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(04/26/17 12:33am)
By Gabrielle Beacken
Staff Writer
Students were encouraged to shift from their cars to bikes on Wednesday, April 19, at the Bonner Institute’s and the Environmental Club’s second annual Bike Sale on Green Lawn. The event was part of Bonner Scholars’ Earth Week and was sponsored by the Environmental Club’s TCNJ Unplugged initiative.
The bikes were donated by the Boys & Girls Club Bike Exchange of Trenton and are fixed up by Bonner Scholars, with help from the shop’s volunteers, to ensure that the bikes are safe to ride.
Bonner Scholars then bring the bikes to campus to sell at a reduced cost to students. The shop itself hosts a similar program where fixed up bikes are sold at a reduced cost to the Ewing and Trenton, N.J., communities.
“This is really good for the Trenton and Ewing communities because it provides a means of transportation for people who can’t afford cars to get to work, and it gives them a way to exercise,” said Claire Paul, an Environment Division Bonner Scholar and a sophomore biology major.
The sale was put together by the Bonner Scholar Environment Division, one of the larger divisions among the Bonner Institute. The division works with the President’s Climate Commitment Committee, known as PC3, to work on carbon-reducing initiatives on the College’s campus, according to Paul who is also the site leader for PC3.
“Most people who live off campus live two miles away and still drive to campus. Moreover, they drive by themselves and don’t carpool,” said Allie Davanzo, an Environment Division Bonner Scholar and a freshman public health major. “We’re releasing a lot of emissions into the atmosphere. By selling these bikes, we can reduce our carbon footprint and promote sustainable transportation.”
A PC3 study that broke down the College’s campus by percentage of carbon emission indicated that the second biggest source of emissions comes from cars commuting to campus. If more students were willing to either walk or bike to campus, the College could reduce its carbon emissions by 20 percent, according to the same source.
While students may recognize that driving a bike to campus is more environmentally friendly than driving a car, one concern for students is the safety component of riding a bike to campus, especially on main roads.
Recognizing this concern, the Bonner Environment Division paired up with the Ewing Green Team, a local organization promoting sustainability, to kickstart a bike routes project. To help create a bike route to campus, Bonner students surveyed each neighborhood and main road of Ewing and took note of each potential path and obstacle.
“We’re working right now to try to create more bikes lanes and to make Ewing a more bikeable town,” Paul said. “There are ways to bike in Ewing, you just have to find the paths.”
In addition to the Bonner Scholars’ efforts, according to the College’s 2016 Climate Action Plan, the College has increased its spending on bike racks by 80 percent and is continuing their endeavor to connect existing bike paths in the Lawrence Hopewell Trail and Mercer County, N.J., “to create a seamless network of bike routes to and from the campus.”
The Bonner Environment Division often works with other environmental organizations on campus partnered with PC3. To promote Earth Week, the Bonner team has been working closely with the College’s Environmental Club, which also ran TCNJ Unplugged this past week.
In addition to bike sales, Bonner Scholars engage in a multitude of activities, Davanzo said. These include Meals on Wheels, where students go to homebound citizens in Trenton five days a week; thrift projects, where upcycled clothes are sold on campus and the proceeds are donated to the Trenton Rescue Mission and working in the College’s garden, where students collect 900 pounds of fresh produce each year that is donated to food desserts, including Trenton.
This year’s bike sale sold six bikes and two bike locks while also repairing two bikes. The total revenue of this year’s endeavor was $288, but the total revenue for all bike sales within the past year was $1,592. This includes two bike sales in the Spring 2017 semester, one in the Fall 2016 semester and one in the Spring 2016 semester, according to Paul. All proceeds from the sales are contributed toward the Boys & Girls Club of Mercer County.
(09/26/16 9:58pm)
By Gabrielle Beacken
Staff Writer
Supported by the U.S., plans for Iraqi troops to reclaim the country’s second largest city controlled by ISIS may take place this October, according to CNN.
The fight to take back Mosul, Iraq, is anticipated to be a difficult feat, as it has become an important and strategic base for ISIS. To supplement Iraqi forces attempting to liberate the city, hundreds of U.S. troops have arrived at an air base near Mosul, according to CNN. In preparation to take back Mosul, Iraqi forces have taken back a northern town, Shirqat, where, according to Al Jazeera, one civilian and five security personnel were killed. The recapture of this town is seen as a military “stepping stone” in taking back Mosul, Al Jazeera reported.
“Shirqat is important… We can’t move on Mosul and have terrorists control Sherqat,” Joint Operations Command spokesperson Yahya Rasool told AFP news, according to Al Jazeera. “We are making good progress.”
An additional U.S.-led coalition took place in Qayyarah, where this past July, the U.S. helped Iraqi troops recapture its air base from the grasp of ISIS, CNN reported. American troops based at the Qayyarah air base offer logistics and supplies to support Iraqi forces, CNN said.
“When the (Iraqi Security Force) is ready to move on in their operations to get after Mosul, we’ll be prepared to support that, and the airfield will be ready,” Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian said, according to CNN. “The secretary (of defense) has made clear that our forces in Iraq are in harm’s way. Everyone who is serving there is in a dangerous situation.”
The Pentagon has reported that while there are thousands of U.S. soldiers in Iraq assisting and arming soldiers, the design to recapture Mosul does not “plan on directly sending U.S. troops into combat,” CNN reported.
Mosul has become a hotbed for ISIS fighters, according to Al Jazeera, as there are estimated to be 3,000 to 4,500 presently living in Mosul. Before ISIS’s takeover of Mosul in 2014, there was an approximate population of two million people, while Al Jazeera notes that the present population is hard to discern, the United Nations have predicted that about 1 million civilians “may still be living under ISIS rule.”
In anticipation of this upcoming attack, thousands of leaflets have been dropped in Southern Mosul by Iraqi security forces. CNN reported that these leaflets warn citizens, such as those that read, “Protect yourself, don’t be human shields for the enemy, leave the town immediately.”
Citizens have been warned because both Iraq and U.S. forces are expecting the recapture of Mosul to be very challenging.
“There is still a tough fight ahead against an adaptive enemy that will try to challenge us as we hone in on Mosul,” Harrigian said, according to CNN.
(09/14/16 7:30pm)
Gabrielle Beacken
Staff Writer
The summer of 2016 was a tumultuous season for Fox News.
In July, Gretchen Carlson, former Fox News anchor, filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Roger Ailes, “one of the most influential executives in American television history,” according to the Washington Post. This suit led to the ousting of Ailes two weeks later and also sparked nationwide scrutiny toward the Fox News workplace, resulting in the payout of $20 million to Carlson on Tuesday, Sept. 6, according to The New York Times.
Carlson filed the lawsuit against Ailes on Wednesday, July 6, saying that after she endured Ailes’s sexual harassment and refused his advances, she was demoted and eventually fired from Fox News. This is a claim that Ailes has consistently denied, according to the Washington Post.
While 20 other women have come forward with claims against Ailes, two other sexual harassment settlements with unknown compensation amounts have also been settled, according to The New York Times. The Washington Post reported that these financial compensations were paid in a haste to finally end Fox News’s summer of bad publicity.
Owned by Rupert Murdoch and his two sons, Fox News’s parent company, 21st Century Fox, agreed to the payment. No portion of Ailes’s exit agreement from Fox of $40 million was contributed to Carlson’s allocated $20 million, according to The New York Times. In addition to the payment, the company issued a rare apology in the form of a statement: “Gretchen was not treated with the respect and dignity that she and all of our colleagues deserve,” part of it read.
Debra Katz, a Washington lawyer experienced in sexual harassment lawsuits, said that due to the sensational payout, Carlson was right and, in fact, treated inappropriately, according to the Washington Post.
Another reason for Carlson’s overwhelming victory was her alleged recordings of her meetings with Ailes for a year and half that included damning evidence, according to the New York Times.
