The Rattler February 4, 2009 v. 96 #7 - St. Mary's University

The RattlerVol. 96 Issue 7 St. Mary’s University Student Newspaper 02.04.09How safe is5-6-7-8Students find a fun way tostay fit and gain rhythm.Page 17our campus?Recent criminal activity spurs policeto increase patrolling.Page 14Hometown HeroJohn Quiñones pays a visitto his alma mater.Page 20Home RunRattler softball teamprepares for tournament.Page 25

News2 The Rattler02.04.09Police Blotter1/19/09Six instances of criminal mischief< $500 in Lot O.1/20/09Fire alarm in the field betweenconstruction materials stagingarea and VJ Keefe Field. SAFD wasdispatched and put out the grassfire.1/21/09Sick/injured person in CharlesFrancis Hall. EMS was contactedfor treatment and transport;transported for further medicaltreatment.1/22/09Theft was reported in the Raba LawBuilding.1/24/09Major accident in Lot M. Suspectwas arrested for DUI and taken in bySAPD.Minor accident in Lot Q.Photo by Robin JohnsonTuesday, Jan. 27, the Foreign Language Club presented the Chinese Culture Performance Association of San Antonio to bring in the New Year. 2009 is the Yearof the Ox in Chinese Tradition. Students were treated to live music, fortune cookies and the chance to win a gift card for Panda Express.1/25/09Burglary of motor vehicle in Lot O.1/28/09Sick/injured person in DoughertyHall. EMS was contacted fortreatment and transport; transportedfor further medical treatment.Major accident on University Drive.An investigation is pending.Violation of Student Handbookin Leies Hall. Referred to JudicialAffairs.IndexNewsCommentaryFeaturesEntertainmentSportsContact Us:210-436-3401 (office)210-431-3407 (fax)rattlernews@stmarytx.edu2-67-1112-1819-2324-28Cover photo by Andrew RileyCover design by Amanda RodriguezNews in BriefDeans meet to discussCatholic identity, lawFriday, Feb. 6, 4 p.m.–5:30 p.m.Law Classroom Building Room 102Deans from several Catholic law schools willcome together to have a panel discussion on“Integrating Catholic Social Teaching into aLegal Education.” The panel will discuss howto bring together Catholic identity and lawschool missions. The goal is to bring changeand offer solutions to other schools that findthe integration difficult.Hackers cause mischiefwith Austin road signsDigital warning signs on the side of Austinroads were tampered with on Monday, Jan.26.Rather than the usual cautionary notes, driverswere told, “Zombie in area! Run.“ Hackerschanged the signs and their passwords soworkers had to wait for manufacturers to resetthe signs before they could be used again.Source: Associated PressGuest Speaker to addressnational securityMonday, Feb. 9, 6:30 p.m.–9 p.m.AT&T Center for Information TechnologyLenora Gant, Ph.D., will offer a speech titled“The Intelligence Community for the 21stCentury” discussing what the IntelligenceCommunity is and how its members are importantfor the nation and its security.Contact Anne Ohlrich of the Graduate Schoolfor more information.More prison riots break outin West TexasThe second prison riot in less than two monthsbroke out in a private federal prison in WestTexas on Saturday Jan. 31.The Department of Public Safety showed upto contain the situation. Authorities workedthrough the weekend to restore order.Source: Mysanantonio.comUrban Plunge Retreatbegins next weekendFriday, Feb. 13–Saturday, Feb. 14Students who have signed up for the two-dayUrban Plunge Retreat will head off campus towitness poverty in San Antonio first hand.Sign up is on a first come, first served basisand there is a limit of 15 students.The program will cover homelessness, migration,criminal justice, gentrification and manyother issues.St. Jude’s Hospital needsbilingual volunteersThursday, Feb. 5–Friday, Feb. 6Univision Radio, 1777 NE Loop 410, Suite 400St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital islooking for bilingual volunteers to answerphones and take pledges for the St. Jude/UnivisionPromesa y Esperanza Radiothon. Volunteerscan help from 6 a.m.–7 p.m.Source: Mysanantonio.com

02.04.09With the start of a new semester,the Diamondback Café, is debutinghealthier food choices to givestudents opportunities to developbetter eating habits.The café’s changes include newmenu options such as whole-wheatpizza and calzones to black beanburgers, according to John Finerghty,director of food services.The café has also brought in anew cooler for fresh vegetables andfruits to give them greater visibilityand easier access to students.Food vendors like Montague’sDeli and Bené Pizza & Pasta arealso staying open until 10 onweekdays so students have moreoptions for dinner.The café has also introduceda sushi night, a change that caféoperations manager Daniel Martinezsays is extremely popularwith students.Finerghty acknowledges thechanges by themselves will not improvestudents’ eating habits.Fitness Coordinator AngelaDonnelly agrees and said studentsThe spring semester begins withthe last presenter for this year’s LinGreat Speaker Series journalist andauthor Alan Weisman.At the presentation, Weismanspoke about his latest book, TheWorld Without Us, a non-fictionpiece that focuses on what wouldhappen to the world if all of humanitysuddenly vanished.Weisman had to hold interviewsacross the globe to develophis book. He spoke to city maintenancepersonnel in addition toengineers, architects and nuclearplant workers. All professionalstold him that nature could wrecktheir structures.“Life is incredibly powerful;it will invade any place we’re notlooking, and even where we are,”said Weisman.He also noted how naturewould be quick in rebuilding itselfif humans were to leave. For examples,Weisman explained how themust consider the choices theymake each day and must be willingto use all the resources availableto them.“Some students believe theymay be eating in a healthy way byKorean Demilitarized Zone, establishedin 1953, is now grown overand that the island of Cypress,which is void of humans, is now avibrant natural habitat.“I got into this book becauseI was very worried about theEarth,” he said. “Now, I’m notso worried.”However, since humanity willnot be vanishing, there are sustainabilityissues that need to beaddressed. There are several organizationsattempting to alleviatethe pressures of humanity onthe Earth. Weisman spoke withpeople associated with the zeropopulation growth idea and eventhe Voluntary Human ExtinctionMovement (VHEMT).“Phasing out the human raceby voluntarily ceasing to breedwill allow Earth’s biosphere toreturn to good health,” says theVHEMT Web site.The world has long been unableto naturally maintain the populationand its continuing expansion.As humans engineer new waysNews The Rattler 3Cafeteria offers healthier, smarter alternativesBy carina JonesStaff WriterBy Ari RiveraNews EditorPhoto by Roberto DumkeIn effort to be more environmental friendly, the Diamondback Café is providing students and faculty with silverwareso that less plastic cutlery is used. There are three drop-off stations around the café for silverware that has been used.purchasing a salad every day, butadding a lot of dressing to a saladcan be just as bad as eating a burger,”said Donnely.She suggests that studentsobtain nutrition information byto grow food, rather than endinghunger, the population grows tomeet the food resources.“We end up with five times asmany hungry,” said Weisman.Knowing this, Weisman wasdetermined to establish a middleroad between over-population andthe end of reproduction altogether.He then focused on populationcontrol and slowing reproduction.By families only having one child,it would greatly ease the strain puton the Earth.Students expressed interest inWeisman’s discussion.“[The speech] was kind of controversial,but it is a problem we’regoing to be facing,” said senior elementaryeducation major AnnieAlejos. “People don’t want to thinkabout it.”Following the lecture, a questionand answer session was offeredwhere Weisman discussed topicsfrom natural family planning andthe economy, to alternative energyand global warming. Weisman wasthen on hand to sign books.logging onto campusdish.com, asite which posts daily menu optionswith calorie content information.Though healthy eating is anarea of concern for some students,others say there are too manyAs a result, the university soldout of both The World Without Usand Gaviotas: A Village to Reinventthe World. Weisman was the lastcompeting demands to really payattention to it.Student Government Association(SGA) president and seniorpolitical science major James Escamiaunderstands the desire studentshave to eat healthy, but admitsthat he does not eat as well ashe could all of the time.“It’s common knowledge thatfruit is good, but you forget aboutyour body and the choices youmake when you put food in yourmouth,” said Escamia.The café is also offering silverwareto cut down costs and to bemore environmentally friendly.Those who wish to dine in havethe option to use plates rather thanto-go boxes. Reciepts no longer automaticallyprint out, instead cashiersnow ask if students wouldlike a reciept.Martinez says that he has receivedpositive responses fromstudents and faculty about thecafé’s efforts to be healthier andgreener.“It was time for a change,” saidMartinez. “And we were willing tojump in and make those changes.”Weisman addresses environmental future in new bookPhoto by Analicia PerezWeisman explains that voluntary human extinction is not the only solution tohelping the earth rebuild.presenter for the topic “Green orGone? What is our EnvironmentalFuture?” for the 2008-2009 LinGreat Speakers Series.

News4 The Rattler02.04.09Nurturing the “Roots of Change”On the morning of Jan. 24, students strayed from their normal routine of pressing the snooze button untilnoon. Instead, they put on their working gloves and ventured out into their community as servant leaders andemissaries of change. Sponsored by the Marianist Trust, the Marianist Leadership Program and the ServiceLearning Center, Continuinug the Heritage is a campus-wide service day that allows students to volunteertheir time and efforts with a variety of local organiations, such as: the State Hospital, the Children’s Shelter andCatholic Charities.One of the many organizations respresented this year was the Roots of Change Community Garden. Locatedon San Antonio’s East Side, the garden provides the surrounding neighboorhood with the means to grow andharvest their own fruits and vegetables; as well as a ground for discussion of various developmental issues facingtheir community.Photos by Analicia Perez

02.04.09News The Rattler 5Archbishop discusses immigration with studentsPhoto by Analicia PerezArchbishop Agostino Marchetto spoke to students about the importance ofbetter integrating international students into campus life and activities.By maxmillian sokoloffStaff WriterSt. Mary’s University receiveda visit from Archbishop AgostinoMarchetto, Apostolic Nuncio.Archbishop Marchetto is the Secretaryof the Pontifical Council forthe Pastoral Care of Migrants andItinerants and has been in the serviceof the Holy See, the Vatican’sdiplomatic mission, since 1968.The Archbishop toured theUnited States and spoke at variousmember institutions of theAssociation of Catholic Collegesand Universities. The tour finishedon Feb. 1 in Washington,D.C. at the association’s annualmeeting. The focus is to spreadan understanding of the 2004 Instructionfrom the Pontifical Councilentitled, “The Love of Christtowards Migrants.”Students were able to meet withthe Archbishop during a luncheonheld at the Marianist Residence.There, Archbishop Marchettogreeted and casually spoke withstudents, inquiring about their majorsand hometowns. In doing so,he spoke to the students not onlyin English, but in Spanish, French,Italian and Russian.Following a prayer, ArchbishopMarchetto got into the substanceof his visit, to reveal the immigrantissue as more than just a debate.He said that there are differenttypes of migrants, who typicallyStudents connect with potential employersmove for economic reasons. Themigrants include those seekingwork, fishermen, other seafarersand truck drivers. Economic migrantscan move internationally,from country to country, or internally,from one part of the countryto another.There are also internally displacedpersons, who move intracountry,and refugees, who moveinternationally. These groups ofpeople have usually been forcedfrom their homes due to acts ofwar, persecution, political upheavalor natural disasters. Refugeesreceive protection due to internationallaws and treaties.Humans who are captured andsold as slaves are another category.This includes forced laborers, sexindustry workers and child soldiers.They are also the focus of thepastoral care of the Church. Gypsies,tourists, pilgrims, people wholive in the streets and stateless personsare also examples of who theChurch wants to help.In addition, the Archbishopalso reaches out to students studyingabroad as he voiced how hewould like to see more of an emphasisplaced on the integrationof life and faith. He went on to sayinternational students need specialattention because, though they arestudents, they can also be identifiedas a category of migrants.On the topic of immigrationpolicy, Archbishop Marchetto fearsthat with the recent tightening ofimmigration laws in Europe andthe United States, many who arein need are being turned away. Thepractice of choosing which types ofimmigrants to be let in is becomingmore rampant.With it recently being the greatestmovement of people in humanhistory, it is important that manyof these people receive the pastoralcare they need. According tothe Archbishop, welcoming thesepeople is much more than just providinghospitality.However, a burden falls notonly on those welcoming, but onthose being welcomed. The Archbishopexplained that it is the dutyof the migrant to learn the localcustoms and language, and to integratetheir own culture with that oftheir new home. It is important tonote that integration, as opposedto the assimilation, is ideal. Migrantsshould not forego their ownculture when moving.Whether one is at home orabroad, the lessons taught by ArchbishopMarchetto apply. Treatingothers with dignity, respect and acceptanceare all values we woulddo well to follow and apply in ourdaily lives. To have empathy forthose who are far from home is avirtue the Church wants to spread.More information on the HolySee, and the Vatican in general,can be found at www.vatican.va/phome_en.htm.By Joshua dunnStaff WriterOn Jan. 28, the Career ServiceCenter hosted its semiannualJob and Internship Fair in theUniversity Center.The job fair, held on a Wednesdayin Conference Room A, ranfrom 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. CareerServices hosts this event everysemester and has been doing sofor years.Many students from all majorsand classifications attended thisevent with some searching for fulltimepositions and others comingto look for internships. Also,there were those who stopped byjust to take a peek at what theycould find.“I don’t really know exactlywhat I was looking for,” said seniorcriminal justice major CrystalCeballos. “I just tried to lookaround and see exactly what therewas available.”Around 45 employers showedup, including such companies asIon Broadcasting, Valero, UnivisionRadio and Walgreens.While some business representativesdeclined being intervieweddue to company policy, most ofthem said that there were plentyof opportunities for studentsand alumni.Many of the employers providedthat their companies had openfull- and part-time positions.The majority of the organizationsalso stated that they hadmany internships open for willingstudents, with most of them beingpaid positions.Whether the need is for a summerjob or a full-time, entry-levelposition, students can use theresources that the campus andCareer Services make availableto them.A good step towards that is attendingthe job, internship, andvolunteer fairs or stopping bythe Career Services Center to askfor any opportunities throughoutthe year. For more informationabout local job opportunites contactthe Career Services Center at210-436-3102.Photo by Robin JohnsonOver 40 companies from the local and national job network were available tostudents to provide information, job opportunites and internships.

