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(11/28/07 12:00pm)
WASHINGTON (AP) - President George W. Bush stepped cautiously into the most direct Mideast peacemaking of his administration on Monday, meeting separately with the leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority to explore whether peace is possible.
A day ahead of a major Mideast peace conference in Annapolis, Md., Bush said he was optimistic. The gathering is to launch the first direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians of Bush's nearly seven years in office, and has attracted Arab and other outside backing.
Israeli and Palestinian leaders have already said they want to conclude a bargain within the 14 months that Bush has left in office. The two sides were unable to frame a blueprint for the talks before they came to the United States, and negotiations over the text were expected to continue into Tuesday.
Bush emerged from an Oval Office meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and told him: "I'm looking forward to continuing our serious dialogue with you and the president of the Palestinian Authority to see whether or not peace is possible. I'm optimistic. I know that you're optimistic."
Next, he met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who stressed the need to address issues of Palestinian statehood, sticking points that have doomed previous peace efforts.
"We have a great deal of hope that this conference will produce permanent status negotiations, expanded negotiations, over all permanent status issues that would lead to a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinian people," he said. "This is a great initiative and we need (Bush's) continuing effort to achieve this objective."
Olmert said that international support - from Bush and also, presumably, from the Arab nations that will attend the conference - could make this effort succeed where others have failed.
"This time, it's different because we are going to have a lot of participation in what I hope will launch a serious process negotiation between us and the Palestinians," Olmert said. He was referring to the talks expected to begin in earnest after this week's U.S.-hosted meetings.
"We and the Palestinians will sit together in Jerusalem and work out something that will be very good," Olmert said. As to timing, he added later: "We definitely will have to sit down very soon."
The agreement that was shaping up, as Palestinian official Yasser Abed Rabbo described it, is a starting point for negotiations and sketches only vague bargaining terms. The big questions that have doomed previous peace efforts would come later.
The document was to include a formal announcement of the renewal of peace talks, Abed Rabbo said. It will set a target of concluding negotiations before Bush leaves office in January 2009. And it commits the two sides to resolving the key issues that divide them.
Some in Bush's administration doubt that a settlement is possible in such a short time frame and have reservations about whether the Palestinians, in particular, are ready to make necessary concessions. The goal of the talks is to set up an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel.
Bush's tempered outlook as he readied the Annapolis conference suggested he has his own misgivings, although administration spokesmen said the United States will remain closely involved after Tuesday's session closes.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the administration is committed to moving the process forward but added that "ultimately, it's going to come down to the two parties and bridging the differences that now exist between them on all the issues that we know are out there."
White House press secretary Dana Perino said Bush urged Olmert and Abbas to "seize the moment."
"He said history is full of missed opportunities because people just looked to the downside," she said.
The Palestinian question underlies numerous other conflicts and grievances in the Middle East, and has scattered hundreds of thousands of Palestinians across several Arab states.
(11/28/07 12:00pm)
Dear Sweta,
I have been with my boyfriend from home for almost two years. During that time, we went on a break and I was with this other boy I met here. The other boy treated me like total crap though and I left him to get back together with my previous boyfriend. We have been doing well ever since.
However, I have recently started hanging out with the same boy that I used to be with. My boyfriend is amazing but I am so attracted to this other boy. What should I do?
Sincerely,
Is all fair in love?
Dear Is all fair in love,
Well, first of all, not everything is fair in love! It is understandable that you and the guy from the College are in close contact with one another because he's here and your boyfriend is at home. And there is absolutely no reason why you can't stay friends with this guy.
The thing to remember here is that there are a lot of guys and girls out there who are compatible with each other when it comes to being friends, but there are only a certain few who can have a relationship and really make it work. Being attracted to more than one guy is not your fault. There are some people we are just more attracted to than others and there is nothing we can do about it. However, is your attraction over-stepping the boundaries of what is considered good, clean fun?
Honestly, you have a much easier decision to make then some people do. You have already been out with this guy and you already know what type of boyfriend he is. Just because he's a good friend doesn't mean he has the skills to be a good boyfriend, or the ability to understand what you need out of a relationship.
My advice is to try and think of the way he treated you when you did go out with him whenever you feel that strong attraction coming on. That way, you'll remember that although he may be a good guy, he's not cut out for you.
On the other hand, if you feel he's changed, or perhaps that you've changed, you should talk to your boyfriend about it. If he's the type that will feel insecure, make him realize that the reason you are talking to him is because you don't want to hurt him and you want to be honest with him.
Your current boyfriend may want to take another break and let you figure things out. This could be a good move if you really feel that there is something between you and this other guy.
But, if this other guy hasn't really changed, do you really want to risk an amazing relationship for a not-so-amazing guy? If the answer to that question is "yes," then you need to speak with your current boyfriend about how you are feeling immediately. Long-term relationships have their highs and lows, but the last thing the relationship needs is for pent-up feelings to be expressed in the wrong way.
A lot of people don't realize that those feelings toward the guy or girl who isn't your boyfriend or girlfriend could really ruin a relationship. Again, it's natural to have an attraction to other people, especially if you are in a long-term relationship, because you've been with the same person for so long. It just depends on the level of attraction and how you deal with it.
The point I'm trying to make here is, don't express yourself in the wrong way by letting your attraction get to the point where you do something inappropriate with the guy and lose your chances of ever being with your boyfriend again. Before it gets to that level, talk to your boyfriend about it and free your mind of that burden.
Also remember that you deserve what is best for you and if you think this guy is going to treat you badly again, you shouldn't put yourself through that.
Sweta
(11/28/07 12:00pm)
With one spot left in the championship round, tensions are high at the Around the Dorm headquarters. Who will snag a chance to be crowned the AtD king or queen? Will it be the No. 1 Duncan Slobodzian, No. 4 Lauren Kohout or No. 7 Steve Cohen? Arts & Entertainment editor James Queally will have the final say on who advances toward greatness and whose shot at a title has ended.
1) Were NFL officials wrong for sneaking a peek at the instant replay of Phil Dawson's game-tying field goal during week 11? Should field goals be made reviewable?
DS: While I can understand Baltimore head coach Brian Billick's beef with how the game ended, it would have come across much worse had they missed the call because they decided not to check upstairs. Letting a game end on a blown call would be unacceptable - it's the reason replay was implemented in the first place. I think what the officials did was human nature. There was disagreement on the field, and neither official was completely sure. The easy solution here is to make this type of call reviewable. All of a sudden, distinguishing between a crossbar and "support bar" is as crucial as whether a player got two feet down inbounds, or whether the ball broke the plane of the goal line. That's just the nature of the NFL, where every single play and every single game is meaningful and scrutinized.
LK: Yes they were wrong for reviewing this call - they are non-reviewable. The officials made themselves look like asses by making a terrible initial call and then breaking the rules to reverse it. Referees are going to make bad calls that change the outcome of a game. That's the beauty of sports - sometimes it comes down to luck. Reviews are there because there are plays where it's impossible to get the perfect view, like making sure a guy got both feet in the end zone. Judging a field goal is a simple thing that the refs just happened to mess up on in the Browns-Ravens game. There's no gray area in field goals; it's in or it's out. It's not like the refs don't see it coming. Making these calls reviewable would take the human element out of the game way too much. I say keep them non-reviewable.
