Magazine Article for "As You Like It" - Marist Clubs and ...

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Editor-in-Chief:
Sarah Holmes
Music Editor:
Paige Zangoglia
Literature Editor:
Jennifer Sommer
Opinion Editor:
Mary Treuer
Photography
Editor
Sarah Dubrule
Assistant Editor:
Melissa Amarianos
Movies Editor:
Justine Mann
Theatre Editor:
Ashleigh Whitfield
Fashion Editor
Christine Urgola
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Richard
Grinnell
Features
Features
14 Top Ten Things Marist Could Improve By Storm
Heitman, Jennifer Somer, Sarah Holmes, Justine Mann,
and Alana LaFlore
15-16 Steel Plant Art Gallery What the last exhibition
showed and why students should pay a visit By Sarah
Holmes
17 Professor of the Issue Why the intensity of Tom
Goldpaugh keeps students awake and coming back for more
By Nick Sweeney
18 Skins A British televison series about teenagers that
doesn’t patronize like American series By Storm Heitman
30 Events: April and May Events. For future issues email us
with your event!
Backpage: Going Green Tips for a greener planet, and
greener pockets too By Jennifer Sommer
Music
Music
3 David Cook American
Idol Season 7 winner
performed March 10th at
the Bardavon By Olivia
McMahon
4 Open Mic Night No lack
of talent, just a lack in
sticking to the theme of
sustainability By Sarah
Dubrule
5 Album Reviews Pop,
Soundtrack, Alternative, and
Indie albums to please the
ears By Paige Zangoglia
< 6 Bomb the Music Industry New album released by a
musical group that defies mainstream but not popularity By
Mike Vizzi
Movies
Movies
7 Summer Previews and Reviews A glimpse of what’s
coming to theatres and straight to DVD, plus two short
reviews By Justine Mann

8 Benjamin Button and
Milk Reviews What these
current films offer to audiences
By Ashleigh
Whitfield
9 The Wrestler Review
“Beautifully told, emotional
body slam” By Mike Cresci
10 Now Showing... Movies
that are out and sure to be of
interest to movie-goers By
Paige Zangoglia
11 Movie Hopping in
London What it’s like to go
to the theatres in England By
Justine Mann
12 Confessions of a Shopaholic Shows how shopping can
be fun, but shouldn’t consume your life By Courtney Savoia
Fashion
Fashion
Fashion
13 The First Lady of Fashion Michelle Obama adorns a
simple yet fashionable style as leading lady By Christine
Urgola
14 Ugg Boots Fashion “must have” or Ugg-ly commodity? By
Christine Urgola
Literature
Literature
23 David Foster Wallace The lost possibility of the next
John Updike By Kyle Swan
24 Carlos Robson Slam Poet Champion brings words to life
By Jennifer Sommer
25 Book Review: The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao A
family curse is at the center of this humorous novel that uses
multiple narrators By Mary Treuer
25 Recommended Readings from LAS Provided By Kelly
Galluci, LAS Secretary
26 The iPod of Reading Will ebooks
with gadgets like the
Kindle take over paper books?
By Heather Munnelly
27 The Lady or the Tramp?
Two different pieces of literature
preach their view of the ideal
woman By Alana LaFlore
Theatre
Theatre
19 In the Heights Culture and inspiration reach new
“heights” on Broadway By Mary Treuer
20 As You Like It Classic Shakespeare re-imagined on
Hampton beachfront By Storm Heitman
21-22 The Vagina Monologues 25 female students channel
the voices of hundreds of women who were interviewed for
the monologues By Sarah Holmes
Opinion
Opinion
28 Brookyln Bars The cheaper version of Manhattan with
plenty of entertainment to be found By Melissa Amarianos
29 Fast Times at Facebook High The Pros and Cons of a
“Facespace” generation, but mainly Cons By Mike Cresci
30 What Happened to Protecting Our House? Wondering
why the “pulse” of this campus has become so faint By Mike
Walsh
Photo Credits:
Cover c/o Sarah Holmes
Page 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28,
29 c/o CreativeCommons.org
Page 2, 21, 22 c/o Chris Turkiewic
Page 3 c/o Olivia McMahon
Page 11 c/o Justine Mann
Page 15, 16 c/o Edward Smith and Linsday McCulloch
Page 17 c/o Marist.edu
Page 20 c/o Storm Heitman
Back cover c/o Sarah Holmes
Have an opinion on something that was written?
What to write about what music, movies, books or
anything else you have an interest in?
Email generatormagazine@yahoo.com
or visit http://generatormagazine.blogspot.com/
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One of the most memorable moments
so far on Season 8 of American Idol was
the screening of the home video sent in from
the result show of Season 7. Four or five
rather young girls were crowded around the
TV, holding hands and squirming with anticipation
as Ryan Seacrest announced, “And
the winner is…David…” He paused for the
effect, as both final contestants shared the
name. “DAVID WHAT?!” The girls
screamed, clearly not appreciating
Seacrest’s effect. “David…COOK!”
At this, all the girls burst into tears and
howled with disappoint that their teenage
heartthrob, David Archuletta, did not win.
However, that night I was one of those who
jumped out of their chairs exclaiming,
“YES!” thrilled with the choice. I rooted
for Cook from the start so when I heard
that College Activities was selling tickets to
see him, I jumped in line so as to grab 5 th
row seats.
He and his opening act, Ryan Star, played
at the Bardavon Opera House, the oldest in
New York, built in 1869. The audience was
littered with college students and families,
little ones whose eyes were already drooping
before anyone had even come out
onstage.
There had been signs when we walked
in that prohibited flash photography and it
was asked before the show that no one take
any flash photography. So of course, the
first thing many people, myself included,
At the Bardavon
forgot to do was turn off their
flash. Immediately security guards
would rush to where the flash came
from and tell everyone to put their
cameras away. I don’t think any
men have ever taken their job so
seriously. They even corrected
Ryan Star’s parents for taking pictures!
The show began around 9, with
Ryan Star coming out to much applause
that only grew with each
song he played, like his new single
“Last Train Home.” The band had
a really intense energy and Ryan interacted
with the crowd very naturally,
even joking with the audience members.
Finally, after the first act and a brief break
between performances, the lights dimmed
and some of the crowd got to their feet only
to be told by security that they need to sit
back down. The stage lights came on and
David Cook walked out to thunderous
applause and cheering. It
was so strange to see someone
we had all been watching on TV
last year on stage in front of us.
He played a lot of songs from his
album, such as “Bar-ba-sol”,
“Light On”, “Mr. Sensitive”, and
“Kiss on the Neck.”
He also busted out with some
awesome covers that many
agreed were the best songs of the
night: “Hot for Teacher” by Van
Halen and “Man in the Box” by
Alice in Chains were just two of
them. His band, which consisted
of five people, also included his
former band mates Andy and
Neil.
It was funny to see how new
David Cook was to performing
live. It wasn’t very noticeable but
the set list was a bit unusual and
the encore started off with a very
unusual two-set drum solo and
his single, “Time of My Life”,
By Olivia McMahon
wasn’t even played. Or maybe David Cook
just likes to switch things up and puts his
own unique spin on performing.
Even funnier was his banter with the audience.
A girl yelled out, “I LOVE YOU,” to
which he responded, “I love you too,” and
everyone yelled and cheered. He got such a
kick out of this that he proceeded to say “I
love you too,” in response to nobody for the
rest of the concert, just to see if people would
still cheer.
In between two songs, he pointed out to
the crowd, “I’m doing a head count of the
first row and, uh, the seat to head ratio is
way off,” talking about the girls who had
piled up to be closer to the stage.
All in all, the concert was a good one for
the price we paid to see it. He sounded the
same live as he did on American Idol and on
CD, which is the mark of talented individual.
I’d recommend anyone to see Ryan Star or
David Cook live, although some of David’s
best songs aren’t the ones he’s written.
Ryan Star

Open Open Mic Mic ShOwcaSeS ShOwcaSeS TalenT TalenT, TalenT
BuT BuT lOSeS lOSeS iTS iTS TheMe
TheMe
Environmental
sustainability is a hot topic
these days, especially here at
Marist. Everyone knows
about the great things this
school does to reduce its
carbon footprint; like using
efficient washers and dryers,
compositing cafeteria leftovers,
and providing a sporadic
lack of hot water to most
on-campus residences.
However, the drive to support
environmental
sustainability exists within
the hearts and souls of
Marist students as well.
February 5 saw a wonderful
turn out to an environmental
sustainability openmic,
where students bore all
of their inner-most feelings
or witticisms about this precious
Earth... or just one or
two, but who’s counting?
The evening started off
with one particularly dashing fellow whose
name, due to my inability to be on time for just
about anything, I did not catch, but his performance
really fit the mold. His original poetic
composition about the environment was topical
and touching, and he had the distinct honor
of being the only individual to actually approach
the theme of the night’s open-mic.
After his very conscientious words, Mike
Vizzi took the stage and crooned an original
piece to the audience with the aid of a black
acoustic, which was evidently the instrument
of choice for the evening.
The following duo, Melissa and Dan
I’mincapableofcatchinglastnames, shared three
songs with Dan on a blue acoustic and Melissa
on a stool singing away. The songs were
covers of what I’m sure are well-known pieces
to those who have any idea what’s going on in
the current music scene, but I’m stuck in the
90’s, so I unfortunately couldn’t put names to
the jingles. They were rumored to include Jason
Mraz’s “I’m Yours” and, more than likely,
other hit tunes.
The fourth fellow to take the stage who I’d
like to introduce by apologizing for potentially
butchering what I thought was his last name,
Vinnie Briano, brought a special kind of spice
By Sarah Dubrule
to the mic. His four devastatingly
sweet songs floored the rest of the audience
as they did myself; who wouldn’t be wowed
by deliciously vulgar word-play (“This isn’t
just a song it’s a lyrical orgy”) and witty ballads
about stalkers and one-night stands? I
can’t think of a sane individual.
Special attention should be paid to the
straight-faced Vinnie kept throughout his performance,
considering the rest of the audience,
or maybe just myself, was in stitches the entire
time. This kid should really take his talents beyond
Marist’s PAR, I’m thinking a world tour
sponsored by Comedy Central.
Freddy Garcia, despite there being a distinct
lack of the rest of his performing group,
still shared a few original raps with the environmentally
conscious crowd. His last bit was
my personal favorite, being that it incorporated
some real feeling, and it if wasn’t going to be
about the environment then at least it could be
genuine. Freddy was fresh and up-beat, both
of which are good things to experience in the
middle of winter.
Next up was Cynthia, again sporting an
acoustic guitar and a cute song, followed by
Cara Domings, who recently recorded songs
in Boston, or something. Another acoustic
guitar was utilized to lend some support to a
few Cara-brand creations
that reminded me of hot coffee
and a comfortable couch
in the corner of a cafe.
Ryan Rivard and Jon
O’Sullivan and their weapon
of choice, an acoustic guitar,
moved their performance
from Sheahan hall to the student
center PAR, which was
a good career move if you ask
me. Ryan strummed and Jon
played the human vocal
cords, sharing with the audience
a few choice covers, with
the last one reportedly being
“about sustainability,” but
whose title has since been
lost in the details. Regardless,
I’m sure it was thematic in
some sense, just maybe not
conventionally.
Richard Frias didn’t need
an acoustic to draw in the audience,
instead utilizing
strong poetic emphasis in reciting
“Hypotheticals,” an original cut I didn’t
see coming, but was thoroughly impressed by.
I’d really like a copy, actually.
April Baton brought the black acoustic
back to the forefront and shared a few, you
guessed it, original pieces. They were outward
and strong, and I give props to anyone who is
willing to share what I’m sure is something
inspired by their own lives with other people.
Anthony M brought an end to this open
mic, finishing with a black acoustic just as the
show began with one, and offering a mixture
of personal songs and a cover. His exterior did
not allude to the genre of songs he decided to
play, but I’m always a big fan of mixing things
up a bit, so bravo.
The night as a whole was a success of a
different sort. The poems, songs and jokes
brought about by the brave individuals who
shared the stage were entertaining, touching
and amusing, but had surprisingly little to do
with environmental stability. Which is all fine
and dandy I suppose, seeing as our college is
doing it’s part in recycling and supporting carpooling
every weekend, but then maybe the
open-mic should have just been called an openmic.
Maybe next time.
4

By Paige Zangoglia
5
Album: It’s Not Me, It’s You
Artist: Lily Allen
Genre: Pop
Release Date: February 10
Lily Allen re-emerges on the scene with her
trademark Brit-pop sound and candid lyrics.
It’s Not Me, It’s You, features happy
pop beats such as “Chinese” and clever lyrics
as well as some more dance-y tracks like
“22” and “I Could Say”.
Album: He’s Just Not that Into You (Original
Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Artist: Various Artists
Genre: Soundtrack
Release Date: February 3
The album from the new motion picture features
a wide variety of tracks. The album has
music that covers classic tracks from The Human
League’s “Don’t You Want Me?” and the
Cure’s “Friday I’m in Love,” and more recent
selections from artists like the Ting Tings,
Scarlett Johansson, and Maroon 5.
Album: Tonight: Franz Ferdinand
Artist: Franz Ferdinand
Genre: Alternative
Release Date: February 27
Franz Ferdinand returns with another slew of
catchy, dance-y tracks that are rather infections
and easy to sing along to. Songs like “Ulysses”
and “Live Alone” have an upbeat, electronic
sound, while “ Dream Again” and “Katherine
Kiss Me” provide a slower, trippy-er listening
experience.
Album: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Artist: The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
Genre: Indie
Release Date: February 3
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart emerge on
the indie music scene with their self-titled
album. The album features laid-back tracks
such as “Stay Alive” and “Come Saturday”
that are reminiscent of the Cure with a slightly
more electronic twist.

