The ObserverVolume 75 | Issue 12 THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF RUTGERS-NEWARK NoVember 17, 2010

oPINIoN

lIFe & leIsure

sPorTs

Covenant House: a home away from home

Documentary analyzes low performance and dropout rate among black men in Newark

Freshmen Michelle Jiminez, Christine Rodriguez, Ivette Garcia, and Satchmo Hastings at last week’s Sleep Out for HomelessnessPhoto by Juneann-Olivia George

By LaQuay Weekesstaff Writer

Beyond the Bricks, a docu-mentary film highlighting the “low performance and dismal graduation rates of school-

aged black males” has truly lived up to its title. The film has been screened in the past couple of months as a part of a National Community Engage-ment Tour in places far beyond New-ark, also known as ‘Brick City.’ There have been screenings from Oakland to Atlanta, with several stops in major Midwestern cities.

According to the film’s director, Derek Koen, large crowds are the norm for the film, which was set in Newark and follows two city high school stu-dents who struggle but ultimately land on the right path for future success. “I just came back from a screening in (Charlotte) North Carolina, where over 700 people attended,” said Koen after a November 6 screening at the Com-munity College of Philadelphia. The very first screening of the documen-

tary was held at the Newark Museum, and according to Koen, was standing-room only.

“Every time we do a screening, I’m re-energized by the amount of passion that people have for the issue,” said Koen.

That passion was evident at the Philadelphia screening. After the film, panelists, including U.S. Congressman Chaka Fattah and the Deputy Super-intendent of the Philadelphia School District Leroy Nunery, engaged the at-tendees and sought solutions to the gap in education among school-aged black males. In the program provided at the screening, it shows that 53 percent of black males graduated from high school in Pennsylvania compared to the 83 percent graduation rate of white males during the 2007-08 school year. The national average that year for black male graduates was 47 percent, or less than half of all black males graduating high school.

See brICKs, page 3

therutgersobserver.com

UC SGA’s constitution under review, new senators needed

By Diego M. Ortizeditor-in-chief

The University College Student Government Association, un-der the leadership of President Jay Patel, is currently trying to

pass a new constitution. The goal of the new constitution is to increase in-terest in the organization and to build a senate.

According to the new constitu-tion, there would be eight senators, each with a specific mission. The spe-cializations would apply directly to aspects of the student experience that we deal with every day. There will be two senators to focus on commuter af-fairs, two for residence life issues, two responsible for academic affairs, one for student life and one for community service outreach.

The senator’s positions will be filled in by a special election, which will take place at the beginning of next semester. If no one applies to run for the positions, then Patel will have to result to handpicking the senators, something which he does not want to do.

“I encourage everyone in Uni-versity College and Criminal Justice School to take a look at these positions because they might interest you,” Patel said. “As senator you have the oppor-tunity to bring change to the campus. It is also a great way to network with the administration and the student body.”

The UC SGA will be sending out informational packets to the homes of all eligible students over winter break. Currently there are about 1,200 stu-dents in UC who are eligible to run for a senate seat.

“We are sending out these pack-ets to make the UC students aware that we exist,” he said, “and to show them that we are here to serve the students.”

To be eligible to run for the UC Senate, you must be a member of col-lege number 62 or 27 and be enrolled in at least 6 credits with a 2.0 GPA.

“What makes the UCSGA special is that anyone can get involved, not just full-time students,” Patel said.

UC SGA receives about $30,000 every year from student fee alloca-tions. That money is used to fund events geared toward night and part time student participation.

“We want to give the money out to student organizations to use for their events,” he said. “But we need a senate to approve decisions.”

Currently the UC Social Work organization is the only group under the UCSGA banner, though it partially funds other groups such as L.U.N.A., W.I.S.A., two Greek organizations, the media groups and even the Observer receives some of its funding from the UCSGA.

This new constitution will also recognize the School of Criminal Jus-tice as a separate division, but SCJ stu-dents are still eligible to run for UC-SGA senatorial positions.

“The UC SGA is about chang-ing policy and giving back to student groups and the community,” Patel said.

If you are interested contact President Jay Patel or Secretary Tara M. Roache at runucsga@gmail.com.

Homeless World Cup offers hope to homeless

p. 12

By Monica De Leonlayout Design editor

In the lobby of Covenant House in Newark, a young man’s voice is heard singing “hallelujah.” The angelic voice belongs to a resi-

dent of the shelter. The song carries the words of hope and victory that the homeless crisis center wishes to in-spire.

Every day dozens of teens walk in and out of the building to get to class or go job hunting. Each staff member greets every person that comes into the center with a big smile. The scene is less reminiscent of a homeless shelter, and resembles that of an alternative high school.

What makes Covenant House dif-ferent from other shelters is their re-fusal to turn away any homeless kid in need, with their one exception of a youth who is a danger to him or her-self or others. Covenant House New Jersey has been aiding homeless youth in since 1989, and opened its crisis centers in Newark and Atlantic City in1992. Located on 330 Washington Avenue and Pearl Street, Covenant House is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

According to Gina Butler, the De-velopment Manager, the center is very mission driven, dedicated to abiding to their mission statement as well as their five principles: Value Communication, Sanctuary, Structure, Immediacy, and Choice.

“It’s a really good program,” said Taisha Kullman, 21. “The help is there whether you want it or not.”

Kullman, who had bounced from one Covenant House to another, found a place in the Newark crisis center. Af-ter a year in the program, she finished her GED and is saving up for school, hoping to attend her first semester soon.

“It doesn’t matter what you’re doing with your life,” she said. “They set you up and prepare you for when you leave.”

See CoVeNANT House, page 2

Chic Stranger: Fashion with a Military flare

p. 8

Help the observer make thanksgiving special for local families by donating to our food drivePlease bring non-perishable Foods to robeson Campus Center on November 18th

Kik, the newest texting phenomenon a head-ache?

p. 4

freePlease recycle after reading

PAGE 2 News November 17, 2010

Spotlight: Homeless Awareness Week

By Zarna PatelSTAFF WRITER

As the weather turns colder, shelters around Newark are filling up,

particularly Apostle’s House. The current residence of

35 people, the Apostle House, located 24 Grant Street, is filled to capacity.

“We are full for the first time in five years because of the economic crisis,” said Regina Miller, executive assistant to

Sandra Accomando, the CEO of Apostle’s House. “We have seen a 20 percent increase in the amount of families who need help.”

The Apostle’s House, which holds 42 beds and as well as cribs for babies and toddlers in case of emergencies, helps homeless women and children, as well as single women, welfare clients, women who came out of the Intensive Supervision Program (ISP) and women who are sent from the Department of Youth and

Family Services (DYFUS). In addition, Apostle’s House is open five days a week, and it is the largest food provider in Essex County, serving 14,000 people.

“I oversee the ins and outs of the shelter,” said director Patrice Burkett. “I keep an eye on what the girls are doing, help them find affordable housing, and make sure they meet their curfew and follow the programs.”

Programs offered by the Apostle’s House include the Special Intervention program,

the Family Preservation program and the after care program.

The Special Intervention program helps people with severe issues such as domestic violence, drug abuse and physical limitations. Instructors in this program help women foster self-esteem and manage anger in addition to teaching basic skills, such as reading and math.

The Family Preservation program, which includes families identified by DYFS as being a danger, refers

families to Apostle’s House as a means of preserving the family structure.

The after care program helps people with job training as well as help with school, doctors and day care.

In addition, Apostle’s House also provides a multi-generational home for teens with babies, and helps residents transition to affordable housing.

Apostle’s House

Good Will Rescue MissionBy Allison Baldwin

News Editor

Five thousand meals, fifteen hundred nights of shelter. That is what the Good Will Rescue Mission provides to

the homeless men of Newark during an average month.

Open since 1986, Good Will Rescue Mission, located on 79 University Ave, a block from the Rutgers-Newark campus, is a faith-based initiative committed to helping men create sustainable life changes.

“We help men with addiction and

provide them with life skills training,” said Kirk Ruber, director of strategic development.

Good Will Rescue Mission, which has about 50 men staying with them during the average month, provides two programs for the homeless. The long-term recovery program, which lasts between nine and eighteen months, provides the residence with counseling and education, plus interview and budget skills training.

“We are trying to help them transition to a life change,” said Ruber.

The emergency overnight program allows the men to come

in and stay the night, while getting clothes, a shower and meals as needed. In addition, visitors can participate in bible study and church.

“We are a faith-based church, so, of course, we focus on God’s transforming power to help the men,” said Ruber.

