The Niagara Index
Volume 78, Issue 2
October 1, 2007
Fulfilling fantasies one Issue at a time
In This Issue...
........... Page 2 ...........
“Don’t tase me, bro!”
........... Page 3 ...........
Does sampling make hiphop less legit?
Kiernan Korner
........... Page 4 ...........
Overmedication in America
........... Page 5 ...........
21 is just too old
An adult learner’s struggle
for time
........... Page 7 ...........
Little Slice of Love:
Matchmaking
Discontent with NUSGA
........... Page 8 ...........
Family Guy Crossword
Zimbabwe: an oil-free
country that needs US aid
versus colonial imperialism.
Mugabe has made it clear that a person
is either with him or against him, infringZimbabwe, located in southern Africa,
ing upon human rights and social justice.
has been plagued by human rights abuse,
Human progress is limited as individuals
economic mismanagement, starvation, undo not have basic freedoms of speech, exemployment and low agricultural yields.
pression and assembly
In the past seven years, Zimbawithout fear of being
bwe has experienced the most rapbeaten or killed.
id peacetime economic collapse
Four million people
in history, leaving the country on
are starving and in
the brink of ruin. In 2007, it was
need of food. Most are
reported that 4/5 of the people live
lucky to eat once a day.
below the poverty line.
Considering the way
The inflation rate is out of conof life in the US, it is
trol, somewhere between 7,600%
difficult to comprehend
and 13,000%. Additionally, HIV
how people can starve.
has left millions of children orWe live a life of excess
phaned or abandoned. Zimbabwe
with food and water at
was once one of the richest counour disposal. Our wants
tries in Africa but the lack of waand needs exist sepater, utilities and food has led to the
rately, while what the
displacement of around 3 million
Zimbabwe people want
citizens.
and need is survival.
Zimbabwe was recognized as
Some parts of Zimbaa nation in 1980, the same year
bwe have been without
Robert Mugabe came to power.
water since July 2007
Students leave the University of Zimbabwe’s Harare campus after
This came after decades of white
and other water sourcbeing evicted. They protested against the university’s decision to
colonial rule and brutal civil war.
es have been contamiwithold their meals until they paid their fees.
Mugabe is the head of the Zanunated by liquids from
PF party, which dominates ponearby sewage treatlitical control, occupying the huge
he raised funds of $1.2 million to cel- ment plants. It seems that sanctions put in
majority of parliamentary seats.
ebrate his 83rd birthday, while the average place by the US and Britain have mostly
Mugabe denies the country’s dismal Zimbabwe does not live to be 35.
been symbolic or even counterproductive.
condition and wants the world to believe
This crisis is unique because the gov- Surrounding nations have the best opporthere are no problems. His solution to ernment and its supporters have silenced tunity to make a difference; however there
problems included Operation Murambats- critics by claiming opposition upholds are some African leaders who are supportvina, translated as “drive out the filth.” foreign interests or former colonial mas- ers of Mugabe based on his reputation as
Mugabe called for the destruction of what ters. As a result the predicament has been
Continued on page 4
he labeled “illegal shelters,” the UN re- oversimplified as African nationalism
Tim Farfaglia
Staff Writer
ports that he destroyed 700,000 homes,
negatively affecting 2.4 million people.
He is declaring war on his own people,
callously turning many into refugees. He
fixes problems by increasing the rate that
his people die. At the end of the summer,
Taking advantage of what campus life has to offer
Jesse Martin
Staff Writer
Niagara offers the students on campus
an immense amount of opportunities to
advance their careers and start networking.
It is through on campus activities that students may meet life long friends, become
cultured and maybe begin a chain of events
that give them something to do on their
weekends.
It is understandable that many students
do not have cars to visit places in the area.
This article is dedicated to students who
have free time with no way to participate in
off campus activities.
Music lovers will be happy to know that
the campus has Friday night concerts where
bands will come to campus and play music
in under the taps from 8 p.m. – 11 p.m.
These concerts are a blast, students get
in for free and pizza with wings is served.
WRNU, the campus radio station, provides
students with entertainment, publicity and
coverage of university sporting events. In
addition to being a service to the students,
the radio station provides an excellent opportunity to students interested in radio
communications and media.
One way to enjoy the afternoon is by
grabbing a couple friends and going to the
game room in Gallagher. Take the opportunity to learn how to play pool and buy
a smoothie from Jazzman’s. Also, many of
the dorms have pool tables in the common
areas. Card and board games are not far off
if you are looking for a relaxing evening.
Individuals who prefer a more mind stimu-
lating game may want to enroll in the soon
to be chess club.
If a student feels their professors do not
assign enough homework, they can join a
student organized club. These clubs offer
the students’ opportunities to meet people
with similar interests.
There are clubs for everyone’s curiosity
such as the outdoors club where students
participate in hiking, camping and educational survival skill presentations. There is
Bienvenidos and the Spanish table for students who enjoy learning about the Spanish language and culture.
Join the Niagaran yearbook team who
are charged with the responsibility of creating a visual memory of the year’s events.
By getting involved, you can have a say in
what people will look back on years from
now.
Pax Christie is a good club to join if you
are interested in getting involved in worldwide issues like the conflicts in Africa.
For those who want to enter the business
world, CEO (Colgate Entrepreneurs’ Organization) would be the best choice.
There are plenty of other clubs as well,
including but not limited to, Gospel Choir,
Women’s Rugby, Alpha phi sigma, Pre-law
Association, Inter-faith Council and many
more.
There are clubs for each major as well.
For example, the Criminal Justice Association promotes the learning and advanced
education of criminal justice majors.
The philosophy club gives students the
chance to explore the field and gain first
hand knowledge in that area of expertise.
The Niagara University Future Teachers
Association (NUFTA) is comprised of undergraduate and graduate students preparing to be teachers. They provide a common
meeting ground for students in NU education programs. They further an interest
and understanding of the field of teaching.
They also provide another avenue of preparation for those entering the teaching field
through their many activities.
Even political views may be explored
in the campus Democrats or Republicans
group.
Clubs are a great way to learn life long
skills. Folks looking for a way to become
better leaders should check out the EAGLE
program. EAGLE is a process of inner development designed to give you the skills
to lead and the qualities to be a leader. The
EAGLE experience will develop in you the
needed attitudes and abilities to excel in
whatever you choose to do in life.
During the week, professors will find it
impressive if a student makes the time to
visit them during their office hours. Be prepared with one or two questions ahead of
time. A good ten minutes might earn you
some brownie points.
Do not to forget to check your NU email
account. On a daily basis, the school will
send out emails inviting students to seminars, presentations and lectures. This may
seem like a boring activity but do not bash
it until you try it.
Those interested in sports will find the
basketball games or the Hockey games
very interesting. The large TV in Gallagher
is the perfect place to hold a get together
with friends. Turn it on, bring some snacks
and watch a football game.
