
years, the youth of this country his face at the announcement that
feel like they have a leader that is his country had elected its first
truly of, for, and by them. Young black President. This is an event
people who were glued to the that transcends politics.
What a highly symbolic
couch on previous election days
were on line to vote immediately moment it was when Senator
when the polls opened, eager to McCain conceded the Presidential
take part in the electoral process. Election. McCain, in spite of his
Regardless of how one feels usual progressive politics, was
about our next President, that is forced to run on a platform whose
an incredible achievment and it ideals were not resonating with
the current pulse of the culture.
deserves to be applauded.
Four years ago, when In a desperate attempt to jump on
the Reverend Al Sharpton the historical bandwagon he and
was seeking the Democratic the Republican Party selected
Nomination, I recall the general a woman, seemingly at random,
consensus being that we were still to help play catch up to Barack
a long ways off from nominating ObamaÕ s incredible hype machine.
a Black candidate to lead a major After the Alaskan GovernorÕ s
party, much less the country. And hype died down (which happened
here we are, four years later, about 5 minutes after she gave
overwhelmingly electing a black her speech at the Republican
leader to take our country into the National Convention), it became
21st Century. One of the images clear that history would not favor
that I will never forget from the John McCain. The nation needed
election night was the Reverend a change that was more dramatic,
Jesse Jackson, a legendary
voice in the modern civil rights
See OBAmA... pg 14
The Torch
Page 6
January 2009
Roving Reporter
What should be the first priority of the newly elected President?
andrew lau
Jaryd Kusnic
ahMed conteh
sadaf Khurshid
“His first priority should be to
Stabilize and try to improve our
economic situation”.
“When coming into the office, the first priority should
be military and providing
protection to the country and
second should be economy. First
priority should be the country’s
safety, because without that we
wouldn’t be the country we are”.
“First priority should be free
health care for everybody, no
matter what race.We all need
this and without health care,
everyone would be sick”.
“As a student, I think the first
priority of the president should
be towards students, increasing
federal loans and helping us
pay it back”.
PHOTOS BY HUMA MUNIR
Science & Technology
Is it Finally Time to Read Digitally?
by
alex Kang
-features editor-
The world is going electronic!
From music players like the iPod
Nano, to the Gameboy Micro,
our favorite things are all going
electronic and shrinking in size,
but are our novels headed in the
same direction?
While most students can
argue that cutting down forests is
a major cause of global warming
and that reading books should be
banned, some brilliant minds got
together and decided to invent
PHOTO COURTESY OF DIGITALTECHNEWS.COM
the Amazon Kindle. The Kindle A new way of reading
is a revolutionary Ò electronicpaper displayÓ that offers a less and enables users to purchase as well as full length novels.
Just subscribe to your favorite
high-resolution screen, which books on the go!
The Kindle is also very daily newspaper; The New York
looks and reads like real books
lightweight
and
compact, Times, Wall Street Journal and
and papers. The Kindle is a
real technological marvel, with weighing only 10.3 ounces and Washington Post, and you can
no computer cables or syncing covering only 7.5 x 5.3 x 0.7 have them wherever you go
required. It is completely wire- inches of space. You can easily without having to worry about the
read the newspaper on this device paper ripping, tearing or getting
ink on your fingers. The Kindle
also includes free wireless access
to the planetÕ s most exhaustive
and up-to-date encyclopedia Ð
Wikipedia.org.
Purchasing books on the
Kindle is also slightly cheaper
than purchasing the soft cover or
hardcover books from stores. You
can shop from the Kindle store
using the device, wirelessly. You
can browse through selections
just as if you were at a book
store, and you can even read
a chapter or two of the book
before purchasing it. After you
purchase the book through the
Kindle store, there is no need to
sit in front of the computer and
sync your device. The content
you just purchased is wirelessly
transferred to the device using a
sophisticated 3G network, much
like the wireless network our
cellular phones use today.
You may now be wondering
what you need to pay for such
a marvelous device. An arm?
A leg? Perhaps your first born?
No! You can purchase the Kindle
at amazon.com for only $359
with free shipping. This price
does seem a bit steep for just the
average Joes who donÕ t spend
most of their time traveling. This
is why I do not believe it is time to
go completely digital. However,
there are justifiable reasons for
going digital. For example, if I
was someone who is constantly
traveling, maybe taking trains
and planes to different locations,
I would want a Kindle to keep my
luggage as light and compact as
possible. I will have my favorite
daily newspaper sent to my
device every morning so I donÕ t
have to carry a physical copy
everywhere.
However, I am not in need
See kindle... pg 15
The Torch
January 2009
Page 7
Science & Technology
The G1 Phone: Google’s Latest Make or Break?
by
danny diaz
-staff writer-
Mobile users can admit
that Google has a tremendous
presence in the mobile market.
Google Maps and GOOG-411
are some of the most popular
applications that Google provides
for cell phones and Smart Devices.
The parallel mobile interface of
Google also provides Web based
access to its Documents, Gmail,
YouTube, Photos, Reader and
Blogs Services, just to name a
few. These services are widely
available to iPhones, Symbians,
BlackBerrys,
Palms,
and
Windows Mobile phones.
Google not only has a
commitment with the Mobile
market, but in November 2007,
it announced the launch of the
Open Handset Alliance (OHA),
composed of a group of hardware,
software, and telecom companies
united to develop mobile devices
by means of open source code
and its development, making it
the open source super-alliance of
mobile devices.
Finally the day came, and on
September 23rd, T-Mobile and
Google introduced the T-Mobile
G1. The G1 is an HTC smart
phone that runs on the Linuxbased Android OS, but it is named
under the carrier that supports it,
T-Mobile.
HTCÕ s
G1
posses
a
Qualcomm 528 MHz processor,
256 MB of ROM (read-only
memory), 192 MB of RAM,
MicroSd expansion slot, 3.2inch TFT-LCD touch screen,
GPS, navigational trackball and
a slide-out QWERTY keyboard.
It weights 5.7 ounces, and its
dimensions are 4.60 x 2.17 x 0.62
inches. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and
mini-USB port are its means of
connectivity.
In terms of design, the G1
leaves something to be desired. It
has a cheap-looking plastic cover,
which comes in white, brown,
and black. Compared to other
sleek-thin phones in the market,
the G1 could use a diet before the
release of the T-Mobile G2.
The display screen is very
much like the iPhone. The touch
screen is not as responsive as
the iPhoneÕ s Multi-touch screen,
but it works for a Single-Touch
screen. Also, the trackball makes
navigation easy and compensates
for the screens slow reaction time.
When used on portrait mode, the
user can adapt to the BlackBerry
format, and when turned to
landscape mode, the trackball is
now positioned at the right, just
like the SideKick.
On the software front, one
of the major strengths of the
Android is its user-friendliness. It
takes a while to get used to the
new OS, but once you get over
the learning curve, it is as userfriendly as any other platform
out there. Another leg-up that the
G1 has is that it supports thirdparty developing, which means
that the users are not tied to one
source to obtain applications.
However, there are some issues
with the OS; the phone becomes
non-responsive, sometimes even
freezing.
