The Eagle - Robert Morris University

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Bensenville • Chicago • Dupage • Elgin • Lake County • Orland Park • Peoria • Schaumburg • Springfield
CommentarY
Occupy the World
Occupy Wall Street on a Global Scale
The Eagle
Robert Morris University
December/January 2011/12 Issue 15.11
Happy
Holidays and
have a
Prospersous
New Year!
Bensenville • Chicago • Dupage • Elgin • Lake County • Orland Park • Peoria • Schaumburg • Springfield
Freshman
Convocation
Robert Morris Congratulates Freshmen After Completeing First Quarter
Fall
Graduation
By Lashondra Graves & Keenan Heath
Saturday, November 19, 2011 Robert Morris University held its commencement ceremony at the Arie
Crown Theatre. 154 students completed their Master’s degrees and 476
students completed their Bachelor’s
degrees. The ceremonies are special
events, not only for the students, but
for the parents and family members
of each graduate. At Robert Morris
University a significant number of
students are the first in their families
to attend college. RMU holds this ceremony twice a year. This ceremony
represents the students’ induction
into a community of learning and
receiving a degree that celebrates
the commencement of a unique and
professional life journey.
The ceremony started out with a
welcome by a Master’s degree graduate Cassandra Petrusevski, followed
by the invocation which was given
by the Vice President for Marketing,
Connie Esparza. The star spangled
banner was sung by RMU’s Show
Choir members, followed by Paul
See GRADUATE pg. 3
Weighing in
the Water
By DeMarco White
and maintain a passion for school.
Achieving these honors “exemplifies
success”, commitment and the ability to achieve which are important
to any organization that one would
be a part of.
Rasheeda Wadley, former Editorin-Chief of the Eagle participated
in inducting the freshmen into the
University. Wadley delivered a very
heartfelt speech only four days prior
to her own graduation on Saturday,
Thanks to Laura Timmons, the
Dean of Programming for the
College of Nursing and Health
Studies, early this November all
three sections of Fitness 100 students embarked on a rare but beneficial fieldtrip to the University
of Illinois Chicago. Kendra Uhe, a
professor who teaches most of the
Fitness courses at Robert Morris
University, accompanied the students to the UIC campus to view
and experience the exceptional
concept of underwater weighting
and was eager to report to share
the details of the underwater
weighting fieldtrip.
The purpose of the Fitness 100
class is to introduce all the aspects
of exercise science. At this particular point in the class curriculum
See FRESHMEN pg. 3
See WATER pg. 4
Photo Credit: Sanina Ellison
By Sanina Ellison
Robert Morris University introduced its first annual “Freshman
Convocation” at each of its campuses.
Freshman convocation is an induction
of the freshman class to the University after the completion of their first
quarter of their first year. The convocation is the opposite of a graduation;
the graduation marks the end of a students’ college career, the convocation
marks the beginning of a students’
college career. The freshman class and
selected faculty members and students
were invited to attend and participate
in “The Freshman Convocation” on
November 15, 2011.
Larry Nieman, Dean of the School
of Business Administration, Jennifer Kaminski, Assistant Dean of the
School of Business Administration,
and Karen Nance, Enrollment Specialist, and Rasheeda Wadley were
the primary speakers at the convocation. Attainable honors and awards
that can be achieved by maintaining
a 3.5 GPA and higher were intro-
duced to students. Dean Nieman also
discussed the different proclamations
that can be received from the board
of trustees by going above and beyond
for the school.
Dean Nieman stated, “It is important for the University to communicate
the different awards and opportunities
available to students before they complete their college experience versus
after”. He added, “Awareness will have
a profound effect.” He also thinks that
the convocation will motivate students
to maintain a 3.5 GPA each quarter
Making RooM for Feeding Illinois
Index
News
03
Cuisine
07
Entertainment
08
Sports & Health
14
Commentary
15
04
Japan Launches Spy Satellite
06
Maus: A Survivor's Tale
08
2
RMU NEWS
INTRO
THE EAGLE
THE EAGLE
Letter From
the Editor
Dear RMU Students, Faculty, and Staff:
Once every year the time comes where one realizes the
mistakes that we made over last year and decide to change
certain aspects of ourselves, they are called New Year’s resolutions. I know there are many things that I would like to
concentrate on changing about myself and new things I
would like to do. Like crossing of items on my bucket list,
this was my only New Year’s resolution for the previous year.
I decided doing only one would help me accomplish the goal
that much sooner. This year I will be trying to knock more
items off my bucket list and something else. I am not sure
what that item will be, but will probably have something
to do with writing or getting my career started due to my
graduating soon.
I would like to suggest that everyone choose one to three
items to try to accomplish over the course of the year. Pick
things that will take you out of your comfort zone and into a
new way of thinking, but not to the extreme. Lots of people
make the mistake of making the resolutions too adventurous
and to extreme for what they will be able to accomplish. I
guess this makes me a realist, but I am ok with that. I think of
it this way, multiple small steps out of the box is easier than
one large leap out. For example, if you want to lose weight
then start with not drinking soda, then start exercising, and
then change what you eat. These small steps will help accomplish the larger goal of just becoming healthier with losing
weight as a result. This is just one of many ways to go about
this one goal.
Another good way to go about the resolutions would be
to create your own bucket list of everything you want to do
with your life, and focus on crossing out as many of them
as possible in the coming year. I, myself, would like to cross
off five items this year. Something that helped me create me
was looking over other bucket lists that were posted on the
internet. It gives you more ideas on what is out in the world
and new exciting things that you would have never thought
of before.
I wish you all luck with your new year and your new goals!
Nicole Koskovich
Sincerely,
Nicole Koskovich
Editor in Chief
Eagle Staff
Eagle Advisor
Editor-in-Chief
In This Issue
RMU NEWS
ARTS & CULTURE
Freshman Convocation
Maus: A Survivor's Tale
RMU congratulates freshman after completin their first quarter
at the university.
A new look on the story of a Holocaust survivor
Affordable Fashion
Fall Graduation
RMU Seniors Graduate along with Masters degree students.
Page 1
Sigma Beta Delta Honors New Members
Select students from all campuses were inducted.
Ricardo Medina intermingles his love of fashion with his
business degree
Page 4
Page 9
Winter Movie Preview
Editor-in-Chief, Nicole Koskovich reviews upcoming films this
winter season. Will this year's flicks be hot or a flop?
Page 10
CHECK IT OUT
Get Your Art On
Chicago's art sanctuary is waiting for you. Enjoy creating all types
of art and expressing yourself
Awesome things to do around the windy city.
Blagojevich Legacy clouds Illinois' Reputation
The effects of a corrupt governor on the state.
Owners of Pizzaria charged in Narcotics Case.
900,000 dollars worth of narcotics found in a town's favorite
pizzaria.
Page 11
Fake News
Oprah to Run in 2012
Will Oprah Winfrey become the first female president and take
Obama's seat in office?
RMU Introduces late night TV class
Abbott Labs Spends $400 Million
Chicago-land laboratory spends $400 million to develop news
medications.
Learn how to script, direct and act in your own primetime TV
show for the world to see.
Page 12
Page 5
Puzzles and Comics
Nicole Koskovich
NATIONAL & WORLD NEWS
Sudoku/Crossword
Design Advisor
Editor
Russian Tycoon to Compete in Election
Bianca Hannah
NBA team owner to run against Puint
Page 13
Campus Faculty
STAFF WRITER
Labor Board drops high profile Boeing complaint
Paul Gazsak
pgazsak@robertmorris.edu
Jacqueline Carter
jcarter@robertmorris.edu
David Belotti
Lake County
dbelotti@robertmorris.edu
Lashondra Graves
Art Director
The complaint against Boeing has been dropped by lawmakers.
Nate Daubert
Japan Launches Second Spy Satellite this year
Asst. Art Director
Page 7
John Flaherty
Orland Park
jfl aherty@robertmorris.edu
Dylan Broll
Gerard Wozek
DuPage
gwozek@robertmorris.edu
Jane Wendorff-Craps
Peoria
jwendorffcraps@rmu.edu
Advisory Board
Jane Ungari
David Pyle
Mick McMahon
Who are they watching? Could they be the next big brother?
Sports and Health
Get involved in great athletic opportunites, even if you aren't an
RMU athelete. A great chance for any sports fan!
NFL Heading into Fourth Quarter
Cuisine
A great, homestyle recipe that will make anyone feel at home.
Pies of the Season
Enjoy delicious seasonal pies like the delectable no-bake
strawberry and a homestyle sweet potato that will be sure to
satisfy any sweet tooth.
Commentary
Occupy the World
How the Occupy Wallstreet Movement is impacting on a global
scale.
Page 15
Kiki's Bistro
So Fresh So Green
Page 8
Page 16
Elegant, yet affordable
Sigma Beta Delta
Honors New Members
Photo Credit: Sigma Beta Delta
By Kimberly Martinez
On November 16, 2011, Robert
Morris University inducted seventeen RMU students at the Chicago
campus to the honor society Sigma
Beta Delta, and another nineteen at
all the other campuses combined. The
purpose of this society is to recognize
students with superior records in any
accredited educational institution
with business programs. Established
in 1994, Sigma Beta Delta has since
situated over 310 chapters nationally
and one chapter over-seas. Although
the society has over 46,000 members,
these exceptional individuals had to
meet the strict requirements to be
inducted.
Larry Nieman, Dean of the School
of Business Administration, opened
the ceremony with a speech explaining the honor of becoming a part of
Sigma Beta Delta. Former student,
Michael Crothers, who sits on the
School of Business Administration
advisory board also chimed in on
the importance of students continuing their education throughout their
careers. After the speeches, the ritual
began with Alfredo Carrizales, Pamela Westerholm, and Jaime Murray each defining the meaning of
the words Sigma Beta Delta. Sigma
means wisdom, Beta means honor,
and Delta signifies the pursuit of
meaningful aspirations which is what
each member in this society stands
for and believes in.
Following the ritual, the inductees
were then asked to stand and say their
pledge by the chapter’s president, Barbara Jepsen. The ceremony was closed
with presentation of each of the seventeen inductees with a certificate, a
pin, and green and gold graduation
cords by committee members Donna
Fuller, Barbara Jepsen, Diana Kutzer,
and Nancy Thannert. The inductee’s
proud families and friends, they were
escorted to a reception in the culinary
dining room while the new members
How Our Throwaway Society is affecting the Planet.
Robert Morris University (401 State St., Chicago, IL 60605) is an independent, not-for-profit, multi-campus institution of ering associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degree programs that focus on integrating theory and applications. Robert Morris University prepares
students to be practioners in heir chosen i eld, socially responsible to their community, and a foundation for their family.
Robert Morris University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association, of which it is a member.
The Eagle reports and interprets current issues, provides a sounding board for ideas of RMU students, faculty and staf and serves as a cultural exchange. Views expressed in the Eagle do not necessarily relfect the policies or viewpoints of the administration of Robert Morris
University.
Content is primarily produced by RMU students, faculty, and staf across all campuses. The Eagle welcomes contributions from all RMU students. All such submissions are subject to editorial revision and publication is not guaranteed.
Photo Credit: Lashondra Graves
Gaszak’s introduction of the class
representative Rasheeda Wadley who
graduated Summa Cum Laude. Rasheeda congratulated all of the graduates and shared a quote by Mary Kay
Ash that said, “There are three types
of people in this world: those who
make things happen, those who watch
things happen and those who wonder
what happened?” She told them they
have become the type of people who
make things happen.”
After Wadley congratulated all of
her peers on their individual success
and extended her well wishes, RMU
proudly welcomed back one of their
had their first private meeting. During this meeting, the members chose
the new secretary of the society, Tania
Sanchez, who remarked about her accomplishments, “I hope to my job as
well as the previous secretary and I
am proud to be a part of the Sigma
Beta Delta society.”
RMU’s Sigma Beta Delta inductee’s
from all campuses: Evelyn Alicea, Mason Cunningham, Brent Foster, Julio
Gonzalez, Vanessa Guevara, Jeanneane Hamilton, Marcus Jeffries, Ingrid
Jimenez, Erica Kempe, Amber Mormann, Vanessa Morrissette, Jose Muñoz, Laura Perez, Tania Sanchez, Ciprian Tucaliuc, Rasheeda Wadley, and
Ericka Whitley, Carl Berglund, Mark
Candos, Steven Devine, Joseph Harris, Ashley Kennedy, Kelly Kordowski,
Kevin McDonald, Ashley Montvidas,
Monika Trybula, Jason Zarecki, Glenda Cardenas, Alexander Savage, Sandra Gregory, Katie Johnson, Kandi Myers, Stephanie Seward, Erica Woo, Jeni
Young, and Michael Sanders. •
FRESHMEN cont. from pg. 1
Page 14
Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
S
GRADUATION cont. from pg. 1
What will happen at the end of the season.
Contributors
Keenan Heath
Sanina Ellison
DeMarco White
Lindsay Dahl
Kimberly Martinez
Rasheeda Wadley
Theresa Marie
Richard Connolly
Charmaine Jones
Joe Looney
John Edwards
Joshua Del Valle
Angela Jordan
Paul Huerta
Sergio Alviso
Ann Roche
On Friday November 18, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission
(ISAC) met in the Chicago Campus
auditorium and heard the stories
of three brave students. Lashondra
Graves, Chris Fryzek, and Rechard
Lightfoot, welcomed and thanked the
commissioners for their hard work
and dedication. This year the commissioners face a tough battle with
the General Assembly to get permission to use $33.5 million, which has
already been designated for student
financial assistance, to lessen the
amount of reductions to the Monetary Award Program (MAP). Graves,
Fryzek, and Lightfoot not only shared
their personal stories but also put faces to the MAP.
