Key Biscayne shuttle debuts
No longer will students have to beg their friends with cars for a ride to the beach or go through the headache of parking and using up gas for a weekend break to grab some sun. Student Government (SG), in conjunction with the Office of Student Affairs, has created an additional weekend route for the Hurry ‘Cane shuttle system that will allow students to get to and from Key Biscayne.
Beginning Sunday, a shuttle will run from Dickinson Drive and Stanford Circle to Crandon Park on Key Biscayne from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
To celebrate the kick-off of the new Key Biscayne shuttle, SG is sponsoring a barbeque and beach party open to all UM students.
“We’ve been pumping it up all week, not just through SG publicity but through dorm programming in the Residence Halls,” SG President Pete Maki said. “We will be having a DJ while [students] are waiting for the bus to pick them.”
For the opening day, coordinators have anticipated a high volume of students and have arranged for two extra buses for this weekend’s transportation from Dickinson Drive. After Sunday, there will only be one hurricane shuttle leaving from both stops.
“I hope to have about 1,000 students attend the barbeque this weekend,” Maki said.
The idea of a beach shuttle was a key part of Maki’s campaign last spring and became one of the first projects he began working on after the elections.
“[Former Senator] Peter Groverman and I were thinking a few years ago that school is so close to the beach, but the University provides no way of getting there,” Maki said.
Dr. Pat Whitely, vice president for student affairs, played a central role in instituting the idea, and the cost of the shuttle came out of her yearly budget. Next year, the financial obligations will be alleviated through parking fees.
Maki explained that the shuttle is another step in making UM a campus where it is not necessary to have a car in hopes of reducing the parking issues that trouble students.
“The beach shuttle was the final piece of the reason not to need a car,” he said.
Students are permitted to use the shuttle system whether they live on campus or not. While most commuter students may not find the shuttle as useful as students living on campus without cars, the goal is to make the beach a UM hang out that is readily available to all.
“As much as you expect to see a bunch of UM students at Monty’s on Friday afternoon, we want to see students at the beach on Saturday and Sunday,” Maki said.
The student reactions to the new Key Biscayne shuttle have been positive and met with enthusiasm.
“I don’t have a car so this is a good opportunity to get to the beach,” Crystal Williams, senior, said. “It’s very convenient to have this [shuttle] take students to Crandon Park.”
Stacey Arnold can be contacted at s.arnold@umiami.edu.
CALENDAR
TODAY
Come out and laugh at the kickoff of the month comedy series beginning at 7 p.m. at the Rat, featuring Daniel Tosh.
UM Hurricane Katrina Relief Day takes place on the UC Patio from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. The Whitten University Center will host a full day of Hurricane Relief effort events. There will be poetry, free food and games. Screaming Monkeys will host a spoken word event. Stay around for ‘Canes Night Live, a comedy show at the Rat and other exciting events.
A date auction will be held at 9:30 p.m. at the Storm Surge Caf
Hurricane Relief Day sparks
Nearly a month after Hurricane Katrina hit and devastated the Gulf Coast states, relief efforts at the University are still in full swing. The University-wide effort, sponsored by various student groups and organized by the Butler Volunteer Services Center, reaches its highest point today on Hurricane Relief Day.
Hurricane Relief Day has been in planning since student groups and organizations on campus held a meeting on Sept. 6 to unite all on-campus efforts into larger, more organized events. Since then, funds have been collected for United Way through individual donations as well as larger scale efforts.
“It is amazing to see a number of focused, passionate student leaders coming together for a cause and ready to do what it takes to make this happen,” Keith Fletcher, director of the Butler volunteer services center, said. “It is a special place when you don’t have to work to make students care and don’t have to challenge them to want to make a difference.”
Relief efforts have been seen in all aspects of University life. Students and faculty purchased game day T-shirts, which are usually distributed free, for $2 donations, and volunteers collected donations in buckets during the Sept. 24 football game. Swensen’s restaurant donated a portion of their proceeds on the evening of Sept. 17, Gameworks at Sunset Place dedicated a night to raising funds on Sept. 23, and the Frost School of Music Held a concert on Sunday to benefit hurricane victims. Student groups on campus also got involved by collecting money at meetings, selling food in the breezeway or by selling henna tattoos like the Hindu Students Association.
