THE bserver OThe Independent Newspaper Serving Notre Dame and Saint Marys VOLUME 42 : ISSUE 91 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20. 2008 NDSMCOBSERVER.COM Memorial held for Aher, McGrath Cell towers University community fills Basilica to remember students; Jenkins presides over Mass increase stories of Aher and McGrath By CHRIS HINE delivered by law professor News Writer Father John Coughlin and reception Keough Hall rector Father Peter University President Father McCormick. John Jenkins called Sunday, the Aher, who was from OIT receives fewer day he learned Timothy Aher Brookfield, Conn., and received AT&T complaints and Connor McGrath died, his a Bachelor’s degree in linguis­ “worst day as president of Notre tics from the University of Dame.” Chicago, died Sunday in the Jenkins presided over a Mass town of Ilford, a suburb of By MADELINE BUCKLEY Tuesday at the Basilica of the London. He was studying in the News W riter Sacred Heart held in memorial Law S c h o o l’s L ondon of Aher, a 25-year-old Law Programme. AT&T’s two new cell anten­ School student, and McGrath, a McGrath, from Oklahoma City, nas atop the Morris Inn have 20-year-old sophomore, who died Sunday in Dillon. McGrath reduced the number of com­ died in unrelated incidents over was a resident of Siegfried Hall plaints from students on the weekend. this semester but lived in Dillon South Quad about dropped Students and faculty nearly his freshman year and had DUSTIN MENNELLA/The Observer calls, Chief Technology filled the Basilica and shared People gather in the Basilica of the Sacred Heart before a memo­ Officer Dewitt Latimer said. laughter and tears listening to see MASS/page 4 rial service began for Connor McGrath and Timothy Aher Tuesday. The antennae, Latimer said, have been operational since the middle of January and have improved service. “We have noticed a lack of complaints with AT&T cus­ Hollywood writer discusses strikes tomers,” Latimer said. The towers, Latimer said, were specifically directed at South Quad residents. Stepakoff who worked on 'Wonder Years / 'Dawson's Creek/ shares opinions on industry “AT&T just bought their 17th antenna on campus Despite the efforts of the strikers, particularly to address some By KARA COYLE Stepakoff said people thought the coverage concerns over at News Writer strike itself was unsuccessful. the Alumni and Dillon area,” “The gains that were made for Latimer said. “The cus­ Jeffrey Stepakoff spoke about the the writers were not really that far tomers in that area were rise, fall and rebirth of scripted from what was on the table before complaining about dropped entertainment in a speech in the strike,” he said. calls. Students in the area of Browning Cinema Tuesday night. Stepakoff took a different stance Alumni and Dillon Halls who Stepakoff, who for 18 years on the success of the most recent use AT&T should notice a wrote for television programs writer’s strike, which last several significant improvement in including “The Wonder Years” and months and ended last week. signal reach and strength.” “Dawson’s Creek,” as well as devel­ “I propose that this event was The initiative to improve oped two animated films for different not just because of the cell phone coverage on cam-" Disney, said his career did not financial gains but because the pus began two years ago begin with success. writers stuck together,” said with the removal of landlines After he moved to Los Angeles in Stepakoff, contrasting it to the from the dorm rooms, the late 1980s, Stepakoffs debut as 1988 strike that ended due to Latimer said. The movement a Hollywood writer coincided with internal struggles. from landlines to cell the 1988 Writer’s Guild strike. Stepakoff said he isn’t sure phones, he said, presented a This strike, Stepakoff said, result­ whether the most recent strike was problem for the University. ed in $500 million worth of dam­ worth the loss of revenue for “We know how much stu­ age to the Los Angeles economy Hollywood. dents rely on cell phones,” and a nine percent decrease in “I think we could not have gotten Latimer said. “We also know JESS LEE/The Observer viewers. the renewed strength without hav- that over the years there has Jeffrey Stepakoff, who wrote and produced episodes of “[The strike] was the beginning “Dawson’s Creek,” speaks in Browning Cinema Tuesday. of audience erosion,” he said. see HOLLYWOOD/page 4 see CELL/page 4 Professors weigh Democrats' obstacles to winning think they would do as well as and political parties, said she By LINDSAY SENA [Hillary] Clinton. thinks the two candidates News Writer “There are unique features need to pay attention