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(09/03/13 5:00am)
• Total box office sales hit a record high this past Labor Day weekend, pulling in over $124 million. The weekend’s profits were thanks largely to the success of the concert movie, “One Direction: This is Us,” according to the Wall Street Journal.
• Despite a dramatic increase in the economic confidence of American households earning more than $50,000 a year, those making less than that have experienced only minor increases in confidence. This has established a large confidence gap between middle-class and lower-income Americans, according to Bloomberg.
• Spain, Portugal, Italy and Greece — some of the countries hit hardest by the struggling European economy — received a record number of tourist visits this past season. Tourists have been driven to Southern Europe by the continued turmoil in the Middle East, according to the New York Times.
• As average Americans turn to more risky investments as a source of higher returns on their savings, bank accounts have become noticeably smaller this year. The slight shrinkage marks a turn in what was a six-year trend of growing bank accounts, according to CNBC.
• The Rainbow Loom, an extremely popular children’s toy this summer, continues to grow in popularity. The company first began when founder, Cheong Choon Ng, wanted to make friendship bracelets with his daughters, according to the New York Times.
• After climbing to a five-week high, the price of natural gas has once again fell on reports of colder weather for the coming week. Natural gas is used to generate electricity and thus power AC units, according to Bloomberg.
• The average amount of money parents are leaving their children from the Tooth Fairy shot up 23 percent in 2013 to $3.70 per tooth. For a full set of 20 teeth, a child would earn $74, according to CNBC.
(04/17/12 6:40am)
Nataliya Seryakova
Correspondent
The Reel Art Festival offered an interesting array of creative medium to students through music, spoken word and film on Wednesday, April 11. The event was sponsored by the Student Film Union, WTSR, ink. and the Art Student Association.
The festival was in the works for a while as junior English major Samantha Zimbler, president of ink., said, “We were preparing it for a long time and trying to get everyone together and make it a great night.”
There was an interesting mix of works and propositions. For instance, Jeff Harrison, senior English major, asked, “Why can’t women be more like peanut butter?”
Even though Harrison later explained,“It is really the first time I have written in this style before,” his words captured the attention of the audience because they were so straightforward and evoked such a subliminal reaction.
In one of the musical highlights of the night, Matt Huston, senior journalism major and Signal staff writer, captured the audience with his soul-wrenching voice in a powerful acoustic performance.
Frank Sung, junior communication studies major, described Huston’s style as “a mixture of Radiohead and Neutral Milk Hotel — except more abandon.”
The event also included the showing of “Witness,” a movie directed by Josh Lewkowicz, freshman interactive multimedia major, which featured a chase scene, “Matrix” moves and cardboard guns.
The night concluded on a light note with the film “Hitler Gets Denied Housing,” directed by freshman history major Michael Cort.
Cort juxtaposed subtitles like, “First I cannot get Internet anywhere on campus and now this,” with footage of Hitler screaming furiously.
The event gave an outlet for young filmmakers to showcase their works in the midst of the musical and poetry performances typical at the College.
(03/22/12 10:18pm)
SANAA, Yemen (AP) — More than 2,000 people have been killed in a year of political turmoil that led to the resignation of Yemen’s longtime president, the government disclosed Sunday. The figure is much higher than human rights groups estimated.
The government released its first casualty figures on a day when crowds of protesters were marking one year since a particularly bloody day, when dozens were killed.
Yemen’s Ministry of Human Rights said the figure of at least 2,000 includes both unarmed protesters and military defectors, as well as more than 120 children. It said 22,000 people were wounded over the past year.
The London-based human rights group Amnesty International estimated earlier this year that 200 protesters had been killed in the uprising.
The government of Ali Abdullah Saleh, who stepped down as president last month after more than three decades in power, never released casualty figures.
For nearly a year, armed men in plain clothes loyal to Saleh attacked anti-government protesters, while security forces did little to stop them.
Yemenis protested across the country on Sunday to mark the killing of more than 50 protesters last year by snipers loyal to the former regime.
Hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets in at least 18 provinces to demand that Saleh be tried for the deaths of protesters killed a year ago on “Friday of Dignity,” when snipers fired from rooftops at protesters in Sanaa’s Change Square.
As part of an internationally backed deal, Saleh was granted immunity from prosecution in exchange for handing over powers to his vice president.
Saleh’s successor, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, visited Sanaa’s Change Square on Sunday and prayed at a cemetery where protesters were buried. He told youth demonstrators that he would fulfill the goals of their movement and decreed that families who lost relatives in the uprising would be given a monthly stipend.
The internal turmoil has led to a collapse of security in many parts of Yemen.
On Sunday, two gunmen dressed in military uniforms on a motorcycle shot dead an American teacher working at a language institute in the central Yemen city of Taiz, said the region’s provincial governor, Hamoud al-Sufi.
Taiz is the second largest city in Yemen and has been a center of anti-government protests.
Al-Sufi did not have details on who the killers might be and said an investigation was in progress.
The head of security in Taiz, Ali Saidi, said the American, identified as Joel Wesley, was killed in his car when the assailants sped up next to him and opened fire. Wesley worked for two years at the Swiss Language Institute, financed by the International Training and Development Center. The center, established in Yemen in the 1970s, is one of the oldest foreign language institutes in the impoverished Arab country.
Further south, security officials said a naval bombardment on Sunday killed more than 16 al-Qaida fighters in Aden’s provincial capital of Zinjibar. Militants affiliated with al-Qaida have taken advantage of the chaos in Yemen to seize control of cities and town in that area.
In another attack Sunday, medical officials said an aerial assault killed at least eight militants in Jaar, just north of Zinjibar. Both cities have been under al-Qaida control since last spring. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose the information.
Residents said a civilian was wounded when an airstrike hit a post office used as a hospital in Jaar. The city’s main hospital was destroyed in a government bombardment last year.
(03/22/12 10:17pm)
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (AP) — An alternate juror in the trial of a former Rutgers University student convicted in a webcam spying episode that ended in his gay roommate’s suicide said he disagrees with the verdict.
James Downey told The Record on Saturday that he wouldn’t have voted to convict Dharun Ravi on any charges related to allegations that his actions were motivated by anti-gay bias.
