Friday, May 7, 2010La Roche College • 9000 Babcock Boulevard • Pittsburgh, PA 15237 • 412.847.2505 Vol. 14, Issue 6

This publication reflects the views, attitudes, interests, and tastes of the writers, editors and contributors to The Courier.It does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the administration, faculty and staff of La Roche College.

Freshman Megan Bove assists in planting and mulching the La Roche campus for Earth Day on April 15. Bove said, “It shouldn’t just take Earth Day for people to want to do something good for the environment. It should be an ongoing thing.”

by Joe Ziegler

see CSI Day, page 2

by Dan Pasqua

LRC goes green for Earth Day

see Election, page 4

Cindy McMichael, also known as X-Factor, was a drug dealer shot dead in her apartment. Her cards were still on the table from the poker game she and three of her friends played the night she was murdered.

As the body lay on the ground, surrounded by blood and quarantined by yellow police caution tape, La Roche College’s CSI Day challenged local high school students to find the killer and solve the crime.

La Roche’s criminal justice group Delta Lambda Rho organized the scenario as part of CSI Day, an event to help high school students explore the possibilities of a career in criminal justice.

CSI Day involved participation by La Roche College criminal justice students, performing arts students, faculty and local police.

Delta Lambda Rho Secretary Matthew Balouris said that Professor

On April 12-13, La Roche College students elected Matthew Whetsell and Jessica Miglioretti for presidency for the 2010-11 Executive Board of Student Government Association (SGA).

According to a mass e-mail sent by the Center for Student Development, 384 student voted in the election.

Among their goals for next school year, Whetsell and Miglioretti said they plan to make SGA more accessible to students by replacing the organization’s current publications with online resources.

According to the new leaders, online outlets such as blogs, Facebook, and Twitter profiles, will replace the SGA Scoop and the SGA

Word.“As far as the Facebook group,

anyone can just write on the wall or start a discussion,” Whetsell said. “You don’t have to go up in person, which can be intimidating, in those meetings, especially,” he said.

Whetsell, who was the 2009-10 board’s Design and Technology Representative, said that electronic venues give more students opportunities to communicate with SGA. The new president said that with these venues, students can offer their suggestions to SGA.

Miglioretti, a criminal justice major, agreed that electronic communication is beneficial for students who do not attend SGA meetings, adding that it is another way for them to stay informed.

Election results

Studentstake part in CSI Day

Crime stoppers

Spring is finally here: flowers dry off in the sun after a cool, May rain.

© Rebecca Jeskey

© Rebecca Jeskey

Whetsell and Miglioretti win presidency

www.larochecourier.com2

The La Roche Courier < May 7, 2010

By Brian Fischer

OpinionSummer is most people’s favorite time of the

year: no school, outdoor swimming, and amusement parks rule the season.

Pro wrestling fans enjoy summer also, but for different reasons. In the summer, fans have more time to watch wrestling and consequently, the wrestling companies usually step up their game.

It’s especially exciting this summer because World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) finally has some real competition.

While Total Nonstop Action (TNA) was founded in 2002, it has never given the WWE a real threat. Until now.

Recently, pro wrestling icon Hulk Hogan and brilliant wrestling-minded Eric Bischoff joined TNA management. Since then, they have drastically changed the company’s product.

While owner Vince McMahon and his WWE have taken a friendlier approach to their television shows, TNA has done the opposite.

By banning chair shots to the head, blood and profanity, Vince wants his product to be more child-friendly.

Professional wrestling doesn’t need chairs, blood, or profanity to be great. That isn’t the point. The point is that professional wrestling is not for kids. Period.

Even with the above elements taken out, wrestling is still violent, and young children should not be watching it.

Most hardcore fans would agree that WWE is changing their style so much in order to gain a broader and younger audience, and the old-school wrestling fans are suffering because of it.

That’s where TNA comes in. To begin their popularity movement, TNA

displays the three elements that some fans are missing from old-school WWE programming.

Almost every Monday night on TNA Impact, fans are bound to see swinging chairs, bleeding legendary wrestlers, and small amounts of profanity.

This pulls in disgusted WWE who miss these aspects, but it doesn’t stop there.

By signing former WWE superstars such as Mr. Anderson and Rob Van Dam (RVD), Hogan and Bischoff are taking what the WWE neglected to develop, and allowing them to shine.

While the WWE and a good portion of its new fans are obsessed with heavyweight champion John Cena, for some crazy reason, TNA is letting great storytelling and excellent wrestling guide their show.

Mr. Anderson does a fantastic job as a heel, bad guy in the wrestling business, and RVD is an amazing athlete who puts on top quality wrestling matches.

