In the past, this motley crew has given us several classics including Monty Python and the Holy Grail, The Meaning of Life, The Life of Brian and Brazil. Along with these classics, they provided us with 45 episodes of one of the highest rated shows of all time. Monty Python’s Flying Circus aired from 1969 to 1974 and began the troupe’s success. Their creative genius inspired a new genre of comedy and other works including the hit Broadway play Spamalot, and the game Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail, both of which were based on the Monty Python movie Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

“I’m glad that they are going to make a new movie together,” said Brittany Gregson, a Public Relations major at Florida State University. “Their show and movies had such an impact on our society, even if it was a British comedy. I grew up watching it and it would be cool if future generations were able to as well. It’s the British version of Disney: jokes kids will love and humor adults appreciate.”

While the men have staunchly stated that this movie will not, in any way, be a Monty Python film, people cannot help the excitement that they feel. This is the first time in over a decade that the group will reunite to work on a project together. After the cast went their separate ways, they all went on to star in and produce popular British movies. Cleese, perhaps the most recognized of the group, has most recently become Q in the James Bond movies. The Monty Python franchise has grown larger than anyone ever anticipated and it has catapulted virtually unknown actors from struggling comedians to some of the most prominent names in television and film.

Even with the denials that Monty Python will have any connection with the film there is no doubt that all of the special talents that the crew brought to the series and movies will make themselves known in this new film. What else can we expect from the men who brought us a killer rabbit (“That’s the most foul, cruel and bad tempered rodent you ever set eyes on!”), a limbless knight in denial of his “flesh wounds,” an unexpected Spanish Inquisition, and an ex-leper?

“I think that the movie will be entirely Montypythonesque,” said Elaine Treharne, a professor of English and History of Text Technologies at Florida State University who is from Great Britain. “I don’t think it could be anything else.”

The excitement is building among Monty Python fans. The movie is sure to be a success and people will be flocking to the box-office to catch it when it is released sometime next year.

Although more research is needed, the recent UNC publication in Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology reveals that the procedure is painless and promising. This procedure involves sinking the genitals into warm salt water for 15 minutes while 3 MHz of ultrasound are emitted into the water. Being most effective when a consecutive dose of ultrasound is administered two days later, two 15-minute exposures to ultrasound reduces sperm count. In rats, after these exposures, sperm count dropped to less than 10 million sperm per milliliter, which is a level considered to be “sub-fertile” in humans.

While much of the current research on this form of male birth control has only been tested on rats, a similar 1970 study on ultrasound by Mostafa S. Fahim briefly reviewed the effects of ultrasound on men being treated for prostate cancer. The study demonstrated similar infertility results to the recent rat study. These studies indicate that human males and rats produce sperm in a similar manner.

“The process of making sperm is similar among all mammals, as far as I know,” said Elaine Hull, a Florida State University Professor who studies male reproduction in rats. “There are spermatogonia along the outside edges of the seminiferous tubules that repeatedly undergo mitosis.  Some of the resultant new cells become sperm as they make their way to the center of the seminiferous tubule and are then transported to the epididymis for storage and final maturation.”

Despite this being groundbreaking research, much more testing is needed before this contraceptive can become widely marketed.  Questions still remain regarding cost effectiveness and permanency, as well as any possible side effects. Researchers’ biggest concern is whether or not the ultrasound could cause mutations on a developing fetus should the contraception prove to be ineffective.

“The problem is getting the research to the point that the safety and reversibility could be demonstrated,” said Hull.

Along with health concerns, many question the practicality of what may seem like an extreme measure to prevent pregnancy.

“I would never consider doing this,” said Brandon Perry, a senior Accounting major at Florida State University. “I would be afraid of it causing more harm than benefit, as in possibly killing other cells besides just the cells that produce sperm. I would definitely be surprised to hear other men being in favor of it.”

Although some men are resistant to the idea, some point out that this preventative measure could be a better alternative to traumatic surgery in the form of a vasectomy.

“If I had health concerns that warranted its use, I wouldn’t be opposed to it,” said Sterling Powell, a junior Political Science major at Stetson University.

