Pujols and Cardinals Not Reaching Agreement Raises Questions | by: Matt Nucifore

            No matter how honorable and consistent a player is in any sport, when they fail to reach an agreement on a new contract with the team they currently play for these players will feel the spotlight shining on them just a little brighter. We have all heard the major question they are confronted with: for love or money? And when players in all major league sports make astronomical amounts of money, especially compared to in our parents’ and grandparents’ time, our minds tend to wonder on even the best of the best. When referring to the MLB (Major League Baseball), Albert Pujols is one of those players.

                Albert Pujols is the starting first baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals. He has spent his first ten seasons with the team, and in the process collected three National League MVP awards and one World Series ring. According to ESPN, he has hit at least .300 with a minimum of 30 home runs and 100 RBIs for each of those ten seasons, which is the longest streak of its kind in the history of the game. To give perspective on the weight such a record holds, only two players have held streaks close to it, with Lou Gehrig having a nine season streak from 1929 to 1937, and Babe Ruth having a eight season streak from 1926 to 1933. Even those who are not avid fans should recognize the prestige of being in the same category as the Babe.

                It is the productivity shown in these statistics mentioned above that has the media putting so much attention on the eight- time All Star. Pujols will begin this season as the last in his expiring seven- year $100 million contract. This salary, which is very hefty and appealing to us, is tied for only the 25th largest contract ever given to a MLB player, as according to www.mlbcontracts.blogspot.com. According to www.cbssports.com, when you examine the top 25 salaries for the 2010 season, Pujols isn’t even on the list. Pujols’ production in the past ten years has surpassed every other individual position player in the league, which raises the question: Shouldn’t he be making the most money? If players are paid according to their production as a player along with their overall value to the team, you would think so. Pujols has also been a huge spark for the St. Louis Cardinals and for the city of St. Louis. He was drafted onto the team and began his playing days right after the end of the Mark McGuire era, and resurrected a franchise during a time when they desperately needed someone to do so.

                According to ESPN baseball analyst Tim Kurkjian, Pujols is looking for a contract in the range of $300 million over the course of 10 years. At the age of 31, this would have him playing till he’s 41 years old, which is considered to be in the retirement range for baseball. Although this may seem unreasonable to ask for, especially for a team that does not have the same fan base and income as the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox, there is legitimate reasoning behind such a request. The Yankees are in part responsible for the issue, setting the standard when they gave Alex Rodriguez a 10 year deal worth $275 million with incentives. Also as I previously mentioned, Pujols has been the most productive player in the majors in the last ten years, and in a business where you’re paid for your numbers, the argument has to be made that he deserves the most lucrative contract the sport has ever seen.

                I feel pity for Albert Pujols. He has avoided the accusations of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs in a decade where so many of baseball’s once great heroes have been humiliated and brought out into the light for who they really are and what they have done. He not only avoided these accusations, but has won two Gold Gloves and six Silver Slugger Awards to go along with his aforementioned eight All Star appearances, three NL MVPs and one World Series ring. He has made a name for himself in a small city with a small market, especially in comparison to locations such as New York and Boston. Maybe he is taking in the sweet smell of knowing he could be the highest paid, but who could make a reasonable argument as to why he shouldn’t be? Or maybe he finally realized he’s not getting what myself and many of baseball’s finest analysts are saying he deserves. Either way just remember that when you see him on television, or hear about him on the radio, that he is not the typical greedy player who doesn’t care about the game anymore, but that you are getting your chance to see not only one of the greatest players to play the game, but that you’re looking at one of the few pure players left in major league sports. When asked by an ESPN correspondent what he is looking for, he responded with “What do I want? Hey, I want to be a Cardinal forever. That’s my goal.”

Gaming Addiction: A Growing Concern | by: Brian S. Murphy

Although not yet recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) as an official addiction, video game addiction can be defined as an obsession or compulsion with computer or video games that interferes with daily life. Video game addiction is not unlike other psychological addictions, such as compulsive gambling. Video game addiction is slowly growing to be a large problem, leading addicts towards terrible physical and social consequences.

