Last week, in preparation for our Carroll News information sessions, we decided to create staff videos. What started as a simple explanation of the sections was redefined as a humorous and realistic view of our staff. Craig, our Arts & Entertainment/Life editor, took rein of the camera, and the bold personalities of our editors took care of the rest. (I’m still working on editing those videos so they’ll be acceptable to share with others.)

When our editors aren’t busy working on pages, or taking a procrastination break, they can be found doing one of three things. Dancing with our giant cactus, quoting movies with voices that can only be described as obnoxious or Photoshopping images of another staff member.

The last of those three is my personal favorite. Our walls are dominated by one-of-a-kind creations featuring our staff. Max, our campus editor, is the star of several, including one that diagrams the five topics he is most likely to be talking about. There are also several of me, most involving massive amounts of candy. The others aren’t really appropriate to share with the general public, but you’re welcome to stop in and see. Better yet, join our staff and we’ll make one just for you.

At the end of the night, or more realistically Wednesday morning, we’re all sick of each other and seriously sleep deprived. But on Thursday evening, for reasons we can’t explain, we come back together to do it again.

“Donors want to do what is best for the school. Students and perspective students have been asking about new programs. From a gift, we were able to provide the faculty with seed money for new initiatives,” said the Rev. Niehoff in an e-mail. “A number of exciting innovative academic programs have been proposed. In fact, our faculty responded with more ideas than we could support at this time.”

Associate Academic Vice President for Academic Programs and Faculty Diversity Lauren Bowen has been overseeing the administrative duties related to the development fund grants.

The funds allow the faculty members who made the proposals to bring consultants on campus, to research programs at other campuses, and, in some cases, to be released from classes to do research for programs, according to Bowen.

Associate Dean of the Boler School of Business James Martin was involved with the proposals for three of the programs that received funding: an interdisciplinary minor in leadership studies; a major in international business that works with the classical and modern languages and culture department; and Environmental Sustainability, a program that merges business and biology.

“It definitely benefits the school of business to work with other areas on campus. Business is about more than just the numbers, and being able to have a better perspective with respect to business problems helps a lot,” said Martin.

Martin said that the school of business also introduced an entrepreneurship minor this year that is very interdisciplinary, but there are no other programs similar to the ones he helped propose.

“The international business major is very exciting because we are talking about internships in other countries — getting students involved and letting them experience the work environment in other countries,” Martin said.

East Asian studies, human resources management, and women’s and gender studies, are other majors that are being explored, as well as, peace, justice and human rights, which could be offered as a major or a minor.

Also being explored are Pervasive Development Disorders, a program for certified teachers; a psychology practicum that collaborates with the Cleveland Clinic Center for Autism; and a professional writing program.

Bowen said that the interdisciplinary nature and experiential factors of most of the funded projects are assets to the University and the student body.

“[The programs] all resonate with our Jesuit Catholic identity in different ways,” said Bowen.

According to Day, there is also a proposal for a minor in forensic behavioral science. If it is approved, it would be the only program offered at John Carroll related to forensic science.

“For students who are here, [the addition of new programs] sort of enriches the array of curricular offerings,” said Day. “We also hope the programs will be appealing to prospective students who might otherwise not be interested in John Carroll.”

Receiving the grant, however, does not guarantee that a program will come to fruition; all programs must be reviewed and approved by the Committee on Academic Policies and voted on by the faculty.

Some of the proposed new programs could be available as early as next fall.

Rev. Niehoff said, “I look forward to seeing an ongoing process that will regularly create new academic programs to engage our students.”

A committee of administrators and faculty chose the 11 programs among 21 proposals.

Before Tom Parish ever set foot on John Carroll’s campus, the freshman was in Austin, Texas, shooting a major motion picture. Parish had a weeklong internship with Troublemaker Studios filming the movie “Machete,” which could be released as early as Spring 2010. Not only did Parish get to rub elbows with writer and director Robert Rodriguez and martial arts icon Steven Seagal, but Parish was also able to work directly with the stars of the movie.

Molly Gradowski spent the summer working with children for University Settlement.

“Basically, I would show up around six in the morning and attend to the needs of the stars; fetching a bagel for Mr. Seagal, getting a soda for Ms. Lohan, etc,” said Parish. “Then as the day progressed, I oftentimes worked on lockups, where I would make sure that no one walked into the shot or no one was in the blood-spatter line; we’d be done around nine or so.”

Parish was invited back to Austin next summer to work on another movie set, and is excited about working behind the spotlight again.

Lauren Stayer, a senior, worked with different types of stars at her internship at the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. Stayer took a class last year through the Career Center and figured “if I am going to do all this work, I might as well put it toward something.” Stayer was hired by the museum to take care of their 83 Ohio native animals. She was also responsible for training them, doing animal shows and performing basic husbandry skills.

The animal shows ranged from audiences of over 100 people to more intimate groups of 20 or 30. Stayer said, “We showed the people how to interact with the animals. When most people see animals in the wild their first thought is ‘Oh my gosh we need to kill it or get it out of here.’” Stayer’s specialty was working with the skunk and black rat snake. At the end of the summer, Stayer was hired as a part-time employee and now works one day a week at the museum.

Through the Poverty and Solidarity Internship at JCU, Molly Gradowski got to not only work at a nonprofit, but made a difference in Cleveland. Gradowski, a junior, worked at University Settlement in the Slavic neighborhoods of Cleveland. She said, “It is really unique because it is the only community center of its type in the area.” Gradowski specifically worked with University Settlement’s 21st Century and Strive Programs.

With 21st Century, Gradowski taught ninth graders English, multiplication and division skills and attempted to “make school fun.” While the Strive Program worked with children ages 5 to 17, taking them on field trips to their first baseball games, the Science Center, and fire houses, but most importantly providing the children with a safe haven.

Gradowski said, “My goal was just to be happy and be smiling, just so the kids could have a good day.” She said, “I grew in many different ways. Seeing such poverty in Cleveland, in the U.S., I felt as if I was in another country at times. Just thinking…Oh my gosh, there is so much to be done.”

Holly Duns, a senior, acquired a local internship this summer as well. Duns lived out her love for music by interning at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum.

Duns said, “Music has always been a big part of my life. I love the Rock Hall and their mission to preserve these historical artifacts and educate new generations about rock and roll.”

Duns learned about the internship through the Career Center and Career Connection. At the Rock Hall, Duns was a human resources intern and was responsible for assisting in updating files, interviewing and contacting candidates, and reviewing resumés. She said, “I also was able to volunteer on the Rock Hall floor.”

Duns summed up the importance of internships when she said, “Internships provide students great opportunities and contacts to gain both work experiences and to help narrow their career paths.”

Carson made his mark with humorous bits such as “Stump the Band,” when audience members would ask the band to play obscure songs. He also did “The Edge of Wetness,” in which he would read funny and fictional soap opera plots and the camera would scan the audience for the person who best fit the role. These bits and segments soon became a must in the format of late night television.

Leno continued to do the same after taking the reigns from Carson in 1992. Leno created his own famous sketches such as “Jaywalking.” He would ask people around the Los Angeles area questions about current events, mostly receiving outrageous responses.

Leno additionally did a segment called “Headlines” every Monday. Viewers would send in newspaper clippings with either grammatical errors or highly inappropriate mistakes. Leno led the ratings for 11 consecutive years from 1995 to 2006, beating out CBS’ “Late Show” host, David Letterman.