The setup isnÕ t the most
troublesome either. Just enter
Google usernames and passwords
here and there, and Gmail contacts,
documents and the calendar
will be downloaded. This is a
The new G1 Google Phone
PHOTO COURTESY OF CONCEPTPOP.COM
different way of synchronizing
content, but at the end is the same
as using ActiveSync, HotSync or
any other synchronizing software
for different phones without the
added burden of managing cables
and the tedious configuration
of settings.
The camera is
a decent 3.2 megapixel, although
it does not feature flash or video.
However, one very nice addition
to the camera is the ability
to auto-focus via soft-press
sensitivity, a feature that most
phone cameras do not have. It
has a dedicated camera button,
which is conveniently located
at the upper right hand side in
landscape mode.
The IM (instant messaging)
See g1... pg 14
The Large Hadron Collider: One
Step Closer to A New Universe
by
Michael bull
-staff writer-
Much has been said about the
wide and terrifically advanced
world of particle accelerators.
Said to have been able to create
phenomena at the atomic and
subatomic level not seen since
the Big Bang, the massive
machines consisting of tubes,
sensors, beams and detectors
have been acknowledged as
infernal creations as well as
crafts of wonderment by people
all across the world, especially
among the scientific community.
This is no project to be more
proud of than the development
of the Large Hadron Collider,
the largest and most advanced of
all particle accelerators (or any
machine) in the world. Created
by the European Organization
for Nuclear Research (CERN)
and in association with thousands
of scientists all over the world,
spanning almost 14 years in
the making, the LHC is located
more than 30 floors beneath the
PHOTO COURTESY OF LHC-FIRST-BEAM
Soon, this will be a new source of energy.
surface in a massive ring more
than 17 miles in size through
both territory in France and
Switzerland. The machine was
activated September 10th, 2008
where protons successfully ran
the length of the ring, but an
accident involving liquid helium
coolers have delayed further
experiments and the accelerator
is not expected to be running
until the winter shutdown period.
Expected to be used by
scientists all over the world
when it is completed, many
hope the LHC will answer
important questions regarding
events immediately proceeding
the Big Bang, as well as those
regarding dark matter, dark
energy, antimatter, missing links Superconducting electromagnets
in NewtonÕ s laws in physics, and are used to guide the beams
the touted existence of the Higgs around the ring, which are built
Boson, a.k.a. the Ò God particleÓ . from special coils of electric cable
Theories about the development that need to be cooled to about
and use of this machine vary -271 degrees Celsius. To achieve
widely, with some believing this temperature, the accelerator
that it will revolutionize our is kept cool by a distribution of
understanding of the universe, liquid helium which cools the
others believing it can end our magnets throughout the ring. All
world by creating miniature black the controls for the accelerator
holes and other phenomena, and are housed in the CERN Control
still others believe that it is a Center, where the entire process
complete waste of money for is monitored and controlled.
What this exactly means
understanding things that arenÕ t
important. Indeed, the total price is when the particles collide in
of the construction of the LHC the LHC, and with millions of
is reported to be around $4.08 these collisions happening every
to $8.16 billion dollars, but the second, thousands of new and
machineÕ s potential to provide smaller particles are produced,
and detectors are used to analyze
answers still remain to be seen.
The Large Hadron Collider these particles. As more and
works by transporting two beams more energy is produced in these
very close to the speed of light collisions, we can hope to learn
at opposite directions to one more about the fundamentals of
another in separate pipes, which the universe, and even further
are kept in an ultrahigh vacuum back into history. It is through
and which also eventually collide here that new atomic particles
with one another at one of 4
possible locations around the ring. See HAdrOn COllider... pg 14
Page 8
The Torch
January 2009
The Torch
January 2009
Page 9
Arts & Entertainment
BCC’s 2008 Student Art Exhibition Comes to a Close
by
austin Keenan
-staff writer-
Thursday,
January
29th
marked the official closing
of BCCÕ s 2008 Student Art
Exhibition.
The exhibition,
presented as part of Gallery
Bergen, was held on the third
floor of the West Hall starting
on November 11th and featured
student-created artwork selected
by the Visual Arts Faculty and
displayed in Gallery BergenÕ s
beautiful show room.
This exhibition represented
many first time artists for
Gallery Bergen. The exhibitionÕ s
curator, Andrea Geller Jablonski
explains, “This is the first time
weÕ ve showcased the whole
department.Ó
ItÕ s also the
first gallery held by the Visual
Arts Faculty that featured all
student-made work. All Visual
Arts Faculty members were
encouraged to pick from their
studentsÕ works and submit them
for the gallery.
The showÕ s opening on
November 11th featured live
music from the BCC Jazz
Ensemble, led by Prof. Andy
Krikun. Drawings, paintings, and
graphic design all got their chance
to shine to the well-attended
opening reception. Each medium
was represented in multiple
sections across the gallery, and
with such a nice mix of different
styles, viewers were treated to
something new with each step.
The Graphic Design Department
also set up demonstrations of their
work on Mac computers to give
an interactive visual experience.
The Torch had a chance to
speak with one of the galleryÕ s
featured students, Maurizio Uribe.
Maurizio UribeÕ s favorite pick.
Photographic portraits by Jin Stastna
Uribe is a BCC sophomore, and
was excited to have his work
featured in the gallery before
he graduates this spring. Two
of his pieces, one drawn in
pencil and one in charcoal, were
gestural drawings (drawings that
represent some human action or
movement) with an unmistakable
sense of dynamic life in them. Ò I
like this one, [the pencil drawing],
better. ItÕ s way more dynamic
and itÕ s more like me. ThatÕ s
who I am,Ó said the enthusiastic
Who paints paint? That’s really awesome!
PHOTO BY JED EMPLEO
PHOTO BY AUSTIN KEENAN
PHOTO BY JED EMPLEO
artist. When asked about how
he felt to have his work shown at
the exhibitionÕ s opening, to such
a large and diverse audience,
Maurizio said Ò It was awesome.
The people and the students. It
created an amazing atmosphereÒ .
As we walked throughout
the gallery, Uribe showed his
appreciation for all the other
studentsÕ works. It is often said
that art imitates life, and this
gallery was concrete proof of
it. 2D Design projects, vibrant
and colorful paintings, and even
photography seemed to jump
out at us in the spirit of broad
diversity, a value that can be found
at the very core of student culture
at BCC. Eventually we came to
UribeÕ s favorite of the gallery, a
small abstract landscape painting
with dark coloring by fellow
student, Umberto Spezzacatena.
Ò This is my favorite,Ó he said, Ò I
really like the colors and the way
he used the medium.Ó
In all reality, there isnÕ t much
NOT to like when it comes to
lively artwork like what was
featured in the school’s first allstudent gallery. ItÕ s sad to see
the gallery finally close, but we
all can look forward to the Visual
PHOTO BY JED EMPLEO
Brian Kapp poses alongside his vector rendering of a NY Rangers goalie.
A wall of traditional portraits
With all the digitial art out there, we should not forget our painters.
Arts DepartmentÕ s next showing,
which should be announced soon.
You can check www.bergen.
edu/gallerybergen for information
on the Gallery Bergen events as
they are announced, and check
www.bergen.edu/pages/1690.
asp for information on the 2008
Student Art Exhibition. As more
information becomes available to
us, you can check back with your
favorite school newspaper to find
out more about this semesterÕ s
Visual Arts events.
