I`m Still Here: Veterans At BCC
Transcription
I`m Still Here: Veterans At BCC
The Torch “Truth No Matter The Cost” BERGEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT NEWSPAPER IGNITING STUDENTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE VOLUME XXI . . . No. III FDU-BCC Form Alliance to Ease Transfer DESIREE MOORE staff writer Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU), located in Teaneck, New Jersey, signed a partnership with Bergen Community College on October 16th that will provide the opportunity to seamlessly transfer credits into a Bachelor’s or Master’s program. Not only will credits be transferable, but there will be generous academic scholarship incentives to sweeten the deal. The overall incentive of NOVEMBER 2013 TORCHBCC.COM this formation, named BCCFDU Scholar’s Program, is designed to pave a clear and affordable path between Associate’s and Bachelor’s and Master’s programs at FDU. “We share a commitment with Bergen Community College to do something about the rising cost of a college education and to help more families afford an education that will make a difference,” said Fairleigh Dickinson’s President, Sheldon Drucker. Continued on pg. 7 Vargas stands firmly behind his stance as an American without legal citizenship, waiting on the day this country recognizes it. Photo courtesy of pbs.org. No Comment: The Undocumented Story of Jose Antonio Vargas JOSEPH CIRILO He confided in the discovery of journalism... staff writer Dr. B. Kaye Walter, president of Bergen Community College and Sheldon Drucker, president of FDU sign an agreement that will provide BCC students a more affordable pathway to FDU. Photos by Russ DeSantis Photography and Video, LLC Jose Antonio Vargas, closing keynote speaker of Latino Heritage Month, is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist who immigrated to this country as a young man, misled about his legal status, but with great expectations for his future. As Vargas took the stage on October 14th, he was met with thunderous applause from the students and faculty in attendance at the Anna Maria Ciccone Theatre. To be in New Jersey that day was an especially significant day for Vargas and other immigration advocates, as Governor Christie had announced the day before that he reversed his position on the federal Dream Act, which would give in-state college tuition rates to students living in the country without legal permission. When Vargas immigrated to Silicon Valley, CA in 1993, it was after his grandparents had worked to save up $4,500 to secure him a green card and safe passage here, as his mother was denied a visa to enter the country. It was not until going to the Department of Motor Vehicles to get a learner’s permit four years later that he found out that the documentation his grandfather had purchased was fake. The vivid memory that Vargas painted about returning home to confront his grandfather about what happened was one of being told: “What are you doing showing that to people? You’re not supposed to be here.” Vargas’ life would subsequently be consumed by years of living a dark lie in a place that he “wasn’t Continued on pg. 8 I’m Still Here: Veterans At BCC JOSEPH CIRILO staff writer Soldiers, Airmen, Marines, Sailors; the veterans that make up a total of 250 or so students that attend classes daily here at Bergen Community College, come by various titles, backgrounds, and names. For those few combat veterans who have served overseas in Iraq and Afghanistan, the transition to civilian life, coupled with the difficulties of life as a college student, can often feel like an uphill battle. Thankfully for them, people like Mike Martinez, of the BCC Veteran’s Center in Room L-113, are here to provide assistance to those seeking to enroll in college for the first time. Everything from the vast amount of paperwork required by the Veteran’s Administration to what is required from all students registering for classes, is handled by faculty like Professor Martinez. “There’s a lot of paperwork, a lot of processing stuff; so we help to facilitate that process,” Martinez explained. While the statistical graduation rate of those veterans registering for classes is largely unknown, Martinez went on to say that he has seen much more progress in those veterans that gave themselves some time for a “breather” to process things, I N PTSD can occur after experiencing a traumatic event, such as exposure to combat. Most people suffering from PTSD have some stress-related reactions after such an event. According to the“Understanding PTSD Treatment” booklet available at BCC’s Veteran Center, fear, sadness, guilt, anger and insomnia are common. About 60 percent of men and 50 percent of women experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime, but only about 8 percent of men and 20 percent of women will develop PTSD, according to MakeTheConnection.com; a website specifically designed to help identify the early symptoms of the disorder, and help patients and veterans better understand what can be done. For those who have experienced combat, the figures are much greater. “It comes in one form or another.” Martinez commented. “Some will come Private Chris MacGregor before deployment, after an IED assault, and after returning home, discharged in here to talk about it and all I’m trained from injuries sustained in combat. to do is point them in the right direction. Photo courtesy of Lalage Snow They need someone they can relate to.” Professor John Giaimo is this so-called “right direction,” present to help student and figure out what it means to be back everything for you paperwork-wise.” The most difficult part of this transition veterans anyway he can. A combat veteran to civilian life. “It’s just a culture shock,” Army was not in the paperwork, however, but of Vietnam, Giaimo can easily relate to veteran SPC Ronald Hernandez said. rather facing the challenges that come the hardships that come with adjusting to “You have to be a lot more hands on with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or civilian life, as well as to student life. here, whereas in the military, they do PTSD. Continued on pg. 7 S Time to Lead by Example - Pg. 11 Framework for the Future - Pg. 6 I D Pg. 10 - Loving to Hate education Pg. 3 - Same Sex Marriage E VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2013 It’s Time to Welcome a New Addition BCC, V.I.P 2 News THE TORCH BLAIR DELONG staff writer Bergen Community College has many services to offer its students. One of the newest, The Violence Intervention Prevention Program (VIP) provides services involving domestic and dating violence, sexual assault as well as stalking. Professor Shari Franschman, the director of the Violence Intervention Prevention said ”We want to educate the community. We want to empower survivors.” According to the New York State Coalition Against Sexual Assault, at least one in four college women will be the victim of a sexual assault during her academic career; furthermore 80 percent of these assaults will be committed by an acquaintance of the victim. These numbers are staggering, considering that there are more than 17,000 students attending BCC for the 2012-2013 semesters. VIP works with several programs around Bergen County such as Shelter our Sisters, who assist women and children who are victims of domestic violence, including emotional, economic, sexual and physical abuse. They also work with healingSPACE, who provide free services to survivors of sexual assault and abuse. Not only does the VIP Program work with these organizations but they also provide training to the 20 student ambassadors that represent VIP on all three campuses. These ambassadors are not only trained to listen to a survivor but also be a resource and provide any and all information a survivor needs. Randy Ruisech, a student affairs coordinator for VIP said, “This has been a positive experience for me. I’ve learned a lot about sexual assault and unhealthy relationships; it’s not always physical but mental as well.” Thanks to the hard work of not only Prof. Franschman, but the Vice President of Student Affairs, Dr. Naydeen GonzalezDe Jesus, both were instrumental in getting the resources VIP needed, like an office to operate from. Because of this cooperation from the administration and student services, VIP could become a great resource for the BCC community as a whole. The VIP has not only offered these services but has also garnered national attention. Franschman said, “The Clery Reporting Center (supports initiatives and legislation that support our mission and provide a realistic framework for accountability) wants BCC’s VIP program to offer training webinars to further The Silent Factor in a Loud Debate PEPE ROMERO news editor On the same day that speakers during a gun control debate at BCC failed to mention mental health issues as a possible root to violent behavior in society, a shooter at Paramus’ Garden State Plaza opened fire and eventually took his own life. Data and experts show that the debate reflects what the public in general fails to address, which is an ailment that is bedeviling the fabric of our communities. As the effects of such disregard mount, they are reaching the hallways of our school, and as Mr. William Corcoran, Executive Director of Safety, Security, and Crisis Management describes, “it’s not a gun problem, it’s a society problem.” Mr. Juan Pacheco, a former gang member and currently a Youth Violence Prevention Specialist, along with Mr. Robert Farago, founder of the website “The Truth About Guns,” shared their opposing views in a debate titled: Gun Control, A Civil Debate on a Loaded Topic, at around noon on Monday November 4th, in the Anna Maria Ciccone Theatre. Mr. Pacheco utilized anecdotes of his upbringing in his home country, El Salvador, where he was part of a notorious gang called Mara Salvatrucha, or MS13, to argue that people are “brought up to believe in lies” which make them look to guns as a means to defend themselves. However, he labeled violence as “The language of the inarticulate” and urged the audience to consider him as an example of how education can reform any member of society. Mr. Farago on the other hand, argued the constitutionality of bearing arms, and emphasized the importance of society to be prepared to defend itself from its own government. Towards the end of the debate, when asked if there is a connection to be made between the decaying mental health issues afflicting American society and gun violence, they resorted to more of the same rhetoric they had already mentioned. Then, at around 9:20 p.m. of that same day, Richard Shoop, of Teaneck, walked into the Garden State Plaza and fired six shots at various targets, without hurting anyone, before taking his own life. According the NJ.com, Shoop’s friends Continued on pg. 4 The mission of the Violence Intervention Prevention Center at Bergen Community College is to educate the community on sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking through supportive services and prevention programs. Photo courtesty of V.I.P. educate other schools.” According to the “Advocate Core Training Manual,” being in a college environment there are plenty of opportunities for dating other students. Whether or not it is a healthy relationship, one always has rights. As a matter of personal authority, you have the right to manage your life according to your own values and judgment. If your partner says no, it means no. There is not any gray line; this is a matter of personal safety and comfort. If your partner can not respect this, than you have a problem on your hands. While each relationship has its own dynamic, some can be extremely unhealthy and detrimental to one or even both partners. Not only do you have needs but you need to grow as an individual as well. If this right is hampered, you could find yourself in a situation that can cause an unhealthy environment which could lead to domestic abuse, or worse. If you or someone else you know have been a survivor of any of the aforementioned situations there are so many resources you have access to. VIP maintains an online counseling link on their website, www. bccviolenceprevention.com, as well as many other resources including Student Services, Judicial Affairs and Health Services. VIP maintains a 24 hour hotline 1-877-9-SAVEME. These services are for the students, and you should never be afraid. A Sorrowful Event RICARDO MONTERO-HERNANDEZ editor-in-chief A student was found self-harming in a Pitkin Education Center bathroom, in the Paramus campus of Bergen Community College. Bergen County Police Officer Christopher Ham received a call on Tuesday, November 12th, from Public Safety that a student was attempting against her life in one of the campus’ bathrooms. Officer Ham responded to the call and, upon arrival, tried talking to the student; After not complying with Ham and other Public Safety officers on the scene and continuing to injure themselves, the student was then physically restrained. The student was taken to Bergen Regional Medical Center for Psychological evaluation and treatment. If you or someone you know is in a similar situation, please seek counseling at the BCC counseling center located in the Health Office, or dial 1-800-273-8255, for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. There are trained professionals ready whenever you need them to help you with your situation, you are not alone. JOIN THE TORCH Meetings every Tues., 12:45 p.m., SC-111A Corrections to stories that appeared in the October 2013 edition: Pg. 10 “Tech makes smoking less deadly” e-cigs NOT allowed on campus. Pg. 21 Answers to puzzles: Pictures 4 & 5 are identical. Crossword answers: across: 4. BOO 9. MYSTERIOUS 10. GRIN 11. DARKNESS 12. DARKNESS - down: 1. TREATS 2. CAULDRON 3. BROOMSTICK 5. SPOOK 6. CEMENTARY 7. HAYRIDE 8. COWARDICE 5-Hour Shot to the Heart pg. 6 Paralegal Studies pg. 5 3 Christie Holds Down New Jersey pg. 4 Parking Lot Surveillance pg. 5 NEWS The Torch Framework for the Future A Shift in Culture at BCC VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2013 Same Sex Marriage A Battle is Won, but is There An End in Sight? BLAIR DELONG staff writer Faced with the daunting task of having to defend their own office and other student club space, SGA’s executive board made a simple request that brought the imminent dismantling of the student center to a halt. PEPE ROMERO news editor “Framework for the Future” it’s a five year plan that the school’s current administration has launched in order to improve major aspects at BCC. In the second of a three part series, The Torch looks to identify and examine these changes that are taking place, and inform of its immediate and future impact on students and faculty. As mentioned on the first part of this series, in order to institute a “One-Stop-Shop” - a place where admissions, registration, and financial aid can be processed by the same staff member- the student center would have been converted into a welcoming center. Faced with the daunting task of having to defend their own office and other student club space, SGA’s executive board made a simple request that brought the imminent dismantling of the student center to a halt. OPRA Open Public Records Act, or OPRA, is a state law that allows for the public to have access to government records maintained by NJ public agencies. SGA’s e-board figured that if they had a chance to go over the state grant that appropriated the funds for the construction of the student center, which was finished in 2011, perhaps they could find something that SGA Senator and News Editor at the Torch, Pepe Romero speaks at October’s Board of Trustees meeting. Valerie Batista // The Torch would protect that area from becoming something other than student space. Therefore, they made an OPRA request to administration, and within 24 hours of their inquiry, Silvana D. Raso, partner at Schepisi & McLaughlin P.A.,which is BCC Board of Trustees’ legal counsel, contacted them asking to narrow their request. Such documents are so vast in volume, that the legal costs and the time it would take to gather them were enough to get the attorney’s office involved. However, before SGA’s e-board had an opportunity to discuss which documents would best serve their purposes, they were asked to drop their request. SGA kept Continued on pg. 6 As of 12:01 a.m., Oct. 21, 2013, New Jersey became the 14th state to allow same-sex marriage after a last minute appeal withdrawal by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie’s administration. “The governor will do his constitutional duty and ensure his administration enforces the law as dictated by the N.J. Supreme Court. Ensuring that marriage equality has found a new foothold on the East Coast,” Christie’s administration said. There are concerns, however. “It’s great news for New Jersey, but what about the rest of the country?,” said Jessi Melendez, Treasurer of Bergen Community College’s PRIDE club. While the states have made individual legislation possible for same-sex couples, the rest of the country has been slow to follow. “There is still work to be done,” added Samuel Grady, the Vice President of PRIDE club. While same-sex marriage is recognized in 14 states, the other 36 do not recognize them. So, if a couple is married in the state of New Jersey, Texas will not recognize the union and refuse the rights of marriage to the couple. The debate over gay-rights rages on in the remaining 36 states. Most of the “Blue” or mostly-Democratic areas of the country have recognized that same-sex couples should have the same rights when it comes to marriage, just as a straight couple would have. With Victory for same-sex marriage in New Jersey. Photo courtesy of Open Walls. same-sex couples able to be legally married, they can share many benefits, which