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03-06-07 (The Liberty Champion, Volume 24, Issue 16) 03-06-07 (The Liberty Champion, Volume 24, Issue 16)

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C H A M P I O N SERVING LIBERTY UNIVERSITYFOR 24 YEARS MARCH 6, 2007 VOL. 24, NO. 16 VISIT WWW.LIBERTY.EDU/CHAMPION

l a m the way,

tfie "truth and the lifer

Telling a 'secret' Opinion sheds some light on the bestselling book. A4

—

Need an internship? Liberty will be hosting a fair showcasing job options. B5

.... I.

Has the 'lost tomb' been found?

THE OSSUARY STORY — Habermas said that Joseph, Jesus and Mary were common names and

appear on many bone boxes found throughout Israel.

By Joanne Tang

NKWSI'.nlTOH

What does Jesus' tomb look like? James Cameron thinks he knows.

In a Discovery Ch a n n e I d ocu in enta ry that: aired Sunday, March 4, "Titanic" direc­tor Cameron and docu­mentary filmmaker Simcha Jacobovici took viewers on a journey through a tomb in Jerusalem, a tomb they claim is actually Jesus' tomb.

In addition, they claim that the buried bodies inside are not only the bodies of Jesus, Joseph, Mary and Mary Magdalene, but that Mary Magdalene was Jesus' wife and yet another box hosts Jesus and Mary Magadalene's son,Judah

News of the documen­tary and its claims have been describee! as being simply "controversial" to being a challenge to the foundation of the resur­rection of Christ.

Please see TOMB, page A4

Product recalls increase: Chicken is added

ByJenniThurman

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Kraft Foods' recall of Oscar Mayer chicken products has removed more then 2.8 mil­lion pounds of chicken from supermarket shelves, mak­ing it one of the largest meat and poultry recalls since 2004.

Originally announced Feb. 18, the recall initially removed more than 52,000 pounds of Oscar Mayer/Louis Rich Chicken Breast Strips-Grilled from wholesalers when bacteria was detected in a single ^ package. -

The bacteria, called "" Listeria monocytogenes, was discovered during a routine health examination at a Dawsonville, Ga. supermar­ket.

Please see RECALL, page A3

By Fernanda Rezende

Flu season hits, brings with it coughs and sniffles Steps for charity: Group from LU to be in MS walk

DOCTOR'S ORDERS JESSICA WEBER

• Get plenty of rest, take your medication and eat balanced meals.

NEWS REPORTER

Flu season has arrived in Virginia. According to the Weather Channel Web site, at least half the regions of the state have been affected by it. Because of its contagious nature, the flu has been wide­spread on Liberty campus, but practical measures can be taken to prevent it.

Dr. Richard Lane, who works at Light Medical, said the two main types of flu going around are the Influenza B and the Influenza A. "The Influenza A is different from the Avian Influenza A,"'he said. "Tell stu­dents not to worry."

The main symptoms of the flu are high fever, headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough,

sore throat, runny or stuffy nose and muscle aches. Most healthy adults may be able to infect others as early as one day before symptoms develop and up to five days after becoming sick, as stated in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site.

"The flu is airborne, so it is spread through cough­ing, sneezing, and hand-to-hand contact. Wash your hands, wash your hands and wash your hands," Lane said.

The best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vacci­nation each year. The two types of vaccines that can be taken are the flu shot and the nasal-spray flu vac­cine (or LAIV).

Good health habits are also very important. Avoid close contact with people who are sick, wash your hands often, avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth, get regular exercise and enough rest, and eat healthy, balanced meals.

Those who are sick should stay at home and cover their mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. "If you have the flu, don't cough in other people's direction," Lane said.

By Dave Allison

NEWS REPORTER

Please see FLU, page A3

Virginia passes bill apologizing for slavery By Amy Field

ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Four hundred years after slavery was first introduced in the establishment of Jamestown, Va., the Common­wealth's legislation issued an apology for the part it played in the history of slavery. Proposed on Feb. 24, the resolution's purpose was to express "pro­found regret" for the "involun­tary servitude of Africans and the exploitation of Native Americans." It emphasized a need for unity of the citizens of Virginia in order to eradicate racism. The resolution is one of the most recent steps taken in the fight against racism.

Richmond's first African-American mayor, Sen. Henry L. Marsh III, (D-Richmond) and Delegate A. Donald McEachin III (D-Henrico) sponsored the identical resolu­tions SJ 332 and HJ 728 in early February.

Their premise was to recog­nize "the contributions of Native Americans and African Americans to the Common­wealth and this nation." The proposal passed unanimously in the House, 96 to o, as well as in the Senate.

Lila Tuck, a former Libeity student, was in favor of the passing of the bill and the acknowledgement of any wrongdoings.

"I think people whose ancestors were affected by slavery will appreciate it," she said. "At least with this bill, someone is stepping up to the plate and saying (slav­ery) was a bad idea." Tuck said it was going in the right direction in the movement against racism.

Professor Kenny Rowlette, Co-Director of The Liberty University Civil War Institute, commented as well.

"We have already apolo­gized to the Japanese who were interned during World War II," he said.

Please see SLAVERY, page A3

>

liK.uMiir m CALEB ATKJNS

According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 400,000 Americans suffer from multiple sclerosis, a debilitating disease of the central nervous system.

Multiple sclerosis' symp­toms can include muscular weakness, depression, diffi­culties with coordination and speech, severe fatigue, visual problems, short term memo­ry loss, problems with bal­ance, overheating and pain. Iin the most severe cases it can impair mobility or cause disability.

In an effort to help com­bat, and possibly find the cure for MS, the National MS Society sponsors community walks where anybody from the community can walk to raise money for MS research.

Liberty has a team for faculty, staff and students headed up by Cynthia Guevara, a records clerk at Liberty's registrar's office.

Please see MS, page A3

Page A2, THE LIBERTY CI IAMPION MARCH 6, 2007

ASKEW You may or may not have read my

opinion article last week" about citizens being misled by scientists when it comes to the issue of global warming.

But you really didn't need to read it to appreciate the follow­ing list of the next greatest threats to our world — threats that will soon magically arise when the global warming hoax is at an end.

An unexpected surge in the panda popula t ion . Due to climactic leveling and temperature normali­ties the panda popula­tion along the Huan He and Yangtze rivers will virtually explode.

The increase of the population will have devastating effects on the rice pad­dies, virtually starving the lower class of "The Big Red" country and beginning economic declines that will rival those of America's Great Depression. This decline will force Americans to buy their cheap plastic junk from smaller.coun­tries like Sri Lanka.

Dinosaur Cloning. Yes, this has been addressed with thousands of movies like Jurassic Park, but when the Chinese government begins searching desperately for a way to control the panda population, where do you think they will turn?

That's right — what better way to hunt down the furry beasts than hunters of a prehistoric age?

Imagine the collective Japanese sur­prise when they see Godzilla actually ris­ing out of the East Sea, panda bones evi­dent in his teeth.

The second rising of the Mongol Horde . With the devastation in

"But you really

didn't need to read

(my article last

week) to appreciate

the following list of

the next greatest

threats to our

world."

Mongolia's neighboring country of China, it is only reasonable to believe that Mongolia will relive what was once the greatest conquest of the Eastern

world. With the fossil fuel

epidemic at its peak, China's already fum­bling military power will go unfueled and the Mongol horsemen will be able to run cir­cles around the crip­pled mechanized caval­ry of China.

Then, with the money earned by selling Chinese arms to Arab nations and panda armies, they will sweep across post-Soviet Russia like a Swiffer mop on a cheap

linoleum floor, which will put them within striking distance of our European allies.

Elian Gonzalez's rise to power. After Janet Reno sent Elian back to Cuba, despite the effort it took him to get from Cuba to Florida, one might imagine that he would be a little upset when he notices how many Mexican illegals we have allowed to stay in our country.

The Cuban missile crisis, complete with arms from the once powerful nation of China, will be renewed as the attempt­ed defector turns powerful dictator.

Some of the signs of these coming events the wary can watch for — ruby red grapefruit will begin to develop a pinkish hue, female pop stars will start shaving their heads for no specific reason, recalls of grocery items will abound, and huge monograms will begin appearing on the sides of mountains.

Contact Will Mayer at swmayer@lib-erty.edu.

RACIIEI. KONRAD

MORE FUN IN THE SUN — Pups and owners alike may get a new place to play In the future as Lynchburg expands.

Lynchburg proposes 24-acre park By Jenni Thurman

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

A new park will adorn one of Lynchburg's most prominent industrial centers within the next two years, offering canoeing, fishing and endless nature trails to city residents.

The park will be developed on 24 acres in the Lynchpin Industrial Center, which is off Lakeside Drive in the western region of the city.

A seven-acre lake will provide public fish­ing and canoeing, and a nearby two-story cabin will play home to a Nature Zone, which will act as an educational animal exhibit for children.

The Nature Zone and an arboretum will teach citizens about plants and animals native to Virginia, said Kay Frazier, Lynchburg's director of parks and recre­ations.

"The arboretum would serve to educate cit­izens about native plants and highlight plants that can be used in the landscape to attract wildlife," she said.

"We will also be able to offer programs on landscaping and backyard habitats."

Many of the programs currently hosted by Lynchburg's park and recreation curriculum such as nature camps, school activities and badge programs for the Boy Scouts will be hosted at the new park.

"There are also opportunities for environ­mental interpretation of habitat and the Blackwater Creek watershed," said Frazier.

"We hope to also highlight best manage­ment practices for storm water management and green building."

Fully developing the park will take up to a decade, but the city will start building roads and parking lots, clearing nature trails and renovating the cabin that will house the Nature Zone.

"We hope to begin development in the next 8 to 12 months," said Frazier.

"The first phase includes repairing the dam, construction of the road and parking lot, construction of a trail around the lake and beginning renovation of the cabin."

Completion of the park is dependent on available funding, according to Frazier.

Eventually, the park's trails could connect to Ivy Creek and stretch north to Peaks View Park.

Currently, Lynchburg has over a dozen parks that span 850 acres in the city, the largest being the 300-acre Blackwater Creek Natural Area,

According to the News & Advance, city offi­cials have raised $700,000 for the park con­struction.

However, they are still searching for fur­ther fund raising methods.

The Lynchburg City Council will contem­plate putting an additional $200,000 towards the park budget in the next budget session.

Contact Jenni Thurman atjthurman@lib-erty.edu.