The Torch
Page 10
January 2009
A Shot in the Dark
Quantum of Fallacy
by
alex Kang
-features editor-
Daniel Craig is back as James
Bond in this fallÕ s hit movie
Quantum of Solace. Picking up
literally minutes after where
Casino Royale left off, Quantum
of Solace wastes no time jumping
right into the action. The movie is
noticeably faster-paced and more
explosive; its story is darker and
more complex than the previous
Bond movies. The action
sequences in the movie were
very Ò old school,Ó but tastefully
done, involving high speed
chases on motorcycles, cars, and
speedboats. Quantum of Solace
also contains an overabundance
of foot chases from busy city
streets to the rooftops of rural
South American homes; and
of course, some good old fight
scenes.
Driven by VesperÕ s betrayal
and death, Bond embarks on
an international mission that
leads him to Austria, Italy and
South America to thwart the
mysterious organization known
as Quantum with uncharacteristic
ferociousness and intensity.
Pursuing his determination to
uncover the truth, Bond and
M interrogate Mr. White who
reveals that the organization
which blackmailed Vesper is far
more complex and dangerous
than anyone had imagined.
Much to his bossÕ s annoyance,
a seemingly rogue Bond begins
to rack up quite the body count
forcing M to question her trust
for our favorite double-O.
BondÕ s barbarous actions may
be accountable for the lack of
information that he has on the
by
PHOTO COURTESY OF IWATCHSTUFF.COM
whereabouts of his adversaries.
Bond is forced to travel distant
parts of the world in order to find
the one who is responsible for
all the betrayals and deaths in
his life, while leaving a path of
destruction behind him.
Daniel Craig delivers another
solid performance with the
voluptuous Olga Kurylenko at
his side. Kurylenko who plays a
decidedly minor role, relative to
her predecessor, also gives a strong
performance as the vengeful but
frail Camille Montes who is out
to seek revenge for a loss of her
own. Quantum of Solace does
an exceptional job of portraying
BondÕ s transformation from the
nonchalant Ò play boyÓ to the
deadly agent present in this film
with excellent action sequences
and tight character development.
The actions sequences were
phenomenal to say the least, but
the entire film may have felt a
little too Ô BourneÓ esque. The
movie entails an excess amount
of senseless beating and killing
of any man foolish enough to
stand in BondÕ s way. The movie
also lacks the copious amount of
futuristic gadgetry we have all
come to love in the 007 films,
and the lack of humor in this
iteration is also a constant of
Jason Bourne and his rather stale
monologue (he would blame it on
his memory loss... whatÕ s new).
Although Quantum of Solace is
a fantastic movie that deserves
much praise, any fan looking for
another Casino Royale, or a fan
of any of the other Bond movies
will be disappointed with this
007Õ s more serious nature.
christine attardo
-staff writer-
A Shot in the Dark is the
sequel to the The Pink Panther,
a franchise which eventually
expanded to a nine film dynasty.
Featuring Inspector Jacques
Clouseau played by Peter Sellers,
one finds it impossible not to
acknowledge SellersÕ brand of
physical comedy and the way
it manifests when he reacts
uniquely to sticky situations.
Together,
Directors
Blake
Edwards and Peter Sellers created
a hilarious comedy filled with
witty dialogue, perfect comedic
timing and wonderful mystery.
Akin to the film Clue, A Shot in
the Dark, a perpetual combination
of mystery, suspense and slapstick
are presented for your viewing
pleasure.
The movie begins with a
panning view of the Ballon
mansion with close ups of the
many characters within the
mansion moving about late at
night. The mystery begins with
a flash of light, a gunshot and a
scream, and Inspector Jacques
Clouseau is quickly assigned to
the case. When Chief Dreyfus
(Herbert Lom) discovers that
Clouseau has been assigned
to a case involving a man of
considerable wealth and power,
he sees a disaster on delay.
Why was assigning Clouseau
to the case a mistake? Within
the first five seconds of being
introduced to the case, he falls
into a water fountain. Ten minutes
PHOTO COURTESY OF IMDB.COM
later, he begins to fall in love with
the prime suspect of the murder,
sets his coat on fire, and falls clear
out of a window. Maria (Elke
Sommer) is the maid accused of
murdering her secret lover and
trouble tends to follow in her
wake, which usually involves a
murder in some form. It doesnÕ t
help that every time ClouseauÕ s
love interest gets thrown in jail, he
gives her the benefit of the doubt
and releases her. ClouseauÕ s case
only gets more difficult as the
bodies continue to pile up on top
of each other.
Ò A Shot in the DarkÓ is a
comedy as well as a mystery.
We get to follow alongside a
flawed murder case with a flawed
Detective Clouseau as our guide.
Just when you think you know
who the murderer is, youÕ re led
to a different direction. I do not
want to tell you if Maria is really
the murderer, or if Clouseau ever
does solve this murder case, but I
will tell you that the end is filled
with suspense, confusion and
hilarity. Two thumbs up!
The Torch
Keep Bergen Informed! Join The Torch!
We need writers, reporters, photographers, cartoonists and students with interest in graphic arts.
For more information, come to a Torch meeting,
held every Tuesday at 12:30.
Room L-115 or email: [email protected]
The Torch
January 2009
Page 11
Kings of Leon: Ready to Reign Supreme?
by
aManda ferrante
-staff writer-
Although Mickey Mouse,
Friendster and NSYNC are
integral to American pop culture
as we know it, they all staked a
claim in Europe before they hit it
big here. Friendster is still stuck
in the dust, and Mickey Mouse
might as well be the King of
Disney, but NSYNC eventually
nudged their way to the top of the
pop powerhouse. Kings of Leon
may just be the next NSYNC,
sans the boy band status.
The Nashville, Tennesseebased brothers (Caleb, Nathan
and Jared Followill), were raised
on the road throughout the South.
The sons of a Pentecostal preacher
were seemingly headed for a life
of fundamentalist Christianity,
but their father, Leon Followill,
resigned from the church and
divorced his wife. Shaken by the
divorce, the two eldest brothers
(Nathan and Caleb) trekked to
Nashville hoping to break into
music.
They made contact with
Nashville songwriter and former
new waver Angelo Petraglia
shortly thereafter, who turned
them on to the Rolling Stones and
Kings of Leon
Johnny Cash. In 2000, the two met
a singer who helped them find a
manager. The band Kings of Leon,
named for their father, was born
when younger brother Jared and
his cousin, Matthew Followill,
came on board to complete the
group. Rolling Stone Magazine
says the boys eventually scored
a Nashville record deal for their
Ò grinding garage-boogie sound
and raw, Southern gothic lyrics.Ó
The band’s first EP, Holy Roller
Novocaine, debuted in 2003.
The bandÕ s raw riffs and
emotional repertoire makes itÕ s
hard to see just why they havenÕ t
hit the jackpot here in the U.S.
PHOTO COURTESY OF REMIX.VG
WeÕ ve embraced Kid RockÕ s
Rock n Roll Jesus to still be on
the charts a year after its release,
but we donÕ t show love to a
great band thatÕ s opened for U2,
Bob Dylan and Pearl Jam? Their
fourth album Only by the Night,
has sold roughly 200,000 copies
here, but three million in the rest
of the worldÑw ith half of that in
the U.K. alone. Ò ItÕ s almost like
we live the life of two different
bands,Ó drummer Nathan told
Spin.