Prosecutors said Ravi set up his webcam in his dorm room and watched Tyler Clementi kissing another man on Sept. 19, 2010, then tweeted about it and excitedly tried to catch Clementi in the act again two days later. A half dozen students were believed to have seen the live video of the kissing; no video was taken the second time.
As an alternate, the Woodbridge Township resident heard all the testimony but did not participate in deliberations. The jury, which returned its verdict Friday, was unanimous in finding Ravi guilty of all 15 charges, including invasion of privacy and anti-gay intimidation.
Ravi wasn’t charged with causing or contributing to his roommate’s death. Clementi committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge days after his intimate encounter with the other man. The case stirred a national conversation about anti-gay bullying and teen suicide and illustrated the dangers of technology in the hands of people who have grown up with the likes of Twitter and Facebook.
“Whatever (Ravi) did was stupid, but I don’t think he ever had any intention of intimidating (Clementi),” Downey said. “I think that scenario could have happened 100 different ways, whether he had a straight roommate who had a girlfriend over ... there are 100 scenarios where he could have been goofing around and turning the camera on and it had nothing to do with somebody being gay.”
Downey said he was “kind of up in the air” on the other charges, saying he likely would have voted to convict Ravi on charges of hindering apprehension and tampering with witnesses and evidence.
Downey said he wasn’t upset about being named an alternate juror at the close of Ravi’s trial because deliberating the case would have been difficult.
“The fact that I was picked as an alternate was almost relieving to me, especially considering the verdict they came back with,” he said. “I don’t really want to carry that around as far as the responsibility of sending somebody, especially a young man, to prison.”
Ravi could face five to 10 years in prison on the bias intimidation charges alone when he’s sentenced May 21 and could be deported to his native India even though he has lived legally in the U.S. since he was little. Several months ago, Ravi and his lawyers rejected a plea bargain that would have spared him from prison, and prosecutors would have helped him avoid deportation.
Ravi’s lawyers have vowed to appeal the verdict.
(02/14/12 8:19am)
By Jacqia Scotton
Correspondent
The Black Student Union sponsored a delicious event in the atrium at Eickhoff on Wednesday, Feb. 8, which celebrated Black History Month with traditional African American foods.
Balloons bearing colors of red, green and black were placed all around Eickhoff, and music by African American artists like Maxwell and Aaliyah was played. Posters of prominent figures in Black history were also positioned around the atrium.
“The Black History Month Dinner is an annual collaboration between the Black Student Union and TCNJ Sodexo staff,” said senior BSU president and psychology and women’s and gender studies double major Lynette Barnes. “Every member of the campus community enjoys this small part of Black History Month.”
Among the food served was Cajun catfish, candied yams, jerk pork loin, mashed potatoes, collard greens, roast beef po’boys and more.
The 91.3 Wokery shut down its usual production, in favor of jollof rice with beef okra and tomatoes.
Additionally, some of the food served at the event had ties to the South, such as the barbeque pulled pork, black-eyed pea soup and hush puppies.
“The collard greens and okra really reminded me of my family’s cooking in Tennessee,” sophomore sociology major Brittany Grayson said.
As more people poured into Eickhoff, entrées frequently ran out, and students had a lot to say about the meal. “Everything is better than usual,” sophomore criminology major Joe Gilmore said. “Eickhoff really stepped up their game for Black History Month.”
Students were also happy to see the College celebrating black culture. “I really appreciate that the school is celebrating black history. It doesn’t give a full insight, but it gives people a chance to see a part of the black culture,” said sophomore secondary education and math double major Roger Barrett.
Desserts featured included Mississippi Mud Cake, banana bread and sweet potato pie. “The banana bread was a nice finish to the night,” Gilmore said.
(02/14/12 8:08am)
By Jennifer Engelhart
Correspondent
Professor and author of “Institutional Interests and the Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons Expertise,” Sharon Weiner, spoke at the College on Thursday, Feb. 9 about the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and the fate of its nuclear experts.
Weiner is a professor at American University in Washington, D.C. and is currently engaged with the Indian Army research program.
Weiner opened the forum by stating, “This is a serious story about a serious national security policy problem that the United States faced for 20 years.”
With the implosion of the Soviet Union in 1991, approximately 60,000 nuclear weapons scientists were left scattered amongst the colossal Soviet Union.
An astounding number of experts in a dangerous scientific field were out of work, a prospect that was seen to be very threatening to the U.S.'s safety. Pressure was mounted to assess the situation.
“The United States recognized that if we do not do anything, poverty stricken nuclear weapons specialists will sell their skills to other states,” Weiner explained.
With such an immense circumstance, the U.S. developed personal links with the Soviets to help find employment for these nuclear experts. The United States then proceeded to construct programs in the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy and the State Department to elicit work for these nuclear specialists. However, the result of such action was grim.
“Why did they fail to create jobs for these Russian scientists? After 20 years and close to a billion dollars, the number of jobs we created was less than 2,000,” she proclaimed.
The initial plan, which failed to prosper, was to create proper conversion for these scientists. This idea, theoretically a good plan, lacked triumph.
After much discussion dedicated to bureaucracy and nuclear proliferation, Weiner continued with a question and answer session for the forum attendees.
When asked about where these scientists are today she replied, “One became a butcher. A butcher shop isn’t a proper conversion project as deemed by the United States, and were therefore refused financial backing.”
Unfortunately, not all of the specialists found a life outside of nuclear weapons. Weiner explained the very strong possibility of former Soviet nuclear specialists working hand in hand with modern terrorists. It is likely that some are working with Iran now.
Weiner was asked if she is concerned with the possibility of the Russians working with terrorists. “I am not worried at all about the Russians,” she said. “However, the South Africans I find myself worried about. Pakistan concerns me and even North Korea.”
(11/15/11 4:18am)
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Supreme Court said Monday it will hear arguments next March over President Barack Obama's health care overhaul - a case that could shake the political landscape as voters are deciding if Obama deserves another term.
This decision to hear arguments in the spring sets up an election-year showdown over the White House's main domestic policy achievement. And it allows plenty of time for a decision in late June, just over four months before Election Day.
The justices announced they will hear an extraordinary five-and-a-half hours of arguments from lawyers on the constitutionality of a provision at the heart of the law and three other related questions about the act. The central provision in question is the requirement that individuals buy health insurance starting in 2014 or pay a penalty.