Coyote and wild dog attacks raise community awareness By Dave Thompson

NEWS REPORTER

The Lynchburg News & Advance recently reported a story regarding a suspected coyote attack near Old Graves Mill Road in Lynchburg.

Coyotes have been living in Virginia for fewer than 50 years, according to the Virginia Farm Bureau, and they usually inhabit the hilly regions, which are less pop­ulated than the larger, coastal cities. Kelly Mitchell said she noticed coyotes in her neighborhood prior to finding her 50-pound Doberman dead near the train tracks behind her house.

Her, neighbor, Susan Mitchell, who has lived in the neighborhood for 31 years, claimed that she saw a coyote kill her cat. Mitchell was quoted in the News & Advance as saying, "It's only been a problem in the past year."

What haven't only been a problem in the last year are wild dog attacks. Lynchburg's historic "Old City Cemetery" seems to be a popular location for wild dogs, due to the goats and sheep penned there.

Orv T>cV». Q 3 , tVie "Mews &t A.<lv&xvce v c p o l - l c d

an incident that involved possibly four dogs. Of the four goats kept in the cemetery,

three were killed. Two sheep were also killed in the attack. No partic­ular species of dog is _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ associated with the wild dog attacks in the cemetery.

The one dog that was

more bunnies and a loV more stray cats.,.. We have nothing like that now."

Coyotes, depending on the species, can weigh anywhere from 30 to 60 pounds and

look similar _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to a German

S h e p h e r d mix, which may lead to c o n f u s i o n

"There have been some (coyotes)

killed by a warden was seen in the Liberty Village area... if about their a brown pit bull, and another was identified only as a "black dog."

Rebecca Baez, a Forest resident whose husband teaches at Liberty's School of Law, is acutely aware of the danger coyotes present, especially fur­ther out in the country where she lives.

"I haven't seen them, (but) I've heard them. They are in our woods," she said.

"(When we first moved here) we had a lot

a student sees any type of danger­

ous animal, they need to call LUPD

and not approach or try to catch

the animal."

Police chief Randall Smith, LUPD

S 1 T H 1 I B E R T Y 1971 UNIVERSITY BLVD.

_ H AMP IO N "^S&r6

Faculty Adviser Deborah Huff Ad Director Sue Matthews

Editor in Chief Kari Mitchell

Managing Editor Matthew Hegarty

SECTION EDITORS

News Joanne Tang Asst. News Amy Field

Opinion Hilary Dyer

Life! Marcelo Quarantotto Sports Matthew Baer

Asst. Sports Jared Pierce

PHOTOGRAPHY & DESIGN

Editor Alex Towers

Asst. Photo Editor Jessica Weber

Asst. Design Editor Caleb Atkins

Distr. Manager Stephen Nelson

Web Manager Joanne Tang

Ad Manager Victoria Friedrich

Policies The Champion encourages communi­

ty members to submit letters to the edi­tor on any subject. Letters should not exceed 400 words and must be typed and signed. The deadline is 6 p.m. Monday.

Letters and columns that appear are the opinion of the author solely, not the Champion editorial board or Liberty University.

All material submitted becomes prop­

erty of the Champion- The Champion reserves the right to accept, reject or edit any letter received — according to the Champion stylebook, taste and the Liberty University mission statement. Send letters to: Liberty Champion,

Liberty University, Box 2000, Lynchburg, VA 24506 or drop off in DeMoss Hall 1035.

The ChamptOO >s available online at: www.liberty.edu/champion.

identity. Coyotes are

g e n e r a l l y intimidated by humans, but in some cases they b e c o m e familiarized and are likely to be more aggressive.

They rarely attack humans, and according to several sources, the last human death from a coyote attack was in 1983. The only documented attack by a coyote on a human in Virginia came in 2003, and was reported on www.WRIC.com, Richmond's News Channel 8 Web site.

A rabid coyote attacked a man while he was mowing his lawn and struggled with him for about 20 minutes.

WRIC referred to it as "the first attack of its kind ever in Virginia."

The biggest danger that wild animals pose is to children. Mrs. Baez, who has three chil­dren, said, "I am not letting the children go out any time after dusk (and) I am making sure that, if I am going out... I turn on a lot of extra lights."

The News & Advance quoted cemetery director Jane White as saying, "Children playing anywhere (near the wild dogs), squealing or running, are really in danger."

LUPD Chief Randall Smith, who has been in the area for 15 years, said that there have been no reported coyote encroachments on Liberty property.

However, he did say that "there have been some seen in the Liberty Village area....If a student sees any type of dangerous animal, they need to call LUPD and not approach or try to catch the animal."

Some counties in the area offer a bounty on live coyotes. Campbell County gives $50 for every coyote turned in. Most authorities agree on these general safety guidelines —

1) Do not feed wild animals; 2) Do not leave pet food or trash in easily

accessible areas; 3) Keep unattended children away from

areas where suspicious animals have been sighted;

4) If you have an unfenced yard, keep small pets inside at night;

5) If you see a coyote or a wild dog, contact local animal control authorities.

Contact Dave Thompson at dbthomp-son@liberty.edu.

EMBARRASSED BY ACNE? Don't hide because of your acne.

If you are 12 years of age or older and have acne, you may be able to participate in a clinical trial testing an investigational gel medication.

Qualified participants will receive at no cost: • Skin evaluations by a certified physician • An investigational gel medication for 12 weeks • Reimbursement for time and travel

To qualify you should: • Have acne on the face • Be 12 years of age or older • Be in good general health

Please call (434) 847-5695 for additional information.

EDUCATION RESEARCH I 0 U N D A T J 0 -_W1_UUr_i diukut tnul H

& I N _

2602 Langhorne Road, Lynchburg, VA 24502 (across for EC Glass HS)

(434) 847-5695

MARCH 6, 2007 THE LIBERTY CHAMPION, Page A3

RECALL: Listeria bacteria found in Kraft products Continued from page 1

The contaminated chick­en came from Carolina Culinary Foods in West Columbia, S.C., a Kraft manufacturer.

According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Georgia Department of Agriculture scientists tested a sample of the meat and found that it was positive for the bac­teria.

As a precaution, the recall was expanded to all chicken products that were manufactured at the same plant, said Kraft's Elizabeth Warner in a statement.

"We run a safe plant -and we'll do whatever it takes to keep it safe," said Carolina Culinary Foods.

Originally, the recall only applied to ready-to-eat chicken strips with a "use by" date of April 19.

The recall now includes all 6-ounce and 12-ounce packages of Oscar Mayer/ Louis Rich Chicken Breast Strips and Cuts with a "use by" date of May 28, 2007, or earlier.

The packaging displays the number "P-19676" inside the U.S. Department of Agriculture mark of inspection.

"We have a goal of always being able to assure con­sumers of the safety of our products, and we regret not having met that high stan­dard in this case," said a statement from Carolina Culinary Foods.

Listeria can cause a dis­ease called listeriosis, which can be fatal to infants, senior citizens and individuals with weak immune systems.

At press time, there had been no reports of illness due to the contaminated chicken.

As a result of the chicken debacle, the USDA announced on a new inspec­tion plan on Feb. 22 that will target facilities responsible for manufactur­ing foods prone to bacterial and viral infections.

Richard Raymond, the USDA's undersecretary for food safety, told USA Today that plants producing foods such as ground chicken and beef, which can have high rates of organisms like E. coli Ol57:H7 and salmonella, will be more intensively inspected.

The new system will begin inspecting 254 plants in April and will expand to 1,300 locations by the end of the year.

By 2008, all of the 5,300 plants in the U.S. will be monitored under the sys­tem.

The Consumer Feder­ation of America released a statement slamming the USDA's new system, claim­ing it was not based in sci­entific fact.

"In their zeal to save a few dollars in future years, the Bush administration is subjecting Americans to an increased risk of illness and death from food poi­

soning," said the state­ment.

Raymond also told USA Today that the new system would not expand to other plants at the end of the year if it were found to be ineffective.

The chicken recall was the fourth U.S. food scare in a week, with peanut but­ter, cantaloupe and organic baby food blazing the trail for Kraft Foods.

Peanut butter manufac­tured at a ConAgra plant in Sylvester, Ga., was found to be contaminated with salmonella.

More than 300 people in 39 states became ill after ingesting the infected peanut better.

Castle Produce of Los Angeles recalled more than 2,500 cartons of can­taloupe when several of the melons tested positive for salmonella.

The cantaloupes had been shipped from Costa Rica and were slated to be sold to retailers on the West Coast.

Jars of Earth's Best organic baby food, manu­factured by Hain Celestial Group, were recalled after the Food and Drug Administration discovered traces of Clostridium botu-linum, a bacteria that can cause botulism.

There are currently no reports of illness in rela­tion to the organic baby food or cantaloupes.

Contact Jenni Thurman at jthurman@liberty.edu.

JESSICA WKRKR

GESUNDHEIT! — Wash your hands after blowing your nose or touching your face to prevent spreading disease.

FLU: Keep the germs away by staying clean, hydrated Continued from page 1

There are tests you can take that can determine if you have the flu, as long you are tested within the first two or three days of illness.

Because antiviral treatment must be started within two days of sickness, it is important to seek medical care as soon as you get flu-like symptoms.

If you get the flu, drink lots of liquids and get plen­ty of rest.

Lane recommended that students take over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol® and Advil® to relieve flu symptoms.

"But do not take.aspirin. It can cause Reye syn­drome," he said.

He also said that this sea­son's flu has been respond­ing to antiviral Tamiflu®. Anti-viral medications must be prescribed by a doctor.

The duration of the flu season in the United States

is usually from November to April. According to an article from newsad-vance.com, the widespread flu activity in Virginia this year has happened three or four weeks later than last year's flu sea­son.

Contact Fernanda Rezende at fprezen-de@liberty.edu.

Strategies to get well soon if you end up with the flu 1. Drink plenty of fluids such as Gatorade, water, ginger ale and Sprite.

2. Take Tylenol or ibuprophen to reduce fever and aches.

3. Robitussin Cough, Cold, and Flu are good

liquid medication options if you do not swallow pills.

4. Coricidin is made without decongestants and can be used if you have high blood pres­sure.

- By Lydia Cristoph

SLAVERY: Va. first state to issue apology MS: '...You can Continued from page!

"I think (this bill is) the right thing to do under any circumstances," Rowlette said.

Because of his involvement in battle reenactments, Rowlette knows many people who are apart of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War and the Sons of Confederate Veterans organiza­tions.

"No one that I know personally in these organizations has said that slav­ery was a good idea," said Rowlette.

