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The student newspaper at Florida Gulf Coast University

Changes are coming to the Perch next year, and with its conversion to a food court is the question of which new options students will have for dining on campus.

One option that is being proposed is Chick-fil-A, the popular quick-service chicken restaurant chain. This idea, however, is being met with both approval and resistance.

Chick-fil-A is a Christian-based organization well known for its policy of not being open for business on Sundays to ensure that restaurant owners and employees have “an opportunity to worship, spend time with family and friends or just plain rest from the work week.”

But Chick-fil-A has been accused of taking its Christian principles a step further, and has come under fire for allegedly sponsoring a group called Focus on the Family, an organization that is against gay marriage and abortion rights. A Facebook group titled “NO Chick-fil-A at FGCU” has generated a great deal of attention and became a debate forum for students who both support and oppose the addition of an on-campus Chick-fil-A

Rashad Davis, a sophomore political science major, started the group last month.

The page states that the Student Union is a place where all students should feel safe and welcome, and “by allowing a company with a history of bigotry and homophobia into our campus, we potentially allow FGCU to place monetary gain above the comfort and safety of the very students who are expected to frequent the Union Building.” Among the other major points made by the group page is the argument that there is already a Chick-fil-A restaurant about 3.5 miles from campus. “We have the right to choose where our money is going. Giving money to an organization that supports anti-gay networks and isn’t environmentally conscious is the wrong thing to do. And the more we pay them, the bigger they grow,” Davis says. In addition to the concerns about discrimination, the page also raises the issue of the environmental impact that a Chick-fil-A might bring to campus. Chick-fil-A uses styrofoam cups, which are not biodegradable and have several other alleged drawbacks to human and environmental health that are listed and cited on the group’s page.

“We don’t want Chick-Fil-A on our campus because of its complete lack of environmental programs, policies, or practices (except for recycling at their college bowl game, which has nothing to do with us) and its very close involvement and funding of numerous individuals and organizations which actively discriminate against people because of sexual orientation,” said Tyler Offerman, a senior majoring in environmental studies.

There are students, however, who support Chick-fil-A on campus. Michelle Bertrand, a sophomore majoring in resort and hospitality, “would love it.”

“A lot of people really like their food, and I don’t feel that Chick-fil-A forces any kind of religious or political beliefs on me,” she said. “Everybody has different opinions. I don’t feel that those opinions are a good enough reason to bar a restaurant from campus.”

Coach Karl Smesko cleared the bench, looked at Sarah Hansen on the end then looked back out to the court.

An unsure Hansen didn’t really understand why, with the 2009-10 women’s basketball season two games under way, she hadn’t seen any minutes. It wasn’t until after the game finished that Smesko mentioned to Hansen that she was going to redshirt her true freshmen year.

“We knew it would be difficult for her to get a lot of playing time behind Chelsea Lyles and Adrianne McNally (2010 seniors),” Smesko said. “We didn’t want to use a year of eligibility.”

Hansen was disappointed, at first, to learn that her hard work in practice would be just that — practice. Her new role for the Eagles in games positioned her to cheer on her teammates and learn from the sidelines.

“It was a long season because it’s always hard to just watch your teammates (in games) and not be able to do anything to help,” said Hansen

Some cry fowl over Chick-fil-A

“If the press writes something long enough and hard enough, it eventually comes true,” said Lowell McAdam, Verizon president and chief operating officer, just before he made the Jan. 11 announcement that rocked the portable tech world.

The formerly AT&T-exclusive Apple smart phone has finally made it to Verizon. Verizon announced that the iPhone would be available for its users starting Feb. 10.

Rumors have been swirling around the idea for years now, and for Verizon customers, or anyone looking for another iPhone option, the dream of owning an iPhone has come true.

“All of Apple is very, very excited to bring the iPhone to Verizon’s 93 million customers and new customers who want to use the iPhone 4 on Verizon,” said Tim Cook, Apple COO.

Verizon will be selling its 16GB iPhone 4 for $199 with a two-year contract and its’ 32GB iPhone 4 for $299, also with a two-year contract, which are the same prices of AT&T’s iPhone 4s.

The AT&T iPhone and the Verizon iPhone won’t be exactly the same, though. There are some physical differences between the two Apple phones.

According to ENgadget.com, the Verizon iPhone

has relocated side buttons. Also, the troublesome antenna

problem experienced by AT&T iPhone users could be solved by the new design because the antenna break has moved, but there’s no way to be sure until the phones are on the market.

The difference in design has caused the mute and volume buttons down a bit, though, which probably means that the AT&T iPhone cases won’t fit the Verizon iPhone cases, according to ENgadget.com.

Along with the physical

differences, there are some technical specs that aren’t going to match up between the two company’s phones.

The major difference between the two is the cellular technologies the power each of the companies. The Verizon iPhone will be running on CDMA technology, which is different in a couple ways from AT&T’s GSM, the most popular cell phone technology in the world, according to About.com.

iPhone !nally makes anticipated Verizon debut

WOMENS BASKETBALL

ONLINE PHOTOSCheck out www.eaglenews.org to see photos of the most recent basketball games.

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A2 NEWS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, JAN. 19 EDITOR: SAMANTHA LEAGUE NEWS!EAGLENEWS.ORG

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MISSION STATEMENT:

Eagle News, the student media group at Florida Gulf Coast University, represents the diverse voices on campus with fairness. We select content for our publication and our website that is relevant to the student body, faculty and staff. Members are committed to reporting with accuracy and truth. Our purpose is to encourage conversations about issues that concern the on-campus community. Eagle News views every culture with equal respect and believes every person must be treated with dignity.

ABOUT US: Eagle News, founded in 1997, is the student newspaper at Florida Gulf Coast University. The newspaper is the only student produced publication on campus and is entirely student run. Eagle News is published weekly during the fall and spring semesters and monthly in the summer, with the exception of holiday breaks and examination periods. The print edition is free to students and can be found on campus and in the community at Gulf Coast Town Center, Germain Arena and Miromar Outlets.

BRIEFS

Help the hungry: Join the third annual WINK News Feeds Families Hunger Walk and support the Harry Chapin Food Bank on Saturday, Jan. 22 at Miromar Outlets. Register online for the 2011 FGCU Cares team! Click “Join as a team” at http://harrychapinfb.dojiggy.com.

American Cancer Society: Help decorate for the American Cancer Society’s Cattle Baron’s Ball on Saturday, Jan. 22. Please contact Angeline Choo at angeline.choo@mbcopa.com for more information.

Help the homeless: Volunteer with the annual Lee County Homeless Census on Jan. 26 with survey forms. Training provided. Contact

Janet Bartos, 239-322-6600 or email leehomeless@gmail.com

Like art? Help with the opening of the Photography Annual from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Feb. 4 at the Rookery Bay Art Gallery. Everglades photographer Clyde Butcher serves as juror. Help set up, serve refreshments and clean up. Contact Donna Young at Donna.young@dep.state.fl.us or 239-417-6310 x412.

Meet wonderful people: Cape Coral Kidney Thrift Store is seeking volunteers for the a.m. or p.m. shifts. Eligible for half price items in store. Call Sharon at 239-458-8242 for details.

Need Colloquium Hours? ECHO

is a Christian organization that equips people with agricultural resources and skills to reduce hunger. Volunteer for gardening work, public relations, office support, facilities maintenance, library and seed bank work. Call 239-275-1881 ext. 203.

Become a mentor: Few bonds in life are more influential than those between a young person and an adult. Take Stock in Children needs mentors for Caloosa Middle School, Dunbar High School, East Lee County High School, Fort Myers High School, Ida Baker High School, Lehigh Senior High School. Call 239-337-0433.

Tax returns: Help prepare tax returns for AARP with its free federal tax preparation program in North Fort Myers, Cape Coral and

Lehigh Acres. Must be computer knowledgeable and tax-wise. Volunteers need to be available for a four-hour session once a week from Feb. 1 to April 15. Must pass an IRS take-home test. Email logofoster@aol.com for details.

Like teaching? Learning for Life needs volunteers to help young people become responsible by teaching positive character traits, career development, leadership, and life skills. Call Lee County a 239-275-1881 x203.

Information is provided by the Service Learning department. All opportunities are pre-approved. You can find more opportunities on Facebook at “FGCU Service Learning.”

Ongoing opportunities

Events

Peter Kingsley, author, lecturer and scholar of international renown, will be speaking on campus Feb. 17 in the SU. Admission is free. This event is hosted by the Philosophy Club.

The Spring Study Abroad Fair will be on Wednesday, Feb. 2 with resources and information for students and faculty about International Education. The event will be held at 10 a.m in

the Student Plaza Breezeway and will last until 3 p.m.

The FGCU Renaissance Academy is hosting a three-part lecture series on archaeology and the history of Jerusalem on Jan. 19, 26 and Feb. 2. The series will take place at 1010 Fifth Ave. South in Naples. Pre-registration is required and the cost for the series is $60. For more information call The

Renaissance Academy at 239-425-3272.

The Gender Equality Organization is hosting “Who’s Willing to Act Out Against Abuse?” on Wednesday, Jan. 19 from 7 to 9 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 and free food will be offered.

FGCU Alumni Association is hosting Alumni Weekend 2011,

Feb. 3 through 5 on campus. Events include the alumni basketball game, reorientation and a wine reception. For a full list of events and registration, visit www.fgcu.edu/alumni.