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02.04.09Commentary The Rattler 7MLK dream has yet to be fulfilledSTAFF EDITORIALThe RattlerThe election of President BarackObama has drawn comparisons to thecivil rights leader and activist Martin LutherKing, Jr., arguably the most influentialAmerican of the 20th century.The connection most people make betweenthe two is a racial one, and centerson whether Obama’s election is fulfillingKing’s dream of equality amongst all.Yet a much more important questionsurfaces: Was Martin Luther King’s workfocused only on achieving greater AfricanAmerican political representation orwas it a much more encompassing goal?A careful examination of Dr. King’sspeeches, writings and activism points tothe fact that, while political representationwas indeed a very important elementwhat they said“We reject the false choicebetween our safety andour ideals.President Barack ObamaInaugural Speech, Jan. 20I find it very sad thatpeople applaud what yousaid. You killed people.And I think that’s wrong.Turkish Prime MinisterTayyip Erdoganto Israeli President Shimon Peresat the Davos World Economic Forum,Jan. 29I engaged in behaviorwhich was regrettableand demonstrated badjudgments.Michael Phelpsafter UK newspaper published picturesshowing him apparently smoking cannabis, Feb. 1”of the civil rights struggle, it was by nomeans its only piece. Martin Luther Kingtalked about the dream he had that oneday his children “will not be judged bythe color of his skin but by the content oftheir character”; that he had “the audacityto believe that people everywhere canhave three meals a day for their bodies,education and culture for their minds,and dignity, equality and freedom fortheir spirits” and that we should “developa kind of dangerous unselfishness.” Howcan we make echo of those words witha country submerged in greater incomeinequality, a poverty-stricken world anda violent social order?We believe that Obama’s presidency,while of monumental importance forthe civil rights movement, does not completelyfulfill Dr. King’s mission.Barack Obama’s election shows thegreatness of a country that is able to takethe darkest chapter of its recent historyand turn it over its head, a greatness inwhich Dr. King’s dream was rooted. Butthose who treasure that dream still pointto the overwhelming majority of HIV casesinvolving African Americans, the factthat the people on death row are in mostcases minorities, the de facto segregationin public schools and neighborhoods orthat the average educational attainmentis still much lower for minorities.But perhaps the greatest urgency wehave of listening to Dr. King’s messagetoday arises from the growing povertythat exists in both the United States andthe world. Dr. King has awoken us to thefact that the love ethic was meant to belived beyond personal relationships andshould constitute an essential feature ofthe social order. That, amidst bailouts,wars and politics, is the greatest challengefacing our world today.An American DreamIllustration by Jaymee BaxleyBY ALFONSO DE LA TORREMappaMundiA just war in Gaza?If there is such a thing as a just war (which isa concept I am extremely skeptic of) the Israelioffensive on Gaza is certainly an example of itsopposite. More than 1300 Palestinians and 14Israelis dead and widespread destruction alongthe Gaza strip is the final balance of a conflictthat was the massacre of an innocent populationwhose only fault was electing Hamas. Oneof the key elements of a just war is its ‘proportionality.’The numbers speak for themselves.Israel usually argues to be in the middle ofa hostile neighborhood, but the truth is that therest perceive Israel as the ‘bully’ of the block.There is no justification for the bombing ofmosques, no matter how many Hamas leaderswere hiding in them, or for the killing of 30people with a bomb simply because one was aMuslim extremist. Are the other 29 not importantenough? For a government that claims tobe seeking peace, Israel’s leadership has a lot ofthings to explain.Hamas, on the other hand, has proved to besomething difficult to describe with civilizedwords. Perhaps the most appropriate word is“disgusting.” How can it claim “a great victory”after seeing its people die, its childrengo hungry and its hospitals collapse? Howmany lives can their self-proclaimed “cause”be worth? Hamas is responsible for bringing itsown people into the greatest humanitarian catastropheit has seen in many years. What kindof leadership is that?The recent conflict between Israel and theterrorist group Hamas has not only destroyedthe Gaza strip but has also debilitated the longtermsecurity of Israel. By killing the innocentmen and women who have never attacked Israel,Prime Minister Ehmud Olmert and his cabinethave given birth to future Islamic extremists:the men and women who have seen theirloved ones die are now developing frustrationand hate for Israel. These are the future militantsof Hamas, Hezbollah and Al-Qaeda. Thepower of Hamas does not stem from its weaponsor its leaders, but from the support of thepeople and the willingness of some to sacrificetheir lives for its ‘cause.’It is true that Hamas had been launchingrockets into Israel for a long time. It is true thatHamas was warned by Israel of retaliation. Itis also true that the international communityshould have addressed these issues before aconflict started. But I must reject the notion thatthe full-scale attack on Gaza was needed andthat the children who died can simply be classifiedas ‘collateral damage.’ If an eye for an eyeleaves the whole world blind, then things cannotbe more obscure than they are now.

Commentary8 The Rattler02.04.09The RattlerEditor-in-ChiefSarah MillsManaging EditorChristine LeLayout/Design ManagerAmanda RodriguezNews EditorAri RiveraCommentary EditorAlfonso de la TorreFeatures EditorJaime PerezEntertainment EditorStephanie SandersSports EditorChris FiloteoPhoto EditorRobin JohnsonAssistant Photo EditorAnalicia PerezAdvertising ManagerKimberly VelaAssistant Ad ManagerKatie O’DonnellWriting CoachKimberly VelaFaculty AdviserBrother Dennis Bautista, S.M., Ph.D.StandardsThe Rattler upholds the Mission Statementsof St. Mary’s University. The publicationfollows the Canons of ResponsibleJournalism, the Associated Press Stylebookand the Student Publication Policy.The Rattler is a member of the AssociateCollegiate Press, the Columbia ScholasticPress Association, the Society of ProfessionalJournalists and the Texas IntercollegiatePress Association.Contact UsThe RattlerSt. Mary’s UniversityOne Camino Santa Maria Box 83San Antonio, TX 78228210-436-3401 / 210-431-4307 (fax)rattlernews@stmarytx.eduLetters to the Editor PolicyThe Rattler welcomes letters to theeditor. Letters should not exceed500 words and must include writer’sname, classification, major andtelephone number.Editors reserve the right to editsubmissions for length, grammar,spelling and content.Letters may be delivered to Room258 in the University Center, faxed to(210) 431-4307, mailed to The Rattler,St. Mary’s University, One CaminoSanta Maria, Box 83, San Antonio, TX78228, or e-mailed to rattlernews@stmarytx.edu.For more information, call thenewsroom at (210) 436-3401.LornaCruzThis semester,the Student GovernmentAssociationat St. Mary’sdecided to implementa new recyclingprogramfor our campus.Within the firstweeks, there hasbeen a measurable,positive response from thestudent, staff and faculty body.The first and probably the mostobvious change presented wasSan Antonio & the CommunitySt. Mary’s & Campus LifeSGA’s new recycling program helps Rattlers “go green”the option of using silverware atthe café instead of plastic spoons,knives and forks that were the onlychoice available.With the option of using silverware,the use and disposal of plasticscan significantly be reduced bybeing replaced with a more practicalsystem of washing and reusing.Of course, the campus still has theoption of using plastic utensils,but for many, the decision to usesilverware is obvious, as it woulda great, easy way to contribute towardsyielding fewer pollutants.San Antonio economy willfeel the effects of recessionWith the economycontinuingits downwardspiral, its no wonderSan Antonioemployees haveseen a significantDana number of layoffsin the pastTraugottfew months.According toDr. Steve Nivin, an economics professorhere at St. Mary’s, we shouldsee unemployment continuing toincrease as a result of the globalrecession. However, it is not expectedto be as bad in San Antonioas we will most likely fall withinthe 7-8% range of unemploymentwhile the national average willprobably reach two digits.We are due to see a large increasein unemployment at the nationallevel, but since San Antonio hasbeen insulated from the nationalrecession, layoffs will not increaseas much in 2009. The reason forthis is that San Antonio, like anymajor city, is specialized in certainareas. In our case, it is medicineand health care, which are acyclicalindustries. In other words, suchareas of employment do relativelythe same regardless of the overallstate of the macro-economy.In addition, San Antonio didnot experience a “housing bubble,”or overpricing of houses over thelast years. As a result, house priceshave not declined as much as, say,Florida or California.San Antonio’s economy hasproven to be much more resilientthan the rest of the country. DespiteToyota temporarily shuttingdown its plant here, economic activityhas not decreased greatly inthe past year. Moreover, some expertslike Dr. Nivin consider thatgrowth will continue, albeit at amuch slower rate.For example, San Antonio continuesto be an important touristarea that might even get a boostby the recession as people livingin Texas prefer to spend their vacationsat the home of the Alamorather than making expensive tripsout of state.Also, the stimulus package thatthe federal government will putinto action is very likely to involveseveral public works in San Antonio,which will also contributeto generate growth for the city. Inthat sense, the coming elections forthe city are of primary importancesince it will be the winner whomanages an enhanced budget andmakes decisions about the allocationof those funds.Thus, while things are likely toget a little worse for the city beforethey get better, the picture for SanAntonio will still be brighter thanthat of the rest of the country.The second change that hasbeen noticeably implemented isthe presence of a number of recyclingcontainers for paper, plasticand cans. The bins and their locationmake it much easier for anyonewho wants to recycle some ofthese items. The large containerswith slots shaped accordingly canbe seen at the entrance of the UC.The fact that there are so manyrecyclables by the end of the dayis a measurement of how environmentallyaware our campus is. Ifthere were additional containers,Faith & the MarianistsCelebrating the life of Fr.William Joseph ChaminadeFrancescaGarciaAs I walkamongst theMarianist menand women onCampus, I can’thelp but feel greatadmiration towardsthem. Weall recognize thegreat gifts theyhave given the St.Mary’s community. When I beginto reflect on their actions towardseveryone, I consider the man whocreated it all: Blessed WilliamJoseph Chaminade.Father Chaminade once said,“The object of the vow of teachingbeing to carry out the recommendationof Mary, ‘Do whatever hetells you,’ it extends to all classes ofsociety of both sexes and of everyage, but especially to the youngand the poor.”This is seen everyday throughthe Marianist community on campusthrough the guidance of FatherChaminade. As the Marianistheritage of doing “Whatever hetells you” runs deep in the roots ofSt. Mary’s University, it is nice stopfor a moment to recognize the manwho is responsible for implantingthese qualities in our presence.Father Chaminade’s life couldbe seen as a sequence of overturnsthat led to victories over any obstacle.He once said, “I am like athere would probably also befilled up.Having more eco-friendlyoptions available and being informedabout how our choicescan impact the community welive in can be a huge step towardsbecoming an example for otherinstitutions to implement similarrecycling programs.Many thanks to SGA for takingthe initiative of helping St. Mary’sbecome a more conscious campus—ourenvironment definitelydeserves a break.brook that makes no effort to overcomeobstacles in its way. All theobstacles can do is hold me up fora while as a brook is held up; butdoing that time it grows deeper,and after a while it overflowsthe obstruction and flows alongagain.” Looking back on his lifethese words remain true.He served the people of Bordeauxduring the French revolutionby providing them with differenttypes of ministry, knowing thathis head could face the terror of theguillotine. However, he remaineda man of courage, faith, discipline,and compassion who created afoundation that led to the formationof the Society of Mary and theideals to which they hold so dear.These ideals are to spread the goodnews to anyone in need, but likeMary, in the way of making Christmore present among us.Father Chaminade to me is anexample of true humility and faiththat helps to advance any personwho comes across these establishedideals. As we come acrossopportunities to which doors ofcommunity and service open to ushere at St. Mary’s, let us considerBlessed Father William JosephChaminade and his message thatholds to be evident today amongstus. “The spirit of faith will becomea spirit of zeal, a spirit of courageand generosity.”

