As the 119th Managing Board’s term nears its end, it is time to continue The Cavalier Daily’s semiannual tradition of recognizing those individuals and groups who have made our newspaper worth reading over the past semester with our “Pink Flamingo” awards.

The “Loose Lips Sink Ships” Award goes to Jess Huang, who has kept tight control over information coming out of the Honor Committee. She recently met with faculty on board Semester at Sea to “educate” them about the honor system. We hope she told them the Honor Committee may deny Semester at Sea students their right to a student jury.

The “Lunch Pail” Award goes to the athletic department, whose efforts to convert the University’s athletic programs into a clone of Virginia Tech’s intensified this year with a ban on signs at athletic events. Add that strict control over student expression to the “Sea of Orange,” the marching band and the lack of a halftime tailgate “pass out” and the only thing the Hokies had this year that the University didn’t was a winning football team.

The “Sound and Fury” Award goes to the University Unity Project, which despite Student Council’s numerous press releases and unveiling ceremonies ended up affecting most students’ lives very little. Perhaps it would have had more success unifying students if it took some cues from the Athletic Affairs Committee’s protests this fall.

The “I’m Sorry, You’re Not on the List” Award goes to Dean of Students Allen Groves for requiring wristbands for tailgaters on the Lawn, as if the Lawn weren’t elitist enough without the bouncers.

The “Glory of the U.Va.” Award is shared by the women’s soccer, swimming, men’s and women’s tennis, field hockey, and women’s basketball teams, all of whom once again have far outperformed some of the more publicized sports.

The “Spay and Neuter” Award goes to Bob Barker, who donated $1 million to the Law School to establish an animal law program. Apparently, the University’s bid for the program was closest without going over.

The “Evel Knievel” Award goes to the daredevil UTS bus driver our photographers captured in action dodging a flaming manhole on McCormick Road. Before seeing this photo, we thought the biggest danger UTS drivers faced was from drunk passengers who didn’t like their music.

The “Economic Stimulus” Award goes to Toni Munch, Ann Schare, Bonnie Ford, Jennifer Bonenfant and Melissa Gormes, who have helped keep The Cavalier Daily’s books in order while we wait for our government bailout.

And finally, the “Straitjacket” Award goes to the 119th staff of The Cavalier Daily, who must be crazy to have worked as hard as they did. We are fortunate to work with some of the best the University has to offer, and we will sincerely miss seeing them every day.

The Rondout-West Branch tunnel has been leaking since the 1980s, losing some 20 million gallons a day. The tunnel supplies New York City with half of its drinking water from reservoirs in the Catskill Mountains. This is but one example of our country’s subpar infrastructure, and fixing it has been identified as a priority by the Obama administration. Yet money alone will not plug the leaks. With its investment in rebuilding national infrastructure, the federal government should focus on value rather than pouring cash into the problem and hoping for quick returns.

Given the desperate times, many are looking to the upcoming infrastructure projects to provide jobs and a short-term boost to the economy. We must be careful, however, not to let the need for a quick stimulus compromise quality. The federal deficit is growing, and only those projects that provide a long-term improvement of national welfare should be pursued. Appropriating too much money to public works ventures will only finance earmarks and allow for wasteful spending.

By practicing restraint in funding proposed infrastructure projects, the federal government would encourage states to increase efficiency — an area where there is certainly room for improvement. In a Dec. 28 Wall Street Journal opinion article, Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Clifford Winston points to reforming Davis-Bacon mandates, which “require that ‘prevailing’ union wages be paid to workers on any construction project receiving federal funds,” as a way to save money. These “drive up the costs of roads and other federal transport projects.” Winston also claims “the Federal Transit Act makes it extremely difficult to lay off transit employees.” Another way for states to lower cost is to secure public-private partnerships in financing public works projects, which would also help the economy by promoting investments from the private sector.

What, then, constitutes a quality investment for the federal government to undertake? One growing problem in our nation is the increase of urban and even suburban congestion. The 2007 Urban Mobility Report conducted by the Texas Transportation Institute, part of the Texas A & M University system, contends that “congestion caused urban Americans to travel 4.2 billion hours more and to purchase an extra 2.9 billion gallons of fuel for a congestion cost of $78 billion.” Combating congestion would lower energy costs by bringing down demand, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and generate revenues from toll roads, many of which charge motorists a fee in exchange for the right to drive in a lane with less traffic.