When Mr. Anderson was injured during his contract with the WWE, his popularity push took a nose dive.

Some say that RVD’s hardcore risk-taking wrestling style spelled his demise with WWE. Others may argue that because he lacks the bodybuilding physique, WWE lost interest in him.

Either way, RVD left WWE a few years ago, along with Mr. Anderson and many other now-TNA wrestlers.

Their talent wasn’t appreciated. Sadly, WWE would rather have their heavyweight champion Cena run their shows.

This guy tries to model Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s former wrestling character, fails miserably at it, publicly denies taking steroids while having veins popping out of veins, and he can’t wrestle to save his life.

Honestly, he may be one of the worst wrestlers of all-time.

To be fair, however, the actual art and technique of great professional wrestling has gone down in the last few years, but Cena just drives the knife deeper into real fans.

On the upside, the near future looks bright for both companies, if they use their talent correctly.

Coming off of their annual all steel cage match pay-per-view Lockdown, TNA raised the bar. RVD made his in-ring return and won the TNA Heavyweight Championship on a live edition of Impact the following Monday night.

He defeated AJ Styles, one of the TNA originals who wrestled for the company since its opening.

Having RVD beat Styles this early in his return shows the respect that Styles has for both RVD and the wrestling business.

Styles knows RVD is talented, and he wants to work with him to produce great matches for the fans.

This dream match has become reality, and fans are excited.

Expect these men to have a feud this summer for the championship. Classic matches will hopefully be the result.

On the WWE side, while Cena can’t wrestle, thank God he isn’t the only current World Champion in the company.

Jack Swagger, an All-American amateur wrestler from the University of Oklahoma, shocked the WWE universe by becoming the

World Heavyweight Champion two weeks after WrestleMania XXVI.

Successfully turning his amazing collegiate wrestling background into solid pro-wrestling skills, it’s nice to see an actual wrestler as World Champion.

He should be in many high-profile main event matches this summer, even if he loses his championship. Hopefully, he stays on track of what WWE management wants him to be, so he can continue displaying his true wrestling talent.

Finally, with two solid wrestling promotions in the United States, the wrestling scene should grow and flourish as it did 10 years ago. Competition is good for business. Professional wrestling is no exception.

The summer of 2010 could be the start of another “Monday Night War,” the classic rivalry between WCW and WWE throughout the late 1990s. This was the best time for wrestling, and there is potential for TNA to make the impact that WCW did.

A true wrestling fan can only hope.

WWE faces new competition for summerFan predicts growth in professional wrestling scene

RVD making his pay-per-view return to Lockdown.

Jim Neutrell’s drama students participated in the event as part of their final exam.

“Their participation as victims [and witnesses] helps us to be able to judge [rather] than be the victims ourselves,” he said. “The La Roche students are doing this for bonus. They are helping to direct students around campus.”

In addition to the crime scene scenario, students who attended CSI Day also participated in a

drunk-driving simulation, CSI mobile laboratory and CSI response van demonstration, and a police K-9 demonstration. Biology Professor Dr. Gail Rowe gave a presentation titled “The Significance of DNA in Criminal Investigations,” and students participated in a computerized facial recognition program with Detective Rick Byers.

High school students who participated in CSI Day were juniors and seniors from North Allegheny High School, Deer Lakes High School, and Seton La Salle.

“We want to educate them,” Ashley Hairston, Delta Lambda Rho president, said. “And hope they come here for the criminal justice program. We have a class, the crime scene and forensics class, where they will get to do their own crime scene in college.”

She added, “We also have the Criminalistics Program, Biology and Forensics, the Chemistry and Forensics. They can learn about what we do here at La Roche College and the criminal justice field.”

Dave Chavarrie, a member of Delta Lambda Rho, said that the chapter participates in field trips and fundraisers for their activities, “Last week, we went to the Allegheny County Criminal Examiner, and they gave us a tour of the facility.”

Balouris said, “We hope these kids get an interest in La Roche. If not the CSI, maybe the drama program. The La Roche experience. We want to show them that we’re a community at La Roche, and that we get together, and we do fun stuff.”

CSI Daycontinued from page 1

www.larochecourier.com 3

by Rebecca Jeskey

The alternative opportunity

by Therese Nuttall

Watching David Beckham play in person during a World Cup Qualifier game at Wembley Stadium in England.

Drinking hot chocolate in the café in Scotland, where J. K. Rowling wrote her idea for a story about a wizard boy named Harry Potter on a napkin.

Singing Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” with a bus full of strangers after a night out with friends.

These experiences were the result of a study abroad journey.

Life is simple, right?Just follow the steps laid out before

you. Go to school. Get an education. Work a job to pay for your education.

One day your life will start. Adventures will begin – but only after you receive your degree.