If football is not your cup of tea take a
trip to the library and take advantage of
the free movie rentals. If you do not see a
movie that you like, you may request it.
The Kiernan Center has an array of equipment to offer the students. NU students are
allowed to use the machinery for free. It
only takes a good twenty minuet work out
on a daily basis to maintain your health.
The KC also offers free classes including butts and guts, pilates, core strengthening and more. If you are looking for a team
sport such as ultimate Frisbee and soccer,
try out the intramurals. Here you can compete with or against friends in a sociable
competition. Take a walk on the wild side
and try out racquetball but be careful. It is
not the easiest game in the world.
While the weather stays sunny and cool,
a walk to the gorge on a Saturday afternoon would be a great idea. Take a couple
friends or visit it on your own to do some
reflecting. Either way, one must remember to bring a camera because the scenery
is beyond belief. The best time to visit the
gorge would be during the fall. Just the
sight of the colorful trees will make you
want to smile.
Being on campus is about looking for
activities that will interest you. These mentioned above are only a few of the many.
Being bored on campus is only an invention of the imagination. The world is open
to the students, one only needs to open
their eyes and explore to see all the opportunities there are to have fun.
The Nation’s Third Oldest College Newspaper
Student journalist
arrested for...
asking questions?
K e r r y
quickly intervened, asking
the officers to
You are not allowed to speak your mind,
let Meyer go
share your beliefs with others, educate the
so he could
crowd or interact freely with those around
answer
the
you. You must accept the beliefs of the
question. But
population, say only what the government
it was too late.
wants you to say and abide only by the stanMeyer
was
dards and policies of those around you.
quickly thrown
Here in the US, our constitution protects
to the ground,
us from such inhumane laws. Yet in our
turned onto his
Matthew Reilly
home of the “free” are these rights truly
stomach and
guaranteed to us?
h a n d c u ff e d .
On Monday September 17, 2007 Senator “Get off of me, I didn’t do anything,” cried
John Kerry visited the University of Florida Meyer.
to speak to the students in hopes of engag“Stop resisting, or you will be tased,”
ing an active question-and-answer session promised the officers. Meyer was face
with them. To get the session started, sev- down on the ground and handcuffed but the
eral students were given the opportunity to cops did not think that this was enough to
take two minutes each and ask John Kerry control him.
a question about politics and government
“I didn’t do anything! Don’t tase me
policies.
bro! Don’t tase me,” begged Meyer as he
It was during this open forum that 21 was rendered defenseless. “Stop resisting,”
year-old senior telecommunications major ordered the cop as he shoved the taser gun
Andrew Meyer was involved in a struggle into Meyer’s back, sending a blistering
with the law, forcing everybody in the US electric shock through his entire body.
to question their rights as citizens and leavImmediately, the crowd started yelling
ing them wondering what “freedom of obscenities and derogatory comments tospeech” and “freedom of the press” truly wards the overly aggressive officers who
really mean in this country.
had just beaten and tased an innocent stuAndrew Meyer was lucky enough to be dent for asking a legitimate question.
one of the students selected to ask Senator
Andrew Meyer was arrested under the
Kerry a quescharges of retion during the
sisting an offiforum. “I first “Yet in our home of the “free” are cer and disruptof all just want
ing the peace.
these rights truly guaranteed
to thank you
The
motive
for your time,”
to us?”
for the arrest
he stated as he
was to prevent
continued
to
Meyer from “inciting a riot.”
ask his question, “I want to recommend a
Throughout the event, the police officers
book called ‘Armed Madhouse’, a book told Meyer that he was in cuffs because he
which says you won the 2004 election.”
was starting a riot. Is that the definition in
Meyer proceeded to tell Kerry about the this country for freely speaking your ideas
contents, including the disenfranchising and thoughts: inciting a riot?
of many black voters in Florida and Ohio.
Freedom of the press and freedom of
“Knowing this, why did you concede the speech are two very vital and essential val2004 election to Bush? I’m not even done, ues of the American life. Yet Meyer, a fuI have two more questions,” added Meyer. ture journalist, was silenced for attempting
“If you’re against Iran, how come you’re to get answers out of a politician?
not saying let’s impeach Bush now? Clinton
Apparently the Fascist ideas of silencing
was impeached for what, a blowjob? Also, the people is ever popular with the Ameriwere you a member of Skull and Bones, the can government and is alive and well in
same secret society as Bush?”
today’s media. Being beaten and tased for
Before he could even finish the previous asking a question is hardly the image of the
question, his microphone was shut off to “great” American way of life.
prevent any more of his ideas to be spoken
The police officers gave a great message
over the speaker system and immediately to the American public with this latest act
two officers came to either side of him to of brutality: Be sure you are only saying
escort him away.
what the government wants to hear or else
“Excuse me, why are you arresting me,” you will be viewed as a threat and must be
yelled Meyer as he was unfairly dragged controlled by means of force and aggresfrom the podium before he could hear Ker- sion.
ry’s answer to his question.
Why is the media so biased in today’s
“What have I done? I didn’t do anything, America? Excessive force and violence by
I just asked a question! Help, get away from police officers to silence the voice of the
me,” begged Meyer as he was subdued by people is a good starting point for this dethe officers.
bate.
October 1, 2007
Next week in...
Nolan and Schotty’s
Little Slice of Love:
Nolan and
Schotty disguise
themselves as food
critics to give you
all the information
you need to know
about dining in.
Matthew Reilly
Staff Writer
Editorial
Letter to the Editor
To the editor of the Niagara Index,
I recently came across a copy of your lovely newspaper in the Lower Level Gallagher Center. I found myself casually skimming through its contents in between my
Advanced Quantum Physics and Introduction to Nuclear Chemistry classes. Most
of the articles were pleasurable but I stumbled across a goldmine on page six. This
feature article, Nolan and Schotty’s Little Slice of Love was probably the greatest
piece of literature I have read in my humble experience on this planet and I have read
thousands. The way they use language is truly artistic and breathtaking. Their humor
was fresh and ingenious.
I have only had access to this article for a brief period of time. However,
I have already lost ten pounds using the excellent advice given in the Weight Loss
Issue of Little Slice of Love. I feel confident that anything that they say is completely
accurate.
Therefore, I would like to encourage you to move their article to a location that is more appropriate for this caliber of talent. I advise that the front page is
the only suitable place for such brilliant skill. In order to increase your readership,
you may consider changing the name of the newspaper from The Niagara Index to A
Little Slice of Love. Thank you for taking the time to read my advice. I wholeheartedly hope that you perform my outlined requests.
