Compass Issue 2-5.0 - Suffolk County Community College

February 21, 2007 Printed on Recycled Paper 

Volume 68 Issue 2 

COUNTY HOLDS SPEED 

ACCIDENT RECORD 

Suffolk’s 46 fatalities in 2005 were the highest in 

New York State. 

Page 6 

By Shaun Morash 

Derrick Rossy was pumped 

to fight in front of his home- 

SPORTS EDITOR 

town crowd at Brookhaven 

Gym Feb. 9 on ESPN 2’s “Friday Night Fights.” But 

Rossy’s enthusiasm didn’t pay off. 

In the main event on ESPN 2 Rossy, a Patchogue 

native, was knocked out in the seventh round by the fast 

hands of Eddie Chambers, who took home the USBA 

Heavyweight Championship. Chambers from 

Philadelphia had fought in nearly twice as many fights 

as Rossy and it showed. 

Rossy started the night with blood flowing. He 

received a standing ovation and chants of “Derrick 

Rossy! Derrick Rossy!” as he entered the ring. 

IN THIS ISSUE 

A SOLDIER’S TOUR OF 

DUTY 

24-year old student at SCCC discusses his choice to 

join the U.S. Army. 

Page 7 

Chambers didn’t let the obvious hometown treatment 

Rossy received affect him or his style. 

Rossy was very aggressive in round one, and he won 

that round to set what he had hoped would be a defining 

tone. Round two was a different story. Although 

Chambers was cut horribly above his right eye, he 

blocked several Rossy punches. Rossy’s nose began 

bleeding from just one defining Chambers punch. 

Round three was where the fight really got going. Both 

fighters went back and forth nailing each other in the 

head. Rossy began dipping a little to the right which led 

to several Chambers hooks to Rossy’s head. 

From that moment on Chambers toyed with Rossy. 

Laughing at every punch Rossy threw, Chambers con- 

LOST PLANET FOR 

XBOX 360 REVIEWED 

A game with lots potential, manages to deliver most 

of it. 

Page 12 

Hammerin’ at Ammerman 

BOXING COMES TO THE BROOKHAVEN GYM, COURTESY OF ESPN 

Derrick Rossy and Eddie Chambers square off in the main event of ESPN 2’s “Friday Night Fights,” broadcast live from the Gym. Photo 

By Jason Gerhard 

tinued to embarrass the hometown hero. 

At 2 minutes and 42 seconds in the seventh round it 

would all be over. Chambers landed an explosive right 

hook that instantly swelled and closed the left eye of 

Derrick Rossy. At first the doctor and Rossy allowed the 

fight to continue, but Rossy simply could not last, and 

the referee ended the fight. 

It was a remarkable event for the College, bringing 

recognition to Suffolk. Even though Rossy lost, it 

brought recognition to him as well. He will forever be 

known as a tough and brave boxer from Patchogue. 

Expect him to rebound and be back.

News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 

Opinions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 

A&E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 

Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 

Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 

By Jason Gerhard 

A total of six critical violations 

were levied against 

NEWS EDITOR 

Dover foods, the operator of 

the Ammerman Campus food court. The Suffolk 

County Department of Health conducted an inspection 

of the cafe on Oct. 12, 2006; critical violations are 

associated with foodborne illness. 

The first violation was for having sliced portioned 

turkey at a temperature 

of 46.2-49.2 

degrees Fahrenheit. 

Applicable code section 

760-1332.3 states 

that potentially hazardous 

food shall be 

received and maintained 

at or below 41 

degrees Fahrenheit. 

Other exceptions 

exist within the code 

but relate to roast beef 

that has been cooked 

the same day and is to 

be consumed immediately. 

Violation number 

two is for having a 

bottle of spray cleaner 

stored on top of a 

food preparation table 

in the back of kitchen, 

next to trays of 

cooked products. 

Applicable code section 

760-1337.4 states 

that when not in use 

poisonous and toxic 

materials shall be 

stored in cabinets 

which are used for no 

other purpose, or in a place which is outside the food 

storage, preparation, display, and cleaned equipment 

and utensil storage areas. 

Violation number three states that no less than three 

employees were observed to discard used disposable 

gloves, then re-glove without washing hands. Code section 

760-1341.C says that when used, single-use gloves 

shall be used for only one food task such as working 

2 • COMPASS • WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2007 

NEWS 

FEBRUARY 21, 2007 

INDEX 

with ready-to-eat food or with raw animal food, used for 

no other purpose, and discarded when damaged or 

soiled, or when interruptions occur in the food task. 

When re-gloving is required, employees shall wash 

hands throughly before re-gloving and resuming work. 

Violation number four was because no consumer advisory 

was provided for cook to order eggs, and hamburgers. 

Code section 760-1333.9 says, when food of animal 

origin is served raw or not cooked to temperatures prescribed 

by this article, the consumer is to be notified by 

brochures, deli case or menu advisories, label statements, 

table tents, placards, or other effective written 

means of the significantly increased risk associated with 

certain especially vulnerable consumers eating such 

foods in raw or undercooked form. There are excep- 

Rather than a federal system, each state has its 

own Department of Health, which in turn has 

its own system to grade the 

food service industry. 

Ammerman Cafe Meets the Health Department 

tions but mainly deal with whole-muscle intact beef. 

The cafeteria recieved several violations during their recent Department of Health visit. Photo By Jason Gerhard 

Violation number five states that a male employee at 

the griddle was observed to handle ready to eat roll 

while wearing single-use, disposable gloves after handling 

raw shell eggs without discarding gloves, washing 

hands, and replacing gloves. Employee was observed 

buttering a roll with the same gloves he cracked shell 

eggs with. This violates code section 760-1341.C that is 

stated in full in violation 

number three. 

Finally violation number 

six states no less 

than a dozen apples 

were found openly displayed 

at the front 

counter. Fruits and vegetables 

that have an edible 

skin must be 

wrapped to prevent accidental 

contamination. 

This is in direct violation 

of code section 760- 

1335.1 that reads, where 

open food or drink is 

placed on display in all 

types of food operations, 

including smorgasbords, 

buffets and cafeterias, it 

shall be protected 

against contamination 

from consumers and 

other sources by effective, 

easily cleanable, 

counter protector 

devices, cabinets, display 

cases, containers, 

or other similar type of 

protective equipment. 

“We continue to maintain 

the highest standards of the health code,” Nick, the 

Cafe Manager said when asked about the critical violations. 

“We go through upwards of 12-15 boxes of gloves 

a week and there are 100 gloves in each box,” he added. 

The Cafe has yet to date receive a reinspection to make 

sure all of the violations have been corrected.

Sorry - there wasn’t any room in this issue to 

squeeze in the comics; we promise we’ll put 

two crosswords in the next issue. 

AD 


COMPASS • WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2007 • 3

By Danielle Gillam Upon arrival, I feel like 

CONTRIBUTING WRITER I’ve just walked into an 

8th grade science class. 

The bare skeleton hanging shows the basic human bone 

structure we’re used to seeing, except this time it’s the 

real thing. I’ve just entered “Bodies…The Exhibition,” 

an attraction located in South Street Seaport, New York 

City, in which real human bodies have been dissected 

for a first-hand look at human anatomy. 

This exhibition begins with a room devoted to human 

skeletal structure and a light layer of muscle tissue 

around key areas of the body. Observers carefully 

review the layers of muscle, and look amazed to be really 

seeing a human body so up close in this condition. 

This beginning room gives way to a second room in 

which the muscle tissue is fuller on the specimens and 

reveals just how amazing muscles work together to 

move. A man throwing a football displays the tension 

and focus of how the muscular system expands and contracts 

in order to create the perfect amount of force necessary 

for whatever task is at hand. As I round the corner 

of the third room, I suddenly begin to feel hot and 

dizzy. The crowds of people and body heat take their 

toll on me as I enter the room for the nervous system. A 

table containing a spinal cord, brain, and real human 

eyeballs makes me feel like I’m going to faint. I need to 

take a break and relax on a bench before looking at the 

rest of the specimens. The fourth room has a body with 


NEWS 


‘Bodies’ Exhibit Offers 

Glimpse of Human Anatomy 

the chest cavity open to see the heart and connecting 

veins and arteries. 

Across the left wall in glass boxes there are different 

views of the heart in which a normal view of the heart, 

a heart cut in half to see the inside, and then a view of 

how the main artery pumps through the heart. Across 

the walls related facts are placed, one stating “All of the 

human body’s blood is pumped through the heart every 

sixty seconds.” For the next room in the exhibit, the 

bodies’ arteries and veins are enclosed in glass cases 

with such immaculate detail it’s amazing how well they 

could be preserved. Paint was run through the bodies’ 

circulatory system and then the real body disintegrated 

to only leave the paint. This half of the tour into the 

human body concludes with the full body in blood vessels 

of veins and arteries. 

After gaining this much larger understanding of the 

human body, the exhibit begins to show exactly what 

treating your body badly really does to it. On the left a 

large box with discarded cigarette packs stands next to a 

quote, “Every pack of cigarettes takes two and a half 

minutes off life expectancy.” This room shows half of 

the room with healthy lungs and blood flow. The other 

half of the room shows tightened and blackened lungs, 

cancerous tissue in the lungs and tongue, and other respiratory 

diseases. An observer sarcastically exclaims, 

According to German researchers, the risk of 

heart attack is higher on Monday than 

any other day of the week. 

“Really makes you wanna light up.” 

The next room focuses on the effects of drug and alcohol 

abuse, particularly on the liver. A regular liver 

appears next to one with cirrhosis, a disease in which the 

liver darkens and cannot filter what goes through it anymore. 

Next, the problems of heart disease are examined 

within obesity and high cholesterol. An overweight 

woman cut in sections to view the outer and inner 

effects of obesity on the body. Fat pockets around the 

breasts, stomach, buttocks, and thighs show the inner 

fatty deposits and damage being done on the inside. 

Another room shows the male and female reproductive 

organs along with diseases such as cervical and breast 

cancer, testicular cancer, prostate cancer, and kidney 

stones. After that, the fetus is displayed at the different 

stages of development from six to thirty six weeks of 

time. Also, this room shows some birth defects such as 

the intestinal tract forming outside of the fetus and conjoined 

twins. 

Finally, the last room shows how the specimens were 

created. First dipped in acetone and polymer then sealed 

in a vacuum, which allows the acetone to leave the body 

creating a polymer that never dissolves creating a permanent 

preservation. After viewing this exhibition I felt 

a much greater understanding of my own body and how 

decisions I make affect my body either positively or 

negatively.

In New York State, hit-and-run accidents are 

punishable by at least a $500 fine plus damages 

- in cases where no one is injured. 

