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(08/27/13 5:45am)
During the summer, a college student might expect to be hanging out on a beach somewhere, maybe reading a book, most likely sipping some fruity drinks — or at least enjoying the sun on a porch or a roof.
However, many students every year do choose to take classes in the summer. Those “summer students” take time out of their much-deserved, four-month break to dip into some academic texts, take tests, do projects and study as if school never let out.
And the benefits are clear: take a liberal learning course or two, maybe one for your major, so you can more comfortably complete your requirements in the allotted time.
According to a 2010 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research, college students, especially those of low-income backgrounds, have taken an increasingly longer time to graduate. The study suggests primarily that this may be because students are “working more to meet rising college costs” and are losing essential studying time.
“What I liked most about it was that I was able to get a class out of the way,” said senior electrical engineering major Jason Boxer of a thermodynamics class he took last summer at the College. Boxer, who lamented the workload of an engineering student, claims he opted for a summer class to “lighten” his course load during the year.
So with more and more students having trouble graduating within the four-year expected timeline for a Bachelor’s degree, tacking on that extra semester has become a highly appealing option.
Other students gave their two cents on swapping a beach chair for a desk.
“I decided to take a summer class because I needed an extra class to graduate a year early,” said junior finance major Jeff Himelson. Not only did Himelson spend his time economically during the intersession, but he was able to shave a year off the four-year timeline, the value of which cannot be understated.
Director of the College’s Intersession Program Susan Hydro had similar thoughts.
“Intersession provides students with the opportunity to focus their attention and studies on one course at a time,” Hydro said. “This has been reported to be beneficial to students as they seek to meet their requirements and expand their horizons.”
Without the level of pressure students are under during a regular session, a one-class pace might be better-suited for the focused, independent learner.
“I enjoyed the autonomy of the class and enjoyed working at my own pace. Removing the structure of normal classes allowed me to finish the work early and I feel as though I absorbed more than I usually would in a regular class,” Himelson said.
But still, others might be troubled by the sheer volume and speed with which material is given during the intersession.
“The curriculum goes much faster and it’s harder to keep up,” said senior mechanical engineering major Brandon Schiff.
In fact, for some students, it may be too tight of a squeeze fitting a whole semester into just one month.
“Don’t underestimate the workload of summer classes,” said sophomore biology major Janice Kwon. “One would think two classes isn’t a lot, but having the class almost every day and not really having the whole 24 hours, there isn’t a lot of time.”
The College, however, has a solution for those worried about the time crunch: blended learning.
“Blended learning courses combine face-to-face and online instruction,” Hydro said. “Students who want to complete high-quality, TCNJ courses while living and working in their home communities will find our blended learning courses to be an ideal way for them to complete coursework during the summer and winter.”
The Blended Learning Program has been in effect at the College since 2011, and many students are pleased with the results.
“Normally in classes I can find myself getting a little distracted if I understand something but we’re spending the rest of the day on it, so that never happened in the blended learning course,” said senior computer science major Ian Jones of his experience.
So when considering an attempt at off-season academics, students should remember to weigh their options carefully.
(04/30/13 4:22pm)
Between work, friends, food and everything else piling up on a student’s plate, saving the environment typically gets tossed in the trash.
Last Monday, April 22, Sodexo’s marketing team at the College brought awareness to wastefulness by showing students how much food is wasted in one lunch hour at the Atrium at Eickhoff. During the “Earth Day Plate Scrap,” several staff members stood at a table by the dish receptacle, sweeping leftovers into transparent buckets which would be measured by weight later that day.
“This year we had 50 pounds of waste,” said Caitlin Moskwa, unit marketing coordinator for Sodexo. “Our goal is to make them more conscious of what they take in this all-you-can-eat setting.”
This was done in celebration of Earth Week, coordinated by WaterWatch. Throughout the week, campus-wide events took place to illuminate how students impact their surroundings on a daily basis.
In 2007, students wasted a whopping total of 221 pounds over the span of two hours, according to Joanna Brunell, area marketing coordinator for the Sodexo at the College. With awareness campaigns across the campus and student’s weaning off of tray use in response, the solutions have already begun to set in.
Moskwa and her team are not the only ones arguing the value of awareness.
In fact, one College student spends much of her time teaching others how to cut down on water and energy consumption and, ultimately, how to preserve nature.
“By educating everyone where they make the most of their environmental mistakes, we can train people to be more mindful (elsewhere),” explained Tarika Mahal, leader of the sustainability ambassadors and site leader of the Bonner Center’s environment team.
Mahal began the sustainability ambassadors this semester as “a grassroots movement that starts in the resident halls,” where she explained, “people still don’t know how to recycle” nor understand “the importance of taking shorter showers.”
The diverse conglomeration of groups and initiatives on campus that have contributed to progress over the years include WaterWatch, which aims to “better the environment” via student-focused activities, and PC3, President R. Barbara Gitenstein’s commitment to conserving energy and water.
With a myriad of sources on how to cut down, one of Mahal’s goals is to “bridge the gap” between groups like WaterWatch and the Bonner Center, fusing the outside community with the student body.
“By doing so, we would be able to tackle different issues, like re-vamping the library’s recycling system or make it a custom to use reusable bags in the C-store,” Mahal said.
With new relations proposed, the College faces new opportunities to save itself and the environment.