One thing that helped Leno increase his ratings was bringing his stage closer to the audience. Carson’s stage was so far from the audience they could barely see him, which at times hurt his overall ratings.

Since his show first aired in 1993, Letterman has been the main competitor for Leno. “Letterman always has the celebrities and political figures on— he’s funny because he basically makes fun of them the whole time,” said Kevin McCall, a freshman at John Carroll University.

Letterman’s top segments include the “Top Ten List” and “Great Moments in Presidential Speeches.” During the “Top Ten List,” Letterman lists the best of each category given and the presidential speeches features three clips of speeches, two serious and meaningful and the third a gaffe from a recent or past speech.

After 17 years, Leno finally stepped down and passed the NBC late night show to Conan O’Brien. O’Brien’s “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” aired after Leno, and he was considered Leno’s replacement some years before the official announcement. O’Brien is known for his wild behavior and unique personality that consists of random outbursts in song and dance. Sophomore Drew Krainz said, “Conan is the Oprah of late night. Leno’s monologue is bogus, and Conan is a lot goofier than Leno, and I think he appeals more to our generation.” Comedian Will Ferrell joined O’Brien as the first guest on his version of “The Tonight Show,” making its debut on June 1, 2009.

Despite O’Brien taking “The Tonight Show” spot, Leno bumped down an hour slot and on Sept. 14, “The Jay Leno Show” hit the airwaves and drew 17.7 million viewers on its first night.

With this slew of late night programming and the additions of Craig Kilbourn and Jimmy Fallon’s show, the prime time hours are filled with quality programming.

Whether it’s Leno, O’Brien or Letterman, “The Tonight Show” has been a staple in television history since Johnny Carson made it big nearly 47 years ago.

Maura McCool, director of events for SUPB, explained that changes were implemented in ticket sales this year.

One of the changes was the senior pre-sale held on Monday, Sept. 14. Senior Megan McGinnity liked the pre-sale.

“I think it was great that they had a special day for seniors,” she said. “There wasn’t a Senior Day last year, so a lot of the seniors didn’t get their tickets.”

All John Carroll students could purchase tickets starting Tuesday, Sept. 15. The tickets sold out by Wednesday, Sept. 16 at noon.

This year, unlike previous years, students were also only allowed to purchase one ticket during the first week of ticket sales.

“The one ticket per person policy was put into place after the committee had heard a lot of feedback from students last year who felt that JCU students should have the first chance to buy their ticket, before students started purchasing a ticket for a non-JCU friend to attend the dance with them,” McCool said.

The venue for the dance was chosen through a survey e-mailed to the freshman, sophomore and junior classes during last year’s spring semester. Students chose between three places: Cleveland Browns Stadium, Great Lakes Science Center and Sammy’s Metropolitan Ballroom. According to McCool, 60.2 percent of the 467 students that voted in the survey chose Browns Stadium.

Freshman Marisa Rodriguez felt the amount of tickets sold contributed to the problem of selling out so early.

“They only allotted 700 tickets for almost 3,000 students,” she said. “It’s cool to go to different venues like Cleveland Browns Stadium, but I think they should have gotten more tickets.”

The event manager gave SUPB the number of occupants legally allowed in the venue, but space was saved to provide room for a dance floor, the disc jockey and the equipment, and refreshment areas.

“Large campus events also require a large number of faculty and staff chaperones, as well as security to ensure that the event is a safe and enjoyable experience,” said McCool. “In addition to security, the Cleveland Browns also have their own staff that will be present at the event for catering and administrative needs.”

SUPB and the Homecoming Committee also take into account the number of students that can be safely transported to and from the dance by shuttle buses and the cost of students to attend the event. Although students only pay $20 for their ticket, it actually costs more than $50 per student once the food, rental fee, security and transportation costs are all factored in.

These factors led SUPB and the Homecoming Committee to set the limit at the dance to 700 attendees. SUPB does believe that Homecoming should be a campus-wide event, but seniors should continue to get first-dibs on tickets.

“The Homecoming dance is an event to celebrate the spirit of JCU and is open to all students,” McCool said. “However, we do take into consideration that it is the last year for seniors to attend the dance and be a part of celebrating their return to Carroll, their ‘home away from home’ for the past four years.”

Although tickets are sold out, there is still a chance for students to win a ticket to the dance through SUPB’s Web site, www.jcu.edu/supb, starting Sept. 28.

The dance will be held on Oct. 10 from 8 p.m. to midnight. Homecoming week, which takes place Oct. 7 to Oct. 11, will feature numerous events, including a bonfire, pep rally and live concert by Josh Kelley. The football team plays Marietta College at Don Shula Stadium at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 10.

Senior Celia Mastroine, above, and the Blue Streaks had a tough time in Pennsylvania, but will return to action at home on Friday.

The John Carroll University women’s volleyball team traveled to Pittsburgh, Pa. this weekend to play in the Carnegie Mellon Crossover.

They entered this weekend feeling good and owning a record of 7-5. However, four tough opponents in a two-day span saw JCU drop four consecutive matches and fall to 7-9.

In the first match on Friday they faced a very tough Case Western Reserve University team who entered the match with a record of 7-2.

The Blue Streaks fought hard, but could not overcome the power of the Spartan offensive. They lost 25-22 in the first game, and 25-20 in games two and three.

“It’s tough losing three straight games,” said senior Laura Isbell. “We played hard but fell a few points short.”

Their next match was against Point Park University who entered the tournament with a record of 11-3.

John Carroll gave a noble effort in the first game, only to lose a very disappointing opener by the score of 29-27.

“The first game really took a lot out of us. We played extremely hard and it was just disappointing to come up short,” said senior MaryEileen Dalton.

In their next two games the ladies from Point Park controlled the flow of the game and JCU found themselves on the losing side in both games, 25-11 and 25-19.

The Blue Streaks got off to a sluggish start on Saturday to kickoff the second day of competition with senior outside hitter Laura Isbell not being able to play due to injury.

“Laura is a big part of our team. Her presence was definitely missed in our last two matches,” said Dalton.

In her place, the team turned to sophomore Kerry Fox and freshmen Rachel Hasel and Jessica Hammer to fill Isbell’s spot.

The Blue Streaks tried to forget about their play on Friday and shift focus to their two tough opponents on Saturday.

First up was Frostburg State University, who entered the match with a record of 11-3 and was reeling after losing both matches on Friday.

The Blue Streaks struggled early on and would never get on track, losing all three games 25-19, 25-21 and 25-9.

In their last and final match they took on host Carnegie Mellon University.

John Carroll won the first two games 26-24 and 25-21 before Carnegie Mellon rallied to steal the next three, dropping the Blue Streaks 25-16, 25-14 and 15-12 to take the match.

“This weekend was tough, but every match is an opportunity to progress as a team,” said senior libero Celia Mastroine. “I am confident that we have learned from this past weekend and will continue to work hard everyday to be the great team we know we are.”

Mastroine has already started looking forward to this week, adding that she can’t wait to return home to the Tony DeCarlo Center for tomorrow’s non-conference match.

JCU will play CWRU for the second time in a week, a tune-up for Ohio Athletic Conference play which begins Oct. 2 when JCU travels to Ada to take on the Polar Bears of Ohio Northern University.