Safety 

First 

DANGEROUS MOTOR 

VEHICLE ACCIDENT 

LOCATIONS DRAW FOCUS 

By Frances Torres 

Since Spring semester 

2004, 184 motor vehicle 

CONTRIBUTING WRITER 

accidents have been 

reported on the Ammerman Campus. Out of these 

reported accidents, 14 involved personal injuries, while 

all the others included damage to vehicles. 

The hit and run accidents occurring on campus mainly 

occurred in parking lots. According to the Motor 

Vehicle Accident Public Safety Report, the most common 

hit and run parking area is Parking Lot Fields 8A- 

8E, with 33 reported motor vehicle accidents, and no 

noted personal injury. Since 2005, the average time of 

the day accidents happened in parking lot 8, was in the 

late afternoon, close to 3:30 p.m. 

Parking lot 8, fields A-E are located north of the 

College Road entrance, and are convenient parking lots 

for students attending classes in the Southampton and 

Riverhead buildings. The road that wraps around the 

fields is a two lane, one way road. 

Another parking lot known for a high number of accidents 

is parking lot 3. Lot 3 is the main parking lot for 

access, for both students and professors, to the Islip Arts 

building, Ammerman/Administration building, and the 

Babylon Student Center. 

Parking Lot 1, located off College Road, in the Annex 

has the least number of reported accidents. During the 

winter, it may seem like a burden to walk back and forth 

to the Annex, but in the spring the sidewalk that runs 

from the Annex to the Southampton Building has a nice 

scenic view. It may seem like quite the walk to the Islip 

building, but in the long run it may prevent you from 

having an accident. 

As for the entrance roads, the Nichols Road traffic circle 

entrance had seven accidents reported to Public 

Safety. Seven is a surprisingly low number for a traffic 

circle with a 15 mile per hour speed limit that no one 

seems to abide by. The College Road entrance had only 

three reported accidents since 2004. 

Public safety warnings suggest it would be in a driver’s 

best interest to be more alert when driving on campus. 

Follow the speed limit, obey pedestrian crossings, and it 

may seem old fashioned, but actually come to a complete 

STOP at a stop sign. 

If you do find yourself in a motor vehicle accident 

(with NO personal injury) on campus, call Public Safety 

at 631-451-4242. The driver of the vehicles involved in 

the accident should be present, and for insurance and 

record purposes, photographs of the damage should be 

taken as well. 

NEWS 


AMMERMAN CAMPUS SECURITY REPORT 

1/12/07 - Custodial van was scratched on the loading dock at the Riverhead Building. 

1/16/07 – One-car motor vehicle accident at Riverhead Building. Driver accidentally stepped on gas instead of brake and hit guardrail. 

No injuries. 

1/22/07 - New textbooks were stolen out of a female student’s car in Parking Lot 6 after the perpetrator broke her car window in order to 

gain access. 

1/22/07 - Between Jan. 16 and Jan. 19 two heating coils were stolen from Room 42 of the Babylon Student Center. Heating coils 

weighed approximately 150 pounds each and had a value of $5,000. 

1/23/07 - Two students were observed making out on top of a table in the Babylon Student Center. The weight of the students on the 

table caused one of the legs to bend. One witness stated in the Incident Report that the girl on the table was not wearing any shoes or 

socks and had put her feet on the table. 

1/23/07 – Hit-and-run motor vehicle accident in Parking Lot 5. White sport utility vehicle hit the front passenger side of victim’s car and 

then fled the scene. 

1/24/07 - Single car involved in motor vehicle accident while driving on West St. Student allegedly ran over black ice, hit the curb, and 

swerved across the street, driving up a hill and finally hitting a tree where the car came to a stop. 

1/24/07 - Two unoccupied cars struck each other in Parking Lot 2 while both drivers were in class. One car had rolled into the other car 

and caused minor damage. 

1/24/07 – Hit-and-run, parked car was hit behind driver’s side door. Student discovered the damage when he was about to leave school. 

Occurred in Parking Lot 3A. 

1/24/07 – Driver side window was broken on student’s car in Parking Lot 7, but no items were stolen. 

1/24/07 – Complaint was lodged against a student who was wearing a belt made of bullets. It was discovered that the bullets were not 

live and student was asked not to wear it to school again. 

1/24/07 – Student went to Lost and Found to inquire about a fleece and cell phone he had claimed were taken from the cafeteria. Fleece 

was recovered but cell phone was not although it was in the 

pocket of the fleece. 

1/24/07 – Student discovered the driver’s side window of his 

Ford Explorer was smashed when he returned to Parking Lot 7 

later in the day. Two five-dollar bills were taken from the 

vehicle during the incident. 

1/25/07 – Student discovered her car had damage on both the 

driver and passenger side doors. Car parked to the left of the 

damaged vehicle in Parking Lot 8C had paint on the bumper 

that matched the victim’s car’s color. Student then called cam- 

pus security to wait for driver of the other car to arrive. 

1/29/07 – Two-car motor vehicle accident after one car failed 

to obey a stop sign in Parking Lot 7. 

1/29/07 – Allegedly a suspicious black male was following a 

female student in the vicinity of the Southampton Building at 

9:50 p.m. After entering building she lost sight of him and con- 

tacted security. 

1/30/07 – Student had a wallet in his jacket on a table in 

Cafeteria, and discovered later his wallet was missing. 

Photo By Jason Gerhard 

1/30/07 – One student alleged that another student was following her around campus and harassing her. Both parties were told to leave 

each other alone and to contact security for any problems in the future. 

1/31/07 – Two-car motor vehicle accident in Parking Lot 5. Minor damage was done to both cars after the vehicle struck a parked car 

while the driver was attempting to pull into a parking spot. 

1/31/07 – Three males were observed carrying a computer monitor on the pathway behind the Marshall Building out to Parking Lot 7. 

All security was called to the area but did not find anyone to apprehend. 

2/1/07 – Three-car accident occurred after one student was unable to stop and hit the back of the car in front of him, which in turn caused 

the car in front to rear-end another car in front of them in Parking Lot 8B. 

2/1/07 - In Parking Lot 8D security observed a vehicle attempting to cross from Lot 8D to Lot 8E via the grass. However, the attempt 

was unsuccessful and the vehicle was backed down into Lot 8D. 

2/01/07 – Two white males were seen pulling up on the door handles of cars in Parking Lot 8E. One was wearing a gray hooded sweat- 

shirt the other was wearing an orange hooded sweatshirt and a red backpack. 

2/2/07 – A gold Nissan Maxima was allegedly keyed while in Parking Lot 1 on Jan. 30. Insurance company estimated the damage to be 

approximately $2,800. 

2/5/07 – An info booth worker was playing flute in the cafeteria after being told numerous times to stop. Person was finally stopped 

from playing. 

2/6/07 – Three-car accident occurred near Parking Lot 5 and North Rd. One student hit another student’s car, which in turn hit a third 

car. Students from cars one and two were taken to Stony Brook Hospital by ambulance, car three drove away from scene after filing all 

necessary paperwork. 

2/6/07 – On Feb. 5 a student’s lug nuts were allegedly loosened as if someone had attempted to steal the tire, which had happened once 

before. Security advised her to obtain a parking pass. 

2/6/07 – An alleged student refused to show his ID when entering Academic Computer Lab. After security arrived he eventually left but 

stated he never has to show his ID at the lab. 

2/7/07 – A faculty member witnessed a blue Chrysler backing into a post and chain on Ross Rd. This collision caused minor damage to 

the driver’s side rear fender. 

2/8/07 – The easel, chain, and sign in the game area of the Cafeteria were reported stolen. 

2/08/07 – Student discovered his truck in Parking Lot 8C had been splashed with paint on the driver’s side and back windows. 


DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Something funny is happening 

to me, and I’d like to know what it is. When I lie in 

bed at night, my legs feel like they’re getting electric 

shocks. I have to get up and walk around to get the 

shocks to stop. When I finally get to sleep, my husband 

says my legs jerk during the night. What’s going on? 

— L.B. 

ANSWER: You’re the victim of two separate but often 

linked conditions — restless leg syndrome and periodic 

limb movements of sleep. Don’t think you’re alone. 

More than 12 million Canadians and Americans contend 

with the same problems. 

Restless leg syndrome consists of peculiar sensations 

in the legs when they are resting, mostly at night in 

bed. Some describe the sensations as insects crawling 

under the skin. Others feel them as shocks or burning 

pain. All must get up and move about to get rid of the 

sensations. Most people with the syndrome are in good 

health. However, iron deficiency can be part of the picture, 

and you should be checked for it. Pregnant 

women also come down with restless legs. It goes once 

they deliver. 

Periodic limb movements of sleep are jerking movements 

of the legs that last from minutes to hours. The 

bed partner is more aware of them than is the person 

whose legs are jumping about. 

One new medicine for the treatment of both is Requip. 

It restores the normal amount of the brain chemical 

dopamine. The same family of medicines to which 

Requip belongs is used for Parkinson’s disease. Neither 

of these sleep disturbances is related to Parkinson’s. 

Other Parkinson’s medicines can also be tried. 

If you smoke, stop. If you drink alcohol, don’t, or at 

least don’t drink after dinner. Don’t drink caffeinated 

beverages after 12 p.m. 

The restless leg syndrome booklet explains this peculiar 

phenomenon in detail. Readers can order a copy by 

writing: Dr. Donohue — No. 306W, Box 536475, 

Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money 

order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6.75 Canada with the 

recipient’s printed name and address. 

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My daughter is 31 and has 

been married for two years. She and her husband want 

to start a family. She asked if she had been vaccinated 

for German measles. I don’t remember, and the doctor 

who took care of our family has died. I tried to get his 

records before but couldn’t. 

Should she get a vaccination now? Is there any way to 

determine if she has been vaccinated? — B.Z. 

ANSWER: German measles is now called rubella. It 

isn’t a terribly serious infection, but it is terribly serious 

to a fetus. If a pregnant woman is infected with it, 

the baby might be born with many malformations — 

cataracts, heart disease, deafness and other defects. 

There is a test to determine if a person was previously 

vaccinated. A blood specimen can be taken and analyzed 

for antibodies. If she doesn’t have rubella antibodies, 

she should get the vaccine. 

Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual 

letters, but he will incorporate them in his column 

whenever possible. Readers may write him or 


NEWS 


TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH 

BY PAUL G. DONOHUE, M.D. 

request an order form of available health newsletters at 

P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Readers 

may also order health newsletters from www.rbmamall.com. 

(c) 2007 North America Syndicate 

All Rights Reserved 

Upcoming Events 

BY CHERIE MANIACI 

Real World Key West Participant to Discuss Anorexia, 

Eating Disorders 

Many people in their late teens and early twenties battle 

weight issues and eating disorders every day of their lives. 