SC: This is not Vietnam - this is the NFL and rules are rules. Once the field goal was kicked, the refs had no right to check the replay. Granted, this type of situation probably was not taken into account when making this rule, but it doesn't matter because field goals are non-reviewable. It was on the refs to make a decision without assistance from the replay. Even the NBA has allowed for referees to review buzzer-beater shots to decide if they count. The NFL always changes and updates rules. In the future, refs should be allowed to review whether the football broke the plane of the uprights and bounced off the support bar as opposed to the crossbar.
JQ: Duncan put it best. It's the ref's job to get the call right - 3 points. Steve, you made a solid argument for both sides. I like the call to update the rules - 2 points. Kohout, this isn't baseball. A loss in football carries a lot more gravity than it does in baseball. There is a gray area with field goals because that ball went in and out much like basketballs do when they roll around the cylinder - 1 point.
2) Jimmy Rollins narrowly edged out Matt Holliday for the NL MVP award. While both put up startling numbers, Holliday led his team to a seven-game playoff win streak and an NL Championship. Was Rollins the right choice?
DS: I understand why Phillies fans are outspoken about this one, because Rollins was the outspoken heart of an overachieving team. Holliday's 2007 resumé is overwhelming; he led the NL in batting average and RBIs. Ten homers away from winning the Triple Crown and he's not the MVP? Holliday came through for his team all year in the cleanup spot. In the most pressure-packed spot imaginable - extra innings of a one-game playoff against Trevor Hoffman - Holliday slid into home headfirst to give his team the win and secure a playoff spot. The voting for these kinds of awards is flawed anyway; how did C.C. Sabathia edge out Josh Beckett for the Cy Young? Differentiating between "most valuable" and "best statistics" is always a challenge, but I'd argue Holliday is the hands-down winner either way.
LK: Rollins was the right choice. Holliday had impressive numbers at the plate, but Rollins was an all-around all-star. Holliday didn't come close to Rollins' .985 fielding percentage and Web Gem-worthy plays. Sure, Holliday won an NL Championship, but MVP awards aren't about postseason play so it's irrelevant. Did you see Rollins in game 162? He stepped in the box to chants of "M-V-P" echoing throughout the homestands. Where anyone else would likely pop up or strike out, Rollins was clutch and hit triple No. 20 for the 20-20-20 season. He created opportunities. He had 41 stolen bases to Holliday's 11 and had 139 runs scored over Holliday's 120. He's smart on base and at bat, striking out only 85 times in 716 at bats while Holliday struck out 126 times in 636. He lit a fire under Philly and gave fans the best season since 1993. Now that is an MVP.
SC: The MVP award is "supposed" to be decided on regular season performance only. That being said, Rollins was the right pick. What the Rockies did in September and October was nothing short of amazing, but until they went on that big winning streak Holliday's numbers did nothing. Rollins put up insane numbers all season as well and put his team back in playoff contention with strong play after the all-star break. He did this without any help from his teammate and last year's NL MVP winner Ryan Howard. Both players played spectacularly, but Rollins' play had a bigger impact on his team for a longer stretch. And come on, how many leadoff hitters hit 30 homers on top of stealing 40 bases? Jimmy was the right pick.
JQ: I'm a numbers guy, so Kohout wins my heart and the 3 for drowning me in statistics. Steve gets 2 for saying Rollins put the Phils on his back and crushing my argument about postseason play. Duncan, while I agree it should be about "most valuable" and not "best statistics," you didn't give me enough information to prove Holliday should have beaten Rollins - 1 point.
3) Basketball analysts nationwide collectively crapped themselves when the Celtics finally lost a game to Orlando. Is Boston really that good, or will the Westen Conference powerhouses run all over them?
DS: There's more parity in the East this season than any in recent memory. On paper the Celtics, Cavaliers, Bulls, Pistons and Nets look to be championship-caliber teams. Don't overlook the Magic, either - the threesome of Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis and Dwight Howard has potential to be great for years to come. The Celtics look real good right now, but the lack of leadership at the point guard position might wind up hurting them. The West is still too good top to bottom, and it will probably be another couple years until the two conferences are truly competitive. It might be boring to the casual fan, but a real basketball junkie can appreciate the way the San Antonio Spurs dominate games on both ends of the floor. There's no reason to think the Celtics or any team from the East can stick with Gregg Popovich's crew in a seven-game series.
LK: Boston might do some damage to the West. Its 3-0 against Western teams. One of those was a 119-93 pounding over Denver, currently in first in the Northwest. The one thing I thought would keep this team out of contention for a championship was too many superstars on one court. However, Boston has proven me wrong as during those three Western Conference games at least four players scored in double digits. Five scored in doubles against Denver and Los Angeles and the best thing is the fifth person wasn't the same in those games. Boston is moving the ball and utilizing all of its players. When any of your starters and players off-the-bench can score double digits it is hard to defend. The East might actually see a championship this season, or apparently a shortage in underwear thanks to basketball analysts.
SC: There isn't one team that isn't scared by how well the Celtics are playing. It is the most unselfish basketball I have ever seen. Nobody is hogging the ball, which is impressive with three perennial all-stars. The Western teams will not powerhouse Boston. They have too much talent and are playing almost as high of a level of basketball as you can. However, the one thing that will hurt Boston is their depth. They have no depth, while teams like Denver, Dallas and San Antonio have insanely deep benches. This is where the West has the advantage, but I don't think that any team's top three players are better than Boston's. So no, Boston won't get steamrolled by the West.
JQ: Steve gets the 3 for actually answering my question. Kohout and Duncan each get 2 for making some overly-bold statements. Duncan, we're less than a month into the season. If any team can beat the Spurs in a series, we haven't seen them play enough to prove it yet. Kohout, I'll warrant your call for a championship when Boston picks up a win over a Western powerhouse.
Steve is finals-bound after defeating Duncan and Kohout 7-6-6.
(11/28/07 12:00pm)
CAMDEN, S.C. (AP) - A man whose hand got caught in a corn harvester cut off his own arm with a pocket knife after the machine started a brush fire.
"I just told myself, 'I'm not going to die here,'" Sampson Parker said Monday on NBC's "Today Show."
"I just kept fighting, kept praying. And then when I did get loose, I jumped up running, I had blood squirting from my arm," he said of the September incident. "It was pretty scary there for a while."
Parker, a construction supervisor in Kershaw County about 20 miles east of Columbia, farms as a hobby.
When he tried to remove a cornstalk stuck in the rusty harvester, Parker's hand became stuck.
"I went up with my hand, and the roller that takes the shucks off the corn had grabbed the glove and pulled my hand into the rollers," he told WIS-TV in Columbia.
Parker called for help, but no one was around.
After about 90 minutes, his hand went numb. He jammed a rod into the machine and started cutting away his fingers, but the rod and machine sparked a fire. He used his free hand to fight the fire but knew he was in even more trouble.
"My skin was melting," he said. "Like melting plastic."
It was then that he cut off his arm to free himself. "I could feel the nerves as I was cutting my arm off," he said.
Parker ran to his truck and drove to the front of his home about the time firefighter Doug Spinks passed by. Spinks wrapped Parker's arm and called for help.
Parker said he is doing fine now and has tried to put the ordeal behind him.
"It really wasn't the corn picker's fault. It was my fault. It was just a mistake I made," he said.
(11/28/07 12:00pm)
VILLIERS-LE-BEL, France (AP) - Rampaging youths threw Molotov cocktails and set fire to dozens of cars in troubled neighborhoods outside Paris on Monday, the second night of street violence after two local teens were killed in a crash with a police patrol car.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, visiting China, appealed for calm, while police braced for more problems. With several dozen officers injured during two nights of rioting, the violence was a reminder of the tensions that drove weeks of rioting in 2005 in poor neighborhoods with large minority populations.