Infrastructure projects should not only improve public transportation but also make it a more desirable alternative than driving. For example, the California High Speed Rail Authority, approved by voters in November, will transport passengers between the state’s largest cities at 220 miles per hour. Other congestion-relieving projects include building more urban express lanes and airport runways.

In order to invest public funds wisely, the federal government must reform the Highway Trust Fund, much of which is used for financing national highways and mass transit. In a 2005 research report, Ronald Utt of The Heritage Foundation argues “Congress began the process of diverting the trust fund’s resources to other purposes” after the construction of the national highway system was completed for the most part by the early 1980s. According to Utt, “Non-transportation projects such as nature trails, museums, flower paintings, and historic renovation became eligible for trust fund spending” and “legislative proposals now before Congress would divert as much as 42 percent of federal fuel tax revenues paid by the motorist to projects that are unrelated to general-purpose roads.” The bill referred to in the previous quote — H.R. 3: the Transportation Equity Act — was passed into law by the 109th Congress and largely financed by the Highway Trust Fund.

The Fund is allocated to states for transportation projects based on a complex, politically-derived formula. Utt’s report calculates states’ ratios of money received from the system versus the amount paid into it and finds that they are highly uneven. For example, Florida, California, and New Jersey — all of which have highly congested urban areas — are shortchanged but states such as Alaska, Montana, and the Dakotas are some of the biggest winners. Gas tax revenues (which make up most of the Trust Fund) need to be distributed in ways that will benefit the highest number of travelers, relieve congestion, and create the most jobs.

Now is the perfect time to undertake essential infrastructure investments; dwindling federal funds due to a bad economy provide a viable excuse for the next administration to deny the billions of dollars worth of pet project requests that inevitably accompany the needed ones. The only way to lower unemployment, boost the economy and fix U.S. infrastructure is to prevent public works funds from leaking into the pork barrel.

Mitch Ross’ column appears Thursdays in The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at m.ross@cavalierdaily.com.

Three of the four seniors on the Virginia women’s basketball team have seen significant playing time and have regularly started games. Forward Lyndra Littles, guard Britnee Millner and center Aisha Mohammed have each played in more than half of the team’s games and have averaged at least 27 minutes in their appearances.

The fourth Class of 2008 member, guard Kristen London, has yet to see that amount of court-time. After Monday’s game at Clemson, she had totaled only 72 minutes in 10 games — though not because of a lack of effort.

“Kristen brings a lot of energy and hustle and heart,” Millner said. “She busts her butt every day in practice, goes extremely hard and pushes us to be better players than we are.”

London said she just focuses on giving her best effort.

“I just kept busting my butt in practice every day,” she said.

Virginia coach Debbie Ryan rewarded London’s dedication with more game minutes in the game against Clemson than London had seen so far this season.

Though London’s shooting in the game wasn’t spectacular — 1-4 from the field, 3-6 on free throws and totaling 5 points — she grabbed five rebounds and handed out three assists, which tied her for second best on the team in assists.

“My role on the team is to bring energy, get everybody hyped [and] play defense,” London said, noting that she also often practices against starters.

“I just work hard for my teammates so they can prepare for other teams,” London said.

London’s competitive spirit is something that runs in her family. Her father, Mike London, is a former professional football player and the current coach for the University of Richmond’s football team.

“[My dad] really talks to me about coaching and the coach-player relationship,” she said.

That relationship seems to be something Mike London understands; Richmond’s team won the Football Championship Series National Championship this year with his direction. He also served as a defensive coordinator for Virginia’s football team before the Spiders hired him as their head coach.

“He’s put so much time and effort into [coaching],” Kristen London said. “That makes me a better player.”

Mike London is not the only person in Kristen London’s family who has a connection to football. Her brother, Brandon London, is a wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins.

Though London said she takes a lot of pride being a part of her family — joking that “success” is each of her family members’ middle name — she also noted that the Virginia women’s basketball team has become her second family.