(04/23/13 6:37pm)
By Jack Meyers
Nation & World Editor
I realized once reading my editorial over again that I might have generalized a bit. The approach I was taking was alarmingly “majority, wealthy, advantaged” versus “minority, marginalized, disadvantaged.” The reason I think it came across this way is quite clearly addressed by Ms. Lewis: it is because, as a white upper middle class man, I have certain social advantages, ones that because of my favorable status I am usually unaware of (see Peggy McIntosh in “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack”). McIntosh, a research and cultural explorer, puts her realization of her own privileges into perspective: “There was one main piece of cultural turf; it was my own turn, and I was among those who could control the turf.”
In other words, those with privilege have the power to influence the system of identity.
Moreover, from a brief look at colonialism and the way that people of darker races were treated, it is obvious that treatment of the “others” has leaked into modern discriminations and prejudices (see Tzvetan Todorov). Though not everyone with privilege abuses it, there still exists a significant majority that does not realize how they are advantaged on a daily basis. The most attainable remedy to structural racism, therefore, as Lewis suggests, is changing the way that “we,” or those with the ability to change, view others.
If those who need help are not seen as opposites to ourselves, but as peers, we will certainly feel a greater liability for their suffering: the “we” could easily be in the “others’” place. Unfortunately, the way that society has constructed racial identity is so that some groups are given the shorter stick, so to speak: worse housing, less access to jobs training and skill attainment, and of course, lower income jobs, for example.
Yet, it does not need to be this way.
As Lewis points out, on the whole, our society puts people into categories that highlight the ways in which we are different, instead of focusing on what we all have in common.
But we also have to be practical about this. It cannot be a bottom-up approach, as our society inherently favors the dominant races, sexualities, classes and genders. We have to change the way that those at the top see others because, for the most part, they are the ones with the power to make a positive difference.
Yes, an initiative can come from the bottom, but unless those with the most capacity for change understand their own privileges and how discrimination affects them too, the bottom will remain at the bottom of our so-called societal hierarchy. As Amaney Jamal of Princeton University said at a recent talk on Muslims in America, “it is impossible for the minority to turn the tide alone.”
With that said, I would like to reiterate what I aimed to communicate in my editorial: communication is key, but without a level head and informed decision-making, nothing will ever get done. For example, you can’t simply say ‘poverty is bad, let’s fix it’ and expect positive results. You must know why poverty exists in a given area: why is the population unemployed or underemployed? What industries are failing and could policies to help diversify towards new ones increase employment? Could increased state funding to schools help the situation? Is it an issue of access to education or is it possibly a structural issue of race or ethnicity? Without practical answers to these questions, the gap between “us” and “them” will remain as it stands.
In order to provide the disadvantaged with a better life, we as a society must figure out who exactly needs an extra boost to succeed and what has led to their unfavorable conditions (i.e. history, economic demands, access to employment, etc.). That said, education on privilege is essential, but so is awareness about the way that people live and thrive — or do not.
(04/23/13 4:32pm)
The debate over the current state of immigration law in America has plagued legislators and activists for many years. The Immigration and Nationality Act was implemented in 1952 to be a one-stop comprehensive body of laws related to movement across U.S. borders. However, even years later, states have proposed new laws further restricting entry in America.
The question becomes, then, how can fair and effective immigration law be created?
The Boston Marathon massacre last week and the press ripple surrounding it have pointed to how the media and politicians often use terrorist events to justify increasing security at U.S. borders. While both suspects immigrated to America legally, politicians and some media have jumped to the conclusion that the Boston bombings could have been prevented with more immigration restrictions.
This use of terrorist attacks to justify new limitations is apparent in recent debates. The U.S. Senate’s current bipartisan grapple with immigration law has troubled House Republicans Louie Gohmert (Texas) and Steve King (Iowa), who argue that the bombings are cause for more restriction. Other legislators involved in the immigration law have instead asserted that it is risky to link terrorism to immigration.
However, it is not the first time this has been debated. In 2010, Arizona was successful in pushing forth its notorious SB 1070. The bill controversially allowed police officers to check the immigration status of prisoners, which was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. This and other cases rose primarily out of a fear for national security post-9/11 and it appears that current Senators may be viewing their reform bill similarly.
The issue here is that legislation has been, and continues to be, based on security breaches virtually unrelated to immigration. As the Senate’s reform bill moves forward, both ends of the political spectrum will need to discuss what is necessary to provide stable border control as well as fairness to foreigners.
(04/23/13 4:00pm)
On Monday, April 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., TCNJ Dining Services staff set up a table in front of the dish receptacle in the Eickhoff Atrium where they took wasted food from students’ plates and measured the amount in pounds collected after the lunch hour. Amount to be released today (Tuesday).
Marketing Coordinator for TCNJ Dining Services, Caitlin Moskwa, explained that the staff holds this event on Earth Day every year to “make students aware of the food that is wasted everyday in Eickhoff.”
(04/16/13 6:08pm)
An audience of students and locals fused ear drums with booming speakers as artists Mac Miller and Big Sean took the stage for the College’s 2013 Spring Concert on Friday, April 12.
The event, sponsored by the College Union Board, began with a high energy, electronic ensemble by DJ group GrooveBoston. Formerly known as the “mobile club,” GrooveBoston selects from a diverse pool of DJs to perform at each event they hold.
For last weekend’s concert, DJ Detonate was chosen to set the scene: with an extraordinary mix of upbeat dance anthems and quirky techno jams he did justice to the company’s name.