02.04.09I awoke suddenlyfrom myheavy slumberand lazily staredout the window.Today was the beginningof a newjourney, I thought.I was on my wayto Fort Benning,Columbus, Georgia,a fifteen-hour drive to worldpeace. Not only was I about to bepart of a world movement, I wasalso about to make more sense ofwho I am. Twelve of us steppedout of the large van and immediatelyshivered as the wind tookover our warmth from our bodies.It was a foreign place to me, but itdefinitely felt like I belonged.“Close the SOA!” peopleshouted as we passed by. Already,thousands of international andnational people of all ages hadbeguan to gather around the longstrip along the gate of the School ofAmericas, now called the WesternHemisphere Institute for SecurityCooperation (WHINSEC.).The School of the Americas(SOA) had been established in1946, originally in Panama, andhas now gained its reputation fortorturing and killing thousands ofinnocent lives in Latin America.The graduates of this school aresent back to the Latin Americancountries and kill thousands withskills they learned from the SOA.Our group was called the SOAW-The School of the Americas Watch.It amazed me how many gatheredfor this event. More thantwenty thousand people came toFort Benning and showed theirsupport for world peace. I wasecstatic. Not only did I become a“hippie” of our generation, but Iwas doing something that I loved,and that was saving numerous otherswho were helpless. If we couldshut this school down then therewould be no SOA death relatedheadlines. I longed for peace.All ages gathered for this event:Young and old, teenagers and seniors.The important thing wasthat your cultural background didnot matter, as long as we all hadCommentary The Rattler 9Student protests School of Americas for world peaceBrissaRenteriaCourtesy of Brissa RenteriaStudents and staff joined more than 20,000 people last November to protestthe Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation.the same mission.We stood at the gates outsideof the fort all weekend long forhours, protesting our rights asChristian Catholics and demandingpeace. We did not do this ina disorderly manner. Rather, wegathered together and prayed foreach person that had been murdered.I felt tortured when I wouldhear the name of a two-year-old becalled out, helplessly killed on thestreets of Latin America. Or whenI would hear of seventy-year-oldswho had no chance to speak theirmind and died. Or of thirty-yearolds,reminding me of my mother.Or of eighteen-year olds who werejust like me.World peace is not about whoyou are as a person, but as a trueactivist of what you believe in. Icould still hear the John Lennonimpersonators at the event, andall of those in the early 1970s whocried out for peace in our nation. Iwant this to be over and I want itto end now.Bolivia expells US Ambassador, generating controversyOne of thecountries thathas caused controversyin 2008and continues todo so is Bolivia,led by its indigenouspresident,LornaCruz Evo Morales.The increasinglyleftist presidenthas been known to concur withhis Venezuelan counterpart HugoChavez about foreign policy, aswell as their keen dislike and distrusttowards the United States.In September 2008, Moralessent out a powerful message to theinternational community by expellingthe U.S. Ambassador, PhilipGoldberg from the country—theembassy was located in Bolivia’scapital city, La Paz.The alleged reasons for thissudden expulsion were that Goldbergwas “conspiring against democracyand seeking to divide thecountry”. In response to this measure,the United States expelledthe Bolivian ambassador from thecountry, Gustavo Guzman, a dayafter Goldberg’s expulsion.Another issue occurred in Nov.2008, when the Bolivian presidentsuspended the work of the DrugEnforcement Administration inthe country and ordered its agentsto leave within three months. TheDEA is a U.S. agency that dealswith issues such as drug controland providing resources to rehabilitateaddicts, among other things.When it comes to internationalaffairs, one of its responsibilitiesincludes “liaison with the UnitedNations, Interpol, and otherorganizations on matters relatingto international drug controlprograms.” Morales said that thegovernment would take controlof its activities in regards to thewar on drugs.As of January 2009, Brazil’spresident, Luiz Inacio Lula daSilva, has agreed to help the countrycombat drug trafficking in responseto Bolivia turning to themfor help.Even though it is no country’sobligation to be strong allies withthe United States nor to accepthelp from its agencies, it is Evo Morales’stubbornness and incapacityto put his country’s interests firstthat has made Bolivia blacklistedand disapproved by much of theinternational community.There is a spark of hope, though,as Morales has said that he is willingto improve the Bolivia-U.S. relationshiponce president BarackObama steps up. His approach isthat they can relate to each otherbecause Morales was Bolivia’s firstindigenous president, much asObama is the first African Americanpresident that the UnitedStates has had. Morales insists thatthe DEA will not return as long ashe holds his place as president.It is in Bolivians’ best interestthat their president makes more ofan effort to relate to foreign administrationsand collaborate for thebenefit of all countries involved.Source: wikimediacommons.orgEvo Morales recently expelled the U.S. ambassador to La Paz, Philip Goldberg.

Commentary10 The Rattler02.04.09In the middle of two wars, economic recessionand high expectations, Obama “plays it cool”JamesHopkinsIn one of SaturdayNight Live’smost recent episodes,comedianFred Armisen portrayedPresidentBarack Obama ina sketch entitled“Obama Playsit Cool.” In thissketch, Armisen,as Obama, states, “My only rule isto keep it cool.” He then goes onto cite examples from his politicalcampaign and his personal life thatillustrate his coolness in the face ofconflict and drama. Even thoughthis was a humorous depictionof the new President, as with allhumor, there is an element oftruth present.I think the most astounding aspectof the days surrounding theInaugural celebration was PresidentObama’s apparent calmness.Whenever television cameras focusedon President Obama, he eitherhad a relaxed smile on his faceor a look of intrepid determination.Especially on the day of Inaugurationwhen he may have deliveredone of the most important speechesin recent history, Obama appearedcalm, collected, and resolute.In his Inaugural speech, thePresident addressed many of theunprecedented challenges that he,his cabinet, and the people in theUnited States have to face in thepresent and in the very near future.His tone was commanding, confident,and humble. The speech wasvery well-crafted and an excellentexample of a rhetorical argument.The President declared, “TodayI say to you that the challengeswe face are real. They are seriousand they are many. They will notbe met easily or in a short span oftime, but know this America—theywill be met.” This declaration cameas a clear response to Americanswho hold expectations that thenew President can easily solve theobstacles America must confront.However large these challengesare, I think Obama’s oratory anddemeanor are reassuring. Obamaseems to impart a sense of confidenceand inclusiveness to theAmerican people. Through his Inauguralspeech, President Obamaprojected himself as a competentand strong leader.Clearly, many Americans, especiallythe youth, see PresidentObama as an inspirational leader.I believe that he has great potentialto help this country in the difficultsituations with which weCan President Barack Obama mantain his calmn demeanor in the midst of so many challenges?are presented. However, whileI am excited for the future, I amalso equally concerned. WhilePresident Obama appears confidentand collected now, can hemaintain this demeanor throughouthis presidency? I wonder ifObama can continue to maintainhis “cool” as he deals with contentiousdomestic and foreign adversaries.Will his “cool” be viewedas a strength or a weakness in theinternational community?Finally, I question the extent towhich I will be able to participatein the current and oncoming issuesPhoto courtesy of Vivian Esparzaof the United States—can Obamaincite real change, through hischarisma and confidence, that willvalue the opinions of all Americancitizens or will we still be subject topolitics as usual?BY CHRIS CHILDREEA few weeks ago I began a tripin search of the slightest glimmerof enlightenment that our greatriver city had to offer. At first Ibelieved that I had found whatI sought as I stumbled upon thefour missions located in our city’ssouth side. But when I reachedthe Mission, San Juan Capistrano,something that I discoveredRiver CityUpdateOn the San Antonio Rivertouched medeep inside andbrought abouta profoundshame.I started onthe pathwayand felt asthough I wasgoing deep intotime. Howeverthat feeling soon subsided as Ireached the “mighty” San AntonioRiver. I saw before me a stagnantbreeding ground for mosquitoes,complete with beer cans, plasticbags and other objects suitablefor a landfill. There were no fishin the water.I decided that I wanted to getsome answers. First, I contactedthe Project Manager from the Officeof the City of San Antonio forthe San Antonio River ImprovementsProject via e-mail. A fewdays later an e-mail was returnedin which the project manager notifiedme that he did not knowwhy the river was in this conditionand proceeded to contact a memberof the San Antonio River Authoritywhom he believed couldanswer my concerns. After waitinga few days I did not receive ane-mail from this individual.Next, I called the San AntonioRiver Authority who informedme that the river was not stagnantdespite what I saw, and thatperhaps it was flowing extremelyslow. In regards to the trash, theRiver Authority official stated thatcleaning the river was a responsibilityof the city of San Antonio,and that they completed this taskevery two months. He did not explainthe lack of fish in the river.The state of the river has beena concern of the city since 1998.Why then is the river in such a deplorablecondition?In June 2008 Mayor Hardbergerattended the groundbreakingfor a new “Mission Reach” projectaimed at improving the ecosystemand development of the riveralong the San Antonio Missions.The city is spending $126.6million on this project. Why then,with all these millions of taxpayerdollars being allotted, can the cityonly manage to clean trash fromthe river “every two months?”This is an enormously simple butessential task; they should neverallow the river to be in the conditionthat I viewed it in.For one it is disrespectful to ourcity and its rich history, and secondlyit hurts tourism, an essentialpart of our economy. Peoplewill visit places like Mission SanJuan Capistrano, view how wetreat our river, and be disgusted.During the groundbreakingMayor Hardberger described thispart of our city as “beautiful.”I wonder if he would make thatsame assessment if he visited theriver when I did. I wonder howmany people have become so disillusionedby this site that theywill never visit our city again.