Sincerely,
A dedicated yet concerned fan
The Niagara Index 1870-2007
Volume 78. Issue 2
October 1, 2007
Club Moderator:
Bill Wolcott
Student Editor: Marissa Christman
Business Manager:
Mary Colleen Mahoney
Writers:
Nolan Guiffré
Matthew Reilly
Diana Sitarski
Michelle Weinke
Brittany Schottmiller
Corinne “Cory” Oudkerk
Michael Kamrowski
Teresa Watson
Jesse Martin
Ken Lambert
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To reach us:
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phone: (716) 286-8542
fax: (716) 286-8512
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Submissions are accepted from all members of the
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Editorials and opinion pieces reflect the views of their respective authors and
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October 1, 2007
How sampling changed what it means
to make music
in regards to sampling.
If you’re not familiar with the story, he
actually stole the beat from the Queen/
It’s currently 4 a.m. and I have roughly
David Bowie song “Under Pressure” (exthree hours to write a paper about samcept for one note at the end), played it in
pling in the music industry before I pass
a different key and used that to rap over.
out from pure human exhaustion.
A lawsuit was never filed but Vanilla Ice
The editor of the Niagara Index, whom
had to pay Queen and David Bowie so
I’ve never met face to face for a numthey wouldn’t take his ass to court and
ber of reasons (namely procrastination),
sue him into oblivion.
asked if I wanted to write
With current copyright
an article about the current
laws, sampling as few as
state of music in America.
three notes from a copySince I’ve never met the
righted song is consideditor, I’m not sure what
ered copyright infringekind of music she likes and
ment. How many songs
therefore I have a great
in the past, I don’t know,
chance of offending her
four years can you name
and, more than likely, half
that have sampled more
of the people who read this
then three notes?
article.
Sampling is, according
I’m not really a big fan
to Wikipedia (which is
of current music unless
NEVER wrong…) “the
it’s the rap/hip-hop genre
act of taking a portion
although there can be, at
(sample) of one sound
times, a few exceptions.
recording and reusing it
When people who know
as an instrument of eleme discover that I’m a rap
ment of a new recordfan, they tend to find it a
ing”. If you didn’t know
bit strange. I think this is
what it was, now you do
mostly because I look like
and now how many songs
the opposite of a stereocan you think of that have
typical rap fan. I kind of
sampled?
look like a mix between
There are too many exan eight year old white
amples to even name, but
boy and a pot head. Good NWA, formed in 1986 was made up of Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, Eazy-E, MC Ren and my favorite sample of all
lord, I don’t know if any- Yella. Their second album, Straight Outta Compton gave birth to “gangsta rap” time is by Danger Mouse.
one reading this just enviHe released an album
as its most provocative singles revolutionized hip hop forever.
sioned that but that would
called “The Grey Album”
be quite a sight. Okay, maybe that was a might have been the worst fad in the his- which was a remix of the entire White
terrible description but that’s beside the tory of bad fads but at the time he was the Album by The Beatles and Jay-Z’s The
point.
greatest thing since MC Hammer.
Black Album. Being a huge Beatles fan, I
I’ve been listening to rap since I was
Vanilla Ice was an odd character in the highly suggest buying or illegally downfour years old which was in the year of history of music but as crazy as it is to loading this since it’s one of the dopest
our lord nineteen hundred and ninety- write this following sentence, he was an things I’ve ever heard.
one. The first rap song I can remember important one. He was the musician that
Today’s music is different. It’s not that
hearing, and it’s really hard to even call really brought sampling to the main stage. there is a lack of originality, far from it
this rap and I’m actually embarrassed to Sure, there were plenty of musicians be- actually, it’s just that producers and mueven write this, was Vanilla Ice’s “Ninja fore him to do it: The Beatles, Michael sicians alike act like fiends. They can’t
Rap” which was featured in the glori- Jackson, MC Hammer, 2 Live Crew, the get enough of other peoples’ ideas. A
ous motion picture The Teenage Mutant list goes on but Vanilla Ice’s hit “Ice, Ice good example would be “mashups”.
Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze. Baby” was one of the first major cases
Continued on page 8
On a scale from one to ten this movie was and to this day one of the most popular,
easily a 9.5 for reasons I won’t get into at
this current time.
As a side note, isn’t it strange how
times change? About sixteen years ago,
Vanilla Ice was the illest thing you’ve
ever seen. He could dance, he could rap,
he even looked awesome. Remember
how he had that great flat top hair cut and
the barcode eyebrow? Looking back, he
KIERNAN
o
r
n
e
r
Jennie Cyran
KC Graduate Assistant
The Kiernan Center is
back in full swing and we
hope you are too. If you
want wellness classes, we
have them. If you want
aerobics or yoga, we have
them.
If you want intramural sport tournaments or
leagues, guess what? We
have those too.
If you want to just stop
in to get a workout, play
some hoops, go for a
swim or see some friends,
the Kiernan Center is the
destination you are look-
ing for.
We are your center for campus recreatoin and all your fitness needs this semester.
New and Improved Fitness
Programs
This year the KC has implemented
some creative fitness opportunities that
are open to students, employees and community members.
One of the programs that has been developed and will be of much interest
within the first month of school is the “50
Hours of Power Fitness Challenge.” The
challenge will be to bike, walk/run and
swim a total of 50 hours
before classes end this
semester.
Participants can use
any combination of
swimming, biking or running on our cardio equipment (bikes or treadmills) to
reach the mileage mark. The first 50 participants who reach the goal of 50 hours
will receive a free KC tee-shirt.
All participants that enter the challenge
will have an opportunity to win $50 by a
random drawing scheduled to take place
on Friday, December 7. Sign up at the
front desk of the KC today!
Do you want to get in that late night
stress relieving workout? Another great
opportunity to check out the Kiernan
Center is “LATE NIGHT at the KC.” On
Mondays, the fitness center and front gym
will be open until 11:00 p.m.
If you are tired of the same old routine,
check out the newly revamped Kiernan
Center Group Exercise & Fitness Schedule.
The KC now offers pilates, extreme abs,
yoga, indoor cycling, arms & abs, stability ball, master’s swimming and numerous
other classes to help you relieve stress, get
motivated and burn off the calories.
Intramurals
ball cold, windy and rainy conditions on
Saturday September 15, it made for an interesting day of softball. With five teams
battling it out for the title, it was hard to
say who the champs would be.
Returning champs “Team Lagoon” captained by Phil Linder and Mike Placito
seemed to be going strong into the championship game. Their plays were awesome
The sportsmanship was like no other and
the desire to win was there.
The tournament was over before we
knew it though with the Division I hockey
players a.k.a.. “False Information” coming
out on top. Captained by Travis Anderson
and Cliff Ketchen, this team proved to be
the strongest and most consistent with
their plays that day.
Look at the KC for
more upcoming intramural league sign-ups and
information.