If you would like to submit an event, please e-mail managing@eaglenews.org

Tuesday, Jan. 11 at 4:17 p.m.: UPD responded to a call regarding an individual with a sign reading “Blow shit up” located at the smokers’ station. Someone else had written on the sign saying “Looks like you need counseling.” The individual’s response to this statement was, “Yeah I have an appointment at 5.” The individual was then escorted to the campus counseling and psychological services.

Wednesday, Jan. 12 at 9:02 a.m.: A student reported that a suspicious vehicle was following them. The Welcome Center advised the individual to proceed to the UPD. Upon arrival an officer made contact with both the student and the subject. Subject claimed to have been following the student because an initial and image of a shark on the student’s vehicle had significant meaning to him, as did other license plates he had seen that day. No charges

were pressed and the subject was asked to leave due to having no business on campus.

Wednesday, Jan. 12 at 4:24 p.m.: A student reported that her textbooks, with a total value of $300, had been stolen in the ladies restroom at Whitaker Hall.

Wednesday, Jan. 12 at 4:48 p.m.: A golf cart belonging to the Athletics Department was reported missing from the Alico Arena area. It is unknown whether a key was used or if the golf cart was hot-wired. A couple days after the report was made, a message was received by telephone as to the location of the missing cart. The cart was located and returned.

Thursday, Jan. 13 at 8:45 p.m.: A student reported that he found his bicycle, which he had lost last semester. The bicycle was located outside of Honors Hall chained

to a bike rack. The student was able to present a bill of sale for the bike and the proper ID and serial number. The student’s original chain and lock were still present on the bike. Officers cut the lock and the bicycle was released into the owner’s custody.

Friday, Jan. 14 at 10:30 a.m.: A strange letter regarding a terrorist and jihad watch was received in a plain white envelope. An informational report was made by officials.

Friday, Jan. 14 at 4 p.m.: An otter was spotted stuck in nets in the pond behind Whitaker Hall. An officer was able to successfully remove the tanged animal from the nets.

Saturday, Jan. 15 at 6:02 a.m.: A call regarding a disturbance outside of the Manatee building in West Lake Village was responded to. A woman was reported

screaming while two men were fighting. Once officers were on the scene the fight was already broken up, but officials did find drug paraphernalia located in plain view on a resident’s dresser. Items were confiscated and will be turned over to Student Affairs.

Sunday, Jan. 15 at 9:35 p.m.: UPD responded to a call regarding a resident of Biscayne Hall who had allegedly sent text messages to his daughters stating that he wished to kill himself and had taken a full bottle of pills. Officer arrived on scene and the individual did admit to taking the pills. The individual was transported to Gulf Coast Hospital.

The Police Beat is compiled by Eagle News staff from public logs available at the University Police Department. Police Beat is not associated with the UPD. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.

Tutors

HIT US WITH YOUR BEST SHOT

Eagle News highlights the photography of our readers. Send your best pictures — of events, vacations, scenery, wildlife —

whatever you’d like. If your photo is picked, you’ll receive two free tickets to Regal Cinemas in Gulf

Coast Town Center.E-mail submissions (with your

name, grade, major, phone number and a description of the

photo) to photoeditor@eaglenews.org.

WEDNESDAY , JAN. 19 EAGLE NEWS NEWS A3WWW.EAGLENEWS.ORG

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FGCU senior touches all the major league bases

–Erin Tocci

I created my own experience. There’s no other way to experience baseball than to immerse yourself in it.”“

”

Last year on New Year’s Eve, Erin Tocci, a senior and hospitality management major, decided that she wanted to visit all 30 Major League Baseball fields and stadiums in 90 days.

It began when she learned on the Disney Channel that Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks, has a hot tub. This kicked off a thoughtful night in which she began planning the route.

“That night I started telling my friends about it, and I told my friend who lived in Colorado,” Tocci said. “No one believed that I’d actually do it.”

She began her trip May 1 in Miami, watching the Nationals at the Marlins. She proceeded to move through Florida and then traveled to the West Coast to watch the Rockies, Padres and Angels, among others.

Whether by bus, train, plane or car, Tocci moved swiftly, meeting and staying with friends along the way. Occasionally, like in Texas, she did not know anyone in the area, but within 15 minutes of talking to people at a local bar, someone would either donate a spare ticket or show her a place to stay.

“I don’t think I would have had the wonderful experiences I had if I had been with other people,” Tocci said. “I’d ask random people something, and because I was by myself, I’d get awesome extra tickets like behind home plate.”

The trip proved to Tocci that people are generally good and were willing to help her. She also “couch-surfed” a few times – a traveler goes on couchsurfinig.com and asks if he or she can sleep for free on a local person’s couch.

According to Tocci, it was an amazing experience and created great company for her in San Diego and Arizona.

Tocci also met a variety of famous individuals. She contacted Gar Ryness, “the batting stance guy” – famous for his book “A Love Letter to Baseball” – and he commended her on her journey. She also got tickets from a sportswriter who covers the Twins, La Velle E. Neal. At Wrigley Field, she was invited onto the field, where she started shaking and tearing up in awe of the magnitude of the situation.

At US Cellular Field (home of the White Sox), Tocci sat approximately two feet from the on-deck circle and even appeared on the newscast video of Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano’s meltdown.

The trip also provided many firsts for her. San Diego provided Tocci with her first experience on a train, her first solo plane flight, her first launched shirt caught during a game and, of course, it was her

first time in several of the states she visited.Tocci wants to one day work

special events for a baseball cause.“Initially I (went on this trip) to put it on

my resume, because around that time, I had an interview with a minor league baseball team, and I felt that the only thing that held me back was lack of experience,” Tocci said. “So, I created my own experience. There’s no other way to experience baseball than to immerse yourself in it.”

Friends and people she has met along the way were able to track her through her Facebook and YouTube pages: 30 Fields in 90 Days.

Tocci came out of the experience spending only $30 to $40 a day, including two weeks of hotel rooms. She spent less than $6,500 total in 90 days.

“Erin has done something shocking in the eyes of most people,” said her brother Oliver Tocci, a junior majoring in human performance. “She was on her own and supported herself completely.”

A4 NEWS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, JAN. 19 EDITOR: SAMANTHA LEAGUE NEWS!EAGLENEWS.ORG

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Become a fan of Eagle News Facebook and Twitter.

Alcoholic whipped cream is quickly emerging as a favorite drink topper and ingredient in many local nightlife hotspots, such as Olympia and Voda Lounge.

The whipped cream sensation has developed mainly through the company Cream, expanding its flavors to cherry, orange, raspberry, chocolate, vanilla and caramel.

A single aerosol can is priced around $10, but seems to be a fresh new option for many local bartenders as they promote the whipped cream on various Facebook groups and through VIP offers.

Despite the cream’s increasing popularity, college campus officials and health service staffers have considered the still controversial cream as the next “Four Loko Fad,” which had devastating effects for many college students in 2010.

The cream, however, is selling off the shelves as “Whipped Lightning” distributor Gary Mazzarella claims his product and Four Loko appeal to a “totally different demographic,” which he considers to be “30-somethings looking for a casual drink.”

The whipped cream is 15 percent alcohol, or 30 proof, making it a great drink topper, or as many bartenders suggest, a mixer. The total alcohol content of one can is the equivalent of about three to four beers.

The whipped cream makes typical mixed drinks lighter and gives them an airy texture, which seems to be drawing many clubgoers who are sick of the same old drink.

With the growing demand for whipped cream-infused drinks, many new concoctions are possible. However, some students are still leery.

“I think I would try the whipped cream as a topper to a drink, but never on its own,” says Kristen Kamen, a sophomore majoring in psychology.

However, Joanna Crown, a nursing major, claims “you can’t even taste the alcohol in the whipped cream, making it that much better.”

So what drinks can you ask for if you want to give the whipped cream a shot?

“The most common drink I get asked to make is the Creamsicle shot. I basically mix orange juice, vodka and vanilla whipped cream,” said Todd Head, VIP manager at Voda Lounge. “The whipped cream drinks are just something different we’re offering people to try.”

ALCOHOL

Whipped cream adds something extra to your cocktail and mood

Booted off men’s club team, student starts women’s soccerRSO SPOTLIGHT

The first FGCU women’s club soccer practice at Rec Field 1 on Tuesday was a milestone marked by Carly Love, a sophomore and legal studies major who took the initiative to form the club after she was not permitted to play on the all-male club team.

“I was shocked,” Love said. “I play with guys four nights a week and have college experience. I just wanted a chance to try out for the team, but I couldn’t because I was a girl.”

With the help of Julie Stulock, sports club manager for Campus Rec, Love decided to fund her own women’s team. After spreading the word through Facebook, more than 30 girls showed interest. Stulock, however, explained that Love would have to find a coach and figure out funding before the club could begin.

Love decided to email her old coach, Phil Morris. Originally a teacher and coach from Wales, Morris served as director of coaching for more than three years at the Florida Premier Soccer Club in Fort Myers, where Love met him. He also coached the high school team at Canterbury School from 2006 to 2010,

leading the varsity boys to the District Final in 2007.

“At Florida Premier, we went to the State Final Four my first two years and won several Regional Championships during my time at the club on the girls’ side of the program,” Morris said.

