Two LMU students were arrested by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) Pacific Division on Tuesday for possession of marijuana with intent to sell, which is a felony, and were taken to the station and booked. Another LMU student was cited for

possession of the drug. According to Captain Brian P.

Johnson, LAPD Pacific Division’s patrol commanding officer, the case is currently under investigation by LAPD Pacific Division’s Narcotics Department; therefore, the names of the arrested students have not been released.

Chief of the Department of Public Safety (DPS) Hampton Cantrell told the Loyolan that on Tuesday, DPS received a telephone call reporting the “odor of marijuana” in Tenderich. DPS, along with Student Housing, went to investigate and determined

there was an odor. “A room search was conducted and

there was the presence of narcotic paraphernalia, particularly related to marijuana. At that point, given the quantities involved, we notified the Los Angeles Police Department,” said Cantrell.

From that point, the two students were taken to LAPD Pacific Division and booked. The narcotics department’s investigation is still ongoing.

“The investigation will go to our

If students had forgotten about the eradication of eTIME, the emergence of the new myTime payment system was made evident over winter break when, according to various student employees, students received approximately 12 email notifications in regards to this new system.

On Dec. 25, Jerri Hart, the director of Payroll Services, sent out an email to students, faculty and staff that said, “You will receive a series of notifications over the next few days from our new myTime system. Please disregard them. We activated the system one pay period early. As a result, the standard notifications are being sent out. We appreciate your understanding as we roll this system out to LMU employees.”

According to Lori Husein, the vice president of the Finance and Controller ’s Office, she is looking forward to this new system but said the email addresses were not cleared out over the break so the notification system continued to send out the emails.

Payroll is continuing to work out kinks in the system. Today is the fourth day students are using the system since their return from winter break.

“Those are just some of the bumps in the road, [and] we expect in the first month to have these types of things come out,” said Husein.

Nina Heard, the Controller ’s Office manager and the student trainer for myTime in the Student Innovation Center, said, “[Information

The University continues to work out the new payment system’s kinks.By Brigette ScobasAsst. News Editor

Your Home. Your Voice. Your Newspaper. www.laloyolan.comLoyola Marymount University

ESTABLISHED 1921

January 12, 2012Volume 90, Issue 23

A&E, Page 9

IndexClassifieds.............................4Opinion...............................5A&E.....................................7Sports..............................12

The next issue of the Loyolan will be printed on January 19, 2011. Sports, Page 12

The team aims to extend its road winning streak to three.

MEN'S BASKETBALL OFF TO STRONGFemale presence dominates pop culture in 2011, according to A&E Editor Kevin O'Keeffe

POP CULTURE'S 2011 LEGACYSTART

THur frI SAT Sun

68˚- 47˚ 70˚- 50˚ 70˚- 51˚ 62˚- 49˚

LMU adapts to myTime pay system

See nativity | Page 4

Two instances of what are being classified as “malicious mischief” to the Alumni Mall and U-Hall Nativity scenes took place on Dec. 15, 2011, according to the Department of Public Safety (DPS). The incidents follow the Dec. 6 vandalism that took place at the Alumni Mall structure.

A paper cutout of a Menorah was found inside both structures on Dec.

15. The cutout was placed inside the back wall of the Alumni Mall Nativity scene. DPS told the Loyolan that an additional Menorah cutout appeared to have been intended to be pasted above the baby Jesus within the U-Hall structure, but instead was found inside the cradle.

As reported in the Dec. 8 issue of the Loyolan, a metal Star of David was found in the hay in the Alumni Mall Nativity scene on Dec. 6. Damage was also visible to the statues of Mary and Joseph, including the breaking of Mary’s left ring finger. Chief of Public Safety Hampton Cantrell reported to the Loyolan on Dec. 7 that

New reports of Nativity scene mischief emergeDPS reports two additional instances of Nativity scene misconduct. By Laura RiparbelliManaging Editor

See myTime | Page 3

Devin Sixt | Loyolan

With many students anxious to secure textbooks for the new semester, the LMU Bookstore has experienced increased traffic this week. Junior business major Jared Diamond (left) and freshman political science major Alexandra Petosa (bottom right) both spent time in the bookstore securing books on Tuesday. Bookstore Manager Diane Criswell said that the bookstore is particularly busy between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. , and indicated that the store’s long lines are partially the result of an increased amount of textbook rentals. To read more about the textbook-purchasing process, turn to 11 Burning Questions on Page 3.

Students crowd bookstore while searching for new textbooks

LAPD arrests two LMU studentsMarijuana possession leads to the arrest of two LMU students in the Tenderich apartments. By Adrien JarvisIncoming Editor in Chief

See Arrest | Page 4

Dol-Anne Asiru | Loyolan

DPS reported that "religiously motivated vandalism" occurred at the Alumni Mall Nativity scene. The statues of Mary and Joseph were damaged and a metal Star of David was found in the hay, according to DPS.

Dec. 6 Dec.15"Malicious mischief" occurred at the Alumni Mall Nativity scene. A cutout of a Menorah was placed on the inside wall of the structure, according to DPS.

"Malicious mischief" occurred at the U-Hall Nativity scene. A cutout of a Menorah was found near Jesus' head, according to DPS.

NATIVITY SCENESMISCONDUCTTIMELINE

NewsJanuary 12, 2012

Page 2 www.laloyolan.com

The Provost Search Committee recently announced that after reviewing a pool of 94 applications for the position of LMU Provost/Executive Vice President, they have selected six finalists.

Bette Jacobs from Georgetown University, Molly Smith from Manhattanville College, Joseph Hellige from Loyola Marymount University, Patricia Fleming from St. Mary’s College, Luis Fraga from the University of Washington and Cheryl Schrader from Boise State University have been invited to visit campus this spring to complete the final round of selection (see right for the dates of the finalists’ scheduled visits).

The search for a new Provost was catalyzed by the transition of the former Provost, David W. Burcham, into his new role as the University’s president last year. The Provost responds directly to the President, overseeing the University’s academic and operational aspects according to LMU’s website.

Thus far, the search for a new Provost has been carried out exclusively by the Provost Search Committee. According to committee member Dr. John Parrish, president of the Faculty Senate and associate

professor of political science, “It’s been a very transparent, inclusive, careful and rigorous process.”

Student involvement on the committee is present in the form of committee members Art Flores, a senior English major and ASLMU president, and philosophy graduate student James Kilcup.

However, committee member Fr. Thomas Rausch, S.J., professor of theological studies, makes the point that the search “is not something that’s taking place up in the stratosphere; it’s got to involve the whole University community.” Students have been informed of the selection of the finalists via a University-wide email send Dec. 19, 2011 and are encouraged to attend the various events that will surround each finalist’s visit to LMU.

These will include University-wide question and answer sessions, which will be filmed in case students are unable to attend due to other commitments. Additionally, candidate materials have been made available on the Provost search website: www.lmu.edu/resources/provostsearch. Students will have an opportunity to provide feedback to the committee on candidates.

Students can expect to meet a highly qualified group of individuals as committee members all maintain that the finalists are, as Parrish explained, “people who had the right kind of experience but, more importantly, a sense of who we are that they could articulate a sense of some kind

of vision and imagination of where [University] President [David W.] Burcham is leading us and where the institution is headed.”

“The final candidates all had that special something about them that had our committee anxious to meet them in person,” said Flores.

A key concern of the committee as expressed by Rausch and Parrish was that the future Provost should be someone who was very aware of LMU’s unique Jesuit and Marymount identity.

“It was very important to me that the person understands Catholic higher education and the Catholic tradition, that they be someone who’s not only comfortable with the mission of the University and its Catholic identity, but also someone who will really serve to advance that,” said Rausch.

For Flores, it is essential that, “in response to our University’s Strategic Plan, the Provost is not only willing, but excited about the direction our University is headed.” Furthermore, both these views were echoed by Parrish, who highlighted the importance that all the finalists had “a firm grasp of what our identity is and how leading an institution like LMU would be different than leading just any other institution.”

The committee has already learned much about each applicant through his or her application and a phone interview that lasted between one-and-a-half to three hours, according to a campus-wide email issued Dec. 19, 2011. Rausch points out, however,

“Until you really meet them face to face and have a conversation, you’re not able to make that final judgment.”

Following the finalists’ visits

to LMU, the committee will re-evaluate each application and aim to reach a final decision and announce a new Provost by the end of the academic year.

