The Towerlight Thursday www.thetowerlight.com Published by and for the students of Towson and Baltimore -- twice-weekly Doc the Tiger brings the Best of Towson together, eating Pasta Mista and drinking Starbucks Coffee in Souris’ Saloon while surfing Facebook. Check out more of Towson’s Best inside on pages 13-22. 01/25/07 /Üýà BEST Eleventh Annual Photo Illustration by Patrick Smith and Jenn Long/The Towerlight on the INSIDE Calendar........3 Perspectives........4 News.......7 Beyond....12 Towson’s Best....13 Arts......23 Puzzles.......26 Classifieds......27 Sports.......32 2 The Towerlight January 25, 2007 Add an event to the calendar: • Call 410-704-5139 • E-mail [email protected] • Visit www.thetowerlight.com pu s C a Graduation deadline The last day for graduate students to apply for Spring 2007 graduation is today. lendar SUN. Jan. 28th fRI. Jan. 26th WTMD countdown submission deadline This is the last day for WTMD listeners to submit their choices for the station’s “897 greatest songs of all time” countdown on www.wtmd.org. Starting Feb. 1, WTMD will begin playing the songs as part of their winter fund-drive. Weekly prizes will be awarded to listeners until Feb. 9. Polar Bear Plunge 2 p.m. Sandy Point State Park Students can join members of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity, as they raise money for the Maryland Special Olympics. Students can also participate in the event. For more information, e-mail [email protected] or call 443-889-0046. Men’s Basketball vs. Hofstra 7 p.m. Towson Center The Tigers are looking to avenge a fivepoint loss to the Pride from last week when they visited Hempstead, N.Y. Gary Neal leads the Tigers in scoring, averaging 25.1 points a game. Sat. Jan. 27th 2nd Annual Welcome Back Movie Night Pro Musica Rara- Superbach Sunday: Bach and the French Taste 3:30 p.m. Harold J. Kaplan Concert Hall Center for the Arts Students are invited to a performance by Pro Musica Rara musicians, including performances by Soprana Ann Monoyios and Baroque flutist Sanda Miller. Tickets are $10 for students. General admission is $30. MON. Jan. 29th Semester begins Classes begin and change of schedule period begins. WED. Jan. 31st Men’s Basketball vs. Northeastern 7 p.m. Towson Center Entering the week, the Tigers were 9-10 overall and 3-5 in the CAA. Senior center Dennard Abraham is second on the team in scoring, averaging 10.4 points per game. Spring move-in 9 p.m. Paws Lounge University Union Students are invited to a free movie, free food and prize giveaways. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Housing and Residence Life and Welcome back to campus: URG are Spring semester move-in starts sponsoring the event. Saturday, Jan. 27 and continues Sunday, Jan. 28. Arts Editor Rob Scheer Assoc. Editor Amanda Doran Asst. Editor Elizabeth Malliakos Sports Editor Kiel McLaughlin Assoc. Editor Darnay Tripp Asst. Editor Daniel Abraham THURS. Feb. 1st Cam News Editor Sharon Leff Assoc. Editor Jazzmen Tynes Women’s basketball vs. Georgia State 7 p.m. Towson Center Freshman guard Shanae Baker-Brice leads the Tigers against the Panthers. FRI. Feb. 2nd Ice Hockey home game 8:30 p.m. Mount Pleasant Arena-Baltimore Towson will play a home game against University of Delaware. The game is sponsored by Campus Recreation Services. TU After Hours 9 p.m. - 2 p.m. All three floors University Union Students can enjoy free food, games and entertainment throughout the University Union. Students must have a valid TU OneCard in order to participate. TUES. Feb. 6nd Drop/Add Classes This is the last day students can drop or add classes. Staff Writers Nick Di Marco Ryan Reed Jeremie Guy Keith Price Alex Plimack Josh Dombroskie Becki Lee Rachel Frederick Proofreaders Lauren Svrjcek Aileen Prunesti Photo Editor Patrick Smith Asst. Photo Editors Louis Jay Kris Marsh General Manager Mike Raymond Business Staff Rossana Lamberti Cheryl Johnson Art Director Jenn Long Assoc. Art Director Matt Laumann Online Editor Stefanie Lis Production Staff Eddie Grove Circulation Manager Jason Stelter Circulation Staff Darnay Tripp Nick Di Marco Will Trebach 8000 York Road University Union Room 313 Towson, MD 21252 voice: (410) 704-2288 fax: (410) 704-3862 e-mail: [email protected] online: www.thetowerlight.com The Towerlight is published by students of Towson University every Monday and Thursday classes are in session during the fall and spring. The organization is autonomous and financially self-sufficient. The newspaper is produced on Power Macintosh computers using Adobe Creative Suite software. The Towerlight’s advertising deadlines are firm: classified advertising & display — Monday, noon for Thursday; Thursday, noon for Monday. Line classified ads will only be accepted during morning hours. For advertising information, visit http://www. thetowerlight.com/pages/ads/ or call (410) 704-5133. The newspaper encourages letters to the editor and online feedback. For the complete Feedback Policy, visit http://www.thetowerlight.com/pages/feedback/ Commentaries, letters to the editor, editorial cartoons and other editorial content expresses the opinions of their authors and not necessarily the views of the newspaper. The Towerlight does not discriminate based on age, color, condition of handicap, marital status, national origin, race, religion, gender or sexual orientation. ©2007 by The Towerlight, Towson University, Towson, MD 21252. All rights reserved. Please recycle! January 25, 2007 TU at Editor in Chief Brian Stelter Senior Editor Krysten Appelbaum The Towerlight This weekEND The Towerlight 3 PERSPECTIVES Living in London (for two weeks) Learning how to study abroad When I came to To w s o n , I wanted to take advantage of as many oppor tunities as possible. T h a t came to include a winter break short-term study abroad adventure. I spent two weeks in the United Kingdom as part of the Crime and Punishment CrossNationally program through the Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice Department. Some of the highlights included a variety of walking tours around London, an in-depth tour of the Houses of Parliament, a talk at the Home Office (similar to the U.S. Department of Justice), and a tour of one of their prisons. Oh, and we had some time in the classroom, too. Each of us took away something different from the experience. Some enjoyed the London nightlife, others enjoyed the shopping, and still others enjoyed the sights. But for me, the best part was the culture and history. England has a rich history, with London’s going back 2000 years. It was aweinspiring to visit places that had been standing since the 11th and 12th centuries. A short-term study abroad trip is sure to include something for everyone. But the one thing that American students should remember when going to another country is that they are indeed going to another country. Food will be different, prices will be different (sometimes higher, sometimes lower, when converted to U.S. dollars), and the very way of doing day-to-day things is sometimes very different. Janne Perona The Towerlight January 25, 2007 Columnist 4 Many things will also seem very similar, however. In the case of London, it might seem as though you would have to look long and hard to find differences, but that is not so. The currency is an obvious difference, but aside from that there is the matter of accent (much more difficult to understand than people may think, especially when people talk rapidly) and the attitude towards Americans which take getting used to. Smaller things also required adjustment. For example, customer service in stores and restaurants is not what we expect in the States. At times it is a blessing not to be bombarded by store clerks, but in restaurants you have to ask for refills on drinks and more importantly, the check. There were several times where we were refused service or treated quite differently simply because we were Americans. At first we took offense, but were told that sometimes pubs and bars are very neighborhood-oriented and would do the same to Londoners from the other side of town. Study abroad can be an adventure unlike anything you have ever experienced. But remember that you are no longer in America and things will not be the same as they are here. It is the home of nearly everyone around you, and they are very proud of their country, their life, and their history and culture. Take advantage of what the country has to offer, and enjoy their ways of life. Even if you are unable to study abroad, I would strongly suggest traveling abroad at some point in your life. If you are able to do so, I sincerely hope that whichever country you visit will hold the same charm as England does for me. Janne Perona is a junior criminal justice and political science major. WORD STREET ON THE What did you do over winter break? Emily Head Gordon Amato Justin Unger senior, mass communication sophomore, history sophomore, EMF “Hibernated.” “[Hung out with] my girlfriend.’” “Swam every day and ate at Paws.” Josh Geland Mia Catalfamo Babacar Niang sophomore, exercise science senior, mass communication senior, finance “Slumber parties, golden tigers, and blue hens.” “I relaxed, worried about entering the real world in May, and got engaged on a hot air balloon.” “I worked, hung out with friends, read, sports, and looked for an internship.” Compiled by Louis Jay. Word on the Street is comprised of the first six students who are randomly approached by a Towerlight photographer on Wednesdays and Sundays. Less Than Three By Steven Baird G J c Z D l N h e h ^ V e h ^ Z g ] I I]ZIdlZga^\]i Af`ek_\ G`ZblgXeXggc`ZXk`fe`eLe`m\ij`kpLe`feIffd*(* Xe[Y\Zfd\Xni`k\i#g_fkf^iXg_\i#^iXg_`Z [\j`^e\ifiZ`iZlcXk`fejkX]]d\dY\i% JlYd`kXe\njk`gfilgZfd`e^\m\ekkfI]ZIdlZga^\]i G`ZblgXJkfipJlYd`jj`fe=fid`eLe`m\ij`kp Le`feIffd*(*fim`j`k _kkg1&&nnn%k_\kfn\ic`^_k%Zfd&jlYd`k& <$dX`c`kkf\[`kfi7k_\kfn\ic`^_k%Zfd fim`j`k_kkg1&&nnn%k_\kfn\ic`^_k%Zfd&ckk\& The Towerlight December 8, 2005 J\e[Xc\kk\ikfk_\\[`kfi 5 fitwith CRS get Catholic Mass Schedule in the new year! Spring Semester Sundays at 6:00 p.m. Beginning Sunday, January 28, 2007 Masses are held in the Newman Center Chapel Located directly across from Stephens Hall on York Road For more information please call 410-828-0622 WWW.TOYOTALIVEWEB.COM AS A COLLEGE GRAD, YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR The Towerlight January 25, 2007 ANY NEW TOYOTA OF * YOUR CHOICE 6 2007 FJ CRUISER 2007 COROLLA 2007 YARIS *NOT ALL CUSTOMERS WILL QUALIFY. CUSTOMERS RECEIVE $400 FROM TOYOTA TOWARDS LEASING OR FINANCING THE PURCHASE OF NEW UNTITLED TOYOTA MODELS THROUGH PARTICIPATING TOYOTA DEALERS AND TOYOTA FINANCIAL SERVICES. SEE DEALER OR VISIT WWW.TOYOTAFINANCIAL.COM/FINANCE FOR DETAILS. COLLEGE GRADUATE PROGRAM IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR TERMINATION AT ANY TIME. NEWS Talk Back: Call the News desk at 410-704-5139 or e-mail [email protected] Study Abroad program sends students to New Zealand, Mexico, Panama for minimester Students visit foreign lands on break Sharon Leff News Editor While some students used winter break to catch up on sleep or earn a few dollars for the spring semester, others traveled across the world as part of Towson’s study abroad program. Jimmi Miller, a senior sports management and business admin- istration major, studied for three weeks in New Zealand. Along with about 15 other TU students and one professor, Miller’s trip began in Auckland and continued to Dunedin and Queenstown. He said he decided to travel abroad after he found out one of his professors was chaperoning the trip. “Dr. [Joshua] Newman is by far the best professor I have ever come across. He basically changed my life and I don’t know how much I can thank him for that. I have huge respect for him as a man, a person and a professor. So when I heard that he was setting up the New Zealand trip, I was eager to jump on,” Miller said in an e-mail from New Zealand. Miller said he found Queenstown to be the highlight of his trip because of its association with extreme sports. “Coming here, my goal was to bungee jump and skydive. Where else is there a better place to do that than the extreme sport capital of the world,” he said. Although he only knew one person before he left for New Zealand, by the end of it Miller considered the group his family. “Now that this trip is over, I feel like a have a bigger family now. All of the others I can call very close friends and vice versa,” he said. Yekaterina Kuchik, a junior finance and international business major who studied in Panama, also said the experience led her to a new group of friends. See ABROAD, page 8 Photos courtesy Shawna Schweitzer and Yekaterina Kuchik Left, Shawna Schweitzer poses with her first and second grade students as part of the Vamos teaching program. Right, a view of the Decameron Resort in Panama. Price chosen to direct center Cancer claims life of Army veteran comes to TU for Homeland Security position Alan Wingrove dies after more than 30 years teaching, leading Towson Sharon Leff News Editor See SECURITY, page 11 Patrick Smith/The Towerlight Robert Price is director for the Center of Homeland Security. Chemistry professor Alan Wingrove, known for his love of ‘60s music and an eclectic range of interests, died of cancer three weeks ago. Wingrove, who came to Towson in 1973, was always willing to help students, and tried inventive ways of teaching. He even incorporated rock lyrics on his exams. “Everything I know about him [involved] his love for teaching and his willingness to devote hours to students to spend time with them, not just in the classroom but outside the classroom to help them learn chemistry,” Gerald Intemann, dean of the Jess and Mildred College of Science and Mathematics, said. His chemistry classes were See CANCER, page 8 January 25, 2007 Sharon Leff News Editor Courtesy Towson University Alan Wingrove wearing his “trademark” tie-dye shirts. The Towerlight After a four-month search, Towson appointed Robert Price as director for the Center of Homeland Security in the Division of Economic and Community Outreach in December. Jim Clements, vice president for economic and community outreach, said Price was selected from a pool of about 70 candidates. He called Price’s background and knowledge “phenomenal.” “He applied like everybody else and I think as soon as he came in for the interview we all fell in love with him,” Clements said. Price submitted a resume after discovering the open position on the Internet, and then went through several telephone and in-person interviews. In 2002 Towson was designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Security and Assurance Education, and in 2004 Towson started its Homeland chemistry professor 7 news ABROAD: Students bond on trip Smyth issues WTMD membership challenge From page 7 “I left with 16 strangers and came back with 16 friends,” she said. Lauren Sutton, a junior marketing and mass communication major, also went to Panama and said that after a few days she didn’t feel like a visitor because she had become so accustom to life abroad. Though she said the group was kept on an intensive schedule, there was also free time to take in the culture of the country. “I met amazing people in Panama and became close with a group of people from Towson that I probably would have never met if I had stayed here and taken classes. You get to experience such beautiful things. When we were all laying out on the beach one day we kept saying ‘I can’t believe we’re getting 6 credits for this,’” she said. Kuchik said she had always wanted to travel but didn’t want to be away for an entire semester. “I wanted to study abroad for the last couple of years but I didn’t really want to go away for the whole semester,” she said. While for some students minimester was their first time studying abroad, senior Spanish and mass communication major Jazzmen Tynes Associate News Editor Courtesty Shawna Schweitzer A study abroad group visited pyramids in Teotihuacan, Mexico. Shawna Schweitzer was not new to traveling. She visited Spain in 2005 and for minimester this year she went to Cuernavaca, Mexico. Schweitzer said that as a double major studying abroad helped her reach her credit requirement. While there she taught first and second grade students in impoverished areas, and learned about Mexican culture at places like the Teotihuacan. “They