The band has been playing
sold-out arenas overseas for three
albums, and just now is their
fourth seeming to make waves in
America as they play hole-in-thewall clubs and ballroom venues.
Though the band began
in 2000, theyÕ ve still got the
canÕ t-catch-a-break tension a
la Stillwater in 2000Õ s Almost
Famous. A recent article in Spin
Magazine chronicles the troubles
of the four Followills as they argue
over each otherÕ s girlfriends and
the other pressures prevalent for
pouty rock stars. Boo hoo. Maybe
their rants are due to the sheer
fact that they havenÕ t broken the
seal here.
The first single “Sex on Fire”
is a sure thing for impact. With
a catchy hook and promiscuous
presence, rock stations are playing
it non-stop. Lead singer CalebÕ s
vocals are fresh and potent, and
his voice itself tells just as much
of a story as the lyrics. HeÕ s all
heart. Ò I knew it was a risk for
me to go in there and really open
up and belt the way that I know
that I can; the way that I used to
when I was younger,Ó he says on
the bandÕ s Web site. Ò I just hid
my singing for so long because
I was nervous that people would
listen to my lyrics, assume I
wasnÕ t intelligent because IÕ m
from Tennessee, and pick me
apart, so thatÕ s why I sang the
way I did. But going into this, I
knew these melodies that we were
playing were too beautiful for me
to [screw] it up. I had to go for it.Ó
ItÕ s evident that there was
much more hiding behind his
pretty face. He sounds, dare I say
it, almost like Jimmy Hendrix
circa Ò Hey JoeÓ or Phil Collins
with a dash of Ben HarperÕ s
charm.
On
Ò Manhattan,Ó
chronicles a night out on the town
with mind-altering substances and
social serenity. The second single,
Ò Be Somebody,Ó is a testament to
the Followills wishes and will as
Caleb sings Given a chance, IÕ m
gonna be somebody/ If for one
dance, IÕ m gonna be somebody/
Open the door, itÕ s gonna make
you love me/ Facing the floor, I’m
gonna be somebody.
Only by the Night is far
superior to the band’s first works.
Though songs like Ò MollyÕ s
ChambersÓ and Ò Red Morning
LightÓ from previous albums
have been used in movies and
TV commercials, the music
never stuck. It seems like this is
the bandÕ s big moment, and they
wonÕ t take no for an answer.
Portugal the Man: Censored Colors
by
elisa cerVone
-staff writer-
Censored Colors, the newest
album from Portugal, The Man
is definitely an “open canvas”,
which is printed on the back of
the albumÕ s cover. This album is a
concoction of different elements
containing indie, alternative,
blues, jazz and folk music. The
band has taken a completely
new direction in this EP from
the riff-rock based church mouth
to a more soft psychedelic rock
sound. The general theme of the
album was about politicians who
engaged their countries in wars
and profited from them
PHOTO COURTESY OF ABOVE-THEFOLD
Stimulating and reflective
are the two words that sum up
Portugal, The ManÕ s insightful
lyrics and transcendental vibe.
At times you may not fully
understand the message that the
artist is trying to convey, but one
is captured by their loud, dramatic
beats playing in the background.
Guitarist/Vocalist
John
Baldwin Gourley came up with
the witty name for the band with
inspiration from David Bowie. In
GourleyÕ s perspective, a country
is a group of people, in saying so,
the country Portugal was the first
country that came to mind.
When listening to this album,
I feel like it should premiere in
a Seth Rogen movie or a local
cafŽ Õ s. This gospel-like chorus
band puts you in a subdued
state of mind when listening to
tracks such as Ò Lay Me Back
DownÓ and Ò ColorsÓ . The album
definitely has its own flow
starting out slow, but then after
track seven, Ò IntermissionÓ kicks
in some heavier tracks, staying
in sync with one another. These
vocalists may not have the most
perfect voice but the uncertainty
in their vocals make their music
more intense. Listening to the 53
minute-long album of Portugal
The Man, will most certainly
leave you in a mellow frame of
mind, although some tracks on
the album seem to drag for an
extended period. Afterwards,
you may just want to light up a
cigarette and go for a long drive,
without having a care in the
world. Regardless of its flaws,
Censored Colors still shows the
hard work and creativity that was
put into the album.
As for their album cover,
Portugal totally got carried
away with their designs, making
Censored Colors stand out like
a sore thumb. However, you do
have to commend the band for
caring about the artwork and
presentation of their album.
Album covers usually tell the
consumer a lot about the album
or the genre of band. Censored
Colors, by Portugal, The Man,
also put a lot of thought into
pleasing the listeners and took
album art to another level with
their elaborate artwork, which
only shows their passion for
music.
The Torch
Page 12
January 2009
Arts and Entertainment
The Exonerated: A Review
by:
rachel KaMiner
-staff writer-
ItÕ s the night of Halloween,
and little witches and ghouls are
cooking up magic in the streets.
I, however, am on my way to
Bergen Community College to be
enchanted by a very different kind
of magic: the magic of theater.
The Exonerated is a one-act
drama performed by the BCC
theater club, directed by Jared
Saltzman and produced by James
Bumgardner. The play was
performed in The Ender Hall Lab
Theater.
The Exonerated was written
by Jessica Blank and Eric Jensen
and depicts the true stories of
six people on death row who
were wrongly accused of crimes.
Eventually, the people who truly
committed these crimes come
forward and present themselves
as the real criminals. The six
prisoners are then let out of the
jail or Ò exoneratedÓ .
The proportions of the theater
are small, but this only adds to
the atmosphere of the play. The
setting is minimal, the actors
mostly sitting on six stools which
are placed strategically on the
stage. The dialogue is strong, and
some parts almost brought me
to tears as I listened to the play
unfold.
Jessica Blank and Eric
Jensen traveled across America
in the summer of 2000. They
interviewed sixty people, all
of whom had been wrongly
accused. They traveled from
Chicago to Texas and Miami
and in between to meet these
people. Much of the dialogue
spoken in The Exonerated are the
actual words of the people who
were interviewed for the playÕ s
inspiration. Although only six
stories appear in The Exonerated,
Blank and Jensen say:
Ò We consider every one of
their [the exonerated prisoners]
stories to be part of this play.Ó
The truly surprising thing is
that The Exonerated really brings
to light how unjust the Judicial
system. One of the most riveting
parts of the play is when the
accused victim, Gary Gaugher,
is trialed. He is accused of
murdering his own parents, and
the police ask him how he would
do it (figuratively). Gary doesn’t
understand their intent and the
police accuse him just because
he told how he would attempt a
murder.
Another thing is that half of
the accused were colored men.
The country was very segregated
at the time and the police were
determined to deny any evidence
that a Caucasian person may have
committed the same crime that a
colored person was accused of.
This was the case with Robert
Hayes. He was accused of raping
a woman, although she clearly
held the hairs of a Caucasian
man in her hands. When Hayes
was given a new trial, because
of specific DNA evidence that he
was not the rapist, he was finally
freed after this second trial.
This play really makes
you think about segregation and
the judicial system. ItÕ s true that
it has come a long way. However,
it is a chilling fact that the judicial
system used to be so unfair and
segregated. The Exonerated takes
you back in time and shows you
the injustice of segregation and of
the past.