“[The students’] commitment to this issue, amid all their other obligations, has been a tribute to the quality of student leadership on this campus,” Fletcher said.
During the Orange Bowl collection alone, $10,528.63 were collected. Initially, students had set the goal of $25,000 to be raised for hurricane relief. However, with more than 1,200 students involved, that goal has been met and is being increased to $35,000.
Hurricane Relief Day will consist of an open mic event presented by the Screaming Monkeys, where spoken word performers collect funds from sponsors, a bake sale sponsored COISO and the Pan-Hellenic Honor Society, an international bake sale, a Sigma Alpha Epsilon dunk tank and free dinners from the Big Cheese.
“There are countless amounts of people who need help right now and it just does not seem right to go along with our lives as if nothing happened,” Elizabeth Dy, president of Screaming Monkeys, said. “The hurricanes could have hit our community much harder. If it had, I would hope others would want to help us out.”
At night there will also be a Hurricane Relief Benefit Concert, a ‘Canes Night Live Comedian at the Rat and a date auction at the Storm Surge, where dates with Student Government President Pete Maki, Speaker Paty Escuder and Chief Justice Annette Ponnock will be auctioned off to collect funds.
“I was once auctioned off and it was a very awkward date,” Maki said. “I knew it was going to be going into it. I’m hoping the girl of my dreams buys me.”
All money will be donated through United Way and will go directly to their hurricane relief fund.
Natalia Maldonado can be contacted at n.maldonado@umiami.edu.
POLICE BEAT
Safety Tip of the Week: BICYCLE SAFETY
– Wear a helmet. More than 70 percent of bicycle-related fatalities are the result of head injuries.
– At night, always wear light-colored clothing and make use of lights and reflectors to increase visibility. More than half of adult bicycle fatalities occur during twilight or nighttime hours.
– Ride with traffic. Don’t ride against the flow of traffic.
– Park in well-lit and well-traveled areas, use bike racks on campus.
– Protect your bike. Keep it properly locked when unattended. Public Safety is now distributing free U type bike locks.
If you are a victim of a crime, call the Department of Public Safety at 305-284-6666 or if calling from a campus phone dial 8-6666.
THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 22
4:41 a.m. 1231 Dickinson Dr. Simple Stalking
11:15 a.m. 1231 Dickinson Dr. Theft to Vehicle
11:00 p.m. 561 Pavia St. Stolen Vehicle
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 23
6:15 a.m.1800 Ponce de Leon Blvd. Theft to
Vehicle
11:30 p.m. 1101 Stanford Dr. Theft
SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25
5:30 p.m. 1221 Walsh Ave. Theft
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 26
10:30 a.m. 1300 Memorial Dr. Theft
10:47 a.m. 5865 Ponce de Leon Blvd Simple Assault Threat
Sorry to have to break it to you: You’re the rebound guy
Dear V,
I don’t know how many guys actually write to you in your column, but I figure I’d give it a try anyway, especially since I’d like a female perspective on my problem.
Here’s the deal: in about mid-July I started talking to this girl I met on myspace.com. I was a little cynical at first about the whole online dating thing, but I was pleasantly surprised. The first time we talked on the phone, it was for more than seven hours, and subsequent times we talked into the wee hours of the mornings! We had/have tons of stuff in common and I connect with her on so many levels. We went out as “friends” for about a month, and then in about mid to late August, we started dating. Everything was fine until one day she apparently saw that things with us were becoming pretty serious, pretty quickly…through no fault of our own. She proceeded to tell me that she couldn’t get into a relationship with me at this time. It all stemmed back to the fact that she had just gotten out of a long-term relationship in May, in which her boyfriend had cheated on her.