Provost search finalists invited to visit campus

Dol-Anne Asiru | Loyolan

LMUPROVOSTSEARCH FINALISTS

Cheryl SchraderBoise State University

Bette JacobsGeorgetown University

Molly SmithManhattanville College

Joseph HelligeLoyola Marymount University

Luis FragaUniversity of Washington

Patricia FlemingSt. Mary's College

Feb6

Jan19

Jan23

Jan26

Jan30

Feb2

Students are encouraged to contribute to the University’s search for a new Provost.By Zaneta PereiraAsst. News Editor

Want to workfor the Loyolan?The Loyolan is looking fora new web editor.

If interested, contact Michael Goldsholl at mgoldsholl@theloyolan.com

Erik Lehnsherr

Charles Xavier

Sebastian Shaw

Moira MacTaggert

Mystique

Janos Quested

Angel Salvadore

I Love X-Men Group

Emma Frost

Hank McCoy

Janos Quested

Wolverineʼs

News January 12, 2012Page 3www.laloyolan.com

11 Burning Questions

1. How did you come up with the idea for www.Universi-ty-Classifieds.com?

I saw lots of people post on Facebook to sell books. I thought there should be a place for students to do that which is more organized.

2. How does www.University-Classifieds.com aid stu-dents?

Students can post anything online and other students can search for anything online. The website makes it easier to search and interact with other students. Besides books, we have people selling electronics, bikes and skateboards. Students also can post if they need someone else for housing. Events can also be posted on the site.

3. What do you think would be the most ideal solution to the hassle of buying books for school?

The school should do something like my site where they should offer [the chance for] people to sell their books at a reduced price so that people can have cheaper options. That way, students are more or less swapping their books.

4. How would you describe the current book-buying cul-ture at LMU?

Right now I see people buying books from the bookstore or Amazon for much higher prices than they need to. My service can help books stay in the community and be cheaper.

5. Do you expect to expand the service later on to outside of LMU?

I hope to. Right now, LMU is my focus. Down the road, I would love to look at expanding.

6.How does your site compare to other sites like Belltow-er Books or Amazon?

The most important benefit of the site is student to student [interaction]. People will get more for their money. It is a com-munity-driven process. For example, LMU students can just meet up in the Lair [to buy their books], there is no formal ship-ping needed. It’s student to student, and that’s why [commu-nity] is important. Also, unlike social networking sites, there are no exclusive groups or “invite only” needed.

7. How have you been getting the word out about www.University-Classifieds.com?

So far, it has been underground word of mouth. I have also been passing out handouts and posting flyers. Right now, I am making videos and advertisements for YouTube and hopefully to go on ROAR Network. I am unsure about the number of us-ers, but I can say we have had over 100 items posted in the last three days.

8. How has the website helped get you involved in LMU culture?

It has helped me a ton to meet people who run other organiza-tions. I’ve been talking to Student Housing to help promote the business on campus. I’ve gotten to learn the bureaucratic sys-tem that LMU has, in that you need an organization on campus to sponsor you to do things such as put up flyers in dorms.

9. Which class are you most interested in this semester?I am interested in Christian Ethics (THST 160), because it is

important for people running businesses to use ethics. A busi-ness should be a service before a profit generator.

10. How much have you paid for textbooks this year? I have paid for all my textbooks by selling my old ones on Uni-

versity Classifieds, so about $300.

11. Which L.A. beach is your favorite and why?Venice Beach is the best. I love to see all the crazy people.

with a student website creator

Christopher James | Loyolan

Andrew Bentley created the website www.University-Classi-fieds.com for students to buy and sell books with other stu-dents and is hoping to make it more public around campus.

This issue, News Intern Christopher James talks with Andrew Bentley, a freshman business ma-jor, about his new website for students to buy and sell textbooks and other college essentials.

Technology] is continuously tweaking the system since we’ve gone live on Dec. 25, [and] they’re continuously upgrading and making changes and additions.”

Several students are continuing to receive emails that say, “There are zero hours recorded for this week,” and other notifications right after clocking-in that say, “You have a missed punch.”

Vito Ryan, a freshman mechanical engineer major, said, “All of the emails that I receive from myTime don’t inform me of anything I don’t already know. They are only a constant annoyance [and] all of the emails only fill up my inbox and distract [me] from the ones that need to be attended to.”

Husein said, “Generally if there are notification concerns, we’re addressing them and the best way to communicate them is to email mytime@lmu.edu.” Students may not have been set up properly in the system or there may have been “hiccups” according to Husein, when planning and designing the notification system.

“There’s a punch list of what we have to work through over

the next few weeks and that’s expected,” said Husein.

Laura Weseley, the director of Student Employment Services and a myTime trainer, thinks the system is going well so far but acknowledges that problems are occurring. She agreed with Husein and said, “There are some glitches … even though I don’t know what all of the glitches are [but] … I think we expected that. We’re still testing the system, so that was anticipated.”

Heard said, “[Payroll] ran a lot of tests during winter break because Payroll unfortunately … didn’t get a winter break. They worked the entire winter break. We want to be very grateful to Payroll for putting in the endless hours that they’ve been putting in because they’ve been working a lot of time.”

According to Husein, the IT and Human Resources departments, along with Payroll, have been working all year long on this implementation as well.

Overall, Heard, Weseley and Husein are looking forward to what they think will be a simpler and more efficient payment system.

Student employee Dai Ja Rodriguez, a sophomore sociology major, agreed. She thinks the system provides

more positive outcomes even though she has only used it once since being back from the break. “I think it’s simple and will help a lot of students in the long run. As long as you [clock-in] when you first come to work, there shouldn’t be any technical problems,” said Rodriguez

For those student employees who did not attend any of the trainings for myTime last semester, they may drop into the Student Innovation Center on the first floor of the Von Der Ahe Building across from the bookstore for one-on-one trainings from Jan. 9 – 20 between 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Students will submit their hours every other Monday now and the first pay period due date is Jan. 23. Students may also now make amendments within the pay period while initially this system would not allow for that.

If students have questions regarding this new system, they may visit the Student Innovation Center on the first floor of the Von Der Ahe Building. They can also post questions or look up answers on the Frequently Asked Questions document on the bottom of the myTime page on the lmu.edu website or email questions to mytime@lmu.edu.

University hopes to work out glitches in myTime myTime from Page 1

LMU recognizes passing of Center for Asian Business founder John P. Daly S.J. President Burcham sent out letter recently informing the LMU community about the passing of John P. Daly S.J. who passed away on December 28 at the age of 88. As noted in the letter, “Father Daly’s lifelong passion was to foster understanding be-tween Asia and the United States.” After arriving at LMU in 1995, Father Daly founded the Center for Asian Business.There will a Memorial Mass on Saturday, January 14 at 10 a.m. in Sacred Heart Chapel, followed by a reception at the Hilton Center for Business.

Longtime LMU employee Richard Royce passes away due to brain tumorThe LMU community has been informed of the death of longtime Facilities Manage-ment employee Richard Royce, who passed away due to an inoperable brain tumor on Jan. 11 at age 60. Royce joined LMU in 1984 and, according to the faculty and staff-wide email announcement of his death from President David W. Burcham on Jan. 11, Royce “was much respected by his colleagues, who referred to him as ‘Richard Lion-Hearted.’”

Have a story idea

for News?

Want to write for

News?

Email News Editor Tierney Finster

at tfinster@the-loyolan.com

??

ClarificationIn the Dec. 8 article, “Students dissatisfied with Public Safety response time,” the article states, “EMTs advised Lee to go to the emergency room, but instructed a friend of hers to drive her rather than transport her themselves.” Campus EMTs do not have the means to transport patients. Only patients with life-threatening emergencies are transported to the hospital via LAFD ambulances.

O Info Sessions

Tuesday, Jan 17th at Convo Seaver 100

Wednesday, Jan 25th at 7pm Welcome Center, VDA

ORIENTATIONTEAM

Make a difference for future lions!Be on the

*All students interested in a position need to attend an info session, including past Orientation Team members. Questions: orientation@lmu.edu

?

NewsJanuary 12, 2011

Page 4 www.laloyolan.com

For Rent

Room foR Rent in Westches-ter Who: You!What: Room for rent in a house in Westchester close to campusWhen: Immediate vacancyWhy: Because it’s a new semes-ter and you’re tired of driving to campus and sleeping on your friend’s couchRent is $950/ month. Includes all utilities.Washer Dryer in unit, big back yard Call for more information (503) 799-1040

On Campus

LmU ICe HoCKeY vs sDsU. saturday, Jan. 15, at 3:00 p.m. at the skating edge in Harbor City. Let’s send the Aztecs back to san Diego defeated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!friend us on facebook (tom Lieb). follow us on twitter (lmuicehock-ey).

