Start of Semester Letter from the SGA President Alvernia Begins

Alvernia University
400 Saint Bernardine St.
Reading PA 19607
January 2009
Volume 48 - Issue 4
www.alvernia.edu
Alvernia Begins Fundraising to Help Haiti
By, Emily Berret
SGA President
Dear Alvernia Community,
On Tuesday, January 12th, a
catastrophic earthquake struck near
Port-au-Prince, Haiti. As I am writing this, the full extent of the damage
is still being assessed, but the death
toll is still climbing. As the tragedy
in Haiti continues to unfold, Alvernia
students are beginning to take action
to help the victims devastated by the
earthquake. The Student Government Association, Campus Ministry
and the Office of Student Activities
have teamed up to help support the
victims of this tragic natural disaster.
Fundraising to help the victims in Haiti kicked off at the Mar-
tin Luther King Day Celebration
on January 19th. The fundraising
continued until the 26th of January.
This is the initial step Alvernia students are taking to help the victims
of the earthquake in Haiti. Please
look around campus for students who
are carrying silver cans and donate
what you can to help these victims.
The initial fundraising ended
on Tuesday, January 26th and on that
day a prayer vigil was held at the quad.
If you have any fundraising suggestions or ideas for events
to raise awareness of this disaster,
please do not hesitate to contact me.
Also, if you would like to send a donation, please send it to Father Kevin
Queally in Campus Ministry. All do-
nations will be sent to Mercy Corps
to help with their efforts in Haiti.
I would also like to invite you
to join our facebook event for Alvernia Helping Haiti. We will be sending out updates on our efforts to help
the Haitian people through that event.
Thank you everyone for your
wonderful support and please keep
the people of Haiti in your prayers.
Emily Berret
Student Government Association
President
“It is incredibly horrible to see
a catastrophe of this size hit a people
who have been suffering from extreme poverty, violence and unrest for
so many decades. We understand the
first response is critical to serve the
immediate needs of countless people
who are now displaced from their
homes, are suffering trauma, and most
require urgent care.” - Angelina Jolie
A plethora of destroyed homes on a hillside in Port-au-Prince
Photo courtesy cnn.com
Start of Semester Letter from the SGAPresident
By, Emily Berret
SGA President
Dear Students,
Welcome back to beautiful
Alvernia. I hope you all enjoyed
a relaxing and safe winter break.
As many of you I’m sure already know, there was a tragic earthquake that struck Port-au-Prince,
Haiti. SGA has teamed up with Campus Ministry and the Office of Student Activities to raise awareness
about this tragic event and to raise
money for the victims of the earthquake. I would like to thank the students on campus who carried cans
to raise money for the relief effort.
SGA has also made changes
to its webpage. You can now find the
agendas and minutes to our meetings,
forms, contact information, event information, and a lot more on our webpage on the Alvernia website. Also,
SGA would like to thank Audrey Hoffman, the Graduate Assistant in Marketing, for designing our new logo.
I would also like to remind
students about the January elections.
Letters of intent are due to Abby
Swatchick by January 25th. There
will be an open forum to meet the
candidates on January 27th at 5:30pm
in the Private Dining Room in the
Student Center. SGA elections will be
held on January 28th from 11am-1pm
in the Bernardine Hall Lounge, and
January 29th in the Student Center.
The open positions are: Executive Board Treasurer, Executive
Board Public Relations, Residence
Hall Association President, Commuter Council President, Class of
2011 Secretary, Class of 2013 President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Come
out and vote for your representatives!
Lastly, if you have any campus
concerns please feel free to attend any
of our full SGA meetings at 2pm in
Bernardine Hall room 1019. The full
meetings are on January 26th, February 2nd, February 16th, March 9th,
March 23rd, April 6th, and April 20th.
I wish you all a great semester,
Emily Berret
SGA President
THE
Alvernian
Features Editor
Tesia Smucker
Entertainment Editor
Angela Miller
Sports Editor
Scott Rodgers
Campus news Editor
Lauren Rocchino
Variety Editor
Lisa James
Advertising Editor
Vanessa policare
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Michael Kramp
Staff Writers
Lauren Aguilar
Tim Ahlquist
Krysta Blocher
Erika Boone
Danii Cortes
Iain DeSieno
Jon Lozoskie
Jon McCullen
Geoff Nagle
Michael O’Boyle
Pat Watson
Bruce Williams
Contributors
Dr. Gerald Vigna
Chris Farley
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Alvernia University.