include health and life insurance benefits that a traditional marriage would offer. However, the big question remains: why should a same-sex couple be denied the benefits that a heterosexual couple is privy to? The “Red States,” or Republican states, have fought tooth and nail to deny a simple civil right to individuals based upon the assumption that same-sex marriage would ruin the institution of marriage. However, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, there were 2,118,000 marriages in 2011, while in the same year there were 872,000 divorces. That is a 41% divorce rate. Nearly 150,000 same-sex couples have either married, registered civil unions, or formed a domestic partnerships, but only 1 percent of them have gotten a divorce. Not only has this been a hotly debated issue in political circles but religious as well. As the Roman Catholic Church refuses Continued on pg. 6 Voter Education, Not Political Platforming BCC’s Voter Education Forum is aimed at raising awareness on the importance of elections and how they affect current issues. EMANUELE CALIANNO staff writer BCC’s Voter Education Forum took place on October 22nd, in light of the gubernatorial election and minimum wage referendum. An educationoriented event, forums like these feature Q & A sessions with members from the political arena, and are aimed at raising awareness on the importance of elections and how they affect current issues. For this occasion, the school invited Student Government Association President Alexis Bravo, Hawthorne Council candidate Jeff Gardner, Montclair NAACP President Thomas Reynolds, and Wayne Council candidate Barbara Marmolejos, with Ivan Wei, Bergen’s NAACP President and chief organizer of the event, taking the podium as moderator. After obtaining approval from administration to hold the event, Wei and his collaborators had high hopes: “We wanted to teach our fellow students about the impact of their votes at every electoral level, regardless of political views. We picked our speakers to be informative and energetic, and expected an audience of 200 to 300 students,” said Wei. Initially, all speakers spoke intensely but neutrally, maintaining the forum on the path it had been set to create. Questions like “Why should students vote?”, and “How can politicians be held accountable for issues in the community?” received clear and objective responses that listed specific student issues, such as the education budget and college loans. However, while early phases proceeded in the expected manner, things eventually took a turn; speakers ceased to uphold the objectiveness requested, and the forum began to mix voter education with political platforming. When asked about her views on local elections, speaker Marmolejos refrained from giving a direct answer, and instead talked about the poor support she felt was given to her town by Governor Christie. On the other hand, in response to being questioned about the relevance the minimum wage referendum held, SGA President Bravo began by saying “I don’t support the referendum.” By the same token, Reynolds brought along an NAACP report card of Christie’s administration, which, while common practice for these affairs, was not compared with a report card of Senator Buono’s past offices. Towards the end of the event, Marmolejos and Gardner pulled out flyers to promote their respective municipal campaigns, asking for support from any Wayne and Hawthorne resident on campus. At various points throughout the forum, speakers interrupted and contradicted Continued on pg. 5 4 News THE TORCH VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2013 Christie Holds Down New Jersey for Another Term DESIREE MOORE staff writer As of Tuesday November 5, 2013 Republican Chris Christie successfully earned his bid for reelection as New Jersey’s governor. Christie campaigned across college campuses in New Jersey for the past two months in attempts to gain more votes, but what does this mean for NJ public schools? Christie’s prominent platform has been education reform and overall budget management. Due to potential bankruptcy, the major changes were to pensions and health benefit system for teachers. Christie’s campaign estimates that taxpayers have saved over $132 billion over 30 years and saved retirees their pension because of it. Actions such as extending the pre-tenure period from 3 to 4 years and allowing districts to let go of tenured teachers if they have consecutive years of poor ratings were taken due to the connotation that a teacher would have a job for life, regardless of performance. Christie believes that putting the students first in order for America to prevail over our competitors in the competition that is academia, “They believe in teachers unions. We believe in teachers,” Christie’s campaign declares. As for higher paying positions such as Superintendent, tenure has been revoked, and the position instead calls for a three to five year contract, which makes them more marketable when their contract is expires. According to OnTheIssues.org, as of February 2011, Christie decided to curve the scale for these position holders by creating a pay-rate ratio based on student population. According to the State of New Jersey’s Department of Education, Christie’s overall incentive is to make teacher effectiveness and student achievement the key agents behind every policy and practice. He is adamant in parental communication through technology, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and his wife Mary Pat speak with the media at Brookside Firehouse in Mendham, New Jersey, Tuesday, November 5, 2013. Chris Pedota // The Record/MCT allowing parents to understand their rights, responsibilities, opportunities, and options. By incorporating the SMART system, it will allow parents the access to their children’s class performance as well as teacher’s evaluations. Christie, a moderate Republican, is pro-life and against marriage equality. While against marriage equality, he dropped his appeal to the Supreme Court which recently legally recognized marriage equality in the garden state. This recent move may have tipped the Governor’s hand, moving to the center on an issue that looks to be key in 2016. Christie’s campaign estimates that taxpayers have saved over $132 billion over 30 years and saved retirees their pension because of it. Actions such as extending the pre-tenure period from 3 to 4 years and allowing districts to let go of tenured teachers they have consecutive years of poor ratings were taken due to the connotation that a teacher would have a job for life, regardless of performance. NOVEMBER 2013 | VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 News Parking Lot Surveillance YAIDELISSE ROMAN staff writer How safe is your vehicle? Think about it. Many students do not know that there aren’t any cameras watching over their vehicles while in class. While Public Safety regularly monitors the parking lots, it is not as effective as having cameras watching over all of the parking lots at once. The amount of vehicles vandalized and broken into has increased since 2011. In the public safety crime logs, there have been 9 thefts and 14 vandalisms between 2012 and 2013. Currently, there are no cameras in parking lots B, C, and D, while all those vehicles are left at the mercy of criminals. Director of Public Safety, William Corcoran has been working with Homeland Security to make some of these TORCHBCC.COM 5 The amount of vehicles vandalized and broken into has increased since 2011. In the public safety crime logs, there have been 9 thefts and 14 vandalisms between 2012 and 2013. changes around the school. He received a $157,000 grant from Homeland Security for new cameras in the parking lot and other Public Safety essentials. So, what do you do if your car is vandalized? Quickly notify public safety by dialing 6 on any school phone, or go to the public safety office. If seconds count, call 911 immediately. If someone is caught committing a crime, they will be charged. Cameras have already proved helpful in stopping crimes around other parts of the campus. If a crime is caught on camera, public safety hands over the tapes to the county police. Will parking lot surveillance improve security on campus? Shamin Chishti // The Torch Mr. Corcoran stressed the importance of a collective effort while tackling safety issues around campus, “Keeping this college campus safe is everyone’s job. I’m the Director of Public Safety, but it’s everyone’s job. We can’t keep this college safe without the students, the faculty, the staff, the visitors, and everybody else. For a real safe environment, we need everybody to be on the same page.” While cameras are installed in vulnerable areas around the parking lots, it is recommended to not leave valuables inside the vehicles. Every student needs to play their part in contributing to campus safety. Inside BCC Paralegal Studies FELLIX LYU staff writer Bergen Community College holds many programs that help students in the near future. This includes programs for nursing and legal studies majors. For students in legal studies, there are ways to ensure stability in their future. The two programs that can be considered as the most essential for paralegals would be the ABA approved Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate Program and the Paralegal Program. The Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate Program can be earned in one year. A hopeful paralegal must have more dedication as it takes two years. Both programs were created to meet the needs of an environment for the paralegals in the New York metropolitan area and Northern New Jersey. As a paralegal, you can make $35,000 to $55,000 on salary, depending on the position that you are attempting to receive. Although, experienced paralegals can be compensated $50,000 to $100,000. BCC creates a helpful learning environment and prepares its paralegal students to be successful. Professor Lawrence Joel became the successor of the program after Professor Gerald Meisel conceived the curriculum.The professor has been maintaining the Paralegal Studies Program since the year 2000. Professor Joel maintains the paralegal program as well as the ABA Approved Legal Nurse Consultant Certificate Program, established in September, 2008. Paralegal studies at BCC becomes ABA approved Photo courtesy of kent.edu Professor Joel commented, “These programs both have been graduating students for several or many years.” Professor Joel informed that the programs have regional and national reputation and that all professors are practicing attorneys who are experts in their fields. Students who have exceeded their own expectations have been excellently placed in durable jobs. Those who are interested in having a career that can provide a protected life, should choose the nearby classes that offer paralegal paths. left: SGA President, Alexis Bravo. center: Former candidate of Wayne County Council, Beth Marmolejos & Montclair NAACP President,Thomas Reynolds right: Former candidate for Hawthorne Council, Jeff Gardner & SGA President, Alexis Bravo Valerie Batista // The Torch Voter Education, Not Political Platforming Continued from pg. 3 each other when talking about the gubernatorial candidates, adding an element of rebuttal that is not the norm at education forums, and which was not at all addressed by the moderator. Dr. Ron Milon, BCC’s Vice President of Administrative Services, had both positive and critical commentary for the day, “Any effort made by the students to inform and educate really deserves praise. Unfortunately, similar situations are typical of these events.” He continued by saying that the lack of bipartisan representation also played a factor in hindering the event’s balance. Aside from President Bravo, who is part of the Young Republicans Club, there were no other supporters of the Republican Party. Bravo herself commented in the afternoon by saying “I have very high regards for our guests. Many of them are not Bergen County residents, and coming to our campus shows dedication to the community and to young voters. However, all speakers, myself included, could have done a better job to maintain neutrality and not voice personal beliefs.” Following the forum, Ivan Wei has stated that this is to be only the first of several events focusing on voter education, and that aspects of its turnout will be used as guidelines for the future in order to aim for an approach that will ensure balance and focus on student issues. 6 News Same Sex Marriage THE TORCH VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2013 A Battle is Won, but is There An End in Sight? Continued from pg. 3 In 1802, President Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to Baptists from Danbury, Connecticut the following: “Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between Man & his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legitimate powers of government reach actions only, & not opinions, I contemplate to recognize same-sex marriages, the Vatican considers it to be a sin according to the Bible. Most conservative religions have also refused to recognize this legal right that has more legal complications than religious. with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof”, thus building a wall of separation between Church & State”. So why have states been swayed by an almost religious agenda instead of going along with allowing anyone to be treated to living the way they see fit? Straight, Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual or Transgender, they have right to pursue their own happiness and if wanting to be married to their partner is that pursuit, who really has the power to deny this to them? Framework for the Future A Shift in Culture at BCC Continued from pg. 3 its location, and student club space was rearranged in order to “allow for more collaboration among clubs and organizations,” according to Mr. Greg Fenkart, Coordinator for Student Development. The Welcome Center was created, and it is now located where student life used to be, in room A-115. The One-Stop-Shop has a presence in the student center without taking away any of the student space. On the surface, a middle ground was found. In the absence of negotiation, some astute legal maneuvering by SGA, and flexibility by the administration gave way to both parties attaining their objectives. However, this would only be the start of a sequence of unpopular decisions by the BCC administration that would stir strong emotions among the student body. Honors Hall: Only a Seven Minute Walk Away The Judith K. Winn School of Honors was relocated from its office on the third floor of the Pitkin Center to an area next to Paramus Road. Roughly a seven minute walk, Dr. William P. Mullaney, Vice-President of Academic Affairs, “didn’t feel the location would be too much of an inconvenience.” Such decision was made together with BCC President Dr. B. Kaye Walter and it was based on student feedback last semester. At the time, honors students expressed an interest in an area where they could gather and work together with PTK Association members. This area was conceived in a “double wide” - a mobile home consisting of two units that are connected- by Paramus Road. Dr. Mullaney is “committed to refurbishing” the space, and is also considering creating an “Honors Path”, that would make the walk an experience in itself. Unfortunately, while the intentions were clearly to benefit the association, accessibility to the premises have been inconsistent at best. Hiring a full time support person was “important,” Dr. Mullaney said. However, a vacation by this staff member in the middle of the semester along with varying hours have made access to the Honors Hall unpredictable and frustrating. Honors students voiced their dissatisfaction at the September Board of Trustees meeting. In this meeting, the Honors “Trailer”, as it is referred to by some angry students, was only one of several issues raised. Library Closed on Sundays A decrease in enrollment along with millions of dollars in over time have made this years budget a tight one. When looking at the costs of keeping the library open on Sundays, Dr. Mullaney said that the 5-Hour Shot to the Heart GREG KOCIUBINSKI contributing writer Say you are walking to class or through the cafeteria, your mouth wide open with a yawn escaping, having that “two o’clock feeling”. Out of the corner of your eye, you spy a nice vibrant bottle in one of the vending machines, colored with red and orange and gentle purple. Upon closer examination, you read the label: 5-Hour Energy: Hours of Energy Now, No Crash Later!” It seems as if it is the golden solution to your problem -a small two-ounces liquid that will give you the burst of energy you need to get through the rest of your day, it very well maybe be, but just like everything in life, nothing is guaranteed. Essentially, that burst of energy is due to the large amount of caffeine that is in the shot. The regular two-ounces liquid bottle holds 215 mg of caffeine, with the “extra strength” version holding 242 mg. That is about three-to-five times the amount of caffeine in a regular 12 ounces can of soda, and 100 more milligrams than in an original Rockstar or Monster. Compared to a black 16ounces coffee, which has 145mg, 5-Hour Energy packs quite a kick. Along with all the caffeine, a shot of 5-Hour Energy also contains various combinations of vitamins and minerals, some of these going far past the daily recommended values. According to its nutritional facts, a bottle of regular strength 5 Hour Energy contains over 8000%DV of Vitamin B12. All of this combined with the regular doses of caffeine someone has in a day, whether it be from coffee, soda, morning The regular two-oz. liquid bottle holds 215 mg of caffeine, with the “extra strength” version holding 242 mg. Will