He agreed to coach FGCU’s women’s club this year as a volunteer, tremendously easing the pressure for Love of finding the funds to hire a coach.

“We are in the process of making this a separate club instead of being a branch-off from the guys’ club,” Love said. “We’re currently working with the FGCU women’s head soccer coach, Jim Blankenship, who is willing to help us in any way, like by donating the old jerseys and equipment.”

Anyone is encouraged to come out and play with the team. To learn more about the practice schedule, find the Facebook group “FGCU Womens Soccer Club.”

The first tournament will be at Florida State University on Feb. 26 and 27. The cost to attend is $300, since the FGCU Senate did not grant the club money this semester. However, club members will be fundraising and looking for sponsorships.

- 30 proof

- Equivalent of three to four beers

- Sold in 23 states, but not yet

Florida for retial purposes

- Shelf life up to a year

- No need to be stored in a cool

climate

One can of Cream

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 19 EAGLE NEWS NEWS A5WWW.EAGLENEWS.ORG

NOW OPEN NOW OPEN

CDMA technology often has faster 3G web capabilities whereas GSM gives cell phones the opportunity to be “world phones” because of the extended international coverage. GSM also uses SIM cards, storing your cellular identity in one card, interchangeable between phones, rather than the phone itself, according to About.com.

So, what does this mean for AT&T business? Since the iPhone is no longer exclusive to AT&T, new competition between the rivaling cell phone companies will be created.

According to a survey taken in December (before the announcement of the Verizon iPhone) by ChangeWave, 16 percent of AT&T users said they would switch to Verizon if the iPhone were to become available, while 26 percent of AT&T iPhone users said they would switch to Verizon if the phone company were to pick up the iPhone, according to the same survey.

iPhone user Lindsay White isn’t impressed by Verizon’s iPhone specs.

“I have an iPhone and I’m definitely not switching. AT&T works just fine for me,” said White, a senior majoring in sociology.

As of now, the prices for the Verizon iPhone’s plan are unknown. On AT&T, it’s $15 for a 200MB data plan, $25 for 2GB and $45 for 2GB with tethering, according to ENgadget.com.

The pricing of the Verizon iPhone plan will most likely make a difference in their volume of business.

Mary Holt, a senior majoring in psychology, is currently a Verizon user and plans on switching to Metro PCS because of the price. “I’d get an iPhone if I weren’t switching,” she said. “But it’s $90 versus $40.”

A6 NEWS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, JAN. 19 EDITOR: SAMANTHA LEAGUE NEWS!EAGLENEWS.ORG

While many students are sleeping in Saturday morning, participants in the annual Hunger Walk will be registering to help fight the issue of hunger — an issue that doesn’t sleep.

The third annual WINK News Feeds Families Hunger Walk will be Saturday, Jan. 22 at Miromar Outlets. Registration begins at 8 a.m. and the two-mile walk begins at 9 a.m.

The Hunger Walk began in 2009, essentially when the “bubble burst,” according to Jo Anna Bradshaw, co-chair for the Harry Chapin Food Bank board of directors.

“Hunger has always and will always be around, but since the economic downturn … we went from (distributing) three million pounds of food to (distributing) 11 million pounds of food in three years time,” she said.

According to Bradshaw, 39 million people in America are considered to be food insecure. Forty percent are children and 10 percent are homeless.

“So many people are under the impression that it’s just homeless people … it could be someone sitting next to you in class,” she said.

The walk has now become one of the

most efficient ways to raise money for this cause, and has also become Harry Chapin’s signature event, according to Bradshaw.

To walk, an individual must sign up and pledge to donate $5. A pledge of $50 will earn you a Harry Chapin Food Bank Hunger Walk shirt. You can use personal or outside resources to collect the money and can pay online using PayPal, or bring cash or a check to the walk.

Members of FGCU can walk on the FGCU Cares team with a minimum pledge of $10, which will earn you an FGCU Cares team shirt.

According to Bradshaw, the goal for the team is set at $20,000 and the team is currently at $16,534 as of Tuesday.

“Every year, the university has come forward and done more as a group — civic engagement students have been taking over (this year),” Bradshaw said.

The overall goal for the Hunger Walk this year was set at $167,000, which would equal $1 million worth of food to be distributed. A dollar donated equals $6 in food value.

The goal has already been surpassed and stands at $176,869 as of Tuesday.

“I’m expecting it to hit $213,000 — that’s Jo Anna’s unofficial goal,” Bradshaw said. “You’ve got to have faith that people will step up and do what’s needed to be done.”

Bradshaw herself stepped up eight years

ago when she and her husband were living in Minnesota, where he was the president of Metropolitan State University. After the university’s food drive produced a lot of food, she went to the local pantry to stock the shelves.

“I was feeling, you know, a little cocky about it … until I went back in three days later to drop off additional items and the shelves were bare,” she said. “I finally got it.”

Bradshaw is hoping the walk will give students the same epiphany.

“I’d just love to see everyone to come out and support the walk, to physically be there,” she said. “I would love to meet the FGCU team goal of $20,000, but I don’t think that’s as important as generating compassion and awareness … that people are suffering.”

Members of FGCU can still sign up at http://harrychapinfb.dojiggy.com. The two-mile walk will last no more than an hour.

If you or someone you know is experiencing hunger, you can call United Way by dialing 211 to locate a local pantry. Jo Anna Bradshaw also suggests reaching out to someone on campus for guidance on ways to secure food and meals. Jo Anna Bradshaw can be contacted at jbradshaw@fgcu.edu for guidance as well.

To “never judge a book by its cover” took on a whole new meaning for business management senior Melissa Rodriguez after she met Marcus Eriksson.

“Once you get to know somebody, that’s who they really are,” she said. “He was the most amazing person in my life.”

On Dec. 3, FGCU sophomore Eriksson died in his Coastal Village apartment of an apparent drug overdose.

“I had just met him this year. ... We met one day at a party,” Rodriguez said. “Ever since then, we had become really good friends.”

The two would take a million goofy pictures with each other, cook together and have sit-down dinners, and play loud music and dance around their apartments. Their relationship had begun to develop into something more.

“The funny thing is, the night it all happened was the night I was going to say something to him so I never got a chance to,” Rodriguez said. “But I knew how he felt about me, and I knew how I felt about him.”

Eriksson loved to skateboard. Many comments on his Facebook included memories of skateboarding in his Tampa hometown — one friend even posted that

Eriksson “gave him his board and told him to start (skating) again and stick with it.”

“His biggest thing was always helping other people — he was a great listener,” Rodriguez said. “He was a communication major, but he and I had spoken about him becoming a psychology major because he was that much better.”

Rodriguez suggested Eriksson chose communication because he wanted to do something with film after college. She also mentioned he used to film skateboarders at the skatepark in Tampa.

Eriksson also loved music and was a poet; many of his Facebook statuses included sentences with poetic rhythms and his most recent note was a poem about his infatuation for another person, posted Nov. 25.

At his funeral Dec. 10, Rodriguez said Eriksson’s Uncle David, who was “very high-spirited, just like Eriksson,” was trying to lighten the mood by urging everyone to think about all of the good times they shared with Eriksson rather than to be upset.

“He was a very down-to-earth, humble, very smart person,” Rodriguez said. “He was never the one to come to you first to start talking except with me.… He always thought about other people before himself and never wanted to worry you with his problems.”

Schooled in onlinedating

Marcus Eriksson, sophomore

Students always seem to be striving to balance the responsibilities of school while trying to maintain a social life, which can sometimes make dating difficult. Understanding this dilemma, Fort Myers native Jonathan Rosen has launched a dating web site specifically designed for college students.

The web site can be found under universitydatefinder.com or its condensed version, udatefinder.com. The site is specifically aimed at students ranging from 18 to 32 years old with an active .edu email address. Students can go to the site, sign up for a free account and be on their way to finding singles from their campus or local area, based on area code.

Having gone to graduate school in New York City, Rosen talked to fellow students and noticed a growing number of people wanted to meet other students outside their majors and not just in bars or clubs.

“A university can often be a big place and sometimes a bit unfriendly. Students in one major at the undergraduate level also might not come into contact with students in other schools, colleges or departments,” Rosen said.

After encouragement from friends, the site was launched last fall and is currently focused on matching students in Florida, New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago and Northern and Southern California. Students who do sign up will be matched based on their interests and compatibility.

Though some may be eager to start signing up to see who they may meet, others are apprehensive about online dating and the potential partners they may be matched with.

“Being in college and not engaging in much of the party scene, a dating web site that’s for students only seems like a great idea, but you never know what to expect with online dating. I’m apprehensive that it would be harder with this type of site to weed out the creepers from admirable individuals,” said Shenika Bourne, a junior majoring in social work.

Jon Brunner, director of counseling and health services and a licensed psychologist at FGCU, is skeptical beyond the simple fact of finding creepers on a web site.

“I think about … developmental issues. There is considerable learning about oneself, about others and certainly about relationships occurring with this age group,” Brunner said. “Is this a means to help in that process?”

Brunner addressed the fact that there are many variables that determine if relationships are rewarding and healthy, and these variables are proven or disproven by spending a lot of time together to find out if that person is someone you can “grow with.”

“We also can’t forget the first thing that determines a romantic relationship is some type of physical attraction… as much as we hate to admit it,” Brunner said. “Knowing someone is nice, caring, etc., does not mean you will be romantically attracted to them.”