Anger focused on police, with residents claiming that officers left the scene of Sunday's crash without helping the two teens whose motorbike collided with their car. Officials cast doubt on the claim but the internal police oversight agency was investigating nevertheless.
Investigators were still trying to piece together exactly what happened in the Sunday afternoon crash in Villiers-le-Bel, a town of public housing blocks home to a mix of Arab, black and white residents in the French capital's northern suburbs.
Police officials said the motorbike ignored traffic rules and crashed into the police vehicle, and that the bike was unregistered and thus not authorized for use on French roads. Neither of the teens, aged 15 and 16, was wearing a helmet, and the prosecutor's office said the bike was going at maximum speed.
The internal police oversight agency opened an inquiry into whether the deaths were manslaughter and whether the officers failed to help the teens, a police official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
An alcohol test showed that neither of the officers had been drinking, and initial inquiries suggested they did not appear to have caused the crash, police said. The prosecutor, Marie-Therese de Givry, told LCI television that the officers called rescue services to the scene.
Villiers-le-Bel was on edge Monday for a second night, though the families of the two teenagers called for calm. A crowd of youths set police barricades on fire and threw stones and Molotov cocktails at officers, who retaliated with tear gas and rubber bullets. In Villiers-le-Bel and surrounding areas, youths set fire to 36 vehicles, the area's prefecture said.
Youths were seen firing buckshot at police and reporters. The prefecture said many police had injuries; a police union official said 38 officers were wounded, including three seriously. One reporter also was injured. Two youths were taken into custody, the prefecture said.
"The situation is tense; there are a lot of police on the ground to prevent more flare-ups," Gaelle James of the Synergie police officers' union said.
In Sunday's violence, eight people were arrested and 20 police officers were injured - including the town's police chief, who was beaten in the face when he tried to negotiate with the rioters, police said. One firefighter also was injured.
Also Sunday, witnesses said, police fired rubber pellets at youths. Two police stations were targeted, one with Molotov cocktails. A McDonald's restaurant was burned, as were about 15 cars and several garbage cans.
"I want everyone to calm down and let the justice system determine who was responsible," Sarkozy said.
Residents drew parallels with the 2005 riots. That unrest was prompted by the deaths of two teens electrocuted in a power substation while hiding from police in a suburb northeast of Paris.
A recent study by the state auditor's office indicated that money poured into poor French suburbs in recent decades had done little to solve problems vividly exposed by the 2005 riots, including unemployment and racial discrimination.
(11/28/07 12:00pm)
A few months ago I was DJing at a local music establishment when I found myself having to constantly answer two different questions. The questions that were presented: why wasn't I playing stuff that was more "urban" and why wasn't I playing any Soulja Boy.
The latter was easy enough; I just didn't have any. Quite frankly, that one song of his isn't even any good and I've never understood the appeal. But the former confused me greatly, mostly because I believed that I was playing a nice mix of stuff. But this, combined with society's reluctance to accept anything that isn't easily accessible, leads me to wonder if the death knell for hip-hop has been sounded.
When you think about it carefully, this argument shouldn't even exist. Take into consideration the overall state of hip-hop as a community and as a musical entity. A closer look at this country and the rest of the world does nothing but combat the cries that hip-hop is approaching its last call.
On the east coast there are healthy, burgeoning scenes in New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Miami. The middle of the nation has Chicago, Memphis, St. Louis and Minneapolis among others. There's the whole southern movement from Atlanta to Houston and across the rest of the southwest. And, of course, who could forget the west coast, from Los Angeles up to Seattle. In addition to all of this, there are growing influences in Canada and an exploding U.K. and world community as well. Each and every one of these locales is ripe with both talent and the drive to make something of that talent.
So why then, with all of these signs of vitality and indicators of growth across the hip-hop spectrum, do I sit here and put ink to paper saying that rap is clearly on the decline? In reality, rap is not on the decline, but rather the way that it is packaged and presented to the masses is creating this illusion.
It's part of the same type of cycle that has been evident in rock music over the last 10 to 12 years. The amount of quality rock music being crafted now is no different than the amount being created 10 or 20 years ago. However, major label posturing and the connections between them and big business radio have severely limited the types of stuff being played on commercial radio.
Due to the Telecommunications Act of 1996, limits on the number of radio stations that can be commonly owned were eliminated. This allowed corporations like Clear Channel to purchase as many stations as it likes, causing all similar type stations to sound the same as each other and provide strict controls over what and how much of what gets played.
The result of all this is the amount of rock music that the public has been exposed to on radio has greatly decreased, a phenomenon that has been increasing within the hip-hop community. The kind of rap that has received major airplay over the last few years seems to have become more and more limited.
Taking a look at the most recent top 40 singles chart, the only rap present other than Kanye West is cliché and lacks substance, but still represents a wide variety of styles and locations. How long this variety is able to hold up will determine how long hip-hop can delay its death cycle. I wish I could be optimistic about all this, but we've seen it many times before and it isn't a pretty picture.
(11/14/07 12:00pm)
Dear Sweta,
I've been with my boyfriend for a pretty long time and last night he started talking about how lately he's been feeling like our sex life has become boring. He said it's because I'm not outgoing enough and that I shouldn't be so shy because I should already be comfortable with him. I know I am comfortable with him but I don't know how to be outgoing in the sexual sense of the word. I'm worried that if I try to take charge, I'll feel stupid or I'll keep giggling. What should I do?
Sexually Shy
Dear Sexually Shy,
A lot of girls are really shy about taking charge and being dominant during intimacy. Letting the guy take charge is a primal instinct, but times are changing. Women used to be considered subservient to men; obviously we got over that one quickly. Women have more influence in today's society than men do, so why is it so difficult for girls to take charge sexually?
Honestly, I think it may have something to do with courtship. A lot of girls and guys think that the guy should be the one to ask girls out and the guy should be the one to pay for a date.
So, it is automatically assumed that during sex, a guy will take charge. That assumption is dead wrong. A lot of guys like to have the girl in charge because it gives them time to relax and not have to be so concerned about her pleasure. I understand that if you've never taken charge before, it can be really nerve wracking and you may feel a little bit self-conscious and even a little foolish.
My advice is to start out slow. If you really are comfortable with him then you've already expressed a lot of feelings to him. If you feel like giggling, go ahead and do it. Sex is supposed to be fun and if something silly or unexpected happens, letting it slide and laughing about it won't ruin the mood, which is all that really matters anyway.
Here are a few steps I've put together to get you from sexually shy to dominating diva:
1. Start out slow with something that isn't face-to-face.
Leaving him an erotic and intimate voicemail can get him seriously eager to see you. If you feel like you'll laugh or won't be able to verbalize how you're feeling, send him an erotic text message instead, that way, he won't have to hear the self-consciousness in your voice and you won't have to put yourself too far out there.
2. Be aggressive when making out.
Pushing him against the wall and making out with him isn't going to hurt anybody and you won't feel so foolish and giggly if the heat and passion are really there. Just make sure it isn't in the middle of Eickhoff. We all love cute couples but nobody likes excessive PDA!
3.You're ready for handcuffs.
OK so maybe handcuffs are a bit extreme, but if you can verbalize how you feel sexually and start a random makeout session, you can pretty much do anything else. Being sexually outgoing will make it fun for both of you because then you can both express your passion in a number of ways. An added bonus: if you can both verbalize how you're feeling sexually, then you can explore new and interesting options so your sex life can never really get boring!