students make the right choice? Brian Felix // The Torch latte -- it adds up. As with any drug, negative side effects and even overdose can occur from too much caffeine. Mild effects from too much caffeine can include jitters, nervousness, and rapid heartbeat, with more serious side effects as high blood pressure, nausea, and vomiting, according to a Food and Drug Administration fact sheet. Since December 17, 2009, thirteen people were found to have ingested at least one 5-Hour Energy before their death, according to an F.D.A. study. Before you skip a good night’s sleep and buy a 5-Hour Energy to make up for it, consider if the potential outcomes from it are worth it. Is staying out late and taking a 5-Hour Energy to wake up a bit really worth the chance of health risks? data supported his decision to close it for that day. Dr. Mullany also argues that BCC is the only Community College that had its library open on Sundays. He also says that any “decrease in service doesn’t feel good” but with limited funds, he opts to focus “resources on students”. When asked if he expected the reaction from the student body, he says he had “no idea the firestorm it would cause.” In order to make sure this closing does not affect academic performance, Dr. Mullaney does have a proposal on the works that would extend library hours during finals and also during that time, the reopening of the library on Sundays. SGA pledged to gather 5,000 signatures petitioning the library to be permanently open on Sundays, and such initiative it’s still in the works. As the bridge between the student body and the administration, SGA would have liked a less conflictive start to their term. By the same token, members of the BCC administration, each of who do not have more than one year at their respective position, are striving to provide the best possible student experience. As Dr. Mullaney put it, they find themselves in the difficult position of not “letting politics affect the way they are servicing students.” Nonetheless, it seems as if all those who are a part of the BCC community are affected, one way or the other, by forces which fall outside of academia. NOVEMBER 2013 | VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 News TORCHBCC.COM I’m Still Here: Veterans At BCC Continued from pg. 1 According the US Department of Veterans Affairs website, the most effective method of treating PTSD to date is counseling and medication; a combination of psychotherapy in the form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) to raise the level of serotonin in the brain. The two SSRIs that are currently approved by the FDA for the treatment of PTSD are Sertraline (Zoloft) and Paroxetine (Paxil). To a lesser extent, some doctors prescribe benzodiazepines to treat anxiety, but is not recommended for long-term treatment as they do not treat the core PTSD symptoms and may lead to addiction. While the post-9/11 G.I. Bill Lance Corporal Becky Hitchcock before deployment, after an IED attack and returning home. provides financial support for education Photo courtesy of Lalage Snow from her “We Are The Not Dead” gallery 7 and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service after September 10, 2001 or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days, receiving an honorable discharge from service, it does not repair the damage done in the aftermath, when coping becomes the next big challenge. And while the scars, often invisible, never truly go away, one anonymous student offered the words of Langston Hughes, that quote, “...was a saving grace in their first few months back.” “Been scarred and battered. My hopes the wind done scattered. Snow has friz me, Sun has baked me, Looks like between ‘em they done tried to make me Stop laughin’, stop lovin’, stop livin’But I don’t care. I’m still here.” FDU-BCC Form Alliance to Ease Transfer Continued from pg. 1 The agreement outlines that students may enroll as entering freshman or throughout their first year at BCC. All credits acquired from BCC, up to the maximum of sixty four that are part of an associate’s degree, can be considered for transfer at FDU. The BCC-FDU dual admissions program is aimed to transition BCC students in Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degree programs at FDU, as well as a combined Bachelor/ Master’s program. “Bergen Community College has prioritized providing opportunities and resource for students to succeed here, graduate from here and transfer to other intuitions,” BCC’s college president, Dr. B. Kaye Walter states. “Partnerships such as this one with our fellow county resident Fairleigh Dickinson University reflect our commitment to securing opportunities for students entering the next phase of their educational journey.” Additional scholarships and grants are available as well. Members of the international two-year honor society, Fairleigh Dickinson is an institution that features more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs including doctoral programs in nursing, clinical and school psychology, two international campuses, as well as partnerships with internationally renowned institutions and special programs, with status from the United Nations Phi Theta Kappa, will receive $16,000 per year in scholarships in lieu of the 40 percent reduction rate in tuition. Students who show academic excellence, holding a 3.5GPA or higher, will receive $1,000 per year in scholarships in addition to the reduction rate. Students who qualify for the NJ STARS II program with a minimum 3.25GPA, will receive the $2,500 per year New Jersey in-state scholarship as well as the additional reduced tuition or the Phi Theta Kappa scholarship. Even students looking to dorm can receive a $1,500 per year housing grant for the Metropolitan Campus or College at Florham. Fairleigh Dickinson is an institution that features more than 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs including doctoral programs in nursing, clinical and school psychology, two international campuses, as well as partnerships with international renowned institutions and special programs, with status from the United Nations. The Silberman College of Business is accredited by the prestigious AACSB International – the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, and has been named among the nation’s best by The Princeton Review. Not to mention, FDU’s School of Pharmacy welcomed its first class in 2012, while it unveiled a dynamic curriculum incorporating technology, a global perspective, and multiple master’s degree options. This university is distinguished by its use of innovative technology, notably their Global Virtual Faculty program. “The BCC-FDU Scholars Program builds upon FDU’s close partnerships with community colleges and provides Bergen Community College graduates access to a full range of undergraduate and graduate degree programs,” Drucker added. This alliance focuses on an important factor in academic achievement, the cost of tuition and enrollment at a four-year school. Drucker notes, “Just as importantly in these difficult economic times, these students will be eligible for a significant reduced tuition rate, as well as scholarships and grants.” BCC-FDU Scholar Program members qualify for up to 40% reduction from the appropriate FDU institution rate upon completion of an associate’s and through participation in the program. The Silent Factor in a Loud Debate Continued from pg. 2 said he was becoming paranoid after a drug-possession charge from earlier this year. While in this case it would be easier to make an argument for a connection between this young man’s disturbed state of mind and his actions that led up to him turning the firearm onto himself, statistics and professionals around the school agree it is no coincidence. “The issue at heart is mental illness,” according to Dean of the Center for Student Success, Mrs. Jennifer Reyes. Reyes says that people have a much easier time talking about a relative’s heart condition or cancer treatment than about their mental disorder. She says people are “Ashamed to say they are living with someone who is Bipolar or has any other mental disorder because it is a taboo.” Nonetheless, the chances of such experience being a part of reality are very high. According to a National Alliance on Mental Illness report published in March of this year, one in four adults experience mental illness in a given year. The report also points to approximately 60 percent of adults and almost one-half of youth ages 8 to 15 with a mental illness having received no mental health services in the previous year. Despite these figures, Dean Reyes says “There is not enough research to support a policy change on a government and local level” and as a community college we lack “Long term therapy” as only crisis intervention is available. A large share of this intervention is available thanks to a grant awarded to BCC by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Known as the Garrett Lee Smith Suicide Prevention Grant, this program, on the second of a three year project, aims to promote wellness, connectedness, campus and community mental health treatment and resources, as well as suicide prevention training for students, faculty, and staff. The program has already trained 152 students, 48 faculty/staff and NAMI’s Mental Illness Facts and Numbers report states that one-half of all chronic mental illness begins by the age of 14 while three quarters by age 24. Mental illnesses has become increasingly apparent Illustration courtesy of nicholasjv.blogspot.com 4 community members in Mental Health First Aid Trainings Sessions. Those sessions were voluntary, 12 and 8 hour, Mental Health First Aid Trainings at the Paramus campus. Yet, despite of these efforts, reports of a student having to be restrained by members of campus safety and Bergen County Police from potentially fatal self-inflicted injuries were circulating around campus and in the media as recent as last week. Juhi Bhatt, Coordinator for Judicial Affairs, says that the established “Culture of reporting” fails the students because it is more “reactive” than “proactive”. Such system relies on a Behavioral Intervention Team,or BIT, to identify “Students in distress.” Nonetheless, Tariq Bryant, currently a BCC student, says that anything “Could happen any day,” in which case, BIT members would be left with little time to react. NAMI’s Mental Illness Facts and Numbers report states that one-half of all chronic mental illness begins by the age of 14 while three quarters by age 24. While the reports acknowledges that treatment could be effective, it also states there are long delays-sometimes decades- between the first appearance of symptoms and when people get help. For BCC’s students, Dean Reyes suggests the best plan of defense is to “seek counseling.” The Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Suicide Prevention Program is located in G208. On a day when a young life was lost because of paranoia stemming from a legal matter, some will mourn the loss of a life, and some will find comfort in the fact that no one else was hurt. However, the question of where exactly mental health issues fit in the discussion about gun control and violent behavior, will be left up for debate. Considering suicide is the third leading cause of death among individuals from ages 15 to 24, and 90 percent of those who die by suicide had one or more mental disorders some will wonder why the question merits to be up for debate at all. 8 No Comment: News THE TORCH The Undocumented Story of Jose Antonio Vargas Continued from pg. 1 supposed to be.” He confided in the discovery of journalism, and the by-line that accompanies each published article, solidifying his name in American culture. “For me, being a journalist, and being on a piece of paper was actually a way of existing.” Vargas told the audience. “I thought I could just write my way into America.” Vargas’ next year would bring new challenges as he was swayed by a quote in The Life and Times of Harvey Milk: “If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet shatter every closet door,” prompting him to oust himself as a homosexual as he could not as an illegal immigrant. Without being able to marry and acquire legal citizenship in the United States, the plans of his grandparents were shattered, and Vargas had to find his own way. Over the next 12 years, Jose Antonio Vargas would go on to publish articles with the Philadelphia Daily News, The Washington Post, and The Huffington Post all with a fake Social Security card, doctored and photocopied. He would also go on to use this SS card for the Pulitzer committee when he won the Pulitzer Prize in 2008, and the White House when he went to cover the presidential campaign that same year. In 2011 he would go so far as to publish an essay with the New York Times Magazine revealing his status as an undocumented worker, which would earn The Sidney Award for an “outstanding piece of socially-conscious journalism.” At his speech, however, Vargas would not only describe his own personal story of struggle, lies, hard work, and advocacy for immigration reform, but would reveal that President Barack Obama was approaching two million deportations at the current rate by 2014. In addition, he pointed to the $4.46 million paid in local taxes by illegal immigrants in 2010, and how there is nothing stopping them from starting a business and employing American workers. To this day, Vargas has not received legal citizenship in the United States. At 32, he is no longer eligible for the DREAM Act relief, which would halt deportations for immigrants under the age of 30 and provide work permits for them. However, after it was passed, he tweeted his excitement by saying: “WAKE up DREAMers. A new day has arrived. You made this happen. Thank you and congratulations! #WeAreAmericans.” Vargas’ story includes a call to the Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) asking whether or not they would deport him, to which they replied, “no comment.” This, he says, is a metaphor for the American outlook on immigration. Invigorated by his words, a few Bergen students stood up to share their family’s stories of immigration to the country, from the days of Ellis Isle, to more recent travels from abroad. To conclude his address, Vargas stood at his podium and left the student body with one last message that he could give: “As far as I’m concerned, I am an American. I’m just waiting for my country to recognize it.” VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2013 PTK Gets Active Members of PTK Society along with advisor prof. Win Win Kyi (center) at Tough Mudder Englishtown, NJ Photo courtesy of PTK’s Facebook KAREN BLAKE org; Evan Wesley, Thirst Project staff writer Phi Theta Kappa continued to demonstrate its philosophy of service throughout the fall. Through October and November, among a wide variety of activities that included cupcake sales on campus to raise money for the American Cancer Society, members were also involved in environmentally friendly events such as the New Jersey Water Symposium, a benefit concert, and a project aimed at serving veterans. Moreover, along with members of the Student Government Association, they participated in the “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” event held at Overpeck Park in Ridgefield Park on Sunday, October 20th. The NJ Water Symposium raises awareness of international water resource management and local water sustainability. On November 7th, the executive board of Bergen Community College’s chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, Alpha Epsilon Phi, began the event with a presentation of their honors-in-research project. Other speakers included; Maria Brewster, President of the Westchester Chapter of UNA-USA; Dr. Maria Rosal, Coordinator of NGO Sagrada Tierra; Ray Cywinski, United Water representative; Kennedy Ogoye, founder of justsaveone. representative; and Ivan Wei, Bergen Bring Back the Tap representative. A concert benefiting Sagrada Tierra, an NGO building wells in rural Guatemalan schools as a management technique was held in the student center on Friday, November 8th. The bands and artists who performed include; The Lawless Few, the M&M Project, Green Knuckle Material, On the Rocks, and Thank You Hair. Donations received during the concert went directly to benefit Sagrada Tierra. The Wounded Warrior Project is an organization dedicated to serving veterans and active service members injured either physically or mentally while in the military and their families. The Wounded Warrior Project hosted “The World’s Toughest Mudder” on November 16th and 17th in Englishtown. Phi Theta Kappa members volunteered their time on Sunday, November 17th from 11:00am to 6:00pm. They assisted with registrations and customer service, as well as, motivating and encouraging contestants throughout the event. Anyone interested in obtaining additional information regarding the Wounded Warrior Project can contact WWP directly at woundedwarriorproject.org. Slow Down Honey, I’m Diabetic Of note is the prevalence of diabetes when compared to ethnicity; diabetes is most common in non-Hispanic blacks, followed subsequently by Hispanics, Asian-Americans, and non-Hispanic whites. Moreover, diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in America, and the leading cause of both blindness and kidney failure. Diabetes also causes over above left: Dave Thoen works out in Eden Prairie, Minnestoa. BRANDON RENO contributing writer Over 30 years ago, Dr. Joseph Giangola was practicing his residency at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn, NY. One day, he decided to visit the dialysis and surgical units, and upon entering the rooms, noticed the miserable and sick patients suffering from diabetes and asked himself, “Is this the best we [can] do?” From that