While women have several forms of contraception to choose from, men only have a handful of options. The risky nature and permanent effects of a vasectomy blended with the unpredictable nature of using condoms makes this and other male contraceptive research useful.

“A guy should take part in birth control, not just women,” said Jonathan Sigrist, a Computer Engineering major at Tallahassee Community College. “If zapping undergoes actual long term testing and is semi-effective, I’m all for it.”

Because this new form of birth control has resulted in conflicting opinions, how the birth control is advertised if it hits the market is crucial. Some opponents of this new contraception argue that the product should not be advertised as a ‘zap’ if they are expecting men to be receptive.

Regardless of the controversy surrounding male contraceptives, a road has been paved to a new way of thinking.

“I think that eventually it could be practical and promising for a minority of men,” said Hull. “I’m sure that there are some men who would be willing to take on the burden of contraception, or at least share it with their wives from time to time.”

Screaming Females is a 3-piece indie rock/post-punk band hailing from New Brunswick, New Jersey. Not for those who are easily intimidated,  they have long been known for their monstrous hooks, unbelievable live performances, and the commanding Siren-like vocal approach of their diminutive frontwoman Marissa Paternoster.

The release of their fifth studio album, Ugly,  is out on Don Giovanni Records.  It was engineered by indie hero Steve Albini (Nirvana, Superchunk, Jawbreaker) and the album benefits immensely from his expertise: it is loud and it shreds. Following up the mildly disappointing Castle Talk, Ugly is a big step forward for the band.

There is a small disclaimer, however. Before putting the headphones on, it should be noted that Marissa’s vocals aren’t for everyone—at least initially. Some have gone so far as to say that she’s unlistenable. Of course, these people are simply misguided. Marissa’s vocals are wholly unique, yes, but that isn’t a bad thing. It may just take a little getting used to.

On Ugly, Marissa proves once again why she’s one of the best guitarists in the underground. She exhibits a unique confidence and dynamism in both her riffing and her solos which keeps the record at a high energy level.  Thankfully, Marissa knows never to descend into the self-obsessed guitar wankery so common of other guitarists. Often unfairly overshadowed by Marissa, bassist King Mike and drummer Jarrett Dougherty are also especially excellent on this album. They compliment Marissa’s guitar work with a high level of finesse and they both get their own little moments to show off their skill.

Thematically, the album relies heavily on self-analysis, doubt, and fear. Lines like, “Heaven forgive me, heaven forgot me now/Hell is within me, hell’s all around me now” are some of the darkest on the album.  As a result, this is the band’s most personal and affecting recording to date.

This album also has the trio taking more musical risks. “It All Means Nothing” the first single, is perhaps the most catchy song in the band’s catalogue. That chorus will stay with you for weeks. “Expire” is the kind of undeniably cool surf-influenced song that would feel right at home on the soundtrack of a Tarantino flick. On “5 High” Marissa’s varied style really shines through in repeated line deliveries and her snotty vocals. “Tell Me No” is played at such a frantic pace that it feels like the band is at risk of losing control. At a eight minutes, “Doom 84” exhibits the band flexing their musical muscle as tempo changes, mixed structure, start-stop rhythms, and blistering solos litter the song.

It is not until the final track, “It’s Nice,” that the attack of Screaming Females lets up. The band reels it in for a beautiful acoustic number. The song is quieter than anything else on the record as Marissa’s vocal passion comes through more powerfully than on any other song.

Fans will be happy to know that Marissa’s patented screams, largely absent from their last album, make a small but triumphant return in songs like “Tell Me No” and “5 High.” They really give the songs an added layer of depth.

Over the last few years the band has toured relentlessly, resulting in a steady growth in popularity, and finally culminating with the release of Ugly. Spin, the AV Club, the L.A. Times and a number of other media outlets across the country have given the album nearly unanimous praise. Screaming Females are only going to get bigger.