LmU ICe HoCKeY vs UsC. thursday, Jan. 12, at 8:15 p.m. at skating edge in Harbor City. fRee BUs at flagpoles starting at 7:30 p.m.Help the Lions start the spring se-mester with a win over the trojans. friend us on facebook (tom Lieb). follow us on twitter (lmuicehock-ey).

nA KoLeA LU`AU... march 31 ...Lawton Plaza ... 4:00 p.m... sAve tHe DAte!!!!!!!! Good food, great entertainment, unforgettable fun! more details to follow.

Students may face felony chargesArrest from Page 1

narcotics division and our narcotics detectives will do a follow-up investigation [and] present the case to the district attorney’s office for potential filing considerations,” Johnson said.

Johnson also emphasized the severity of the crime.

“It’s a felony crime,” Johnson told the Loyolan. “The actual charge ... is 11359 of the Health and Safety Code, which is for the possession for sales of marijuana, so obviously a very serious crime.”

California’s Health and Safety Code, section 11359, states, “Every person who possesses for sale any marijuana, except

as otherwise provided by law, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison.”

Cantrell told the Loyolan that the case has been referred to Judicial Affairs in addition to the LAPD’s investigation.

“Clearly, the possession of marijuana on our campus is prohibited and it is the policy of Public Safety to notify the LAPD if we think there are quantities of any drug that would constitute a felony,” said Cantrell. “That’s why LAPD was notified to conduct their independent investigation.”

Cantrell explained that it is a “judgment call” by DPS about the quantity of a drug

present as to whether or not to contact LAPD. Usually, LAPD is contacted when there is enough present to be labeled as a felony.

Assistant Chief of DPS Patricia Coffelt told the Loyolan that arrests by LAPD are not common at LMU. According to DPS Captain Cristina Martin, there has been a decrease in marijuana-related incidents at LMU. Fall 2010 to Jan. 12, 2011, there were 41 reported incidents that DPS responded to. In fall 2011 to Jan. 11, 2012, there were 30.

“Obviously, from a Public Safety standpoint, we are going to take any of these investigations seriously and investigate it to the full extent of the law,” said Johnson.

the incidents had the potential to be possibly classified as a hate crime. At this time, DPS reports that the matter is still under investigation.

“Once Public Safety has completed its investigation, the case will be closed and then we will classify,” said Cantrell.

Video surveillance cameras in the area around the Nativity scene were operational during all three incidents.

“We do have video surveillance and are still actively trying to determine the individuals captured on surveillance,” said Cantrell, who would not speculate as to whether the crimes were committed by the same perpetrators. “We don’t know if they are students or intruders on campus, but we do have photos of faces.”

Following the three events that occurred, the University’s Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT) responded by sending the Loyolan

a guest editorial (“University responds to Nativity vandalism,” Page 5), citing the incidents and defending DPS’s decision to consider hate crime classification for the Dec. 6 incident, which is currently being noted as “religiously motivated vandalism.” The two instances that occurred on Dec. 15 have been classified as “malicious mischief.”

“Public Safety’s responsibility is to fully investigate the facts,” said Cantrell.

LMU Rabbi Ilana Schachter told the Loyolan that she is “saddened by the recent treatment of the Nativity scene, and that it was not treated with the proper respect that a sacred object deserves.”

“However, LMU is a community that celebrates a diversity of faiths and encourages interfaith dialogue, and it is important to remember that the action of one or two people does not reflect the sentiment of the University,” said Schachter.

Video surveillance records perpetrators Nativity from Page 1

Classifieds

The Nativity scene in Alumni Mall was vandalized on Dec. 6. On Dec. 15 it was reported that a cutout of a Menorah was found in the Nativity.

Kellie Rowan | Loyolan

OpiniOnStudent Editorials and Perspectives

www.laloyolan.com

January 12, 2012

Page 5

A responsibility to report the facts

At a university that strives to maintain a commitment to social justice and widespread accep-

tance to diversity, it’s disappointing to see insensitive acts, such as the vandalism of holiday Nativity scenes, occurring on LMU’s campus.

As reported by Managing Editor Laura Riparbelli in today’s issue of the Loyolan (see “New reports of Nativity scene mischief emerge,” Page 1), not only did vandalism occur to one of the Nativity scenes on Dec. 6, 2011, but two more incidences were reported by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) on Dec. 15, 2011. The reoccurrence of vandalism on LMU’s campus to reli-gious statues is not only out of line with the University’s mission, but it is also wasteful of resources that could likely be used more productively if repairs to the statues were not needed.

However, the Dec. 8, 2011 article, “Vandalism mars holiday Nativity scene” (Page 1), which reported on the Dec. 6 vandalism, underwent criticism (see “Letters to the Editor”) for report-ing that DPS was considering classify-ing the Dec. 6 vandalism to the Alumni Mall Nativity scene as a hate crime. As a news publication, the Loyolan has a responsibility to its readership to report the facts, even if negative conclusions could be drawn from them.

The Loyolan stands by Riparbelli’s reporting of the facts in the article.

There is a distinction between a news-paper’s voice and a source’s voice, and the Loyolan urges readers to keep in mind that sources quoted in the Loyolan do not necessarily represent the newspaper’s beliefs.

When the Loyolan quotes individu-als or organizations in news stories, it is done to provide readers with well-rounded knowledge about the facts of an event. News is never written with the intent to skew an article in a par-ticular direction of the Loyolan staff ’s personal choosing.

The Loyolan did not interview a member of the Jewish community for the Dec. 8 article because the facts given to the Loyolan by campus offi-cials did not warrant the implication of a perpetrator from the Jewish commu-nity. A Star of David was found at the scene of the vandalism, but DPS did not inform the Loyolan that a Jewish student was suspected of the crime.

At a university that fosters a deep commitment to unique service organi-zations, social justice movements and diversity, the Loyolan would hope that the community understands the harm done by these acts of vandalism. The Loyolan will continue to report on such incidents and has a duty to inform the public of them in an accurate, relevant and responsible manner no matter how uncomfortable the facts of the situa-tion may be.

Many on campus are concerned with what occurred in December involving the Nativity scenes on

Alumni Mall and in University Hall. According to the Department of Public Safety’s reports, the first incident took place on Tuesday, Dec. 6 and involved minor damage to the statues of Joseph, Mary and Jesus. Additionally, a Star of David was found in the hay. The sec-ond incident, the attachment of a photo of a Menorah above baby Jesus’ head, happened on Thursday, Dec. 15, in University Hall. Also on Dec. 15, another photo of a Menorah was glued to the inside walls of the Nativity scene on Alumni Mall.

The Department of Public Safety (DPS) is continuing its investigation of the three incidents. Surveillance cameras were near both locations and footage has allowed DPS to identify some of the indi-viduals suspected to be involved. DPS expects to interview the suspects before the end of this week.

All three incidents were brought for-ward to the Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT). The purpose of BIRT is to review bias incident reports and respond to them when warranted. Team mem-bers include Dr. Lane Bove, senior vice president for Student Affairs; Hampton N. Cantrell, chief of Public Safety; Rebecca Chandler, vice president for Human Resources; Kathleen Flanagan,

vice president for Communications and Government Relations; Dr. Joe Hellige, senior vice president for Academic Affairs and chief academic officer; and Dr. Abbie Robinson-Armstrong, vice president for Intercultural Affairs.

The Dec. 15 incidents will be classi-fied as malicious mischief. The first incident, however, involving tampering and property damage, is considered reli-giously motivated vandalism. It has the potential to be classified as a hate crime under the reporting guidelines of the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus

Crime Statistics Act.

Hate cr imes , according to the California State Penal Code, are acts of physical force or intimidation that are willfully or knowingly commit-ted because of the victim’s race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, dis-

ability, gender or sexual orientation. Hate crimes are expressed in several ways and can, in the case of the Dec. 6 incident, involve violence against proper-ty. (See the LMU Community Standards Handbook 2011-2012, Page 61).