The office telephone
number is
(610) 796-8358.
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©2010 The Alvernian
Features
Alvernia Plans Day Trips to
Chase Away the Winter Blues
By, Geoff Nagle
Staff Writer
Outside the weather continues its assault of bitterly cold temperatures. The trees are bare and
tremble from each swirling gust, and
the grass, stapled with frost, eagerly
anticipates the first spring rainfall.
All of this is happening while
students continue to barricade themselves inside from what feels like
a ceaseless winter. Thankfully, a
break has come to allow hardworking students to indulge in fun, rather
than abstain from it. This semester Alvernia University has planned
day trips which range from snow
tubing to a day in our nation’s capital. These day trips are designed
to get students up and moving.
The Office of Student Activities offers Saturday trips until the end
of the spring semester--trips which
have quickly become a welcome tradition. Each trip offers the opportuni-
ty for having fun, gaining knowledge,
and taking a break from schoolwork.
Ever wondered about the possibility of a pinky-sized ball of wax?
Or how exactly crayons are made?
On Saturday, February 6th, Alvernia
will be offering a trip to the Crayola
Factory in Easton, PA. If this isn’t
enough, each ticket includes admission to the National Canal Museum
located next door. This museum is
set up to answer any and all questions about waterways.
Potamophobics (look it up if curious) need
not worry, however. The Crayola
Factory offers more than enough entertainment for an entire day. Trekking closer toward Valentine’s Day, Alvernia has a trip to
King of Prussia set up on February
13th. Only a week after having hands
transformed into waxed rainbows and
a mind turned into an intellectual dam
of waterways, this is an opportunity
for students to spoil themselves or
their loved ones. This trip offers what
seems like an unlimited amount of
stores, restaurants and entertainment
options, which will exhaust even the
most proficient shopper. Set up for the
day before the holiday of love, this trip
can be especially opportunistic to all.
So for those looking to shake
away the winter blues by travelling
somewhere new and learning about
crayons and waterways, or the occasional shopping trip, Alvernia has
once again blessed students with
answers. In addition to these trips
in February, dates are set for day
trips until May 1st. Each trip set
up through the semester allows for
students, faculty, and guests to sign
up. For registration forms visit the
display which is located at the Center for Student Life Building; or,
email Nicholas Yando with questions
at
Nicholas.Yando@alvernia.edu.
By, Gerald S. Vigna
Director, Center for Ethics and Leadership
Working with my students
in Introduction to Theology last fall,
I decided to assign them a few passages from Revelation. Chapter 19
speaks of the enemies of God being
cast into the lake of fire and brimstone. This is the beginning of Christianity’s argument that God’s judgment is terrible and swift for those
who align themselves with the devil.
For centuries the church has wrestled with these texts, at times embracing them, and at others providing softer interpretations of them.
My guess is that most Christians do
not know that the inclusion of Revelation in the New Testament was
hotly disputed in the fourth century as the canon was being closed.
The question of whom God
judges and how was raised again in
the worst way by politician and Pastor
Pat Robertson, who has quite a track
record in spiteful Christianity. Readers may recall that he and Jerry Falwell suggested that 9/11 might have
been God’s punishment for America’s sins. Those of us with a special
attachment to New Orleans will not
forget his attributing that disaster to
the Crescent City’s unique ambiance.
Robertson has now crossed over
into territory that is beyond reprehensible for a Christian pastor. Citing a Haitian legend from the late
18th century that claims that Haitian
slaves made a pact with the devil to
free them from French colonialism,
Robertson has located the source of
the earthquake in divine retribution.
Robertson is in good company with the allegedly rationally moral. Former NBA benchwarmer Paul
Shirley wrote an extensive (2,000
word) blog entry which included this
suggested letter to the Haitian people:
the creed of individual responsibility
writ large than to work the problem
through. Besides, it makes us feel
so blessedly – well – responsible.