Virginia has had a history full of race-related issues. The first African slaves arrived in the New World in 1619, begin­ning the first slave market in Jamestown. The state at one time had one of the largest communities of slaves in the country, according to a report by the Washington Post.

As the years continued, Virginia's main agricultural product, tobacco, required a large amount of intense manual labor. While the production oftobacco kept the Virginian economy running, slavery soon

became the crutch of the tobacco indus­try.

Soon the Deep South's cotton sur­passed Virginia's tobacco as the demand­ed product of the South and the com­monwealth turned to mainly exporting slaves in order to maintain its economy. According to the Virginia Historical Society, the slave-trading business in Richmond "was second only to New Orleans."

Other research by the VHS found that a minimum of 300,000 slaves passed through the capital of Virginia from around 1830 to the Civil War's end.

Owning slaves was outlawed in the late 1800s, after the War Between the States.

Despite the great lengths taken by many individuals to completely eradicate the effects of slavery, racism simply mor-phed into different forms.

The Ku Klux Klan and the 1924 Racial Integrity Act both served to limit African-Americans and label them as less than human.

Segregation between races controlled schools and drinking fountains.

Throughout the first half of the 20th century, it was not uncommon to find three separate bathrooms with the signs "Women," "Men" and "Colored," for any person who was not Caucasian. A turn­ing point in Virginia's racial relations came when President Harry S. Truman desegregated the military in 1949.

This was followed in 1954 with Brown v. Board of Education. The Supreme Court ruled that no schools segregated by law would be allowed to operate. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 brought the sep­arate restrooms, drinking fountains, doors, schools and restaurants to an end. This kind of progress in racial relations is the effect Marsh and McEachin's intend­ed their bill to render.

"Anything we can do to draw us closer together as a nation is something we need to do," said Rowlette.

"We can honor Robert E. Lee and honor all of the soldiers and honor Abraham Lincoln."

Contact Amy Field at afield@liber-ty.edu.

make a difference' Continued from page 1

"I see people who have a hard time, and there's not a lot you can do, but when you get people together a lot of times you can make a difference," she said.

MS has no cure, and people diagnosed with MS can suffer from MS attacks where any num­ber of nervous system func­tions can go awry.

The money raised also contributes to the develop­ment of new treatments to

jffS

ease the suffering of those diagnosed with MS.

The funds contribute to the development of new treatments to ease the suf­fering of those diagnosed with MS.

The Blue Ridge Chapter of the National MS Society will be spon­soring the walk on Satur­day, March 3 at 10 a.m. at R i v e r m o n t Park by his-

downtown Lynch-

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tone burg.

Guevara also commented on why organizing events such as this are worthwhile.

"Even if it's not a lot financially, the mental sup­port of actually wanting to help helps people," she said.

Guevara believes that support from a Christian institution should be easy to cultivate, but with the hustle and bustle of college life, it can be hard to get involved.

"If you're going to walk you have to register online at www.national-mssoci-ety.org, but if you just want to make a donation, you just make a check out to MS Society and I can deliver it to them and give you a receipt for taxes," she said.

"I think it's a good thing, but it's a good cause. If more people would step out and say, here's a dollar or here's five dollars, it adds up, it's not (our goal of) $5,000, but it sure helps."

To join the Liberty team, to make a donation, or for any information about the MS walk, contact Guevara at mcguevara@liberty.edu.

Contact Dave Allison at dallis0n2@liberty.edu.

Page A4.THU LIBERTY CHAMPION MARCH fi, 2007

OPINION "If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth, only soft soap and

wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair." — c.s. Lewis

Telling "The Secret" The truth and the lies behind the best-seller

"The Secret," by Rhonda Byrne, is currently num­ber one on the Wall-Street Journal best-sellers list. A conversation I had with someone who had read the book sparked my interest. When I went to a local bookstore to look over a copy, it was completely sold out. After finding out h i l a r y d V G r that "The Secret" was also in film format and was being presented at a church in Lynchburg, I decided to attend the viewing and see what principles were behind it. According to its Web site, the unveiling of "The Secret" is supposed to usher in a "new era for human kind."

The film explains "The Secret" and proceeds to explain how to apply its philosophies to your individual life. The film consists primarily of commentary by experts on "The Secret" such as Jack Canfield, the author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, and Rev. Michael Beckwith, a spiritual instructor on the practice of "New Thought-Ancient Wisdom."

After viewing the film, I came to the conclusion that while there were elements of truth presented in "The Secret," there was also a lot of unfounded humanistic ideology.

Jesus said that He is the truth (John 14:6). Therefore, wherever we find truth, it makes sense that we should be able to find its root in the Scriptures. In the film, viewers are instructed to practice the process of asking, believing, and receiving. If it sounds familiar, it should. In Matthew 7:7 (NIV), Jesus says, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." In John 15:7, Jesus repeats the concept, with further instruction—"If you remain in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you."

However, propagators of "The Secret" have twisted the truth. Instead of asking God, you put an order in with the universe. "Declare what you would like from the catalog of the universe," said Canfield. According to the film, if you are continually declaring what you desire, that thought will reverberate through the uni­verse. Based on the energy transmitted by the thought and by the law of attraction, eventually these things will be attracted to you. "The law of attraction is you gener­ating the feeling of having it now and keeping that feel­ing in order to attract it," said Canfield. In the film, a woman is shown looking longingly at a necklace in a store window. In the next scene, she is shown receiving the necklace. In another scene, a young boy has picked

a bike out of a catalog and a few days later, the bike is sitting outside his door.

This whole principle of putting in an order with the universe reminded me of a similar ideology asserted by many evangelicals today — the "name it and claim it" movement along with other versions of the "prosperity gospel." Although this movement uses Christian termi­nology, it also promotes the concepts of health and wealth. Such beliefs are completely unfounded in the Christian faith. Rather, the Scriptures are full of pas­sages that admonish those undergoing hardship.

Byrne refers to the law of attraction as the most pow­erful law in the universe. To begin with, an author mak­ing a statement of such scientific magnitude so flip­pantly is both unprofessional and irresponsible. While Byrne and the others advocate the role of the law of attraction in relation to energy in the universe, they neglect to properly address the laws concerning energy — the first and second laws of thermodynamics.

"Jesus said that He is the truth. Therefore, wherever we find truth, it makes sense that we should be

able to find its root in the Scriptures."

The first, the law of conservation — states that energy cannot be created or destroyed — only transformed from one form to another. The only mention of this law is made briefly when referring to spirituality. In the film it's said that the way most physicists define energy and the way theologians define God is one and the same.

The second — the law of entropy — states that every time energy changes into a new form, some kind of waste and loss of energy occurs and thus the universe is always moving towards disorder and running out of energy (the biblical foundation for this law is found in Psalm 102:25, 26).

This law, which declares that there is constant loss of energy and a continual movement toward disorder in the universe, seems to contradict the statement that "you can create your own universe," which was repeat­ed throughout the film. The statement is also a direct contradiction of Jeremiah 10:23 — "I know, 0 Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps (NIV)."

«

According to the film, if God is defined as energy and humans are created in the image of God, humans are also constructed of a "field of energy." And as with God, the energy of humans can be used to create.

"The Secret" also twists the Christian belief that man was created in the image of God. According to the film, if God is defined as energy and humans are created in the image of God, humans are also constructed of a "field of energy." And as with God, the energy of humans can be used to create. "You are God manifest­ed in human form...you were created in the image of the thing that created — so you too have the power to cre­ate things that are good — you have the power to do that," said Beckwith.

There are other major problems with the philosophy found in "The Secret." For instance — pain. Consider all the tragedies and injustices that have been done to the innocent and the good throughout history. In the film, Canfield's response is "so what?" He states that 85 per­cent of the population is a victim in one sense or anoth­er. "You are the designer of your destiny, the outcome is whatever you choose," said Canfield. The statement also conveys the complete disregard for the presence of evil in the world by "The Secret."

What about the victims of the Holocaust or the young girls in Uganda still being kept as sex-slaves? If the law of attraction as dictated in "The Secret" were applied, then the Jews attracted the genocide to themselves, and those enslaved also deserve that destiny.

"The Secret" advocates that humans who are caught in less than desirable circumstances ought to adopt an attitude of gratitude in order to contest the bad energy they are attracting and replace it with good. This is ano the r pr inciple that is rooted in Christ ian helief. I Cor. 5:16-18 (NIV) says, "Be joyful always; pray contin­ually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for your life." The following verses (I Cor. 5:21-22) command believers to "test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil."

As some members of our society embrace and pro­mote the philosophies of "The Secret," I advise you to also take that passage to heart. "Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil."

If all truth is God's truth, then the facets of truth found in "The Secret" — when returned to their Scriptural root — can and should be embraced. But the evil depicted in "The Secret" — humans creating their own universe and dictating their destiny, and God as a passive mass of energy — must be denied and put aside.

Contact Hilary Dyer at luulyer@liberty.edu.

I am the way,

tfie Irxttfi e Life:

1111 ittl DVKK

SPEAK UP:

Nothing, self educating."

-A.J. Chan, Jr. Lynchburg, Va.

"Spending my last full week off at home before I start out in the working world."

—Iauren Moesker, Si\ Chatham, Ontario

"Playing in the snow because it is too warm in Virginia."

-Curtis Handy, Sr. Huntsville, Ontario

"Exploring and hanging out in England and Ireland."

—Sean Shaw, Jr. Destin, Fla.

"I'm looking forward to seeing my boyfriend again!"

—Danielle Cross, So. Peterborough, Ontario

"Spending time with my wonderful family in Atlanta, Ga."

1 .amen Boyd, Sr. Atlanta

CAI.HU ATKINS

M A R C H 6, 2007 T H E LIBERTY C H A M P I O N , Page A5

COMMENTARY Personal growth at the college level

The spring semester is nearly half gone. How are those New Year's resolutions coming along? Broken them all yet? Setting goals for yourself can sometimes be a difficult task. But it's even harder to actual­ly meet and surpass the goals you've set.

stephennelson Each January 1, it feels good to say "This year I will

lose weight," or "This year I will run a mile every day," or even "This year I will read a book." It's college—we should all be reading books. Making goals to eat healthy and stay in shape are great, but how many said, "This year I will grow spiritually, put others first or get involved?" It's-hard to go to college and simultaneously focus on personal growth. Trust me, I'm learning this firsthand.