“We have cohesiveness because we truly look at each other as sisters,” London said. “When one person is slacking, we make sure we pick each other up on all aspects.”

London and the rest of the Cavaliers will look to bounce back from their first home loss of the season this Friday, and it will not be easy. No. 8 Maryland comes to John Paul Jones Arena for what will be one of Virginia’s biggest challenges of the season.

London, though, warns anyone from counting the Cavaliers out.

“We’re going to surprise a lot of people,” she said.

Many people view the sports world through an extremely narrow lens. It looks something like this: overpaid, steroid-fueled athletes playing silly games, in which they choreograph touchdown dances and through which they gain fame and fortune and have open access to anyone with a microphone. It’s a world filled with vapid competitors, greedy managers and overpriced hot dogs.

At times, it’s hard to see sports any other way.

Every now and then, though, a story rises to the surface that reminds us of the human element of sports. In some even rarer cases, it reminds us of the humane element of sports.

Kay Yow’s fight against cancer is one of those stories. While at N.C. State, she coached the women’s basketball team to 737 wins, four conference championships and 20 NCAA Tournament appearances. When Yow was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987, she didn’t miss a beat. Instead of wallowing, Yow coached the 1988 U.S. Olympic team to a gold medal. She continued to coach, continued to fight and left indelible imprints on all those with whom she came into contact.

This past Saturday, Yow passed away. The Hall of Fame coach turned cancer spokesperson left behind an enduring legacy of courage, strength and humility — not to mention success.

Nobody is more familiar with that legacy than Virginia women’s basketball coach Debbie Ryan. The long-time Cavalier coach first met Yow back in the late 1970s.

“When I came into the conference 32 years ago, Kay was one of the coaches who was there to welcome and teach me,” Ryan said. “I was a young coach, and she really helped me to understand what it is to be a basketball coach in the ACC; in this conference, we are comrades and friends first and competitors second. She taught me that early, and I’ve tried to carry it on.”

The camaraderie and friendship that existed between Yow and Ryan may have started off with a handshake and a few nice words after a N.C. State and Virginia game, but in the following years, it grew. When Ryan was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2000, the two formed a bond tighter than any 1-point overtime game. From that point forward, Yow and Ryan were in a situation to which few could relate as they battled a life-threatening illness.

“These last eight years we’ve spent a great deal of time as cancer survivors together,” Ryan said. “Just being together and talking about the different issues that you go through as a cancer survivor — that bonded us in a way that was very special and dear to me.”

From their respective platforms as ACC basketball coaches, Yow and Ryan not only successfully fought the disease but also spread awareness of it. During rounds of golf, the two talked about the hardships of chemotherapy, planned for a fundraiser and — of course — discussed their teams’ prospects for the upcoming season.

In this case, sports brought together two competitors and gave each a shoulder to lean on as they endured one of life’s toughest obstacles.
While the media covered Terrell Owens’ loud mouth, Yow and Ryan were in the background, coaching and fighting. When the press covered the steroid scandal, both were still in the background, still coaching and fighting. And throughout all of the multi-million dollar contract signings, all the touchdown dances and all of the bench-clearing brawls and hockey fights in the past eight years, there were Yow and Ryan in the background — coaching and fighting.

“We never shied away from it,” Ryan said. “We helped each other with that. She [Yow] was still trying to walk when she had no skin on the bottom of her feet. She was still trying to get out to fundraisers and speaking engagements. And the weather would bother her — everything would bother her. But she persevered … she never stopped, right up through the very end.”

Yow and Ryan’s shared stories are a testament to courage. They show the type of compassion and strength that sports can sow.
Even more, it shows the type of awareness that sports can bring to one of life’s highest hurdles.

“In our lifetime, it may not happen,” Ryan said of eradicating cancer. “But it could happen for the children of this lifetime — or the children of our players’ lifetime.”

Now that’s a story from the sports world worth following.

The Virginia men’s tennis team will attempt to keep the ball rolling this weekend, as the Cavaliers look to add to their win column and continue their undefeated spring season.

The team dispatched its first two ranked opponents of the season last weekend, defeating No. 15 Illinois and No. 30 Notre Dame. Virginia will next face Arkansas in its opening round of the ITA National Indoors Qualifier Friday at the Boar’s Head Sports Club. Saturday, the Cavaliers will face the winner of the East Tennessee State and Wisconsin matchup.