However, Ruber says that he wants to make some changes to the programs, to expand. Ruber says that in the future he hopes to add affordable housing and intensive job training.

“We want to add training with some businesses in the area,” he said. “Jobs in retail or computer

preparedness, something that is self-sustaining and can allow the men to work for a wage that allows them to live comfortably.”

Ruber also noted that the best part of his job was seeing lives change.

“When the men first get here, they have an emptiness, a sense of hopelessness, and it’s great to see a renewal,” he said. “It’s great to see it in their eyes, that they start to care about themselves and see that others care about them. A lot of men go through different programs and struggle, so it’s great to see them find hope.”

By Joshua HoyosSTAFF WRITER

Norman Samuels Plaza became the center of an event to raise awareness about homelessness on

Nov. 10. The event, sponsored by the Xi Theta chapter of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, occurred between 7p.m to 7a.m on Nov. 10 as a handful of students slept outside on cardboard

and blankets to mimic the way people who are homeless live.

Charles Awe, the president of Phi Beta Sigma said that this event was not only to raise awareness of the homeless but also to raise money for Covenant House.

“We will either split or donate the entirety to Covenant House.”

Awe said that they asked for any contributions students were able to make. Students and organizations could have sponsoring a student to sleep out at $3 an hour for every hour they remain outside, or help to provide snacks students may need for the night.

The group had Starbucks and pizza during the sleep out. Awe believed that this was necessary for the comfort of those who slept out, even thought a negative image could have been projected about the true intentions of the sleep out.

“We aren’t making it [food] an incentive. We are keeping them safe. They could have slept in a comfortable bed but they chose not to.”

In total 20 people stayed for the event at some point in the 12 hours, the shortest time a person stayed at the

sleep out was 45 minutes. $172 was raised for Covenant House.

Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity sleeps out for homelessness

Covenant House“Before I came here, I thought

I was going to just go home and do nothing,” said Antinique “Precious” Heyward, 18, who has been at the cen-ter for two weeks. “I came here and they found something for me to do for my life.”

The staff is very dedicated to their kids. Old residents of the center, like Kullman, frequently visit to catch up with the staff and let them know how they’re doing. The visits are reminis-cent of family reunions, as the staff and youth really treat each other like family.

One staff member even holds the role as the mother. Gwendolyn “Mom-ma Gwen” Ross, the Programming Operating Specialist is warm, cheer-ful, and very loving. Everyone, includ-ing staff, refers to her as “Momma”, and she takes her role seriously.

As she goes through supplies in her office, three boys enter, calling out “Where’s my momma?” each planting a kiss on her cheek as she gladly gives them hugs.

“I love them with all of my heart,” said Ross of the kids at the shelter. “They named me momma.”

Ross, who has been working at

the shelter for 10 years, is enthusiastic about her work. Her office is decorated wall-to-wall with pictures dating back to her first days of work.

“I enjoy doing what I do,” she said. “God made a Covenant House, and we just can’t say no.”

The New Jersey center’s open in-take policy allows all youth ages 18-21 to come and stay at the residence. Minors under 18 are welcomed for the night until the proper arrangements are made for them to have a place to stay for a longer term.

When a youth first enters the center, their immediate needs are ad-dressed. They’re provided with a meal, shower, and fresh clothes. The

first couple of weeks consist of assess-ment to see what the youth’s individ-ual needs are, such as medical, legal, educational, mental health, and even spiritual needs.

Each youth is assigned an advisor to help them for goals, both short-term and long-term, to see what they want to achieve, and also to address indi-vidual situations, such as growing out of foster care or an unexpected preg-nancy.

The center also has a “cloth-ing boutique” for the youth, a closet full of donated clothes for the youth to choose from, ranging from casual clothes to professional clothes to aid the youth when they start their career development.

Other features of the center are the chapel, where many of the kids start their day off with a morning re-flection with staff, the gym, the librar-ies, with one specifically dedicated to GED tutoring, classrooms, and the cafeteria, which not only serves as a place to eat, but also is a reminder of the hope Covenant House offers. The cafeteria walls are covered with silhouettes of teenagers, each depict-ing a different emotion. There are im-

ages of despair, of struggles, of prayer, and even of hope for the future. In the heart of the mural, the mission state-ment stands out to tell each visitor how diligent the center is in helping each person, no matter how small the need.

Currently, the shelter’s 45 beds are filled, with residents ranging from a stay of two weeks to two years. And the kids aren’t the only ones who are learning from their stay.

“I’ve grown as a person working here,” said Jackie King, the Service Manager. “I’ve learned from the kids. Their resiliency is amazing. This isn’t an experience you can just walk away from.”

Students Marcus Williams, Satchmo Hastings, Cabo Granato, Juneann-Olivia George, Khalil Hamilton, Mi-chelle Jiminez, Frank Lewis, Jibreel Hameed, and Dean Catlett at the Sleep Out for homelessness

Charles Awe, Julian Findley, Crystal Navarro, Tierra Natasha Brown, and Ta-mara Trotz hold up statistics about homeless during the Sleep Out

continued from Page 1

Momma Gwen’s office full of photo-graphs and memories of her time at Covenant House.

The mural in the cafeteria.

November 17, 2010 News PAGE 3

Back from ‘Over there’

By Sandra GrossettSTAFF WRITER

Veterans are also civilians. That was the message of Thursday’s Veteran Civilian Dialogue.

The Rutgers-Newark Veterans Organization, along with Gerald Massenberg, assistant Chancellor of Student Life and Leadership, sponsored the event, which took place in Room 255 of the Paul Robeson Campus Center from 2:30-4.

During the event veterans and students came together to discuss ways in which they could better interact. In

addition, they discussed how veterans wanted to come back from war, in to a safe and caring environment. Speakers included Steve Able, the director of Veterans Affairs, and Scott Thompson and Michael Kim, of Two Intersections, a veterans organization based in New York City. Thompson and Kim facilitated the dialogue.

As part of the dialogue, Thompson showed a video of his friend Lawrence Winters, as well as other veterans who went out to war and wanted to regain their place in society. Thompson’s meeting with Winters inspired him to start the Veteran Civilian Dialogue program.

“Larry came up to me one day

and started talking about his time in the war,” said Thompson. “At that moment we realized we both had something the other needed and the civilian dialogue was born.”

“Our mission was to bring diverse communities together and form relationships between veterans and civilians,” added Thompson. “We want to explain that veterans want to be appreciated, to come back to a safe and secure environment.”

In addition to showing the video clip, Thompson and Kim also asked members of the audience to speak about changes they would like to see regarding the relationship between veterans and civilians. Thompson also

requested that those audience members who knew veterans or where veterans come to the center of the room and talk to each other about their experiences.

Near the end of the program, Kim stood up and said a few words about the impact of the civilian dialogue, as well as how Rutgers was handling student veterans.

“This program has created not only fellowship, but advocacy and networking with student and alumni relationship programs,” he said. “You are embracing student veterans and working with them to make their lives better.”

Transition into civilian life a struggle for veterans

Bush’s legacy and the Kanye West questionBy Diego M. Ortiz

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Former United States President George W. Bush is a polarizing figure. From his too-

close-to-call election in 2000, to the accusations of torture, lack of transparency of his administration, not finding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, right down to his last days in office with the auto industry bailouts.

But to his credit, Bush, as one of the first presidents in the internet age, was tested and scrutinized in a way that few other presidents have been—9/11, Katrina, the house market collapse, just to name a few.

Therefore, on Tuesday when his memoirs were published, millions of Americans responded with a plethora of contrasting emotions and expectations for the book.

Yet what was not expected, and what served as a unifying force was his answer to a question about identifying the lowest point of his presidency.

In his memoir, Decision Point, Bush says that the suggestion that he was a racist because of his response to Katrina represented “an all time low.”

“People have lost their lives, their homes, and you worry about one person’s emotional response,” said Alex Gatson of Newark. “Let’s talk about serious matters like the fact that he couldn’t prevent 9/11.

“His decisions led to the death of thousands of Americans and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi’s, it’s terrible to forget these facts.”

Bush defended his statement in an interview with Matt Lauer that aired on Nov. 8.

“I still feel the same

way,” the former president said.

When Lauer suggested that people may be offended to read that instead of saying the worst moment came in the aftermath of his administration’s response to Louisiana in general and not the musicians comments specifically, Bush remained true to his original sentiment.

“I also make it clear that the misery in Louisiana affected me deeply. There were a lot of tough moments in the book,” Bush said. “It was a disgusting moment, pure and simple.”