Ugly is an album that delivers a diverse, rocking array of songs, top-notch musicianship, penetrating lyrics, and a full, uncompromising sound. It’s hard not to shower praise upon it. Give Ugly a whirl; you’d be doing yourself a disservice not to.

Head on over to Spin.com to stream the entire album.

Alex Victoria was one such student who felt that something was missing. He was the vice president of his multicultural fraternity and a member of the Hispanic Latino Student Union (HLSU), but he still felt unrepresented.

“There’s a sense in the HLSU, that is a sense of family, of all these cultures coming together. But the Hispanic culture is one that, while we’re all together, everyone likes to be divided as well. Everyone is passionate about their own country and there’s no passion for Mexico,” said Victoria. “I kind of wanted that camaraderie of Mexicans coming together.”

That was when Victoria, a sophomore studying Political Science and Hispanic Marketing Communication, began recruiting. He started wearing Mexican soccer jerseys and jackets that displayed the Mexican flag. Mexican-American students approached him, and the idea of a Mexican-American Student Association took form.

One of these students was Monica Alvarez, a junior majoring in Humanities and Italian, who met Victoria during a HLSU event on Landis Green. She shared many of his feelings on the underrepresentation of Mexican-American students at Florida State.

“I want to share the culture so more people can learn about it, because I don’t think people know what real Mexican culture is,” said Alvarez. “People don’t know the holidays, customs, and food.”

Alvarez, who was born in Mexico, is very passionate about her culture and doesn’t want Mexicans to be misrepresented. These types of sentiments were the basis for forming MASA.

The club became official in early February, but the journey was not without its hurdles. For an organization to become an official FSU club, a member of that organization has to take the Registered Student Organization (RSO) exam. The RSO exam tests the student on how to get money from the Student Government Association and other information on how to become an official club. Most of this information comes from the RSO Handbook, which can be found online. It describes university policies, insurance procedures, and responsibilities.

Through a required workshop, the club learns about the requirements of becoming an organization. They have to have a minimum of ten members and a constitution for the organization. They also must find an advisor.

“It’s pretty tedious, and it could be overwhelming, but if you just find someone who goes and does it, then it’s a cakewalk after that,” said Victoria.

An additional problem the club faced was that a Mexican-American Student Association had existed before and died out. This is an issue that many clubs on campus face.

FSU club Her Campus has come up against a similar challenge.

“I just recently learned the organization that I sponsor needs to be re-organized, so I’m getting some of the past and present leaders together this spring to make sure we don’t lose the momentum they’ve gained over the past couple years,” said Michael Neal, Associate Professor in the English Department and the faculty sponsor of Her Campus.

Students in an RSO take care of most of the paperwork, and the faculty advisor signs off on it and files it annually. The problem is that the students, who are responsible for keeping up with the paperwork certifying the club’s existence, graduate.

Another problem that occurs is that older students tend to fill the executive positions and upon graduating can leave clubs without leadership. If the club doesn’t keep getting new members, sometimes all of the members of the club graduate. This is what happened with past Mexican-American clubs at FSU.

The new club members are trying to make sure this club stays in existence. Although most of the members are juniors and seniors, the president and vice-president are freshmen.

“They’re young, and I think it’s going to have a snowball effect,” said Victoria.

The founding members have also formatted the seven-page constitution to be long-lasting. One Friday meeting in February, they discussed the design of the logo and ordering club T-shirts to spread the word. Although they have enough members to start a club, participation is still sporadic.

“At most there’s ten people, so we’re looking for new members. Membership isn’t restricted at all,” said Alvarez.

Since the first meeting, they have decided positions and developed committees. The committee Alvarez is most excited about is the performing arts committee, which, among other things, hopes to teach folkloric dancing. There are other committees for social events and sports.

The club is also focusing on making the student body aware of its existence. Most of the current members heard about the club through word-of-mouth, but they want to expand their outreach. They hope they can do this with their T-shirts and social media campaign. They also hope to spread word of their organization by attending the functions of other Hispanic-oriented groups, such as the multicultural fraternities and sororities and the HLSU.