The “unprecedented in size” payment deriving from an individual sexual harassment case was followed by another event that sent shocks rippling through Fox: the hasty resignation of well-known Fox host Greta Van Susteren, according to the Washington Post. According to the network’s officials, the two events are unrelated and coincidental. Susteren’s exit from Fox follows a tense meeting between her and Murdoch about renegotiating contract terms, just days after Ailes’s departure, The New York Times reported.
The circumstances behind Susteren’s sudden departure remain ambiguous, as she had originally defended Ailes by saying that Carlson was disgruntled and that the lawsuit “is very suspicious,” according to The New York Times.
Despite her victory, Carlson doesn’t plan to disappear from the spotlight following the settlement of her suit. According to The New York Times, Carlson released a statement on Tuesday, Sept. 6, in which she stated she is “ready to move onto the next chapter of (her) life, in which (she) will redouble (her) efforts to empower women in the workplace.”
(12/02/15 7:44pm)
By Gabrielle Beacken
Nation & World Editor
French President François Hollande talked with leaders from around the world during his international tour this past week in order to gain multilateral support for heightened attacks on the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq (ISIS), the New York Times reported. After the November terror attacks in Paris, which France said is a result of carefully coordinated ISIS violence, Hollande has been conducting a diplomatic route to try to rally other European leaders to join France against the Islamic State.
Hollande met with President Obama in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Nov. 24, according to CNN. Obama vowed to support France and intensify military attacks on ISIS, CNN reported.
“We love France for your spirit and your culture and your joie de vivre (joy of life),” Obama said in a joint press conference with Hollande, CNN reported. “Since the attacks, Americans have recalled their own visits to Paris... They’re part of our memories, woven into the fabric of our lives and our culture.”
Though the two leaders’ strategies may diverge when it comes to Russia’s level of involvement, the press conference was a symbol of unity and encouragement.
On Thursday, Nov. 26, Hollande met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. While the two countries agreed to share intelligence with one another, Russia insisted that their efforts in Syria remain separate. The two leaders drastically diverge when it comes to dealing with Syrian President Bashar-al Assad. Russia claims that Assad and his army are important tools to fight to ISIS, while France said Assad should have no future role in Syria, New York Times reported.
Later that same day, Hollande met with strong diplomatic ally Great Britain Prime Minister David Cameron.
“Every day we fail to act is a day when ISIL (The Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) can grow stronger and more plots can be undertaken,” Cameron told Parliament, attempting to induce lawmakers for airstrikes in Syria, the New York Times reported. “That is why all the advice I have received — the military advice, the diplomatic advice and the security advice — all says, yes, that the risks of inaction are greater.”
While Cameron believes he can garner airstrike support after the Paris attacks, several members of Parliament still remain skeptical about “an extended bombing campaign,” the New York Times reported. Trying to convince Parliament, Cameron said the Paris attacks “could have been in London. If ISIL had their way, it would be in London.”
While a number of European countries’ leaders join Hollande’s campaign against the Islamic State, leaders are still very aware of the potential repercussions of the involvement.
“Britain is already in the top tier of countries that ISIL is targeting,” Cameron said, the New York Times reported.
(11/10/15 7:04pm)
By Gabrielle Beacken Nation & World Editor
In one lucky lab room of Armstrong Hall, students would effortlessly connect to TCNJ-DOT1X on their computers or mobile devices and spend their lab time freely Googling, streaming and sharing with convenience and ease. Yet, in the lab down the hall, a very stark and different scene ensued. Frustration and anxiety filled the room as students quickly learned that accessing a reliable internet connection would be a nearly impossible feat.
“In Armstrong, you’d have the best signal in the world in one lab room. Go to a different room and you’d start to see the connection spike up and down,” said senior computer engineering major Alex Cook. “It was ridiculous.”
However, by the end of the 2014 fall semester, this gloomy predicament became a turnaround success story, as the College’s Wireless Project installed full coverage in Armstrong Hall, the home of the engineering school. With Armstrong checked off, the College then directed their attention to Bliss Hall, where by January 2015, the students of Bliss relished in their own newfound wireless connection. Further happiness and relief is expected to come as the College plans to bring accessible WiFi to each building on campus.
The College is currently in its third year of a campus-wide WiFi network project that is intended to offer a local area network (LAN), a network independent of Ethernet connections, to all academic, administrative and residential buildings, including heavily populated outdoor areas. Having a widespread WiFi presence on campus is the College’s first priority — in other words, the College is focusing on quantity. The signal strength, or the quality of that implemented WiFi will be the second phase of this extensive wireless services plan.
During the venture’s inception three years ago, the College intended to conduct this large-scale project in the most cost-effective manner: using in-house staff and employing reliable, economical resources, according to Mark Gola, the College’s director of media relations.
However, this method proved not as productive as originally proposed.
Due to negative campus feedback, this in-house system was swiftly altered. The main concern of the campus community was the prolonged time the WiFi implementation was taking.
The College then “expedited” the process by hiring outside help for the final academic and administrative buildings and outdoor space, Gola said.
The objective is to complete the academic and residential buildings before Fall 2016, while having the administrative location projects completed by the end of that semester. In just three years, the College has completed its wireless objectives in 25 academic buildings as well as several outside areas, according to Gola.
The employment of outside consultants will speed up the Wireless project — but it will come at a cost, Gola said. The College has already invested over $2 million in wireless infrastructure. These costs include labor contracts for workers to run cables and install access-points around campus.
This spending also includes hardware purchasing, such as access-points, controllers, user licenses, network switches and cabling, according to Gola.
“The College continues to work toward achieving full wireless coverage on campus,” Gola said. “Plans are to have the project completed within the next year.”
There are also non-fiscal concerns that prevent the College from becoming fully wireless. The construction of the buildings themselves proves an unexpected, yet challenging hurdle.
Two residential buildings in particular have presented several impediments: Travers and Wolfe halls.
“The concrete structure and concrete masonry unit walls in Travers and Wolfe are not optimal for a wireless signal,” Gola said.
In addition to the thick, highly inflexible edifice of these buildings, Travers and Wolfe are currently under consideration for a complete renovation. Wireless services in these halls are included in pending proposals devised by the College, according to Gola. Buildings without WiFi that are not expected to undergo renovations will receive priority over buildings that will receive renovations.
“We do not want to install a costly system and be forced to remove it shortly thereafter when the buildings are renovated,” Gola said.
Two buildings on campus that lack full wireless coverage, yet still have limited Internet access through hot spots, are Packer and Kendall Halls. Implementing a full-fledged wireless service in these buildings is especially challenging because of its expense.
“Due to the cost threshold to install full wireless in those two buildings, the College is required to go through a public bidding process,” Gola said. “The bidding process ensures the college is receiving submissions from qualified contractors that are competitive in terms of cost and schedule.”
Hot spots can also be found in lounges and common areas in every building on campus, with the exception of the Facilities/Powerhouse Building and the Spiritual Center. These hot spots act as a temporary solution for areas without full access to a wireless network.
“We found that near the academic buildings is where you would get the best WiFi coverage,” said senior electrical engineering major Nick Vitone.
Vitone and Cook created a project this past Spring 2015 semester for their engineering classes that would “provide students with a visual diagram to see where there was WiFi on campus and where there wasn’t,” Vitone said.
For their project, Vitone and Cook created a device that would measure signal strength location based on different parts of campus. These GPS coordinates would then transfer to a heat map, where different variations of colors represented a weak or strong signal.
“Something surprising was there was more signal outside than expected,” Vitone said. “It’s pretty good outside the library.”
The College utilizes the enterprise class wireless system from Aruba Networks that “ensures a seamless roaming experience across campus,” according to Aruba Network’s webpage. Aruba Networks promises that devices changing locations will be able to find the appropriate wireless providers depending on its location in an easy and automatic way.
“These types of systems support thousands of access-points and make them work as a single coordinated system, allowing devices to roam from location to location seamlessly,” Gola said.
According to Gola, there are 1,200 access-points already on campus and several hundred more will be installed by the conclusion of the wireless project.
The College inserts access-points in areas that allow for easy access and maintenance, such as hallways in residential buildings. However, the effectiveness of access-points has been threatened due to the interference from students bringing their own access-points.