Virginia holds the No. 5 ranking nationally and though none of its potential weekend opponents have cracked the polls, the team remains focused. Victories in the two qualifying rounds would lead to a trip to Chicago in February for the National Team Indoor Tournament and a chance to defend last year’s team crown.

Though the team enjoyed a higher ranking last year, weighing in at No. 1 throughout the entire season before losing in the NCAA semifinals, this year’s Cavaliers are also talented and perhaps more importantly, very deep.

“We certainly have a lot of options with our team,” Boland said. “We have more depth than maybe we’ve ever had.”

Following the departure of No. 1 player Somdev Devvarman, a two-time NCAA singles champion, Virginia’s roster has opened up. Sophomore Michael Shabaz is the team’s highest nationally ranked player, sitting at No. 11 in the preseason polls. Virginia coach Brian Boland, however, has penciled senior Dominic Inglot in at the top spot, while Shabaz plays in the No. 2 position. Despite Inglot’s lower national ranking, he has enjoyed success thus far; he remains undefeated in his matchups against top players. Shabaz, too, has had few issues dispatching his opponents this spring.

Inglot has been a major factor in the Cavaliers’ early success, finally playing at full strength after a shoulder injury this past summer. His first four season victories earned him ACC Tennis Player of the Week honors, and he has showed few signs of slowing down. Of those four wins, two came against opponents with  higher national rankings than his own.

“[Inglot], being a senior and being provided the opportunity, has certainly taken advantage of it,” Boland said. “Hopefully his streak continues. He’s playing well, and he’s getting better with each match. He’s just gifted.”

In addition to this crop of talent from veteran players, some younger athletes, including freshman Drew Courtney, have also contributed to the team’s success.

Courtney continues to gain swagger after playing in his first home collegiate matches this past weekend, and the qualifier should offer more of the same experience. The pressure of the home opener did not appear to faze him, and Boland said he expects continued growth and success from the newcomer in the future.

“It’s tough, especially when we played at home Friday night in front of a packed stadium,” Courtney said. “It was such a cool experience, and I was just thriving in the moment.”

Courtney is just one example of a Virginia player ahead of the learning curve; Boland said the entire team seems to be improving faster than expected.

“We’re a little bit ahead of schedule,” Boland said. “We continue to gel as a team. Everybody’s working hard and really developing individually, and we’re coming together collectively as a group. It’s an exciting time for our program.”

Virginia Tech.

When spoken, these two words make many Cavaliers cringe and grimace. This sentiment is shared by the Virginia wrestling team, which will take on the Hokies Saturday in Richmond at the Rumble on the River. Before the action against Virginia Tech, the squad will face George Mason Friday in Hopewell, Va.

The Cavaliers (8-7, 0-1 ACC) have split with the Hokies (15-1, 0-0 ACC) in Virginia coach Steve Garland’s first two years, and they will be looking to avenge last season’s disappointing performance during which the Cavaliers lost 16-18, despite being favored in nearly every weight class.

The Hokies have had an impressive season up to this point, earning a No. 13 ranking in the country. They finished fourth at the Southern Scuffle in Greensboro, N.C. earlier this season, while the Cavaliers placed seventh. The Hokies also have two wins against top-25 opponents, recently upsetting No. 6 Central Michigan in Mt. Pleasant, Mich. last Sunday and beating No. 17 Michigan the day before in Ann Arbor.

The Cavaliers will have their hands full this year if they hope to play spoiler to the Hokies; Virginia finds itself in the opposite position it was in last season, with the Hokies now ranked higher and favored in most of the weight classes.

“We are out for blood this year because of what happened last year,” senior Rocco Caponi said. “We were supposed to beat them. On paper we were a better team, and when it came down to wrestling on the mat, we weren’t that day. It is a bit of a vendetta this year.”

The match against Virginia Tech Saturday will be the final dual meet against the Hokies for senior starters Caponi, Mike Sewell and Peter Ferrara. Since the trio has been on the team, the Cavaliers have gone 2-1 against the Hokies with wins in 2006 and 2007. Recently, the Cavaliers have had the Hokies’ number, beating them in four out the last six years. It will be their last chance to leave their mark on what is perhaps the biggest school rivalry in Virginia.