MASA is in the process of planning its first event, which will likely be a Mexican-themed social with food and music. Be on the lookout for flyers and members wearing MASA T-shirts around campus for more information.

With endorsements like these, it’s no wonder that the film secured the number one spot in the country within its first two weekends out, or that it has garnered $192 million since its release. This is due entirely to the fact that it The Lorax was all over the TV. They advertised on diapers and in schools, even at the grocery store. By the end of it all, kids were surely begging their parents to see it.

The story gets its name from a cute little orange creature. He is an animated version of a stuffed animal (except he has a moustache and creepily speaks in the voice of Danny DeVito). The Lorax lives in the forest and guards the Truffula Trees that grow there. His warnings about keeping the environment healthy, however, are disregarded by businesses and the useless “Thneeds” produced for hungry consumers and the economic sector. That sounds something like real-world politics and not just a children’s book, right? Well, that was exactly what Theodore Seuss was getting at when he composed the story back in 1971. If you take a look at our progress at curtailing consumption since then, you’ll see we haven’t gotten very far. In fact, have we moved at all?

By the look of things, not much has changed. The trailer for the film exclaims, “The world of Dr. Seuss as you’ve never seen it before!” That’s certainly true. I didn’t realize the world of Dr. Seuss revolved around corporate marketing and green-washing. Neither did I realize that the Lorax had abandoned his environmentally conservative viewpoints in favor of corporate sponsorship, trading his post of forest guardian in for one as benefactor of the “Truffula Seal of Approval” to SUV’s.

Maybe Mazda just bought him out. Their promotional commercial that aired before the film’s release depicts the car driving along a road lined with Truffula Trees (I guess they talked him into paving the forest, too). It’s here they lure children into their product by using colorful graphics, offering a kid’s seal of approval, and by getting the Lorax and his Humming-Fish friends to smile and hold signs that say “Truffula tree friendly.” If SUV’s and factory production suddenly stopped pumping chemicals into the atmosphere, then maybe I’d go for Mazda’s “seal of approval.” Otherwise, that’s what you’d call good old fashioned green-washing. Since when did car companies start advertising to kids, anyway?

It doesn’t stop there. The marketing department not only directs their television ads towards children, but they literally come and sell to children at their schools in the form of a big guy in a Lorax suit with the new CX5 in tow. It is part of what they’re calling the “Read Across America Tour — Driven by Mazda.” The company travels to schools across the nation in exchange for donating to the National Education Association and to school libraries. I imagine children’s literacy was not the impetus behind this marketing campaign. Their hidden agenda becomes even more exposed when we consider the fact that donations are given not out of the goodness of their corporate hearts, but based on how many test drives of the vehicle are successfully completed.  Even though their new product’s  “Skyactive Technology” can boast that it has the highest fuel economy of any SUV in the country, the company cannot go so far as to say that their marketing campaign aligns itself with the message underlying the Seuss classic.

“The whole thing looks like the epitome of hypocrisy,” said FSU Senior, James Lannon.

It’s almost laughable, really, until you realize how serious the implications are. These type of marketing strategies precisely directed at children create a consumers-in-training-program, conditioning children to equate happiness with buying material objects. The fact that Universal Pictures thought they could get away with this unscathed seems foolish. The Lorax has been the quintessential symbol for conservation and environmental responsibility for forty one years, and now he’s the salesman for Mazda? Coupled with the fact that the film’s debut was sponsored by over 70 launch parties, it’s easy to see why it has outraged activists and parents alike. Many boycotted the films and products, posting on blogs and speaking out against Universal Pictures and Mazda.

But, then at the same time, many did not. In fact, the film is one of the highest grossing environmental films ever, runner-up to Avatar and Wall-E.

If you visit the film’s website, you will find that there is a side to the campaign that does support the allegorical moral of Dr. Seuss’s tale. It provides lists of “what you can do” with simple reminders like: “Use a cloth instead of paper towels” or “Use both sides of the paper.” What they aren’t going to say is, “Stop buying so much stuff” or “Stop replacing what can be fixed” or “Use less gas.” The film’s website canot say those things because, though the thematic undertone of the film is to consume less, the studio partnered with corporate entities who do not want people consuming less.