In Relevant's most recent issue, Mark Batterson com­pares setting high goals to 2 Samuel 23:20. "It tells the story of Benaiah, who chased a lion down into a pit," said Batterson, "Then despite the snow and slippery ground, he caught the lion and killed it." Batterson went on to say that

we have a choice—we can either run away from challenges or face them head on. It's an interesting analogy, compar­ing life to a bloodthirsty lion. It's a good analogy, and I can't think of a more fitting one.

College is a pivotal time in any person's life. It's hard to believe it only lasts, on average, four years. We've been given these opportunities and chances—isn't time we take them? I look back on my freshman and sophomore years, and I remember how easy it was to be lazy.

"We can run for shelter and con­tinue to tread down the worn

path of laziness—or we can turn and face the lion."

Classes aren't the most difficult at those early levels, so it wasn't ordinary to go back to the dorms after a day of class­es and get sucked into a movie marathon complete with an endless bowl of popcorn. After a routine trip to the dining hall, more lethargy often followed. I look back on these

days with a pang of regret, wishing I had done something constructive and grown because of it.

Getting involved really is not hard. There are countless opportunities for a college student at Liberty University to get involved somewhere on campus or off. Bulletin boards placed on nearly every hall on campus have flyers for events, volunteer activities and student activities. Liberty's splash page is a great source for students looking to get involved. CampusSERVE meets Saturday mornings to make an impact on the community by reaching out to those in need. Commuter students can become part of a com­muter care small group by simply contacting the Campus Pastor's Office. But students aren't limited to campus-sponsored activities. Countless churches in the Lynchburg area have small groups and ministries to participate in.

Life is a mighty lion, constantly rearing its head in our face. We, as the next generation have choices to make. We can run for shelter and continue to tread down the worn path of laziness—or we can turn and face the lion. The life experiences that occur during our college career will shape our character. Chase the lion and don't stop.

Contact Stephen Nelson at sanelson@liberty.edu.

Embryonic stem cell debate continues Embryonic stem cell research has been a highly debated topic since scien­tists discovered the dividing cells in the late 1960s. On Jan. 12, 2007, the Cures Can Be Found Act was intro­duced in the House of Representatives.

The act would allow tax­payers who funds or the umbilical cords themselves for stem cell research or store stem cells for research purposes to receive credit on their income taxes. A bill to "expand the number of embryonic stem cell lines available for research" has The Stem Cell Research Act has already passed in the House and was introduced in the Senate on Jan. 23,2007. According to the bill, federal funding of stem cell research would be allowed, as long embryos are not destroyed in the process.

In an article published on www.LifeIssues.net, Dr. Dianne Irving states, "The three primary goals usually cited for pursuing this research are: the gaining of important sci­entific knowledge about embryonic stem cell development and its application to related fields; curing debilitating dis­eases...and screening drugs for pharmaceutical companies, instead of having to rely on animal models."

Whether or not the benefits of research outweigh the questionable morality of the science continues to ignite heated differences of opinion. Although the research has potential, its morality is not debatable.

Some may consider this a fundamentalist view conceived within the boundaries of a strictly conservative paradigm. At the same time, they must be consider that the virtue of upholding a sense of morality may contribute more to the nation's population than any form of scientific research possibly could.

When does life begin? This is the question from which most debate springs. Regardless of faith and religious beliefs, science alone gives some insight into the answer. As soon as the sperm and egg conjoin, the zygote immedi­ately establishes its own individual DNA and 46 chromo­somes.

if this is, what makes each of us human, what sets us apart from the embryos being used for this research? Does the fact we have survived birth give us any more value?

According to the U.S. Senate's Web site, a bill passed by a 63 to 37 vote on July 18, 2006 that would "amend the Public Health Service Act to provide for embryonic stem cell research." President Bush, who is openly against the procedure, vetoed the bill.

According to CNN.com, Bush was concerned not only with the destruction of human life but also with expanding federal support with taxpayer dollars.

The Hyde Amendment, as mentioned on the Family Research Council Web site, was established in 1977 as a means to greatly decrease federal funding of abortion. Perhaps such amendments are needed in order restrict the use of tax dollars for embryonic stem cell research.

Embryonic stem cell research may also serve as a justifi­cation for abortion and thus increase the amount of abor­tions had by women. A mother torn over whether or not to abort her child may find it less emotionally horrific to abort the baby if she believes that by doing so she may contribute to society.

While some people promote embryonic stem cell research, society still seems to have trouble establishing when life begins.

For example, in the murder case of Lacey Peterson, Scott Peterson was charged with two counts of murder, his wife and the unborn child she was carrying, instead of one.

Because the Peterson baby was wanted, and Lacey did not ask Scott to kill the baby, the embryo was considered to be a person, not a mere mass of cells.

Despite conflicting views on the issue, it is important that individuals thoroughly scrutinize the topic. Society must come to the understanding that not everything is a grey issue. Some things in this world are black and white, although our society has a hard time recognizing this.

When it comes to embryonic stem cell research, it would be easy to say that every individual must draw his or her own conclusion. Unfortunately, due to abortion, a number of people were not given the chance at life that may have allowed them to impact the way the world views this impor­tant topic.

Contact Claire Melsi at cvmelsi@liberty.edu.

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Three young girls testified before the United Nations last week to raise awareness about the abuse of women world­wide, according to the Associated Press. One Nepalese girl worked in a match factory and another was a sex-slave in the Congo. A Jordanian girl told of the violence against girls in

the rural areas of her country. The girls were accompanied by over 200 of their peers, which convened by invitation of the U.N. Commission on the Status of Women. The testimonies focused on a desire for education and the need to end poor child working conditions as well as the cruel slavery trade.

• Five British citizens and 13 of their drivers and transla­tors were kidnapped while touring Ethiopia on Thursday, March 1, according to the BBC News Web site. Members of the group were staff of the British embassy in Ethiopia. Initial blame was put on Eritrea, who shares a border with Ethiopia. The two nations have been disputing over the bor­der for some time. According to an Ethiopian official, the tourists' camp was raided and their three vehicles were set on fire in the early morning hours. Eritrea is denying any responsibility in the kidnapping.

Anti-Christian militants began an attack against a Bible college in eastern India on Feb. 28, according to the Gospel for Asia'Web site. One student is in critical condition, while six others were severely injured. The attackers, identified as members of the youth branch of a Hindu extremist group, have disconnected the college's electricity and also damaged the roofs of campus buildings. GFA President K.P. Yohannan said, "The magnitude of this attack is unlike anything we have ever seen."

• The Virginia legislature has passed a bill that would make the HPV vaccine mandatory for girls entering the second grade, according to the Associated Press. On March 2, 2007, Virginia Gov. Timothy Kaine issued a statement saying that he would sign the legislation into law.

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Page A6, THK LIBERTY CHAMPION MARCH 6, 2007

TOMB: 'Lost Tomb of Jesus' disputed by many scholars

JESSICA WEBER

IT DOESN'T ADD UP — Habermas said that another ossuary with the name

Matthew on it does not support the producers' daims because Matthew was a

disdple, not a family member and would not have been buried in the tomb.

Continued from page 1

But do any of these claims actually hold water? The consen­sus from many leading scholars is no.During convocation on Friday, March 2, Dr. Gary Habermas, research professor of apologetics and philosophy and the chairman of the depart­ment of philosophy and theology, spoke to a packed Vines Center to not only dispute "The Lost Tomb of Jesus" but also to offer various reasons why the claim does not hold up.

The tomb itself, according to an article published in the Washington Post, was found in the 1980s and that archaeolo­gists have known about the discovery for years. Dr. Amos Kloner, an Israeli archaeol6gist who did the original excavation of the tomb, said the claims were "nonsense."

One of the first reasons is that the name Joseph was the sec­ond most common name for a male at that time. Habermas said the name appears on 45 ossuaries, or "bone boxes," which are small boxes in which the bones of a decomposed corpse are placed.

He said most bone boxes are actually unnamed. The name Jesus appears in 22 boxes found in tombs, he said.

"Any family size of six will include Jesus and Joseph," he said. As for the claim that the Mary in the tomb is Jesus' mother,

Habermas said that "25 percent of Jewish women were named Mary" and "48 percent of women are Mary if you bring in the names close to Mary."

Habermas pointed out a fallacy — the claim that DNA found

inside the tomb suggests that the Jesus and Mary Magdalene in the Talpiyot tomb were married because the DNA proved they were not lelatives.

"DoesDNA help? No," Habermas said. "Even if you have the DNA of Jesus, we don't know which (Jesus), but you certainly can't say it was Jesus of Nazareth."

Habermas said that the assumption that Jesus and Mary were married is false.

In addition, he made the point that just because DNA proves two individuals were not related does not mean they were mar­ried.

"The tomb is an extended family tomb," he said. "Mary could have been an adopted child, or a loved slave, (or she) could have been an uncle's wife from two generations back."

The third most prolific claim in the documentary is that a statistician found a 600 to one chance that the tomb was not Jesus' tomb.

The problem, Habermas said, was that to get a close connec­tion, one has to compare the very common names in the crypt to the names in the Bible.

Habermas said that in order to successfully use statistics to come to any significant conclusion, one would require "one Jesus, one Joseph, Mary as the mother but we don't know (that), Matthew is in the tomb but he was a disciple and this is a family tomb," he said.

"I would not have a problem with Jesus being married, if he were. I wouldn't. If he had a kid, I wouldn't have a problem. Not

one source says he was mar­ried or had a child," Habermas said, adding that he did not like "revisionist history."

"There's someone in 2007 saying, 'I have a feeling he was married,'" he said.

In addition to those three claims, Habermas offered other reasons and facts, some of which have not been report­ed by the media.

He added that "early Christians never called Jesus 'son of Joseph,' but the ossuary said 'son of Joseph. If you believed in the Virgin Birth you would not call him 'son of Joseph.'"

One of the biggest claims against the Talpiyot tomb being the biblical Jesus' tomb is that Jesus was born in Bethlehem and was called Jesus of Nazareth.

Habermas said this claim begs the question of why the tomb is located in Jerusalem, especially since it is a family tomb and there is no reason why an entire family would be buried in a place they are not from.

There are still yet other claims by skeptics that are rocking the religious commu­nity. One of the most rampant is the idea of a tenth ossuary that is labeled "James" and is missing from the tomb. Habermas said that the "latest research shows it is not lost, but is reported as having no name and that the measure­ments of the ossuary are not the same as the ones in the tomb."

So where is the Christian community when it comes to this documentary?

One of the biggest issues seems to be the two men behind the scenes.

"The main producers of the Discovery special are movie producers. Movies and history rarely mix (accurately)," said Habermas.