point on, Giangola, who is now the Director of the Diabetes Program at Hackensack University Medical Center, dedicated his life’s work to studying and improving the treatment of patients with diabetes. As part of his keynote speech for Bergen Community College’s annual Diabetes Awareness Day, Giangola discussed a multitude of possible causes of diabetes and numerous statistics, as well as debunking some common misconceptions about diabetes, namely that obesity is the sole cause of diabetes. According to Giangola, although there is significant correlation between the two, particularly in the Southern United States, only a third of all morbidly-obese above right: Dave Thoen and his family says grace before dinner in Bloomington, Minnesota. Thoen received “islet” cells to treat his form of diabetes.At the table are his wife Denise, son Reese, left, and Riley, right. David Joles // Minneapolis Star Tribune/MCT individuals in the U.S. have diabetes. Instead, onset of diabetes have other causes, including genetic predisposition, environmental pollutants, insulin resistance. Giangola weaved in and out of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, detailing a few sobering statistics to the audience. According to the statistics gathered by Giangola, about 26 million people, or just over 8 percent of the U.S. population, have diabetes, and as many as 79 million people have prediabetes, which is the period of time where an individual meets some of the criteria for diabetes, but not enough to make a full diagnosis. bottom: Marjorie Poche, who found out she had Type 1 diabetes at 57, tests her blood sugar at her home in Plano, Texas, before going out to play tennis. Lara Solt // Dallas Morning News/MCT 60 percent of non-traumatic lower-limb amputations. In terms of treatment, Giangola likened himself to a financial consultant. Whereas some illnesses have more clearly defined treatments, diabetes is different for every individual afflicted with it. The definition for what constitutes Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes isn’t as clear as one might expect for instance, as both types have subcategories that patients can fit into. There is no cure for diabetes, and unlike some other diseases, it attacks the body slowly over a long period of time. Therefore, managing the treatment of diabetes is mostly up to the patient. With regard to the approximately 26 million people suffering from diabetes, the health care related costs are immense. A total of $245 billion was spent on healthcare as a result of diabetes, with $176 billion being a direct cost from diagnosed diabetes in 2012, according to the American Diabetes Association, or ADA. The remaining $69 billion is credited as “reduced productivity.” The ADA also notes that after adjusting for age and sex differences, the average expenditure per individual would be reduced by almost two and a half times the amount currently spent. Giangola declined to postulate on the future of diabetes, saying that he was “not a futurist.” After his talk, a panel of individuals diagnosed with diabetes shared their experiences living with the disease. Despite the prevalence of diabetes in every ethnicity, the panel was exclusively white. Nevertheless, the panel did well to illustrate how diabetes can impact an individual at any age. Of note was Thomas, a young blond-haired boy diagnosed around his fourth birthday. As the rate of diabetes continues to increase over the next few decades, the research required to effectively improve diabetes treatment will have to be scaled accordingly to match and as of now, it is unclear whether or not we’ll be able to match it. NOVEMBER 2013 | VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 News TORCHBCC.COM WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE? Andre Cross Permpoon Intanam I don’t know. Living? Just be happy. No matter what. I think the point is to figure out as you go. You live you gain your experience and you make it work for you. James Kariuki To me, the meaning of life is something simple you have to do every day and to have fun. I cannot define life. Roving reporter done by Jason Felix Officer Tomi Live life to the fullest. Be kind to everybody. Don’t let anyone steal your joy. Life itself is precious. Live every day like it was your last because life is precious. Darian Delgado The meaning of life is how you perceive it; be it good or bad, purposeless or fruitful, it is what is is. BCC is comprised of people from various walks of life. We asked people throughout campus what the meaning of life is. Hassan Ahmad Achieving something and becoming somebody. You only have one life to live. Make yourself something out of it. There are so many people in the world but there are people who say ‘Oh look that’s Brad Pitt!’ or ‘That’s Tom Cruise!’ why not people say ‘Oh my god that’s Hassan!’ Become somebody that the whole world can recognize you as an individual 9 10 News The Torch THE TORCH, a member of the Associated Collegiate Press and the College Media Association, is the official student newspaper of Bergen Community College. The purpose of THE TORCH is to report on the events at BCC and the local community, and to offer the BCC community a forum for expression. The opinions expressed in THE TORCH are not neccessarily those of THE TORCH. All the materials submitted to THE TORCH become property of THE TORCH. RICARDO MONTERO-HERNANDEZ Editor-In-Chief BRANDON REIS Co-Editor JEFF CARBONE Copy Editor PEPE ROMERO News Editor ROGER ECHEGOYÉN Features Editor JESSIE CASTELLANOS Sports Editor BRIAN FELIX Layout Editor NATHAN FISHMAN Ad Manager VALERIE BATISTA Photo Editor PROF. LEW WHEATON Advisor Corrections The Torch strives for the highest journalistic standards and accuracy. Readers are encouraged to contact us if they find any mistakes in any edition of the Torch. Editorial and Opinion Pieces As an open public forum, The Torch welcomes guest opinion pieces and letters to the editor from any member of the Bergen Community College community. Materials should be submitted to [email protected] or delivered to The Torch office, SC111. Such submissions must include the writer’s name, contact information and affiliation with the college. Students should include their major; faculty and staff should include campus title or position. Opinion pieces are limited to 600 words and letters to the editor to 200 words. The Torch reserves the right to edit and to refuse publication of any submission. The Torch offices are located in Room SC-111, 400 Paramus Road Paramus, NJ 07652-1595 201.493.5006/5007 [email protected] FOLLOW US FB.com/bergentorch @torchheadsays Loving to Hate Education VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2013 THE TORCH RICARDO MONTERO-HERNANDEZ editor-in-chief Education should always be respected, no matter the circumstances or the provider of this crucial service. Sadly enough, a diploma can technically make you more successful than intelligence alone, something that I personally hate. It is not a rarity that some students underestimate education as a monotonous, unnecessary life requirement, something that must be done because parents and society demand it. They fail to see the personal growth and future impact that a diploma can provide; they seem to misunderstand the true reasons as to why every child on this planet deserve to be educated, and in turn, why every student deserves a chance to prove themselves. Students simply love to hate education, and that love is blind, and deaf, and apparently has low test grades. Education is about learning to persevere, it is about increasing one’s desire to succeed, and it is about the organization of ideas and situations which humans will use forever. On the other hand, there are many things worth fixing in regards to the education system, such as the way that people are taught, not simply what they are taught. Basic curriculum changes need to take place in order to remove outdated, irrelevant lessons and instead provide tools to use later on in life, tools that can help everyone, not only those who decide to make a career out of a particular subject. There were times when I sat in a class, statistics class for example, and wondered why instead of being taught the Standard Deviation Equation, I was not taught things such as how to do my taxes, how to make a bank deposit, how to manage stocks or how to properly deal with conflicts. I wondered why things like that were overlooked by those who made the curriculum and instead taught me the symbolism of “The Great Gatsby” and that a cell uses the mitochondria to produce most of its Adenosine Triphosphate; why do I need Are courses beginning to feel pointless? Brian Felix // The Torch to know that? For what reason did I take tests and did homework on things that were going to become irrelevant once I chose to become a journalist? To this day I do not know. However, past all my teenage skepticism and confusion towards the education system, it became obvious to me that I was not sitting there to learn where Adenosine Triphosphate came from, but instead I began to acknowledge the other motives for my presence there. I acknowledged the benefits that education was bringing to me at a psychological level, giving me more strength of character and providing me with an unquenchable desire for knowledge, no matter how irrelevant it may seem at the time. It was leaving me with so much more than a 3-page essay. My personality was being molded to fit society’s requirements and showing me that life will not be about luck, but about perseverance. No matter who is talking about education, there is one thing that should be universally accepted: Tests are not a fair way to determine a person’s intelligence; it is like telling a monkey, a fish, and an elephant to climb the same tree. It is up to the professors to prepare the monkey, the fish and the elephant equally before the test, and the rest is up to each of them, which in turn tests the character of each student. Education is regarded in many ways; everyone involved in it has a different opinion, and nothing can be guaranteed about it. There are an infinite number of factors that influence an individual’s overall learning experience and final outcome. However, it is of utmost importance that students learn to appreciate and accept the benefits of education, as well as recognize the weaknesses of the system, and in turn develop ways to improve it. Whether you are a monkey, a fish, an elephant, or any other type of animal, remember that there are many types of unique intelligence, most which can be exploited by simply listening to that old person with the pencil behind the ear, and ultimately, your unique skills and type of intelligence can be expanded upon for you to use in the future, until life has you loving to hate something else. Government Shutdown: How and What Happened? JEFF CARBONE copy editor From October first through October 16th the United States federal government shutdown for the fourth time since 1990. Over that time and since then there has been a lot of posturing on either side of the political spectrum as to exactly who is at fault and why it happened, but not many have spoken about how it was allowed to happen or about who was actually affected. Though the federal government didn’t shut down until October first, 2013 the road that allowed it to happen started all the way back in 1974. According to the Cambridge University Press, in a 2008 article called “The Congressional Budget Process,” in 1974 Congress passed The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Acts. In respect to the government’s shutdown the important parts of the bill are as follows: Congress creates an annual budget known as a ‘concurrent resolution,’ that isn’t signed by the president, and because filibusters were Though the federal government didn’t shut down until October 1, 2013 the road that allowed it to happen started all the way back in 1974. prohibited to prevent the passing of a concurrent resolution virtually any ‘rider’ (or unrelated potential law) could be attached to a budget bill in an attempt to get it passed. That last aspect as well as the clause that allows for a ‘continuing resolution,’ which according to The Cambridge University Press, allows the government to use a temporary budget if an official one can not be written and must be signed by the president helped set the stage for what happened last month. As no concurrent resolution has been passed the federal government has been running on a series of continuing resolutions, up until House Joint Resolution 59 or Continuing Appropriations Resolution 2014. H.J. Resolution 59 would have funded the government at essentially the same levels as it had been funded according to The US Government Printing Office, however it included a provision to defund The Affordable Care Act, more commonly known as Obamacare. This provision, written by the Republican House, prevented the Democratic Senate and President from passing and signing H.J Resolution 59. When an agreement on a new continuing resolution could not be met by September 30th at 11:59pm, the Government shut down. There were 87 different federal agencies affected by the shutdown, including over 30 which were closed entirely. Agencies that were at least partially closed include; The United States Courts, The Consumer Product Safety Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, The Department of Education, and NASA, according to CNN. Programs affected include Veterans Affairs and Women Infant Children, both of which help people right at this college, the former paying those who were brave enough to serve our First Place Awards: General Excellence, Layout & Design, Column/Opinion 2011-2012 Winner for, Enterprise/Investigative Reporting 2011-2012 Winner for News & Arts and Entertainment/Critical Writing, Features, Sports Writing, 2011-2012 New Jersey Press Foundation Better College Newspaper Contest First Place Awards Society of Professional Journalists: Breaking News Editorial, Editorial Writing, Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper country and the latter helping young mothers pay for essentials for their child so they can afford school. On October 16th, with the government about to default on its multiple loans if a budget wasn’t passed the House of Representatives passed a continuing resolution proposed to them by the Senate which will fund the government through mid-February according to The New York Times. According to CNN, roughly 500,000 federal employees were furloughed and according to The Washington Post and Standard and Poors the shutdown cost about $24 Billion in economic output. Let this shutdown serve as a reminder: people we voted for to represent us allowed the country to come to a grinding halt, and if we so choose we are allowed to replace them. BCC Student S.P.R.E.A.D.S. the Message pg. 12-13 11 VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2013 OPINIONS The Torch Chairman Corriston answering his phone in the middle of a Board of Trustees meeting. Valerie Batista // The Torch Time to Lead By Example BLAIR DELONG staff writer Respect is a word that many people throw around, but have seemingly forgotten the meaning. It is an unspoken rule that in order to gain it you must also give some first. In the case of Board of Trustees Chairman E. Carter Corriston, I believe there has been a massive amount of disrespect from the Chairman over the course of this semester. During a very interesting presentation given by Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. William P. Mullaney and Vice President of Student Services Dr. Naydeen Gonzalez-De Jesus on November 4th’s Board of Trustees meeting called “Promising Practices for Promoting Student Success”, a phone started to ring. The assembled student body and faculty and others in the crowd looked around for the culprit, but no one could quite pin the offender down, that is until our very own Chairman took his phone from his pocket and answered what seemed to be an unimportant phone call. Chairman Corriston did not run out of the meeting, nor did he excuse himself after taking the phone call. This leads me to believe that the call was unimportant and answering the call in the first place unprofessional. This is just a one example of the disrespect he has shown not only to his own administration but there have also been instances in the past when he has shown absolute disregard for students as well. During the October BOT meeting, a member of the Student Government Association as well as a member of the Torch was shown nothing but absolute arrogance when the student asked for an apology for Chairman Corriston’s unprofessionalism during the September BOT meeting while speaking to members of the SGA and was regarded as a child to be swept away and silenced. How can a member of a group that is supposed to have the college’s best interests at heart show such utter disregard to his charges? Shame on you Mr. Corriston. Perhaps it will be in the best interest Continued on pg. 14 Arguing Gun Control Arguments RICARDO MONTERO-HERNANDEZ editor-in-chief Humans should not limit themselves to simple yes or no opinions due to the influence of society. Correct decisions are not one of the two opposing ideas, and important decisions should not be made in that sense. For example, Democratic and Republican, pro-choice and pro-life, for or against gay marriage, religious or atheist, pro-gun or against. These political controversies are not perfect ideologies for there to be only two choices in each matter, therefore people should not feel oppressed to choose one or the other and blindly abide by the group’s rules and beliefs. So, why do you do it? Outside influence has been proven to make people blind, oblivious and ignorant to their own free will; from religious groups all the way to political