Metallica Returns to their Heavier
Roots with Death Magnetic
by:
cassandra Veale
-editor-in-chief-
Amazon.comÕ s
6th
Top
Selling CD for September was
MetallicaÕ s latest album, Death
Magnetic. The bandÕ s ninth
studio album was released on
September 12th, 2008, five years
since their last album, Saint
Anger. Complete with yet another
new bassist, Robert Trujillo, the
band presents this ten track album
spanning about an hour.
Considering
MetallicaÕ s
infamous stance on online piracy,
I actually arranged to purchase the
album legally over iTunes. Armed
with some serious appreciation
for the bandÕ s older efforts, I was
prepared to be disappointed based
on my impressions of St. Anger
or Unforgiven.
Fortunately, Death Magnetic
is a much needed change from
the Unforgiven and St. Anger
eras. Gone are the drawly,
Texan accented vocals and slow,
predictable, boring lyrics. Death
Magnetic only has one song
that could be considered slow.
The album literally sounds like
Metallica paying homage to
their trademark 80s sound, but
it still doesnÕ t deliver that token
PHOTO COURTESY OF METAL-ONLINE.COM
Metallica punch.
Each song on the album seems
to follow the same pattern. The
intros are about two minutes long
and tend to sound very similar.
They also produce consistently
predictable beats. The real body
of the song then kicks in with its
overly produced, clean sound.
Fancy guitar riffs and production
tricks are rampant on Death
Magnetic. Honestly, all the faster
songs sound and play pretty
much the same; they can all be
considered good Metallica songs,
but they are nothing new. But
now, Metallica fans are rejoicing
to hear a decent, more traditional
album.
While researching Death
Magnetic, a common trend among
fans and reviewers was talk of
the albumÕ s production. The
lead guitar is a stream of flashy
melodies and production tricks.
The rhythm guitar complements
the lead guitar, following and
emphasizing more than anything
else. The drums are multi-tracked,
meaning the drummer played one
drum at a time and then layered
each track on top of the other.
The sound quality drums are
also very clear and crisp so that
each piece had its own sound,
like several drummers playing at
once. Sadly, the main reason this
album mimics MetallicaÕ s sound
but does not deliver that special
angry feeling is probably caused
by the bass guitarist. Cliff Burton,
MetallicaÕ s original and best
bassist died, and Robert Trujillo
does the band no justice. BurtonÕ s
bass literally clashed with the two
guitars and created the battlefieldlike sounds of conflict heard in
tracks such as For Whom, Bell
Tolls and Enter Sandman. Robert
Trujillo, on the other hand, instead
plays along with the guitars and
simply causes the lead guitar to
sound lower.
Track 4 (The Day that Never
Comes) is the first single released
from Death Magnetic, and I am
at a loss regarding that decision.
The song is the only slow song
on the album and it just seems
to be an opportunity for Lars to
play too much and everyone else
to play too little. This track is
the poorest representation for of
the rest of the album. I can sum
up The Day that Never Comes in
one word: dramatic. ItÕ s the type
of song you hear after witnessing
a horrific battle. This song should
have been last on the album and
most certainly should not have
been chosen as the first single;
it is entirely overproduced and
every note seems calculated and
mundane.
The worst song on the album
according to this metal fan would
have to be track 7 (Unforgiven
III). The title itself should be a
clue considering how awful the
first two Unforgiven tracks turned
out. This track could be described
as Ò grandpa metal.Ó ItÕ s slow, lazy
and boring. Metal can only pull
off being slower if itÕ s unsettling
or creepy, but this track simply
falls flat.
Track 9 (Suicide Redemption)
is Metallica’s first all instrumental
song in twenty years and honestly,
it could have used lyrics. The
song sounds like the other tracks,
so basically, itÕ s like the band
included an instrumental simply
for the sake of including an
instrumental. It sounds the same
as the rest of the album, minus
the lyrics. Suicide Redemption
was the golden opportunity for
Metallica to put Death Magnetics
production budget to good use,
but itÕ s just a lesser version of the
other songs.
All in all, this is still the best
album that Metallica has released
in over a decade, and for that we
should be grateful. Hopefully,
there are no Metallica fans that
believe Death Magnetic was
worth Cliff Burtons resurrection.
January 2009
The Torch
Page 13
The Torch
Page 14
G1
application supports Windows
Live
Messenger,
Yahoo!
Messenger, AIM, and Gtalk, and
allows you to attach picture/
audio files.
The Web browser doesnÕ t
support flash videos, but video
playback can be used on the
device by obtaining a Beta of
a third-party video player. ItÕ s
only a matter of time before
developers utilize AndroidÕ s SDK
to provide a larger variety of
applications. The Web browser is
reasonably easy to navigate with
the touch screen. There are basic
zoom-in and zoom-out features,
and a full scale of the page with
a magnifying mouse-like miniwindow. The full perspective
display is something similar to
the Opera Mini 4 scheme, only
that it doesnÕ t take time and the
zooming of the mini-window
keeps the page at full dimensions.
The price of this new and
playful toy is $179.99, which
compared to most smart devices
in the field (which range from $1600) is pretty reasonable.
The T-Mobile G1 doesnÕ t
astonish in style, but it holds
tremendous
potential
for
expansion. Google is astute and
provides a level of innovation that
rivals Apple, which is also just
starting to get its feet wet in the
mobile markets. The next wave
of innovative competition will
provoke more competition and
eventually yield more advanced
features and applications. Now
that the T-Mobile G1 has made
its first impression, the public is
now ready to see the next step in
the innovation race.
Hadron Collider
for
Elementary
are also hoped to be found, fi movie, and although the Committee
such as the Higgs Boson, the machine has already undergone Particle Physics (KET), claims
only standard model of particle preliminary testing without a that Ò There is no way that the
physics particles that has not yet problem, it is still considered LHC will produce black holes
been observed.
a real possibility of a mishap capable of swallowing up the
Like all particle accelerators, among many, especially since the Earth. This claim is based on
there are many concerns over particles in the accelerator travel extremely well tested theories of
the safety of the Large Hadron at 99.999991% of the speed of physics and on observations of
Collider, particular in the general light, and are supposed to create the cosmos.Ó
But thatÕ s not even the only
community and some parts of phenomena not seen since the
the scientific community. Of Big Bang. There are, however, possible disaster. According
chief concerns are the creation of many respected members of the to a law suit in a district court
Ò miniature black holesÓ , which are scientific community, especially of Hawaii meant to hinder the
thought to be small black holes those of CERN, who consider start up of the LHC, there is the
that can grow larger as they suck the LHC to be perfectly safe, and possibility of the production of
up more and more of the earth, that there is no danger of such an Ò strangeletsÓ in some collisions
(according to different theories)
until eventually they swallow event like this happening.
In particular, one letter that can turn the earth into
the whole earth. Although it
may sound like something published from a group of uninhabited Ò strange matterÓ . But
out of a rather outlandish sci- German physicists from the all in all, what can really happen
Hulk
and has written a number of
inspirational books. He made a
cameo appearance as a security
guard in the big budget remake
of Hulk in 2003, and has also
voiced the green monster in this
yearÕ s The Incredible Hulk. By
the end of his speech, it was clear
that he had completely captivated
the audience. He had ignited his
listeners with his life story and
aggressive motivation. He still
holds the same eagerness and
passion that has made him the
legendary person he stands today.