However, Brunner did suggest it could be a good way to connect for students that are not as socially outgoing. “Is there frustration and abuse found in online dating services? Sure. Could this possibly give you an opportunity with someone you are more likely to resonate? Sure,” he said. “Could it lead to a romantic relationship? Questionable.”

Rosen wants students to be patient. “This site just launched. Any site,

even Facebook, does not have tons of users overnight,” he said.

On Thanksgiving Day, FGCU lost founding faculty member Karen Eastwood, 65, to cancer. According to the Niagara Falls, N.Y.,

Gazette, Eastwood died peacefully and surrounded by loved ones at her home.

Eastwood was a professor of management in the Lutgert College of Business and a founding member of the College of Business. She taught

in the executive MBA, the MBA and the undergraduate programs at FGCU, according to her faculty profile.

“(Eastwood) was highly regarded by Dean Richard Pegnetter and her colleagues for her many contributions to the creation of the college,” FGCU President Wilson Bradshaw said in an email.

A memorial service was held Dec. 11 at the Church of the Cross Worship Center.

Eastwood served on numerous

committees and was the faculty adviser for the Graduate Business Association, according to her faculty profile.

She received her Ph.D. in industrial psychology from the University of Utah, according to the Niagara Gazette. Before coming to FGCU, Eastwood was an associate professor of management at Niagara University in New York.

Eastwood was particularly interested in teaching international management, according to her faculty profile.

“The world is so interrelated that I want my students to appreciate and value their own worth and uniqueness, along with an understanding of those cultures and those individuals that are different,” Eastwood said in her faculty profile.

Before her academic career began, Eastwood served with the Peace Corps in Micronesia, a region of small islands in the western Pacific Ocean, after graduating from Macalester College in Minnesota, according to her faculty profile.

Eastwood was also a social worker for the government of Guam, worked for the U.S. government in the Trust Territory of the Pacific and was the director of purchasing and materials for

U.S. companies in consumer electronics and computer systems, her faculty profile states.

Eastwood had three sons and “will be remembered as a devoted and caring mother, for her commitment to education and her sense of adventure,” said her obituary in the Niagara Gazette.

“I believe that students learn in an environment that encourages them to actively participate in their own education,” Eastwood said in her faculty profile.

“We can do this by developing a climate that supports risk-taking, encourages two-way communication and promotes interaction between the student and their professor and among the students in the class.”

Bradshaw considered Eastwood to be a “remarkable woman who touched many lives at FGCU and beyond,” and many lives may have been touched because of the satisfaction teaching gave Eastwood.

“When I can get (my students) to see the value of managing effectively and to feel the excitement of being part of a dynamic global village, then I experience great satisfaction,” Eastwood said in her faculty profile.

IN MEMORY OF

FEEDING THE NEEDY

IN MEMORY OF

Eastwood

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 19 EAGLE NEWS NEWS A7WWW.EAGLENEWS.ORG

Shop & Dineat Gulf Coast Town Center.

SHOP Staples, rue21, Charlotte Russe, Finish Line, Steps NY & Journeys.

DINE at Moe’s, Fresh Planet Cafe, Pita Pit, Red Robin, Bar Louie & catch a movie at Regal Cinemas 16.

Catch the Shuttle from FGCU to GCTC, ! ursdays thru Sundays.

Shuttle Hours are from 3:30 pm to 10:30pm. Scheduled stops at GCTC are in front of Borders, Regal Cinemas 16 and SuperTarget.

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With every new year come the inevitable New Year’s resolutions. In 2011, FGCU students, faculty, and staff will join the party of self-promises, whether their determined deals involve spending more time with family, quitting unhealthy habits or losing weight.

For active athletes ranging from intramural and FGCU athletic team members to those who just exercise and play sports for fun, a New Year’s Resolution may consist of striving to win. Adult students, faculty and staff of FGCU may resolve to pour more time and effort into helping their students to success, or to improve academics to help earn a master’s or doctorate degree. Besides these resolutions unique to the academic and athletic world, FGCU students, faculty and staff can also share the types of resolutions made by the

population in general. According to the U.S.-government-

based website, USA.gov, popular New Year’s resolutions, both local and national, include the following:

Drinking less alcohol; getting a better education; meriting a better job; exercising to achieve higher fitness, endurance, stamina and strength; managing time, debt, and stress; quitting smoking or illegal drug use; reducing, reusing, recycling; saving money; taking a trip or studying abroad; volunteering to help others; and, of course, losing weight.

Others may simply decide to develop and foster a more positive, open mindset, and encourage others to do the same, especially with the changes the nation experiences in the contemporary era.

“My New Year’s resolution is to worry less. I think that worry pretends to be necessary, and sometimes it takes over how we think and do things in life,” said

freshman Marina Cawthra, a nursing major and English minor, “I believe that I could and other people can achieve this by refusing to question anything that should be let go. Because things shouldn’t be completely perfect in anyway. They should be absolutely imperfect. That’s the fun in life, to allow less worry and more happiness.”

“My New Year’s resolution is to ‘pay it forward’,” said freshman Megan Denny, a psychology major with gender studies and history minors, “Every day I realize how many people help me out on a constant basis with work, classes, and within the social scene. This is the time where I can ‘pay it forward’ to others around me and help someone out, stranger or not, every single day.”

For those FGCU students older than 21, drinking, or rather, trying to drink less, may take a role, especially among those who drink to partake in popular, mainstream social activities, or perhaps purely for

personal enjoyment. “I quit drinking and eating meat for

my New Year’s resolution. I wanted to live healthier and happier, while reducing my ecological footprint,” says Tyler Offerman, an environmental studies major. Echoing the popular New Year’s resolution to “recycle, reduce and reuse”, those FGCU students who avow to live more sustainably, especially in times where coveted resources such as oil, food, and water grow more and more scarce and expensive, also resonate FGCU’s goal of maintaining a sustainable, eco-friendly campus.

Still grasping at straws for an idea for a New Year’s resolution? Try one or more of the “Top Five New Year’s Resolutions for College Students,” presented by College Career Life.

Suggestions include finding your best career(s); getting an internship; updating your resume; and setting a time and a place for studying.

Live healthierin 2011Tips for staying fit

1. Walk or bike to class rather than drive if you live on campus. If you commute, carpool with Ride 2 FGCU or a friend to help reduce environmental impact and greenhouse gasses.

2. Eat more protein and vegetables. Subway sandwiches or Einstein Brothers wraps and salads, with water or tea to drink, prove a healthy choice for an on-campus meal.

3. Check out the FGCU Fitness and Aquatics centers. FGCU students get in for free, and the Fitness Center offers personal training. If you live in a gated condo community that offers a fitness room, including Villagio and Coastal Village, take a few hours during the week to exercise there. Make sure to bring water to prevent dehydration, too!

4. Instead of going out partying, playing video games, or drinking, set a curfew “bedtime” at which you go to bed each night (“Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise,” said Benjamin Franklin).

5. Suffering from a lot of emotional stress? Check out FGCU CAPS and arrange an appointment with a psychologist there.

6. Improve your academics by visiting the Center for Academic Achievement and the Writing Center, both of which offer free tutoring and hands-on help.

7. Take a walk on the FGCU nature trail, or a stroll around campus to get exercise, spend time with a friend or a quiet period to enjoy the local outdoor environment.

8. Try daily meditation or reflection, if you profess spiritual or religious devotion; or, if you don’t, reflect on the good things in your life, and how to improve on your weaknesses.

9. Stay positive! Get service hours, and exercise, out of the way by taking the time to volunteer at a local nonprofit organization or school event.

10. Spend more time with your significant other, family and friends. Take some time during the week to kick back, relax and enjoy life. If you live far away from your significant other’s or family’s residence and own a computer and web cam, try free video chat programs, such as Skype and ooVoo, to stay in touch.

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OpinionB3 www.eaglenews.org

Political pundits put their twist on a twisted tragedy in Arizona

Don’t be so quick to put Palinin the crosshairs of blame

For those who remember that fateful day on April 20, 1999, the Columbine tragedy is a memory that will be engrained in the minds of Americans for generations.

The blame that was placed on Marilyn Manson and other irrelevant factors, realistically, did not have much of a direct correlation to the shooters’ motives.

The media appeared to need someone to blame for the incident, as opposed to looking at the societal problems that were the more suitable culprites.

Amidst the “Tragedy in Tucson,” some pundits, in Columbine-esque fashion, have wrongly extended blame to Sarah Palin and the Tea Party, who in my opinion do not have any culpability in the matter.

To add to this controversy, Palin released a YouTube video four days after the shooting. In the video, Palin likens attacks on the Tea Party blaming them for the shooting as ‘blood libel” accusations.

“Blood libel” refers to the ridiculous anti-Semitic rumor that surfaced centuries ago, claiming Jewish people sacrificed babies to harvest blood in order to make matzah.

In this situation, there are two issues that need to be addressed.

First, whether the Tea Party or Palin affected the shooter’s intentions in any way.

Second, if Palin was out of line by comparing political attacks on her party to “blood libel.”

Although there aren’t too many things that really shock me in politics anymore, I am appalled that certain members of the

Democratic party would blame the Tea Party for Jared Loughner’s actions.