to how about Clinton and [Barack] they market themselves to the In a Democratic presidential Obama that make both of public. race that will most likely pro­ them extremely appealing, but “I think both candidates are duce either a black or a I think it would be a mistake walking a fine line where you woman nominee, Notre Dame to think that just because want to appeal to people of all political science professors they’re both doing well in the races or genders,” Wolbrecht are debating which is more primaries that America is said. “You need to be a presi­ electable. ready for a black president.” dent who is going to represent Professor Darren Davis said Still, the current political and serve the entire popula­ while America is not com­ climate gives the two candi­ tion.” pletely ready for either, condi­ dates a chance, Davis said. Dianne Pinderhughes, tions in the country make it “We’re at war; the economy whose teaching focuses on possible. and the particular features of racial and ethnic politics in “America is not ready for Clinton and Obama makes it the U.S., as well as voting just any woman or any black right,” he said. rights policy and American person,” said Davis, who spe­ Despite the factors working urban politics, said that may cializes in public opinion and in Clinton and Obama’s favor, be the case, but the candi- political psychology. “You Christina Wolbrecht, who spe­ Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton stand together before a can’t run just any woman and cializes in American politics see DEMOCRATS/page 6 Democratic presidental debate in Los Angeles on Jan. 31. page 2 The Observer ♦ PAGE 2 Wednesday, February 20, 2008 In sid e C olumn Question of the Day: W hats the b est excuse you've used when you've forgotten your hom ew ork ? Who we fight for Every weekday afternoon since the sec­ ond day back at Notre Dame from fall break, I have made the long trek from Trey Mohr Carlos Padilla Ashley Cunningham Michael Bruns Stacey Gill Sorin College to the JACC for Bengal Bouts practice. junior senior senior freshman sophomore Going into John Tierney Alumni off campus off campus Stanford Farley training tor the ________ Bouts, I had absolutely no News Wire Editor “Reckers food “I couldn’t find “It froze and “I spilled 7 was too busy boxing experi­ gave me food it in the Charlie shattered on the chemical acid saving the ence. poisoning. " Pad." ground." on it, but had world ." Currently, just days before I fight in the preliminary round next Monday night. I’ve no base to been in the ring six times. neutralize it. ” Needless to say. I’m not Muhammad All. However, I will say that Bengal Bouts has been one of the best experiences in my two years at Notre Dame. It's taught me a lot about myself and it’s given me a really good way to let loose some aggres­ sion. It’s also gotten me in pretty good shape, In B rief especially compared to last winter’s lazy plan to stay in shape by going to the Rock. As part of the fireside chat Ever since the first practice, the Bengal series “Telling HERstory,”theol­ Bouts captains have insisted that the ogy professor Catherine Hilkert Bouts are about more than getting in will speak today at noon in the shape. Instead, we fight for something big­ Coleman-Morse Center lounge. ger than any one of the approximately 230 individuals in the program, bigger than Eucharistic Exposition will the 230 individuals put together, and even take place tonight a t 9:30 in bigger than Notre Dame. Holy Spirit Chapel in LcMans Bengal Bouts are about raising money llali at Saint Mary’s. Exposition and awareness for the Holy Cross Mission takes place every Wednesday in Bangladesh. night and Friday at 12:30 p.m. The I loly Cross missionaries work with in Regina Chapel. the tribal people of Bangladesh, who are the poorest of the poor in a country in The Call of the which 45 percent of the population lives Entrepreneur' will be shown on below the poverty line, according to the Thursday at 5:00 in the Jordan CIA World Factbook. Auditorium, Mendoza College The missionaries have established med­ of Business. ical and educational resources for the peo­ ple of Bangladesh over the years, with The men’s basketball team substantial help from the Bengal Bouts will play against No. 22 program. The Bouts are the largest single Pittsburgh Thursday at 7 p.m. supporter of the missions on a yearly in the Joyce Center. basis. As part of the Ten Years Every year is a rough one for BRITT BURGESON/The Observer Bangladesh, but 2007 was tough even by Notre Dame freshman Justin Schneider is featured in this ad from popular clothing Hence lecture series, professor Bangladesh standards.