KIERNAN
o
r
n
e
r
Michael Kamrowski
Staff Writer
The Nation’s Third Oldest College Newspaper
“What Shirt Do You Want?”
We were all suspicious on who would
capture this year’s title of “Fall Softball
Tournament Champs.”
The teams could not
have asked for better
conditions to play in either.
With the ever-so-soft-
Personal Trainer
The KC offers a personal training service to all
full time undergraduate
students for a fee of $10
for three visits. This is a
great way to get started
with your own customized workout routine!
Registration is required
so please sign up at the
KC front desk.
Top 10 Mistakes
People Make in
the Gym
1. The all-or-nothing approach.
Not having a full hour to exercise is
no reason to skip your workout. Research shows that even 10 minutes
of exercise can provide important
health benefits.
2. Unbalanced strength-training programs. Most people tend to
focus on certain muscles, such as
the abdominals or biceps, because
they have a greater impact on the
appearance or it is where they feel
strongest. But to achieve a strong,
balanced body, you have to train
all muscle groups.
3. Bad form. Bad form is a sure
way to get injured in the gym. For
example, the knee moving in front of
the toes during a lunge or squat can
put undue stress on the knee. Using
your back to gain momentum during
heavy lifts or not exercising through
a full range of motion are other ways
to achieve less than optimal results.
4. Not progressing wisely. Exercising too much, too hard or too
often is a common mistake made
by many fitness enthusiasts. Rest
and gradual progression are important components of a safe and
effective exercise program.
5. Not enough variety. Too many
people find a routine or physical
activity they like and then never
change it. Unchanging workouts can
lead to boredom, plateaus and/or injury, while overdoing it can lead to
injury or burnout.
6. Not adjusting machines to
one’s body size. Most exercise
equipment is designed to accommodate a wide range of body
types and sizes but requires you
to adjust each machine to fit your
body. Using improperly adjusted
machines can lead to poor results
and increase your risk of injury.
You should seek the assistance of
gym personnel when needed.
7. Focusing on anything but your
workout. The importance of being
“mindful” of the task at hand cannot
be overstated. Reading or watching
TV can adversely affect the quality
of your workout because the distraction will literally slow you down.
8. Not properly cooling down after your workout. Too many people wrap up their workouts and
head straight to the showers. Instead, take a few minutes to lower
your heart rate and stretch your
muscles. This not only improves
flexibility, but also helps prepare
the body for your next workout.
9. Poor gym etiquette. This can
range from simply being rude, lingering on machines long after you
are done or chatting loudly on your
cell phone, to poor hygiene and not
wiping your sweat from machines
once you are finished.
10. Not setting realistic goals.
Unrealistic and vaguely stated
goals are among the leading causes
of exercise dropout. The key is to
establish a training goal that is
specific and appropriate for your
fitness and skill levels-something a
bit challenging but not overly difficult.
The Nation’s Third Oldest College Newspaper
October 1, 2007
Three-way Q&A: Overmedication Zimbabwe
on the
verge of
collapse
Teresa Watson
Staff Writer
The over-prescription and excess consumption of medications is something that
even I have seen in my short lifetime and
this makes me feel that it must be a very serious problem. So, I decided to find a professor who would be qualified to speak on this
topic and a student who had been personally
affected by it.
Nigel Mahoney is a full-time freshman at
NU, majoring in psychology and pre-med.
He graduated from Cleveland Hill High
School in Cheektowaga with an Advanced
Regents Diploma with Honors. He was Senior Class President and his family has a history of prescription drug abuse.
Dr. Ronny Priefer became a part of the NU
teaching staff when he took the position of
Assistant Professor of Organic Chemistry
in 2005. He has a PhD in Chemistry from
McGill University in Montreal and spent
several years in the pharmaceutical industry
before coming to NU. For his full biography,
visit http://www.niagara.edu/chemistry/ProfPriefer.htm.
Are doctors over-prescribing medications? Why do you feel this way?
Professor Priefer - Tough question! Yes
and no. It really depends on the location and
situation. In North America, Ritalin® is prescribed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder (ADHD) [more commonly referred
to as Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)].
This is a case where it is hard to say why
it is over-prescribed. There are those who
blame the doctors but there are also those
that blame the parents.
All too often the parents’ pressure doctors
to prescribe their child Ritalin® so that the
child is calmer and the parents can take a
break. Looking at the other end of the spectra, in Africa there are many diseases that
there is treatment for however the doctors
can not prescribe because it is too costly or
simply not available.
Nigel - When we look at society we see
more and more drugs. Everywhere we look
there’s something new that might be wrong
with us and a new set of chemicals can get
rid of that thing. Doctors are taking advantage of an advancing medical system to make
sure everyone’s on something.
Teresa - I feel that doctors are sometimes
more apt to toss pills at patients to alleviate
symptoms than they are to find the cause of
the problem and try to cure it. Pills are faster,
easier and make doctors more money than
fixing the illness. My brother has ADHD and
doctors were much quicker to advocate pills
with nasty side effects than they were to help
my family explore all of the alternatives.
Are there more medical problems now or
are we just catching more of them? If so,
why do you think this is?
Professor Priefer - There are definitely
way more drugs on the market than years
ago. There are a many reasons for this. One,
with all the advances in technology we can
now figure out what causes certain diseases,
which we never knew before, and treat it.
Another factor is that a lot of diseases have
side-effects which can be suppressed or con-
trolled by other drugs. So we have drugs to
help us against the faults of other drugs. Yes,
it is very silly.
Also, there are certain drugs on the market
more than once. What happens is that when
a patent expires for a drug, other companies
can now market the exact same drug under a
different name and try to undercut the competition.
Finally, pharmaceutical companies are out
to make money so they work on treatments,
not cures. It is better for them if you have to
take a drug for the rest of your life to treat a
disease than take something for a week and
never need it again. So you will find that for
certain diseases there are a list of treatments
which the doctor can go through to find the
best fit for your particular body chemistry.
Nigel - Catching more problems? Perhaps,
but we have to ask people to think about how
serious these new problems are. The number
one killer of Americans is heart disease and
it’s actually dragged the national life expectancy down. How much more efficient can
we really regard the medical system?
Teresa - Medical advances have obviously
led to more diagnoses because we are constantly discovering new diseases, new cures
and new tools to help identify and cure illnesses. But I also see that people, doctors
and patients alike, are very quick to turn to
prescriptions to solve problems large and
small.
People may decide that they have an illness just because they looked it up on the
internet or heard about it from their friend
and some doctors can be convinced or may
decide that they might as well treat the illness, real or imagined.
Are pills a quick fix? Can they be a permanent fix? Are there more difficult but
worthwhile options that should be explored
but aren’t?