For instance, as I’m writing this column I’m sitting at my favorite computer in the newsroom and right next to me are Katie Sheridan’s red slippers. They aren’t the cleanest things in the world and they certainly aren’t stylish, but these shoes make me smile. They remind me of Sheridan and how much fun we had during Saturday night’s Carroll News shenanigans.

On the desk is the ChapStick I got from the endless supply that was donated to Labre over a year ago. I have four of these tubes in the cup holder of my car, not to mention the thousands that are scattered around my house. There are tons of perks to being an organization president.

What this ChapStick reminds me of though, is praying with Bicycle David. David is a homeless friend from Labre who rides his bike all over Cleveland multiple times a day. He loves Purell, clean socks, Jesus and LeBron James.

It’s little things like writing on my driveway with sidewalk chalk or watching “Glee” on DVR with all of my roommates that make the difference between a good day and a bad day.

When I’m tired, cranky and I’ve been running around for hours on end, I know that a quick fix is one of the many free candy stashes around JCU. I’ll pop into Rodman and grab a Jolly Rancher or head over to the Center for Service and Social Action for a handful of Skittles and a quick conversation with Susan, the CSSA secretary.

What gets me through each day are the memories I’ve made and the hope of more to come. This morning driving to campus, I saw an old man in a yellow trucker hat and it made me happy because it reminded me of the man who wanders around my hometown teaching whoever will listen about Abraham Lincoln.

It’s been a rough week, so everyone take a minute. Look around you right now. What do you see? What does it remind you of? Is it five-day-old pizza that your friend ate despite the fact that there was clearly mold growing from the cheese? Is it a cartoon sent from your grandma blatantly making fun of the fact that you had swine flu? Is it the quad outside of Murphy where you met your campus crush for the first time?

Smile. Life is good.

Each day brings its trials, but today is about taking the time to remember the good things.

It’s about random heartfelt conversations with your roommate on a Sunday. It’s about text messages that only say the word “boobs” and how awesome it is when they play Taylor Swift at Jake’s.

Hang on to the good memories you have and hold out hope that the best is yet to come.

The reactions of JCU leadership to the tragic death of a student on campus last weekend, was a model for responding to such circumstances. Student affairs and the counseling center did an excellent job, both in addressing the family and classmates of the student and in reaching out to all those across campus who were shaken by the loss.

Frank Kinmonth was found dead in his dorm room at 3:55 a.m. last Sunday morning. JCU EMS was the first to arrive on the scene with University Heights police. Once there, they attempted to resuscitate Kinmonth. University Heights EMT were the next to arrive and continued to try to resuscitate him while transporting him to South Pointe Hospital. Both units responded quickly and did what they could to help the situation Area Coordinator Anne Kowalski was the first JCU staff member on the scene and began the process of notifying University officials. Further notification of the situation was done quickly and efficiently as both Sherri Crahen and Mark McCarthy were on campus within 35 minutes of learning of the situation. The two faculty members notified the parents, and by 5 a.m. the JCU counseling center, residence life, campus ministry, office of student affairs and administration all had members on campus to respond to the situation.

On Sunday, the Rev. Robert Niehoff went to visit Kinmonth’s stepmother’s home to extend condolences on behalf of the university. Rev. Niehoff also spoke at the prayer service held Sunday afternoon for Kinmonth and Daniel Murphy, who died in an ATV accident this past Saturday. Murphy is the son of Paul Murphy, JCU director of the Institute of Catholic Studies.

We commend all of the members of the University who were involved for communicating what was going on and for reacting so quickly. All of the events held in response were well organized, especially given that they were put together in less than a day, and the student body was informed quickly via e-mail.

Campus Ministry was also quick to inform the student body of when the services would be held. A shuttle service was provided by CSS to and from the wake on Tuesday for Kinmonth.

Also, it was made known to students that the counseling center and campus ministry would be available after regular office hours for those having trouble dealing with the tragedy.

While the situation was handled well, it cannot stop with the services for Kinmonth. Steps should be taken to prevent similar situations from happening in the future. There have been talks of a session for faculty to learn how to recognize signs of troubled students. This is an idea that the University should follow through with in an effort to look out for the student body and in order to make the campus as safe as possible.

Senior Mark Elsaesser, above, and the JCU offense were too much for the B-W defense as the Blue Streaks pulled out a 43-29 win.

There was plenty of electricity flowing through the lighting towers surrounding Don Shula Stadium Saturday night, but the real high voltage was on the field as John Carroll University knocked off Baldwin-Wallace College, 43-29.

John Carroll’s offense, the one that was only able to muster seven points in their season opener, erupted for 43 points in their victory and combined with their cross-town foe for the highest scoring contest in the rivalry’s rich history.

“We were excited and ready to play our rivals,” said senior running back Teree’ Harris. “Being under the lights just got us more pumped up to play them.”

Midway through the third quarter though, the outcome of the game was certainly in doubt.

Each team had been trading blows but was unable to deliver the knockout punch.

Tied at 16 with 11 minutes left in the third quarter, JCU’s defense delivered the blow to open up the game.

A fumble recovery and then an interception on consecutive Yellow Jacket possessions gave the Blue Streaks the breaks they needed as the offense converted both turnovers into touchdowns and opened up a 14-point lead that they would not surrender.

The John Carroll defense employed a “bend, but don’t break” philosophy as they gave up 439 yards of total offense to the Yellow Jackets.

They did, however, force six turnovers; four fumbles and two interceptions.

The turnover battle was the tipping point of the game as four of the Baldwin-Wallace giveaways resulted immediately in Blue Streak touchdowns.

The return of senior Jeff Javorek, who sat out against Thomas More with an injury, had an immediate impact on the Blue Streak offense.

Javorek, making his first career varsity start as quarterback, showed Blue Streak fans that he was certainly capable of carrying the offense. He finished the night a solid 30 of 51 for 309 yards and five touchdowns through the air.

Easily Javorek’s favorite target of the night was senior wide receiver Scottie Williams, who had his best game as a Blue Streak catching 11 balls for 129 yards and two touchdowns.

“Having [Javorek] back for this game helped out the mentality of our team,” Williams said. “He knows our offense inside and out, as well as being one of our captains, so knowing he was back was definitely encouraging for us.”

JCU was able to overcome a lackluster run game, as well as a sub-par third down conversion rate, to end what was a beautiful night in University Heights. For their efforts, JCU reclaimed the title of Cuyahoga Gold Bowl winners after a disappointing loss last season.

“We dominated the game last year, but we let it slip away,” said senior wide receiver Chris Esparza. “That was a tough pill to swallow and we weren’t going to let it happen again.”

The Blue Streaks, now 1-1 overall and 1-0 in Ohio Athletic Conference play, turn their attention to their next opponent, Heidelberg College who they will battle on Saturday night in Tiffin, Ohio.

JCU narrowly knocked off the Student Princes last season, 17-15, in a hard fought contest at Don Shula Stadium.

I’ve never really bought into that, seeing as the last two years the Super Bowl has been won on a game-winning catch by wide receivers Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes, two guys you are unlikely to find helping an old lady across the street.

Both those guys have extensive rap sheets… but they also have Super Bowl rings. This year, my beloved Cleveland Browns drafted guys that were good football players, but also guys that performed well in the classroom.