In the modern era, the last time the court allotted anywhere near this much time for arguments was in 2003 for consideration of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform. That case consumed four hours of argument. This argument may spread over two days, as the justices rarely hear more than two or three hours a day.
The 2010 health care overhaul law aims to extend insurance coverage to more than 30 million Americans, through an expansion of Medicaid, the requirement that individuals buy health insurance starting in 2014 or pay a penalty and other measures.
A White House spokesman said, "We are pleased that the court has agreed to hear this case."
"We know the Affordable Care Act is constitutional and are confident the Supreme Court will agree," communications direct Dan Pfeiffer said in a statement.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky called the law an "unprecedented and unconstitutional expansion of the federal government into the daily lives of every American."
"In both public surveys and at the ballot box, Americans have rejected the law's mandate that they must buy government-approved health insurance, and I hope the Supreme Court will do the same," McConnell said.
Republicans have called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act unconstitutional since before Obama signed it into law in March 2010. But only one of the four federal appeals courts that have considered the health care overhaul has struck down even a part of the law.
The federal appeals court in Atlanta said Congress exceeded its power under the Constitution when it adopted the mandate. The federal appeals court in Cincinnati upheld the entire law, as did appellate judges in Washington, DC, in recent days.
The case could become the high court's most significant and political ruling since its 5-4 decision in the Bush v. Gore case nearly 11 years ago effectively sealed George W. Bush's 2000 presidential election victory.
In addition to deciding whether the law's central mandate is constitutional, the justices will also determine whether the rest of the law can take effect even if that central mandate is held unconstitutional. The law's opponents say the whole thing should fall if the individual mandate falls.
The administration counters that most of the law still could function, but says that requirements that insurers cover anyone and not set higher rates for people with pre-existing conditions are inextricably linked with the mandate and shouldn't remain in place without it.
The court also will look at the expansion of the joint federal-state Medicaid program that provides health care to poorer Americans, even though no lower court called that provision into question. Florida and the 25 other states say the law goes too far in coercing them into participating by threatening a cutoff of federal money. The states contend that the vast expansion of the joint federal-state Medicaid program and the requirement that employers offer health insurance violate the Constitution. No appeals court has agreed.
"The court recognized the seriousness of these vitally important constitutional challenges by allocating an extraordinary amount of time for oral argument," Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi said.
Lastly, the justices will consider whether arguments over the law's validity are premature because a federal law generally prohibits challenges to taxes until the taxes are paid. The federal appeals court in Richmond, Va., ruled earlier this year reasoned that the penalty for not purchasing insurance will not be paid before federal income tax returns are due in April 2015, therefore it was too early for a court to make a ruling on the law.
The administration agreed to seek prompt Supreme Court review of the health care overhaul, though it had options for trying to delay the court's consideration of the law until after the election. The Justice Department passed up the chance to ask the appeals court in Atlanta to reconsider its decision. It is common for the Justice Department to seek review by the full appeals court when a three-judge panel rules against the government.
Early on, at the district court level, rulings followed political affiliation. Judges appointed by Democratic presidents upheld the law, while Republican appointees struck it down.
But party lines blurred at three federal appeals courts. In Atlanta, Judge Frank Hull, a Clinton appointee, joined with a Republican colleague in striking down the mandate. In Cincinnati, Judge Jeffrey Sutton, a Bush appointee, was the deciding vote in upholding the law. And in the District of Columbia, Senior Judge Laurence Silberman, named to the bench by President Ronald Reagan, and Senior Judge Harry Edwards, a Carter appointee, voted together to uphold the law.
Legal experts have offered a range of opinions about what the high court might do. Many prominent Supreme Court lawyers believe that the law will be upheld by a lopsided vote, with Republican and Democratic appointees ruling in its favor. Still others predict a close outcome, with Justice Anthony Kennedy, a Republican who sometimes joins his four Democratic colleagues, holding the deciding vote.
Six separate appeals have been filed with the high court. Three come from the Atlanta court, where the administration, the states and the National Federation of Independent Business appealed different aspects of the court ruling. From Richmond, Liberty University and Virginia appealed decisions turning back their challenges to the law. The Thomas More Law Center of Ann Arbor, Mich., appealed a ruling by the Cincinnati-based court upholding the law.
Ultimately, the court chose the Atlanta court's ruling as the primary case to review. That decision means that the highly regarded former Bush administration solicitor general, Paul Clement, is likely to argue on behalf of the challengers. The current Solicitor General, Donald Verrilli Jr., is expected to defend the law before the justices.
(11/15/11 4:17am)
BEIRUT (AP) -- Jordan's King Abdullah said Tuesday that Syrian President Bashar Assad should step down, making him the first Arab ruler to issue such a call over the regime's deadly crackdown on an 8-month-old uprising.
The surprising statement comes as Arabs close ranks against Damascus. On Saturday, the Arab League voted to suspend Syria over attacks on protesters that the U.N. estimates have killed 3,500 people since mid-March.
"If Bashar (Assad) has the interest of his country, he would step down, but he would also create an ability to reach out and start a new phase of Syrian political life," Abdullah told the BBC in an interview.
Damascus had no immediate public comment.
Earlier Monday, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem accused Arab nations of conspiring against Damascus, calling Saturday's near-unanimous vote at the Arab League's headquarters in Cairo "shameful and malicious."
The vote was a stinging rebuke to a regime that prides itself as a bastion of Arab nationalism and left Syria increasingly isolated over its crackdown.
"We wanted the role of the Arab League to be a supporting role, but if the Arabs wanted to be conspirators, this is their business," al-Moallem said at a news conference in Damascus, betraying his country's deep alarm over the decision.
The vote to suspend Syria - a major boost for the Syrian opposition - put Damascus in direct confrontation with other Arab powers, including Qatar and Saudi Arabia, who were pushing for the suspension.
The unified Arab position also puts more pressure on the U.N. Security Council to impose sanctions, despite objections by Syrian allies Russia and China. Of the Arab League's 22 members, only Syria, Lebanon and Yemen voted against the suspension of Syria, with Iraq abstaining.
A similar Arab League decision to suspend Libya's membership earlier this year paved the way for the U.N.-mandated no-fly zone and NATO airstrikes that eventually brought down Moammar Gadhafi, but the group has stressed international intervention was not on the agenda in Syria.
Still, al-Moallem played on fears that the diplomatic campaign could escalate to Libya-style military action, saying Syria's army is far stronger than Libya's.