Professor Priefer - Again, yes and no. If
you have headache and taking a pill makes
it go away than it is a great invention. However, if the reason that you are having headaches is because you are overweight then the
pill is just a “quick fix”. Most drugs on the
market are there to make you “feel” better,
not necessarily make you better. There are
definitely more worthwhile approaches but
unfortunately it is not economical for companies.
Nigel - Prescription drugs can be different
things for different problems. For certain diseases the only known solutions are prescription drugs. Does this mean we can’t look
harder for alternative cures? Of course not.
Still, there are many doctors who use drugs
as a way to get patients out of their office so
they can get more patients.
Teresa - Pills are an easy and fast-acting
“solution”, certainly, because few things
are simpler than a little tablet that erases all
of a person’s problems. And some medication can certainly be a permanent solution
or even preferred to a dangerous surgery or
treatment. But the problem arises when other
options aren’t explored or discussed and the
medication proffered isn’t the best “fix”.
If doctors are over-medicating, what
symptoms are being over-medicated for? If
not, what can the rise in diagnoses be at-
tributed to?
Professor Priefer - As in the first question,
there are many factors here and it is not simply black and white. We can now diagnose
better so therefore the number will go up.
Also, since everything is now well documented we can better monitor it as well, so numbers seem larger in comparison to years ago
simply because we now see it all. That being
said, doctors are most likely over-medicating. Could there be some “kick-backs” from
the pharmaceutical companies? Who really
knows for sure. There is a lot of money out
there. Also, more and more people are going to their doctors asking for certain drugs
which they feel will help them because they
saw a commercial on TV. I personally think
if over-the-counter drugs were not advertised
on television there would be a drastic drop in
the sales and thus “over-medication.”
Nigel - If you ask anyone in medicine
which medical field most heavily relies on
giving out drugs you will hear the same answer: psychiatry. More and more psychiatrists are peddling barbiturates and opiates to
stave off their patients.
Teresa - ADD and ADHD are often diagnosed incorrectly for young children who are
either just energetic or occasionally in kids
who will grow up to suffer Bipolar Disorder-this is the only situation that I’m personally familiar with. At the same time, more
varieties of medications are available for a
plethora of illnesses than have been offered
in the past and media advertisements make
consumers more aware and possibly more
desirous of them.
Is it ethical for doctors to prescribe pills
when the disease treated is not their specialty? If not, how can an individual pay for
a specialist on top of a regular doctor if they
are of a lower income?
Professor Priefer - Family doctors are actually only allowed to prescribe certain drugs;
albeit their list is long. If it is required for you
to see a specialist and he/she prescribes a certain drug, usually your family doctor can not
write that same prescription for you. As for
how to pay, that is something that needs to be
taken up with your government to improve
the medical system.(Perhaps look north.)
Nigel - Any doctor prescribing outside
their field is breaking the Hippocratic Oath.
It is not the responsibility of a doctor to accommodate the financial situation of their
patients, only to treat the diseases within
their power. It sounds inhuman, but you
can’t place that problem on the heads of doctors. Leave that to the insurance companies
alone.
Teresa - I can’t imagine how any person
who wasn’t expressly trained to recognize
and cure an illness can be qualified to attempt
to do just that. It’s something that makes me
very uneasy and I can easily imagine doctors
being manipulated or even incorrectly medicating patients because of this. The problem
is that for some people this is the only affordable way to get their prescriptions but
reforming our Medicare system is a heavily
discussed political topic at present so with
any luck problems such as these will be resolved soon.
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Continued from page 1
an “anti-imperialist fighter.”
Mugabe announced he will run in the
2008 presidential election and it has
been recommended that Southern African countries enlist a panel of retired
presidents to persuade Robert Mugabe
to accept reforms and retire next year.
The band Dispatch has worked hard to
raise awareness for the crisis in Zimbabwe. In July 2007, three years after their
final concert, they reunited to play three
sold out nights at Madison Square Garden with 100% of the proceeds going to
benefit Zimbabwe.
The concerts were an incredible experience. Words from a native Zimbabwean, Elias, were especially profound,
stressing the equality of all humans. He
called for an allegiance between the US
and Zimbabwe.
If the wealthiest country in the world
can exist alongside one of the most deprived, then the whole world can one
day come together. Music displayed its
incredible power of bringing people together in unity, with everyone singing as
one.
It is commendable that Dispatch is
committing such a selfless and honorable act. The band acted with love to
raise awareness and along with their
monetary contribution displayed their
true passion for helping the world (for
more information visit http://www.dispatchfoundation.org/).
This social injustice in Zimbabwe
occurs all around the world and needs
to be recognized. Some people, even
Mugabe himself, deny the severity of
the situation but awareness is vital to
making change. It is important to ask
why this situation exists and why the
US and Zimbabwe have to be considered separately.
The US is quick to preemptively
strike Afghanistan or Iraq but does little
to help countries like Zimbabwe, Sudan
or Uganda among the many nations in
Africa in need of aid. It is simply not
in the United States’ interest as a world
power since there is not a drop of oil in
Zimbabwe.
This is disgraceful for the administration of the supposed leader of the free
world to ignore Africa because it no longer has resources to offer the US.
Bob Marley wrote a song called “Zimbabwe” in 1979 in which he calls for Africans to stand up for their rights, which
is as important today as it was then. He
went to Zimbabwe and performed the
song in the last years of his life and one
can only imagine what it felt like to hear
his words.
Marley begins saying, “Every man
gotta right to decide his own destiny and
in this judgment there is no partiality.”
Later he says, “To divide and rule could
only tear us apart, in everyman chest
– there beats a heart.”
Finally he calls for, “Africans a-liberate Zimbabwe,” to come together to
overcome their troubles. Marley reiterates what Mugabe fails to realize, that
the people can stand together and be the
nation’s best resource.
Until recently Zimbabwe was known
as the breadbasket of Africa but now the
people endure some of the lowest living
standards in the world.
In a land of poverty, economic crisis,
social injustice and widespread shortages, the people are the only resource left
to put the country back together before it
gets erased from the map permanently.
October 1, 2007
The Nation’s Third Oldest College Newspaper
Drinking Age Debate The Balancing Act
Corinne “Cory” Oudkerk
Staff Writer
Editorial
For sometime there has been some buzz
in the air that the US is considering lowering the legal drinking age. In my opinion, I think we should lower it.
Not because it would be convenient for
those who are still under the age of 21 but
because if it is encouraged for the youth
today to join the United States Armed
Forces and risk their life for their country
at 18, 19 and 20; then why does that same
government need to have a law that protects them from alcohol which poses the
same risks?
In other arguments, people of our parents’ age would sometimes say that the
reason is because the youth of today are
too irresponsible to handle a drink in our
system. I feel, for the students who live
close enough to the boarder, that having
to sneak away to enjoy the freedom and
pleasures that our parents had is a shame.