Members of BIRT are saddened by these inappropriate actions and urge the LMU community to view these incidents in the context of the 100-year history of LMU’s commitment to religious diversity and inclusiveness. LMU takes seriously its Catholic faith teachings to treat all persons with respect. It is dishearten-ing that a few individuals took it upon themselves to damage sacred symbols of Christianity but we should not let these few individuals define who we are or how we respond.

University responds to Nativity vandalism

Re: “Vandalism mars holiday Nativity scene” (Dec. 8, 2011, Page 1)

Dear Editor,

While the damage to the Alumni Mall Nativity scene is regrettable, some of the details of the L.A. Loyolan report on it are perhaps more regret-table. Associating the metal object formed as a Star of David with the description of the damage as a potential hate crime made it sound (whether the writer intended it or not) like the act was potentially committed by anti-Catholic Jewish vandals. Yet, truly, there is almost no history of anti-Catholic Jewish acts like that now or in the past. But the history of Christian anti-Semitism is full of specious allegations of Jewish acts against Christian holy symbols. We now rightly see these al-legations as scapegoating of Jews and anti-Semitic prejudice. So let’s be careful about the way we talk and write about such incidents.

Fr. Brett C. Hoover, CSP, Ph.D.Visiting assistant professor, theological studies

We’d Like To Hear From You: Loyolan Letters Policy Letters@theloyolan.com

The Loyolan welcomes letters to the editor. All submissions must include the author’s first and last name, phone number, e-mail address and year in school

or relation to the University (i.e. alumnus, professor, etc.). Submissions should be typed and no more than 300 words.

Letters to the Editor

Re: “Vandalism mars holiday Nativity scene (Dec. 8, 2011, Page 1)

Dear Editor,

This article describes the vandalism as well as “a metal object in the form of a Star of David” that was found in the hay area of the Nativ-ity scene. [Loyolan Managing Editor and author of the article Laura] Riparbelli is implying that the object found is directly correlated to the vandalism and that the vandal is Jewish. She then follows with details on how this is considered a hate crime. By definition, a hate crime is a criminal act against an individual or group of individuals because of their perceived race, color, religion, ancestry, etc. While the tampering of this display is disrespectful, I think it is an exaggeration to consider it a hate crime. This and similar sorts of vandalism have occurred in the past. I am not condoning this sort of behavior, but if you look through Facebook, I’m sure you will find numerous photographs of students, holding and touching the figures. To imply that this is a “hate crime” in connection with Jewish students is offensive. I also find it inappropriate that Riparbelli chose to interview only Fr. James Erps, S.J. Riparbelli is writing a biased article. If she was just presenting the facts, she would have interviewed the campus rabbi or another campus leader of the Jewish community. It seems unjust to only share one perspective, especially since Riparbelli is stating that a “hate crime” may have been committed. I am not condoning the behavior of the students who vandalized the figures. I also understand the vandalism is offensive and disrespectful towards the principles of our University. I hope that you will take the time to reflect on my points and the way in which the article was written. This article negatively portrays the Jewish community on campus, jumps to extreme conclusions and has offended quite a few members of the LMU community.

Allyson SchwartzPresident of HillelSenior communication studies major

Board Editorials represent the voice of the Loyolan. They are written in collaboration by the Executive Editorial Board.

Board EditorialAngelica Cadiente

Public Editor

Kenzie O’KeefeEditor in Chief

Laura RiparbelliManaging Editor

Michael GoldshollAsst. Managing Editor | Sports Editor

Katie Matthews | Loyolan

The vandalism of the Alumni Mall Nativity scene on Dec. 6 left the statue of Mary without a ring finger. More instances of mischief have occured since then (see “New reports of Nativity scene mischief emerge,” Page 1).

Acts of vandalism spark controversy

By LMU’s Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT)

GUEST EDITORIAL

“Hate crimes are expressed in several ways and can, in the case

of the Dec. 6 incident, involve violence against property. ”

www.laloyolan.com

January 12, 2012

Page 6 OpiniOnA stitch in time won’t save nine

There is a fine line between consistency and predictability, the toe-

ing of which ultimately deter-mines whether our actions prove to be efficient or boring.

Modern soci-ety is riddled with appli-cations and micromanage-ment tech-niques that aid in making our lives more con-venient rather than mun-dane. However, there is always someone who decides to take it too far and tries to implement an

unnecessary solution to the seem-ingly commonplace. In this instance it is Steve H. Hanke and Richard Henry, researchers at Johns Hopkins University, who have decided to unearth and devote their time to Calendar Reform, in hopes of tracking the lunar year more efficiently.

Currently we use the wide-ly known, 365-day Gregorian calendar, which adjusts for accuracy by adding an extra day in February every four years. If the Hanke-Henry Calendar is implemented by Jan. 1, 2017 (the target date for hopeful universal adop-tion on Henry’s website), our calendars would consist of a 364-day year. An extra week, or “Xtr” as it is called on the website henry.pha.jhu.edu/cal-endar.html, would be added every five or six years at the end of December, depending on an equation created for the calendar. Because of this, the days in every lunar year

would fall on the exact same date as the current 2012 cal-endar; Jan. 12 would always fall on a Thursday, Christmas would always be on a Sunday and so forth.

Henry explained in a Dec. 28 interview with Wired Magazine in an article enti-tled, “Proposed new calendar would make time rational,” by Brandon Kelm, that on a practical level the Hanke-Henry Calendar would eliminate the recur-ring work where “every institution in the world has to change their calendar. Sports s c h e d u l e s . Every company. The dates of holidays have to be reset. And it’s all totally unnecessary.” Furthermore, it would elimi-nate Daylight Savings Time by setting all clocks to Universal Time, or Greenwich Mean, in order to make the calendar truly uni-versal . H e n r y a n a l o -g i z e s the use of Daylight Savings Time to a scenar-io where “the government decided that in summer we should drink more water, and so in the summer had the size of the quart increase, so that you got more water with a

quart . . . It’s as stupid as that.” On a superficial level, this

proposal seems quite conve-nient. However, it seems to pose multiple problems, both technically and abstractly. A National Public Radio seg-ment brought

up the issue that certain hol-idays or religious observances such as Shabbat can rely upon multiple calendars, there-by creating more confusion

around when the celebrations ought to occur according to the cultural or religious norms. Then, there is the whole issue of having a universal

time. Henry’s p r o p o s a l

seems strange because it

ignores the very real experience

of the relativity of time and chooses to

disregard the enor-mous oddity of hav-

ing a standardized time that may not nec-essarily align with the experience. As Helm explains, Greenwich Mean Time would have

people in the Western U.S. going to bed

at “7 a.m.,” r e g a r d -less of it being night. C e r t a i n l y people could eventua l l y overlook this and adapt to organiz ing things around these univer-sal hours and minutes, but is it really worth it just so that dates fall on the exact same days?

Consider p e o p l e who have birthdays on Jan. 31.

On the Hanke-Henry Calendar, this date no lon-ger exists. On his website, Henry simply says that people who have to deal with this issue can

“be like Queen Elizabeth: cel-ebrate your birthday on a date of your choosing!” Sure, that’s an easy fix. But how about when your date of birth is required for a credit card? Or a job application? Can I sim-ply put down whatever date I feel so inclined to have my new birthday on? It matters on a personal and social level. Henry may not care about his own birthday (or perhaps he is not affected by the change his calendar creates), but that does not mean others will feel the same.

And Henry also admits that those in the agricultural industry will have to refer to certain dates on the Gregorian calendar to keep spring plant-ing days on track. If that’s the case, then it seems the necessity of the Hanke-Henry Calendar becomes reduced. Even Henry admits that the question can be reduced to: “Do I want a very accurate but very inconvenient calen-dar (Gregorian), or do I want a more-than-adequately-accurate but very convenient calendar (Hanke-Henry)?” It doesn’t seem as if the inconve-niences of a Gregorian calen-dar really create such an enor-mous problem. We’ve gotten along just fine so far. Do we really need to make our lives so organized that our days become homogenized? To do so only illustrates a superficial need to impose our superior-ity upon the flow of time, over which we have no real control. Let the days unfold as they do.

Sodexo’s steady supportIn my first weeks of school,

I was educated about the crucial Sodexo facts

every LMU student should know: the chicken nuggets are prepared in a way to make

them totally a d d i c t i n g , wheat is sprayed on the salads to ensure weight gain and all workers are u n d e r p a i d and mistreat-ed because of their exten-sive criminal records. As a market-ing intern at

Sodexo, my job is to connect to the student body, so I have studied these accusations carefully. The first rumor may or may not be true, but the last two most definitely are not. So beware, all future white-collar criminals, a fel-ony will not help you get a job with Sodexo any more than it will with the CIA. Yet, if you somehow manage to slide through the interview, the job ben-efits aren’t half bad.