James Clyburn, assistant minority leader of the House of Representatives, was quick to say that Palin “didn’t grasp why her rhetoric was so troubling, regardless of the motivations of the alleged shooter.”

How convenient for the Congressman to place the blame on a right-winger. I suppose that he would equally condemn a member of the far- left whose hypothetical “inflamatory” speech led to a national disaster?

It wan’t Marilyn Manson’s fault that Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold took 13 innocent lives at their school. Nor is it the fault of Palin or her party that Loughner was exacting his so-called “revenge” on his victims.

The second aspect of this situation, Sarah Palin’s so called “intolerance,” is a bit absurd. Although I am Jewish, I don’t think that Sarah Palin was trying to be insulting when she made this comment. I actually somewhat agree with the premise she was trying to illustrate. The slanderous remarks against her and the rest of her party are unfounded and outlandish.

The Tea Party is no more responsible for this travesty than silverware manufacturers are for obesity. Just because somebody may agree with some of your points of view does not mean that you are the cause of their actions — positive or negative.

Jeffrey is a sophomore, majoring in political science. He is a brother of the Kappa Sigma fraternity, and believes that “all are lunatics, be he who can analyze his delusions is called a philosopher.”

Arizona has recently been a hotbed in the political arena with its highly controversial immigration reforms.

But someone decided to drop a firecracker on the doorstep of the state and ring the doorbell and, well, we were greeted with an explosion.

With the shooting of 18 people, six of whom are dead, one can almost draw a parallel to the last scene in “Lord of the Flies” where the tribal boys hunting Ralph stumble upon the Navy officer and all of their insanity comes rushing into them. Considering this shooting, a similar rush of insanity might be expected when we stand back and say, “OK, maybe we’ve gone a little over the top this time.”

Instead, we are greeted with gratuitous amounts of lovely rhetoric pointing the finger one way or another. Considering the circumstances, it might be easy to place blame on the political right’s gun-sympathetic language, particularly the accusations against Sarah Palin. But it’s not quite that easy.

For variety, I will examine the views of Bill O’Reilly, Jon Stewart and media panelists from Canada’s public radio show, “Q.”

For some odd reason, I expected O’Reilly’s reaction to be more moderate than what he’s known for, but that assumption turned out to be unfounded.

Although commending President Obama’s response to the tragedy, the rest of the nine minutes of O’Reilly’s tirade was spent attacking the “zealots” and “far left loons” for their “gross exploitation” of the situation. The problem is that you can’t label O’Reilly’s accusations as vicious without seeing similarly heated speeches from the other side of the spectrum tearing apart the conservatives for indirectly causing the violence in Arizona.

Which is why, against what you might expect, mock talk show host Stewart had a

pretty sensible position — and one that was clearly nonpartisan. He argued that what happened in Arizona was not something that can boil down to an easy issue where blame can be assigned.

“As I watched the political pundit world, many are reflecting and grieving and trying to figure things out, but it’s definitely true that others are working feverishly to find the tidbit or two that will exonerate their side from blame or implicate the other, and watching that is as predictable, I think, as it is dispiriting,” Stewart opined Jan. 10.

What I heard was a much more level-headed response; it echoes rationality at a time when rationality is looking to leave through the back door.

Stewart said what many might actually be afraid of admitting: As much as we would like to pinpoint the reason why Jared Loughner started gunning down multiple people and work to eliminate this problem from society, it isn’t a neatly presented issue that can be removed with hopeful thoughts — and no political party is to blame for that.

With allegations that Loughner is mentally unfit, let’s at least entertain the idea that he could have been acting on irrational impulses rather than political reasons.

In the end, though, this whole scenario reminds me of when a 16-year-old girl gets caught sleeping around with a few guys and all of a sudden it’s a long summer spent grounded in her room thinking about what she’s done. I don’t quite mean that metaphorically, either, because in many ways our political system reflects the mindset of a 16-year-old girl.

Perhaps after the smoke clears on this tragedy, we can take that step back and think, “OK ... well maybe some of the things we say are over the top.” (See the web for sections omitted in the interest of space.)

Andrew Friedgen is a freshman majoring in psychology. He enjoys exploring the concepts of cynicism and optimism side by side. He also is a big fan of new wave/synthpop music.

It has been nearly two weeks since the tragic shooting that shook Arizona — and the country — to their core.

Jared Loughner, the shooter who injured a U.S. representative and killed six others, including a 9-year-old girl and a federal judge, is faced with five federal counts that are rightfully deserved.

However, this punishment may be lightened in the most shocking of ways. It is disgusting how even those who are knowingly guilty have the opportunities to get less-serious charges or get off seemingly free.

Judy Clark, a federal death penalty expert and Loughner’s defense attorney, has had a few wins in her past. Her previous clientele includes the accused Unibomber, who was able to dodge both the death penalty and a trial.

Clark has been said to take on these cases because she believes in them. Well, good luck believing that this kid has any right to walk free or get off with mental instability after all he has done.

He may have suffered from a lack of childhood, but nothing will excuse him of his actions — and taking life away from a 9-year-old child. He deserves any punishment thrown at him. He should not be babied during his trial.

Yes, its a law that every person has a right to an attorney, but how can someone everyone knows went out and committed such horrible crimes be given such a privilege?

If they feel like they have a fighting chance to get off untouched, and prove their innocence, then yes, a lawyer should be granted. In obvious cases, such as this, the courts just need to throw the wrongdoer in prison.

He placed himself in a public place. There is no need for him to hide behind a lawyer who will only say, “Yes he did it, but he was not in his right mind,” or, “He had a reason to do it.”

Freedom is definitely something America is fond of and promotes, but if you do

something as horrific as shoot innocent people for the sheer reason that you can, you deserve the punishment coming to you.

It likely would not be the wishes of those deceased, or the families of the deceased, to have their attacker released without realizing the consequences of his actions.

Innocent until proven guilty should not be necessary in this case. Judy Clark, save us all some time and just step out.

Chelsea is a freshmen, majoring in elementary education. She believes writing is a true and creative way of expression. She loves being opinionated and will respect others who share this passion.

Crimes sometimes are so heinous that presumed innocence is absurd

Representative Clyburn was referring to Palin’s now infamous “crosshair map.” This map was posted on Palin’s Facebook account in March 2010, citing districts of Democrats that voted for health care reform in districts carried by Republicans. The map,

which used gun sight crosshairs to illustrate these locations, put Palin under a lot of heat, despite it being removed within an hour of the shooting. The map can be viewed at eaglenews.org .

Marilyn Manson wrote his song “The Nobodies” based on Columbine and the media and social coverage it received.

It doesn’thurt to flirt EN

Literary Journalism: The D.C. Metro

When I ride a D.C. metro train, I can’t help but think of the Jewish Holocaust — especially at peak hours. I know this is a little bit of a stretch, but bear with me.

We corral ourselves into these train cars like cattle, of our own free will. No rifle butts in our backs. Commute.

We pack in like sardines, closing our eyes or looking down to avoid human connections. The victims of the Third Reich were relieved to be surrounded by their friends and family — perhaps there was some solace in having them all near. On our trains, there are no anxious mothers, no guilt ridden fathers, no nervous love. Selfish coldness.

We check our Facebooks, read the news and get game scores on our phones. We crank up our iPods as we stare out the windows. No crying, no painful moans from the elderly, sick, pregnant or discomforted. Tuned out comfort.

We read our newspapers and magazines. No stories of relocation, massacres, destroyed synagogues, impending terror and death to neighboring cities. We get off at our desired destinations where we shuffle through a Smithsonian or sprint to work at our government agency, pushing people aside as we go. Little consideration for our fellow man. A sign of compassion comes with a raised eyebrow and suspicion of motives.

On the other side of the door lies a whole different world for us. For us, when the automated doors open, life, culture, money, success and future greets us. For the victims of the Holocaust, when the doors finally slid open, it meant fresh air, the clearing out of corpses, fear, selection, terror, death, emptiness, broken families, pain, disbelief, work, uncertainty, suicide, torture, struggle, succumbing, loss of faith, fighting, strength, trying to stay together, trying to stay alive, holding out, cheating death.

Yes, the world is so much more difficult now. We’re inconvenienced by sharing room and air with other humans. Heaven forbid you make eye contact with someone. Just sit with your eyes closed, read, listen to your music, stare at the ground, or sit in silence — no one has it as hard as the metro rider at rush hour with their one foot of cubic space. Imagine that for days, weeks.

I’m sure the Nazi transport victims would have liked to have checked up on Miley or listened to Justin Bieber. A crossword would have been fantastic. The freedom to board and disembark at will ... dear God, we can’t even share a smile, and they shared breast milk when a new mother left an infant orphaned. For us, it is a chosen commute. For them, it was a forced life altercation. My heart bleeds for the D.C. commuters.

This piece was written after a recent week long research trip in D.C.

While riding the metro everyday, I would have the same thoughts. I began watching people and noticing their actions more and more.

While D.C. is a wonderful city that I love and plan to move to, I cannot ignore the fact that the locals of our capital who take the metro train, are for the most part, very closed people.

The level of the “us and them bubble” astounded me. This was the first trip to the city where I paid close attention to this. It certainly makes me consider how lucky we are to at least be able to make eye contact and smile here without feeling strange.

Big cities are just different, and I was a little mouse in the big city.