The ISAC was created in 1957
to prevent financial concerns from
keeping students out of college. Its
mission statement is simple, in theory, “Making college accessible and
affordable for Illinois students.” The
commission is taking it even further
by making one of its primary goals
to increase the number of adults
with a college degree to 60% by
2025. Graves mentioned in her story that at one point 90% of her family was not college educated but now
ISAC has made it possible for many
in her family to receive a higher level
of education.
So far it would seem that ISAC
has been successful in its goal to increase the number of college bound
adults but unfortunately as the program has grown funding has become an issue. Specifically, the MAP
has been stretched thin in an effort
to aid as many students as possible.
The MAP provides grant money,
which does not need to be repaid, to
eligible candidates. Illinois students
are considered eligible if they show
financial need and must meet certain requirements including; maintaining satisfactory grades, not be
in default on any student loan, and
can not have a bachelor’s degree, to
name a few. There are certain limits
to be aware of. These limits apply
to your class, for instance, there is
a different limit for Freshman and
Sophomores. It is also important to
note that it may take up to 105 business days or more, so the earlier the
FAFSA is completed the better. Currently, students can receive a maximum of $4,720 per year, but if the
commissioners do n0ot get approval
from the General Assembly to use
the $33.5 million, designated for
student financial aid, that amount
could drop 9%. This lack of funding
could create more financial difficulty for students like, Graves, Fryzek,
and Lightfoot.
So what can students do to protect their future? The General Assembly and the legislators have the
authority to allow ISAC to spend
the additional allocation ($33.5
million). Students can contact their
legislators by looking them up at
www.ilga.gov underneath “Legislator Lookup”. Three students have
already told their stories and every student has one that should be
heard. To find out more information about ISAC and their work visit
www.collegeillinois.org.•
Intra-Collegiate Sports at RMU
Beth Gainer
Bensenville
bgainer@robertmorris.edu
Nicole Hager
Springfield
nhager@robertmorris.edu
Twist your brain with these difficult puzzles or get a good laugh
out of our comic section!
NEW
Photo Credit: MoneyCounts
By Lindsay Dahl
What to do in the Chi
LOCAL NEWS
Do You Need a MAP?
Making fashion fit your budget.
Page 3
Where are they now?
NEWS
3
own, Chad Moutray, keynote speaker
and former Dean of RMU’s School
of Business Administration. He now
serves as chief economist for the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM). Dr. Moutray delivered a
speech that spoke directly to the graduates as they pursue greatness in their
own right. Spoken like a true economist, Dr. Moutray spoke on the current economic standing in America
and how the current graduates will be
affected. Economic advice being Dr.
Moutray’s specialty, words of wisdom
and motivation were his main focus
points. While touching on the im-
portance of “developing yourself as a
person,” Dr. Moutray stated that having a skill is the key to success in these
harsh economical times. He added,
“Taking what you do well or what
you’re interested in and applying it to
work, school and your everyday life
can be the key to your success.” While
he was dean, the business school had
rapid growth, both adding new programs and campuses. He began the
development of the MBA program
at RMU, as well as the business institute for students to work with local businesses on classroom projects
and internships. Mr. Moutray having
done focused research on the importance of educational attainment to
both self-employment and economic
growth, told the graduating class to
keep moving forward. President Michael Viollt presented Mr. Moutray
with an honorary degree following
his speech.
The teaching fellows recognition
followed President Viollt’s presentation of the honorary degree. The Proclamation was read by Dr. Jackie Callary, Associate Dean of The Teaching
Institute. Provost Mablene Krueger
awarded the recognitions. These
Teaching Fellows represent the faculty’s commitment to the students and
the university and have demonstrated
excellence throughout the year.
It was now time for the students to
walk across the stage in celebration of
the completion of their diligence and
hard work. Dean of Distance Learning, Jill McGinty and student advisor, Gina Budde, called the students
up to the stage where they were presented their diplomas by President
Viollt and Provost Krueger. The students who completed their Masters
and duel degree Master/Bachelors
walked followed by the students that
completed Bachelor programs. There
were Academic Honors/Awards given
to the Bachelor students. The students
were awarded cords in recognition of
their achievements. Summa Cum
Laude was given to the students who
completed their studies with a cumulative grade point average of 3.9
and above. Magna Cum Laude was
given to the students with a cumulative grade point average between
3.75-3.89. Cum Laude was given
to students with a cumulative grade
point average between 3.5-3.74. After the presentations, the closing remarks were given by the Dean of The
College of Liberal Arts, Paula Diaz,
who welcomed the students to the
academic world.
As our graduates take their next
steps in life, RMU and the Eagle
newspaper wishes them great success as they embark on their next
journey. Congratulations to all of the
2011 graduates! •
November 19, 2011, where she also
gave a speech. Wadley encouraged students to, “Use this place, you’re paying for it.” She described how she began her college career after being laid
off from a six figure job and a comfortable life style. Wadley stated that
experience coupled with a degree is
what you will need to get your career
started after college. RMU offers real
life experience opportunities through
internships, and ICenter projects.
Wadley’s success at RMU exemplifies
exactly what this convocation was
trying to showcase. She has achieved
many of the highest awards offered
and will graduate proudly at the top
her class. Wadley left the students
with a few quotes to live by, “Do what
makes you happy, and do it well.” The
other quote is one that was given to
her by a RMU Professor Stark and
has resonated in her head while at
RMU, “Nothing is as important as
passion. No matter what you want
to do with your life, be passionate”
(Jon Bon Jovi).
Each student was given a pin at the
end of the convocation to mark the
start of their journey. This pin symbolizes opportunity and encouragement. This pin encourages each student to find their passion and hold
on to it. Use this passion to lead you
through your college career and successfully to the top of your class.•
4
LOCA L
RMU NEWS
THE EAGLE
THE EAGLE
WATER cont. from pg. 1
the class was learning about body mass index breath for approximately fifteen to twenty
(BMI). BMI is a number calculated from a seconds. Once under the water, the monitor
person's weight and height. BMI provides a then pushes the button on the computer and
reliable indicator of the percentage of body then the computer accurately reads back the
fat for most people. Underwater weighting BMI and percentage of body fat. This process happens three times,
is a gold standard. It gives
with lapses in between
a more accurate reading "Learning about underallowing one to catch
of BMI compared to the
their breath to prevent
three utilized methods used water weighting in the
light headedness.
in the class room. Those classroom was nothing
According to A’lonna
methods include the step
compared to actually
Hannon, a fitness student,
in scale, the caliber and the
seeing it. I did not quite “Learning about underwabio electric impedance.
ter weighting in the classUpon arrival at the UIC understand it when it
room was nothing comfacility where the underwapared to actually seeing it.
ter weighting field trip took was being explained in
I did not quite understand
place, the personal trainer the class room but now
when it was being exwho would be directing
that I have viewed it for itplained
in the class room
the students explained
but now that I have viewed
the computer aspects and myself, I have a better
it for myself, I have a betthe process of underwater understanding"
ter understanding.” Uhe
weighting. When testing
believes that all goals for
BMI using the tool of underwater weighting a person begins by sit- the fieldtrip were accomplished. She feels
ting in plastic chair that is anchored by a that the students obtained a better undercalibrated weight. They are then fully sub- standing of underwater weighting and since
merged under water and are expected to ex- the event she has received nothing but
hale all the air that they can and hold their positive feedback. •
Making RooM for Feeding IL
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP)
Photo Credit: Jane Wendorff-Craps
area businesses.
The following day, November 23, Boeker
and Wendorff-Craps delivered a check in the
amount of $1650 to the Central Illinois Food
Bank. This donation also included student efforts in fund raising as well as faculty and staff
donations. William West was a Springfield student whose ICenter project was integral in raising money and awareness.
Both food banks operate under the nation’s largest hunger relief organization, Feeding America. The Feeding Illinois divisions are
separated by regions that cover numerous counties each. The Feeding Illinois food banks assist
in supplying their region’s food pantries, soup
kitchens, homeless shelters, rehabilitation centers, senior housing, and youth centers. They
partner with area businesses, grocery stores,
and national chains and rely on these partners
to accomplish their mission to reach out and assist those who have food instability.
Food bank clients include senior citizens,
children, low income households, and those
who are homebound. The Making RooM initiative celebrated the significant efforts made
by Feeding Illinois. Many Illinois citizens must
make the choice between food and other living
necessities like clothing, transportation, medical care, or housing costs. RMU faculty and
staff gave freely to this initiative as did the students who organized ICenter projects so their
neighbors may have relief when faced with
those difficult choices.•
Where are they Now? Ricardo Medina
By Rasheeda Wadley
Five years ago, Ricardo Medina was a stockperson at Discovery Clothing; a discount junior
clothing store. Now, he is organizing and directing high-end couture fashion shows for designers all over the country. He has been a fixture
at Robert Morris University since 2005 when he
transferred by way of Harrington College of Design and College of DuPage formerly majoring in
interior design and fashion merchandising. As
a student at RMU, his goal was to learn how to
make money being creative since the creativity
aspect came naturally.
Outside of the classroom, Medina became a
member of various RMU student organizations.
His long list of affiliations includes the Fashion
Business Group, the Volunteer Club, the Vita
Program, and the Eagle. He also became a mem-
ber and soon president of the RMU chapter of
SIFE. As a SIFE member, Medina began to come
into his own by launching numerous projects
that were both successful and made a lasting impact on RMU and the surrounding communities.
He expressed his initial interest in SIFE by saying, “I liked the idea that anything was possible
within the organization.” SIFE is known for nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit of the students
that are involved.
It was through his affiliation with SIFE that
he landed a position with Elite Entertainment
and became a night club promoter due to his
charisma and business acumen. Through his
position with Elite, he was able to bring noticeable benefits back to RMU by creating internships and launching Luxury Management. LUX
Management would soon become Medina’s very
own conglomerate of event production, market-
Illinois’ Reputation In Narcotics Case
Photo Credit: NY Magazine
The year long Making RooM initiative
that was supported by all RMU campuses
came to a successful conclusion with the delivery of monetary donations to area food
banks in Chicago, Peoria, and Springfield.
The RMU Central Illinois Region with campuses in Peoria and Springfield celebrated the
season of giving by delivering two checks to
the Peoria Area Food Bank and the Central
Illinois Food Bank.
On November 22, a check in the amount of
$3,000 was given to the Peoria Area Food Bank.
Jane Wendorff-Craps, advisor to the Making
RooM ICenter projects, Rhonda Boeker, Director of Administration for the Central Illinois
Region of RMU, and three ICenter students met
with the food bank’s director, Barb Shreves, to
deliver the donation. Business students Haley
Jepson, Kathleen Johnson, and Erin Chambers
spent ten weeks last fall raising awareness for
Illinois hunger issues. They also planned, organized, and implemented a Thanksgiving meal
that raised money for Making RooM through
meal ticket sales and t-shirt sales.
Other Peoria area students involved in raising
money for Making RooM were Andrew Wallen,
Nathan Lloyd, Mathew Perry, Monique Bonner,
Susan Renner, and Deanna Davis. The student
ICenter projects included silent auctions, a Frisbee golf competition, t-shirt sales, classroom
presentations, and community networking with
Photo Credit: Rasheeda Wadley
Blagojevich Legacy Clouds Owners Of Pizzeria Charged
CHICAGO (AP)
By Jane Wendorff-Craps
Photo Credit: Laura Timmons
5
ing, branding and business consulting. He business model has not only created successful opportunities for Medina but also RMU students.
Medina said, “Everything that I do is always
intertwined…I like to bring people together that
might not work together.”
Medina’s segway into the fashion world began when he was hired by a Chicago boutique
to produce in-store events and fashion shows.
The boutique also became the live client for the
MKT280 class at RMU. After planning several successful events and fashion shows for
the boutique, Medina was hired to produce
Christian Siriano’s, winner of Project Runway
season 3, 2008 fashion show which was a huge
success. He would go on to produce several
more fashion shows.
Fast Forward to 2010, Medina secured an internship at MiniBar, a popular nightclub/ultra
lounge in the heart of what is known as Chicago’s
“Boystown” area. The club is known for having
the most attractive staff in the industry and Medina received many nays from those who thought
he could not fit into that image, but those nays
would soon be overshadowed by his skills. He
was hired to manage philanthropic projects and,
within one year, he had produced several events
for the AIDS Foundation, the Human Rights
Campaign, Friends of the Orphans, Equality
Illinois and Locks of Love to name a few. He
ultimately became responsible for rebranding
the bar.
At the start of 2011, Medina’s goal was to revamp LUX Management and produce fashion
shows and events that would have people talking
for months. As the newly appointed faculty advisor for SIFE, Medina was able to lead the organization in a new direction that truly benefited the
RMU students involved by creating a wealth of
opportunities.
The first fashion show production of the summer was the Midsummer Fashion Show that
featured several Chicago designers. Medina
was able to secure twenty-eight thousand dollars
in sponsorships and produced a fashion show
that would normally cost well into the tens of
thousands of dollars for only two thousand dollars. This event catapulted him into the fashion
culture of Chicago producing 20 percent of the
2011 Fashion Focus Chicago events. His biggest
success during Fashion Focus was a show that
he produced for Chicago designer Maison De
LaCour at the Drake hotel which could rival any
mainstream fashion week show. “It was an emotional experience…I couldn’t believe that I made
my dream come true,” said Medina. Medina has
also had the honor of producing shows during
New York Fashion week this year.