By Mike Vizzi
With their recent release “Scrambles,”
Bomb the Music Industry! have recorded their
most ambitious album to date. For those of
you outside the loop, Bomb the Music Industry!
(BTMI) is the musical group to form out
of the ashes of the seminal Long Island-based
ska-punk band, The Arrogant Sons of Bitches.
Since their 2005 debut “Album Minus Band”,
they have released five full-length albums and
several EPs and split releases with other bands
– all of which are released for free download
from Quote Unquote Records, the industry’s
first online-only, donation-based record label.
While CD and vinyl record versions of their
albums have all been released (through Asbestos
Records and Asian Man Records), the
band makes the majority of its money from live
performances and fan donations.
Under the direction of frontman and
songwriter Jeff Rosenstock, BTMI is more of
a loose musical collective than a band; their
early albums were primarily recorded on littleto-no
budget by Rosenstock (who is a multiinstrumentalist,
playing guitar, saxophone,
keyboards and other instruments) himself, with
sporadic contributions from friends and fellow
musicians, creating a sound that blends
punk, ska, folk, hardcore, synth-pop, and a
variety of other styles into an unmistakably
unique, intensely raw, and irresistibly catchy
sound.
Since 2007’s “Get Warmer,” BTMI’s recent
recordings have taken more of a “live band”
“Scrambles”
Bomb the Music Industry
Quote Unquote Records/Asian
Man Records
Released: February 15, 2009
feel, emphasizing a wide array of musicians instead
of relying primarily on Rosenstock alone
(although the band’s recording line-up tends
to vary from song to song). The musically richer
sound is particularly noticeable in their live
show. I recently had the opportunity to see
them live at one their record release shows at
Sinclair’s Pub in West Babylon, Long Island,
at which they played the new album in its entirety
(Rosenstock introduced their set by simply
saying “This album’s called Scrambles”),
and watching the rotating cast of enthusiastic
musicians constantly going on and off stage
and switching instruments with one another
creates an exciting live show that is a must-see
for any avid concert enthusiast.
As they did on “Get Warmer”, the band
strays from the synthesizer-laced ska punk of
their earlier work, stepping into new musical
territory that is both new yet surprisingly natural
sounding. This is their most musically diverse
recording to date, from the stripped-down
“Cold Chillin’ Cold Chillin’”, which begins the
album with only acoustic guitar, distorted vocals,
and various instrumental accompaniment
vaguely reminiscent of Neutral Milk Hotel
(whose work BTMI have covered live), to piano-driven
pieces like “Fresh Attitude, Young
Body” (possibly my favorite song by the band
to date).
If I liked this album upon my first listen,
reading along to the lyrics on my second runthrough
made me fall in love with it.
Rosenstock’s lyrics on “Scrambles” take a more
cynical turn than some of his earlier work, ranging
from the harsh realities of growing into
adulthood (as evidenced in “25!”), the negative
attitudes of arrogance in the modern punk
scene (“(Shut) Up the Punx!”), and the bittersweetness
of moving (“Saddr Weirdr”), producing
some of the most genuine, heartfelt
songs he’s ever released.
Following 2007’s “Get Warmer” was no
easy task, but Jeff Rosenstock and company
have somehow managed to formulate an album
that matches (and maybe even exceeds) its predecessor
both musically and lyrically, building
on old influences and defying genre conventions.
“Scrambles” is a set of thirteen songs
packed with musical variety, humor, DIY ethic,
infectious melodies, and raw energy. If you liked
their previous albums, you’ll love this one; if
you’ve never heard of them before, and are
looking for something new and unique amidst
today’s bleak and mundane musical environment,
you just might find your new favorite
band.
6

7
Funny People – July 09
Judd Apatow adds some drama to his
regular routine of comedy with Funny
People, the tale of a well-known comedian
(Adam Sandler) who befriends a
struggling young comic (Seth Rogen of
course) in the hopes of making one true
friend before succumbing to his terminal
illness. While the film ponders how people
with a sense of humor handle their own
mortality, the only question for viewers is,
should this question be pondered?
Fame – September 09
The musical remake of the 80s classic pulls relatively unknowns to star opposite Debbie Allen and Kelsey Grammer. Die-hard fans
will recognize Kherington Payne from So You Think You Can Dance and Naturi Naughton from the pop group 3LW.
S. Darko – April 09
By Justine Mann
Seven years after older brother Donnie had his rendezvous with the hell bunny, little sister
Samantha (Daveigh Chase) is tormented while on a road trip with friends. This cliché film about
a pretty girl trying to make it big in Hollywood but being forced into saving the world instead will
entice only the biggest fans of the original. No one wants to watch that big-eared lovechild of the
Energizer bunny and the terminator for another two hours. Of course, with co-stars like Jackson
Rathbone, Ed Westwick, and James Lafferty, who the heck’s going to be looking at the bunny?
He’s Just Not That Into You
All star cast plus highly anticipated comedy usually equals a terrible film. He’s Just Not is a wonderful surprise taking some of
Hollywood’s hottest talent and a ground-breaking book and turning it into a wonderfully funny and insightful movie. Keeping
with the self-help theme of the book characters unravel the riddles of the opposite sex. The film does allow for some critique of
the book’s thesis while focusing on the hilarity of how men and women interact in the modern dating world.
Bride Wars
While Anne Hathaway is capable of bone-chilling work [Rachel Getting Married] this would not be that work. Starring opposite
Kate Hudson, Hathaway embarks on crazy antics in a battle for a dream wedding which only she or BFF Hudson can have.
While the plot lent more to a tragedy with china patterns, the soundtrack is outstanding featuring Duffy and Colbie Caillat.

Everyone reaches a point where they wish
they could age backwards, don’t they?
Based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald short
story of the same name, The Curious Case
of Benjamin Button follows the life of a man
fighting time.
Brad Pitt plays Benjamin Button, who is
born elderly and ages backwards. The film
follows his bizarre childhood as he is raised
in a type of retirement home in New Orleans
and, as he gets older and looks younger, he
goes off into the world in search of adventures.
The plot line that the film continuously
returns to is the love story between
Benjamin and Daisy, played by Cate Blanchett.
They meet when they are children, meaning
that Benjamin looked like an 80 year old man.
When the two finally “meet in the middle,”
the decision of how to live the rest of their
lives, knowing that Daisy will eventually have
an infant to take care of, becomes the greatest
conflict.
This film won Academy Awards for Best
Art Direction, Best Visual Effects and Best
Make-up. While Brad Pitt is convincing as
the constantly tormented and confused Ben-
jamin, it seems as though the film’s use of
technology and make-up became the leading
character. Pitt’s appearance at the beginning
of the movie leaves the audience
wondering, “Was that really him?” and his
wrinkle-free, perfect featured, teenaged self
made them wonder how the casting director
found a boy that looked so much like
Brad Pitt.
The movie is narrated by Daisy’s elderly
character, caught in the middle of Hurricane
Katrina. While the attempt to place
a recent event into the movie seems like a
good idea, its actual use is a little forced.
Compared to boisterous city New Orleans
was in the early 1900s, the hurricane symbolic
significance that is all too obvious.
The use of Katrina was contrived in the
attempt to modernize a story written in
1921. However, when the movie remained
in the intended setting, it assisted in telling
the story. It becomes reminiscent of Forest
Gump as Benjamin grows up (down?)
and witnesses changes in technology and
society in general.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
took a typical love story and turned it into
“My name is Harvey Milk, and I’m here to
recruit you!” No other opening line could be
more fitting.
Milk is the story of the first openly gay
person elected to political office. The inspirational
movie follows Harvey Milk as he
struggles to gain a political following in the
1970s, which leads to several personal losses,
and continues on to his election and eventual
assassination. The movie was not just ruined
for you, so don’t worry. This is a true story
and his death is mentioned at the beginning.
Sean Penn’s portrayal of Harvey Milk
earned him this year’s Academy Award for Best
Actor. The cast, which includes Penn and
James Franco, as Scott Smith, create loveable
characters and the story they tell motivates
viewers to fight against discrimination. Even
Josh Brolin, who plays Dan White, develops a
conflicted character that the audience feels
somewhat sorry for. Each character brings
something different to the film and the cast
makes this movie memorable.
something better. While it did have its flaws,
the story itself remained intriguing throughout,
because the topic of impossible love
is, in itself, timeless.
By: Ashleigh Whitfield
The film never loses pace, for the first half
recounts Milk’s attempts to win a seat on the
San Francisco Board of Supervisors. After
running several times to the point where he
almost gave up, he finally wins and the movie
turns to all of his attempts to support gay rights
in California. An eerie undertone is present
throughout the film, even in the happiest moments,
for the film starts with Penn sitting at a
table, recording his life story that he instructs
to be played if his assassination should occur.
Despite the fact that Milk won Academy
Awards for Best Original Screenplay and Best
Actor, Penn and screenwriter Dustin Lance
Black took time out of their acceptance
speeches to comment on a group outside of
the award show who were protesting against
gay rights. So while this should have been a
happy event, the issues of discrimination presented
in the movie are still preventing equality
in today’s society. But at least Harvey succeeded
in recruiting some of us.
8

9
Director Darren Aronofsky (Requiem
For a Dream, Pi) has been known to make
tough to market, gritty, hard hitting dramas
and in a lot of ways The Wrestler fits that
profile. Still, this film finds Aronofsky painting
a poetic, and tragic, picture of a washedup
has-been.
First things first:
Mickey Rourke. There
has been a lot of buzz
about his performance in
this film and his win at
the Golden Globes cemented
what many critics
have been saying.
The question then is
“Does Mickey Rourke’s
performance live up to
the hype?” The answer
requires no thought:
“yes”. Rourke’s portrayal
of Randy “The
Ram” Robinson is absolutely
heart wrenching.
It is stunningly nuanced
and The Ram comes to
life in a way very few
characters do. Every
single moment of his experiences
is felt with
him. It isn’t much of a
stretch to think of
Rourke as a has-been
and there is the hint he
is channeling himself for
this role. I hate to beat
a dead horse but this is
truly one of the best performances
I’ve ever
watched.
The Wrestler focuses
on the aforementioned
Randy who was
a household name wrestling
in the 80’s but is
now into his 50’s and
wrestling small time
shows on the weekends.
He affords living, in a trailer by himself, by
working in the stock room of a grocery store
and he spends his nights visiting a strip club
in an attempt to woo a stripper (Marisa
Tomei).
A heart attack, which occurs after a particularly
brutal scene involving a staple gun,
ends-up ending his ability to wrestle “safely”
so he attempts to fix his broken life. He
reaches out to his estranged daughter (Evan
Rachel Wood) and takes full-time hours behind
the deli counter of his supermarket.
Despite his earnest desire to fix things, a
potential rematch with his 80’s rival looms
overhead tempting him to regain his glory.
By Mike Cresci
This film has been somewhat misrepresented
in that it doesn’t focus on an athlete’s comeback
but rather his attempt to have a life
without wrestling.
Evan Rachel Wood only has a few scenes
but they are incredibly impactful and filled
with raw emotion. Her three appearances
are among the most memorable and painful
portions of the film and really nail the relationship
between a daughter and the man who
was never there for her.
What impressed me most were the wrestling
matches. It’s hard to take anything prowrestling
related seriously, yet Aronofsky is
masterful in giving the
scenes a ferocious feel,
showing aspects of wrestling
that are all too real, and
displaying the loss of dignity
the profession entails.
At first glance many of
the strip club and wrestling
scenes appear needless and
simply there to pass time.
One might think they merely
try to entertain with violence
and nudity but at deeper examination
you see that these
moments define their characters.
Tomei and Rourke
do a beautiful job of showing
the pathetic nature of
these two characters and
their desperation for money
and pride.
There were very few
problems with the film and
I would need another viewing
to find them because
none stick in my mind, but
I can see where this movie
would turn off the casual
moviegoer. While beautifully
shot and a gritty character
study, it lacks the universal
appeal of something
like Slumdog Millionaire.
Still, watching it was a visceral
experience and I felt
every emotion Aronofsky
was pushing for.
The ending, without giving
too much away, is
simple, tragic, poetic, and
beautiful. You really feel it
in your gut and Rourke’s last monologue is
played down but poignant. The scene gave
me chills. I’ve fought the urge to make a
wrestling pun long enough so I have to sum
it up by saying The Wrestler is, a beautifully
told, emotional body slam.