While I do understand that she might need her space, why would she proceed to go out with me romantically if that was the case, only to tell me later that she can’t be with me? I really, really like this girl, and though I am particularly inexperienced in relationships, I do feel a strong connection, and don’t want to “let her go” so to speak just because the timing is pretty crappy right now. I find myself thinking about her a lot and it hurts that I can’t do something more constructive to help her overcome her trust issues. Furthermore, I know that she has strong feelings for me as well, therefore the only thing keeping us apart is the external factor mentioned above. With all this being said, do you think I should cool it, be her friend for now, or what? I mean is this something I should “wait out” especially since I have strong feelings for her? What do you think?
Sincerely,
Confused but optimistic
Dear Reader,
Ugh, so you and 800 million other people are the reasons why I can’t live a day without being subject to an insidious amount of “Match.com” commercials. Sweet. Anyway, I’m glad that you’re not afraid of expressing your passion for over-analyzing – did you even stop to breathe while you were writing away the woes of your sordid love tale? Geez, take a few minutes and crack open a beer, and make sure that you’re sitting down before you read the next paragraph. And, don’t forget to take a few breaths, OK?
I have one word for you Mr. “inexperienced in relationships:” Rebound. Repeat it with me now, slow and gentle, Reeeeeboundddddd. Aren’t you glad that I told you to sit down Mr. Rebound? I’m sorry that I had to be the one to clue you in, but I really think that this girl had you pinned as her rebound guy. May I present, if you will, a detailed account of the “Post Breakup Timeline:” Girl breaks up with boyfriend, girl is lonely, feels like she’s lost her other half/wants revenge on boyfriend/wants a human coping mechanism etc., girl meets nice guy (a.k.a. you), girl doesn’t want to be lonely anymore, you become Mr. Rebound, and then *tada* as things start to progress, girl realizes how emotionally drained she is from boyfriend/how she’s read to move on and how much she doesn’t want to be in a real relationship with you, Mr. Rebound.
True, you might be very correct about the lousy timing, but I’m not so sure that you are really 100 percent correct that she too shares your strong feelings for your relationship because let’s face it, if she did adore you like you do her, you wouldn’t be writing to me. Instead, you’d probably be writing sweet nothings of emails and aim conversations. Sorry, couldn’t resist.
OK, so now that I’ve killed any hope you ever had in romantically reuniting with your old flame, don’t despair! You could try and be friends with her, though I would advise against that, you’d only be getting your hopes up on the false expectation of getting back together with her. But, hey look on the bright side! There are how many girls in this country, in this state, and on this very campus who have an internet connection? Yeah, exactly. Stop dwelling, move on, and find someone new.
Best of luck!
V.
Fact O’ the Day…In order to ensure that the bride-to be was still a virgin (as chastity was mandatory for the unmarried woman), the Romans would lower her onto a phallic-shaped stone sculpture shaped like a fertility god before the wedding….fun.
Please send probing inquiries to DearV@hotmail.com or drop V a line in her box in the office of The Hurricane. All questions and comments will remain anonymous.
Soccer loses to N.C. State
Thursday night marked the opening of the ACC season for the Miami Hurricanes women’s soccer team against North Carolina State. The Hurricanes fell 1-0 in double overtime.
In the middle of the second half, heavy rain fell and made the field virtually unplayable. The ball was skidding all over the field and stopping before it got to its intended target. These conditions made it hard to control possession and set up the shots that Miami wanted.
“In all of my years as a coach,” said Head Coach Tricia Taliaferro, “this is probably the worst rain I have ever seen.We expected it would come and we chose to go with the wind in the first half.”
The only goal of the game came at the 105-minute mark and it all began with a corner kick. The ball was kicked inbounds by Lindsey Vera to Carol Tognetti, who fired a wayward shot. The ball was then deflected in traffic and came back to Tognetti, who was able to get her own rebound and shoot past UM goalkeeper Lauren McAdam, who was out of position from trying to make the initial save from the first shot.
“It’s unfortunate that we gave up the game-winner off a corner kick because I felt like we did an excellent job defending the corners and throw-ins all night,” Taliaferro said. “There were a lot of good individual efforts by our girls.”