These issues are not something that one easily overcomes 

alone. This battle could last years, and some people never 

defeat it. On Wednesday Feb. 21 in the Montauk Point 

Room in the Babylon Student Center CAB will be sponsoring 

a lecture during Common Hour (11am-12:15pm) on 

anorexia. Paula Maronek from MTV’s Real World Key 

West who has dealt with the issue herself will speak to the 

campus community on this topic. 

Italian Carnival Set for Feb. 28 

Are you interested in the Italian culture? On Wednesday, 

Feb. 28 during Common Hour, the Italian Club will be 

hosting an Italian Carnival. The Carnival will be taking 

place in the Islip Arts building in Room 105. The club will 

have displays of masks and costumes that are a part of the 

Italian culture. Food tasting of some popular Italian dishes 

will also be available. If you have an interest in learning 

about Italy and the culture of their nation, come on down 

to the Italian Carnival. 

DEAR DIANE: 

My 16-year-old son, “Dylan,” is very mature for his 

age — or rather he matured early. He looks like a 

college student instead of a teenager. He is also a 

handsome young man. As a result, he has no trouble 

finding young women to date. 

Which brings me to my dilemma. I know for a fact 

that Dylan is out having sex with these women — 

mostly college co-eds, I might add. I don’t approve 

of his promiscuity, but there’s no way I can stop him. 

Oh sure, I could lock him in his bedroom until he’s 

18, but honestly ... 

How can I make sure that Dylan is always using the 

proper protection so he doesn’t get some girl pregnant 

or catch some horrible disease? Right now, I 

don’t know if he’s protecting himself, and I am 

scared to death of what could happen. 

For me, it’s not a matter of “if” but “when” the horrible 

becomes reality. Any help you can give me would 

be appreciated. 

— CRINGING IN CARLSBAD 

For a complete archive of auto 

accidents from 2004 and earlier, 

as well as other accident information, visit 

http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/stats-arc.htm. 

County Holds State 

Speed-Related 

Accident Record 

By Frances Torres Navigating through the campus 

is an adventure in itself, 


but trying to navigate through 

the campus safely is an entirely different situation. Whether 

you are dodging drivers who are trying to run you down 

while you are crossing in the crosswalk or working hard to 

avoid an accident with those campus speed demons, the 

fact remains: automobile-related accidents on campus are 

occurring in increased numbers, and in one recent situation, 

an accident was fatal. 

Last semester 18-year-old student Orlando Dastas was 

killed on College Road after leaving the campus during 

common hour. Police reports reveal that Dastas lost control 

of his car, crashed, and was killed. 

Dastas is not the only student killed in a car accident 

where speeding may have been a factor. In 2004, 24-yearold 

student John Soltan was killed after leaving the Club 

4040 in Chelsea. Police reports indicated Soltan was driving 

at a high speed when he lost control of his car and 

struck a curb. In an article that was published by Newsday 

on May 17, 2004, the police said that the 2004 Hyundai 

that Soltan was driving flew into the air, crashed down on 

the exit ramp, then plowed through a 3-foot-brick wall. The 

vehicle then tumbled down an embankment, partially ejecting 

Soltan through the vehicle’s sun roof. 

A 2005 report from the National Highway Safety 

Transportation Administration stated that 46 people have 

been killed in speed-related accidents in Suffolk County, 

which has the highest fatality rate in New York State based 

on speed-related deaths. In another report, this one by the 

National Center for Statistical Analysis, in 2003 39 percent 

of male drivers and 24 percent of female drivers aged 15- 

20 where among those killed in speeding accidents and 35 

percent of men and 21 percent of women aged 21-24 were 

also killed in the same manner. 

Dear Diane 

BY DIANE VERHOEVEN 

DEAR CRINGING: 

You already know the solution, but if you need me to 

say it, so be it: 

TALK TO YOUR SON! 

Sit him down and calmly but firmly explain to him 

that you are aware of his sexual activity. Let Dylan 

know that although you do not approve of him “sowing 

his wild oats,” you are also aware that you are 

powerless to do anything about it. 

That said, ask him if he always uses protection. Also 

tell him that if he isn’t or doesn’t know how to use it, 

you will either give him the information and the condoms, 

or set up a meeting with your family doctor to 

explain everything (including STDs). 

Good luck. I’m sure a straightforward talk will help 

alleviate some of your worries. 

Send letters to Diane c/o King Features Weekly 

Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. 

Or you may e-mail her at dianeadvice@yahoo.com. 

(c) 2007 King Features Synd., Inc.

Last year, the Army recruited 

80,635 troops after raising enlistment 

bonuses to as much as 

$40,000. It also bumped the age 

limit twice. 

By Angela Arena 

In this time of war, military 

service may not be the most 


enticing career choice to 

many college students, in spite of how on-campus 

recruiters might talk up all the benefits of joining the 

armed forces. 

Eutimio is twenty-four; he enlisted in the U.S. Army 

four years ago. He is aware of the risks, aware of 

increased negative opinions people have about the present 

war in Iraq, but he remains proud and satisfied about 

his decision to serve in the military, even after seeing 

tours of duty in both Afghanistan and Iraq. 

He is wearing a black, Metallica t-shirt stretched tightly 

across his chest and arms. His black hair is gelled 

straight up and the way it curls back resembles devil’s 

horns. He’s got dirt under his nails that looks like it’s 

been there for weeks. He reaches across the table to 

where I’m sitting and the button-down shirt he’s wearing 

loosely over the t-shirt lifts up and a large skull with 

crossed guns beneath it pokes out from his forearm. It 

says, “Afghanistan and Vietnam.” 

COMPASS: What does that tattoo mean? 

EUTIMIO: This one? He pointed to his left forearm. 

It’s in memory of my time in Afghanistan and my 

father’s time in Vietnam. It’s supposed to be the skeleton 

of a soldier. 

COM: Why did you join the army? 

EUT: I joined the army on January 15, 2002 because I 

wanted to go fight overseas after 9/11. I was at my deadend 

job stocking produce in the front of the store when 

I got the news that it happened. The rest of the day is 

kind of a blur and the only images I can really remember 

from that day are those towers falling. I remember 

feeling helpless and useless. I was two years removed 

from high school and realized that these feelings were 

not new to me; they had been there my whole life. The 

next day I went to my local recruiter and signed up. It 

took four months for my paperwork to be processed 

because of the high volume of applications. The army 

picked me up on January 15th, 2002 and my career in 

the army began. 

COM: What is your rank? 

EUT: Right now I am a sergeant and Infantry Squad 

Leader. Next month I will be promoted to Staff Sergeant 

and Infantry Squad Leader. I have two teams and two 

NCOs (non-commissioned officer) beneath me, which 

means in combat I am directly responsible for eight 

lives. 

COM: How has going overseas changed you? 

EUT: For my first tour in Afghanistan I was naïve and 

I guess immature. Obviously when you first join the 

army you’re still very young, and you’re kind of dumb, 

and it took me a while to adjust. It wasn’t like I was a 

natural right away or “shit hot,” as we call it here. I had 

a team leader that was from the First Ranger Battalion 

and he squared me away. He trained me and sat me 

down and made me become a soldier. When I came back 

from Afghanistan I had a real big chip on my shoulder. 

Then I changed units from 2/87 Infantry to 1/71 

OPINION 


Tours of Duty and No Regrets 

Infantry… 

When I went to 1/71 I got promoted partly because of 

my potential and partly because of my combat experience 

in Afghanistan. It made me grow up a little bit. 

After my first tour I was on the brink of becoming an 

alcoholic and I had to fix that. I progressed from being 

a soldier to being someone who mentors, trains and 

leads other soldiers. Being promoted made me mature 

and now I can handle stress a lot better and I am a lot 

more patient. During my first tour I was 21-22 years old. 

During my second, I was 23-24. Now that I’m back 

from Iraq, I’m turning 25 and I think it, you know, it 

made me slow down on a lot of things in my personal 

life. My time in Iraq and Afghanistan has made me realize 

that you shouldn’t stress over small things you can’t 

control. You work with what you got and you do the best 

you can. The army is a big part of my life. I realize my 

family and friends get bored with my army talk, but they 

ask me what I do all day and ninety-percent of it has to 

“ THEY SHOULDN’T 

JOIN BECAUSE SOME 

RECRUITER IS 

TELLING THEM TO... 

THEY SHOULD JOIN 

BECAUSE THEY WANT 

TO. ” 

do with the military so I’ve tried to change that. 

COM: How do you feel about the army now than compared 

to when you first joined? 

EUT: When I first joined it wasn’t fun because when 

you’re in the infantry, it’s a very testosterone-driven 

type of organization. In the infantry there’s a saying, 

‘you drink, fight and fuck,’ and everybody believes in it. 

When you’re a private, a lot of units like to do an induction 

where they “smoke their soldiers.” They make them 

do exercises like pushups and different things until 

they’re on the brink of wanting to quit. They’re training 

their soldiers young to show that your mind may want 

you to quit, but your body can keep going further. That’s 

the whole purpose. It wasn’t fun in the beginning. 

Honestly, if I wasn’t promoted I probably would have 

left the Army. Now that I have the experience, I realize 

there’s a satisfaction I get from the Army. I have a positive 

impact on training soldiers in becoming a good man 

and soldier. 

COM: Have your relationships and the way you view 

life changed since you joined? 

EUT: Yeah, I think it’s changed since my last deployment. 

I think the army made me grow a little more. So 

has my time in combat. You can tell when someone has 

been in the army for a while and never been overseas. 

The guys who go to war become mature, functional 

leaders or they fall off the wagon, especially the young 

ones who start drinking heavily and get in trouble. 

COM: Do you have any regrets or wish you’d done 

anything differently? 

EUT: Nope. I don’t regret it now. Joining the Army has 

made me grow up and be a more responsible person. 

COM: What are your plans for the future? 

EUT: I plan on going to Ranger School because I want 

to go for the experience and get some squad leader time. 

If I deploy as a squad leader and go to combat I’ll do 

that for a couple of years and then try to get a secret 

clearance (security clearance for military information). 

I’ll retrain myself and go to Delta Force tryouts. If I 

make it on a team, I’ll probably do twenty more years in 

the Army. If I don’t make it after this last enlistment, I’ll 

figure out what I want to do then. 

COM: How do you feel about having a wife and family 

while being in the army? 

EUT: I definitely want to have a wife while in the 

army. Why do you live if you can’t love? My philosophy 

is that doing the young-and-partying thing is all fine 

and dandy, but you reach that age when you realize 

there’s more to life than sex and alcohol. My girlfriend 

and I are talking about getting married now. 