In the future, Medina plans on incorporating
LUX Management, launching a beverage, and
lending his expertise to other areas of business
outside of fashion. His goal is to become a multistate operation. He would also like to continue
to not only have a local and national impact on
causes but international as well. He was recently
hired by the American Karate Association to produce an event that will help to raise money for
impoverished and homeless children.
When asked what advice he would give to
those who are chasing their own dreams, he
said, “Don’t let a lack of full knowledge hold you
back. Keep trying until it works.” He added, “The
people you surround yourself with have a direct
effect on your success or failure.” This is sound
advice from someone who chased their dream
and will soon surpass that dream. •
The aftershocks of Rod Blagojevich’s corruption, mismanagement and dishonesty will
reverberate in Illinois and cloud its reputation
long after the disgraced governor reports to
prison.
Reforms implemented after the national
scandal of a governor trying to auction off a U.S.
Senate seat should prevent some kinds of corruption, experts said, but might also shift power
to legislative leaders and independent political groups. The state government is still swimming in rough economic waters left in the wake
of debt and budget gimmickry dating back to
Blagojevich. Ill will and mistrust, which crested
at the state Capitol during his tenure, still flare
up.
Blagojevich’s actions drove home to state politicians that money and a willingness to distort
the truth can win elections, even for a candidate
under federal investigation, insiders said. And
even as he cemented Illinois’ image as the nation’s No. 1 producer of crooked politicians, he
added goofiness to the punch line.
``It’s the shadow that just won’t go away,’’ said
Rep. Joseph Lyons, D-Chicago.
On the other side of the equation, thousands
of toddlers will keep enrolling in preschool
programs made available by Blagojevich’s policies. And tens of thousands more children have
access to health care, giving Illinois one of the
nation’s best records for providing care to the
young, said the advocacy group Voices for Illinois Children.
Blagojevich’s attorneys tried to chronicle his
good deeds as part of his bid for mercy. Federal
Judge James Zagel, who ordered Blagojevich to
serve 14 years in prison, noted at the sentencing hearing that the former governor did some
good things for the state _ but not enough to
outweigh the bad.
``When it is the governor who goes bad, the
fabric of Illinois is torn and disfigured and not
easily or quickly repaired,’’ Zagel said, addressing Blagojevich. ``You did that damage.’’
Blagojevich actually began his six years in the
governor’s office on a wave of optimism. Democrats were thrilled to have one of their own in
the job after a quarter-century on the outside,
but many in both parties saw him as a refreshing change from his scandal-tainted, deal-making predecessor, George Ryan.
The Chicago Democrat, though, was soon
butting heads with legislators and publicly
insulting them. Lawmakers came to distrust
Blagojevich so much that, for the first time, they
began requiring a governor to put his agreements in writing.
Democratic officials put aside their differences and rallied behind Blagojevich when he
ran for a second term, despite federal prosecutors acknowledging he was under investigation.
Blagojevich raised millions to spend smearing
his opponent as a dotty Ryan crony and secured
another victory.
His second term produced more conflict
and gridlock in the state capital of Springfield,
as well as growing budget deficits. But his administration was cut short by Blagojevich’s indictment, in part for trying to sell or trade an
appointment to the Senate to replace President
Barack Obama. Blagojevich was quickly impeached and removed from office.
The scandal led Illinois politicians to again
try to clean up the system.
Government officials can no longer accept
money from people who get state contracts and
high-level jobs. Political campaigns face caps on
the size of campaign donations. Government
inspectors have been added and given more
power.
But the contribution limits don’t apply to
legislative leaders or to groups that, at least officially, aren’t connected to candidates. For some
observers, that raises the possibility that political money will just keep flowing through new
channels, creating new problems.
David Morrison, deputy director of the Illinois Campaign for Political Reform, said legislators deserve a lot of credit ``for shutting the
barn doors so the next horse can’t escape.’’ Voters, burned by two governors in a row, are also
more sensitive to candidates’ ethics _ at least for
now.
``We’re always one election away from the
next Blagojevich, so the question is, are voters
going to keep turning them away or is one of
them going to slip in?’’ Morrison said.
Blagojevich’s lengthy prison sentence could
make some politicians think twice about their
conduct in the future. Or they may, like Blagojevich, assume they’re too smart to get caught.
The state’s budget problems are worse today
because of decisions dating back to the Blagojevich administration.
State revenues were shaky after the Sept. 11
terrorist attacks, but were still growing. Blagojevich, with legislative approval, often spent every available cent and more. He borrowed and
used questionable bookkeeping maneuvers to
spend more and more while refusing to raise
taxes.
When the national economy nearly melted
down in 2008 and state tax revenue fell, Blagojevich did little to slow spending. Illinois still
had bills to pay but essentially its weekly paycheck had plummeted, it had no savings and its
credit cards were maxed out.
That left few options for Blagojevich’s successor, Gov. Pat Quinn. He led the push for an
income tax increase and budget cuts, but a key
part of the state’s strategy has been to simply let
bills go unpaid for months at a time.
``The gimmickry of what went on during
Blagojevich’s years has not stopped,’’ said Frank
Watson, who was the Senate’s top Republican
when Blagojevich took office.
The Blagojevich years weakened the alwaysshaky spirit of bipartisanship among state lawmakers. Once, it was expected that the governor
and legislative leaders of both parties would
meet to negotiate major decisions. But those
meetings ceased under Blagojevich as he and
fellow Democrats excluded Republican leaders
or he built temporary alliances that left out a
particular Democrat.
Legislative leaders also saw that gridlock
did not trigger voter outrage and cost lawmakers their jobs. Sessions could drag on
without producing results, and the governor’s
threats and appeals to the public could be ignored.
Blagojevich was also unfocused, jumping
from one policy proposal to another, most of
which went nowhere.
He didn’t get Illinois residents access to less
expensive prescription drugs from other countries, as he’d vowed to do. He didn’t overhaul the
"Soviet-style bureaucracy’’ at the State Board of
Education. He didn’t keep children from playing violent video games. He didn’t add keno to
the state’s gambling options.
Two successes, however, were expanding services for children under the All Kids health program and the Preschool for All program.
Neither program achieved truly universal
coverage, according to Voices for Illinois Children, and both have been trimmed back as the
state tries to cut costs. But they did ensure that
more poor children got to see doctors and attend preschool. The number of poor 3- and
4-year-olds in preschool jumped from 60,000
in fiscal 2004 to 95,000 five years later. The
percentage of Illinois children without access
to health care was halved, to just 5 percent, between June 2006 and June 2010.
Kathleen Ryg, director of Voices for Illinois
Children, called it ``heartbreaking’’ that Blagojevich’s achievements in those areas have been
so tarnished by his other misconduct.
Others who dealt with Blagojevich struggle
to name any accomplishment.
``He’ll never be remembered for anything
except that he’s the first governor impeached in
Illinois history,’’ said Watson.•
The owners of a suburban Chicago pizza parlor are charged with trafficking heroin, methamphetamine and marijuana.
In a news release, the Cook County State’s
Attorney’s office says the arrests of Maria Garza
and Carmelo Rios followed a months-long investigation that revealed they allegedly arranged
kilogram quantities of narcotics to be shipped
from Mexico to the Chicago area for distribution locally and the East Coast.
The release says federal agents recovered narcotics with a street value of $900,000. Four other
suspects were arrested and two were still being
sought.
The 37-year-old Garza and 35-year old Rios,
both residents of Arlington Heights, own and
operate DeLuca’s, a pizzeria in Buffalo Grove.
Their attorney, Michael Monaco, says
the two were in custody but declined to
comment further.•
Photo Credit: The Real Truth
Newspapers Asked For Notes, Tapes In
Cellini Caseburg’s Home Is Unclear
Photo Credit: Gavin Montag
CHICAGO (AP)
Attorneys for a former Illinois powerbroker
want two Chicago newspapers to turn over
notes and tapes in a fight over a trial juror who
didn’t disclose her criminal record.
Shortly after William Cellini was convicted
Nov. 1 of conspiring to shake down a Hollywood producer for a $1.5 million campaign donation, the Chicago Tribune reported that one
of the jurors at his trial had not disclosed two
felony convictions.
The Tribune reported on Monday, December
9th, 2011 that it and the Chicago Sun-Times had
received subpoenas from Cellini’s attorneys for
notes, tape recordings or any other documents
related to the juror.
Tribune editor Gerould Kern said the company would fight the request.
``We intend to fight this subpoena because it
constitutes an invasive and unnecessary interference with the newsgathering process,’’ Kern
said. ``Our attorneys will file a motion to quash
on Monday morning.’’
Sun-Times Media general counsel James McDonough did not say whether the newspaper
would follow suit.
``We acknowledge that we have received
the subpoena, and the company is considering its options,’’ McDonough said in a statement.
The juror had pleaded guilty in separate cases
to crack-cocaine possession and aggravated
driving under the influence. She did not mention those convictions when asked about her
criminal record before trial.
Cellini’s attorneys said she can’t be trusted to
deliver an impartial verdict and have asked U.S.
District Judge James Zagel for a new trial.
Federal prosecutors argue that a person can
serve on a jury if they’ve completed their punishment for a crime. Zagel has not announced
whether he’ll hold a hearing in which the juror
may be questioned again.
Attorneys for Cellini did not immediately return requests for comment Saturday.
The 77-year-old Cellini was once known by
political insiders as Illinois’ ``King of Clout.’’
Cellini’s month long trial was the last stemming
from a decade-long investigation of Blagojevich,
who was also convicted of corruption charges at
a separate trial.
Abbott Labs Spends $400M
On Reata Development Deal
NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. (AP)
Drug and medical device maker Abbott Laboratories said Monday, December 12. it spent $400
million to collaborate with Reata Pharmaceuticals
on the development of the privately held company’s class of oral anti-inflammatory drugs.
Abbott, based in North Chicago, Ill., said Reata
is developing a portfolio of antioxidant inflammation modulators, which help boost the production
of antioxidant, detoxification, and anti-inflammatory genes. The potential drugs cover a range of
therapeutic areas, including pulmonary, central
nervous system disorders and immunology.
Abbott made a one-time license payment of
$400 million to the Irving, Texas, company.
The companies said the agreement is in
addition to one they entered into last year
in which Abbott received exclusive rights to
develop and sell Reata’s lead compound, bardoxolone methyl, outside the United States
except in some Asian markets. Bardoxolone
methyl is being studied in a late-stage clinical
trial of patients with chronic kidney disease
and type-2 diabetes.
Abbott and Reata expect the first compound
from their new collaboration to start human clinical trials next year.•
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Labor Board Drops High-Profile Boeing Complaint
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Washington (AP)
The National Labor Relations Board dropped its
high-profile lawsuit against Boeing on Friday, December 9, but the political fallout continued as Republicans said the case was a mistake to begin with
and a top agency official defended his conduct.
The board moved to end the case after the
Machinists union approved a four-year contract
extension with Boeing this week. Under the deal,
the union agreed to withdraw allegations that the
company built a nonunion plant in South Carolina
to retaliate against past union strikes in Washington state. In return, Boeing promised to build
the new version of its 737 airplane in Washington
state.
“We’ve treated this case just like every case that
comes to us, and it’s ended the way most of our
cases have ended,’’ Lafe Solomon, the board’s acting general counsel, told reporters in a conference
call.
Solomon said he had always preferred a settlement and called the outcome typical at an agency
that sees 90 percent of its cases settle.
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said it was
hard for him to celebrate the dismissal of a
case “which never should have happened.’’
He called on Congress to investigate whether the union and the board collaborated
against Boeing.
Solomon had come under intense criticism from
Republican lawmakers, South Carolina officials and
GOP presidential candidates for bringing the case.
Republicans and business groups claimed the board
was setting a dangerous precedent by interfering
with legitimate business decisions about where to
locate workers.
Solomon said Friday that he was simply following the law and might do it again if faced with
similar facts.
“This case was never about the union or the
NLRB telling Boeing where it could put its plants,’’
Solomon said. “This was a question for us of retaliation, and that remains the law. If we were ever
faced with a similar pattern, we might well issue a
complaint.’’
President Barack Obama, in response to
a question from a reporter about the case,
said simply: “I’m glad people are going to
be working.’’
Obama had declined to take sides in the dispute because the labor board is an independent
agency. In comments this year, the president said
companies need to have the freedom to relocate,
though they must follow the law when doing
so. Obama had urged Boeing and the union to
work out their differences.
But the president and the board had come
under withering attack from GOP White
House hopefuls running in South Carolina, an
important early primary state, who pointed out
the agency was run by Obama’s Democratic appointees. Those attacks continued Friday, with
former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney taking the administration to task.
“Thanks to President Obama’s appointees,
the NLRB has become a rogue agency that
tramples on the rights of American workers
and businesses, injecting job-killing uncertainty into the economic climate,’’ Romney said
in a statement.
GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich called the outcome a victory for rightto-work states. He condemned the lawsuit
as “a politically motivated assault on the
rule of law by President Obama and his
big labor allies.’’
Solomon said the Boeing complaint was
Japan Launches 2nd Russian Tycoon to
Spy Satellite this Year Compete in Election
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always about the loss of future jobs in the
Seattle area. The new deal between Boeing
and the union resolves that issue, because
there is now job security in Seattle and
job security at the North Charleston, S.C.,
plant, he said. Both sides say the agreement
ushers in a new era of labor peace after
years of acrimony.