“That’s classic Bush,” said Shanny Portwick of Newark. “What about 9/11, Katrina and not finding weapons of mass destruction?

“Kanye’s accusation might have been a low point, but when you have the whole world supporting you after the terrorist attacks and he goes down the wrong path, who

really cares what Kanye West thinks?”

“That’s crazy,” said Mahum Shah of Nutley New Jersey. “West’s statements were not even important.”

But what unsettled Shah the most was the media’s willingness to hold back the content of his memoir until after the midterm elections. Specifically, the statements he disclosed about the economic bailouts.

In the book he writes that he informed then president-elect Barrack Obama about the auto bailout.

“I told Obama that I wouldn’t let the automakers fail,” Bush writes in the memoir. “I won’t dump this mess on him.”

“Maybe they were told to protect him or thought it would be better to hold off because they thought the public wasn’t ready,” Shah said. “It’s not ethical. We should have known. This was

important information they withheld.”

According to Shah, incidents like this one lead her to question the motivation of American media.

“The media does not present us the truth like they should,” she said. “It’s all politics.”

“I am shocked that liberal media did not talk about Bush’s statements every day leading up to the elections,” Portwick added. “They say they’re not in anyone’s pocket, but then they pull this.

“The media should be there to give unbias news but it doesn’t offer the citizen the information to help make an informed decision.”

Still, according to Portwick, the lack of coverage did not change the way she voted last Tuesday.

“I am a Democrat, it wouldn’t have affected the way I voted.”

BRICKScontinued from Page 1

The film highlighted more tough statistics that shows black males lagging behind, but it was Erick Graham and Shaquiel Ingram, the two Newark high school students highlighted in the film, that made it easier to bear. Ingram, who bounced around from school to school eventually landed at Barringer High School’s 9th grade Success Academy , which he finds more conducive to his success, and frankly safer than his previous Newark high school, Shabazz.

Graham, whose family issues were high-lighted in the film, is also doing quite well for himself these days. The two both attended and spoke at the Philadelphia screening, and even were sought for autographs afterward.

The film was set in Newark, but accord-ing to Koen, the director, it could have just as likely been filmed in any urban area. “You can swap out Erick and Shaquiel for two other kids in any other place in America and the stories would be the same,” said Koen, a Newark na-tive.

Despite the statistics, Koen strongly be-lieves that a change can start from within, and that and that the dismal statistics could be turned around. “Our children are as capable as any other children (to succeed) when they are given the support,” said Koen.

The next screening of Beyond the Bricks will be held at Wheelock College in Boston on November 20.

To learn more about the project, visit beyondthebricksproject.com

By Diego M. OrtizEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

RU Pride, the R-N organization with the mission to increase LGBTQ

resources, awareness and education on campus, has been busy this semester, according to its President of External Affairs Donovan Linder.

They are busy tackling homophobia and building bridges between the LGBTQ and straight communities. On Wednesday Nov. 17 during free period they will have an “ally” training session.

“We are making an effort to recruit and train ‘allies,’” Linder said. “Those are the straight people who are supportive of our movement and don’t know how to get involved.”

Linder compares the LGBTQ movement to the civil rights movement and asks students to stand up and say something when they hear people say things like “that’s so gay.”

“When you hear people say those things stand up and say ‘Yo, that’s not cool,’” Linder said. “That’s what the ally training is about.”

“If you were to hear someone say the ‘N’ word you would say something,”

Linder added. “It should be the same thing for anti-gay speech.”

So far this year RU Pride has held discussions about homophobia in collegiate sports and about the stereotypes of being gay or lesbian in a fraternity or sorority.

“From our experience, relations between LGBTQ and the straight community are pretty good,” Linder said, “but of course it can be improved.”

Linder believes there should be more awareness for the community, especially for freshman students who face a confusing transition to college, but also credits the Newark administration for helping the LGBTQ community feel included not just tolerated.

“Though we are different,” he said, “we are all people.”

On Wednesday Dec. 1, as part of World Aids Day, there will be a White Attire Affair in the Essex room. Price is $5 for students, $7 for faculty and staff. All proceeds will benefit NYC AIDS Walk 2011.

A conversation with RU-Pride

co-president

PAGE 4 Opinions November 17, 2010

The Voice of Rutgers-NewarkRutgers, The State University of

New Jersey Paul Robeson Campus Center350 Dr. Martin Luther King, Blvd. Newark, New Jersey 07102-1898Main office: (973) 353-5023

Editor-in-ChiefDiego M. Ortiz

managing editorThomas Hahn

LAYOUT DESIGN EditorMonica De Leon

news editorAllison Baldwin

sports editorCamilo Brun

opinion editorHalema Wali

life & Leisure editorCaroline McLaughlin

multiMedia EditorChristian Torres-Rossi

business managerOmar Khan

staff writersLaquay Weekes Calvin OkwuegoMauricio Moreno

Ramona AlcantaraHassan Muhammad

Frances PerezTricia SerrantonioBreanne McCarthyBimpe FageyimboRodolfo Cardenas

Farbod RajaiJoshua Hoyos

CONTrIbUTOrS

advisorGeorge Garneau

Letters to the editor and Opinions:

observercopy@gmail.com

News desk: observernews@

gmail.com

To advertise with The Observer please contact

Omar Khan at

observerbiz@gmail.com

The views expressed in the Opinion section, with ex-ception of the main Edito-rial, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Observer.

THE OBSERVER

The Voice of Rutgers-NewarkRutgers, The State University of

New Jersey Paul Robeson Campus Center350 Dr. Martin Luther King, Blvd. Newark, New Jersey 07102-1898

Editor-in-ChiefDiego M. Ortiz

managing editorThomas Hahn

LAYOUT DESIGN EditorMonica De Leon

news editorAllison Baldwin

sports editorCamilo Brun

opinion editorHalema Wali

life & Leisure editorCaroline McLaughlin

multiMedia EditorChristian Torres-Rossi

business managerOmar Khan

staff writersLaquay Weekes

Patricia SerrantonioBimpe Fageyimbo

Farbod RajaeiJoshua Hoyos

James RountreeElizabeth Rodriguez

Yaroslav ImshenetskyEnzo DomingoNaina KamathShashwat Dave

Euney KimKelvin PauZarna Patel

Gabriela BarkhoAlvin Anarah

Desiree HadleyCalvin I. Okwuego

Sandra Grossett

advisorGeorge Garneau

Letters to the editor and Opinions:

observeropinions@gmail.com

News desk: observernews@

gmail.com

To advertise with The Observer please contact

Omar Khan at

observerbiz@gmail.com

THE OBSERVER

The goal of The Observer editori-al pages is to present the diversity of views of all the R-N communi-ty, especially the students whose student fees support this newspa-per, on timely and relevant top-ics. Letters (50-100 words) and essays (600-800 words) are ac-cepted for publication at the dis-cretion of the editor and/or his/her designees. Unsolicited manu-scripts are not returned. Editors reserve the right to edit for space

and clarity.

By Zarna Patelstaff writer

There isn’t any one reason for homelessness like substance abuse or laziness. In fact, home-less people are often the victims

of a horrible situation. Most people are not completely ignorant of what’s going on in the society they live in. Knowing that people are in these situations sparks a lot of guilt, especially if someone in the same neighborhood was placed in that situation.

We do live in an unfair world where a certain percentage of homeless people are violent drugs addicts, but that can’t be assumed for all homeless people.

When unemployment rates were skyrocketing, American families had to choose between two basic necessities, food and shelter.

Homeless people can include war veterans, battered women, the mentally unstable, victims of natural disasters,

and even former prisoners. Most victims strive to get out of the helpless situation they’re in.

I hate to say it, but there are a cou-ple of homeless people that do try to swindle money from you.

Sometime in September, a home-less man asked me for some money he needed to take the train to see his sick mom at a hospital. Growing up in Jer-sey City, I learned at an early age that it was better to donate food or give mon-etary donations to organizations that use 100% of the profits to help the needy. So I didn’t give him any money, but my friend did. A week later, the same man comes up to us, telling us the same story.

At that time, I didn’t know that there was a homeless shelter down Uni-versity Avenue, about a block and half down from Subway. I would have told him to head down there and ask for help if I had known.

There are other ways to help home-less people without giving them money directly. Just making them aware of a

shelter can help them out if they already didn’t know. Pointing the shelters out is a better alternative because the shelter provides basic necessities like food and a place to stay, whereas money can only last so long.