“These are prohibited access-points that can cause interference with the College’s wireless radios, resulting in weakened coverage for others,” Gola said.
Another hindrance confronting the efficacy of access points is the renovation of older buildings and the interfering construction on campus.
With renovation plans set to take place for the next several years, including the construction of the new STEM building and the Brower Student Center renovation, construction will continue to be a harmful interference for access-points, thus resulting in slower or limited wireless coverage all around campus.
Wireless design of heavily populated areas, such as classrooms or popular outdoor spaces, are specifically designed to sustain a greater number of wireless devices, Gola said.
Cook and Vitone suggest that the College should focus on stabilizing the WiFi signal on campus, rather than the constant expansion of it.
“The signal can go up and down — not always 100 percent reliable,” Cook said. “When there’s heavy traffic, you’re going to see a bit of a slowdown.”
In the especially crowded areas, such as the library, the current bandwidth capacity can be worrisome, according to Cook. The bandwidth scope expresses how much data can be transferred in a specified amount of time. So when every student in the library is accessing the internet on their laptops or smart phones, the capacity of the bandwidth becomes a critical component.
“I think that’s the biggest thing — the slow bandwidth,” Vitone agreed. “Perhaps TCNJ can invest in a better system.”
According to Gola, the College can begin strengthening the coverage quality of these access points when the renovations to designated buildings are completed. Once the old buildings receive their access points and the new buildings are completed with their new shiny features, the College will then consider altering the quality of the network.
“The College will revisit the signal coverage and density in existing buildings after completing the campus implementation,” Gola said.
A date for this revisit was not disclosed, but renovations to residential and academic buildings are expected to span over the next five years, according to the College’s developmental and construction reports.
For now, Gola says having a standard WiFi omnipresent on campus is more important than creating a stronger signal in selected areas.
Cook and Vitone encourage students to expand and conduct further research on their WiFi project because there are still many unanswered questions.
“The biggest thing we didn’t get to do, but if someone were to continue this… one should focus on the actual network. Instead of seeing where (WiFi) is, ask why does it disconnect sometimes,” Vitone said. “When everyone freaks out because the internet is down, ask what is the main cause? We weren’t exactly sure — we think someone should analyze that.”
(11/10/15 6:58pm)
By Gabrielle Beacken
Nation & World Editor
Contradictory to information previously disclosed by the Chinese government, China has been burning up to 17 percent more coal each year than what they have reported, according to newly released data, the New York Times reported. These new figures illustrate that almost a billion more tons of carbon dioxide were released from China than previously conveyed and 600 million tons of coal consumption were not accounted for the year 2012.
“This will have a big impact because China has been burning so much more coal than we believed,” said Yang Fuqiang, a former energy official in China who now advises the international organization, Natural Resources Defense Council, the New York Times reported. “It turns out that (China) was an even bigger emitter than we imagined. This helps to explain why China’s air quality is so poor, and that will make it easier to get national leaders to take this seriously.”
The released figures were from an energy statistical yearbook published by China’s statistical agency, according to the New York Times. The yearbook revealed several holes in censuses conducted by the Chinese government.
Since China is the world’s chief emitter of greenhouse gases from coal, the country has promised to cut fuel emissions in half by 2030, the New York Times reported. According to Fuqiang, this task seems ever more implausible and unnerving since the release of this new, damaging information.
“It’s been a confusing situation for a long time,” said Ayaka Jones, a China analyst at the United States Energy Information Administration in Washington, D.C. the New York Times reported.
According to the New York Times, this incident is another example of China underestimating its emission figures. Several small coal mines in China were directed to close in the 1990s. However, instead of shutting down, the mines simply did not report their emission output to the government. Since the mines did not report their output to national data collectors, China was viewed positively for decreasing emission output while sustaining economic growth, according to the New York Times.
This revelation is sure to be an enthusiastic topic of discussion at the Paris Climate Change Conference 2015, which takes place from Monday, Nov. 30, to Friday, Dec. 11. This conference aims to plan an international, long-term system for decreasing greenhouse-gas pollution.
Scientists are reanalyzing their Chinese emission data and are attempting to discern the actual repercussions of China’s increase in pollutant emissions.
“It has created a lot of bewilderment,” said Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University in eastern China, the New York Times reported. “This is troublesome because many forecasts and commitments were based on the previous data.”
(11/10/15 5:59pm)
By Gabrielle Beacken
Nation & World Editor
Wisconsin’s Republican Representative Paul Ryan was elected as the 54th speaker of the house on Thursday, Oct. 29, the New York Times reported. Ryan succeeded Republican Representative of Ohio John Boehner, after Boehner served nearly five years as speaker.
“I leave with no regrets, no burdens,” Boehner said in an address to Congress, the New York Times reported. “If anything, I leave the way I started: just a regular guy, humbled by the chance to do a big job.”
Now the youngest speaker of the house since 1869, at 45-years-old, Ryan was elected with a wide margin of 236 votes, including all but nine House Republicans. The nine nays are a part of the Republican hard-line conservatives caucus, the House Freedom Caucus. This small, but influential group of Republicans was the driving force behind Boehner’s Speaker of the House resignation, according to the New York Times.
Originally reluctant to be nominated for the position, Ryan said he needed the support of his party to rally behind him, the New York Times reported. Ryan has insisted that as Speaker, the Freedom Caucus must too offer him their support. According to the New York Times, a closed-door meeting in the beginning of the week revealed that 43 members of the Freedom Caucus opposed him. However, for Ryan to garner the 218 votes necessary to become Speaker, members of the Freedom Caucus had to vote for Ryan despite their contrasting views.
Ryan gained national recognition when he was selected as the vice president nomination in 2012 under the Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. As the new speaker of house, Ryan hopes to form bipartisan relationships, however difficult that may prove to be, according to the New York Times.
“Let’s be frank: The House is broken,” Ryan said to Congress, the New York Times reported. “We are not settling scores. We are wiping the slate clean.”
Ryan will face complicated obstacles from the deep division within his own party, while also confronting opposition from the Democratic Party that has disagreed with his ideologies for years.
“Make no mistake — my Democratic colleagues and I will continue to have deep policy differences with Speaker Ryan on the vast majority of issues,” said Democratic Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, who serves as the Senate minority leader, the New York Times reported.
Ryan must also consider the degree to which he is willing to clash with the president. According to the New York Times, already drafted spending bills are filled with conservative agendas that severely weaken the president’s health care laws and financial regulations.
To avoid a government shutdown before Christmas, Ryan must deliberate how far he is willing to conflict with the president and House Democrats, as well as his own divided party, the New York Times reported.
(11/03/15 9:21pm)
By Gabrielle Beacken
Nation & World Editor
The Americas
• Former comedian Jimmy Morales was elected as the new President in Guatemala on Sunday, Oct. 25, after campaigning as a non-corrupt government outsider.
• A whale-watching boat carrying at least 27 people sank near the popular vacation spot Tofino, located on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, on Sunday, Oct. 25, causing five people to die from drowning. Twenty-one people were injured and one person remains missing.
• Despite meteorologists’ claim that Hurricane Patricia would cause unprecedented destruction to Mexico over the weekend, there were no immediate reports of death or serious damage to infrastructures. This was the result of the hurricane’s passing over two populated cities and Mexico’s preparedness for fending off destruction from large scale natural disasters.
Europe
• Poland’s right-wing political party that has been out of power for nearly a decade, the Law and Justice Party, gained a surprising and victorious 39.1 percent of the vote in Parliamentary elections, putting them back in governmental power, on Sunday, Oct. 25.
• Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair told CNN on Sunday, Oct. 25, that “there are elements of truth” to viewing the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq as an event that allowed the rise of the Islamic State, by removing Saddam Hussein from power.
Africa
• Famous Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius, who was convicted for fatally shooting his girlfriend in 2013, left prison and was placed under house arrest on Monday, Oct. 19, in South Africa.