02.04.09Commentary The Rattler 11BY CRISTINA GONZALEZLetter from theF lipp-sideof ReasonBeliefs and SocietyThe terrorist attacks in Mumbai last December have increased the tensions along the India-Pakitan border.Mumbai attacks show Pakistan’simportance in the war on terrorKennethHowellFollowing the Sept.11 attacks in New York,the United States wentinto Afghanistan witha clear purpose thathas remained unfulfilled.The terroristswe’ve been hunting,including Osama BinLaden, now hide in thehilly regions along thenorthern Pakistan-Afghan border. That’swhere our goal is now – a frustratinglyshort trip across the border and we couldapprehend the people responsible forthe 9/11 attacks.Instead, we rely on Pakistan and thatrelationship is a particularly problematicone. Their failures to make significantprogress only draws out and frustratesNATO efforts in Afghanistan. The UnitedStates could send troops across the border,but that is an option drowning incomplications and consequences. TheAmerican stance remains one of cooperatingwith and depending on Pakistan totake control of the chaotic situation alongthe border.To complicate the situation further,in late November of last year a terroristorganization linked to Pakistan attackedMumbai. The city of 20 million people isthe financial center of India’s economyand has endured several terrorist attacksin the past decade, but nothing likeNovember’s sophisticated assault. Tenterrorists armed with AK-47’s, hand grenades,and a clear knowledge of the city’slayout attacked sites across Mumbai withsurgical precision. According to the BBCNews Online, 173 died and 308 sufferedinjuries in three days of violence in thesouthern part of the city. Among the targets,all of which were civilian, were twohigh-end hotels, a Jewish communitycenter and a major train station.Only one terrorist involved in the attackssurvived. His interrogation combinedwith information gathered fromother sources, including the UnitedStates, indicated that the culprit for theattacks was a terrorist group from withinPakistan. This possibility, combined withaccusations of elements of the Pakistanigovernment giving support to this terroristgroup, has severely strained theforeign and diplomatic relations betweenIndia and Pakistan.The military forces of both countrieshave engaged in a continual build upalong their borders beginning in December.Some of the forces dedicated to fightingagainst terrorists in Pakistan are nowbeing redeployed in case of a war withIndia. Bloodied, beaten up army units arebeing taken from the fight along the borderto be patched up. Not only is Pakistanusing the strain with India to bail unitsout of the fight along the border, but alsoa possible war with India is clearly moreSource: wikimediacommons.orgpopular with Pakistani civilians thanthe fruitless situation along the borderwith Afghanistan.The saber rattling between India andPakistan is alarming as the two nationshave been at war multiple times sincegaining independence. For the UnitedStates, a war between the two would bedisastrous. Beyond the nightmare of thewar itself, the fallout would do nothingbut distract from our goals in the war onterror. The instability along the border ofPakistan does not need anything more tostoke the flames of radical Islam.If diplomacy fails and the two countriesgo to war, the United States will haveanother reason to seriously examine itsoptions. The policy of cooperating withPakistan has given us nothing but grief,but sending our troops across the borderinto Pakistan cannot be considered tohold too many positive outcomes.Whatever President Obama decides,the focus of the War on Terror is clearlyshifting to Afghanistan as we deploytroops there to maintain the downwardspiral. As the spotlight shines brighteron Afghanistan, so too will it shine onPakistan. To fix Afghanistan completelysomeone will have to step up and cleanup the remnants of the Taliban hidingalong Pakistan’s border. It is ultimatelyup to the Pakistani government as to whodoes the cleaning.In 1972, the State of California repealed thedeath penalty. A reporter at the time coveringthe story tried to get an opinion from the infamousCharles Manson, who, by fortune of therepeal, had his sentence commuted to life inprison for the murders of seven people in theHollywood area. The reporter asked Mansonhis thoughts on the matter; he asked whether ornot Manson believed the acts of certain peoplemerited the death penalty.From behind the barred door of his cell,Manson rather casually responded with, “I believewhat I’m told to believe. Don’t you?”These are rather ironic words coming froma man who managed to convince a group ofyoung hippies to believe some pretty outrageousthings. And yet, how thought-provoking,no? Though Charles Manson may have meant itsarcastically, the question is and has been investigatedfor ages now. If our identity comes fromour experiences, then where does individualitycome into play? How many of our thoughts orexpressed ideals are truly ours?So many of us thrive on the idea that we areunique--our thoughts and mannerisms are somuch our own that they are impossible to replicate--withoutrealizing that, for all our originality,we are the result of our influences. Take,for instance, high school and the cliques thatorganized the social scene. There were the jocksand the cheerleaders, the theatre kids, the richkids (who were usually friends with the jocksand cheerleaders); in short, the usual bunch.They were easy to spot because of the way theydressed or the music they professed to listen to.No matter which clique it was, they all said thesame thing: If you want to hang out with us, youhave to be like us. Like what we like, dress the waywe dress, believe what we believe--without question--and we may just accept you.However...avoiding the traditional cliquesof organized society does not exempt otherpeople from being a clique all their own. Theirbeliefs of “be unique” and “be an individual”didn’t just spring spontaneous in their minds.They are influenced, They believe what they areexposed to believe until something comes alongto undermine and change their view.So what does that mean for us, exactly? Is itreally as bleak as it sounds? Are we really littlemore than empty vessels waiting to be filledwith the juice of someone else’s mental fruit?Or am I being too critical of the human spirit,unique despite all the world’s influences bearingdown upon it?It all depends. What do you believe?

With college studentsspending most of theirtime in class or at work,it is common that theyfind themselves not quitelooking their best. Personally,when it comes to earlyclasses and getting out of worklate, the only thing I want to wearare jeans and shirts. However, futurefashionistas need not worryabout looking drab. Comfort andaffordability can still be chic—and easy.Upon walking into a store,my first instinct is to find itemson sale. When you’re shopping,it makes sense that you wouldwant the latest trends which, unfortunately,tend to be the most recentitems on the floor with a heftyprice tag to boot. What should benoted is that those coveted fashion-forwarditems can be found onclearance. While the overstuffedshelves may seem like a headacheand a hassle to look through, donot be afraid to rummage throughthe clearance racks. Half-pricedJimmy Choo heels require somesweat!You do not have to sacrificeyour style to spend less. Whenit comes to your own fashion, alittle can go a long way.CULTURE CALENDARFeatures12 The Rattler02.04.09recessionHow to be aGetting your polished look for less-istaMelody shows you how she fueled up on fab for only dollars.Kohl’s Candie’sClutch PurseCharlotte Russe$2High- waisted Pants$7Smart shopper shares herAccessories make the outfit.When shopping for aThe high-waisted slacksadvice on snaggingpurse, look for one that isare great for hugging thefashion-foward dealsversatile enough for yourhips and cinching theday and evening outfits.waist. The pant is idealBy melody MejiaAvoid large, voluminousfor those who are lookingto avoid the dread-Staff Writerbags. Instead, opt forconvenience with a cuteed muffin top or “coinleather clutch.slot.”Charlotte RusseStudded Belt$5The studdedbelt providesedgeto any outfit.Utilize itif you needto addsome sparkthat basic tee.Express WhiteRuffled Tank$6The ruffle shirt willadd dimension toyour outfit. Apartfrom being impossiblychic, this topis versatile andcomfortable.PaylessFedni Peep-toes$5When dressingup during the day,avoid overdone stilettoheels. Instead, trychoosing a shoe with athicker and smaller heel thatallows for more comfortablewalking.Garage Sale Jacket$6Layer your clothesfor a more uniquecombination. Try acropped jacket overa silk top or blouse toadd class and sophisticationtoany outfit.MARCIA GYGLI KING:BOTANICAL PAINTINGSJan. 29–April 12San Antonio Museum of ArtGENOME: THE SECRET LIFEOF HOW LIFE WORKSFeb. 7–May 25Witte MuseumFRIDA: A SONG OFSORROWJan. 23–Feb. 8Josephine TheatreFASHION IN ART:1870s TO1920sJan. 15–Feb. 15Witte MuseumAMERICAN CONCEPTSAND GLOBAL VISIONSFeb. 11–May 17McNay Art MuseumSouthwest School of Art and Crafts(SSAC) and the University of Texasat San Antonio (UTSA) will presentpaintings by San Antonio nativeMarcia Gygli King.In an interactive, kid-friendly exhibit,the Genome will attempt to answerfrequently asked questions andmisconceptions about DNA and thehuman anatomy.A bilingual play produced by HorwathProductions presents the life offamous Mexican artist Frida Kahloand her turbulent life with husbandand artist Diego Rivera.An exhibit of paintings by RobertOnderdonk and his daughter, EleanorOnderdonk, will be displayed with lifesizereproductions of the historicalfashion used in the artwork.Organized by AT&T and the McNayArt Museum, the exhibit providesa look into 20th and 21st centuryart. Some artists include AndyWarhol and Robert Lango.

02.04.09Features The Rattler 13Suprise your sweetheart with these creative alternativesFool-proof gifts foryour ValentineFor the boyfriend...For the girlfriend...For the penny-pincher...By Christine LeManaging EditorWhether you are one toembrace the day of mutuallove and commercialismor not, it cannot be deniedthat Feb. 14 is an ideal timeof year to buy your sweetheartan outrageously largestuffed bear holding boxesof candy wrapped in toomuch cellophane.Sadly, not every Valentine’sgift is a homerun. Ifyou’re trying to think outsidethe box in attempt tomove away from the typicalhugs-and-kisses-themedboxers for the boyfriend orthe dozen red roses for thegal, consider the followingValentine’s Day gifts thatare just as sweet as theyare functional.Stock Ownership($50-$150 at OneShare.com)Nurture his entrepreneurial spirit by givingthe gift of stocks. OneShare makes iteasy to buy a single trade in America’shottest publicly-traded companies.Starbucks Gift Card(Values of $25, $50, $75, or $100)Give him what every guy needs: a boost ofenergy. Give what every man wants!J. Crew Cambridge Tie($29.50 at J. Crew)From a brand that features classic styleswith a twist, be the one to get him his favoriteformal-wear accessory at a reasonableprice.Full-Body Massage($65 at Sergio Salon)A deep tissue or Swedish will be exactlywhat your stressed man needs for someserious relaxation.Magazine Subscription(approx. $30 for 12 issues at Magazines.com)Give her something to look forward to everymonth in her mailbox. Be it the latest in fashion,the best in music, or tips in health andfitness, this gift will keep on giving.Cut-Out Handle Clutch($34.50 at Express)Get her this chic purse for her going-out essentials.It’ll be a perfect gift she can use thenext time you take her out to dinner. Andright before you think that she already hasplenty of those, remember: A girl can neverhave too many purses.Sephora Scent Sampler($50 at Sephora)Sephora offers 10 samples of top-sellingwomen’s fragrances, including Marc Jacob’sDaisy and Vera Wang Princess. Once she’stried out the samples, your girl can visit anySephora store with the included gift voucherto redeemed a full-size bottle of her choice.Make a cardYou do not necessarily have to spend $5 ona Hallmark. Instead, pull out your Crayolasand get to work on an art project that’s sureto please.Make her dinnerYou do not need to go to a five-star restrauntto have a great meal. Read a cook book, findout his or her favorite meal and suprise themwith a gesture that is truly romantic.Say “I love you”If you are ready to move to the next level inyour relationship, show him or her how youfeel with just a simple, “I love you.” Thosethree words alone can make your Valantine’sday date into one to remember.Enjoy the weatherMake memories with your loved one byskipping the movies and going outdoors. Apicnic at the local park to get away from theusual drudgery of school and work.