The Last House on the Left- March 13
An innovative twist on the 1972 Wes Craven
film, a gang of escapee convicts
find themselves in the company of the parents
of Mari Collingwood; one of the
women they kidnapped and brutally assaulted.
Her parents welcome them,
embarking on a twisted and painful mission
of revenge using methods of
merciless torture.
Sunshine Cleaning- March 27
In an attempt to make some money and a
name for themselves, two sisters—played
by Amy Adams and Emily Blunt— begin a
crime scene cleanup business. Along the
way, they grow closer and stronger as sisters
and individuals. The film
previewed at Sundance last year.
I Love you, Man- March 20
Peter (Paul Rudd) is newly engaged, but
after a lifetime of having “girl
friends” is without a best man. On his hilarious
mission to find one through
various “man-dates”, he finds a new friend
in Sydney (Jason Segal), which
ultimately puts a strain on his relationship
with his fiancée.
Duplicity- March 20
As sexy story of deception, Clive Owen
and Julia Roberts play two scheming
corporate spies. Despite their lust-filled
past, they join forces and use their
intelligence skills to make a fortune by
pulling a con on their feuding
corporate-giant.
By Paige Zangoglia
10

11
Movie Hopping in London Town
Watching a Bride War while listening
to the Confessions of a Shopaholic and
trying to understand exactly why He’s
Just Not into You can send a girl’s senses
into a tizzy in even the most comfortable
and familiar surroundings, lost in London,
it’s a blur.
The movie theatres of London’s Leicester
Square pose similarly to most
American theatres. Popcorn kernels are
strewn about leaving a yellow brick road
of munchies to a large film poster featuring
a gorgeous star and a boldly printed
film release date.
Everything is in English [not that the
posters for Doubt in Spain translated as
Duda and posters in France for Bolt converted
to Volt weren’t culturally entertaining]
and most films shown were born
in Hollywood. Yet the American moviegoer
in London can’t help but catch a
whiff of the strangely sweet smelling popcorn
while taking a gasp of horror after
reading the theatre ticket price list. True
to their theatre roots, Brits in Leicester
Square offer seats priced based upon how
good they are. Most cheap seats average
around $15. Once lungs have regained
their function the movie-goer may
attempt to buy a ticket, only to be sent
away.
By Justine Mann
Instead of the all inclusive movie theatre
of America, these theatres offer only
two or even one film. You pick the theatre
based on what is playing there. Following
the ticket seller’s long pointing finger across
the square to a different theatre, boasting
a large poster for the movie you actually
want to see, brings you to a small, comfortable
theatre.
Every Londoner around will choose the
mini ice cream cups over popcorn and take
hoards of napkins to stop the melting. There
is a velvet curtain over the screen allowing
for the grand ta-da of a show’s beginning,
even if it is interrupted by previews. Announcements
assure everyone, not only that
they will suffer the consequences if they
videotape or allow their mobile phone to
ring, but that the film has been lawfully distributed
to the theatre. A signed contract is
displayed on screen for all to see as proof.
As an international movie-goer, this person
will eventually wise-up and abandon
these tourist trap establishments and run
to villages and housing complexes for the
next feature. A small theatre in Chelsea
will offer respite for half the price and provide
a giant soda pop, ice cream and popcorn.
There is no butter here but no matter,
the American comfort zone has been
reached.
The theatre’s only fault is seats not being
staggered, making the hippie with the
fro in the front row a problem. Previews
again sport American accents as do the
tourists next to you who whisper excitedly
over the discovery that sweet popcorn is
actually kettle corn. One beams in excitement
the other mutters assenting disappointment,
at least now they know why the
server sniffed the spoon full of popcorn
before putting it in the bag!
Being wrapped in a blanket of American
accents, sights and smells gives a slight
culture shock, especially when the film ends
and you are again surrounded by British
accents.

The Film Fashionista:
Shopaholic Confesses for Every Girl Who Ever Bought Confidence
For most girls shopping is more than a
necessity, it is a passion. The very activity
of shopping is an experience
and can open doors
to a new world. In the
comedy, Confessions of a
Shopaholic, Rebecca
Bloomwood is the epitome
of a fashionista. Since she
was a little girl, shopping
was an entrance into an exciting
place where she
could feel fabulous. As she
grew older, her love for
shopping grew and she
compares it to the way a
girl feels when she locks
eyes with a cute guy.
Depending on shopping
to give her that thrill
almost destroys her. It was
hard for her to pass by a
store without looking in the
windows and spotting
some new accessory she
had to have. After awhile,
she fell into debt and had
a hard time paying her expenses,
because of her
shopping addiction. Although
she could barely
pay the rent, she still felt
the urge to shop, despite
the advice of her friends
and co-workers. For
Rebecca, the thrill was the
feeling she got from the
clothes, a certain confidence
that she needed to
get through her day.
As women, it is easy
to understand the need to
look cute and feel good
about yourself. Especially
in the society we live in today,
where celebrities are
so influential and many of us aspire to look
like them. Living in a big city like Rebecca
does, it is easy to get caught up in the hype
and lose sight of what is important in life.
She had to work hard to figure out why she
depended on shopping and understand that
other things are more permanent and can
By Courtney Savoia
give you the same security, such as relationships.
This movie was inspiring because
it showed how fashion can define our lives
or break them if we let it. Confessions epitomized
how we feel when we purchase the
latest bag or high heel. It makes us feel sexy
and powerful, which are great feelings as
long as we remember there’s more to confidence
than looking the
part. Fashion is a form of
expression and gives others
an insight into our personalities.
Rebecca stood out
and was always dressed
to the tens. She was fearless
and mixed different
trends together, such as
brightly colored pencil
skirts, furry shawls, and
plaid trench coats. Always
wanting to have the
latest and hottest items
gave her a weakness for
sales. Seeing the fashion
in this movie was entertaining
and fun, because
it was a bit out there but
was well tailored to her
personality. Her wardrobe
consisted of
spring’s hottest trends
such as bright colors,
plaid and reptile prints. It
is always inspiring to see
someone wearing the
trends and having the
courage to experiment.
This movie is highly
recommendable to any
fashion lover because I’m
sure we can all relate to
Rebecca in some way.
Girls love to shop and find
something that nobody
else has to add to their
already full wardrobe and
lives. The idea behind this
movie, that shopping will
always be an enjoyable
part of any girl’s life just
as long as she doesn’t let
it consume her, reminds us it’s great to feel
good about the way we look, but confidence
comes from within. As Rebecca learned she
only felt complete after feeling comfortable
with herself and recognizing that there is
more to life than shopping, like love.
12

13
Michelle Obama is Vogue’s new cover girl
for March 2009 and her dress is certainly
bound to affect the mood of fashion in the
years to come. Although Vogue is known for
its photography of every first lady since 1929
(Lou Hoover), Obama is only the second to be
on the cover. (The first was Hillary Clinton in
the December 1998 issue).
Commonly compared to first lady and fashion
icon Jackie Onassis, it is difficult to put a
finger on what it is exactly that is so appealing
about Michelle Obama’s noteworthy sense of
style. The comparison between the two women
of the White House is nonsensical; the only
likeness they share is their profound under-
standing of fashion.
What makes Michelle so unique is her flair;
she dons Isabel Toledo on inauguration day
and an H&M dress that retails for $34.95 on
the campaign trail in Michigan. Her variety is
unprecedented for a woman in the White
House.
Obama is unafraid of taking risks in what
she wears: she is often criticized for going
sleeveless to important presidential events as
some Americans deem them “unsuitable” for
such occasions. She recognizes that criticism
is inescapable and that she must be comfortable
in what she wears above all else.
Michelle Obama is also a big supporter of
MICHELLE OBAMA:
FIRST LADY OF FASHION
By Christine Urgola
up and coming designers like Jason Wu (she
wore his white ruched bodice, sparkly beaded,
one-strap gown to the inauguration ball this
past January) while first ladies like Onassis
sported the classics; Valentino, Givenchy and
famed courtier Oleg Cassini. Obama plays with
her looks involving pieces from all price points
and levels of fashion. Above all, Obama enjoys
clean-cut all-American clothing with accessories
that pop.
Surprisingly, Michelle focuses less attention
on fashion than Americans might believe.
However, she still retains adoration for clothing.
Presentation, after all, is critical for a woman
in the White House but Obama does not seems
overly concerned as far as impressing everyone.
Michelle says of fashion, “I love clothes.
First and foremost, I wear what I love. That’s
what women have to focus on: what makes them
happy and what makes them feel comfortable
and beautiful. If I can have any impact, I want
women to feel good about themselves and have
fun with fashion.”
Obama’s unassuming attitude pooled with
her refined taste is bound to make a lasting
impression on generations of women of the
White House and American women alike.