The basis for Shirley’s position? Logic, and who can argue with
logic? Referring to Hurricane Katrina, Shirley writes, “Make the same
mistake again. Rebuild a doomed city,
putting aside logic as we did.” Consequently, it makes no sense to Shirley
to help Haitians without laying down
conditions so that “I feel that my assistance is deserved and justified.”
Pat Robertson and Paul Shirley, one at the theological extreme
and the other at the philosophical
extreme. To the latter, my philosophical response is that your argument is counterintuitive and instinctively revulsive. To the former,
you have forgotten that Christianity is about heart as well as head.
To both of you, you are entranced
with your reflection in the pool.
Hatin’
On
“Dear Haitians –
First of all, kudos on developing the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Your commitment
to human rights, infrastructure, and
birth control should be applauded.
As we prepare to assist you
in this difficult time, a polite request: If it’s possible, could you
not re-build your island home in
the image of its predecessor? Could
you not resort to the creation of
flimsy shanty- and shack-towns?
And could some of you maybe use a condom once in a while?
Sincerely,
The Rest of the World”
Shirley’s argument is that it
is not his responsibility to help because, after all, Haitians and the
Haitian government have been so
irresponsible in the past in regard
to developing the Haitian economy
and preparing for the inevitable natural catastrophe of an earthquake.
There it is again, the simplistic appeal to the responsibility of the suffering. Unfortunately, too many of
us find the argument persuasive,
even as some of us embrace Robertson’s vengeful God. We are a country of hard-driving, results-oriented
achievers. And it’s easier to repeat
Haiti
Features
Finding Peace in the Dominican Republic
By, Chris Farley
Contributing Writer
100 SPF maximum shield
sunscreen, check. Insect repellent
containing 50-70% DEET, check. A
prescription for “Cipro” in case the
infamous traveler’s illness appears,
check. Anti-malaria pills because,
well, I’m better off playing it safe,
check. A mind that is prepared for an
interesting and probably exhilarating
experience in a country that “needs
our help,” check. I felt ready to go to
“Los Tres Brazos” in Santo Domingo,
the capital of the Dominican Republic. After all, it’s normal to approach
a trip to Santo Domingo or any third
world country with a bit of caution. It
is also quite ordinary to assume that,
while you will likely enjoy your time
with the good people of a new country, you will be happy to leave the
following week. After all, what could
measure up to the land of opportunity,
beauty, and majestic freedom that is
the United States of America? Well,
I might have found a competitor.
I am writing this article principally as a witness. Though I do realize words and articulation can only go
so far, it has become a duty of mine to
express what I have felt in Santo Domingo. It is unlike anything I have experienced in my life. Once again, life
reveals its own truths in the character
of irony. Irony tells of the paradox in
our souls, the paradox we are often
unwilling to accept. What is this irony of which I speak? Simply stated,
Alvernia Univeristy’s quest to Santo
Domingo was not so much a mission
as a spiritual journey, a face-to-face
confrontation with the pure, unadulterated God, the explicit Jesus. And
whether we realize it or not, the very
same God has become nearly non-existent in contemporary America. Perhaps that is not America’s fault since
the U.S., in many ways, does not offer
the same riches as a third world nation. Do you now see where the irony
resides? The beautiful people of Los
Tres Brazos and the materially weak
communities of Santo Domingo are
not poor. We are. Allow me to explain.
As somebody who has never
been to Santo Domingo or on a similar mission trip, I was anxious to
discover a new culture. Meanwhile,
veterans like Judy Bohler and Lisa
Venkler were content and at peace to
a point where it was mysterious. Now
I know they were anticipating their
return to a land of authentic tranquility. Once we escaped the tropical bliss
of the city area and entered into Los
Tres Brazos, reality hit. It was late but
as we passed by the tiny stores and
groups of people standing on the sides
of the streets, the term “poverty” took
new meaning (something that would
happen numerous times throughout the trip). Trash piled up on the
roads, stray, sickly dogs wandered the
sidewalk, and potholes sunk so deep
that I could swear our van nearly assumed a 45 degree angle; the material exiguity was visually suffocating.