Until then, devote your life to making the grades, various extracurricular activities, and volunteerism. Work to impress some mystery man down the line, who has the power to decide whether or not you get to work the job of your dreams.

The main question passing through every college student’s mind during this period of life: How to keep from going insane over these seemingly dull four years? The number one answer: “Let’s party!”

What else can an ambitious student do to pass the time?

Class, study, work, and repeat. This is the mundane workings of a university life.

There is an alternative. Spend a semester studying abroad. It is higher education’s best-kept secret. It is so well-kept that less than one percent of college students within the United States take advantage of this amazing opportunity during their college careers.

This past fall semester, I took a break from La Roche College and attended American InterContinental University (AIU) in London, England. AIU set up furnished housing. The classes I took transferred to La Roche College. Financial aid, for that semester, was applied toward AIU instead of La Roche College.

I even managed to receive a Benjamin A. Gilman International

Scholarship, a scholarship specifically meant to aid in funding study abroad experiences.

There are many benefits to studying abroad. Here are the top three rewards of a study abroad experience:

Reward number one: Study abroad to experience a new culture. I thought I had life all figured out before I left. I knew how the world functioned. Looking back, my biggest fault was not realizing how little I actually knew. In another country and culture, everything is different. Even the smallest social cues are no longer applicable.

For instance, in true American fashion, I thought I could continue to say, “Have a nice day,” to every store merchant and waitress. It was not until after repeatedly receiving strange looks that I realized I was doing something wrong.

England maintains more formal social customs than the United States. They consider this simple phrase to be a very personal statement.

Reward number two: Study abroad to travel. This was my favorite perk of studying abroad. Traveling allows you to see, firsthand, all of those famous sites you have heard so much about. Plus, when studying in a continent like Europe, it is extremely inexpensive to travel from country to country.

For instance, when I traveled from London to Dublin, I was able to find a round-trip flight for 30 pounds. During that time period, that was roughly equivalent to $45.

Reward number three: Study abroad for the memories. Residing in another country is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. There is nothing like it. It is so much more than a two-week vacation or traveling for business. It is your life, and you are living it there.

I can honestly say studying abroad is the best decision I’ve ever made. And to any fellow students who need help convincing their parents to let them go, just emphasize how much of a resume builder it will be.

Every Wednesday, a friendly voice with a slight southern drawl sings through the phone at the information desk in the Academic Extension Building: “Good morning, La Roche College.”

The woman behind this voice is Rose Cheriton. Most students know her as the receptionist who greets them each week as they hurry to class. To others, she is a volunteer. An artist. An advice-giver. A writer. A mother to four children. A grandma. No matter the title, Cheriton is a woman of wisdom and compassion.

In 1990, Cheriton took the position of receptionist at La Roche. After a short leave in 2005 to take care of her husband, she returned in 2009.

“I’m a people person,” Cheriton said. “I have been volunteering since I was a teenager, and that was many years ago. It’s my nature. I love helping people. I love reaching out and making people feel comfortable.”

To fulfill this passion, Cheriton said she reaches out through community service. In the past, she volunteered at a nursing home and tutored children for an after-school program at her church. “I feel that connection with people,” she said.

When Cheriton occupies the information desk on Wednesdays, this connection is evident: she greets the students and faculty shuffling through the hallway, flashing a smile that only genuine kindness can form on one’s face. They all know her by her first name, by that familiar warm, “How you doing, dear?”

“I like it here because you get to meet people all over the world,” Cheriton said. “And I love learning about other people’s culture, and what country they come from, and things like that. I’m interested in history, too, and the past, and the future.”

Below the desk, Cheriton keeps a book that has a map display and list of the world’s countries, a guide she said is helpful in her learning. “I’ve had different students come up to me and tell me how to say ‘hello’ in their language,” she said.

Flipping through the book’s pages, she said, “When the students come and tell me what countries that they’re from, I can go to all the countries in the world and look them up.”

Cheriton speaks of learning with a fascination in her voice, the way one expresses an admiration for art. The southern native, born in North Carolina, never finished college. According to the 78-year-old, she wants to one day further her education.

“I like working at a college because I love learning. At my age, I said I’m going back to college one day and finishing my degree, which I didn’t do. I got

Living a once-in-a-lifetime experience, student Therese Nuttall stands in front of the Louvre Museum in France in fall 2009. © Therese Nuttall

Student reveals the rewards of traveling abroad

A familiar voice, a listening ear

Cheriton, a student at heart, with the “World” book she keeps near her desk.© Rebecca Jeskey

see Familiar voice, page 4

www.larochecourier.com4

ElectionOne thing Whetsell and

Miglioretti said they want to change is the clothing requirement for SGA meetings, which currently is a business-casual setting. “Most students say it’s intimidating to them,”he said.