1. Have a consistent flow of hot water, or even
tolerable warm, for showers everyday of the week,
every hour of the day, in every residence area. Like
my mom said, she doesn’t pay that much for housing
for her daughter to have cold showers once, or
twice or three times, a week.
2. Find a solution to the sewage smell lurking in
the music department- as if the music department
wasn’t dungeon-esque enough already, a pipe had
to go and break releasing a god-awful stench upon
what few music classrooms and rehearsal spaces
the school has. The pipe was supposedly “fixed”
but the eau de port-o-potty still lingers much to
the distress of singers and bandlings alike.
3. Get a real coffee house: bless the Cabaret’s
poor little heart but it in no way suffices, give us
our foamed milk and espresso! Give us ambiance
and Norah Jones! Hell, the Literary Arts Society
is so desperate that they are taking trips into
hipster-infested Vassar territory for a suitable
venue to recite their bleeding heart poetry.
4. Later hours for the library, earlier weekend
hours for the cabaret, and better hours for the
labs in such places like Lowell Thomas. If the
science kids get to enjoy the consistently open
Donnelly computer lab than why can’t the poor
communication students get to work on their assignments
late into the night as well?
5. Have all computer programs on every computer
on campus so that people don’t have to
trek all the way to the one lab with
SMARTnotebook to find it closed or full. If the
library and Donnelly computers had the same
programs as those in Dyson and Lowell Thomas,
beyond Microsoft Office, it would relieve a lot of
stress on those students who need such programs
for their assignments.
6. Refill the Dyson Café with food and maybe
extend it’s hours. It’s very depressing when you
go into the café with a half hour until night class
and your only choices for a quick meal is the last
of the packaged salads and maybe some chips or
nuts. On occasion you can get lucky and there
will be a microwavable mac and cheese or some
soup left.
7. Drop the two required classes in various areas
of Liberal Arts that generally don’t have much to
do with individual’s majors when one class in
each would suffice. This would also clear up room
for those ambitious people who take on multiple
majors and minors, or those who just have a ridiculously
tight four-year course to complete one
major. Along these lines the computer courses
should be dropped all together, we’ve grown up
learning how to make Powerpoints and spreadsheets
on Excel, no need to teach it to us now.
8. Make it easier for clubs and classes to get
started. While right now we have a good amount
of clubs and choices for classes, there is always
room for more ideas and a bit of diversity. At the
same time make it easier for clubs to deal with
SGA, like no ridiculous ten minute walks to the
Student Center for a five minute meeting when
club updates could be completed through weekly
emails.
Things Marist Could Improve
9. Change reading days before finals to what most
other schools have- a few days or even a week off
of classes for optimum study time before final
exams. If Marist were to implement this, I’d reckon
it would result in better test scores and a happy
stress-free student body shouting, “Yay! No more
stomach ulcers!”
10. Strengthen the fragile network. Having wireless
is great, and there probably are a number of
people working hard to give us what we’ve got,
UGG BOOTS:
FASHION
‘MUST-HAVE’
OR
‘UGG-LY’
COMMODITY? By Christine Urgola
Just a few short years ago UGGs burst on
the fashion scene, sported by celebrities like
Kate Moss, Jessica Simpson and Jennifer
Aniston. Like many new looks, they quickly
caught on with fashionistas and finally the
masses. They were said to be a fleeting fad; a
momentary lapse in judgment by young women
everywhere. However, after several years of
popularity in America, it seems as if UGGs are
here to stay.
Prided for their comfort and durability,
UGGs were considered a ‘new’ trend in the U.S.
in early 2005. However, they’ve been keeping
surfers warm on the beaches of Australia long
before then.
Young Australian surfer Brian Smith introduced
a peculiar practice to the New York City
in 1978, receiving little reception or recognition
for his sheepskin boot. Maintaining a
positive attitude, Smith traveled west to surf
in California. Here, the boots caught on very
slowly: Smith sold only 48 pairs of boots to 5
accounts in his first season of business. Since
then, UGG Australia has evolved into the
(compiled by various writers, in no particular order)
but when you can’t access the internet for over an
hour (even attempting to plug in for the net) the
week before finals, you could care less how many
times the internet actually does work. If it has to
do with high traffic or some viral code going through
the main computers you would think Marist could
have a hearty back up, being one of the “mostconnected
campuses,” so you don’t have students
wondering how they’re ever going to get their
homework done or begin studying their review
sheet if they can’t even access it on iLearn.
worldwide leader in comfortable sheepskin
footwear and has expanded to include a variety
of outerwear and accessories.
The problems with UGGs? Tendonitis and
smelly feet. Like flip-flops or any other flat
sole shoe, they’re actually bad for your feet.
The sole is a very soft sheepskin and rubber
that does not support the foot, which can in
turn cause a lowering of the arch and tendon
strain. So even though they may feel warm
and fuzzy- they’re terrible for your feet. According
to recommended wearing instructions
inside the box, UGG Australia suggests wearing
the boots sans socks, which according to
many wearers, results in a putrid smell south
of the ankles.
All of these issues aside, UGGs are worn
by celebs and everyday women, alike. Connie
Rishwain, President of UGG Australia claims
that “once you wear UGGs, you’re hooked.
They’re original, authentic and the ultimate
in luxury and comfort.” Looks like we’re willing
to look and smell past the downsides for
the good of ‘comfort’ and ‘fashion.’
14

15
By Sarah Holmes
Across from Marist campus near the
Beck parking lots is an unimpressive looking
building many students have walked by
but have not been inside. The Steel Plant
was just that, a factory where steel was created,
before it was turned into an art studio
and a gallery that exhibits the artwork of
artists from around the region
and even getting interest from
European artists.
The 3200 square foot exhibition
space with its exposed
ceiling and concrete floors recently
showed off the artwork
of five artists in Tradition/Invention
Five Emerging Artists
exhibit from January 29
through February 26.
All five artists had achieved
their Masters in Fine Arts within
the last six years which is the
final step for artists as far as
education goes. Director of the
art gallery, Edward Smith, said
he “wanted to exhibit younger
people so students could be inspired.”
Those who had the chance
or made the walk to the gallery
could see the inspiration radi-
ating off the walls.
If you entered and walked passed the
desk with the reading materials and postcards
with the name of the exhibition and
with the artists’ names, then took a right,
you would have come across the woodcuts
of Kevin Kelly, a Marist alumnus. These
Questions with Artist Lindsay McCulloch
Was there anything or anyone in particular that made you pursue art as a
career?
My mother was the first one to introduce me to art. She would always come
up with art and craft projects for me when I was little. I am sure that my
interest in the field stems from her.
What would you say is the most difficult part of being an artist?
As an artist, you have to wear many hats. You need to work in order to
support your artistic pursuits, you need to find time to make your art, and
you need to try to get your work out there for people to see. Any one of
these could be a full-time job, so I suppose not having enough time in the
day would be the most difficult part of being an artist.
What is the most rewarding part?
That moment in your studio when something just clicks. You have been
working very hard, putting in countless hours struggling over a piece, and all
of the sudden it just starts coming together in a way that is unexpected and
exciting. That is the absolute best part for me.
All artwork on the following page was created
by McCulloch
pieces of burnt reds and oranges, blacks
and white, and the occasional tinge of a
watercolor blue, were created by carving
the image or the design into a piece of wood.
“You cut out what is going to be white,
everything else you leave and then paint,”
Smith described the way woodcuts
worked, moving his hand
across a piece called “RTE. 16
Through the Eyes of Mr. Thompson.”
In this piece you can see
the fine white lines of clouds
above dark mountains. The
woodcuts can allow layers of
colors by carving out different
areas and painting them
one at a time, strenuously rubbing
the back of the wood
down on the thin sheets of paper
to ensure that the picture
comes out. It’s one of the oldest
ways of printmaking, and
makes beautiful artwork.
Next to Kelly’s art are the
black and white etchings of
Stephanie Somers, the one
other Marist alumnus in the
show. Nature is the obvious
inspiration here with names
like “Twisted Root,” “Running

Creek,” and “Backlit Tree.” Although some
of the images you swear you’ve seen yourself,
the lack of color and the precision of
detail by Somers makes you wonder if
you’ve ever really looked that closely at
roots or driftwood or how the sun comes
through to silhouette the trees.
It is hard to say what Alfredo Gisholt’s
inspiration was for his pieces, sadly he was
not able to be contacted to ask, but it is
hard not to feel something when looking at
his three oil paintings that are at least six
feet tall and more wide; “La Romeria”,
“Romeria”, and “Romeria II.” The titles are
allusions to the Spanish pilgrimage toward
Rome which don’t always mean trips but
sometimes just a full day or more celebration
at the sites of various sanctuaries of
the Virgin Mary.
Although they appear to be chaotic and
very geometric, once you look closer into
the thick textures of browns and grays spotted
with neon green and orange, you can
make out rather ghostly faces, sheep, goats,
and dogs.
To the left of one of the “Romeria” paintings
were prints made with the intaglio technique
that uses incisions on usually copper
or zinc plates. Here the ink is left only in
the incisions and is transferred to paper with
the aid of a printing press.
Lorean Salcedo-Watson
used this technique to create
images that appear like nerves,
bones, and sinews of the human
body. Images like
“Screaming Pelvis” and one of
an apparent ribcage are beautiful
representations of parts of
the human body, transcending
what could look creepy on can-
Cokeman
vas. She also created charcoal and watercolor
prints of an “Eagle Eye” and “Cicada.”
On the wall to the left as you enter the
gallery were the prints and oil on panel
pieces of Lindsay McCulloch. The oil on
panels have the rich texture that Grisholt
had in his large paintings but use bright colors
instead of darker ones. A series of ten
of these small pieces had names like “A Raisin
in the Sun” and “Alternating Currents,”
which were more
allusions and play
on words than
those like
“Cokeman” and
“Signs” which
were pretty much
what was there.
All her artwork,
including the black
and white
monotypes that followed
the oil paint-
ings, are devoid of
humans yet show
so much of what
is part of being a
human through
signs, vehicles,
and structures.
The images you
see are very real
yet surreal at the
same time, creating
a response that
is more than just
saying, “Oh, that’s a parking lot” but more
like “Why is there a parking lot?”
Real images are the inspiration for her
work, she says, “However, the images that
I create are never an exact visual replica of
a specific place. The places inspire certain
ideas and emotions, and the paintings and
prints are really a response to those thoughts
and feelings.”
Alternating Currents
New Development
Wired
Signs
And as for there being no
people in her artwork
McCulloch said she wants the
viewer “to experience these
places in a very intimate wayas
thought he or she is the subject
walking through them.”
Three of these artists now
teach art and many have worked
in printmaking museums and
helped with exhibits like this.
“The overarching idea behind
[the exhibit] was to show outstanding
work by those who just got going,”
said Smith. He said it shows “possibilities”
to those who are still in school.
The next exhibit which is showing now
through April 17 is Digital Manipulations
featuring Matt Frieburghaus-a professor
here at Marist, Henry Mandell, Tim Ross,
Laura Rusnak, and Carl Van Brunt.
“All of the work shown has some basis
in the computer,” said Smith but said Professor
Frieburghaus had a much more expansive
view on the type of artwork.
The cyber/digital type of pieces is meant
to expand the interest and allow the public to
access a variety of mediums. Thoughts like
this are what go into choosing the artists that
Smith will find and eventually hang the artwork
of on the walls of the gallery.
“The criteria [for picking an artist] is presenting
something for students,” he said. “It
makes me happy seeing good work and exposing
others to it.”
McCulloch had similar sentiments saying
that the art gallery is a “tremendous resource
for the school.”
“Artwork must be appreciated in person
- photos and digital reproductions don’t do
it justice,” she said. “ I hope the entire Marist
community takes advantage of the gallery and
the educational opportunities it offers.”
16

17
Every once in a while, there’s a professor
that just blows your mind away, a professor
that is simply at the top of his game;
and this professor is Tom Goldpaugh. English
majors love him, students who are
lucky enough to have him for Classics of
Western Literature or College Writing love
him, and many students thrive in order to
have him again. You are destined to hear
the phrases “Break in groups for five minutes”,”
like a bat out of hell”, and there’s
always something he says involving New
Jersey. Who thought that learning about
The Odyssey or The Tempest would be so
intense? Yes, intense is the word to define
Professor Goldpaugh.
When you learn about Antigone, you not
only learn about the text but also the world
it was written in. With Goldpaugh you learn
about the Greek culture and why Antigone
wasn’t only a hit for English majors today,
but also why it was such a hit to the Athenians
back then. This is just an example of
the things you learn in his class. You could
think of it as useless information to bring up
at dinner or you can view it as information
that will change a B paper to an A. Either
way, when he brings up some wacky and
far out piece of information, you should probably
write it down.
Ever try sleeping in his class? Good luck.
The man is full of energy and nine times
out of ten will keep you five minutes after
the class is over. There is never a dull moment
in one of his classes. By simply listening
to a lecture, you can learn exactly how
the Tempest was intense and crazy because
it had to sell tickets or you can learn that
one of the Victorian poets, Christopher
Marlowe, was killed in a bar. So much interesting
information, so little time. Within
an average day of class, he will probably
pace back and forth three miles. Anxious
and excited, Goldpaugh can do a great lecture,
but he wants to hear what students
think also he’s engrossed in their thoughts
of whatever classical novel, play or author
they are discussing. He loves teaching the
historical texts that we take for granted.
Ask any English major, whether their
By Nick Sweeney discussion at hand. Don’t worry if you are
concentration is Writing, Theatre, or Literature,
and they will probably say that they
have taken a Goldpaugh class at least once
and want to take him again. When talking
to freshmen who are English majors, tell
them to take a class with him. Even if you
aren’t interested in English that much, a
class with him is better than bearable.. It
can be intimidating sitting in his class for
the first time. You see the chalkboard become
marked up with lines and arrows even
if it’s only a verbal discussion, you get that
nervous feeling when he finally calls you
by your actual name, you see the amazing
wealth of information he knows about whatever
bookyou are learning at that time, or
you feel that anxious feeling before getting
that first paper back. Professor Goldpaugh
also makes it very easy to understand some
of the more
difficult text’s
by bringing in
examples that
happen today.
Afraid of
writing a paper?
He is
willing to truly
discuss any
idea you have
in your papers
and will
always tell
you to do
more with it.
Even if he
disagrees, he
wants to see
his students
think and use
what they
learned in
class. Participation
is always
a plus
and he will get
excited to
hear anyone’s
take on the
shy, he definitely won’t run out of information
to tell you. He always wants people
to stop by and talk during discussion hours.
Even if you are dropping off a paper, you
will probably get five-minute discussion
about politics, history, or how we finally are
getting the hang of Shakespeare,
Sophocles or Shelley.
The intensity of Professor Goldpaugh
is just what students need. He can take
something that is seemingly boring and
make it into a fantastical discussion. The
man brings passion and intensity to the
classroom. Any past student will tell you
that you will definitely learn something from
his class. But don’t take my word for it,
take a semester with him and find out for
yourself. Be prepared for an explosion of
literary and historical facts and a fast paced
discussion. I told you so.