In the same moment, amidst
all the misfortune and injustice that
has plagued Los Tres Brazos, I was
struck with the grandest feeling of
absolution when I met the town’s
inhabitants. This is exhibited most
clearly in the presence of Sister Valdair. The undisputed commander of
the sisters in Santo Domingo rules
with the zeal of a president, the gentle
touch of an angel, and the unconditional love and patience of a saint.
Her eyes are the most compassionate you will ever see. Sister’s undying effect on the kids, teachers and
her fellow sisters creates a family atmosphere. A good example of this is
shown when, every day before every
meal, Sister Marta would lead us in
a Spanish song of praise and thanks
to God. If the richness found in the
serenity of the sister’s was all I could
speak of after the trip, it would have
been enough. Amazingly, the blessings seemed to have no boundaries.
The teachers and children of
Los Tres Brazos are the most beautiful human beings I have ever met.
Never have I experienced such grace.
From the moment the “ninos” my
fellow Alvernians and I, they were
hanging onto us, clutching our hands,
dancing with us, and looking deeply
into our eyes with innocent affection. They wanted to copy us, study
us, accompany us, play with us, sing
with us, worship with us; they wanted
to create everlasting bonds with us.
And they succeeded. Kids like Egal
and Berni and Lorena and Valentina
would wait for you on a daily basis.
Nothing gave them more satisfaction
that to attach themselves to us and engage in a game of “Joon” (a game with
puzzling rules, does any one REALLY know how to play?) or dodge-ball.
It was constant community; constant.
No words could properly describe
the type of Godly love I felt with ev-
ery moment around those children.
Additionally, I must mention something about the teachers
and staff in the school. Role-models
in the truest sense, they are as gentle
as they are astute and as thoughtful as they are intelligent. Every one
of them approached our group with
smiles and kind sentiments. More
importantly, they always treated the
ninos with motherly love. None of
them exemplifies these attributes
more than the afternoon teacher, Yoly.
Yoly is a vibrant, bright light of unshakable energy for the community.
Whether she is teaching the children
a new dance, helping them with their
crafts, introducing them to a new
song, or walking them home and embracing their families, her servitude
seems never to cease. It’s amazing
to watch. Like all the teachers, Yoly
pours every grain of talent God has
given her (which is no little amount)
for the children. If any one wanted
a lesson in how to instruct properly
and impact young men and women, have a conversation with Yoly.
After such a profound journey
with such amazing people, it is difficult to put things into perspective
when returning home (the incivility
of Philadelphia International Airport
was no help). The adjustment has not
been easy. However, I have narrowed
it down to two points which I must
share. First: We (first world countries,
Americans, Pennsylvanians, you
get it) have forgotten what true happiness is and therefore, many of us
have no idea how to find it. Because
of this lack of fulfillment, we accumulate “things” to keep us happy.
And we all have our “things,” don’t
we? A six-pack of beer, a night of
your favorite re-runs or movies, video
games, adding a new addition to your
car, one more shirt or one more pair
of shoes, that late-night Starbucks
special that makes life worthwhile;
all these things make us a little happier at the end of the day. Is there
something intrinsically wrong with
that? I don’t know; probably not,
but it brings me to my second point.
If there’s one ultimate lesson I learned
from the people of Santo Domingo
it’s that true joy is found in community. Community, community, community! Hey, guess what? Community. One more time for those who are
speed-reading: COMMUNITY. Community is the recipe to happiness;
people are the ingredients. What does
that mean? It means God is not in the
dollar bills we spend or the television
we watch. God is not in the museums
of information we process or the jobs
that give us security. God is not in the
materials that encompass our lives:
cell phones, computers, cars, or other
toys. God is with the materially poor.
Why? Because the materially poor
know how to form community better
than anyone else. For Los Tres Brazos, community is a part of their culture. Life is a celebration, and it is celebrated together. No material wealth?
No problem. They have wealth in the
purest sense; they join together and
praise God for the beautiful gift of
each other. Allow me to be the first
to tell you: there is no greater gift.