According to the new elected officials, the style of dress may cause students feel less comfortable when voicing their concerns. Whetsell added that SGA will likely return to wearing polo shirts for their bi-weekly meetings.

One goal, Miglioretti said, is to unify La Roche students, so that school is not separated into groups: commuters, international students and residents.

“Daytime events can be something we’re looking into because a lot of people mentioned that they’re here for classes, and then they leave at night,” Whetsell said. “They don’t come back for Mocktails and all those events.”

In order to serve the student body, Whetsell said he wants the newly elected board to work effectively as a unit. To do this, he added that he is planning a retreat for SGA so that representatives can bond.

“Last year, we came here, and they brought us in a classroom for SGA training, and that’s it. We didn’t get to bond at all,” he said.

The sophomores said they plan to

keep some of the changes made by this year’s President Henry Pinnix, and Vice President Jibran Mushtaq.

“The big thing that most people loved this year about SGA was that we spent more money on the students than ourselves,” Whetsell said. “You won’t see the SGA this year sporting jackets. Rico and Jibran pretty much got rid of that, and I’m keeping to that.”

But improving student involvement and SGA efficiency is not the only thing on the elected officials’ to-do list. As for other plans, Whetsell and Miglioretti reported that they are pursuing an on-campus daycare center.

Although this idea is still in the pre-developmental stages, Whetsell said. “It was suggested a lot when I was campaigning,” he said. “A lot of people came up to me and were like, ‘You know, there should be a daycare at the school.”

A daycare is beneficial for anyone who has children and attends La Roche, according to Miglioretti. “They bring their kids here, but there’s not much they can really do,” she said. Whetsell said the daycare may also be beneficial to families that live near La Roche.

The new officials said that this year, SGA was so involved that they gave faculty members headaches, and they want next year’s board to be just as effective.

continued from page 1

Meet your new president and vice president for the 2010-11 Student Government Association Board: sophomores Matthew Whetsell and Jessica Migilioretti.

© Dan Pasqua

married. I won a scholarship to college, but I met my husband that summer and dropped out and got married,” she said. “I love reading and learning, and I hope to go back to college some day.”

A writer herself, Cheriton said she aspires to take up English courses, as well as a few art classes so that she can illustrate the three children’s books that she wrote.

She said, “I like to write poetry, I love to inspire people, and I like to do it through my poetry. I write about the homeless and things that people should be interested in doing, and I think I do it to inspire.”

Laughing, she added, “I’m always giving advice, whether people want it or not. And I do it through my poetry in a sneaky way.”

One of Cheriton’s poems is a piece she wrote to her husband who passed away, a work titled “John Cheriton.”

“I write to him all the time. He’s been gone three years now. I talk to him through my writing,” she said. “He was a wonderful person. But I thank God that he was in my life and that God sent him to me. He taught me so much about love. His love was unconditional, and from his love, I have learned to love other people unconditionally. I don’t judge people easily.”

Despite her unfinished degree, Cheriton is proof that one does not necessarily need a full college education to be knowledgeable. She worked as a freelance writer for the North Hills Newsrecord, has written over 300 poems, and has worked for the government as a social security supervisor.

“I had 26 people, writing clerks, beneath me,” she said. “A lot of people here don’t know that.”

Cheriton said her husband’s job brought her to Pittsburgh. After coming here, the poet said she raised her granddaughter from age three until she was old enough to graduate from college. During this time, Cheriton worked part-time jobs so that she could spend time with her grandchild.

“I’m always giving up something for my family. I gave up my education to get married. Gave up a job to come here for my husband. Gave up another job to raise my granddaughter. But I haven’t regretted it. I’ve been blessed,” she said.

While counting her blessings, the receptionist speaks with the wisdom of a 78-year-old, but doesn’t look her age. And to Cheriton, age is irrelevant. When she isn’t working or volunteering, she said she spends time exercising and crocheting.

“I’m old, but I don’t feel old,” she said. “Even at my age, I love to go dancing, to have fun, travel. I’m at the stage in life where I just want to have fun. But I’m still committed, though.”

On Tuesday, April 27, La Roche College held the Clubs and Organizations Reception in

the Bold Union Room. Leaders of the Student

Government Association (SGA), along with members and leaders of various clubs, gathered for a reception filled with food, conversation and recognition of a job well done.

Director of the Center for Student Development David Day addressed the crowd, along with Paulette Beadling, assistant director of the Center for Student Development, expressing their thanks and recognition for a successful year of student activities.