This is why green-washing is so successful at combating calls for environmental regulation and why it is used by nearly every corporation out there with stakes in the public domain: it provides a solution to the anxieties that people have adopted over the years about being “green.” However, instead of buying less things, consumers are told to buy this over that because it’s more “environmentally friendly.” A commercial is never going to tell us to consume less, but that’s what Dr. Suess’s Lorax would have wanted.

Mary Douglas, Youth Services Coordinator at the LeRoy Collins Public Library said, “The books are always better than the movies, always, because it takes you to where you are imagining things, whereas the movie is never allowed to let you imagine…I like when they use literary things to build a movie, let’s say, based on a book, because it always points children, or parents, or young people back to the book, and so that’s really nice.”

But, what happens when children do go back to the book, and instead of relating it’s message to environmentalism and consciousness relate it to driving cars and buying things?

“We agree that it’s totally ironic.” said Douglas.

One FSU scholar and teacher in environmental communication, Ginevra Adamoli, fears for the implications of the film’s commercial tie-ins. “The framing of nature, business, and animation can have a strong impact on how children understand the world…Instead of teaching our children to value nature and protect it because it is a finite resource from which we depend on, we are told that it is ok to buy and drive off road with an SUV, or to indulge in high fructose corn syrup IHOP pan cakes.” Therefore “cartoons and [their] characters get commoditized and used as brand images for many household products, the movie, The Lorax, can be read as a reflection of our consumerist society, which according to advertisers and business companies must start at a young age,” said Adamoli.

Though the movie was released over a month ago now, the issue concerning green-washing is and will continue to remain very prevalent. As consumers and as a society that must consume to function, we need to be more aware of the advertising strategies out there, and also more conscious of what we are buying and for what reasons.

No one could put it better than the late doctor himself: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

On March 21^st, a coup lead by Sanogo overthrew the previous government in Mali and took power. Part of Sanogo’s first order of business was the abolition of Mali’s free elections and constitution. Almost immediately, neighboring countries issued numerous sanctions and restrictions against the country. Less than a month later, after having received no support from any government and under enormous pressure to give back the presidency, Sanogo stood up and said that he would bring back the country’s free elections and constitution but that he needed time to do so. He claimed that he wants to set up a conference to determine a way to smoothly transition from one government to the other. However, Sanogo has yet to announce a date for this conference, and he has yet to bring back the elections and constitution as he said he would.

His dallying indicates that he is trying to buy more time with which to rule the country. People agree that he is only trying to placate the people who are against him being in power by claiming that he will bring these things back.

“He doesn’t really deserve to be in power,” said Ciera Fredrick, a Communications and Media Productions major at Florida State University. “He did wrong in overthrowing the old government and getting rid of the elections and constitution. The only reason he is now bringing forth this new measure is to cover his behind.”

Many want Sanogo to step down now, before the conflict that is brewing in Mali and in neighboring countries reaches its peak.

“He shouldn’t stay in power because he has already done bad things in the country, and it is affecting all of the countries around it,” said Olivia Richards, an Exercise Science major at Florida State University. “No good can come from him staying in power. It seems like he has bad intentions.”

The country has been in a state of severe unrest since Sanogo took power, and there are indications of a violent civil war on the horizon. If he doesn’t step down soon there is the possibility of this turning into another civil conflict like the one currently going on in Syria.

“There is a difference between the two situations because in Syria, the government is targeting civilians, and it doesn’t sound like that is what is happening in Mali currently,” said Megan Shannon, a Professor of Political Science at Florida State University with specializations in international relations, conflict, international organizations, and research methodology. “It is more likely that the country will split into two separate countries. In fact I think that was one of the motives for the coup, so that the unhappy part of the country could cede from the rest.”

Still, the possibility of another Syria-like situation is frightening.

“I don’t think the world can handle this right now,” said Fredrick. “It already has too much on its plate, it doesn’t need another brewing conflict.”