Reading over the biographies of our draft picks, all of them seem to have been selected to their conferences “All-Academic” teams, and then they were named something like third-team all conference for their work on the field.

I’m glad they’re smart and ideally, I hope they’re good citizens, but as a fan, I just want to win. We’re already 0-2, and it’s not looking like were going to get in the win column in the near future.

On Sunday, people are going to see Michael Vick back in action for the first time since he went to jail for his involvement in a dog fighting scandal. Some Philadelphia Eagles fans are unhappy that Vick is on their team and, fearing that he will only bring trouble with him and doesn’t deserve a second chance.

I think someone that enjoys watching dogs maul each other isn’t all there in the head. At the same time, as shallow as it sounds, if he were on my team, I’d cheer just as loud for him as everybody else when he scores six points.

Ideally, athletes all act something like Derek Jeter. They go out and perform at an all-star level year after year and do great charity work, stay off the police blotter and always say the right thing to the media. That’s a dream.

The reality is, a lot of these athletes go from rags to riches, get wealthy at a young age and they don’t know how to handle their sudden fame and fortune.

I feel bad when I read about athletes doing stupid stuff off the field, but I also feel bad when the Browns lose 27-6 and don’t even come remotely close to scoring a touchdown. As shallow as it sounds, I just want to win.

In the column, Flessner asserted that the practical jokes that he has played on his peers since he started at JCU in the fall of 2005 have not been “fun at other peoples’ expense,” but education for those “lacking in ‘street smarts.’”

His first example, as cruel as it was, supported his claim. Learning to filter information that one accepts as truth is an important lesson.

After that, Flessner strayed away from his point. I would challenge Mr. Flessner to clarify for me the lesson that he taught his friend by posting a false Craig’s List ad causing him personal inconvenience. All that this prank requires is the phone number of the victim (or pupil, as Flessner would contend). Was the lesson not to give notoriously juvenile reporters your phone number?

If so, well done, Max. In the future, I think that Flessner should try to use only evidence that supports his claims, rather than letting them get surmounted by his enormous ego.

I would, however, like to congratulate Flessner on the one place where he was correct: he should apologize, for he has been rude.

I grew up on MTV. I give it more credit for forming me than I give my parents, peers or schools.

But the MTV I knew is gone.

Now it’s seven different variations of “The Hills,” another redundant season of “The Real World,” reruns of the corniest dating shows this side of “Rock of Love with Bret Michaels,” and whatever show Diddy has in rotation this season.

What happened? Why did MTV abandon us? I blame Viacom (the owner of MTV, VH1 and BET among other cable networks) and corporate greed. They treat all of their stations as one giant conglomerate and cross-pollinate each network with one another’s shows. In the words of Charles Barkley, “It’s turrible, Kenny, just turrible.”

I think somewhere far along the road they lost their souls and forgot what MTV actually stood for, and that has led to its downfall. Not only did it abandon my generation, but what about the younger generation growing up without MTV there to hold their hands? If playing R. Kelly videos on television doesn’t count as child abuse, then not playing them should.

If you haven’t noticed, I’m pretty upset about what’s happened to my beloved network. The transition has been happening for a long time, but it has gotten ridiculous over the past three years or so.

Remember how big of a deal “Making the Video” used to be? It was an event. Allow me to tell an anecdote explaining how important this show was. In sixth grade, one of my teachers had recorded the “Making the Video” episode for ‘N Sync’s “Pop” and we watched it in class. Yes, that was very unprofessional on his part, but to be fair, it was an English class and, apparently, I still learned how to write just fine.

As recent as 2006, it was still pretty special when a big-name artist released a new video. When Justin Timberlake premiered “SexyBack” it was played at the top of the hour, every hour, for an entire day. By the end of that day I had been taken to the bridge and the chorus more often than freshmen got taken to Quinn’s by Cabbie D.

Now, there are no more videos on MTV. Period. Unless, of course, Michael Jackson just died. Then the next two weeks his videos will get constant play for the sake of ratings.

Probably the most blatant way to see how little remains from that era is to look at Carson Daly’s career. He’s on at 1:30 a.m. on NBC, and no one watches him. When Conan O’Brien moved up to Jay Leno’s job on “The Tonight Show,” Carson Daly wasn’t promoted to Conan’s spot. Instead, Jimmy Fallon got it. In 2009, Carson doesn’t have enough pull to trump Jimmy Fallon for a show that starts after midnight? Really? This is the same guy who introduced me to ‘N Sync, Nelly and Limp Bizkit, and I thank him for it. I don’t want to know what my life would be like without Carson Daly.

I want the old MTV back. I want Dave Holmes, Ananda Lewis and Jesse Camp to interview people in Times Square while Britney Spears is waving from the window in the “TRL” studio and Carson reads the number one video off of a cue card. Is that so much to ask?

How am I supposed to learn the words to songs without “Say What? Karaoke?” How am I supposed to know how to tell a girl I don’t want to date her from the first minute I meet her without “Next?” How am I supposed to come up with pranks if I don’t have Ashton and “Punk’d?” I guess I’m going to have to start taking advice from MAXimum Exposure.

So MTV, take all the money you’ve made off of the “Laguna Beach” cast and put it towards developing a time machine. Then use it to bring back the MTV I grew up on, the one I knew and loved. If you don’t do it for me, do it for Carson (he needs it more than I do).

That makes three significant injuries for the Blue Streaks during the month of September as senior Jeff Kosek broke his leg in the second game of the season. Oddly enough, the three are roommates.

“It honestly feels like a curse is on our team right now,” Rock said. “At the same time, we’ve got people who are stepping up and the level of play isn’t dropping. It’s definitely disheartening. I’ve never been a part of a team that’s had this kind of luck before.”

Freshman Jerry Rubino, left, and the rest of the Blue Streaks will try to steady the ship until the banged-up team returns to full strength.

Rock and DeMarchi are expected to be back by the Oct. 3 home game against Capital University.

The Blue Streaks defeated Case Western 2-0 Wednesday, with juniors David Hickey and Andrew Fatigati scoring a goal each. Junior Mike Telzrow, getting his first career start, played spectacularly, recording six saves.

“It’s a big win for us because it’s a cross-town rival,” said Rock. “Our senior class also hadn’t beat them, so that was really nice as well.”

In the OAC-MIAA Tournament held at Ohio Northern University last weekend, the Blue Streaks downed Trine University 2-0. Junior Kyle Buxman and sophomore Corey Rider scored, with Telzrow recording his second shut-out in as many games.

Saturday brought a sloppier game, ending in a 0-0 tie and including 51 fouls and nine cards. The bright side was Telzrow, recording another shut-out. He has yet to allow a goal in his first three starts.

“He’s 3-0 now against three good teams, and he’s playing with a lot of confidence,” said Rock. “He’s proving he can pick up the starting job.”

The man he is replacing agrees. “He’s been playing great,” said DeMarchi of his replacement. “I’m really proud of him.”

On the women’s side of the ball, the Blue Streaks lost a heartbreaker on Sept. 15, falling to Westminster College by a score of 2-1.

Senior midfielder Caitlyn Walton, the team’s leading scorer, scored the lone goal for the Blue Streaks.

Last Friday, the Blue Streaks returned to their winning ways when they knocked off Oberlin College, 2-1. Juniors Aleks Quenneville and Valerie Korb each scored a goal for the Blue Streaks.

