The Pulse

Tour of Duty

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

It is midday in the city of Fallujah, Iraq, and Lance Corporal Dennis Torres is near the end of a seven-month tour. He is manning a gun turret in the rear Humvee of a four-vehicle convoy traveling down the northernmost road in the city. Torres is dressed in full body armor in the sweltering desert heat as he scopes for any signs of trouble.

The Great Debate

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Hofstra University, the host for the final 2008 presidential debate, is spending millions of dollars to make it all happen. By the time the events have all come to an end in October, the entire debate will have cost between $3 and $4 million.

According to Melissa Connolly, Vice President of University Relations, this money includes a fee of $1.

What's in a Major?

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

"A major does not equal a job," says Fred Burke, executive director of Hofstra University's Career Center. Students who are unsure about their choice of major need not panic. Even after graduation, the opportunity exists to stray from the traditional careers associated with a major and try something new-just as these Hofstra alumni have done.

What I Wish I Knew

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Tara Simicich - Sophomore
Major: Dual Education
"Commuters can get involved with programs like Entertainment Unlimited, which offers barbecues in the fall and spring."

Taquana Stanford - Junior
Major: Broadcast Journalism
"Get to know the dean in your department; the more you know them the better they can help you with post-graduation and planning for classes.

Conditioned for Success

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

"I love Long Island." "I hate Long Island." Nate Cyphert and Anthony Giambalvo, both members of the band This Condition, don't typically disagree like this. But regarding the love/ hate relationship with this isle of suburbia, it is accurate to say they are thankful for being here.

How Three Geeky Guys Got Lucky

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

In the three short years since graduation, they've signed with CBS, have been courted by the producer of "Sex and the City," and can boast that the creator of "The Office" is one of their fans. But before filmmakers Brian Amyot, Angel Acevedo and Steve Tsapelas made it big, they made the journey through Hofstra like any other student-though they admit to still having some nostalgic feelings about their college days.

Fashion, INK

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

A frat brother launching a fashion line? Unheard of-until now. Mike DiLascio, a senior at Hofstra University, is a walking contradiction.

Among his brothers in Zeta Beta Tau, DiLascio has always been known for his keen sense of style. "Half of them are robbing my closet before we go to the bar," DiLascio says of his brothers, a few of whom he lives with off campus.

Peace, Love & Sponsorship

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Sprawling green fields, naked bodies rolling around in mud, over-priced food, portable toilets, an endless supply of mind-altering substances floating abound, a huge stage blasting out sonic boom to a crowd of hundreds of thousands of fans sprawled out on blankets, all grooving along in unison.

For Boshnack, maybe the 12th time is a charm

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Being rejected 11 times is enough to make almost anyone give up, but for Blake Boshnack, 22, no amount of rejection can make him abandon his dream.

Boshnack knows rejection - he's tried out for the popular FOX television show "American Idol" 11 times, and while two of his auditions have been televised, he has yet to make it to Hollywood.

Rebuilding the Tent of Tomorrow-Today

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

They are the towers from the 1997 smash hit "Men in Black," the dreamlike backdrop for rock band They Might Be Giants' "Don't Let's Start" music video, the valley of ashes from F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic book "The Great Gatsby," and a sanctuary for slow-witted cartoon character Homer Simpson from season nine of "The Simpsons," when he thought Flushing Meadows was a land of many toilets.

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, if Only You Were Brunette

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

How great would it be if fairy tales could actually happen? Think about it-if you wanted to sneak someone into your dorm at night, you could just open your window, throw down your hair and have your visitor climb up. If life at home was getting a little stressful, you could climb a giant beanstalk and escape the pressure for a while.

All the Rage

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

It's early morning. You're waiting in line at the coffee shop for your daily morning jolt. The line is long, and 10 minutes pass before you finally reach the counter, place your order, and walk away with your steaming hot drink in hand. You place your lips to the cup to take that first wonderful sip and realize � it isn't the right drink.

Investing In Your Sexual Health

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Despite what you may have been told, there are more aspects to your sexual health than not contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Let's Talk About Sex

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Some said they would go to Planned Parenthood. A few would turn to their friends. Others said they would scour the Internet for solutions. But when a dozen Hofstra students were asked where they would turn if they faced a sexual health problem, only one said he would go to the Wellness Center.