• The giving of the Chinese Confucius Peace Prize (China’s equivalent to the Nobel Peace Prize) to the President of Zimbabwe was widely criticized, on Thursday, Oct. 22. Zimbabwe’s president is one of the harshest leaders in Africa.
(11/03/15 9:20pm)
By Gabrielle Beacken
Nation & World Editor
Prominent police chiefs, prosecutors and sheriffs part of the group Law Enforcement Leaders to Reduce Crime and Incarceration, met with President Obama in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Oct. 22, to discuss criminal justice reform. The talks specifically regarded mass incarceration of non-violent offenders and the racial undertones that lie within the criminal justice system, reported the New York Times.
William J. Bratton of New York, Charlie Beck of Los Angeles and Garry F. McCarthy of Chicago are all police chiefs part of the group addressing criminal justice reform. Cyrus R. Vance, Jr., a prominent Manhattan district attorney and whose father was former secretary of state under former President Jimmy Carter, is also involved in the group.
Agreeing that legislation reducing minimum sentencing is a beneficial endeavor, Republicans and Democrats have formed a strong bipartisanship on the issue.
A developing bipartisanship consensus in Washington has led to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday, Oct. 22, to a 15-5 vote, sending a full Senate legislation that would “reduce mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent crimes, institute a new system for determining which offenders would be eligible for early release, and create programs to better prepare them to return to their communities,” the New York Times reported.
Democrats and Republicans argue that several mandatory sentencing laws were approved when crime rates were higher than today in the 1970s and 1990s.
According to Bratton, New York is “well ahead of the curve in understanding that you can’t arrest your way out of the problem,” the New York Times reported. Law Enforcement Leaders to Reduce Crime and Incarceration debate that if criminals addicted to drugs or alcohol or have mental health issues receive steady and reliable health treatment, public safety will enhance because the criminal’s rehabilitation into society will be smoother and improved.
In his remaining time in office, criminal justice reform and the racial elements involved have become important topics for Obama. In his first years as president, Obama kept racially charged issues involving drug and crimes at an arms length, according to the New York Times. However, now in his last year in office, Obama is more willing to speak on the subject without domestic politics in mind. During a panel discussion on Thursday, Oct. 22, Obama defended the Black Lives Matter movement.
“I think the reason the organizers used the phrase ‘black lives matter’ was not because they were suggesting that nobody else’s lives matter,” Obama said, according to the New York Times. “Rather, what they were suggesting was that there is a specific problem that is happening in the African-American community that is not happening in other communities. And that is a legitimate issue that we’ve got to address.”
Obama said that in order for this change to occur and be sustained, essential national police and crime data must back up the reforms.
An objective of criminal justice reform, according to the Law Enforcement Leaders to Reduce Crime and Incarceration, is to offer judges more freedom in punishment by abandoning mandatory minimum sentencing.
“We are in the middle of a sea change focusing on who is in our prisons, why are they in there, and who is making the decisions,”said Vance, according to the New York Times. “At the end of the day, this is just common sense. This is nothing radical.”
(10/20/15 4:44pm)
By Gabrielle Beacken
Nation & World Editor
The first Democratic Presidential debate, hosted by CNN and Facebook and moderated by Anderson Cooper on Tuesday, Oct. 13, in Las Vegas, Nev., allowed the five candidates to express their viewpoints.
Debate participants wereformer Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, former Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee, former Virginia Senator Jim Webb and former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley.
Clinton, who has been seen as the Democratic frontrunner, hadn’t been on a national debate stage in seven years, yet she seemed far from out of practice, according to CNN. Clinton appeared confident, spoke clearly of her stance on the issues and used her debate expertise mostly against Sanders, the other in-the-spotlight candidate.
“No. Not at all,” Clinton replied when asked if Sanders was tough on gun control, CNN reported. Also, when Sanders stated that he does not support U.S. troops in Syria, Clinton interrupted, “Well, nobody does. Nobody does, Senator Sanders,” CNN reported.
Clinton also utilized her time to defend Planned Parenthood and reprimand the Republicans for their attacks on the organization.
Sanders’ checkered history with gun control was a point of discussion among the candidates.
“All the shouting in the world is not going to do what all of us want and that is keep guns out of the hands of people who should not have those guns,” Sanders said when Clinton and O’Malley criticized him for voting against a legislation implementing background checks for gun purchases, Time reported.
Sanders claims that gun control in rural states and urban settings is different, which is why he supported a law that offers gun manufacturers legal immunity if their guns were used in crimes in 2005, according to Time. Sanders’ in-between stance on gun control sharply contrasts to the stances of the other Democratic candidates.
A moment of amicability was demonstrated when Sanders commented on Clinton’s use of a private email address as Secretary of State, saying that the American people, “are sick and tired of your damn e-mails,” CNN reported.
Chafee, O’Malley and Webb failed to make a lasting and significant impression as Clinton and Sanders, according to CNN.
On four separate occasions, Webb remarked to Cooper that he didn’t receive enough time to answer the questions and that he had to wait too long to speak. To this, Cooper responded, “You agreed to these rules and you’re wasting time. So if you would finish your answer, we’ll move on,” CNN reported.
Chafee was penalized for voting to repeal a law that prohibited commercial banks from participating in investment banking. To defend himself, he said, “I think you’re being a little rough. I’d just arrived at the United States Senate,” CNN reported.
The next Democratic debate will take place on Saturday, Nov. 14, in Iowa, while the next Republican debate with occur on Wednesday, Oct. 28, in Colorado.
(10/20/15 4:39pm)
By Gabrielle Beacken
Nation & World Editor
There is a legend that during World War II, Hitler ordered the construction of a secret underground city that would be filled with gold, gems and jewels. As the Soviet Army progressed in the last days of the war, it is rumored that a Nazi train, filled with treasure, was left behind in the underground works.
According to the New York Times, two explorers, Piotr Koper and Andreas Richter, have claimed to have found this enigmatic train in early September, while more recently, a third explorer, Krzysztof Szpakowski, has claimed to have found the complex of underground tunnels. The tunnels are allegedly a part of Hitler’s “Project Riese,” meaning “Project Giant,” where Nazis were supposed to seek security if there were to ever be a nuclear attack, reported the Guardian.
Thousands of people have traveled to the Owl Mountains in Walbrzych County, Poland, where the treasure and tunnels allegedly reside, reported the Times. Over 100 media outlets from around the globe have taken residence and filled the popular tourist-attraction, Ksiaz Castle. The Castle lies only four miles from the alleged underground city.
Old cemeteries, battle grounds and various archaeological sites near the supposed underground city have been vandalized, said Barbara Nowak-Obelinda, the conservator of monuments in Lower Silesia, reported the Times.
Local officials have reported that a 35-year-old man fell and died in Walbryzch when he tried to break into the tomb of a German owner of a Silesian textile empire that was rumored to be filled with treasures, the Times said.
Owl Mountains has not been considered a popular tourist spot in Poland, despite its picturesque views, yet this new discovery puts the city “back on the map,” according to the Times.
“If the city wanted to pay for this kind of primetime advertising, we estimate that we would have to spend 100 million zloty ($26 million),” said Anna Zabska, director of the Old Mine Science and Art Museum, reported the Times. The museum has taken advantage of the flood of explorers by selling T-shirts, mugs and other small gifts with the image of the “gold train.”
Verification of the tunnels is “months away,” said the Times. In the meantime, Polish soldiers are heavily guarding the area.
“The thaw for unearthing the secrets of our region has begun,” said Krzysztof Kwiatkowski, governor of Walbrzych County, reported the Times.
(09/30/15 1:53am)
By Gabrielle Beacken
Nation & World Editor
After marrying at an early age and suffering through the death of her husband, a young Congo woman was left penniless and childless, as her brother-in-laws took her money, property and children away. Now, as a member of Woman, Cradle of Abundance — an organization empowering and educating girls in their fight against destitution and violence — the young woman is ready to change her life.
This young woman’s story was detailed by Elsie McKee, the international liaison and president of Woman, Cradle of Abundance. She illustrated the struggle and strife that young women in the Congo are forced to continuously endure.