As the Holocaust is my historical specialty, and I was in D.C. researching Heinrich Himmler, the shadowy irony haunted me.

We get one shot at this life. Why are we so distant to our peers and our very essence? How can we not appreciate the world?

Picture it ladies: Fort Myers, 2011. You’re dancing at a club with your crew and this guy comes toward you. He’s a nice-looking guy with good taste in clothes, sultry eyes and a pearly white smile. You’re thinking this could lead somewhere — this could lead to places with rainbows. You smile as he approaches and turn away from your friends to meet him. Then he does it. With one sentence, he desecrates your happily ever after dreams.

“Hey baby, did you wash those pants in Windex? I can see myself in them.”

The DJ scratches the vinyl, and the club goes silent. Why do we do this? Why do we think it’s suave to be so … lame on game?

As a general rule, girls think pick-up lines are a joke. So fellas, unless you have a failsafe line, steer clear. Sometimes you can get away with a ridiculous pick-up line if the intention is to make your prey laugh — but be cautious with this approach. Its more likely to work for a girl than a guy, but it’s hard to gauge the funny bone of a person you’ve recently met.

Ice breakers can be tough. Here’s one idea though: Have you thought about being yourself? Forget the cliché ways of meeting or talking to someone. What best fits your approach? Think of it this way: If you end up with this person, marry them and have children, how would you like to answer your offspring when they ask how you two met? Would you rather it be a story that is representative of each of you and had no possibility of resulting in having “(insert your name here) is a huge loser” scrawled on the bathroom wall? Or are you okay with saying that you hooked up at Uncle Lump’s House of Love after bonding over the agreement that a lap dance is so much better when the stripper is crying?

There are some cute, safe pick-up lines such as, “Have you every been soaked in a rain storm? Really? I always heard sugar melts in water.” (But don’t open with that or you’ll seem like a creeper. Yet, depending on the person, you may just be a creeper in general.) Chances are, you’ll be better off with some old-fashioned flirting.

Girls are pros at this. We “don’t know” that wearing lipstick shows off our mouth — and most men agree that a woman’s mouth and how she draws attention to it is sexy. We “don’t know” that we’ve styled our hair to accentuate our face, and we’re totally “unaware” that we keep brushing against your tricep and asking if you lift weights.

Besides talking comfortably with the person and not putting on a phony show that would ruin any potential relationship anyway, throw out some of the classic flirting signs.

For both sexes, there are some pretty typical signs that you’re into someone.

Some of these are :

think you’re on the same brain wave orthat its a sign ... or some pseudo science

thing

eye contact

some one-on-one

Nowadays everyone has a story about their own personal weirdo who stalked them or asked them out a million times. Like a story that was recently shared with me, where a young fellow followed a girl he barely knew into the ladies room to ask her out to a concert two hours away with two other people she didn’t know. Yeah, that dude won’t slip you a roofie.

It’s also still sort of socially uncommon for a girl to approach a guy, but it happens. Both males and females are under pretty intense pressure to keep up with today’s expectations. Girls are afraid of being shot down because we are self-conscious that something will be wrong with us. I’ve discovered a secret, though, girls: Guys feel the same way. Shhh, they don’t know we’re on to them.

Rather than freaking out about making an impression, go easy on yourself and do what comes natural to you. According to the Social Issues Research Centre, flirting is found in all cultures and societies. It is a basic instinct, and it is ever changing with personal preference and the era.

So stop throwing out the gag-inducing lines that will make you the center of horror stories, and do a little eye grooving.

I don’t drink that often, but many students do. My husband and I have somewhat become beer connoisseurs, (In other words, don’t tell me you drink beer and then offer me a Bud Light) and there’s always a bottle of wine in our home.

— but the point is, I’m no longer a binge drinker. Even though I admittedly once was, I’ve never been one for hangovers. You may be thinking, “Um, no one enjoys a hangover,” but my distaste for it is strong enough to prevent me from getting drunk entirely these days.

Long ago (seven years), in a far-away land (called Boca Raton), I never allowed the potential hangover to stop me. I went out almost nightly. Though I followed the rule, “Liquor before beer, you’re in the clear,” all other mixing was game. Somehow, even after my signature routine of multiple Long Islands, Liquid Cocaines and Michelob Ultras, the worst effects I ever suffered the day after were dry mouth and a mild headache. I may have called in sick to one class, but was never late to or let it affect my job. In fact, my boss had no clue I was such a heavy drinker or she may have fired me. I was a nanny, after all.

This might be a good time to say that I don’t condone this lifestyle. I’m fortunate that I didn’t end up with more severe repercussions. I was trying to numb myself to personal issues at the time, which is a textbook way of coping for 18- to 25-year-olds. If your drinking habits are similar, you may want to take a closer look. I do, however, approve of letting loose every once in a while, always with a designated driver. Back to the point …

How did I avoid worshipping the porcelain god? There are many hangover remedies,

but the one constant is water. To prevent yourself from looking like a total ass, it’s best to alternate each drink with water. No one is paying attention to what’s in your cup and if they are, so what? Ask the bartender for water every other round. If you don’t want him or her to learn to ignore you, tip a dollar, just as you would for alcohol.

Let’s say you didn’t alternate and drank too much. When you get home, drink as much water as you can stomach and keep some by the bed. I kept a Publix gallon jug on my nightstand. Take Tylenol, or whatever legal, over-the-counter medicine you normally take for a headache before you go to bed. Sleep and water will become your best friends.

Don’t buy into the “hair of the dog” remedy. In no way will adding more alcohol to your liver help it process more efficiently. In my case, it always seemed orange juice and a good breakfast the next morning made me feel anew.

Beware of midnight food runs, which will only contribute to that “freshman fifteen.” I knew people who ate next to nothing and seemed to exist on alcohol alone. I imagine that will only make you sicker. Not to mention alcohol metabolizes like sugar and provides empty calories. Those Long Islands I use to down? Almost 800 calories each.

Why should you take my hangover advice?

up over alcohol (even tequila). If you’re a vomit-phobe like I am, you’ll heed my warnings. Better yet, you’ll never drink as much as I did my first time in college to begin with.

Chel is a senior majoring in communication. She is passionate about human rights, feminism, animals and art in all forms. Chel understands that to keep the peace, we have to be willing to disturb it sometimes.

Avoid the party-stopping hangover

Party, party, party! Let’s all get wasted!

That was my initial thought Dec. 7, 2010. It was Tuesday night and I had just finished a stressful day full of exams and deadlines. It was time to celebrate.

Little did I know my night would end with me halfway ejected from the sunroof of my car and being airlifted to Lee Memorial Hospital’s Trauma Center after rolling my SUV five times.

Only minutes from my apartment with numerous friends willing to pick me up, I chose to get behind the wheel of my car with a passenger after drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. With a blood alcohol level of .273 (over three times the legal limit), I am lucky to be alive.

I suffered severe head trauma, which resulted in a wound on the left side of my head about the size of a baseball to be stapled back together. My right ear was stitched back together

and my wrist was broken. Thankfully, these are all things that will heal with time and a $27,000 hospital bill.

Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for the legal action that was taken. I was charged with a DUI. In the state of Florida, a DUI stays on your record for a lifetime. It also entails multiple consequences: pricey court fees and fines, a minimum of six months probation, a suspended license (at a minimum of six months) and lots of community service.

Three vital things I have learned from my experience:

therefore we are going to make mistakes; it’s how you react to your mistakes that truly matter.

the past. Accept the consequences and move forward with a positive attitude. Regardless of the struggle, doing so will bring you far more satisfaction in life.

responsible. Don’t drink and drive.

DUI to celebrate finals

B4 OPINION EAGLE NEWS THURSDAY, JAN. 20 EDITOR: SARA GOTTWALLES OPINION!EAGLENEWS.ORG

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Visual aid

Do this.

Not this. Although I don’t know why you’d be wearing a shower cap. Or in bed so soon.

THURSDAY, JAN. 20 EAGLE NEWS OPINION B5

VIEWPOINT

Ophiucus (pronounced “oh-FEE-uh-kuss”) hails from Greek mythology. It was said that Asclepius, son of Apollo, was a great healer that could make the dead come alive or was witness to a snake that brought another snake back from the dead.

No matter which story you subscribed to, the ending was the same for Asclepius — he was killed, placed in the stars and renamed Ophiucus, and has been in the charts ever since the second century. But now Ophiucus has retaken the spotlight after a Minnesotan astronomer says it should be the 13th zodiac sign.

Parke Kunkle, a board member of the Minnesota Planetarium Society, says that “when [astrologers] say that the sun is in Pieces, it’s really not.” (TIME.com) But since Ophiucus has been there since antiquity, why on Jan. 13, 2011, did it become a big deal?

Kunkel indicates that Earth’s precession, a change induced by gravity in a celestial body’s rotation on its axis or orbit, has become such a factor that Ophiucus can no longer be ignored. So, on 1/13/11 they caused a quake in the ether by telling us all what sign we thought dictated our personality might not be correct and the 13th sign was revealed.

Emotions have been mixed, many people refusing to accept that when the Babylonians created the chart they just ignored Ophiucus because it was an unlucky number or involved a serpent, also unlucky.

We gasp at the thought that our horoscope might be inaccurate. Let’s calm down, though, astrologers have come out in force to convince us that the signs are really just used as helpful hints and there is no need to conform to the new chart suggested. But if your sign has never fit your personality, now is your time to correct your chart and update your sign.