“Sometimes, you get nothing but grief and aggravation, and it’s such a commitment. And sometimes you wonder if it’s worth it, and I’m here to reinforce the fact that yes, it is worth it,” Day said.

During his brief talk, Day recognized not only the success of the clubs, but also the commitment and work that it takes to be active in student activities.

“It is worth it for our community and La Roche, but it is also worth it for you,” he said.

Day also reminded students that the troubles they face while working together are valuable learning experiences.

“You have to learn how to hold people accountable even if they’re your friends, how to challenge people, and you have to learn how to be the bad guy or bad woman. Sometimes, people aren’t pulling their weight or doing what they said

they would do, and that’s [holding people accountable] a very difficult thing for you to do,” Day said.

He added, “These are skills, real legitimate skills, that you learn by being a part of a club and about leading a club and leading peers. We’re just really grateful that we have students like you that are willing to assume leadership opportunities, and willing to drive these organizations, and to accomplish as much as you do.”

As part of the reception, SGA’s Clubs and Organizations Representative Joshua Litvik gave awards and recognition to the various clubs in attendance.

Among the many recognitions, the Fall Leadership Award went to the Logos Society, and Crescendo won in the same category for the spring semester. The Best On-campus Event went to the Globe Fashion Show, while Zeta Alpha Pi won Best Off-campus Event.

The event gave special recognition to AITP for bringing back the help desk, and to the French club for reviving its presence on campus. RHA was recognized for its trick-or-treating through the dorms, while PRAXIS got a nod for their work on “Jailed Without Justice.” Project Achievement was also recognized for exceptional community service.

Club of the Year went to Kappa Delta Epsilon and Advisor of the Year went to Paulette Beadling and Sister Elena Almendarez.

Dave Day concluded his talk, saying, “We appreciate what you do, and La Roche would be a lesser place without all the things that you do.”

Clubs and organizations honored at annual reception

by Maggie Kelly

Familiarvoicecontinued from page 3

5www.larochecourier.com

Dear Maggie:

My boyfriend and I have been dating for almost a month, and it’s getting serious. After school is over, I even want him to meet my family. But lately, he’s been really distant. We rarely have good conversations anymore, and we hardly see one another during the week. He says that he is busy with school and work, but I looked in his phone, and he has a lot of calls from a number that he hasn’t saved as a contact. I think that he might be cheating on me. How can I ask him about his loyalty, or at least about his interest in our relationship, without sounding out of line?

Sincerely, Suspicious

Dear Suspicious:

Your boyfriend might be a little fearful of taking your relationship to the next level, according to psychology Professor Dr. Janet Gates. “While a month may seem like a long time to you, it may seem far shorter to your boyfriend,” she said.  “He seems to be distancing, and it’s probably because he’s a little fearful about you getting serious before he does.  Bringing your boyfriend home to meet your family is frequently seen as a big step, and he may feel uncomfortable that you’re racing ahead with plans for commitment. And he’s not as sure of the relationship as you are.” Gates suggests to simply slow things down. “As difficult as it may be, back off. You can tell him that he’s distancing, and you made a mistake about taking him to meet your family. You can always suggest that the two of you do something just for fun and avoid serious conversation,” Try to rediscover why the two of you initially started dating. “Don’t tell yourself that he is the one,” Gates said.  “If he is, there’s no point in rushing him. And if he isn’t, and he’s already interested in someone else, you may as well discover the brutal truth sooner rather than later.”

She added, “Don’t be in such a hurry to read the last page of the book, but enjoy the story.”

Dear Maggie:

I’ve had a really good semester, and I expect to get good grades. I got accepted into an honors society and have really worked hard, academically. I am excited to show my parents my grades, but ever since I went to school, they barely take an interest in what I do. Instead, their attention goes to my younger brother who is an excellent basketball player. They focus constantly on him and his future by hunting for scholarships and taking him to camps. I feel like I don’t get paid much attention to because I’ve already made it to school. How can I try to show my accomplishments and get a little recognition from my family, without coming off as jealous?

Sincerely, Second Best

Dear Second Best:

A little communication goes a long way, according to psychology Professor Dr. Janet Gates. “It really hurts when parents seem more interested in a younger sibling’s accomplishments than your own.  My guess, though, is that your parents don’t have a sense of how their conversations about your brother are affecting you,” she said. “When your grades return this semester, make sure you tell your parents how hard you worked and how proud you are of your accomplishments.  And tell them that their pride in your accomplishments still matters a great deal to you, and that’s why you want to share the news with them.” She added “If you let them know that their good opinion really matters, I’m sure they’ll provide it, just as they did when you were younger.”