“These are bright, attractive, remarkable young women,” McKee said. “Their stories are heartbreaking, inspiring and amazing.”
Woman, Cradle of Abundance, as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo-based charity, United Front Against Riverblindness (UFAR), were the organization beneficiaries of the jazz benefit concert, “Chanson pour le Congo III,” featuring four-time Grammy jazz vocalist nominee, Karrin Allyson, on Sunday, Sept. 20 in Mayo Concert Hall. The event was hosted by the College and sponsored by the Women’s and Gender Studies (WGS) Department, Women in Learning and Leadership (WILL) and the office of the Dean of Humanities and Social Sciences.
“Karrin Allyson is a national treasure and to have her at TCNJ put us on the map in a new way,” said Ellen Friedman, one of the coordinators of the event and professor of English, WGS and holocaust and genocide studies. “Here at TCNJ we are citizens of the world, meaning that we have global responsibility to make the world a better place.”
“Many A New Day: Karrin Allyson Sings Rodgers & Hammerstein,” the title of Allyson’s new album, is dedicated to classic songs of renowned musical duo, composer Richards Rodgers and lyricist Oscar Hammerstein. The album was released Friday, Sept. 18, two days before the benefit concert.
Accompanied by longtime friend and bassist Ed Howard, the two performed songs from the new album, some of them for the first time for an audience. Watching an “American Masterpieces” special on PBS about Hammerstein, Allyson was inspired to compile a list of her favorite Rodgers and Hammerstein pieces to cover in a jazz format. Several pieces from musicals such as “Oklahoma!,” “The King and I” and “South Pacific” are featured on the album.
For six songs, Allyson played her own piano accompaniment and played the shaker for a few songs, as well.
Allyson began the night with “Many A New Day,” from “Oklahoma!” where she sang, “Many a new day will dawn before I do!”
The theme of empowerment, specifically female empowerment, was a prevalent theme throughout the night.
“Love one another and support one another,” Allyson said to the audience during a pause in between one of the 12 songs she performed. “I admire Elsie so much and what the organization (Woman Cradle of Abundance) does.”
This is Allyson’s third concert benefitting the two Congo-affiliated aid organizations. Woman, Cradle of Abundance and United Front Against Riverblindness partner with Congo aid organizations to help eradicate calamities in the area.
“I’d been in the country for 40 years and I asked, ‘What can I do?’” said Dr. Daniel Shungu, founder of the United Front Against Riverblindness. As a long-time employee of Merk, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, Shungu was exposed to the breakthrough research Merk was conducting with the disease Onchocerciasis, which eventually led to a helpful drug that was spread throughout the Congo area.
Onchocerciasis is triggered through the penetration of the parasite worm, Onchocerca, into the human body, Shungu said. Symptoms, oftentimes more apparent in women than men, comprise of severe skin irritations, like itching and bumps forming underneath layers of skin. Onchocerciasis affects 50 African countries, according to Shungu.
The goal of UFAR is to eradicate the Onchocerciasis disease, which is especially prevalent in the Kasongo region of the Congo, and eventually expand their influence to eradicate other harmful diseases in the Congo.
“If everyone takes this drug once a year, for 10 years, the disease will be eliminated, and we’re close to 10 years,” Shungu said. “We’re going after other disease… four other tropical diseases.”
All of the proceeds from ticket and merchandise sales, which were items sewn by the women from Woman Cradle of Abundance, went towards the organization and UFAR.
“The concert raised consciousness and addresses several elements of the college mission, including widening global perspectives, social justice and good citizenship,” Friedman said. “The crowd was very enthusiastic and the speakers communicated the value of their efforts on behalf of the Congo very well.”
The audience’s enthusiasm was maintained throughout the night — bobbing heads synched with the rhythm of the guitar, each vocal riff so prevalent in the genre of jazz resulted in widened eyes and loud applause succeeded the finish of each song.
Though the audience may have been enveloped in a world of bass and piano for two hours, the main mission of the night was not forgotten.
“It’s important to empower all of us,” Allyson said. “If you educate a woman, you do the world a favor. My mom taught me that.”
(09/29/15 8:00pm)
By Gabrielle Beacken
Nation & World Editor
Having travelled from Washington, D.C., to New York, to Philadelphia, Pope Francis, 78, ended his 10-day trip to the United States, on Sunday, Sept. 28.
Pope Francis began his American tour with a visit to the White House and delivered a speech to Congress while in the nation’s captiol he spoke in English, rather than his native Spanish, he urged Congress to prevent another government shutdown.
“Our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs... thus promoting the well-being of individuals and of peoples,” Francis said to Congress, as reported in the Times. “We must move forward together, as one, in a renewed spirit of fraternity... for the common good.”
Pope Francis promoted immigration reform, environmental legislation and strongly opposed the death penalty. Yet, the Pope did not entangle himself too deep in American politics. Throughout the trip he did oppose the death penalty, but did not mention the controversy around abortion. According to the Times, Pope Francis focused on notions of “interfaith” and “harmony” when he addressed religious freedom, which many American bishops have encountered with problems.
“I was frankly taken aback at how savvy he was,” said Stephen Schneck, the director of the Institute for Policy Research and Catholic Studies at the Catholic University of America to the Times. “He was clearly aware of all the very divisive issues for Catholics in American public life but talked about them in a way that didn’t give ammunition to either conservatives or progressives.”
In his first day in New York, almost 2,500 nuns, priests and lay people filled St. Patrick’s Cathedral Church in Manhattan. A particularly receptive portion of the pope’s speech at St. Patrick’s was when he thanked religious women and nuns of America.
“What would the church be without you?” Pope Francis said of the religious women in America, according to a Times report. “Women of strength with that spirit of courage which puts you in the front lines in the proclamation of the Gospel.”
While in New York, Pope Francis spoke to the United Nations, young school children in Harlem and families of 9/11 victims at ground zero, according to the Times. The Pope celebrated mass at Madison Square Garden and took his popemobile for a ride through Central Park.
Pope Francis spoke at the World Meeting of Families and Independence Hall. At the families event, Pope Francis substituted his prepared speech for an animated non-scripted dialogue.
On Sunday, Francis held meetings with victims of clergy abuse, conducted Mass in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art and visited prisoners at the Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility.
After babies were kissed and a mass with nearly a million people in attendace, the pope headed back to Rome.
“As I prepare to leave, I do so with a heart filled with gratitude and hope,” Pope Francis said at Philadelphia International Airport upon his departure, according to the Times.
(09/29/15 7:58pm)
By Gabrielle Beacken
Nation & World Editor
In an alleged “restricted area” in Egypt’s immense western desert, Egyptian military forces mistakenly fired at a tourist group comprised of Egyptians and Mexicans, killing 12 people and injuring more than 10, on Saturday, Sept. 13, reported CNN. The death toll of Mexicans has risen from two to eight people, while four Egyptians in the group were also killed, said a CNN report on Tuesday, Sept. 15.
The Egyptian Interior Ministry claim Egypt’s military was “chasing terrorist elements” when they engaged the tourists. Allegedly, the tourists used unauthorized cars for tours and did not have the proper tourist permits, cited Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism.
This statement has been objected, as the head of Egypt’s tour guide union claimed that the tour company is licensed and the police actually checked all of the vehicles for permits before the bus left Cairo, according to CNN.
The reason the tourists gave for roaming over one mile off the guided path in the desert was that one of the tourists, a diabetic, could not wait until the group’s final destination to eat.
“There were no warning signs and no instructions from the checkpoints on the road or the tourism policeman accompanying them,” General Union of Tourist Guides Chairman Hassan El-Nahla stated on Facebook, according to CNN. “I strongly condemn the lack of coordination between the ministry of tourism, in not following up with the events, and the police.”
Mexican Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu demands a meticulous investigation into what happened, reported CNN.
“The chain of events is still confusing and unclear. There have been reports, many of them conflicting,” Ruiz Massieu said, reported CNN. “The emerging facts indicate that an operation was taking place against terrorists in that area at the time the convoy passed. We still do not know if the convoy was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, or if some error was involved.”