SECURING OUR CAMPUSHOW SAFE DO YOU FEEL ON CAMPUS? READ ONTO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELFCampus increases residence hall patrolling,urges students to keep a vigilant eyeBy SARAH MILLSEditor-In-ChiefStudents often hold the idea that because St. Mary’s is a small campus,it is almost completely safe.This idea was interrupted in January when several incidents had studentsanalyzing their efforts to be safe on campus. On Jan.19, there werenine cars vandalized in Lot O and on Jan. 24 a drunk driver from off-campusdestroyed part of the school’s fence and two parked cars in Lot M.The incident that is garnering the most shock, however, occurred onJan. 20 when there was an attempted sexual assault in Lourdes Hall, anincident so rare that James Villarreal, director of residence life, said he hasnever once heard of happening on campus since he has worked here.“I know that, being in a small community, our residents sometimes feela false sense of community, like its one big family. That’s a false sense ofsecurity because we are close and we know each other, but if you go intothe real world and live in an apartment you are more vigilant of who iscoming and going,” said Villarreal. “You don’t just go along thinking everythingis going to be okay.”A day after the incident, police from the University Police Department(UPD) and Resident Assistants (RA) from Lourdes met with residentsfrom Lourdes to inform them about the event and to remind them to takesafety precautions.“We reminded [residents] not to let anyone behind them in, and that ifthey didn’t feel comfortable telling [the other person] that they can’t let[that person] in, then they need to report to an RA or UPD,” said Villarreal.Srgt. Ken Schmidtling, who also attended the meeting, said he hopesthat students keep an eye out for people who do not fit in with the collegesetting and to report those who appear suspicious.“For the most part, our campus is pretty safe; a lot of it has to do withthe people that our residents choose to bring back to campus that cause alot of problems,” said Schmidtling.Since the incident in Lourdes, Schmidtling said that the UPD has increasedpatrolling around resident areas and is also beginning to gothough 10 walkthroughs a day in residence halls. RAs are also doingmore walkthroughs during visitor hours.Lourdes resident and freshman elementary education major PaulinaHernandez said that despite the incident, she feels safe because of thepolice and RA efforts to monitor the halls.“The police immediately responded to the assault,” said Hernandez.“One came knocking on our door to check if all of my roommates werethere.”Locking her dorm room frequently and looking through the peepholebefore answering the door are some of the things Hernandez does to keepsafe. She said that her fellow residents are generally safe, but acknowledgesthat some of them are not as careful.“I have seen some of the girls see someone outside and they will ask‘Do you need in?’” said Hernandez. “They do let some people slip in.”Hernandez suggests that Residence Life should consider installing securitycameras in some of the halls in case something else like this happensagain.“Because this [Lourdes Hall] is an all-girls dorm hall, I think it has morepotential for an assault like this.”Senior psychology major and Outback resident Manuel Vasquez wouldalso like to see more police patrolling in the Outback.“Anybody can go in and out. I’ve seen people who don’t go to campushere all the time,” Vasquez said. “The cops should be heavily circulatingthis area.”Villarreal say that increased patrolling is one of the most effective waysto control crime.“I think the reason we don’t have too many problems is because wehave a good police department that’s visible and active community membersthat report suspicious people,” said Villarreal.Schmidtling said that the campus is safe despite the recent events andpoints out that this is the last incident of its type to occur in a year an ahalf. Villarreal agrees that the university is safer than others.“I can’t say we’re 100% because nobody is, but I would say that we areone of the safer campuses in South Texas.”

Class prepares womenfor real life situationsBy SARAH MILLSEditor-In-ChiefFor women looking to defend themselves against an attacker, theUniversity Police Department (UPD) offers a Rape Aggression Defense(RAD) training program.Sergaent Ken Schmidtling instructs the class, which will be held Feb.17, 24 and March 3 and hopes that any female students looking to learnescape techniques will sign up. Schmidlting will also be holding two sixhourclasses for the women in Lourdes.RAD is a 12-hour course that covers awareness, prevention, risk reductionand risk avoidance and also teaches women defense strategies.The first 2 to 3 hours teaches awareness and the last 8 hours of the classare physical.“The class is basically a confidence builder. It will drill all of thesetechniques into you,” said Schmidtling. “Its like police training and militarytraining, you do it so often that when you are put into this situationyou basically react.”At the end of the class, Schmidtling puts on a full-body padded suitand allows the girls to use different techniques that they learned onhim.“The girls use all the different techniques: the strikes, the kicks, theverbal commands, and they basically get to kick my butt. That’s the bestpart of the classes, seeing what they learned and how they react.”During this session, the girls are put into real life situations that willrequire them to defend themselves, such as being threatened at an ATMmachine.“The key is to escape. We create space in order to escape, that’s thewhole purpose of the class. Not to learn how to fight, but to learn how toescape,” said Schmidtling.There is a $10 fee to participate in the RAD program and once studentspay that fee they will receive a lifetime membership which is goodto use for any other RAD classes throughout the country.Chief addressesLourdes incidentFamilies for decades have entrusted St. Mary’s University with thesafety and well being of their students. I know I speak for the entire UniversityPolice Department when I say that we take this stewardship seriouslyand work very hard to maintain a safe campus for everyone. Thesafety of students, faculty and staff is our paramount responsibility.The incident which occurred in Lourdes Hall reminds us that precautionand self-defense measures that we teach do work. The femalestudent used her best judgment, accessed the situation and was successfullyable to get away.This incident is under investigation and I am asking if anyone hasany information to immediately bring it to the attention of the UniversityPolice Department by calling our non-emergency number (436-3330).In light of what happened and what could have happened, I thinkit is a good time to remind the entire St. Mary’s community of somegeneral precautionary measures that we can all use. It’s important toremember that every circumstance is different and you need to not onlyaccess the situation, but also know your own capabilities.The most important thing is to always be alert of your surroundings.If someone approaches you, be defensive; don’t let someone violate yourpersonal space. Try to read the other person’s motivation and what tacticsmight work to get away from them if you feel threatened. Then lookfor a window of opportunity to escape.I would also recommend programming the University’s Police Department’semergency number (431-1911) into your cell phone as a speeddial option under the number nine. Also, our officers are available 24hours a day, 7 days a week as safety escorts. If you need a safety escort,please call our non- emergency number 436-3330 to make a request.University Police Officers are here for your protection and please donot ever hesitate to call us if you ever need a safety escort, feel threatenedor to report a suspicious person or activity.Contributed by Chief Paul F. GlowackiDirector, St. Mary’s University PoliceTo sign up for the classes register at the Police Department.Campus Crime StatisticsNumber of Reported Offenses2005 2006 2007Murder/Non-negligent manslaughter 0 0 0Negligent manslaughter 0 0 0Sex Offenses: Forcible 2 0 2Sex Offenses: Non-forcible 0 0 0Robbery 0 1 0Aggravated assault 2 0 0Burglary (Includes: building orhabitation/residence hall) 8 15 9Motor Vehicle Theft(Includes attempts) 2 2 2Arson 0 1 0Arrests and Disciplinary Referrals for Selected Offenses2005 2006 2007Liquor law violations 122 87 82Drug law violations 13 5 17Illegal weapons possession 0 1 3Campus Safety Tips• Be aware of your surroundings, including people, visualize potential exitroutes from an event or location in case of ER. Know safe and direct routesto campus destinations.• Try not to walk alone after dark. If you do, try to utilize well-lit andpopulated routes on campus.• Keep ER numbers in cell phone or by your landline phone, including thatof your RA, campus safety, and health services.• Trust your instincts, especially when you feel that something is “notright.”• Do not prop open campus building doors, especially residential buildings.Remove props and report the problem to an RA or campus safety.• Try to avoid being alone in areas of campus that can often be empty orisolated such as basement laundry rooms, study lounges, etc.• If you notice another person in danger, follow your school’s safety andsecurity procedures and call 911. Do not engage another person who hasa weapon or involve yourself in a fight.Source: www.ncsam.orgPhoto by Andrew RileyDesign by Amanda Rodriguez

The RattlerFeaturesOrganization discusses cultural diversity16 02.04.09By Hamilton Martin andSteven BrooksContributing Writersthelighterside of...As Americans begin to reflectand celebrate National Black HistoryMonth, the Black Student Unionprepares to provide a unique viewof black culture to the surroundingcommunity.The BSU hopes to accomplishthis by answering questions anddisproving modern stereotypesabout the black culture. Presidentand senior criminal justice majorShanik Pipkin has begun to scheduleevents for the community.“We wanted to bring recognitionto the black community andspread cultural awareness,” saidPipkin. “I want to work with othergroups on campus and do morecharity work.”These events will also highlightvarious issues important to theblack community: politics, education,health, religion, entertainmentand African-American Greeklife. Pipkin hopes that this educationwill encourage students to getinvolved with the group.“I hope to have more AfricanAmericans and minorities involved.I just hope the organizationgets bigger,” said Pipkin.Health will be an important focusin the coming month. Tablesof educational material will be setup in the University Center as wellas medical screenings for diabetesand hypertension, which areleading causes of death in AfricanAmericans.Parliamentarian and seniorsports science major Latez Williamsbelieves such informationshould not only be heeded by African-Americans,but by all ethnicitieson campus.“It’s not just about one race. Alot of people don’t know what wedo and what we face,” said Williams.He also stressed how, whilethere are things that are not alwaysapplicable to others, it is importantto at least be aware of them. “Soif [students] want to know, theyshould join.”Members of the Black Student Unionparticipated with other students in aMartin Luther King March in San Antonioon Jan. 19.Photo by Analicia PerezWhy you shouldembrace the hurtBY JAIME PEREZI was taking picturesthe other day while slackingat work when I noticedhow strange I lookedwhile grinning.Yes, I know I always lookstrange or, as Tyra wouldsay, “fierce,” in my pictures.But when I force a smilefor MySpace or Facebook,they always seem unnaturaland goofy.It’s odd when one is forcedinto an action, how difficultthat action may be to perform.While waiting for thepicture, my mouth began totwitch. Don’t get me wrong,the pictures turned out great(total default potential),but the effort to take it wasagonizing.However, painful momentslike these are thespices to life. Struggling andfacing challenges make thedays more interesting andlife more unique.On the other hand, lifeis not always made up ofexcruciatingly painful momentslike taking a picture.When we all fall on our faces,though, I would like to thinkwe are investing some excitingkarma into the universe.Getting up in the morning,working late, or doing homeworkall seem like miserable,pointless chores, but, in fact,they are all adding that specialflavor to the gumbo oflife, even though you wouldrather have your face threeinches in your pillow.I suppose the saying “toomuch of a good thing is badfor you” is true, but, perhaps,a more accurate expression isneeded. “Too little of a badthing is horrible.”It is sweet, short and ohsomuch more accurate.

02.04.09Features The Rattler 17Just danceNew dance classes provide students with groovy newways to lose some extra baggageBy Robin johnsonPhoto EditorThe recreation center hasbrought back the funk with Salsaand Hip Hop classes, which offerstudents a new, unique way towork off the pounds.According to Fitness CoordinatorAngela Donnelly, the class wascreated in spring 2008 because she“wanted more variety.” Donnellysaid the classes offer a range ofbenefits for those looking to gettoned.“The class is not only dance, butkicks [and] leg exercises, which aregood for toning and core muscles,”said Donnelly.The Jazz/Hip Hop class, whichis instructed by communicationarts graduate Stephanie Romero,starts with a short cardio workoutfollowed by a long stretch, whichenables the dancers to remain limber.Romero has noticed the increasedpopularity of the class.“There has definitely beenan increase since last year,” saidRomero. “There are girls who comeconsistently.”Junior psychology major CathyGriego began taking the Jazz/HipHop class when she noticed thatthe different classes cater to differentneeds.“[I] really wanted to start thesemester off [in a] mode to exercise,”said Griego. “Since the classesare located on campus, it givesincentive for students to go,”In addition to the Jazz/HipHop class, students can join theSalsa class, instructed by juniorinternational relations Joshua Resendiz,which incorporates singleand partnered dancing. Accordingto Resendiz, the reason he beganteaching the class was to helpyoung people to dance.“It feels joyful,” said Resendiz.“I’m constantly laughing and Ihave a lot of fun,”Junior international relationsmajor Adriana Marruto, who takesboth classes, has already suggestedthe classes to others as a great wayto get in shape.“I used to work out at Curvesand Spectrum, but they’re not asfun. Here, you work out with otherpeople. It’s more motivating,” saidMarruto.“Initially, I went to the classesto lose holiday weight, but in thelong run, to stay in shape.”Photos by Robin JohnsonTop: Junior international relations major Joshua Resendizdemonstrates with partner proper salsa moves.Bottom: At the beginning of the Jazz/Hip Hop class,dancers perform yoga moves to become more agile.Right: Junior international relations major Adriana Marrutpstretches so to stay limber for her class.Outside the classroom:Teressa Van Hoy, Ph. D.A spotlight on faculty whoare changing the worldCourtesy Teressa Van Hoy, Ph. D.Q: What are the originsof your name? Does it haveany meaning to it?A: It’s a Dutch name andit just means ‘from this particulararea in Hoje, a regionof Holland. But in Spanish itmeans ‘they are going today’,like “’Van Hoy a la tienda.’”Q: Where are you from?A: I’m originally fromthe Appalachian Mountains.I’m from North Carolina. Wehave orchards, apples andcherries. It’s like our ownlittle piece of paradise. I’mfrom an old, orchard-farmingfamily.Q: What do you teach?A: Most of my courses areU.S. History. I also teach LatinHistory here. I taught forthe Graduate InternationalRelations Program here at St.Mary’s. [I’ve also] taught forthe Freshmen Critical Studies,so I’ve taught in severaldisciplines, but History is mypassion. St. Mary’s has thefinest atmosphere in terms ofsupporting the faculty andthe students for real, meaningfulinteractions.Q: I also understand youhave written a book?A: The title is “A SocialHistory of Mexico’s Railroads”and is about railroadsin Latin America. InMexico, really. It came out ayear ago in February. I guessyou could say it’s the secrethistory of railroad developmentand what happens toordinary people living inlittle towns, in villages andrural stretches of southernMexico. Its the under-bellyof development and whathappens when somethingmajor comes to town.Q: You bike to work, soyou don’t live too far fromSt. Mary’s?A: I live five miles away.I’m actually training for theCentury Ride and I am startingSaturday (Jan. 31). Thisone’s actually my second.The first one was to raisemoney for Breast Cancer.Sometimes it’s not such agood thing [to bike ride]. Acar hit me about 18 monthsago and my neck got broken.Now I’m relaxing.Q: Do you spend a lot oftime on campus?A: Yes, I do. I get here at8:30 sometimes and don’tleave until 5:30. I’m heremany days, but not all days.Q: How long have youbeen teaching at St. Mary’sUniversity?A: Oh, I love it here. I’mreally happy to be here andthis is my fourth semesteras a regular full-time facultymember. But I started mycareer here 10 years ago asa visiting assistant professorand I’m very happy to beback.Compiled by: Matthew Rodriguez