“Everything we’ve brought here is for the audience,” said GrooveBoston director, Bobby Dutton. He explained that what sets his group apart from other club DJs is for whom they build their shows. Instead of a venue with tons of random people gathering around a big name producer, GrooveBoston aims to give college students a reality-warping experience in their own community.
“You can go to a festival with hundreds of thousands of people who you don’t know,” Dutton said. “But if you’re on your college campus with your friends, it amplifies that energy and comfort level.”
Dutton’s sentiment was clear, and the group’s focus on playing music according to mood warmed the young, eager crowd up for the night’s headliners. After all, the lead performer on Friday was only recently a teen himself.
It was no wonder then that a room full of peers would welcome Malcolm McCormick, known on stage as Mac Miller, with devoted ears and fanatical screams.
The 21-year-old rapper began his journey to fame at the ripe age of 19 — just out of high school, like many of the audience members. With this level of familiarity, Miller has easily connected to young listeners. Infiltrating the online stage in 2010, Miller released his debut album “K.I.D.S” completely free of charge and began his march up the billboard charts.
“Surprisingly my favorite part of the concert was watching everyone funnel in,” said sophomore secondary education and history double major, Danny Kaplan. “The look of excitement and happiness on their faces was just awesome to see.”
A community of students typically separated into varying majors, career paths and cliques was united by the simple satisfaction of music. Big Sean, another young rap star and the second headliner on Friday, wooed the same youthful crowd with hospitable vibes.
“I’m a big fan of his,” said sophomore criminology major, Kelly Coughlin, as she explained with a twinkle in her eye that she and her friends “were happy and ecstatic to be together, singing some of (their) favorite songs.”
(04/16/13 4:00pm)
Two male students reported to Campus Police that they noticed missing property from their house in Townhouse West at 10:15 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9. After leaving the area at 10 p.m., the two students returned to find that their X-Box with two controllers valued at $80, a black 18”-20” television worth $20 and a Madden 2012 video game worth $40 were all stolen. After noticing that the items were gone, the students asked other residents, but all parties were unaware of any suspicious activity. The victims could not provide any serial numbers for the stolen property. Campus Police informed the victims to contact the Campus Police Department should any new information become available.
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A male student was found covered in residue in Lot 9 when Campus Police were dispatched on report of a 911 call at 10:18 p.m. on Friday, April 12. The caller explained that they had seen smoke and heard four loud bangs on the premises. Once Campus Police had examined the site, it was determined that a fire extinguisher had been thrown through a first floor safety glass window, causing the noise and smoke. While Campus Police were canvassing the area, they discovered a male student hiding in the second floor stairwell. Campus Police asked the student if he would like to speak with the officers, and the student responded with “I didn’t do it.” An officer asked in response, “You didn’t do what?” and the student, pointing to the broken window, said, “That.” After being unable to produce information on the location of his vehicle or where his keys were, screaming obscenities, and refusing to explain himself, the student was arrested. The accused was given a summons for criminal mischief, improper behavior and disorderly conduct.
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All Campus Police patrols were dispatched at 11:36 p.m. to Lot 8 on Friday, April 12 on report of a male driver fleeing by foot after backing into a parked vehicle. After the accident, the driver was told by security officers to wait on the scene, but he ignored orders. Once Campus Police came into contact with the accused, he was placed in hand cuffs and arrested. The driver was given a summons for careless driving and for obstructing the administration of law by not stopping for security officers after a motor vehicle accident.
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During the Spring Concert on Friday, April 12, 11 students and locals were transported to local hospitals for alcohol-related health issues and 12 summonses were issued for underage drinking, according to Campus Police. Most of those transported were sent to Capitol Health in Hopewell, while others were sent to both Robert Wood Johnson in Hamilton and St. Francis in Trenton.
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A female student reported a missing yellow and purple bike with brown front basket and pink bell on the right handle from the bike rack in front of Decker Hall on Saturday, April 13 at 4 p.m. The student reported that she had parked her bike there five hours earlier, but was unable to secure it because her black alphabetical bike lock had been removed from the same spot on April 3. After asking other residents of Decker, it appeared that no other bikes had been stolen from that rack and that there was no suspicious activity. The student was unable to provide the bike’s brand, model or serial number as it had been a gift. Campus Police advised her to contact the party who gave the gift to find out that information.
(04/02/13 4:10pm)
One amputee and cancer-survivor-made-YouTube-persona goes beyond what is normally expected of a motivational speaker.
Josh Sundquist spoke at an event hosted by the Sophomore Class Council in the Brower Student Center Food Court on Thursday, March 28. With almost 150,000 YouTube subscribers and over 17,000,000 views on his channel, he has built up his career by speaking on college campuses and reminding students the importance of treating people kindly, regardless of their differences.
Yet, his brand of inspirational speaking is unique: he uses humorous situations to start a discussion about diversity.
“When someone asks me ‘what do you say when someone has a disability?’ I respond with ‘why do you feel the need to say anything at all?’” said Sundquist, a self-proclaimed “one-legged stand-up comedian.”
So, with exaggerated expressions, flailing crutches and a grounded sense of humanity, he regaled the crowd with the story of when his journey first began. At age nine, Sundquist was diagnosed with bone cancer in his left leg.
“I was given a 50 percent chance of living,” Sundquist said.
