November 2007 - Bergen Community College

Online at: http://www.bergen.edu/thetorch
Oct./Nov. 2007
MySpace URL: http://www.myspace.com/bcctorchnewspaper
Vol. XII
Issue 8
Bergen Builds New
Campus: Land for a
Dollar and a Dream
BY JILL BARTLETT
MANAGING EDITOR
STAFF PHOTO/ALON MELAMED
Students lined up recently for an "Ice Cream Challenge" in the Student Center. See story, Page 3.
Cell Tower Contract Signed, Sealed
and About to be Delivered
BY ROBERT TORRES
STAFF WRITER
Despite protests from some faculty, students and Paramus residents,
Bergen
Community
College will begin construction of
a cell tower atop the Anna Maria
Ciccone Theatre sometime around
Thanksgiving.
About 25 people attended last
month’s second and final forum
about the cell tower during which
increasingly heated questions and
comments centered on the levels
of radio frequency electromagnetic
radiation (RF) from the tower.
Attendees expressed concern about
a possible–yet unproven–link
between RF exposure and cancer.
Like the last meeting in August,
representatives from T-Mobile, the
company that will operate the
tower, and Chief Technical Officer
Dan Collins from Pinnacle
Telecom Group, a consultation
firm hired by Omnipoint
Communications, T-Mobile’s parent company, said the tower meets
federal standards for safety.
However, the forum did not present any medical specialists to
answer specific health-related questions. Tim Dacey, Vice President of
Administrative Services, was at the
meeting representing Bergen; the
Board of Trustees was not present.
Cell towers are often a controversial proposal in communities
around the country, but the fact is
the nation is filled with cell towers
to handle the world’s increasing
preference for cell phones. Many
towers are disguised from public
view, so many in fact that the
National Geographic recently did
a photo essay on it.
The heated debate lasted a little
over an hour and included attendees who spoke at the open forum
and then some, visibly frustrated,
left before it was over.
One faculty member claimed she
feels the effects of RF when anyone walks into her office with a
cell phone powered on. t causes
her to break out into a sweat and
experience an increase in heart
rate.
Mr. Collins pointed out that the
tower will meet safety standards set
by the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC). If not, "[TMobile] can be fined up to a million dollars a day per incident."
Collins said he made two calculations at Bergen concerning the
tower’s safety.
First, emissions concentrated at
street level measured 0.2 percent of
the permissible RF allowance set by
the FCC. Another test conducted
directly underneath the tower’s
future location showed the exposure
level within the building is at 0.1
percent of the 100 percent limit.
The antenna is said to horizontally
emit waves, meaning the lowest
amount of RF is given off directly
beneath it, Collins explained.
“Cellular phone towers, like cellular phones themselves, are a relatively new technology, and we do
not yet have full information on
health effects. In particular, not
enough time has elapsed to permit
epidemiologic studies. People who
are concerned can ask for measurements of RF near cellular phone
towers to be sure exposures do not
exceed recommended limits,"
according to the American Cancer
Society Web page.
One attendee asked how TMobile acquired the rights for the
construction to be approved. A TMobile representative said that the
company approached the college.
“They put together a bid," the
representative said. "They publicly
put the bid in the paper. They bid
it out, and we won the bid."
The Board approved the tower “in
an entrepreneurial spirit designed to
bring more revenue to Bergen
Community College for academic
programs,” according to an e-mail
sent out to faculty and staff of the
college community in September.
Bergen will receive about
$33,000 for hosting the cell tower.
Braving three or more buses and
the traffic on Route 17 may no
longer be a hassle for South
Bergen students as Bergen
Community College intends to
build a new South Campus on the
6.25 acres of land purchased from
the New Jersey Sports and
Exposition Authority for just $1.
And they say you can't buy anything for a dollar these days.
Groundbreaking is set to begin
on the land adjacent to Route 120
"within the next 18-24 months,”
according to Tim Dacey, Bergen's
Vice President of Administrative
Services. Projected completion of
the building is slated for 2010 or
2011. There is no official name for
the campus as of yet. Retail,
Culinary Arts and Management
Courses will be offered at the new
campus foremost in an effort to
train the workforce at Xanadu,the
massive new retail, office and
entertainment complex under construction in the Meadowlands
South Bergen area.
However, according to Academic
Vice President Dr. Gary Porter,
there is no defined limit on the
academic courses or majors that
could be offered at the South
Bergen campus., although the new
campus “will have a programmatic
focus,” Dr. Porter said.
It is expected that students will
elect to attend the South Bergen
campus based on the course
offerings and the commuting distance. As it is, many Bergen students from the South Bergen area
now walk and take several buses to
get to Paramus.
It's unclear how the new campus
might effect course offerings at the
Paramus campus.
For example, there are no current
plans to permanently move the
Culinary Arts program now
offered at the Paramus location.
“There is no active plan to move or
duplicate the culinary course offerings at this time. However, we're
open to offering these courses at both
campuses if future demand suggests
a need for it,” Dr. Porter said.
South Bergen students will also
be exposed to the same rigor and
frustrations of both Math and
English Basic Skills programs, but
at least they will be able to blow
off some steam in-between classes
down Xanadu's indoor ski-slopes.
One plus in attending the South
Bergen campus is that classes will
not be held on Giants or Jets game
days because of traffic, although that
apparently will not be the case when
there are concerts or other events in
the Meadowlands complex.