had two huge pyramids you about died walking up them,” she said. “There was one that was big and the second one was even [bigger]. I can’t even tell you how many stories it was.” While she enjoyed her trip, she did get sick from drinking the water and said she felt safer while in Spain. “The thing that I didn’t like as much about Mexico than when I studied in Spain was the safety factor. Me and my friends didn’t feel safe walking alone at night,” she said. When she left Mexico, Schweitzer said she left more motivated to be successful. “It motivated me to be more successful and try harder because some of the people in Mexico don’t have a chance. I need to do more with my life because I have been so blessed,” she said. The Towerlight wants you... to write articles take photos design ads or deliver papers! If you’re interested in becoming a member of The Towerlight staff or want to know more about us then come to a Towerlight recruitment meeting. The Towerlight January 25, 2007 Towerlight recruitment meetings will be held on... 8 Monday, January 29 AND Monday, February 5 at 3:00 p.m University Union, Room 313 See you there! Towson University’s public radio station, 89.7 WTMD-FM, will receive $15,000 from Smyth Jewelers in Timonium if the station can reach 897 new or renewal listener memberships by Feb. 9. WTMD program director Mike Vasilikos said the station is underwritten by several businesses in the Towson community, which assist in the station’s fund-raising efforts. “We’ve worked with [Smyth Jewelers] in the past and I think that they are a great company, so I’m really excited about working with them for this fund-raiser,” he said. Listeners can renew their existing memberships or become new WTMD members by completing the membership form on the station’s Web site, www.wtmd.org. A basic membership is $50, and donor levels range from $65 to $10,000. Vasilikos said the station relies on member contributions to fund the station’s day-to-day operations. WTMD holds three fund-raisers every year. “We’re a listener supported station so we need everybody to get involved with this fund-raiser. That means Towson students, their friends, their co-workers and their families. Every listener counts,” Vasilikos said. Currently, the station is working on acquiring equipment to broadcast programming in high definition. According to the station’s Web site, “WTMD is just beginning to plan to convert to HD and to raise the funds we’ll need to make the jump. We estimate the project will cost about $200,000 from start to finish.” Leading up to the Feb. 9 fund-raiser deadline, WTMD will air its “biggest countdown ever” by playing 897 songs, selected by WTMD listeners beginning Feb. 1. On the station’s Web site, listeners can vote for their top 10 greatest songs of all time. The station asked listeners to “cast your votes on whatever the word greatest means to you.” Voting ends Friday. By completing the online survey, listeners are automatically entered in the station’s weekly prize drawing. Previous prizes included tickets to Rams Head Tavern, and a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert. Two VIP passes to the fifth annual Langerado Music Festival in Sunrise, Florida will be awarded this week. CANCER: Wingrove was known for ‘unique’ style From page 7 always popular among students. “He taught at Towson for over 30 years. As soon as registration began each semester students would fill up his sections or they would wait a year to get into his sections,” acting chair and associate professor in the chemistry department Richard Preisler said. Preisler said Wingrove had a unique rapport and made chemistry enjoyable. “His command of the chemistry was really firm and he gave very precise, well organized, lectures, very understandable,” he said. Wingrove was also known for his trademark dress style, which included tie-dye T-shirts. Intemann recalled spotting Wingrove at a dimly lit restaurant in Timonium a few years back. “I saw this fellow having his dinner and he was wearing this tie dye T-shirt and it glowed in the dark and I thought it could only be one person… and sure enough it was him. It was his signature dress item,” he said. While at Towson, he also served as chair of the College Council, was part of the Statewide Faculty Senate and was chair of the University Council of Chairpersons. He also served for a time as the chemistry department chair. “He came at a time when the [chemistry] department was just beginning to build itself up. He had a major role to play in his leadership of the department. [He made] major hires in the department and helped to develop the new chemistry curriculum,” Intemann said. One of those hires included Towson President Robert Caret, who started out as a chemistry professor before he went to San Jose State University. Wingrove and Caret also co-authored an organic chemistry book. In his spare time Wingrove enjoyed listening to rock music, excursions to Atlantic City, NJ, and playing bridge. His biggest hobby was growing exotic orchids in the two-story greenhouse attached to his home. Preisler said Wingrove did not want any kind of memorial service but the department would like to do something in his memory. “One idea is to do it in conjunction with a new scholarship he set up in his will, the Alan and Eileen Wingrove endowment for chemistry scholars through the TU foundation,” he said. “He was a unique individual. He had a very wide range of interests. He was a man of many talents.” news Graduates cross stage, join ranks of alumni Towson awards more than 1,800 diplomas in two Jan. ceremonies Josh Dombroskie Staff Writer Patrick Smith/The Towerlight A graduate accepts her diploma during winter commencement at the Towson Center on Jan. 7. and I will be going to my full-time job,” Andus said. “Since the ceremony is in the winter it doesn’t feel like graduation, it just feels weird.” Graduation can also be an emotional time, both for the graduates and for their families. “It’s been five and a half years, and it’s been a long road. I’m very proud of her because she had a lot of obstacles to overcome,” Carol Allen said, tearing up when speaking about her daughter, Laura Kessler. For some parents, graduation is a familiar process. “This is my last child to graduate and it feels good,” Jim Menone said See GRADS, page 11 January 25, 2007 wait until I finished classes to actually start it.” The winter commencement exercises can be strange for some graduates because it’s in the middle of the school year. “When next semester starts it’s going to be extremely weird watching all my friends go back to school The Towerlight University Board of Visitors and the Alumni Association. A graduate student address and an undergraduate address also took place at each Dressed in black robes, more ceremony. than 1,800 students earned the title “Whether you’re on the four of alumni as they crossed the stage year plan, the five year plan, the at Towson University’s 142nd comseven year plan or the 10 year plan, mencement exercise in the Towson take pride in your Center on Jan. 7. achievement,” Baccalaureate, Board of Visitors master’s and docWhen next semester member Molly toral degrees were go starts it’s going to be Shock said in her handed out in extremely weird greeting. two ceremonies, College of with students watching all my friends Fine Arts and in the College go back to school and Communication of Business and graduate Jen Economics, I will be going to my Andus said she is College of full time job. now ready to face Education and College of Health Jen Andus the challenges of the post-college Professions gradTowson graduate world and has uating at 10 a.m., already found a and the College job. of Fine Arts and Communication, “I have already faced one of the College of Liberal Arts and Jess and hardest challenges, which is finding Mildred Fisher College of Science a job after graduation,” Andus said. and Mathematics following at 2 “I was lucky enough to have a job p.m. offer a month and a half before the Both ceremonies featured repsemester ended and I just had to resentatives from the Towson 9 crime and The Towerlight present Valley View site of armed robbery The Towson University Police have no leads on three suspects in Dec. 23 crime POLICE BLOTTER Reported by The Towerlight Jan. 3: In Enrollment Services, a subject left property in the drawer of a public desk unsecured over the school holiday. Upon returning to the desk, the complainant found the property missing. Jan. 8: In the Burkshire Apartments, jewelry was taken from a room. Jan. 9: In the Towsontown Garage, an unknown subject spray painted graffiti on the garage walls. Jan. 9: In the Towsontown Garage, subjects were skateboarding. Jan. 10: In Prettyman Hall, marijuana was found in a dorm room. Jan. 12: In General Services, a subject was made aware of a warrant and was told to turn himself in. Jan. 13: In the Auburn House, an unknown suspect gained entry to the building by breaking window glass and screen and damaged property. Suspect also consumed food items that were in the staff refrigerator. Jan. 15: In the Residence Tower, a known suspect entered a victim’s closed but unlocked dorm room and removed property. Jazzmen Tynes Associate News Editor Baltimore County Police are still looking for three suspects in connection with a Dec. 23 armed robbery and assault on the 7700 block of Greenview Terrace at Valley View apartments. The apartment complex is located off Cross Campus Drive, across from Towson University. As of Wednesday, Jan. 24 there were no new leads or information in the case. According to the crime alert issued last month, at approximately 9:30 p.m. on Dec. 23, three suspects approached two Valley View residents, one male and one female, as they entered an apartment building. The suspects then forced the residents into one of the victim’s apartment at gunpoint, robbing them of money and a cell phone. All three suspects are described as black males. One suspect, a 40-year-old male, 6’3”, wore a blue jacket and a black baseball cap. He was armed with a silver semi- automatic handgun, according to a TU crime alert issued Dec. 28. The other two suspects wore black ski masks. The incident marks the second armed robbery of the school year at Valley View. “ Unfortunate these Unfortunately o the way folks were on apa to their apartment at night, so sometimes it’s difficult to prevent these things. Bill Toohey Baltimore County Police spokesperson The first occurred in October when two suspects robbed two Valley View residents at gunpoint in the parking lot of the apartment complex. Following October’s armed robbery, gasoline soaked rags were found in the basement of an apart- ment building in the Valley View Apartment complex in November, in what appeared to be an arson attempt. Both of those incidents are still under investigation, Baltimore County Police spokesperson Bill Toohey said. Toohey said that Valley View residents should take precautions to avoid becoming crime victims. Toohey suggested that residents traveling at night should “always be with someone else.” “Try not to have a lot of money or credit cards with you; carry only what you need. And try walking in well lit, well traveled places,” he said. “Unfortunately these folks were on the way to their apartment at night, so sometimes it’s difficult to prevent these things.” In August the managers of Millennium Hall, Capstone Development Corp., purchased the Valley View Apartments and said future renovations or redevelopment of the apartments are possible. Anyone with information about the robbery should contact the Baltimore County Police at 410-3072020. Jan 19: At the Administration Building, subjects were skateboarding and asked to leave. Jan. 20: At the Towson Run Apartments, subjects were sitting in a vehicle for an unusual amount of time and had no business on campus. Jan. 21: In Parking Lot 21, a complainant returned to his vehicle after leaving it on the parking lot for two days and found his license plate missing. Jan. 22: In the Glen Garage, a complainant parked their vehicle on campus and returned to find that the vehicle’s tired had been removed and there were bricks in the tires’ place. The Towerlight’s “Police Blotter” is a representative sample of crimes occurring on campus during the past week. The blotter is not intended to be all inclusive. For a full list of all campus crime reports, visit www. towson.edu/police. File photo/The Towerlight The Valley View apartment complex is located on Cross Campus Drive across from Towson’s campus. Woman fights off robbery attempt The Towerlight January 25, 2007 Jazzmen Tynes Associate News Editor 10 Baltimore County Police are looking for a suspect in a Jan. 19 attempted robbery along Washington Avenue near Pennsylvania Avenue. At 8:20 p.m., a suspect approached a woman from behind and attempted to take her purse, but she would not let go of it. The suspect then fled on foot. The suspect is described as a black male in his late teens wearing dark clothing. Following the robbery, Towson University Police Department issued a crime alert via e-mail to inform students, but students didn’t receive it. After performing an administrative audit, the Office of Technology Services found that the University’s e-mail spyware program blocked the message, TUPD Capt. Joe Herring said. “The program read the message as spam, so it did not distribute the messages,” Herring said. Students received the e-mail when it was re-sent on Wednesday. “Typically it takes four to four and a half hours to get the e-mails to all of the students,” Herring said. Anyone with information about the attempted robbery is asked to contact Baltimore County Police at 410-887-2361. Also, on Jan. 7 on Pennsylvania Avenue, two suspects attempted to rob two victims and then fled on foot. They were arrested on a bus stop on the corner of Aigburth Avenue and York Road. --Josh Dombroskie contributed to this report. news SECURITY: Price wants to expand, pair with schools GRADS: TU honors Paul Jones tance we as an institution can provide to help the new governor and his leadership team achieve the state’s goals and objectives,” Price said. Price also wants to “expand the center into a regionally and nationally recognized center of excellence just as the University has done with Information Assurance, and to increase the coordination of Homeland Security efforts with all the other schools in the university system to leverage each others expertise and opportunities so we can create an even more cooperative environment.” year college students to provide them with the skills and the technological expertise necessary to succeed in these future jobs.” Price said the program would involve partnerships between academic institutions and employers in order to develop curriculum, promote improvement in the studies of technology and establish an internship program. “Additionally, we are writing several proposals to conduct emergency management plan assessments including one for conducting a statewide top to bottom review,” he said. 4HE$IVISIONOF3TUDENT!FFAIRSOFFERSTHE 3TUDENT,)&%,INE a telephone line to assist students with any question they may have about the university. LIFE Line is staffed and ready to assist callers Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. From page 9 about his daughter Jenna. “We’ve had two other children graduate so this is our last. It’s quite exciting that she got her degree and it’s quite exciting that it’s our last to go through this.” Professor Paul E. Jones, of the department of instructional leadership and professional development, received the 26th President’s Award for Distinguished Service to the University at the 10 a.m. ceremony. “For me this is an overwhelming honor,” Jones said. “I’m delighted because it’s a wonderful tribute to receive through my last year of service to the University.” Jones joined TU’s department of instructional technology in 1971 and over his 35 years he has served alternately as a faculty member, graduate program director, chairperson and graduate program coordinator until 1993. After that he chaired the department of reading, special education and instructional technology from 1993 until the department’s restructuring in 2005. “While we say thanks to faculty, I know today truly belongs to you, our graduates, your families and your loved