But just how terrible can these consequences be? After all, aren’t drug and alcohol addictions a much more deadly and common problem? Not necessarily. On February 22, the Beijing Times reported the death of a 30 year old man who died after playing a video game at an internet café for three days straight. According to witnesses, the man ate and drank very little, and had no sleep whatsoever. He then collapsed into a coma and was pronounced dead later at a nearby clinic. A tragedy like this is not as uncommon as it sounds. There have been multiple reports of people dying from lack of sleep and nutrition due to extended sessions playing video games. Sometimes the tragedy is not the gamer who’s addicted, but their family that is affected. On March 5th, 2010, a South Korean couple was arrested for starving their 3 month year old girl due to neglect. The parents had left the child unattended while they devoted all of their free time playing an online game at an internet café. Ironically enough, the game that they were playing involved raising a virtual daughter. While often these are extreme cases, we cannot deny the power that video games can have over people’s lives.         

What is it about these games that make them so addicting that they can push a person to the brink of death? A difficult question, considering there are many different types of video games. Arguably the most addicting type of video game is the Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games (MMORPG). An MMORPG is a type of game where large numbers of players can interact with each other in a virtual world. Often these types of games have the player take control of a character and its actions while being encouraged to interact with other players. For some, this is the hook. Because players are interacting with real people, they can form actual relationships to which they prefer over the ones they have in the “real world”. Some individuals feel more accepted among the virtual community, thus drawing them in again and again. Video game addiction may not just be a social phenomenon. In order to get gamers to keep coming back for more and more, games often utilize a “variable ratio” schedule of reinforcement. What that means in English is that a player receives a reward after a specific and random numbers of actions are carried out. Think of a slot machine. You never know how many tries it will take in order to win money. Sometimes it takes five tries, sometimes fifteen. Regardless, we keep pulling that lever until we get our reward. This is what makes these types of games so addicting.

This is not to say that if you or your child plays video games that you are destroying your lives. Like all things in life, everything should be experienced within moderation. In order to lead happy and healthy lives, we must be responsible in how we act. It is only now that we are beginning to realize that this kind of responsibility pertains to video games. Video games can be a very fun and satisfying hobby, however if abused, can lead to serious consequences. Being aware of this type of addiction can not only help stop yourself, but also a loved one from turning a great pastime into a deadly affliction.

Why New York Needs Carmelo Anthony | by: Kristina DeCarlo

For the past ten years, Knicks fans have been waiting for the next Patrick Ewing, the next “big star” to arrive in New York.  Their prayers were partially answered in the summer of 2010 when the Knicks picked up six-time NBA All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire.  Still, one man cannot win a championship.  With the help of God’s grace, and the brains of Donnie Walsh, the Knicks will be able to become one step closer to winning a championship by acquiring Denver Nuggets Carmelo Anthony; while also ending the months long Carmelo-drama that enthralled fans, analysts, coaches, teams, players, and anyone that knows anything about basketball. 

Why do the Knicks need Carmelo?  Why do they need his 25 PPG AND 7.6 RPB?  Because he’s outstanding, that’s why!  He averages more points and rebounds than every player on the NYK roster except one (Stoudemire).  He is a five-time NBA All-star, and has won two bronze and two gold medals with the U.S. Olympics team, and those are only a few bullets on his long resume’ after only seven years in the NBA.  What do all these number and awards mean for those who are basketball-impaired – this guy is in his prime and has consistently proven that he will go down as one of the greats.

With the Knicks sitting uncomfortably comfortable at 28-26 during the All-Star weekend break in L.A., the question in L.A. this weekend is “Where will Melo end up?”  The answer should be “the New York Knicks”. Why?  They need him.  If they want to be a serious contender for a championship, if they work their way up from a barely .500 team fighting for a bottom playoff spot in the East, if they want to be able to face up to teams like the Miami Heat and Boston Celtics, they need to put Carmelo Anthony in a blue and orange uniform.

Knicks fans are tired.  They are tired of their season ending before the playoffs start, tired of heartbreaking losses, tired of “almost”.  It’s “now” or never.  They were burned by LeBron James and Chris Bosh, and are constantly burned by horrible owned James Dolan, but in this instance, the fans are begging Carmelo Anthony to join forces with Amar’e Stoudemire and be their savior.  Since the days of Patrick Ewing and the “almost” championship in 1999, Knicks fans won’t be able to take another heartbreaking “almost”.