England’s E4 Channel Original Series
Skins Serves As A Breathe of Fresh Air
When British actor Nicholous Hoult was
only twelve years old, I became his biggest
fan as I first watched him awkwardly belt out
Roberta Flack’s “Killing Me Softly” alongside
Hugh Grant in the 2002 movie adaptation of
Nick Hornby’s novel, About A Boy.
Late one night last year, as I procrastinated
from writing my Marist admittance essay, I was
suddenly possessed to stalk Nicholous Hoult
via the internet. I discovered that his latest
project was a TV series called Skins in which
he starred as a smart-ass teenager named Tony
Stonem. I immediately did a search on YouTube
and came across the promotion for the shows
first season, which left me completely and utterly
floored.
The four minute video portrays the most
raucous party imaginable in which a mob of
scantily dressed teenagers are depicted consuming
a myriad of drugs, dry humping on
every available surface, and having deep
drunken conversations in an empty bathtub
(oh come on, we’ve all been there). Think Gossip
Girl if the costume designer dressed the
cast in vintage frocks and gold lamè hot pants
from American Apparel instead of the latest
designer duds from Barney’s New York. Think
Dawson’s Creek meets Larry Clark’s controversial
cult-classic KIDS.
True, it was the immediate shock value of
its unwholesome content which initially drew
me to the show, but it was the terrifyingly honest
and beautifully tender portrayal of its teen-
age protagonists which kept me hooked. Beneath
all the sexuality and explicitness is a
completely authentic and freshly envisioned
story of an eclectic group of friends living in
the town of Bristol, a culturally diverse town
outside of London.
Unlike American teenage dramas which
fail at relating to their target audience by patronizing
them with shallow characters placed
on a pedestal (Marissa Cooper from The OC
comes to mind), Skins celebrates the complexities
of teenagers by proving that they don’t
think of life and love in any less of a detailed
or nuanced way than their adult counterparts.
Perhaps the shows most intriguing aspect
is the array of themes and issues covered in
every episode as each one is centered around
a different character from the group of friends.
The style in which it is filmed and the music
by which it is scored is altered accordingly to
fit their personality. This alternative way in
which the episodes are structured allows for
a more intimate glimpse into the personal lives
of each character and defines their relationships
with exquisite detail, to the point that
one can’t help but become emotionally invested
in the trials and tribulations of the
debaucherous misfits.
My favorite character by far is the effervescent
Cassie who enters the show freshly
out of an insane asylum/rehabilitation center
for her anorexia. As the ultimate hot-mess,
Cassie regularly overdoses on prescription
pills, has an obsession with kitchen cutlery,
By Storm Heitman
and unexpectedly runs away to New York City.
Cassie loves Sid who loves Michelle who loves
Tony who loves playing manipulative mindgames
on all three of them. This dilemma is a
common thread throughout the first two seasons
and although it may sound like your everyday,
run of the mill love triangle but within
the context of the show it is in no way conventional.
Skins has recently entered the mainstream
of America as one of it’s cast members, Dev
Patel, starred in this year’s Academy Award
golden child, Slumdog Millionaire. The third
season recently began airing in the UK and the
show’s creators brazenly decided to write out
the original cast and to bring aboard nine new
actors to carry on the torch.
A little part of me died inside when I first
found this out but with time I realized that their
decision fit into the ground-breaking tradition
of the series and after watching several of the
new episodes online, it has yet to disappoint.
Outlandishly provocative yet alarmingly endearing,
Skins could teach the producers of
American television quite a few lessons.
If this article has caught your interest in
any which way, you can catch re-runs of the
first two seasons now playing on BBC America
(they are highly censored and resemble the
watered-down version of Sex and The City on
TBS) or you can visit www.watchskins.tv to
watch it in all its smutty glory.
18

19
Travel down Route 9 and make your way across
to the other side of the Hudson. Across the George
Washington Bridge, in the upper part of Manhattan,
you’ll find Washington Heights, a neighborhood that
may be overlooked by a typical NYC tourist.
Recently, however, this Manhattan
neighborhood has travelled through the borough and
gone all the way to Broadway. The new musical, In
the Heights, has brought some of its qualities to the
world of theater. A passionate, lively, and insightful
production, In the Heights spices up Broadway with
its Hispanic flare and it opens the eyes of the
audience with its realistic perspective of life in “el
barrio.”
The play’s set immediately reveals realistic
shops and the Mom and Pop businesses that line
the streets of Washington Heights. The George
Washington Bridge casts silhouettes on the backdrop
of this tireless community, where the people pursue
their dreams with little money, but a lot of hope.
The play gives a bit of background about the area,
explains the dreams of its people, excites the
audience with its lively music, and even provides a
little Spanish lesson.
Based on true events, In the Heights provides
an insiders view on life inside this neighborhood.
Lin-Manuel Miranda, who, until recently, played
Usnavi, the protagonist of the play, wrote the story
during his sophomore year of college. The central
ideas of the play are all based on Miranda’s
experiences and memories of growing up “in the
Heights.” The memories he uses in the production
include treating his friends like family, fireworks on
summer nights, and finding his way through the
streets during a blackout.
All of the Miranda’s memories and experiences
intertwine to form the stories of the play’s characters.
Abuela Claudia is the grandmother of the
neighborhood who cares for all the members of the
community. Other character’s include Nina, the
college girl who exemplifies hope and prosperity
for the others; Sonny, the clown of the neighborhood
with big dreams for independence; and, of course,
Usnavi, the shop-owner who narrates the story.
The cast personifies the various flavors of the
community. The interactions between them are the
source of love, laughter, and antics throughout the
story.
The diverse cast, however, could not compose
such an interesting and exciting story without the
energetic and upbeat music through the play. As the
curtains rise, Usnavi immediately bursts into the
scene rapping lines that describe life in Washington
Heights. The cast strolls right onto the stage with
rhythm and style. Throughout the rest of the
production, lively hip-hop and salsa music keep
the beat for the story. Talented footwork and
rhythm make each dance scene engaging. The fast
tempo and enjoyable story-line keep the audience’s
attention throughout the performance.
In addition to characters and story, In the
Heights brings a bit of the Spanish culture to
Broadway. The songs and lines mix in Spanish
words to the English verses. The characters wave
the flags of various Spanish-speaking countries, such
as the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Mexico, and
Puerto Rico. They take pride in their culture and
the things that they have learned from their
homelands.
So, whether you are from Lower or Upper
Manhattan, speak Spanish or you can’t get past
“hola,” In the Heights is something to enjoy.
“I thought it was a really well done, modern
play, states Ashley Flye, a member of the Marist
Singers and a theater lover, “But it also mixed in the
more traditional parts of a Broadway play. It also
Culture and Inspiration Reach
New “Heights” on Broadway
By Mary Treuer
dealt with an issue like immigration that most people
are afraid to face.” With so much to offer, it’s no
wonder that this musical won the 2008 Tony Award.

As You Like It
In Marist Theatre and MCCTA’s recent production
of Shakespeare’s “As You Like It”, the forest
of Arden was re-imagined by director Jim
Steinmeyer as a sandy beachfront in the Hamptons.
Many have tried to make Shakespeare’s work
relevant to contemporary audiences with the use of
silly gimmicks (I once saw a god-awful hip-hop
production of Hamlet done entirely in rap) but thankfully
this production limited its modernizing to costumes
and settings, keeping the original Elizabethan
language intact.
The show is essentially a romantic comedy centered
around the lovers Rosalind (Kimberly Birch)
and Orlando (Kurtis McManus) but love is erupting
all over in the cast of 22.
In this production, Rosalind is an overzealous
upper eastsider who, after her father is run out of
town, is taken in by his powerful sister Fredericka
(originally written as a male character but fabulously
portrayed by current MCCTA President, Amy Kate
Byrne).
Rosalind is longtime gossip-pals with
Fredericka’s daughter Celia (Alexa Mullen).
Orlando is the abused brother of Oliver DeBoys
(Justin Santore) who decides to partake in a wrestling
match against the brutish Charles and in spite
of all the odds, defeats him. In the glory of his victory,
Rosalind decides to give Orlando a little kiss
which sparks the passion of true love. Well aware
of his brother’s desire to have him murdered, Orlando
knows that he must escape town and heads
for the safety of the beach.
Meanwhile, Fredericka banishes Rosalind from
her court and the always attached at her hip Celia
chooses to go into exile with her. Thus, the two
young women set off for the beach along with the
court’s inappropriately humored jester, Touchstone
(Jeff Hogan).
Rosalind disguises herself as a boy named
Ganymede, while Celia assumes the part of “his”
sister, Aliena.
Orlando inadvertently finds himself in the company
of Rosalind’s father Duke Senior and his loyal
following of beach bums. Rosalind purchases a flock
of sheep and is ready for a pastoral life until she
discovers the love poems Orlando has written for
her scattered about.
In order to get a better understanding of
Orlando’s feelings and intentions for her, Rosalind
(disguised as Ganymede) tells him she will cure his
heartache through role playing, allowing him to pour
his heart out to Ganymede as if “he” were Rosalind.
Adding to the multiple romance plots is Silvius
(Matt Faustini) and Phebe (Emily Callahan) whom
Rosalind tries to hook up in a plan that goes sour
when Phebe falls instead for Rosalind’s male disguise.
Not to be left out of the love scene, Touchstone
pairs himself with a country girl named Audrey
(Kelly Geus). The resolution of the scattered love
affairs begins when Oliver arrives at the beach and
is reconciled with his once-hated brother Orlando
after he saves him from a lion attack.
Oliver than falls in love with Celia and Rosalind
arranges that Phebe will marry Silvius if she can’t
have Ganymede, then tells Orlando that Rosalind
will marry him that day as well. The play ends with
Rosalind revealing her true identity and a multiple
wedding, all live happily ever after.
The set design for the show was tastefully
simple. The court scenes emulated chic downtown
style and the minimalist beach setting consisted of
a boardwalk, sea grass, and gazebo. Paired together
the sets complimented one another splendidly, creating
the perfect setting to unite the lovers of contrasting
backgrounds. A majority of the costumes
were appropriate for both the script and the contemporary
setting, but I found myself questioning
whether the daughters of Dukes would really be
By Storm Heitman
seen in anything as tramp-like as liquid leggings.
The show ran well over two hours and though
it seemed like a long evening, the experience was
made worthwhile thanks to a stand-out performance
by Kate Costello who was nothing short of brilliant
in the role of the hopelessly melancholy Jaques.
Her refined performance made you completely forget
that the role was originally written for a man.
She was trusted with one of Shakespeare’s most
famous lines (“all the world’s a stage, and all the
men and women merely players”) and recited it
with such perfect articulation and resourcefulness
that she made it seem one was hearing it for the
very first time. Costello’s clear, matter-of-fact voice
was the perfect fit for the character who watches
and judges the other characters on stage without
ever fully participating in the action and it married
well with the nonchalant way in which she lounged
about the furniture.
In comparison to the rest of the cast, she seemed
to have a greater understanding of the dialogue which
was evident in her overt delivery of the comedic
lines. Whereas many of the performers relied on
larger than life gestures and inflections of the voice
to relate the meaning and intentions of their words,
Kate communicated with the intensity of her eyes.
The production was a success on many levels
and could even be considered groundbreaking in the
realm of Marist theatre as it marked the first jointproduced
show between the academic theatre and
MCCTA. One of their goals was to attract a wider
audience to the season’s Shakespeare show which
traditionally receives a far less than sold-out house.
A goal which is safe to say was met because of the
efforts of Hillary Sterling (head of publicity) and
Ryan Houlihan (co-producer/creator of the viral
web marketing video which can be viewed at http:/
/www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBqbtH0Jcuk)
20