Laughter ceased and the room fell silent. In the wake of one his lighthearted anecdotes, Sundquist told the audience that before most kids were thinking about their futures, he was forced to make a decision that would change his life forever.
His choice was boiled down to either living without a leg or possibly no life at all.
A few moments later, Sundquist deliberately fell on stage — his crutches flying forward and his face hitting the ground.
“It’s this huge ordeal when the guy with one leg falls,” Sundquist said standing up, explaining that he feels uncomfortable when people go out of their way to help him up. “I know they are just being nice, but sometimes it gets ridiculous.”
What others need to remember, Sundquist suggests, is that people with disabilities want to be treated the same as everyone else.
“Treat them like a normal person,” he said. “Because guess what? That is exactly what they are.”
On the other hand, Sundquist advised that those who are set apart from the rest of society should change the way they look at their disability. For example, he re-branded his limp as a “natural pimp walk.”
“With your attitude you can take a problem in your life and make it something else,” Sundquist said.
Wooing the audience into thoughtfulness, Sundquist reiterated his take on diversity and why an individual’s attitude can change his or her life. When his leg was first amputated, and the chemotherapy was draining him of sufficient energy, he found himself waist-deep in pity.
However, Sundquist has recently found himself in a romantic relationship — the first one in his life. After years of doubting himself and his social abilities, he realized that it was an issue of perception.
“The only thing wrong with me was thinking there was something wrong with me,” Sundquist said.
With that statement, he reminisced on the successful life he currently leads, having left behind a childhood riddled with adversity.
“We all have those moments when we feel like everything is falling apart,” Sundquist said, sauntering toward his audience on his crutches. “The best that you can ask for is the courage to stand and the strength to walk.”
(04/02/13 4:00pm)
Often in the local environment, the value that businesses and nonprofit organizations contribute to the community is beyond measure. In fact, without community organizers or the revenue and jobs that businesses provide, growth would be impossible.
When the community spends money locally, businesses can afford to hire more people, and the population gets the direct benefits. In addition, when nonprofit organizations use volunteers to provide services at low or no cost to the public, the state government can charge less through taxes, giving people more to spend.
Fortunately for the Trenton-Ewing area, the College’s able minds constantly pump out new initiatives and strategic plans to better the local community and the economy. In order to do so, College partners have mainly taken a two-pronged approach: building the capacity of nonprofit organizations and investing in businesses.
“You can’t work in an insular environment,” said Heather Camp, Director of the Bonner Center at the College’s CEL II Program. “You can’t achieve the same amount if you don’t work in a collaborative fashion.”
With over a decade of experience in the nonprofit sector, Camp has most recently headed the AmeriCorps Volunteers in Service of America (VISTA) project alongside the national Bonner Foundation in Princeton. This program is funded by the AmeriCorps national service and is a multi-campus effort targeted directly at combating poverty. The program is centered at the College’s Bonner Center and runs on a three-year cycle which is in its second year of operation.
“I think this provides opportunities for nonprofit organizations to get together and talk about what their organizations need,” Camp said, highlighting the importance of building capacity “to better serve the populations that they serve.”
This specific VISTA grant sponsored 12 leaders who are assigned to a variety of tasks — from outreach and volunteer management to advising groups on practical applications of research.
Camp and one of two VISTA leaders, Stephanie Kraver, have focused on incorporating local businesses into the College’s spending.
“I think it’s ideal that TCNJ gets involved in the local economy,” said Kraver, the asset-based community development coordinator for the VISTA project. On Thursday, March 21, Kraver held an event with the Mid Jersey Chamber of Commerce to educate businesses on doing business with the College.
At the event, Mark Mehler, director of budgets at the College, gave a presentation on the College’s purchasing procedures. Business owners were given the chance to meet with College staff such as the interior designer and electrician to discuss future purchases.
“We’re a big economic presence in Ewing,” Mehler said, highlighting that the College can, in theory, provide local businesses with sustainable profits.
“As a small business owner, I see TCNJ as a stable source of recurring income,” said Marilyn Silverman of Word Center Printing in Hamilton.
Alongside this businesses initiative, the VISTA project is also taking a social development approach to growth.
Part of Camp’s yearly work plan includes strategizing with the non-profit sector on how to practically execute their missions.
“I think people sometimes do things out of a gut instinct without proper information,” said Kamran Hakiman, community networking coordinator for the VISTA grant, explaining that in order for a community to raise itself out of an adverse state, it needs to make knowledgeable decisions.
To combat inefficient tactics, Hakiman is part of a team developing the site policyoptions.org to be launched in May. According to Hakiman, the site will use “schools as information hubs” to “create systemic change” by connecting community planners to relevant data.
“Instead of just saying ‘Oh, a lot of people need jobs,’ we can focus on key industries,” Hakiman explained, referencing his report on industry clusters.
Nicol Nicola, the MJCC’s economic policy specialist, helps Hakiman and the VISTA organizers to promote community development.
“It’s very important because we are engaging the local economy,” Nicola said, “which helps keep the money and jobs in our community.”
By joining with the near-by suppliers, Nicola argued, the community is at a distinct advantage for short-term and long-term growth. According to one of Nicola’s recent research projects, a 2003 report conducted by Civic Economics, “concluded for every $100 spent at a chain, $13 remained in the community while $45 remained when spent with hometown businesses.”
“You work with small businesses because they live in the community, so they have a stake here to work with local government and to help the local economy,” Nicola said on hyper-local approaches.