"The issue of closing the campus
is connected to the parking situation at the Xanadu,” Dr. Porter said.
“The South Bergen campus will be
serviced by a robust mass transit
infrastructure, and this may lower
the need to close that campus."
See New Campus . . page 14
County Cops on Campus
BY AMANDA FERRANTE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Bergen County Police specially
trained for bomb-squad and
SWAT-Team activities are now
patrolling the campus as a supplement to Bergen Community
College's
Public
Safety
Department to provide additional
security.
Sergeant John La Duca, Bergen
County Police Supervisor, gave
The Torch a look into how the
officers – who have been on campus since August – are acting as
extra resources to ensure safety.
“Violence is [our] number one
priority,” says La Duca.
For this reason, there are some
things, such as protocols and
emergency management plans,
which he said must remain undis-
closed to ensure that information
doesn’t get into the “wrong
hands.”
Sgt. La Duca says that he has
spent most of his time here
researching in order to develop
new emergency management
plans, such as an active shooter
response plan.
The new policies, like the active
shooter response plan, are done
with recommendations from
Virginia Tech where a tragic
shooting took the lives of 36 people last April. It is Sgt. La Duca’s
priority to prevent violence and
be prepared for anything, he said.
“We’re preparing for when [a
tragedy] happens, not if it happens,” he said.
Though the police have been
brought here as an “added security feature,” Bergen’s crime rate is
low. One incident of assault was
reported in 2006, and there has
been an approximate six percent
decrease in thefts from 2005 to
2006. This addition of police is
more about the reaction time, or
decrease of.
“Instead of having to wait for a
police car to come…it’s on campus…we can respond to emergency quickly,” says La Duca.
Public safety will still be doing
the job they have always done.
The county police are here for
events that may require police
enforcement, he said. As for the
congestion in the parking lot, it’s
not even on “the radar” or priority scale yet. The police also have
had no involvement in enforcing
the smoking policy.
See County Cops . . page 14
What’s Inside:
BCC News . . . . . . . . .p4 This & That . . . . . . . .p6 Arts & Entertainment . . .p11 Sports . . . . .pgs15-16
Student Guide to Financial Aid at BCC, The
Bus Stops Here: NJ Transit gives student discounts
All Eyes On Me!, Hey Stranger!, Brain Sex
vs. Physical Sex
The Next Big Thing: Within Temptation,
Artist Spotlight: Drew Torres, Kanye v. 50
The Lives and Tales of Football Widows,
Student Athlete Spotlight: Chris Creer
THE TORCH
PAGE 2
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007
BCC NEWS
BCC To Grant New Certificate in
History of Musical Theater
BY ROB TORRES
STAFF WRITER
A new certificate program offering an in-depth study of music,
vocal production, dance and theater will become available to students in the spring 2008 semester.
The certificate in History of
Musical Theater is a one-year
course of study that totals 35 credit hours and is transferable to certain four-year institutions within
New Jersey due to the new transfer
agreement signed by Governor
Corzine this past September.
Students completing this certificate will be better prepared for
auditions for theater productions
in the surrounding communities
and New York City, according to
the certificate program description.
The program is considered a “try
on for size” type of program, says
Dr. Linda Marcel who teaches
piano at Bergen.
“Getting this certificate is a stepping stone to working in musical
theater, Broadway, and even in fields
such as theater management, musical arts coordinating and even in
music education,” said Dr. Marcel.
History of Musical Theater is a
chronological survey course that
explores musical theater from its
PHOTO COURTESY/BCC PR
Dr. Linda Marcel
early beginnings to present. In a
lecture and discussion format, students will explore examples of
musical theater to illustrate musical elements, musical and theatrical techniques, and structural
form, the course description states.
The program includes unique
courses such as Applied Voice I
and Applied Voice II. In these
courses, students will receive voice
instruction and training both inand outside of the classroom.
Experienced coaches, some of
whom have worked on Broadway,
will give the lessons. The private
lessons cost $160 per semester,
compared to a standard rate of $30
to $50 an hour.
Although it's only a one-year program, the certificate offers work
similar to that of a full-time job. In
order to receive 17 credits within a
semester, a student would have to
take a total of nine classes, four of
which award only one credit each.
These one-credit courses include
Dance, Tap Dance, Chorus and
Applied Voice I.
If you are not looking to get a
certificate but are interested in the
program, then seek an Associate's
Degree in Arts with either a musicof a computer-based recording
option for a similar course load.
All credits awarded from the certificate will transfer to colleges
within NJ that offer the same
courses of study depending on the
student’s academic standing and
how well they audition. This is
something required from all students who transfer into music
degrees, said Dr. Marcel.
Most—if not all—classes under
this certificate will be taught in West
Hall. The History of Musical
Theater course will be taught once a
week, on Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m.
Any student looking to explore
musical theater may take the course
as an elective, without signing up
for the certificate program itself.
Bergen Honors Program Welcomes
New Co-Directors Dorothy Altman and Maria Makowiecka
BY MICHELISA LANCHE
ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR
The Latin phrase “Alma Mater,”
often used to describe the institution from which one has graduated, translates to "nurturing mother," and as the new co-directors for
the Bergen Community College
Honors Program, Dr. Dorothy
Altman
and
Dr.
Maria
Makoweicka certainly live up to
the phrase’s meaning.