“Not only would a win against Tech mean a lot for us as a team, being able to come together and support each other and pull through in the face of adversity and all of these setbacks, but it would [mean] so much to me being a senior,” Ferrara said.

Caponi and Ferrara hope the match will be payback for losses suffered last year as well as earlier this season. Ferrara, who wrestles at 149 pounds, will face No. 20 Hokie freshman Pete Yates, to whom he lost earlier this season at the Southern Scuffle.

Caponi, meanwhile, had a disappointing loss last season at the Rumble on the River. He was No. 9 in the country at the time and was upset 5-2 by then-freshman Tommy Spellman, who he will likely face Saturday.

“It is also a bit of a personal match for me to make up for that loss,” Caponi said. “Every dual meet from here on does mean a lot because it is my last season. It is always nice to have bragging rights for after this year.”

Before the Cavaliers can even think about bragging rights, however, they will participate in a tilt with another in-state opponent, George Mason (4-6-1, 0-2 ACC). The matchup will mark the Patriots’ first match against an ACC opponent since the team fell 22-18 to Virginia Tech in George Mason’s season opener.

Between the two matches, the Cavaliers hope to be able to pull off a hallmark win — they have yet to record a victory against a top-25 foe — to give them momentum going into the ACC Championships after a disappointing loss to North Carolina last weekend.

“We need a spark right now,” Garland said. “Our guys have so many injuries, it’s really starting to weigh on the hearts and minds of our wrestlers. It will be nice to see us come out and upset these guys.”

You’ve worked hard for four years and are just months away from receiving that long-awaited diploma. So, now what?
In the current economic crisis, employment opportunities seem to be slipping further away. In the following interviews, University faculty members, deans and counselors share advice with students about how to be competitive in the job market.

Kendra Nelsen, director for student services at University Career Services:
“First and foremost, you need to recognize that it is a very difficult economic climate and that there are repercussions in employment opportunities. There has always been a lot of interviewing on Grounds, but hiring is being reduced and because so much recruiting is done, we see [its reduction] more … Students need to recognize this and not panic but start the job search earlier as it is becoming a lengthier process. Look online, use network connections through alumni and family, and talk to the Career Services office. You might need to start thinking beyond your specific target. Look at where else and in what other jobs your skills could be involved in similar ways. Ultimately, it is about developing those core competencies that will make students more attractive to companies when the market picks up again. Identify your other options to become more hopeful: anxiety into action!”

Charles Fitch, Commerce Career Services assistant dean:
“All students should be networking with alumni, family and friends, past employers — any contacts you have. It is worthwhile to look into other industries and try to get a foot in the door somewhere. You should not be holding out for your ultimate job; it might not come along, or you might not get the position. Be as positive as possible and use a variety of resources, especially online search tools. Get creative with Google and really look, as you never know what ideas are out there.”

Dean of Students Allen Groves:
“First, consider looking at a service-related position if your finances will allow it. Teach for America and the Peace Corps are two great examples. They are highly selective, but the work will be well-respected by employers in two years time. Other non-profit jobs offer similarly great experience. Second, consider starting graduate school now, but be aware that application numbers are up, and schools are being even more selective. Also, look closely at what the placement rates are for each graduate program and make sure you will get a good return on your tuition investment. Lastly, broaden your targeted industries. Some areas of the economy, like investment banking, are shrinking, but others, like green technologies or public infrastructure, are expanding. University Career Services professionals can help with this.”

Environmental Sciences Prof. Manuel Lerdau:
“For third-year [students], start now: Find job opportunities for credit or pay with faculty. Research experience will be one of the most important things when it comes to finding a job. It does not have to be in your specific area, although it would be ideal if it was closely related. Take advantage of summer employment when you are not geographically bound to Grounds as well … Think about where you want to be in 10 years time, as you need to remain geographically flexible over the next two or three years to get there. However, if where you live is very important to you, you may get a sub-optimal job. Remember that the job that may position you best for the future may give you lower pay than the one that will afford less opportunities later.”