"They know that our valiant army has capabilities that they might not be able to tolerate if they are used," he said.
Assad asserts that extremists pushing a foreign agenda to destabilize Syria are behind the country's unrest, rather than true reform-seekers aiming to open the country's autocratic political system.
Syria has asked the Arab League to convene an emergency Arab summit to discuss the country's spiraling political unrest. Critics say that is another possible bid by Assad to buy time as he faces snowballing punitive action.
An Arab League official in Cairo said the call for a summit would be discussed by Arab foreign ministers during their meeting in Rabat, Morocco, on Wednesday.
There are several obstacles, however, including a requirement that any call for a summit must come from the leader of the nation holding its rotating presidency, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to brief the media. Currently that is Libya, but the country has just emerged from civil war and only has interim leaders.
In Brussels, European Union foreign ministers decided Monday to impose additional sanctions on 18 Syrians and organizations in response to the killings of protesters.
The names of those sanctioned will not be known until they are published in the EU's official journal in a day or two. Sanctions generally include visa and travel bans on people, the freezing of assets, and prohibitions on trade.
The EU has already placed sanctions on 56 Syrians and 19 organizations in its effort to get Assad to halt his bloody crackdown, and has banned the import into the EU of Syrian crude oil.
Russia, meanwhile, indicated that Assad still has the support of Moscow. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted by the ITAR-Tass news agency saying Moscow opposes the Arab League's decision to suspend Syria.
Earlier, Syria invited Arab League officials to visit before the membership suspension is scheduled to take effect on Wednesday, and said they could bring any civilian or military observers they deem appropriate to oversee implementation of an Arab League plan for ending the bloodshed.
The Syrian government is usually loath to accept anything resembling foreign intervention, and the invitation signaled the government's concern over the Arab action.
The crisis has raised regional tensions, with Turkey sending a plane to evacuate nonessential personnel after Saturday attacks on several embassies including Ankara's by Syrian government supporters angry over the Arab League decision.
Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Monday that his country would take a "decisive attitude" in the face of attacks on its missions in Syria, and will continue his country's policy of supporting the Syrian opposition.
Turkey also formally protested the attacks and issued a warning against traveling to Syria.
(11/10/10 7:05pm)
After 59 minutes of struggling offenses and a battle for ripe field position, the College found the end zone just out of a Kean University defender’s reach.
Junior quarterback Jay Donoghue’s 26-yard pass found sophomore wide receiver Brian Mills in the corner of the end zone for the game’s only score, as the Lions (5-4) upset the Cougars 7-0 at home for their fourth consecutive win.
The winning touchdown came on third down with 11 yards to go within field goal range — a somewhat gutsy call considering Donoghue had thrown two interceptions on the day already.
Head coach Eric Hamilton felt the pass was worth a try.
“In a 0-0 game, what is playing safe?” he asked. “Going for a field goal or overtime — both are chances. We took the shot. We had opportunities early in game from close, and we have to pick and choose when we take shots — that was as good as time as any. It was a good throw, and a great catch.”
Donoghue had his reasons as well.
“They came out playing man to man with one safety and linebacker, both sitting right on the middle routes,” he said. “So pre-snap I knew it was Mills one on one to the outside. He’s one of the fastest kids on our team so I knew he’d beat him deep. Then he made a great over the shoulder catch. It was just awesome.”
Donoghue led the team in rushing as well as passing, with 57 yards on the ground on 12 attempts.
The College had a chance to pull ahead early, but a Donoghue interception on the Kean 3-yard line halted the drive. The Cougars also stymied the Lions on the goal line in the second half, in addition to blocking a 45-yard field goal attempt by junior kicker Tyler Olsson.
The Lions defense bent but it never broke, accounting for the College’s first shutout victory since a 30-0 win over SUNY Cortland in 2007. Kean gained only 265 yards of total offense in the contest.
“Our defense is getting better each week,” Hamilton said. “Even with the different faces, they are improving. The game plan was basic but the effort was outstanding. A big reason is that they believe they can do it if everyone just takes care of their responsibility. Our tackling was much better and we played with intensity — maybe the challenge of the big back or rising to the level of competition.”
The defense was led by sophomore linebacker Greg Burns and junior defensive back Shawn Brown, each with eight tackles on the day.
“We put hard work in this week, watching film on Kean, and work ethic was higher at practice,” senior defensive back Matt Kreider said. “We didn’t really change the plan , we just did it better.”
With the win over Kean, the College is above .500 overall for the first time this season and hopes to continue its winning ways on Saturday, hosting Rowan University (8-1) in the season finale.
“(Rowan) needs to win to have a shot at NCAA, so they will be fired up,” Hamilton said. “We need another effort out of our guys, especially those who may be playing their last game at home. Just wish our student body would lighten up a little and take a day off from studying and enjoy the day outside with us. Our guys could really use the support and we need all the help we can get Saturday.”
Bobby Olivier can be reached at olivier6@tcnj.edu.
(10/14/10 1:25am)
By Kelly Davila
Correspondent
The cries of 19 students filled the Brower Student Center Atrium, as they dropped down a hill on a theme park rollercoaster. A rollercoaster has not been built inside the BSC, but from the looks of panic and joy on the hypnotized students’ faces, that is what they believed, as they reacted to the words and commands given by Sailesh: Hypnotist Extraordinaire.
Last Friday Oct. 8, Sailesh, a 16-year practicing hypnotist, showed the College how far hypnotism could affect a willing person while providing amusement for the audience. The show began when Sailesh told the more-than-willing audience members to fill the seats on the stage. While those who were not fast enough sat back down, the people on the stage got comfortable.
“Close your eyes and take a deep breath in. Breathing in … as you exhale feel the energy escape your body,” he said. Members of the audience also followed Sailesh’s soothing voice commands and began to take deep breaths.
Soon, the subjects became so relaxed that heads fell on laps, necks rolled back and one student even proceeded to fall off the chair and onto the floor in a hard face-plant. All the while, the volunteers never spoke or opened their eyes.
“I could feel my body moving but I had no control over my hands or what came out of my mouth,” freshman elementary education and math major Iranis Marol said.
At one point, the students were “stuck in an ice-cold room” and began to shiver and shake while their lips quivered. Sailesh took it up a notch when he told the recipients they were watching a pornographic film in which they were the stars. Laughter spread across the audience when a few of the students on stage began to smile intensely while others’ faces were twisted into expressions of horror.