ones,” Jones said. “This is a day that you have worked for, that you’ve earned and you so richly deserve. He compared the way graduation presents a new beginning to life, to the way morning presents a new beginning to the day. “It is morning for each of us,” Jones said, referencing a poem by Maya Angelou. “You have demonstrated the determination and the skills and knowledge that you will need for this and all the mornings to come. From me, and on behalf of my faculty colleagues, we wish you every success.” Currently Price is working on several projects. “One is a joint project between two directorates in the Division of Economic and Community Outreach. My Directorate, the Center for Homeland Security, and Mike Schroder’s Extended Education and On-Line Learning are developing a proposal that addresses industry trends in homeland security which indicate that the ongoing threat of terrorism continues to create employment opportunities,” he said. “Our proposal focuses on the education of secondary, community college and 4- After these hours, a voice mail message can be left and will be responded to the next business day. You can also contact us with your questions via e-mail at [email protected]. ,)&% ,)&% %MAILSTUDENTAFFAIRS TOWSONEDU January 25, 2007 Security center. After 22 years in the army, Price said he had multiple reasons for his interest in Towson. “First, I have had very enriching work experiences in the Homeland Defense and Homeland Security area in the past 22 years and I wanted to return to the homeland security arena,” he said. “Second [and] third, I thought the development of a Center for Homeland Security at Towson provided a unique opportunity to utilize not only the business aspects of the division of economic and community outreach, but also leverage the academic excellence here at Towson.” Price said he will provide policy, leadership, integration and direc- tion for the University’s initiatives in Homeland Security and Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC). He will also work with DECO’s chief operating officer to maximize growth opportunities and will work with Academic Affairs to enhance the Integrated Homeland Security Management master’s degree program. In his new job, Price said he also wants to work with newly elected Gov. Martin O’Malley. “The first thing I would like to do is engage the new state leadership and see based on that, what assis- The Towerlight From page 7 11 Beyond Baltimore Bush offers new domestic agenda College elevator safety in question Ohio student’s death prompts concerns about elevator overuse nationwide Associated Press President Bush gestures as he gives a speech on Wednesday, one day after delivering his State of the Union address in Washington. WASHINGTON (AP) — Without signing on to his solutions, lawmakers on Wednesday welcomed President Bush’s appeal to take up problems in energy, health insurance and immigration, seeing a prospect for common ground starkly missing when it comes to the Iraq war. Bush tended his new domestic proposals in a trip to Delaware promoting research into ethanol production and put the government on a stricter energy diet by signing an executive order requiring federal vehicles and buildings to use more alternative fuels. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, speaking to mayors, seemed intent on out-muscling Bush on that and other domestic fronts. Without giving details, the California Democrat pledged action to achieve energy independence in 10 years and welcomed the pres- ident’s words on climate change with the qualification: “We cannot afford to wait.” Consensus on Iraq was even more elusive. The Senate Foreign Relations Committee issued a striking rebuke of a wartime commander in chief when it passed a nonbinding resolution opposing Bush’s deployment of additional troops in Iraq. “There is no strategy,” Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, the only Republican to join Democrats in the 12-9 vote, declared in a fierce attack on the Bush administration’s war management. “This is a pingpong game with American lives.” Bush appealed to Congress in his State of the Union speech on Tuesday night to give his Iraq strategy a chance to work, running into a wall of skepticism, especially from Democrats who control Congress. on malfunctioning dorm elevators COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Like involve someone trapped inside. many students at the country’s The problems aren’t unusual largest college campus, Melissa for a campus the size of Ohio State Nail now thinks twice before with an enrollment of 51,818 or boarding crowded elevator cars. for elevators used frequently in a It was on her campus three residential setting, said Norman months ago that an 18-year-old Martin, the state’s top elevator freshman was killed while trying inspector. to wriggle out of an overcrowdBut the data enforces the need ed dorm elevator that was stuck for students to use and ride elevabetween floors. tors responsibly, Martin said. “I’ve always had a little bit of a “It’s not playground equipment fear of the elevators and definitely it needs to be now I just don’t respected,” he get into overcrowded ones,” I’ve ’ve always had h a little said. Campus said Nail, 18, a fea of the bit of fear elevators are freshman at Ohio subject to far State University. elevator elevators and more misuse While getting definitely now. I just than elevators trapped in an don’t want to get into in commercial OSU elevator is buildings and uncommon, that overcrowded ones. other nonresifear is not comMelissa Nail dential facilipletely out of ties, said Jeff place, according Ohio State University freshman Cooper, elevato an Associated tor system Press review specialist at of hundreds of Purdue University. pages of elevator service reports. “They’re high-use environRecords from November 2003 ments,” said Cooper, founder of through October 2006 showed Elevator U, a national campus technicians responding to about elevator safety association that 1,100 calls for service for everycounts among its members unithing from stuck cars to cell versity facility managers, consulphones dropped down the shaft tants, vendors and others with of the school’s 29 regularly used ties to the industry. elevators. Nationally, there were 70 eleMost of the complaints involved vator-related deaths from 2001 stalled cars, including 230 reports through 2006, and about 8,800 of trapped passengers. elevator-related injuries in 2005. One in every five service calls Minimum wage bill stalls in Senate The Towerlight January 25, 2007 WASHINGTON (AP) - Democrats’ promise of a quick increase in the minimum wage ran aground Wednesday in the Senate, where lawmakers are insisting it include new tax breaks for restaurants and other businesses that rely on lowpay workers. On a 54-43 vote, Democrats lost an effort to advance a House-passed bill that would lift the pay floor from $5.15 to $7.25 an hour without any accompanying tax cut. Opponents of the tax cut needed 60 votes to prevail. 12 The vote sent a message to House Democrats and liberals in the Senate that only a hybrid tax and minimum wage package could succeed in the Senate. But any tax breaks in the bill would put the Senate on a collision course with the House, which is required by the Constitution to initiate tax measures. In a separate vote, the Senate also effectively killed a modified line-item veto bill. The Republican-inspired measure would have permitted a president to pluck individual items out of spending bills and submit them to Congress for a vote. Kiichro Sato/Associated Press A student walks by Stradley Hall, an 11-story dorm built in 1958 on the south side of Ohio State University campus, Jan. 16, in Columbus, Ohio. Freshman Andrew Polakowski, of Erie, Pa., was pinned and killed when he tried to crawl out of an elevator car in the builiding after it stalled Oct. 20 Prosecutor faces ethics charges in rape case Aaron Beard Associated Press RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - The state bar lodged new and more serious ethics charges Wednesday against the district attorney in the Duke lacrosse case, accusing him of withholding evidence from the defense and lying to both to the court and bar investigators. Mike Nifong who withdrew from the case earlier this month could be disbarred if convicted by a disciplinary board. The bar previously charged Nifong with making misleading and prejudicial comments about the athletes under suspicion. The new charges are tied to Nifong’s decision to use a private lab for DNA testing as his office investigated allegations three men raped a 28-year-old stripper at a team party last March. Those tests uncovered genetic material from several men on the woman’s underwear and body, but none from any lacrosse player. The bar complaint alleges that those results were not released to the defense and that Nifong repeatedly said in court he had turned over all evidence that could benefit the defense. The new charges “have significantly increased the chances for a serious sanction, possibly including suspension or disbarment,” said Thomas Metzloff, a Duke law professor and member of the bar’s ethics committee, which is not involved in prosecuting the case against Nifong. Nifong’s trial on the ethics charges is set for May, though bar officials said Wednesday they expect it to be delayed until June. He declined to comment Wednesday. “I’d say any time any charges are filed with the state bar, they’re all serious, and we want to make sure we handle them all properly,” said his attorney David Freedman. Citing the conflict of interest created by the ethics charges, Nifong asked the North Carolina attorney general’s office earlier this month to take over the lacrosse case. Nifong dropped rape charges against the three athletes in December after the accuser changed a key detail in her account, but the players are still charged with sexual offense and kidnapping. North Carolina’s attorney has said he will conduct a thorough review of the remaining charges against Dave Evans, Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann. /Üýà Towson’s Best is an annual compilation of everything that’s best about Towson from bar to athlete to sushi to coffee to parking spot, as chosen by Towerlight editors. BEST except that a photo of Caret opening his present is posted on Facebook for all to see. Place to shop: Plato’s Closet Patrick Smith/File Photo/The Towerlight If you don’t have a problem with wearing “gently used” clothing, try Plato’s Closet on Goucher Blvd. Plato’s is a chain of consignment shops that have standards. Goodwill is great but Plato’s consists only of the secret treasures found after extensive searching at Goodwill. Clothes can be bought and sold at Plato’s Closet. Only items that are chosen as worthy end up on the racks. Imagine twice worn Seven Jeans for 15 bucks or walking out have spent $10 on an entire outfit! Plato’s has clothes for ladies and gents, including accessories, movies and books. Students strapped for money can also take their gently worn clothes and accessories to Plato’s Closet in exchange for cash. When you’re ready to go shopping for the Spring, don’t go to the mall and empty your wallet, go to Plato’s Closet and still have money left over to stop at the nail place next door and get a manicure. The new bronze tiger statue, revealed in November, will be placed in front of Stephen’s Hall; quite possibly the best place to hide it. Place it outside Stephens Hall Parking Lot 7 After having its tail broken and being spray-painted blue, Towson’s old fiberglass tiger statue was removed from outside the Cook Library and a new bronze tiger was ordered to take its place; however, some students won’t be able to see the mascot on their way to class anymore, because the new statue is set to reside in front of Stephens Hall. The new bronze edition of the tiger debuted at the Capital Campaign kickoff in November and was then put into storage. It is supposed to make its debut on campus on Thursday, Feb. 8 at 3:30 p.m. The Towson University Alumni Association will host the unveiling and dedication. Students who don’t have classes in Stephens, which primarily houses College of Business and Economics classes, may have to get their dose of tiger-loving when Doc appears atsporting events. In October, Parking Lot 7 proved to be more dangerous at night than it is when trying to find a parking space during the day. It was in Lot 7 that two students were held at gunpoint and robbed by two suspects, while a third suspect acted as a lookout. The lot is located between the Residence Tower and the Towsontown Garage. After robbing the victims of their money, the suspects escaped on foot. The incident was the first armed robbery on campus since two suspects in Tower A held a resident at gunpoint in November 2005. Place to park: Parking lot 24 For students roaming the garages in the hopeless hours for oncampus parking between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., a little-known parking lot with a plethora of open spaces Caffeine fix: lies hidden, nestled between the Administration Building and Valley View Apartments. Lot 24 seems to be a well-kept secret with more than half the spaces open at peak parking times, providing a haven for frustrated commuters who happen to stumble upon it. While it is still a good walk to most of the campus’s main buildings, the lot is closer than the Towson Center, and is the best option for the aggravated commuter when class is just a few minutes away, and the rest of campus’s parking options aren’t cutting it. Bookstore: Daedalus Books & Music Located five minutes south of Towson in Belvedere Square, Daedalus Books and Music just celebrated its one-year anniversary of selling discount literature and music. Although Daedalus is a little farther than Barnes and Noble, it is significantly cheaper. The slightly skimpier selection is compensated for on the store’s Web site. To avoid paying inflated prices or list price at B&N for novels for classes, try Daedalus, which claims to be up to 90 percent off list price. In case you can’t wait until you get home to start reading your purchase, there is a Starbucks attached to the store and several other shops and restaurants just around the corner. Starbucks in Cook Library The addition of Starbucks in Cook Library made the means by which students get their caffeine fixes even more convenient, moving the closest source of Soy Lattes and Caramel Macchiatos from Burke Avenue across to the center of campus. The Starbucks also carries a vari- See BEST, page 14 Best Christmas president: A life-size poster of President Caret Who wouldn’t want a life-size poster of themselves hanging on their wall? Towson University President Robert Caret received a unique gift for Christmas: a sixfoot-tall portrait picture of… Robert Caret. The poster features a posed picture of Caret, dressed in a suit, smiling for the camera with a Towson logo in the background. We wouldn’t know about it, Via Facebook.com President Caret recieves the best present: a life-size poster of himself. What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with our Towson’s Best choices? Log online to share your opinion: http://www.thetowerlight.com/messageboard/best January 25, 2007 Police blotter entry: The Towerlight Way to hide the mascot: 13 towson’s best crunch of the leaves in the fall can only mean one thing: ice cream. Not just any ice cream though. Only Beach Bums’ Pumpkin ice cream makes the fall season complete. The creamy blend of pumpkin, nutmeg and other spices is a summation of the best of fall in downtown Towson. When the weather begins to warm up though, the best ice cream treat can only be found at Rita’s in the form of a Gelato. Thick, creamy custard, chocolate or vanilla, layered with and surrounded by any flavor Italian ice available that day is a little piece of heaven, or at least of Towson’s Best, in a red and white striped cup. Both Beach Bums and Rita’s can be found on York Road; Beach Bums at 501, near the circle, and Rita’s at 7206, near Stevenson Lane. Sushi: Sushi Hana From beginning to end, Sushi Hana is the best place to get sushi in Towson. Being seated to the trickling sounds of the fountain and being offered a warm towel is how you will begin your visit, but friendly service is only one of the perks you