After each team split time with the ball in each other’s end, Quenneville eventually gave JCU the lead with her first goal of the season.

Just seconds before the end of the first half, Caroline McGraw collided with the Oberlin goalkeeper. When the ball squirted away, Korb was there to hammer it home and give JCU a 2-0 lead and some breathing room going into the half.

Up next for the women’s team is Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh on Saturday. The men’s team will also head east to Pennsylvania on Saturday to take on Misericordia University.

Frank Kinmonth was a JCU sophomore.

John Carroll University was troubled last Sunday with the news that a student was found dead in his dorm room.

Nineteen-year-old sophomore Frank Kinmonth was found dead by sophomore roommate Rudy Donatelli at 3:55 a.m. in Millor Hall.

JCU responded quickly to provide support to the campus and Kinmonth’s family. “Our community is hurting,” said the Rev. Robert Niehoff, president of the University. “And that matters to us.”

Freshman Melissa Maksim, Kinmonth’s girlfriend, said “Frank was one of the better ones. He was such a happy person, loved to have a good time and loved his family and friends so incredibly much.”

Kinmonth was a member of the JCU lacrosse team and was considering a major in the Boler School of Business. Donatelli said, “[he was a] caring, generous, upbeat [person who] would do anything for us.”

According to Donatelli and Maksim, Kinmonth was a fan of fishing, the Dave Matthews Band and the Baltimore Ravens.

Donatelli placed a call to 9-1-1 once he woke up and found Kinmonth. University Heights police responded along with JCU EMS, who attempted to resuscitate Kinmonth, according to Sherri Crahen, dean of students. University Heights EMT then arrived and continued to try resuscitating Kinmonth while they transported him to South Pointe Hospital, where he was officially pronounced dead.

Area Coordinator Anne Kowalski was the first JCU staff member on the scene and began the process of notifying University officials. Crahen received a phone call from Chief of Campus Safety Services Timothy Peppard and then notified Vice President for Student Affairs Mark McCarthy. Both Crahen and McCarthy were on campus by 4:30 a.m.

Their first priority was to notify Kinmonth’s parents. His stepmother, Caroline Sanchez, lives near campus, so Crahen and McCarthy went to her house to break the news. From there they called Frank Kinmonth, Sr., who lives in Baltimore. First Sanchez spoke with Kinmonth Sr., then Crahen talked to him.

Kinmonth Sr. arrived in Cleveland later that day.

By 5 a.m. members of the JCU counseling center, residence life, campus ministry, office of student affairs and administration were on campus to begin responding to the situation.

Kinmonth’s friends who were already aware of the situation were first moved from Millor Hall to the office of residence life, then the campus ministry conference room, according to Crahen and McCarthy.

The decision was then made by members of the JCU community to begin spreading the news in an orderly manner.

Heather Losneck, director of residence life, was also serving as a JCU liaison at South Pointe and made the decision to wake up resident assistants and area coordinators to inform them, according to Crahen.

McCarthy and Crahen also sought to meet with groups that were already assembled on campus such as the sororities, which were meeting for recruitment (that was postponed) and the football team.

According to Crahen, the decision was also made to hold a prayer service that day, which was announced to the JCU community via e-mail to be held at 5 p.m.

The University has continued to provide support to those in need. Director of the University Counseling Center John Ropar has visited all of Kinmonth’s classes and the lacrosse team to offer support, according to McCarthy.

Kinmonth’s Mass of Christian Burial was yesterday at Gesu Church, and he will be buried tomorrow in Cincinnati.

“I ask that you all seek refuge in God’s love, immerse yourselves in his spirit and let’s together begin our journey to healing,” said Kinmonth Sr. in a written statement. “Peace be with us all to my son, peace be with you my little boy,” he added.

“Times such as these challenge us,” said the Rev. Robert Niehoff. “We struggle to see our loving God at work, loving Frank and loving us. We continue to share with each other the loss we feel, our questions and our tears.”

“I am grateful to the Carroll community, who once again came together to support each other and celebrate Frank’s life,” he added. “This is when JCU is at its best.”

Paul Murphy’s son, Daniel Murphy.

The 15-year-old son of a John Carroll University faculty member died in an ATV accident this past weekend.

Daniel Murphy, son of Paul V. Murphy, JCU’s director of the Institute of Catholic Studies, and Marcia Leous Murphy, was a sophomore at St. Ignatius High School in Cleveland, where he was a member of the crew team.

Matthew Previts, head coach for crew and director of information systems at St. Ignatius, said, “Murphy was an exemplary oarsmen, friend and young man. Our lives were enriched by his presence.”

According to Lt. Chris Viland of the Solon Police Department, Daniel was one of four teens involved in the ATV accident that occurred on Saturday, Sept. 19, in Solon, Ohio. Daniel was declared dead when Solon police arrived on the scene after a 9-1-1 call was placed at 3:35 p.m.

One of the other teens was life-flighted to MetroHealth Medical Center for injuries to his leg and head. The other two teens involved feeling at this time. However, we are, above all else, people of faith who know that our beautiful son Daniel is in Jesus’ hands today.”

The family also extended gratitude for support from John Carroll, Gesu parish, St. Ignatius High School, the Beaumont School and others.

JCU was quick to organize a prayer service on Sunday for both Murphy and JCU sophomore Frank Kinmonth who died on campus that morning.

St. Ignatius Principal Peter Corrigan Jr. said, “Daniel was a quiet leader who showed his heart through his work. He loved being a student here and wasn’t afraid to show it. He was often seen wearing Ignatius sportswear after school, on and off campus.”

Previts recalled the day he met Murphy during his freshman year at St. Ignatius.

“I met ‘Murph,’ as we called him, on Aug. 28, 2008,” said Previts. “He was the first freshman waiting outside my office door. He was there to express his interest in rowing for crew. That was Murph, first one there, last one to leave.”

A funeral mass was scheduled for Murphy at 10:30 a.m. today (Thursday) at Gesu Church.

Sept. 10 marked the beginning of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (MBFW) in New York City for the 2010 spring and summer collections.

As always, the event attracted A-list celebrities such as Madonna, Charlize Theron and Victoria “Posh” Beckham.

With more than 63 shows and 100,000 attendees, travel was this year’s MBFW fashion statement.

The theme was the result of the show being moved from Bryant Park to the Lincoln Center next year.

John Carroll University sophomore Jessica Brady said, “The 2010 spring styles look very fashion friendly.”

Shows included luxurious luggage bags designed by Louis Vitton and Gucci, along with presenting lines with a much softer, spring vision.

Some consistent clothing themes seen were sportswear, shorts suits, floral prints and an overall looser clothing fit.

With the current economic downturn, some designers, such as Ralph Lauren, added a bit of depression to the clothing, attempting to stay away from the usual glamour that is seen in these shows.

Some sported themes of exoticism and jungle-like lands while other designs donned hints of beaches and places much closer to home.

Felicia Delisio, a senior at JCU, said, “I like Marc Jacobs and his spring and summer fashion line he released this past week.”

Fashion writers Jo Jones and Helen Seamons listed some fashion highs from the MBFW, citing Preen’s latest shoe line and Hussein Chalayan’s tote bag for Puma.