Architecture Prof. Michael Bednar, director of undergraduate Architecture advising:  
“Get experience that relates to architecture, even if it’s not specifically in the field of architecture. Try to get a job in construction, urban planning and graphic design to find a foothold to get experience rather than biding one’s time. It may take some creative endeavors on your part to find a productive way to spend time, but it is better to be occupied.”

Environmental Sciences Prof. Robert Davis:  
“In the environmental sciences there are not many issues. In fact, all of last year’s graduates that I know of found jobs … I do know that more students are applying to graduate school because I’ve been writing lots of applicants’ recommendations. It is something of the fail-safe option, but I would recommend it if students are genuinely interested and motivated to continue their studies.”

Chemical Engineering Prof. Roseanne Ford:
“I would suggest trying to be flexible. That might mean taking a job outside your ideal job or specialty, type or location. The demand is still there, but companies are reticent about increasing their workforce and only hire people for short-term projects. There are more opportunities for part-time work. One might consider graduate school, but don’t do it just as an alternative — only if you truly have interest in more study.”

Economics Prof. William Johnson:  
“This is a good time to go to [graduate] school. The opportunity cost, what you lose in taking an opportunity, has fallen as earning opportunities are less available than they once were. That is what you could have been earning full time but gave up by going to graduate school. Graduate school is definitely becoming more attractive as employment options are less attractive and the cost of going [to graduate school] is lowered.”

The Congressional Budget Office predicts the federal deficit will reach $1.2 trillion in 2009. In 2008, the federal debt reached a record $10 trillion, from just $6 trillion eight years ago. Furthermore, the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet has expanded from less than $900 billion in September 2008 to more than $2.26 trillion as of Dec. 12, 2008.

These financial figures are so troubling that their significance is worth further discussion, because how the government conducts fiscal and monetary policy today will greatly impact our standard of living in the future.

Let’s begin by discussing the federal debt versus the federal deficit. Often, people use these words interchangeably, but their meanings are different. A federal deficit — or surplus — is the difference between incoming revenues from taxes, land sales or fines and outgoing expenditures for a given year. For example, if the federal government collected $3 trillion in taxes, fees and other revenues this year but spent a total of $3.3 trillion on building roads, paying employees and buying souring loans from banks, it would report a budget deficit of $300 billion.

To pay the deficit amount, the government must borrow money. Every year, the current deficit is added to the overall federal debt. The federal debt is equal to the accumulation of yearly federal deficits.

Evaluating current federal budget figures leads to some startling conclusions. Most worrisome, our government continues to spend beyond its means while letting the country’s outstanding debt grow exponentially. While the federal budget deficit for 2008 reached a record of $455 billion, next year’s projected deficit will be even larger, $1.2 trillion.

To finance the yearly deficit and record debt, the U.S. Federal Reserve — the country’s central bank — has been selling Treasury bills and bonds. This year, it has been selling an unusually large number of government debt notes to finance the bailout of the country’s major banks. The printing of additional cash and selling of Treasury bonds account for the huge expansion of the Federal Reserve’s balance sheet, from less than $900 billion in September to $2.26 trillion in January. These actions are akin to running up a huge monthly credit card bill and simply printing money to pay the interest.

Indeed, during President Bush’s administration, the federal debt doubled from about $5.5 trillion to nearly $11 trillion. With a yearly gross domestic product — the broadest measure of U.S. economic output — of $13 trillion, the federal debt now accounts for about 84.62 percent of yearly economic output. If the federal government wanted to pay off this debt in a year, it would need to tax salaries and business revenues at an 85-percent rate.

To combat the current crisis, the government is putting itself into debt more quickly than at any time in the country’s history. What does this mean for our generation?

First, we should expect to pay much higher taxes in the future. The government will need to generate more revenue to pay off its debt. Indeed, the tax rates of the last 25 years are very low compared to other periods in U.S. history , so we should certainly expect an increase during the next several decades.

Second, many economists write of a “doomsday” scenario in which countries buying treasury bills and bonds — U.S. debt — simply stop investing in them. In this scenario, the U.S. would be unable to finance further expenditures and would most likely default on outstanding debt obligations.