Boeing spokesman Tim Neale said the
company continues to believe the complaint was without merit and should have
been dropped.
“Boeing is grateful for the overwhelming
support we received from across the country to vigorously contest this complaint and
support the legitimate rights of businesses to
make business decisions,’’ Neale said.
Graham said he would continue to place
an indefinite Senate hold on nominations
to the labor board as a way to keep it from
making any more key decisions. Starting
next year, the NLRB will have just two
members instead of the usual five after a
Democratic appointee’s term expires. The
board needs at least three members to
rule on cases. •
Tokyo (AP)
Japan successfully put a spy satellite into
orbit on Monday and expects to complete
its network of intelligence-gathering satellites with another launch next year.
Japan’s space agency, JAXA, said the
launch from the remote southern island of
Tanegashima went off without a hitch and
the radar-equipped satellite is functioning
properly. It was the second launch of the
year, following a successful liftoff in September.
Officials refused to provide details of the
satellite’s capabilities.
Japanese media reports say it will augment the optical satellites Japan has already
launched by providing data of what is happening on the ground at night or through
cloud cover.
Japan launched its first pair of spy satellites in 2003, prompted by concerns over
North Korea’s missile program. It currently
has four optical information-gathering satellites in orbit, though the latest of those is not
fully operational yet.
It previously launched two radar intelligence satellites, but both malfunctioned.
The satellite launched Monday, December 12 is expected to begin gathering intelligence in a few months, an official with
the Cabinet Satellite Information Center
told The Associated Press. He requested
anonymity because details of the program
are classified.
Another radar satellite launch is planned
next year, the official said.
That would give Japan the combination
of two optical and two radar satellites that
it wants to complete its network. Tokyo is
seeking to use the satellites to provide information on any given spot on the planet at
least once a day. •
Photo Credit: TheOuterWorld
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in the March
presidential election.
Prokhorov, whose wealth Forbes magazine has estimated at $18 billion, has been
cautious not to cross Putin›s path in the past.
But the tycoon›s candidacy may now pose
a serious challenge to Putin, whose authority has been dented by his party›s poor showing in Russia›s Dec. 4 parliamentary election and allegations of widespread fraud
during the balloting.
Putin›s party only won about 50 percent of
that vote, compared to 64 percent four years
ago, and the fraud allegations have allowed opposition parties to successfully mount massive
anti-Putin protests in Russia.
“The society is waking up,” Prokhorov said
at the news conference in Moscow to announce his candidacy. “Those authorities who
will fail to establish a dialogue with the society
will have to go.”
On Sunday, December 11, President Dmitry
Medvedev promised on his Facebook page that
the alleged vote fraud during the parliamentary
election will be investigated. But Putin›s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, predicted Monday the
probe will show that little vote fraud occurred
and that it had no effect on the outcome.
“If you take all the cases of these alleged violations or whatever was published online, the
total will be less than 1 percent of the overall
number of votes,” Peskov told The Associated Press in an interview. “And even hypothetically speaking, if they are all appealed in
court, it will in no way affect the legitimacy
of the election.”
Peskov›s comment signaled that Putin _ who
served as Russia›s president in 2000-2008 and
only became prime minister because of term
limits _ is holding firm, despite the protests,
which have been the largest here since the 1991
collapse of the Soviet Union. On Saturday, tens
of thousands of people in Moscow and smaller
numbers in more than 60 other cities protested election fraud and called for an end to
Putin›s rule.
Prokhorov, 46, said he hopes to win the support of Russia›s growing middle class, which
formed the core of Saturday›s demonstrations.
However, he said he agrees with only some of
the anti-Putin and anti-government slogans
shouted out at the rallies. He also did not say
whether he plans to attend a follow-up protest
in Moscow later this month.
He is one of several candidates who have said
they will oppose Putin in the presidential election, including Communist chief Gennady Zyuganov, who has finished second in past presidential elections.
Prokhorov›s presidential bid follows his
botched performance in the parliamentary race
when he formed a liberal party under tacit support of the Kremlin, then abandoned the project
under what he called Kremlin pressure. He has
blamed Vladislav Surkov, a presidential deputy
chief of staff, for staging a mutiny within that
party›s ranks.
“I can solve that problem by becoming his
boss,” Prokhorov said, referring to Surkov›s possible opposition to his presidential bid.
Prokhorov now faces the immediate challenge of collecting the 2 million signatures required to qualify for the presidential race. A
number of opposition candidates and parties in
the past could not even run for parliamentary
seats because their applications were turned
down for technical reasons.
Prokhorov also is not the first of Russian’s
super-rich to have ambitious political goals.
Mikhail Khodorkovsky, once Russia’s richest
man, has been in prison since 2003 on tax evasion and embezzlement charges that are widely
seen as a punishment for having challenged
Putin’s power.
The New Jersey Nets owner said Monday he
is not afraid that his political ambitions could
harm his business or him personally. “I’m not
doing anything illegal,’’ he said.
The tycoon said he has never had a chance to
meet with Putin or Medvedev to talk about his
botched attempt to build a liberal party. But he
expects the presidential campaign will help him
build a new party _ this time not with the help of
the Kremlin, but with the assistance of Russia’s
grass-roots activists.
Prokhorov, who made his fortune in metals
and banking, became a majority stakeholder
in the New Jersey Nets last year. He has since
shown a willingness to travel in his quest
to build a global fan base for the U.S. probasketball team, and he has made trades for
top players. •
8
ARTS AND CULTURE
CUISINE
THE EAGLE
THE EAGLE
CUISINE
ENTERTAINMENT
Pies
of
the
Season
Chicken & Dumplings
Homestyle
Homemade chicken and dumplings can take
you back in time. There was nothing like it. The
dumplings were tender and tasted of chicken. If
you are not familiar with dumplings, it is time
you got to know them. They are like biscuits,
only cooked in broth rather than baked in an
oven. A good dumpling cannot be beat.
Ingredients
1 5-6 lb stewing chicken, cut up
4 stalks celery, sliced
2 large carrots, shredded
1 large onion, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons basil
½ teaspoon marjoram
2 bay leaves
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 beaten egg
¼ cup milk
2 tablespoons cooking oil
¼ cup parsley
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Directions
1. Combine chicken, celery, carrots, onion,
basil, marjoram, bay leaves, 1 teaspoon
salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Add 8 cups
water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat;
cover and simmer 2 to 2 ½ hours or until
chicken is tender. Remove pot from heat
and take out the chicken, and throw out
the bay leaf. Make sure to skim the fat
that rises to the top. Return chicken to
the pot without the bone if desired.
2. For the batter, combine 1 cup flour,
baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt in
a large mixing bowl. In a small mixing
bowl combine eggs, milk, and oil. Add
to flour mixture stirring just until moistened. Drop batter from a spoon onto the
chicken in the broth. Bring to a boil then
reduce heat cover, do not lift cover, and
simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a
toothpick stuck into dumpling comes out
clean. Plate food and top with parsley. •
No-Bake Strawberry
Ingredients
¼ Granulated sugar
3 tablespoons of water
1 cup of sliced strawberries
1 container of CoolWhip
1 block of cream cheese
2 cups of powdered sugar
1 package of graham crackers
Pam cooking spray
Pie pan
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Directions
1. Place sliced strawberries, water, and granulated
sugar in a bowl. Mix well and refrigerate.
2. In a large bowl, mix CoolWhip, cream cheese,
and powdered sugar together and set aside.
3. Liberally spray your pie pan with cooking
spray.
4. Keeping the graham cracker in its package, crush
them up until they are almost a fine texture.
5. Open the package of crackers and pour into pie
pan, spreading them out evenly.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Photo Credit: Amazon
Ingredients
2 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes
½ cup softened butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons nutmeg
¼ cup evaporated milk
1 unbaked pie shell
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Directions
Combine potatoes and butter, mix well.
Blend in sugar, egg, nutmeg, and vanilla. Stir
in milk, mix well. Pour mixture into pie shell.
Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour and 25
minutes to an hour and 30 minutes. Remove
from oven, cool on rack. •
A True Graphic Novel by Art Spiegelman
Photo Credit: Refinery29
When the holidays roll around there are just
some things you can’t wait to have and one of
my favorites is my mom’s sweet potato pie, and
I hope it becomes one of yours.
By Kimberly Martinez
At some point in our academic
years, we have all encountered Holocaust novels, The Diary of Ann
Frank and The Boy in the Striped
Pajamas for example, that mirror
or narrate the lives of thousands of
Jewish people during World War II.
During my search of the next Holocaust book to read, I came across
an “odd” type of novel, a graphic
novel series called Maus: My Father
Bleeds History and its sequel Maus
II: And Here My Troubles Began. I
didn’t think much of it when I first
saw it, but the drawings of the Jewish people as mice and the Nazi’s
as cats not only seemed humorous,
but rather an appropriate depiction
based on the actions that took place
during that time period.
Vladek Spiegelman, the father of
Art Spiegelman, the author of the series, is amongst the number of successful business owners in Czestochowa,
Poland in the 1930’s and leading a very
accomplished life. In 1939, Vladek
along with his neighbors, are drafted to
the German fronts as the war begins.
He returns home and discovers that
the Jewish people are being relocated,
and eventually end up in work camps.
He later becomes aware that the facilities are designed for the sole purpose
to exterminate in an orderly manner
all the Jewish people and many other
types of people that are deemed “enemies” by the Nazi party.
Later in life after moving to New
York, Vladek agrees to share with
his son Art, his desolate story of
Looking for a fancy spot for a special occasion, like New Year’s Eve? Kiki’s Bistro is the
perfect place for a romantic night out. This restaurant celebrates classical French cuisine in a
beautifully decorated dinning room. Located
just a few blocks north of the Chicago BrownLine stop, at 900 North Franklin, this is an easy
place to find. However, if you would rather
drive they offer free valet parking. Every night
Kiki’s offers different specials, including an
early dining pre fix menu, nightly specials and
seasonal options. The pre fix menu is a small
selection of items from the regular menu that
are offered at a discounted price of about $28
for three courses from 5-6:30pm. This is a perfect place for a young couple on a budget looking to dress up for a romantic night out. Kiki’s
Bistro may be incredibly romantic, affordable,
and classy but the food is the best part of the
entire experience. From appetizer, to entrée, to
dessert there is a constant feeling of ecstasy.
The most common appetizers are, of course,
salads and escargot. The standard house salad
may not come with many tomatoes, but the
homemade mustard dressing is unlike anything you’ll ever taste. The salads are all artfully plated and consist of brilliant flavors.
However, if you want to be daring and brave
you could always try the classic French appetizer known as escargot. Yes, they are snails
but it doesn’t matter when they are cooked
so beautifully in herb butter and are reasonably priced. Beware though, it is important
to start your meal off right and choose items
that compliment each other.When it comes
to choosing an entrée it is always difficult but
two safe choices, that aren’t nearly as adventurous as the escargot, are the steak pommes
frites and the coq au vin. The steak dish is a
bit more American, and seems like it would be
unimpressive. It consists of a grilled steak with
herb butter and shoestring potatoes. It seems
so simple but the combination of flavors is surprisingly complex and great for those who are
bashful about trying French cuisine. For those
who want to delve further into the depths of
Kiki’s traditional food then have a taste of the
coq au vin. This is still a pretty safe dish that
includes chicken legs, bacon, and a variety of
vegetables slow cooked in red wine. Again this
sounds simple and unimpressive but the unusual combination of red wine with poultry is
truly unique and intricate. These are just two of
their many options and the steak is actually on
the pre fix menu.
The hardest part of any meal is having to
end it, but your last bite of this bistro is sure
to make you come back. It is so difficult to
choose from their many options, particularly
when there are over a dozen choices. Kiki’s offers a timeless French dessert, crème brulee. It’s
ideal for those who love custard, chocolate and
being fancy. Unfortunately, not all of them are
remarkable specifically the crepe suzette which
is nothing special and probably better from an
actual creperie with proper equipment. Everything else on the menu is phenomenal and you
should think carefully before deciding how to
finish off your meal.
It is definitely worth noting that although
the prices of some of their choices may seem
high (ex. ice cream/sorbet $6.50) there is good
reason because everything is homemade and
high quality. Also, if you’re looking to keep a
few bucks in your pocket remember the pre
fix menu and just because you have to order
by 6:30 doesn’t mean that you can’t eat slowly
for two hours; the staff doesn’t mind. Another
idea that is relatively easy and common is to
bring your own unopened bottle of wine to the
restaurant and switch between water and wine.
Again the staff does not mind and will take the
bottle a serve it to you properly.
So for this New Year’s Eve consider taking
a romantic approach and call Kiki’s Bistro for
reservations at (312) 335-5454. It may not be
the cheapest place at about $50 per person but
it is an excellent option for any special occasion. Walking into Kiki’s Bistro is like walking
into one of the elegant and formal restaurants
in Paris. It is a wonderful and affordable example of traditional French cuisine done right.
A meal at Kiki’s is not just another meal but
rather it is an experience to be had. •
how he was separated from his family and steadily found himself in turmoil of abuse, violence, and endless
days of hunger while witnessing the
death and torture of hundreds, and
quickly realized that the only way
to ever see his wife, Anja, again is to
escape Auschwitz.
Having been born in New York and
not being part of the war, Art feels remorseful and ashamed of the life he
has in comparison to that of his parents and his brother Richieu, who died
very young at the beginning of the war.