The RattlerFeaturesWitnessing history in the making18 02.04.09Student shares herday at the PresidentialInaugurationBy NICOLE MERRITTContributing WriterWe left the apartment at about7 a.m. to catch the metro downtown.After three packed trainspassed us by, we gave up and decidedto walk. About a mile later,we arrived at the Capitol where wefound a sea of people standing invarious intersecting lines that hadno apparent beginning or end. Wedecided to break from the messand enter at a different gate. Allof the street entrances south of theCapitol were closed, so the misinformationabout alternative streetopenings fed to us by police rendereduseless.Somewhere around 10th Street,several people in our group beganto fall into despair, refusing to believewe would make it into the nationalmall in time to hear Obamamake his speech. But upon reaching19th Street around the LincolnMemorial, we found our entrance.Waiting for about an hour in theunsympathetic cold, we watchedas former presidents filed in tocelebrate and witness this historicmoment. From where we stood,it was not easy to hear the speakers,but the crowd was respectful.When Obama gave his inauguraladdress, the crowd would cheerbriefly, then turn silent.PeanutGalleryAccording to Nielson MediaResearch, the inaugurationreached over 37 millionviewers throughout the day,making it the most-watchedinauguration since RonaldReagan, so The Rattler wantsto know:What did theInaguration meanto you?The most moving aspect of thespeech for me was Obama’s call toAmericans to make sacrifices andbe to involved. I appreciated thathe admitted that neither he northe government alone can solveall our problems. I hoped that thecollective atmosphere I felt as partof that crowd translated across thecountry and inspired other peopleto work together in solving themyriad of daunting predicamentswe find ourselves in as a nation.My friend was lucky enough topurchase two parade tickets andwe were convinced that we couldmake it to both the swearing inand the parade, but this was farmore difficult than we anticipated.There were roadblocks and militarypolice everywhere, forcing usto make a loop all the way aroundthe city to go back down to the entrancegate to the parade.When we arrived, about an hourbefore the parade was to start, theyhad already closed the entrancefor ticket holders. We were stuckwaiting in the line with people justtrying to get onto the street of theparade.I have never spent a more uncomfortable45 minutes in mylife. We were packed shoulder-toshoulder,front to back, with about200 strangers trying to get throughtwo slow-moving security gates.People concerned about Obamawalking during the parade neednot have worried. When we didget to security, we walked throughmetal detectors, were scanned by aAaron OliverezComputer EngineeringJunior“I feel it is abouttime. A changeof regime for thecountry. I think hewould do good soI have high hopesfor the future.”wand, and had our purses emptiedand swiped.They would not let us into ourseats because it was too late tocross the street, so we were onceagain stuck in the packed crowd.We were lucky, though, becauseObama passed our section at 11thStreet and Pennsylvania Avenue.At that time, there were aboutseven rows of people in front ofme. When Obama walked by, Ijust held my camera up while Iwove around in attempt to catcha glimpse of Barack and Michellethrough a window of elbows, iPhonesand waving arms.I’m sure that the rest of the paradewas awesome, but I had seenall that I had wanted to see. Ontop of that, my cold face couldn’ttake anymore of the freezing cold.Instead of remaining with thecrowds, we decided to get a tableat a restaurant. Even then, we weretold that the wait was “indefinite.”So we shopped our way backto the apartment, collecting hats, t-shirts, buttons, and shopping bagsto commemorate the day and itsmemorable event (and do our partto stimulate the economy).We found ourselves not makingit back to the apartment until 7p.m. It had been 12 straight hoursof walking miles and withstandingfreezing temperatures amongbusy, almost aggressive crowds.Thinking about it now, it was definitelya hardship, but one that wasworth it.Carla RodriguezEnglish/ CommunicationsArts Senior“I was reallytouched to be apart of that andsee that. I will beable to tell mykids about it. I wasproud that I wasthere to witnessit. “Courtesy of Samuel KohnCourtesy of Samuel KohnMelissa SanchezExercise and SportsScience Freshman“It means change.I am hopeful thathe would comethrough with hispromises and I’mhappy that wehave someonenew to lead thecountry. “

02.04.09Entertainment The Rattler 19Listen to your heart: the Valentine’s Day playlist“Don’t spend your Valentine’s Daythe same way everyone else is. So whylisten to all those cliche love songs whenyou can drive around listening to songsyour date is totally going to love? Thisisn’t your ordinary valentine’s playlist.It is the perfect combination of sweetand meaningful lyrics with a range ofsteady to upbeat tunes. These songs aresure to melt your heart, and can be listenedto all year round.”-Freshman English-CommunicationArts major Denice Hernandez• “Strawberry Swing” Coldyplay• “Angel” Jack Johnson• “Maps” Yeah Yeah Yeahs• “Buddy Holly” Weezer• “Somehow” Citizen Cope• “The Beggar” Mos Def• “This Modern Love” Bloc Party• “Oh” Dave Matthews Band• “Roulette” System of a Down• “Swing Life Away” Rise Against“All of these songs speak of unityand of love for another. These songs describehow we feel better than how wecan say. It is kind of sad, but it still isthe truth.”-Sophomore history majorJonathon Trillo“It is a known (though not, unfortunately,scientific) fact that for every happycouple celebrating the virtues of loveand romance on Valentine’s Day, thereis a least one person scorning them. Tothose people we say, “Never fear!” Whenin doubt, sit back, bust out the iPod andtreat yourself to a healthy dose of musictherapy with these ten songs to help kickthose Valentine’s Day blues.”-JuniorEnglish majorCristina Gonzalez• “Superman” by Eminem• “Heartless” by Kanye West• “Love Love, Kiss Kiss”by Alkaline Trio• “Somebody Else’s Arms”by Armor for Sleep• “Driftwood: A Fairy Tale” by Cursive• “Grace Kelly” by Mika• “I Know You Don’t LoveMe” by Tony Yayoentertain yourselfIllustration by Amanda RodriguezMOVIE RELEASE CD RELEASE ST. MARY’S UNIV. SAN ANTONIO CONCERTFAN BOYSSam Huntington,Chris MarquetteFEB. 6Teenage buddies make thejourney of a lifetime: tosteal a copy of Star WarsEpisode 1: The PhantomMenace before its release.It is all for a good cause,proving they are true StarWars fans.YEARS OFREFUSALMorrisseyFEB. 17The ninth album fromMorrissey, these 12 tracksassemble what is beingcalled the “strongest” of hissolo career. The album,released five months afterits original date, includesa special edition DVD.CONCERT BANDUIL CONCERTSt. Mary’s ConcertBandFEB. 9, 7:30 p.m.LOCATION TBAThe university’s music departmenthosts a UIL Concertwhere St. Mary’s ConcertBand is joined by areamiddle schools for a nightof harmony.SAN ANTONIOSTOCK SHOW &RODEOPat Green, GaryAllan, Alan Jackson,Push Play, RebaMcEntire & moreFEB. 5-22TIMES VARYEnjoy hours of live countryentertainment daily frommajor recording artists.SAY NO TONEON TOURValencia, HoustonCalls, Artist vs. PoetFEB. 11, 7 p.m.Emo’s, Austin, TXColumbia Records is sendingthe five-year-old groupon a cross-country tour. Thebandwagon hits the musiccapitol with a new recordand genuine heart.

Entertainment20 The Rattler02.04.09Alumnus is hero among usBy Amanda guerraSenior Staff WriterSt. Mary’s and the San Antonio communitywelcomed home its own hero, John Quiñones, ata reception for his new book Heroes Among Us onJan. 29.About 400 people packed in the UniversityCenter’s Conference Room A for Thursdaynight’s event, which was no surprise to seniorpolitical science major Oscar Peña, President ofLambda Chi.According to Peña, Quiñones, a fellow fraternitybrother, “is a big role model in San Antonio.”As a local who grew up on the west side, Quiñonessaid he never felt deprived, and he has hisparents to thank for that.Quiñones states in his book: “My mom wasdefinitely my first hero. She taught me to be openenough to believe in the world’s goodness, to believein people.”As he read from his book, his voice was warmand comforting. People of all ages had questionsfor the ABC network newscaster. Many asked foradvice, others about his travels and life.He told one young girl, “People told me I wasnot college material. Never take no for an answer.Dream big dreams.”President Charles L. Cotrell, Ph.D., said he wasproud to have Quiñones back on campus because “headdresses young people and their aspirations in apowerful message.”Quiñones spoke about growing up in San Antonioand all the heroes he met along the wayto success.Senior biochemistry major Gabriel Hernandezsaid he was interested in how connected Quiñonesis to his roots.“He still remembers where he came from evenafter he made it,” said Hernandez.Senior international business and corporate financemajor Monica Macias said she knows Quiñonesis not the only success story.“It’s comforting, in a sense, knowing where hestarted to where he is now,” said Macias.Quiñones said he remembers his friend andcolleague Peter Jennings telling him, “Don’t worryabout not talking to the movers and shakers;talk to the moved and the shaken.”He said this helped motivate him to find thestories that no one was telling, the stories thatwere “in the darkness.”Quiñones’ new show, “What would you do?”inspired his book, Heroes Among Us. His show depictsthe good Samaritans we meet everyday andmakes people think twice about how they wouldhandle difficult situations.“I hope people are starting to realize whata global community we are,” said Macias.“What we do here on this side affects theother side.”Since all the copies in the city had been sold,some people just waited in line to meet the St.Mary’s alumnus. Quiñones stayed until everybook was signed, every picture was taken and allmemories were told.And while the lights in Conference Room Ahad finally been turned off around 11:45 p.m.,Quiñones’ message continues to echo in the airas his San Antonio and St. Mary’s community returnedto their homes.Top: An estimated 400people from the surroundingSan Antonio communityand St. Mary’s came tosee ABC Network News anchorJohn Quinones speakon Jan. 29.Left: At the event, Quinonesread from his new bookHeroes Among Us, whichfeatures stories about realindividuals performing extraordinary,heroic feats.Bottom: Quinones stayedat the event until he signedevery last book and tookevery last picture.Photos by Robin Johnson