Once we turn the age of 18, we get to
sign important documents, write checks,
vote and even get our selves into debt
because we are mature and responsible
enough to handle these milestones. Anyone who has gone to get a piercing knows
that in NY, you must be 18 to get it done
without mom and dad having a say.
The Dean of Arts and Sciences, Dr.
Nancy McGlen says she thinks that she
is not fully against lowering the drinking
age because with the current age limit,
there is binge drinking.
I asked Melinda Ostrow, a SUNY Potsdam alumnus, what she though of lowering the drinking age. She said, “I think
that the United States lowering the drinking age would be a good idea. Its like telling a 5 year old they cant have a cookie...
the 5 year old will do everything and anything in their power (even if they need to
break the rules) to get it. That’s how our
society works... you tell people no and
they will do it anyway. Once you tell a
person yes, they may take full advantage
of it at first but after a while it will get
boring and worthless and people will either be more responsible or not do it at
all.”
Some other individuals disagree
with
that
idea. Organizations
like MADD
really oppose
the
idea of lowering the legal age for
Cory Oudkerk
drinking.
In a recent
news release, MADD says the sooner a
young person drinks, the faster they will
become addicted to drinking, the more
often they will want to drink and the more
they will drive drunk.
To me this is a poor argument. These
types of organizations claim that over
20,000 lives are saved each year since the
drinking age was raised in 1984.
This is not particularly true. Raising
the drinking age just transferred the loss
of life from the 18-20 age brackets to
the 21-24 age brackets. According to the
National Youth Rights Association, the
US should follow Europe’s example of
gradually introducing alcohol to minors
starting at the age of around 12 or 13 and
ending the introduction period at the age
of 18.
The organization stresses the point of
ending the introduction period at 18. I really like that idea because once the minor
becomes an adult; they will not go crazy and drink themselves to death. They
would understand the responsibility a lot
better and use a lot more digression when
drinking.
Personally I think that we should just
lower the age. It makes no sense that
Americans are debating this. The degree
of alcohol’s danger is determined mostly
by the personality of each person and the
people around them who choose to drink.
So if and when you drink, just use caution and be smart about it so that our
generation’s irresponsibility stopped raising questions as to whether or not we
can handle a change in the legal drinking
Michelle Weinke
Columnist
Balance is defined in Webster’s as “a state
of equilibrium; a weight, force or influence
counteracting the effects of another.” To me,
the art of balance is a centimeter or so out of
my reach, as if my universe cannot and will
not slow to let me align myself within it.
To most of us, the demands of school and
life become a logistically calculated dance,
the dance of the quest for balance. For an
adult learner, however, the dance becomes
a fever-pitch salsa, lasting about 18 hours
per day.
For the traditional student, the demands
of school, homework and a job, along with
laundry, banking, shopping, etc., many of
the things that we take for granted while
sprinting toward adulthood under our parents’ roofs, can seem overwhelming.
But the load of the non-traditional student can be cumbersome and extraordinary
at any time. People return toa school for
many different reasons, the most popular is
to earn a degree which will advance us up
the food chain a few rungs, make life a little
more comfortable and pad the Social Security System (which we probably will never
see anyway).
The statistics at NU are proof of the evergrowing adult learning market. In 2006,
according to Linus Ormsby, our numbers
fall in line with much of the nation’s. The
under 25 crowd fills a whopping 93.5%
of our classes, the 25-29 crowd makes up
2.5 %, and the over 30 crowd tops off at
about 3.7% of our population on campus.
Granted, they are small numbers compared
to the total, but ever growing and no less
important.
As the competition in the workplace continues to heat up, as we strive to remain
competitive, many more adults will return to
formal education in the future. Carla Marsh,
a junior majoring in social work states, “As
an adult, ‘non-traditional’ student I value
my education, experience and grades more
than I did when I was a ‘traditional’ student.
I’m also adjusting to being twice the age of
the majority of my classmates.” The challenge for NU will be to remain competitive
and attractive to already overworked and
over stressed adults.
They will have
to
challenge
their minds and
creativity while
allowing them
to find balance
in their lives
as well which
brings me back
to this “balance” thing. As
I work through
one week to the
Michelle Weinke
next in my day
planner, I realize how difficult it is to find
balance for myself each week.
As a student, worker, mother, friend, volunteer, breadwinner and fixer of leaky faucets (OK, I am completely NOT handy, but I
can cook a great dinner!), it is important for
me, for those in my position and all of you
others to find balance in your life. Schedule
it in if you must, just like classes and laundry and bill paying.
Make time to find your balance. Treat
yourself to a pedicure. Read a book just because you WANT TO, take a day trip and
just breathe. I am going to strive to let go of
my guilt about things that I could not control, going against my self-imposed “OCD”
requirements.
Shirley Shoen, a junior majoring in social
work, believes that most of her stress and
lack of life balance is self-imposed. Her
regimen of family, work and school do not
allow a guilt-free hour of “me time” but she
has found that if she does not take that hour
when she needs it, her daily pace screeches
to a halt and struggles because of it.
Last Saturday I took my kids on a day
trip to Niagara-On-The-Lake. It was relaxing and we shopped, walked and took in
the sights and smells of approaching fall in
western New York and Southern Ontario.
It was glorious and, although I feel guilty
that I did not study or clean the house or do
any of the other things that I “should have
done,” I really did feel more balanced and,
in turn, more able to tackle my life.
From now on, I am going to schedule a
little balancing time into my hectic schedule
every week! Happy balancing to you too!
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The Nation’s Third Oldest College Newspaper
October 1, 2007
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October 1, 2007
The Nation’s Third Oldest College Newspaper
Nolan and Schotty’s
Little Slice of Love:
Finding your soulmate
By columnists Nolan Guiffré and Brittany Schottmiller
Early on in the semester, it occurred to us that we were both extraordinarily attractive people in every sense. However, we both found ourselves in the rare situation of
being single. This led us to think that fate had brought this situation into being in order for us to contribute to the world. We knew this situation would be very temporary
so we had to take advantage of it quickly. So here it is ladies and gentlemen, NU’s
hottest bachelor and bachelorette bring you ways to meet members of the
opposite sex.
Match.com, According to
Schotty
“Where the creeps come out at night, or
whenever they’re online…”
The two week trial on Match.com turned
out to be two of the most memorable weeks
of my life. After the first day I got a few hits
on my page. By the end of the two weeks I
had a total of 77 hits on my site, eight winks,
(which is when you virtually wink at someone to tell them without words that you are
interested in them, romantic, I know) and
two emails.
What really turned me off from the site
was that honestly when I was on it I felt
exposed. Most of the guys on the site that
were around my age either seemed really
desperate or not to be rude, kind of creepy.
The kind of guys that will find out where
you live and then, when you are sleeping,
you will suddenly wake up to see him looking at you through a window.