Is Ophiucus in your chart? Probably not.

It seems a sin that they’ve edited ‘Huckleberry Finn’

My son got into the car after school Monday very excited because his fifth- grade teacher had given his class a copy of the Constitution of the United States of America.

I had him open it to the amendments and read the first one. After some struggle with a few words, he read,

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

While the scope of acceptable words used freely for expression has evolved from when the framers wrote this passage, its meaning is just as true today as it was then. That said, what is the point of changing “Huckleberry Finn” to fit today’s scope of acceptability?

Let me make it clear, I do not condone, nor use the derogatory “n” term. I don’t like my black friends to use it, either — but who am I to say what words people can use? And who is New South to change what Mark Twain published in 1885?

The assumption is that the public has become so sensitive to the word, that the novel is not being studied in schools to avoid controversy and conversations about its time frame and the story itself.

The 219 usages of the “n” word are replaced by “slave” and the usage of the word “Indian,” currently referred to as Native American, with the term “injun” — as if that’s not an offensive term.

If the change is allowed in this novel, how many other books will be changed in order to make them discussable in academia?

According to a Google book search, there are more than 1 million books with the “n” word in the title. Some date back to the 1920s, and others are as recent as 2009. Some were penned by black authors and some by non-black authors. Some are autobiographies about great Civil Rights figures, and some are 188 pages just on the usage of the “n” word.

Those books won’t be changed, shouldn’t be changed, and it would be just as tragic if they, like “Huck Finn,” were.

This book is but one in a line of hundreds that use fiction to illustrate a struggle that, in a few more generations, will be forgotten or desensitized so much, it will run the risk of being repeated.

My son and I had another conversation the other day on Native Americans, our cultural ancestors. He was reading a book about the famed Navajo Code Talkers and wondered

why the author felt it necessary to talk about “Indian Removal” and the “longest walk.”

He had no idea what it was about. We talked about reality and this same topic of forgotten history. If he and his friends don’t know their past, how can they shape their future?

I went to a high school where our mascot was the Warriors for the boys and the Squaws for the girls. Groups fought and won to have the girls renamed to the Lady Warriors, but many students and alumni wanted to remain Squaws, despite its implied meaning, because we owned the word, not the people who used it against women.

My son and I explored the evolution of the P.C. term “Native American,” just as we must now look at the evolution of the more widely accepted terms for other races.

I hesitate to use the term “African American” here because there are many nationalities that were subjected to the heinousness of slavery, have been referred to by words such as the “n” word, and have come to own those terms and use them when they want to and not feel oppressed. The “n” word is used in songs, plays, books, movies, group names and other venues.

To remove the original use of the “n” word would be to glaze over and hide from history the origin and evolution of it. Replacement takes away the shame history should associate with it and the pride current cultures feel from using it. It opens the gates for the softening of all of our pasts and leaves the possibility for repetition of those mistakes in the future.

Protecting Twain’s First Amendment rights by protecting his words and allowing the students of today and tomorrow to read the “n” word and learn why it is no longer acceptable to use in any contexts is what is right, not removing it.

To eradicate the word, any word for that matter, would eliminate the history associated with our growth, learning, and enlightenment.

Mandie is a junior, majoring in secondary education. She has appeared in the Southeast REview Online and “UnspOILed: Writers Speak For Florida’s Coast.” Mandie sits on the board of directors for C.A.R.E.S. Suicide Prevention. She is married with two children.

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The national profile of the FGCU swimming and diving team continues to rise, as the team landed former University of Florida Gator and 2008 Olympic qualifier Eva Lehtonen.

Lehtonen, originally from Finland, has been swimming since she was 9 years old, and content to leave the 2010 national champion UF team.

“I like the team here at FGCU a lot,” Lehtonen said. “Compared to the University of Florida, the atmosphere here at FGCU is much more down to earth and I am having a lot of fun.

“At UF it is very competitive, even outside of the pool, but here it is much more of a family atmosphere.”

Lehtonen is also looking forward to swimming under head coach Neil Studd, who she considers to be a very good team leader.

Since Lehtonen recently transferred, she will not be allowed to participate in meets until the 2011-12 season, per NCAA rules.

“This season is going to be focused more on training and getting back at it for next year,” Lehtonen said.

However, she will be able to participate in team practices.

In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Lehtonen, who represented Finland, finished 33rd in the 800-meter free and 35th in the 400-meter freestyle match.

She also holds five national records, including a 1500 free record that dated back to 1983 before she re-established the mark at the 2007 U.S.A. Junior National meet.

“The Olympics were a really good experience, and a lot of fun,” Lehtonen said.

Studd is ecstatic that his team next year will include someone of Lehtonen’s caliber and profile.

“I am delighted to welcome Eva to the FGCU athletics family,” Studd said. “As we continue to build our team it is great for us

to attract another 2008 Olympian (joining sophmore teammate Danielle Beaubrun of St. Lucia).

“We hope Eva can make a big impact here at FGCU and help move us forward with the ultimate goal of going to the NCAA Championship.”

FGCU was not the only school that was interested in Lehtonen’s talents.

“She is a very intelligent young lady and she had a lot of options, Georgia Tech included, but when Eva visited our school

she liked the team and the coaches and felt this would be a good fit for her,” Studd said.

Studd believes that Lehtonen’s experience in the Olympics can only be a positive influence on the FGCU team and to her success here.

“Her experience can only help,” Studd said. “The Olympics are the pressure-cooker of swimming and I think she will have a positive effect on the swimmers here. She’s been there and done it.”

Lehtonen follows Beaubrun as the second member of Studd’s team who has Olympic experience.

“It is nice to have two former Olympic competitors at once,” Studd said.

“It would also be nice to pick up one or two more former Olympic swimmers before the next games in 2012.”

Such a feat would only add to FGCU’s soaring national stature.

Swim team reels in UF transfer, former Olympian

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This season the redshirted freshmen

has already earned a couple major accolades early in the season, including Most Valuable Player in the Caribbean Challenge presented by Triple Crown Sports and also the Atlantic Sun Newcomer of the Week Award for her on-court production in Mexico.

The Eagles posted two big-time wins against Virginia Tech and Montana in the Caribbean Challenge. Hansen’s 31 points and 11 rebounds didn’t go unnoticed as she was named MVP.

To Hansen, these games were just like any others, and she was looking to assist her teammates to win. The individual recognition came as a shock to her.

“I have some great teammates. I was taken aback because I played all right and had some pretty good games, but there are other girls on my team that performed just as well,” Hansen said.

As the FGCU women have continued their dominance this season, Hansen has been at the forefront.

According to Smesko, “She really started to break out at the tournament, and it (high level of play) kept going into our first couple conference games, where she was really aggressive attacking and finishing exceptionally well.”

Hansen leads the Eagles in field goal percentage (.530), scoring in A-Sun play (13.7 ppg) and rebounds (6.8 rpg).

Smesko credits Hansen’s self-motivating summer work ethic as to why the breakout star is thriving this season. Hansen spent the off season lifting weights, running and playing pick-up games as often as possible.

“We would give (the players) workouts to follow, but she was the one kid who actually stayed on it,” Smesko said. “It’s

really paid dividends for her.”Senior teammate Shannon Murphy

calls Hansen a perfectionist and credits her elevated playing level to hard work and focus. Hansen handles the ball well, gets to the hole and rebounds efficiently, creating more offensive opportunities for the Blue and Green.

The duo have been relatively unstoppable when on the court together with Murphy finding Hansen anywhere on the court. “She’s really focused and she gets us a lot of easy baskets and runs in transition, and we need that,” said Murphy.

Hansen is looking to continue improving this year to make sure FGCU has the best chance to achieve their goals. With this season being the final year the Eagles are under NCAA restrictions during the DII to DI transition, the team has two main goals.

“We want to win the A-Sun regular season (title) and be successful in the WNIT,” Hansen said.

This past weekend, the 27-1 FGCU ice hockey team was proud to host the 2011 Gulf Coast Clash Tournament.

It was the third time that the Clash has been hosted by FGCU, with teams from throughout Division II of the American Collegiate Hockey Association competing.

The Eagles were victorious against big-name schools Boston College, the University of Colorado and Michigan State over the four-day event.

Although FGCU succeeded with ease, the tournament was one of the most competitive weekends they’ve faced during the season.

Hundreds of fans came out to cheer on the Eagles, mixed with the support from the other attending schools.

FGCU ice hockey has quickly become the most popular sport on campus as the team continues to win on the road to the ACHA D2 National Championships on March 19.

Thomas Patterson, a sophomore, is a second-year member of the team and is proud the way the team carried itself during the tournament.

“Game-wise, we played extremely well,” Patterson said. “We had good goaltending, and our forward players contributed a lot to help us propel to win.”

Ryan McAleese was another proud team

member who was impressed at his team’s superior skill work.

“We scored one minute in against Michigan State,” McAleese said. “We were up 4-0 by the end of the first period and knocked them down.”

Captain Mike Lendino continued to shine during the tournament — as he has all season — and was helped by a powerful team.

“He’s big like he always is,” Patterson said. “But our team stepped it up and each player contributed to the win. We don’t have any weak links; our team is powerful.”

The Eagles’ regular season ends in mid-February, after which they get a month off to train for the ACHA National Tournament.