Miami’s biggest difficulty was getting shots on goal. In regulation, only one shot actually made it on goal, which was saved by N.C. State goalkeeper Kim Selz in the 88th minute. In total, the Hurricanes could only muster three shots on goal by the end of the match.
“We created some chances,” Taliaferro said. “It just didn
Fewer penalties, better blocking lead to win
CU Whistled 16 Times
The Buffaloes were called for 16 penalties for 104 yards in their 23-3 loss to the Hurricanes. Colorado entered the game with 16 penalties in its first two games but couldn’t stop committing fouls against the Hurricanes. At one point, CU gave Miami an automatic first down after two off-sides penalties in a row, with the Hurricanes gaining five yards each time.
On the flip side, the Hurricanes entered the game a week after being called for 14 penalties at Clemson. The ‘Canes finished with five penalties for 75 yards, but most of those came when the game had been decided. A major positive for the Hurricanes was that their offensive line didn’t commit a single holding penalty all game long, a far cry from the week before.
‘canes Can’t Punch It In
Miami entered the red zone six times on Saturday and was only able to score one touchdown. The Hurricanes also came away with three field goals, making them four for six from that territory. Miami’s lone touchdown from the red zone came when Kyle Wright took matters into his own hands and ran into the end zone from two yards out on a naked bootleg. With Jon Peattie missing two field goals and struggling so far this season, the Hurricanes would like to get into the end zone a lot more.
“I’m very concerned about the red zone offense,” said Head Coach Larry Coker. “We’re not going to be anywhere near where we want to be if we kick field goals in the red zone.”
A major reason for the struggles in the red zone was the inefficiency of the running game in those situations. Miami couldn’t get anything going on the ground, which made it much tougher for the Hurricanes to score with a shortened field.
O-Line Improves
After allowing 14 sacks in its first two games, the Miami offensive line didn’t allow any on Saturday. Although the Hurricanes had their worst running performance of the year, Kyle Wright was able to get the ball down the field because he had time. Wright finished 20-for-39 for 264 yards and a touchdown. Not only did the offensive line give him time, Wright made smart decisions when a play broke down. Wright didn’t hold the ball in situations where he may have in the first two ballgames.
“For myself, one of the points of emphasis this week was to really get rid of the ball, whether it’s getting outside of the pocket and throwing it away or finding my check-down,” Wright said. “That comes with more playing time.”
Sinorice looks like Santana
Sinorice Moss was one yard shy of a career day. Moss finished with five catches for 111 yards, including three spectacular leaping grabs. Not too bad for the 5-8 senior, whose brother Santana also had quite the week for the Washington Redskins. Sinorice Moss’ career high for yards is 112, which he collected against FSU last year.
Douglas C. Kroll can be contacted at d.kroll@umiami.edu.
REPORT CARD
Quarterbacks: B+
The only thing preventing Kyle Wright from getting an A is the several passes he threw that were batted down by Colorado’s defensive line. Otherwise, Wright has shown through three games that the hype surrounding his arrival at UM was justified.
Running Backs: C
Colorado did a good job of shutting down Tyrone Moss, but the Hurricanes only gave him the ball 14 times, choosing to let it fly on 39 plays. Quad Hill had a nice game, gaining 55 yards on four carries.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends: A-
Seven receivers caught balls for the Hurricanes. Sinorice Moss was exceptional, and Lance Leggett had his best outing of the season.
Offensive Line: B+
After bashing the o-line for two straight weeks, I must now tip my cap to the unit for not giving up a single sack on Saturday. The run blocking still needs improvement, however.
Defensive Line: B
There were not many big plays from the defensive line, but players like Kareem Brown and Calais Campbell did a nice job of penetrating Colorado’s offensive line and harassing Joel Klatt.
Linebackers: B
Jon Beason, who struggled against Florida State, was much better against the Buffaloes. It was nice to see Willie Williams get more snaps as the strong-side linebacker.