Anyway then when I received an email
from a 44 year-old man, who said he was
a “giant teddy bear”, I knew for sure I was
searching in the wrong place. I still get the
heebee geebees thinking about that one.
I feel these kinds of sites are more for
older adults. At the tender age of eighteen I
do not feel as if I need to be hunting down
a man to get really serious with. In general
I would rather meet someone at school or
at an event that I click with. Not someone I
have to click my mouse for in order to get
to know them.
Personally I find that this site or any site
like it is a waste of money (thank goodness
I got a free trial). Who really wants to pay
the “low” price of $19.99 a month to meet
someone they do not know who could be lying to you? In the end I found this site to be
quite fake.
Match.com, According to
Nolan
“A poor representation of taste.”
Schotty and I experienced drastically different levels of success on the popular dating
site, Match.com. While Schotty was quite
the sensation with almost a dozen winks, I
remained at one wink which was given to
me by Schotty herself.
From this information, we can conclude
that there are no women on Match.com that
have any taste in men whatsoever. So if you
are stunningly beautiful, intelligent, have a
grand personality and an unmatched sense
of humor, then this is not the place for you.
I would not pay for a month trial version
even if The Niagara Index made room for it
in our unlimited budget. However, if you are
dull, humorless and enjoy the Gilmore Girls
then you may consider joining other people
with similar interests on Match.com.
What Nolan Has to Say about
Club New York
“It’s hunting season!”
The next venue we tried is probably the
most popular among the general NU student population, Club New York. We ar-
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rived fashionably late at 11 p.m., which
was apparently still too early. We started on
the dance floor with some of the sweetest
moves imaginable.
Now came the part where we were supposed to form lifelong relationships with
people. We do not claim to be any sort of
experts in this field but this is the process
of meeting people as we have come to understand it.
The girls begin on the dance floor (that
was Nolan’s second mistake) in small
groups and make themselves available. The
guys then walk around the floor in a vultureesque fashion. When they spot a carcass... eh
hem... I mean girl that they like, they move
up behind her and begin the grind. And they
say chivalry is dead.
The girl then has the option to continue
“dancing” with this complete stranger
whose face she probably has not seen or she
can simply decline by standing still.
Club New York from Schotty’s
Point of View
“Shake, shake, shake it like you’re losing
your mind…which you might”
I do not know about everyone else but
when I am sweating bullets on every inch of
my body because there are over a hundred
people smashed onto the smallest dance
floor I have ever seen, I do not find it to be
the ideal way to meet a guy. It is so dark in
the club that it makes it kind of hard to see
what other people look like.
Also considering most of the people on
the dance floor are what one could call “extremely intoxicated” (oh no, do not let your
momma find out!) it is hard to try to get to
know someone. Sure it makes a good time
for Nolan and I to show off our hot dance
moves but what’s the point other than that?
What girl does not love having random
drunk guys come up behind them to dry
hump them for a few hours? Am I right people, am I right? Makes us feel pretty.
Basically, I would go to Club New York
in the future, I love it there!
Fate
“Because we have no better advice to
offer you.”
This section is basically a way to cover
ourselves, because we were unable to find
our audience a reliable venue to meet people. (Who would have thought that Match.
com and Club New York would not produce
everyone’s soul mate?)
We can certainly offer you an unlimited
stream of ways not to meet people but we
needed one that may actually work. We
chose fate because it is very vague. If you
never meet someone then it is simply not
meant to be. We cannot control the universe
to make it meet your desires. Therefore, we
can not be accused of failing our audience
no matter what the outcome is.
So if our other suggestions do not work,
do not lose faith. Maybe you will meet
someone while purchasing a carton of milk
on a hot summer day or when you get stuck
in an elevator for three and a half hours.
What has NUSGA done
for you lately?
Ken Lambert
Staff Writer
Editorial
As a freshman, many students here at
NU are encouraged to get involved in the
limited activities that we have here on campus. Many are encouraged to join NUSGA,
NU’s Student Government Association.
I am sure many of us have seen the posting all over campus to run for an office, get
involved and join. But beneath the public
interest that is laid out for the university
community lays a much more private, selective and hush-hush world behind the
façade.
It appears that NUSGA, more specifically the class of 2010, tends to be operating
in a more high school, childish way than
in a normal and expected, diplomatic and
democratic way. I have for the third time
applied to be part of NUSGA. I have lived
abroad, been part of student government
and I am a political science major. So why
then after three times of applying am I being denied the right to make our campus
better?
I approached campus programming and
asked them directly what was going on
with NUSGA. Why has it become this
popularity contest and on what criteria did
they base their entire interview and selection process? Bill Newton assured me that
he would contact me and let me know what
happened. That was three weeks ago and
I have yet to hear from him. So now I assume that my request for information, for
a reason, is nothing more to campus programming than a petty bitter person asking
why they were not selected and not being
told what really happened.
We all can see that NUSGA has not really done anything extremely beneficial for
our campus. What is one thing that they
have honestly done which has benefited
the entire campus community? I have yet
to see one outreach program, one cultural
program or anything that has had a relevant
impact on our community. Sure, we have
had musicians and such but is that the extent of it?
And that was only done through campus
programming, which also seems to be faltering in their duties to the community. I
have to say that I am truly disgusted with
NUSGA at this point. Apparently we have
reverted back to high school where everything is based on popularity, who you know
and what you have versus a real world scenario of democracy, knowledge and intelligence.
Isn’t the whole point of student government to help the students and the community? It is not to help yourself and to consider how it may look on a future resume.
Looking at this entire situation I know that
I do not want to be part of an organization
that does not do anything for its community or its students and is apparently only
for a select few who have friends on that
committee.
So NUSGA, I salute you for bringing
that high school essence back to college.
Congratulations.
October 1, 2007
The Nation’s Third Oldest College Newspaper
The Back Page
Marketable mashups take songwriting’s place
Continued from page 3
“Mashups” are the stupidest name for a
thing in the history of mankind. Honestly,
we can just call them remixs. That’s what
they are after all. In fact, I am never going
to say or write that word ever again after
this next sentence.
I’m sure almost everyone reading this
has heard a “mashup” before. They take
the beat or instrumental of one song and
add it to the lyrics of another one. One of
the best ones I’ve ever heard was Eazy E
rapping over the beat of “How We Do” by
the Game, but that’s beside the point.
These things are nothing but samples
and copyright infringements. There’s not
even any new music in them, it’s just two
old songs put together. You can call it music and you can call it rad, but it’s hard
to call it original and that’s what music
should be about, originality. A band or
group or rapper or singer or whoever
should have to sit down and write their
own lyrics to their own songs or beats,
whatever the case may be.
Popular music of today’s generation
seems to be more about profit than creativity, especially in rap. Don’t get me
wrong, I’ve loved rap since I heard Dr.