It also might be better for people who are homeless due to substance abuse to know that some shelters offer programs to help them overcome their addiction. Plus it’s hard to tell where the money, which is placed directly into someone’s hand, is going to be invested.

Offering to buy food or giving food is also a better alternative than giving money. People appreciate a sandwich much more then a couple of cents in change, because money means abso-lutely nothing when you don’t have any-thing to begin with.

Overall, homeless people are just regular people caught in a bad situation. As a society, it’s our job to help one an-other through bad times. Giving back to the community can only be a good thing.

Help the homeless, the right way

‘Kik’ me, the new real time messengerBy Monica De Leon

Layout Design Editor

Kik Messenger is the new cross-platform messaging network that offers real-time texting for Androids, iPhones, and

Blackberries, even iPods. Think Black-berry Messenger on crack.

Since it was re-launched to the public earlier this month, over a million users have downloaded the messenger to their phones. Everywhere on Face-book and Twitter people put up their Kik usernames for friends to find them. According to the Kik website, 25,000 users were registering every hour. Okay, so obviously this is a big deal.

I had to download it to see the fuss. And for the first hour or so, it was pretty cool. Kik has a feature that automatically adds your contacts and friends on Facebook who have down-

loaded the Kik messenger. It was a little strange to see names of people I was barely friends, but it was a nice touch to connect to others.

“It kinda forced me to talk to people I don’t normally talk to,” said Drew Dizon, 20, a Blackberry user. “I sorta dig that because I had conversa-tions with people I usually wouldn’t.”

Given that Kik is a new pro-gram with an unusually high number of downloads, bugs and crashes are in-evitable. Since I downloaded it to my phone, it has crashed twice, forcing me to re-download it and reboot it. I’m all about convenience, but this makes it far from being convenient.

When it’s not crashing, it’s draining battery. Blackberry users, like myself, have experienced major battery drainage since using it. My phone used to last me the whole day; when I have Kik open, I’ll be lucky if I get through half the day.

Other users aren’t exactly thrilled with the interface. The interface is similar to that of the iPhone, which some users don’t really find all that ex-citing.

“I actually haven’t used it since I downloaded it,” said Joshua Teves, 22. “It’s not that great.”

Android users probably haven’t had a much better experience.

“It’s underdeveloped,” said Marc Cortez, 21.

The Kik team is aware of the bugs and the need of a system that could handle the overload of users. Other than their apology notices on their blog, Kik hasn’t given much information on how they will address the issues, but they’re working on it.

I won’t be too upset at them. But I’m just not for it. Until Kik can address their issues, I’ll stick to Blackberry Messenger and texting.

By Christian Torres-RossiMultimedia Editor

This newspaper firmly believes that when reporting news events that affect our commu-nity, we must make the best ef-

fort to report the truth.Ideally, professional journalists

like Rush Limbaugh or Glenn Beck, should know this before broadcasting any story. As journalists, they should check their sources especially when referring to the President of the United

States. Apparently, Fox decided to run

a story, (if it can even be called that) about the Presidential trip to India and the stratospheric price that it will cost the American people.

According to unnamed sources in India, the total cost of the trip would be around two billion dollars. Yes! You read correctly two billion dollars!

If I had the opportunity to inter-view a group people who allowed this nonsense to appear on cable television, my question would be; when are we go-ing to stop the nonsense?

Now, more than ever, our country is in great need of accurate, precise and above all, fair journalism stories that will positively inform and influence the opinion of our society.

This country doesn’t need yel-low press, or advocacy journalism, that does everything but correctly inform the public.

For the sake of journalism and the respect to the hundreds of thousands of people who value, read and enjoy our work, please Fox News, stop these she-nanigans.

Please do your jobs, journalists

november 17, 2010 Opinions PAGE 5

video at therutgersobserver.com

Scarlet Radarcompiled by Philip Briones and Enzo Domingo

Maria TorresFreshman, History

“I’d rather go to the nearest grease-truck or something and spend the money on some food, rather than giving

them money.”

Paul AderintoFreshman, Accounting

“I don’t mind giving people some change if I have it, but at the same time, we’re college students; a lot of us

don’t have that much money.”

Victor CostaSenior, Math/Music

“It’s not where they belong. This is a learning environ-ment. You don’t see people going around high schools asking for money, so it shouldn’t happen in college.”

Michael KrivyJunior, Psychology

“I probably would, depending on the circumstances, but sometimes you can’t always trust them. Are they really telling the truth? Are they acting? Being a col-

lege student isn’t easy. Money isn’t easy to get.”

Michelle DewittSenior, Psychology

“Sometimes you can tell whether they’re on drugs, and I just don’t give it to those who are. I just don’t pay at-

tention to them.”

How do you feel about giving mon-ey to panhandlers on campus?

Mitt Romney and the Liberal testBy Matthew Rozsa

staff writer

If you look at the men whose presidential or vice presi-dential candidacies broke through long-standing bar-

riers of religious prejudice, it is hard to avoid noticing that all of them were Democrats:

- Alfred Smith, the New York Governor who became the first Catholic nominated for president by a major party in 1928.

- John Kennedy, the Massa-chusetts Senator who became the first Catholic actually elected to the presidency in 1960.

- Michael Dukakis, the Mas-sachusetts Governor who became the first Eastern Orthodox adher-ent nominated by a major party in 1988 (his wife, if elected, would have also become the first Jewish First Lady).

- Joseph Lieberman, the Con-necticut Senator who became the first Jew nominated for vice presi-dent by a major party in 2000, af-ter being selected by Albert Gore.

I mention all of this because, while liberals feel justifiable pride in our movement’s role in defend-ing these men from hate-based attacking, we also benefited on those occasions from the knowl-edge that the individuals in ques-tion happened to be “on our side.” It is in this way that the 2012 presidential election may provide us with one of our greatest tests:

Can we stand firm in our op-position to religious bigotry when its target is a right-wing Republi-can?

Before you dismiss this question as merely hypothetical, bear in mind that one of the front-runners for the Republican presi-dential nomination is Mitt Rom-ney, a staunch conservative best known as the scion of a Michigan political dynasty, a competent for-mer Massachusetts governor, a re-nowned business whiz/corporate fixer-upper… and a Mormon.

If you think this last detail has no effect on whether Romney

is qualified to be president, you are absolutely right. If, however, you believe that the rest of the na-tion is bound to feel the same way, you are tragically mistaken. Early signs of what may await Romney if he is nominated can be found from the 2008 election, when his first bid for the GOP’s top prize brought anti-Mormon sentiment to the fore.

“God cannot be identified… with the Mormon religion’s notion of god,” declared a faith guide is-sued by Focus on the Family, a powerful institutional organ of the Christian Right.

“Can Mitt Romney Serve Two Masters? The Mormon Church vs. the United States of America” blared the heading of an eight-page e-mail sent to radio talk show hosts throughout the country by Christian Right-wing-ers Tricia Erickson and Donna Rice (the latter of Gary Hart sex scandal fame).

“Don’t Mormons believe that Jesus and the devil are broth-ers?” joked Mike Huckabee, one of Romney’s chief rivals for the nomination (then and now).

Of course, because all of these incidents involve conser-vatives, some liberals who read about them may assume that their movement has no need to fear being infected with such venom. Right-wingers have an inherent intolerant streak anyway, they as-sume (inaccurately, I might add). Liberals would never say or do anything so hateful.

Of course, such an assump-tion requires that its bearers not notice the remarks of Reverend Al Sharpton, who said he wasn’t worried about a Romney presi-dency because “those that really believe in God will defeat him anyway.”

It involves overlooking the diatribe of left-wing political an-alyst Larry O’Donnell, who re-ferred to Mormonism as “dement-ed”, “ridiculous”, and “based on the work of a lying, fraudulent, criminal.”

It insists on finding some other explanation as to why pro-gressive activist Ryan J. Davis defended O’Donnell’s tirade in a Huffington Post editorial while adding some insults of his own, such as referring to “Mormon doc-trine” as a “swampland” through which he had to “dredge” to write his article.

Finally, it doesn’t account for the fact that – given how 29% of Americans have said that they would not vote for a Mormon presidential candidate – the sheer laws of statistical probability suggest that there are liberals as well as conservatives making up that forbidding number.

There are plenty of excel-lent reasons to oppose Mitt Rom-ney. His economic policies are skewed too heavily toward big business and the wealthy, which would further exacerbate the cata-strophic income disparity exist-ing today between the rich and middle class; his insistence on slashing government spending will hobble our efforts to reverse this recession’s unemployment crisis; his conservatism on social issues ranging from gay rights to marijuana legalization would prolong antiquated injustices; and his support, until recently, of increasing our troop presence in Iraq suggests that he hasn’t learned from the mistakes of Bush’s neoconservative agenda.