COM: What are the downsides to being in the Army? 

EUT: You relinquish all your rights to defend the rights 

of the people of the United States. So in essence, you 

sacrifice a lot of the rights you’re defending like 

Freedom of Speech and the freedom to go where you 

want. In the army you can’t always say what’s on your 

mind and you can’t do what you want. If the Army says 

you’re not going to drink, you’re not. If the Army says 

you’re not going to leave your post, you’re not. If you 

do, the consequences are very serious. This is service. 

COM: What would you tell younger men who are 

looking to enlist? 

EUT: I honestly think the army is good for people. 

Some aren’t cut out for it, but if your heart is in the right 

place you’ll do just fine. I think that they shouldn’t listen 

to the news and people protesting the war. They 

shouldn’t join because some recruiter is telling them to 

or because they hear my stories and think it’s cool. They 

should join because they want to. Being a part of serving 

your country and being in the military is one of the 

most noble professions in the world because it carries 

such pride and honor. Some people come here with the 

wrong mind set, no integrity, honor, character and personal 

courage and they disgrace themselves in the unit 

and it makes their lives miserable. But if you want to 

join, you have to make sure you’re doing it for the right 

reasons for you. Have some honor about it because if 

you think you’re going to ride the army, you may do it 

for a little while but eventually its going to catch up with 

you. If you’re willing to die for your country for whatever 

cause and you believe it its noble enough, then join. 

It’s your choice. It’s a volunteer army. 


By Amos DeSouza Jr. 

When someone asks you 

if you are “saved” what 

STAFF WRITER 

does that mean? What 

does it mean to be saved? How do I know I'm saved? 

What must I do to be saved? 

The word saved has many connotations; you can 

save somebody form making a mistake by counseling 

them, a fireman can save somebody by pulling them 

out of a fire; there are several more examples. 

However when somebody asks if you are saved they 

are referring to the salvation of your soul. They are 

asking you if you are delivered from the power and 

the consequences of sin; are you ready for the return 

of Jesus Christ who is coming back for a people who 

have made themselves ready? The sighs of the times 

in the Bible lets us know that the coming of Christ is 

near and only those who have the Spirit of Christ and 

have been baptized in the name of Jesus and repented 

of their sins will be caught up to be with the Lord of 

Glory forever. We all have souls; your body is just a 

shell or a covering, but if that body were to perish 

you have a soul that will either go to heaven or hell 

depending on if you were saved. 

One might say, Well I don't need to be saved, I'm a 

good person; but the Bible says in Romans 3 verses 

10 and 23, "As it is written, there is none righteous, 

no not one." 23 "For all have sinned and come short 

of the glory of God." Don't be deceived; many people 

have said, if I just am a good person I'll make it to 

heaven, or if I donate money to the church and bake 

a cake for the homeless, I'll make it. That's not 

enough. You can do all that and still not be saved the 

bible declares without his Spirit you are none of his. 

If you take another look at Genesis chapter three you 

can read about how man felt toward sin and was separated 

from the love and fellowship of God. Romans 

5:19 says "For as by one man's disobedience many 

were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall 

many be made righteous." So because of Adam's sin 

in the garden, all men were made sinners; but because 

of Jesus' obedience unto the grave and the cross we 

can be made righteous. I am so glad that Jesus is a 

God of grace and mercy, thank God for second 

chances. God cared so much for us that he sent himself; 

there was nobody good enough, there wasn't a 

prophet good enough to take away the sins of the 

world. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice without spot or 

blemish. God wrapped himself up in flesh and 

stepped down through forty and two generations so 


OPINION According 


Take Another Look 

that you and I might have the right to the tree of life. 

When you read the old testament you can see how 

the priest sacrificed bulls and goats and lambs for 

man's sin, but that wasn't good enough so Jesus our 

God shed his own blood to redeem us from sin. The 

bible declares, "Without the shedding of blood is no 

remission of sin." The Gospels tell us how they condemned 

King Jesus and delivered him unto the 

Gentiles to mock and to scourge him and how they 

crucified him upon an old rugged cross. But he hung 

on all because he loved us; so because he shed his 

blood on Calvary and defeated hell and the grave and 

rose again on the third day with all power, we can 

now have eternal life. 

There are many false doctrines out there and all 

types of dogma about salvation, however the Apostle 

Paul says in Galatians 1:8 "But though we, or an 

angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you 

than that which we have preached unto you, let him 

be accursed." The word accursed here in this text 

means eternally condemned. This tells us that there 

is only one teaching; there is only one Gospel; anything 

else is not of God; and if any man come with 

any other doctrine he will be accursed. Acts 2:42 

tells us they continued in the apostles' doctrine and 

fellowship. 

The question still stands, What must I do to be 

saved? If you take another look at Acts 2:37, a man 

has a very similar question on the day of Pentecost. 

After Peter finished preaching, the man had a question 

he said to Peter, What shall we do? He wanted to 

know how could he be saved. Peter responds in verse 

38 and says, "Repent and be baptized. Everyone of 

you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of 

sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." 

The first step to being saved is repentance; we must 

repent. Repentance means you have a change of 

mind and heart and consist of feeling sorry for our 

sins and asking God to forgive us." 

When we repent we confess with our mouths Jesus 

is Lord. However you can't stop at repentance. Peter 

then says, "And be baptized everyone of you in the 

name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." If 

you are not baptized in the name of Jesus, you still 

have sin; the word remission means removal so when 

you are baptized in the name of Jesus, the blood of 

Christ washes away your sins. You cannot be saved 

without baptism. It is a major part of salvation. Some 

to a 2000 study, 33% of 

the world is Christian, 19.6% is 

Muslim, and 13.4% are Hindu. 

Non-religious groups form 12.7%; 

all others hold less than 7%. 

ARE YOU SAVED? ONE PERSON’S 

UNIQUE TAKE ON RELIGION 

might say I was sprinkled or splashed, but the bible 

tells us baptism is a burial your entire body must go 

under the water. When you bury somebody, you don't 

just put dirt on their head but you put their whole 

body under the ground. 

Baptism must be done in the name of Jesus, the 

power is in the name. The father, son and holy ghost 

are not names, they are titles -- all of those titles are 

contained in Jesus. The Bible says in Colossians 2:9: 

"For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the God head 

bodily." You can look through the entire book of Acts 

of the Apostles and you will find that every soul was 

baptized in the name of Jesus. And you must receive 

the gift of the Holy Ghost and you know you have it 

when you hear yourself speak in other tongues as the 

Spirit gives utterance. The tongues is the evidence 

that God abides on the inside of you. 

If you take another look at Acts 2:4, you can see 

when they were filled with the Holy Ghost, they 

began to speak with other tongues. A soul cannot be 

saved without receiving the Holy Ghost. 

Are you saved according to God's word if not there 

is only but one decree the lake of fire that burns forever 

with fire and brimstone; and the sad part about 

hell is that once you get in you can't get out. You don't 

have to suffer in hell; it was designed for Satan and 

his angels. All God asks of you is that you obey his 

word and praise him. Come to Jesus as you are you 

might be saying I'm a young man or I'm a young 

woman I'll get saved when I'm thirty or thirty-five; 

but tomorrow is not promised God could come 

tonight in the rapture or you might die in an accident 

and be cut off in your sins. 

Once you close your eyes for the last time nobody 

can help you; young people die every single day, but 

you have to make sure you're ready. What would be 

your excuse if God came tonight and you had to stand 

before him in judgment? There would be nothing left 

to be said. You would be left without excuse and he 

will say unto, "Depart from me ye that work iniquity 

I never knew, cursed ye into everlasting fire."

New York State legislature hasn’t 

yet decided on whether to adopt 

or reject the national I.D. card. OPINION 

T 

he views expressed in the Compass Opinion 

pages are representative of the individuals 

who wrote them unless otherwise noted. 

Compass publishes Letters to the Editor regardless of 

age, race, religion, ethnicity, sex, or sexual orientation. 

Compass does, however, reserve the right to 

edit such letters for grammar, spelling, length, or 

continuity reasons. 

WRITE TO US 

CompassStaff@hotmail.com 

CALL US 

451-4826 

STAFF 

Editor-in-Chief: Rosemarie Cote 

Managing Editor/Layout Editor: 

Mike DeVine 

News Editor: Jason Gerhard 

A&E/Features Editor: Christina 

Peters 

Sports Editor: Shaun Morash 

Copy Editors: Rosemarie Cote, 

Mike Devine 

Staff Photographers: Austin 

Miller, Mike DeVine, Jason 

Gerhard, Rosemarie Cote, 

Shaun Morash 

Staff Writers: Dan Carpio, Joel 

Maler, Brian Schultz, Amos 

DeSouza Jr. 

Contributing Writers: Michelle 

McDonough, Angela Arena, 

Frances Torres, Brian Mingus, 

Danielle Gillam 

Staff Advisor: Darren Johnson 


Was Mathematics Created 

or Discovered? 

By Rosemarie Cote 

Throughout history many 

philosophers have pondered 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 

the mysteries of the universe. 

"What are we? What is truth, and how do we prove it? 

What is the universe?" These are a few of the questions 

brought to the philosophical table by Thales, who was 

arguably the first philosopher. These fundamental questions 

have brought about all kinds of interpretations of 

the universe, but most importantly arose the question: 

What is mathematics and why does it work; why does 

mathematics describe the physical world so well? 

Some people accept the concept of mathematics simply 

as a logical numeric system of formulas and processes of 

trial and error, and leave it at that. However, philosophers 

on the other hand, since as early as Thales time in ~585 

B.C., have been trying to figure out the underlying mystery 

as to why it does indeed work, and why logic even 

exists. 

Western philosophers in history developed theories 

indicating how they viewed the world in an objective 

manner. Although this also included dualistic beliefs of 

there being two aspects to reality, the mind and the body, 

they mainly believed that everything in the physical 

world and the mental world can be broken down into a 

materialism/reductionism philosophy. In other words, 

they believed that mathematics is a creation of the mental 

combined with the physical world. 

This still leaves the question of why mathematics 

describes the physical world so well wide open for investigation. 

Eastern philosophers mainly saw the world as 

subjective, such as Idealism, which is the theory that the 

mind gives rise to the body. This geographic area of 

philosophers focused mainly on a more spiritual and 

metaphysical angle of their theories. 

Platonism is one of the theories I agree with because it 

states mathematics was discovered; it exists in a different 

world, the mental world, and the physical world is just a 

By Jason Gerhard Maine has become the first 

state to offically reject the 

NEWS EDITOR 

National ID card. The 

American Civil Liberties Union has predicted that this is 

just the begining of a cascade of refusals. Both chambers 

of the state legislature appproved a non bid-binding 

resolution that rejected compliance with the Real ID Act 

of 2005. The Senate passed the resolution unanimously; 

the House legislature voted 137 to 4 in favor of the 

resolution. 