After an interview with the
Honors Committee, Academic Vice
President Gary Porter, faculty, and
students from the Honors
Association and the Honors Society,
Phi Theta Kappa, last spring, both
Dr. Altman and Dr. Makoweicka
were chosen as the new co-directors
of the Honors Program.
Outstanding credentials are necessary for these outstanding positions.
Dr. Altman received both her
Bachelor’s and Doctorate Degrees
in Literature from the University at
Albany, the State University of
New York (SUNY-Albany). Her
Master’s Degree in Literature, however, was from Hunter College, the
City University of New York
(CUNY-Hunter). She began teaching at Bergen as an adjunct in the
fall of 1973 during her SUNYAlbany graduate school days. After
receiving her Doctorate, Dr.
Altman became the Gifted and
Talented Program coordinator for
Rutherford Public Schools, giving
her substantial experience in
organizing honors curricula.
“[The Gifted and Talented
Program] was for all levels from
seventh grade to [the senior year
of ] high school. The brightest seniors took college courses that we
taught,” she said.
After a very serious horseback
riding accident in 1996, Dr.
Altman returned to Bergen “in
crutches” to teach a Humanities
course as a way to both mentally
and physically recover. She has
been an Assistant
Professor
of
English at Bergen
since 1998.
Dr.
Maria
Makoweicka
received
two
Master’s Degrees:
one in English
Literature from
W a r s a w
University and
one
in
Comparative
Literature from
STAFF PHOTO/MICHELISA LANCHE
The
Graduate
New
Co-Directors
of
the
Bergen Community
Center of the City
University of New College Honors Program Dr. Altman (Left) and
York. She received Dr. Makoweicka (Right)
a Diplome des
E t u d e s
The co-directors are keeping the
Approfondies, a “pre-doctoral” necessary credentials in order to
degree not offered in the United participate in the program the
States, in English Literature and same as they are mentioned in
Culture from Paris University VII. Bergen’s 2007-2008 course catalog.
“Students with a strong high
school record, SAT scores of 1100
The Duo has a few
or higher on the old test, 1700 or
goals and changes in
higher on the new test, or a college
mind for the program GPA of at least 3.4 are eligible for
the program and are invited to
enroll," it says.
Although she started teaching at
The duo has a few goals and
Bergen eight years ago in 2000, changes in mind for the program.
Dr. Makoweicka has been teaching
One of which is to make the profor an overall 20 years at other gram “friendlier to students who
institutions in Poland, France and want to concentrate in one [acathe U.S. (i.e. Borough of demic] area or take one [honors]
Manhattan Community College course.” If this proposal passes,
and Bronx Community College).
these particular students would
Dr. Altman and Dr. Makowiecka receive honorable mention on
have heard that students are intim- their diplomas. (As of now, the
idated by the program; they think policy for receiving an Honors
their grade point averages (GPAs) degree states that students in
will be negatively affected. The co- Liberal Arts & Sciences programs
directors want to assure students must take six honors courses and
that if they “just take one” honors students in Career Studies and
course, not only will their GPAs Business programs must take four
remain high, but they will be honors courses.)
immersed in an academically
For more information about the
proactive, involved environment.
Honors Program visit the Honors
“I gave all my [honors] students Program
Web
page
at
straight A’s!” Dr. Makoweicka http://www.bergen.edu/honors.
proudly exclaimed.
STAFF PHOTO/JILL BARTLETT
Joyce King speaks to the crowd after dedicating the second Peace
Tree seen in the background
Native American Week
Keynote Speaker Joyce King
Calls Upon BCC to Care for
the Environment
BY JILL BARTLETT
everyday for the things we have,
not to take the first thing we see,
MANAGING EDITOR
to take only what we need to susEnvironmentalist and Native tain ourselves and our families,
American Joyce King called upon and lastly, to be sure to leave
Bergen Community College stu- enough for future generations.
dents to wake up and pay attention This is known to the
to what's happening to the earth in Haudenosaunee as the “one dish,
a keynote address that she gave here one spoon” method of thinking.
Through her hard work and
last month as part of the college’s
dedication
to her people, King
Native American Heritage Week
uses
her
time
here on mother
celebration.
"Mother Earth is hurting,” said earth to traverse North America
Ms. King, a member of the delivering educational speeches in
Mohawk Nation and director of hopes of "changing the way we
the Haudenosaunee (often known view things about our environas Iroquois) Environmental Task ment, about mother earth."
"It is a hard thing to stand up for
Force. “Did you ever see your
creation,"
she added.
mother mad? It's a lot to pay back
Following
the speech, Ms. King
to make [her] better again."
King explained how economic dedicated a plaque at a Tree of
Peace outside of
decisions and
the main buildgeneral indifferMother
Earth
is
Hurting
ing, and shared
ence
made
a peace pipe.
against Mother
Earth have been bad choices. She She produced from her bag a
called for awareness and respect for small pipe with which she packed
the environment, offering the tradi- some all-natural tobacco grown by
fellow
tribesmen.
tional Haudenosaunee greeting of her
thanksgiving and prayer before Traditionally, tobacco smoke repaddressing students and faculty resents peace within the Iroquois
members of the college on matters nation. She lit it, walked around
the tree puffing the smoke and
of her heart.