will experience by choosing to dine at Hana. What really shines at this sushi joint is, oddly enough, the sushi. The ingredients are notably fresher than neighboring sushi restaurants, with sushi staples like aromatic avocado. But Hana doesn’t stop at staples; in one roll crisp apples are added to complement the savory rice and seaweed with something sweet. Ands let’s not forget one of the best parts of going to Sushi Hana: that fruity gum that is handed out with the check. Heidi Greenleaf/File Photo/The Towerlight Towson Dine, Towson’s Best place for a late-night meal offers a practically unlimited menu 24 hours. From page 13 January 25, 2007 ety of coffee cakes, muffins and pound cakes, as well as pre-made salads and sandwiches for a quick, on-the-go lunch. The ability to use OneCards for the tasty treats only adds to the convenience, not to mention to the line of customers. But the convenience and goodness of a Starbucks caffeine fix far outweighs the wait. Late-night meal: Towson Diner The Towerlight Whether one is heading for a severe hangover in a few hours, or is just a night owl, the best place for meal of French toast, fries and a strawberry milkshake at 3 a.m. undoubtedly is the Towson Diner, located at 718 York Road. And you’ll 14 probably reconnect with all the new friends you met at the bar earlier in the evening. The prices may or may not be reasonable, but the menu choices are practically unlimited, whether it’s 2 in the afternoon or 2 in the morning. On-campus meal: The Den When it comes to a good meal, Towson’s dining halls aren’t the first thoughts in the minds of some students. But for those times we’re in a hurry, out of cash, or just don’t have a way to get down the street for something better, the Den is a great substitute. While most of the food offered is typical, unhealthy college fare, this a la carte location is open later and offers bigger portions at a comparable cost to other on- and off-campus eateries. Students on the hunt for earlymorning delicacies or late-night munchies still have old favorites from bagels to cheese steaks, and this year there are some new additions to the Den’s counter. The delicatessen brings iconic Charm City to Towson with sandwiches like the Baltimorean and the Senator. Lastly, these Carnegie Deli-style sandwiches are made quick so students can stay on schedule, and each is wrapped to go to avoid spills across campus. This campus eatery beats out every other campus dining option. as well) it is all too evident: the pizza in Maryland just is not very good, with the exception of one place. Pasta Mista, located at 822 Dulaney Valley Rd., across from the Towson Town Center. The acronym found on the backs of the shirts of employees at Pasta Mista says it all: V.I.P., Very Italian Pizza. In other words this isn’t that Papa John’s or Dominos nonsense students tend to order in the wee hours when they get the munchies. This is the real deal. And they go far beyond pepperoni. Toppings include baked ziti, tortellini, chicken ranch, as well as the hefty spaghetti stuffed option. You can’t miss at this place. Pasta, salads, sandwiches, pizza, all are prelibato (Italian for tasty). Towson bar: Souris’ Saloon Many spots in Towson come and go, but one place remains the same: Souris’ Saloon. Generations of graduates have memories of the Towson Circle bar, located at 537 York Road. It’s located inside a hundred-yearold building, used as a bakery until the 1930s. Souris’ may not have the best specials – it’s not easy to compete with $5 all-you-can-drink at CVP’s on Thursdays – but it has the best atmosphere. It’s laidback: Even when it gets crowded, it doesn’t become an unmanageable mess like some others bars in town. And the wide variety of draft beers is a definite attraction: Two dozens brews are on tap, ranging from to Blue Moon and Hefeweizen to Newcastle and Woodchuck Cider. Baltimore bar: Pizza: Thirsty Dog Pub Pasta Mista At first sight, the Thirsty Dog Pub on Cross Street in Federal Hill looks like any other bar you’d find in Baltimore. Transformed into a cozy bar from a three-floor row house, Thirsty Dog has what most bars have: the 21-35 Pizza. It seems simple enough. Nothing too complicated or fancy about it. For students who grew up in the Philadelphia area (folks from New Jersey and New York can empathize See BEST, page 19 Ice cream: Beach Bums in the fall, Rita’s in the spring The cooling of the weather, the crisp smell in the air, and the Patrick Smith/The Towerlight Souris’ Saloon, on the Towson Circle, is a reliable, laidback bar. :PVS,FZUP 5PXTPO 6OJWFSTJUZ (MRMRK4SMRXW +SSHEXEPP(MRMRK7IVZMGIWPSGEXMSRWEPPSZIVGEQTYW 7YWUYILERRE*SSH'SYVX&VMGO7XVIIX'EJq4E[W8LI(IR 7IZIVR0SYRKI8LI(IR4EXY\IRX+VMPP7XITLIRW,EPP'SJJII 'EVX'EJq*VIWL86%<ERH+PIR1MGVS1EVXGSRZIRMIRGI WXSVIW8LI+PIR1EVOIXTPEGIERH2I[IPP(MRMRK,EPP 2 S 8E \ S R *S S H 7 %: ) 6IXEMP:IRHMRK4SMRXW The Towerlight 9RMZIVWMX]7XSVI%Y\MPMEV]7IVZMGIW&YWMRIWW3JJMGI(S[IPP ,IEPXL'IRXIV'STMIW4PYW[EWLIVWERHHV]IVWEXEPP SRGEQTYWLSYWMRKPSGEXMSRW January 25, 2007 *SVKSSHWERHWIVZMGIWEPPSZIVGEQTYW 15 16 CAB Keep track of this week's events with the CAB Calendar! STUDENT GOV'T ASSOCIATION On the Prowl FEBRUARY TU A monthly collection of events compiled by the Student Government Association for the enjoyment of the student body. 29 Welcome back everyone, the SGA hopes you had a wonderful winter break! Classes Begin 30 31 1 2 3 Blood Drive Chesapeakes 1&2 8am-2pm Men’s BBall v. Northeastern Towson Center 7pm Deadline for Grad Students to apply for Spring ‘07 Graduation Women’s BBall v. Georgia State Towson Center 7pm Groundhog Day Grab a FebFest booklet from the Office of Student Activities for a full list of events!! 6 Last day to drop/add classes!! Disability Services Work Recruitment 7720 York Rd 9am-4pm ∆ΣΘ’s Workout w/ the Deltas Chesapeake 1 7-9pm IFC Rush Begins 7 8 9 Speed Dating Chesapeake 2 8-10pm Panhellenic Rush Susquehanna 5-10pm Study Abroad Fair Potomac 11am-3pm Friday, February 2nd CAB Sponsored events Live Reggae Music 9 p.m. - 1 a.m. BRIAN BRUSHWOOD Fire Eating Illusionist 9:30 p.m. Chesapeakes Mad Chad Chainsaw Juggler 12 a.m. Chesapeakes Tuesday, February 6 8 p.m. • PAWS Participants should prepare a five-ten minute stand-up comedy routine * Winner will open for Chris Porter on Feb. 9th * Sign up in the CAB office Last Comic Standing's Chris Porter Friday, February 9 7:30 p.m. • PAWS Check us out @ http://www.towson.edu/cab • Visit UU 226 or Call us @ 410.704.2070 4 5 ∆ΣΘ Glove & Mitten Women’s BBall v. Northeastern Towson Center 7pm Delta Sigma Theta’s Delta Week Begins Tigerthon registration week begins Night 11 12 Drive Begins ∆ΣΘ Board & Game UU 306 7-9pm Dance Alumni Week Begins Student Organization Workshop Potomac 6-8pm 13 Zeta Sigma Chi Sorority, Inc. Informational UU 309 6-9pm ∆ΣΘ Diabetes Awareness Speaker Chesapeake 3, 7-9pm Student Involvement Fair, Union 2nd floor 11am-2pm TU After Hours Susq Terrace 9pm-2am T-Unit Meeting Potomac 1-2pm Volunteer Day PB&J for Our Daily Bread 11:30am-1:30pm UU 2nd floor “Peach PaZZion” Jam Potomac 9pm-1am Comedian Porter Chesapeakes 8pm 14 15 16 17 Valentine’s Day Outside of Stephens 10am-4pm Leadership out loud, UU 315 11am Surviving a breakup Glen Esk 3:30-4:30pm A Tribute to Harlem Rennaisance Center for the Arts Mainstage Thtr 7-10pm Gymnastics Shellie Calloway Invite Towson Ctr 2pm 23 24 Men’s BBall v. James Madison Towson Center, 7pm Fall in love w/ Finance 18 19 20 21 22 Tiger Pride Day in SPIRIT EVENT: Women’s BBall v. Delaware Towson Center 2pm President’s Day Multicultural Sorority Info UU 309, 7-9pm Commuter Appreciation Day Susquehanna 11-1pm Adopt-a-Campus Potomac, 3pm Kayaking Clinic Burdick Pool 8-10pm URG’s Ski Bus Trip Loading Docks, 4-11pm Central Maryland College Career Fair Towson Center 10am-3:30pm Rush Day 1 UU Ches. 1&2 7-9pm Annapolis GenerationJeopardy RichmondCommons 4-6pm Sorority Rush Ches. 1&2, 7-9 pm Off-campus apt fair Potomac 11am-3pm Tigerthon Dance Marathon Potomac,5pm-5am Multicultural Sorority Rush UU 314 &315 12-6pm 25 26 27 28 1 2 Women’s BBall v. UNC Wilmington Towson Center 2pm V-Week Begins (to end violence against women) Women’s Lax v. American Unitas Stadium 4pm Campus Rec’s $25 Ski Bus Trip Loading Docks 4pm The Vagina Monologues Play Ctr for the Arts Mardner Theater 8pm Student Organization Workshop Potomac 12:30-1:30pm Warning Signs of Gambling Glen Esk Congratulations to Zeta Sigma Chi Multicultural Sorority Incorporated's Newest Members! De'ja' Vu Fall 06' #1 Sylvia Johnson "EssenZe" #2 Laura Skidmore "braveheART" #3 Hannah Shaw "Fire n' icE" #4 Jessica Bond "craZySexyCool" Time Management 12:30-1:30pm Cook Library 513 Mock Interview Social 7800 York Rd Suite 206, 5-7pm Motivational Speaker Skinner Stephens Auditorium 7:30pm 10 Women’s BBall v. Drexel Towson Center 7pm LEAD Strong Info Session UU307, 1pm Intro to Meditation Glen Esk 3:30-4:30pm Student Government Association The welcomes everyone back to school. We hope you have a great second semester! MASCOT GAME!! Men’s BBall v. Georgia State Towson Center 2pm Men’s Basketball v. Drexel Towson Center 12pm 1-2pm Come donate blood and help save lives! January 30, 2007 Chesapeakes 1+2 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. January 25, 2007 after hours Open Comedy Night af 28 The Towerlight Campus Activities Board The Towerlight January 25, 2007 CAB is a part of the Student Government Association and provides the campus community with a variety of activities. 17 4OWSONISINANEXCITINGPERIODOFGROWTHANDCHANGE4HECAMPUSCOMMUNITY HASENGAGEDINMANYDISCUSSIONSABOUTPARKINGANDTHE0RESIDENTS#OUNCILHAS REVIEWEDRECOMMENDATIONSFORCHANGESTOTHEPARKINGPROGRAM!SARESULTOF THESEDISCUSSIONSANDTOMEETTHEFUTURENEEDSOFTHECAMPUSTHEREWILLBEA VARIETYOFCHANGESMADETOTHEPARKINGPROGRAMOVERTHENEXTTOMONTHS 0LEASELOOKFORUPDATESONTHEPARKINGWEBSITEANDONTHEDAILYDIGEST 0! 50 2+ $! ) . 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What isn’t typical about the bar? Its diverse microbrews that are friendly to both the connoisseur and the first-time beer drinker. From the light and refreshing Peach Dog, to the sharper Hoppy Dog, there is something for everyone on the beer spectrum. The third floor recently opened for shuffleboard and the fireplace provides atmosphere and warmth. Oh, and don’t bother to get someone to walk your dog while you’re out - you can bring him to the bar! Apartment complex: Kenilworth at Charles Valley View apartment complex Students anxious to make the police blotter can increase their chances by hanging out at the Valley View apartment complex on Cross Campus Drive across from TU. In the past four months the apartment complex has been the site of two armed robberies, an attempted arson and an assault. In October, two suspects robbed two victims at gunpoint sitting in their car in the parking lot. In November, rags drenched in gasoline were found in the basement of the temporary leasing office (though no fire was set), and in December three suspects robbed two victims at gunpoint. Capstone Development Corp., the company that also manages Millennium Hall, purchased the apartment complex in August. Though a Capstone representative told The Towerlight in August there were talks of renovations, no plans have been released. Protest: Anti-abortion display Towson’s student body showed signs of actually caring about something last fall, with protests supporting a suspended Jewish police officer and condemning an on-campus appearance by radio talk show host Dr. Laura Schlessinger. But the most memorable protest came in November when a new student group called Towson ProLife brought the Genocide Awareness Project to campus. The group showed poster-size photos of aborted fetuses with comparisons to genocides like the Holocaust. The protest attracted a couple dozen pro-life counter-demonstrators. The two sides occasionally bickered near the Lecture Hall, while police officers and campus administrators watched from the sidelines. The display was shocking and striking – and it brought attention to the issue, just as the organizers hoped. other theatres and halls. In the fall semester a successful production of “Urinetown” was performed, and this April a production of “Angels in America” will be brought to the Mainstage Theatre. Don’t miss the chance to see a show during your four (or five or six years) here. Use of Facebook Persuasive political groups Students are now using the social networking site Facebook to express things aside from their love of movies and beer pong. They have used it to take a stand, support a political candidate and voice an opinion, on both on-campus and worldly issues. Over 300 students joined The “Support David Brown, Jewish Police Officer” group when a TU police officer claimed he was suspended because he would not work on the Sabbath. Students posted comments of support, and following the resolution of the issue Brown thanked his supporters via a Facebook group post. Before the midterm elections, Facebook groups popped up in support of candidates Gov. Robert Ehrlich, Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley, Sen. Benjamin Cardin, and Lt. Gov. Michael Steele. After the election, the online posturing continued, with groups like “Don’t Blame Me When O’Malley Screws Up, I Voted For Ehrlich!” and “Governor Martin O’Malley for President 2008.” Place to have sex on campus: The parking lot outside Residence Tower Sure, you could drive yourself crazy trying to experience the “thrill” of public sex either outdoors or inside a campus building, but security can make it a disappointment. The Glen Woods? That’s a risky spot now, since no-trespassing-afterdark signs were put up last semester.Bathrooms can be hot, but all too often you’ll be surprised by a student or faculty member who needs an adjacent stall, and then you and your partner are trapped inside ‘til God knows when. See BEST, page 20 Hidden treasure: Center for the Arts productions One of the best but relatively unknown parts of TU are the theater productions and facilities of the recently renovated Center for the Arts. As impressive as the building is on the outside, it is just as remarkable on the inside in its New Studio Theatre, Mainstage Theatre and January 25, 2007 Place to be the victim of a crime: File Photo/Kris Marsh/The Towerlight In November, the Towson University ProLife group demonstrated their views by bringing the Genocide Awareness Project to campus. The two-day display drew counterdemonstrators, creating a sometimes vocal debate and making it Towson’s Best protest of the year. File photo/Patrick Smith/The Towerlight The Towerlight Students living at Kenilworth at Charles don’t have to fight traffic and fellow students for parking spaces since the apartment complex welcomed a free TU shuttle to and from campus last semester. So far, the Kenilworth at Charles is the only complex to pair with TU, but according to parking and transportation services, the University is open to going other places. Towson started the shuttle service to alleviate the high demand for parking spaces on and around campus.The service runs every half-hour from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday, and parking and transportation services is considering adding some weekend service since the number of daily shuttle riders rose to over 100 in November. Busiest hours for the shuttle are between 8 and 10 a.m. and 3 and 4 p.m. Students can pick up the shuttle from the complex and are then dropped off outside Prettyman Hall. This is the first fully off-campus route for Towson. Theater and musical productions in the Center for the Arts are Towson’s Best hidden treasure. “Urinetown” was performed last fall, and “Angels in America” is set to be shown at CFA this spring. 