In the end, what gives development and growth their value is the prospect of giving people the chance to help themselves.
“In my opinion, it’s a basic necessity for human potential to be realized,” Hakiman said, satisfied with his work.
(03/26/13 5:20pm)
(03/05/13 5:21pm)
On Saturday, Feb. 23 at 8:25 p.m., Campus Police were called to an off campus house where a student discovered that his living room and bedroom had been ransacked. When the student heard a door open in his house, he thought it was his roommate. The student explained that his laptop and backpack were missing from his room and his Xbox and controllers were missing from the living room, totaling $2,430 in missing belongings. A TCNJ Emergency Alert message was sent to all students and staff about the event. There is no further information at this time.
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On Monday, Feb. 25 police officers were dispatched to the Library’s 3rd floor on report of a laptop theft. A student called the campus police at 2:05 p.m. after he had left his belongings covered with his coat in a study room in order to grab a drink from Eickhoff. After having closed the study room door, he came back to the door opened and his $2,000 17-inch black laptop gone. The student searched every floor of the Library and could not find it, which is when he called Campus Police. The officer that was dispatched spoke with students in the vicinity of the study room but no one had seen anything.
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On Monday, Feb. 25 at 3:05 p.m., police were called to the Brower Student Center on report of a theft. A student had set his belongings down in the hallway overlooking the College bookstore to use the restroom. He came back to his seat where his $1,000 Macbook Pro and his $500 Samsung Bolt phone were missing from their chargers. Students in the area were questioned and knew nothing of the theft. The student was then taken to Campus Police to submit his laptop’s serial number and was prompted to contact Campus Police with his phone’s serial number. This information would be submitted into N.J.’s National Crime Information Center (NCIC) in the event that his belongings are found.
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On Saturday, March 2 at 1 a.m. Campus Police were dispatched to the second floor men’s bathroom in Travers Hall where a male student was reported to be vomiting. The student was alert and conscious, but admitted to consuming four shots of vodka in one hour. He was issued a summons for underage drinking.
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On Sunday, March 3 at 2 a.m., police were called to a Travers Hall room on report of an intoxicated female student. When police arrived, the student was found lying in a puddle of her own vomit with her eyes closed. Police asked if she knew her location, and she answered “I’m fine.” Lions EMS evaluated her condition. According to reports, the student and her friend had consumed six shots of vodka each. The student was transported to Capital Health System-Hopewell Campus. She was issued a summons for underage drinking.
(03/05/13 4:53pm)
Terrorism is a violent and sometimes coercive form of action. However, groups involved in “terrorist” activities, according to some nations, are assigned a legitimate political party status by others, as is the case with the Lebanese Hezbollah.
In order to analyze their political, cultural or religious objective, it is important to understand that terrorist entities tend to use violence to influence the masses. Nonetheless, each terrorist’s exact motive varies.
Perhaps most significantly, these motives are perceived differently based on who is discussing them — that is, “do they promote or undermine our cause?”
As far as news coverage goes, though, it is easier to pinpoint the violence than it is to explore why and how it is used.
According to the Global Terrorism Index, the first ever comprehensive global terrorism report, “the number of fatalities (due to terrorism) has declined by 25 percent since 2007.” With that said, rationales for such violence are much more elusive and therefore less accessible for analysis.
What can instead be found in mainstream media are headlines about individual terrorists and crimes, excluding coverage of deeply rooted conflicts.
A few headlines to look at for example: “3 suspected Islamist terrorists arrested in France” from CNN.com; “4 California Men Accused in Terrorism Plot” from nytimes.com; while there are analyses like “How serious is Sahara terror?” on BBC.com, which serves more to list terrorist groups than to explain why they exist.
It is obvious then that terrorism is not just an abstract ideology, but it is the vehicle by which the military sects of non-governmental parties achieve their goals.
Whether those goals benefit or harm the government in question depends on who is asking.
(02/26/13 5:54pm)
GUAMUCHIL, Mexico (AP) — Maria Susana Flores walked up to the microphone in a sequined black dress, showing the judges of the Sinaloa Woman beauty contest the smile and the strut she had perfected in pageants since preschool.
“Women, no matter how hard you try, you cannot change your past,” the 20-year-old contestant said in a sweet, high voice. “But you can choose today what your future will be.”
But Susy, as she was called, had chosen another path at the crossroads of power and beauty in a state known for drug lords and pageant queens. It was a fateful choice.
In November, Susy died like a mobster’s moll, carrying an AK-47 assault rifle into a spray of gunfire from Mexican soldiers. Hit below the neck, she dropped into a dirt field and bled to death, her carotid artery severed.
Sinaloa, with its acres of corn and tomatoes, is the birthplace of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, the head of the Sinaloa cartel who is one of the wealthiest men in Mexico and one of the most-wanted men in the world. A long narrow state, it hugs the Gulf of California and the Pacific Ocean, though Mazatlan, its most popular resort town, has lost its luster under the violence of the drug wars.
The cartel’s internal battles over the international cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana trade has given the state one of Mexico’s highest murder rates, while the drug business has provided its riches. Thousands of Sinaloans are drawn wittingly or unwittingly into the narco economy, with vague titles such as “farmer” or “businessman” often serving as code for the more pedestrian jobs in the drug trade. Thousands more, from accountants to bar owners to musicians, cannot escape the reach of the drug cartels.