She explained that this tradition- saying a few words in her native
al greeting, said in her native tongue. She then offered it to the
tongue,
precedes
all crowd, and a few also took part
Haudenosaunee meetings and inhaling in the name of peace.
The Haudenosaunee are comserves to give thanks to the creator
prised
of what is known as The Six
for all things, including people,
Nations:
Senecas, Cayugas,
plant life, birds and “four-legged
beings.” It also asks the creator to Onondagas, Oneidas, Mohawks,
"bind our minds together, so that and Tuscaroras. The name most
we can reach a common under- non-Native American people recstanding of how we go about the ognize for this group is the name
given to them by the French setfuture," she said.
She explained the everyday tlers long ago: the Iroquois.
Along with the flag of the
directives that all humans, especially children, should follow.
See Joyce King . . page 14
These directives are to give thanks
THE TORCH
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007
PAGE 3
Counseling Center To Help Bergen Smoking Ban
BY MICHELISA LANCHE
ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR
The Bergen Community College
Counseling and Wellness Centers
are working on ways for willing students and faculty to quit smoking,
as the campus moves to completely
ban smoking both in the buildings
and on the campus starting Jan. 1.
Currently, the most direct form
of help offered to students and faculty by the administration is several pamphlets on how to quit smoking and the effects of tobacco use.
These are located in the
Counseling Center as are the additional flyers provided by the
American Cancer Association.
In addition to this literature,
smoking cessation therapy sessions
at Valley Hospital located at 223 N.
Van Dien Ave. in Ridgewood, NJ
will be available. Sign-up sheets will
be located both in the Counseling
Center (A-118) and in the Office of
Health Services (B-101).
Personal Counselors will collect
the sheets and forward them to
Valley Hospital. The hospital will
then contact each person to
arrange a time for an initial assessment, estimated to cost $50.
Individuals are assigned to
groups consisting of at least 10
people. Group assignment is based
on their status at the college (i.e.
faculty, staff and student).
“Smoking cessation at Valley
Hospital is designed in a group format so group members can help
and support each other,” said
Professor Stafford Barton of the
Counseling Center.
There will be six to eight group
sessions that meet on a weekly basis.
Group members will collectively
decide on a "stop-date," a day on
which they will completely quit
smoking. Prior to this date, members will replace smoking with
activities such as exercising, cooking
and other hobbies. If an individual
requires medication, it can only be
dispensed via a medical professional; however, this method depends
on one's initial assessment.
BCC's Smoking Ban
begins Jan. 1
Individual counseling sessions are
available as per a community referral—that is, a resource other than
the Valley Hospital.
The American Cancer Society
and the NJQUITLINE (1866NJSTOPS) are alternatives to
the smoking cessation program at
the Valley Hospital that offer free
“quitting” coaching.
“Coaching is usually done by
phone in three to five sessions
depending on the needs of the person,” said Barton. “Sessions will
consist of an initial in-take assessment, setting a quit date, discussing
smoking triggers, and alternatives.”
Both Barton and his colleague at
the Counseling Center, Professor
Eileen Purcell, are in the process of
working on other resources including Hackensack and Englewood
hospitals.
“We are [also] searching for
grants through the NJ Higher
Education Consortium to assist
with the cost for the smoking cessation groups and other interventions related to tobacco use,”
Barton elaborated.
The pair was
also considering additional
training related
to smoking cessation at Rutgers
University, but a decision to do so
has not been finalized.
“Our goal is to offer [as] many
referral sources and programs as
possible to assist the college community,”
said
Barton.
“Throughout the fall semester, the
personal counselors will continue
to organize and update referral
sources and programs for the college. We understand that it is
extremely difficult to stop smoking
or change any habit.”
All programs are a work in
progress, and the Counseling
Center will have additional information by January.
We all Scream for Ice Cream! Environmental Ethel Comes Clean
Bergen Celebrates Disability Awareness
Week with Ice Cream Challenge
BY ALON MELAMED
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
As part of Bergen Community
College Disability Awareness Week,
the Office of Specialized Services
(SOS) set out to dispel myths about
disabilities and to get interest from
the student body using an age-old
foil: ice cream.
It worked. Some 200 students
showed up during the October 17
event and rose to the challenge of
answering questions dealing with
disability facts and myths.
Each of the excited participants
was asked a question regarding a disability concern, and if he or she
answered correctly, they received an
orange pin with Bergen’s disability
awareness week’s slogan “Take a
walk in our shoes.”
In addition, the happy student
received a free scoop of ice cream,
complete with a choice of toppings
such as cherries, whipped cream and
gummy bears.
Most of the ice cream eating winners said they discovered at least one
new fact about the disabled, a population some of them said they were
not aware of before.
However, that was not the participants only challenge. The OSS, in
cooperation with the students and
faculty hosting the event, said they
also hoped students would feel more
comfortable around students with
disabilities after participating in the
event.
What are some of the myths and
facts about people with disabilities:
Myth: Each person with a hearing
disability can read lips
Fact: Lip-reading skills are different for each individual and are never
entirely accurate.
Myth: Wheelchairs are a personal
assistive way of transport, like a car
or a bike
Fact: Wheelchair use is confining.
All people who have wheelchairs are
“Wheelchair-bound.”
Myth: The lives of people with
disabilities are totally different from
the people without.
Fact: People with disabilities go to
school, work, get married, and have
families, pay taxes, plan and dream
like anyone else.