A job with Sodexo promises far more stability than many other corporations. In fact, Mother’s Magazine has once again named Sodexo as one of America’s best companies that help hourly workers suc-ceed and advance. This is because Sodexo goes above and beyond its legal require-ments and facilitates a vari-ety of programs to help sup-port employees. According to

the Sodexo website, the com-pany offers a tuition reim-bursement program and it offers a life insurance pro-gram. For all those problems in the middle, Sodexo offers every worker extensive ben-efits: medical, vision, dental, disability, psychological sup-port and a 401K. An array of programs is offered within each of these categories to best suit individual needs. Sodexo’s LMU branch even tops these standards regard-ing salary. It may surprise you to learn that according to the LMU website, every full-time Sodexo LMU employee is paid a Los Angeles living wage, which is 25 percent higher than the California minimum wage. Not too shabby.

Just as these benefits help employees outside the work-place, Sodexo offers programs to strengthen the community within it as well. Specifically, Sodexo prides itself on the size and resilience of its

diverse community. Its “Spirit of Mentoring” program pro-vides employees with formal and informal opportunities to seek out a mentor for the pur-pose of increasing the depth of diversity within the company. The program offers employ-ees the opportunity to sup-port one another and share perspectives as they foster

personal and professional growth. Other programs such as “Champions of Diversity” and “Employee Network Groups” focus on promoting individual action by offer-ing rewards to individuals who go above and beyond to advance diversity and com-munity. These programs have been so successful that, in 2011, Sodexo was ranked sec-ond on DiversityInc’s “Top 50 Companies for Diversity” list and placed among the top 10 companies on each of its lists for Latinos, Blacks, Global Diversity and People with Disabilities. This rank is only a short drop from the number one spot in 2010.

You may never have viewed Sodexo as a potential employ-er, but considering the perks, it may be something that could suit you. The company offers a diverse community and substantial benefits to all of its workers. This allows each employee the opportu-

nity to further develop his or her career. At Sodexo, workers are empowered to further themselves and their fellow workers through the development of a unique community. It is comforting to know large businesses exist who aim to finan-

cially support their workers and increase quality of life. If more companies begin to adopt policies like Sodexo’s, the Occupy Wall Street move-ment may need to re-mark its signs to “98%.”

The Los Angeles Loyolan is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press and the California College Media Association.

Kenzie O’Keefe

Laura RiparbelliAngelica CadienteMichael Goldsholl

Adrien JarvisTierney Finster

Margo JasukaitisZaneta Pereira

Brigette ScobasChristopher James

Kim TranAnna-Michelle Escher

Joseph DemesAmanda KotchKevin O’Keeffe

Luisa BarronJackie Fischer

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Hailey HannanLexi Jackson

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The Los Angeles Loyolan, a student-run campus organization, publishes a twice weekly newspaper for the greater LMU community. The first copy is free of charge. Additional copies are $1 each. Paid, mailed subscriptions can be purchased through the Business department. The Loyolan accepts unsolicited letters from students, faculty, staff and alumni, and press releases from on-campus and off-campus organizations, but cannot guarantee publication. The Loyolan reserves the right to edit or reject all submissions, including advertisements, articles or other contributions it deems objectionable. The Loyolan does not print consecutive articles by the same author that repeat/refute the initial arguments. Opinions and ideas expressed in the Loyolan are those of individual authors, artists and student editors and are not those of Loyola Marymount University, its Board of Trustees, its student body or of newspaper advertisers. Board Editorials are unsigned and reflect the opinions of the Executive Editorial Board. Guest editorials are by invitation of the Executive Editorial Board and reflect the views of the author. All advertisements are subject to the current rates and policies in the most recent Advertising Rates and Information materials.

Loyola Marymount University

Loyolan Editorial PolicyBy Alex AllioneContributor

Don’t Quote MeBy Joseph DemesAsst. Opinion Editor

This is the opinion of Joseph Demes, a junior English and philosophy double major from Clayton, Calif. Please send comments to jdemes@theloyolan.com.

2012 -

“The company offers a diverse community and substantial

benefits to all of its workers. ”

This is the opinion of Alex Allione, a junior entrepreneur major and marketing intern at Sodexo from Costa Mesa, Calif. Please send comments to ktran@theloyolan.com.

Graphic by Alberto Gonzalez | Loyolan

write for Opinion?

Contact Kim TranKtran@theloyolan.com

Want to

www.laloyolan.com Arts & EntErtAinmEntFilm, Literature, Music, Restaurants and Theater

January 12, 2012

Page 7

A vegetarian or vegan café attached to a yoga studio is pretty much ev-

ery Southern Californian yup-pie’s dream. As someone who both takes yoga classes and freaks out upon finding a new

veggie café, I suppose I have to simply ac-cept that I am, indeed, one of them. Nite Moon Café is a vegetarian café in the same space as Golden Bridge, a yoga studio located in Hollywood on High-

land Avenue. I should’ve known this

wouldn’t be quite my kind of place upon seeing the rush of mommies toting toddlers in their luxury SUVs. But hey, this is a yoga studio in Hol-lywood, so what else could I expect? Once my friend and I stepped inside the airy, bright space and stepped up to order, one of the workers stared at me blankly instead of asking for my order. (Maybe he was medi-tating?) Eventually he came to, and I asked for the Peanut Butter Bliss smoothie and the B.L.T. sandwich with tempeh bacon and avocado.

There’s a small outdoor patio with a large communal table and an assortment of typically barefoot yoga moms and beard-ed yogis. It was a beautiful day, and they said they would bring the food out to us, so we perched out in the sunlight.

The guy from the counter

brought out the smoothie first. It was a decent size, and I’m somebody who’s used to $5.95 16-ounce smoothies, but I also realize this is definitely on the pricey side. For an absolutely mind-boggling, revelatory smoothie, that’s a price I’m willing to pay. But the combina-tion of peanut butter, banana, cinnamon, agave and soy milk turned out to be good – but not great. I love peanut butter with a passion but will admit it’s hard to swallow for an entire 16 ounces. It was rich, very creamy and tasty, but too much to drink in one sitting.

Then out came the B.L.T. I appreciate the sandwich being served on toasted wheat bread, but I think that cafés should step it up beyond the ol’ sliced

bread because that’s something you can easily make at home. The sandwich came with a side of the house salad – a gener-ous portion of fresh greens, shredded carrots and sunflower seeds, all with a nice helping of the homemade balsamic dress-ing.

I’ll be frank: I have already found the perfect vegan B.L.T.

(the B.L.T. wrap at Real Food Daily in Santa Monica) and have serious doubts as to it ever being matched. This sand-wich, much like the smoothie, was perfectly acceptable, but nothing special. At a steep $10.95, I expected at least a slightly above-average take on the B.L.T. But the tempeh bacon was what can only be expressed as “meh,” and the greens, tomato and avocado were fresh as they could be but couldn’t make up for the

ordinariness of the sandwich. The vegenaise tasted a bit off, but perhaps it was just a brand I hadn’t tried before.

The salad was quite deli-cious. It’s not common enough to find sunflower seeds tossed on top of a salad, which is strange because they’re quite frankly delicious and nutritious (if you’ll pardon the rhyme that my mother has repeated to me since I could remember – she’s a dietician, so it’s OK).

Overall, it’s not a café I would

go out of my way for, or even bother with if I’m in the Hol-lywood area. Prices are way too high for the ordinary products at Nite Moon Café. Besides, I’m never in the mood to be surrounded by crying toddlers being pushed around in giant strollers by harried yoga moms.

This is the opinion of Luisa Barron, a junior screenwriting major and philoso-phy minor from Houston, Texas. Please send comments to lbarron@theloyolan.com.

Veggie VenturesOverpriced and underwhelming fare at Hollywood’s Nite Moon Café

Veggie Ventures 2.0By Luisa BarronAsst. A&E Editor

All sandwiches come with a generous helping of the house salad. Pic-tured above is the B.L.T. sandwich, made with grilled tempeh bacon and avocado added at an extra cost.