The hypnosis brought out the inner musicians of the subjects as they sang songs like “You Got It Bad,” by Usher or “The Bad Touch,” by the Bloodhound Gang. When a contestant was told her mouth was full, she stopped singing.
“What happened?” Sailesh asked, to which the student sadly answered, “I can’t sing.”
Aside from its entertainment value, hypnotism has also been noted for provoking strong emotions in people. During the performance, a participant was literally brought to tears for an unknown reason.
“Every now and then, you don’t even realize when you touch somebody’s life … I’ve received a couple e-mails from kids saying that my positive suggestions kept them from committing suicide,” Sailesh said.
Watching people be hypnotized can leave a person with a sense of awe, while others remain dubious of its effect. Sailesh’s advice for those who do not believe in hypnotism is, “open your mind, give yourself to me.”
For freshman open options culture and society major Corin Minicozzi, her first encounter with hypnotism was not disappointing.
“It was definitely very interesting,” she said. “I would do it again.”
(09/29/10 4:17pm)
This Week In Sports
Football
Oct. 2
vs. SUNY Cortland, 1:30 p.m.
Men’s Soccer
Sept. 29
@ Rutgers University-Camden, 7 p.m.
Oct. 2
vs. Rutgers University-Newark, 7 p.m.
Women’s Soccer
Sept. 29
vs. Rutgers University-Camden, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 2
@ Rutgers University-Newark, 7 p.m.
Men’s Tennis
Oct. 2-4
@ ITA Regionals, TBA
Field Hockey
Oct. 2
vs. Richard Stockton College, 7:30 p.m.
Cross Country
Oct. 2
@ Paul Short Invitational, 2 p.m.
(09/16/10 7:15pm)
“I’m going to drink my dinner tonight” is not an uncommon thing to hear around a college campus. Health-conscious students recognize the carb load of alcohol, and how it can quickly add up to the freshman 15. Rather than pursue a healthy diet, many students — typically women — starve themselves during the day, forgoing food and nutrition in attempts to offset the calories in the alcohol they consume at parties.
This practice has become known as “drunkorexia.” While not an official medical term, it has become widely used and recognized. Covered in a March article of the New York Times, the phenomenon is defined as: “self-imposed starvation or bingeing and purging, combined with alcohol abuse.”
“Binge drinking is almost cool and hip,” said Doug Bunnell, the past president of the National Eating Disorders Association, in the New York Times article. “And losing weight and being thin is a cultural imperative for young women in America. Mixing both is not surprising.”
Binge drinking on its own poses serious health risks. When excessive amounts of alcohol are consumed, your brain is deprived of oxygen. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, “the struggle to deal with an overdose of alcohol and lack of oxygen will eventually cause the brain to shut down the voluntary functions that regulate breathing and heart rate.”
When combined with a low or zero-calorie diet, the effects of binge drinking become much more dangerous. The food in your stomach acts as a sponge, absorbing the alcohol you drink. If there is no food in
your stomach, there is nothing to curb the amount of alcohol that goes into your system.
As a result, your blood alcohol level is likely to shoot up without your realizing it. Drunk and under-fueled from your restrictions during the day, you are also likely to go well beyond your limit before you realize the full effects the alcohol is having on your body. Drinking on an empty stomach not only jeopardizes your health, it greatly reduces your self-control — you are more apt to make bad decisions and put your health at risk.
Rather then starve yourself and run the risk of bodily harm, continue to eat throughout the day. Eating small meals every two to three hours not only keeps you satisfied, but will ultimately add up to fewer calories. These mini-meals keep your metabolism running smoothly – if you starve yourself and then take in a large number of calories at once, your metabolism gets thrown off. You are more likely to hold onto the calories after a day of not eating than if you had been eating regularly.
To avoid putting yourself through the negative side effects of restricted eating and binge drinking, stay fueled and practice smart drinking habits. Eat a number of small, healthy meals during the day. And once you are out, don’t rush into drinking before you can stop at your limit. You’ll feel better for having eaten, and thank yourself the next morning.
If you think you need help with your relationship with food or alcohol, please contact Student Health Services. They can set you up with professional staff from the Alcohol and Drug Educatiion Program and Counseling and Psychological Services. For more information, visit the Student Health Services website at tcnj.edu/~sa/health/
Andrea Thyrring can be reached at thyrrin2@tcnj.edu.
(02/12/10 8:58pm)
By Maddie Cox
Correspondent
Students should be exposed to a more global and inclusive curriculum, according to Martin Smith, world language supervisor of the Edison School District.
Smith presented his ideas for revised for- eign language teaching strategies on Feb. 3 in the business building. The presentation was hosted by the department of modern languag- es and the school of culture and society.
Smith presented “21st Century Curriculum and Instruction: A Model Unit,” a guide to be used by teachers that allows students to learn by communicat- ing. The target is to strengthen student learning through interpretation, engage- ment and immersion.
Smith focused on a program called Photo Story which uses images, text and music to captivate the students. This program allows students to upload their own pictures, write their own text and choose their own music to use while telling stories.
Another segment of the presentation was a unit called “Live Healthy.” Teachers using this will be encouraged to reflect on their own habits, developing materials that promote healthy and active lifestyles. While providing an understanding on healthy lifestyles, students will strengthen interpretive, interpersonal and presenta- tional skills. Smith stressed the importance of global awareness and having students understand healthy lifestyles in cultures other than their own.
Smith also provided activities and instructions that are meant to be simple for students and teachers to understand. He showed example PowerPoint presentations which displayed a balanced food chart in Spanish.
Smith also showed a YouTube clip in Spanish that expressed the importance of healthy living, good eating habits and daily exercise. Smith also presented a teaching strategy called “web quest” which essen- tially allows students to find informa- tion on a given site. He used the Wii Fit Spanish site as an example. This allows students to learn about Wii Fit, while answering questions in Spanish. All of these activities and assignments allow for students to familiarize themselves with the language, advanced technology and healthy living choices.
Smith emphasized the importance of involving the students and allowing the student to relate as much as possible. Along with these sites, this unit uses blogs for homework assignments and Jeopardy to quiz the students.
“At the end of the day, can you have a conversation? How well can you use it?” Smith said.