02.04.09Entertainment The Rattler 21BY STEPHANIE SANDERSThe TourGuideHouston Calls calling all fansSource: myspace.comThe Killers, whose newest album Day and Age received several New Musical Express Award nominations, have started the year off on top.Proving early success isn’t a ‘killer’By Bridgette SturtsStaff WriterThe Killers give an electric and satisfyingperformance with their new albumDay and Age, which released Nov. 24, 2008following a tough act after their successfulrelease of 2004’s Hot Fuss.Produced by the famous British musicianand songwriter, Stuart Price, Dayand Age depicts the emotional tensionsof 2008, giving the album a “BohemianRhapsody” sound according to RollingStone Magazine.From the sparkly keyboard clicks,bouncy saxophone beats and BrandonFlower’s smooth, supple, David Bowielikevoice in the opener, “Losing Touch,”to the jazzy beatnik punches, throbbingbass and uplifting charm in “Joy Ride,”the album is sure to enliven you on anygiven day.The kicker dominating the radiowaves currently is “Human” with thelyrics, “Are we human/Or are we dancers”will have you questioning yourselfand double-checking your chosen path.It is no surprise that The Killers arereaching international superstardomwith Day and Age.The band has been nominated for sevenNew Musical Express (NME) Awardsincluding: Best International Band, BestLive Band, Best Album, Hero of the Yearand Best Dressed (Flowers), Best AlbumArtwork and not to mention two BritAwards: Best International Album andBest International Group. NME is a popularmusic magazine published weeklyin the United Kingdom.The Killers offer a majestic groovewith a tart and terrific sassiness that cango from the gym to the dance floor tothe lounge.They are on tour for the next severalmonths throughout the United States,making two stops in Texas: Houston onFeb. 2 and Austin the following day.You can find out more about the bandon their Web site thekillersmusic.com,Mypace.com, or pick up Day and Age atBest Buy for about 10 bucks. The price iswell worth it, ‘killer’ fan or not.New Jersey native Houston Calls embarks onyet another musical journey with a countrywidetour of the United States and a visit to the live entertainmentcapitol of the world.Performing at Emo’s Austin, Houston Calls,along with Artist vs. Poet, fuels the stage for headlinersValencia on Feb. 11 in support of the “SayNo to Neon” tour.The last time they visited the great state, theywere a major component on the “Ridin’ Dirty”tour for A Change of Pace and fellow-openingacts We Shot the Moon. Unfortunately, the tourwent from a stint in Houston to a couple of stopsin the Rio Grande Valley; San Antonio and Austinmissed out, but not this time around.Austin and Houston Calls are going to get adose of each other’s vibrant attitudes and energeticsensations all in one night. Nothing will standin the way of this Drive Thru Records artist.Members of the band quitting became a concernfor the new tour of the year, but the problemwas short-lived.This past December, bassist Jarett Seltzer put thelife of a musician behind him; interesting enough,Jose Lopez left two weeks later for the same reasonshe replaced original guitarist Kenny Ryanback in November 2006. There are no worries.Friends and fellow-statesmen Dan Diaz of RedLight Green Light and Jason Jaksetic of Drive ThruRecords’ The Pilot quickly stepped in.Houston Calls has yet to headline their owntour, but their list of credentials overshadowsthat fact.Formed in 2003, the five-year-old band has undergoneextensive makeovers and changes.What started off as a four-man ska punk band,has transformed into a strong, energetic pop/punk trio consisting of only two of the original,founding members.In their early days of 2004 Houston Calls becameone of two bands to sign to the newly created,at the time, Rushmore Records, a subsidiaryof Drive Thru-Records.The long road ahead was looking in their favor.In April 2005, Houston Calls toured with RushmoreRecord label mates Self Against City with“The Sound of More” tour. Shortly thereafter, ACollection of Short Stories, their first full-length,was released under the label in August 2005.By 2007 the band witnessed its record label hittingrock bottom and officially became a part ofthe Drive Thru Records family.Their second full-length album dropped in Oct.2008 under Drive Thru records.Vocalist and guitarist Tom Keiger, keyboardist“Okie” Okamoto and drummer Josh Grigsby arestarting off the new year just like the rest of us,and they’re touring it one day at a time.

Entertainment22 The Rattler02.04.09Red carpet heatingup from Oscar raceBy miguel garciaStaff WriterThis statement of unparalleledtriumph once again makes its debutfor the 81st Academy Awards.For 81 years, the coveted Oscarstatuette has been awarded tohundreds of people, all of whomare being recognized for their magnificentperformances in a numberof categories including the popularbest actor/actress and bestpicture awards.This year, the glitz and glamourof Hollywood is back for anothermajestic night of movie magic.Movies like The Curious Case ofBenjamin Button, Milk, Frost/Nixonand Slumdog Millionaire make 2008a well-rounded and balanced yearfor nominated films.Also, a mix of brilliantlyadapted and original screenplaysbroke through after receivingwide critical acclaim. People everywhereare going to the theatrejust to see what all the Oscar hypeis about.The Academy Awards has usuallybeen known for putting filmson the map. In fact, some of thebest films did not necessarily dowell in theatres in terms of ticketsales but became classics after beingnominated and winning an Oscar,or several Oscars.This year, the movie that holdsthe underdog position is SlumdogMillionaire, the story of a poorIndian boy living in the slums ofMumbai, India and his rise to fameafter becoming a contestant in thecountry’s version of “Who Wantsto be a Millionaire?”Starting out as a film shownin a few film festivals, SlumdogMillionaire proceeded to a limitedAmerican release, and has nowreached the highest pinnacle ofmovie nominations.Staff predictionsWhat was first taken as a simpleindependent film with fantasticperformances by its actors andexceptional editing ended up winningseveral major awards, includingthe Critics Choice Award andfour Golden Globe Awards.While Slumdog Millionaire isconsidered a forerunner for bestpicture, the movie that holds themost nominations is The CuriousCase of Benjamin Button with 13nominations in all.This film is the story of a manwhose life runs backwards afterbeing born a crippled 80-year-oldbaby with heart disease and arthritis.This was truly an interestingmovie with a concept that notmany had ever imagined.The only issue with this film, isits length, which many considereda bit long with unnecessary overextendedscenes that added little tothe whole dramatic performance.Another interesting factor aboutthe 81st Academy Awards is thenumber of nominations given tothe best picture-nominated films.They extend over many of the categories,which tell us that thesefilms contain phenomenal substanceon a number of levels fromacting performances to cinematographyproduction.Pressure like this surely causedother movies to be released at laterdates in order to clear the cluttered2008 award season and make itto 2009’s.Feb. 22 marks the premiere ofthe 81st Academy Awards. It willbe a night to remember as some ofthe year’s best films compete timeand time again in many differentnomination categories.If you still have not seen thesefilms, there is still time beforethe big night as personally experiencingeach will make theAcademy Awards just that muchmore exciting.BEST ACTORSEAN PENNBEST ACTRESSMERYL STREEPBEST PICTURESLUMDOGMILLIONAIREGraphic Illustration by Amanda Rodriguez

02.04.09Uninvited welcomestwisting plot and thrillsoooooEntertainment The Rattler 235 stars = Must See4 stars = Wait until 2nd week3 stars = Wait until DVD2 stars = 99¢ bin1 stars = Don’t even think about itBy CHRIS KONNEKERStaff WriterThe Uninvited stars Emily Browning,Elizabeth Banks, Arielle Kebbel and DavidStrathairn. With this movie having the sameproducers as The Ring and Disturbia, moviegoerscan expect scenes that will make themjump right from the beginning. Interestingly,this film is actually based on a 2003Korean motion picture Janghwa, Hongryeon,written and directed by Ji-woon Kim.Though, I have to be honest. I did not expectmuch from a suspense thriller with onlya PG-13 rating. And while it usually takesan R-rated movie to get me white-knuckledand glued to my seat, I actually felt my heartpounding throughout much of this movie.Starting off at a lake party hosted by themain character, Anna, the film goes fromnormal to creepy in less than a minute of themovie’s commencement.The plot involves Anna (Browning)who returns home from psychiatric careafter a prior tragic event involving hermother. Anna, greeted by her father Steven(Strathairn) and her sister Alex (Kebbel),is quite dismayed upon learning that hermother’s former nurse, Rachel (Banks) hasbecome her father’s new fiancé. The situationbecomes worse when Anna learns fromher mother’s ghost that Rachel may not bewho she appears to be.Much of the movie takes place at a lakehouse, the same one where Anna’s motherwas killed. This setting, utilized in a predictableway, is probably the only part of themovie that is foreseeable.What was done well throughout the moviewas the imagery and symbolism, with agreat example being Rachel’s introduction;you see a silhouette of her, completely darkand approaching Anna, in what looks like amenacing way. Scenes such as this and othersare given great care to convey a sense ofapprehensiveness and terror, both in Anna’sview as well as the audiences’.The film also does a good job in makingsure that the audience is placed into Anna’sperspective; one quickly sympathizes withthis young girl’s problems, both familial andmental in nature. To a certain extent, thismovie hits close to home for those dealingwith a “new parent.” People can also sympathizewith Anna in that her apparent delusionsare both real and frightening.I made the mistake of thinking that Iknew exactly what was going to happen inthe end. It was humbling to see the truth behindeverything in the storyline; my jaw figurativelyhit the floor. This movie easily lullsthe audience into a sense that everything canbe figured out early on in the film, when thatSource: rottentomatoes.comAnne (Emily Browning) and Alex (Arielle Kebbell) venture up the stairs of their lake house in thesurprisingly thrilling Uninvited.is quite the contrary. Similarities to Disturbiaarise in this aspect, where the main characteressentially had a suspicion about his neighbor.That aspect of suspicion creates a moraldilemma in both main characters’ minds: totrust, or not to trust.I assure you that the twist in this filmis not lame or typical. No one will see itcoming. Watch The Uninvited if you want agood thrill.New ‘chick flick’ in townBy elizabeth pazStaff WriterNew in Town, a story of a city-orientedbusiness woman who moves out to the country,can only mean one thing: PROBLEMS.Spicy and saucy, the film makes for onegood love story. But if you are looking forthese romantic comedy characteristics, maybeNew in Town is not the movie for you.From Miami to Minnesota, can you say“predictable storyline”? Although maincharacter Jill Hill is played by Renee Zellweger,high expectations from the actressand the movie were not met.Unlike her roles in other movies suchas Chicago & Bridget Jones’ Diary, Zellwegerdidn’t seem to bring the same charisma sheusually does to the silver screen. As a result,the performance from the three-time GoldenGlobe winner proves she’s capable of a flopin New in Town.On the other hand, Ted Mitchell, playedby Harry Connick Jr. is the “dreamy” manin town.His role is average, with his relativelystriking appearance being what makes himmemorable, and that’s not saying much.Other than the occasional comedic line orflash of pearly whites, there is seemingly notmuch else to his character.Though there are a few laughs and a coupleof tender moments, this isn’t exactly themovie that anyone would rush to the theatresto see.

02.04.09Sports The Rattler 25Photo by Patricia TerrazasPhoto by Emily ScruggsRattlers are ready to winBy brissA RENTERIASenior Staff WriterA century ago, the campus used to bean all-male school, with basketball andbaseball as the main sports attractions.But that didn’t stop the women fromstealing the spotlight when femalesports programs were introduced to theuniversity in 1968.Softball, while not the first sportintroduced to the university, has managedto set its personal records withinthe institution.In 1986, they won the NAIAChampionship, and in 2002 they were theNCAA Division II National Champions.Upon winning the tournament in 1986,MVP Leticia Morales-Bissaro, known asthe first female of the St. Mary’s AthleticsHall of Fame, caused the university tostand out in the city of San Antonio.However, it wasn’t until 14 years laterin 2000 that she entered the NAIA Hall ofFame.With the new season approaching, fansmay be wondering what the softball teamis going to achieve next.It was not too long ago that they wonthe championship title, but with newmembers and small changes throughoutthe fall and spring season, are they able tobeat the next defender?Freshman education major and shortstopKristy Candelaria says they did wellin the fall season and she hopes to do evenbetter in the spring season.“There is not a doubt in my mind thatwe will keep the tradition going and havea successful season,” Candelaria said. “Wehave a great coach who I know will takeus far.”She also says that softball has becomea way of life for her and has helpedtransform her from a highschool player toa college student athlete.Teammates have also learnedhow to work together toachieve victory.“When I’m on the field, nothing elsematters. We have an awesome team withamazing players.”Their next tournament is onThursday, Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. at the SAISDSprings Sports Complex vs. EasternNew Mexico.Photo by Patricia TerrazasLeft: The team prepares for another quest to retain their Heartland Conference championship.Top: Practicing the fundametals, like base running, will sharpen the Rattler’s skills.Bottom: Players stretch and laugh before practice.