Does this documentary chal­lenge the Resurrection? The documentary's official Web site said, "It is a matter of Christian faith that Jesus of Nazareth was resurrected from the dead three days after his crucifixion circa 30 C.E. This is a central tenet of Christian theology, repeated in all four Gospels. The Lost Tomb of Jesus does not chal­lenge this belief."

Many people disagree. "Our faith should not be

shaken by (this documen­tary)," said sophomore Ashley Gillman. "We need to, as Christians, look into it and remember our faith is in Jesus and God."

She said that it is under­standable how people who do not know about Jesus may be able to believe the documen-taiy and its claims but that "hopefully it can be used for good."

Habermas directed students to his Web site, www.gary-habermas.com, where they can find links and additional information about the docu­mentary and the evidence sur­rounding it.

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Women's Basketball Men's Hockey The Lady Flames A hockey year-in-failed to win the regu- review through the lar season Big South eyes of the camera, title but hope to win The LU men ended the BSC Tournament the season at No. 6.

PAGE Bl MARCH 6, 2007 Page B3 Page B4

Men's basketball program commences national search for Dunton's successor

OLIVER SHERRET

GENERAL NO MORE — Former Liberty Men's Head Basketball Coach Randy Dunton prowls the sideline during his final season at the university.

By Jared Pierce ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

The search is on for Athletic Director Jeff Barber after Lib­erty University released Men's Basketball Coach Randy Dun-ton on Wednesday.

Following a 14-17 season and an 8-7 record in the Big South Conference, Athletic Director Jeff Barber felt it was "time to take the program to another level."

After serving as the head coach for the past five full sea­sons, Dunton finished with a 66-85 record and the 2003-04 Big South title under his belt.

The title season was his lone winning season at Lib­erty.

Barber was not impressed. "In my opinion, it wasn't

enough," he said. Though Liberty lost a tough

game to VMI in the first round of the Big South Tournament, it did not affect Barber's deci­sion to let Dunton go prior to his contract expiring.

He said he has been evalu­ating the program since Octo­ber.

"It was probably two weeks ago that I came to peace that (releasing Dunton) was the right thing to do....One game doesn't make a difference," he said.

"There's always more to these kinds of decisions than just wins and losses. It was a combination of things."

Dunton served in varying capacities at Liberty for 14 years.

"I'm obviously very disap­pointed," said Dunton.

"I knew they would evalu­ate where we were headed. I just didn't expect this out­come. We went 7-2 in our last nine conference games and the team was full of positives."

Barber, who officially be­came Athletic Director on Feb. 13, 2006, and Dunton could not get on the same page dur­ing Barber's tenure thus far as A.D.

"He and I, we didn't see eye to eye (on the direction the program was going)," said Barber.

Dunton was given the opportunity to resign earlier in the-day, but he declined. Con­

sequently, after getting the approval of Dr. Jerry Falwell, Barber released Dunton.

"Why resign when you are going in a positive direction?" said Dunton.

"I was brought here to do a job. All I know is that we are leaving the program in much better shape than we found it."

Now, not only does Liberty face the challenge of finding a new head coach, but it must also attempt to retain a team filled with young talent for next season.

"The players were shocked," said Dunton. "We had a great team attitude and they were buying into the staff. Everyone was plugged into the system."

Junior Dwight Brewington, who has a wife and child, must choose between staying or potentially going to the NBA or Europe.

"Right now, the way I look at things is my family comes first, but I do want to stay here," he said.

Team captain Rell Porter, who has one year of eligibility left, is not questioning an early departure.

"I feel that with the group of guys we have, we have a bright future ahead of us," said Porter.

Though his contract will be honored until Dec. 31 of this year, Dunton knows little more than that about his future.

"Right now, you have to take care of your family," said Dunton.

Barber is resolved to make his first hire as A.D. a good one.

"This university deserves and will have the kind of bas­ketball coach that offers us the opportunity to win this confer­ence and go to the NCAA Tournament," he said.

Even as early as Wednesday morning, Barber was making calls to Division-I coaches, though he could not name any potential candidates.

"We will perform a national search," said Barber.

"We will leave no stone unturned."

Barber indicated the uni­versity should have a new coach within a few weeks.

"Of course, I will spend more time on my knees than on the phone," joked Barber.

VMI leaves Liberty behind in Big South Tournament game

By Jake Petersen SPORTS REPORTER

One sign read, "Third time's a charm...NOT!" Another read, "VM Why?" One student held up a broom, symbolizing a season sweep of the Virginia Military Institute, which had lost to Liberty twice already this season.

In the end, however, it was VMI walking off the court victorious and the Flames bowing out in the first round of the 2007 Big South Cham­pionship Tuesday evening.

Led by NCAA basketball's leading scorer, junior Reggie Williams, VMI opened up a slim 10-7 lead before Liberty senior Larry Blair found sophomore Anthony Smith for a spectac­ular one-handed jam, sending the Vines Center crowd into a frenzy.

Immediately after, VMI proceeded to go on a 15-4 run, capped off by a Fred Robinson lay-up at the 9:31 mark.

That's when Liberty's "Killer Bees" took over — named in honor of junior Dwight Brewing-ton, freshmen Tyler Baker and B.J. Jenkins, and Blair.

The Killer Bees got the Flames right back in the game. Brewington was aggressive from the get-go, attacking the basket with ease and fin­ishing nicely on two consecutive possessions, cutting the Keydets lead to 25-16.

On the next play, Brewington found a streak­ing Tyler Baker in the lane for the hoop and the , foul, bringing the deficit to a mere six points. After Blair knocked down a 3-pointer with 7:26 left, he then found Baker on the wing for another three to knot the score at 25 apiece.

Blair then threaded his way through the VMI zone for another two points, putting the Flames in front 27-25 with just under seven minutes left.

With the score 32-30, the Keydets — famous for their constant full-court pressure defense and "run and gun" offense — really slowed things down by applying a box-and-one defense on Blair and attacking the Liberty defense.

A few more baskets by VMI p'ut them up by a score of 44-38 heading into halftime.

Both teams came out firing in the second half. Williams scored on a nice pull-up jumper with 18:38 left to put VMI ahead 46-40.

The Flames answered right back with a lay up by senior Damien Hubbard.

After junior Alex McLean's free throw cut the lead to five, the Flames went on a 11-3 run to give them the lead 54-51.

Just when it looked like Liberty was pulling ahead, Williams nailed a deep 3-pointer to tie the score at 54.

Please see TOURNEY, page B3

Contact Jared Pierce jpierce2@liberty.edu.

CALEB ATKINS

at J HEAT SEEKER—Sophomore Anthony Smith makes a kilter dunk over a VMI defender during the Flames 79-78 loss. Smith I — who is among the young talent returning to Liberty next season — had 10 points and five assists during the game.

At

Liberty Baseball vs. George

Washington,

Fri. 2:30 p.m.

Sat. 1 p.m.

Sun. 1p.m.

Men's and Women's Tennis

vs. Longwood,

Tue. 2 p.m.

Hockey ends successful inaugural season in D-l

JKSSU'AWKUICK

DOUBLE TROUBLE — The Flames seemed to attack the puck all season long. Liberty scored double-digit goals in seven games this season.

ByWIIILuper SPORTS REPORTER

A regular season that saw Liberty win 29 of its 35 games, sporting one of the league's most powerful offenses, ended with bitter defeat at the hands of top-seeded Penn State in the sec­ond round of the Division-I National Championships this past Thursday.

It was the second game in two days for Liberty.

The day before, in the opening round of the tour­nament, the Flames defeated the host team — Kent State University — by a score of 9-1.

As the story has been, ever since they first com­bined on a line, the play of freshman Zac Bauman, sophomore John Langabeer and freshman Kyle Dodgson

provided to be a deadly com­bination for the Flames against KSU.

Langabeer had two goals, with Bauman and Dodgson each adding a goal. Each player on the line provided an assist as well, combining for a total of seven points.

Head Coach Kirk Handy elaborated. "That whole line played very well, (but) it was a complete team effort," he said.

"All four lines were play­ing, all six defensemen were playing and Mike Binnie played very well."

With eleven total players factoring into the scoring, it is no surprise that Liberty was the dominant team in the game.

The defensive pairing of junior Aaron MacKenzie and junior Rob Niemi also put up big numbers, with both

defensemen getting a goal and combining for three assists.

The Flames defense was just as potent as the offense, as they limited Kent State to only 20 shots on goal, mak­ing the game an easy victory for junior goalie Binnie.

The only blemish on his game came from Kent State's Volet Wolff, who scored with only 1:12 left in the second period.

It was not enough, how­ever, as by the end of the first two periods, Liberty had racked up an 8-1 lead.

"We caught Kent State by surprise," said Handy. "They're an offensive team, and we dictated the tempo of the game to them, which was something that they were not used to."

Please see HOCKEY, page B3

Page H2.THH MBKRTY CHAMPION MARCH 6, 2007

Baseball rocks the Jaspers back to the island By Eric Brown

SPORTS REPORTER

The Liberty men's baseball team contin­ued their success this week, winning three of its games and extending its season record to 9-4 for the season.

The Flames started the week on the road against the Rams of Virginia Commonwealth University.

Liberty struck early in the first inning when senior Phil John scored the first run of the game off a Garret Young double.

In the bottom of the second, Rams infield-er Chris Jackson knocked a home run to left center knotting the game at one.

The Flames began to pull away in the third when Young doubled, once again sending John home.

Young later scored due to an error from the VCU shortstop giving the Flames a 3-1 lead.

The Flames came out firing on all cylin­ders in the sixth, picking up five more runs on five hits.

"Hitting is contagious," said Young. "Once we started getting some hits and putting up some runs, everybody kind of chipped in a little bit."

The Rams answered with a run of their own in the sixth. However, it proved to be futile as the Flames cruised to an 8-2 victory and continued their six-game winning streak. Young ended the night going four for five with three RBI and three doubles.

On the defensive side of the ball, Flames starting pitcher, sophomore Tyler Light improved his record to 2-0 for the season, retiring nine of the last 10 VCU batters.

"I think that was probably our most com­plete game of the year," said Coach Matt Royer.

"We hit well, we turned three double plays and we pitched very, very well. It was all around a good solid win."

Liberty returned home on Friday to begin a three-game series with the Manhattan Jaspers at Worthington Stadium.

After three scoreless innings, the Jaspers Eric Nieto plated the first run of the game to give Manhattan a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth.

Liberty then tied the game in the bottom of the inning as junior David Giammaresi singled down the left field line, allowing sophomore Cody Brown to advance home.