Why do the Knicks need Carmelo?  For the same reason that the Lakers need Kobe and Gasol and the same reason that the Heat need LeBron and Wade, because they are what wins championship.  They are players that can take their game and the players that surround them to higher levels.  One man can’t do it all, Amar’e needs a little help, and Carmelo Anthony can bring a lot of help and more.

The U.S. Government Gets Thrown a “Curveball” | by: Zachary Shaw

The man who many have claimed to be the reason for the United States invading Iraq has now flipped his story and taken back his allegations of seeing WMDs in an Iraqi laboratory.  Rafid Ahmed Alwan al-Janabi, known to American intelligence as Curveball, came out last week admitting to have lied to the CIA from 1999-2001 about Iraq having weapons of mass destruction in mobile weapons laboratories. 

Curveball, who now lives in Germany and has been quoted as saying that he “hates Americans”, came out last week in his biography, stating his reason for lying to German and American officials was that he wanted to take down Saddam Hussein’s regime.  It seems now, that he is the sole winner in the disaster that is the War in Iraq.

Now, it has been 8 years since we invaded Iraq, killed their leader and took over their government.  Who will go down in the history books as the pivotal force behind the failure in Iraq?  History will tell us that George W. Bush was in office at the time of war but did he act alone? There were many others who not only backed but promoted this expensive trek into the Middle East.  According to CostofWar.com, Americans have spent over $750 billion to fund the War in Iraq.  Why the hell is gas $3.30 per gallon? 

What has the war in Iraq done for the United States?  Besides wasting the money of tax payers, the war has also has taken the lives of over 4,000 young men while injuring almost 34,000 American troops in combat. What the War in Iraq has failed to do is fulfill the original goal of stabilizing Iraq under a democratic government, which still stands unsteady after almost 8 years without Saddam Hussein at the helm. 

As previously stated, many will blame the president for the mess in the Middle East.  That is fair, he does deserve some blame but the main proponent in America going to War was Former Secretary of State Colin Powell.  His speech to the United Nations garnered the support that America needed in its assault on Iraq.  Following the new revelations about the informant “Curveball”, Powell has already commented on the subject stating that he carries no blame for the invasion and conquering of Iraq, saying only that “It has become clear that a source named ‘Curveball’ is totally unreliable.” Great insight given by the man who delivered a riveting speech to the United Nations on what a dire necessity invading Iraq was.  In the speech given to the U.N. on February 5, 2003, he is quoted as saying “Every statement I make today is backed up by sources, solid sources.  These are not assertions.  What we’re giving you are facts and conclusions based on solid intelligence.”  But how could he have even known that his main source was reliable when no Americans ever spoke directly with “Curveball”?  Instead, “Curveball” chose to deal solely with German intelligence on the matter. Apparently the American people’s definition of intelligence is far different than that of the American Government. 

                The reoccurring theme in the aftermath of the Iraq war is the passing of blame amongst past government officials.  Colin Powell and George W. Bush can only question the CIA as to why these liars were taken seriously, Dick Cheney continues to refuse any blame and still believes the war has had a positive impact on the nation, regardless of “WMD’s or no WMD’s”, democrats blame republicans and republicans blame everyone who isn’t a republican. 

It is time, after 8 long years, for someone to step forward and admit their own guilt about the lives lost, the money spent, and the state of the nation today.  The sad part is that those who should feel guilt about this whole catastrophe were affected the least.  These are rich old men.  These aren’t members of the middle class who are getting laid off due to the recession.  These aren’t the young men and women in the armed forces risking their lives everyday for an unjustifiable war.  These are wealthy old men who made mistakes, and its time for some accountability.

Top Gear: U.K. vs. U.S. | by: Jackie Hobbs

                “Top Gear” is a show that originally started in Great Britain during the 1970s and after thirty years it was revived into what it is today on the British Broadcasting Channel, BBC America. The remake brought three witty hosts together to talk about cars, drive them fast and put them to the ultimate test. From the show’s website ‘”Top Gear’ takes extraordinary and ordinary cars to the limit and beyond to find out if they are half as good as manufacturers claim.” The show also has excursions where the cast and crew go on week-long adventures to cross an African delta, reach the North Pole, Bolivian rainforest, and many more to test cars the hosts think would last the length of the trip. This past November, America finally got an Americanized version of “Top Gear”, with low ratings many are reluctant that the U.S. version will ever live up to the original U.K. “Top Gear”.