Dear Maggieby Maggie Kelly

Disclaimer: Advice will not work across the board for everyone, even though it can be helpful in gaining perspective on a problem. The following is meant to entertain and inform, but not to be taken as the only solution to the given problem. Talking to a counselor is something that there is no substitute for. Have you ever driven a bus wildly

through traffic, shot down a UAV with a rocket launcher, explored an underwater dystopia with your little sister, crawled unnoticed through a war zone or won the Super Bowl? If not, then you haven’t played a video game lately.

In order to illustrate my expertise on the topic of video games, here are some examples of my virtual accomplishments: I have collected countless amounts of gold rings, coins, rupees, ammo, mushrooms and experience points. I have eviscerated or otherwise made immobile millions of bad guys, aliens, robots, pedestrians and mythical creatures.

I have rescued the princess, found the treasure and been made king. I have jumped out of a plane, driven a tank, and conquered Hercules. I have saved the town, the world, the galaxy, the universe, Middle-Earth and Narnia. I have been a super hero, a crime-fighter, a soldier, an escaped convict, and a father. There have even been a few instances where I camped the spawn point, captured the flag, hit a grand slam, and summoned a dragon. I have done all of this from the comfort of my couch.

Video games, which they will forever be called, have come a long way since I picked up the paddle to play Pong on my parents’ Atari in the 80s. Video games are no longer a child’s toy, but an immersive experience that the player can become emotionally involved in. Just ask someone who has spent 97 hours developing their World of Warcraft [sic] character. Feelies, a word coined by Aldous Huxley,

more accurately describes what video games are evolving into.

Recent video game releases put players in situations where their actions may actually produce an emotional response. In Bioshock, players have the option to save or harvest Little Sisters for their powers. One can play Metal Gear Solid 4, a tactical espionage action game, without killing a single enemy combatant. In Heavy Rain, you can send your son to bed without doing his homework or eating dinner.

The level of realism and depth in today’s video games far exceeds anything the developers of Oregon Trail possibly imagined. I recently played Heavy Rain on the PS3, in the role of a father with his son at the mall. My son wandered off while I struggled with the controls to pay for a balloon that he wanted. I franticly searched for him in the crowd and called out his name in desperation by pressing the X button repeatedly. Eventually, as I fumbled with the button sequenced needed in order to teach him, he wandered into the street with devastating results.

The mention of video games probably conjures up images in most people’s minds that relate to inattentive boyfriends, immaturity, or violent content, but I think the label of video games results in a misunderstanding of how they affect their players. As opposed to playing Pac-Man for two hours, one’s mind is engaged on another level when given free reign over Liberty City, while having access to an assault rifle and a motorcycle.

These images and situations, along with those produced in Hollywood, no doubt desensitize us to violence. What’s worse is that it’s becoming

Video games and violence

by Travis Thornton

Editor-in-Chief:

Rebecca Jeskey

Managing Editor: Maggie Kelly

News Editor: Joe Ziegler

Lead Designer: Sarah Egolf

Advisor: Ed Stankowski

Contributing Staff: Brian Fischer

Kurt Hackimer

Therese Nuttall

Dan Pasqua

Travis Thornton

Alan Zahorsky

see Video games, page 6

www.larochecourier.comEntertainmentThe La Roche Courier < May 7, 2010

I would like to take this time to wish all of my readers a happy belated Record Store Day.For those of you not in-the-know, April 17 marked the Third Annual

Record Store Day, a makeshift holiday in which record stores and bands collaborate to celebrate music. Record stores worldwide opened their doors early in anticipation of selling the dozens of exclusive releases by bands such as The Flaming Lips, Bruce Springsteen, Joy Division, as well as an exclusive 7” single by The Rolling Stones.

Devo – “Duty Now For The Future”Originally Released: 1979Reissued: April 17, 2010

The only things I ended up purchasing on Record Store Day, and the subsequent purchasing spree that ensued, ended up being reissues of previously hard to find items. One item that I was particularly excited for was the re-release of Devo’s 1979 proto-New Wave masterpiece “Duty Now For The Future.”

One year before Devo became a Top 40 sensation with their song “Whip It,” Devo released their initial foray into electronic music with “Duty Now For The Future.” If you have never heard Devo other than their lone Top 40 hit, you may ask yourself why I am championing a one-hit wonder. Well, it’s because this album is great.

“Duty Now For The Future” marks a stylistic shift not just for Devo, but also for the entire state of music. In Britain in the late 1970s, the trending underground musical style had switched from the spiky haired punk rock of The Sex Pistols, to an electronically based phenomenon that later be known as New Wave. In “Duty Now,” Devo first develops their awe-inspiring electronic sound.