Myth: Anyone with a disability
requires help and assistance.
Fact: Many people with disabilities
are fully capable of taking care of
themselves. Ask before you act.
Myth: People who are deaf cannot
drive.
Fact: Not only deaf people can
drive but statistically they have better driving records than people that
can hear.
Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest," opened at the
Ender Hall Theatre Oct. 26 and will run through Nov. 4. Tickets are
$5 with student ID. Pictured here (from L to R) are BCC students
Jason Provenzale as Algernon Moncrieff, Katie Stevens as Cecily
Cardew, Catherine Sheedy as Gwendolyn Fairfax and Sergio Pagan as
Jack Worthing
SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE
Applications available at Financial Aid (Room A-123)
and the Office of the VP of Student Services (A-128B).
Full listing of scholarships available on the BCC Website
under the Foundation section.
(http://www.bergen.edu/pages/1818.asp)
BY JILL BARTLETT
MANAGING EDITOR
“Where is room L-125?”
Down on your right, pass the glass
windows, and make another right.
“Where can I find a course book?”
I’ve got one right here; there you go.
“They mailed me this paper.”
Let me see. Okay, you have a
hold on your account. Go up to
the second floor, make two lefts
and a right to the bursar in room
A-229. They will be able to tell
you what the hold is.
Meet Ethel Abrams, prime champion of answers and slinger of solutions at Bergen Community
College’s Welcome Center.
Located in the Student Center
across from room A-101, Ms.
Abrams is probably best known on
campus as Bergen’s informational
gatekeeper who, for 23 years,
offered succinct directions to various places on campus, especially
throughout the labyrinth that is
Pitkin. She put students on the
right track to accomplishing their
goals and gently informed them
that, no, there is no E-wing in
Pitkin, what they're looking for is
a ten minute walk down the path
to the aptly named ENDer hall.
But it turns out Ms. Abrams,
who likes to be called “Ethel,” is
not just a tenacious troubleshooter. She is also an ardent environmentalist who has became an
indispensable member of the
Environmental Club.
Last spring, Ms Abrams was the
recipient of the 2007 Environmental
Club Award at the Club Awards
Ceremony held just last May.
Bergen's environmental club
began back in the 1970s and is
headed today by Dr. Tom Betsy,
Faculty Advisor. Ethel and Dr.
Betsy have worked together for
years to secure speakers such as Dr.
Betsy’s friend, Yakov Lishanskiy,
physicist and survivor of the April
26, 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, as well as, Mark Gussen, an
environmentalist from the Closter
Environmental Center.
The two help organize activities
like club "Clean-up Days" of St.
Andrew’s brook, located just behind
Bergen. The club has also spent
time clearing areas near Ender Hall’s
Child Development Center.
"She keeps us abreast of environmental issues going on throughout
the college and maintains the environmental information center and
bulletin board near the Welcome
Center," Dr. Betsy said. "She even
finds me and knocks on my door
sometimes during a lecture to let me
know of important things that are
going on within the club's activities."
Abrams's newest endeavor here on
campus is promoting green recycling practices. Thanks to Ethel, old
and used cell phones, eyeglasses and
batteries can be dropped in the
small bins conveniently located
below the "environmental issues"
pamphlets right across from the
Welcome Center. Another drop-off
is located near the Admissions and
Registrations Office
The cell phones are given to a
company that either refurbishes
them or recycles their parts and
donates them to victims of domestic abuse for 911 links. The eyeglasses are collected for the Lions
Club “Recycle for Sight” campaign
while the old batteries are taken to
a safe collection bin, so as to prevent them from harming the environment when improperly disposed of in regular garbage bins.
So far, more than 170 eyeglasses
and cell phones and a countless
amount of batteries have been collected. Ethel's next recycling
efforts: outlets for people to safely
drop off their old, unused computers, just check the bulletin
board for updates..
Abram's newest
endeavor: promoting
green recycling
Ethel is quite determined.
Recently she traversed the dungeon under Pitkin to ask if all the
garbage bins laced with various
amounts of trash and recyclable
materials are being disposed of in
STAFF PHOTO/JILL BARTLETT
Ethel Abrams, recycling bin in
hand, proudly stands next to her
'Environmental Issues' info center
the proper ways.
“I made such a pest of myself,”
she said.
She went on to say that the gentlemen down there open up the
mixed bins and “hand-sort” them.
She doesn't believe him. The
Environmental Club is working
toward recycling bottles and cans.
Recycling is now being considered
by the Administration.
One thing Ethel would like is
more of a commitment to the environment from students Thankfully,
Dr. Betsy says, the club's numbers
are up this semester as this year’s
crop of freshmen are proving to be
more environmentally conscious
and willing to take action,
Ethel can no longer be found
behind the Welcome Center window, as she was transferred into
the Admissions Office where the
number to the Welcome Center is
routed, the window and wisdom
itself replaced by youthful student
ambassadors.
"I am enjoying my new office,
but I am still getting used to not
being out there among the people," Ethel said. "But I still receive
a lot of phone calls everyday, so
that's good."
The Environmental Club meets
every Wednesday at 12:30 in room
S-227. If you are interested, just
walk right in.
BCC Debate Team Takes Home Honors
Bergen Community College’s own
Laura Villa, of Hackensack, finished
a very strong third place at a major
debate team tournament held Oct.