If Sanogo does step down soon, as he has claimed he would, there is a possibility of the country being better off than it was before the coup even occurred.

“You know, it normally just depends on the circumstances,” said Shannon. “There is evidence that the aftermath of coups can lead to stable democracies in countries. In fact, sometimes they are good for countries and are smooth transitions from one form of government to another. It will all depend on how he steps down and what steps are in place for when that happens. There could be a positive outcome to this.”

There is hope that this conflict will end without too much bloodshed, but if past coups are any indication, this hope may be fleeting. The next few months should be very telling.

                  Pink slime is composed of blood, ground bone and intestines, and ammonia. Consumers are concerned with how unhealthy the filler is and have begun to boycott places that sell products that use pink slime.

“It’s disgusting that we have been eating something like that,” said Dariana Rodriguez, a Biology major at Florida State University. “I don’t like the fact that we didn’t know that that stuff was in our food before. Well, I know now and I can definitely say that I won’t eat anything with that in it again.”

Despite the public’s outrage that ammonia is used in the food product, there is some debate regarding whether or not the filler is actually harmful to ingest. In an article for Cleveland.com, Elizabeth Hash, the executive director of the Ohio Beef Council said, “Consumers shouldn’t be concerned about eating the beef filler, the product is safe. The process had to go through rigorous review by the USDA before it was used as a practice.”

Whether or not the product is actually harmful, the public’s general reaction is one of disgust.

“I think that it is disgusting, but overall it doesn’t really matter,” said Mathew Mansuetti, an International Affairs and Political Science major at Florida State University. “I don’t eat meat products, so I’ve never had anything with the pink slime in it. I do know though that, up to a couple years ago, pink slime was only used in dog food.”

There are several possible eventualities that could be caused by the hype, the first of which being that companies will start putting labels on their products to denote that they do not have the additive in their meat.

“Customers are the focal point of marketing,” said Christine Ye, a Marketing professor at Florida State University. “Since the customers will want a higher quality product without this [additive], companies will likely put a label in the nutrition section or [will produce] advertisements that state that the product is pink slime-free. The product, after all, has to sell itself, so all of the important information will be on the packaging. Since consumers are concerned about that information, they will look for it.”

It is also very likely that companies that use this product will stop doing so. If they do stop using the filler, they will have to use more actual beef, which will likely drive the price of beef products up for a while until the supply can meet the demand.

“I think that it will all come down to company responsibility,” said Ye. “The product will likely be more expensive, but to make up for that, [companies] will emphasize it as being of a higher quality, since it won’t contain the pink slime.”

Additionally, the companies that use the additive will start closing down the factories that produce it. In fact, this has already started to occur. Beef Product Inc., one of the largest producers of pink slime, has already closed three of their plants. The factory may reopen them within 60 days, if the hype has died down or if they can find a low cost way to convert the plant into producing meat without the additive. If the factories aren’t reopened, the 650 people who have been temporarily laid off may lose their jobs permanently. On April 2^nd, AFA Foods, a ground beef processor, said that it was filing for bankruptcy because of the pink slime outcry. Companies going out of business, filing bankruptcy, and laying off employees is damaging an economy that is just starting to come back.

Food scares similar to this pop up fairly frequently and then disappear after a short while because they are eclipsed by bigger issues, such as obesity. Only time will tell how long this particular food scare will last and what companies will do to repair their public image.

“There are 3 or 4 good pitchers in the league, but right now he is better than any other, one hundred percent,” said Joaquin Hernandez, a former Cuban baseball player.  “If he stays healthy he will have a better career that Roy Halladay [and] Lee.”

He dominated the opposing team’s lineups all year, but signs of a special season first became noticeable in May, when Verlander threw his second career no-hitter against the Blue Jays.  The hitless streak continued through the 6^th inning of his following start in impressive back-to-back victories.  His success couldn’t be attributed to lucky fielding or a slew of ground ball outs, but to Verlander’s ability to accumulate a surplus of strikeouts against two solid lineups. This was again put on display a month later, when he fanned a career high 14 batters against the Diamondbacks in an 8 inning shutout, marking his 10^th win before the All-Star break.