Liberals can and should wage a campaign against Rom-ney based on the merits of our positions and the weaknesses in his. That said, we must also jump to his defense whenever his re-ligious background is attacked – not only because his faith is ir-relevant to his ability to be a good president, although it is, but be-cause silence in the face of such attacks will disgrace us in the eyes of history.

Matthew Rozsa is a gradu-ate student at Rutgers-Newark. He can be reached at matt.ro-zsa@gmail.com.

By Naina KamathStaff Writer

Rape. It’s committed by perverts for the sheer pleasure of it. The ques-tion as to whether they

are mentally ill or just plain sick still remains, but the act is done only for their own benefit.

However, the world has used rape as a weapon, as a demonstra-tive measure. Such is the case in the Demo-cratic Repub-lic of Congo, where ‘rape frenzies’ have become a com-mon affair.

In coun-tries ravaged by war and de-struction, it is often not the soldiers who get harmed the most; accord-ing to Women-Thrive.org, a website focusing on women in underdeveloped coun-tries, women and children suffer to the greatest extent.

In Congo, after husbands and fathers have been injured or killed from the fighting, rebel forces break into village huts and gang-rape the women. This is not only limited to the young, attrac-tive females, a group people see as the most common victims of rape. Grandmothers, teenagers and even young children suffer the same violent abuse.

The most disgusting aspect of this is that these men do not

rape their victims for the tradi-tional gratification associated with such an act. They do it to assert their power: by creating an environment of fear and violence, so that they have more control over the local people than country officials.

Then, they can use this con-trol to overcome obstacles put in their way by the government, showing them that they have the

upper hand in society. Their domination comes not

through laws or regulations, but rather through violence.

And it is working. In the most recent, media-exposed rape frenzy, the United Nations’ efforts in Congo were put to shame when approximately 100 rebel men broke into homes and repeatedly raped at least 200 women.

All of which happened right under the noses of the UN. For this they have accepted much blame, and many have claimed that they are neglecting their most basic aim: to protect the popula-tion.

Who is to blame? Should the United Nations really be blamed for this? Should we be looking at the rebel forces themselves for being so violent and unethical? Should we be blaming local gov-ernment officials for not doing more to protect their civilians? Or should we be looking at the people themselves, who have yet to find a way to defend against this filthy form of warfare?

T h e q u e s t i o n s could go on, because the problem of rape for polit-ical power is one that many war-stricken countries are facing.

T h i s form of vic-tim domina-tion is one that has and is still being used in coun-

tries such as Sierra Leone, Soma-lia and Darfur.

Rape as a ‘tool to debase societies’ has even become rec-ognized by the UN as a ‘security challenge’, according to Consul-tancyAfrica.com.

After all this exposure and recognition of rape as a weapon, it is frightening that a solution has not been figured out yet.

After years of the innocent female members of society in these countries being violated in the worst way, it is both sad and scary that no one has found a way to protect them.

Rape as a tool of warIs there a way to prevent it?

November 17, 2010 Advertisements PAGE 6

NOVEMBER 17, 2010 Life & Leisure PAGE 7

Inside this section:Jay-Z DECODED.........................page 7 Chic Stranger ...............................page 8Creative Space..............................page9 Sudoku and Crossword....................page9

Life &LeisureBy Elizabeth Rodriguez

STAFF WRITER

I always told my father (who does not agree with my music preference) that rap is like poetry with a beat—DECODED clarified my theory. When I had trouble

studying for an exam, my mother always said: “memorize it like you do those Hov lyrics.” Needless to say, my mother is always right—and when I put the state capitols to the beat of ’03 Bonnie & Clyde, it worked like a charm. So, thanks Jay-Z!

I knew that Jay-Z was a complex man; but, I had no idea that Sean Carter sold crack. Sure, I knew his lyrics were sometimes rudimentary; but I thought he was “just rapping”—entertaining people with his smooth voice and poetic talents. I knew that I didn’t know everything there was to know about him; and, I knew that one day I’d have the opportunity to truly understand where he was coming from. I had hoped it would be through conversation, but reading his book is more than suffice—for now.

Decoded hit stores on November 16. This is more than a first person account of his life; Jay-Z paints the most eloquent portrait of the boy he was, and his journey to becoming the most respected man in his industry. (Of course, this is my opinion. Not his words.)

Decoded is a 308-page memoir filled with of raw emotion. His type design varies; there is erratic rhyme and reason for the drawings he has chosen; his color scale changes

with the unconventional chapters. Jay writes of his days hustling in Marcy projects. He explains exactly what was going through his head at that time—and he tells the reader how those days have affected him today. He uses footnotes to explain many of his lyrics—and he makes it very clear that hip-hop was going to be “raw and aggressive, but also witty and slick.” He made it know that rap had a purpose and every song held substance beyond what the listener was hearing.

Sean Carter takes into account meeting everyone from Run DMC, to Oprah and Bono. He clarifies his relationships with Kanye and Just Blaze. He even pays attention to a young journalist who truly made an impact on his thinking. He mentions not only rap icons, but also The Beastie Boys and Barack Obama. He touches upon how religion, family, and relationships mold each person; and, in turn their passions and drive for success.

I couldn’t be more grateful than to have conquered this book in its entirely. From cover to cover, you won’t want to skip a beat. So, when you can’t figure out what to get your parents for the holidays, pick up Decoded—give them a glimpse into a world that they don’t understand.

Note: According to Rolling Stone—this book was completed a few years ago. So, it makes sense that some of his most recent songs and Beyonce were not mentioned. However, we all know that many of his lyrics have to, in some way, relate to his wonderful wife.

‘DECODED’: Jay-Z memoir gives glimpse into complicated, interesting life

By Kelvin PauSTAFF WRITER

It is the nineteenth century, Paris. Famous and highly respected criminal-turned-police officer Eugene Vidocq is on the hunt for a killer with an unusual method;

he apparently has manipulated events and people to be killed by bolts of lightning. Based very loosely upon the actual man who inspired Edgar Allen Poe’s fictional detective, Dupin, who inspired the legendary Sherlock Holmes, this alternate history steampunk mystery film has great visual flair and great concepts but sadly fails to utilize its full potential.

The film opens with an impressive digitally rendered, grim alleyway in Paris. The director, Pitof, has a good eye, and it shows with his rendition of various locations in this fictional version of Paris. Yet even though this film was made way back in 2001, it still suffers from shaky-camera syndrome. Although it’s not as bad as a Bourne film, it’s still distracting and takes away from the visual element. Still, the shots are impressive when they don’t shake like the camera were being held by a late-syndrome sufferer of Parkinson’s. The streets are appropriately grimy, and the characters are portrayed with what looks to be appropriate period dress.

Speaking of characters, though the film concerns itself with the titular Vidocq, for the most part he and the other characters are shoved

into the background to the killer of the film, the Alchemist. He’s on the cover of the movie poster above, and like in most horror movies, he’s the most interesting guy in the story. With supernatural abilities, unexpectedly excellent fight scene choreography, and a unique design and concept, he’s pretty much half the reason to watch this film. The other half is from the setting.

Although this is ostensibly a mystery, the plot is pretty rote and the characters, aside from the aforementioned Alchemist, don’t really bring much to notice. What makes this film stand out is the period piece styling mixed in with the steampunk alternate history going on here. As I continued to watch the film, what I noticed and appreciated the most was the setting of the movie. I was captured by the stunning shots of this alternate universe Paris: a Paris where all the machinery and science was just slightly too advanced for real history yet at the same time keeping with the 19th century design. I was also captured by the fantasy elements of the killer. By using the magic inherent in his mask, he can do impossible things, move with great speed and fight in a way that makes no sense but looks pretty awesome.

Though it is a fairly short and simple movie, I still say that if you’re interested from the description to give it a shot. It’s not a great film, but it has some pretty images and a badass villain to watch.