Coming out of the war, Art expresses
to Francoise, his fiancée, how his dad
became very “cheap” and self centered.
Throughout both comics, Art captures
vividly his and Vladek’s relationship
distant and emotionless relationship.
Art states sadly how he is resentful
towards Vladek for often feeling the
need to compete with the picture of
Richieu on the wall, and Vladek confesses to Mala, his now wife, how he
wished that Art made more use of
himself just like he had to learn to during the war.
The novel jumps back and forth
from past to present, with a series
of flashbacks as Vladek tells his past
story and as Art tell us of the present.
I enjoyed greatly how Art interpreted
his and his father’s difficult relationship in an amusing way rather than
constantly reminding us of how upset
the situation makes him. It is heartwarming to see how much Art and
Vladek secretly care for each other
and yearn for more of an emotional
attention from one another, yet they
do the complete opposite when they
are around each other. Apart from
Art and Vladek’s bickering relationship, this comic captures very well the
hardships of Vladek and his family
during and after the war, just like a
regular novel would. •
The economy has had an effect on
more than just the mortgage industry.
The fashion industry has been affected
as well and this brings good news for
the consumer and more opportunity
for the designers. Fashion designers are
making their lines more affordable. Expensive brands like Versace, have now
created a line for H&M. I was shocked
when I heard this news, but I was excited at the same time due to the fact
that that it will be affordable to own the
Versace name.
Target was one of the first to partner
with an expensive line, Missoni. When
Missoni was introduced it was slated to
run for around 45 days. The long anticipated and heavily advertised line sold
out the same day it hit stores and online! The everyday consumer has style,
but aren’t able to spend thousands of
dollars to spend on a dress. This action
has lead to many more designers fallowing suit by partnering with huge retailers, like Wal-Mart, H&M, and Sears.
The Kardashian Kollection hit Sears
in August and unfortunately the line
did not sell out in one day like Missoni
did. Actually, The Kardashian Kollection has yet to sell out and instead their
line has gone “on sale”. The Kardashian
Kollection is new to the scene with a
much smaller following than Missoni,
which is a well-established line from an
Italian Fashion House that had a huge
following before reaching the Target
audience. The Kardashian Kollection
brings a fresher look and a new twist
to Sears. Sears could definitely benefit from a fresh look, because when
people think of fashion “Sears” is not
a name that comes to mind. With the
Kardashian Kollection in their stores, it
was expected to draw a younger more
fashion conscience audience, but that
didn’t happen. I guess people need to
know it exists in order to buy it. More
advertising and more buzz will help get
these items off the shelves. I must say
their line is very fashionable and trendy,
and I would have expected it do much
better.
Vera Wang partnered with Kohl’s
in 2007 for a new fashion line called
Simply Vera by Vera Wang, after having success designing home wares for
Kohl’s in years prior. Vera Wang is very
upscale and established designer that
outfits celebrities frequently. Simply
Vera by Vera Wang fall/winter line hit
Kohl’s in September. Unlike her high
fashion line that ranges in the thousands, the Kohl’s version starts as low
as $9. Don’t be fooled not many items
are $9. Vera Wang’s line is more affordable than it’s ever been, but it’s far from
cheap. You can find a cute wool coat
for $128, a black pleated skirt for $64,
or a ruffled purple top for $58. Simply
Vera by Vera Wang is a very feminine,
classic not overly trendy line that can be
dressed up or down and worn season
after season. Vera has shown that she is
here to stay by accommodating all types
of consumers, not just the ones that will
pay thousands. •
Photo Credit: Fashionwindows
United
States
1 We Found Love
Rihanna & Calvin Harris
2 Sexy And I Know It
LMFAO
3 It Will Rain
Bruno Mars
1 Angry Birds
Rovio Mobile
2 Fruit Ninja
Halfbrick Studios
3 Camera +
Inventive Inc.
1 Steve Jobs
1 New Year’s Eve
Walter Isaacson
December 9, 2011
2 Diary of a Wimpy Kid
2 The Sitter
Jeff Kinney
December 9, 2011
3 Twilight: Breaking Dawn 3 Killing Lincoln
Bill O’ Reilley
November 18, 2011
United
Kingdom
1 Cannonball
Little Mix
2 Paradise
Coldplay
3 Earthquake
Labrinth & Tinie Tempah
1 Grand Theft Auto 3
Rockstar Games
2 WhatsApp Messenger
WhatsApp, Inc.
3 Catchphrase
Pasetta Productions, Inc.
1 Puss in Boots
December 9, 2011
2 Arthur Christmas
November 23, 2011
3 New Year’s Eve
December 9, 2011
1 Steve Jobs
Walter Isaacson
2 River Cottage Veg Every Day
Hugh Fearnley
3 The Etymologicon
Mark Forsyth
1 Ecstasy
Kumi Koda
2 Tanabata Matsuri
Tegomass
3 Ego
Beyonce Knowles
1 Powerful Pro Baseball
Konami Digital Entertainment
2 Better Use Of Iphone
Ugatta
3 While You Were Sleeping
Rainydays
1 Once In a Blue Moon
October 29, 2011
2 KAIJI 2
November 5, 2011
3 Moneyball
September 23, 2011
1 Personal Platform Strategy
Carl Hirano
2 Official Photo Book Girls
Girlhood
3 2 Puzzles After Dinner
Atsuya Higashikawa
Japan
Photo Credit: DevineDines
By Theresa Marie
World Charts
Photo Credit: Beyond Wonderful
Kiki’s Bistro: Elegant but Affordable
By Lindsay Dahl
Affordable Fashion
Maus: A Survivor’s Tale
Take your CoolWhip mixture and pour into
graham cracker crust. Evenly spread it out.
Cover your pie with plastic wrap or pie pan
top and place your pie in the refrigerator for 3
hours, or until firm.
Remove your pie and sliced strawberries from
the refrigerator. By this time your strawberries
should have made a thin syrup.
Using the syrup only, put a thin layer on top of
your pie and place sliced strawberries on top as
you please. •
Delicious Sweet Potato
Photo Credit: Inspired Bites
9
top40-charts.com
itunes.apple.com
boxofficemojo.com
amazon.com
ARTS AND CULTURE
10 THE
EAGLE
CHECK IT OUT
THE EAGLE
What to do in the Chi
Winter
Blockbusters
Nicole Koskovich Previews Upcoming Flicks
11
Charmaine Jones Shares Exciting Things to do in the Windy City
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Photo Credit: Columbia TriStar
Winter Wonder Fest
2012 Snow Days at Navy Pier
The Winter Wonder Fest is an event
for families and individuals to go and
enjoy themselves with the Christmas
spirit. This event will go on from thru
January 8, 2012 and general admission is free. For more information
visit www.navypier.com.
Come to the Navy Pier and see teams
of talented artists from around the
world gather to create sculpting masterpieces out of 10-foot blocks of
man-made snow. If you love art, then
this is the event for you. The sculpting will run January 27-29, 2012. For
more information about this event
visit www.navypier.com.
Where?
Navy Pier 600 E Grand, Chicago IL
Where?
Navy Pier 600 E Grand Chicago, IL
The Nutcracker
Adventures of Tintin
Photo Credit: Paramount Pic.
The Lorax
Photo Credit: Universal Pictures
New Year’s Eve
Dec 9
The lives of several couples and singles in
New York intertwine over the course of New
Year’s Eve.
My Opinion
Valentine’s Day was great and I’m glad to see
that they aren’t using the same characters. The
only negative I can see from this movie is that
they are using some of the same actors and actresses. I think they could have branched out a
little more, but I’ll still go see it.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Dec 16
Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr. Watson
join forces to outwit and bring down their fiercest adversary, Professor Moriarty.
My Opinion
He’s BACK! I was so excited to see the second
one the moment the first one ended. Plus, Jude
Law and Robert Downey Junior is a brilliant
combination on screen. The chemistry they
have made the first one as successful as it was.
Alvin and The Chipmunks: Chip-Wrecked
Dec 16
Playing around while aboard a cruise ship,
the Chipmunks and Chipettes accidentally go
overboard and end up marooned in a tropical
paradise. They discover their new turf is not as
deserted as it seems.
My Opinion
Who can resist the tiny cute little Chipmunks?
NO ONE, apparently the second one did very
well in theatres. This looks like a good movie to
take a child to go see during their holiday breaks
that adults will enjoy too, because kid movies
are always full of adult jokes.
The Iron Lady
Dec 16
A look at the life of Margaret Thatcher, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom,
with a focus on the price she paid for power.
My Opinion
Can you say “OSCAR”? That is exactly what this
movie was made for. It seems to be taking the
heat that The King’s Speech had last year at the
award show. It is no doubt that it Meryl Streep
will be great, like she always is.
Girl With the Dragon Tattoo
Dec 21
Journalist Mikael Blomkvist is aided in his
search for a woman who has been missing for
forty years by Lisbeth Salander, a young computer hacker.
My Opinion
The Hollywood version is here for those of us
that didn’t want to read those subtitles back in
2009. Let’s just hope that they make it a seamless
adaption, because in the past Hollywood hasn’t
done a good job. Just look at Let the Right One
In. All in all I’m looking forward to seeing it.
If you have never seen the Nutcracker than here is your chance to see it
right at the Auditorium Theatre of
Roosevelt University. The play will be
showing on December 16, 2011 thru
December 27, 2011. The Nutcracker
is truly a Christmas must see! For
more information about this event
visit www.auditoriumtheatre.org.
The Adventures of Tintin
Dec 21
Tintin and Captain Haddock set off on a treasure hunt for a sunken ship commanded by
Haddock’s ancestor. But someone else is in
search of the ship.
My Opinion
If I have learned anything this summer from
Doctor Who it is that Steven Moffat loves his
mind games, but that is what makes his writing
stay with the audience. It is great to see that he
has branched out to this very well know cartoon. Just the mixture of Spielberg and Moffat
makes me want to see this, even though I don’t
know the comic.
We Bought A Zoo
Dec 23
Set in Southern California, a father moves his
young family to the countryside to renovate and
re-open a struggling zoo.
My Opinion
The next The Blind Side! It looks like a great inspirational movie that will be loved in a whole
family. Once I saw the first preview I wanted to
see it. Good all around.
One For The Money
Jan 27
Unemployed and newly-divorced Stephanie Plum
lands a job at her cousin’s bail-bond business,
where her first assignment puts her on the trail of a
wanted local cop from her romantic past.
My Opinion
Katharine Heigl has done it again! She has made
another classic girl’s night out movie of the season, though she has taken time off since her
last movie last year, Life As We Know It, which
didn’t do as well as one would hope. This one
looks funny and a great escape from daily life.
The Vow
Feb 10
A car accident puts Paige in a coma, and when
she wakes up with severe memory loss, her husband Leo works to win her heart again.
My Opinion
Nicholas Spark is a brilliant author, who has a
long record of turning his greatest novels into
great movies, like The Notebook and The Last
Song. With all of his movies tears will fall in this
movie, both joyous and heartbreaking. Good
date movie!
Underworld Awakening
Jan 20
When human forces discover the existence of
the Vampire and Lycan clans, a war to eradicate
both species commences. The vampire warrioress Selene leads the battle against humankind.
My Opinion
Finally! I have been waiting for this movie since
the end of the second movie in 2006. The third
one, the prequel, tried to pull the fan base with
not much success. I’m guessing fans will try
once more to give the series another shot after
the huge let down and the many year gap.
The Grey
Jan 27
In Alaska, an oil drilling team struggle to survive after a plane crash strands them in the wild.
Hunting the humans are a pack of wolves who
see them as intruders.
My Opinion
This movie looks very interesting. Liam Neeson
looks like he is ready to fight of some wolves in
this one. After watching the trailer I think I’ll
rent it when it comes to DVD because it’s not exactly my genre of movie. For those who like action movies go see it in theatres, or at least check
out the trailer if you haven’t seen it already. It
looks legit!
Mar 2
A 12-year-old boy searches for the one thing
that will enable him to win the affection of the
girl of his dreams. To find it he must discover
the story of the Lorax, the grumpy yet charming
creature who fights to protect his world.
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance
Feb 10
As Johnny Blaze hides out in Eastern Europe, he
is called upon to stop the devil, who is trying to
take human form.
My Opinion
It seems that the studios are cashing in on what
they know will make them money, sequels and remakes, this winter movie season and it all started
in October with the release of Footloose. When
the first one ended the sequel seemed to be right
around the corner but years have pasted and the
preview wasn’t as engaging as it needed to be to
gain viewers. This one is a no go for even me, a
lover of most comic book based movies.
Feb 24
An urban couple branches out to live a more
counter-culture lifestyle.
My Opinion
This movie looks to be another version of Couples
Retreat, but not as good. Not really looking forward to this one. Wait for the DVD.
Big Jam 2011
The Big Jam is back. The Big Jam
has been known for having all the
top hot artists performing on the
same stage. This year artists such
as R. Kelly, Mindless Behavior, Jacob Latimore, L.E.P., Future and
Young Jeezy will perform. The show
will be held at the Allstate Arena
December 23, 2011. For more information about the Big Jam visit
www.wgci.com.
Mar 2
A fictionalized account of the last days of Edgar Allan Poe’s life, in which the poet pursues a
serial killer whose murders mirror those in the
writer’s stories.
My Opinion
This reminds me of the tv show Castle that I
adore! The preview keeps you on your toes and
makes you wish that you were with Edgar and
he tries to solve the copy cat killer. I will be reading up on my Poe to get a heads up on the movie
that I am looking forward to. Plus this movie
has the perfect combination of literature, action,
love, and mystery, which is good for all!