Because of the interconnectedness of the world economy, however, a U.S. default would be disastrous for many other countries as well. For example, China holds $1 trillion dollars worth of U.S. treasury notes. If the government was to default on its debt, China’s holdings would suddenly become worthless. Thus, investors in U.S. government debt likely would never let a default occur.

A more likely scenario is that U.S. debt could suffer a ratings downgrade. Federal debt is currently considered the safest investment in the world. If such a downgrade occurred, the American economy would suffer greatly, as borrowing costs for all types of assets would sharply increase. In short, any sort of default or downgrade involving U.S. debt would result in an economic recession and a severe reduction in U.S. living standards. While such a downgrade is not imminent, reckless spending by our government will certainly make such a downgrade more plausible.

Finally, the most immediate consequence of the growth of America’s federal debt is already taking place: a slow devaluation of the dollar. Both the Japanese yen and European euro are trading at historic highs against the dollar. Such currency swings make the dollar less attractive as a global currency. In the long term, a weak dollar will hurt Americans’ standard of living as foreign goods become more expensive and it could undermine America’s standing as an economic superpower.

Clearly, the growth in the federal debt portends many negative economic consequences to come. As Americans, we have a responsibility to elect officials who will have the political courage to pay down the government’s giant liabilities and to hold them accountable. It is a domestic, economic and national security matter of the highest importance.

Andrew’s column runs biweekly Thursdays. He can be reached at a.golden@cavalierdaily.com.

For Bernard Madoff, the financial crisis has destroyed more than just his stock portfolio. The well-known Wall Street financier and former chairman of the Nasdaq Stock Market has been exposed as the operator of what may be the world’s largest Ponzi scheme. His asset management firm’s operations have seriously impacted financial futures and exiled Madoff from Wall Street. In total, Madoff allegedly stole about $50 billion from his investors — though that number is an estimate, as authorities cannot be sure how long Madoff has been working on the dark side of Wall Street. Madoff’s scheme proves the old saying: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Ponzi schemes are investment operations that pay an investor returns from subsequent investors. The scheme has a rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul structure. Ponzi schemes trickle money down through their participants, rather than paying out profits, and are often referred to as “pyramid schemes” because the patterns of investment mimic the shape of a pyramid. The scheme’s success hinges on obtaining new investors to keep money flowing through the system because more investors are needed to keep the base of investment growing and to pay those already involved. To lure individuals to the scheme, high short-term returns are usually promised. Ponzi schemes give participants the dream of getting rich quickly without being up front about their personal costs.

Madoff’s Ponzi scheme differed slightly from the typical structure. He avoided the trap of high returns and instead offered modest, steady returns to specific clients. A promise of “safe” investing drew in many of his investors. He portrayed himself as an “insider” and convinced investors that his methods were too complex to divulge, and good returns stopped any questions clients might have had about the real character of Madoff and his hedge fund. Madoff used his social networks to drum up clientele, especially those of upper-class Jewish background. Perhaps one of the more troubling aspects of his scheme is its effect on nonprofit charities, many of which trusted Madoff personally. Madoff made charitable foundations the base for his scheme, furthering the lasting effects of his fraudulent business.

While a subject of talk on Wall Street for years, Madoff might never have been exposed without the problems of the recent economy. His hedge fund, though always suspiciously profitable, was not seriously questioned as illegal. During the past few months, however, investors attempted to pull about $7 billion out of the fund. Without the cash to pay investors, the true structure of Madoff’s business began to unfold. Limited liquidity in the economy began the spiral, and Madoff’s Ponzi scheme collapsed as the base of investment dried up. Investors immediately called for an investigation to determine exactly where their money had gone. Wall Street was stunned.

So who is the man who played with the lives of so many? He came across as a reclusive, industrious man to acquaintances. Those closest to him referred to him as “controlled” and concerned with perfection. It is unclear if those from his tight-knit community, Laurelton in New York City, ever suspected the financier to be a world-class manipulator. His almost flawless manipulation of personal and professional relationships has had devastating consequences. The New York Times’ account of the affair compares Madoff to Ted Bundy, citing similar sociopathic tendencies. The recession adds more pressure to find justice for investors, many of whom were Madoff’s employees, neighbors or friends; all things considered and with the economy in free-fall, Madoff would be hard-pressed to find a sympathetic light for his actions.