19 towson’s best From page 19 A prime spot is the (admittedly small) parking lot adjacent to the Residence Tower and Ward/West Halls. It’s not well lit, and it’s not frequently traversed. There are only about 30 parking spots, but staking out and waiting for one is worth it. The only possible disturbance during your hookup is a fellow student getting in his or her car to leave Movie theater: The Charles Patrick Smith/File photo/The Towerlight Towson’s men’s soccer defeated Fairfield 2-0 to reach the round of 16 of the College Cup on Nov. 15. $BTIGPS:PVS#PPLT 6/*7&34*5:4503& #00,#6:#"$, Though you won’t catch them playing “Epic Movie” or “The Hitcher,” the Charles continues to have the best selection of quality movies anywhere in Baltimore. The elitist staff straight-out-ofMICA is still a notable issue, but that minor annoyance is worth it for the movies, atmosphere and the location. More often than not the only theater to turn to for more independent fare, the Charles also shows mainstream movies with a quality/arty bent. Conveniently located on Charles Street, the Charles also brandishes an easily accessible parking garage directly across the street for only a $2 charge. Place to nap: Paws The perfect nap place has to be comfortable, with the proper light- *ANUARY *ANUARY *ANUARY *ANUARY ing, and the right amount of privacy. (Nothing is worse than being rudely awoken from a mid-day power nap.) The booths located on the first floor of the University Union in Paws offer all this and more. With their circular shapes the padded booths offer the right amount of privacy for the napping Towson student. The seats offer a comfortable makeshift mattress and are ideal for those wishing to set up a blanket and pillow for a mid day snooze. Possibly the best aspect of these booths is the lighting. The dim lighting offers the perfect setting for a restful nap. Both the location of the booths and their design also aids in giving them a relatively quiet setting so the loud noises of passersby are limited. Towson win: Men’s soccer vs. Fairfield Before a crowd nearing 1,000 that packed the bleachers and spread fans across the hill behind the Towson Center field, the No. 15 Tigers men’s soccer defeated the Fairfield Stags 2-0 to reach the round of 16 of the College Cup for the first time in program history on Nov. 15. Freshman forward Kevin Ruck struck first, heading in the game’s first goal of the game off a corner kick from Sean Cunningham. Shortly after the halftime break, junior midfielder Nino Mangione padded the lead, finishing a shot off passes from Pat Healey and T.J. Thompson. See BEST, page 21 AMPM AMPM AMPM AMPM 5NIVERSITY5NION ST&LOOR 0HOTO)$2EQUIRED The Towerlight January 25, 2007 (PU:PV $PWFSFE 20 5 . ) 6 % 2 3 ) 4 9 3 4 / 2 % File photo/The Towerlight The Charles in midtown Baltimore is Towson’s Best movie theater. towson’s best Patrick Smith/File Photo/The Towerlight Natural scorer Shanae Baker Brice is Towson’s Best female althletic newcomer averaging 15.2 points per game through Sunday. She recently has been moved to an off-guard position. Female athletic newcomer: Shanae Baker-Brice Hardly the prototype college guard, Shanae Baker-Brice stands just 5-foot-6. However, it has hardly mattered. After sitting out last season and learning the system, Baker-Brice become the top priority of opposing coaches as they plan to stop the Tigers. A natural scorer with a knack for getting to the basket, Baker-Brice has already been named CAA rookie of the week four times. Male athletic newcomer: Chiles answered all questions while shutting down opposing forwards after transferring in from Rutgers. Standing 6-foot-3 and weighing near 200 pounds, Chiles is hardly shy about throwing his weight around, whether it’s tipping a ball over the cross bar or taking out the legs of a potential goal scorers in one-on-one situations. Chiles split time with fifth-year senior Greg Flaherty this past season for the No. 15 Tigers, tallying 6.5 shut outs. His 0.33 goals against average and .935 save percentage rank among the best in the NCAA. The Silver Spring product will start for the Tigers next season as they pursue a second consecutive College Cup appearance. NOW Billy Chiles After the 2005 season, questions circled around the Tiger soccer team due to the graduation of goalkeeper Zak Thompson. With status of the position in limbo, CAA foes rejoiced in no longer having to face the stout keeper. The party ended as junior Billy Patrick Smith/File Photo/The Towerlight Basketball player Gary Neal is Towson’s male athlete of the year. Male athlete of the year: Gary Neal Late in the second half of a gut wrenching contest against Temple on Dec. 16, Gary Neal felt his team needed the help of a packed student section. As he backpedaled past half court Neal lifted his arms to encourage the masses. Without a moment’s delay, the people and the volume in the Towson Center rose. That sort of thing generally does not happen at TU. It’s no surprise that Neal literally has the Towson faithful in the palms of his hands – and deservedly so. A year ago he led the Tigers to a double-digit win total for the first time since 2001-2002. This year Towson is already up to 10. After finishing fourth in the nation in scoring a year ago, Neal is averaging a fifth best 25.2 points per game this season, including a season-high 41 against Hartford early this year. See BEST, page 22 Because Aunt Joan needed more Botox®*. She got a facelift, you got the tuition bill. Not to worry: a Campus Door student loan can cover up to 100% of your education costs, with online approval in less than a minute. All without the painful side effects. campusdoor.com *Botox® is a registered trademark of Allergan, Inc. Like this poster? Download your own printable PDF version at campusdoor.com/posters All loans are subject to credit approval. Programs, rates, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice. Other restrictions apply. Trade/Servicemarks are the property of Campus Door Inc. and/or its affiliates. Lender is Lehman Brothers Bank, FSB. ©2006 Campus Door Inc. All Rights Reserved. Equal Opportunity Lender. January 25, 2007 Goalkeeper Billy Chiles kept the scoreboard clean, including a saved penalty kick attempt late in the game. With the win, the Tigers extended their program-record of games without a loss to 14, solidifying themselves among the best in the nation Whether it’s in transition, driving to the basket or knocking down the open jumper, Baker-Brice has always found a way to get the ball in the basket as she leads the team in scoring, averaging 15.2 points per game through Sunday. Recently, Towson head coach Joe Mathews has moved Baker-Brice to an off-guard position with sophomore captain Alis Freeman taking over majority of the ball handling. Mathews feels this will allow her to score more in the open court and take advantage of her ability to move without the ball. The Towerlight From page 20 MONEY FOR COLLEGE 21 towson’s best From page 21 In Wednesday’s win over Delaware he scored 36 points to reach 2,000 for his career, including his two seasons at La Salle. The NBA may very well be in his future, but for now the hopes of a rejuvenated basketball program lay in his hands. Female athlete of the year: Christina Ghani It’s hard to argue against someone whose team has won its conference championship in each of the last two seasons, and who, in the process, has won back-to-back Gymnast of the Year awards. And Christina Ghani has done just that. Ghani has established herself as the ECAC’s best, and one of its most well-rounded performers. In 2006 she won the conference’s vault and all-around titles. In 2005 she delivered the ECAC’s best performances on floor and all-around. This all following a knee injury that caused her to miss the majority of 2004, and instead spend 10 months rehabbing. “Dominant” is not much of a stretch when describing Ghani’s performance a year ago. File Photo/Patrick Smith /The Towerlight Gymnast Christina Ghani. In the Tigers’ 13 meets, she won vault 11 times, floor nine times, all-around eight times, and bars and beam twice. No surprise, she was selected ECAC Gymnast of the Week on three occasions. In Towson’s lone meet of 2007, Ghani won vault, and got second in all-around and tied for second on floor. Krysten Appelbaum, Amanda Doran, Sharon Leff, Elizabeth Malliakos, Kiel McLaughlin, Rob Scheer, Brian Stelter, Lauren Svrjcek, and Darnay Tripp contributed to this report. JANUARY 26TH ONLY IN THEATERS Don’t miss out... Check The Towerlight out on the web TODAY! Get your news right when it breaks... online! Also, don’t miss our The Towerlight January 25, 2007 • Message boards • Blogs • Online exlusives • Photo galleries 22 www.thetowerlight.com Talk Back: Call the Arts desk at 410 704-5137 or e-mail [email protected] It’s something that’s always around you: either in your pocket, your backpack or your hand. It’s a good distraction, it keeps you entertained during class, and sometimes it’s a necessity to call for help. But in an exhibition at the Contemporary Museum that began on Sunday, it’s now being utilized as art. At a museum known for its innovative artwork is an exhibit dedicated entirely to that distracting and necessary device: the cell phone. Featured at the museum in Baltimore through April 22 is the exhibition “Cell Phone: Art and the Mobile Phone,” displaying the different uses for the technology. “It focuses on how technology impacts our lives and artistic production,” Irene Hofmann, executive director of the museum and curator of the exhibit, said. The exhibit is part of a lineage of artwork, Hofmann said, which started with the inception of the camera through the video camera to the computer. The exhibit, however, doesn’t feature the typical artwork that would be found in a conventional museum. “People can contribute texts; they can contribute pictures,” Hofmann said. Certain pieces like TXTtual Healing and cell:block invite visitors to send text messages and pictures from their own cell phones, contributing to the work as a whole. “There’s potential for people to see their cell phone in a new way,” Hofmann said. Other pieces allow visitors to download pictures to their cell phones and take a part of the exhibit with them. She referred to featured French artist Beatrice Valentine and her piece Videos Lustre, which features twelve cell phones arranged as a chandelier with a different short film featured on each phone’s screen. “It’s dramatic in scale. The exhibition also focuses on how technology impacts artistic production,” Hofmann said. The exhibition is free to the public, with suggested donations of $5 for adults and $3 for students and it features an audio tour available on cell phone. “Hopefully we can get people excited about where art is going,” Hofmann said. For more information on the exhibition, visit http://www.contemporary.org/. Katherine M. Hill Contributing Writer Singer, songwriter and acoustic guitarist Joshua Radin intends to scrap his usual set list and devote his night at The 8 x 10 in Baltimore to Megadeth, and maybe, if the crowd is lucky, other metal hits including Slayer’s “Raining Blood.” “I will be biting the heads off animals and spitting blood on the crowd,” Radin joked in an interview by phone, describing the stage effects as similar to a Pink Floydesque light show. Radin’s kidding, and not because the 8 x 10 will hold less fans than The Rose Bowl. “For anyone who’s seen me before it’s not a different show,” Radin said, who has played The 8 x 10 twice before. “I’ll play the ‘hits,’” he added, before noting his distaste for performers who deviate from the usual and ruin his night. “I really hate when I go to a show and someone busts out the new material,” he said. Fans can expect material from Radin’s first album, “We Were Here,” released in May 2006, including songs featured on “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scrubs.” Radin mentioned the songs that made him “famous” unabashedly, recounting the lucky break with “Scrubs” that led him to a career as a professional musician. “I was broke for many many years doing the starving artist thing,” he said. “I was painting and writing screenplays in New York. I’m having a little more success with this. I just appreciate this newfound career.” Radin wrote his first song as personal therapy, only to find it on cable television a month later. This positive response garnered an audience, and led to a studio album, he said. “Writing music is ‘selfish,’” Radin said. “I write the songs [as] catharsis. It’s floating around my head and it’s really the only way I can…rest. Performing music provides the same relief. I just think it’s cool when I get up there and people are listening to the words and taking something away from the stories I’m telling.” Radin wants fans to enjoy the music and relax at his shows. While selling out venues on the headlining is important, the acoustics of the venue are most important to him, he said. “Moreover, I want to play somewhere where people can really hear the music…and an intimate setting cam really accomplish that,” he said. “Usually the energy in the room is really chill. It’s a more intimate setting. It’s so nice to see people respond to this.” Photo courtesy Press Here Publicity Joshua Radin, whose songs have been featured on “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scrubs,” will be performing Sunday at the 8 x 10 in Baltimore. 2006 Oscar nominations offer surprises ‘Dreamgirls’ leads with eight nominations, but misses out on Best Picture Rob Scheer Arts Editor On Tuesday at 8:38 a.m the nominations for the 79th Annual Academy Awards were announced by Academy President Sid Ganis and former Oscar nominee Salma Hayek. For better or worse, one can’t accuse the Academy of prsent- ing another set of predictable nominations; this year they delivered more than a few shockers. The most egregious and surprising was “Dreamgirls,” long considered to be THE Oscar frontrunner this year, being snubbed in every major category. However, almost as shockingly, it still managed to garner more nominations than any other film this year, marking the first time in 55 years that a film without a Best Picture nom earned over seven nominations (“Dreamgirls” got 8). Besides “Dreamgirls,” the big nomination news was that Spanishlanguage fantasy “Pan’s Labyrinth” (my favorite film of 2006) drew a whopping six nominations, more than three of the five Best Picture nominees. Other surprises included one of Academy favorite Pedro Almodovar’s most praised films, “Volver,” being left off the Foreign Film nominees, as well as “Borat’s” unexpected inclusion in the Best Adapted Screenplay category. Best Picture -- “Babel” (seven nominations) -- “The Departed” (five nominations) -- “Letters From Iwo Jima” (four nominations) -- “Little Miss Sunshine” (four nominations) -- “The Queen” (six nominations) Photo courtesy Paramount Vantage “Babel” received seven Oscar nominations on Tuesday morning, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. Virtually every Oscar prognosticator worth his or her salt was predicting the same five films this year: “Babel,” “The Departed,” “Dreamgirls,” “Little Miss Sunshine,” and “The Queen.” In fact many had complained that this year’s Best Picture nominees were the most locked-in they’ve been in years, due to almost all the guilds (the Actors, Directors, Producers, and Writers) agreeing on them. But where there’s a Clint, there’s a way. Despite a complete lack of support by the guilds, and strong suggestions that Oscar voters didn’t even see the film they nominated, “Letters From Iwo Jima” proved that, regardless of quality or content, whenever Clint Eastwood makes a movie, it will almost assuredly be praised as a “masterpiece” and garner an Oscar nomination for Best Picture. Its presence here also solidifies this as the most wide-open Best Picture race in over a decade. “Iwo Jima” and “The Queen” are easily the critical favorites, and if not the most loved, at least the most admired. “Little Miss Sunshine” took home the Producers Guild Award last weekend, “Babel” won the Best Picture prize at the Golden Globes, and “The Departed” won the leading honors at the Broadcast Film Critics Association January 25, 2007 Alex Plimack Staff Writer Josh Radin comes to 8 x 10 on Sunday The Towerlight ‘Art and the Mobile Phone’ on display at Contemporary Museum ARTS See OSCAR, page 25 23 o v e bdk^Zh Chaotic crime flick ‘Aces’ for fans of frenetic action Joe Carnahan’s ultraviolent shoot-em-up lacks substance, but provides mindless entertainment Scheer Cinema By Rob Scheer Forget the Academy, here’s my ballot Admittedly, the Academy’s taste has improved in recent years – for nominees at least. But the better/ hipper they get, they still aren’t cool enough to acknowledge movies like “Children of Men” in main categories. They got some right this year, while making other horrific calls. Here were my picks for the best of 2006 (my picks for deserved winners are in bold). Some categories