               Many American viewers of the British car show had high expectations for this new version. The Americanized “Top Gear” had a lot to live up to. The original “Top Gear”, while it is more seasoned, having a much larger fan base after fifteen seasons, “Top Gear’s” official website says the show brings in 350 million viewers from 100 countries. The History Channel says the show’s premier of November 21, 2010 brought in 1.9 million viewers. Many speculated the low number was due to football games airing at the same time but ratings stayed about the same throughout the season.  As an avid watcher of the British version I was disappointed with the first episode. Everything was virtually similar, the cars, the challenges, the Stig (a former racing driver that remains anonymous; he test drives all of the cars around a track to be timed), the “Big Star in a Small Car (a celebrity comes on the show, talks to a host and does a lap around a track in a small car),” but there was just something missing. Many critics and viewers accredit that to the hosts.

On America’s “Top Gear” the hosts are a little different than the U.K.’s because two of them have actual car experience. Tanner Foust is an X-Games rally car winner, Rutledge Wood is a reporter for the Speed Channel and also writes for NASCAR, and Adam Ferrara is a comedian. In an article in “The Telegraph” James May, one of the British hosts, said the American hosts were “destined for greatness.” Why? His conclusion was because of their names. He said their name sounded like a novel about an American hero (Rutledge Wood), a human supercar (Adam Ferrara), and severe damage done to a car (Tanner Foust). As stated before, the first episode of the Americanized version was a little lack-luster, which most viewers accredit to the lack of hosts’ personalities. One viewer commented on a website saying, “Wasted an hour watching “Top Gear” U.S. Sucks compared to “Top Gear” U.K.” Even though this was the case for the first episode, as the season went on the hosts and series did show some promise.

The hosts of the U.K. version have been together for most of the sixteen seasons. Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond have been together on the show since the revival back in 2002 (they do two shorter seasons per year), and James May was added to replace another host in the third season. The three hosts are known for being journalists or and broadcasters. Richard is more known in Great Britain for doing a multitude of shows, some about cars and some not, while Jeremy and James specialize on cars. Something that was definitely missing in the American series was the loathing of each other. In a traditional episode on the British version the hosts go completely out of the way to annoy one another. Whether it is buying a small but hefty marble statue to slow May down even more on his motorcycle in Vietnam, or rigging Hammond’s car stereo to only play the one band he truly despises, Genesis, they show their hatred. Of course it may all be for television. In 2006 Richard Hammond was in an extremely horrific car accident. He was going 288mph while doing a piece on a jet-packed drag racing car for the show. Cast and crew patiently waited for Hammond’s return while BBC, Clarkson and May stated that the show wouldn’t continue if Hammond was unable to return. The thing is the three know that they work, they joke around and they can relate to most viewers.

                After sixteen seasons together there is bound to be more to the show than just the cars and hosts, with 350 million viewers from 100 countries, the show has to be doing something right. They are. The revival of the British “Top Gear” series has brought in many awards. It has won an International Emmy in the Non-Scripted Entertainment Category in 2005. The show also has a BAFTA award, which is the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, in the Best Feature category. Aside from these awards they have been nominated for countless other awards in Britain.

Continuing the theme, the American version of “Top Gear” has a lot to live up to. Though they haven’t won, much less been nominated for any major awards my hope is for many in the future. The series that has been airing on the History Channel was just renewed for a second season. This second season will give the show more time to adjust to the American audience, have the hosts playfully loathe each other and be nominated and hopefully win awards.  

How Sampling Is Changing The Industry | by: Jack Mundy

                If you weren’t one of the 160 million people watching the most recent Super Bowl’s Halftime show, there’s still a good chance you have heard someone’s opinion about it. The popular trend on the popular micro-blogging site Twitter painted a picture of an underwhelming performance by the Black Eyed Peas. The Black Eyed Peas’ set included some of their more popular singles, including the song “The Time.” This song may have caught your ear, as the Black Eyed Peas sing word for word, “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” from the movie Dirty Dancing. The song then continues to a techno bridge that sounds oddly familiar. Familiar enough to be something heard before.