parties, and all the way back to gun control, which is an issue that the United States has not been able to deal with properly. Particularly in this issue, it is a necessity to listen and appreciate the reasons as to why the other party believes what they do, regardless of whether or not you agree with them; there is a reason for their position in the controversy. There are many arguments regarding the gun control issue, most of them valid, but nothing is going to get fixed if there is not a type of compromise. These two groups of people are blindly agreeing and denying without listening to each other’s reasoning, leaving us with two groups of angry, senseless mobs who wish for resolution but with no way to help resolve the issue. Simply out of objectiveness, here are the majority of the arguments for and against the Gun Control Controversy according to BalancedPolitics.org. A sarcastic and skeptical dissection of these arguments is utterly necessary, that way Continued on pg. 14 (left) Juan Pacheco, a former gang member and youth violence prevention specialist debated (right) Robert Farago, writer and founder for the gun blog “the Truth About Guns.” Valerie Batista // The Torch S.P.R.E.A.D. spreading more than a message All photos by Tania Boghossian // The Torch Spreading Peace Reaching Excellence And Diversity YAIDELISSE ROMAN staff writer On November 2012, Ra Oof Clark, 19, was robbed at gunpoint. Clark, an African-American BCC student was traumatized, yet inspired by that sinister event. This is what sparked the flame, making him realize how bad our society can be. He began to question society, the media, and why these things were happening. Society glorifies and idolizes so many things like marijuana, teenaged moms, and guns, which made him feel embarrassed of his generation. Clark wanted to make a change with a positive message, so he went out into the public and noticed upcoming trend-setting styles like Marijuana leaves printed on socks, the term “Swag,” and Tapout shirts. Then it clicked: “Why not combine both of the ideas of a positive message and clothing?” eventually creating a fashion line known as Spread. “It started out as an idea, then it manifested into something greater,” said Clark. This Bergen Community College business major student is planning to continue working on Spread after he gets his degree and continues his education. Spread stands for Spreading Peace, Reaching Excellence and Diversity. It was created to divulge a message of a positive mind set. It is a way to get everyone together to spread peace and love, like a family. It is meant to be more than just a clothing line and apparel; it is a way of Although Clark’s fashion line was started only a year ago in November 2012, as a new fashion designer, he already has some advice to give. “People are tentative when it comes to their own ideas. Everyone has a voice and their own mind, but people don’t express it because they are scared of what society thinks and what their friends think, and that’s one of the main reasons a lot of people don’t express themselves; society might look down upon it. living. Spread is meant to show that you are not alone, It is meant to build families, friendships, confidence, morality, and other positivelycharged bonding elements. Clark dedicates a considerable amount of sacrifice and effort into Spread in order to make it grow and help bring out the maximum potential in everyone. The Spread clothing is affordable for college students. Prices range from $13 Beanies to $15 T-shirts to $20 hats. Some of the proceeds go for a good cause; ten percent of all profits go to multiple charities. Although Clark’s fashion line was started only a year ago in November 2012, as a new fashion designer, he already has some advice to give. “People are tentative when it comes to their own ideas. Everyone has a voice and their own mind, but people don’t express it because they are scared of what society thinks and what their friends think, and that’s one of the main reasons a lot of people don’t express themselves; society might look down upon it. But I feel like whatever you have a passion for, let it be fashion or video games or even spreading a message. I feel like you should embrace it, go for it, and don’t be afraid.” Clark feels like he built the platform for something that is much larger than himself. It’s all about spreading the message. It does make him emotional to wonder about the lives he could change and the people he has helped in the past year. He has made presentations in high schools spreading the message of peace. This Bergen Community College business major student is planning to continue working on Spread after he gets his degree and continues his education. 14Editorials VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2013 THE TORCH The following piece is the winning piece of October Bards and Scribes 24 hour writing contest by Joseph Cirilo 1901 Of all the bars in all of Manhattan, I took a chance one night and walked into some place on the Hudson. Every Friday night I’d order a scotch, hoping to God that I’d meet someone I could never dream of, but I never had that wild and reckless attitude to ever make a move. That night I caught the brightest orange-brown eyes I’d ever seen; raven hair draping across her shoulders, a smile that could melt an iceberg, and a sickly green sweater, all torn and frayed at the wrists and pockets; barely held together by the poor job she’d done stitching up what remained of it. “What do you think of her?” I asked the barkeep. He squinted his eyes down towards her sitting six seats down with a bottle of champagne from 1901, laughing with a couple of strangers from out of town. He just shrugged his shoulders and continued absent-mindedly cleaning a glass. With my hands in my pocket I strode over to her, hanging my head, trying to control my heavy breathing and the painful thumping in my chest as my heart twisted and turned, aching for me to walk past her and forget I was ever there. “I’m Ben.” I said outstretching my hand to her without thinking. “Amie.” she grinned, taking my palm in her delicate grip. “Look, I’m sure you get this all the time, but you have the most incredible smile I have ever seen.” She giggled shyly and averted her blushing face from my view. We talked a few hours about nothing at all, at first, over the screeching old speakers overhead. She told me her astrological sign, how she never went a month without dying her hair, and I told her about the lucky pair of socks I wore every Friday night, and how I only drank scotch to make myself appear interesting. Hours later she talked about her late father, and how all she knew of love was from old movies and F. Scott Fitzgerald. How finding the real thing, untainted by sexuality, or social stigma, would be the climb up Everest for her; something she could look back on, even if it was all she ever had- even if it only lasted a moment. I stuck around a little while after she kissed my cheek and headed to the bus stop to catch a lift back to White Plains, mulling it all over. I guess she had a point about falling in love. “Last call, kid.” the bartender said minutes later. “You want me to call you a cab?” I paused a moment and thought, looking down at that green sweater she’d left draped across her barstool. “No.” I said plainly, swinging the old garment over my shoulder. “I think I’m okay.” “You know I can’t let you drive.” he said. “How are you getting home.” I laughed a little as the answer lingered in my mind. “I’m not.” I replied. “I’m ‘gonna go climb a mountain.” Writing Contest The Scribe’s 24 hour Scramble is a creative writing contest sponsored by the Bards and Scribes creative writing club. The contest will be held on a monthly basis. The first contest will begin on Saturday, November 23th at noon and submissions need to be in by Sunday, November 25th at noon. Anyone interested in participating has to register for each contest separately by emailing the club at: [email protected] The writing prompts, word count, and submission guidelines will be sent to all participants via blast email at noon on the contest start day and all entries must be returned via the bards and scribes email address by noon the next day. All late entries will be disqualified. There will be a prize awarded for the winning entry each month. The prizes vary month to month. The submission will be judged by the club’s e-board, with the final decision being made by the club’s faculty advisors. The contest is open to any current BCC student. If anyone would like additional information they can always stop by the bards and scribes club hours, Thurdays, 12:30 – 1:30 in room L-141. Time to Lead By Example Continued from pg. 11 of all for you to look at a dictionary and consider the respect and what quite frankly sir, been displayed on correct definition of it stands for, because the attitude that has your part thus far this semester has been akin to a spoiled child. If it is expected for the members of BCC to respect each other and the administration that you seem to lead, maybe it is time to start showing the students respect by example, not by mistakes. Arguing Gun Control Arguments Continued from pg. 11 perhaps we may reach a fair compromise. Arguments for stricter gun control: 1. most violent crimes are committed with guns. 2. The number of possible active shooters will be reduced. 3. A criminal may kill a victim with more ease if he or she has a gun. 4. Suicides and crimes of passion will be reduced. 5. The Second Amendment was targeted towards militia, not towards civilians or individuals. 6. Crimes that may have been less harmful may escalate due to the presence of a gun. 7. Legalized gun ownership means that guns can easily fall in the hands of children. 8. Local terrorism will be reduced. All of these arguments are valid; however, there are gaping holes on some of these. Most violent crimes are committed with guns but one is certain that you can kill people with almost anything; A criminal may kill a person whether or not he or she has a gun, there are too many factors there besides the simple possession of the gun itself; suicides may be delayed but not reduced, and crimes of passion can be committed with anything, at moments of extreme anger or fear a human does not think clearly, making guns optional at such times. All of these arguments are valid; however, there are gaping holes on some of these. Sadly, we cannot ask the men who wrote the Constitution to clarify on this matter, so that’s an eternal fight there. Are crimes more dangerous if a gun is added? How can one even measure the danger of a crime? Local terrorism may be reduced but only in terrorism involving guns, which leaves about half of an arsenal available, but I suppose the number can be a bit reduced. Arguments against stricter gun control: 1. Criminals will always find ways to obtain guns, leaving citizens defenseless. 2. Crimes are often prevented due to the presence of a gun. 3. The 2nd Amendment protects individual gun ownership. 4. Weaker individuals cannot protect themselves against assault and other such crimes. 5. Guns in possession of citizens are added protection against government tyranny. 6. Police are often too overwhelmed to protect all citizens. 7. Banning guns will create a black market for guns regardless. 8. Banning guns will take another piece of our liberty, inching us closer to totalitarianism. 9. Reasonable gun control can be set, so a ban would be unnecessary. These are all great points, but yet again, not good enough to convince the other party. I thought the job of law enforcement was to defend the citizens against criminals, and either way, it is illegal to kill people whether criminal or innocent, and vigilantism is illegal as well. Crimes are often prevented because one of the parties has a gun? At which point the victim becomes the aggressor, still making it a crime. The second Amendment is once again mentioned, our forefathers should have explained that better. There are other ways to defend oneself against assaults, and some ways do not involve murder; if we wanted to prevent ourselves from government tyranny, the answer was to not have any government at all but that did not work out. Police officers have back up and even SWAT teams to help them, random citizens with guns are not a very reliable ally; black markets for guns already exist everywhere on the planet, so that would not be much of a change. Finally whether or not the government chooses to become totalitarian, they have more than enough resources to stand up against civilians with guns, making a revolution very difficult to carry out. The only truly concrete argument here is that a reasonable gun control law can be passed, leaving both parties with half of their desires met, making the controversy much easier to deal with. Starting with larger caliber assault rifles, these should be banned since they are made to kill large numbers of people and nothing else, which makes the argument of self-defense seem weak, since a regular individual does not need this type of weaponry to defend a suburban home or wherever they may live. Citizens prescribed with antipsychotics or any type of said drug should not be allowed to obtain a weapon, since the medicine may make them unstable and easily violent. Obligated education should be put in place for gun owners, teaching them ways to protect their children or family members from their gun, and how to effectively storage their weapon. These are some steps that could be taken towards a more acceptable solution to the Gun Control controversy. Otherwise, a stand still will stay in place while the country watches more people die unjustly due to a poor compromising technique by our leaders: men and women who need to learn to compromise instead of continuing with their overly-developed skill of blind disagreement. 15 VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2013 FEATURES The Torch Ender Hall, where the wild thoughts are. Tania Boghossian // The Torch Take a Walk on the Wild Side. Of Ender Hall. EMANUELE CALIANNO staff writer At first glance, one may get the sense that social interactions are sparse and difficult to initiate at BCC. Sure enough, campus life at Bergen may not compete with 4-years colleges, but students don’t need to transfer or live in a dormitory to make social contact, and perhaps a bit more. A recent survey conducted by The Torch questioned 25 students on their sexual preferences and activities, aiming to shed light on recurring trends and encounters taking place. Out of the 25 randomly selected students, 15 reported having sex with another student here on campus. Of these, there was an almost even split between casual flings and committed relationships, while five reported multiple partners, ranging from two to four students. Students were not afraid to share their kinks and fetishes; the most frequent responses showed strong preference for rougher stimulation which includes slapping, scratching, biting, bondage, and hair-pulling, with other preferences including role-playing and cosplay. However, the most interesting factor coming out of this survey is the sexual fantasies the walls of BCC inspire. From the bathrooms to the woods behind Ender Hall, our campus seems to serve as a stimulating setting in the collective imagination of the student body. The most common places people see themselves living out their fantasies are the library and classrooms, with others surveyed indicating their club’s office, the golf course, the pool, and even an administrative room. Outside campus, people continued to show fervid imaginations, reporting a variety on their intimate pursuits. Several students indicated a desire for public sex and exhibisitionism, agreeing that the risk of being caught greatly adds to the excitement. Others replied by showing preference for hentai pornography, unusual locations such as a penthouse or a barn and being stimulated by Continued on pg. 19 The story involves Danny, the little boy with psychic powers; having survived his possesed father and the ghosts in the Overlook Hotel in Colorado is all grown up Between Team Veggies and Team Meats there are opposing arguements reaching for the same goal, a healthy lifestyle Doctor Sleep pg. 16 Meat vs. Veggies pg. 20 Movember, Formerly Known as November BRIAN FELIX layout editor We’re half way through this month formerly known as November, and we’ve already seen those mustaches take shape. We’ve seen the porn star ‘staches, connoisseur ‘staches, and even trucker ‘staches. Let’s admit it, no one is trying to bring back the mustache for the sake of bringing it back; its purpose is to raise money and awareness for men’s health. Movember claimed legitimacy in 2004 by a group of friends in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. They decided to create Movember, although at first the idea did not have a cause. They organized an event where 30 men would grow a mustache for 30 days in order to raise awareness for prostate cancer and depression in men. That’s when Movember went from silly pub shenanigans to an actual movement worthy of participation. This group would later become the Movember Foundation charity. Movember is held during the month of November, where men grow mustaches to raise awareness, education, and funds for men’s health. Men all over the world now grow their mustaches to support the cause for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and other cancers that affect males. According to the Movember Foundation, since 2004, Movember has grown both figuratively and literally to become a global effort with over 1.1 million participants in formal campaigns in countries including Australia, Canada, Spain, South Africa, Ireland, England, and the United States. In 2010, participants in the United States alone raised over $7.5 million. In order