Once again, let me remind
you that I am only here, writing this
piece, as a witness. I desired to write
this primarily to inform the reader
that God is alive and well. If you do
not believe me, start planning your
trip and go see for yourself. What
happens in Santo Domingo and many
other countries (like the undying preservation of hope in Haiti) is nothing
short of a phenomenon; spiritually
and pragmatically. These unbelievable people have crafted a divine tapestry of love and peace in the midst of
suffering and have given us the blueprints to actualize fulfillment. Gracias
la Republica Dominicana! Paz y Bien!
(To see more of Alvernia’s trip to
Santo Domingo, Youtube “El viaje al
barrio parte 1,” found under Chris’s
Youtube username, YoAmoElBarrio. There are 38 parts altogether.)
Features
The Working Class Student: The Story
of a Student Trying To Make Ends Meet
By, Tesia Smucker
Features Editor
Let me start this column by
saying that education is the most important thing in my life. Ever since I
can remember I have wanted to be a
college student (my secondary career
was to be a writer, but I never thought
about making money by writing).
If not a college student, I wanted to
be a ballerina while saving the dolphins. In short, education is my way
to achieve all my wildest dreams.
However, there was a glitch
in my plan. I was not willing to stiff
myself on a good education, but I was
not set up with money for college. My
parents do not pay for college, or my
car and car insurance. They help me
with books when they can but most of
the financial responsibility is on my
shoulders. As a result, I work three
jobs, and go to school full time, and
I try to have a productive social life.
I also have an anxiety disorder which
causes me to shut down when I am
overwhelmed by my responsibilities.
I started my college education
at Philadelphia University. I lasted
there for four days. While the campus
was beautiful, the people marvelously friendly, and the program exactly
what I thought I wanted (I was there
for Graphic Design), I could not stop
having panic attacks. I spent most
of my time curled into the fetal position on my bed. I lost about fifteen
pounds in four days, checked myself
into the hospital for a night, and came
home promptly after. I felt like all
of my college dreams were derailed.
How could I have the best education
when I could not even leave home?
I enrolled in Reading Area
Community College (RACC) two
weeks later as a Communications
Transfer major. I had overcome my
ignorant dislike of community colleges and decided to start there and
then transfer to one of four area
schools: Albright, Alvernia, Kutztown, or West Chester. The nice
thing about RACC was that it was
possible for me to work sixty hours
a week during the summer and then
be able to afford tuition for the whole
year out of pocket, and not work myself to death during the school term.
It was not until I decided to
go to Alvernia that it hit me again just
how much money a good education
was going to cost me. Philadelphia
University is a $30,000 a year school
and when I was going there I just
took out a loan and dealt with it, but
RACC had given me a taste of what
being debt-free was like and I rather
enjoyed it. But I knew I wanted to
go to Alvernia, and would just have
to deal with being over my head in
debt. As of this first column I have
taken out approximately $20,000 in
loans (which is actually not bad considering the cost of tuition here), and
I still have one year until I graduate.
This is where working comes
into the picture. I currently work
three jobs during the school year, two
of which I work year-round: as a cashier at Marshalls and as an assistant
to a Mary Kay sales director. I also
work at the RACC bookstore during
the beginning and end of the semester. This means that during the first
two and last two weeks of the semester I almost never do homework because I am working nearly forty hours
a week (not including weekends). I
also end up doing double shifts. This
means that I will work from 9am until I have to go to class, then go work
another shift until 10pm. By the time
I get home I am so tired from working and going to school all day that I
just end up passing out--and not doing any of the homework I need to
finish for the next day. I also get a
stress overload and end up not doing
anything because I just want to sleep.
I am currently waiting on my
W2’s from each of my jobs so I can file
my taxes and then fill out the always
lovely FAFSA. Each previous time I
have filled out the FAFSA I have not
received any financial aid, other than
Stafford Loans. This is because the
FAFSA judges my financial situation
based on my parents’ income since I
am still classified as a dependent. I
live with my parents because there is
no possible way I could afford to live
on my own without working full time
and still go to school, and my parents
make living with them pretty cool.