Secondary: A
I had nightmares on Saturday about the viscous hits Ken Phillips and Brandon Meriweather were making on Colorado’s receivers. Greg Threat should get used to a backup role, because Meriweather and Phillips should be playing every down together. Someone in the press box said that Meriweather has been Miami’s best player this season. It’s hard to argue against that right now.
Special Teams: B-
Jon Peattie hit three out of five field goals, but the two he missed were more than makeable. I am still waiting impatiently for a Devin Hester return for a touchdown.
Coaching: B
The offensive play calling was better, but a grade school team could figure out what plays the Hurricanes run in the red zone. Offensive Coordinator Dan Werner needs to spice things up when the offense advances to the opponent’s 20-yard line.
Compiled By Eric Kalis
Hurricanes handle Buffaloes
Miami quarterback Kyle Wright had the best game of his young career, and the defense forced two Joel Klatt interceptions to lead the Hurricanes to a 23-3 victory over Colorado in their home opener at the Orange Bowl on Saturday.
Wright finished with 264 yards and a touchdown on 20-for-39 passing. Most importantly for the Hurricanes, Wright did not hit the ground once after being sacked 14 times in Miami’s first two games.
Colorado tried to pressure Wright, but the offensive line held its ground, allowing the red-shirt sophomore enough time to complete passes to seven receivers.
“We went out there and stuck together,” said left tackle Eric Winston. “They threw some tough stuff at us early in the game but we came over to the sideline and made the corrections that we needed.”
Sinorice Moss led Miami’s receiving corps with five catches for 111 yards. His 53-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter helped the Hurricanes break the game open.
“[The touchdown] was a pump comeback,” Moss said. “The [Colorado cornerback] bit on the route and I pumped him a little bit and Kyle placed the ball right there and I caught it and raced for the touchdown.”
The Buffaloes had the first opportunity to score on their opening possession, but Mason Crosby pushed a 28-yard field goal wide right. Miami got on the board six minutes later when Jon Peattie, who hit three out of five field goals in the win, nailed a 34-yarder to finish a 12 play, 64-yard scoring drive.
The Hurricanes struck again in the second quarter when Marcus Maxey stepped in front of Klatt’s pass and returned the interception 32 yards to Colorado’s 27-yard line. Eight plays later, Peattie kicked a 20-yard field goal to put UM on top 6-0.
Miami finally reached the end zone with eight minutes left in the first half. Wright saw Moss fly past single coverage and fired a 53-yard touchdown pass to the senior wide out to give the Hurricanes a 13-0 lead.
UM’s defense continued to wreak havoc in the third quarter. On the first play of Colorado’s second drive of the half, Brandon Meriweather intercepted Klatt’s pass to set up another Peattie field goal.
The Buffaloes finally got on the board in the fourth quarter when Crosby nailed a 58-yard field goal, the second longest of his career, making the score 16-3. Miami responded by going on a nine play, 80-yard drive culminating in a two-yard Wright bootleg for the game’s final touchdown.
Despite the lopsided victory, Wright said the team is concerned about its lack of production in the red zone, where the Hurricanes only managed one touchdown on Saturday.
“We put some good drives together but we didn’t finish them off the way we wanted to,” Wright said. “I don’t think that score was really indicative of what it could have been. So that’s also something we have to work on-that red zone offense.”
The win comes a few days after the University extended its contract with Head Coach Larry Coker through the 2009 season.
“I am very appreciative of the contract…I want to coach here for a long time,” Coker said. “I don’t want to retire here. The University of Miami does not need a retirement guy. They need a guy that’s going to go recruit and work and do the best he possibly can for this University.”
Eric Kalis can be contacted at e.kalis@umiami.edu.
Speaker should shut ‘big mouth’
America’s outpour of support for the victims of Hurricane Katrina is very heartwarming. Everyone from famous musicians, the NFL, our own University of Miami and ordinary people like you and me have given their time, money and/or voice to the great city of New Orleans. America is a team, and it’s great to see how we’ve come to the aid of our fallen teammate.