to take part in raising funds for Movember, men must register at www. movember.com and must have started Movember clean-shaven. Men that sport a mustache for Movember are known as Mo Bros and the women that support them are Mo Sistas. For the rest of the month, men must grow and groom their Mo’s and seek out sponsorships for their mustacheContinued on pg. 20 16 Features VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2013 THE TORCH When Fairy Tales Grow Up BLAIR DELONG staff writer Telltale Games the developers behind the sleeper hit,The Walking Dead, are at it again. The Wolf Among Us, Episode I: Faith, is based on the DC comic series Fables by Bill Willingham. The series features most of the fairy tales told to children. Characters we all know and love (or loath) like Snow White, Beauty and even the Woodsman make appearances in one way or another, and interact with the main character Bigby Wolf, the sheriff of Fabletown, an area of Manhattan that the characters or Fables have moved into have an exodus from their respective homelands. Bigby and many of the other non-human Fables have to make use of a magic spell called Glamour to keep “mundies”, or regular humans from recognizing them. It just so happens that Bigby Wolf is the Big Bad Wolf from the Little Red Riding Hood fable. The population of Fabletown find it hard to trust in him because of his previous actions as a bloodthirsty killer before the exodus. The first episode of the series centers around a grisly murder in Fabletown, and it makes The Wolf Among Us a cell-shaded noir influenced investigation. The interaction between the characters at times can get pretty vulgar and it is funny to see and hear Mr.Toad weaving a tapestry of profanity like a masterful artisan. This is a fairy tale for our generation. Mixing both a gritty script with a more adult theme to the fairy tales we were told as children. The art style is the same as The Walking Dead series of episodes but the controls have changed slightly. The player still have control over Bigby as he investigates rooms and the conversations are still timed giving a frantic on the spot decision that kept The Walking Dead so tense. Telltale Games did improve the combat, which Photo courtesy of flickr.com is still context based and might get frustrating at times but it has been retooled to make it a bit easier than The Walking Dead. The Wolf Among Us is available both on the Xbox Live Arcade and Playstation store for $5.99, which for the amount of story and gameplay the player will get is almost a steal. If you were a fan of The Walking Dead series, give The Wolf Among Us a shot, and take a trip down the profane and violent rabbit hole that Bigby lives in. Nightmares Come to Life YAIDELISSE ROMAN staff writer Let’s take a walk into the paranormal, a journey through a world which remains hidden from the human eye. That is the world in which the now middle-aged Dan Torrance lives every second of his life in the horror tale written by Stephen King. “Doctor Sleep,” the sequel to his famous 1977 novel “The Shining,” is a dark and terrifying novel. The story involves Danny, the little boy with psychic powers, who, having survived his possessed father and the ghosts in the Overlook Hotel in Colorado, is now all grown up and has retained his shining abilities. He has spent some time battling an addiction to alcohol by attending Alcoholics Anonymous and working in a hospice facility. Dan secretly helps the dying regain full function of their minds by invading their thoughts using his “shining,” thus The True Knots are a group of almost immortal beings that look like normal vacationers that live off of the spiritual mist or “steam” that the psychics give off when tortured. earning him the name “Doctor Sleep.” There is also another character with this strange ability named Abra Stone, who used her shining since she was an infant, predicting the 9/11 terrorist attacks and protecting her parents; ever since, she has continued using her abilities for practical jokes, like sticking spoons to the ceiling. Dan and Abra soon find each other, which is a good thing, because a tribe called the True Knots is targeting Abra. The True Knots are a group of almost immortal beings that look like normal vacationers that live off of the spiritual mist or “steam” that the psychics give off when tortured. That mist being essential to their survival causes them to continuously torture the psychic Dan and Abra, otherwise they themselves evaporate. The duo is led by a beautiful woman named Rose the Hat, who in reality is none other but Rosa Mystica, the negative version of the Virgin Mary. She leads them to the Overlook Hotel, which is the base camp for the True Knoters. The story is chilling to the bone; once you pick it up nothing can separate you from it. King is a master at his art, and one can rest Photo courtesy of flickr.com Love Through the Eyes of Two Women ROGER S. ECHEGOYEN features editor Love hurts. It begins simple and ends in tribulation. The loose adaptation of Julie Maroh’s graphic novel, “Blue is the Warmest Color” directed by Abdellatif Kechiche changes the familiar formula on the romance genre, instead of boy meets girl, its girl meets girl. We’re introduced to Adèle (Adèle Exarchopolous), a teen in her final year of high school. Her future is unknown to her, her love life is stale, and her friends discuss the usual chit-chat of “Who’s the cutest guy in class.” She is pushed to date one of the guys in her classroom. During their first date, Adèle catches a fleeting glimpse of woman with blue hair. She is instantly awe-struck from her. After her first sexual experience with her boyfriend, she realizes that she doesn’t have any attraction to males. She encounters the girl with the blue hair again in a lesbian bar. Emma (Léa Seydoux) starts asking Adèle questions about her personal life then asks if she is busy the following day, they meet up. Eventually the two become friends and later, it develops into a relationship. The three hour film depicts their relationship in way that the audience could sympathize with the two without being bias to one partner. The cinematography brought a new approach to digital filmmaking that has not been used lately. It is vivid and paints the streets of France with gorgeous color. The performances from both actresses will be a must-watch for any aspiring actress. The two faults for the film is its running time and Photo courtesy of imdb.com its graphic sex scenes. The sex scenes range from five minutes up to ten minutes, felt more like hardcore porn than actual love-making. Although I understood that these two are in love and lustful for each other, the director seemed that he was more in the mood to watch two beautiful women having sex instead of considering a more realistic approach to it. Even without those scenes, the film felt long, and the director’s over-indulgence to random topics within the film may tire some viewers. Overall, this new breed of coming-of-age story serves a new kind of audience that should be hungry for more films like “Blue is the Warmest Color.” “Blue is the Warmest Color” earns a C+. NOVEMBER 2013 | VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 Features TORCHBCC.COM 17 Affordable Vehicles for Students HELEN MAFINEJAD contributing writer Saving money for students is a big priority, especially with the way things are going on with the economy right now. Tuition is on the rise and books seem to be getting more expensive every year, and it is hard to keep up with all the expenses. Many students have bills to pay, so finding an affordable car to get to school or to work is a big must for students, but what automobile would be suitable and affordable for the student on-the-move? When looking for a car, the main aspects we look for is the price, great gas mileage, safe & reliable, the make and year of the car, and the features that it may have. Many cars may have an ipod/ aux port, navigation system, CD changer, sun roof, heated seats, etc. These features are appealing to the eye and when looking for a car you want to look stylish and cool. The most sought out car company that people look for are either Honda or Toyota. A 2013 Toyota Camry has a 25 city mpg, combined 28, and highway 35. A 2013 Honda Accord has a gas mileage of 26 city, 29 combined, and 35 highway. These two car companies are known to have safe and reliable cars anywhere from the Honda Accord, Civic, Odyssey and Toyota Camry, Corolla, Rav4. Many students may not be able to afford a 2013 car, but there are many other options to paying. Many dealerships offer leasing and financing at an affordable low cost, and are willing to work with the buyer on payments. This particular option is great for students, because they do not have to pay off the car all at once, and can pay anywhere from $150-$350 a month Toyota has the new established 2014 Prius plug-in and Honda has made the 2014 Honda Accord plug-in. The Toyota Prius plug-in has a mpg of 50, has great cargo capacity, tire pressure monitor, and pre-collision system. top right: Honda 2013 has proven itself to be a great buy for students, with great gas mileage and a stylish look. Photos courtesy of flickr.com depending on the make and model of the car. I have a Honda Accord myself and I am pretty happy with it. It is very safe and reliable and as a student that is a big relief. Hondas can range in price from anywhere from $10,000 - $24,000 and Toyotas can range anywhere from $8,000-$17,000 whether it is a used or new model. Both car companies also have electric hybrid vehicles which are safe on the environment and affordable to buyers. Toyota has the new established 2014 Prius plug-in and Honda has made the 2014 Honda Accord plug-in. The Toyota Prius plug-in has a mpg of 50, has great cargo capacity, tire pressure monitor, and pre-collision system. The system CONTACT US TO LEARN MORE OR TO APPLY: IONA.EDU/OCTBERGEN [email protected] will determine if a frontal collision is unavoidable, and if so, it automatically applies the brakes and retracts the seat belts to help prepare for it. The all-new 2014 Honda Accord plug in has a 124 city and 105 highway mpg. The Honda accord plug in has many safety features such as forward collision warning, lane departure warning, vehicle stability assistance, etc. Safety is a big thing when driving because accidents aren’t planned. When looking for an affordable car that’s the main priority we have. 800.231.IONA Transfer to Iona College and Move Your World in the Right Direction JESSICA SCAPARRO ‘13 > BA Psychology > MA Industrial Organizational Psychology candidate When Jessica Scaparro first met students from Iona, she was impressed with their enthusiasm about their experiences. “I wanted so badly to have that same excitement.” As a transfer student, Jessica obtained a rewarding internship at March of Dimes, completed a service trip to Zambia, and served as a student campus minister. OPEN HOUSE NOV. 3 IONA_Print_10x7.5_cmyk_Bergen-10-21-13.indd 1 Move the World. She is now staying at Iona to complete her master’s degree in industrial organizational psychology. With over 45 undergraduate majors and 35 minors in leading areas of study, led by working professionals and leaders in academics, we are confident that transferring to Iona will be one of the best decisions you’ve ever made. NEX T TRANSFER TUESDAY SESSION IS NOV. 12 10/21/13 6:20 PM 18 Features VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2013 THE TORCH Fear and Loathing in the Vegetarian Lifestyle ROGER S. ECHEGOYEN features editor Last New Year’s Eve, there was a thought that was running through my mind, and I decided that turning this thought into action would benefit my life in the long run. On December 31st YEAR 11:59 p.m., I became a vegan. No more meat, no more chicken, no more animals, period. This shocked me, more than Billy Ray Cyrus watching his daughter’s “Wrecking Ball” music video. It was a good decision at the time; both my parents have health issues, and I don’t want to inherit those unfortunate conditions. I love animals, so I decided that it was for a good cause, involuntarily immersing me in the flowery world of hippies, and I would get to try something new. By January 1st, 2013, around 7:00 p.m., I cheated on my diet. I reevaluated my decision on veganism, and decided to ditch it for the vegetarian diet. It was simpler, easier, and I could eat pastry. Life is always better with pie, right? Anyways, I went head-on with vegetarianism. I looked up veggie forums, veggie websites, veggie cookbooks, hell: I even joined PETA for vegetarian advice. Note to the reader: Don’t join PETA. PETA and ticks have many things in common. They’re vicious, they incite fear into people, and they kill defenseless animals. Now let’s talk about ticks. After the many struggles of coping without meat, I prevailed, and abandoned my carcass-eating days for good. But there was something different about me; it wasn’t my diet, but my extreme distaste for omnivores. I couldn’t stand the sight of a human gorging on the limbs of a once-clucking chicken. It made me really sick. I would rather be tied up to a chair and watch “Jack and Jill” on loop like Alex in “A Clockwork Orange” than watch kale chips, then I deeply apologize on behalf of vegetarians; paint chips have a better taste than kale chips. I searched vegetarian forums as if my ill thoughts were just conflicting me. To my surprise, it was not. I read Not to snobby, but I only shop at Whole Foods. Brian Felix // The Torch someone consume meat. It was that bad. That is when I noticed that I was slowly becoming a snobbish, pretentious vegetarian. The kind that would say snarky remarks like, “You eat meat? We’re not cavemen!” or “Kale chips are way better than potato chips.” If you have ever had the misfortune of trying up on every angry opinion about omnivores that I could find. I also found a website that bashes on former vegans and vegetarians. The site posted former vegan’s photos and hateful messages underneath it that said, “Traitor! Murderer! Conformist!” I had no idea that Goths and Vegans ranted the same. I started to realize that my distaste for omnivores stretched to vegetarians/ vegans as well. I knew one place where the two would meet on a weekly basis. That place would be Whole Foods or ‘The Church of Quinoa.’ The next time you enter Whole Foods, look at people’s shopping carts. I guarantee you that at least one person has a box of quinoa in their cart. This is the go-to place for any health-conscious vegetarian/vegan. This eco-friendly place is where the love for kale chips and awful-tasting granola bars is exchanged. I realized that vegetarians/vegans have great ideas, but their pretentiousness gets in the way. That is when I noticed that I was slowly becoming a snobbish, pretentious vegetarian. The kind that would say snarky remarks like, “You eat meat? We’re not cavemen!” or “Kale chips are way better than potato chips.” Now, it’s almost 2014, and I’m still a vegetarian. I don’t follow veggie forums anymore. I don’t care what people ingest anymore. I don’t want to generalize vegetarians/vegans for the small population of idiots that I’ve encountered this year. But I do have a closing remark to say: Enjoy what you eat for yourself, and don’t eat kale chips. You‘ll regret it. Being anti-hipster is the new being a hipster. Photo courtesy of MCTcampus.com Hipsterism and the Williamsburg Massacre BRIAN FELIX layout editor Behold the hipster, the stylishly disaffected breed of twenty-somethings whose aura of irony covers Williamsburg and the East Village. The hipster haunts every street, campus, and cafe, creating nostalgia for times and things never personally experienced. Most encounter this contemporary urban clown, hijacking outof-date fashions, mechanisms and hobbies, responding in ridicule. According to a study by professors John Molson from the School of Business, Concordia University at Arsel and Helen Churchill Professor in the Marketing Department of the Wisconsin School of Business Thompson, the beats of the ‘50s and hippies of the ‘60s and ‘70s, both of which had an admirable authenticity about them, gave rise to “the millennial hipster,” which “came to be represented as an super consumer of trends and as a new, and rather gullible, target market that consumes cool rather than creating it.” Generally, psychologists who study consumers understand that people are largely motivated to spend money not just on things that they materially need, but that reinforce their identity. They purchase not only goods and services, but mythologies. Imagining themselves as rugged, rebellious patriots, they buy a Harley-Davidson. Imagining themselves as respected and affluent, they buy a Lexus. Hipsters, though, follow a different archetype. Their problem is that their purchases tend to place them within a category whose mythology they despise. That’s right: Nobody likes hipsters, not even hipsters. So allow me to deconstruct, first and foremost, that Let’s get real: For every cynical slacker sitting around ironically watching Flight of the Conchords, there’s a legitimate artist who’s working their arse off making something worthwhile. hipsterism is about things and materialism such as Pink Floyd’s discography on vinyl as well an iPhone packed with apps. Throw in a steady certainty that your tastes are superior to everyone else’s, and you’re on your way to establishing a hipster aesthetic. The second element is imitation, the mixture and patchwork of elements from pop culture to create sensibility. Whether it be the entire film career of Wes Anderson or house remixes of your favorite records, imitation is essential to hipsterism. Finally there’s irony, a way for hipsters to emotionally distance themselves from sincerely appreciating things. Obviously, hipsters produce an irritation in me, one that until recently