With the thrills of the young season behind him, Verlander began taking over the league in the second half.  Even after a tough loss on July 15^th, Verlander won 12 straight decisions to close out the regular season over a span of two and a half months.  With a Major League leading 24 wins, 250 strikeouts and AL lowest ERA of 2.29, he grabbed the AL Triple Crown of pitching. Combined with a League high 251 innings pitched, Verlander effectively eliminated any doubt that he truly was the most commanding player of the 2011 MLB season.

Compared to the other aces around the league, Verlander is irreplaceable; he contributes to their success even when he isn’t out on the field.  His ability to eat up innings every outing, no matter what the circumstance, helps the team preserve the arms in their bullpen. It also keeps relief pitchers fresh for games down the road where other starters might need some help.  Most pitchers experience a drop in velocity as they strain into the later innings of a game, but Verlander seems only to excel as the games continue.  His fastball velocity actually increases throughout a game, hitting 99 and 100 miles per hour in the 5^th and 6^th innings and catching opposing batters off guard.  The late game antics lead to 4 complete games, 2 shutouts and a season where Verlander threw at least 100 pitches in every outing.

“Verlander pitched masterfully all year and was the guy [the Tigers] went to when they needed a win,” said baseball fan Troy Provost-Heron.  “He was a product of his own success in 2011.”

It would be hard to argue against Verlander’s raw talent, but he actually gives a lot of the credit to the rest of his team, and for good reason.  Lead by Miguel Cabrera, the Tigers had a stellar offense in 2011, one that could be even more potent in 2012 with the addition of Prince Fielder.  Because they often had an early lead, Verlander would go through games unstressed and in total control, even when he did give up the occasional run.  Once he would leave a game, the back end of the team’s bullpen would take over and hold on to the lead.  Joaquin Benoit was one of the better eight inning guys around, and closer Jose Valverde went the entire 2011 season without blowing a save, keeping all of Verlander’s wins in tact and his record unblemished.

Last season’s MVP and Cy Young awards, along with 2006 Rookie of the Year honors, helped to display that Justin Verlander will go down as one of the greatest pitchers of all time.  The MVP already puts him in elite pitching company with only 24 other pitchers since 1931.  The only hardware he’s missing is a World Series title, and with pitchers like Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Chris Carpenter all  performing at an elite level in their mid-thirties, Verlander will have ample time to make another run for a title in the future. He might even pick up a few more awards along the way.

“I think he can have another season that’s just as good as last year’s,” said Andre Canellas, a baseball fan at FSU. “He’s still in his prime, and has continuously improved throughout his career. Other than his fluky 2008, he hasn’t had less than 17 wins in any season and I don’t expect him to slow down any time soon.”

Featured image by Chuck Welch, story image by Keith Allison.

Amelia Earhart was famous for being the first woman to fly a plane across the Atlantic, both accompanied and solo. She challenged prejudice and the societal roles of women, and her actions did a lot to further women’s rights. On July 19, 1937, 49 days after embarking on a flight around the world, she was declared missing. There is no indication that she was ever seen or heard from again. This disappearance sparked much intrigue, and has blossomed into one of America’s most well-known historical mysteries.

For decades there have been people and organizations coming forward, all claiming to know what really happened to Earhart, but none of the claims have been fruitful. TIGHAR’s expedition was sparked by the discovery of a photo taken four years after Earhart’s disappearance. The photo was found in the collection of Erik Bevington, a cadet of the British Colonial Service who was sent to assess the island of Nikumaroro in the Republic of Kiribati for possible colonization. In 2010, members of TIGHAR noticed something off about the photo and after extensive study and analyses by experts, it was decided that an odd protrusion on one of the reefs off the coast of the island looked like landing gear from the same model of plane as Earhart’s. Once that was established, TIGHAR began looking for funding for the expedition to verify their findings. This led them to Hillary Clinton and the State Department, which after analyzing the photo themselves, agreed with the organization’s findings.

Many are excited about the possibility of Earhart’s craft having finally been found.