With that in mind, it’s easy to see how statements by Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, made mere days after Katrina ravaged New Orleans, can really strike a nerve-my blood certainly reached a boiling point. In the words of Congressman Hastert, it apparently made “little sense to spend billions of dollars to rebuild a city that is seven feet below sea level.”
Hastert’s credentials to make such a statement are quite impressive. According to his bio, provided so kindly by the House’s website, he rose to his position “from the cornfields of Illinois.” There is no indication in his bio that Hastert has been anywhere other than Illinois and Washington for extended periods of time, which leads to two logical assumptions: a) it’s very unlikely he’s ever been through a major hurricane, and b) he probably hasn’t been to New Orleans, unless he did for reasons that might jeopardize his political career and as such aren’t published on his website.
Also, his statement showed his complete lack of understanding of our economy. Now, I’m no economist, but I do realize the importance of New Orleans to the health of our economy, while the speaker of the House doesn’t-think about this, America. New Orleans is a major port, handling more sea traffic than Miami. Whenever the grain produced in Hastert’s state needs to be exported, most of it leaves the U.S. from New Orleans. Whenever Hastert enjoys his cup of coffee in the morning on Capitol Hill, chances are it entered the country through New Orleans. When Hastert pumps his gas (well, that’s highly unlikely, but if he did…), which at print time was pushing $3.20 in some parts of D.C., the crude most likely not only came into, but was also refined into gas, in the New Orleans area. Economically speaking, we cannot afford to abandon New Orleans. Are you listening, Denny Hastert?
I can’t even touch on the cultural benefits of reviving New Orleans-well, I’ll at least let Mr. Hastert know that New Orleans gave America unique food, jazz music and a historic tourist spot, and not just because of Mardi Gras or Jazzfest. You won’t find anything like the French Quarter in Springfield, that’s for sure.
Finally, I’d like to call attention to a disaster that befell Hastert’s district a decade ago: the Mississippi flooded and disrupted activity in Illinois. Also, the Midwest is notorious for being tornado-prone. In both cases, the Federal Emergency Management Agency came to the aid of Hastert’s region. In both cases, the areas were rebuilt. Does Hastert really have any right to question rebuilding New Orleans, considering this?
My advice to Dennis Hastert is to know what he’s talking about before opening that big mouth of his; the nature of his comments makes me believe he’s not fit to occupy the position he does. Mr. Hastert, if you’re listening, you’re clearly not fit to be speaker of the House if you speak like you did about New Orleans. In the immortal words of Mark Twain, “It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.” You’ve clearly removed that doubt in my mind, and the collective mind of the fine people of New Orleans, and “retracting” or “softening” your comments won’t change that opinion. Let someone else, preferably someone more competent and levelheaded, take over your position as speaker. The last thing New Orleans needs is insult added to injury.
Jay Rooney can be contacted at j.rooney@umiami.edu.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
I would like to express my concern with some misinformed students. Let me explain in clear, written words the etiquette needed for a well-run laundry facility.
For freshmen like Kyna McCartney who think it is rude for people to take clothing out of washers, I simply laugh at their lack of concern for others. Do you not realize they are taking your clothing out because you left it in there too long? Consider this: your cycle is over, so maybe you should be there on time to remove your clothing because the person waiting has the same rights to the machines as you do.
What about the people that complain about broken machines? Well, guess what, they break when people overfill them. Take, for instance, Maggie Tague, who complained that her clothes were not clean enough when she did big loads. Well, gosh, maybe you should take your time and not break the machines for everyone else. It is a crazy idea, I know, but worth a shot.
People, you no longer need to stuff the machines; it does not cost $1.50 per load like it did for the three years I had to do my laundry at school. The machines are free, so don’t even let me hear you complain. I am so sick of these young people coming to this school thinking everything is going to be done for them. Your maids are no longer here, and yes, laundry is a chore that takes time. Once people realize they shouldn’t wait to do five loads of laundry, the rooms might not get so backed up. If you got up and stopped being so lazy, you could get your laundry done. Between the machines being new and being free, I have to give credit to the Student Government for their hard work. I only wish it had not taken so long.
Daniel McBride – Senior