Sweta
(11/14/07 12:00pm)
While a strike by the Writer's Guild of America (WGA) may not seem like an important issue for students with finals looming only a month away, the effects may hit closer to home than we expect.
The WGA strike officially began on Nov. 4, and writers for popular shows like "The Daily Show with John Stewart," "The Office" and "Lost" are still holding out.
Their writers' gripe revolves around residual payments from the sale of DVDs and from ad revenue generated by online content. Writers are asking for a bigger piece of the pie than the networks and studios seem willing to give.
It's not that the writers are not getting paid for DVDs and online content they have a hand in. It's that the writers are getting paid more for reruns than DVDs and online content, an imbalance they would like to see evened out.
The last major WGA strike took place in 1988 and lasted for 22 weeks, from March 7 through Aug. 7. Television schedules were filled with reruns. Once the shows returned, network television viewership was a full 9 percent lower than it had been before the strike.
This time around, shows like "The Colbert Report" are already stuck playing reruns because the show is scripted on a day-by-day basis.
However, for shows like "Lost," it may take a bit longer before we see the effect of the strike. Though scripted in advance, changes have already been made to the plot due to the strike.
While it might be annoying from a spectator's perspective to miss out on new episodes of favorite shows, as writers, we at The Signal have to sympathize with the pickets. We are writers ourselves and many of us have experience working full time for newspapers or magazines.
Though it is not quite the same thing writing for print as it is writing for television, the problems we confront are sometimes the same. Newspaper and magazine writers, like television writers, have started to deal with the issue of online content as well.
Often, the work of freelance writers (who are very commonly college students trying to earn a couple extra bucks) is published online, entirely legally, without the freelancer receiving any additional payment. It's become a standard part of most freelance contracts, though some freelancers will try to negotiate it when discussing a contract nowadays.
The Internet is a great way to reach a larger, younger audience, and getting the word out to more people is a goal all writers have. But there is no reason these writers should not be fairly compensated for their effort.
From this perspective, it is hard for us not to sympathize with the writers on strike.
We love Jon Stewart as much as any other college student, but we understand why a writer would demand residuals from Internet profits before the option to claim that money is permanently written out of contracts.
Due to this, we have to support them as well. Not seeing "The Office" definitely sucks, but it costs us much less to miss a few episodes of the shows we like than it would for the writers to be complacent and continue to let themselves get a raw deal.
For the time being, we'll just have to content ourselves with video games, music and studying for finals.
(11/14/07 12:00pm)
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Producers took out full-page ads in Monday's trade papers to present their side of the story in the strike by Hollywood writers.
In ads in Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, studios emphasized that writers already get paid when TV episodes and films are downloaded from Internet stores such as Apple Inc.'s iTunes. The ads from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers also stated that writers get a fee, or "residual," when episodes or films are rented online.
Headlined "Setting the Record Straight," the ads offered the group's most extensive public statement on Internet payments since the strike began on Nov. 5.
The Writers Guild of America did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The union resumed its pickets Monday at studios.
Writers do not get paid when TV shows are streamed for free on advertising-supported network sites such as ABC.com or HULU.com. But the ads said a proposal to pay writers for that streaming was on the table when talks broke off on Nov. 4.
Producers said payments from digital rentals and downloads were part of the more than $260 million in "record-breaking residuals" paid to members of the Writers Guild of America's West Coast branch in 2006. Producers said the figure came from the union's 2006 annual report, which did not break down what percentage of the residuals came from digital distribution.
(11/14/07 12:00pm)
NEW YORK (AP) - Striking stagehands and theater producers traded accusations but not much else as the work stoppage that has shut down more than two dozen Broadway shows entered its third day Monday.
James J. Claffey Jr., president of the Local One stagehand union, fired the first salvo Sunday, declaring that the stagehands would remain off the job until producers started acting "honorably" at the negotiating table.
Speaking at a somber news conference, Claffey said the League of Theatres and Producers needs to make a "constructive" adjustment to its counter offers.
"We want respect at the table," he said. "If there's no respect, they will not see Local One at the table. The lack of respect is something we are not going to deal with."
Charlotte St. Martin, the league's executive director, shot back, saying that Local One "left the negotiating table and abruptly went on the picket line."
She said the union "refused to budge on nearly every issue, protecting wasteful, costly and indefensible rules that are embedded like dead weights in contracts so obscure and old that no one truly remembers how, when or why they were introduced. The union wants you to believe they are the victims, the little guys."
The dispute has focused on numbers rather than wages - how many people are required to get a production up and running. The producers want to keep the number flexible, depending on a show's individual requirements; the union has been specific in its personnel demands - how many people and how long they are required to work.
Local One includes more than just the men who move the scenery; it also represents a show's electricians, carpenters and sound people.
"We simply don't want to be compelled to hire more workers than needed and pay them when there is no work for them to do," St. Martin said.
The stagehands say their benefits have been hard-won and that they won't give them up without something in return.
"We are being attacked," Claffey said. "We're fighting for our lives ... a middle-class job we're trying to protect."
Both sides have not talked since Thursday. The strike started two days later, closing 27 shows including "The Lion King," ''Wicked," ''Rent," ''The Phantom of the Opera," "Jersey Boys" and "Mamma Mia!"
The lengthy negotiations, which began over the summer, have been acrimonious as both sides sharpened their positions on what has proved to be the thorniest issues: work rules and staffing requirements.
On Sunday, pickets again walked quietly in front of struck theaters in the normally crowded area west of Times Square. Pedestrians were few.
Still, theatergoers could be found at the few shows that were still open because their theaters have separate contracts with the league. The productions include "Young Frankenstein," ''Mary Poppins," ''Xanadu" and "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee." Four other shows - "Pygmalion," ''The Ritz," ''Mauritius" and "Cymbeline" - also were open because they were playing at nonprofit theaters.
The same-day discount ticket booths in Times Square and at the South Street Seaport remained open, serving the Broadway shows unaffected by the walkout as well as all off-Broadway productions, which were up and running.
No new negotiations have been scheduled, and resumption of talks appears uncertain. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg again offered his assistance on Sunday, saying "the city will do everything it can to help."
There were lines Sunday at the Times Square location, but it was not as crowded as usual. A sign said there were no Broadway shows available and suggested off-Broadway options.
Perry Welch, in town from Seattle, was in line hoping to get tickets to "The Fantasticks" or "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change."
"We had tickets for 'Rent,' (but) that's not going to happen," he said.
(11/14/07 12:00pm)
Round two of the AtD playoffs is the long-awaited showdown between No. 3 Justin Jez, No. 6 James Queally and No. 9 Allison Singer. Last week, No. 8 Bobby Olivier advanced to the final round in an unexpected upset. This week, anything can happen. Ref Brandon Lee will decide who moves on to join Bobby in the championship and which two contestants will be knocked out of the tournament.
1. Alex Rodriguez is a free agent and will command a record-setting contract. Where do you think he'll end up?
JJ: Truth be told, no one has any idea where A-Rod will end up. It's November and we are going to hear countless rumors before he puts on another uniform. A-Rod and his agent will savor the attention throughout the next four months, holding out for more money. I think A-Rod has to go to a big-market team. What small salary team can afford upward of $25 million per year? We know he is tired of New York so the Mets are out of the question. That leaves markets such as Philly, Los Angeles and Chicago. My guess is that when the dust settles, Los Angeles and Chicago will be the two teams willing to pony up the dough. Wouldn't it be interesting to see A-Rod follow Joe Torre to Los Angeles - a sort of retaliatory exodus from the tyrant Steinbrenner? But realistically, I see A-Rod going to the Cubs, the only team with the money and legacy to satisfy him.