The Real ID Act of 2005 standardizes the design, 

issuance and management of state driver’s licenses. In 

essence creating a uniform identifcation card, as well as 

a corresponding national database storing sensitive 

poor copy of the perfect mental world. 

I disagree entirely with David Hilbert, a philosopher 

who came up with the idea of Formalism, saying that 

mathematics is just a game. If that were true than why 

does it work out perfectly no matter what language you 

speak, or what part of the world you live in? 

Mathematics is the only thing in the world that, throughout 

time, proves itself to just be; mathematics just is and 

always was. 

I believe the entire world was created based on a specific 

design by God, and that is why our brains are only 

capable of understanding up to a certain extent of its 

mysterious universal logic and why it works. In the Bible 

it states that God made man in his image, therefore it's 

safe to conclude that human beings are just a poor copy 

of the perfect being. When taking that into perspective, 

it's easy to comprehend how the physical world is just a 

poor copy of the perfect mental/spiritual world. The 

physical world is to the spiritual world what man is to 

God: A poor copy. Hence my agreeing with philosophers 

like Plato and his idea that a perfect circle does somehow 

exist, but we just can't have it in the physical. 

Basically, I believe that mathematics was discovered, 

and we can only understand certain aspects of it through 

a mixture of Intuitionalism, Spiritualism, Platonism, and 

theories similar to those. Everything about mathematics 

must be metaphysical; I don't see any other possible 

explanation. 

Also, I think that mathematics ultimately disproves the 

theory of evolution. Just knowing that mathematics 

describes every last detail of everything living and nonliving 

thing on the planet down to a perfect preciseness 

proves that there is a universal grand design of the world 

that only the mental, or spiritual parts of our being can 

sense, and somewhat interpret, while we remain in the 

physical world. 

Maine Says No to Real ID 

information on every single American. 

Residents that choose not to participate in the program 

would be unable to use their driver’s licenses for any 

activities that require federally accepted identification 

such as boarding planes, collecting federal benefits, and 

entering federal buildings. 

To Learn more about how Real ID will affect you visit 

www.realnightmare.org 

For text of the actual resolution: http://www.mainesenate.org/mitchell/realid.htm 



OPINION 


Flecker Gallery Tillim Exhibit 

Gets NY Times Mention 

By Jason Gerhard Artist Sidney Tillim's work 

featuring paint-soaked paper 

NEWS EDITOR 

towels will be on display at the 

Maurice N. Flecker Gallery located in the Southampton 

Building through Feb. 23. 

Since Tillim's death in 2001, his work has disappeared in 

many galleries. The exhibit has been reviewed in The New 

York Times by Benjamin Genocchio on Feb. 11, who 

wrote a critique ending with the words, "Much of the artwork 

here genuinely deserves to be better known". 

Tillim's works at the exhibit include works such as "First 

Prime" (1987), "Lovely #2" (1987), "Screen" (1987), 

"Television" (1987), "Dilderot in Hawaii" (1988), "Stacked 

Deck", "Fast Shuffle" (1990), and "The Secret of the 

Guardians" (1992). 

Tillim was born in Brooklyn in 1925, and soon moved to 

Norfolk, Virginia, where he grew up. After spending three 

years in Europe while serving in the Army in World War II, 

he went to school at Syracuse University. Initially studying 

journalism, then moving to the fine arts, he graduated 

in 1950 and moved to New York to pursue his love of art. 

At first his desire was greater than his ability in realist 

painting, forcing him to return to teaching in college in 

order to make a living. At the same time he worked as an 

editor and art critic. 

One day while he was painting in his Chelsea studio, he 

accidentally kicked over a bucket of blue paint. In the 

process of cleaning it up with paper towels he noticed how 

the paint soaked into the paper, rapidly saturating it. This 

event led to his experimentation with paint soaked pieces 

of paper towel on canvas. The exhibit is open to everyone 

free of charge. For more information call 631 451-4093. 

The Southhampton Building’s 

gallery plays host to a variety or 

work from SCCC students, faculty, 

and occasionally off-campus 

talent, usually free of charge. 

WORK ON VIEW IN SOUTHAMPTON BUILDING THROUGH FEB. 23 

By Gunnar Wahlsteen 

Since the opening of the 

cafeteria this semester, a 


new gaming area has been 

created by the staff to bring the "Gamers" together into 

one area for their gaming needs. However seven out of 

ten people I polled think this is a poor idea at best. 

The largest complaint about the new area is combining 

card gamers and board gamers with video gamers. "The 

video gamers are way to noisy, and it's impossible to 

play a game." This was mentioned by a lot of people and 

seems to be the common reason for some why it's not 

right; they feel they need to go to the new serenity space 

to play their game. "Who assigned this? This is the student 

center of the school, and it seems like none of the 

students had a say on it." Al Johnson said after bringing 

up the question, "What right do they have? It's a social 

Photo By Jason Gerhard Photo By Jason Gerhard 

Is This Really Necessary? 

block and almost like segregation." 

Others like John Earl said, "It's horrible, during a time 

like common hour the whole cafeteria is being used and 

the only open tables are in the gaming area, and since 

I'm not playing a game, I get a rough time about it." 

James Kennedy at the same time mentioned, "I'm going 

to eat here regardless." However he also had some 

things to say in favor of the idea. 

Now knowing the common complaint about why people 

disliked the area, a search for a positive voice was 

needed, and though one was found, she still believed 

changes are needed for it to work. "The new plug outlets 

are a plus, and I can find my friends easier." This was 

said by Coral Kopetz when asked about it, however she 

and Kerri Warasila agreed that the area is too open, and 

would be nicer if it were its own room like the teachers 

lounge is. Another voice for the idea was from 

Lawrance E. Drexel Jr., "I wish they'd clean up after 

themselves, but I can see that it's nice if someone doing 

a paper on their laptop can use one of the outlets out 

here without being next to all the games and will be able 

to find the outlets needed as well." 

However even though people liked and disliked the 

concept, all agreed on one thing, it isn't working. "It's a 

waste of time;, some people will play there and others 

won't. It isn't working and useless," Krystal Diaz replied 

when asked; and if it's not working, what would work? 

Coral Kopetz says, "Nothing will, you just can't please 

everyone."

After one week, Music and Lyrics’ total box 

office gross is $21,404,090. Its opening weekend 

gross was $13,623,630. 

By Rosemarie Cote 

"Music and Lyrics," which 

was originally supposed to 


be titled "Music and Lyrics 

By…" turned out to be a wonderful movie. It's funny in 

all the right places, and instantly hooks you into the 

building relationship between Drew Barrymore's character 

Sophie Fisher, and Hugh Grant's character, Alex 

Fletcher. 

Grant's character, Alex, is an 80's has-been who has 

succumbed to singing at local amusement parks and 

high school reunions. Then, the pop-singing sensation 

Cora Corman, played by Haley Bennett, proposes an 

opportunity to Alex that could turn his career around. 

Cora wants Alex to write her a hit song to record on her 

new album, and Alex agrees. However, Alex's writing 

abilities aren't exactly hit song material. This is where 

Sophie's character comes in and teams up with Alex in 

writing the perfect song for Cora. Alex and Sophie have 

a comedic connection throughout the movie, which 

almost instantly ignites the romance between them. 

I was an extra in this movie. I was placed right in front 

of the little platform at Adventureland while Hugh was 

singing. During one of the million takes of the shot of 

Hugh singing "Dance with me tonight..." (which we 

repeatedly did over and over again all week long) Hugh 

grabbed my hand, pulled me on stage and slow danced 

me throughout the duration of that song. Obviously, if 

you've seen the movie, then it's clear why they couldn't 

keep the take of us dancing. If not, it's because the scene 

would've interrupted the plot. Sophie would have been a 

little upset if the man she was falling for invites her to 

see him sing and then dances with some other girl. In the 

movie, if he were to pull 

anyone up on the stage, it 

should've been her character. 

That's also why Drew 

was pretty weird with me 

after that; I guess maybe 

she was wondering just 

why Hugh did choose to 

improvise with an extra 

rather than her. 

After we were done 

dancing, he pushed me 

toward the back of the 

stage, and then he followed. 

Now, considering 

my biggest dream since I 

was even able to dream 

was to make it as an actress, little stunned me was thinking: 

This must be it, it has to be it, this is great, but did 

I dance okay, was my hair flat, are they going to keep 

this scene in the movie, maybe now I can implement 

Hugh into my 'thanks for the award' speech (that I practice 

almost ritually after every time I drink more than 

A&E 


MUSIC AND LYRICS 

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH 

YOUR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF 

two glasses of wine)? Say something Rose, say anything, 

stop standing there awkwardly in front of him like 

a little girl. Speak Rose! 

Now, instead of saying something wonderfully clever 

like, "Isn't this the part where you kiss me?" Something 

else just happens to come out of 

mouth...Ready...Brilliant 

me...After a week of small 

talk and working so closely 

together shooting the 

same scene over and over 

again…seeing each other 

morning and night…on 

our last day together, I say: 

"Do you have any water 

back here" Yea real nice. 

He just said something 

like no sorry only one 

that's half drunk...and 

then…here's the icing on 

the cake…I was so nervous…I 

just walked away! I 

was mad at myself the 

whole rest of the day. Who 

was I to walk away from someone who has the power to 

get me in the industry, and on the last day of filming 

nonetheless? 

Now, I don't think the reports of him being drunk during 

this scene were true, though, because he didn't smell 

like alcohol (but his goofy stand-in did), and there was 

no space between our bodies while we were dancing ;-) 

so I would've smelled it, but if I had even the slightest 

idea that the half drunk 

water bottle we so 

"romantically" spoke 

about contained whiskey, 

then I would've honestly 

downed it in order to alleviate 

some of my feelings 

about walking away from 

a potentially huge opportunity. 

A few hours before we 

"checked the gates" on 

that scene, I ran into Brad 

Garret, who is most commonly 

known as Robert 

Photo Courtesy of imdb.com 

from "Everybody Loves 

Raymond." We talked for 

a while about the movie and my interest in acting but 

intent to finish school first, and all that. He then asked 

me for my phone number so we could have lunch and 

discuss the business, so I gave it to him but never 

expected him to actually call me. A week after filming 

at Adventureland wrapped, to my surprise, he called. He 

said he was in a limo with Drew and Hugh on their way 

to Manhattan and that everyone was beeping and waving 

at them. I smiled because I was privy to, in a way, 

being in that limo with them. He told me that he wanted 

me to meet them in Manhattan the next day to have 

lunch with them in between the other scenes. Sounds 

great, I said, but that I was on my way to Florida for a 

week and that he should 

call me after that. He said 

he would but he didn't call 

back right away. Then it 

was time to film the end 

of "Music and Lyrics" at 

the Nassau Coliseum, 

which was doubled by the 

outside of Madison 

Photo Courtesy of imdb.com 

Square Garden. I saw 

Brad there, tapped him on 

his shoulder and he turned 

around and said, "Hey 

Rose, how was Florida?" 