Jones and Seamons pointed out in Britain’s The Guardian that Marc Jacob’s model makeup and Japanese-styled heels were a major fashion low.

Candi Pratts Price, the executive fashion editor for style.com, commented on the designers staying loyal to certain brands.

“You’ve got to get to know me, the customer, then you get me to follow you. You get me interested and excited, and that’s what makes it aspirational,” she said.

A major trend in recent years among designers, especially ones seen at the MBFW, such as Anna Sui has been staying loyal to their companies and designing for stores such as Target to help those who can’t afford expensive clothing.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week favorite Charlotte Ronson has created a new fashion line for Urban Outfitters called Play. Ronson, in an interview with Urban Outfitters online blog said, “We are able to create high quality pieces at a lower price point and make them more accessible to a larger number of people.”

With a 1974 look, Rachel Roy went back intime for this year’s MBFW and her clothes followed the trend of loose fitting designs as she donned her models in gowns and blouses.

Roy, despite being a major designer, also has a line for the national retailer store Macy’s.

Roy designs everything from dresses to summer-wear to accessories such as purses for the women’s section of the store.

This year’s MBFW was an overall success, with designers releasing quality lines and unique fashion designs that will make the spring and summer of 2010 one of loose fitting travel fashion.

Designers, like Roy, Sui and Ronson have committed to producing more affordable lines and showing that the industry, despite the glamour and glitz, can offer clothes for all, atan affordable price.

The Arab world consists of a people bound by a common language, culture and religion. They are separated, however, by borders arbitrarily drawn by Western imperialists after World War I, and constant foreign intervention has prevented the development of competent political and economic institutions. But history has shown that when the Arab world is united – as it was during the Ottoman Empire and earlier during the reign of Mohammed and the Caliphates – it flourishes.

So leaders of the international community should focus on uniting the fragmented Arab states by encouraging economic integration in a manner similar to that of the European Union, which not only facilitated the economic rebound of post-World War II Europe, but has also brought peace to a region that until WWII, was constantly at war with itself.

Leaders of the international community can encourage integration by making a coordinated effort to make the billions of dollars in aid they give to Arab states subject to their leaders taking concrete steps toward integration. They could further reward Arab leaders who take such steps by eliminating tariffs on their country’s exports and by offering them lucrative arms deals – a move that may attract the rich, relatively stable yet tiny Arab states like Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

The goals of integration should include the removal of all tariffs on Arab exports, the adoption of a single Arab currency and monetary policy, a common Arab tariff on foreign imports, the privatization of most Arab industries, and the opening of borders to allow the free movement of goods, labor and capital.

And as economic integration translates into economic growth, Arab governments could gradually introduce an income, consumption or property tax to replace oil profits as their main source of revenue. This shift would add an element of responsibility to the government’s use of its funds, resulting in more and better social programs and reducing the rampant corruption that plagues Arab governments.

The advantages for Arab states are endless. Integration would promote the growth of budding industries (like solar energy) by opening them up to a bigger market and giving them access to more resources, which would result in the diversification of the oil-based Arab economy. It would also give Arab states access to more sea routes, which would especially help landlocked Jordan and Iraq, who would then face lower transportation costs and could be more competitive in international trade.

And finally, as Arab governments recognize the benefits of economic integration, they may find it necessary to engage in political integration, as has been the case with the E.U. And with this political integration would inevitably come democratization.

See a map of Iran's assumed missile range

However, based on more recent information, which reports a shift in the development of long-range missiles to short to medium-length missiles, the Obama administration has opted for a plan that will incorporate a more flexible form of protection. This change in strategy reflects the advice of Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen, and is based on the updated assessment of what type of threat Iran actually poses.

Prior to publicly announcing what is perhaps the greatest shift in national security policy from the Bush administration to President Obama’s; the president first reached out to the prime ministers of Poland and the Czech Republic. Under the Bush plan, both of these countries were to be recipients of missile defense technology capable of solely preventing long-range missiles.

The missile defense proposals of President Bush were met with great aversion from Russia; thus, the less ambitious system of the new administration came of great relief to Moscow.

President Obama also reiterated America’s commitment to defend any member of NATO as well as reassure Poland that the United States would honor President Bush’s promise of anti-missile batteries. Even with these assurances, officials from Poland and the Czech Republic admitted that they felt far more protected from Russia under the Bush missile defense plan than the new configuration.

Although this decision was welcomed by many world leaders ranging from German Chancellor Angela Merkel to U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, numerous Republicans were concerned. Mona DeBaz, a political science professor at John Carroll University, said that the Bush plan “built off the Star Wars days of the Reagan presidency.”

In regards to the missile shield based in Alaska which protects America’s western coast, DeBaz said, “Some now fear the eastern coast will not be as secure as if the Bush plan had been implemented.”

Many Republicans in Congress, such as House Minority Leader John Boehner and Sen. John McCain vocalized their opposition with this plan alluding to allegations of disregarding or underestimating the true threat of Iran while simultaneously accusing the president of giving into Russian desires. Former United Nations Ambassador John Bolton joins in their concerns by adding his fears about this poor choice for U.S. national security.

Prepared for this criticism, the White House still maintains that this new system will improve the missile defense abilities in terms of protecting Europe and U.S. troops in the area. President Obama looked to Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, who was appointed under the Bush administration, to publicly address further concerns regarding the modification.

Gates referenced the updated information reporting that Iran has changed focus from the accelerated development of long-range missiles to increase the production of medium to short-range missiles. The White House has decided that U.S. defense capabilities must reflect that change.

According to DeBaz, “Iran is still producing long-range missiles; however, the more prominent threat is their focus on short to mediumrange missiles.” Whereas the Bush plan would take several years to go into effect, the design of the new plan allows it to be implemented up to seven years sooner.

According to the Obama administration, the new approach to missile defense will be much more adaptable and enhance an already established system. The defense system would be implemented first with warships carrying missile interceptors followed by a land-based defense system.

With all of these far less ambitious plans, Russia is currently quite pleased, although potential conflicts between U.S. strategy and Russia are being downplayed.

Even so, Russia’s contentment may lead to improved trading relations, a joint effort to combat the Iranian threat, and a discussion on reducing nuclear arms. It is even supposed that with the newfound agreement between the U.S. and Russia, hostile feelings felt toward Russia by former Soviet Satellites might be replaced with more practical relationships. The Obama administration also aims for a positive response in regards to Israel.

Currently, tensions are high between Israel and Iran given their nuclear potential. The Obama administration hopes to take action that will ease this tension.

The Democrat from Montana had been in tough negotiations with so called “Gang of Six” which is a bipartisanship collection of senators focused on providing a moderate approach to health care reform.

Baucus released his bill a week after President Barack Obama’s speech to a joint session of Congress on the importance of passing a health care bill.

This particular version of reform sets the stage of what could be a very tenuous debate on the floors of the house and senate.

Although Baucus supports the President’s call to action in reforming the health care system in America, this bill does not include the President’s and the House favored public option.

Instead, this $856 billion dollar plan calls for the installment of nongovernmental cooperatives.

Although it lacks a public option, the bill does provide for numerous items that would please liberal members of Congress as well as President Obama.

It does create a market exchange, prevents insurance companies from dropping coverage due to illness or pre-existing conditions, does not extend coverage to illegal immigrants, prohibits funding for abortions, and after 10 years, would actually start to reduce the federal debt, something that none of the other major proposals in Congress would achieve.