My Opinion
Again, the studios are cashing in on what
they know will make money. People who
watched the show will be delighted to see how
they turn it into a movie with Johnny Depp
and Channing Tatum. No preview is out, but
keep your eyes out for it because it could
surprise us all.
The Hunger Games
Mar 23
Set in a future where the Capitol selects a boy
and girl from the twelve districts to fight to the
death on live television, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister’s place for the
latest match.
My Opinion
IT’S HERE! There are many fans counting
down till this movie is out, which I might be.
This is the new series to get into, The Hunger
Games. For those who haven’t read the series,
from the look of the preview you will enjoy the
movie because of the action and how different
the story line is from what has been out recently.
After watching you’ll want to read the books to
find out all the details they are most likely going
to leave out of the movie, like they do with all
books turned to movies.
Who doesn’t know about the
Christmas favorite A Christmas
Carol, a Charles Dickens’ classic
story? This is a play that has been
around for generations. The Goodman Theatre will be showing this
play December 1-December 31,
2011. For more information visit
www.goodmantheatre.org.
Where?
Goodman Theatre, 170 N. Dearborn,
Chicago IL
The Raven
Mar 16
An undercover police unit consisting of young
looking officers infiltrate high schools to control
youth crime.
Photo Credit: Sony Pictures
Where?
Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt
University located at 50 East Congress Parkway, Chicago IL, 60605
My Opinion
YES! I remember watching a version of this
movie when I was younger and loved it. This
is an instant classic just because it’s a combination of Dr. Seuss and the creators of Despicable Me. The Lorax is one where you won’t
feel bad not taking a child with you to see it
because this movie will be talked about for
years to come.
21 Jump Street
Wanderlust
Photo Credit: Openroad
The Lorax
A Christmas Carol
Sunday Gospel Brunch
This event is for the Jazz lovers! The
Green Olive will start their Smooth
Jazz Fridays After Work on January
6, 2012. The show starts at 4:40pm
and is exclusively for the music lovers who like to wind down to some
good music after work. For more
information about this event visit
greenoliverestarauntmartinibar.org.
Where?
Where?
Allstate Arena located at 6920 House of Blues, 329 North Dearborn
Mannheim Rd, Rosemont, IL 60018 Chicago, IL 60654
Get
Your
Art
On
Chicago’s Art Sanctuary is Waiting for You
By Richard Connolly
After a long day of studying
and writing papers have you ever
found yourself looking for a way
to unwind a bit after school, or
just want to add a little color to
your life? Then the Lillstreet Art
Center on Chicago’s north-side
might just be the place for you;
it will easily become your second
home… or third, after RMU. Lillstreet is a haven for the artistically
inclined, housing seven different
departments including ceramics, metal-smithing & jewelry,
painting & drawing, printmaking, textiles, glass, and photography. Those who already make art
a part of their lives as well as the
aspiring artist are certain to find a
creative outlet to get the imaginative juices flowing. The center offers a range of different workshops
and classes in each department for
artists of every level of experience. Whether you’re a first-timer
trying your hand at something
new or an artisan just looking for
studio space to polish your skills
and learn a fresh new technique
from fellow artists, Lillstreet has a
place for you. From the moment
you walk into the massive building, inspiration hits you; the smell
of paint lingers in the air and the
sound of hammers smashing away
at glowing chunks of metal echo
down the hallways - which are all
covered in beautiful examples of
student work.
Originally founded in 1975 in
an old barn on Lillstreet, the studio relocated to a much larger studio space in what used to be an
old gear factory on Ravenswood
in 2003 - not only to expand their
space to accommodate more students, but also to house more of
their state-of-the-art equipment.
In addition to the stunning studios located throughout the threestory center, the building’s first
floor hosts an amazing café and a
shop featuring an array of unique
work. Grabbing an espresso and
bite to eat from the First Slice
café’s mouth-watering selection
while browsing the shop’s wares
for a one-of-a-kind holiday gift for
a loved one can kill a lot of time,
so showing up early for class is
highly recommended. At the end
of every class session each student
walks away having fun, learning
something new and gets to take
home artwork that they can be
proud to call their own; best of all,
there’s never a grade involved!
The only thing you have to ask
yourself now is… What do I want
to create? With programs running
all winter long, don’t put off that
New Year’s Resolution to finally
use that paint-kit collecting dust
in the closet any longer. Check
out Lillstreet.com or swing by the
studio just off the Montrose brown
line at 4401 North Ravenswood
Avenue in Chicago to take the first
step on your artistic voyage.
Photo Credit: LillStreet
PUZZLES • COMICS
NEWS
12 FAKE
THE EAGLE
THE EAGLE
Oprah to Run in 2012
Can Oprah Knock Barack Out of Office?
RMU Introduces Late Night T.V. Class
By Rory Williams-Pond
Due to the growing success of
Conan and Jimmy Fallon’s late night
shows and the video concentration
in the institute of arts and design at
Robert Morris University, the school
has decided to start a class embracing
the late night kings. The class will be
focusing on how to create the perfect
monologue, how to interview, and comedic timing. The final group project
that the students will be doing is creating their own show and shooting a
pilot.
Teachers are lining up for the
chance to teach this class, current
teachers in the running are Mick McMahon, David Pyle, and Paul Gaszak.
Each of the teachers would be bring
something different to the table, and
in the spirit of the entertainment
industry the administration has decided on letting the students decide
via America Idol style. The layout of
this process will include an original
monologue and layout of the class.
At the end students and staff will be
able to vote for who they would like
to teach the class. “We are all looking forward to this fun process, and
whoever wins will be getting surprise
visits from both of the losers,” as said
by Paul Gaszak.
The class will be available in Summer I 2012 and will be taught on the
fifth floor, where they are building a
classroom that will be a working studio with room for a small audience of
fifteen. This class will be test piloting
the new comedian program in the
performing arts school that will be
accepting applications in May for a
start in the next fall quarter. •
Doctor Who to Come to Showtime
Photo Credit: Showtime
By Melody Williams
Photo Credit: O Magazine
By Jane Robinson
News broke that Oprah will be running against current president Barack
Obama in the 2012 presidential election. This news is not much surprise
due to her constant support of politics
and dedicated fan base in the United
States. She made the announcement
at her holiday party for the OWN network and later that night to CNN via
a phone call.
After the announcement was made
rumors started to swirl about what
party she would be running for and
what spurred the decision. Oprah
says that she will be running in the
Independent Party to become the official candidate that will be running
in 2012. With the debates starting,
Oprah has taken to OWN network to
gather support and spread her message of love, acceptance, and change
for the country. The decision to run
against the man she helped elect in the
last election came to her in a dream
she says and it has been in her mind
for a while.
Many of her famous friends have
spoken in support of her choice to
Humorscopes
run for president. “I think that she will
make a wonderful president and will
help give her knowledge to get out of
the recession that seems to be never
ending,” says Rosie O’Donnell, whom
was recently in Chicago shooting her
new talk show in Oprah’s old studio.
It is too soon to let if her run will
be successful, but as history has shown
with her success in all other areas she
has ventured the race will be close till
the end. No word as to who will be her
running mate after she wins the primary election, which is going to be the
easiest part of this race. •
With the success of Torchwood
under their belt, Showtime has announced that they will be recreating the Doctor Who series to air in
winter 2012, starting from the same
point where the BBC series started in 2005. Fans are in an outrage
about this news and are wondering
who would be playing the Doctor’s Tenth regeneration, formerly
played by Christopher Eccleston,
and Rose, the Doctor’s companion portrayed by Billie Piper.
This decision has been made after
many successful British TV shows
have been remade for American
audiences, like The Office and
Being Human.
Another major question that is being asked by outraged fans is will it
follow the same story line and will
it still be family friendly, unlike the
Torchwood series. Reps from the studios have announced that they will
try to stay close to the original series’
story, but will be putting their own
spin on the story many have come
to love and cherish. The concept of
the show will darker than the original
with more intergalactic experiences
and will focus more on the relationship between the Doctor and Rose,
unlike the BBC version that kept the
relationship hidden and only seen in
glimpses in a few episodes over the
season.
Rumors are swirling on who will
be portraying the famous couple.
Many have said that they are interested in playing the Doctor, including
Adam Brody, Chad Michael Murray,
Jamie Dornan, Justin Long and Matt
Czuchry. The candidates for Rose
have been much more under wraps
with a short list of well known actresses viding for the role, including
Hilary Duff, Olivia Wilde, Hayden
Panettiere, and Emma Stone.
Only time will tell if fans will embrace the new spin on the series and
who will be playing the well known
roles of the Doctor and Rose. •
INSTRUCTIONS
Can you figure out what words these are? Unscramble the words and fill in the
corresponding blanks! Good Luck!
1. noidict
2. cacislals
3. ilraeapn
4. glrtfufeo
5. gnihrtvi
6. rpaiscmtnu
7. nueidif
8. rtscpleuu
9. ubswya
10. eermsgsen
Aries (Mar 21 – Apr 19)
Libra (Sep 23 – Oct 23)
Happy Birthday! Your gift is, there are
no predictions for you this month. Ok,
I didn’t want to ruin your birthday so,
I will tell you this month’s prediction
next month.
While you are at the Christmas party put
your shoes on the wrong feet before dancing. This way you will have two right feet
instead of two left ones.
Make sure to take lots of pictures this holiday season, without you in them.
Capricorn (Dec 22 – Jan 19)
Taurus (Apr 20 – May 20)
Scorpio
You will create a great ambiance at home
when you change your sheets (for the first
time in three months).
Limit your video game time until you can
tell the difference between real life and the
game. You are starting to scare people with
the sword that you carry around.
Aquarius (Jan 20 – Feb 18)
Gemini (May 21 – June 21)
This is the month of your great love affair and it will prevent you from getting
Christmas gifts. Mrs. Claus was not happy
about the affair last year.
Your friends will visit you often during
this holiday season. Make sure you set
your DVR to the ABC Family so you don’t
miss any of them.
INSTRUCTIONS
Puzzle 1 (Medium, difficulty rating 0.48)
Fill
the 9x9 grid with numbers so that each row, column, and each one of the
nine 3x3 blocks contain numbers ranging from 1 to 9. Good luck!
3
_________
________
_________
________
__________
_______
_________
9
8
4
6
2
1
1
6
2
3
4
Crossword Puzzle
8
1
5
8
4
7
3
7
8
_________
1
4
5
6
6
3
5
______
2
3
Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/~jdhildeb/software/sudokugen/ on Mon Dec 19 18:47:28 2011 GMT. Enjoy!
INSTRUCTIONS
Solve the clues below and put the answer in the corresponding
blank spaces on the grid. Fill in all the blanks to solve the puzzle!
Across
1) Emerald ___ (Ireland's nickname)
5) Panama waterway
10) Type of bowling or tennis
14) Had markers out
15) Whac-___ (Carnival game)
16) Twice-heard sound
17) Its business is always picking up
18) Delaware city
20) Feed for a fee, as cattle
22) Traveler's fill-up
23) Light on one's feet
24) "The Honeymooners" town in MA
26) Expresses a viewpoint
27) Mister, in Rome
29) All-comers tournament
30) One way to earn an Emmy
31) Fifty-fifty chance
34) Turf roamers
38) Bit of baby babble
39) Texas city
41) Aussie hopper
42) "Black Beauty" autor Sewell
44) It goes with sugar on top?
45) Old horror-flick star Chaney
46) "Enterprise" journey
48) It's vital to life
50) Children's zoo patron
53) Massachusetts city
55) Skylit courts
56) Good Samaritan's offering
57) "You ___ to know better!"
60) South Carolina city
63) Ending with "song" or "hip"
64) Linoleum square
65) Paris subway
66)Traditional folk tales
67) Great number
68) Speaks to a Quaker
69) Airs the final episode of
Make sure to buy your boss a good-bye
gift for Christmas. You won’t be seeing
him much after his wife catches him with
the dog walker.
Leo
Sudoku
_______
By Madam Natasha
Madam Natasha studied with gypsies in France, witch doctors in Africa, and with a well-known master of shrunken heads.
Currently Madam Natasha has been working closely with a Queen of Voodoo, who will remain nameless, in Chicago.
Sagittarius (Nov 22 – Dec 21)
Your car will not start this month. He
doesn’t like the fact that you keep calling
him her.
Word Scramble
13
Last Month's Solutions
Sudoku
Puzzle 1 (Medium, difficulty rating 0.49)
1
4
6
7
5
3
9
2
8
9
8
7
1
2
6
5
4
3
3
6
2
6
Pisces (Feb 19 – Mar 20)
Cancer (June 22 – July 22)
Virgo
7
Wear white this month. Only then will
you stop being the number one suspect.
Santa Claus said he wouldn’t visit you if
you are leaving him bologna. He is vegan,
or didn’t you know?
The New Year will bring you interesting things. You must still see the
wizard for a brain, the wonderful
wizard of Oz.
5
4
3
8
5
3
3
5
2
8
9
6
1
7
1
4
2
9
4
8
9
6
2
5
8
7
9
8
4
1
5
4
7
9
3
2
1
7
1
1
9
6
3
2
3
8
4
8
6
4
5
7
7
1
5
2
6
9
Word Scramble
1. marking
2. disease
3. multiple
4. inaccuracy
5. inventOR
6. logginG
7. adhesivE
8. egocentric
9. bookshelf
10. canisteR
Crossword Puzzle
Down
Check the Next
.Issue for the
Answers to this
Month’s Puzzles!