According to Egypt’s ambassador to Mexico, Yasser Shaban, the Egyptian government is “working around the clock” to help Mexican and Egyptian victims and their families, reported CNN.
“Allow me… to express on behalf of the Egyptian government and people our deepest and heartfelt condolences to the Mexican government and the Mexican people and especially to the grieving families who lost their loved ones in this tragic event,” Shaban told CNN. “Our hearts ache with sorrow.”
Egypt’s popular desert destination spots, including the Great Sand Sea, have been known to draw large crowds from all over the world. However, according to CNN, this area, adjacent to Libya, has also become “attractive to insurgents” since former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s downfall in 2011.
(09/16/15 6:16pm)
By Gabrielle Beacken
Nation & World Editor
After a treacherous and difficult journey, almost 8,000 migrants are expected to arrive safely in the “European haven,” of Germany, by early Sunday, Sept. 6, according to the New York Times. On a specified train departed from Austria, around 450 migrants were welcomed to Germany with volunteers offering warm food and beverages to the emotionally ridden migrants.
Facing obstacles in Austria and Hungary, reaching the German border was a great accomplishment and relief for the thousands of refugees. Refugees migrating towards Europe, deriving from countries with war and chaos, such as Syria, have sparked one of the largest emigrations since World War II, reported the Times.
On Saturday, Sept. 5, as the Hungarian government provided buses to Austria, a fresh group of 1,000 migrants were headed to Hungary from Budapest, reported the Times.
However, Hungarian authorities were nervous that by providing transportation to Austria, more migrants would be encouraged to pass illegally through Hungary. Janos Lazar, chief of staff to Prime Minister Viktor Orban, said, “Hungary would work to complete its border fence to stop further illegal entry,” reported the Times.
According to Hungarian authorities, the government will “stick to their understanding of European regulations” and halt migrants from arriving and registering, said the Times.
European leaders have struggled to find a solution that would help both migrants and their host countries dealing with the new influx in population. The European Union (EU) operates by gathering a consensus among its entire 28 member states. According to the Times, EU countries that have been met with resistance are Poland, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
Great Britain has been hesitant to accept migrant quotas that have been suggested by France and Germany. According to Federica Mogherini, the EU’s foreign policy chief, the meetings among the leaders have been “difficult” and Europe’s migrant crisis is “here to stay,” reported the Times.
Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany has received international praise for Germany’s humanitarian efforts. Merkel stated that all Syrian migrants are welcomed to Germany and may apply for asylum, reported the Times.
Other leaders disagree with Merkel’s strategy, such as Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain. According to the Times, Cameron has countered that if Europe simply opens its doors, migrants of refugee camps in Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon will be abandoned.
As of Monday, Sept. 7, leaders of France, Britain and Germany have devised a two-year strategy.
President François Hollande of France announced his country would accept 20,000 refugees over the next two years, Britain said it will take 20,0000 refugees from Syria, and Merkel of Germany stated that Germany would set aside 6.7 billion euros to help the migrant crisis, reported the Times.
(09/09/15 9:24pm)
By Gabrielle Beacken
Nation & World Editor
What Happened
At approximately 6:45 a.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 26, ex-employee of WDBJ television station, Vester Lee Flanagan II, 41, murdered reporter Alison Parker, 24, and cameraman Adam Ward, 27, on live television, during the station’s morning program in Roanoke, Va.
At the time of the shooting, Parker was interviewing Vicki Gardner, executive director of the Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce, when she was shot in the back, the New York Times reported. She is the sole survivor of the attack. The shooter fired 17 rounds from a .40 caliber Glock pistol at point-blank range, according to Reuters.
The shooting was filmed by the shooter’s body camera and was virally spread through the shooter’s social media accounts. Debates about gun control and violent video sharing through social media have ensued.Family, friends and colleagues share their grief and loving memories of the two slain reporters, Parker and Ward.
The Victims
They were the “A-Team,” WDBJ7-TV news director Kelly Zuber said in an interview with USA Today. Parker and Ward were both seen as “dedicated, energetic professionals with bright futures ahead of them,” reported USA Today.
Even though Parker filled the early morning shifts, she was easy to get along with and always had a positive attitude, said a colleague to USA Today.
“The most radiant women I ever met,” a colleague told CNN.
Ward was the “sort of person you never saw without a smile,” another colleague said to CNN.
“Adam was one of those photographers who would go anywhere, do anything for you,” Zuber told USA Today.
The duo was described as “two outstanding professionals,” said Mike Morgan Both, WDBJ7-TV spokesman, to USA Today.
Parker grew up in Southwest Virginia and earned her bachelor’s degree in media art and design from James Madison University in 2012. There, she was an editor and reporter for the school’s newspaper, according to CNN.
Moved in together and saving up for a wedding, Parker was in a nine-month-long relationship with boyfriend and anchor at WDBJ, Chris Hurst. When Hurst met Parker he told his mother, “Mom, I’ve finally found my teammate and my partner,” reported CNN.
“She cared about her stories and took a genuine interest in what people said,” said Becky Blanton, journalist and friend of Parker, to CNN.
Ward was “genuinely a good guy” said a colleague to CNN. The 2011 Virginia Tech graduate earned his bachelor’s degree in
communications.
“He had such a positive outlook on life, and he was so determined to put a smile on your face,” former WDBJ employee Larell Reynolds said to CNN.
The cameraman was recently engaged to WDBJ morning show producer Melissa Ott.
“They were the most amazing couple,” said Solina Lewis, journalist and friend to Ott, to CNN. “(They) wanted to have a family ... they would (have) made the best parents.”
According to Kimberly McBroom, WDBJ7-TV’s morning news anchor and friend of both Ward and Parker, Ward was excited to start a family and often talked about his upcoming wedding, she told USA Today.
Ott was working her last day, the morning of the shooting, and saw the entire tragedy occur live. She and Ward were going to relocate to North Carolina.
“Melissa was the love of his life, so he was going to follow her,” Zuber said to USA Today.
Gardner was the third and only surviving victim of the shooting.
The shooter “missed a couple of times” before shooting her in the back, said Gardner’s husband to the New York Times.
Gardner then underwent a successful emergency surgery. Her recovery will take several months, according to The Times.
Preceding Parker and Warden’s death, the two journalists were working on an hour-long child-abuse story.
“They were involved in the most important aspect of journalism,” said Todd Schurz, president and CEO of Schurz Communications, which owns WDBJ7-TV, to USA Today. “Telling the stories important to their local communities.”
The Shooter
The shooter wore a body camera when he shot Parker, Ward and Gardner in point-blank range. The videos of the shooting were shared on Facebook and Twitter, according to the New York Times.
“Unlike previous televised deaths, these were not merely broadcast, but widely and virally distributed,” reported the New York Times.
The shooter worked at WDBJ for less than a year before he was fired in 2013, reported the New York Times. The shooter was known for his rages, angry outbursts and did not get along well with others.
After his dismissal, the shooter “sued the station, claiming discrimination,” said the New York Times. The case was dismissed and the station insists the accusations were baseless, reported the New York Times.
While the police were searching for him, he “sent a manifesto to ABC News that spoke admiringly of mass killers and said that as a black, gay man he had faced discrimination and sexual harassment,” the New York Times reported.
The shooter shot himself in the head, killing himself, during a police chase in northern Virginia, according to Reuters.
The Aftermath
Parker’s father, Andy, has vowed that he will fight for more effective gun control. He urges loopholes in gun control legislations to be remedied and that the world doesn’t become “desensitized to this issue,” he told CNN.
According to CNN, Andy said “he doesn’t want people to say, ‘Oh geez, this is another horrific incident,’ and then turn their attention to ‘What’s for dinner tonight, honey?’”
After tragic events such as this occur, the public often thinks that a dramatic change in gun control will happen. According to Andy, it “never did,” he told CNN.
