AN APPLE TREE, THE CIVIL WAR, AND POST 9/11? WHAT’S NEXT FOR AMERICA? (page 12) Fight or flight? Crossing the border IRAQ | Page 16 IMMIGRATION | Page 18 VILLANOVA, PA WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2007 On the inside The Rise of Bioethanol Biofuel and corn are the new gold Never Have I Ever 10 By ALEXANDRA JASKULA Why do we love games that reveal our secrets? In an attempt to decrease the and sugar cane. Two years ago, sources. However, construction provides locations of alternative Katharine Miller explores this country’s dependence on oil for fuel, an Indiana town was renamed to plans for 43 ethanol plants have fuel stations. The Center City Shell phenomenon. the United States as well as several BioTown, USA to discontinued due to an excess of Station is the closest location to other countries including Brazil create a center ethanol supply and a drop in price Villanova that offers bioethanol and China have developed methods for bioenergy for corn-based ethanol fuel. fuels including biodiesel fuel and of deriving ethanol fuel from crops companies and While the United E85, a combination of 85% ethanol such as corn to provide an States and Brazil are fuel and 15% gasoline. In many example of a town the largest producers cases, biodiesel fuel can be used 08 Bad Music We Love that is fueled by of biofuels, Sweden is in existing diesel engines with the Christmas carols that you environmentally the largest consumer minor requirement of changing can’t help singing along to, no friendly energy with 792 bioethanol the fuel filter within the first few matter how annoying they get. fuel stations. Every moths of switching from diesel gas station in to biodiesel fuel. However, only Sweden is required certain car manufacturers offer to provide at least vehicles that are bioethanol fuel one alternative fuel. compatible including Chrysler, The Greater Philadelphia Ford, GM, Isuzu, Mazda, Mercedes, Clean Cities initiative, which is Mercury and Nissan. sponsored by the United States Congress will vote on a new Department of Energy, Energy Bill within the next two promotes the use of weeks since the Democrats reached alternative a deal last Friday. Industrywide, fuel and car and small truck manufacturers must attain an average of 35 miles per gallon by 2020. Since 1989, car Has commercialism manufacturers only had to reach conquered the holidays? a fuel efficiency requirement of We present a semi-rant on the 27.5 miles per gallon on average insincerity of shopping malls.- and an average fuel efficiency of Page 14 22 mpg for SUVs, vans and pickup Bioethanol, continued on p 5 When Saying ‘Hi’ 03 is Harder than It Not Your Typical Saturday Night At Nova Seems A how-to guide to combat these awkward situations Experiencing Diwali 2007 around campus. By MAX STENDAHL While the basketball team was if you couldn’t make it, you missed an eclectic cover of “Tere Yaad,” the closed it out with an electric Punjabi kicking Penn’s collective behind on out on an electrifying night of hit song by popular Pakistani rock dance. By the end of the night, one Saturday night to the delight of a Bollywood and an intriguing taste group Jal. Rutgers RAAG provided thing was clear: Villanova does, in raucous Pavilion, another, more of South Asian culture. a taste of South Asian accapella with fact, have culture and taste, and America and Guns 18 spirited exhibition was taking the After the crowd filed in and a handful of stunning renditions, we’re not afraid to use it. The Supreme Court Connelly Center by storm. The stood for the singing of the U.S. while a fashion show featuring Megha Kulshrestha, the Diwali takes down the Second annual Diwali Festival, presented and Indian National Anthems, everything from traditional saris Chair for SAMOSA, was more than Ammendment for the first time by SAMOSA and orchestrated with Dr. Keita took the stage to preface to modern salwars gave a sparkling pleased with how the event turned in almost seventy years. the utmost time and effort, showed the event with some eloquent lesson in South Asian sartorial style. out. “When a show comes together a different side of Villanova’s opening remarks, explaining the In between the many presentations like this did, it just becomes a typically by-the-book campus, true significance of the Diwali were short skits and witty dialogue universal moment. We had been providing a night of singing, celebration. “This festival is to keep the mood light and planning it for more than a year dancing and, at times, hilarity, something all people should poke fun at stereotypes and the and it brought so many different for the extraordinary number of celebrate,” he said. “This festival is supposed blandness of Villanova’s people together over that time. It attendees who chose an evening of something all Villanovans should campus and student body. A video became a unifying experience for culture over the standard fare. If you celebrate. It is part of a global human of senior SAMOSA members and the student body, one that showed chose to grace the Villanova Room tradition.” After his stirring opening a sensational performance by the our cultural integrity.” She noted with your presence, what you got speech, the show got underway, class of 2008 added some especially that Father Peter’s attendance was an experience perhaps unlike with vibrant, traditional dances poignant moments to the show, any other you’ve had this year. And like classical Bharatnatiyum and before Villanova’s bhangra team Diwali, continued on p 3 2 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2007 THE VILLANOVA TIMES thoughts & reflections THE CRUX OF THE ISSUE As the semester draws to a close, seniors are thinking more and more about the future and it can be scary. We have been thinking about the future too: the future of the paper, of Villanova, and of America. Is the American dream still alive? Will we ever get out of Iraq? Is my resume good enough to score me a job? The best we can do is hope and work hard and together for a better world. ISSUE 3: October 31, 2007 ISSUE 4: November 14, 2007 ISSUE 5: December 5, 2007 ISSUE 6: January 30, 2007 ISSUE 7: February 13, 2007 NOTABLE NEWS FROM THE OUTSIDE Dublin beer bandit raids Guinness FIRST WORDS: The Editor’s Letter DUBLIN, Ireland - Irish police were hunting for a beer bandit who stole 450 full kegs from the Guinness brewery — the largest heist ever at Ireland’s largest brewer. National police said a lone man drove into Dear Reader, the brewery — a Dublin landmark and top tourist attraction — on Wednesday and hitched his truck to a fully loaded trailer awaiting delivery to city pubs. Diageo PLC, the beverage company that owns This may be the last time Guinness, said the brewery had never suffered such a large-scale theft that I am writing to you before in its 248-year history. from this particular place in the paper. We are cur- Police say two’s a crowd rently in the midst of MOSCOW (Reuters) - When does a legitimate Russian political picking a new editorial protest become an illegal gathering? Answer: When a second person board, fresh blood on a joins in to spoil it. So says Viktor Shenderovich, a radio journalist and paper that has been led by political satirist who had been staging a lone protest outside a Moscow police headquarters Wednesday, holding a sign saying “Free Garry the same five people for Kasparov. Then a provocateur came out with a flag and stood beside the last three years. I have me,” Shenderovich told Reuters. Shenderovich said police waiting in a grown to love these people nearby vehicle then walked over to detain him and the unknown ac- as we have debated every complice. issue possible in our non- office at all hours of the night. Judging from how RETRACTIONS & CORRECTIONS most of those conversa- tions went, I am surprised CONTACT US that we all survived, and even more surprised that Website E-mail the boys who have hated www.thevillanovatimes.com [email protected] almost everything I have said eventually let me be in charge. I guess persistence pays off, persistence and sar- DONATIONS casm. The Villanova Times is a donation driven publication. We are always in desperate need of help with publication and equipment costs. Any However, I am not going to get teary and sentimental because I will still have my 750 support is greatly appreciated. words in the opinion section with that charming picture of me kissing a frog. Also, it is just not my way. Once again, my column does not represent the broader views of this Please send checks to: The Villanova Times, 217 Dougherty Hall, 800 E Lancaster Ave, Villanova, PA paper. It is weird though this week. Usually, I am the nice one. 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