We talked for a while and 

left the lunch date tentative 

for when he came 

back to New York. 

Although I am very young and never actually pursued 

the acting business before this, I was still a bit bummed 

after the production was over and I didn't get chosen to 

replace Drew as the leading lady of the film ;-) 

You can see me in the Adventureland scene for about 

30 seconds all the way to the right. You can also see me 

at the Coliseum in the end of the movie. I am sitting 

right next to where Drew stops walking down the aisle 

of the auditorium to turn around and see Hugh singing. 

She is standing next to me, and I am sitting there with a 

white tank top on that says "PoP" on it (they made me 

wear it), and I'm chewing gum. Not exactly name in the 

credits shots but my experience with this movie taught 

me a lot. 

Now, considering all that happened to me during this 

film (dancing with Hugh, thus pissing off Drew, becoming 

friends with Brad Garret and making the cut in 2 out 

of the 5 scenes I was supposed to be in) it's safe to conclude 

that maybe I will make it some day, but I can't just 

expect a contract to fall into my lap; I actually have to 

do the auditions and stay put next time I'm in the "right 

place at the right time." Besides, I think I subconsciously 

walked away on purpose, because even though acting 

is what I ultimately wish to do and am naturally really 

good at, I just wasn't ready. I want to finish school and 

write a book or two; or who knows, maybe I'll write a 

screenplay and pave my own way into the industry from 

there. Interview with Brad Garret will be pending until 

our lunch date. 


Lost Planet: Extreme Condition couldn't have been 

more aptly named. In many ways, Capcom's latest epic 


takes some big steps forward 

in design, plot, and 

presentation. But in 

other ways, the game 

pulls a 180, and dredges up some artifacts of gaming that 

were thought to be long dead. Thankfully, the things that 

Lost Planet does right are far more numerous than the 

things the game does wrong, which in the end leaves us 

with a game that's certainly not perfect, but still manages 

to be plenty of fun. 

The game takes place on a cold wasteland of a planet, 

EDN III, which was colonized by humans over a century 

ago after the Earth became uninhabitable. After arriving, 

the colonists soon came under attack from the Akrid, 

a hostile alien life form that seems hell-bent on eradicating 

all human life on the planet. Ironically, it's from these 

enemies that the humans find a plentiful source of the 

most precious energy on the frozen planet- thermal energy. 

The main plot focuses 

around Wayne, a young 

VS suit (or giant mech) 

pilot, who combats the 

Akrid alongside his 

father- also a VS pilot. 

One day, Wayne's team is 

ambushed by a giant 

Akrid called the green 

eye, who kills Wayne's 

father and almost wipes 

out him as well. 

Fortunately, Wayne survives 

and is taken in by a 

group of new-age exterminators 

determined to rid the world of the Akrid, one 

nest at a time. From then on, the plot dulls somewhat. 

Wayne spends the game seeking out the Akrid's hives, 

trying to hunt down the green-eyed monster that killed 

his father, and unravel the sinister plot hidden deep 

underneath the frozen tundra. Oh, and he's got amnesia. 

This is where Wayne's recessive Matrix-Shenmue gene 

kicks in, and he transforms into a teenage surfer on a 

quest to avenge his father's death. Needless to say, we've 

all seen more original main characters before. 

Between the cheesy cut-scenes and dialogue lies the 

A&E 


gameplay - and this is one of the aspects of Lost Planet 

that is truly unique. In lieu of managing a traditional 

health bar, Wayne's stamina is managed through a constantly 

ticking timer of thermal energy, which is what 

keeps Wayne warm 

enough to survive the 

frozen bitterness. If the 

energy reading reaches 

zero, you'll flat line, and 

it's game over. Thermal 

energy can be replenished 

by downing enemies, as 

well as by destroying any 

of the game's impressive 

variety of destructible 

objects. For such a bland 

and expansive wasteland, 

there sure seems to be 

plenty of things to smashespecially 

once you take 

control of a VS suit. Some items are even buried underground, 

and can be dug out for Wayne to use. There's 

plenty of weaponry at your 

disposal, whether on foot 

or in a VS. Machine guns, 

shotguns, grenades and 

rocket launchers- all the 

standard fare is present and 

accounted for, and what's 

more are scattered plentifully 

throughout each level. 

On top of that is your 

gatling gun, which works 

how you'd expect Batman's 

Batarang to - you launch 

the line toward any solid 

object, it latches and pulls 

you in, and you take a leap 

up for good measure. It functions well on almost any surface, 

and adds some nice 

flexibility to Wayne's otherwise 

sluggish movements 

(where's a dash button 

when you really need 

one?). It also helps prevent 

cheap deaths from falling 

off of cliffs, which is easy 

since the outdoor terrain is 

basically one color. 

You can also attach and 

remove weapons from the 

VS suits, which adds a 

nice little custom touch to 

the gunplay. I just wish I 

could paint the suits a different color; the entire palette of 

colors in Lost Planet runs the gamut from white, to black, 

to reddish orange when things blow up… and that seems 

to be about it. While the levels are expansive and the 

graphics are crisp and detailed, the monotonous layout of 

each stage- snow, warehouse, snow, cave, snow- gets a 

bit tedious after a while. The audio is equally crisp and a 

bit more impressive at times, especially during cutscenes 

and the massive boss battles. In-game music is a 

bit hard to come by, however, which only adds to the 

Last fall, Capcom shut down its worldrenowned 

Clover Studio, which gave the world 

such games as Viewtiful Joe and Okami. 

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition, Xbox 360 

By Mike DeVine 

MANAGING/LAYOUT EDITOR 

ABOUT AS CONSISTENT AS A SNOW DAY 

More deadly than a Piranha Plant. Mike DeVine 

Now would be a good time to run. Mike DeVine 

tedium of the navigating the arctic terrain. 

Many in-game enemies are huge. Mike DeVine 

Bigger baddies are tougher to kill. Mike DeVine 

Another issue that needs addressing is the game's camera 

and control problems. Once considerable obstacles 

for designers during the 

dawn of 3D gaming, they 

have at this point been 

boiled down to a pure science. 

Even mediocre 

games don't seem to have 

a problem in this area- so 

long as they stick to the 

tried-and-true 

Halo/GoldenEye/Half- 

Life formula (depending 

on which game you think 

invented the modern 

shooter first). And yet 

Lost Planet's control 

scheme seems to have 

been pulled right out of a first generation Dual Shock 

title, replete with 90-degree turn shoulder buttons. 

Capcom still kept the traditional dual analog stick layout 

for movement and aiming- but instead of having the 

right thumbstick controlling the camera directly, it controls 

a reticule in the center of the screen. The reticule 

can drag Wayne's view around in any direction, but 

there's a dead zone in the center, which means unless the 

object you're aiming at is in that gray area in the center 

of the screen, you'd better have fast thumbs. It feels like 

an unholy union between System Shock and Space 

Harrier at first, but it certainly doesn't break the controls. 

In fact, it accommodates the heavy feel of the mech combat 

quiet nicely, but it certainly does hamper them when 

on foot. I wonder why Capcom decided to make human 

combat as slow and unwieldy as mech combat. Does 

Wayne have a lazy eye? Are those goggles the wrong 

prescription? I guess we'll never know- but in the 

inevitable sequel (Found 

Planet?), I really hope 

Capcom smoothes out this 

wrinkle in an otherwise 

smooth control scheme. 

Although Lost Planet 

takes some steps back in 

the gameplay department, 

it takes several more forward 

as well. The checkpoint 

system is actually 

very ingenious, with large 

tripods set up throughout 

each level which, once 

activated, provide you 

with a map as well as a light pointing toward the next 

goalpost. In a game whose levels are so monotonous, 

these posts come in mighty handy. Another interesting 

decision by Capcom was to map the pause buttons and 

inventory/map buttons separately- this means that when 

you check your map or your status, you thermal meter 

continues to decrease, just as it normally would. It's a bit 

unusual, but it really does make sense, considering that 

time doesn't freeze in real life when you ask Tom-Tom 

where the nearest KFC is (at least, not with the one I

Fortunately, many of Capcom’s former Clover 

employees have gathered together to form a 

new independent studio, Seeds. 

have). The menu system, loading screens, and interface 

are also well polished and smartly designed, and it's the 

little touches like these that show a lot of thought has 

been put into polishing 

the game's dynamicswhich 

makes the 32-bit 

control scheme all the 

more befuddling. 

Speaking of the PS1 

era, I couldn't help but 

wince nostalgically at 

some of Lost Planet's 

cut-scenes. This is also 

another area in which 

the game just can't pick 

a side. The opening cinematic 

is actually pretty 

riveting, with enough 

style and production quality to easily make up for the 

voice acting, which certainly varies at times. But after 

A&E 


that, the game switches to in-engine cut-scenes whose 

jerky character animations and uneven voices harks of 

the typical cinematic moment found in a Dreamcast 

The grappling mechanic works surprisingly well in almost any situation. Mike DeVine 

game. 

As far as multiplayer is concerned, there's a 16-player 

online feature with the standard Xbox Live system in 

place- although no split-screen or even system link, 

which will surely bum out the LAN party crowd. 

Nonetheless, the online play is smooth and, like the single 

player mode, offers a unique twist on the typical 

shooter gameplay mechanic. Rather than the traditional 

variety of deathmatches, online competitions are instead 

played as capture-the-flag style events, with checkpoint 

posts acting as bases to be captured and fought over. 

Between stomping an opponent in a VS suit and flying 

up a building wall with the gatling gun, playing Lost 

Planet online is truly one of the most original experiences 

available on Xbox Live today, and a hell of a lot of 

fun. Think MechAssault meets Team Fortress, and you'll 

start to get a clearer picture. 

Lost Planet: Extreme 

Condition is a game with a very 

strange identity crisis: it knows 

exactly what it wants to be, but 

it doesn't always know how to 

be it. There are some headscratchingly 

poor decisions on 

Capcom's part, for sure- but 

they're so spread out amongst 

an overall solid game that you'll 

likely forgive most of this 

game's strange quirks, and 

enjoy a gameplay experience 

that is unique, fun, and most 

importantly (in accordance 

with the mandatory one winter 

weather pun law,) won't leave you out in the cold. 