JQ: With only a few big names swimming in the free agent pool this year, Rodriguez might be able to secure a deal close to the $300 million he and baseball's equivalent of Satan, Scott Boras, are asking for. The only teams with significant bankrolls right now are the Yankees, Red Sox and Angels. While the Red Sox just freed up some cap room by dramatically reducing Curt Schilling's salary, I just don't see anywhere he fits into that lineup. While the Cubs are an obvious choice because of A-Rod's close ties with manager Lou Piniella, the money issue will rear its ugly head and prevent the deal from happening. So is A-Rod California-bound? The Angels have the money, and while Orlando Cabrera is a talented shortstop, he can't match A-Rod offensively. Cabrera totaled eight home runs last year versus A-Rod's 54. The Angels also lack a standout third baseman, so if A-Rod is OK with remaining at third, Los Angeles might be the most logical destination for him.
AS: One thing's for sure: he won't end up in Boston. The Red Sox might be interested in signing A-Rod, but it won't happen - their fans won't allow it. Besides, when you've got a World Series-winning dynamic, why spend upward of $300 million to change it? I can't see him going to the Mets either. With the way Yankees' fans reacted to his leaving, I would think he would want to get as far away from New York as possible. That leaves the Angels and the Dodgers as the final two teams who have expressed interest so far. I would put my money on A-Rod becoming an Angel. The Angels are the only team that has publicly announced it will be attempting to sign A-Rod, and I think the higher-ups are willing to do what it takes to bring him to the team.
BL: Queally gets 3 for pointing out both the business and on-the-field issues. Allie gets 2 for narrowing it down to the Dodgers and Angels and choosing the Angels in the end. Jez gets 1 because he didn't include the Angels, a key team in this race.
2) The Packers are 7-1 thanks to a rejuvenated Brett Favre. Why do you think Favre has resurrected himself this year?
JJ: The Packers are playing well this year for two reasons: an improved defensive squad and Favre's adapting to the modern game. The defense has been solid against the run and the pass. Starting at the line, guys like Aaron Kampman have been active, batting down balls and forcing punts. The secondary has also stepped up this season. Up to this point, the defense has played consistent, opportunistic football. All of this translates into getting the ball back into Favre's hands. The second reason for the Packer's success is Favre's willingness to adapt his game plan. Last year, his gun-slinging mentality resulted in more turnovers and less touchdowns. This year, he has gone to a more modern, short-passing game, taking what the defense allows and hitting the safe receiving option. This system also sets up Farve to make those occasional big plays for which he is known.
JQ: Why did Brett Favre decide to play like the Brett Favre that John Madden worships? He had to. Ahman Green jumped ship, officially bringing an end to the running game at Lambeau. Favre knew the team would have to rely on an aerial attack to have any shot this season. This year Favre has put his dangerous tandem of receivers (Donald Driver and Greg Jennings) to good use and recovered his arm strength, forcing opposing secondaries to fear his ability to throw the long bomb again. There is another, much bigger off-the-field reason why Favre is the Favre we know and love again. After the critics attacked him for hanging around and holding back Aaron Rodgers' career, Favre knew he had to shut them up. He's played eight games of stellar football, effectively silencing the hyper-critical media and proving what we should have known all along. When Favre leaves the NFL, he will do so on his own terms, not because the guys from "Around the Horn" said so.
AS: Favre resurrected himself for one reason: he wasn't ready to go. Last year was a tortuous year for the Packers as they just barely went .500 on the season and there was talk in the NFL community about Favre retiring. Rather than going out on a low note, he used the sub-par season as a wakeup call and whipped himself and the Packers' O-line into shape. Favre continues to show signs of a true team leader: he has said that, despite the team's 7-1 season, he doesn't feel the offense can become "complacent" and risk losing that lead. He is still on the lookout for ways to improve and refuses to give himself too much credit. In this way, Favre is resurrecting himself on a daily basis and demonstrating his willingness to adapt and advance his team.
BL: Jez hits the 3 for noting the technical side of football. Favre is not the gunslinger anymore and is more of a manager. Queally and Allie both used criticism as Favre's turning point. However, Allie gets 2 points and Queally gets 1 point since he mentioned Favre regaining his arm strength this season and playing well because Green is gone. It's not the arm strength Queally, it's the offensive scheme!
3) The College's football team has made a surprising run into the postseason. How far do you think it will go?
JJ: The football team put forth a fantastic effort this season, surpassing most peoples' expectations with a record of 8-2. I think the key to the Lions getting out of the first round will be whether or not they get home field advantage in the first round of the tournament. James has been solid for the Lions all season. As of Nov. 9, the Lions have outscored their opponents 35-0 in the first quarter. Getting off to a fast start will be key in any postseason victory. They have a good chance of making it to the third round of the playoffs. I think any prediction further than that would be bold.
JQ: The New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) is fairly well-respected in Division III football, with Rowan University receiving a relatively high seeding as the conference champ over the past few years. The College was ranked No. 14 after its win over Buffalo State College, and while its loss to Kean University may knock them down a slot, the Lions shouldn't have to worry about being seeded lower than No. 5. So they should at the very least get out of the first round. How far can they go past that? That depends on a few key factors. The defense needs to remain as aggressive as they have been all season. When the team forces turnovers early, they create opportunities for sophomore stud quarterback Chris James. When the Lions pile it on in the first half, they're hard to beat. But the key is the momentum. The Lions have struck first in almost all of their victories this season, so it's critical that James puts together successful drives early if the team is going to get out of the second round where they will likely have to face a No. 1 seed.
AS: This type of question is my weakness because I never want to shortchange any of the College's teams, but I'm going to say they've got a shot at getting past the early rounds. I'm realistic: it isn't going to be an easy trip. Even teams in the Eastern Conference the College has beaten earlier in the season aren't locked-in victories. But head coach Eric Hamilton has a "one game at a time" mentality, and it's worked for his boys thus far. I could make a list of Lions who are contributing this year, but it would take up my entire answer. Suffice it to say that the team is doing the College proud this year, and I think it will continue its record-breaking season past the early rounds of the NCAA Tournament.
BL: Jez hits the 3 again by saying the Lions need to get off to a fast start in order to be successful. Queally mentions the same thing but only says they'll make it out of the first round. But Queally, how far will they go? Allie, you need to mention more on-the-field factors - 1 point.
With a final score of 7-6-5, Jez moves on to the AtD Championship.
(11/14/07 12:00pm)
NEW YORK (AP) - Dustin Pedroia won in a runaway, just like his Red Sox in the World Series.
The little Boston second baseman with the big swing was an easy pick for American League Rookie of the Year, while Ryan Braun barely edged Troy Tulowitzki for the National League honor.
Generously listed at 5-foot-9, Pedroia became a fan favorite at Fenway Park with his all-out style. Plus, few knew he played with a broken left hand down the stretch.
"Everyone doubted me at every level I've been to, saying I'm too small, I'm not fast enough, my arm's not strong enough," Pedroia said. "There's a lot of people that have stuck by me and knew deep down in, that there's something about me that makes me a winning baseball player."
Pedroia hit .317 with eight home runs and 50 RBIs. He got 24 of the 28 first-place votes to outdistance Tampa Bay outfielder Delmon Young in balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.