28 at Rockland Community College.
The debate- the 2nd largest field in
the Public Forum Debate League’s
history- fielded 22 debaters. Laura
went 2-0 during the first two
rounds, and lost by only one point
in the 3rd round to the eventual
tourney champ, Simeon Botwinik of
Yeshiva University.
Also performing very well at the
tournament was BCC Debate Club
President Christopher Viso, of Lodi,
who accumulated enough points to
receive 3rd in overall quality speaker
points. Although both club officers
brought home trophies, they are
both anxious for the next tournament on November 11, when the
newest league member, St. John's
University returns, along with BCC,
Rockland CC, Dominican College,
Yeshiva, and Stern College.
It was St. John’s participation that
resulted in the largest field in PFDL
history, which occurred on October
21 when 32 debaters competed in a
tournament hosted here at BCC.
THE TORCH
PAGE 4
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007
PTK Seminar A Student’s Guide to Financial Aid at BCC
B E
B
ing to the Guide of Federal which proSeries: China
Student Aid 2007/08,
vides students
C
W
Y
BY NICHOLAS CALI
STAFF WRITER
Zanny Minton Beddoes, the U.S.
Economics Editor for “The
Economist,” presented “America and
China: Raising the Barricades” in the
Student Center on Oct. 16. The program was conducted in an openforum format during which both students and people who called in could
ask questions.
Hong Kong and coastal China are
China’s major economic areas; they are
where its economy is mostly booming.
Interestingly, U.S. officials greatly envy
China’s economic success in these areas,
and they often use it as a scapegoat for
the U.S.’s decrease in economic prosperity. Also, due to environmental
issues, U.S. officials believe that China
should become more “green,” and
aware. If China continues to use natural resources at its current rate, it will
place a major stress on energy resources
and cause resource prices to increase.
The program argued that many of
the problems that the U.S. blames on
China are actually its own fault.
China is commonly blamed for the
U.S.’s import and export imbalance.
The U.S. imports many more goods
than it exports, but this is not China’s
fault. In reality, the people in the U.S.
spend more money than they save,
according to the show. China, on the
other hand, is completely different:
they are financially frugal, and buy
only what they use.
The program essentially emphasized the U.S.’s need to have better
relations with China.
RVISA
ILALAJ
ONTRIBUTING
RITER
When it comes to paying the
tuition at Bergen Community
College, students should know
their options.
The Free Application for Student
Aid (FAFSA) is sponsored by the U.S.
Department of Education for parttime and full-time students. One can
file one for free through the Internet at
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. Applying
online allows students to review and
edit their applications at any time.
The website also provides information
and tips one needs to know before he
or she files the FAFSA.
On the website, apply for a personal identification number (PIN).
This number is equivalent to one’s
“electronic” signature, which is
required at the end of the application. If the student is an independent, then he or she should have
both income tax returns and W-2
forms readily available to expedite
the form’s completion. If the student is a dependant, then he or she
should have the parents’ incomerelated documents at hand. Both
the eligibility for aid and the
amount awarded depend on the
student’s income tax (if he or she is
independent) or both the student
and the parents’ income taxes (if he
or she is dependent). Either way,
students do not repay the money
they receive from federal aid.
The FAFSA should be completed
and submitted between Jan.1,
2007 and June 30, 2008, accord-
“Students should apply before
the deadlines, so we can package
them long before the due dates,”
Caroline
Ofodile,
Bergen’s
Director of Financial Operation
and Student Assistance, said.
Another grant that comes from
other federal and nonfederal
sources is the Pell Grant, which is
only for undergraduate students.
Amounts can change yearly, and
like federal aid that is received after
one’s FAFSA is reviewed, the student is not subjected to reimbursement unless he or she withdraws
money from the school.
Paying tuition?
Know the options.
Another way to pay the tuition is
an interest-free payment plan set
up through the college with the
help of an outside vendor, Sallie
Mae. There is a $35 enrollment
fee, and the student’s tuition is
divided into three or four payments. Although they are not
required to repay the college after
graduation, students must meet
these payments while pursuing
their education. Once students
register for classes, they should
enroll in a plan as soon as possible.
“We found [payment plans] very
helpful and successful [for students],” Ofodile stated.
Another way to help pay the
tuition is the Work-Study Program,
with
parttime employment either
on or off
c a m p u s
grounds.
The time to
d e c i d e
whether or
not to take
out a loan is
inevitable for
most
students. There
STAFF PHOTO/JILL BARTLETT
are two major All kinds of helpful pamphlets can be found in the
types of stu- Office of Financial Aid (L-123)
dent loans
Another federal loan is the Plus
available: federal and private.
“Students who are not eligible for Loan, which allows dependent stufinancial aid may be eligible for dents’ parents and legal guardians
federal loans or private loans, but to borrow money on behalf of the
they should explore the federal students. The parents or legal
loans first before [opting for] pri- guardians must repay these loans
vate loans. The private loans are plus interest.
Private banks provide money for
expensive; the interest rate [on
them] is very high, and students private loans. Students can borrow
should stay away [from them],” money from these banks, but they
will have to pay them back plus
Ofodile advised.
A Stafford loan, a type of federal interest. Interest rates vary from
loan, can be subsidized (need- bank to bank.