Dre’s “The Chronic” but it all sounds the
same now.
It seems like the old messages have been
replaced with new ones that are meaningless. I mean, how many songs do I have
to hear over a reused beat about rims and
glocks. There’s no way every rapper has
been in a gang, sold dope or participated
in crimes.
We get it, you’re from the streets and
you had a hard time coming up and now
that you’ve “made it” which is just a
phrase for having a gold record and a couple million dollars, you want to rap about
your experiences. I had a hard time growing up too and I don’t have any trouble
rhyming words, where’s my gold record?
It’s come to the point where most of
the lyrics in rap songs are the same as
the lyrics in every other rap song you
hear this year. The following is a list of
all the things you will hear in every rap
song since 1998 to present: Compton,
ice, Cristal, dubs, chrome, glock, streets,
hood, dro’, the f word at least four times,
the n word at least ten to fifteen times,
platinum, grill, candy paint, 187, ass,
weed, baby momma, bitch, hos, gun, Tupac, Biggy, dirty South, paper (in regards
to money).
That was actually a closed-minded
joke, but looking at that list I guarantee
that you can think of a different rap song
for each of those words. Also, if I have
to hear another song about “snitching” I
am done with new rap for good. It’ll be
tough, because that shit is catchy, but I
think I can hold off.
Just because you’re a rapper doesn’t
mean someone is going to “snitch” on
you to the “feds”. Wow, you sold pot, the
feds care so much. We’re at war in Iraq,
losing more and more soldiers as time
goes on, the economy is in shambles and
rappers think that the federal government
is really concerned with them and their
ridiculous antics.
Talent, a word usually associated with
musicians, is now a questionable word
to use in the generation of sampled beats
and lyrics. Talent has been replaced with
marketability. If Dr. Dre decided that he
could market me, he would. Just like with
50, he would create the beats and half of
the lyrics for my platinum record hits.
Today’s music industry is more concerned with money than messages. Sure,
they’ve always been money hungry, that
goes back all the way to Chuck Berry, Elvis and The Beatles but now they are creating the hits. That’s why all songs sound
the same. They just reuse the instrumentals and make new words. Hell, they even
have their own dances to each song which
makes things even more marketable. All
you have to do is stand there and snap.
What if I took the drums from NWA’s
“Straight Out of Compton”, the bass
from The Beatles’ “Hey Bulldog”, the
piano from Outkasts “The Whole World”
and the guitar from Run-D.M.C’s “It’s
Tricky” and then made my own lyrics
up? Doesn’t sound very original, does it?
Well, that would be no different than any
other popular rap or pop song today.
A great example of this talentless marketability would be Gwen Stefani. What
do you think of her? Can she sing? Is she
pretty? Seriously, next time you have a
chance, sit down sober and listen to one
of her songs or all of her songs. It makes
no real difference because they’re all the
same.
She cannot sing better than me or you
and I don’t know about you . The only
reason she’s as popular as she is, is because all the teenage girls in high school
and college get drunk and go to clubs and
go INSANE when one of her songs come
on.
If you’re a guy, you know what I mean
by insane. If a female between the age
of sixteen and twenty-four hears a Gwen
Stefani song in a club, she will drop the
conversation she was previously having
or whatever she was doing and rush to the
dance floor. More often than not this will
also involve grabbing two to three of her
friends as they too rush to the dance floor.
(Note: dance floor can be substituted with
table or bar top or in the best instances,
a pole.)
Then for the next painful, ear-stabbing
three minutes you witness the following:
ninety percent of the girls or more from
the club jumping around on the dance
floor, some with their arms up, others
with their hands on their butts (or friends’
butts) screaming about how much they
love the current song and how much they
love Gwen Stefani. In all seriousness, this
girl can’t sing. People would rather listen
to her than a talented singer like Beyoncé
or the always crazy, Mariah Carey.
Society is fickle and depraved sometimes. Instead of writing original material, we steal and claim it as our own with
little to no consequences. We’re more
concerned if the song has a dance than a
melody to it or a recognized tempo then
something new and ground breaking.
The purpose of this article wasn’t to
down sampling or rap music, it was just
to provide a view point (the correct view
point) on the matter. Sampling will never
stop and that’s not necessarily a bad thing
because it has brought us some great music. But haven’t we taken it a bit too far?
I hope my examples made you laugh
but it doesn’t change the fact that they’re
right on with what is really happening
to our music industry. I love rap music,
I always have and I always will but my
beloved rap is really the most guilty in the
case of sampling. It’s awful but if that’s
how music is going to be from now on, so
be it. It’s not like we won’t still buy (or
illegally download) the albums anyways.
ACROSS
annoying the heck out of the Griffins? (two
words)
15. What celebrity does Mort Goldman
setup Peter with for a date, while Lois and
him are on a trial seperation? (three words)
19. What is the name of Stewie’s teddy
bear?
20. Who did Mort Goldman think he was
when he took too many antihistamines?
(two words)
21. What kind of business does Peter’s
friend Cleveland own?
22. What color are the pants that Peter is
almost always wearing?
23. Peter thinks that he finds a breast lump
while he is examining his chest. What does
the “lump” actually turn out to be?
4. In what state do the Griffins reside?
(two words)
8. What is the name of Mr.
Pewterschmidit’s prized race dog?
9. What concert tickets did Peter sell his
soul for in 1976? (two words)
10. What did Jonathan Weed (Peter’s late
boss) choke on, that led to his death?
11. What singer/songwriter do we see
DOWN
1. What is Quagmire’s occupation?
2. What food does Peter stick all over
Chris’ body to make it look like he has
‘extra nipples’?
3. What is Lois’ mother’s first name?
5. What is the name of the fish Peter,
Quagmire, Cleveland, and Joe have to go
to kill?
6. Joe is a police officer, what rank is he?
7. What was Meg’s first choice for a
college?
12. What happened to Lois on her junior
dance?
13. What is Brian Griffin’s mother’s name?
14. What religion does Francis Griffin
(Peter’s father) follow?
16. At one point a tour bus carrying a boy
band breaks down in front of the Griffin’s
home, much to Meg’s delight. What band
stepped out of the bus?
17. What grade did Peter repeat a few
times?
18. What kind of handbag does Meg save
up her money to buy?
LAST WEEK’S ANSWERS:
Answers to this week’s crossword will be printed in the next issue which you can pick up
in the Gallagher Center at 9 a.m. on Monday, October 15, 2007.
ACROSS
1. DELROY
3. SEVENTEEN
4. FUDD
5. CRACKERS
7. BLINKY
10. MICHAEL
11. TOASTER
12. JOJO
13. ALCOHOL
14. THE RAMONES
DOWN
2. LADDIE
3. SPANKY
6. SMELLY
7. BROWN
8. TAMACO
9. LEPRECHAUN