21
Twat, snatch, box, chi chi, fur burger,
taco, pussy, vajayjay, beaver, poontang,
pootnannie, flower, hoo-ha: just a few of
the many euphemisms for the female genitalia,
the vagina.
It’s not a word people like to speak or
hear, hence the euphemisms, but on February
27, with standing room only in the
cabaret, vagina was the word of the evening.
Twenty-five women dressed in black
with a touch of red somewhere on their
person acted out a selection of monologues
from Eve Ensler’s sensational episodic play
The Vagina Monologues which was created
from over 200 interviews with women
about their “down theres.”
Judith Lopez from the Grace Smith
House of Duchess County, which received
90% of the proceeds from the night, spoke
first, followed by a performance by the Sirens
before the monologues were introduced.
Hillary Sterling, Melissa Drespel, and
Kelly Hall, the narrators for the evening, introduced
the audience to what The Vagina
Monologues were as well as what vaginas
have been referred to, using many of the
above terms and adding in the Hudson Valley
for some local flare.
“At first women were reluctant to talk,”
Ensler wrote, and the narrators inform the
audience in an introduction to the monologues.
“They were a little shy. But once
they got going, you couldn’t stop them.”
And talk they did. These twenty-five
women channeled the voices of various
other women in stories of self-discovery,
vulnerability, tragedy, and victory; empowering
to anyone who has a vagina and entertaining
for everyone, no matter what their
genitalia.
The first topic, powerfully introduced by
Jessica Peterson : hair. While some of the
other monologues were subtler in their approach,
this one was not. By hitting the audience,
which had a fair amount of male attendees,
with such a bare-faced rant about
a topic rarely- if ever- discussed you took
down any expectations of reservation.
Then came the “Wear and Say” lists
which Kimberly Birch, Kate Budzinski, and
Katie Warren took turns answer the first
question: what would your vagina wear?
“Combat boots”, “emeralds”, “something
machine washable.” And the second question:
what would your vagina say? “Remember
me?” “Enter at your own risk,” “Slow
down,” and, “Find me.”
Intertwined with monologues were facts
relating to the vagina, including happier facts
about the clitoris having the largest number
of nerve endings of any part of the human
body, male or female, as well as somber and
angering facts about female genital mutilations.
Similarly amusing to the first monologue,
Adrienne Sabilia had a performance as an
old woman talking about her “down there,”
Kristy O’Driscoll ranted about tampons,
douches, and OB/GYN instruments that
made her vagina angry, and Tara Deluccia
expressively reclaimed cunt by finding exciting
and empowering words that started
with the letters of the word. Others like
Megan Frey, Cassandra Rosado, and Kelly
O’Rouke performed more reflective monologues
about a vagina workshop where
woman quite literally discover themselves,
a man who loved to look at vaginas, and the
birth of a child.
And then there were the performances
that kept the whole room respectfully, con-

templatively silent. Kate Costello channels a
Native American women with an abusive
husband who braids his hair crooked as her
only retaliation against him; Kerri Aris, Molly
Cambone, Talene Injeian, Nicole Madar, and
Ashleigh Whitfield together performed “They
Beat the Girl Out of My Boy” about
transgender issues; Mairead Delaney and
Laura Nipe presented the monologue about
Bosnian woman in rape camps; and Emily
Lanzo recited “The Little Coochi Snorcher
That Could”, a woman’s memories as a child
that involved her vagina including impaling
it on a bedpost, being raped by her father’s
best friend, and eventually finding joy in her
vagina with the help of an older woman.
These serious and sad monologues were
not overwhelmed by the more outrageous
monologues but there was a good balance
so that the audience was able to laugh at one
point and pay close attention the next.
One of the most memorable was “The
Woman Who Liked to Make Vaginas Happy”
that Alexa Mullen performed with the help
of the narrators. Mullen was a lawyer turned
dominatrix for women who lists off different
types of orgasms including the Harry
Potter, Irish Catholic, Jewish, African-American,
and Obama orgasms and ending in a
demonstration of the triple orgasm.
The evening wrapped up with the 2009
V-Day Spotlight Monologue with an introduction
by Missy Alexander about how global
climate change and overuse of resources
contributes to the abuse of women in many
countries like those women benefitting from
the V-Day Spotlight Charity of Choice: The
Women of the Democratic Republic of the
Congo, which received 10% of the night’s
proceeds. Amy Kate Byrne was the one to
perform this final monologue.
By Sarah Holmes
“V-Day is a global movement to end violence
against women and girls” and through
production like this raises awareness and
funds to help women across the globe gain
complete freedom. To read more about their
mission and events visit newsite.vday.org.
The Vagina Monologues have become synonymous
with this movement and its mission.
Before its involvement with the movement
and still now, the monologues are being
performed across the country in many
cities and on college campuses and have been
since 1996. They have been performed at
Marist for 11 years; MCCTA picked up it up
first, running the performance for 9 years,
and RSC picked it up for its 10th anniversary.
This year seniors Emily Lanzo and Jessica
Peterson produced it for their capping
project.
“We chose to do this for our capping
project because of what this show means to
us. Jess and I have done this show multiple
times and were shocked when no one was
picking it up to put it on this year,” said
Lanzo.
Besides Lanzo and Peterson, there were
two directors, Wesley Barnes and Matt
Wolfe, two stage managers, and plenty of
other people helping with ticket sales, the
bake sale, and raffles, as well as those running
the technical equipment for the evening
which went very well.
The amount of people in attendance was
proof enough of the draw of the monologues
and the good advertisement on behalf
of those involved.
“I wanted to break fire codes with the
amount of people attending, and we did
that,” said Lanzo.
Photos: Chris Turkiewicz
22

23
What I know of John Updike is largely by
reputation: I read Rabbit Redux while sitting
in cozy guard towers throughout the Sinai
Peninsula, straining to escape the nagging feeling
that I was a negligible cog in the everturning
wheel of Americana, yet too jejune to
extrapolate anything meaningful from the
book. I’ve read a few of his essays, more of
his forewords, and seen his name appear in
relationship to anthologies and all things literary.
In short, I knew he was an eminent American
literary figure even before I knew why. He
passed away earlier this year, and it was only
posthumously I learned of the
breadth of his influence because
of his prolificacy and
stylistic mastery both, and
having learned of the significance
of his genius in the
weeks that followed his death,
I was inconsolable in my bereavement:
A great man had
died, and I had missed the opportunity
to chase after that
notional intimacy that results
from reading an author’s works
while they are yet alive.
What I know of David Foster
Wallace is largely anecdotal:
I frequented a Barnes
& Noble where a woman who had studied beneath
him during his term at Illinois State University
introduced me to him by association. I
was seduced by her stories of him, and an intimacy
developed and blossomed as I read his
opus, Infinite Jest. I became a consumer of all
things DFW, and his companionship by proxy,
the vital force that exerted itself in his prose,
accompanied in the ensuing years.
When I read of his tragic suicide, I cycled
through the stages of grief quickly, disbelieving
the words on the page, outraged that the
world had failed him when he had offered so
much, and wondering if I had only read his
most recent release, Oblivion, a bit more
closely, would it have made the difference. I
was despondent for weeks to follow, plunged
into an existential quagmire, if prose did this to
a genius like David Foster Wallace, what effect
might it have on an amateur like me? I stopped
writing, hoping to spare myself his pain, drinking
more, reading less, and watching the DFW
tomes stare back at me from my bookcase.
It is this cross I carry now.
Of course I have established that I probably
don’t know enough of Updike to say this,
and convictions formed in ignorance are always
reckless, but I hope you’ll take my meaning:
Had DFW survived the rigors of his own dissatisfaction,
had he been able to overcome his
mental illness, had he been able to linger on as
the literary tour de force that he was, David
By Kyle Swan
Foster Wallace could have been the next John
Updike. Sadly, DFW was not able, and this
tradition was truncated before ever being realized.
In an interview with Larry McCaffery,
Wallace said, “Fiction’s about what it is to be a
fucking human being.” In so many words,
that’s what Wallace’s works were about, the
human condition, in all its idiosyncratic glory,
from his mind to the page.
His was no average mind. At Amherst College,
he majored in philosophy with a focus in
math and logic. He found the successful
completion of proofs to have an aesthetic appeal,
relating the experience
to what Yeats called “the click
of a well-made box”, and from
then on, described that experience
as the click. At age
twenty, his passion for mathematics
and philosophy
faded, and he floundered.
Around that time, he dabbled
in writing, and during that fall,
between his reading and writing
for fun, he discovered
“the click” in literature. The
rest, as they say, is history.
Except that it isn’t, quite.
This story is that of a
metafictionalist who used
metafiction to demonstrate the shortcomings
in itself, who took on consumerism and
overstimulation, who wrote frenetically, who
wrote a story of an artist who literally excreted
good art. This is the story of an author who
wrote about what it meant to be a human being
but did so with such passion, sensitivity, and
insight into the condition that he exalted the
art to a level it had not been at since the likes of
Proust.

“We cool?” Carlos Robson asks the small
crowd gathered in the Cabaret after he finishes
up his first poem. He may be a poetry
slam champion but this young artist makes
the audience feel as though they’re listening
to a close friend rather than an accomplished
performer.
Believe it or not Robson is a performer.
He mesmerizes the crowd as he sings, stutters,
and throws his entire being into his
poetry taking on various personas in the process:
a heroin addict from Washington D.C.,
a small boy with special needs, and his
grandfather who suffers from post traumatic
stress disorder.
He slides from one character to the next
with ease and never once does he lose the
audience. This is the mark of a great storyteller.
That’s what Robson says his style is.
“I was never very good at the traditional
stuff”, he tells me, “I was good at
storytelling”.
The storytelling style is actually rare, he
adds, Buddy Wakefield and I are the only
really prominent ones on the scene. I guess
that’s one of the things that made Robson
stand out when he started slamming in 2005.
Robson is from North Carolina and is part
of the Concrete Generation, a group of slam
poets, there. In the hour he spends with us
he shares more information than most people
do if they spend an entire day with another
person.
He tells us how his family came here
from Cuba in a bathtub, how he is born of
ink, hates to fly, and teaches us about slam
poetry. He explains how his coach thinks
he should just write without thinking but his
usual method is constant rumination of his
If you want to experience some
slam poetry first hand check out:
The Nuyorican Poets Café on 236
East and 3 rd Street (Between Aves.
B&C) in NYC. Every Friday night
at 10 PM. Admission is $10.
topic until he has the entire thing written in
his head before he puts pen to paper.
He reads us a love poem with the disclaimer
that every poet should have at least
a few love poems in his repertoire and then
tells us it’s trash. It’s far from it. As he
speaks I get chills and I can tell the rest of
the audience knows they’re in the presence
of real talent.
I ask him what he wants people to take
away from his poetry. “Humanity,” he says,
“I want them to see the humanity in each
other.”
I think he picked the right medium to
convey his message. There’s something
about spoken word poetry; everything just
jumps off the page and you just can’t help
but listen.
The LAS Poetry Slam in the Cabaret.
Watch Marist Students compete
in this campus wide competition
on April 2
24
nd . Admission is free. By Jennifer Sommer