“Alison was our bright, shining light, and it was cruelly extinguished by yet another crazy person with a gun,” said Andy to CNN. “Not hearing her voice again crushes my soul.”
(08/25/15 8:21pm)
By Gabrielle Beacken Nation & World Editor
Sometimes there are too many cooks in the kitchen.
That’s how Abigail Hosonitz, the public relations vice president for the Iota Omega Chapter of Alpha Xi Delta, puts it. With an organization including just over 100 people, patience and understanding are both necessary skills.
“I mean, can you imagine meeting 106 people for the first time and trying to instantaneously get along,” asked Hosonitz, a junior interpersonal/organizational communications major. “It’s hard.”
Careful coordination and intricate planning were required for the one-semester-old AXiD sorority and now the ‘new kids on the block’ are ready to start their first year on campus with passion and confidence.
“I was looking for a place to call home at TCNJ,” said Jennifer Schablik, the AXiD membership vice president. “I was looking for somewhere that I could see myself grow and thrive while also having the opportunity to become involved with a huge network of individuals.”
Schablik, a junior biology major at the College, found that “home” with her sisters in AXiD. By becoming membership vice president, Schablik will be able to help new and current students find “a space that made prospective members interested and comfortable in.” By planning recruitment events on campus, she hopes to showcase what AXiD stands for.
“With the support of other organizations and the Panhellenic community at TCNJ, we are able to give women the chance to find their home away from home at Alpha Xi Delta,” said Brittany Hartory, the colony and new chapter development coordinator. “Alpha Xi Delta’s vision is ‘inspiring women to realize their potential’ — which is something our chapter at TCNJ works hard to do through leadership opportunities and support of each individual woman’s successes.”
Many members joined AXiD to find their place on campus and to make long-lasting friendships. Some also joined to continue or begin community engagement and charitable work.
“When I came to college, a part of me that I left behind was working with and for children with developmental disabilities,” Schablik said. “I realized that if I joined AXiD I would be supporting Autism Speaks … I am thrilled to maintain my involvement in a cause that is so near and dear to my heart while still being a college student.”
Alpha Xi Delta supports and partners with Autism Speaks — the world’s largest autism advocacy organization, according to AXiD’s webpage. Autism Speaks spreads awareness of Autism and funds biomedical research that investigates causes, prevention and a possible cure for autism.
“I hope that our presence on campus will bring more attention to autism awareness,” said senior health and exercise science and teaching double major Roisin Dougherty, who serves as president of the College’s AXiD chapter. “We are super excited for our philanthropy event this fall and hope that all members of campus are motivated to participate and spread awareness.”
Current students and prospective members will be able to participate in AXiD’s philanthropic events, as well as familiarize themselves with the girls of the sorority through fall interest sessions. According to Hosonitz, there will be three interest sessions for incoming freshmen and sophomores.
“I definitely want to encourage girls who are interested to feel free to come up to any one of us and ask why we chose AXiD,” Hosonitz said. “We are all looking forward to welcoming some bright new faces to our sisterhood.”
Dougherty is also excited to share AXiD’s presence and message on campus.
“I mostly just want to see people fall in love with Alpha Xi as much as I did,” Dougherty said. “After joining the chapter and attending National Convention, I have nothing but love and positive vies for my sisters and my organization.”
Partnering and getting acquainted with Greek and non-Greek organizations on campus is an integral part of this year for AXiD, Schablik said. She looks forward to establishing her sorority’s reputation by promoting their programs and philanthropic events.
Being new is not a burden — that is the beauty of AXiD, according to Hosonitz. The girls of the sorority were able to experience everything together, including, most importantly, the creation of their very own chapter.
“We really do pride ourselves in being the new kids on the block. No matter how much opposition and negativity we may receive as we start on campus, I know the power our organization holds,” Hosonitz said. “We strive to be respectful to every other organization and can only ask that we receive the same from them.”
As AXiD starts their journey on the College’s campus, they strive to make strong ties with fellow Greek organizations by demonstrating respect and kindness. In turn, the sorority hopes that they receive that same respect, Hosonitz said.
“Although we’re new, and we’re still learning what it is to be Alpha Xi Delta. I am so glad I made the decision to join,” sophomore iSTEM early childhood education major Victoria Lai, a sister, said. “I don’t think I’ll ever regret it.”
(08/25/15 8:15pm)
By Gabrielle Beacken
Nation & World Editor
As a kid he believed in the art of magic. Discovering the elements that made magic so spectacular led him to pursue a path of wonder and storytelling.
Class of 2015 interactive multimedia major Josh Lewkowicz always wanted to know what was happening behind the scenes. Now, as a pursuant cinematographer, Lewkowicz knows what it’s like to have the backstage pass.
But this is a different kind of magic — this is movie-making magic.
Lewkowicz, along with his film teammates Chris Lundy, Andrew Kuserk and Ryan Laux, received high praise and earned the “Best Special Effects” award for their five-minute short, “Paramnesia,” at Campus MovieFest (CMF) 2015 on Thursday, July 9 through Sunday, 12 this past summer in Hollywood, Calif.
“If a machine was intelligent enough to believe it was human, would we be morally obligated to treat it as a human?” asked Laux, “Paramnesia’s” 2D and 3D visual effects artist and editor, a junior interactive multimedia major. “(‘Paramnesia’) raises the question of the fine line between being human and being a machine.”
The film’s protagonist, Alex, takes a test to establish the difference between a human and artificial intelligence. Throughout the short, Alex makes shocking revelations about himself, and viewers are able to catch a glimpse of a possible “disturbing reality,” Laux said.
“Reality and life as we know it is a matter of perspective. How does one know the extent of reality,” posed the film’s composer, sound designer and writer, Lundy, a junior interactive multimedia major. “The thing everyone should take away from ‘Paramnesia’ is that there is a fragile, almost nonexistent line between artificial and human experience from the point of view of the individual.”
“Paramnesia” offers thought-provoking questions, while delving into a futuristic world where psychology, humanity and technology converge — the entire film was created in just seven days. With a script finalized only four days before the deadline, the team shot the five-minute film in one day and edited for three, according to Laux.
To successfully submit a piece to CMF, all filmmaking, besides pre-production, must occur in one week. Pre-production endeavors, such as writing scripts, casting actors and finding locations are allowed.
“In our usual fashion, we submitted the film about 10 minutes before it was due,” said Lewkowicz, who served as the film’s cinematographer, editor, colorist and gaffer.
Most of the editing done is to try to make the special effects look realistic as possible, according to senior interactive multimedia major Kuserk, who was the 3D visual effects artist and heavy-shots coordinator.
“In a week… I’ll only get three hours of sleep a day,” Kuserk said about the production week for CMF. “It’s never an easy task.”
In last year’s successful CMF film, “Iris,” the team featured a grand 3D concept that appeared for over half of the film. This year, the team decided to take their piece in a subtle visual effects direction.
“We went for a much more compelling story and cinematic piece that would really pull in the viewer’s attention, and in the end, I think that is what we achieved with ‘Paramnesia,’” Kuserk said. “Likewise, with the viewers’ attention being drawn in by the story, cinematic feel and amazing sound design this had left them wide open for the final visual effects shot in the film to really finish out strong.”
Travelling to Hollywood together, the team enjoyed a week of workshops, Q&A sessions, screenings and a red carpet finale. Adobe, RED Digital and Panasonic representatives attended the week-long event, as well. Guest speakers, such as actor Elijah Kelley and cinematographer Michael Goi, offered “cool and insightful” lectures, Lewkowicz said.
From each school competing, the top four films are able to see their short on the silver screen in AMC Theatres in Universal City Walk. Creators of the film then participate on a panel where they answer questions about their film.
Students from all over the country had the opportunity to talk and connect with one another.
“Meeting and talking to these people was a valuable experience,” Lundy said. “I learned much from them not only about the industry but where my passion lies and how I can apply it to my career down the road.”
The red carpet finale — held on the last day — took place at the Universal Globe Theatre. Here, the top five films in the country nominated for Best Picture are screened.