have 6 contenders instead of 5, while others have 3. Why? Because I can. Best Picture -- “Babel” -- “Children of Men” -- “The Fountain” -- “Pan’s Labyrinth” -- “United 93” Foreign Film -- “Volver” -- “Pan’s Labyrinth” -- “Curse of the Golden Flower” Director Photo courtesy Universal Pictures Ryan Reynolds (left) plays an FBI agent in the middle of mayhem in Joe Carnahan’s “Smokin’ Aces.” Alex Plimack Staff Writer The Towerlight January 25, 2007 “Smokin’ Aces” is the epitome of a guy movie. People get shot, curse words are dropped, shit goes boom and it all involves the mob, the FBI, a snitch, and a bunch of hit men. There’s blood, some guts and a good amount of humor to keep the movie from taking itself too seriously (for the most part). “Smokin’ Aces” is escapist cinema at its finest. With a rather large cast featuring Ben Affleck, Andy Garcia, Ray Liotta, Jeremy Piven, and Ryan Reynolds (just to name a few), it would seem like the plot would get lost in all of the star power, but it doesn’t. Instead, there’s a rather straightforward (albeit confusing at times) story of Mafia boss Primo Sparazza looking to take out his former protégé Buddy “Aces” Israel (Jeremy Piven, in subdued/cokedout form) after Israel decides to snitch to the FBI. The FBI wants to protect their witness and their case from Sparazza and the various groups of assassins hired to kill Israel. Enter the clichéd but hilarious assortment of contract killers, ranging from a lesbian couple (Taraji Henson and Alicia Keys), to the bail bondsmen (Affleck, Peter Berg and Martin Henderson), to the sadistic redneck brothers The Tremors (Chris Pine, Kevin Durand and Maury Sterling). The introduction of the hit men is inter24 twined with the FBI learning of the threat on Israel’s life. As the FBI discovers what’s at stake, so do the assassins and in turn, the audience. Director Joe Carnahan (“Narc”) cleverly uses this as a way to include the viewers in the movie, instead of having information forced down their throats, they are another party in the revelation and understanding of key information. Carnahan doesn’t shy away from creating a self-aware movie. He knows that what he’s crafted is a witty concept and makes no apologies for it. Many of the cuts between scenes feature a character in one scene saying something and the character in the subsequent scene seemingly responding. For example, one scene ends with a hit man talking about “a couple a dead dudes” followed by the next scene beginning with a character saying “so these fellas.” It’s a smart way to link the parts of the movie together and create a flow throughout. The script, written by Carnahan, features the assassins’ paths beginning to cross when they all eventually convene on the Lake Tahoe hotel where Israel is hiding out. It’s fun to watch all the characters that started the beginning of the movie apart and having nothing to do with each other all coming together in the end in bloody, frenetic shootouts. However, certain scenes throughout the movie are completely superfluous and practically a chore to sit through. Thankfully, these cumbersome sequences are usually book-ended by action or humor scenes and sometimes both. In the final twenty minutes, the movie tries to make sense of all of the frantic action that the film undertakes. Its biggest flaw is that there’s absolutely no message behind what took place in the preceding hundred minutes. It would seem like Carnahan wants to comment on loyalty, following Israel’s bathroom conversation with his bodyguard, Ivy (Common). When it’s all said and done, the concluding scenes and twist are forced and try too hard to achieve a sort of gravitas. Does it detract from the overall film? It depends. Don’t go into “Smokin’ Aces” expecting to think hard with an intriguing crime thriller. Go for the action and the mindless entertainment; stay for the humor and clever script. -- Guillermo Del Toro, “Pan’s Labyrinth” -- Alfonso Cuaron, “Children of Men” -- Paul Greengrass, “United 93” -- Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, “Babel” -- Martin Scorsese, “The Departed” Actor -- Sacha Baron Cohen, “Borat” -- Leonardo DiCaprio, “The Departed” -- Ryan Gosling, “Half Nelson” -- Hugh Jackman, “The Fountain” -- William H. Macy, “Edmond” -- Forest Whitaker, “The Last King of Scotland” Supporting Actor -- Robert Downey Jr., “A Scanner Darkly” -- Eddie Murphy, “Dreamgirls” -- Steve Carell, “Little Miss Sunshine” -- Greg Kinnear, “Little Miss Sunshine” -- Jackie Earle Haley, “Little Children” -- Sergi Lopez, “Pan’s Labyrinth” Supporting Actress -- Jennifer Hudson, “Dreamgirls” -- Adriana Barrazza, “Babel” -- Rinko Kikuchi, “Babel” -- Phyllis Somerville, “Little Children” -- Jill Clayburgh, “Running With Scissors” -- Catherine O’Hara, “For Your Consideration” Original Screenplay -- “Pan’s Labyrinth” -- “United 93” -- “Volver” -- “Stranger Than Fiction” -- “Brick” Adapted Screenplay -- “Little Children” -- “Thank You For Smoking” -- “The Departed” -- “Children of Men” -- “Tristram Shandy: A Cock & Bull Story” -- “The Prestige” Documentary -- “Shut Up & Sing” -- “Deliver Us From Evil” -- “An Inconvenient Truth” -- “Wordplay” -- “Jesus Camp” -- “Dave Chappelle’s Block Party” Actress -- Helen Mirren, “The Queen” -- Kate Winslet, “Little Children” -- Judi Dench, “Notes on a Scandal” -- Penelope Cruz, “Volver” -- Cate Blanchett, “The Good German” Animated Film -- “Monster House” -- “Happy Feet” -- “Flushed Away” -- “A Scanner Darkly” --“Over the Hedge” Genre: Action/Thriller/ Comedy Rating: R Running Time: 114 min Who's in it: Ryan Reynolds, Jeremy Piven, Ray Liotta, Ben Affleck, Martin Henderson, Peter Berg, Common, Alicia Keys, Taraji Henson, Andy Garcia, Chris Pine, Jason Bateman Towerlight Rating: Photo courtesy Picturehouse Guillermo Del Toro’s “Pan’s Labyrinth” is now playing everywhere. arts ‘Catch,’ ‘Release,’ it’s all right to throw this one back Photo courtesy Sony Pictures Rob Scheer Arts Editor It’s difficult to even muster up any thoughts or feelings about Susannah Grant’s “Catch and Release” because it really doesn’t leave much of an impression. It’s certainly diverting enough to pass two hours, but it’s tough to imagine anyone being really taken with it, or actively despising it. Grant is the reigning queen of GOOD chick flicks, having written “Erin Brockovich” and the wonderful, under-seen “In Her Shoes.” Here in her directorial debut, she crafts something significantly more familiar and run-of-the-mill. If anything, the film deserves mild praise for a somewhat unconventional premise for a movie of this type. The upcoming wedding of Gray (Jennifer Garner, whose lips have never looked bigger) is transformed into a funeral when her fiancé Grady (Gray and Grady? All I kept thinking of was ‘Julia Gulia’) dies in a boat- ing accident. Soon after his death she discovers he not only was significantly wealthier than he let on, he also made monthly donations to Maureen (Juliette Lewis), who Gray finds out Grady cheated on her and fathered a child with. On top of that, Grady’s mother (Fiona Shaw) is badgering Gray to give back the family engagement ring, Gray begins a far-too-soon romance with Grady’s friend Fritz (Timothy Olyphant) and she’s forced to move in with her friends Sam (Kevin Smith) and Joe (Sam Jaeger). This is the first time filmmaker Smith has been given a significant part in a major motion picture other than his own, and as himself, he does a pretty good job. The guy looks more massive than usual, and Grant doesn’t do him any favors by having him scarfing down some sort of food in virtually every scene he’s in. Much of his dialogue is comprised of quotes he reads off of herbal tea boxes, but aside from that, he provides the majority of the laughs in the movie and even has a scene where he gets to emote. Though Smith carries much of the humor of the film on his shoulders, he also embodies one of its chief problems. While he’s funny, almost all of his scenes are extraneous comic relief that only serve to bump up the running time to a bloated two hours. Garner is her regular charming self, and even though she has some crying scenes, she doesn’t do anything here beyond what she’s done. Though Gray has trials and tribulations, this is basically a “nice” movie in which everything works out well for everyone. Everyone gets a love interest to spend their life with and by the end of the movie that I half-expected Grant to provide the little kid with a little girl to hook up with. “Catch and Release” provides a decent afternoon at the movies, and people who like this sort of thing will have a nice time. But there are certainly lots of better movies at your disposal at this time of year. Genre: Drama/Comedy Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 117 min. Who's in it: Jennifer Garner, Timothy Olyphant, Kevin Smith, Sam Jaeger, Juliette Lewis, Fiona Shaw Towerlight Rating: OSCAR: Clint Eastwood strikes again with ‘Iwo Jima’ Best Director -- Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu, “Babel” -- Martin Scorsese, “The Departed” -- Clint Eastwood, “Letters From Iwo Jima” -- Stephen Frears, “The Queen” -- Paul Greengrass, “United 93” The Picture-Director matchups for “Babel,” “The Departed” and “The Queen” make complete sense and were widely expected, and the Academy has made their hard-on for Eastwood widely known by this point in time. So the one true surprise here has to be the much-deserved nomination for Mr. Greengrass. While Greengrass received numerous awards this season for his direction, many had assumed that Academy members (like audiences) would find the 9/11 drama too difficult to watch and/or nominate. However, his nomination itself should be considered a victory, as this is most assuredly Mr. Scorsese’s year. Best Actor -- Leonardo DiCaprio, “Blood Diamond” -- Ryan Gosling, “Half Nelson” -- Peter O’Toole, “Venus” Though in recent weeks, some (including myself) had deluded themselves into thinking that Sacha Baron Cohen could make it in here for “Borat,” generally these were the five that were universally expected, with the biggest “get” being Ryan Gosling for his work in the little-seen gem “Half Nelson.” The real surprise in this category is not DiCaprio’s inclusion, but for which film he got the nomination. Despite his career-best work in “The Departed” and that film’s Best Picture nomination, voters apparently preferred his vastly inferior performance in the overblown, self-important “Blood Diamond.” Though the Oscar could go to O’Toole if voters want to reward the living legend before he kicks the bucket, it’ll likely go to Whitaker, who’s swept every award he’s been eligible for all season. Best Actress -- Penelope Cruz, “Volver” -- Judi Dench, “Notes on a Scandal” -- Helen Mirren, “The Queen” -- Meryl Streep, “The Devil Wears Prada” -- Kate Winslet, “Little Children” This was the most predictable category of them all, with the same lineup that has been repeated at award show after award show, and rightly so. If these aren’t the five best leading female performances of the year, they’re pretty close. Kudos to the Academy for getting it right. Oh, and if you can bet on anything on Oscar night, it’s that Helen Mirren is taking home this trophy. Best Supporting Actor -- Alan Arkin, “Little Miss Sunshine” -- Jackie Earle Haley, “Little Children” -- Djimon Hounsou, “Blood Diamond” -- Eddie Murphy, “Dreamgirls” -- Mark Wahlberg, “The Departed” Djimon Hounsou gave possibly my least-favorite performance in a film this year in “Blood Diamond.” The one-note performance consist of nothing but him literally running and screaming “My Son!” for two and a half hours, all while re-using character elements he’s played before. But no matter; if Oscar loves anything it’s the “noble black man” archetype they’ve rewarded time and time again to show they’re progressive, even if the performance is subpar. Good on Alan Arkin for getting his sentimental career-rewarding nomination, even if he wasn’t nearly as impressive as “Sunshine” co-stars Steve Carell or Greg Kinnear. Eddie Murphy was perhaps the only lock this category had, and he’s your Photo courtesy Warner Bros. Leonardo DiCaprio received a Best Actor nomination for ‘Blood Diamond,’ not his infinitely superior performance in ‘Departed.’ likely winner. Wahlberg surprised the hell out of me for getting in here over his “Departed” co-star Jack Nicholson, but, hey, I love the performance so I can’t complain. But perhaps my most joyful moment on nomination morning was Jackie Earle Haley’s nomination for “Little Children.” Though the film has yet to open in most parts of the country (including Baltimore) and many thought Haley’s role as a childlike sex offender would be too off-putting for the Academy, the stunning performance made it through. Though Murphy is the front-runner, Haley’s (best known as Kelly Leak in the original “Bad News Bears”) performance and real-life comeback story may be too good for them to resist. Best Supporting Actress -- Adriana Barrazza, “Babel” -- Cate Blanchett, “Notes on a Scandal” -- Abigail Breslin, “Little Miss Sunshine” -- Jennifer Hudson, “Dreamgirls” -- Rinko Kikuchi, “Babel” Aside from past Oscar-winner Blanchett, these are all first-time nominees, making this category the poster-child for racial diversity. All five ladies were deserving of their nominations in this fairly predictable category, though the Oscar will probably go to former “American Idol” loser Hudson, for her first-ever 25 performance in a film. January 25, 2007 awards. This is a category where truly anything can happen. -- Will Smith, “The Pursuit of Happyness” -- Forest Whitaker, “The Last King of Scotland” The Towerlight From page 23 Sudoku ATTENTION TOWSON STUDENTS! 1 2 Sudoku consists of a 9x9 grid that has been subdivided into 9 smaller grids of 3x3 squares. Each puzzle has a logical and unique solution. To solve the puzzle, each row, column and box must contain each of the numbers 1 to 9. Crossword • Flexible PT/FT work • Great Pay • Days/Evenings/Weekends Available • No experience necessary, will train • NO canvassing/NO cold-calling • All majors welcome • 100 Scholarships, conditions apply Call NOW for more information (410) 821-7870 X ` b JX_V > 6 54 For the solutions to today’s crossword and Sudoku puzzles, turn to page 28. The Towerlight January 25, 2007 Distributed by Tribune Media Services. Reprinted with permission. 26 FghWXag4W`\ff\ba C?HFBA8 9eXXj\g[BaX6TeW The Towerlight CLASSIFIEDS TELLERS NEEDED Are you looking for a FULL TIME position that will be flexible with your school schedule? Look no further... 1st Mariner Bank is in need of Tellers in your area: Columbia, Dundalk, Loch Raven, Lutherville, Owings Mills, and Towson. Please submit your resume to www.1stmarinerbank.com. 1st Mariner enjoys a drug/alcohol/ smoke-free workplace. E. O. E. / MFDV. DAYTIME SERVERS & HOSTS NEEDED Chili’s Restaurant in Timonium is hiring lunch servers and hosts. If you need a job that is flexible with your school schedule, this is it. We are looking for people available some day shifts Monday thru Friday, weekends and nights are also available. Please come in & fill out an application MondayThursday between 2 & 4. We would love to hear from you. 410-3088740. DOCTOR’S ASSISTANT Needed to assist doctor with patient care. No experience needed. Fax or Email resume 410-252-7774, 2527770. [email protected]. ENJOY WORKING WITH KIDS? Musically inclined w/4 yrs. piano - Flexible hrs. Teaching children piano. -Fun Job! We supply students and materials -$20/ HR. Bonuses. MUST HAVE CAR. 410-654-9131. ATTENTION TOWSON STUDENTS! Flexible PT/FT work, great pay, days/evenings/weekends avail, no experience necessary, will train, No canvassing, No coldcalling, all majors welcome, 100 scholarships, conditions apply. Call Now 410-821-7870. ONCAMPUS FEDERAL WORK STUDY Jobs. Art Office seeks friendly receptionists with MS Word, Excel exp. Center for Arts. $5.15 - $7.15. Call Lynne Ross: 410704-3639. RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE We are looking to hire experienced servers, hosts/ hostesses, bartenders, cocktail servers, runners, bussers, and barbacks. Qualified applicants should have 1-2 years previous experience in a high volume, fine dining establishment. Apply in person: Ruth’s Chris Pier 5 - 711 Eastern Avenue 410.230.0033 and Blue Sea Grill - 614 Water Street 410.837.7300 hr@serioussteaks. com Fax 410.602.2873 www.serioussteaks.com An equal opportunity employer. UNIQUE GREETING CARD SHOP Seeking PT/ FT help at our Festival at Bel Air and KenilworthTowson locations. Flexible hrs. Apply in person or email resume to [email protected]. WANTED: CAMP COUNSELORS Escape to the Shenandoah Mountains of West Virginia. Timber Ridge Camp is a Co-ed overnight camp seeking, fun, energetic staff, to work with children for the summer. Top salary, travel allowance. 