Braun's brawn earned him the NL award. The slugging third baseman from Milwaukee finished two points ahead of Tulowitzki, Colorado's sparkplug shortstop.
"I had no idea what the vote would be based on," Braun said. "I knew that it would be a close vote."
Braun received 17 of 32 first-place votes and finished with 128 points. Tulowitzki got 15 first-place votes and 126 points.
Called up from Triple-A in late May, Braun hit .324 with 34 home runs and 97 RBIs. The Brewers led the majors in homers this season and stayed in contention for the NL Central championship until the final week.
Braun's .634 slugging percentage led NL players and was the highest by a rookie in Major League history.
His big offensive numbers were enough to overcome 26 errors, tied for most in the majors with Minnesota shortstop Jason Bartlett.
"Everybody has things they need to work on," Braun said.
Braun showed off his power in the Brewers' exhibition opener, hitting a grand slam and a three-run homer. He also made a wild throw in that game.
Braun, who turns 24 this Saturday, became the second Brewers player to win Rookie of the Year.
Pedroia will have to hold his award with his right hand - his left hand is in a soft cast. A test in early September revealed a crack, and he played through the pain until having surgery last week.
Pedroia excelled in October. He sparked Boston's comeback from a 3-1 deficit in the AL championship series, homering and driving in five runs to beat Cleveland in Game 7. Pedroia then led off the World Series opener with a home run, sending the Red Sox toward their sweep of the Rockies.
Pedroia became the sixth Red Sox player to win the AL award and first since Nomar Garciaparra in 1997.
(11/14/07 12:00pm)
GAZA CITY (AP) - A rally of more than 250,000 Fatah supporters ended in mayhem Monday, with Hamas police opening fire and protesters hurling rocks or running for cover. Seven civilians were killed and dozens were wounded in the violence between Palestinian factions.
The demonstration in a Gaza City square, marking the Nov. 11, 2004 death of iconic Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, posed the strongest challenge to Hamas rule in Gaza since the Islamic militant group seized the impoverished territory by force in June. The images of Hamas policemen facing off against large groups of rock-throwers challenged Hamas' claim that it has established tight control.
Fatah's unexpected show of strength was also its most persuasive argument that its leader, moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, has a mandate to renew peacemaking with Israel at a U.S.-hosted Mideast conference in Maryland later this month.
The march started out peacefully after Palestinians in buses, on foot and on donkey carts streamed into a large sandy lot by the Mediterranean. Waving yellow Fatah flags, the crowd cheered and whistled as the movement's remaining leaders in Gaza - most had fled to the West Bank in June - delivered hopeful speeches about a comeback.
But the rally quickly descended into chaos and bursts of gunfire as the crowd was beginning to leave. Fatah stone-throwers clashed with armed Hamas policemen.
"It was a big mess, and everyone was running for cover," a wounded 24-year-old demonstrator who would give only his first name, Farouk, for fear of repercussions by Hamas said. While he lay on the ground waiting for help, he said he saw a man in a wheelchair trying to hide near a wall.
In one confrontation, an Associated Press reporter observed about 30 Hamas policemen - some posted on the rooftop of a government ministry, others on the streets below - firing heavily for about 10 minutes. Some appeared to be shooting over the heads of Fatah stone-throwers while others were firing randomly.
In another, AP Television News footage showed hundreds of young Fatah activists, some wrapped in yellow flags, facing off against Hamas police in black or blue-camouflage uniforms across an intersection.
The Fatah supporters pelted Hamas troops with stones, surging forward even as they were met by heavy bursts of gunfire. One Hamas policeman dropped to one knee for better aim. At one point, a young stone-thrower collapsed and was carried off by others.
Elsewhere, AP photographers observed frantic demonstrators commandeering private cars to take the wounded to hospitals. Medical officials said seven civilians were killed and 85 people were wounded.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri held Fatah responsible for the violence, saying Fatah gunmen had been posted on high-rise buildings overlooking the rally to shoot at Hamas police officers as a planned provocation.
Hamas said five of its policemen were wounded by sniper fire from the roof of the pro-Fatah Al Azhar University near the rally. "If Hamas was planning today's incidents, why would we have allowed the rally to take place?" Abu Zuhri told a news conference.
Fatah denied the charge, saying no armed men were allowed at the rally.
An AP reporter saw 10 Fatah gunmen being turned away at the start of the rally. Medical officials said none of the dead was a Hamas policeman. After nightfall, Hamas forces arrested 27 Fatah activists involved in planning the rally, Fatah officials said.
(11/07/07 12:00pm)
Another AtD postseason is upon us. The top nine contestants from this year's competitions will face off to see who will earn this semester's first-place honor. The contestants have been seeded by average number of points per round. In round one, No. 2 Michael O'Donnell, No. 5 Brandon Lee and No. 8 Bobby Olivier fight for ref Justin Jez's favor and a chance to make it to the championship round.
1) Do you think Kobe Bryant will be a Laker at the end of this season? If not, where will he end up?
BL: I think Kobe will still be a Laker. He's been clashing with management since before Shaq went to the Heat in 2004. Bryant is the A-Rod of basketball. There are so many trade rumors swirling around him that it's impossible to pinpoint where he'll go. I doubt the baby Bulls will trade its core of youngsters, including captain Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, Tyrus Thomas and superstar-in-the-making Luol Deng. Any team that makes a trade for Bryant will put all its eggs in one basket, leaving Bryant with the same situation he has with the Lakers - he'll veto that trade. The only reason the Celtics were able to get Kevin Garnett was because Kevin McHale is a worse general manager than Isiah Thomas.
BO: Bryant, the only player in the NBA with a no-trade clause, will be a Laker at the end of the season. A deal in the works would send him to Chicago for Bulls stars Gordon, Thomas and rookie Joakim Noah, but the deal hinges on Chicago's refusing to add Deng. Bryant vetoed the deal because he does not want to be on a Deng-less Bulls team. Lakers executive Magic Johnson has said that a trade which would bring Jermaine O' Neal to the Lakers is now on the front burner, meaning Bryant is not leaving anytime soon. Either way, the Lakers need Bryant to contend. In the opener against Houston, he dropped 45 and they still lost. Unless a deal can be made that is satisfactory to Bryant and the other team, it will be another typical year for the Lakers. For the remainder of the year, Kobe will be miserable but make his 10th all-star appearance, center Andrew Bynum will continue to underachieve and the rest of the average players will make the team exactly that: average.
MO: Bryant will be a Laker at the end of the season. The soap opera that is Kobe Bryant has been riding along for several months now, but it finally has come to a halt. After many trade talks with several teams over the summer, most notably and recently the Bulls, talks have seriously broken down. No team the Lakers have talked to wants to give up the level of talent they are asking for. Asking for most of the Bulls' starting five was too much for general manager John Paxson to deal with. Paxson, among others, has been frustrated with the Lakers' asking price and has said that "there's not going to be a deal done." With the frontrunner out of the hunt for Bryant, the Lakers all but officially have the 2007 NBA-scoring champ with them for the long haul.
JJ: Mike gets 3. The Lakers are shopping Bryant at a high price, and no team has enough talent to trade and still be better than the Lakers. Bobby earns 2 for predicting another average season for the Lakers. Brandon, I don't think he will go to the Bulls but management has always sided with Bryant until recently - 1 point.
2) Which was more surprising: the Boston Red Sox sweeping a Colorado Rockies team that was on fire coming into the World Series, or A-Rod's announcement during game four that he will opt out of his Yankees contract?