“When comparing the rates
based) and unsubsidized (not needbased). With subsidized loans, the between federal and private loans,
federal government will pay the [they’re] astronomical. It is not in
loan’s interest, making repayment the student’s best interest to [take
easier. An unsubsidized loan is the out] private loans,” Ofodile ended.
For more information on tuition
opposite: Students must pay the
interest. In order to receive either a payment, visit the Financial Aid
subsidized or an unsubsidized loan, Office (L-123) or ask Bergen’s
the student must be enrolled in financial aid staff about the next
financial aid workshop.
school at least part-time.
Psychic Entertainer Visits Bergen Community College
BY ROBERT TORRES
STAFF WRITER
Do you believe in psychics?
On September 11, psychic extraordinaire Robert Channing amazed
a crowd of students at the Bergen
Community College Student
Center with his amazing E.S.P. and
mind reading skills. Known as “the
world’s foremost mind reader and
psychic entertainer,” Channing has
been on television networks such as
ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX. He
has also entertained numerous colleges and universities with his
unique talents.
Channing opened the show by
offering audience members a
chance to win $100,000 if they
could prove his using of “stooges,”
previously selected people who
help him during his act.
For the first act, he asked for two
volunteers from the audience to
assist the trick: a boy and a girl.
The female student walked onto
the stage, and the male student
stayed in the crowd. He was asked
to count the coins in his pocket
and hold them in his fist.
Afterwards, the psychic pulled out
a piece of paper and showed it to
the female student. He asked the
male student to disclose how much
change he had. The female student
read the paper aloud and revealed
the exact number of change the
student was holding. Followed by a
round of applause, the two students returned to their original
seats in the audience.
Channing’s next trick involved
his being blindfolded. He first
placed two quarters over his eyes.
Then, he covered those with a
sleeping mask and applied seven
layers of duct tape around his
head. With two new volunteers
from the audience, he asked the
students to find out how he could
be cheating. From then on, he was
blindfolded throughout the
remainder of the show.
Students were asked to take out a
single bill of currency and hold it
in the air. One of the volunteers
COURTESY OF/WWW.ROBERTCHANNING.COM
walked around, picked a random
bill, and brought it to the stage.
The two students were then asked
to read the serial number not
aloud, but to themselves. Once
that was done, Channing asked for
the bill and rubbed it on his head,
as if to mentally read it. After a few
seconds, he guessed much how it
was worth and even started to read
the serial number—all this while
he was still blindfolded.
Another part of the show consisted of volunteers bringing items like
laptops and perfume to the stage
and Channing guessing what they
See Psychic . . page 14
The Bus Stops Here: NJ Transit Gives Student Fare Discount
BY DOUG SMITH
STAFF WRITER
Anyone who takes NJ transit
buses to and from Bergen
Community College already
knows the deal: the buses can be
overcrowded, not frequent enough
and costly.
This semester, some help as
arrived in the form of more buses
and, more importantly, a longawaited discount for full-time student straphangers.
A student discount was something the Student Government
Council (SGC), the college administration and NJ Transit had been
negotiating, but it was taking such
a long time that it almost did not
begin this semester. According to
SGC president Ignacio Acosta,
Bergen's Vice President of
Administrative Services, Tim
Dacey, was instrumental in attaining the availability of the discount
for the current fall semester.
As a result, SGC said, the dis-
count program will help about
1000 full-time students save money
while riding the bus.
The only problem? A great deal
of students do not know how or
where to go to take advantage of
these special discounted rates.
According to Mr. Acosta, full-
time students who wish to take
advantage of this 25 percent fare
decrease must first go to
http://go.bergen.edu/njtransit/.
Then, there is a screen where you
must type in your student I.D. and
password (the password is your last
name, and it is case-sensitive!) in
STAFF PHOTO/JILL BARTLETT
A handful of BCC students await their ride.
order to verify whether or not you
are a full-time student, which is a
minimum of 12 credits. From that
point on, it’s like all other online
payment websites where you choose
what package you’d like and then
type in your credit/bank card information to finalize the transaction.
If, for whatever reason, you cannot purchase one of these passes
online, you can also buy the discounted bus passes in person at the
various locations that sell them. You
might save some trouble by doing it
online due to the instant verification of full-time status.
The only inconvenient aspect of
the discount is that you can only
buy the bus passes for the following month.
There is still much to be done, as
fixing the issues with student
transportation is still a work-in
progress. Acosta said SGC is still
working with NJ Transit and is trying to get the No. 163 bus to stop
on Paramus Road for all of its daily
routes. The SGC is also in the
process of trying to get NJ Transit
to expand the enclosed bus shelters
at the Bergen bust stops, as students can’t all fit underneath them
during rain or snow.
SGC encourages students to
come to its office in L-116 to voice
any complaints. These issues
"won't be ignored," Acosta added.
SGC was able to get more buses
to run from the City of Paterson to
Bergen to relieve overcrowding on
the No. 76 bus. After taking a survey of 800 students to learn which
buses had the most crowding, SGC
discovered that the 76 bus was not
adequate for the morning commute as it sometimes held between
50 and 60 passengers.
With assistance from Bergen’s
Administration, a meeting was held
with some NJ Transit executives
who were able to get the No. 175
bus, which runs between Paterson
and Garden State Plaza in Paramus,
to make a stop on campus in order
to alleviate the overcrowding of students on the 76 bus.