I could not explain. I realized they provoke me because they are, despite the distance from which I observe them, an amplified version of myself. And in regard to the hipster’s ironic “appreciation” of things that are not traditionally considered cool, I’d argue that some hipsters do sincerely appreciate all of the aforementioned, either as a form of nostalgia or as a celebration of the culture they’ve been instructed to avoid. Let’s get real: For every cynical slacker sitting around ironically watching Flight of the Conchords, there’s a legitimate artist who’s working their arse off making something worthwhile. There’s no ironic detachment, for example, to the music that band TV on the Radio produce. They are artists too, and yes, they are cool. And perhaps it should go without saying, but hipster profiling is about as effective as racial profiling. Owning a pair of skinny jeans doesn’t make someone cool, but it doesn’t make them a “hipster scumbag” either. Here’s the thing -- as fatigued as we all may be, hipsters are here to stay. It goes without saying that they’ve been far too exposed to be considered an “underground” or “countercultural” movement anymore; the hipster aesthetic has been aided by advertisers and the mainstream media, and they have only managed to grow in number. After all, in the rubble of this fury, what remains for artists and bohemians who are legitimately trying to be part of a counterculture? One might get the sense that if Jimi Hendrix were to show up in Echo Park today, he’d be publicly mocked in a style-section piece on Blipsters for wearing a feathered fedora. Critics continue to complain that we live in an era where all art is derivative and lacks substance, but if Hendrix, Duchamp, and Warhol were alive today, we’d be doing all we could to hinder their self-expression, dismissing them as hipsters. There’s no shortage of hipsters worthy of our mocking, but our challenge is to make the distinction between the artists and the posers. Otherwise, when the next generation finds its Jackson Pollock or Dorothy Parker, we’re likely to stifle their talents with our misappropriated cynicism; or worse, we’ll turn them into a joke. NOVEMBER 2013 | VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 Features TORCHBCC.COM Is it Facebook Official? NOMI EIJKENAAR staff writer “Are they are in a relationship? Is it Facebook official?” It is quite a joke how much of a difference it makes if someone’s relationship is Facebook official or not. I remember when I started going out with my boyfriend, no one knew until my friend said, “Are you kidding me? You’re not Facebook official yet?” And that is when I realized how much of a joke it really is. As an experiment I went on Facebook and “broke up” with my boyfriend online, a few moments later I started receiving phone calls, texts, and messages asking me if everything was okay. In today’s society most of our everyday relationships are based on the use of the internet and social networks. People get offended if you do not “like” their new profile picture a few minutes after it was posted. Some complain that their friend ignored a wall post and some lose friends basing their judgment of someone upon their online image. Relationships are a much more complicated psychological structure than being friends with someone on Facebook or liking their pictures on Instagram. A relationship according to dictionary.com is “An emotional or other connection between people”. Showing real human connection or affection through the internet is close to impossible when compared to a face to face relationship. With the availability of hiding behind the screen, protecting In this generation ‘liking’ a picture on a social network is considered flirtatious. Tania Boghossian // The Torch yourself behind a web name and not being face to face with people; Society is slowly losing the skill of real one on one human relationships. The more technology advances, and the easier it becomes for us to use it, the less skilled we become in forming relationships. “When an individual’s primary means of connecting with others is through social media, it may create obstacles or stunt their ability to develop face-to-face friendships and intimate relationships,” stated Sociology Professor Rachel Long from Bergen Community College. “One such issue,” continued Long, “is that people often alter themselves or present only part of themselves online, and the person on the other end may fill in the “unknown” gaps with their own fantasy. A person they meet face- 19 to-face can’t necessarily compete with a relationship that is based partially on halftruths, secrets or fantasies. Therefore, the “digital”, more idealized relationship may hinder them from developing relationships with those in the tangible world”. It takes way more courage to approach a girl and try talking to her face to face than to send her an IM on Facebook and hope to get an answer. Technology is taking away the struggle of building strong and long lasting relationships. Meanwhile technology is not all bad, with existing and strong relationships it can help a lot. For example, when trying to keep a long distance relationship going, the only immediate way of communicating is through technology. Technology made it easier for us as humans to communicate with one another in an artificial way. Understanding the emotions or difference in tone of people through written words shared online is sometimes impossible. The effect of a two minute face to face conversation is emotionally worth way more than an ongoing hour long chat online. It seems to be that using the web or technology to form relationships has taken away the skill of building relationships in today’s world. It is important to find the time and put in the effort to form a bond, a fact, feelings and emotions with other around you and call them your friends and not the ones you are friends with on the web. Take a Walk on the Wild Side. Of Ender Hall. But fear not, dear reader; this is only the beginning of a long series attempting to uncover the schools’ sexual nature. Continued from pg. 15 anger, or as they put it, “hate sex.” The attentive and slightly malicious observer may have realized that no report was made of one of the biggest taboos surrounding campus life. But fear not, dear reader; this is only the beginning of a long series attempting to uncover the schools’ sexual nature. These results, albeit temporarily small in sample size, will represent a diverse and outspoken group of BCC students. React to this as you wish; be it shock, anger, or excitement. Cartoon by Leslie Martinez But as your eyes move from the paper to students nearby, think twice before seeing these hallways as just a place to get to and from class. For any questions, comments or concerns or to take part in future surveys, please feel free to email me, at [email protected]. 20 Features THE TORCH VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2013 left: Do animal crackers count as vegetarian? right: How can you have any pudding if you don’t eat your meat? Tania Boghossian // The Torch DOMENICA PAZMINO & EMANUELE CALIANNO staff writers Despite it being a global source of nutrition, commerce, and even a ritualistic food in some religions, some people decide to rid their soul of the murder that is meat to become either hippies or smug activists. We decided to take a look at what both omnivores and vegetarians bring to the argument: The Science Medicine has made it clear to anyone besides concerned grandmothers and bacon addicts in denial that excessive meat consumption is not particularly healthy, but here’s a little science for lingering skeptics: Yale University’s Prevention Research Center recently associated plant-based eating with reduced risk of multiple illnesses, estimating 70 percent of all diseases to be diet-related, such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and certain types of cancer. More Food Diversity Adopting a veggie lifestyle can open the door to a world of culinary Veggies vs. Meats possibilities. Fronted with cutting out a former dietary staple, you are practically forced to find other stuff to eat. Let’s face it: some veggies lack in taste, and you have to look for something to mix those greens with. Still, this can turn into an opportunity to experiment with new ingredients, and you end up trying some dishes you would have never before, often making pleasant discoveries. Soymilk “never” spoils Few things will give you greater joy when opening your fridge after realizing the carton you buried in there for a month is still drinkable. Unlike dairy milk, once that expiration date actually hits, you will be able to tell from a safe distance, avoiding awful sniffs/sips. Better Lovers Can eating veggies heat things up? As shown above, a leafy diet can lead to better health, and thus more energy (in and out of bed), helping you get aroused and ready to act. On the other hand, foods high in saturated fats such as red meat can harm the circulatory system and restrict blood flow, especially below Movember, Formerly Known as November Movember is about the mustache and is constantly confused with “No-Shave November” Adrian Yllatopa // The Torch Continued from pg. 15 growing efforts. Not only are these men walking spokesmen for the cause, but they can also raise awareness through the use of social media to document and further advertise the need for donations. There are different beneficiary partners in each country. For the United States, there is the Prostate Foundation. The Prostate Foundation founded catalytic research and is improving prognostic and diagnostic tests. The is also Livestrong, creating a program of survivorship as part of their many endevours. The Movember Foundation’s ultimate goal is to help create services free of charge where people can get info, guidance, and direction. I’m sure I don’t speak for myself when I say that since putting a pause on shaving my upper lip on Nov. 1, I’ve endured much playful “abuse” from friends and colleagues, but Movember is a great charity event. Every man should maintain a healthy lifestyle, a good diet and take action early when they experience a health issue. I encourage men to get involved every year. While growing a mustache can make a guy more attractive by showing that he is kind-hearted, has a sense of humor, and doesn’t take himself too seriously, it also spreads awareness for a healthy and hairier lifestyle. the belt. Additionally, a study at Charles University in the Czech Republic revealed that women described the body odor of vegetarians as more attractive, pleasant, and less intense than those of meat eating males. A Hard Diet to Follow Running on plant fuel isn’t all peaches and veggie gravy, and can actually be a serious challenge, not only because meat is such an abundant source of nutrients, but because it isn’t exactly easy to look for alternative means of nutrition. Shopping for vegetarian items, or vitamins and dietary supplements, can really run up your grocery bill. Phasing into such a different lifestyle requires a lot of work and research, and should never be seen as a fad or a quick diet plan. Opposing Science The major side effects this lack of knowledge can bring are nutrient deficiencies and a poor diet. NYU’s Department of Nutrition advises vegetarians and vegans to find alternative sources of B12 and Omega 3 fatty acids, found primarily in meat and fish, and essential to the nervous system’s normal functioning. Claiming to be better in bed will be a hard challenge once your brain and body start failing you. The Veggie 15 People often associate vegetarianism with weight loss, for good or bad. However, when difficulties start to kick in, many people end up stuffing themselves with dairy and eggs to avoid starving. This leads to a reversed dietary effect: substantial weight gain without proper assumption of nutrients. Fake Meat A marriage between consumerism and modern science, these foods are essentially lab created and packed with chemicals, all aimed at replicating the taste of real meat. Their health impact is often comparable to those of the average fast food menu item, if not worse. NOVEMBER 2013 | VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 Features TORCHBCC.COM Secondhand Chic and the Thrill in Thrifting Scraping Up the Pieces from the Bottom of the Barrel 21 JOSEPH CIRILO staff writer Michelle Perez // The Torch MICHELLE PEREZ staff writer “I’m gonna pop some tags…” in a deep monotone voice is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a thrift store. I find there is some merit to the chart topping anthem “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore. Years ago your mother would have been embarrassed to be seen in a secondhand store, and it was not until recently that thrift shops have been released of the stigma surrounding them. What is a thrift store exactly? It is a store selling second hand clothing and other miscellaneous household items generally for philanthropic causes. “Thrifting” is now a common trend among fashionistas of all ages. Some may ask why is wearing someone’s old and often dirty clothes so popular? The answer is in a simple one-liner the Grinch himself recited, “One man’s toxic sludge is another man’s potpourri!” All over NYC and New Jersey, people are rummaging through sweater racks, digging in the shoe bins, and reaching on the highest shelf to get the one of a kind piece so many others have overlooked or emptied from their own collection to make room for a corporate version of unique bought for fifty dollars in the mall. In some cases, people have found items of extreme value like the Englishman, John Richards, who found an original Philip Treacy bag designed by Andy Warhol worth over $560,000. According to the Huffington Post, he bought the rare gem for only $30! The key to “thrifting” is to go in with your own rules and an open mind. If you go in only shopping in one section, then the chances of finding something fabulous have already been cut down to a frustrating one in a million. Most people hate to try things on, but it can make or break your purchase. Last but not least, think practically. If you are buying it just because it is cheap, you probably don’t love it as much as you want to, and you won’t wear it. It may take some time to find something you genuinely like, but be patient. Practice makes perfect. At the end of the day, “thrifting” is a fun and frugal way to make use of old clothes in new ways. Happy Shopping! It is safe to say that sales in the music scene have been spiraling down the drain since the turn of the millennium, prompting more and more bands to turn themselves into something they’re not just for a shot at getting noticed. Chris Carrabba, previously the lead singer of Dashboard Confessional, exemplified this fact with the release of his debut folk EP, “Twin Forks”, with his band of the same name. For Carrabba it was the perfect time to latch onto the growing folk scene in the U.S. and ride that train straight to hell at any cost. While the album itself just sounds like a rehash of old pop-emo tunes he produced under Dashboard, with a subtle taste of mandolin and fiddle that gives it a sort of folk twang Carrabba maintains that it was always his plan to release an album just like this. “...I wasn’t trying to avoid traditional folk because I didn’t love it…” Carrabba wrote on the group’s website. “...I just loved it so much and didn’t wanna do an injustice to it.” Funny how only now is folk music becoming more popular than it was in ‘00, when Dashboard was getting itself some exposure. Even funnier how at the time, acoustic/emo was really picking up fervor at the time he first entered the industry. What’s even worse about the quote is that none of the five tracks featured on the EP sound anywhere close to being “traditional” folk music. Songs off the record include: “Something We Just Know;” where the leftover residue of Dashboard settled itself nicely at the beginning of the record; and “Scraping up the Pieces.” The latter is about as close to folk as Carrabba is ever going to get in his new endeavor. While it can in some respects double as a fair drinking song in a rowdy Irish pub, on the whole, he is got a long road to be in the same Chris Carrabba’s latest EP, Twin Forks is not just a bad representation of modern folk, it’s a bad representation of what a talented artist is capable of. Photo courtesy of TwinForksMusic.com league as bands like On the Water, The Ballroom Thieves, Tall Heights, or The Lumineers.What puts these bands ahead of the game is a subtle use of digital enhancement and effects. The music produced is authentic, heartfelt, and bold. Twin Forks sounds more like a pop release that is trying too hard. Millennial folk is in no way on the same pedestal as artists like Bob Dylan or John Denver, who define what it is to be a progressive folk artist, but Twin Forks is a fairly unimpressive group for our variety, made even worse by making claim to suddenly have been long inspired by the aforementioned. Thankfully, local groups like Not Stalin, featuring BCC’s own Adrian Yllatopa gives promise that our local scene isn’t about to be overtaken by what some think is “folk.” The times are a ‘changing, that much is true, and in the next few years, we may see a huge influx of new bands trying ever harder to live up to the expectations set forth by generations of singers, but let’s just hope that what we get from them is more genuine than this. BCC Theatre Club & Music Interactive Club Presents: Open Mic Night When: Every Wednesday Night Time: 6:30PM - 8:00PM Where: Ender Hall Cyber Cafe 22Sports VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2013 THE TORCH Under the Radar KENNY CHICA contributing writer During this fall semester of 2013, our BCC sports programs built an outstanding foundation of