Luisa Barron | Loyolan

Nite Moon Café1357 N. Highland Ave.Los Angeles, CA 90028

(323) 936-4172Hours: Monday - Thursday 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Friday10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Saturday - Sunday10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

January 12, 2012

Page 8 www.laloyolan.comArts & EntErtAinmEnt

F or anyone who’s ever been stuck at an elementary school piano recital and

was left wanting more, Mane En-tertainment (ME) is going to be hosting a “Dueling Pianos” per-formance on Jan. 18 in The Living Room.

The concept of “dueling pianos” is basically a live show where the audience participates by calling out songs for the performers to play on the spot. According to ME Special Events Manager and ju-nior sociology major Sharon Agu-ilera, “Students will be able to call out song names, and the perform-ers will play and sing on the pia-nos. Students will be able to sing along, battling the other pianists.”

The Midwest Dueling Pianos will be providing the entertain-ment. Their website claims that their “one-of-a-kind entertainment experience” will have the audience “singing, cheering, dancing and laughing so hard they’ll be doubled over gasping for breath.”

ME Signature Events Manager and senior communications stud-ies major Tiffany Hunter said, “We thought it would be something new and exciting to bring to cam-pus. Plus, it seemed that dueling piano shows were becoming more popular. I think I heard of some big dueling piano show in Vegas, so [it would be cool] to bring that atmosphere to The Living Room.”

This sort of “live karaoke” as Aguilera calls it, is something new and different for ME to bring to campus. Neither Aguilera nor Hunter has attended a dueling piano show before. Hunter added that she’s “very excited to see what it’s all about. It’s very much driven by audience participation, which adds a new and fun dynamic to the event.”

As to whether this will be a recurring event, Hunter said, “I think that we’ll gauge the at-tendance and feedback from this event to determine whether or not we’ll bring it back in future semes-ters. If students love it, then I defi-nitely think it would be something to keep on our radar.”

“Dueling Pianos” will be held in The Living Room at 8 p.m. on Jan. 18. The event is free.

Music PreviewBy Luisa BarronAsst. A&E Editor

Dueling pianos puts audience in control

Shopping wisely can save you money and the stress of buyer’s remorseY ou know that feeling

when you walk into a store and spot that

item you have been look-ing for everywhere? You pick it off the shelf where it is neatly folded and start looking for your size. This is

when you run into the first problem. You search every arti-cle ever so carefully to make sure you don’t miss the one that’s your size. To no avail, you try and convince yourself that the

next size down or up will fit. Then there is another problem: the price tag. Fi-nally, you put the item down realizing it just isn’t worth it and walk out of the store defeated.

With so many items to buy and not a large enough bud-get, spending a lot of money isn’t usually high on people’s list of things to do, espe-cially when their friends are already persistently calling them a shopaholic. Whether you find yourself hope-lessly wandering the mall or searching online, if you look hard enough and think wisely, you can always come across a deal.

The amount of money people pay for one article of clothing these days has be-

come increasingly inane, and being a college student on a budget doesn’t help. Instead of buying something you think you need when it’s out of your price range, wait and see if you can find something else that tickles your fancy just as much or more for less. I can’t express the anger I have felt walking into stores and seeing something I bought a few weeks prior, now on the sale rack for half of the original price.

If waiting doesn’t suffice, double-check the reasoning for your purchase. If you go

into a store and see a cute pair of black Steven Madden heels that would go perfectly with. . . well something, you probably should hold out on the expense until the other three pairs of black heels you have magically disappear.

Men might think this doesn’t apply to them if they don’t like to shop, but buy-ing another $60 video game at Best Buy starts to add

up too. Most people fail to realize the endless discounts for a wide array of consumer products that can be found with the click of a button.

As technology advances, it continues to consume our world. Most people under the age of 14 don’t even know there is such thing as ordering out of a catalog because times have changed and that age-old tradition

has turned to dust. But I wouldn’t consider it a hor-rible loss – the paper being wasted for catalogs that usu-ally get thrown in the trash is coming to a stop. We now have better tools to optimize our shopping needs. Type the item you are looking for into Google, and you can find multiple carriers of your product with prices accompa-nying them for your conve-nience. Personally, I find that online shopping ends up being cheaper and more beneficial for most people. This isn’t surprising because people living in this economy need money, so instead of buying items, they are sell-ing items online, which can be yours for a nominal fee.

Next time you want to buy the newest Marc Jacobs handbag or most popular video game on the market, check out sites like eBay and Amazon, which have endless deals on more items than you would think.

When it comes to shopping, it’s hard to decide whether or not some purchases are worth the money or not, so my biggest advice is to ask yourself, “Do I actually need it? How will it benefit me?” It almost always works.

This is the opinion of Jackie Fischer, a freshman communication studies major from Sacramento, Calif. Please send comments to jfischer@theloyolan.com.

Fisching for Sense By Jackie Fischer Asst. A&E Editor

Shopping expenses can slowly add up on a credit card bill. Keep track of spending and spend wisely.

Associated Press

Dueling PianosWhere: The Living Room

When: Jan. 18, 2012 at 8 p.m.

Admission is FREE

www.laloyolan.com Arts & EntErtAinmEnt January 12, 2012Page 9

D r. Kelly Younger is not only an English pro-fessor at Loyola Mary-

mount University but also an established playwright with work staged around the world. On Wednesday, Jan. 18, he will share his insights and les-sons learned with the commu-nity along with short perfor-mances of his original works with acting performed by LMU students during LMU’s first Alumni Author Series cel-ebration.

As part of the centennial celebration activities, William H. Hannon Library created a “semester-long series with lo-cal authors, focusing on some of [LMU’s] successful creative literary alumni” said Outreach Librarian, Jamie Hazlitt.

The library’s Programing Committee was able to iden-tify over 25 alumni with suc-cessful writing careers but had to narrow their selection down to five. They ended up select-ing five alumni that have been nationally recognized, includ-ing Younger.

Younger, a ’94 alumnus, graduated with a degree in English literature and ancient Greek. He had his break-through as a playwright while living in Ireland and browsing in a bookstore, Younger told the Loyolan. He saw a flier with a large reward for a play-wright. The challenge was to write a play with a focus on Lady Gregory, co-founder of the Abbey Theatre. Lacking a play like that on hand, he disregarded the contest until he was at the grocery store and saw an ad for chocolates named after famous Irish women, one of whom was Lady Gregory explains Younger. He then proceeded to go home, write a one-act play to send in and go on with his life. He later went on to win the con-test and meet many important people.

This is when he realized, “Hey, I can make a living as a playwright,” said Younger.

His most popular piece is a 10-minute play titled “I Think You Think I Love You,” which

is performed around the coun-try, as well as internationally. It is a short comedy about a woman named Branwyn who has had an exhausting day af-ter her mother’s death, when a man, Mark, knocks on her door; because of her state of mind, she doesn’t realize why he is really there. She believes he has come in pursuit of pur-chasing her mother’s house, when he is actually there to take her on the blind date that had previously been sched-uled.

“Playwrights must work with directors, actors, pro-ducers, designers, et cetera in order to stage their work. That is actually what I find so exhilarating and terrify-ing about being a playwright,” said Younger.

Due to success with his one-act plays and his ability to work with others, Younger has been given many great oppor-tunities to expand his career.

“[The Alumni Author Se-ries] is truly an opportunity to showcase to our community both on- and off-campus what an LMU education did for five award-winning literary tal-ents” said Hazlitt.

Younger will kick off the Alumni Author Series in the Von der Ahe Family Suite in Hannon Library on Wednes-day, Jan. 18 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public with RSVP. Younger’s plays will be sold at the event with time for book signings and questions.

Event PreviewBy Jackie FischerAsst. A&E Editor

Alumni Authors Series kicks off

Dr. Kelly Younger, a ‘94 alumnus, is the first of five successful alumni au-thors to be celebrated this semester.

Todd Warshaw

I t was a year of dance pop and girl power on the radio, loads of laughs but low ratings on tele-

vision and a mixture of franchise-heavy laziness and ambitious spirit in moviemaking. 2011 was, in many ways, a Jekyll-and-Hyde

kind of year in pop culture: fantastic in some ways, tragically bad in others.

Nowhere was this split more evident than in the movie the-aters across the country. There were vi-sionary direc-

tors taking major risks and crafting near-masterpieces throughout the year – all in the same year that the top ten highest-grossing films belonged to franchises, led by the final installment in the behemoth “Harry Potter” merchandising ma-chine. The non-franchise film that performed the best in the box office was “The Help,” which was based on a best-selling novel written by Kathryn Stockett.