800-258-2267. www.trcamps.com Email: [email protected]. SALES Local internet company is looking for sales representatives. Commission based. Contact info@ messagingreminder.com. HELP WANTED - CHILDCARE NANNY Looking for full-time nanny for two adorable girls beginning in January. Employers follow Baltimore County Public Schools calendar and will provide paid vacations. A car is needed to transport to preschool. Please contact Christina by phone 853-7345. WEEKEND BABYSITTER NEEDED Sitter wanted for six year old twins for Fri. and/ or Sat. nights. Will pay $10/ hour. Three references required. Please call Caroline at 410-215-3233. BABY SITTERS NEEDED for adorable 7 mo. old girl in Rodgers Forge! Starting in January, $10/ hr. Tuesdays 3-7, Thursdays 11-7, Fridays 9-1, and some weekends. Refs. required. Call: 410-783-1148 or [email protected]. BABYSITTER NEEDED Kind, fun-loving individual to look after 2 kids, 7mo & 3yrs in a loving home near Hunt Valley. Flexible 1020hrs/ wk. Experience & references required. $10-12/hr. 410-560-6955. BABYSITTER NEEDED Seeking a warm, caring, trustworthy babysitter to care for my infant girl in our Towson home on Saturdays 12 p.m.-5 p.m.. References required. Preferably a non-smoker with own transportation. $10/hr. Please contact me at [email protected]. BABYSITTER NEEDED for a 1 year old, 8-10 hours per week in our Owings Mills home. Additional evening hours requested for two children ages 1 and 2. Please email references and childcare experience to [email protected] (flexible hours & some benefits) Waitstaff, Kitchen, & Counter Help for all shifts Apply in person: 11321 York Road, Cockeysville Shawan Plaza next to Giant 410-785-5336 BABY SITTER NEEDED Baby sitter needed in Owings Mills area. Flexible hours. Please call 410-5600858 or 410-627-6030. CHILD CARE IN TOWSON Looking for caring student w/ exp. to care for my 2 children in our towson home. Must have transportation & be non-smoking. Mondays from 11:15-5 and some Tuesdays if available. Please email me if you are interested at [email protected] . PART-TIME NANNY NEEDED! Phoenix area family seeking parttime Nanny for our toddler. Approximately 15hrs per week. Competitive salary. Flexibility needed. E-mail [email protected] AFTER SCHOOL CARE NEEDED Towson area family w/ 2 girls, 9 & 12 looking for afternoon help 3:15 - 5:45, 4 days a week Must have own car to pick up from school & transport to after-school activities. Flexibility for holidays & snow days a plus. Roommate job share a possibility. Non-Smoker, must like dogs. Please email julie.dambrogi@ bridgestreet.com or call 443-4653114 . NANNY/DRIVER WITH CAR WANTED For after school care weekdays (3 - 5 days, flexible). Pickup kids, ages 6 & 9, from school at 3:15 near Charles - Cold Spring and take them to activities (tennis, ballet, etc) and/or home in Hereford. Day usually finishes by 6:00 PM. Competitive hourly wage plus mileage allowance. Must be friendly, responsible and have a clean driving record. Call 443-831-4429. BABYSITTER NEEDED to care for two children (ages 2 and 4). 8 to 10 hours/ week: Monday and Friday, 12:30 - 4:30. Rate: $11/ hr. Location: Hunt Valley. References, childcare experience and transportation are required. Email lmarino@ comcast.net if interested . BABYSITTER NEEDED Fun, energetic & responsible babysitter needed 2 days and 1-2 evenings per week. Days and nights are flexible. Two children ages 5 yrs. and 11 mo. References requested. Please call 443-386-5577 or email [email protected] PART-TIME NANNY NEEDED in Towson area for 5&7 year olds. Hours: Wednesdays & Thursdays 2:30pm-5:30pm. Transportation & References required. Starting Feb.1st or sooner. Please contact Lisa @ 410-321-0312 or email:[email protected]. More ADS, next page. TU Department of Athletics Study Hall Monitors and Tutors Needed! • Juniors and Seniors Preferred • Responsible and Reliable People with Flexible Schedules • Days and Evenings Needed Contact Info: Geoff Gordon Academic Advisor for Student-Athletes [email protected] MAKE A DIFFERENCE THIS SUMMER AT BETH TFILOH CAMPS! • Be a counselor, instructor, lifeguard at our day camp in Owings Mills • Enjoy the sunshine and fresh air • Be outside with great kids & co-workers • Have your evenings and weekends free • Work in a t-shirt and shorts • Camp dates are June 21--August 18 Sounds good? www.btcamps.org 410-517-3451 January 25, 2007 PART TIME HELPER(S) needed to do cleaning, yard work, other odds and ends close to campus. Flexible hours, good wages. Begin ASAP. 410-321-0746. AFTER SCHOOL NANNY Towson, $13/ hour; 10-15 hours a week, negotiable hours, four minutes from campus, two sweet, entertaining boys 11 and 14 years old; five days a week, starting approx. 3:45 pm until 6 - 7 pm depending on your schedule. josephadamsmd@yahoo. com or 410-812-1447 (cell). Immediate Positions The Towerlight HELP WANTED - GENERAL TEACHER My Gym Children’s Fitness Center in Timonium and Bel Air is looking for full and part time teachers to teach movement classes to children ages 3 mo. to 13 years. Flexible day, evening and weekend shifts. Will train. Stop by for application or email us at [email protected] or [email protected]. Or call 410-308-1288. Now Hiring 27 BABYSITTER NEEDED 15-20 hours/ wk-afterschool & weekend. Seeking a reliable, loving, energetic sitter for toddler boy & girl in Carney/ East Towson area. Salary Negotiable. References, experience & car required. E-mail jjwj0427@ yahoo.com or call 882-3508. AFTER SCHOOL CARE pick up our 5 year old boy from school, take about 3 miles to our Mt. Washington home. Mon., Wed. 5:45- 7:45 min., send references to Julie at [email protected], or call (cell) 410-530-0389 or (home) 410542-0747. BABYSITTER NEEDED Looking for a fun, energetic, responsible weekend sitter for our 2 kids (4 months and 2 years). References and transportation required. Please call 443-838-0937. PART TIME NANNY NEEDED: PT nanny needed in my home, 15-20 minutes north of Hunt Valley, for my infant starting in mid August. Hours include Tues 10-4 and Wed 12-6 and one weekend a month, Sat/Sun 10-4, with my 4 year old. Transportation is required as well as a love of animals. Nonsmoker please. Competitive pay. Email/call Jenny with references and experience at longbot@hotmail. com or 443-491-3012. BABYSITTER NEEDED Early childhood or nursing student needed to babysit a few weekdays and ocassional weekends. Must be comfortable with children ages newborn and three years. 410.472.432 SUMMER EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY The Gerstung Center seeks experienced Group Counselors, Lifeguards, and Teachers of Art, Archery, and Rock Climbing. Pay commensurate with experience. Must be 18+, please dial 410-337-7781 or go to www. Gerstung.com. BABYSITTER! In Towson for 2 sweet boys (ages 4 & 6), avg 20 hrs/ wk, $10-12/ hr (experience dependent), Wed/ Thu/ some Fri, Refs/ car/ license required. Email Lucy @ [email protected]. FUN BABYSITTER NEEDED WE are looking for a fun, reliable and responsible babysitter to pick up our daughter from Friends School. Pick up by 4:30pm-7:30pm a couple days a week. Responsibilities include driving short distance from school to our home, assisiting with bath, overseeing homewoork is completed, some fun time prior to bed, and reading stories. Small house trained 6lb is in the home.(No walking or feeding needed) Must have car and good driving record. Excellent pay! Please contact Barry or Robin at 410-456-8731. TU ALUM LOOKING FOR BABYSITTER Babysitter needed for two days a week for toddler and 5-year-old, Wed. and flex. other day. Nice and fun family with dog. Close to Cockeysville and Hunt Valley area. Please call with references, Stephanie 410- 584-7669. HOUSING SERVICES FEMALE HOUSEMATES Nonsmoking students share home near York and Seminary, 1.5 miles north of Towson Campus. $525.00. Utilities, high-speed wireless, piano. No pets. 410-494-0633 dbricha@ msn.com. CERTIFIED SPANISH TEACHER teaches Spanish in Middle River, MD 410-574-1698 2 ROOMMATES NEEDED 2 m or f RM needed - Lg 3 story house less then mile from campus - 4 RM’s share 2 BR’s - fun relaxed student atmosphere - $575/ month + utilities -on corner of Stevenson and Hillen rd - no cats/ dogs - contact richie @ - [email protected] or call 240-888-6789. TOWSON HOUSE FOR RENT JAN 2007 Remodeled 3 bedroom Towson Townhouse. New Kitchen, Baths, Hardwood Floors. Finished Basement, AC, W/ D onsite. Available January 2007. Rent is $1650 a month for 3. $1900 for 4 students (using the basement as the 4th bedroom) Willing to negotiate price for the right tenants. Adam - 443-803-6027. ROOMATE WANTED Non-smoking, drugfree, roomate to share 2 BR 1.5 bath newly renovated townhome in trendy Hampden just 1/2 block to The Avenue and 10 mins. to TU. $500 plus 1/2 utilities. Refs req. No pets. Call Katie 443-695-2625. ADOPTION ADOPTION Happy and loving couple wishes to adopt an infant. Medical and legal expenses paid. Call Linda or Ian 703-217-8204 Website: www.lindaandian.com. TRAVEL SPRING BREAK: Don’t miss out! Spring Break 2007 is approaching and STS is offering specials to this year’s hottest destinations! Call for savings 1.800.648.4849 or visit www.ststravel.com. PUT YOUR AD HERE Place your classified ad online. Go to www.thetowerlight.com and click on “Classifieds.” For info on display ads, click on “Advertising Info” and download our current rate sheet. ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS BEGINNING The Towerlight runs Crossword and Sudoku Puzzles every issue on the last page of the Arts section. Look for solutions here in Classifieds. Solutions to today’s Puzzles, which appear on page 26. Crossword Sudoku #2 DON’T MISS OUT Individual leases Heated swimming pool Private bedrooms Laundry rooms on every floor Private bathrooms available Free shuttle to campus Fully furnished units Computer lab 24-hour fitness center Free tanning beds AVOID THE LINES APPLY ONLINE January 25, 2007 Sudoku #1 FEB. 5 The Towerlight 408 Campus View Dr. 410.583.0500 uvtowson.com 28 Professionally managed by A meric an C a mpus Communities sports MINIMESTER ROUND-UP Tigers find success during break After 99 games, Kelly Robinson had accumulated 999 points for her collegiate career. Just one minute and 48 seconds into her 100th game, Robinson scored points 1,000 and 1,001, becoming just the 13th Towson women’s basketball player to reach the milestone. The senior forward finished with 16 points on 7-9 shooting to lead the Tigers to a 74-68 win over Virginia Commonwealth. This season she is third on the team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 10.1 points and 4.6 rebounds. The Hazlet, N.J. native is a fouryear starter. Robinson earned CAA All-Rookie honors as a freshman after averaging 11.9 points per game. --Darnay Tripp Men’s basketball plays two double-overtime games Pat Kennedy’s team stayed busy in the first week of January, playing two consecutive double-overtime games for the first time in program history. Neal named co-Player of the Week A pair of 30-plus point outings and a career-high nine assists against UNC-Wilmington earned Neal CAA player of the week honors for the fifth time in his career. On Jan. 15, Neal tallied 33 points in a 70-62 win over cross-town rival Loyola. Three days later in Hempstead, NY, Neal put up 31 points in a shootout with Hofstra guards Antoine Agudio and Loren Stokes. And in the Tigers’ third game in six days, Neal dished out a career-high nine assists, to go with 19 points in Towson’s 75-61 win over UNC-Wilmington. Neal shared the honors with Stokes, who scored 25 in Hofstra’s win over the Tigers. -Darnay Tripp Men’s basketball falls to Georgetown The Tigers’ first game during winter break came on December 20 against a Georgetown team that was ranked as high as No. 8 in the nation earlier this season. Towson left the Verizon Center with a 69-41 loss, dropping them to 5-5 on the season. Neal led all scorers with 26 points, but was the only Tiger in double figures. The Hoyas had three players with at least a dozen points, led by an 18-point outing by Baltimore native DaJuan Summers. Georgetown outscored Towson in the paint, 22-8, and off turnovers, 19-9, in the Hoya victory. --Darnay Tripp Baker-Brice named CAA Rookie of the Week twice Freshman guard Shanae BakerBrice was named the CAA Rookie of the Week for the third and fourth times in her impressive freshman season. For the week ending Jan. 1, Baker-Brice was given her third CAA Rookie of the Week Award after scoring 28 points and adding six rebounds and two steals to lead the Tigers to a 72-64 victory over Mount St. Maryís University. Baker-Brice averaged 20.0 points as the Tigers split conference games against Hofstra and George Mason to earn her fourth CAA Rookie of the Week Award for the week ending Jan. 21. Baker-Brice leads all CAA freshmen with a 15.2 point per game scoring average. --Matt Vensel Patrick Smith/The Towerlight Freshman guard Shanae Baker-Brice leads the Tigers in scoring. Patrick Smith/The Towerlight Senior guard Gary Neal was named CAA co-Player of the Week. Senior Liz Lebherz was named the CAA swimmer of the week for the week ending Jan. 14. Against George Mason, Lebherz won three individual events and set a school record in the 1,000-freestyle. She also holds the school record in the 200-free and the 500-free. --Matt Vensel Gymnastics splits tri-meet at College Park The gymnastics team split their season-opening tri-meet with the University of Maryland and the University of Pennsylvania on Jan. 12. Maryland took first place with a score of 191.75 while Towson settled for second with a score of 189.225 and Pennsylvania finished in third place with a 181.825 score. Senior Christina Ghani won the all-around competition with a score of 38.375 while freshman Jackie Schweitzer finished in third place. --Matt Vensel Lebherz and Hunt named Swimmers of the Week Tigers topple local rival Greyhounds The women’s swimming and diving team refused to be outdone by the men’s team as they also had two swimmers win the CAA Swimmer of the Week award. For the week ending Jan. 7, senior Aly Hunt was honored as the swimmer of the week after leading the Tigers to a 173.5-123.5 victory over Delaware. Hunt finished first in the 100-back, the 50-free and the 100free and swam the second leg of the Tigers’ victorious 200-free relay. The Tigers snapped a two-game losing skid with a huge 70-62 win over their cross-town rivals Loyola Jan. 15. The win was especially significant because the Greyhounds were sitting atop of the Mid-Atlantic Athletic Conference and were riding a four-game winning streak of their own. Gary Neal played one of his most efficient games of the season, scoring 33 points on 9-15 shooting. After the game, Loyola head coach Jimmy Patsos used his first words of the press conference to say that Neal was undoubtedly a future professional basketball player. The Greyhounds were led by Gerald Brown who exchanged baskets with Neal for the majority of the sold-out contest. Brown scored 26 points on 9-24 shooting and grabbed four rebounds. The Tigers opened the contest with a 21-13 advantage and survived several Loyola runs that fell short of tying the game. --Daniel Abraham Will and Godfrey honored as Swimmers of the Week Two members of the men’s swimming and diving team were named the CAA Men’s Swimmer of the Week in back-to-back weeks. Sophomore Ryan Godfrey was named the Swimmer of the Week for the week ending January 7. Godfrey led the Tigers to a 153-147 victory over Delaware while finishing first in the 1,000-free, the 500-free, and the 100-butterfly. The following week, senior Chris Will earned the Tigers a second straight Swimmer of the Week award after his standout performance in a 156.5-141.5 victory over George Mason. Will finished first in the 50free and 100-free, tied for first in the 100-fly, and helped the Tigers pick up a victory in the 200-medley relay. The Tigers conclude their regular