The city is peppered with shopping malls of shuttered stores and empty restaurants, known as “narco plazas” because they are little more than fronts for money laundering. Across this foreboding landscape bloom the beauty queens. The Miss Mexico title has been won seven times by the tall fine-featured women of Sinaloa. And beauty queens and drug lords have been drawn to each other for as long as the illegal narcotics trade has flourished in Sinaloa.
“Do you want beauty queens who are not involved in the state’s dominant industry? Look for them in heaven,” said Nery Cordova, a local university professor and author of “Narcoculture in Sinaloa.”
Miss Sinaloa 2008 was forced to give up her crown after soldiers caught her and her boyfriend, an alleged cartel leader, with an arsenal of guns and wads of cash.
And Susy too, fell for a narco whose violence was so legendary his name is featured in “narco corridos,” the brass band songs devoted to a culture that glorifies drug traffickers and their bloody exploits.
“People know I hardly forgive,’ one of the songs says. “Sometimes I am bloodthirsty. I tear them to pieces. I like doing things my way.”
(02/19/13 5:02pm)
As Ewing Township sits between Trenton, the state’s capital, and Princeton, an intellect-driven, high-culture college town, its value often gets lost in translation.
Yet, the town’s economic and social significance to the region remains evident. Ewing’s relative proximity to several power-house enterprises such as Capital Health and the forthcoming headquarters of Church & Dwight, the parent company of Arm & Hammer, make it a locus of regional commerce.
Furthermore, to local residents, students, community leaders and elected officials, this town holds great potential to grow beyond its suburban setting. With the Trenton-Mercer Airport expanding its service and a nascent “Redevelopment Plan” for the former General Motors site, it is no wonder that Ewing is so highly regarded by the people who are dedicated to its progress.
“For the first time in a long time, people are excited about what’s happening in the town,” said Councilwoman Jennifer Keyes-Maloney, who has lived in the town since she began her experience at the College in 1995. After serving a full year on Ewing Township’s Redevelopment Agency, Keyes-Maloney brought with her communal warmth as she was sworn into the Ewing Council in November. Having been a student, then a resident, and finally an elected official, Keyes-Maloney has seen Ewing’s many troughs and peaks from a variety of angles. Above all, she noted a newfound excitement for change.
“You’re seeing hope, and with hope comes new energy and new ideas,” Keyes-Maloney said, pointing to ETRA’s recent plan to unite residents and local professionals through a common goal of economic growth.
Building on recent momentum, one long-time resident presented ideas for a town movie theater, and an expansion of the town’s cultural activities and night-life. Steve Kaplan, a Ewing High School band teacher, has lived in Ewing for 25 years and has raised two kids in the town. An avid musician, his claim to civic participation arises annually at Ewing’s Historic Community 4th of July parade.
But like the town’s officials, Kaplan has also reflected some much-needed changes — specifically regarding the long-since-occupied GM lot.
“I don’t know much about the plan, but I’m glad they’re doing it,” Kaplan stated, pleased with the opportunity to voice his opinion.
Although unintentionally, Kaplan highlighted a very significant facet of Ewing life — public opinion.
It made sense then to Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann that the town would primarily guarantee a secure and enjoyable landscape to not only current residents, but also to potential ones. His primary task in this regard was apparent as he directed the Ewing Township Redevelopment Agency to oversee the remediation of the GM lot at Parkway Avenue.
“I see that these plans have a potential to tremendously benefit the town,” Steinmann said in reference to the Redevelopment Plan.
To drive his plans for Ewing forward, Steinmann also commissioned CWL Planning, spear-headed by Charles Latini, to come up with a way to involve the entire community — students, workers and residents alike.
“This project will put Ewing on the map by connecting rail service with the airport by creating a new and dynamic Town Center that works to enhance the entire area’s character,” Latini said, expressing the motif that Ewing has the opportunity to grow economically.
After the U.S. Bankruptcy Court’s settlement with GM in 2011, many sites similar to Parkway Avenue were put under the care of the Revitalizing Auto Communities Environmental Response Trust.
The RACER Trust, as a part of the court’s decision, has been commissioned to “market and sell 89 former GM locations in 14 states across the country,” according to Bruce Rasher, the trust’s redevelopment manager.
Catering to commuter’s desires and the region’s needs, Rasher has been on board for ETRA’s plans, primarily involving a walker-friendly “transit-oriented, mixed-use” facility. Since Ewing Council’s decision last month determined the former GM lot at Parkway Avenue “in need of redevelopment,” the pleas of long-time residents for a community-driven project seem to have finally been answered.
“We are working closely and cooperatively with the community,” Rasher said in regards to the trust’s work in Ewing. The move toward economic growth came out of both a regional need for “transit-oriented” facilities and a local desire for a place where residents can live and enjoy themselves after work. According to the Redevelopment Plan for Parkway Avenue, the main strategy is directed at “inviting local employees, residents and visitors” to what is staged to become “a hub of commerce and social activity.”
Nicol Nicola, economic policy specialist for the Mid Jersey Chamber of Commerce, reiterated how essential it is to maintain community businesses with a similar perspective to that of Keyes-Maloney: propelling themselves from student to community leader. Remaining involved in Ewing has been a common thread between both of these influential forerunners.
“It’s very important that people are spending their money here,” Nicola said.
In a recent study she conducted for the Chamber, Nicola concluded that Ewing’s industries are comparable to that of the entire state. In fact, according to statistics developed from the U.S. Census Bureau, 34 percent of Ewing’s workforce has at least a B.A., an additional factor considered in attracting business to the town.