Ferrigno
has
certainly
come a long way since his first
appearance on television. He
provided a level of humanity to
the character of The Hulk, which
still stands to be a prominent
pop culture icon today. Ò I loved
being The Hulk,Ó he said. Ò It
was something more than just a
cartoon character. I was The Hulk
my whole life.Ó
Economy Tips
then, I have been doing this with
friends and family. Trading and
giving clothes and accessories
is a great way to be thrifty and
save. Ask around and you will be
surprised.
4. Take Advantage of your
Resources: This is a broad tip that
requires a little bit of research
for a whole lot of saving. For
instance, those who have all three
Optimum services (phone, cable
and Internet) can sign up for
Optimum Rewards, a program
that offers free movie nights
at Clearview Cinemas every
Tuesday. Offers like this make
giving up leisure seem senseless!
Take advantage of loyalty cards
wherever they are offeredÑ
January 2009
discount offers help you save.
5. Carpool if You Can:
Take a moment to ask your fellow
classmates about their hometown
and schedule. You may find that
you are coming and going at the
same time. You can also save
money on gas by not leaving
during your breaks. Take a good
book up to the library and time
will fly. Better yet, catch up on
your homework or study. By
having fewer cars on the road, we
give less money to gas companies
that facilitate our dependence
on foreign oil. That right there
should be enough, but youÕ re
also saving your own money and
wear and tear on your car.
is still being very hotly debated,
and we may never know for sure
what the LHC can be capable of
producing.
Overall though, CERN is
hopeful that the LHC and all of its
experiments will be a successful
endeavor in their increasingly
more in depth search to find out
more about the universe. Indeed,
many of the questions in string
theory, which makes up much of
theoretical physics, are still yet
to be answered. Although many
might be skeptical to this grand
undertaking, the question to know
where the universe came from
and where it is going endures.
Obama
more resonant than electing a
72 year old Republican Senator.
When he conceded the election, it
truly felt like the end of an era.
The country has come
to a breaking point with this
administration: even the people
who voted for Bush four years
ago are sick of him by now.
The change needed to be a little
more apparent than merely a
new name running on the ticket;
it had to have a dramatic effect.
Barack Obama ran a campaign
just mainstream enough to court
conservatives and liberals, and
the fact that he was so radically
different from what had come
before was most certainly
beneficial for his campaign.
I do not envy the position
that President-Elect Obama finds
himself in. With the approval
ratings of President Bush absurdly
low, breaking even Nixon and
TrumanÕ s all-time low ratings,
the nation is hungry to be taken
in a new direction. People truly
love Barack Obama, and they
project a great many things onto
him, things IÕ m not convinced he
can live up to. He set standards
extremely high for himself during
his campaign, and now he has to
spend every day for the next four
years attempting to satisfy the
expectations that he has created.
IÕ m not convinced of Barack
ObamaÕ s ability to live up to these
expectaions, but it’s difficult not
to be excited at the beginning of a
new Presidency. It truly is living
through history, and this has the
potential to be one of the nationÕ s
most unique administrations.
Even before the Inaurgation, his
Presidency had become a global
phenonema. America is in a very
delicate position at this point in
her history, and Barack Obama
has the unfortunate position
of being the Captain of a ship
that could either sink or sail,
depending on the tide.
for any kind of blasphemy. There
is no dispute among any sect of
Islam that the Holy Quran is the
universal source of guidance,
as they all agree upon the fact
that the Holy Quran is the true
word of God. The Holy Quran
states, Ò It is the truth from your
Lord; wherefore let him who
will believe and let him who will
disbelieve.Ó (Chapter 18, Verse
30). After reading this verse,
no Islamic Scholar is justified
in giving death fatwas against
people like Salman Rushdie, even
if the writings of such people are
deceitful and hurtful.
It is true that some extremists
today will go to any length to
distort the teachings of Islam
and present them in ways that
are misleading and deceptive.
Unfortunately, the fatwa is also
being used to commit violence
in the name of God and Islam.
Another example of such fatwas
can be found throughout the
countries of Pakistan and
Indonesia today. Minorities are
killed everyday because of so
called Islamic Scholars, who
encourage people to kill others
for having different beliefs. They
misunderstand it greatly, and
justify their actions on fatwa.
The point is not to stretch the
argument, but to make people
realize that these kinds of hurtful
statements can result in serious
damage and loss of precious
lives. History stands witness to
the fact that misunderstanding of
religions can indeed lead to great
destruction. Unfortunately, the
extremists today fail to understand
the true Islamic teachings, which
strongly condemn death fatwas
or fatwas that can potentially
put someoneÕ s life in danger. In
my short life, I have seen many
people blaming the Islamic
teachings for the violence, but I
think it is rather the misfortune
of people who distort the sacred
teachings. The result of such
misfortune is sadly the loss of
innocent lives.
Fatwa
is merely a statement issued on
a disputed religious matter. On
the other hand, the prospect of a
fatwa that calls for a bounty on a
personÕ s life is completely alien
to the true Islamic teachings.
The reason why Islam rejects
the Ò death fatwaÓ is because fatwa
has nothing to do with worldly
legislations. In order for a scholar
to issue a fatwa, the matter has
to be strictly pertaining to the
religious laws. For example, if
a husband is killed and the wife
wants to pursue the case for
justice, a Muslim scholar will not
handle the matter, but the Justice
System of the country will. On
the other hand, if the husband is
abusive towards his wife and the
wife wants to seek separation or
divorce, then the Islamic Scholar
would give his or her verdict on
what should be done according to
Islamic teachings.
Islam strongly condemns
death fatwas as well as the Holy
Quran, which clearly states that no
man is allowed to punish another
The Torch
January 2009
BCC
Giants
manage to hold it together. The
Eagles came into the game hot
after winning five out of their last
six games; whereas the Giants
began to show signs of distress.
The Giants couldnÕ t capitalize
on their possessions in the red
zone and settled for three out of
five attempted field goals instead
of touchdowns. Converting
only three out of 13 third down
opportunities led to passes that
were either off target, fumbled
or intercepted. They managed to
drive the ball for a total of 307
yards but could not manage to
make the play when it counted
the most. They were defeated by
their rivals in their own house
23-11, kissing another shot at a
Super Bowl title good-bye until
next season.
Leaving no time to spare,
the Giants already have their off
season to-do list looking more
like a shopping list with the
loss of Defensive Coordinator
Steve Spagnuolo to the Rams,
to the question of the return of
their most prized wide receiver,
Plaxico Buress. It will be an
interesting off season to say the
least.
have already received) will be process online.
Dlugos says the initiative
more effectively stored so that
advisors can access and utilize is working on a needs analysis
the information in the advisement to figure out what percentage of
process. This will enable students would like to be advised
counselors, at any point, to help in a particular format. Because
students based on the information of the technology involved,
given about their particular development for this type of
approach would be a multiyear
academic situation.
Ò All of these IT pieces, we project, according to Dlugos.