SPORTS • FITNESS
14 THE
EAGLE
COMMENTARY
THE EAGLE
COMMENTARY
SPORTS & HEALTH
Intra-Collegiate Sports at RMU
Photo Credit: RMU Athletics
By Joe Looney
Counting both men’s and women’s sports Robert Morris University
has over thirty teams throughout all
nine campuses. Therefore, unless
you have an athletic scholarship, or
somehow you made it pass the tryouts, you probably are not on any
team this year. However, you have
no need to fear RMU has an intracollegiate sports program as well. I
had the pleasure of speaking with
Monica Bulmann, RMU’s Director
of Administration and Coordinator,
who gave me some insight about
this year’s intra-collegiate sports
season and what to expect in years
to come.
For those of you who do not
know, intra-collegiate sports, not
to be confused with intercollegiate
sports (which is the name for the
regular sports at RMU), are sports
programs that take place within one
school and its cooperating campuses i.e. Chicago vs. Dupage, or
Orland Park vs. Peoria. Right now
intra-collegiate sports include softball and golf. During the interview
Monica stated, “There will be bowling in January and 5k running in
the spring.” Monica also hinted that
the program is trying to expand to
include volleyball, flag football, and
kick-ball.
With an expansion on the horizon and an opportunity to play your
favorite sports, this intra-collegiate
sports program sure sounds fun.
However, the multiple opportunities are sure to bring in more intracollegiate sports players. Unlike
intercollegiate sports there are no
tryouts, so anyone who wants to
play can join a team of their choice.
Also you don’t have to pay to play, in
fact according to Ms.Bulmann “students will receive a fulltime grant”.
So just by playing on an intra-collegiate sports team you will receive
a five hundred dollar grant scholarship. There also will be a team dinner at the end of each season as well.
So if you are looking for something fun to do and you want to
meet new people and make new
friends why not join an intra-collegiate sports team. Why would
you miss out on the opportunity
to get free scholarship money and
play some of your favorite sports?
Why not represent your campus as
you face off against other opposing
RMU campuses. •
By Joshua Del Valle
Photo Credit: RMU Athletics
NFL: Heading Into the Fourth Quarter
The NFL thus far has had a strange
season. Quarterbacks have been having rough seasons all around. A man
who is 5’8” tall and weighs a little less
than 200 pounds leads the league in
receiving. Elite running backs seem
to be faltering (Chris Johnson will
have his first sub 1,000 yard season
this year) and new guys seem to be
taking over the league like never before. Guys like Andy Dalton, Cam
Newton, and Navarro Bowman are
leading their teams in ways that appear to be veteran like, although
Newton cannot win to save his life it
would seem.
Despite the new look of the NFL
where tight ends are basically wide
receivers and strong safeties are just
slightly smaller linebackers, this season has had some promising entertainment. Starting off with the Green
Bay Packers who have up until this
point have remained undefeated and
many experts say they will become
the first team to go undefeated and
accomplish what the New England
Patriots were supposed to do in 2007.
Even with that, I do not believe the
team has the ability to go undefeated
this season because of their defense.
It has too many holes and there are
some quarterbacks in their future
who can exploit them, but they have
the number one seed locked up for
the playoffs.
Since we all know that the Packers
are definitely heading to the playoffs,
but so are the San Francisco 49ers.
In a complete surprise this year, it
seems that the team by the bay could
Photo Credit: NBC Sports
perhaps be on to something with Jim
Harbaugh, because he has led the
team to a certain playoff spot. The
Steelers and Patriots are in the same
boat. But really, who is that surprised?
The major playoff battles are about
to heat up and get exciting here in
the last couple of weeks. The biggest
one in the NFC should take place in
the East division between the Dallas
Cowboys and New York Giants. The
Giants have struggled recently while
Security
Occupy the World
Measures
Occupy Wall Street’s Impact on the World at Robert
Morris
Photo Credit: Mark America
By John Edwards
the Cowboys are getting hot which
means it could come down to the last
game of the season when these two
match up against each other.
The other battle to focus on is the
AFC West between the Denver Broncos and Oakland Raiders. Neither
team will go very far into the playoffs
but it should be interest especially because the Broncos are winning handedly with Tim Tebow (comments to
myself) and have made an interesting
case as of recently that they can push
for the playoffs. Now that Carson
Palmer has decided to play instead
of retire, he has started to get into
a groove and will help the Raiders
make a weak division look halfway
decent. All other divisions in the NFC
and AFC are almost set with the exception of one Wild Card position. It
will be the same teams getting in as
usually, but a shuffle of seeds.
Then there is the Chicago Bears.
Unfortunately, the season is in jeopardy because Jay Butler broke his thumb
and has missed and is expected to
miss five to six games as his thumb
heals from surgery. After a dismal beginning and critics everywhere beating on the Bears, they finally turned
it around, winning their last five until
before the injury. Braced for an 11-5
season and a Wild Card position, the
Bears fans might have to embrace
a cold winter watching the Packers
claiming another Lombardi Trophy.
Even if that worst case scenario happens, Jay Cutler, Mike Martz, and the
offensive line have proven that they
can play well together and it should
make the anticipation for next year all
the more exciting. Instead, I will take
a different route and say the Bears
will be able to fend off the sharks circling their Wild Card spot with Caleb
Hanie and Jay Cutler will help them
make a good playoff push.
This season has seem some great
players finally get to prove their stuff,
but let’s face it, this year’s Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the
Year goes to Aaron Rodgers. The man
is having a year for the record books
and if he continues this astounding
15
pace, it will land him in Canton, Ohio
as one of the greatest quarterbacks of
all time. Offensive Rookie of the Year
is tricky, because it is usually about
numbers and as exciting as Cam
Newton has been, Andy Dalton has
registered some great wins and could
help the Cincinnati Bengals make the
playoffs, which would be an amazing feat since he was supposed to be
the backup for Carson Palmer, who
was eventually traded to the Oakland Raiders. (The answer is yes, the
same one mentioned above, keep up
people!) Defensive Rookie of the Year
is much easier, because this category
has basically sucked, but it will go to
Von Miller from the Broncos because
he leads all rookies in sacks and is
top ten in tackles. Defensive Player of
the Year goes to Patrick Willis of the
49ers, because he is the heart and soul
of the defense and is always around
the play if not the leader of it. Coach
of the Year is handed to the Green
Bay Packers’ Mike McCarthy, because
a chance at 16-0 is so rare that it deserves the nod.
This season has been a good one
and has been one of the most unpredictable I have ever seen. It has been
a fun one and with the playoffs coming, it can only get better. I am sad to
say that this will be my last article for
the Eagle and it has been fun covering
every sport, especially the Bears and
Sox, but all good things must come
to an end, except for the Cubs losing
streak. With a lot of luck and some
hard work, I hope to grace the major
league fields as a Major League Umpire. So until then, cheers Chicago.
Thanks for the memories.•
"We are the 99%" is the cry of the protesters that
began in Zuccotti Park on September 17 and now
continues to be heard all over the world in places
like Japan, Brazil, Madrid, London, Rome, Berlin,
Tel Aviv and Amsterdam. Who exactly are the
99%? They are the everyday people who make up
most of the population and control very little of
the wealth. They are teachers, police officers, firefighters, cashiers, homeless people, doctors and
college students. There is a very diverse group
protesting against corporate control over pretty
much everything.
For a very long time, corporations have operated
without much regulation at all. They have personified themselves so that they maybe included in the
ability to pursue "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." They have twisted the law so that they can
do as they please. On the Occupy Wall Street side
of the argument, people are saying that there needs
to be regulation so that everyone can be equal and
work together as a community rather than everyone
working for a corporation. On the other side, people
are saying that the protesters have no idea what they
are talking about, that the group has no central focus and that the group lacks leadership.
Even if the Occupy Wall Street movement was
only in the U.S. it would still be affecting every country, as it is now. Corporations obtain many of their
resources through outsourcing. Natural resources
are taken by force from developing countries inhabited by people who have not been taught how to use
what they have. Those people are given jobs at plants
in places, like China, where there are terrible labor
laws and they are overworked and underpaid.
Huge corporations based in the U.S. influence
the entire world and therefore require regulation so
that the rest of the world can be protected and follow
a good example of how a company should be run
fairly. The “Occupy Wall Street” movement’s call
for reform and regulation must be heard because
wealth is unevenly distributed. Control over the
country needs to be returned to the common people
and regulation on companies will help the environment so that the whole world can work together
rather than for one sovereign corporate entity.
The major issue that the protesters are concerned
with is the uneven distribution of wealth. It is difficult to find out how many of them are employed
or unemployed due to the fact that most of the polls
are inaccurate because of their bias. While the Occupy Wall Street website might say that 13.1% of the
people the polled are unemployed, The Wall Street
Journal says that it is 15%. Either way, that number
is still low but I wouldn’t trust either source for information on polls because of their obvious biases.
One place that did have reliable statistics was the
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics who said that there
is a 9.5% national unemployment rate.
Whether one looks at a poll from a reliable website or not, it is quite evident that unemployment
is an issue. Just the other day while I was in a McDonald’s near the school I overheard a conversation
between two older African American men about
how tough things are today to get a job and how
tough things were when they were younger. Unemployment and poverty is not a new issue in the
U.S. Barbara Ehrenreich conducted an experiment
where she would work in places that paid minimum
wage like most Americans have. At one point in
her search for a job she states “no one from the ap-
proximately twenty places at which I’ve applied calls
me for an interview”. I have experienced the same
not too long ago. Since my class schedule allows me
time to get out of school earlier than usual, I figured
I had time to continue searching for a job. Out of at
least ten different places I applied, only one called
to offer me an interview and another one was kind
enough to send a rejection e-mail. I did not get a job
from either of the places I applied to. However, even
people who do have full time jobs struggle to survive
in today’s economy. Ehrenreich wrote that “according to a 1997 report of the National Coalition for the
Homeless, ‘Myths and Facts about Homelessness,’
nearly one-fifth of all homeless people are employed
in part- or full-time jobs”. This statistic shows how
many people still cannot survive on minimum
wage because of the uneven distribution of wealth.
These people are doing hard work and getting very
little of the pay for it.
In the list of demands from the Occupy Wall
Street Movement, one can see that the protesters
are suffering economically. The demands I found
that express their struggle the most are: “Demand
One- Restoration of the Living Wage,” “Demand
Three- Guaranteed living wage income regardless
of employment,” “Demand Four- Free College Education,” and “Demand Eleven- Debt forgiveness”.
The first and third demands are pretty much the
same to me but they demonstrate that the protesters
cannot live on the current minimum wage. I looked
at a few places including the Occupy Wall Street
website in order to find a real list of these demands
and one of the unofficial lists had a demand that
called for the minimum wage to be twenty dollars
an hour. Even though not everyone else might feel
that way, it still shows that the current state of the
economy is driving people mad. The last two demands that I pointed out show that there are college
students involved with the protests that understand
the lack of jobs and are afraid that when they get out
of college, they will be overwhelmed by their student loans and unable to pay without a job. It seems
that the only people that won’t have to worry about
debts are the people in the 1%. That is correct, to a
certain extent, because according to an article from
The Chicago Tribune, some of the people that work
on Wall Street are in “fear for their own jobs”. If they
are really suffering as much as everyone else is, one
would think that they would have changed their
policies already.
Corporations do not have a lot of regulation.
The reason for that can be found in the documentary The Corporation. This documentary shows
how corporations twisted a law that was originally
used to allow newly freed slaves to work into a law
that gave them human rights. The worst part is
that even the Supreme Court has refused to put
some amount of regulation on the corporations
recently. They refused to stop corporations from
spending however much they want on political
campaigns. This is a major problem, because if
corporations are the ones funding a candidates
campaign, the candidate is basically obligated to
enforce laws or ignore laws in order to benefit the
corporation that helped him or her get into the
position they desired. That would mean the people
voting are not being allowed to vote fairly. If only
the candidates with money are being pushed to the
front of the media, then that would mean that only
the candidates that are going to help the corporations are going to obtain the position of governor
or even president.
An article on the CBS News website said that
John McCain “predicted a backlash would occur
when people see the amounts of unfettered money,
from corporations and unions, that will go into political campaigns”. In the same article from the Red
Eye mentioned earlier, President Obama defends
“financial bailouts and reforms”. What this shows
me is that financial reform that is called for by the
Occupy Wall Street movement is not an issue that
takes the side of one political party or another but,
it is an issue that affects both parties and in turn has
a global effect. An issue I have with the comments
from both of these people is that they were both
presidential candidates and might be future presidential candidates for the 2012 elections. Due to that
situation they will say anything to start gathering as
many votes as possible. They see that the Occupy
Wall Street protesters are saying that they are “the
99%” and what better way to win the elections than
to have 99% of the U.S. population vote for you?
Either way, as long as someone puts regulations on
corporate political contributions, power to choose
who runs the country will be returned to the people.
Regulation on companies will help the the entire
world. The Story of Stuff documentary briefly shows
how corporations affect other countries. It shows
how they get their resources for their goods from
other countries that are inhabited by people who
are not taught how to use the resources that come
from their own countries. By doing so, these corporations destroy the homes of these people, as shown
in the documentary. These corporations produce so
much waste with the factories they create, but there
are very few regulations so they are allowed to pretty
much do as they please.
An article from The News Tribune shows that
environmentalists also support Occupy Wall Street.