In the film business, however, dollars and cents rarely add up to quality. At the Academy Awards next month, it’s likely that “The Artist” will be crowned Best Picture. It’s a fine choice, and it rep-resents the tenacity and ingenuity of filmmakers not aiming to create a movie about a superhero/wizard/vampire/toy this year. A French film directed by Michel Hazanavi-cius, “The Artist” is a tribute to the golden age of cinema, filmed in black and white and almost entirely as a silent movie. It joins Martin Scorsese’s 3-D thrill “Hugo” and the Michelle Williams-starring “My Week with Marilyn” in a trio of films released this year obsessed with the creation of cinema.

Joining “The Artist” among my personal favorite movies this year is “Drive,” an ambitious, gritty character study directed by Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn. The film stars Ryan Gosling, truly the man of the moment with two other fantastic performances in “The Ides of March” and “Crazy, Stupid, Love.”

The biggest surprise in cinema during 2011 was how excellent so many of the comedies were. No film exemplified this more than

“Bridesmaids,” the brilliantly writ-ten and masterfully acted wedding comedy starring co-writer Kristen Wiig, showing true depth and range when freed from the “Saturday Night Live” mold. “Bridesmaids” was one of two films (the other be-ing “The Help”) that exemplified a truly impressive female ensemble, with Melissa McCarthy, of “Gilmore Girls” fame, leading the charge all the way to a Screen Actors Guild award nomination.

While cinema saw safety rewarded despite massive risks and tenacity among filmmakers, music saw quality and popularity reach a rare meeting point with the supremacy of British songstress Adele. Her album, “21,” and the lead single from said album, “Roll-ing in the Deep,” were Billboard’s number ones in their respective fields for the year.

Adele herself was rewarded with six Grammy nominations for her work. She led the charge in what became a blockbuster year for women in pop music. Katy Perry tied Michael Jackson’s record with five number one singles from the same album. Rihanna released her 20th top 10 single, “We Found Love,” an impressive feat consider-ing her first came just six years ago. Finally, Nicki Minaj had incredible success of her own, independent of all other artists, with the infec-tious summer jam “Super Bass.” Considering the musical monopoly of rappers in the past few years, the dominance of women in pop was a refreshing change.

The trend of women on top and a resurgence of comedy continued into the realm of TV. Fall saw hits in the Zooey Deschanel vehicle “New Girl,” as well as the less high profile but still successful “2 Broke Girls” and “Suburgatory.” Drama series were less successful, with high profile series like “Pan Am” and “Prime Suspect” floundering

in the ratings. However, the soapy “Revenge,” starring strong women in the roles of both protagonist and antagonist, was a sleeper success, becoming the buzziest new show on television. While several shows failed to make an impact, includ-ing the expensive and high-profile “Terra Nova” and “The X Factor,” the successes outnumbered the embarrassments for the first time in several TV seasons.

All in all, it was a solid year for pop culture. There were few phenomena that demanded your attention, such as “Black Swan” in theaters in 2010 or the Black Eyed Peas on radio two years ago, but pop culture was almost universally enjoyable for the first time in a while. Here’s to 2012 keeping up the general quality while upping the “must-see” and “must-hear” factor all around.

This is the opinion of Kevin O’Keeffe, a sopho-more screenwriting major from Austin, Texas. Please send comments to kokeeffe@theloyolan.com.

One last, loving look back at pop culture in 2011

It’s K-OK!By Kevin O’KeeffeA&E Editor

Associated Press

Ryan Gosling, pictured above in a scene from “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” continued his break-through success in 2011.

January 12, 2012Page 10 SportS www.laloyolan.com

Two Plus the Foul: Tebow more than just the hypeTo read Asst. Managing Editor | Sports Editor Michael Goldsholl’s column on Tebowmania

visit Laloyolan.com/sportsthat essentially determines everything that a head coach normally decides. It gives the team a communal vibe and it allows us to play for each other, instead of just for one person,” said Steinauer.

The team had a coach last semester but decided not to bring him back this year. Steinauer said of the deci-sion, “It just was not working out.”

Because LMU men’s volley-ball is a club and not a Divi-sion I sport, each member of the team must pay dues to cover uniforms, travel and fees for referees and venues to play.

“What a lot of people do not understand is that club volleyball is a serious thing, especially because we do not have a Division I team,” said Steinauer. “We take practice and commitment seriously; if you don’t practice, you don’t play.”

LMU’s league has changed from a year ago and Steinauer hopes the change of leagues will spark a new desire to win and generate better results on the court. The University of Southern California (USC), Whittier College, California Lutheran University, Biola University and CSU Chan-nel Islands now join LMU in league play, replacing UCLA,

UC Santa Barbara and Long Beach State.

Last season, the Lions were decimated by injuries, including Steinauer, who sprained an ankle in a game against UCLA which side-lined the captain for multiple games.

“If we can stay healthy, we have a lot of potential to do well this season,” said Stein-auer.

Aside from chemistry on the court, the club spends most of its time together off the court. “We hang out together a lot. Whether it’s hanging out on weekends, playing beach vol-leyball when it’s nice weather or other team bonding things, we are very close to one an-other,” Steinauer said.

Steinauer hopes these bonds will be the key differ-ence this season, with better results to come on the court.

The team begins its journey on Jan. 23 in a scrimmage against non-league opponent Santa Monica City College in Santa Monica. Once league play concludes in mid-March, there is a league tournament, followed by a playoff bracket.

“Our goal is to play the best volleyball we can and sustain it throughout the season,” said Steinauer. “If we can stay healthy, keep team mo-rale high and remained fo-cused, we can end the season on a high note.”

Close-knit club team coaches itselfClub Volleyball from Page 12

WORKOUTRESOLUTIONS

January 12, 2012

Page 11SportSwww.laloyolan.com

had to take on a hefty offensive role and that she needs help of-fensively. “We have to get everyone else to be more consistent and have play-ers who we can rely on, rather than having us kind of in the dark of who’s going to show up and support her,” said Wilhoit. “Alex needs help. … There are two rea-sons why people implode and why they crack: Because they can’t do any more – they are doing every-thing they possibly can, or they just aren’t good enough to do and give any more. The thing for Alex is, she cannot do any more. What more could I ask her to do?” However, while Wilhoit under-stands that Cowling is leaving nothing on the court, she chal-lenged her star player to expand her game even further. “I have asked her to start focus-ing on being a more all-around defender,” said Wilhoit. “I am not really happy with some of the of-fensive rebounds she gives up and some of her defensive switches. So, as perfect as Alex appears right now amongst a team that is struggling, there are pieces of her game that she has got to get better.” Still without a consistent second option on offense, the Lions are eagerly awaiting the return of red-shirt senior guard Candice Nich-ols, who is still recovering from a torn ACL suffered in a game last season. Having undergone four surgeries since the injury, the team originally expected Nichols to return in December near the start of conference play. However, that date has been pushed back even further, and Wilhoit and the rest of the team are now hoping for a February return date. “It just would be unbelievable if we got her. At this point, I feel bad for our team, I feel bad for our staff, but I really feel bad for Can-dice. It’s heart-wrenching. And she knows, if she’s out here, we’re winning. She knows that we’re competitive. … But you have to

figure out what you’re made of and how you’re going to handle all of this. And my job as a coach is to teach these women how to do it. … This is about something else and how to be really good in these moments. They aren’t excuses, they are just the explanation.” Tonight, the Lions will make the drive down south to take on WCC foe University of San Di-ego (11-3, 2-0), looking for their first conference victory. However, the Lions will surely enter USD’s Jenny Craig Pavilion with bitter

memories of their last matchup with the Toreros, who steamrolled LMU with 36 points during the team’s Conference Championship matchup in Las Vegas, Nev. last year. The Lions will tip off play tonight at 7 p.m. in San Diego, Calif. and will return to action the following Thursday as they host WCC-new-comer Brigham Young University. In the team’s inaugural matchup, the Cougars knocked off the Lions by 33 points, 80-47, on Jan. 5 in Provo, Utah.

Lions continue to struggle

Redshirt junior Alex Cowling looks to continue her record-setting pace, rank-ing tenth nationally in points per game (21.4) and eighth in double doubles (8).

Shaina Julian | Loyolan

W. Bball from Page 12

Tell me a couple goals you have for this year’s work-outs?

“I’ve actually been trying to gain weight for a while, so I’m trying to eat more protein after every workout. I’m actually trying to not run as much because I want to build muscle so I’m trying to work out more in the gym and do less running.”