Sports26 The Rattler02.04.09Another disappointingseason comes to an endBy Francisco vasquezStaff WriterThe team who most experts picked astheir Super bowl favorite didn’t even makethe postseason.Instead, the Dallas Cowboys did whatthey do best, meltdown in the clutch.Once known as the best offenses in theleague, the Cowboys could not find the endzone in the most important game of the yearas Brian Dawkins and the Eagles defensedominated the game.This was only one of many lows thefranchise experienced this year. One of theirfirst lows was Adam “Pacman” Jones gettinginto a fistfight with a bodyguard, whosepurpose was to keep him out of trouble.Another low was sending the CowboyStadium out in style, by allowing theRavens to make history by running the twolongest runs in Cowboy Stadium history(77, 82 yds).It seemed as if the Cowboys stayed in thenews for all the wrong reasons.The Cowboys have many issues toaddress this season, letting go of both AdamJones and Tank Johnson might be a step inthe right direction.So what’s next for the Cowboys? Scoutingfor the upcoming draft? Addressing theweak secondary play? Finding a head coachthat can control the team?Addressing the lack of offensive talentdespite possessing some of the most talentedplayers on the offensive side of the ball?Of course not, because doing so wouldactually make some sense. Instead, theCowboys have decided to pursue two realityTV shows.The star of one of the shows, TerrellOwens, the outspoken receiver, is sureto provide some quotes that will keepESPN talking.The second reality show features anotheroutspoken Cowboy receiver, Michael Irving,as he focuses on finding the last man to fillthe training camp spot.The team, which has not won a playoffgame since 1996, seems more concernedwith being on TV rather than winning aCourtesy of www.everystockphoto.comThe Cowboys should consider focusing less on the glitz and glamour and more on game strategy.playoff game.“America’s Team” has become areality show, featuring a crazy owner, adiva receiver, and a quarterback with acelebrity girlfriend.There is hope, however, that perhapsthe winner of Irving’s show can bethe second coming of Troy Aikman.Or not.There are too many issues insidethe Cowboy organization that need tobe addressed.They should put as much effort intopreventing another underachieving year asthey put into being on TV.“America’s Team” should keep somethingin mind; America doesn’t like losers and itsabout time they live up to their potential.Mexico and U.S. renew rivalryBy ivonne aguilarSenior Staff WriterColumbus Crew Stadium inColumbus, Ohio will be the host ofa much-anticipated game betweenMexico and the United StatesNational soccer teams.These rivals will face each otheras they begin the final round of theConfederation of North CentralAmerica and Caribbean AssociationFootball (CONCACAF), WorldCup qualifying.For a long time, the Mexicanteam dominated the CONCACAFwith victories over the UnitedStates, but in the last decade theU.S. has become a fierce opponent.The U.S. team has held afavorable record when playing onAmerican soil.They hold an 8-0-2 home record,which fuels the Mexican team totake a victory.Pride is on the line each timethey play, and while the intenserivalry increases, it sometimescomes to the point of contemptbetween fans and violence inthe tribunes.Fans of both teams, likeundeclared sophomore and playerfor the Rattler soccer team LuisGonzalez, can be found throughoutSt. Mary’s campus.Gonzalez’s parents are fromMexico and he lived in Juarez fortwo years.Gonzalez’s background representsmany of Mexico’s fans thatare U.S. citizens, but grew upcheering for the Mexico nationalteam due their culture where thepassion of fútbol is shared amongmany Mexicans.However, it was the lack ofpopularity for soccer in the U.S.that kept soccer fans distant inearlier years.According to Gonzalez, therivalry has grown in the last sixor seven years. “They are the twobiggest teams in their region,” saidGonzalez. “They are fighting to bethe better team, and pride for theirjersey is a big factor.”Freshman biology major VivianCanales from Corpus Christi hasplayed soccer her entire life and isa United States fan.“Personally, I favor the U.S.because I’m from here and it’s niceto see them win.”Canales agrees that the rivalryhas become more intense as bothsides have improved dramatically.“The majority of the U.S. playersused to just play in the MajorLeague Soccer (MLS), but now theyhave young talent that is playingabroad like Michael Bradley, ClintDempsey and Jozy Altidore,”she said.In regard to the recent fanviolence, Canales thinks thatit’s unnecessary.“You don’t need to be violent.It gives a bad perception of bothMexico and the United States.”Although Mexico’s performanceis under pressure from a shakystart in the past qualifying round,the team members will rely ontheir young talent and experiencedplayers to help them pull through.

02.04.09Sports The Rattler 27Upcoming Rattler gamesMEN’S BASKETBALLFeb. 5 @ Dallas Baptist, 7 p.m.Feb. 7 @ St. Edward’s, 4:30 p.m.WOMEN’S BASKETBALLFeb. 7 @ St. Edward’s, 2 p.m.Feb. 12 Oklahoma Panhandle State,5:30 p.m.BASEBALLFeb. 6 Oklahoma Panhandle State(DH), 2 p.m.Feb. 7 Oklahoma Panhandle State (DH),12 p.m.Courtesy of Derek SmolikThese Rattler fans, at the Jan. 24 women’s basketball game, are some of the few students who choose to show off their Rattler pride.SOFTBALLFeb. 5 Eastern New Mexico (St. Mary’sInvitational), 3 p.m.Feb. 5 Midwestern State (St. Mary’sInvitational), 5 p.m.Rattler games draw small number of fansBy paul saldañaStaff WriterAs the students return to campus for the spring semester,they reunite with friends and get acquainted with theirprofessors. However, only few know our baseball, softballand basketball teams are already hosting games.Rattler pride: Where is it at? There must be a RattlerFanatics, or “Fangatics” (as some students say) grouparound campus. Students should be encouraged to attendhome games. After all, the softball and women’s basketballteam won the Heartland Conference title last season.Both softball head coach Dona Fields and women’sbasketball head coach Jason Martens earned the HeartlandConference Coach of the Year award last season.As for Jim Zeleznak, the men’s basketball head coach, hisfourth season was his best one.The team won the Heartland Conference Tournamenttitle and posted a 17–13 record.The baseball team, under the direction of head coachCharlie Migl, finished the 2008 regular season 39–17 and 35–14 in the Heartland Conference, earning them second place.In 2000 the campus university built the BillGreehey Arena.The gym seats 3,800 people, which is enough for thestudent body and other Rattler fans. Junior Christina Aleman,a dancer for Code Blue, attends the basketball home gamesto perform during game breaks.“I usually see 100 people at the game, maybe more. Butnot a lot of people attend the games,” said Aleman. “It’susually just the band, the dance team and the cheerleaders,with a little bit of fans sitting around.”Sophomore sports science major Kelly Zamora, a softballplayer, also notices the student body doesn’t support theteams as much as it could.“Its usually just family and a few friends that show up,”said Zamora. “Overall, the games average about 50–60people in the bleachers.”“I don’t know why more people don’t show up to thegames? It’s free,” added Zamora. “At the games, the studentsthat usually show up are other athletes because they’re theones who usually know the schedules.”Students that attend games sometimes feel the same disappointment.Junior business marketing major Sean Palacio,a regular spectator at home games, agrees that students needto show some more school pride.“I love sports; I try to go to the games whenever I don’thave to work. At some of the games I’ve attended, I’vepainted my body,” said Palacio. “This is the way I like toshow off my Rattler Pride.”“I think that it’s also the athletes’ fault that the attendanceis low” said junior finane marketing major Ashley Jones. “Iattend some of the games, but only the ones my friends tellme about. I think that the athletes and cheerleaders shoulddo some better promoting on game-day,” said Jones.Senior sports science major Mike Villarreal, a baseballplayer, agrees that something needs to be done to helpboost attendance.“Attendance at the baseball games is not good. The mostI’ve ever seen at a game was when we had a tailgate with $1beer before the game,” said Villarreal. “Maybe they shouldjust do something like that at every game.”University Programming Counsel (UPC) is trying to helpspread the word about Rattler home games. Junior computerengineering major Richard Molina, a member of UPC, wantsevery student to become a “Fangatic.”“[UPC] tries to get students more involved with ourathletic teams,” said Molina. “We have hosted events likeDouble the Madness and tail-gates, which help bring morepeople to the games.”Before you begin to think that not much is being done tohelp fill stadium seats, St. Mary’s already does things to helpincrease home game attendance.For one, students get in free with their student I.D. Also,the fields are within walking distance, so there’s no commutenecessary and UPC will continue to be there to bring inmore “Fangatics.”This spring semester, take the time to ask the athleteswhen their next game is, or check online for a list ofsports events.

SportsTelevised game results in Rattler triumph28 The Rattler02.04.09HOTSEAT 60-38By michelle telloStaff WriterTHEPhoto by Andrew RileyFeaturing:Lorenzo AnthonyMen’s Basketball PlayerClassification: SeniorMajor: Exercise andSports ScienceWho was your role modelgrowing up?“Throughout my life it’s beenmy parents, especially my dad.They’ve been together for 32 yearsand they’ve taught me to nevergive up.”Who is the best rapper alive?“Lil Wayne (he has lyrics thatmake you think) straight up. He’sjust different and can flow on anybeat he wants to.”What are your goals?“I want to coach basketball;preferably at the collegiatelevel. I feel that I have a greatunderstanding of the game fromfirst-hand experience to coach atthat level; but I am open to anylevel of coaching.”What gets you pumped up fora game?“One song that really gets mepumped up is by E-40 and ShawtyLo ‘Break Ya Ankles.’”What’s your most memorablemoment playing basketball?“I’d have to say there are two;one is winning the Junior CollegeNational Championship while Iwas at Northlake Junior Collegeand the other is when we won ourconference tournament last year.”Compiled by Jonathan TrilloWith all of their dedication and effort, there is noquestion why the Rattler women’s basketball teamcontinues to win in the spring season. The ladies haveput in endless hours of hard work and they have a lotto show for it.This is the fourth season that number 42, seniorEnglish/communication arts major Natalie Gamez, ashooting guard, has played for the Rattlers.Gamez said that she believes that the team’schemistry on the court and the players’ overall abilityto work together is why they are doing so well thisseason.Senior mathematics major Jessie Smith, a seniorshooting guard, said the team has “worked itsbutt off” for this season and loves the system thatcoach Jason Martens and assistant coach AprilPonds implemented.With this system, half of the team’s practice timeis focused on defense, according to junior accountingmajor point guard and shooting guard ChastityNoble. Their overall school record is 16-2 and 5-0 inthe Hartland Conference as of Jan. 24.Due to the team’s record, the Rattlers wereoffered to play on the CBS College Sports Networkat 2 p.m. on Jan. 24 in the Bill Greehey Arena.At this event, they faced their rivals: the Universityof the Incarnate Word Cardinals. Determined to claimthe win, the Rattlers found themselves walking awaywith victory.From the beginning of the first half down to thelast second, the team did what they had to in orderto dominate the court, making the Cardinals play“their game.”On offense, finance major and point guard RachelJones took the ball down court with a sharp eye,looking left and right for an open teammate to passthe ball and score. There were a few mistakes alongthe way, but that could defeat the women’s spirit.With 20 seconds left in the first half, St. Mary’s turnedover the ball and the Rattlers’ English/communicationarts major Farren Fox sprinted across the court as aCardinal player ran for a layup; Fox blocked the shotending the first half St. Mary’s up 33 to 22. The leadscorer was Gamez with 25 points.The team has goals they want to reach and becauseof their high level of performance on the court, it islikely that they will achieve them.Recent game resultsWOMEN’S BASKETBALL:Jan. 29 @ Texas-Permian BasinW, 57-48 (17-2)Jan. 24 Incarnate WordW, 60-38 (16-2)Jan. 22 Texas A&M-InternationalW, 79-70 (15-2)Courtesy of Derek SmolikSenior forward Ashton Benford runs past a Cardinal for two of her nine points at the women’sbasketball game Jan. 24.MEN’S BASKETBALL:Jan. 31 @ Oklahoma Panhandle StateW, 86-59 (10-9)Jan. 29 @ Texas-Permian BasinW, 84-65 (9-9)Jan. 24 Incarnate WordL, 59-69 (8-9)