What is next for Mr. Madoff? His lawyer has expressed Madoff’s desire to plea bargain, and Madoff is currently at his Manhattan apartment on $10 million bail. Though the government has repeatedly asked for Madoff to be jailed until trial, the judge has ruled instead for Madoff to wear an electronic monitoring device and observe a curfew. And now without his firm, Madoff might finally have the time to pick up a biography of his precursor, Charles Ponzi.

Lauren’s column runs biweekly Thursdays. She can be reached at l.palmer@cavalierdaily.com.

Many proponents of the recent offensive in Gaza have perpetuated the view that Israel’s disproportionate response, incurring the deaths of more than 1,300 Palestinians, was justified, that it was because of Hamas that Israel was forced to kill innocent Palestinians.

Those who perpetuate this misguided view are blind to the fact that collective punishment is illegal under international law, and that nothing justifies killing innocent civilians. Moreover, they neglect to remember time and time again that the Palestinians in Gaza, along with residents of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, have been living under one of the most brutal occupations in modern history, since before Hamas even existed. If those who hold these misguided views would take the time to look at the Israel-Palestine conflict with a memory that spans farther than the past three weeks, they would realize that this recent conflict in Gaza is not some abstract war between good and evil, but a continuation of the 42 years of victimization of the Palestinian people.

It is with these two conflicting outlooks that Students for Peace and Justice in Palestine and Hoos for Israel conducted their demonstrations last week. While some HFI members claimed that they did not express their support for Israel’s offensive publicly, they handed out pamphlets that did express a political view. The pamphlets detailed the number of rockets sent by Hamas into Israel as well as the amount of trucks allowed by Israel into Gaza before the operation. These facts were taken from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) Web site, the most powerful pro-Israeli lobbying group in the United States. If that is not politicization, I do not know what is.

In the SPJP memorial, tombstones were lined up to represent Israeli and Palestinian deaths. One was for the Israeli victims and 100 were for the Palestinians, because each tombstone represented 13 deaths. During the operation, 13 Israelis were killed along with 1,300 Palestinians. SPJP also formally requested HFI to join them in the memorial, but HFI respectfully declined.

SPJP put up signs on the South Lawn that read “The world stands up for Gaza.” This exact phrase was the rallying cry of the international community during the entire Israeli offensive, as three quarters of the world condemned Israel’s disproportionate response. It was uttered by millions of European, Asian, African and Middle Eastern citizens, including 10,000 Israelis, who were disgusted with the actions of the Israeli Defense Forces. The collective outcry of so many around the globe demonstrates their solidarity with the innocent victims of Israel’s shelling and bombing.

The layout of these two distinct demonstrations conveyed the messages of both groups; while both groups desire peace, SPJP had a more elevated goal in mind — to honor the dead, to point out the injustice of the Israeli offensive, and to remind the world that we have more work to do to ensure that human rights and justice prevail for all, including the Palestinians.

The only way to move forward is to rectify the errors of the past. Those who said that the SPJP events were not looking forward are the ones who have the solution backwards. They echo the viewpoint of the Israeli government, and many U.S. media outlets, who want the Palestinians to stop touting their pain and forget the past. They want us to forget the fact that Gaza, according to many aid agencies, now looks like it has been struck by an earthquake. They want us to forget the deaths of over 1,300 Palestinians; of the thousands injured without medical aid; of the homes, schools, and mosques that were demolished. They want us to forget that entire neighborhoods have been destroyed, and villages removed from the face of the Earth. But we can not, we will not, and we should not forget.

Our memory of the past two Israeli episodes of collective punishment inflicted on the Palestinians, the first in 2006, and the one most recently, are still fresh in our minds. And it is exactly these memories of the innocent victims of the Israeli massacres, the memories of the destruction in the Gaza Strip, which are indeed pushing us forward. They are pushing us forward in the fight for justice for all. Because peace and reconciliation have proven themselves to be meaningless words without the prevalence of justice.

Manal Tellawi is the president of the Middle Eastern Leadership Council, a constituent CIO of the Minority Rights Coalition.