“I hope they have truly have found it,” said Ian Kaplan, a Business Marketing major at Florida State University. “It would be nice to have closure.”

As a non-profit, TIGHAR needs to look to donations as a way to fund their projects. While the cost is high, they are fairly confident that the amount of interest in the project will ensure enough funding is donated.

“There are a great many people who are interested and curious about the mystery,” said Rick Gillespie, the Executive Director of TIGHAR. “This could end the theories and speculation. Real, conclusive evidence would solve the mystery and give us the opportunity to recover, conserve and display the wreckage.”

There are several implications that the findings could have if the project is successful. Once the mystery has been solved, when there is no longer any intrigue associated with it, people could become less interested in learning about both the incident and Earhart.

“People will no longer be able to come up with wild conspiracy theories about what happened to her,” said Kimberly Strickland, a Psychology major at Florida State University. “I saw a documentary once talking about how she became a spy in France and then retired to become a housewife after the war. So, after they find her, people will be unable to come up with plausible [or implausible] theories about what happened.”

This could also affect a sense of national identity for Americans. People in this country – as in all countries – pride themselves on their myths and legends. Earhart and her missing plane have acted as a great American mystery for so long that finding her plane would likely create a void that would be difficult to fill.

There is also the possibility of this expedition being a dead end. There have been numerous false leads in the past, so while people should feel hopeful, they must also be realistic about the chances of the crash actually being found.

The results will speak for themselves come July.

100% of the money collected from entrance fees went directly to FSU Habitat for Humanity, along with an additional 10% of vendor sales at the show. The vendors present were LED and glow merchandisers Glo FX, clothing and entertainment company Top Notch Era, and Good Vibe Tribe apparel.

The charitable spirit was very much present at the event, which was staffed by Habitat members.

John Gorrell, FSU student and active Habitat member, expressed the organization’s excitement in regards to the concert.

“It’s our first concert, and the first time we’ve done something on this scale,” said Gorrell. “We hope to do it again next year, if it’s successful.”

And successful it was.

“Everybody had a wonderful time and I do not see this being the last concert FSU Habitat puts on,” said Jessica Silver, FSU Habitat’s current fundraising chair. Silver coordinated the entire event, getting the local acts to jump on board and make the event enjoyable for a lively Tallahassee crowd.

Silver was thrilled with the turnout of the concert, which in total raised about $550 for FSU Habitat for Humanity.

“Since I have been in FSU Habitat for Humanity for about three years now, this event has been the best fundraiser I have gone to,” said Silver. The fundraiser will contribute to funding the building of a house, a practice FSU Habitat does every year. Of the 12 total houses that Habitat has built around the Tallahassee area, six have been completely funded by Habitat’s efforts and the other six in partnership with other Tallahassee affiliations.

This year, Habitat is building a house for Valencia Davis and her two daughters. The house is scheduled to be completed in April.

The Vice President of FSU Habitat for Humanity, Lauren Dickinson, also believes that the concert was a great success and a big step for Habitat.

“While we danced, enjoyed music, and got to know one another, we were also benefitting the great cause of ending substandard housing and homelessness in our community and abroad,” Dickinson said.

The folks at FSU Habitat also gave concert-goers added incentive to come out on Friday night by raffling away tickets to some big-name acts. Among the prizes given away were tickets to upcoming Bassnectar and Mord Fustang concerts. Local Tallahassee dining also got into the charitable spirit, and the town was represented at the event through the raffling away of a gift card for Bella Bella Italian Restaurant.

For those that wish to join the cause and help FSU Habitat for Humanity reach their goals, there are several upcoming fundraising events that you may get involved with. Habitat’s Act! Speak! Build! week is being combined with their three day, on campus event Seminole Shack Showdown. These events will be running from April 26^th through the 28^th.

For more information on FSU Habitat’s efforts and events, visit www.fsuhabitat.org. All students are encouraged to get involved with the organization and attend Habitat’s meetings, held in the Dunlap Student Success Center Monday nights at 6pm.

Photos by Fred Snyder