Not the best dialogue in gaming. Mike DeVine Environments are fairly plain. Mike DeVine 

Rated ‘T’, out now for $59.99 MSRP Photo Courtesy of Google 


By Debra Klein 

ASST. PROF./COORDINATOR, 

CAREER SERVICES/ 

COOPERATIVE EDUCATION 


Our series on 

Cooperative Education 

and Internships continues 

with a focus on 

CJ85, the Criminal 

Justice Internship. This opportunity was originally 

offered as a Special Topics class but was so well 

received that it has become an offering every fall and 

spring semester. The objective of this program is to provide 

an opportunity for students to integrate theory with 

practical experience out in the field. 

Students who are enrolled in 211 curriculum and have 

completed CJ11 and maintained a preferred GPA of 2.5 

may register for this program. The three credits fulfills 

a criminal justice elective and is earned by attending a 

weekly seminar and working in the field for a minimum 

of 90 hours during the semester. The seminar with 

Professor Higginson provides an opportunity for students 

to share the varied experiences with their classmates, 

apply theory to the practical world and get a 

clearer understanding of the career options available to 

them. 

Sites where students have worked include Suffolk 

FEATURES 


County Police Department, the Sheriff’s Department, 

TSA transportation Security Administration, 

Environmental Conservation Officers, State Park 

Police, Probation, Administrative Judges, Port Jefferson 

Code Enforcement, Medical Examiner’s Office, District 

Attorney, Riverhead Town Police and New York State 

Police, Private Investigators, Bail Bonds, Private 

Security, National Parks Service and the MTA. 

Students get to observe and participate according to the 

activities planned for the day. From being on patrol to 

observing court room proceedings there is a lot to be 

learned from seeing how the system works and networking 

with the individuals who make it happen. Students 

have more information to utilize when making their 

career decisions, choosing schools for transfer or deciding 

where to look after graduation. Interacting with networks 

of professionals in the field is an excellent way to 

enhance your education. 

Students from past semesters have shared some of the 

following: 

TSA – “..Procedures were very strict and the work 

environment was outstanding. I enjoyed my time there 

especially airport inspections and working with the 

LIMA police and SCPD.” MD 

If you’re a faculty or staff 

member who’d like to address 

the student population without 

all the hassle of a soapbox, 

submit an article. 

Professionally Speaking... 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE INTERNSHIP 

‘This internship gave me a better understanding of the 

DEC does.. My duties included Ride along in vehicles, 

patrol boat and undercover work as well as how the 

office is run.” SH 

“Everything was great.. Duties assigned were criminal 

background checks, intakes, checking courts date.. a 

“real life” version of what we are learning in classes. I 

really enjoyed it.” JR Probation 

This could be you if you meet the above mentioned eligibility 

requirements. If so, sign up for the fall 2007 

session during priority registration starting in April. 

Once registered call 451-4049 to make an appointment 

with Deb Klein in the Career Services and Cooperative 

Education Office AS SOON AS Possible. Spots are 

limited and certain sites have deadlines for accepting 

applications and resumes. We will discuss your career 

plans and internship preferences and prepare a resume 

for submission to your top choices. 

Don’t leave Suffolk without this experience!

Last year, the Atlanta Braves failed to 

secure first place in their division, ending 

a record fifteen-year consecutive 

run. The Yankees’ current title streak is 

at nine. 

By Brian Mingus 


The Yankees haven't been 

the busiest team in the 

league, but they sure got 

what they needed this off-season. The biggest pick up of 

the off season was the signing of Andy Pettitte, who 

returns to Pinstripes after a three-year stint with the 

Astros. The Yankees also signed Japanese LHP Kei 

Igawa, C Raul Chavez, 1B Doug Mientkiewicz, 

acquired 1B Josh Phelps dur- 

ing the Rule 5 draft, and 

signed Todd Pratt to a minor 

league deal and is a non-roster 

invite to spring training. 

Mientkiewicz was signed so 

the Yankees can have a platoon 

first base set up. 

Mientkiewicz will be the left 

handed batting first baseman, 

while Phelps and Andy 

Phillips are going to compete 

for the job of right handed 

first baseman in spring training. 

Mientkiewicz and either 

Phillips or Phelps will split 

time at first, batting in the 

lower third of the order, making 

Jason Giambi become a 

full time DH. 

Another position competition will be for the back up 

catcher, while Chavez and Pratt will compete with Wil 

Nieves for a spot on the opening day roster. Besides that, 

the position starters and bench are all set for opening 

day, with a 25 man staff and the Yankees planning to 

carry 12 pitchers (five starters, one long relieve pitcher 

who could spot start, two lefties, two righties, a set up 

man and Mariano), the nine starters, while the bench has 

spots for the back up catcher, back up first baseman, 

utility infielder Miguel Cairo, and fourth outfielder 

Melky Carbrera. There is something missing however, a 

name that has been apart of the Yankees roster the past 

16 seasons, Bernie Williams. 

Bernie's time with the Yankees seems to be over, but 

the only person who can say that for sure is Bernie himself. 

Several Yankees have tried to call him but have no 

gotten a response, Joe Torre being one of them. Torre 

did eventually get through to Bernie and invited him to 

Spring Training numerous times, but it's up to Bernie 

whether he wants to play or not, but the fact that the 

Yankees didn't try to do more to get him into pinstripes 

this year might be a reason he might just consider retiring. 

There is not much the Yankees can do though, You 

can't expect Torre to sit any of the starters just so Bernie 

can have a couple games to play, and that would be the 

most he would do anyway, he would be a bit player in a 

huge line up. A future like that might not seem worth it 

to a man who dedicated 25 years of his services to the 

Yankees. 

As news on Bernie unfolds, the Yankees can look at the 

SPORTS 


The New York Yankees 

“ BERNIE’S TIME IN 

NEW YORK SEEMS TO 

BE OVER, BUT THE 

ONLY PERSON WHO 

CAN SAY THAT FOR 

SURE IS BERNIE 

HIMSELF. ” 

27 IN ’07 

kids in the minors make the leap to the majors this season. 

Most news to come out of the Yankees minor 

league system has been from Phillip Hughes. last year in 

AA Trenton, Hughes went 10-3 in 21 starts, had an ERA 

of 2.25 over 116 innings, striking out 138, only giving 

up 32 walks. With stats like that, the Yankees are being 

very careful with Hughes, making sure he doesn't hurt 

himself pitching too much, and making sure he takes the 

proper steps to becoming a 

Major League pitcher. 

Hughes was invited to spring 

training, but his chances of 

making the team are slim, 

only because if the Yankees 

don't need him, they will take 

their time with him, not rush 

him to the majors too soon. 

Not much news has come 

out of the minor leagues in 

recent years, usually because 

the Yankees trade prospects 

for big names, but the past 

year or so, Yankees General 

Manager Brian Cashman 

took different steps to 

improving the team. The 

smallest of the trades was when Yankees picked up Jaret 

Wrights option, then traded him to the Orioles for reliever 

Chris Britton. A rookie last season, Britton had a 3.35 

ERA in 53.2 innings, struck out 41 while walking 17. 

Britton looks to compete for a spot in the bullpen during 

Spring Training. The other two trades were significantly 

bigger, as the Yankees traded Gary Sheffield to the 

Tigers, and Randy Johnson to the Diamondbacks. In 

return, the Yankees received Blue chip prospect 

Humberto Sanchez, set up 

man Luis Visciano, pitching 

prospects Ross Ohlendorf, 

Steven Jackson, Kevin 

Whelan, Anthony Claggett, 

and shortstop Alberto 

Gonzalez. 

“ [SHEFFIELD] HAS 

Last season, Vizcaino put 

up impressive numbers, 

going 4-6 with a 3.58 ERA, 

striking out 72 while walking 

29 in 65.1 innings. Ohlendorf 

was also a great pick up for 

the Yankees, he isn't a Phillip 

Hughes or Sanchez, but he is 

a right handed pitcher the 

Diamondbacks had put a lot 

of time and effort into, and he 

is suppose to be one of a great arms in the minors. The 

trade gave the Yankees a ton of more options for pitching, 

as the Yankees only have three automatic starters in 

the rotation at this point, with Chien-Ming Wang, Mike 

Mussina, and Andy Pettitte. This leaves one spot open 

for Igawa and Carl Pavano to fight for, and another spot 

open for many prospects. The loser of the 4th spot, 

either Pavano or Igawa, will compete against Darrell 

Rasner, Jeff Karstens, Hughes, Sanchez, and Ohlendorf. 

Also on the free agent market, Roger Clemens is still 

getting many looks by not only the Yankees, but the Red 

Sox too. The Yankees have seemed to have a slight edge 

do to some changes in the organization, signing his best 

friend Andy Pettitte, trading the oldest Yankee in Randy 

Johnson, Cano changing his number from 22, the 

Rockets old Yankee number, to 24. Of course none of 

these events occurred just to try to get Clemens back to 

New York, but it might give them the edge they need to 

get him back in pinstripes. Just imagine what it would 

be like to get Clemens playing on the same team as 

Hughes, the information Clemens could teach Hughes 

could make him even more powerful than he is already, 

which could be very scary for the American League. 

As for Yankees who filed for free agency, Mike 

Mussina was the biggest name. The only starter who had 

the opportunity to become free agents this season, was 

signed to a two year deal. With no one else filing for free 

agency, it taking a load off of Cashman's plate, and gave 

him enough time to work on what the Yankees really 

needed this off season. The list of Yankees that have 

filed, or would have filed are mostly bench/bullpen 

players, and most of their futures are pretty clear. 

Miguel Cairo: Cairo and the Yankees agreed on a one 

year, $750,000 deal for next season. Last year Cairo 

played all the infield positions, and had one game in left 

field. He filled in for Cano when he was injured, and 

was able to keep a consistent bat, and constant defense, 

which gave the Yankees plenty of reasons to re sign him. 

BEEN AN AMAZING 

PLAYER... BUT HIS 

CLUBHOUSE ATTI- 

TUDE AND LACK OF 

REAL TEAMWORK LED 

TO HIS DEMISE. ” 

Bubba Crosby: Crosby has 

signed with the Cincinnati 

Reds for 2007, so he will not 

be with the Yankees next season. 

Octavio Dotel: Dotel signed 

a contract with the Kansas 

City Royals to be their closer. 

If it were a better team, I 

would be a little worried, but 

it's the Royals. 

Sal Fasano: The Yankees 

seem to be set on having 

Nieves, Pratt and Chavez 

compete for the back up 

catcher role during spring 

training, making Fasano's 

time in the Bronx a thing of the past. 