While not achieving the same critical acclaim as their succeeding album, “Freedom of Choice, Duty Now” offers many fan favorites such as “Blockhead” and the wonderfully awkward “Wiggily World.” Using a combination of sporadic blues and punk riffs and newly pioneered electronic synthesizers, Devo helped create a sound that began the mass recognition of the New Wave dance music craze.

Jawbreaker – “Unfun”Originally Released: 1990Reissued: March 30th, 2010

My recent record-buying binge culminated with me rummaging through the music at the Hot Topic in Ross Park mall and stumbling upon a tremendous find. On March 30, Blackball Records re-released the previously impossible to find album “Unfun” by the defunct punk band Jawbreaker. I immediately grabbed this $12 gem from the record bin and jetted home to my turntable.

Perhaps I should preface this review by expressing my belief that Jawbreaker is one of the best bands in the past 20 years. Jawbreaker is the three-piece project of Blake Schwarzenbach (vocals and guitar), Adam Phaler (drums), and Chris Bauermeister (bass) formed in Southern California in 1988.

The vinyl collectiveBy Kurt Hackimer

increasingly difficult to tell the difference between simulated violence and the real thing. Some people might watch The Hurt Locker, play Bad Company 2, and view the photos taken at Abu Ghraib without seeing a difference.

It’s no wonder the recently released footage of a U.S. Apache helicopter firing upon and killing several Iraqi citizens in July of 2007 was released with little fanfare; haven’t you ever played Call of Duty: Modern Warfare? Nothing is shocking anymore because, if you‘re video game player, you’ve already taken part in similar simulated debauchery.

There still exists, within most of us, a moral compass that guides us to do things in real life that do not conflict with our personal conscience. But I think that if the sight of torture, real or simulated, no longer makes a person feel ill—especially a teenager—then there could be some interference in reading that moral compass.

The implications of our society’s exposure to excessive violence as entertainment in video games and other media are going to prove to be dire, I’m afraid. But do we really have to wait for that proof, or is it already in front of us? Let’s turn on the news and see.

Video gamescontinued from page 5

Dubbed by punk rock biographer Andy Greenwald as “the Rosetta Stone of contemporary emo,” Jawbreaker combined the power and thickness of hardcore with the twisted, gut-wrenching lyrical tendencies of 80’s emocore such as Rites of Spring and Embrace.

“Unfun” was their debut album; released in 1990 on the small Shredder Records label. The album begins with the irreverent pop-punk medley “Want” and Schwarzenbach achingly yelling, “I want you” towards an invisible person of obvious interest. This anthem of heartbreak leads to the upbeat story of death and destruction called “Busy” which, according to the liner notes, is “Screamed in the key of overwhelming despair.” Later comes their crusade against procrastination and complacency (“This is the world, why are you waiting?”) with their song “Down.” The album then grinds to a halt with the aptly named “Drone,” illustrating loneliness using harsh, mechanical imagery.

Jawbreaker was never the most technically proficient band, but that never mattered. There will never be an amount of musical expertise that can equate to the astounding emotion saturating every raspy lyric Blake forced from his diaphragm.

After an eight-year, four-album-long career, Jawbreaker disbanded before they had ever released a bad album, or even a bad song, for that matter. Although they went out as quickly as they had arrived, Jawbreaker left behind the blueprint for emotional hardcore that modern day emo bands such as Saves The Day and Fall Out Boy follow avidly.

Things to Check Out – May 2010

The Hold Steady – “Heaven is Whenever”Release Date: May 4, 2010

Brooklyn-based rock band The Hold Steady follows up their break-through album “Stay Positive.” The Hold Steady’s amped-up classic rock sound and impressive Springsteen-inspired storytelling is sure to deliver with their most recent release.

CocoRosie – “Grey Oceans”Release Date: May 11, 2010

This beautiful female duo from France debuts their stunning minimalist sound on Sub Pop Records. Dubbed by many as “freak folk,” sisters Bianca “Coco” and Sierra “Rosie” Casady use everything from piano and harp to children’s toys to create their exotic sound.

LCD Soundsystem – “This is Happening”Release Date: May 18, 2010

Eclectic American Daft Punk worshippers LCD Soundsystem release their third album “This is Happening.” Formerly nominated for a Grammy for Best Electronic/Dance album, LCD Soundsystem continues to legitimize themselves as a force in modern dance.

Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Email me at Kurt.Hackimer@laroche.edu. I’d love to hear from you.

6

by Alan Zahorsky

www.larochecourier.com 7

So long, farewell

I’m standing in the hallway of Bold Hall, locked out of my room at three in the morning. As I stared at the door, I tried and failed to remember how I got there. Admittedly, I was under the effect of a powerful suppressant that deadened my senses, fogged my mind, and induced immersive hallucinations.