It also institutes a mandate that all citizens must attain some form of health care coverage. For those individuals unable to financially secure coverage, federal subsidies would be issued.

While the “Gang of Six” tried to produce a bipartisan bill, no Republican has yet to offer support. According to Larry Schwab, a political science professor at John Carroll University, “Baucus was not able to get the Republican support he was hoping for.”

With none of his Republican colleagues from the “Gang of Six” along side, Baucus was forced to outline his bill to the media alone.

There exists little hope in the near future that any Republicans would offer their support to this particular bill; perhaps signaling that the goal of bipartisanship on health care reform could be dead.

Several members of the Democratic Caucus had been hoping to pick up Republican votes, such as Senator Olympia Snow from Maine, in order to reach the magic number of 60 since Democrats currently only hold 59 votes in the Senate.

What the bill has accomplished is a division among the Democrats in Congress. Moderates have suggested a more conservative approach to reform in order to attract Republican support while liberals have insisted on the controversial public option.

Criticism of this bill crossed party lines as both Democrats and Republicans expressed their frustration.

According to Politico, Republican House Minority Leader John Boehner from Ohio said, “This partisan bill is the wrong prescription during these tough economic times.”

Even Baucus’ Democratic Senate Finance Committee colleague, Sen. Jay Rockefeller from West Virginia, said to MSNBC, “I can’t vote for the Baucus bill in its current form.”

The bill will now go back to the Senate Finance Committee, where it is expected that several amendments will be proposed and possibly added before it has any chance of advancing to the Senate floor.

Schwab also said, “it clearly will be a very important proposal in the debate.”

If the bill gets out of the Senate Finance Committee, the Democratic leadership will be forced to continue the path toward bipartisanship, push through a bill focused on the liberalbacked public option or somehow combine the Baucus bill with the various other health insurance reform proposals in the House and Senate.

Information Technology Services has been reorganized into three units: System and Network Operations, Applications Development and Learning Support Services (LSS).

The LSS area has a new facility called the Center for Digital Media (CDM), located in the Grasselli Library.
Michael Bestul, chief information officer said, “The CDM is still under construction, but we expect to have a major rollout of new services by the spring semester. In the meantime, students can seek help in the temporary space that we are occupying on the lower level of the library.”

A student can receive Information Technology Services assistance in the primary location of 4th floor Rodman Hall, in addition to the Dolan Science Center, the CDM in the Grasselli Library and the Administration Building.

Sophomore Alex D’Auria said, “IT [Informational Technology Services] is so helpful in the first place that having them more readily accessible is even better.”

With the addition of the Registrar staff to the Enrollment Division as of last spring, students can receive more assistance at the Student Service Center, across from Einstein Bros. Bagels. The expanded staff coverage allows the opportunity to handle most of the registration and financial questions that students might have.
Senior Laura Nowicki said, “It is very convenient, rather than having to run around campus, you can get almost any question answered and take care of everything in one place.”

What used to be separate frontline staffs for registration and financial aid have been “merged” to create more full-service counselors that can address questions across both areas.

Brian Williams, vice president of enrollment said, “We have assembled a great cross-functional team of specialists from financial aid, registrar and admissions to help expand our service to current students.”
Another update on campus is within scheduling facilities. The Facilities Department has upgraded the room reservation and event scheduling software so members of the campus community will be able to schedule their rooms (as well as select room set-ups) by going online.

Senior Nick Toney looks forward to this upgrade.

“Booking rooms will be much easier if done online,” Toney said. “I can make requests much faster and more efficiently for my clubs and organizations.”

Restructuring of the assistant deans and academic advising in the College of Arts and Sciences will result in Elaine Hocevar as the assistant dean for the freshman class. Diane Campbell will be the assistant dean for the sophomore class, and Sophie Kus-Patena will be the assistant dean for the junior and senior classes.
The assistant deans will be relocated to the registrar’s office, currently housing Academic Advising.
“It will be very helpful to be given updates throughout the year that specific apply to my class,” said sophomore Marissa Centofanti.

“And now I know who exactly to direct my questions to.”

Reorganization on campus has been motivated by today’s economic climate and to increase efficiency.
Jonathan Smith, vice president and executive assistant to the president, said in a university-wide e-mail, “We are always looking for ways to increase our efficiency and organizational effectiveness, primarily in ways that will provide better service to our students, faculty and staff.”

JCU Labre participants, above, serve Paul a meal and a handshake. The prayer on the back of the Labre Card, right, is recited at the reflection each week.

While bright-blue coolers filled to the brim with sausage patties and 20 gallon bins overflowing with donated clothes sit in the John Carroll University vans, a group of 20 students gather together in Rodman Chapel for a brief reflection before heading out into the streets of downtown Cleveland.

Their destinations are sidewalk grates, tents in the woods and camps under the over-passes. They are headed to the“homes” of the homeless. They call themselves the Labre Project and they do this every Friday.

Labre was started in 2003 at St. Ignatius, an all-boys Jesuit high school in Cleveland.

Named for St. Benedict Joseph Labre, the patron saint of the homeless, the project began as a weekly soup kitchen on wheels. In 2004, Labre was brought to John Carroll by Ignatius alumni Bryan Mauk, Brendan McLaughlin and Jodie Bowers.

The John Carroll vans go out on Friday nights, and haven’t missed a Friday in 258 weeks. Now, five years old, Labre is as popular as ever. Most weekly sign-up sheets, which are put up on Monday outside the Campus Ministry office, are filled by Wednesday, with spots in the van almost as in demand as Homecoming tickets. This is all in the name of service.

Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, you gave up honor, money and home for love of Jesus. Help us to set our hearts on Jesus and not on the things of this world. You lived in obscurity among the poor in the streets. Enable us to see Jesus in our poor brothers and sisters and not judge by appearances. Make us realize that in helping them we are helping Jesus. Show us how to befriend them and not pass them by. Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, you had a great love for prayer. Obtain for us the grace of perservering prayer, especially adoration of Jesus in the Most Blessed Sacrament. Saint Benedict Joseph Labre, poor in the eyes of men and women but rich in the eyes of God, pray for us. Amen.

“The mission of Labre is to provide food and friendship to the homeless of Cleveland. Through the meal, clothing and hygiene products we bring we begin to make connections with the homeless that develop into true friendships,” said JCU graduate student Kelly White, a former president of Labre.

Although she initially went out on Labre as a monthly outing, as her relationships with her “friends on the street” grew she found herself attending on a weekly basis.

Labre participants are not only encouraged to help feed and clothe the homeless of Cleveland; they also try to make a connection with those they meet.

“When I’m at my lowest, it might just be me, but a PB&J sandwich just doesn’t do the trick. Our mission could be to feed the homeless, but it isn’t. Our mission is to be a friend, so that we don’t just fill their belly with food, but their hearts with friendship and laughter,” said Ryan McCullough, the vice president of Labre. “We keep a joking attitude because we’re not a serve organization. We are just friends giving friends a hand.”

Sophomore Shawn Cain enjoys Labre specifically for the relationships. Cain said, “It’s just hanging out with my friends. I get to laugh, cry, tell stories and have a good time. What more could I ask for?”

To see how much of a family the Labre group has become, one only has to look as far as the annual Labrepalooza.