Nick Green: Green was offered a minor league contract, 

but chose free agency. He ended up signing a con- 


tract with the Pirates, and is a non-roster invite. 

Mike Mussina: Mussina and the Yankees came to an 

agreement to a two year, $23 million contract, putting 

the Moose back in Pinstripes. 

Wil Nieves: Nieves will return next season to try-out 

for the back up catcher roll, competing against Chavez 

and Pratt. Hopefully he can up his Yankee batting average 

of .000 over five at bats. 

Gary Sheffield: The only reason the Yankees picked up 

Sheff's option was to trade him. He has been an amazing 

player, put up great numbers, and became a fan 

favorite, but his attitude in the club house and his lack 

of real teamwork led to his demise, and he will not be 

coming back next year. Since Sheffield has been traded 

to the Tigers, he has signed a 2 year extension, so 

Yankee fans can breathe a sigh of relief that he will not 

go to the rival Red Sox. 

Aaron Small: Small has been a journeyman throughout 

his career, making a huge name for himself in '05 by 

going 10-0. But his Cinderella story ended in his first 

start with the Yankees last season, when he took his first 

loss as a Yankee. After that he could never recover, suffering 

the same fate as Crosby did, being designated for 

assignment and then clearing waivers to pitch for the 

Yankees AAA club. Small signed with the Mariners, and 


SPORTS 


27 IN ‘07 (CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15) 

will play for a spot in the rotation. 

Tanyon Sturtze: Stertz signed a contract with the 

Atlanta Braves for one year. The Yankees might consider 

bringing him back depending on how he does in 

Atlanta. 

Ron Villone: Villone was born in New Jersey, growing 

up as a Yankees fan, it was his dream to play for the 

Yankees, and when he finally got that call last season it 

was a dream come true. He did well for the Yankees, 

pitching up to three innings of relief at times, getting out 

of some very difficult situations, but he struggled after 

the all star break, making the Ynakees question his durability. 

Villone was signed to a minor league contract and 

will compete for a spot in the bullpen in Spring 

Training. 

Bernie Williams: The oldest tenured Yankee came back 

once thinking he was going to be just a bench player, so 

he would most likely do it again in a heartbeat. 

Unfortunatly, due to lack of space on the 25 man roster, 

it is unlikely Bernie will be resigned. 

Craig Wilson: Wilson who was acquired by trade near 

the deadline filled in nicely at first base, but now Doug 

Menkeitwicz and Phillips or Phelps will be splitting 

time between first, making Wilson's tenure with the 

Yankees complete. 

Last season, in his first game as 

DH after returning from a fourmonth 

injury, Hideki Matsui 

went 3 for 4 with a three-run 

homer and four RBIs. 

Jaret Wright: Coming down to the final weeks of last 

season, Wright seemed to finally wake up. He pitched 

brilliantly in his last few starts of the season, but a few 

good starts won't make everyone forget about the last 

one and a half seasons, where he did very poorly. Wright 

didn't make enough starts to have him eligible to have 

his option picked up automatically, but the Yankees did 

so they could trade him for Britton. 

The Yankees are almost complete for the 2007 season. 

All the spots on the roster may not be filled just yet, but 

not because the Yankees don't have the players, it is 

because the Yankees have so many players competing 

for the same job. Either right handed batting first baseman, 

back up catcher, 4th or 5th spots in the rotation, 

and even in the bullpen, the Yankees are busting at the 

seams with players, making this years spring training 

one of the more competitive ones in recent years. Spring 

Training starts March 1st at 1:05 against the Twins, and 

Opening Day is April 1st at 1:05 PM against the Devil 

Rays at The House That Ruth Built. Stay calm Yankee 

fans, spring will arrive soon enough, and another season 

of Yankees baseball will be off and running before you 

know it.

AD 



By Dan Carpio The majority of pure boxing 

fans go to fight just to see the 

STAFF WRITER 

action. But the casual fan wants 

to see what happens between rounds. That is when beautiful 

girls dressed in either bikinis or revealing outfits walk 

the ring holding up cards telling the crowd what the next 

round is. The Rossy/Chambers bout was no different. A 

bonus for the girls was that the fight was being shown on 

ESPN2's Friday Night Fights. I got a chance to talk to the 

three ring girls and got to ask them some questions. 

The first girl I got to talk to was Rachel. 

Compass: How long have you been a ring girl? 

Rachel: It's my first time. 

C: How did you get into the business? 

R: I got a hook up through a friend. 

C: Do you like it so far? 

R: Yea, I like the atmosphere of these places, it's real 

lively. 

C: When is your next bout? 

R: Don't know really, Final Forum calls us when they 

need us. 

The next girls I talked to were Nikole and Andrea. It 


Eye Candy 

SPORTS 


was their second bout together. 

Compass: How do you like the atmosphere? 

Nikole: I like it. This place is real high energy. 

C: Why did you get into the business? 

N: It just seemed like fun. 

Compass: What do you like about doing this? 

Andrea: I get to meet new people everywhere I go. It's 

real fun. 

C: Do you like working for Final Forum? 

A: Yes, they are real good with us. 

C: Do you want to work big events? 

A: Oh yes, I would love to go work one of the big fights 

in Vegas. 

Since the 1930s the average length of a 

pro boxer’s career has dropped from 

19 years to 5 years, despite no sharp 

declines in participation 

from 1931-2002. 

-From The British Journal of Sports Medicine 

COVERAGE BRINGS EXPOSURE TO RING GIRLS Will Derrick 

SNAPSHOTS FROM 

FRIDAY NIGHT 

FIGHTS 

Rossy Ever 

Fight Again? 

By Rosemarie Cote Coming into the fight 

with a majority of the fans 


cheering him on and a 15- 

0, 9KO, record, Derrick Rossy winning the belt 

seemed highly possible. However, Eddie Chambers, 

coming on to the ring with a 27-0, 15KO, record was 

quite the competition. But starting off with some 

good hits, Rossy seemed to be up for the challenge. 

Chambers’ defense was too strong though. He kept 

his face blocked almost completely, allowing for 

Rossy to hit him mainly in the stomach area. The fact 

that Rossy had to keep his hands low to hit Chambers 

now left his face open for Chambers’ strong hits. It 

wasn’t long after the fight started that Rossy’s eye 

was swollen shut and Chambers’ pretentious smile 

ended the round. After such a troubling and painful 

loss, the question lingers: Will Rossy ever box again? 

Chambers left the fight with a mere scratch over his 

right eye.

AD 



MEN’S SPORTS 

Team W L 

Basketball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20 . . .5 

By Dan Carpio While the boxing bouts at 

Brookhaven Gym were an 

STAFF WRITER 

overall success, the lack of 

memorial for dead boxer a big disappointment. 

SPORT 

STANDINGS 

As of Feb. 17 

Rossey Taken Out by Chambers 

MAY BE OUT FOR GOOD WITH RUPTURED EARDRUM 

Both fighters came out swinging, but Phillipoy’s strong defense gave him the edge. Photo By Jason Gerhard 

No Love: Absence of a Memorial 

The lights were on, the cameras were rolling, and the 

action was exciting. The Brookhaven Gym was alive 

and kicking to watch some of Long Island’s best local 

boxing talent show their stuff on national television for 

ESPN2’s Friday Night Fights. The highlight of the night 

was the USBA heavyweight title bout between 

Medford’s Derrick Rossy and Eddie Chambers, which 

Rossy lost. Despite that, this event that was promoted by 

Final Forum Boxing can be labeled a success. 

Yet something felt missing, like something that should 

have happened didn’t. Most in the crowd and the majority 

of the TV audience would not notice this. You 

wouldn’t have unless you remembered the news. Then 

you would have known that a man who should have 

been in the ring was dead. 

Darnell Peacock, a 20 year old heavyweight prospect 

from Long Island who was going to make his professional 

debut at this event, was killed along with two others 

when a car that he was in crashed into an overpass 

on the Southern State Parkway on February 5, the 

Monday before the fight. 

Even though this tragedy happened four days before 

this event, there was no memorial at the entrance, no 

memorial banner hanging from the rafters, not even a 

moment of silence. 

I understand that this was a nationally televised event, 

but Peacock should have been acknowledged and paid 

his respects. In fact that would have been the perfect 

way to honor him. The man was 16-2 in his amateur 

career, is from here, and has a family that he adored. A 

memorial for him would have shown the country how 

close this boxing community is. But instead the promoter 

decided to do nothing and leave a gaping hole in what 

otherwise was a very exciting evening. It makes you 

want to ask them why they didn’t do it. I’m asking that 

myself. 

If not do it for ratings, why not do it for his family, 

especially his 18-month-old daughter? Maybe she 

would have liked to see all the people that were in the 

gym pay their respects to her father. But we’ll never 

know now because we can’t turn back time. 

WOMEN’S SPORTS 

Team W L 

Basketball . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 . . .8 

Boxing Briefs 

BY SHAUN MORASH 

ARREOLA ASSAULTS GRAHAM 

In the co-feature fight of the night, Chris “The 

Nightmare” Arreola took his unbeaten record into the 

ring to face Zakeem “Showtime” Graham. 

Both fighters appeared to be very patient in the 

early goings. However, Arreola was the first with an 

aggressive burst. In the final ten seconds of round 

one Arreola battered Graham. Arreola would not let 

up in the second round as Grahem could only try to 

protect himself from Arreola’s tremendous head 

shots. This ten round fight appeared to be ready to 

end early. 

In round three it would all be over; Arreola continued 

to hammer Graham as if he were a featherweight. 

The referee stopped the fight in the third 

round after Grahem simply did not know where he 

was anymore. 

Arreola’s performance was the best we saw out of a 

fighter all night. He improved his incredible record 

to 19-0 with 17 KO’s. He is an up and coming heavyweight 

from Riverside, California, with a lot to 

prove. I caught up with The Nightmare after the fight 

and this is what he said, “I guarantee I will be fighting 

for the world heavyweight title. Just give me two 

years.” Strong words from a strong man. 

TWO LOCALS LOOK IMPRESSIVE 

IN EARLY FIGHTS 

Bobby Campbell, hailing from Copiague, looked 

impressive as he slugged it out with Joe Guzman in 

the first fight of the night. He went four rounds in an 

impressive lightweight match that was later ruled a 

majority draw as the judges scored it 39-37, 38-38, 

38-38. 

Plainview’s Tommy Rainone destroyed Ronny 

Glover in the second fight of the knight. A fight that 

was scheduled to go four rounds only lasted into half 

way through the second round. At 1:46 of round two 

Rainone Knocked out Ronny Glover to improve his 

record to 5-0. This pretty boy, wearing purple trunks, 

proved he may be a big time up and coming boxer.

Compass Issue 2-5.0 - Suffolk County Community College

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