‘Vidocq’: A French film with fantastic visuals, fails to go

much deeper

By Maxine BogleSTAFF WRITER

In hopes to show the effects the collapse of the economy has had on the American citizen, a reality TV show called Downsized has been produced,

chronicling a family coping under stress. Downsized, which premiered Saturday

November 6 at 9pm on We TV, is an eight-episode series that follows a formerly well-off Arizona couple, Laura and Todd and their seven kids, as they cope with the loss of their fortune. When 40-year-old Laura, who has 5 kids, and 40-year-old Todd, who has 2 kids, first got married they lavished their children with expensive gifts and nightly dinner’s outs to transition the blending of their families. But when the economy collapsed, Todd’s multi-million dollar construction company fell through and the family was left with Laura’s small teaching salary to live on. Eventually the family could not keep up their lavish lifestyle and they had to file for bankruptcy as well as have their properties foreclosed on.

As the show begins, we see the Arizona couple struggling to find $300 more dollars so that they can pay their rent which is already past due. Laura is shown asking her father for the money and Todd, who spent the day trying to get paid for a job he previously did, pride is hurt when he hears that Laura had to ask her dad for the money. When Todd refuses to borrow the money from his father-in-law, the couple is now left

wondering where they will get the remaining money from.

Sadly the couple has to tell their children at dinner that they may not make the rent and will have to move if they cannot do so and while the children are all deeply saddened by the news, Todd’s two children seem less burdened by the loss due to them spending weekends at their mom house where they receive new clothes, money and soon a new car. As the couple struggles to find the money that is need, Laura children also pitch in to raise some of the money by going dumpster diving for bottles and selling their prized possessions.

While Downsized is a heartwarming story that may bring tears to some viewers eyes, it may take some time in order to convince a majority of the viewers as to why they should care about a family who didn’t learn how to live within their means when their homes were foreclosed on and why they should care about a middle class family that will be compensated after the show is over. However what is different about downsized from any other reality show is that whether they are a family that has not struggle as much as one would like to hear, it is a real reality show, that we don’t see too often, about a family that takes care of each other. They are an actual family that has lived beyond their means for many years and have no idea of how to live within one. It is a show about pulling together and the strength of a family which is something everyone should watch.

‘Downsized’ offers new look at

economic reality

PAGE 8 Life & Leisure NOVEMBER 17, 2010

has great ideas, but we need some help. We’re looking for camera operators, video

producers, photographers, script writers, and broadcasters. No experience necessary; we will train on the job. For more information,

contact observercopy@gmail.com and check us out at therutgersobserver.com.

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Chic Stranger:

Military-inspired fashion honored in current trends

By Patricia SerrantonioSTAFF WRITER

This past weekend, I was utterly enthralled by the replay of the HBO hit miniseries The Pacific. For all those who have never watched the show, it is an entire recreation of specific World War II battles in

Japan through the personal and exact stories of three United States Marines and their affiliates, including female marines. It reveals the true stories of Pfc. Robert Leckie, Sgt. John Basilone, and Pfc. Eugene Sledge’s lives before the war, throughout battle (including Iwo Jima), and their return home, for those who made it.

The series, produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks, was made specifically to illuminate the legacy of these men; allowing us to truly feel and witness the emotional and personal struggles of not only soldiers, but Marines, surviving the moral, spiritual, and even hygienic conflicts during open battle.

Watching the episodes, I decided to zoom in on the Marines specifically. Throughout all ten parts, several USMC uniforms are displayed by costume designer Penny Rose. During WWII, the basic uniform during battle in which they wear in the show is the utility uniform, which has evolved over time. Now, the Marines have two different patterns: woodland (green) and desert (brown). Off the battlefield, soldiers wear service uniforms complete with khaki ties and button up shirts. WWII was the time when the garrison cap came into use, a hat often seen of the show as well.

Throughout U.S. Marine bases now as well as the show, soldiers, make and female, are most famous for their formal dress blues: white gloves, a white peaked hat, earned metals, a long blue coat or khaki long sleeve button-up shirt

and tie, and blue (shade depending on rank) pant with a red side stripe. Female uniforms are relatively the same, except that they wear skirts.

Handsome, yes, but they also differentiate due to rank, and have pretty much been the exact same; that the USMC often follows tradition and have only changed what was truly necessary.

Militia fashion is of course not exactly related to the past wars, yet military heroes and their image visually inspire the runway. For example, the current obsession with laced up boots with a masculine profile have been a female favorite.

From Tory Burch turtlenecks to camouflage tops and vests, anyone can express their liking of greens and earth tones. Also, the Spring 2010 ready-to-wear line solely consisted of heavy military long coats, boots, and ripped t-shirts.

Although military inspired fashions are covering the shelves of stores and TV shows, the proper honor might never be shown to those in the military itself. All we can do now is appreciate our soldiers, those currently abroad as well as our veterans. Now ladies, stop staring at them, and remember to thank our brave troops.

Thank You!

By Gabriela BarkhoSTAFF WRITER

Being a college student, one becomes fully aware of how expensive everything can be. From buying textbooks, paying tuition and bus fare, funds can really run low by the time the holiday’s rolls around.

But don’t worry fellow broke college student, there are many ways to find and give inexpensive gifts to loved ones and friends.

When it come to your parents, finding a gift may not be that hard to find. One possible gift idea that is sure to warm your parent’s heart is to treat your parents with breakfast in bed. By preparing some of their favorite foods, they will appreciate the time it took you to prepare each item.

However, if cooking is not one of your specialties, then another possible idea for a gift is to bring it back to elementary school with homemade gift coupons. By using your computer, or stylish craft paper, you can make a booklet of coupons with each stating something different. One could say that you’ll do the dishes for a day or even give an hour-long backrub. But one classic gift that can never fail is a picture frame. You can never go wrong with a nice quality picture frame and if you have enough money you can find a digital picture frames that hangs on a keychain.

After you have decided what time of gift to give to your parents, it is now time to find the perfect gift for the girls in your life. Whether she’s your girlfriend, your sister, or just a friend, one gift that every girl is sure to love are gifts that they can use to pamper themselves. Gifts such as sweet smelling lotions, bath gels, oils and finger polish are some of the items

that girls use daily. Typically, you can find them at Bath and Bodyworks, but since you’re on a budget its best to pass by a discount store and buy these items separately, place them in a wonderfully decorated basket and you’ll have a perfect gift for the holidays. Another gift idea that will bring a smile on the face of the girl in your life is to buy a clothing item, such as a shirt, and iron-on her favorite phrase. By using your computer you can easily type her favorite phrase, print it on iron-on paper (where you can get from any craft store) and simple iron it onto the clothing item. However if you need a romantic gift for your girlfriend, just remember to keep it simple. Since you can’t afford to buy a dozen roses, a single rose is still a romantic gesture.

Now that you have picked out the best possible gift for the girls in your life, it is now time to pick a gift for the men. While every girl knows, the perfect gift for any guy is any expensive new released game for his Xbox or PS3. However, what many do not know is that even though you may be on a budget, you can still find his favorite game but in your budget. On the day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday) is when almost every retail store has a sale on almost every item in that store, so If you don’t mind waiting on a line or spending the day searching, you can find at least one of his favorite games on sale. Another possible gift idea that can be inexpensive is tickets to a sports game. Now you may think these tickets can get expensive but because you are a student, you can get them for a low price. If you call your local arena and ask how much tickets would be since you are a college student, you’re sure to get a discounted amount. However, if you simple do not have any extra time to find a gift due to exams or any other reason, the best possible choice is to buy a card, with a gift certificate

of gift card inside, and simple write about all the good times you have had with this person.

With the upcoming holidays just around the corner, it is best to start planning ahead on what you may want to give. But no matter what, remember that the best ideas are ones that are given with love.

Broke?A shopping guide for small wallets

Medal of Honor recipient John Basilone and the actor who plays him in ‘The Pacific’ Jon Seda.