 To techno artist Deadmau5, the Black Eyed Peas’ techno riff sounds familiar because it was written by him. In an interview on Pitchfork Media, the popular indie music website, Deadmau5 stated he never licensed the rights to his song to the Black Eyed Peas. He went on to say he is considering legal action and shakes his head at the Black Eyed Peas. He unknowingly pointed out the current argument of sampling versus copyright infringement in today’s entertainment industry.

                So when does sampling (the art of taking audio clips from recorded media and using them again) become copyright infringement? Well sampling has been a staple in Hip-Hop since the early 90’s. Everyone from Snoop Dog to Jay-Z has at one time used a sample in one of their songs, to little to no legal action. Kanye West produced Jay-Z’s hit single “H to the Izzo” using sampled clips from the Jackson 5. The samples heard were clearly the Jackson 5, as the samples weren’t manipulated at all. The samples used did not cause any kind of legal action although the samples were used illegally, and now the song is a staple in the Hip-Hop scene. The art of sampling is not just reserved for Hip-Hop artists though.

                One producer, Gregg Michael Gillis, also known as Girl Talk is receiving quite a lot of attention lately. Gillis specializes in using sampled material and mashing songs together to create new songs. When Gillis was releasing songs to his friends, it was not a risk for him to get sued, but now that he is receiving critical acclaim, his fame has become a risk factor.  It’s all fine when a sample used cannot be understood or is manipulated to the point that there is no way to hear the original audio file, but when you hear Lady GaGa’s words sampled like she was performing for that song can be a copyright lawsuit waiting to happen.

Girl Talk has released three albums in the last five years, using completely unlicensed material and is he going to get sued anytime soon? Well if the Black Eyed Peas can get away with it, then Gillis thinks he can as well. The rising question throughout the industry is where the line is going to be drawn. Eventually a band is going to get sued for their use of other people’s material, like the Black Eyed Peas for instance, and the line can become more clearly seen. If Deadmau5’s lawsuit against the Black Eyed Peas goes through, it may become a clear indicator for artists to start covering their behind.

Take for instance the band Animal Collective. In 2009 they released Entertainment Weekly’s Album of the Year and later that year they became the first band to use a licensed sample of the Grateful Dead. How much those licenses cost can really affect some musicians. Girl Talk for instance uses 20 to 30 different songs to create one song. Gillis admits there is no way he could afford being sued even once and certainly can’t afford to licenses all of the samples he mixes.  He has gotten away with making albums this far, why not push it a bit further?

                 It’s all going to come down to whether Deadmau5 decided to go to court and whether he is going to win his case. If he does it could mean a whole new change in the current music industry. If he doesn’t, the status quo can be upheld and producers like Girl Talk can exist and continue to thrive. Either way the case is an interesting one and music everywhere can be affected by its decision, so it’s definitely worth paying attention to.

Health Care Bill | by: Kristine Alo

                  It appears that the health care bill is back in the news again. This controversial piece of legislation was passed by congress in March of 2010. At that time, few new exactly what this bill was expected to accomplish, and fewer still knew what it contained. Recently, more information has come to light. It is beginning to look as if college students and their families may actually benefit from this legislation, but the exact outcome remains to be seen.

                  What exactly does this bill contain? Some of the details of this bill are beginning to surface and are raising quite a stir. This bill would allow college students who previously did not or could not have health insurance to be able to purchase an insurance plan through their school. According to an article in the New York Times titled Regulating Student Health Plans, “Students under age 19 could no longer be denied a policy because they had a potentially expensive pre-existing condition.” The student would now be able to purchase a health care policy that they believe will meet their needs that is within a reasonable price range they can afford.                
                This bill, when it goes into effect, will require that all people must have some form of health insurance to cover themselves. In the past, most college students were either covered under their parents’ health insurance policy until they reached the age of 23, or they had to pay for their own, often with their funds for college. Those who were attending college part-time were not required to have insurance, and often went without it. This bill is expected to remedy this situation and allow all college students to participate in a health insurance plan.