However, they make considerably
more money than I do (which is to be
expected) and therefore I am not eligible for governmental support. This
leaves all the rest of the expenses to
me. My parents do not pay for college. I love this, because it gives me
the freedom to take whichever classes
Working Class Student
continues on page
Sports
Iverson Deserving of All Star Start
By Scott Rodgers
Sports Editor
If I had told you that a
guard averaging 14.2 PPG and a
meager 4.3 APG in only 23 games
would be an All-Star, it may
have come with a bit of shock.
What if I also tacked on the
fact that his team is only avoiding
the cellar of its division because the
team behind them is on pace to be
worse than the 1972-73 Philadelphia
76ers (who went 9-73 on the year)?
Well, that is the reality of
the situation. Allen Iverson is an
All-Star, and these 76ers are lucky
to have the New Jersey Nets taking
the spotlight off of their poor play.
Despite all of these facts, however, I believe Iverson deserves his spot.
Does this mean that there
should be changes to the voting system (the same system that almost
put in Tracy McGrady - who has
not played more than eight minutes in his six games this year)?
If the fans wanted to trot out
the Nets to play against the Dream
Team, then that is exactly what should
be done. It is a game for the fans and
the players are chosen by popularity.
During this entire Iverson
controversy, I have watched and read
many sportscasters blast fan voting.
One of the worst suggestions to come
across was to cut fan voting down to
a lowly 25 percent, with players making up another 25 and writers making up an overwhelming 50 percent.
I know the sports media is generally smarter than your average fan,
but it is not as though they walk on water when it comes to making decisions.
The All-Star Game is just an
exhibition. It means nothing. The
game itself is generally only competitive because the teams can score at
will since no one wants to risk injury
or play defense (the last time anyone
scored below 100 points was when the
West scored 84 in the 72-73 season).
I am all for scaling back fan
voting to an extent, but I still think
they should make up the majority. Players should make up another
sizeable chunk, and writers should
decide the last one or two bench
spots, so players like Chris Bosh get
in (if you look at his numbers you
will be shocked he is not a starter).
Joe Johnson, Rajon Rondo,
and Derrick Rose are all better than
By Scott Rodgers
Sports Editor
Drew Brees. Peyton Manning.
They are arguably the two
best quarterbacks in the NFL. And
in the dream game for the NFL
(polls have shown that these two
teams were the most popular match
up), they will go head to head.
Everyone is aware of both
of these guys and what they have
done. The offenses are explosive, with skill players like Reggie Bush, Reggie Wayne, Pierre
Garcon, and Marques Colston.
However,
this
game
will
be
won
on
defense.
Brees and Manning can
carve apart defenses like a Thanksgiving turkey. Both of them
fense is. Name one player currently on that squad not named
Gary Brackett or Dwight Freeney.
Nope, not Bob Sanders, he
was put on IR early on during the season. The whole defense as a unit is one
that is generally undersized as well.
But if you watched the
game against the Ravens or even
just the AFC Championship game
against the Jets, you probably saw
that this defense is one that swarms
and is so fast to convergence on
a pass and collapse on the run.
Freeney, who is probably the
kingpin of the whole defense (13.5
sacks in just 14 games), and he is
finally healthy for the Colts in the
postseason. Double-teaming him
likely opens up Robert Mathis (9.5
Iverson. They are all having better seasons, and at this point in their
careers they are all better players.
If Gilbert Arenas had any
common sense, he would likely be the second guard behind
Dwayne Wade. However, the
length of his ban from the NBA
will not be known until next week.
But the fact of the matter is that Iverson is the man that people wanted to
see in the game. There is no argument
about voting populace either (Iverson had Philly, Rondo had Boston,
Rose had Chicago, all three are major
markets, and Atlanta is no slouch).
Truth be told, Iverson will probably receive the same treatment that
Michael Jordan did in 2002-03. He
will be allowed to play as long he
wants and take a ton of shots (Jordan took 27 shots to score 20 points).
This is likely Iverson’s final
season. He was brought back to the
team that he will forever be synonymous with and they are going nowhere.
He deserves to take center stage under the bright lights one more time
before taking his place in Springfield.
At least he does not
have to practice for this one.
Super Bowl Depends On Defense
showed that this past Sunday.
But the team that can
make stops late in the game
will be the one that wins.