5
Whether you’ve spent your Spring Break
at home in wintry weather or traveled to the
tropics, take yourself now to the sunny Dominican
Republic through this novel, but
brace yourself.
The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar
Wao by Junot Diaz tells the tale of a Dominican
family cursed by “fuku,” a superstition
that has haunted them for generations.
Fast-paced, humorous, and tragic at times,
Oscar Wao, exposes the corruption of the
rule in the Dominican Republic and inspires
Lock & Key by Sarah Dessen
Gears of War: Aspho Fields by Karen
Traviss
The Cremation of Sam McGee by Robert W.
Service
Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams:
Shorts Stories, Prose and Diary Excerpts by
Sylvia Plath
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
the reader through a story of a boy who never
gave up on finding true love.
The novel is unique, because instead of
telling a story through one person’s eyes, it
switches narrators to show all of the characters’
perspectives. Oscar’s friend, Yunior,
begins telling the story, and throughout the
book, Oscar’s sister Lola, his mother Beli,
and various others who know Oscar narrate.
The characters tell the story of their past,
the things that shaped their family, and the
things they knew about Oscar. The stories
are each like pieces of patchwork that put
together a quilt to tell the tale of a family
who suffered for generations, but produced
many heroes such as the obese, nerdy, but
determined Oscar. As each character spins
his or her own yarn, he or she uses a voice
that makes his or her story personal. As the
reader gets inside of each character’s mind,
the pieces come together to form an interesting
and exciting story.
This fast-paced tale will prevent you from
putting the book down, and you’ll learn a
little cultural history in the process. The novel
explains an ancient curse known as “fuku,”
said to plague the Dominican Republic since
the arrival of the Europeans. The curse continued
through the atrocities committed by
By Mary
Treuer
the ruthless dictator, Rafael Leonidas Trujillo
Molina. Trujillo ruled the Dominican lands
for more than thirty years under a regime
marked by bribery, torture, and intolerance.
Even after the era of Trujillo, the curse he
left behind still remains.
In the novel, the Cabral family, who has
suffered the repercussions of this curse,
struggles to beat it, even though most of
the family has moved to America. Flashbacks
explain the curse, while the parts of
the story that represent the present focus
primarily on Oscar.
An overweight writer and role-playing
video game junkie who resides in Paterson,
New Jersey, Oscar does not have much going
for him in the romance department. After
years of failed high school love affairs
and an uneventful romantic life at Rutgers,
Oscar heads back to the D.R. and attempts
to find his true love once and for all.
Though often humorous and informal,
the novel tells a story of true determination
through the lens of a different cultural perspective.
A New York Times best seller and
a recent hit, The Brief and Wondrous Life
of Oscar Wao, brings a different flavor to
popular literature. This story is something
that you’ll just have to try for yourself in
order to realize its immense enjoyment.
Recommended Recommended Readings Readings Readings fRom fRom LiteRaRy LiteRaRy aRts aRts society
society
as as PRovided PRovided by by secRetaRy secRetaRy KeLLy KeLLy gaLLucci:
gaLLucci:
Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia
by Marya Hornbacher
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
Eat, Pray, Love (One Woman’s Search for
Everything across Italy, India and Indonesia)
by Elizabeth Gilbert
Honey, Baby, Sweetheart by Deb Caletti
Paint Me Like I Am - WritersCorp / Various

When many people first hear about the new
electronic readers, they don’t know what to
think. Is this a good thing, or will they soon
take over? What will happen to libraries and
paperbacks, and the smell of the fresh new book
you picked up at Barnes and Nobel? Well, have
no fear, readers; you are actually in for a technological
treat. These electronic books or “ebooks”
are sleek, sturdy, and hold hundreds of
books and newspapers all on one device. They
even have beneficial effects for the environment.
Electronic readers, such as the Amazon
Kindle, are a great alternative to carrying books
around because they are eco-friendly, convenient,
and eliminate the hassle of books.
So, what exactly is an e-book? Take the
Kindle for example; It’s eight inches long, white,
and can hold over 1,500 books. The battery
lasts for days, and users can download new
content anytime, anywhere with it’s built in
wireless. This is great for travelers who don’t
have room to lug several novels around with
them. Another notable feature is if someone is
trying to multitask, or is simply tired of reading,
the device will read aloud to them. There is
also little or no glare when reading outdoors
and it is said to be easier on the eyes than a
computer or even a paper book. The Kindle
specifically also has a built in dictionary, annotating
tool, access to Wikipedia.com, and an
automatic page marker. According to the New
York Times, they are becoming very popular
among men and women, especially between 55-
64 years of age. Electronic readers have many
very usable features and benefits.
Aside from having many great features, Ebooks
themselves are very convenient pieces
of technology. When I was in the British Virgin
Islands last year, I met a woman who spends
her three winter months down there every year.
Clearly not a light reader, she explained how
she usually ships down several boxes of books
to read while she’s there. For someone like this,
the Kindle would be extremely convenient and
all together more efficient than mailing as many
as 100 books internationally every year, only
to fill every shelf in her small 1 person apartment.
Even students living in dormitories could
benefit from this kind of space saver. When
residents don’t exactly have room to spare,
combining 10 or more books into one that’s
pencil thin is ideal. This would not only help
save space under their small dorm room cots,
but also in their backpacks. Carrying 3 or 4
around to class can be strenuous; students
often forget to bring some books, or purposefully
leave them behind because of the inconvenience
of toting them along. However, with
e-books, all they need is one item, and they will
be prepared for all their classes.
Another great aspect of electronic books
is that they are environmentally friendly and
greatly reduce the amount of deforestation going
on worldwide. The process required to create
paper out of trees is damaging and requires
an extensive chemical process that, like many
other industries, simply adds to our current global
state. According to Raintree Nutrition Inc,
production industries require over 200 million
tons of wood every year just to make paper. In
the spirit of going green, reducing the amount
of deforestation going on in the world is not
only important, it’s critical, and electronic books
can help by eliminating some of the need for
paper.
While some people fear that electronic
books may be threatening to libraries and the
By Heather
Munnelly
novelty of holding a book in their hands, they
are actually hugely convenient and reduce a
lot of the hassle associated with real books.
Paperback and hardcover books are costly,
environmentally unfiendly, heavy, and take up
a lot of storage space. However which the
founding of e-books in the past decade, change
has been made possible. Now, readers can
carry hundreds, even thousands of books all
in one pencil-thin gadget. Libraries will be
around for a long time, because no matter how
advanced the memory gets, gadgets like this
will never be able to hold every issue of every
book ever made. They aren’t meant to be portable
libraries, but more like personal libraries,
holding only the things one would generally
own in a paper version, like the New York
Times, or their favorite Steven King novel. Ebooks,
such as the Amazon Kindle, are quickly
taking over reading, like iPods did in the past
5-10 years with music. It’s one of those items
everyone has a use for, and because of that, is
taking off brilliantly.
The Amazon Kindle, left, is one of various new
electronic readers like the Sony eBook, right
26

27
The Lady or
The virgin or the vamp? The lady or the
tramp? It seems that today there is no happy
medium; you can be a slut, a prude or a tease.
None of those adjectives has a positive
connotation and it’s hard for people to
decipher which is better or worse. If a girl leans
too far in one direction, she faces harsh
judgment. Some recent works of feminine
literature attempt to fix this issue by preaching
their versions of the ideal woman.
The Bunny Book-How to Walk, Talk, Tease
and Please like a Bunny, is a bible of sorts
written by three former Playmates and the self
proclaimed “three musketeers of sword
stimulation.” Ha, ha. The book is filled with
lame, not so subtle sexual innuendos and
“that’s what she said!” jokes, but with its
brightly colored pages and plentiful
illustration, it is an easy read and a good laugh.
After scouring the bible and diligently taking
notes, the idea is that the reader will have the
tools to transform into “the ultimate fantasy,”
or at the very least, the poor man’s version of
it. Offering high expectations with its title is
What Southern Women Know (That Every
Woman Should)-Timeless Secrets to Get
Everything You want in Love, Life, and Work
by Ronda Roth, the epitome of a Southern
Belle. By the time the reader finishes, she
should be drinking sweet tea and speaking in
metaphors with the best of them.
The two guide books certainly have their
differences, mostly in the carnal knowledge
By Alana LaFlore
department. For instance, Southern Women
doesn’t mention sex, (sex is apparently taboo
for Southern Belles) whereas The Bunny Book
goes into extremely explicit sexual detail. (Want
deeper penetration? Turn to page 134.)The
Bunny Book advises the reader to slap her
partner’s member across her face during the
act for extra “raunch”. Forgive me if I am wrong
for judging, but any source that recommends
self injury with a penis is probably not the
most sophisticated of texts.
But the two “bibles” are not as different as
one might assume. Some of the content is so
similar, the bunny could be mistaken for a close
cousin of the Southern belle. Both The Bunny
Book and Southern Women list one of their
most important rules as never leaving home
without lipstick/gloss and mascara. Of course,
the reasons for following the rules do not
exactly have the same motives. According to
The Bunny Book, “You never know when you
might spy your soul mate in the frozen food
aisle at the grocery store.” In Southern Women,
the chapter entitled “Look Your Best Even if
You Feel Your Worst” encourages the reader
to follow the makeup rule for self-esteem
purposes.
Yes, people generally feel better about
themselves when they look better and it is true
that you never now who you may run into. But
in a college setting, looking perfectly polished
at all times just is not a realistic option. This is
unfortunate, because you can potentially and
probably will, run into everyone you’ve ever
met at Marist on a quick trip to the Cabaret.
When I cannot be bothered with getting
ready for a simple errand, I follow my version
of the rules: If you leave your house/dwelling/
residence hall looking anything less than your
best, wear big sunglasses. In my mind,
oversized sunglasses hide all flaws and make
you unrecognizable. I am slowly learning that
this far from the truth. Obnoxiously oversized
sunglasses can call more attention to you,
especially on a rainy day with not a drop of
sunshine to be found.
I advise girls not to take either text too
seriously. Who gave these four women the
authority to police the rest of us anyway? If
leaving your room without makeup on does
not bother you, don’t succumb to the
standards of the books. And if you enjoy the
“raunch” the bunnies recommended, or find it
taboo, well then who am I to judge you?

Brooklyn has the reputation of being the
cheaper version of Manhattan with a trendy
crowd complete with hipsters and for the
most part this would be true, especially if
you plan on exploring the area of
Williamsburg. The L subway train would
be your most direct route to this area.
The first stop Brooklyn bound on the L
train is Bedford Avenue and Williamsburg
in particular extends out to the Lorimer and
Graham Ave stops. It is here that you can
find some interesting bars and places to
meet unique individuals. Make sure to be
21 however because few bars will admit
you if you are underage.
Most nights in a Brooklyn bar will consist
of the basic essentials that one might
find right here in Poughkeepsie, however,
the trip to the city is well worth it if your
interested in up and coming bands, later
closing times, and an eclectic mix of people.
The streets of Williamsburg are often
crowded with vendors selling used records,
vintage clothing and various other odds and
ends and most people will stop to talk to
you if you are willing to let them. The art-
work in this area flows from the walls of
the building to the very sidewalks you venture
down. It is something to be experienced.
In many ways the live music is the best
part of the bar scene. I recently went to
go see a friend’s band (Predator Rawcheck
them out!) at a small bar located in
Bushwick. Bushwick is an up and coming
neighborhood in Brooklyn located just outside
Williamsburg. Some locals to the area
have said Williamsburg is merging into
Bushwick in many ways such as music/
art culture.
The room was dimly lit and decorated
by home made art in the form of mannequins,
sketches and oddly shaped paintings.
The air reeked of cigarette smoke
and other odd aromas and there was a
small bar manned by a guy in white crocodile
shoes and a bow tie. Although it took
half the night for the bands to get on stage
it was well worth the wait.
One bar that I have enjoyed going to
that is well know for hosting local city
bands is The Charleston located at 174
By Melissa Amarianos
Bedford Ave. A unique feature of this bar
is that it offers free bar pizzas with the purchase
of a drink (21 and older). This bar is
unique because it has a good amount of
open space. They have shows in the basement
mostly supporting local artists and the
crowd is usually young depending on who
is playing on a particular night.
Another bar which is probably the most
famous in the area is the Brooklyn Brewery
-79 North 11th Street, which has a happy
hour from 6-11pm. The Brewery is unique
because as you may have guessed they
brew their own beer! Brews like Monster
Ale and Brooklyn Brown are made there
and they offer free hourly tours on Saturdays
from 12-5pm.
After a long night out if you didn’t fill
up on bar pizza you can swing over to
Kellogg’s Diner located at 514 Metropolitan
Ave. This spot offers great food at relatively
inexpensive prices and the best part
is its open late! There are so many bars in
Brooklyn that it is impossible to write about
them all but hopefully you will take a trip
soon.
28