He expressed that it is not about vocab- ulary and grammatical usage because there are many other dimensions to a language. Smith wanted to promote this fresh, new approach of teaching when he realized the traditional way of teaching was not work- ing effectively.
When asked why this model of teaching needs to be executed, Smith said he saw students weren?t connecting and were not able to use the language.
“This made me aware of the way tech- nology is incorporated in modern day classrooms and is a great resource to teach- ers,” Katie Heitman, sophomore nursing and Spanish double major, said.
(04/23/08 12:00pm)
Bob Kaita, a physicist from the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab, does not feel he has to choose between God and science.
"Can a scientist believe in God?" Kaita asked. "The simple answer is 'I'm standing here, so yes."
Kaita is part of a team that performs nuclear fusion research in the hopes of finding an alternative energy process.
He traced his spirituality back to his childhood, specifically to the teachings of his parents, well-educated and devoted Christians. They taught Kaita about the natural world and God at the same time, which he said helps him switch between the world and religion, especially during his scientific studies.
Kaita pointed out that Johannes Kepler, noted 16th century astrologist, was a scientist who never faltered in his view that God was the ultimate astronomer. Kaita said this holds as proof that even at a time when science was challenging the teachings of the church, there were scientists who practiced both of their beliefs equally.
Kaita did acknowledge that, despite being a devout Christian, his mind did stray from the religious path.
"When a tube or a gasket blows, I don't always have the purest thought in my mind," he said. "Even believing scientists like myself don't consciously think of God all the time."
Using the Anthropic Principle, Kaita presented the idea that if the universe didn't exist exactly as it does now, then humans wouldn't be here to observe it.
Kaita said scientists question the validity of God's hand in creating the universe, and question whether or not he exists at all.
"No creator means no judgment, but also no reception at the end, good or bad," he said. "It is (logical) for me to think that there was a creator."
"Our logic is based on the way things are," Paul Soon, freshman biology major, said. "I totally agree with (Kaita) . that the fact that we can look at logic points to the idea of a creator."
While Kaita remained unwavering in his ideas about God and science, he acknowledged that strictly scientific models of thought do have their rewards.
"It's possible that Einstein, had he not been prejudiced against the idea of God, would not have made the predictions on the universe that he did," Kaita said.
Kaita said he told one inquiring student, if all you're looking for is an objective view, "it's all in the attitude."
Instead of judging, he said, think critically and you'll be able to see things in a completely new light.
(04/02/08 12:00pm)
Greg Olsen, scientist, businessman and astronaut, came to the College on March 26 to tell his story in the New Library Auditorium.
Olsen nearly flunked out of high school, failing trigonometry and graduating with an overall average of 70. Coaxed into college, Olsen received his Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering and a master's degree in physics from Fairleigh Dickinson University. A doctorate in materials science from the University of Virginia followed afterwards.
From 1972-1983, Olsen worked as a research scientist for RCA labs. It was here where he got the idea to start his first company, Epitaxx.
"I had no background in business . until 1983 when I got the idea to start this tech company," Olsen said.
With $1.5 million in startup funds, the company focused on making fiber-optic detectors and soon employed up to 55 people and made $5 million a year. The company was bought out by Japanese company Nippon Sheet Glass for $12 million in 1990.
"In 1990 everybody thought Japan was going to rule the world economically," Olsen said. "We all hear about India and China now . Anybody who thinks the U.S. is gonna get left in the dust, just remember what happened in 1990."
Olsen started his second company, called Sensors Unlimited, in 1992. Sensors Unlimited was sold for $600 million in 2000 but Olsen bought the company back a year later for $6 million and later re-sold it for $60 million in 2003.
It was in June of that year that Olsen got the idea to travel into space.
"The inspiration to go to the International Space Station (ISS) came from this," Olsen said, holding up his coffee cup. "Every morning you can find me at the Starbucks on Nassau Street (in Princeton) reading the paper."
It was a chance reading during one particular Starbucks trip that introduced Olsen to Dennis Tito and Mark Shuttleworth, the first two private citizens to board the ISS.
"Have you ever had that feeling where you've seen something and you said to yourself, 'I have to do this?'" Olsen asked.
By April of 2004 Olsen was in Russia training for his spaceflight. In June of that year he was disqualified for having a black spot on his lung.
"That was a devastating experience for me," Olsen said.
He got clearance from American doctors, and pressed the issue with the Russian doctors until he was allowed back into the program in May 2005.
"By February I didn't think that I would get to fly into space, but I just kept at it," Olsen said.
In October of that year, he and two other astronauts launched from Russia.
Olsen showed videos of his trip on the ISS with instructions on how to drink water and eat food. He also demonstrated basic properties of physics using a floating notebook.
Of his experience, Olsen said he was happy with how everything turned out.
"I don't consider myself an astronaut, but I feel like I was properly trained," he said.
Currently, Olsen is the chief executive officer of GHO Ventures and, in addition to managing a winery in South Africa and a ranch in Montana, he funds "Angel Projects," which are startup companies that he believes show promise.
"I love startups," Olsen said. "I thought, why don't I try investing in others?"
(03/19/08 12:00pm)
The Student Finance Board (SFB) during its March 6 meeting awarded $28,271 to the Black Student Union (BSU) to fund the "Spring 2008 Fashion Show: Eye Candy."
BSU originally requested $23,550, but was granted the extra funding after SFB reviewed the ticket policy for the event.
The fashion show will include an after-party in Brower Student Center and a concert before the show featuring R&B artist J. Holiday.
Initially, SFB members felt wary of the steep price for the chosen musical entertainment, arguing that it wouldn't increase attendance to the function.
"I don't think the performer is necessary," Matthew McCann, senior representative, said.
Other members disagreed.
"We have almost $80,000 for events for the campus, and I don't see why we should turn down performances," Bill Fenimore, administrative director, said.
SFB executive director Leonardo Acevedo agreed, saying, "There aren't many big ticket events coming up for the rest of the semester. I think you guys are looking at it in terms of what it brings to the event, while we're looking at what it can bring to the campus."
SFB decided to reduce funding for a DJ at the after-party by $300, but supply $5,000 to build up its box office funds. Tickets are to cost $10 for students and $15 for non-students.
Other funding that BSU was awarded will go toward publicity and payments for the makeup artists and fashion designers, among other things.