                According to an article found in The Christian Science Monitor, 2010, “All US citizens will be forced to have health insurance coverage considered acceptable by the US Government or else pay a fine of $95 in 2014, $325 in 2015, $695 in 2016 (capped at 2.5% of AGI). All of the fines are per person per year except for families, who have a cap on the total fine of $2,250. The fine amount for children is half of the adult fine.”

                A visit to the emergency room can cost a student thousands of dollars. Students without health insurance are also more prone to various illnesses which thrive in populations which have a history of poor nutrition and lack of medical care.  With this new reform bill, college students may finally see their way clear to be able to afford the health insurance that will help cover these types of medical expenses and eventually result in a healthier lifestyle.

                So, is there a downside to this new plan? Unfortunately, when the original bill was signed, very few people knew what was in it. Even now, there are many aspects of this legislation which are unclear to most people in congress. Until we have a clear understanding of what actually will take place when this law is in full force, it would be prudent for the general population to proceed with caution when supporting the health reform bill. What now sounds to most like a great idea may eventually prove to be a heavy burden on the population of this country.

                Several points to consider include the following. If coverage is mandatory for everyone nationwide, what happens to those individuals who cannot afford either the insurance premiums or the fines that go with non-compliance? If insurance companies are not allowed to turn anyone away for pre-existing conditions, who pays for the added cost of health care these conditions typically develop? If the added costs to provide coverage for individuals with significant illness results in the closure of health insurance providers, who will step in to the fill the gap they leave behind?

                 While this legislation has the good of the public in general and students in particular at heart, could it possibly prove to be a burden to the working population? If so, the potentially negative aspect of this bill might far outweigh what appear to be benefits. Not to mention the fact that the cost of this program will put the hands of the government deeper into the pockets of the workforce of America.

The Star – Fumbled Banner | by: Angela Oliveri

We all remember Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction during Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004.  Although everyone has moved on, the incident is still alluded to in the occasional joke.  The talk of this year’s Super Bowl XLV was recording artist Christina’s Aguilera’s screw-up of the national anthem.  Within the hour, articles were posted all over the web, throwing the singer under the bus.

Why does everyone feel the need to blow up a performer’s mistakes?  The “Gotcha!” culture we have created forces us to point our finger at every screw-up a celebrity makes, as well as the need to single-out everyone else’s mistakes.  Be it a large scandal or a mere fumble of words, our society is waiting at the ready to catch it and blow it up.

This “Gotcha!” culture we have surrounded ourselves with is purely pessimistic.  It focuses on the negative aspects of what famous people do wrong, or the horrible things done by anyone in general.  Though it would be unconventional to reference an article dating back to 1899, the New York Times wrote that out of seventy years of a person’s life, the average person spent about a year and five and a half months gossiping.  It would seem safe to assume that one hundred twelve years later, gossip consumes a much larger portion of people’s lives.  A more recent statistic states that gossip consumes 55% of men’s conversation time and 67% of women’s conversation time.  Rather than remember what it actually takes to become famous, let alone perform on stage in front of a multitude of people, society points at the mistakes.  Why? …because we can, and because it gives us something to talk about.

Although standards have gradually changed, it used to take natural talent to become a performer.  Years ago we did not have the advanced technology to alter music or voices the way we have today.  It used to be extremely difficult to get signed to a record label.  Today, if you can write a song, however you sound, it can be made to sound a thousand times better when sound equipment comes into play. 

For about twenty years, Christina Aguilera has always been well-known for not only her beautiful sound, but the high-level of strength in her voice.  Recorded or live, she has forever blown audiences away with her power.  It would not come as a surprise that a star of her capacity would be asked to sing at such an event as the Super Bowl. 

Rather than appreciate Christina Aguilera’s experience, along with the courage it takes to perform in front of thousands of people, we chose to point out her forgetting the words.  R&B artist Macy Gray was even booed for her off-key performance of the Star-Spangled Banner at the Super Bowl in 2001.  Though it is our nation’s anthem, a song every American learns the words to at some point or another, it does not leave a performer any less room to mess up. 

            A song is a song.  Performers have their bad days, just like the rest of us.  Performers can even mess up their own music.  Everyone messes up the words to any song at some point or another. The nervousness that comes along with having to perform a song that is meant to create a passionate moment of patriotism is most likely insurmountable.   As humans we make all kinds of mistakes, because at the end of the day, no one is perfect.