The very next inning, Liberty scored four runs due to solid hitting and a wild pitch that allowed Young to slide into home plate.

"Obviously putting up those runs was A big turning point in the game," said Royer. "Our definition of a big inning is three or more runs and we've been able to do that quite a bit in the early going here."

The Jaspers Mike Garcia scored on a field­ers choice, making it a 5-2 ball game in the seventh.

In the eighth, sophomore Errol Hollinger came home on junior Aaron Grijalva's sacri­fice fly to right, making the final score 6-2 in favor of the Flames.

Junior Michael Solbach pitched seven innings, struck out seven batters and extend­ed his record to 2-1 for the season. Senior Patrick Gaillard stepped up big for Liberty, going three for five and scoring one run.

"I had been struggling earlier in the sea­son," said Gaillard. "I just wanted to go out there and have fun."

Liberty played its second game of the

series on Saturday, this time batting against a professional prospect in Jaspers starting pitcher Jesse Darcy.

Manhattan came out fighting early, plat­ing two runs in the second, followed by a grand slam home run in the third from Nick Derba, which gave the Jaspers an early 6-0 lead.

The Flames kept their composure as they scored two runs of their own off four hits in the bottom of the third.

"Our team didn't give up," said Gaillard. "When someone hits a grand slam like that you don't want to ever get down on yourself and think that we're never going to be able to get back in the game. That was never a thought that came across our heads at any­time."

The Jaspers picked up another run in the seventh and two more in the eighth to bring the Flames seven-game win streak to a halt with a 9-2 loss.

Liberty starting pitcher sophomore Dustin Umberger fell to 2-2 for the season after giv-

JESSICA WEBER

CLUTCH — Senior Aaron Grijalva slaps a Manhattan pitch during Liberty's 6-2 victory on Friday. Grijalva also bashed a bases-loaded triple in the eighth inning of the Flames 14-6 drubbing of the Jaspers on Sunday.

ing up seven runs on nine hits through 6 2/3 innings. Darcy proved to be a thorn in the Flames side, pitching a complete game and striking out four.

"We ran into a good pitcher," said Royer. "I felt like we still swung the bat pretty well against a good pitcher, and I was happy with that."

Liberty finished the weekend strong, rounding out the series on Sunday.

Manhattan started to pick up where it left off Saturday, scoring a run in the first inning. However, the Flames responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the sec­ond.

Manhattan's Kevin Nieto scored a run in the third, tying the game at two a piece. Liberty then regained the lead in the bottom of the inning with a Grijalva single to left, allowing Young to reach home plate.

The Jaspers picked up two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh to take a 5-3 lead.

The Flames fought back courageously in the bottom of the seventh with three runs off three hits to regain control of the game.

In the eighth, Manhattan knotted the game once again, 6-6. Liberty exposed the bullpen in the bottom of the frame, scoring eight runs off six hits.

The highlight of the inning occurred when redshirt freshman Nate Thompson slammed a three-run homer past the scoreboard. The Flames crushed the Jaspers with a 14-6 victo­ry and 2-1 win in the series.

"We continued to hit the ball hard and we were able to find holes," said Royer. "A lot of guys came up with big hits."

Light, who stepped in for junior pitcher David Stokes, gave up three runs on seven hits and struck out four batters through 51/3 innings.

Junior Ryan Page, who came in for Light in the sixth, struck out five batters, and pitched a perfect ninth. At the plate, Grijalva came up big for the Flames going four for five with five RBI.

"I was just happy I'm finally hitting the ball," said Grijalva. "Today all my hard work finally paid off."

The Flames travel to Norfolk, Va., to take on Old Dominion on Tuesday. Game time is at 3 p.m.

Contact Eric Brown at eqbrown@liber-ty.edu.

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You have it. A calling to serve. As a chaplain in the Army National Guard you will serve in what may be the most critical mission of your lifetime. Your spiritual guidance and counseling provides comfort to those who need it most. Come lead a flock like no other. Please call today to learn more about being a chaplain in the Army National Guard.

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There are scholars among you who aspire to achieve

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They aspire to be leaders. They are Army ROTC Cadets - and you can be part of the team by joining Liberty's Army ROTC.

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MARCH 6,2007 THE LIBERTY CHAMPION, Page R3

TOURNEY: Blair's last game a letdown in Vines Center Continued from page B1

For the next few minutes, the teams traded baskets. Baker got hot from behind the 3-point line, nailing six more points.

"It wasn't too tough to get into a flow," said Baker, who nailed three of six 3-point attempts. "I just got hot and knocked some down."

VMI answered with buckets from twin brothers Chavis and Travis Holmes, and another lay up by Williams, putting the visitors up one. With time winding down, McLean rebounded a Smith miss and laid it in, putting the Flames up one with 1:18 left. VMI countered with Williams, who blew by Porter and some­how found the bottom of the net. Blair fired a 3-pointer on Liberty's next possession but missed, and Porter was forced to foul Williams with nine seconds left, sending the nation's leading scorer to the free-throw line.

Williams missed the front end of the "one and one," giving the Flames one last opportu­nity to win the game with 3.3 seconds left. Smith was unable to find Brewington, who Coach Randy Dunton acknowledged as the

CALEB ATKINS

DESPERATION TOSS — Senior Larry Blair heaves a prayer as time expires against VMI last Tuesday. The Flames lost their final game with Blair in the lineup by a tally of 79-78. The senior wil l graduate in May.

"first option" on this particular play, along the sideline and was forced to pass to Blair in the backcourt. Blair was unable to get a decent look and chucked up a desperation heave at the buzzer, which came up short, giving VMI the 79-78 win. Blair, playing in his final game for Liberty/scored 17 points on 7-of-i8 shooting, while Brewington added 15. Baker notched a career high 12 points while Smith added 10. Mclean finished with nine points and 11 rebounds.

Dunton was surprised that the Keydets came out playing a zone defense.

"It was something we have certainly played against at times this year, and it gave them an opportunity to put us into a reactionary mode. It was definitely a positive for them," said Dun­ton. "We're disappointed we didn't take the sen­iors farther than we did."

VMI Head Coach Duggar Brown was over­joyed with his team's play for the night. "This is a great win for not only the program but the institution," he said. "We've lost several close games this season, but 111 trade them all for this win in the tournament."

VMI continued its assault on Big South teams, upsetting High Point to advance to the championship against confer­ence powerhouse Winthrop, losing by just three points in a hard-fought contest.

The loss ended the Flames season with a record of 14-17, but the team will look to next year with a solid recruiting class and the return of Brew­ington, McLean, Smith, Jenk­ins, Baker and UVa transfer T.J. Bannister. They lose only Blair and Hubbard from this year's squad.

Softball places third in NX.

Contact Jake Petersen at jtpetersen@liberty.edu.

By Amanda Forth 8PORTS REPORTER

Liberty traveled to Chapel Hill, N.C., to compete in the Tar Heel Invitational this weekend.

The Lady Flames had suc­cess, winning four out of five games.

The Flames began the tournament against the Princeton Tigers at Williams Stadium.

Liberty started the game with a bang by scoring three runs in the top of the first inning off a Jessica Moore three-run blast.

In the top of the third inning, the Lady Flames scored yet another run, giv­ing them a 4-0 lead.

The Tigers managed to get a run back in the bottom of the frame, making it 4-1.

With the game 5-2 heading into the sixth, the Flames took the game by storm and scored four runs in the top of the sixth.

The game ended with a 9-2 Liberty victory.

The Flames played their second game against Fairfield later that evening.

Liberty dominated, shut­ting out Fairfield 8-0.

The Lady Flames set the pace for this game early by scoring two runs in the top of the first.

J'nae Jefferson, Moore, Ashley Williams and Beth Bennett all scored in the top of the second inning.

Liberty capped the scoring off with two runs in the top of the third, giving them the 8-0 win.

The next challenge for the Lady Flames was Rhode Island on Saturday after­noon.

Liberty blew out the Rams 14-1. The game did not start out very promising when neither team managed t o score until the top of the fifth.

Shannon McKain hit a solo homer, and Dawn Jeffs hit her first dinger of the game.

After Rhode Island com­mitted two errors, Jefferson was walked in, giving Liberty the 4-0 lead.

"Our game against Rhode Island was an offensive mirage," said Lady Flames Head Coach Paul Wetmore.

Jeffs knocked in four RBI and three runs. McKain scored two runs and one RBI.

"Dawn Jeffs had a great tournament, (and) so did Moore," said Wetmore.

The game Saturday night did not go as well for the Flames, as they lost to Marshall 5-0.

Marshall took advantage of the Lady Flames errors and got an early and fatal lead that cost Liberty its only loss of the tournament.

The final game for the Lady Flames was against the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers, where they finished the tour­nament with a 7-3 win.

In the second inning, Liberty scored three runs on four hits.

Rutgers started to make a comeback in the fourth when Amanda Shaw and Sarah Kalka reached home and brought the score to 3-2.

In the bottom of the fourth, Liberty countered with Moore getting a base knock.

This was followed by Bennett blasting a three-run homer to left — her third home run of the year — and the Flames' tenth of the tour­nament.

Jefferson knocked a dou­ble and scored after a wild pitch, giving Liberty its sev­enth and final run of the game.

Rutgers got one more run in the seventh, but was not able to overcome Lady Flames.

Liberty (8-4) won four out of five games, placing third in the Tar Heel Invitational.

"We think our schedule will prepare us for the chal­lenge ahead," said Wetmore.

Yesterday, the Lady Flames flew to Hawaii to play in the Hawaii Spring Fling.

They will be playing eight of the top-25 teams in the nation over the next two weeks, including Boston, Oregon State and Tennessee State.

Contact Amanda Forth at ajforth@liberty.edu.

Lady Flames let regular season title slip through their fingers By Mitchell Maldieff

SPORTS REPORTER

The law of averages finally won Saturday night. After 10 straight Big South Conference regular-season titles, the Lady Flames relinquished their strangle-hold on the trophy, losing 77-54 to Radford in a key Big South match-up. The Lady Flames entered Saturday's game hoping to stop Radford in the post, which had been a point of emphasis in an ear­lier season game against the Highlanders.

"Radford has a very strong post presence inside," said sophomore Molly Frazee before Saturday's game.

"Last game we matched up well against them and they weren't able to do too much against us, so hope­fully we can do what we did last time against them."

Unfortunately for the Flames on Saturday night, the post was not a problem — it was the perimeter.