“We must work on maintaining the educated workforce,” Nicola said, with several years of personal connection to Ewing in mind. After all, loyal students are a precursor to development in an economy where a college education is in high demand.
If Ewing’s proponents can bridge such a gap, future township improvements may find the broader audience they are looking for.
(02/05/13 5:28pm)
The modern Arab-Palestinian people are a divided nation. Since the inception of Israel as an independent Jewish state, Palestinians have found themselves at odds with both Israeli Jews and Arab Jews, as well as at times with their Arab League backers. Historically, Palestinians have been both refugees and rightful inhabitants of Israel, but more recently they have illustrated their collective goal of achieving an independent state.
Nevertheless, conflict between Jews and non-Jewish Arabs in Israel recently became manifest in an eruption of rocket attacks and bombings primarily between the terrorist group Hamas, operating from the Palestinian-occupied Gaza Strip, and the Israeli Defense Force. Yet, it has been increasingly difficult for news media to analyze the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict as it involves many international political powers.
In reality, news organizations have dutifully covered the horrendous multi-sided violence that has killed many civilians both Israeli and Palestinian. Nevertheless, there seems to be an unconscious ignorance towards the deep-seeded struggles of not only the Palestinians, but those of the Israeli Jews, the Arab Jews and the other peoples who inhabit Israel.
(02/05/13 5:00pm)
The push for, and preservation of, women’s rights in the Muslim world is not as simple as some may think.
Nadia Guessous, Mellon Fellow at Rutgers University’s women’s and gender studies department, explained to an eager audience on Monday, Feb. 4 that the modern feminist movement is actually quite disjointed. As Guessous illustrated with insightful anecdotes, the general secular, or non-religious, perspective is that Middle Eastern women’s rights are at risk because of the additional power Islamist governments have obtained.
However, in her lecture entitled “Feminist Politics in the Wake of the Islamic Revival,” she highlighted the stark reality that religious Muslim women have been overwhelmingly excluded from the feminist movement, primarily for their traditional garb.
“The average Middle Eastern woman is presumed to stand against the return of religion in government,” Gusseous said in reference to the generalized view of many liberal feminists.“But what about the women who vote for these parties? Are we sure their rights are going backwards?”
In order to shed light on the suppression of these Muslim women’s political voices, she spoke directly to the notion that the Muslim hijab, which is a head scarf worn by women out of modesty and traditional beliefs, has been stigmatized as “a threat to feminism.” This concept points out that Middle Eastern liberal feminism usually is opposed to religion, which reflects ideology that is also very Western in nature. According to the information presented at the forum, feminists in the Middle East presume that religious governments are oppressive toward women.
The general assumption by liberal feminists, according to Guessous, is that a religious government, and by extension a religious woman, will obstruct Middle Eastern women in achieving certain freedoms they are currently lacking.
“Her discussion of a particular feminist community shows how narrow in their perception of women and how exclusive they are for superficial reasons,”said Miriam Lowi, professor of political science at the College, in reference to the leftist feminists that Guessous featured.
Monica Salama, sophomore international business major and Arabic studies minor at the College, explained that this unfair exclusion reflects the irony that she feels in her own home country, Egypt.
“I didn’t think that general Middle Eastern women were viewed in that way,” Salama said regarding the liberal perspective on muhajaba women. A Coptic Christian herself, Salama explained that her faith requires of her a certain physical modesty that is parallel to that of Muslim women, but that hijabs are not necessary.
Despite the religious and cultural differences she has observed, Salama professes a human philosophy that could bring about change for women of all backgrounds and demographics: “You do your own, and that is perfect by me.”
(01/31/13 4:10pm)
The Ewing Board of Health convened on Tuesday, Jan. 29 with a number of items on its agenda, including discussion of the flu epidemic and the approval of Sharen Clugston’s contract as supervisor of health services for Ewing Township’s Health Office.
(01/29/13 8:04pm)
Two artists who lived more than 100 years apart were brought together this past Wednesday night by a common theme — exploration into, and portrayal of, the human condition.
The College’s Gallery Director, Emily Croll, welcomed art enthusiasts and casual observers to bask in the gloriously terrifying and awe-inspiring work of prominent Spanish artists Federico Castellon and Francisco de Goya during this semester’s first art exhibit opening.
The main exhibit, cleverly titled Fear and Folly, is split into two sections displaying the historically separated, but thematically congruent, works of Goya and Castellon side-by-side.
On one side of the exhibit is Goya’s gruesome display of pieces called “Los Disparates,” or “The Follies,” that play on the terrible events of the Napoleonic invasion of Spain.
The court painter to the Spanish royal family at the time, Goya parallels the invasion’s circumstances in myriad incarnations of gloom.
For example, the intriguing yet shocking “Fearful Folly,” depicts a grim reaper-esque figure towering over a gaggle of fearful soldiers, a strong contrast between dark and light, which meant to showcase the concept of death.
On the other side is Castellon’s work, a literary comment on a short story called “The Masque of Red Death,” written by the notoriously death-obsessed Edgar Allen Poe.
According to the exhibit’s introduction wall, Castellon chose “The Masque of the Red Death” when he was commissioned to depict a story by the famous poet. What is quite illuminating about this collection is that, without even reading a word of Poe’s story, one could get a pretty accurate picture of the horror that takes place.