The fashion show is scheduled for April 12 in Kendall Hall.
SFB awarded full funding, $2,684, to Chabad for a Purim Party to celebrate the Jewish holiday. The money would be used for a dairy-based meal, cutlery and entertainment by the Drum Café.
Initial concern was brought up over the $1,500 requested for entertainment and $250 for decorations and props, but after discussion SFB decided to fund the project.
"I feel like it tells the story of the holiday, so (props) are important," Maya Wadya, assistant financial director, said.
The Purim Party will take place March 20 in the student center, room 202W.
The Asian American Association (AAA) was awarded $1,724 to fund its Multicultural Buffet to be held in the student center main atrium on March 26. The event is aimed at allowing students the opportunity to taste Asian cuisine and engage with friends in a comfortable setting.
AAA originally requested $2,614 for the buffet, but SFB deducted $890 for what it deemed as unnecessary costs, including $290 of a requested $300 for henna tattoos.
"I think they want to get paid for an hour of henna tattooing," Mike Stolar, SFB operations director, said. "It's just another $2,500 free food event."
SFB also deducted $600 from the requested amount, insisting that a ticket price be established.
Barkada was unianimously awarded $250 for its conference at the University of Maryland.
(02/06/08 12:00pm)
At the Jan. 31 Student Government Association (SGA)-sponsored law seminar, students got a chance to ask professionals in the law field any law-related questions they had. Assistant Attorney General John Bender and business and healthcare attorney at law Michael Schaff fielded questions regarding such topics as leasing a house off campus and applying to law school.
Bender was quick to distance himself from any liability issues stemming from his appearance, leading off his opening statement with, "I just need to warn you, nothing I say should be attributed to the attorney general's office."
"Anything I say should be attributed to him," Schaff said, pointing to Bender.
The overall tone of the meeting was very informal, with Schaff constantly poking fun at the audience in an effort to keep everyone in the room on their feet. "I've learned that no matter what it is you do, if you make it fun then it gets easier to do," Schaff said.
Bender attended Seton Hall Law School at night while working full time during the day. He called the process an "intense experience." He clerked for a judge for one year after passing the bar.
Schaff acquired a JD/MBA (joint degree in law and business) from Drew University and currently works in a law firm based out of Woodbridge.
The Q-and-A session opened with an inquiry about housing.
"Can you get out of a lease that's been signed already?" one student asked. "We're looking for houses since some of us are getting kicked off campus next year."
Schaff said they should look into the lease before it's been signed, but landlords really want to lock tenants into a contract for the year. According to Schaff, tenants might have to give something up to get the freedom of being able to get out of a signed lease.
Someone else asked if their landlord could walk into a house unannounced, since the landlord owns it. Schaff said there should be a "quiet enjoyment" clause which gives tenants the ability to enjoy their house without the landlord walking in without knocking.
A girl who is matriculating next year said at 22 she would be kicked off her parent's health insurance, and asked if there was anything she could do to stay on her parents' insurance plan. Schaff said since she is already accepted into graduate school, then she is still considered a full-time student and depending on the exact terms of her parents' plan, she could be covered until she finishes graduate school.
"Under what circumstances can a police officer search your car?" another student asked.
Bender said previously, an officer needed signed written consent from the driver to search a car. But due to new policies and regulations, all that is required is either a warrant or probable cause at the scene.
"Going into your trunk requires a little more, and searching under the spare tire in the bottom of your trunk requires a lot more," Bender said.
One student asked if citizens were required to let a police officer in if he asks, "May I come in?"
"Look, just say no," Schaff said. "And make sure someone else hears you."
According to Schaff, a car or house is private property and no one is allowed in without permission.
"But be polite," he warned. "You can't physically stop an officer from entering your house, especially if he has probable cause to enter your residence. You might be liable for battery."
"Am I responsible for my friend Joe Schmo if he's at my house drunk and is harassing people?" another student asked.
Schaff answered yes, because the student might be held accountable for host liability, wherein the student could be sued if something happened on his property.
Not all questions pertained to legal issues. One student interested in law as a profession asked, "Did you find that after you took courses in law school, it was easy to find jobs under your section of law?"
"I wasn't looking for any particular type of law, but I know that I did like public law," Bender said.
"Unless you do real well in school, it'll be hard to find a job. Like college, you don't graduate knowing much in your field, you only come away with maturity . If you specialize your schooling (like I did) you can help make yourself better and stand out," Schaff said.
The overall message Bender and Schaff conveyed was that they enjoy their jobs as civil lawyers. Bender and Schaff cited that respectively, among their most memorable experiences as lawyers the standouts were contributing services to families of Sept. 11 victims and helping guide and mentor prospective lawyers. "It feels good to give back to the people," Schaff said.
(11/28/07 12:00pm)
Yan Xu, a computer scientist hired by the Microsoft Research Division, spoke to the College about the programs she is working on. Xu was hired by Microsoft on account of her strengths and because Microsoft wanted to start a foray into the academic research department.
Founded in 1991, the Microsoft Research Division is considered a "safe house" for the creation of new technologies and ideas. This division is focusing on the ideas surrounding computational science, which is also known as eScience. Xu described it as an environment for research and collaboration between some of the brightest minds both in and out of the industry, where interns play a large role in the shaping of these ideas.
"It's pretty much an institutional kind of environment," Xu said.
Xu's specific department in the Research Division is the External Research Programs department. Describing the processes that occur in the department using a pyramid scheme reminiscent of the food pyramid, Xu explained how all projects and ideas start out at the base of the pyramid in workshops where permission is requested to begin a project. The second level is the project stage itself where ideas are fleshed out, and finally the pinnacle involves the addition of higher institutes which are key to the program's success.
A program that Xu is especially proud of is the Phoenix Academic Program, which is a code name for the software optimization and analysis framework that can be used by professors and students to write code for and build upon. Right now a Research Development Kit (RDK) of Phoenix is available for download.
"What that means is (Microsoft) is not responsible for any bugs. If you find a bug, that's great. We're all working together to find them," Xu said.
The program gets sampled by external researchers and students, and the ultimate goal is to enhance the educational experience that students receive.
"There is a missing link between research and the teaching of students," Xu said.
In an effort to remedy this, a plan called the Computational Education for Scientists was put into place with the goal of making computational thinking a natural skill for scientists. The idea is not to teach scientists how to code, but rather to teach them how to utilize and effect engagement of scientific research with computational science.