BL: I thought Colorado would get at least one win after "rocking" the National League during the playoffs (no pun intended). I wasn't surprised that A-Rod made his opt-out announcement during game four because he isn't classy and neither is agent Scott Boras. Boras said he decided to make the announcement and that A-Rod had no part in it. The Rockies seemed to have everything going for them during the playoffs, but the once-stellar pitching unraveled against the Sox. Maybe it was the six-day break before the World Series that messed them up, but after sweeping the Phillies and the D-backs you would think they could steal a game from the Sox.
BO: A-Rod's announcement that he was opting out of his contract was much more surprising than the Sox sweeping the Rockies. Given the Rockies were on fire and won 21-of-22 games coming into the World Series, they had over a week off while the Sox were gaining momentum. History shows that teams with long layoffs do not perform as well as teams with shorter breaks. History has also taught us that Red Sox teams of recent years that get hot in the playoffs tend to stay hot. The Sox were hitting and pitching like champions coming into the Series, so it's not a surprise they mopped the floor with Rockies. On the contrary, A-Rod's opting out of his enormous contract was a big surprise. First off, he had an amazing year. It's not like the fans were booing him - they were chanting "MVP." Another thing is he was making $25.2 million! Breaking that down, if he played every inning of every game, he made $5,761 for every out that the Yankees made. How much more money do you need?
MO: A-Rod's announcing his opting out during the most important game of the 2007 MLB season was shocking and classless. He is the most recognizable face in baseball, and he will always look to draw attention to himself. If you have all the time in the world to announce your intentions for the offseason, why would you do it during the World Series, especially when you're not even involved? His actions enraged baseball officials. Bob Dupuy, MLB's chief operating officer, said MLB was angry with agent Scott Boras for "upstag(ing) our premier baseball event of the season with his announcement." Boras issued an apology to MLB, the Red Sox, the Rockies and the fans. Some people predicted the Red Sox would dominate the Rockies in the World Series, but I'm sure not one person predicted that A-Rod would be the focus of game four. It's shocking enough he opted out of his contract with the Yankees, but it makes it unbelievably shocking that he did it during baseball's Fall Classic.
JJ: It was close, but I am awarding Bobby the 3. I like the history about playoff teams and your reasons why A-Rod should have stayed. Mike, it was a good point that MLB officials were openly criticizing A-Rod - 2 points. Brandon receives 1 point. I wasn't aware Boras was responsible for the timing of the announcement, but the other answers gave me more support.
3) With the NBA season getting started and the NFL season at the halfway point, two conferences seem to be superior in each sport. Which one conference, the AFC or the West, is more dominant in its respective sport?
BL: The AFC has the Colts and the Patriots but no other teams stand out. In the Western Conference of the NBA, several teams simply dominate the competition. Those teams include the San Antonio Spurs, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz and maybe even the Denver Nuggets. Few Eastern Conference teams can stand up to that type of competition, hence why the Cavaliers were able to make it to the Finals but got owned by the Spurs last year. The Western Conference will continue its domination with Kevin Durant and Greg Oden, the two top picks in the draft.
BO: The AFC has won eight of the last 10 Super Bowls, but the Western Conference of the NBA is the more dominant conference. The top three teams in the NBA reside in the West. Even though the Eastern Conference has won two of the last four championships, the West has won seven of the last nine and dominated when the Spurs made quick work of the Cavaliers in a four-game sweep. The East is the B-league of the NBA with the "best" team in the league changing all the time. The East's inferiority to the West was proven when Kevin Garnett went to Boston and the Celtics automatically leapfrogged to the top of the Power Rankings. When one player shifts an entire league, the league is clearly not strong to begin with. The AFC does have an edge over the NFC with more complete, well-rounded teams like the Colts and Patriots, but the NFC has sufficient teams this year as well and inter-league games have been closer than in past years.
MO: The AFC is definitely the dominant conference. The Patriots are said by some to be the greatest team ever seen, and in a sports world where perfection is rare, that definitely counts for something. The Colts are the reigning Super Bowl champions and are the eighth team in the last 10 years to hoist the Lombardi Trophy out of the AFC: talk about domination. Over half the teams in the league are over .500, and they have quite the record against their NFC counterparts. The Western Conference in the NBA is dominant, but it is not as forceful as it once was compared to its opposing conference. The East is vastly improved, and with teams like New Jersey, Chicago and Boston now joining the elite of the East and the NBA, it will be much more difficult for teams like San Antonio, Phoenix and Dallas to claim the crown this year.
JJ: Bobby edges out the 3 points this round. Mike, while I respect your opinion that the AFC is better because that is where the best two teams reside, I like Bobby's case for the whole conference better - 2 points. Brandon gets 1 point. Oden is out for the season and Durant is on a less-talented team, so neither will have a major impact.
(11/07/07 12:00pm)
In theory, Living/Learning Communities (LLC) are a great idea. A group of dedicated and passionate students takes a common interest and tries to open it up to the campus as a whole. Students will have the opportunity to explore in-depth a common interest and educate the campus on a specific learning initiative.
Of course, we have no idea how LLCs are going to work out, as it's only the first year of the program next year. It's commendable that office of Residential Education Housing (ResEd) is trying to branch out and implement new programs.
However, is the College really suited for something like this? First of all, we have really limited housing as it is. Juniors and seniors are kicked off campus every year because they don't have a place in the lottery.
Now, sophomores, who already get guaranteed housing, will have the opportunity to live in the Townhouses Complex or Eickhoff Hall, depending on the specific needs of their LLC. Students stress out about housing months in advance and join certain organizations solely for the purpose of getting guaranteed housing as an upperclassman; this may just be seen as an opportunity to get guaranteed housing.
Also, the College has over 100 extracurricular activities. Any kind of hobby or common interest students may have could probably be explored in one of our many extracurricular organizations.
For example, most people who are really passionate about sustainability, one of the ideas that have been discussed, are probably members of Water Watch or the Progressive Student Alliance and, chances are, already know each other anyway. Will housing them together really invite the rest of the campus to get involved or just isolate them?
Although students signing up for the lottery will have the opportunity to join in on an LLC, will anyone really feel comfortable living with people they don't know and committing to time-consuming programming requirements because of a common interest?
Some schools, such as Rutgers University, have made this type of housing work. Demarest, the special interest housing dorm at Rutgers, has almost 10 different special interest sections and is looking to expand. Students continue to sign up for these every year and they host programs and events.
At a school like Rutgers, however, this makes sense. Rutgers is huge and extremely diverse; it would be easy for people to get lost in the crowd there.
With special interest housing in place, Rutgers students can connect with people with a common interest that might be otherwise hard to find in such an overwhelming atmosphere.
Even at Rutgers, though, there is a slight negative stigma associated with that dorm.
LLCs may be a huge improvement to ResEd; after all, most people become friends freshman year with their floormates, who are housed according to their First Seminar Program (FSP) class.
In theory, housing students freshman year by common interest works out for many students. However, most people don't get their first FSP choice.
We'll never know how LLC housing will pan out until we try it, but it seems that it would hurt more than help if it was implemented next year.
(11/07/07 12:00pm)
Bugs in Eickhoff highlight many problems with Sodexho
As an individual who is passionate about good food and nutrition, I was deeply disturbed by last week's Signal article regarding the bugs that were found in the broccoli served at Eickhoff Hall.
Fortunately, I have never found any bugs in my food at Eickhoff, but I have had other experiences that demonstrate the obvious lack of care Sodexho workers put into preparing our meals.