29
Fast Times At Facebook High
I’ve come to adopt a new morning routine
recently. Somewhere between waking
up, showering, and getting dressed a new
activity has infiltrated my daily ritual. I find
myself waking up, checking Facebook,
showering, and then checking Facebook
again.
There is never much change from the
first time to the second, except for perhaps
somebody alerting the Facebook world that
they are in a bad mood or hate
class, yet I continually think my
world may be turned upside while
I shower. There is no practical
purpose for the two visits taking
place within 20 minutes of each
other but then again we live in a
world where you can walk out
of a Starbucks and immediately
enter a Starbucks.
Many of the people I talk to
engage in this same ridiculous behavior
and can’t really explain it.
Furthermore, everyone I speak to
about Facebook and MySpace seems to
unanimously believe that at some predetermined
age they will simply stop using these
sites. Previous generations don’t use them
so why would we. The reality is that our
generation has made the internet, and specifically
social networking sites, a crucial
part of our lives. In all likelihood we’ll soon
be tagged in photos of us feeding pigeons in
a park.
Websites like MySpace and Facebook
drastically change the country’s social dynamic.
I’m always baffled to find that people
will type things and send them to one person,
allowing all of their closest friends to
see, yet would never say those same things
in private to just the person they are intended
for.
Whole friendships can now exist with
little to no actual interaction. According to
some, celebrities (named after…alcohol?)
can even be born on MySpace and then get
their own horrifyingly terrible reality bisexual
love show. Someone will post a status alert-
By Mike Cresci
ing everyone they know that they are in a
bad mood but when everyone begins asking
why, that same person will tell them it’s
none of their business. People simply do
such things to get pity that they can then
proudly reject.
One thing is for sure, these sites haven’t
changed human nature. These websites are
like eRoofies. They prompt girls to mysteriously
drop their guards and post revealing
pictures they would never flaunt in public
and to write detailed descriptions of themselves
for absolutely no reason. The only
people reading anyone’s “about me” section
is that “just a friend” who has yearned
for you all through high school and is convinced
that reading it a million times will
provide the secret key to your heart.
The real question all this raises is, how
will ‘Facespace 1 living’ factor into my
generation’s ‘golden years.’ Will I post a
status regarding how bummed I am by my
midlife crisis? Will I one day be reading a
friends post regarding their gradual loss of
bladder control? Our children will undoubtedly
have a newer internet home and not
want to be so uncool as to be on the same
site as their parents, but will it affect
parenting?
I know that if my parents had a
Facebook I would undoubtedly check it out
for the comedic value. If our children start
looking through pictures from college and
see their parents as a drunken mess at a
party telling them what to do will be harder.
It will be much easier for them to play the
hypocrite card.
One of the major criticisms of Facespace
sites is that they reduce the need to actually
socialize. Will our generation’s time as adults
be remembered for this? There are some
people on Myspace whose social skills
wouldn’t surpass the elephant
man’s level. 2 Then again there
have always been people like this
so I more wonder how it will
change the social dynamic in the
older years. Will adults who previously
had no time to get into
petty fights, have the time with
the quick and convenient online
methods? Will retired people begin
using their free time to become
Facespace slaves?
There really isn’t any way to
guess what will happen but I can
make a few negative and positive predictions:
PROS
-Photo albums will become conveniently
permanent and easily accessed thanks to
Facebook.
-Staying in touch with old friends will be
much easier than ever before
-An abundance of pictures ranging your
whole life will make for easier
scrapbooking which will give the glue
industry a boost 3 . Get out the champagne
Mr. Elmer, there’s cause to celebrate
CONS
-Embarrassing pictures will haunt you for
the rest of your life.
-Decrease in social skills and a distraction
for an easily distracted generation.
-The deaths of innocent horses.
-There’s most likely a lot more but I think
I made my point. 4
1 The alternative being Mybook.
2 If you can’t be more suave than a man covered in giant tumors then you’re going to have a rough time of it.
3 Subsequently controlling the horse population.
4 I don’t think I really made a point.

When I first came to Marist for Accepted
Student’s Day, I knew what I wanted to see, but
I didn’t know what to expect from my third
choice school. I heard all the regular stuff, good
communications program, beautiful campus,
upper classmen housing was on Good Morning
America…
What shocked me most upon my arrival to
campus was the amount of high energy students
I saw, and this was at eight in the morning!
We eventually made our way to the gym
and that’s where the Marist College Band roped
me in. They were the most energetic kids I saw
on campus and I wanted to be a part of that.
That’s what I was looking for from my college,
school spirit. Simple as that, but Quinnipiac
lacked it, UMaine was too cold for students to
be outside, and the list went on. Whatever IT
was, Marist had IT.
The question I have is; what happened to
IT? This year I’ve noticed a severe lack in attendance
at many different events on campus.
From basketball games at McCann to Movie
screenings in the PAR, where have all the students
gone? The sudden drop off in support
for teams and organizations is both astounding
and upsetting.
Last year the stands were packed for most
basketball games, not just at the Siena game.
The Bardavon Theater was sold out for the
Music Association’s Spring Concert. There
was even a rush for tickets to the Lifehouse
concert on the Riverfront and the Jim Gaffigan
show at McCann. So why is the showing so
poor this year?
Well most of the blame is obviously placed
on the students. As members of this college
community, we have a responsibility to make it
better. This year we have been sitting in our
rooms drunk or hung-over most weekends instead
of out supporting our basketball programs.
The McCann center is widely known
through the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
as one of the most feared places to play. We
earned that reputation because of a packed student
section every night raising the noise level
of the building ten-fold.
It was a rebuilding year for the Men’s team.
Their old coach bailed and took his recruits with
him on top of the four departing seniors. Chuck
Martin arrived to Marist last spring and was
quoted many times saying how much he loved
this place, “This campus has a pulse and you
can feel it,” he would say. Now when he needed
that pulse, that life, to help out a struggling
team that was picked to finish last, it was nowhere
to be found.
Students can’t be the only ones at a fault
here. I place some blame on the administration
at Marist. Unlike so many other schools, Marist
does a terrible job promoting its teams. For all
the talk about wanting to have big-time athletics,
Marist is stingy with its money, and overly
strict with its policies. How come when I went
to a Villanova basketball game, there were students
tailgating in the parking lot doing keg
stands yet here parking around McCann is reserved
for Red Fox Club members only? Unlike
Villanova, Marist is catering to these older
people from the area instead of who they should
be catering to: the students. After all, this is a
college! Let the students support their teams.
It pains me to put blame on an organization
that has given me so much in my time at Marist,
but the Band must take its share. Last year the
Marist Band was an integral part of football
and basketball games on campus. We were the
rebels, standing toe-to-toe with the likes of
Tennessee, Ohio State, and LSU bands. For
some reason, something changed this year. The
jerseys and bandanas, staples of the group,
went away. Out came dress pants and polos,
April 1
SPC Coffeehouse: Pie Boys
Flat
9 PM PAR
April 2
LAS Poetry Slam
8 PM Cabaret
April 3
SPC Movie: The Curious
Case of Benjamin Button
10 PM PAR
April 4
SPC Social - Knicks game
8 AM - 7 PM Location TBD
SPC Movie: The Curious
Case of Benjamin Button
10 PM - 11:30 PM PAR
April 14
ARCO game night
9:30 PM - 10:30 PM SC 349
April 15
Student Employee
Appreciation Day
11 AM - 2 PM
April 17-18
6 PM - 6 AM
Relay for Life
April 19
International Students Club
Roman Toga Party
7 PM SC348
April 22
SPC Comedian: Eric O’shea
9 PM – 11 PM PAR
April 24
Riverfest
5 PM - 9 PM Longview Park
April 25
Marist Band Concert
8 PM Bardavon Opera House
April 26
Marist Band Concert
3 PM Bardavon Opera House
Spring Concert
Jack’s Mannequin w/ Matt
Nathanson and Erin McCarley
TBA
SPC Social: Six Flags Great
Adventure Trip
8 AM – 10 PM
By Mike Walsh
with red jackets at indoor basketball games.
The band went from being a hard fighting, passionate
group, to a generic college band that
plays the same songs over and over again.
Nobody wants to come out to a game and be
bored and the band is currently contributing
to that boredom.
The bottom line is that people in the Marist
College community must work together to restore
that vibe and “pulse” that attracts people
like me. If we don’t, then our athletic programs
will begin to slip into obscurity along with our
school’s reputation. I was there at the NCAA
Tournament in Louisiana last spring, when our
women were playing the LSU Tigers on their
home court. I remember the feeling of being
totally helpless at the game, being drowned
out by the overwhelming numbers of LSU fans.
I just never thought that that could happen at
my home, not at the McCann Center.
April 27
Mr. Marist Competition
8:30 PM - 10 PM
Nelly Golleti Theatre
April 29
SPC Social - Salsa Dance
9 PM - 11 PM Cabaret
May 1
SPC Movie: The Spirit
10 PM - 11:30 PM PAR
May 5
MCCTA presents:
Humarist’s Big Show
9 PM - 11 PM Nelly Golletti
theatre
May 8
Silver Needle Fashion Show
2 PM and 8 PM Mid Hudson
Civic Center
Singers & Time Check
Concert
8 PM – 10 PM Nelly Golletti
Theatre
May 10
Small Ensembles Concert
12 PM - 2 PM Nelly Golletti
Theatre
30

In a time when holes in the ozone are growing,
natural resources are being depleted,
more species are endangered, and the polar
ice caps are melting it seems clear we need to
stop ignoring these problems and search for
a solution. Perhaps there are no quick fixes
but the media and environmental advocates
1. Recycle. Remember in elementary school when your teachers taught
you that song about recycling well take their advice. Set up recycling
bins in your house or dorm room and use public ones whenever possible.
Have extra time and want to make some extra cash? Bring your bottles
and cans to your local grocery store and recycle them to make some quick
and easy change.
2. Use Recycled Products. Many stores sell books, paper, toilet paper,
containers, and many other things made from recycled materials. Opt for
these instead of “new” paper and plastic products in order to help conserve
valuable resources such as trees.
3. Turn Off the Lights. It may seem simple but turning off the lights when
you’re not in the room helps conserve energy and thus helps promote a
healthier environment. In fact millions of people all over the world are
planning to participate in Earth Hour, an event hosted by the WWF that
is asking households and businesses to turn off any non-essential lights
and electric appliances for an hour in order to create awareness about the
need to promote energy conservation. The event is set to take place on
March 28, 2009 at 8:30 PM and even historic sites such as the Sydney
Opera House and the Golden Gate Bridge have signed up to join the
effort.
4. Stop Using Paper and Plastic Bags. Instead use fabric bags that can be
reused again and again. They can be bought in almost any grocery or
retail store and stores often give customers who use them money off your
purchase.
5. Buy and Use Rechargeable Batteries. Regular batteries are hard to
dispose of and create unnecessary waste. Rechargeable batteries can be
used again and again. Thus saving money and reducing one’s production
of waste.
By Jennifer Sommer
are finally being heard as they promote the Go
Green campaign that is sweeping the nation.
“Going Green” means living a lifestyle that
involves pursuing knowledge and performing
actions that promote a healthier environment.
The idea of going green has been around for
quite awhile but it wasn’t until recently that
the term was coined and the movement gained
popularity. The surge in support is most likely
due to the media’s extensive coverage; with big
name stars such as Leonardo Dicaprio and Tyra
Banks supporting the effort, people are beginning
to take notice and look for ways to live a
greener life.
6. Plant a Tree. Do something nice for the environment and plant a
tree. They help reduce carbon emissions in the air and thus promote
a healthier ozone layer.
7. Buy and Eat Organic Food. Organic foods contain fewer chemicals
than processed foods so not only are they healthier for people but
they are better for the environment. Fruits and vegetables that are
treated with chemicals are bad for the environment because they produce
toxic run-off that pollutes our water supply. The chemicals used
to treat these foods are also made from non-renewable resources.
8. Donate or Swap Old Clothes. In a time when the economy is experiencing
one of the worse recessions in years and the earth is showing
the effects of years of abuse it seems wise to think of creative
ways to find “new” clothes. Try trading old clothes with a friend or
donating them to those who are less fortunate. You can also shop at
thrift stores in order to find clothes with low price tags and conserve
natural resources.
9. Use Alternative Methods of Transportation. Instead of driving
your car everywhere, walk, run, bike, scooter, or skateboard whenever
possible. Not only will you be helping the environment but
you’ll be getting exercise too. If you can’t ditch the car, at least try
carpooling
10. Support Green Companies. Buy from companies that take part in
green practices and/or produce green products. CNN named Honda,
Continental Airlines, SC Johnson, and HP as some of the companies
on their Top Ten Green Giants list and these are just a few of the many
companies that have decided to go green. For a more complete list go
to http://www.workingmother.com/?service=vpage/1844.