The Gulf Coast Clash Tournament this past weekend afforded a small glimpse of the competition they will be facing.

Likely contenders for the national club tournament championship will be Michigan State, Lindenwood University and Colorado State.

“Playing Michigan State has definitely been our toughest test before nationals,” Patterson said. “It was a good stepping stone for us to look back on and prepare us for what’s ahead.”

The ACHA D2 National Championships will be in San Jose, Calif., and based on results so far, including the big wins this past weekend, the FGCU Eagles appear more than ready.

Hockey team puts top national teams on ice

- Bands: Train and Plain White Ts- Song: “Burn” by Usher- Movie: “Remember the Titans”- Basketball Team: Celtics- TV shows: “America’s Next Top Model” and “Cupcake Wars”- Athletes: Eli Manning and Mia Hamm- Major: Chemistry; wants to be a pediatrician

Hansen’s Favorites

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ENSPORTSweekly recap

The 2010 Atlantic Sun regular season champion men’s soccer team was acknowledged in the recent release of CollegeSoccerNews.com’s 2010 Season to Remember.

Preparing for the spring season, the men’s tennis team faced Indiana and Radford at home in a round-robin. Junior Matt Rock was named to the all-tournament team.

Men’s soccer

Men’s golf

Men’s tennis

Former FGCU men’s golfer Derek Lamely opened the 2011 PGA Tour season at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Kapalua, Hawaii.

Unveiled the 2011 softball schedule. Six spring tournaments with visits by seven opponents from BCS schools highlight the lineup. The University of Florida comes to FGCU as well.

Softball

Women’s tennisready for spring

The freshman- and sophomore-heavy FGCU women’s tennis team has ambitious expectations, youth be damned.

The Eagles, who feature four sophomores, two freshmen and a lone senior — team leader Iris Rendon — kicked off their spring season with the FGCU Hilton Garden Invitational on Jan. 15-17 and will begin head-to-head meets Feb. 12 at Florida Atlantic University.

The Lady Eagles are looking forward to improving on their fourth-place finish in conference (A-Sun) last season.

“Last season we went from eighth in the conference to fourth,” coach Jennifer Gabou said. “I’m hoping to finish in the top three this year. The goal is always one, but top three would be fantastic.”

In order to be No. 1, though, they will have to handle a schedule that includes last year’s conference champions the University of North Florida as well as Stetson and Eastern Tennessee State University.

Sophomore Morgan Bechtel wants to do just that.

“I’m looking forward to facing Stetson, UNF and ETSU, because they’re the three teams we lost to last year, and I really want to beat them,” Bechtel said.

Other teams on the schedule are George Washington, Toledo and Florida International University.

Bechtel and Rendon are two of the standout players on the team, according to Gabou.

“We are lucky we have Iris Rendon, who is a junior college transfer from Tyler Community College,” Gabou said. “She’s amazing. She actually won the back draw at the Lakewood Ranch Intercollegiate Clay Court Classic in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. We also have Morgan Bechtel, who did very well, and was all-conference last year.”

When Rendon won the back draw in the high profile Clay Court Classic, she was awarded a trophy by famed ESPN broadcaster Dick Vitale, who hosted the tournament.

Other than Rendon, the remainder of the team is made up of freshmen and sophomores, but the team sees that only as a positive.

“The positives are that these young women are excited to start in the program, and create a tradition,” Gabou said. “I don’t see it as a negative, because it’s an opportunity for our freshmen to step up and be leaders.”

Bechtel added, “Well I think because we are younger we’re lacking in some experience, but we also have a lot of potential because we’re younger, and we have about three or four years to improve and get better as a group,” Bechtel said.

At the Hilton Garden Inn Invite, the Eagles competed against big-name schools such as Illinois, Purdue and the University of South Florida, and according to Bechtel the women played well.

“This is a very tough tournament, because there are some highly ranked teams here, but overall I think we did pretty well,” Bechtel said.

One player from Purdue — a high profile Big Ten university — sophomore Imogen Golder, is impressed with the FGCU tennis program.

“I think they’re a good team, they get a lot of balls back, and the girl I played competed really well,” Golder said.

Other members of the team include sophmores Bibiana Almeida, Kelly Colbath and Melissa Narzissendeld and freshmen Bettina Botha and Gyanna Mandic.

One thing is certain: The Lady Eagles are a young team with the potential to get plenty of wins this season.

Chad Lutkenhaus didn’t see any signs. Even after playing just 15 minutes in a 84-65 loss at East Tennessee State on Jan. 8, senior guard and FGCU’s second-leading scorer, Reed Baker, revealed nothing, said Lutkenhaus, a close friend and teammate.

Baker blind-sided coach Dave Balza and the men’s basketball program when he quit the team Monday, ending the 2010-11 season with a 14.4-point average while shooting 38.1 percent from the field.

Even after sitting out home losses to Kennesaw State and Mercer this past Friday and Sunday — a mutual decision between the player and coach — Balza was confident Baker would play again for the Eagles after a Monday morning meeting with the third-year starter.

But after a second meeting Monday with Balza, athletic director Ken Kavanagh and assistant coach Leo Miller, Baker changed course.

“My decision didn’t have to do with teammates, losing or personal issues,” Baker said. “It’s just a

decision I had to make.”When asked to address a story in

the Naples Daily News that quoted Balza as saying “he (Baker) had lost the love of the game,” Baker denied that and responded, “He has to wonder about that himself.”

Baker said he is real close with his teammates and they were in the loop about what was going on. But Lutkenhaus tells a different tale.

“He (Baker) never mentioned anything to me,” Lutkenhaus said. “There was nothing visibly different with his attitude or demeanor, either. It was just something he was going through internally.”

Both Lutkenhaus and Balza insist this wasn’t a situation of something festering over time before combusting in the past few weeks, though Balza won’t deny clashing with his star guard in the past.

“He has been here four years so there’s always going to be ups and downs,” Balza said. “I can’t say there’s never been a situation (controversy between the two) — there are always issues with anybody — but everything is compounded when you’re not winning.”

Baker says the decision was a long time in the making.“It’s something that built up over time,” Baker said. “I tried to stick it out but it wasn’t possible. It was not rectifiable. I have to stand strong in what I believe in.”

Lutkenhaus similarly hinted

at confrontations between Balza and Baker, but couldn’t pinpoint a specific instance.

“Whenever you have two strong personalities there are going to be clashes at times,” Lutkenhaus said. “There have been very small incidents, but that is the nature of the game. When people are out there competing and battling for spots, there will be conflicts.”

Asked to describe his relationship with Balza, Baker replied: “No comment. It speaks for itself.”

Balza told the team of Reed’s departure Monday afternoon.

Publicly, players support Baker’s decision as their leader leaves during a 3-13 (0-7 A-Sun) season.

Baker joins Reggie Chambers and Brett Williams (both transferred after last season) as recent players to bolt from Balza’s program.

“There are similarities with how we left (referring to Chambers and Williams),” Baker said. “There are similar actions that led to those decisions. It speaks for itself.”

The ninth-year coach believes Baker’s legacy with the Eagles will overshadow his awkward and sudden departure in the eyes of the masses.“I’m obviously concerned with outside perception (of the program),” Balza said. “It’s not like he (Baker) doesn’t care anymore, though. He’s still a part of the FGCU family.”

In its second season of existence, the FGCU men’s lacrosse team has experienced quick success, and with talented recruits coming in, the chain of victory isn’t expected to be cut short anytime soon.

The Eagles participated in the Palm Beach Invitational at the end of the fall, and handled the competition, which included Florida International (9-3) and Palm Beach Atlantic University (11-2).

Outstanding players who excelled in the tournament were attackman Gavin Donahue with a total of six goals and three assists, midfielder Cason Heckle with three goals and one assist, and defenseman Matt Van Keuren with nine ground balls and seven caused turnovers.

The FGCU men’s lacrosse team consists of 40 hard-working athletes practicing an average of four times per week. Out of the 40 athletes who come out and participate, 30 are able to travel and compete.

Club president Tim Thornton operates an ambitious program.

“This is our second year as a team, and our recruiting class this year has exponentially improved both with size and the caliber of players,” Thornton said.

Although the roster has grown substantially since last year, Thornton says they are always looking for new talent.

A great deal of time and effort is being put into this team in hopes of developing tradition and creating

honorable recognition, not to mention a winning record.

According to Thornton, although the season has gotten off to a great start, there is still a great deal of work to be done.

“Since we are a new team and the majority of us have never played with each other before, developing chemistry is a major priority,” Thornton said. “We are all pretty good friends and get along great, but when you’re on the field you want to know exactly what your teammates are thinking, and that just comes with time.”

The Eagles begin their spring regular season with the first home

game Feb. 5 against FIU. Other upcoming home games

include Stetson on Feb. 12 and USF on March 13. Though Thornton and the rest of the players wish that they were given more home games, they hope for a great turnout of support for the three home games approaching.

Like any sports team, the FGCU men’s lacrosse team feeds on the support of its fans.

Thornton explains, “We aim to win games and entertain our home crowd. We want to represent our school in the best possible way and how can we do that better than by winning games?”

Second-year lacrosse club rising

Baseball

FGCU baseball released the 2011 schedule. This year’s slate features home games vs. Michigan and Illinois and three games against Miami.

Balza