The Highlanders drained 10 3-pointers in the game, including six from senior Shavon Earp, who fin­ished with 20 points. Liberty fell behind 11-0 early, thanks to three triples from Earp.

The Lady Flames were unable to

close the gap, falling behind 34-9 with 6:01 remaining in the first half.

The Highlanders went into half-time with a comfortable 47-17 lead. The Lady Flames, who out-rebounded their last seven oppo­nents by 10 or more, were unchar­acteristically beaten on the glass by a wide margin in the first half.

The Liberty defense, which had been holding teams to 55.6 points per game, allowed more points in the first half than it had all season.

The Lady Flames played better in the second half, but the Highlanders maintained a comfort­able cushion throughout on their way to an easy victory.

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SURVEYING THE COURT—Roli-Ann Nikagbatse looks over her defender to see where her lane is. Nikagbatse averaged 17.1 minutes per game, scoring 4.9 points on 48 percent shooting in 2006-07.

Sophomore Megan Frazee, who lit up the Highlanders for 27 points earlier in the season, had another huge night for the Flames, again pouring in 27 points. She also pulled down 16 rebounds to lead all scorers in the game.

No other Lady Flames scorer had more than five points in the contest.

Liberty finished the regular-sea­son 18-10 overall and 10-4 in the Big South.

The 10-4 mark was good for a second-place tie with Radford.

The High Point Panthers took home their first-ever Big South Conference regular-season title, posting an 11-3 conference record including two wins over the Lady Flames.

The Big South Conference Tournament kicks off on March 8 at UNC-Asheville. The No. 3-seed Lady Flames will take on Birmingham-Southern in the quar­terfinals.

Junior Courtney Watkins, a vet­eran of two conference tournament championships, knows that tena­cious defense will be the difference.

She said, "We definitely need to get up and down, maintain our defense and turn our defense into offense."

"I think our biggest threat is High Point, because we lost to them twice," said Molly Frazee. "They have some really good 3-point shooters. If we can do more switch­ing on screens that will help us to prevent from getting caught behind a screen."

Coach Carey Green also knows that another tournament champi­onship will be no cakewalk.

He said that it would take "con­sistency... (and) playing with the fundamentals. We have to do the dirty work and grind it out. We all want the glory, we all want to make' the last free-throw or the last 3-pointer when the game easily could have been won on a defensive charge at the other end." '

Seven points separated the Flames from three more wins, and what was a 10-4 conference record could easily have been a 13-1 record and a No. 1 seed in the conference tournament. The Flames know, though, that all will be forgotten if they can cut down the nets next week in Asheville and stamp their ticket to another' NCAA Tour­nament appearance.

Contact Mitchell Malcheff at mjmalcheff@liberty.edu.

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Page B4, THE LIBERTY CHAMPION MARCH 6,2007

Congratulations to men's hockey on a Top-10 finish!

\I.KX TOWERS JKSSICA WEBER

track and Field dominates Beantown, sets track records

HOCKEY: Solid year ends against PSU

By Adam Trent SHORTS REHOR1KR

The Liberty University men's and women's track and field teams competed at the indoor IC4A and ECAC meets, respectively, in Boston.

The men performed excep­tionally well, finishing eighth out of approximately 70 teams. The women tied for 31st with the University of Maryland and two other col­leges.

In the IC4A, held at Boston University's indoor track, junior Josh McDougal had an outstanding performance in the 5000-meter race.

He finished first with a time 13:37.32, which is the second fastest time in the nation this year.

His time was also a meet and facility record. Mc­Dougal goes on to compete in the 5000-meter race at the national indoor champi­onships on Friday in Fayetteville, Ark.

His brother, sophomore Jordan McDougal, finished eighth with a time' of 14:17-48.

His time makes him the second-best performer on Liberty's all-time list in the discipline.

In the bept&thlon, sopho­more Daniel Newell finished fourth.

Teammate Clarence Murray placed 12th in the competition.

Junior Jon Hart finished seventh in the shot put on Sunday and third in the weight throw on Saturday.

In the high jump event, sophomore John Parker tied for fourth place after clearing 6'8".

The 4x400 relay team fin­ished eighth with a time of 3:13.78, just one-hundredth of a second behind Duke University.

The team consisted of sophomores Philip Leine-weber and Tim O'Donnell, junior Josh Gilreath and sen­ior Travis Campbell.

Across town at the Reggie Lewis Track Center, the Lady Flames competed in the ECAC championship.

Junior Carol Jefferson broke her own Liberty and Big South record in the 5,000 meter run with a time of 17:03.23.

She finished 10th in the event.

Classmate Piper Newby finished 12th with a time of 17:08.8.

Senior Arlene Zelinskas finished fourth in the pen­tathlon and eighth in the high jump, clearing a per­sonal best of 5-8.75.

Junior Charlene Hibbert was seventh in the long jump on Saturday.

In addition, she reached a record triple-jump distance of 36-10.75, which was good enough for 22nd.

Missing from the team this weekend was freshman standout Josh Edmonds. Edmonds ran in the North American, Central Amer­ican and Caribbean Athletic Association Cross Country championships in Clermont, Fla.

He was the top finisher for the United States and was fourth overall in a field that featured more than 170 run­ners from 16 different coun­tries.

Next week, Edmonds will compete in the junior world cross-country champion­ships.

With the indoor season over, both teams now look forward to a successful out­door season.

"One time we finished 3rd indoors, but the year we won the outdoor regional we fin­ished 7th indoors," said Liberty Head Coach Brant Tolsma.

"If we stay healthy, I think the team will come together to win the outdoors."

Their outdoor season will begin this weekend at the CCU Invitational in Conway, S.C.

Contact Adam Trent at jatrent@libevty.edu.

Continued from page B1

The next day, the Flames had a formidable opponent lined up when they faced number one Penn State.

"They're the number one team in the nation for a reason. They've been in the championship game for nine straight years. They're like the New York Yankees of ACHA Division-I hockey," said Handy.

The Nittany Lions came into the game with an offense that had not put up numbers any­where close to the Flames, rely­ing more heavily on fantastic goaltending and strong defen­sive play.

Their leading scorer, Lukas DeLorenzo, had only 41 points in the regular season.

On the other hand, the Flames top point-getters, Dave Semenya and Kyle Dodgson, were tied with 67 points apiece.

Unfortunately, the Flames offense could not get past Penn State's strong defensive play, and even when they did, goalie Chris Matteo was ready and waiting. The struggles oil the power play might have been the key, as the Flames went just one for eight, including 1:34 of a two-man advantage.

Penn State, only successful on one of nine power plays themselves, scored one second after Dave Semenya was sent to the penalty box for slashing.

The penalty left the Flames two men down and gave the Nittany Lions the opportunity they needed.

"The score would have been a lot worse if it weren't for Dal-ton Stoltz," explained Handy.

"He absolutely stood on his head (and) kept us in the game the whole time."

So at the end of their first season in Division-I hockey, the Flames were ranked sixth in the country. Considering that they were the new kids on the block, the Flames made a statement to the rest of the league that they have a solid program.

Liberty will continue to build with a strong recruiting class for next year — one that Handy says "will compete and one we can look forward to having an even better year (with)."

Contact Will Luper at wluper@liberty.edu.

The Blue Ridge Chapter of The National

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MARCH 6, 2007

Did you know?

THE LIBERTY CHAMPION, Page B5

A man named Charles Osborne had the hiccups for approxi­mately sixty-nine years.

www.amusingfacts.com

Quote of the week: "Christianity is not about building an absolutely secure little niche in the world where you can live with your perfect little wife and your perfect little children in your beautiful little house where you have no gays or minority groups anywhere near you. Christianity is about learning to love like .Jesus loved and Jesus loved the poor and Jesus loved the broken."

— Rich Mullins American singer and songwriter

JESSICA WBBBR

THE GREAT OUTDOORS — Schedule a date with your friends to enjoy the beautiful wilderness located in Liberty's backyard.

Take a hike: Ridge Mountains of Central Virginia

Exploring the Blue

By Hilary Sutton LIFE! RKPORTK.R

As chilling old man winter finally begins to vacate his throne in Lynchburg and flip-flopped feet reassemble on the campus of

Liberty University, now is the perfect time to explore the many hiking trails in and near our area.

For many students, the beautiful outdoors was once a contributing factor in choosing to attend Liberty for college. But as schedules fill and work and school demands increase, the once-valued panorama and hiking opportuni­ties have been placed at the bottom of the prior­ity list.

Many students will only live in the Lynchburg area for four to five years, so the priority of tak­ing advantage of the beautiful landscape sur­rounding Liberty should be taken and appreci­ated with fervor.

The first hike that all freshmen should expe­rience — and upperclassmen if they have not yet — is the Peaks of Otter. Located only about a half hour away from Liberty in Bedford County, the Sharp Top hike at the Peaks of Otter is a 1.4-mile hike that is great for beginners, Its summit stands at 3,372 feet. The view overlooks the other mountains in the area and beautiful Abbott Lake. The hike can be leisurely complet­ed from start to finish in an afternoon. With travel time to and from Liberty, students only need to set aside 3-4 hours.

The enjoyment of the outdoors in Central Virginia is certainly not limited to hiking alone. Matt Arbo, a Liberty graduate student and avid outdoorsmen who has hiked the Appalachian Trail, said, "For those who seek fellowship with

the wilderness, Lynchburg is a great locale because you have the James River, wilderness areas to the North — mainly George Washington National Forest — caving in Augusta County and all of the hiking."

Arbo's top hiking recommendation for all students to experience is "the Mount Pleasant Loop. It's a 6-mile hike that takes you up to the top of Mt. Pleasant where there are two separate peaks. You can see almost a 360-degree view from the top." The Mount Pleasant Loop is only about 45 minutes from the Liberty campus.

If you are interested in making the explo­ration of the outdoors in the central Virginia area a serious hobby, you may want to check out the Hiker's Outpost in Wyndhurst, a locally-owned store that sells clothing, shoes, and hik­ing and camping gear.

Also, a great way to get started hiking is to take advantage of the free day trips provided by Student Activities. Last fall, a group hiked Sharp Top. Student Activities will be hosting another free hike on Saturday, March 31, to Devil's Marbleyard. Sign-ups will be in the Reber-Thomas Dining Hall.

There is no better time to explore the out­doors and enjoy creation than right now* When walking by a babbling brook or standing on the peak of one of the Blue Ridge Mountains, one cannot help but be reminded of the awe-inspir­ing creativity and magnitude of our creator.

The same God not only offers salvation to those who will receive it, but also gives us the freedom to enjoy the natural wonders of His world.