Some of the pilot projects that the External Research Programs department has worked on include a program at Georgia Tech University covering the problem-based learning of image processing. Students there are given examples of real problems from hospitals like how to get sensitive machines to filter out background noise.
Another twist on Microsoft technologies is the professor who is using the Xbox gaming platform to teach biology. While students play a game they are creating a DNA strand, and each time the game is played a little differently a different permutation of a DNA strand is created.
The Body Sensor Network for Healthcare at the University of California Los Angeles is a sensor that was designed to be put in a shoe or a wristband and transmit the progression of rehab patients via Bluetooth. Not only does the doctor get a record of your progress, but with the wireless Bluetooth technology you can view it yourself on your phone.
Xu has been talking to many people in academia in an effort to determine what level of involvement she should invest in the teaching aspect of computer science. There are ongoing debates on what exactly to teach to students: computational thinking or computing.
"I want to know how I can be helpful - I'm looking for suggestions," Xu said.
Regardless of what it teaches exactly, the research still needs interns and students to help carry on the advancement of technology and ideas. Students with different areas of expertise are welcomed.
"You don't have to come in with a computer background; we can teach you," Xu said. "That's our strength."
(11/07/07 12:00pm)
Teresa Nakra, professor of music, dubbed the process of utilizing technology to produce music "iConduct," during a lecture in Holman Hall on Halloween.
These interactive conductors are tools such as a baton with built-in sensors that interpret a conductor's movement to create music digitally. Nakra has helped to design several types of interactive conductors both during and after her graduate work. This style of conducting features no live instruments - everything is generated by the conductor and computer.
To understand interactive conducting, Nakra introduced the audience to the concept of musical expression. Musical expression is the way human players react to the flow of the song and give it personality, and where the conductor adds to the performance. Technology is quickly gaining ground on human conductors.
"What are conductors, they're just waving their hands up there," Nakra said.
To demonstrate this shift, Nakra played two clips of an identical piece of music where one was conducted using humans and one was conducted interactively and asked the audience to determine which was which. In this case the audience guessed correctly; but in another poll of eminent researchers and conductors many of them actually failed a similar test, lending weight to the idea that interactive conducting is matching human conducting in terms of bringing emotion into play.
Nakra also demonstrated that conductors have physiological changes as they conduct. A study was done where famous Austrian conductor Herbert von Karajan was wired to detect his heart and pulse rates while performing two tasks - conducting and performing stunts with a jet aircraft. The studies found that while conducting Karajan had a much more elevated and a far more varied heart rate versus the time he spent piloting his aircraft.
While performing graduate work, Nakra was further intrigued by the idea of interactive conducting. "I studied conducting . but I thought 'what would it be like conducting in a digital age?'" she said. Exploring this outlet, she moved away from her earlier work involving the digital baton to a more comprehensive device called the conductor's jacket. During this time Nakra worked closely with Keith Lockhart, conductor of the Boston Pops Symphony Orchestra.
Lockhart was fitted with the conductor's jacket, which measured his heart rate, muscle contractions and overall movements that were transformed into sine waves and recorded. Nakra found a link between Lockhart's facial expressions and muscle movements in the experiment.
In 2001 Nakra conducted a performance at the Boston Cyberarts Festival using bicep and forearm sensors. The right bicep controlled the tempo, the right forearm controlled the high-voiced instruments, the left bicep controlled the overall volume and the left forearm controlled the low voiced instruments. Every contraction and movement of a certain part of her arm resulted in her digital orchestra acting accordingly.
From 2000-2004 Nakra worked with Arizona State University, developing technology that allowed student conductors to practice their techniques using a digital orchestra, which improved the skills of the participants.
Currently Nakra is involved in an ongoing program in Boston where her interactive conducting technology is used by children to control the tempo and effectively "conduct" a clip of the Boston Pops.
(10/31/07 12:00pm)
The College held its first Web site symposium of the year on Oct. 17 in Holman Hall, hosted by Christopher Ault, assistant professor of interactive multimedia. The symposium highlighted the importance of accessible Web site designs that were both easy to navigate for the visually impaired and looked good for those who are not.
Web accessibility is the level of ease with which a Web site can be viewed and used by a full range of Web surfers, although designing a Web site in an accessible manner is harder than it seems, according to Ault.
"Accessible design is a creative challenge," Ault said.
Utilizing HTML and cascading style sheets (CSS), Ault demonstrated the ways he transformed Nokia's Web site into a highly accessible site for everyone involved. Ault said that Web sites, especially ones that are subsidized by or are connected to the government in any way, need to conform to certain guidelines and regulations that have been put into place. The government in 1998 presented Section 508, a law mandating the complete accessibility of Web sites that are linked in any way to the government.
What Ault did for Nokia was test their page and make sure they were up to standard with Section 508 and other guidelines governing the format of Web sites. He did that by using built-in features found in Mozilla like the Web developer toolbar where he can disable JavaScript or images.
The browser also reverts HTML code to alt text, which shows the wording that appears in HTML format over pictures that speech programs read to describe the picture out loud.
But letting a computer assess a Web page for accessibility isn't enough.
"The real part is sitting down with your page and . making common sense judgment calls, asking, 'Am I giving people good access to my site?'" Ault said.
Another accessibility strategy used alongside correct HTML and CSS formatting is a technique called liquid design. This is a design that stretches and adapts to different screen sizes. According to Ault, people with a print background have a tendency to "lock things down," which means they set the tables and images on their pages to fit a certain parameter, which is not accommodating. A personal touch that Ault employed was the seamless splicing of a picture that allowed it to accommodate almost any screen size or reconfiguration, which means that it will work on your home computer the exact same way that it will work on your cell phone (provided your phone can handle it).
An additional method Ault used to make interaction between text readers and the Web site easier was the use of hidden HTML that the reader program can pick up but will never be seen by the viewer's eye.
"The way most of us experience a web site is much different than the way a screen reader experiences it," Ault said. "It used to be that sites were accessible, or that sites looked nice. Now we can combine the two."
Ault prefers the Mozilla or Safari browsers over Internet Explorer, citing the lack of accessibility Internet Explorer offers as the reason. Also, for students at the College interested in designing Web sites, programs like Expressions are available.