“We invite all of our homeless friends to join us at one of the Edgewater Park Pavilions for the evening. We have a cook-out, play games, listen to music and just spend time together,” said White.

Labrepalooza is not the typical Labre experience. It is, in essence, a huge barbeque that provides a forum where even more connections can be made. At Labrepalooza homeless individuals from all over the city have the opportunity to visit with each other as wells as an even larger number of John Carroll students, faculty and staff.

Last year’s event brought a crowd of over 125 people, and this year being the fifth anniversary, those numbers are expected to be even greater. This year’s Labrepalooza will be held at Edgewater Park on Oct. 2.

It will mark the 260th consecutive week that the JCU Labre Project has brought food and friendship to the homeless of Cleveland. The event is open to the entire John Carroll community and transportation will be provided.

It is not hard to understand why when asked what’s the one thing a student should make sure to try before graduation Abby Gehring, a senior and a Labre Core Team member, said,“ Go out on Labre. Seriously. On Friday nights when I’m not on Labre, I want to be on Labre and when I am on Labre there’s no place I’d rather be.”

It is a unique experience that you can take with you for the rest of your life, and it is never too late to try it.

For more information about Labrepalooza or the Labre Project in general email .

It’s not entirely your fault, I do appreciate that you’re trapped in a failed system, but it’s time to pick up the slack.

The roads, lights and traffic patterns around here make absolutely no sense. It’s like the city planners were a little hung over, so they gave their 6-year-old child a crayon and a piece of paper and said “tell me where I should put roads, and that will be where I put them.”

Either that or intersections were drawn with the intention of making them the highest possible accident risk intersections in America.

The Cleveland drivers default move is to slam on the brake. No matter what happens, you all brake; every single one of you. This action is conducive to accidents.

People are talking a lot about preventative healthcare in the current debate, and I think some Ohio congresspeople should seriously consider earmarking money to beef up drivers-ed programs in Cleveland.

Stoplights are more like recommendations to you people, and stop signs are apparently optional if they have the white outlining.

For a Cleveland driver, if there’s a car in a lane that you would rather be in then they should get the hell out of your way—I mean what are they thinking just driving there?

Realizing this makes me feel bad. I used to make fun of CN Editor in Chief Rachel Szuch because she has a 1:1 ratio of minutes lived to accidents gotten in, and it really isn’t her fault that much.

I read a study on MSNBC.com over the summer that said Cleveland had the most courteous drivers in America, and I’m not sure what the guys who did that survey were smoking, but it was intense.

I mean I don’t get the middle finger the way I do in Chicago or have in New York. I’ve never been to L.A., but I hear driving there is a beast in its own league, and so in that sense, I suppose you are all very nice, but that doesn’t make you good.

Sometimes I wonder if there’s a big contest I’m not aware of to see who, in fact, can be the worst driver on the road. One guy I saw last Sunday was reading a book while driving—I’ve seen that other places too, but at least when that happens in Chicago the driver is periodically looking up and checking on the road. Not so much with my dude yesterday—that must have been the most interesting chapter of any book ever.

My main point here is I only have until December left in this city, and I would like to see my way through to that point without sustaining any serious injuries. So I’m asking all of you to help me. Please don’t get in an accident with me. They haven’t passed healthcare reform, yet, and I’m not sure I can afford the damage you people are capable of.

But many people are not aware that this may be the last year the National Football League has a landscape similar to what the fans have become accustomed to. What many of us forget is that the NFL is a business where owners’ and players’ financial interests will take precedent over the fans “need” for entertainment.

The NFL states that there will be football played for two more seasons guaranteed. The 2010 season may be the first year since 1993 that the NFL has seen uncapped player salaries. The 2011 season may not even occur, as many NFL officials and the NFL Players Association have acknowledged there is a very real chance of a lockout. So now you might be asking yourself, how is all of this possible?

In 2006 the owners of the NFL came to an agreement with the players union to increase the player’s potential salaries from 55.5 percent to 60 percent of NFL revenues, according to ESPN.com. It is apparent that the owners of the NFL organizations did not conduct their due diligence. The owners have seen their profits fall every year since 2006 due to rising costs.

Last year, in an attempt to restore profits from their own lapse in judgment, the owners opted out of the contract agreed to in 2006. Owners feel the players are taking too much of the pie and want to reclaim some of it. The players are, of course, reluctant to take a reduction in pay because they feel they were guaranteed these wages. This leaves the NFL owners and players union at a standstill and effective negotiations have yet to occur. This is the reason there will almost certainly be a 2010 NFL season without a salary cap, according to Commissioner Roger Goodell.

If an agreement has not taken place before the 2011 season, the owners will lockout the players. It would be the first work stoppage of the NFL in 23 years. This is a very similar situation to what took place in the NHL during 2005-2006 season, when not one professional hockey game was played the entire season.

So to the fans of the Carroll community that root tirelessly for your respective NFL team, relish the 2009 regular season and playoffs (if you are so fortunate). Lastly, remember that the NFL is a business and is not “too big to fail.”

Buchanan (left), Fitzpatrick (right) and others bring diversity.

Lauren Bowen, associate academic vice president for academic programs and faculty diversity, believes that the international faculty at the university plays an extremely important role.

Bowen said, “[It is] better to have a faculty that is diverse in terms of their research interests, their approach to teaching, their background and their perspective, because I think the essence of liberal education is being challenged to think critically and to examine complex issues.”

Simon Fitzpatrick, from the University of Sheffield in the United Kingdom, recently joined the philosophy department at John Carroll.

He said, “I’d always wanted to try living and working in the U.S. and broaden my horizons a bit, and I had heard good things about the University and the department. I applied, got an interview, and here I am!”

Fitzpatrick enjoys working at JCU. “The campus is very pleasant and the students and faculty are all very nice and friendly. My colleagues in the Philosophy department and several others around the University have been very supportive in helping me make the transition into my new job and living in a new continent,” he said.

Fitzpatrick also said, “Although things are still all very shiny and new to me, I am slowly getting used to the differences between the U.S. and the U.K. — both academically and in general— and gradually finding my way around the area.”

Carrie Buchanan, new to the Tim Russert Department of Communication and Theatre Arts, moved to Cleveland three years ago. She and her husband moved here from Canada to complete her Ph.D. She said, “I am thrilled to be at John Carroll. I have long admired the Jesuits and their educational approach, and as for my department, I have joined at a very exciting time.”

Buchanan also said, “I care very much for the future of journalism, and about continuing to keep graduating great journalists from John Carroll.”

Bo Liu, a professor in the Art History department, originally moved from China to Michigan to complete a Ph.D. in art history before hearing about a teaching position at John Carroll this year. She said the college was full of “friendly staff members ready to help” and is enjoying her time here at John Carroll so far.

The American Association of Colleges and Universities state that, “Liberal Education is an approach to learning that empowers individuals and prepares them to deal with complexity, diversity and change.”

Bowen said, “Having a critical mass of faculty who has significant experiences outside the U.S. is one meaningful way to achieve this.”

Also new this year to JCU are Yi Shang of the education department, Yan Gao who specializes in managing marketing and logistics and Peifang Tian in the philosophy department.

John Carroll welcomes students and faculty from all backgrounds and prides itself on having developed such an open and inviting atmosphere for so many international staff and students. The university hopes to keep expanding its connections with people from across the world.