?Joe Dzida, junior, marketing major

Michael Revus, senior, mechanical engineering major

?What is your ultimate workout goal to achieve before the end of next year?

“Try to dunk.”

Sofya Weitz, senior, theatre arts major

? What is your favorite part or favorite exercise when you’re at the gym?

“Probably running because I can do every-thing else somewhere else, but to run here is nice because they have all the TVs and everything. This makes it the most controlled part of working out, because I feel the most satisfied afterwards.”

January

1

Go to gym

Build muscle

Eat more protein

per game while also grabbing 6.4 rebounds per contest. The only other Wave aver-aging double-digit scoring is fellow senior Corbin Moore at 10.2 points per game. Moore is the leader on the glass, pulling down 8.6 boards per game, good for second in the WCC. Thanks to the WCC’s part-nership with ESPN, the ri-valry game will be nationally televised on ESPNU. On Saturday, LMU wel-comes the No. 23 Gonzaga University Bulldogs to Ger-sten Pavilion. Gonzaga was the preseason favorite to win the WCC and currently boasts an undefeated 3-0 re-cord in conference games, as well as a 13-2 overall mark. The nationally-ranked Bull-dogs have won their three WCC games by an average margin of 29.6 points. Gon-zaga has a balanced attack with five players averaging more than nine points apiece, respectfully. Freshman Kevin Pangos has enjoyed a strong start to his college career, averag-ing more than 14 points and three assists per game in a team-high 30 minutes per game. The frontcourt duo of redshirt senior Robert Sacre

(11.5 ppg and 6.8 rpg) and junior Elias Harris (12.7 ppg and 6.8 rpg) anchor a Bull-dogs’ offense that has aver-aged 75 points a game along with a defense that holds op-ponents to just over 61 per contest. Saturday’s 5 p.m. game will be broadcast on Root Sports Northwest. The Lions last defeated Gonzaga, 74-66, on Feb. 18,

2010 when the Zags were ranked No. 9 in the nation. “We’ve shown we can play with anyone in the confer-ence: BYU this year, Saint Mary’s last year, we beat Gonzaga before,” Hamilton said. “There’s not a team in the league we haven’t beat or [at least] competed with as the group of players we have now, so we have shown we can play with anyone.”

Lions confident they can ‘play with anyone’ in WCCM. Bball from Page 12

Sophomore Anthony Ireland had 15 points, four rebounds, four assists and four steals in LMU’s win against University of San Diego last Saturday.

Devin Sixt | Loyolan

Graphic: Dol-Anne Asiru | Design Editor

Compiled by Nathan Dines | Staff Writer

“I think any time you lose at home you need to win two on the road to make up for it,” LMU men’s basket-ball Head Coach Max Good said fol-lowing the Lions’ 11-point road win over the University of San Diego (USD) on Saturday. Tonight, the Lions will attempt to pick up that third consecutive road win when they travel 19.1 miles north on the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu to take on the Pepperdine University Waves at 7 p.m.

After opening West Coast Confer-ence (WCC) play with a win in San Francisco on New Year’s Eve, the Li-ons were dropped at home by confer-ence-newcomer Brigham Young Uni-versity a week ago. LMU now sits at 9-7 overall and 2-1 in conference af-ter the bounce-back win in San Diego.

Separated by less than 20 miles, LMU and Pepperdine have always been natural geographic rivals. With the recent creation of the Wells Far-go PCH Cup, results in head-to-head matchups now tally points for each school with the overall winner being named the PCH Cup Champion at the end of the academic year.

Despite winning the latest of the 155 meetings between the two schools (an 82-79 win in L.A. on Feb. 16, 2011), LMU has struggled might-ily when in Malibu. The Waves have defeated the Lions 14 consecutive times at the Firestone Fieldhouse. Last season, Pepperdine rallied in the final two minutes to pull off a 78-75 win that Good called “an early Christmas present” at the time.

The Lions enter the PCH Cup matchup with a deeper roster than they have had all season. Saturday’s clash with USD marked the return of LMU redshirt junior Ashley Ham-ilton after he missed 12 games with a foot injury. Before sustaining the injury against Harvard University, Hamilton was leading the Lions in scoring and was named as the first WCC Player of Week of the season.

Redshirt senior Drew Viney is an-other Lion who has worked his way

back from injury. Viney missed the first six games of the season after having foot surgery in the offseason. Since returning, Viney has averaged 16.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, team-highs in both categories.

“We’ve got a deep team this year,” Viney said. “We’ve got everybody back and healthy, and when we’re like that, we’re tough to deal with.”

For Pepperdine, the struggles have been primarily on the offensive side of the ball. Despite holding opponents

to a second-lowest point average in the WCC of 61.7 points per game, the Waves have only managed to score an average of 58.5 per contest.

After an offseason that saw a coaching change and a rash of inju-ries, Pepperdine is off to a 7-8 start in the 2011-12 season. The Waves have amassed a 1-3 record in the first two weeks of conference play.

Senior Taylor Darby leads the Waves in scoring with 11.7 points

Led by junior captain Nick Steinauer, the LMU men’s club volleyball team begins the new season minus a head coach, a change in leagues and only two seniors on the active 20-man roster.

The club team, which practices three times a week in Burns Back Court, has a full roster filled with players of all different grade levels and skill sets.

“There is a lot of diversity on our team,” said Steinauer. “Although we are all different in our abilities and playing history, we all have a com-mon goal of working as hard as we can to win.”

One major challenge this club faces is lead-ership and direction without the presence of a head coach to determine starting lineups, practice schedules and playing time for all 20 members of the team.

“We have an executive board on the team

www.laloyolan.comJanuary 12, 2012

Page 12Lion SportSVolleyball embraces changeDespite lacking the leadership of a head coach, the men’s club volleyball team is poised to win.

By Dan Raffety Asst. Sports Editor

Lions to face rival Pepperdine

Devin Sixt | Loyolan

Freshman forward C.J. Blackwell (pictured above earlier this season) has been a key asset off the bench for the Lions, averaging 8.9 points and 12.5 rebounds per game this season.

Women still winless in WCC play

Sometimes, it is the darkest hour that al-lows one to shine brightest.

Sitting without a win through the first four games of its West Coast Conference schedule, the women’s basketball team is still finding ways to remain upbeat and positive, despite losing six of its previous seven games.

“To know that we are where we are – 0-4 in league – to be negative doesn’t do anything for the next game and the game after that,” said Head Coach Julie Wilhoit following the team’s practice on Wednesday morning. “I am build-ing for the next opportunity and our team is responding. I cannot believe, at 0-4, how posi-tive, enthusiastic, energetic and how excited we are. And I think it really comes down to us staying focused on getting better.”

The Lions are fresh off of a 26-point trounc-ing at home at the hands of No. 23 Gonzaga University, but are looking to build off of a strong first-half showing against the Bulldogs, where they trailed by single digits after the first 20 minutes of action.

Amidst the losing, the Lions have managed to produce one statistical spot of sunlight in the form of redshirt junior forward Alex Cowl-ing, who is averaging 23.8 points per game during the losing streak, including a career-high 32 points against St. Mary’s College on Dec. 29, 2011. Cowling is also making national headlines as the 10th leading scorer in the nation, posting 21.4 points per game through 16 contests.

However, despite accounting for 37 percent of the Lions’ point total this season, Cowling is still focusing on expanding her game even further for the struggling Lions.

“Everyone has a role on the team,” said Cowling. “Right now, my role is to score points and get rebounds. And I’m trying to expand my role to play better defense and get more stops defensively. And that’s what I want to do individually. As far as everyone else, we’re get-ting in the gym earlier, we’re getting shots up, we’re making changes for the better.”

Wilhoit acknowledged that Cowling has

See M. Ball | Page 11

Despite losing 12 of its first 16 games, the women’s basketball team remains positive and upbeat.

See W. Bball | Page 11

The men’s basketball team attempts to break 14-year losing streak at Pepperdine University. ByJohn WilkinsonAsst. Sports Editor

Devin Sixt | Loyolan

Women’s swimming to host UC San Diego for Senior Day this SaturdaySaturday’s meet against the UC San Diego Tritons will be the Centennial Meet for the LMU women’s swim team. This will be the first meet for the team since the holiday break and will begin at 12 p.m. at Burns Aquatic Center.

By Michael Goldsholl Asst. Managing Editor | Sports Editor

See Club Volleyball | Page 10