“It really catches your attention,” said sophomore gallery assistant and art education major Erin Chamberlin in reference to Castellon’s “The Dagger Dropped Gleaming upon the Sable Carpet.” The painting portrays an event toward the end of The Masque in which the Red Death — a deadly disease that parallels the symptoms of tuberculosis — is disguised as an anthropomorphic hooded figure much like Goya’s “Fearful Folly.”
The Prince of the story goes on to stab the Red Death but suddenly drops dead as a result of instant infection. Above and beyond death, Croll made it clear that bringing such a shocking exhibit to the campus is an exercise in edification.
“I want to bring exhibits that relate to different disciplines, exhibits that will relate to art and art education, but also to other departments within the school,” she said.
Fear and Folly’s art is aimed at reeling in a broader audience and will remain open until March 7, according to Croll.
(01/29/13 5:50pm)
There’s something about the up-tempo rhythms, harsh guitar riffs and airy vocals that keep an audience warm and satisfied through the cold weather.
While it snowed on Friday, Jan. 25, bands Circa Survive and Maps & Atlases played for students at the College Union Board’s Welcome Back Concert.
Circa Survive, led by former Saosin vocalist Anthony Green, started off with a shrill, head-pounding bit off of their independently released album “Violent Waves” called “Birth of the Economic Hit Man.”
Green and band member Brendan Ekstrom opened up before the concert about what it meant to sell the record independently from their former record company. Pleasantly surprised by the immediate success of the album, Green attributed this achievement to their loyal fans.
“It’s a little bit of an anomaly,” he said, “In an age where you want to get everything right away, always searching for the next thing, we’ve managed to not get thrown away by the people that really care about us.”
Just a few minutes into the concert, it was clear how seamlessly Green’s poignant vocals meld with the band’s smooth guitar riffs and pounding percussion to reel the audience in.
Outside of his characteristically high-pitched voice, Green also sported a unique tattoo of a “hobo stamp,” which appears on much of the band’s merchandise. According to Green, these stamps are placed on buildings and signs across the country to warn the homeless of certain dangers — or, in this case, to welcome them.
“(It’s) supposed to be a cot and a table,” Green said of the tattoo displayed on his shaved scalp. “And if you see this you know you’re going to get food and you’ll be safe.”
It’s no wonder then why such a welcoming group, even through the process of changing record labels, was able to maintain a steady fan base.
Long-time Circa followers, sophomore math major Ryan Manheimer and junior mechanical engineering major Brandon Schiff, musicians themselves, explained what they like most about the band’s music — their progressive rock or “prog rock” style.
“I really like that they don’t use standard pop rock beats,” Manheimer said, explaining instead that the band’s compilations are “very intricate.”
The self-acclaimed “zesty” indie band wooed its audience with funky guitar-picking, elaborate percussion solos and dynamic sound bites.
But to both bands that performed last week, it is not all about the performance.
In fact, it seems that it is less about the pomp and circumstance and much more about the audience.
“A lot of it is about connecting with people,” said lead singer and guitarist of Maps & Atlases, Dave Davison, explaining that he found his aptitude for the musical arts when he discovered them to be “a means of communicating and connecting with people.”
(11/09/12 6:35am)
It is quite remarkable the similarities between getting into college and being elected as President. The process is similarly arduous, and only the most able and achieved (in theory) get rewarded.
You spend months preparing essays and applications to apply to college, going to interviews, paying for application fees and the gas that it takes to get to countless college tours, proving your worth on paper and in person (if you have the time and money) in the hopes that you get into the college you want.
If you only take a moment to think, it’s easy to see that what you all once did in applying to this school was not unlike what presidential candidates must do to sway the American public. They speak at events, they raise funds, they rally their respective political parties’ base, and even beforehand some spend a good portion of their lives refining a variety of skills for the very purpose of becoming the President. So, how do we, as students, decide which candidate is the best for our country?
The same way the admissions officers chose us: by reviewingour achievements and our abilities as students.
One College student owned up to doing extensive political research for this election cycle — which happened to be the first time he could vote in a presidential election. Bryan Furman, a 21-year-old international studies major, left no statistic or YouTube interview astray in his unrelenting search for the ideal candidate. “You have to read what each candidate promises to do and compare that to their track record,” he explained, “while matching your own personal beliefs to each candidate.”
Thoroughly researching the contenders up for election can prove useful in making intelligent voting decisions. Of course not every student is as dedicated to enacting his/her own citizenship as Furman is. But, then again, why shouldn’t we be?
Another College student regaled his experience of canvassing in local neighborhoods, a civic activity that goes one step beyond simply voting.
“I think it’s good to be politically who exactly you’re voting for,” said 19-year-old biology major, Jesse Mendillo. Mendillo is also voting for the first time, and after having cast his ballot he made a point to underscore the importance of invoking one’s “basic right to be heard.”
Another student was adamant about voicing his opioion on voting. “I think it’s the duty of being a citizen,” said 20-year-old education and math major, Evan Levy. “It’s the one thing an American should do.”
As it may seem, it really is not much to ask for. Go to your local church or school, send it by mail, and for this cycle it was even as easy clicking a few buttons and sending it off by email.
So, why not? What have you got to lose? Why would you brush off this opportunity to make a change when it only comes around every four years? Why would you disregard this chance to voice your opinion to the same government that controls most other aspects of our life? Beats me.