Ò ItÕ s a constant challenge to
think, will ultimately build into
a process for having the entire keep people informed,Ó He says,
advising service online, which Ò But the data that weÕ ve gotten
could include some sort of in the last several years have
gaming aspect to it,Ó says Dlugos, indicated that students are not fully
referring to SecondLife, a virtual satisfied with the advising that we
network which is being explored currently offer. That needs to be
to further aid the advisement considered alongside of a finding
from our recent administration of
the Community College Survey
of Student Engagement, which
is that students rank academic
advising and planning as the
most important student service at
Bergen.Ó
In the next month, Dlugos
would like to run some focus
groups with students and to
also find out why students seem
to underutilize the CollegeÕ s
advisement offerings and what
would better serve their needs.
Ò We want to make it easier for
students to register in a relatively
quick, hassle free, no runaround
kind of way.Ó
November 9th win against the
Eagles was quickly diminished
after they came back and evened
the score with a 20-14 win on
December 7th. Although the
Giants clinched that weekend,
the fact that they would play this
rival team for the NFC Division
title managed to place doubts
where the GiantÕ s didnÕ t need it.
It was an ugly game to say the
least. The loss of their best wide
receiver opened the flood gates as
Eli Manning couldn’t find a single
receiver to catch the ball and hold
on to it. Interceptions began to
add up and the Giants couldnÕ t
Advisement
Rushdie
nation to elect a black
president.
The Literary Art Series
Annual Bergen Read program
invited Rushdie to come and read
from one of his renowned literary
works, MidnightÕ s Children.
After the reading delivered last
November, the college president,
G. Jeremiah Ryan, interviewed
him. As part of his conversation,
Rushdie elaborated on the fatwa
issued by the former Iranian
leader,
Ayatollah
Ruhollah
Khomeini. Fatwa is an Arabic
word that means to give an
answer regarding a special
religious matter.
The fatwa was an order to
kill Rushdie for writing the book,
The Satanic Verses, which raised
an uproar in the Islamic world
two decades ago. Ò The reason it
was dangerous is that we knew
that they were both willing and
capable to carry out a threat like
this,Ó he said. (Please see further
explanation of the fatwa under
our op/ed section).
Page 15
Rushdie also acknowledged she says, Ò If he expects people
that many Islamic experts believe to respect his beliefs, he should
that the use of a Ò death fatwaÓ is have respect for other people as
un-Islamic.
well.Ó
After the event, Rushdie
Rushdie, on the other hand,
stayed behind for a book signing believes that a writer speaks
at the BCC bookstore, where in a voice that nobody owns.
people from all over the college Respect and such formalities only
gathered to get their copy of Ò crippleÓ the mind of a writer, he
books signed by Rushdie.
said.
However, the book signing
Many of the Muslim protestors
was followed by a protest by a were upset because they were not
group of Muslim students who allowed in the presentation. Dr.
were holding the Iranian flag. Ralph Choonoo, the Assistant
The protest was in response to Dean of Student Life and Judicial
Mr. RushdieÕ s book, The Satanic Affairs, comments on this and said
Verses. The book is deemed Ò Some of them came towards the
insulting to the religion of end of the lecture and that is why
Islam, as it contains some very they were not allowed in.Ó
controversial beliefs.
Rushdie put special emphasis
I had an opportunity to talk on the rights of writers. He said
to one of the protestors, who nations that try to restrict the
refused to give her name. She was voice of writers misunderstand
wearing the Islamic headscarf and literature greatly. Ò Great writers
holding the Iranian flag. Unlike in the world have always simply
other Muslim students, she said stood for themselves, and their
she was Ò protesting silentlyÓ and principles, ethics and values that
did not like the idea of being loud. are endangered in the world.Ó
In regards to The Satanic Verses,
made by the students.
On January 20th, at 4:00 AM
the group checked out of the hotel,
venturing into Washington D.C.
They were met by very long lines,
and freezing weather, all assumed
to be part of the massive event.
Millions of people were heading
toward the Capitol Building. Ò It
is so exciting to be here. I have
never seen so many people in such
an important event. It is a great
opportunity to visit Washington
D.C.,Ó said Brittany Wright, one
of the SGC senators.
Everybody gathered on the
lawns was looking forward to
the speech of President Obama.
It was amazing and moving to be
surrounded by all these people, all
united by excitement about this
important event. Big television
screens were strategically placed
in different locations around the
Capitol Building which gave all
participants the opportunity to
bear witness to the events and
speeches, even while standing so
far away.
The mood amongst the
massive crowd was easily read
once former president George W.
Bush stepped down for Barack
Obama to take his place. The
Crowd was cheering, screaming,
and chanting the famous slogan,
Ò Yes we can!Ó ObamaÕ s speech
had a tremendous impact on
the audience. Its realistic tone
and promise of hope further
convinced ObamaÕ s audience
that a better tomorrow was fully
within reach, as long as America
can Ò pick ourselves up, dust
ourselves off and begin again the
work of remaking America.Ó
Winter Break
and complete the outfit. Teixeira
got a sweet deal worth $180
million over eight years. Teixeira
not only came with a big bat,
averaging .308 with 33 HR and
121 RBIÕ s last season, but also
gave the Yankee infield a major
defensive lift.
The latest of gifts to the
Yankee faithful came when Andy
Pettitte agreed to finalize a deal
with Brian Cashman. It was
fearful that the beloved Pettitte
was not going to return to open
the new stadium in April, but
Cashman was able to secure
PettitteÕ s return with one year,
$5.5 million and approximately
$6 million in performance
incentives that sweetened the
bitter taste of a $10 million paycut from last seasonÕ s $16 million.
Once again the Yankees
managed to let their checkbook
do the talking. Now we have to
wait and see if we got what we
paid for or, if itÕ s another page
in the Yankee legacy of luxury.
Nevertheless, both the Mets and
Yankees secured their first win for
the season.
Kindle
of such device as of yet, because take notes, and simply use the
I travel enough but not too Ò bunny earsÓ tab to mark where
frequently. I like to read my paper we left off.
every morning but I do so in the
The idea behind the Kindle
comfort of my own home, where however, is absolutely stunning,
I have a lot of room. I also work I cannot deny that. On the other
close to home so I cannot find hand, justifying a reason for a
the need to carry multiple books person like me to go out and
with me when I step out of my buy this device for such a high
home. For these reasons, I cannot monetary value, only to worry
justify the purchasing of a $360 all day about getting it scratched
device, and paying subscriptions up or dropping it, is simply not
and buying books to be stored worth it. Perhaps in the near
solely on the device alone. Books future, when prices begin to drop
are convenient; we can carry on these devices, we will see all
the books and not worry about books going digital. As of right
dropping it and having it shatter now, going digital is just not as
into a thousand pieces. We can simple as it seems.
also highlight text in the books,
The Torch
Page 16
January 2009
Sports
A ‘Giant’
Disappointment
Mets and Yankees Score First Win
During Winter Meetings
by
A very disappointed Eli Manning
by
natalia arango
-sports editor-
In February 2008, Eli
Manning made a pass to David
Tyree that resonated throughout
football nation. With less than
two minutes to go in the fourth
quarter, the NY Giants pulled
an upset and overcame their
underdog status to become the
2008 NFL Super Bowl champs.
The predicted improbability
that the NY Giants would win
the Super Bowl gave them the
incentive to win and quiet their
critics, fueling the incentive for
a repeat, but this wasnÕ t the case
this year.