PAGE 9Life & LeisureNOVEMBER 17, 2010

Easy

Rutgers Observer

Sudoku 9x9 - Puzzle 4 of 5 - Very Hard

1 5 3 2

8 4 1 6

9

3 5 4 6

7 1

4 1 2 9

2

8 3 7 4

4 7 6 2www.sudoku-puzzles.net

Broken Hearted Running ShoesI’m praying to god for answers that I know he will never provideAnd slowly I’m starting to feel the darkness creeping up inside

And I don’t know what I believe in or where I want to beBut these feelings are getting stronger and they’re slowly killing me

So I run when I can’t sleep and I can’t sleep all the timeBut no matter how much I run these things will never fall in line

I’m watching people slip away from me, drifting or dying offAnd I’m starting to feel the sickness making me weep and cough

And I hack up all these feelings that I never meant to showAnd the disease has now metastasized the sickness starting to grow

So how will I ever fight this off or learn to let things beWhy didn’t our time collide why couldn’t you and I be we

There’s things that I will never know and places I will never goThere’s things that I will always fear like your birthday as its drawing near

So many mistakes I can’t correctAnd so many theories that don’t connect

And nobody can tell me what went wrong or what I should have doneAnd nobody can tell me I shouldn’t regret your heart being what I’d won

There’s a deathly silence coming over meAnd a frigid frost that’s possibly

The coldest thing I’ve ever feltThanks to all the blows you’ve dealt

How can you ask me to go on living with this painYou ripped my heart in twos and threes and drove my mind insane

If you called me up and said it’s time to end the fightIf you called and said you wanted to be my baby tonight

I’d come running to your home, sprinting to make sure you weren’t aloneI’d hold you tight and kiss you so, I’d never ever let you go

But that’s a call I’ll never getAnd you’re someone, I’ll always regret

-Ryan Vance

Observer Creative Space:

Rutgers Observer

Sudoku 9x9 - Puzzle 2 of 5 - Very Easy

2 6 4 8

7 8 9 2 5

5 2 7 1

1 3 8 9

1 9 5

4 6 5 2

9 1 5 6

4 2 9 1 8

6 7 5 3www.sudoku-puzzles.net

SUDOKU & CROSSWORD

Across1- Sign of injury; 5- Grasps; 10- Exchange for money; 14- Domesticated; 15- So far; 16- Authentic; 17- Plains native; 18- Grenoble’s river; 19- Aware of; 20- Request; 22- Among; 24- Backward tidal movement; 25- Tree frog; 26- Antidote; 30- Trims; 35- W.W. II Gen. ___ Arnold; 36- “Seinfeld” uncle; 37- Pisa place; 38- Place in position; 41- Muslim opponent of the Crusaders; 43- Perch; 44- Impresario Hurok; 45- Brian of Roxy Music; 46- Rings of a chain; 47- Magnificent; 50- “…countrymen, lend me your ____”; 53- “Respect for Acting” author Hagen; 54- Debase; 58- Colonize; 62- River in central Switzerland; 63- Japanese beer brand; 66- Horne solo; 67- Journey; 68- Salk’s conquest; 69- Approach; 70- Actor Omar; 71- Twixt’s partner; 72- Sea swallow; Down1- Portico; 2- Burmese, Manx, and Scottish Fold; 3- In a frenzy; 4- Marijuana cigarette; 5- Cat’s stomach accumulation; 6- CIA forerunner; 7- Caustic stuff; 8- Bowler hat; 9- Alloy of iron and carbon; 10- Pack away; 11- Sea eagle; 12- Stringed instrument; 13- Boxer Spinks; 21- Japanese sash; 23- Rhino relative; 25- Monetary unit of Vietnam; 26- Pierce; 27- Capital of Vietnam; 28- Big name in printers; 29- Animation unit; 31- Loss leader?; 32- Ran swiftly; 33- Nicholas Gage book; 34- Church council; 39- Disapproving sound; 40- Baffled; 41- Bribe; 42- Reference; 44- Draft org.; 48- Hot time in Paris; 49- Floating; 51- Go with the flow; 52- Plant anew; 54- Go out with; 55- Tombstone lawman; 56- Clench; 57- Workout count; 59- Corner; 60- Make-up artist?; 61- Acquire through merit; 64- Bass, e.g.; 65- Go quickly;

Crossword from bestcrosswords.com, Sudoku from sudoku-puzzles.net

Hard

It’s surprising in the moonlight I still find you mesmerizing eventhough you’re terrorizing a presence deep in me

It’s a deep and bloodied fury blocking vision like snow flurries andit’s slowly turning me to what I never thought I’d be

A cold and heartless person who’s condition only worsens and its sadbut I now must admit what I’m starting to see

You’re a killer with a knife you’re a reaper with a scythe and I nevershould have been so foolish thinking you would be my wife

On August 26th I will pray myself awake I will pray my heart won’tbreak I will pray my apology you take

-Ryan Vance

The SnowballIt reminds me of a snowy day.

Children are playing outside making snowmen and snow angelsThe angels are pretty. They are precious. They are peaceful.

But then out of nowhere the kids make a snowballThe very first attempt is where everything goes wrong.

Why do the kids make the snow ball?What significance does it have?

They make the snowball and slowly roll it down the hillIt rolls slow and then gets faster

Heavier and stronger it keeps rollingSoon the hill takes control and directs the snowballThe hill is its master, and the snowball is its servant

Why won’t the hill stop? Control yourself yells the snowballLet me go.

But the hill doesn’t stop. It gets deeper and deeper, steeper too.Soon the ball stops as it rolls away from the hill onto the flat surface.

The snowball is big…and dense. It has been formed.The snowball has no words. It does not know where to go, or how to get there.

It is stuck in still snow that will take it nowhere.It can no longer be pushed by the children and can no longer roll down the hill.

It is there. It does not move and it does not call for help.The snowball accepts its place in the snow.

Snow keeps falling adding more snow to the snowball.Soon the snowball gets smaller as pieces of snow slide down.

The sun soon comes out and melts the edges.Slowly, the snowball becomes just snow.

No longer is there a snowball. No longer is there a person.Until the children make a snowball again.

Make a snowball again children, and roll it down the hill. Let it roll and roll, until once again the hill takes control.

Goodbye snowball the children yell as it rolls down.They do not realize the snowball is still there at the bottom of the hill.

Sitting, waiting, and taken away from natures courses. Goodbye snowball. Goodbye forever.

~Michel M. Antoine

SorrowMaking an incision deeper and deeper, reaching the very core of your bone,

a mindless act, with a numbness to the bloodshed, a simple act with no syndrome.with every goodbye, your heart yells out as if it was the apocalypse,

insanely eager for the touch of your hand, becomes a dramatized wait as if for an eclipse.time becomes of essence, distance becomes blinding suffocation,

while holding onto your picture, your letters a dosage of painkillers, anything to bring the flesh together, she seeks any intoxication.

a moment apart from you is death in it’s tortuous form,trying to control the course she takes, as if caught in an unbearable storm.

drowning, unable to breath when you’re out of reach,apart from you, she’s not use to, she’d rather you within her, run through her veins,

holding on like a hungry leech.-Hira Rashidi

november 17, 2010 Advertisements PAGE 10

November 17, 2010 Sports PAGE 11

Giants fall to struggling Cowboysfans left wondering, who turned out the lights?

By: Yaroslav ImshenetskySports Writer

It sure was a crazy week for the Nets, filled with drama and excitement. It began with the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Cavs were clinging to 83-82 lead with two and a half minutes to play in the quarter.Jamison swished another 3-pointer to extend it to 4 points.

After Anthony Morrow missed from the top of the arc, Lopez blocked a drive to the basket by Gibson. There was a loose ball under the basket, and it eventually made its way to Anthony Parker at the 3-point line. With the shot clock buzzer about to sound, Parker launched a high-arching shot that touched nothing but net. It took the air out of the crowd with 89 seconds left in the game.

The Nets tried to fight back, but in the end fell short, as the Cavaliers won, 93-91.

“We were fighting,” said Travis Outlaw, who had 27 points and 7 rebounds on the night for the Nets, “That’s the most important thing. We have to continue to fight. We have to continue to keep our head up and keep pushing.”

New Jersey then headed over to Cleveland the next day for a rematch with the Cavaliers.

The Nets bounced back after losing to the Cavs the other night, to much relief of their staff and play-ers.

Hickson’s two-handed jam put the Cavs up 81-80, but then New Jersey responded with a 8-0 run,

that was triggered by Farmar’s three and finished with Morrow’s jumper. Cleveland cut down the lead to 88-85, but Harris sped down the right side of the court for a layup, and the Nets held on despite missing 6 out of 10 free throws in the last 33 seconds, 95-87.

“Tonight felt like the Game 7 of a series,” said Humphries, who starting in place of the injured for-ward Troy Murphy, “We needed a win. We just lost to this team.”

New Jersey tried to build on their win against Orlando Magic.

Vince Carter slammed a powerful dunk 2:29 left to make it a 83-all game. He got to the basket against

with a spinning layup for a Magic 4-point lead. Travis Outlaw made a jumper and after Carter

missed his shot, Farmar sunk a 3-pointer to cut the lead down to one point. But Jameer Nelson made the go-ahead basket with 4 seconds to go, and the Magic won, 91-90.

The Nets have been unlucky this season, with 3 games ending with 1-2 point loses. But their game has improved throughout the season, and the team now has a few leaders. Devin Harris, Travis Outlaw, and Brook Lopez have been averaging nearly 20 points a game, and that can be considered a very good sign for New Jersey.