winning. Teaneck alumni and current BCC Athletic Director, Jorge Hernandez says each program has continued their success since he took over as AD in the fall of 2011. Five of our fall sports teams reached the postseason, representing our school greatly. So, who do we give credit to? Do we just give credit to some of the outstanding athletes leading the charge of their teams? Or to the Coaching staff for doing a phenomenal job of instilling success into the roots of our fall programs? We must accredit both the players and coaches for putting together great programs, given the lack of time to build chemistry with students coming in and out of BCC. The Men’s soccer team, who went 9-5-1 with 8 shutouts, reached the second round of regionals this past season. Defensive specialist, Jonathan Maher quoted, “We all worked hard from the beginning, we built instant chemistry”, when asked about this past season’s success. Women’s Soccer has improved dramatically since 2011, reaching the Final Four two years in a row, this was a 7-4 team who tasted post-season success, eventually falling to National Champions, Brookdale CC. This squad was inspired by 5-game winning goals, courtesy of the All-American Nominee, Sara Ramirez. The success doesn’t stop there, our cross-country men’s and women’s team took part in our Fall Sports Success. Our whole men’s team qualified and finished 8th in Nationals and 3rd in Regionals. Our Women’s X-Country team had one qualifier, Elizabeth O’Brien who finished 13th out of 36 runners in Regionals. Last but not least, our Women’s Volleyball team was led by All-Region middlehitter, Marissa Lortz. They reached the first round of regionals and will look to build on this past season’s success. We have not paid enough attention to our fall sports teams that have been nothing but dominate this past fall season. As peers, we need to go out and support these exciting teams and take part in the success! Let the Games Begin! left: Shaun Livingston (14) of the Brooklyn Nets scores against John Wall (2) of the Washington Wizards during the first half of their game played at the Verizon Center in Washington. Harry E. Walker // MCT KARIM G. DAIF staff writer What we three years ago deemed impossible has come to fruition. Lebron has won two championship rings and The Heat have hung two more banners. Still no one from the New Jersey/New York area will give them a pat on the back for it; they want it for themselves. Now things begin to get interesting as both New York teams look to contend for a shot at the top prize. bottom: New York Knicks’ Revamped and ready to contend, the Brooklyn Pablo Prigioni protects the Nets roster is studded with an all-star lineup that has ball from the Indiana Pacers’ the likes of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Deron Paul George during firstWilliams to make headlines. Yet these all-stars from quarter action at Madison a different generation are getting older in age and Square Garden. with big money contracts, their time to shine is now or never. The Nets lineup, on paper, is stacked with stars J. Conrad Williams Jr. // and must choose video game team. But will it work Newsday/MCT for 82 regular season games and a potential 28 playoff and final games? That has yet to be determined. Then there are the Knickerbockers. The New York Knicks took home the division title last year and took the second seed in the eastern conference Cross Country YAIDELISSE ROMAN staff writer Bergen Community College’s cross country team started off strong this season against Vassar College. Freshman Jovanie Sotomayor ran 6,000 meters in 21:08, finishing 31st out of 103 for the men’s team. Then came Elizabeth O’Brien for the women’s team, running 5,000 meters in 23:47 and finishing 70th out of 92. Overall, the team took home 6th place. On September 14, Bergen’s cross country team went to Ramapo and did an amazing job. Sotomayor once again obtained the fastest time on the men’s team in a 5 mile race; at 28:30, he placed 40th out of 129. Elizabeth O’Brien, keeping up to her own pace, received the fastest time at Ramapo and placed 108 out of 194. On September 21, Bergen was able to keep up the good work once again, with Sotomayor standing out to finish in 19th place out of 100. He ran the 8,000m in 28:49s. Stephanie Zapata stepped up her game and became the fastest runner on the women’s team with 33:19 to run 6,000 meters. She placed 60th out of 81. On October 5th, The Bulldogs brought BCC the Runner-Up Award when they went up against Mount Saint Mary College. Sotomayor continued to impress after he came in 13th out of 125 runners for the 8,000m run in 30:09, and Victoria Tahhan brought her A-game when she got the fastest time on the women’s team with 113th out of 144 29:03. The Bergen Cross Country team came in 3rd place in the Regional Tournament. Sotomayor came in 6th out of 85 and got his personal best time along with his team members Liam Walsh, Edgar Aguilar, Kevin Valdivia, and Joel Munoz. Elizabeth O’Brien got her season’s best score and became a national qualifier and Sotomayor made the all region team. Overall it was an impressive season for the team, which will continue to find new talents as they jog their way to more victories. playoffs, along with a first round victory over rival Boston Celtics. Yet they were out-rebounded and dominated on the glass in their eastern conference semi-finals loss to the Indiana Pacers 4-2. Is that as far as these Knickerbockers will go? That has yet to be determined. The Knicks made quite some noise by dumping away big money contracts in Steve Novak and Marcus Camby to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for former number one overall pick, Andrea Bargnani, and ending all wars by signing Metta World Peace (Ron Artest) to help on the defensive end and to bring an edge to the team. Although the signings has not made a splash like the Nets, it might just pan out for the Knicks and help them get over the hurdle. Nothing is ever sure in New York and betting on the home team is always like winning the lotto. But one thing is certain, for the first time in a long time, the New Jersey/New York area has two legitimate contending teams to root for (or against depending what colors you’re wearing) and either one may go all the way. The question is; who? Continue your education. Build your career. Whether you’re looking to continue your education, earn an advanced degree, or change your career entirely, Saint Peter’s University can help you achieve your goals with convenient classes at the Englewood Cliffs campus. The Englewood Cliffs campus of Saint Peter’s University is located one mile north of the George Washington Bridge and offers: • Flexible 8-week, trimester and semester scheduling • A variety of academic options including evening, on-campus, and hybrid/online courses • Student services with evening hours: admission, financial aid counseling, transcript evaluation, academic advisement and registration • Small classes • Personalized attention to adult learner needs • Free, ample parking next to campus buildings Bachelor’s Degree programs include: Business Administration (BSBA) Criminal Justice* (BA) Education (BA) Humanities (BPS) Nursing (RN to BSN) Professional Sales (BSBA) Public Policy* (AA, BS) Social Sciences (BPS) *Currently offered exclusively at the main campus in Jersey City. PROGRAM FACT: Our Bachelor's Degree in Business with a concentration in Professional Sales is the only one offered as such in the Northeast: online and one Saturday on campus per month! Certificate option now available. www.saintpeters.edu For course descriptions and additional information, please visit our website or call: (201) 761-6470 NOVEMBER 2013 | VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 Sports TORCHBCC.COM Devils/Rangers Early Season Woes ADRIAN YLLATOPA staff writer Who will come out on top? Photos courtesy of MCTcampus Now a few weeks into the 2013/2014 NHL season, the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers have not had the start of the season that they had been hoping for. Through the first calendar month of the season, both teams sit at the bottom half of the Eastern Conference. Fans from both teams have been finding several targets to point their fingers at for the underwhelming start to the season. For The Rangers, having to play 10 straight away-games to kick off the new season proved to be a challenge for a team that is adjusting to new coach, Alain Vigneault. They started with a 4-6 record through the road trip and one regulation loss to Montreal. Despite the slow start, one offensive spark has been effective enough to prove himself worthy of the fans’ approval. Brad Richards has had quite the rebound from last season’s dismal performance, now leading the team in points. The collection of injuries to key players such as Rick Nash and Ryan Callahan leaves the team with big holes in the team’s line up. Once their scoring stars return, don’t be surprised to see the team flourish under the new offense-first system. The New Jersey Devils may as well start carrying every good luck charm ever known to their games. After giving up multiple goal leads numerous times to weaker teams in sloppy fashion, they’ve proven to be a better team than what statistics have shown. After having only one win after their first 8 games, a 2-minute comeback against the Boston Bruins was possibly the extra push the team needed, as their performance has increased significantly since then. The goalie tandem of Martin Brodeur and Cory Schneider ended 23 quickly after Schneider started a collection of games consecutively, but after being placed on injured reserve, Brodeur started and won the next two games for the Devils. 41 year-old aging scorer Jaromir Jagr has once again silenced critics and leads the team in points after signing with the team over the summer. A breath of fresh air is felt with the arrival of 22 year-old rookie defenseman Eric Gelinas, as he has been responsible for much of the team’s newfound power-play effectiveness. The Devils also are a team not to be ignored once their play continues to take strides. Hopefully, these two teams can turn in the direction they were going in at the start of this season and make the rest of this season one with fewer woes and more cheers. The Spider Wallops Back FELLIX LYU staff writer Anderson “The Spider” Silva, the former MMA champion of Ultimate Fighter Championships, has challenged the distinguished current UFC Middleweight Champion Chris “All American” Weidman to a rematch in UFC 168. The events in UFC 168 will consist of 11 conquering matches with 22 colossal fighters. The main event, “Silva vs. Weidman,” will be the attention-grabber this December in Las Vegas. Anderson Silva has 33 wins and 5 losses. During his career, he had 6 submissions, 7 decisions, and 20 knockouts. Chris Weidman has 10 wins and no losses. During his career, he had 4 knockouts, 3 submissions, and 3 decisions. During their last match, Silva was too confident about his arm length; his reach was known to connect punches to his opponents. Unfortunately, this advantage was overwhelmed by the continuous tackles thrown by Weidman. Silva thought he had the better reach, when in reality, the arm length of Chris Weidman was one centimeter longer. Anderson Silva had 77 inches, while Chris Weidman had a whopping 78 inch arm length. After two Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman face off once again Leslie Martinez // The Torch rounds, this bout was decided with “The Spider” collapsing from a knockout punch thrown by the “All-American,” Chris Weidman, shocking fans and creating roaring applause, due to an ineffective mockery technique being used by Silva. In UFC 162, Anderson Silva left his fists down, believing his courageousness and taunting would deter the perception of his opponent. During the entire match, Silva allowed his perception to be altered by his own confidence and absolute certainty of winning the fight. Unfortunately for Silva, Weidman did not only specifically train for this situation, but he also had the advantage of having fantastic maneuverability with his behemoth-like body. President of the UFC, Dana White, expects UFC 168 to be even more fantastic than UFC 100, considered by many fans as the greatest UFC main event ever. “I think it’s going to be the biggest fight we’ve ever done,” White said. Predictions are already being made. Silva on his quest for redemption, is preparing physically and mentally for the bout, not allowing a slip-up to happen again. Weidman is reciprocating as well, he graciously accepted this challenge to create publicity for his dynasty’s ushering MMA has shown to bestow the best or the worst in a fighter, whether it be in his or her physical attributes, or his or her mental developments. This main rematch in UFC 168 will have surprises at no limitation and may exceed the expectations of fans, twisting your opinions during your enjoyment with the fight. Bergen Bulldogs Mens Soccer Round Up Continued from pg. 24 Rafael Villanueva, a defense player in Jersey number 19, thinks the team should “Transform itself from a strong defensive team to a strong offensive team and start scoring more goals”, he believes the team is strong but is winning due to its great protection of the goal instead of strong moves to score in the other teams goal. Christian Casal, player number 2 and the captain of the team is confident the team is going to win and hopes to make it into nationals, “I am feeling accomplished so far and expect to lead my team to make it into nationals, giving up is not an option right now, we are off to a great start and have to maintain this great attitude and team work”. The team is fortunate enough to have an outstanding coach, Fredy Herrera, “He knows the game and how to lead us to win” said Christian Casal. Herrera sees great potential in his team, he also believes the team still needs to work on its’ attitude and team work so they can reach their goals. Their hard work, determination and amazing attitude towards this season is inspiring and shows how great of a team they really are. The most important thing to them is to work harder and form a strong bond. Sadly, though they fought hard and had a fantastic season, The Bulldogs lost in the second round of the Region 19 playoffs, finishing with a strong overall record of 9-6-1 24Sports The Torch VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3 | NOVEMBER 2013 SPORTS Bergen Bulldogs Mens Soccer Round Up NOMI EIJKENAAR staff writer The Bergen Community College soccer team proudly presents its twenty five strong players and two great captains. William Mera and Christian Casal; two hard working captains with a great vision for the team. One of the players Jair Rendon said “We started off with a rocky start because we were unfortunate in our attempts to score but as of right now we are in the lead!” Angel Batista is a strong player of the team and is now onto his third semester playing for Bergen Community College. An interesting fact about him is that he is from the Dominican Republic, which is not known for soccer at all, but at a very young age Angel moved to Spain and was raised there. That is where his love of soccer began. He later on in his life moved to the United States and continued playing here. He is an outstanding player with a great attitude towards the team; he strongly represents himself in Jersey number 9 as a forward position player. While juggling between soccer practices, games and school work Angel managed to excel academically Photos by Deana Deo // The Torch with a 4.0 GPA and is a member of the PTK. Juan Lorza, center midfielder in Jersey number 8 said “We have been working as a team with really good chemistry so far; we help each other on the field and focus on strong team work”. The team finished the season 9-5-1 and made the Region 19 playoffs, earning a first round bye. Watching previous games, learning from their mistakes, and working hard at every single practice helped them earn a hard fought playoff spot. Continued on pg. 23 Return of the Lady Bulldogs DEANA DEO staff writer Bergen Community College’s girls basketball team had a subpar season last year. They ended the season with 8 wins and 16 losses. Not the way they would have wanted to end the season, but the Ladies are putting that behind them and working on making this season a great one. Head Coach Green for the lady Bulldogs has one major thing in sight for the team. “The main goal is to get to region 19 playoffs.” Sophomore Ariel MannHarper when asked about the team had this to say “The team is looking pretty good, we still have a lot to work on in order to be successful this season, but if we continue to work hard every day and remember to support each other we’ll be very successful in this long season...we can’t be satisfied... and push ourselves mentally and physically or else we won’t be successful.” Three ladies from last year will be returning and seven new faces, to create mesh of passionate athletes all with one common goal, to win. The Lady Bulldogs opened Lady Bulldogs preparing for next season. Deana Deo // The Torch their season on November 5th with a resounding victory over Hostos, 69-56. Freshman Mary Haines of Ridgefield Park led the way with scoring, with 20 points. Haines, with help of fellow freshman Luisa Velasquez of Bergenfield, who pulled down 7 rebounds to go along with her 19 points dominated the floor. At time of print the Lady Bulldogs are 1-1 and their entire schedule can be found at ihigh. com/bergenbulldogs under the ‘womens basketball’ tab. Something else to keep a look out for is Bergen’s new talented dance team that will be performing during both games at halftime. Come out, make some noise, let out your school spirit and support your Bulldogs and new addition of dancers on the journey to nationals!