The article states that “Justin Haaheim…also attended the Wall Street march” and explains that
he is a powerful presence in the environmentalist
group. It is time that people see how corporations
are affecting countries outside of the U.S. and creating products that do more harm to consumers
than good. Many of these products are made in the
corporations favor and only serve to bring in profit.
Shutting down these factories and regulating
these companies will most likely create more jobs
than it will supposedly destroy. Many of the jobs in
factories are unsafe for the workers and unsafe for
the rest of the world as well, because of the emissions
and run off. If these factories were closed down or
turned into recycling plants, there would be jobs
created for people to recycle the waste. There would
also be jobs created for people who would plan how
to create renewable energy sources or how to use the
products that were already created to make new,
more eco-friendly products. This could be compared to the affect of World War II on the Great Depression. The war created jobs of all sorts for people
who were unemployed. It would be as if the U.S. was
having a war for the environments wellbeing.
Even the media sources that were most likely to
be against Occupy Wall Street only had constructive criticism. An article published by Fox News
criticized the protests for being hypocritical and
radically left but then says that they “reflect the
genuine economic fears that many Americans feel”.
An article published by Market Watch suggests
that regulation of these corporations will evenly
distribute wealth, restore the power to choose back
to the people and help heal the environment. If being a citizen consists of concern for the issues that
have global implications, then being in support of
Occupy Wall Street counts as acting as a citizen. A
citizen should be concerned about helping people
all over the world especially those that cannot speak
for themselves. A short speech from an episode of
Spongebob Squarepants is the best way to conclude
this article. It speaks eloquently upon the struggles
of the working class and expresses Squidward’s discontent with the power of big businesses. Spongebob gave the speech says: “I will restore the working man to his rightful glory. I will dismantle this
oppressive establishment board by board. I will saw
the tables of tyranny in half. I’ll gnaw at the ankles
of big business”. Hopefully action is taken and the
protesters can maintain a non-violent protest so that
this figurative statement does not come to be literal.•
By Angela Jordan and Paul Huerta
The article, How Secure is Our Campus, regarding security at the Chicago campus offers
an interesting perspective. It also illustrates the
need for sharing of information so that all students, faculty, and staff are aware of both current
practices and future areas of opportunity.
The need for personal security in the presentday climate should be taken very seriously. Each
organization must weigh the emphasis on a secure environment with the desires of its constituencies to remain mobile.
One of the most important components of
RMU’s security efforts is that security is much
more than personnel. Staff representatives
from every RMU location have participated in a
year-long security awareness program, received
certification, and are leaders at their campuses
in this area.
Since the letter spoke specifically about the
Chicago campus, expanded explanation for that
location follows. The turnstiles in some of the
open student areas help create a more secure
environment by allowing access only to qualified individuals. We also have digital security
cameras throughout the facility, particularly
in public access areas. We have an emergency
notification system on all classroom floors (one
for the newly refurbished 6th floor is on order)
for emergency notifications should the need
arise. The use of IDs by all students, faculty, and
staff is emphasized.
However, since our Chicago location is an
urban, public building and we invite visitors to
the gallery, admissions offices, and library, security personnel are utilized. Your RMU Chicago
security officers are comprised of 24 off-duty
Chicago police officers from different specialized units, ranks, and from the various districts
throughout the City of Chicago. The Officers
are highly trained in terrorist awareness, active
shooter, crowd control, CPR/defibrillator, and
much more. They are mandated by the state to
be armed and have arrest powers. Officers are at
the Chicago campus during all open hours, assist with student housing, and off-site sporting
events. They also patrol all campus locations on a
rotating, unannounced basis.
Please stop by to talk with one of the officers.
Each is ready to answer questions or discuss
items of interest to you regarding your safety on
or off campus.
Photo Credit: Matrix LA
16 COMMENTARY
THE EAGLE
Happy New Year!
Say it in Twelve
Languages
Serry [ser•ee] verb
Arabic
French
Polish
Sana Saiida
Bonne Année
Szczesliwego Nowego Roku
Chinese
German
Xin Nian Hao
Guten Rutsch!
Portuguese
Dutch
Italian
Gelukkig Nieuwjaar
Filipino
Manigong Bagong Taon
Feliz Ano Novo
Felice Anno Nuovo
Japanese
Akemashite Omedetô
Words of the Month
Spanish
Prospero Año Nuevo
Swedish
Gott Nytt År
To crowd closely together.
Example: In the cold winter months it is necessary to become serry to stay warm.
Serry is from the Middle French serré which was the past participle of serrer meaning “to press tightly together.”
Urban Dictionary
Groutfiti [grout•fi•ti] noun
Graffiti found in the grout of tiles in public bathrooms.
Example: I found a girl laying on the floor in the bathroom putting down her own groutfiti.
So
Fresh
So
Green
How our Throwaway Society is Affecting the Planet
By Sergio Alviso
Humans can only use up so much of the limited non-renewable resources available from
Earth. Common sense would dictate that humans should try to conserve these resources and
not waste them, but due to the current society
we live in, it is the other way around. We use and
throw away more products daily than we did before, and continue to use natural resources without limits or any concern. The shift from typical
wood pencils to mechanical pencils is a good example. Many people have a tendency to buy mechanical pencils, but don’t buy refills just another
pack and throw away the empty ones. By doing so
they are throwing away non-renewable resources, but if they used normal wooden pencils they
would avoid the whole situation This scenario
is similar to a lot more products today, mainly
because consumers trade off saving the environment for convenience. For this reason, we are a
throwaway society, which is bad for the people,
environment, and the future of other societies
around the world, because of the great amount of
waste generated and resources used.
A throwaway society helps cultivate the aggressive marketing efforts from companies that
target unaware children. These marketing efforts are used by very reputable companies. One
example that Juli Kramer provides is Johnson &
Johnson: “This pattern of using emotions to influence consumerism has expanded to include
research on how to exploit children’s emotions
to increase consumption”. These companies hope
that through exploitation of emotional weakness, the youth will be more likely to buy their
products. He also argues that these practices
are not inexpensive either:“Advertisers spend
billions to study the most specific and minute
ways in which to influence youth decision making and purchases”. This is considered unethical
by most people, because children do not know
that they are being targeted by these very expensive studies. Parents also argue that because
of the billions of dollars that companies spend
to influence the children, they have very little
authority or persuasion power over their children when they attempt to change their kid’s
attitude of a product.
FULL
HOUSE
1
What do you keep
in the trunk of
your car?
2
Favorite Cereal box
character? Why?
3
What is your
favorite way to
waste time?
4
What are you
currently listening
to?
5
What is your
favorite phrase of
the month?
Depression among young individuals is another negative aspect that these aggressive marketing campaigns have been shown to inflict. Researchers have already found the links between
advertisements and our emotions:“Kanner and
Gomes (1995) found that advertisements make
children feel deeply inadequate unless they buy
certain products or services”. The companies
are trying to create a materialistic world, and by
starting with children, they have a greater chance
of success. For some people, it is no longer what
you do for your society, but what you have in your
possession that gives you your worth. Advertisers
are trying to convince people that by buying their
product your life will instantly be better. Most
people don’t like to be outcasts, and if everyone
is buying this hot new shinny product, they will
too. Once bought, they will attempt to rationalize
their purchase by using advertisement information as reinforcements.
The fabrication of all these products that have
short lives create pollution, that leads to weather
pattern changes that are a threat for our future
environment. In order to keep up with demand
some factories have to increase their output or
if the demand is too big they will construct new
factories. All these factories will help meet the
demands of consumers, but they will also help
produce more pollution as told by Traci Watson:
“The industrial sector is responsible for about
one-third of the U.S. output of greenhouse gases”.
The excessive heat that is generated from pollution will alter weather patterns and create more
heat waves every year. They also affect the animals and plants that are not acclimated for the
extreme climate changes. Overtime these weather changes could become more pronounced and
devastating if there are no sustainability efforts to
reduce the pollution created from fabrics by reducing consumption.
Due to the factories that are expanding to keep
up with demand of short-lived products, deforestation is becoming a bigger threat, not only to humans
but to animals as well. In our country alone, there
are very few forests that have not been interfered
with according to Kate Crockett: “Over the geologically brief span of the last 200 years, 97 percent of
the virgin forests of the continental United States
have been cut down”. This is a great threat since
SCOTT REITZEL
our forests are not only here to provide a home for
different species, they provide very important functions on earth; “Our forests clean air, filter water and
help regulate the global climate”, also said by Crockett. If we keep up at this rate we will not only exploiting our resources, but also getting rid of some of the
resources that keep us safe.
Our current throwaway society pollutes our
country, but due to our strict regulations it produces less harm than other countries where the
environmental regulations are lacking. This will
eventually cause damage to Earth by causing environmental changes that will present themselves
around the world, not only in the vicinity of those
countries. Gregory Mone confirms the severity of
some of the problems that arise with pollution in
an article called Choking at the Olympics: “China has some of the worst pollution in the world,
andbad air kills 400,000 Chinese annually”. This
became controversial during the Olympics, when
drastic changes where being placed by the Chinese government to get rid of the air pollution for
the games. He explains though, that some major
changes need to take place: “Compounding the
issue is a study Streets published last spring showing that 50 percent of the bad air in Beijing originatesin the industrial provinces to the south, so
even banning cars and inducing thunderstorms
may not be enough to clean the air”. Unregulated
factories account for the most of the air pollution
in China. Nowhere in the article do they say that
China plans to change its stance on pollution,
rather they focused on quick ways to move the air
pollution away from Beijing temporarily.
We need to stop our current ways of living that
support a throwaway society. Our society places
increased demand on products that not only affects the people of all ages and the environment,
but other countries that do not participate in the
bad habits we engage in. We can start by looking
at our wasteful habits that if altered, could benefit
not only us, but also the sustainability of Earth’s
resources. We should stop trying to place blame
on corporations, government, or others, and instead show them how we can change individually. All these sacrifices from everybody will benefit greatly our future generations that deserve
the chance to be able to enjoy the amenities that
earth currently offers to us. •
RASHEEDA WADLEY
FE CATAGUE
He and She
Say Goodbye
By Ann Roche and DeMarco White
After two fun and interesting years, Aaron
Nielsen is ready to hang his hat at the Eagle
Newspaper. Regular readers are sure to remember his takes on current events in “He
Says, She Says” column, numerous news pieces,
and flair for photojournalism. Some of his favorite moments working on the newspaper
included bickering with Lissy Pfister, his counterpart from this column, and chasing Editorin-Chief, Rasheeda Wadley, around the campus
and city with a camera. Another fond memory
was getting an honorable mention in the 2011
Illinois College Press Association photojournalism competition.
Aaron said he joined the newspaper because
of his love for writing and interests in news, radio
and current events, and appreciated the creative
outlet it gave him to develop new writing styles
and express opinions. He also enjoyed being
able to walk a few steps down the streets of Chicago and witness and report major protests and
events. Reflecting on his years at RMU, Aaron
said that he learned a lot outside the classroom
and is thankful for all the knowledgeable professors who are willing to talk on a personal basis
with students. We wish Aaron the best of luck in
all his future endeavors.
Our other half of the “He Says, She Says” column, Lissy Pfister, is going to stay at RMU for her
second bachelor’s. She’s decided not to continue
contributing to this column, but to focus more on
other parts of the Eagle newspaper. We’re glad to
have her for a few more years.
Although Aaron and Lissy’s banter will be
missed, the Eagle Newspaper has recruited some
new talent. They are no Aaron or Lissy but they
are sure to bring a new twist to the “He says,
She Says” section. Ann Roche, a conservativelibertarian will be teaming up with the social
liberal DeMarco White to bring RMU readers
their monthly dose of interesting opinions and
facts from two different points of views. Eager
to write and express their thoughts on politics
and ways of government, Ann and DeMarco
are going to be great assets to the Eagle Newspaper and are fully aware that they have some big
shoes to fill. Thank you Aaron Nielsen and Lissy
Pfister for all your hard work and dedication,
it will be missed. •
LASHONDRA GRAVES
NATE DAUBERT
“Skis, skates, hockey sticks,
tools”
“What car?”
“I don’t have a car yet. Maybe
in 10 years I can have one.
:-D”
“Shoes”
“If I had a car, probably a body
bag.”
“I’m not much of a cereal guy,
but for the sake of argument
I’ll say captain crunch, b/c he’s
the closest to a pirate.”
“The Trix Rabbit. He could
never get any cereal. I felt sorry
for him.”
“Tony the Tiger just happens
to be the cartoon character of
my favorite cereal which I love
so much.”
“The Trix Rabbit, cause it’s just
for kids!”
“Clearly Sonny the Cuckoo
Bird, because Cocoa Puffs are
awesome.”
“Playing with my two Great
Danes, Trooper and Whiski”
“Looking at mugshots on the
Breaking News website and
guessing what people did to
get arrested.”
“I turn on the music and clean
the house; window shopping;
playing with my two lovable
Pugs at the dog park.!”
“Reaching Goals!”
“Watching the Office, Parks &
Rec, and Skins UK.”
“My head pounding from a
migraine headache”
“LMFAO ‘s song “Party Rock
Anthem””
“God is Able by Smokie Norfol”
“Crystal Fighters: Champion
Sound”
“I'm going to file that under ‘not
my problem’ ”
“Unsa gani to? ( What is it?)"
“I’ll add you to my schedule.“`
“There’s time for everything.
Just sleep less!”
“Blink-182: Neighborhoods,
Four Year
“I don’t think it’s printable…
Definitely not printable.”