The nominees aren’t revealed until the ceremony the last night. “We all lost it when our film started playing — and it was the last one announced so it was extra exciting,” Lewkowicz said.
“Two years ago I would have never imagined that my work would be displayed on a national stage,” Laux said. “I am beyond fortunate to have met and worked with such talented people… I know the friendships I have formed will last me a lifetime.”
Classwork and club commitments were put on pause for their week of production. Ewing was just a small town back home during their time in big-town Hollywood.
“For a week, a bunch of my best friends and I drop everything and make a movie and have the time of our lives… nothing gets in the way,” Lewkowicz said. “For me, I’ve been able to produce work I’m genuinely proud of, have some incredible life experiences and make some of my best friends. No class can teach you that. ”
(04/30/15 5:22pm)
By Gabrielle Beacken
News Assistant
Glenn Steinberg, English Department chair and professor, was puzzled over why Italian author Dante Alighieri put scholar Brunetto Latini in Hell among the sodomites in his epic poem “The Divine Comedy: Inferno.”
Steinberg explained that Latini, a prominent Italian scholar and key figure in Dante’s life, was a proto-humanist — a person who seeks legitimacy from outside sources.
Dante, a notable Italian author of the late Middle Ages, was an autonomous person who sought legitimacy not from aristocrats, but from art and himself.
Placing Latini in Hell in “Inferno” was Dante’s way to oppose some of Latini’s beliefs — Dante used his literary work as a way of taking a diplomatic and societal stance.
Delving into the world of Italian authors and their positions in cultural productions in the Trecento period, a political forum was held on Wednesday, April 11, in the Social Sciences Building, where students and staff were able to analyze the political, gender and social context of 14th century Italian writers.
“Dante was really invested in his position in the field of cultural productions, and if we ignore the position he was taking and what he was responding to, then we kind of ignore … what he was really about,” Steinberg said. “That’s a bad, bad plan.”
According to professor and Associate Chair of the English Department Jean Graham, it’s significant for students to view that “learning is not limited to the classroom,” and professors here at the College are interested in debating new ideas and theories with one another.
Not looking into the positions and opinions of authors while reading their works, “you lose any kind of human touch,” Steinberg said.
Steinberg questioned the Trecento period writers’ legitimacy and what positions they took.
“When a writer writes something and puts it out there in the world, that’s definitely taking some kind of position,” Steinberg said.
According to Steinberg, there were five separate groups Trecento literary authors sought legitimacy from: the indocti, who were semi-literate; the litterati, who were highly educated; the aristocrats, with inherited money; the mercantile elites, who gathered their own revenue similar to the aristocrats; and the vernacular litterates, who did not understand Latin. Anyone with an education would’ve known Latin, Steinberg said.
Dante frequently wrote his pieces in the vernacular form, so all people with diverse education could understand his works, including the indocti.
It is suggested that Dante not only wrote for the general public, but that he specifically targeted a female audience, according to Steinberg. Since many of Dante’s poems are not in Latin, women of the time period were able to understand the meanings of his literary works.
Steinberg also emphasized that bas in many Romance languages with gender associated words, the plural, indicating a group of both men and women, will take the male plural. However, Dante used both the masculine and the feminine plural in his works, a rarity for its time in a male-dominated society.
To write love poetry in the vernacular form during the Trecento period was called “Dolce Stil Novo,” with the English translation, “sweet new style.” Dante, as well as other distinguished Italian authors, comprised the core authors of this new style. A common theme of “Dolce Stil Novo” was writing love poems to the other “gentle hearts,” according to Steinberg.
“What’s important is the gentle heart — not your bloodlines, not your acclaim. It’s something interior that cannot be seen,” Steinberg said. “The gentle heart is far more important.”
It is questioned whether Dante was writing for “real” or “imaginary” women, Steinberg said. Dante could’ve been pretending to write for women while really writing to other gentle hearts.
“We look at how Dante looks at women, and we understand that he is respondent to both real and imaginary women,” Steinberg said. “We recognize in ourselves that we still sometimes replace real women with imaginary women — that we’re still sometimes writing for that handful picked audience of men.”
Reading Dante’s work, it can be appreciated how far society has come since the old attitudes men had towards women, Steinberg said.
“I thought there were two ideas that the audience, including students, should take away from Dr. Steinberg’s talk as broadly applicable,” Graham said. “Even something ostensibly created to be ‘art’ or to entertain can be a political statement.”
The second notion students should take away is that Dante’s supposed audience may “not be the intended audience, or at least not the only intended audience,” Graham said.
“If we all bore in mind these two things, we would be more informed and critical consumers of literature, film, music and media,” Graham said.
Being a more informed knower can also help people in better understanding themselves, according to Steinberg.
“By looking at the world in a different world removed from us in time … someone else’s eyes helps us to see ourselves more critically,” Steinberg said.
In the Trecento period, nobility was viewed as “royal family with the right blood lines,” according to Steinberg. The Mercantile elites viewed nobility has thoughts who are successful by making money and gaining political power.
“What makes me love Dante is that he lives in a time period when people haven’t decided yet what constitutes nobility,” Steinberg said. “Dante seems to have a very, very different view of it all.”
Dante is seeking legitimacy through the autonomous principle because he is writing to not necessarily women, but to others with a gentle heart, just like him, according to Steinberg.
“(Dante thought) it’s not about what you accomplish, it’s not about your parentage — it’s about what you are, whether you have a gentle heart or not,” Steinberg said. “I think that’s a really interesting perspective.”
(04/16/15 8:53pm)
By Gabrielle Beacken
News Assistant
According to Greece, Germany owes them billions of dollars for unpaid World War II reparations, USA Today reported.
In 2010, Greece was offered a $260 billion bailout from the European Union in order to divert bankruptcy. The largest aid provider in the European Union was Germany, according USA Today.
According to Greek officials, cited in the USA Today article, Germany owes Greece approximately $302 billion with $11 billion in interest due to overdue monetary compensation for the Nazi occupation in World War II.
This is the first time Greece has computed the monetary amount Germany owes Greece for “Nazi atrocities and looting during the 1940s,” according to BBC.
The deadline for Greece to pay back a loan of about $487 million from the International Monetary Fund was due Thursday, April 7. According to the BBC article, Greece is struggling to pay back their financial debt.
“To be honest I think it’s dumb,” German Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel told BBC. “I think that it doesn’t move us forward one millimetre on the question of stabilizing Greece.”
This is an “attempt to distract attention from Greece’s looming credit crunch,” according to USA Today.
Greece claims that Germany gave Athens a small portion of their desired payout for Nazi occupation damages in 1960, according to USA Today. However, Germany asserts that the country paid the required amount of 115 million Marks (a prior Germany currency replaced by the Euro) and additionally provided aid to the victims of the Nazi regime, according to CNN.
Lending Greece $56 billion euros, Germany’s public is “losing patience,” and German media have described the allegations against Germany as “bizarre” and “impertinent” according to CNN.
Investing the most in Greece, Germany has the most to lose, said CNN.
“Slashing salaries” and “introducing higher taxes” are two tactics Germany has pressured Greece into implementing for them to meet their financial promises, according to CNN.
“Berlin’s hard-line approach has turned it into Public Enemy No. 1 among the Greek public,” said USA Today.
The war reparations claim by Greece has not aided ongoing talks between Greece and Germany. Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras “appears to be courting Russia and China for financial help,” said USA Today, because of the Prime Minister’s accusation that the countries of the European Union, including Germany, have “blackmailed” Greece.
In January, an election of a new governmental coalition between Tsipras and Independent Greeks — a conservative political party — named “Syriza” formed. The Syriza government is “radically left” winged, according to BBC.
Germany’s Minister of Finance, Wolfgang Schauble, has “made little attempt to conceal his contempt for the Syriza government,” said USA Today. Schauble is upset with the new leaders because he believes they are “wrecking” the trust Germany and Greece have previously shared, according to USA Today.
“The new Greek government has totally destroyed the trust of its European partners … this is a serious setback,” Schauble said in a USA Today article.