Putting Out

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

"Don't kiss and tell" is an idea of the past for a select group of girls who made their way to the top by baring it all on the Internet. Take Jessica Cutler: When Cutler, 26, started her blog the Washingtonienne, all she expected was a way to help friends stay up to date on her life.

Lotti's Heart is Anything But Soft

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

In the sport of softball, it makes sense that the pitcher would be considered the heart of the team while out on the diamond. Every flick of the pitcher's wrist is crucial; each windmilling thrust toward home plate could determine the outcome of the game. For Hofstra junior softball pitcher Kayleigh Lotti, being the heart of her team literally takes on a whole new meaning.

It's Tierney's Team Now

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

The date was August 7, 2006. While the rest of Hofstra University's campus was serene, the Pride Club Lounge buzzed with anticipation. As university administrators and reporters representing various media outlets piled into their seats, they faced the bright blue banner with the fierce lion logo that has come to represent Hofstra athletics.

Former Met Gets Schooled

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

It is extremely rare that the culmination of a dream come true possesses that elated jubilance we expect from it. But as Charles "Chip" Pidgeon was called from the bullpen in his first Major League Baseball game with the New York Mets to pitch against Mark McGwire, it did.

Hofstra Decade of Champions

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Three-time World Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali once said that "champions are made from something they have deep inside them-a desire, a dream, a vision." While Ali's words are emblematic for those fortunate enough to reach the summit of the sports world, there are many other tireless challengers who may never reach the pinnacle of competition, but can surely exemplify Ali's message.

Unplugged!

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

"What are you going to do� read?!" snickered one of my classmates, when I mentioned my plan. I had decided to try to go one week without using any electronics. I started on President's Day, thinking the days off would make it easier to not have a cell phone or Internet.

You're Sleeping on the Couch Tonight!

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Attending a Thursday night party at a Manhattan bar can lead to many things: drinking, dancing-maybe even a vacation opportunity.

In the shadows between Irving Place and 3rd Avenue, there is a small doorway facing 15th Street where a sign over the door reads "Revival.

Vacationing for Cheap

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Over recent years, travel Web sites such as Orbitz, Hotwire, Travelocity, Priceline, and Expedia have become household names. In this $24 billion online travel industry, these Web sites constantly compete for things like best slogan, easiest to navigate and finest customer service.

Overseas Thieves

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Shannon Bennett, a 21- year-old senior broadcast journalism major at Hofstra, was enjoying her dream vacation in Florence as a part of Hofstra's 2006 Venice study abroad program. It was the beginning of January, and Shannon and her friends decided to kick off the first weekend of the new year by spending the day sightseeing and hitting a club called Discoteca World afterwards.

Look Chic for Cheap � and Snag Some Other Great Deals, Too!

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Some vintage thrift stores in the Hofstra vicinity and in Manhattan offer cheap, chic looks that will have your friends and family ready to go retro the second they see you sporting them. I ventured off of Long Island and onto the other island for some fashion finds, and couldn't believe some of the things I came across.

Ex-Newsday Reporter, Pulitzer Prize Winner Robert Greene Dies

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

I write this reluctantly. I say that because I never knew Robert W. Greene like so many others did. I didn't know him well enough to call him Bob, or to talk about his ability to inspire, or to share my favorite memory of him. But I've seen the faces of my professors and colleagues who knew him.

Laugh and Learn

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Sitting in class, the professor drones on and on in his lecture. Yawn. It might as well be a foreign language, but it's not. It's just so boring. You'd never laugh in that class, let alone crack a smile. But that's OK, because class isn't supposed to fun, right?

Wrong! Take substantial, interesting and fun classes-if you dig deep enough, you can find them right on campus.

New Housing Changes

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Fall semester 2008, Hofstra University will implement several new housing changes. Only recently, when the room selection process began in March, students were informed of these changes, and numerous questions were raised regarding the fairness of the situation.

Letter From the Editor

Fri, 02 May 2008 04:00:00 GMT

Inevitably, we must all take the next step. Sometimes we do it voluntarily, other times the world leaves us no other choice. Many of us will stray far from where we started; some will become professionals, some will become parents. Some of us will realize our wildest dreams, and others might discover the hidden opportunity in not getting what we want.