season schedule this Saturday afternoon at Loyola. --Matt Vensel 29 January 25, 2007 Robinson breaks 1,000 points It started on January 3 at home against VCU. Towson, who entered the contest shooting 75.9 percent from the free throw line, made just 18-31 attempts in the game. Rams guard Jesse Pellot-Rosa forced the first overtime by making a pair of free throws in the last three seconds of regulation. A 58-58 tie turned into a 70-70 deadlock at the end of the first overtime after a runner by Eric Maynor sent the teams’ first meeting of the season into double-overtime. A 3-pointer by B.A. Walker with 38 seconds remaining in the second overtime gave the Rams an 82-80 edge. Towson senior Gary Neal missed a runner in the final moments of the game, leading to a loss in the Tigers’ first game of the new year. Three days later, the Tigers traveled to Atlanta to take on Georgia St. A 3-pointer by the Panthers’ Rashad Chase knotted the score at 64 apiece. In the first overtime, it was Neal who hit two of his game high 30 points in the final seconds to make the score 72-72 after the first OT. Chase nailed another three-pointer in the final minute of double-overtime to seal an 87-81 win for the Panthers. --Darnay Tripp The Towerlight Towson studentathletes hit court, pool, track during minimester sports COACHES: Get chance, shine From page 32 Charles Arbogast/Associated Press NFC Champion Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith. Al Behrman/Associated Press AFC Champion Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy. TIGERS: Balanced scoring in victory him about wanting a new contract. When the Bears first hired him, he was inheriting a team that finished 11-21 combined in the two previous seasons. However, the Bears won the division in his second year at the helm. I can only hope that these two coaching pillars in the NFL will be remembered not only as the first African American coaches to lead the best team in the league, but for being the great men that they are. Some say it’s sad that here we are in 2007 and we’re finally able to talk about a black coach making the trip to the biggest individual game in sports. But to me it’s even more disheartening that last season there were only six black coaches in the National Football League. What’s sadder than that is the fact that during that off-season all eight of the first year head coaches hired in the NFL were non-minorities. There is clearly some discrimination amongst NFL owners when it comes to race. Aside from Fritz Pollard, who founded and coached a professional football team in 1922, Art Shell became the first black coach hired in 1987 when Al Davis gave him the job with the Raiders. But the problem is that at least half of those same owners who took 65 years to hire a minority head coach are doing the hiring today. I’m not calling all of the NFL owners racist, but the numbers of some speak for themselves. It’s like my mother always used to tell me, if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and talks like a duck… For those of you who live in this magical land where rich, older bosses make decisions on employees based on the content of their character and not the color of their skin, I apologize because this week’s column doesn’t apply to you. But in my world, there are plenty of other candidates like Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith who will never get the opportunity. So it doesn’t matter who wins the battle next Sunday between Dungy and Smith. What matters is that the message is sent loud and clear to not only the NFL, but to the NCAA as well, that minority coaches can get the job done. So break out the recorders and practice your TIVO skills because on Super Bowl Sunday we will kick-off black history month by witnessing a critical moment in AfricanAmerican history as well as a huge step forward for equality. NEAL: Senior guard scores 36 points From page 32 The Towerlight January 25, 2007 four Tigers scored in double figures, something Mathews credits to her experience within the system. “Alis Freeman is one of the consummate point guards in the league,” Mathews said. “You can see that with four players scoring in double digits today. I don’t know if thatís happened all year. The success has a lot to do with Alis knowing where the ball needs to go, where I want it to go and when.” Joining Baker-Brice in double figures were Kelly Robinson with 15 points, Jamell Beasley with 13 points, and Kandace Davis with 10 points. As a team, Towson shot 20-24 from the free throw line including a perfect 9-9 performance by Robinson, who moved into 12th on the Tiger career-scoring list during the game. Due to the Tigers’ full court pressure defense, the Patriots turned the ball over 21 times, including 16 via Towson steals. The Tigers return to the Towson Center for a three-game home stand beginning Feb. 1 against 30 Georgia State. Patrick Smith/The Towerlight C.C. Williams dealt a program-record tying 13 assists in victory. From page 32 more of the same as Towson began with an 11-2 run to take a 32-point lead. As the Tigers put the ball in the hoop with efficiency, point guard C.C. Williams tallied his best performance as a ball distributor. The junior handed out 13 assists in the contest, which tied the program record. “Earlier this year I was adjusting to the Division I level,” Williams said. “Now I’ve just been running the plays and my teammates are just hitting the shots.” Center Tommy Breaux also left his mark on the game by rejecting five shots and ripping down four boards. Five different Tigers made 3pointers in the contest including sophomore guard Tim Crossin who made all three of his attempts. Freshman forward Rodney Spruill recorded his first double-digit scoring outing with 10 points. “It’s far and away the highest level we’ve played at since I’ve been here,” Towson head coach Pat Kennedy said. “As a coach it’s been a joy just coaching these guys. Practices have been different and guys are just pushing each other everyday.” The Tigers will be back in action this Saturday as they take on CAA power Hofstra at the Towson Center. TOWSON BRIEFS Seniors sent off with victory Gymnastics improves record; football receives academic honors from A-10 Matt McGuire Contributing Writer At the final home meet of the season on Jan. 20, both men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams paid tribute to their seniors with a victory over Drexel at Burdick Pool. From the women’s team, Aly Hunt, Liz Lebherz, and Melissa Leach were honored as well as Chris Will from the men’s team. Each senior won at least one event. The men’s team showed well with victories in six events, edging Drexel by a count of 156.5-141.5. The victory was the team’s third straight, evening their record at 5-5. Will earned first place in the 200meter freestyle and 100-meter butterfly with times of 1:44.52 seconds and 52.50 seconds respectively. Junior Michael Toolan-Miller won the 100-meter backstroke in 56.39 seconds while sophomore Gordon Amato placed first in the 100-meter breaststroke with a time of 1:01.47. Sophomore Edwin Scanlon and freshman Devin Kirby also placed first in their events. The women’s team topped Drexel with a final score of 171-115. The team improved their record to 8-3 overall, 6-1 in conference and 4-2 at home. Hunt placed first in the 200meter freestyle at a time of 1:53.78 as well as the 200-meter medley relay at a time of 1:52.25. Leach and Lebherz placed first in their events. Leach in the 100-meter backstroke at 1:00.84 and Lebherz in the 50-meter freestyle at 25.15 seconds. Three freshmen swimmers also brought in first place finishes. Charlotte Wells being one of them, placed first in the 1,000-meter freestyle at 10:41.04. Stephanie Guttenplan placed first in the 100meter breaststroke at 1:10.13 and the Leslie Powell placed first in the 200-meter butterfly at 2:10.72. Junior Ashley Lamp as well as sophomores Dana DiRenzo and Hillary Rieveley placed first in their events also. Drexel’s sophomore Kate Hynes swept the diving events with scores of 251.20 in the onemeter and 256.70 in the threemeter. Gymnastic take first at Ursinus The Towson gymnastics team improved its record to 3-1 Jan. 19 at Ursinus College as the Tigers swept the tri-meet, defeating both host Ursinus and Temple. The Tigers scored 191.175 points as Ursinus and Temple scored 184.150 and 182.650 respectively. Freshman Jackie Schweitzer placed first in the bars with a score of 9.65 and the beam with a score of 9.75. Schweitzer also placed fourth in the all-around competition. Junior Decelia Willacy earned first place in the all-around competition with a score of 38.725. Senior Christina Ghani placed second in the all-around with a score of 37.925 with teammate Christine Logan placing third with a 37.825. The Tigers as a team vaulted well, gathering a score of 48.925, with Ghani winning the even and Alise McDonald placing third. Ten Tigers honored for academics The Atlantic 10 released its annual academic all-conference teams on Jan. 23. Ten Tiger football players received recognition for hitting the books as hard as they do one another at Johnny Unitas Stadium. Back-up quarterback Andrew Goldbeck, who also serves as the holder on field goal and extra point attempts, received the honor for the third time in as many years. Along with Goldbeck, place kickers Mark Bencivengo, and Ron Halbruner, linebackers Marcus Frisby, and Josh Root, center Dave Kahl, defensive backs Kenny Scott, and Troy Ward, defensive end John Webb and wide receiver Eric Yancey were honored. In order to be eligible for a spot on the team a player must maintain a 3.0 grade-point average while being either a starter or key reserve. Indoor Track finishes fourth at Bucknell The Tigers traveled to Bucknell on Saturday to compete in the annual Bucknell Heptagonal. The host Bison finished in first, scoring 256 points, as Towson finished fourth with 63. Senior Stephanie Rathbauer led the Tigers in field events, taking first in the long jump and second in the triple jump. Her long jump bound was 5.72 meters while he distance in the triple jump was 11.46 meters. Junior Laura Passalacqua also showed well in the field events, taking first in the high jump with a height of 1.7 meters. She also competed in the 200-meter dash, placing third. Freshman Michelle Donadio competed in two distance events, taking third in the mile run and fifth in the 3,000-meter run. 31 The Towerlight January 25, 2007 Towerlight Call the Sports desk at 410-704-5138 or e-mail [email protected] Tigers suit and play over break SPORTS See Page 29 MEN’S BASKETBALL Neal, Tigers handle Hens in rout Gary Neal scores 2,000th career point in 85-63 win over Delaware Daniel Abraham Assistant Sports Editor Gary Neal scored the 2,000th point of his career Wednesday night as the Tigers dismantled the Delaware Blue Hens (3-17, 1-8) at the Towson Center. TOWSON 85 Towson Delaware 63 (10-10, 45) received big performances not only from Neal, but from fellow senior Dennard Abraham as the two combined for 53 points helping the Tigers to a 85-63 win over the Blue Hens. “For a while it seemed as though he had all 2,000 tonight,” Delaware head coach Monte Ross said. “He’s the type of guy where the defense has no effect on him. He misses shots because he misses shots. When he comes and he’s ready to play he’s a tough match for anybody across the country. [Neal] is a scorer in every sense of the word.” The Hens were unable to stop Neal, who scored a game-high 36 Dungy, Lovie ready to set foot at NFL Mecca points on 14-24 shooting. The star guard also pulled down four rebounds and collected four assists. “It felt great, it’s a nice accomplishment,” Neal said. “I wanted to get it over with as soon as possible. We got it over with and now we’re focused on Towson basketball. This is the best part of my college career individually.” Abraham played well both inside and out scoring 17 points and grabbing four boards. “He got good position on us in the first half,” Delaware forward Herb Courtney said. “He got us pretty deep in the post, then he started hitting some outside shots because his confidence went up.” Abraham opened the game on fire by sinking a 3-point shot from the wing. He then moved down to the block and scored on a drop step post move. Next time down the court, the Blue Hens double-teamed him inside, so he flipped the ball out to Jonathan Pease who buried a 3-point basket. Neal then joined in, hitting from beyond the arc. Abraham would again score inside, giving the Tigers a 13-0 advantage. Towson continued to open the lead taking a 44-21 advantage into halftime. In the second half it was Patrick Smith/The Towerlight See NEAL, page 30 Gary Neal dunks two of his 36 points in the second half against UD. good to get a win in conference, no matter how it’s done.” To begin the game, Mathews made a slight change in his lineup, moving sophomore captain Alis Freeman back to the point, increasing her ball handling responsibilities. She had shared time at the position with freshman guard Shanae Baker-Brice this season, but Mathews said he was looking to allow Baker-Brice to move without the ball within the offense. As a result, along with full court pressure defense to open the game, the high-scoring freshman tallied eight of the Tigers first 10 points. Baker-Brice finished the game with 21 points on 6-12 shooting while converting 9-10 free throw attempts. With the ball in Freeman’s hands, Imagine if, back in 1969, two men simultaneously became the first humans to walk on the moon. If only one of whom were named Armstrong, would those nine letters still mean anything? I ask that question to spark your thoughts on another closely related question. Does having two AfricanAmerican head coaches in this year’s Super Bowl, when there’s never even been one, take away from the separate accomplishments of each individual? Or does it only add to the significance of the event? While having two of the six black coaches in the league (that’s 33 percent for all you mathematicians out there) is a great accomplishment, my concern is that the character and talents of both of these coaches will be lost. Tony Dungy is a family man, who was an assistant coach for 15 years before becoming a head coach in Tampa Bay in 1996, and has endured several racial barriers and setbacks throughout his career. Not only did he persevere through the “choker” label he was given, but he also was booted out of Tampa the year before the very team he worked so hard to build won the Super Bowl. He never curses, never stabs anyone in the back and never causes distractions. How fitting would it be if the man who brought in and groomed the likes of Herm Edwards, Mike Tomlin, and his Super Bowl counterpart Lovie Smith could become the first black coach to win the Super Bowl? But next Sunday, the pupil will face the teacher as Smith who is as moral a man as Dungy tries to make history for himself. He’s currently the lowest paid coach in the NFL despite winning the Coach of the Year Award in 2005 and yet I haven’t heard a peep from See TIGERS, page 30 See COACHES, page 30 Daniel Abraham WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Mason surge falls short, Tigers top Pats The Towerlight January 25, 2007 Kiel McLaughlin Sports Editor 32 File Photo/Patrick Smith/The Towerlight Shanae Baker-Brice, left, scored 21 in the Tigers win over Mason. on the WITH$! A slow second half start by the Tigers allowed George Mason (710, 1-6) to tie the score, 27-27, and take a lead three minutes into the period. Towson (12-5, 3-4 CAA) responded with a 19-2 run, holding the Patriots TOWSON 64 without a GMU 54 field goal for 10 minutes, en route to a 6454 victory Sunday at the Towson Center. “There wasn’t any intensity in the first few minutes of the second half,î Towson head coach Joe Mathews said. “George Mason came out and played hard and got back into the game. I didn’t like our intensity at all, but we got it together. It’s always INSIDE Senior Kelly Robinson breaks 1,000 career points milestone; Senior Gary Neal receives fifth career player of the week honor; four swimmers recognized by CAA Recent Scores & U PCOMING G AMES: W. Hoops: Towson 64, Mason 54 W. Hoops @ Drexel...........7 p.m. 1/25 M. Hoops @ Hofstra..........4 p.m. 1/27 Gymnastics @ Penn..........1 p.m. 1/27
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