With the 2008-09 season
behind them, some critics
speculated whether the Ô 08 win
was just luck or if this team had
merit to be called a Championship
team. They started this season
strong with an 11-2 record and
clinched the NFC East, enough to
place the NY Giants as first seed,
top contenders but they ran out
of steam and ended their season
12-5. Making the playoffs four
consecutive years is no easy
task and this makes the GiantÕ s
seventh NFC title since 1970, so
what happened this time?
Despite
an
unfavorable
performance
against
the
Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday,
December 7th, the Giants
managed to clinch the NFC
East with the help of a Dallas
CowboyÕ s loss, managing to
surpass the Cowboys record of 29
postseason appearances, making
30 the new number to beat as the
most in NFL history.
The Giant team of late was
not what we expected or are
PHOTO COURTESY OF GIANTS.COM
used to seeing on the field. The
lack of long passes and failed
attempts to the missed field goal
in the playoff game against the
Eagles didnÕ t help the cause. A
plague of injuries also took major
playmakers out of the equation
adding to the blow of Michael
StrahanÕ s retirement in July.
Toward the end of the season
Brandon Jacobs got banged up,
hurting their run game. Justin
TuckÕ s leg injury hindered
the pass rush, not to mention
Osi Umenyiora who spent the
majority of the season on the
injured reserve due to a torn ACL.
The major downfall came
with the loss of Plaxico Buress. A
drama-less team developed with
the trade of Jeremy Shockey, until
Plaxico Buress stepped up his off
field antics; forcing Coughlin to
fine him every other week for
missing practices. Eventually
the NFL was forced to suspend
him after Buress shot himself in
the leg during a night out with
teammate Antonio Pierce. The
injury was just the beginning as
charges were filed against Buress
for illegal possession of a firearm.
Antonio Pierce was cleared from
any probable associated charges.
Fans were still optimistic
going into the playoffs until
they announced rival team, sixth
seed Philadelphia Eagles as their
opponent in the NFC Division
title game. Rivals since 1933, the
Eagles were able to instill some
panic in the minds of fans, but
the fact that the Eagles were sixth
seed and the Giants were first,
gave a false hope.
The euphoria from the
See giAntS... pg 15
natalia arango
-sports editor-
With the 2009 season peeking
over the horizon, both New York
Teams had large voids in their
pitching rotation. With new
stadiums opening their doors this
season, the Mets and Yankees
were looking to start their season
with a win in the winter meetings.
General Manager for the Mets,
Omar Minaya and GM for the
Yankees, Brian Cashman signed
extending contracts this past
season and are expected to live
up to their part of the deal. With
the free agent list consisting of
more end of rotation pitching,
IMAGE COURTESY OF SPORTSLOGOS.NET
both NY teams had their work cut
out for them in Las Vegas, home
of this years winter meetings.
Topping the free agent list for
closers was Fancisco Rodriguez
who ended last season by
breaking the major league record
for saves with 62 making him
MinayaÕ s main target. Minaya
went after him hard as soon as
the bidding began on Sunday
night, December 8th, offering 24
million over two years.
Initially K-RodÕ s agent, Paul
Kinzer was going after a five
year deal with hopes of matching
Yankee closer Mariano RiveraÕ s
15 million per year, they decided
best to come down. The fact that
no other big market teams were
shopping for closers also factored
into the decision.
After the disappointing season
from Billy Wagner, the Mets were
desperate to close the deal on one
of the gameÕ s top closers, so they
raised the steaks and the price to
$37 million over three years with
a vesting option for the fourth.
Now that their main priority
has been met, the Mets can shift
their focus on securing the back
end of the rotation. Three starters
donÕ t secure a spot in the playoffs,
and Minaya is well aware of that.
Never contending to bid on the
season top starting free agent, CC
Sabathia, Minaya set his sights
on the next level of free agent
starters. Minaya expected their
pitching staff to remain with open
spots well past the end of the
winter meetings but didnÕ t plan
on ending his quest for finalizing
his rotation.
In a report by MLB.com
reporter
Anthony
DiComo,
Minaya stated, Ò We have
three guys,Ó referring to Johan
Santana, Mike Pelfrey, and John
Maine, Ò But weÕ ve seen that with
pitching, you cannot just count
on three guys. As far as I feel that
the quality of those three guys is
pretty good, I think that we still
have to fill in those two other
areas. We have to upgrade.Ó
The rotation stands with those
three as the starting punch but
the final blows are still on standby with the pending come backs
of Oliver Perez and future Hall
of Famer, Pedro Martinez. As
it stands, Minaya and the Mets
are focusing on Perez, who went
10-7 with a 4.22 ERA last season.
According to a report on mlb.com
a source from Mets camp says
itÕ s still Ò a long shotÓ regarding
MartinezÕ s
return.
Reasons
stem from his less than stellar
performance over his four-year,
$53-million contract. Regardless
of a recent trip to the Dominican
Republic by Minaya, it is still
reported that Martinez was not
the main reason for the trip.
Martinez is penciled into the
rotation for team Dominican
Republic in the World Baseball
Classic in March. There is
speculation that this starting
position will be MartinezÕ s shot
at interviewing for teams still
looking to fill their rotation needs,
including the Mets.
In the Bronx, GM Brian
Cashman had no choice but to
redeem him self from last seasons
bust in pitching choices. With
the retirement of Mike Mussina,
who held the most consistent
spot in their rotation, their sights
were set on one of the pitchers
responsible for kicking the
Yankees out of the playoffs in
2007, C.C. Sabathia. Looking for
an ace to top the rotation was top
priority so a pricey contract was
to be expected. With 80 million
coming off the books the Yankees
IMAGE COURTESY OF SPORTSLOGOS.NET
were in place to open their check
book and offer the world to fill
that number one spot.
A major requirement was
depth and the 28 year old, 2007
American League CY Young
winner, can give them that. After
being traded to the Milwaukee
Brewers by the Indians last
season, left hander Sabathia
carried the Brewers to their first
post season in 26 years with an
11-2 record and 1.65 ERA over 17
starts.
Reluctant to live in New
York and undergo the pressures
of playing in the Bronx, rumors
circulated that Sabathia preferred
to stay in home state California.
With no offers being proposed
by the Angels or Dodgers, the
Yankees stepped in and went
straight for the prize raising their
offer from an initial $140 million
over 6 years to $160 million over
7 years, leaving him with an
annual salary of $22.85 million
per year.
After sending in the platoon
of Yankee legend Reggie
Jackson, Manager Joe Girardi
along with Cashman, they were
able to relieve SabathiaÕ s woes
concerning life in New York,
closing the door on any obstacles.
Though securing Sabathia was
a major score in the win column,
the Yankees posed the same issue
as the Mets, with securing the
remaining holes in their rotation.
Target free agent right-hander A.J.
Burnett, was next. Not long after
the announcement of Sabathia
in pin stripes, Yankee fans were
given a double whammy. Burnett
and the Yankees finalized a deal
worth $82.5 million over five
years.
But wait, Santa wasnÕ t
done with Yankee fans as the
acquisition of first baseman
Mark Teixeira was added to the
roster to fatten up the offense
See winter BreAk... pg 15

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