Here is a test to show how
underappreciated the Colts de-
were tagged with the line “if
they only had a defense, imagine how good they could be.”
Well, they finally have one.
And though I would probably rank
it below the Colts in terms of pass
rushing (though Will Smith did have
13 sacks), they are a much more opportunistic squad and are easily
Led by Darren Sharper, whom
is seemingly always on ESPN’s highlight reel returning an interception for
a touchdown, the squad as a whole
intercepted 26 passes. Their biggest, of course, was Brett Favre’s last
pass of the season to send the NFC
Championship game to overtime.
Sharper has nine of those
picks, with three of them going for
touchdowns. Adding in two more (one
by Tracy Porter and another by Jabari
Greer), the Saints led the league in IntTDs at five and DefTDs at eight. When
this team gets a turnover, they are
looking to take it back to the endzone.
In head to head stats, the Colts
lead the Saints in points allowed per
game (19.2 to 21.3) and yards allowed per game (339.2 to 357.8). The
Saints boast the obvious edge in turnovers, and, surprisingly, sacks (35 to
34, though who knows how skewed
that is without a healthy Freeney).
Photo courtesy google.com
Both of these offenses will put
points on the board. It is likely there
sacks) and Clint Session (102 tack- will be some scores on special teams,
les on the season, last seen mak- especially with Reggie Bush returning
ing Mark Sanchez run for his life). punts. But it is going to come down
For
years,
the
Saints to which defense can make the big
Working Class Student
continued from page
I want and also gives me a sense of
accountability. If I fail a class, I am
the one paying for it and all mistakes
I make come out of my own pocket.
However, I do not have a lot of money. I have almost no savings because
I use the money I save by working to
pay for school (at least part of it), car
insurance, or any unforeseen expenses
(like parking tickets). Last semester I
almost had to drop out because I needed a loan for approximately $10,000
for the year (this is after scholarships
and federal loans). I ended up having
both of my parents co-sign so I could
get the loan and stay in school. I was
not able to get an alternative loan by
myself because I have no credit (no
credit cards, store cards, etc.). Next
year I am circumventing this problem by moving in with my father,
whose income should allow me to
get some sort of financial assistance.
I can never understand why it
is so hard to actually go to college. I
have never had a problem staying in
college, but I have had the hardest
time coming up with the funds to continue my education. This is the greatest failing of the American economic
system. In order to get a well-paying
job – in most cases – it is imperative
that one goes to college. But for some
people there is no way for them to gain
a higher education – the funds just are
not there. It is also very hard to muddle through the process of applying
for financial aid. What I hope to do
with this column is to figure that out a
little bit. You will be able to see what
I go through as a working student,
and in return, I would like to answer
any questions you have about financial aid, budgeting money, finding a
job, anything. Send them to my email
at tesia.smucker@alvernia.edu and I
will address them in my next column.
The life of a working student is stressful, and nowhere near
easy, but it is worth working hard
for something important. And I
figure, if you have to go into debt
for anything, education is worth it.
plays to put the game away at the end.
I did not include how either defense does against the run
because it is rather silly to think
that Joseph Addai or Pierre Thomas is going to win this game.
Thomas has game breaking ability, but with Bush and Mike
Bell also needing carries he is limited. Addai has to contend with
Donald Brown, but he will get his
token 70+ yards or 40 yards and a
touchdown, depending on a coin flip.
But in the end, Brees and
Manning will be the guys who will
decide this game. Everyone else
is along for the ride, and these defenses will just have to bend and not
break by the end of the fireworks.
Entertainment
Movies Promise More Romance, Less Death
By Angela Miller
Entertainment Editor
The death trend that has been
so apparent during these last few
months seems to have taken a back
seat. The trend is still there but since
it is getting close to February romantic comedies and romances are
surfacing. Most of the major movies coming out this February linger in these two particular genres,
not all of them, but some of them.
A good example to start out
with is the movie Dear John that comes
out in early February. This is a story
about two lovers, John and Savannah,
who fall in love during her spring vacation of college. John is a soldier,
and during their relationship has to go
overseas for increasingly dangerous
deployments. The two stay in touch
by sending continuous love letters
across the seas, which will inevitably
lead to fateful consequences. This romantic movie would be great to see
on Valentine’s Day, so couples can
have a sense of how lucky they really
are to have each other--and be together with no fear of losing one another.