One time, I found the produce sticker still stuck onto a chunk of bell pepper in a cooked dish. Even though the sticker should clearly have been removed before washing the pepper, this failed to happen and it failed again when whoever chopped the vegetable and put it in a pan to cook ignored the sticker further. Perhaps the pepper wasn't washed at all?
Another example of carelessness occurred when I found pieces of chicken in my marinara sauce that was supposed to be meatless. There was no label that the sauce contained chicken, and as a vegan, I found this frustrating and upsetting.
In the article, John Higgins, the manager of Sodexho Dining Services, explained that "having insects in the produce would be one of the issues that come with purchasing produce from small farms."
With this statement, Higgins is merely attempting to deflect the blame from his own incapable employees that prepare the food in Eickhoff.
Anyone knows that when produce is purchased, no matter if it is organic or conventional, or whether it comes from a local farmer's market or ShopRite, that the produce must be carefully washed. With conventional produce, the fruits and vegetables need to be washed clean of harmful pesticides.
With organic produce, the fruits and vegetables need to be washed of natural soil, grit and bugs. Either way, however, there will always be some sort of residue on the produce, and it must be washed. Further, the washing is not the responsibility of the farmer, but that of those preparing the food.
Higgins said that this year, Sodexho has made a "significant shift in produce purchasing."
While everyone has noticed the ridiculous, fake farm stand near where the trays are located, this area is stocked largely with produce that is completely useless.
What are students supposed to do with a raw eggplant or an ear of corn? Displaying the food this way instead of using it is an incredible waste and is completely antithetical to any notion of sustainability.
These new produce offerings largely seem like a token gesture; things might look a little different in Eickhoff, but the quality of the food is exactly the same.
Even the produce that is supposed to be edible in a raw state, like bananas, plums or apples, is often inedible. The bananas and plums are often completely under-ripe and the apples are often mealy.
Later in the article, a horticulturalist named Barbara Bromley is consulted, explaining that "It's easy for insects not to be rinsed off or steamed off in the cooking process."
As an avid cook and frequent restaurant-goer, I find it difficult to make sense of this statement.
Whenever I cook food, it is bug-free, because I take the care to wash my produce. In fact, I have never eaten insect-ridden food at home or at anyone else's home.
What's more, imagine the reaction a person would have if he or she went to a restaurant, had bugs in his or her dish and was simply told that this sort of thing happens all the time and that sometimes it's just too hard to get the bugs out!
Bromley also makes the statement that "(eating bugs) doesn't hurt you, it more hurts your psyche." This is a sensible thing to say. While I'd probably be physically fine accidentally eating a couple of bugs now and then, there's no doubt that I find the idea disgusting.
The fact that the College forces students to pay upwards of $1,000 to Sodexho each semester for food that is carelessly prepared and bug-ridden is infuriating.
Almost everyone on campus can agree that the food served in Eickhoff is really, really bad, not to mention unhealthy and unsatisfying.
If John Higgins and the College want to force students to pay for this food, the least they could do is make sure it is bug-free.
Marygrace Stergakos
Letter about Trenton stereotypes non-residents
Last week's criticism of the perpetuation of stereotypes about Trenton ironically perpetuates stereotypes about non-Trenton residents.
As someone who was born and raised outside of Trenton, I find last week's letter regarding Signal editorials to be characteristic of insiders of the city.
Matt Luther
(11/07/07 12:00pm)
Dear Sweta,
My girlfriend is always hounding me about being romantic and the other night she got really upset about it. I know she thinks I'm doing it on purpose, but the thing is I'm a college student and I don't have a lot of money.
I really want to do romantic things for her, but I don't have any good ideas that wouldn't cost me an arm and a leg. What should I do?
Sincerely,
Prince Penniless
Dear Prince Penniless,
OK well first of all, don't feel so bad. A lot of couples go through a phase similar to the one you and your girlfriend are in. We're all college students and most of us don't have bank accounts equivalent to that of Bill Gates. Some of us don't even have cars on campus. So how is it possible to do something romantic for your significant other?
The answer to that question is simple. Be creative! If your girlfriend really cares about you, she doesn't want pricey gifts or a date on a private jet. She probably just wants something from the heart.
I have taken the liberty of devising a list of five romantic things for couples to do on campus for little or no money.
1. Take your significant other on a picnic by the lake.
No matter what we say about the College, everyone has to admit that the campus is really pretty. So pack up a few sandwiches (even if you have to steal them from Eickhoff) and take your significant other on a romantic picnic lunch.
2. Write your significant other a poem.
The poem doesn't have to rhyme. It doesn't even have to make sense as long as it comes from the heart. I guarantee, if you stick a poem on your girlfriend or boyfriend's door while he or she is at class, it'll brighten his or her mood. They'll think you're a romance guru, or at the very least a corny sweetheart.
3. Give your significant other a nice massage.
Everyone loves a nice backrub after a long week of studying and midterms. If you set the mood correctly with mellow music and use great smelling lotion, your girlfriend or boyfriend will think you're the greatest romantic masseuse out there. Plus, there's an added bonus - it may set the mood for more intimate endeavors.
4. Make dinner for your significant other.
I know, most of us don't have stoves or ovens and a good amount of us can't even cook. However, French bread pizza from the C-store and a nice table setting can easily make you seem like the marvelous romantic your boyfriend or girlfriend never knew you were.
5. Decorate your significant other's room with photos of the two of you.
All you need is a lot of pictures and time alone in the room while your girlfriend or boyfriend is at class. If he or she asks you why you want to hang out in his or her room during class, just say the TV show you're watching is really good and you don't want to miss any of it. Then when he or she comes back from class, you get to surprise them with your romantic creativity!
Hopefully these ideas have given you some perspective on how to be a cheap romantic!
Sweta
(10/31/07 12:00pm)
TRENTON (AP) - A Rowan University student died early Sunday, just hours after he was beaten during a campus robbery, university and law enforcement officials said.
Donald Farrell, 19, of Boonton, died at Cooper University Hospital, where he had been taken after Saturday night's attack, Rowan spokesman Joe Cardona said.
Authorities say Farrell and some friends were headed to an apartment complex on the Glassboro school's campus at about 9:15 p.m. Saturday when a handful of men approached them, asking for directions.
Farrell started speaking with them, but at least two of the men then severely beat him, taking his cell phone and wallet before running away.
"It happened so quickly that the people who were with him had no time to react," Cardona said.
According to the Gloucester County prosecutor's office, Farrell was punched and likely kicked, with injuries to the head and stomach.
Police arrived within minutes of the attack, but the men who beat Farrell could not be located.
Rowan and Glassboro police had extra officers in the area because numerous parties were being held on and around the campus as part of the university's homecoming weekend.
Rowan officials plan to hold a memorial service for Farrell and will provide grief counseling to students, staff and faculty who want it.
Cardona says the school will provide further support to those who lived with Farrell in an off-campus apartment.
The county prosecutor's office and local police are still searching for the men who beat Farrell as of press time.
(10/31/07 12:00pm)
The Progressive Student Alliance (PSA) offered students bus rides to an anti-war protest in New York City on Oct. 27. According to unitedforpeace.org, 45,000 people took part in the peaceful protest, despite heavy rain, which damaged many protestors' signs. New York was one of 11 major cities that played host to a protest Oct. 27. Elaine Hood, PSA president, estimated 30 College students were in attendance.
(10/31/07 12:00pm)
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