You see, I had just been sleeping.The first thing I remembered was hearing the lock click just as the door

closed. My next conscious act was to let loose a string of expletives as I realized my situation.

I’ve been a sleepwalker for as long as I can remember. More accurately, others have told me I’m a sleepwalker for as long as I can remember. These nocturnal wanderings have ranged from conversations with my grandfather to screaming at the top of my lungs. I may not have remembered, but everyone else sure did.

When I first came to La Roche, I knew I had to be cautious about this potential problem. It’s one of the primary reasons why I don’t have a roommate. He would have killed me within two weeks and then slept peacefully after the deed.

After finding myself in the hallway freshman year, I took new precautions. Taking my keys to bed. Deadbolting the door. Sliding a chair in front of it to impede my progress. The precautions were inconvenient at times. The keys found a new place to jab me every time I rolled over. But I can’t recall another incident occurring.

Four years have passed, and I still haven’t determined the cause. Is it related to certain foods that I ate? Video games and television? Overwhelming guilt due to my role in the murder of the King of Scotland?

Personally, I believe the answers lie in the dreams themselves.Four years have passed, and I still don’t recall what happens when I

sleepwalk. But I do recall the moments that lie in between consciousness and unconsciousness, when my mind wakes up just long enough to see the afterimages of dreams in the real world.

I recall the light from the peephole of my door, transforming into a thousand different images, of strange worlds, old friends, and new paths.

I recall terror, as I stare up at the ceiling, unable to move, unable to speak. In those moments I have known what it is like to never breathe again.

I recall dreams that took on a new life in those brief moments of wakefulness, suddenly becoming real. Joyous events, painful events. I have grieved in these moments. The events were not real, but the emotions were.

I recall figments of my subconscious standing over me, and they realize they are figments of my subconscious. “Let us kill the dreamer,” one said, “and we shall see what becomes of his dreams.” To this day I am still not sure if they succeeded.

I recall entire lifetimes I have lived in the twenty minutes I have been asleep.I recall a sense of absolute certainty, of knowing without a doubt the truth

of things. Which things, I do not recall. But it left me at peace.And I recall knowing. Sleepwalkers have been used in the past as fortunetellers and diviners,

pulling prophecy and foretelling from their waking dream. I doubt that I suddenly become a seer when I sleepwalk. But as I prepare to leave La Roche, my memories of the journeys along that thin line between reality and dream return to the front of my mind.

There has been no one to tell me if I’ve been sleepwalking during my time at La Roche. But in that absence, I’ve been able to learn to piece together clues and half-remembered memories for myself.

There is something about these moments that stay with my mind. And with each experience, I can glean some detail, some microscopic half-truth, that will help me, in some way. I do not know if the next journey will lead me somewhere I am not prepared for, or if I can even survive the next journey.

But as long as I carry the keys to reenter the door, I’ll find a way to manage.

May. Warm weather. Finals. Another semester’s end. This is also the time of year when I have to say goodbye to the staff members that make this job a pleasurable experience. This month, I don’t want to say goodbye to our writers Dan Pasqua and Al Zahorsky. For those of you who only know them as the quiet kids sitting next to you in class, I can tell you one thing: They’re remarkable people.

Dan’s contributions to The Courier were completely selfless. He didn’t write articles just to have his name in print, and he never looked at the paper as a simple resume builder. On numerous occasions, I can remember Dan telling me, “If you need help with anything, just let me know.” He is the type of person who does work without complaints – someone you can truly rely on. His talent and work ethic aside, Dan is a rare person who has the ability to laugh at himself, a refreshing quality in a world that takes everything so seriously: He modeled a pink, flowered dress for Ed Stankowski’s publication design class; he even offered to dress like Cupid for a Valentine’s Day piece in one of the February issues. His sense of humor often made work seem like fun. Dan, I feel lucky to have worked with you, and I am blessed to know you.

Al is an exceptional person whose writing was always a pleasure to read. I envy the way in which his brain works – the way he put new twists on any articles we assigned him. Whether he revealed his fear of squirrels or imagined having a conversation with John Wayne in his creative non-fiction work, Al always surprised us. Like Dan, he has a sense of humor that you don’t often find in people. During layout nights, Al randomly appeared in our office in Bold Hall. It was usually around midnight, when we all were fed up with trying to fill the white space that kept us there. These were the times when I got to know Al better -- to know him as a friend rather than just a talented writer.

Dan and Al: Thank you for everything you’ve done for The Courier, and congratulations on your graduation! The Courier staff, Ed Stankowski and I wish you the best of luck.

PS: I’d like to request an interview with both of you after you publish your best-selling novels. The meeting place...Ponderosa?

Insights of a sleepwalker

by Rebecca Jeskey