Another interesting movie
that comes out the week of Valentine’s
Day is actually called Valentine’s Day.
The movie has some big stars includ-
ing Anne Hathaway, Jessica Biel, Julia Roberts, Bradley Cooper, Ashton
Kutcher, and Taylor Lautner. Valentine’s Day is not about one specific
story, but rather it is a combination
of stories of what people are doing
on their Valentine’s Day. There is the
comedy, but it is a highly anticipated
movie. It has received much publicity and has caught the eye of critics
and viewers alike. Audiences are getting excited to see this movie, which
means it could be on top or a major
flop. The movie is about high school
student Percy Jackson who finds out
he is actually Poseidon’s son. When
Zeus’ lightning bolt is stolen and Percy’s mother suddenly disappears, it is
up to Percy to overcome the battling
titans of Mt. Olympus, catch the real
lightning thief, and save his mother.
Another non-romantic movie to look out for is The Wolfman.
The movie follows Lawrence Talbot’s life from the tragedy of losing
his mother during his childhood to
helping his brother’s fiancée, Gwen
Conliffe, find her missing love. During this search Talbot discovers that
something with massive strength
Photo courtesy google.com
and an insatiable bloodlust has been
young
killing people in the village. As he
high school couple, the bitter women puts together the puzzle he learns
who do not have men, and a mar- of an ancient curse that turns the afried couple who all find their way flicted into werewolves during a full
through romance over the course moon. It is up to Talbot to save the
of one specific Valentine’s Day. village and the woman he has grown
Percy Jackson and the Olym- to love from the vicious creature livpians: The Lightning Thief is obvi- ing in the woods, but in the process
ously not a romance or a romantic he will learn about a beastly side of
ARIES (March 21-April 19): You have good friends, but
could use some more in your group of friends. Go out
and meet people who share different interests than you to
broaden your horizons. This will increase your interests
and let you experience different things.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Open your mind to different possibilities of looking at things. There is always more
than one way of looking at things. Let others share their
ideas and keep an open mind.
himself that he never knew about.
Photo courtesy google.com
There are many other movies
coming out that audiences can look
forward to watching, but these are the
more advertised ones to look for when
going to the theater. When movies
have a hype built up around them they
can either be a great movie or a box
office failure. Sometimes the critics
are wrong in how they judge movies.
It is really up to the audience to decide what they want to watch; after all
everyone has their own specific taste
when it comes to what is entertaining.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Surround yourself with positive
people who will enjoy your ideas. Don’t let others bring you
down - get away from the negative people in your life.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Keep it real with your close
friends. Don’t pretend to be someone who you are not. They
can tell. They like you for the person that you are, so don’t
change that.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Go out and help someone
whether that be a friend, someone in your classes, or
someone whom you may not know. This will allow you to
meet others, and let people know that you do care about
someone other than yourself.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You are definitely a
leader in all that you do but welcome the ideas of others.
They may have a different way of looking at things that can
help you. You don’t always have to use your ideas. Let others contribute.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Build a relationship with
someone that shows you really do care about them. Sometimes people just a need a friend and this is a perfect time
for them to meet someone new as well as be a friend for
someone who may not have many.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): You are the mature person
in your group of friends and are always playing the adult
role. Sometimes this can bother you, but know that the adult
role that you play is admired by all.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Let go of the little things in life
that you may be holding onto. Don’t let the little things
get the best of you. If you don’t let them go then you will
be stressing over things that you do not need to be.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Follow your dreams. Do
not let anyone tell you that you can do not anything you set
your mind to. They are your dreams and no one can tell you
that you can’t achieve them. Believe in yourself.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Although you are a good
organizer, don’t organize the lives of other people. Let
them do that themselves. Some people may live their lives
better a little disorganized. Not everyone is like you.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Do not let people walk all over
you. Stand up to people. Show them your backbone. Be the
stronger person and stand up for yourself.
Photos courtesy google.com
By Vanessa Policare
Advertising Editor