The Nets will meet the Clippers on Monday night.

Nets fall to Lebron-less Cavaliers

By: Yaroslav ImshenetskySports Writer

The Giants met a different kind of Cowboys on Sunday night. There were no wobbling mis-takes, just very good execution. The Big Blue did not expect that kind of a game from the

one-win Cowboys, but it happened and it cost them a

division loss. Before the lights at the New Meadowlands sta-

dium went off for 10 minute during the third quarter, Jon Kitna had found Felix Jones on a screen, which the halfback ran for 71 yards to put the Cowboys up 26-6.

Kitna, who started in the place of the injured Romo, had everything going right for him. He com-pleted 13 out of 22 passes for 327 yards and 3 TD’s on Sunday.

Eli Manning threw two touchdown passes and Lawrence Tynes kicked two field goals for the banged-up Giants, who played without receiver Steve Smith and offensive tackle David Diehl.

However, Eli Manning made big mistakes, in-cluding an interception to Cowboys rookie corner-back, Bryan McCann, which he returned for six points and a team-record 101-yard return.

“We didn’t play well enough to win,” Giants coach Tom Coughlin commented, “We didn’t execute

the way we’ve been executing. We gave up big plays and didn’t make as many big plays. We hung in there. We gave a good effort at the end, but it was too little too late.”

The Giants made it close but in the end Man-ning’s TD pass to Kevin Boss was not enough to rattle the division rivals.

Manning and Hakeem Nicks connected on a 48-yard scoring pass down the right sideline, but the play was called back by a questionable holding penalty against guard Kevin Boothe, who was playing his first game of the season.

To the Giants credit, they did not quit, but the Cowboys still pulled out the 33-20 victory.

Dallas gained 427 yards against the NFL’s top-

ranked defense and forced three turnovers in avoiding its first six-game losing streak since a run at the end of 2000 and the start of 2001.

With a 6-3 record on the season, the Giants should use this loss as a reality check.

Were the five consecutive wins just a cover-up? No, they were definitely wins, but the Giants have made big mistakes in all of their games and have been lucky that their opponents did not capitalize on them. This game was no different--same interceptions, same penalties, same mistakes.

Now, all the fans have to hope for, is that the Giants can pick it up in their toughest stretch of the season, and not finish like they did last year.

If this weekend’s loss is a sign of things to come, they might as well not bother turning the lights back on at the New Meadowlands.

The Nets watch on as they fell to the Cavaliers.Avery Johnson attempted to get Outlaw going.

Eli Manning was vulnerable to the Cowboys defense.

The Cowboys, McCann ran in a Manning interception.

Jets comeback in overtime

By: Tom HahnManaging Editor

The Jets will need to get their kicking game in order if they want to improve on last season’s success when

they went to the American Football Conference Championship Game.

Nick Folk, the current Jets kicker, was cut from the Dallas Cowboys after last season due to inability to make field goals. It is a problem that has followed him to New York. In Sunday’s game, Folk missed three field goals.

Despite Mark Sanchez injur-ing his calf in the second quarter, the New York Jets were still able to walk away with 26-20 overtime win over the Cleveland Browns on the road in Cleveland. Sanchez will likely be ready to play against the Houston Texans on Sunday afternoon.

Jericho Cotchery, a wide receiver on the Jets, may not be so lucky. An MRI exam revealed a slight tear in his hamstring. On the play where he injured his hamstring, Cotchery made a sensa-tional diving catch that preserved a Jets drive. His status for Sunday is uncertain.

The Jets’ defense—a strength of their team last year—was shaky again on Sunday, but I bent and didn’t break. The Jets had the game won with less than one minute left. Then they allowed a touchdown from Colt McCoy to Mohamed Massaquoi, which tied the game at twenty points apiece.

Santonio Holmes was the hero when he caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from Sanchez with less than twenty seconds to play in the overtime period to win the game for the Jets; which pre-served their first place lead in the AFC East standings.

The Jets, despite early season success, stayed away from running the ball with LaDainian Tomlinson. Shawn Greene has not produced at all this season.

The coach of the Jets, Rex Ryan, was going up against the team led by his predecessor, Eric Mangini, and whose defensive co-ordinator is his twin brother, Rob Ryan.

With the loss, Rob fell to 0-3 when he was coaching against his brother Rex in the NFL. If the Browns had won, it would have been the 500th win in the history of the Cleveland Browns.

Earlier in the week, Rex, while impersonating his brother Rob, held a mock press confer-ence. He wore a wig of long hair, and he was dressed in Browns garb. It was all a big joke made to amuse fans of the Jets and to poke fun at the Browns and his brother Rob.

This could have potentially been the cause of controversy if the Jets had lost the game, but since they won, it will likely be no issue.

The Jets will likely make the playoffs, but they will have a dif-ficult time making it to the AFC Championship Game if they con-tinue to play this poorly on special teams. Playing a safety, Brian Leonard, as your punt returner is going to be a problem.

Leonard plays aggressively, sometimes to a fault (he does get called for more than his fair share of personal fouls), but he doesn’t possess the speed necessary to be a kick returner. Brad Smith does a nice job returning kickoffs.

If the Jets don’t correct this flaw in their team, then they will not make it very far in the playoffs.

Page 12 R-N Sports November 17, 2010

By Camilo BrunSports Editor

Brazil won the last World Cup. Okay well, not really. If you know anything about, “The Beautiful Game” you’d know that the competition for the best

nation does not end at just professionals. Even the homeless have a World Cup. The Home-less World Cup sponsored by FIFA is one of the world’s largest homeless fund raisers.

“The Homeless World Cup is an event that can change the life of anyone, not simply to help them become a professional footballer,

but so that they can become a man, in everyday life,” said Chelsea forward Didier Drogba.

“So that they can develop with regard to today’s society, which is not an easy society for everyone and that means above all developing values, human values, which I think are very important.”

The Homeless World Cup was hosted last year in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Over 42 coun-tries competed last year in the Cup; including the United States, Frances, England, and Lux-embourg.

“What is important for a guy who is home-less is to give him a target again in life, for him to know that when he gets up he has training. He takes a shower, has lunch and knows that he has training again the next morning,” said Arsene Wegner, Arsenal Football Club’s head coach. “It gives him something to think about, it gets discipline into his life again. When

you lose that discipline, it becomes one of the big problems for young people. They cannot find a job be-cause they are not shaved, not showered. Everybody rejects them, they feel on the outside, excluded.”

Globally over 100 million people worldwide are homeless. The ability to find work or opportuni-ties to find a potential job is limited. The Homeless World Cup allows people below the standard of liv-ing to prove themselves, not only to themselves, but also to their own commu-nity.

“To open and to kick off the Homeless World Cup is a poignant moment for everyone. For all the players involved standing proud to represent their country and take courage to change their lives.” Said

Brazilian footballer Pele. “And for sport as it demonstrates that grass roots soccer can change lives, change the world. I’m delighted to be involved in this sporting event, and invite you all to get into the Homeless World Cup!”

The 2011 ]Homeless World Cup will be in Paris, France. The seven-day tournament will

host more than 45 countries and will, without a doubt, bring the largest audience to what is considered to be the most, “charitable event in the world.”

Not only does the Homeless World Cup draw sponsors from all across the globe, it also draws its audience from all over the world.

“I plan to attend the Homeless World Cup,” said, senior finance student, Rodrigo Far-ias, “I’m going to be there during those dates, and I want to really see what FIFA is doing to improve the quality of life for those homeless around the world.”

Although Spain won the last World Cup, it seems the people of Brazil most enjoyed the benefits of a strong World Cup showing. Paris 2011, promises to not only be a strong exhibi-tion of football, but also of charity. One of the Homeless World Cup sponors, Luis Figo saw the importance of the event; an importance which stretched far larger than the professional world cup.

“When chaos comes into our life, is when we must never lose hope, we never must lose faith in holy love and wisdom. If we have faith, small that it is... one day... it goes to help us to

transform our life,” said Figo, “My life is an example of this! And one of the ways to show my gratitude is to extend and to share, when I can, my luck, with those who need it. Because I believe that this way, we will be able to create a happier, more just society. As my art is in my feet and not in my hands, it is with much hon-our that I associate the power of soccer to this

In 2010 France and Argentina battled in a semi-final match.Brazil faced Zimbabwe in the other semi-finals.

Homeless World Cup offers new hope for those less fortunate