Contact Hilary Sutton at hlsutton@liber-ty.edu.

Growing up, my music listening options were limited to a handful of "Christian music" albums and whatever broadcasted on my hometown's Christian radio station — the familiar sounds of Dr. James Dobson and Focus on the Family that reverberated through my house for as long as I can recall.

This caused me to reach outside the will of my parents and get music from my friends, the only other source I had. Most of the songs that were readily available to me from my peers are tracks that never cross my mind when plugging in my MP3 player — tapes that were found and ended up befriending hammers.

Once I neared the end of high school and once I started playing guitar, I gained enough leverage to coerce my parents into allowing me to listen to music other than dcTalk and Newsboys. While exploring in my dad's tools, an activity that usually earned me a scolding or two in my father's infamous Spanglish, I stumbled upon a Bob Marley cassette.

I became hungry. I started exploring music delegated to

the classic rock, jazz, jam band and psyche­delic genres, and convinced my parents to allow me to purchase "secular" albums like "Live at Luther College" by Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds and "Story of the Ghost" • by Phish. Listening to this music and con­versing with other aspiring guitar players led me to believe my musical tastes as "superior."

I became a music snob. When I would talk to kids who listened

to the popular sounds like Guster, Dashboard Confessional and NFG, I would often compose a supercilious attitude — raising my eyebrows, wondering how any­one could possibly enjoy these whiners.

This attitude, that stemmed from a childhood characterized by being ridiculed and desiring validation from whatever source would give it, needed to be broken.

Since I left home for college, I have opened myself to the possibility of musical enjoyment beyond 25-minute guitar solos and syncopated rhythms. Although these occurrences are rare (I'm joking...kind of), I have discovered music that I cannot be without and never would found have in my musical arrogance.

In my dying aversion to the phrase "indie music," I was invited by my friend David to join him to Sweet Briar College to listen to David Bazan, formerly of Pedro the Lion. I had received almost weekly

instructions to listen to him, so my obedi­ence was long overdue. Waiting for the show to begin, I saw this curious individual walking around in a janitor's outfit with suspenders and ill-fitting pants that would have survived Katrina. As I watched him, he stepped on stage — the opening act.

I was then summarily introduced to Pattern is Movement.

Though their performance was widely met with the enthusiasm that could have just as easily been received from a refriger­ator, my friends and I were floored.

The same unimpressive, suspendered individual who meandered around the lobby and sound station before the show presented, along with the other members of his three-piece, his interpretation of beauty. Both eerie and enchanting, Pattern is Movement puts out a high-energy per­formance that is a direct affront to the norms of mainstream music.

As stated by the band's public relations people, the music is "repetitive but unpre­dictable" — something that is noticeable in songs like "People and Touch" with the seemingly redundant phrase "Can I buy this back here, back here, back here?" recurring almost to the point of annoy­ance, until I realized the lyrics were trying to mimic the nagging consumer trying to get the store attendant's attention.

After not being able to get the thought of their music, I e-mailed members from the band to get a sampling of their music for a possible review. The response I received was from Chris Ward, the band's drum­mer, who is an LU alumnus.

He sent me their catalog containing their first studio album, "The (impossibil­ity of longing," their second, "Stowaway," and their most recent "Canonic," which is a complete reworking of the "Stowaway" album by Scot Solter — a producer and musician who is known for his work with acts like Spoon and John Vanderslice.

Bazan needs no laud, with music and lyrics that are beyond my abilities of endorsing aside from, "You need to hear him." His reputation reaches farther than the handful of people who have the patience to read my musings. Whether your initial enjoyment of the band is either deterred by disbelief and confusion or enamored by its captivating complexity, Pattern is Movement is a band worth the listen.

Contact Marcelo Quarantotto at mquarantotto@liberty.edu.

Career Center to host annual Internship Fair By Rachel Neiswanger

Lira! REPORTER

O pen to all jun­iors and seniors who are eligible

hire me!

for summer and fall semester internships, the Career Center is hosting its annu­al In-ternship Fair on Wed., March 7, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

P a r t n e r i n g with local busi­nesses in Lynch­burg, Liberty is hosting busi­nesses such as WSET (ABC), Clear Channel Radio, Wal-Mart, E n t e r p r i s e , Junior Achieve­ment, American

Cancer Society and many more.

With opportunities as wide as these, students are "bound to find something to appease everyone," said

communications major Hilary Sutton.

According to Events Coordinator Cindy Key, this is "a chance for students to connect with local businesses."

The Career Center will also give the opportunity for stu­dents to meet their staff before talking to the booths of local businesses so the Career Center's coun­

selors can point students in the right direction — towards the job or jobs that cater to their specific major and concentration.

Students should come prepared with resumes and cover letters ready to hand out to these businesses.

The Career Center is also always open to resume cri­tiquing and interview tips. "It's encouraging to know you have help at your reach and you're not alone," said David Marshall, a junior business major.

Advising in resumes, cover letters, interview tips and more, the Career Center staff includes

Director Trisha Tolar, Coordinator Greg Helman, Counselor Melinda Jones and more who are eager to assist students.

According to Key, the fair is also "great for stu­dents who want jobs after graduation, to network and set up future connections with businesses.

Establishing relation­ships with future employ­ers can secure future internships and possible jobs helping students towards the kind of careers they want.

Fashion merchandising major Laurie Johnson con­curred. "It was a great starting point," she said.

Also available through the Career Center are weekly internship meet­ings.

These meetings started on Feb. 13 and will contin­ue through April 11. These meetings are held in DeMoss Hall 2017 at 4 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and 11:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays.

The required $5 applica­tion pack includes every­thing students need to get started towards bright futures and careers.

The Career Center offers graduate students a "Grad Students" page addressing

application procedures and links to graduate schools.

The Web site also includes a link to www.mon-ster.com.

This site helps students create an account to open a portal for job and intern­ship searches.

Postings on the Web site include up-to-date job opportunities, internship positions with specific deadlines and other func­tions designed to meet an individual's personal career needs.

Reaching out to busi­nesses in the community, Liberty has a "feature" section on the Career Center Web site that includes information avail­able to the potential employers looking to include Liberty in job searches.

Aligning its mission to inspire students and alumni by providing educational and career development opportu­nities in collaboration with university and community partners, the Career Center offers a helping hand to all students.

Contact Rachel Neis­wanger at panels wanger((i>liberty.edu.

Page B6, THE LIBERTY CHAMPION MARCH 6, 2007

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By Natasha Kormanik LIFE! REPORTER

The weekend rolls around and your friends want to hang out with you — maybe go to a movie or out to din­

ner. You soon find yourself emptying your pockets for any loose change, deciding on the one thing you can afford this coming weekend.

Or maybe your parents entrusted you with a credit card, "for emergencies only." The little plastic card is just begging to be Used, and so you use it without thinking about how much you have already spent or can even afford. Before you know it, you get a not-so-pleasant call from your parents demanding to know what hap­pened and that you pay them the money back.

Whatever your circumstance may be, you are most likely in dire need of some money management help. However, you are not alone. Consider these facts. According to Nellie Mae, the nation's leading loan lender, the average under­graduate has $2,200 in credit card debt, with that number jumping to about $5,800 for the average graduate.

In addition, Young Money magazine has found that the average college gradu­ate owes almost $20,000 in student loans. Clearly, more young people are headed for financial trouble — but this does not have to be you.

Off-campus senior Othon Zermeno said, "Besides rent, most of my money goes to food, mainly groceries."

Junior Caleb J. McAllister added that

0

books and fees are what he spends the majority of his money on, in addition to training fees. "I compete in mixed martial arts, and it's not a Liberty (sponsored) sport," he said.

According to Gary Lape, an assistant professor of economics and finance, "the most important thing a college student can do is allocate an adequate amount of time toward their finances and track their spending for at least a month."

Lape, who also teaches the class BUSI 223: Personal Finance, which he has been teaching since 1986, encourages students to take the class in order to know what to do.

This class teaches students through var­ious lessons and examples how to make good money decisions and how to start investing.

Although the class is currently available to all business majors and to honors stu­dents, it is hoped that it will be made available as a general education elective to all students, offered throughout the school year and even during the summer.

With the help of Lape and several finance Web sites, the following list was compiled to aid you in your quest for cap­ital stability.

1. Keep Records. Track your spending and write every­

thing down in a notebook. Every penny spent is to be written down.

This is a very good habit to get into, so do not feel silly about it. Lape said that even if it is for just a few minutes a day, students should begin to track their

spending. All they need is a regular note­book.

2. Save Your Slips. Save everything, from money receipts

to pay stubs. According to www.YoungMoney.com, this will be good to have on hand if you are ever charged an incorrect amount. Also, save any coupons or discount cards. You will be happy to have them later on.

3. Do not overspend. Be careful in spending your money,

especially when it comes to credit cards. It is better to pay everything in cash, and only buy what you absolutely need. Also, start a savings account — you can always invest the extra money later.

4. Invest your money. ' Lape explained that the most common

mistake young people make is believing in the false notion that one does not have enough money. "Don't wait to start invest­ing. Everyone has money, it just depends on where you spend it," said Lape.

5. Know Your Options. When it comes to knowing what to do,

students need to know where to go for help. There are many options available, including the library and Internet sites such as www.YoungMoney.com, www.BusinessWeek.com and www.Kip-linger.com. However, "the Internet is not enough, because one can get sucked into sales," said Lape. Also, books such as "Don't Spend Your Raise: And 59 Other

Money Rules You Can't Afford to Break," by Dara Duguay and "Personal Finance For Dummies," among others, are good to read.

In addition, Lape encouraged students to find someone who can help with the next unanswered question. "It's about pri­oritizing what's next," said Lape. "People are afraid of what they don't know.

6. Pay your bills on time. It is easier to pay your bills the moment

you get' them than to remember to pay them later. Most often, people put off their payments and forget about them later on. In addition, Lape warns students to be careful and to not to let their credit card balance get out of hand.

This will come back to haunt you later on.

7. Discipline Yourself. Do not rely on your parents to do your

financial aid for you. Be proactive and do it yourself. This habit will help you later on in life. Lape says that the problem col­lege students have with credit cards is a matter of attitude and focus.

So, if you are only worth the change that jingles in your pocket on your way to the Laundromat or have been subject to a series of scolding phone calls, take a deep breath and start planning to get your finances in order.

"Remember," encouraged Lape, "to live within your means."

Contact Natasha Kormanik at nnkor-manik@liberty.edu.

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