THE TORCH
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007
PAGE 5
NEWS
The 62nd Annual UN General Assembly: A Wrap Up
PHOTO COURTESY/WWW.UN.ORG
A view of the UN General Assembly meeting room
BY SOO YONG KIM
STAFF WRITER
The East Side of Manhattan was
packed recently with leaders from
around the world as the annual
UN General Assembly took place
from Sept. 25 to Oct. 3. Leaders
from over 180 nations came to
New York City to participate in
this annual debate, which
addressed issues regarding global
climate change, poverty and
human rights in disputed regions
around the globe.
The assembly was preceded by
the meeting of 16 largest greenhouse gas emitting nations on Sept.
24, including the U.S., which is
responsible for 80 percent of global
greenhouse gas emission. With its
focus on the melting of sea ice in
Polar Regions, the meeting exhibited how global climate change has
become a serious issue for many
countries around the world.
This year’s general assembly was
also newly elected Secretary General
Ban Ki Moon’s first debate. In his
opening speech, he expressed his
vision to create a “stronger UN”
that will actively approach and
resolve issues of violence, poverty
and climate change. He also
emphasized the rising role of the
UN in a world that’s becoming
more and more interdependent.
Various issues were debated
throughout the week with appearances from over 190 speakers
addressing issues of military struggle in Darfur, Iraq, Afghanistan,
Middle East, Kosovo and others.
Recent demonstration and military
suppression in Myanmar with UN
involvement were debated as well.
The most heated discussion held
in the assembly was the issue of
global climate change. Recent melting in the Arctic, coinciding with
rising sea levels and perceptible climate change has alerted many
nations, and Dr. Srgjan Kerim, the
president of this year's General
Assembly, emphasized the UN’s
role as the center of global agreement on greenhouse gas emissions.
A planned meeting to be held in
Bali this December will discuss
ways to reach the global standard
succeeding the Kyoto Protocol, a
pact to cut greenhouse gas emissions which was rejected by the
Bush Administration. The protocol expires in 2012, and President
Kerim called the many nations to
stand up and deliver a decision
which can curve the impact of
global warming without limiting
growth.
New Zealand’s Permanent
Representative, Rosemary Banks,
called for a “road map” to lay out
specific steps to reducing carbon
emissions into the atmosphere,
while taking into account the different circumstances of nations
around the world.
Other issues included the
Millennium Development Goals,
which aim to end global poverty,
measures against global terrorism,
and ways to solve conflicts in the
Middle East, Darfur, Myanmar
and other disputed regions around
the world.
The week of the debate was highlighted by escalating tensions in
Darfur, Sudan and Myanmar
(known formerly as Burma), where
human rights were trampled in lieu
of tribal wars and dictatorial government. The various representatives from around the globe did
not waste time in debating and
forming ways to bring peace and
resolve to these conflicted nations.
Other highlights included the visit
from the much-despised Iranian
president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad,
to Columbia University and his
alleged remarks during the debate,
which brought out repulsive comments from various groups.
Throughout the debate the idea
of multilateralism, which denotes
countries working together to solve
collective problems, was strongly
emphasized. The annual debate
was a reminder to the world that
the conflicts and issues that attack
the prosperity of humanity should
be solved by all, not neglected, nor
put aside to keep an individual’s
interests alive.
Barack Obama in New York City:
One Man's View from the Crowd
Online at:
http://www.bergen.edu/thetorch
MySpace URL:
http://www.myspace.com/bcctorchnewspaper
If you have news to share,
let us know at
[email protected]
BY KIRYL BYCHKOUSKI
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Prior to seeing senator, presidential candidate, and self-proclaimed
“hope-peddler,” Barack Obama
gave a speech in Washington
Square Park, I had never been to
any politically motivated event in
the United States. My attendance
at this rally, however, seemed only
natural due to my recently increasing desire to become a more politically aware and active individual.
I was randomly invited to the
event through Facebook a few days
prior, made a solid resolution to
go, and noted to myself that the
rally was to take place Sept. 27.
I made it there around 5 p.m.,
and Obama’s headline speech was
scheduled for around 7p.m. The
neighboring streets and outskirts
of the park were heavy with police
and security presence, but no riot
police were observed. Thousands
of people were crowding on the
outer trails of Washington Square
utterly confused why they were
kept out while the center of the
park remained almost empty. The
fountain and area surrounding it,
as well as the Memorial Arch,
where the speech was to take place,
were closed off via an elaborate
system of barricades.
Unwilling to settle for watching
the performance from hundreds of
feet away, I made my way around
the park to the northeast corner,
where the crowd seemed to be
moving in the general direction of
the stage. Our slow progression
was, of course, voiced by several
activists in the crowd to be the evil
work of the Bush administration.
To my pleasant surprise, the crowd
consisted mostly of young people.
College students seemingly dominated in numbers. Another demographic with a surprisingly big
turnout were mothers with their
little children in tow. Perhaps due
to the overall density and disarray
of the crowd, which could have
given any rock-n-roll concert
attendance a run for its money,
very few old
people were
in attendance.
An hour or
so after being
trapped in the
crowd without a clue, I
discovered the
problem:
There
was
only
one
entrance.
What’s worse,
there
were
only
two
metal detectors for the
nearly 24,000
people who
attended the
rally. Luckily,
I happened to Barack Obama waves to the crowd in NYC
be in the right
place at the right time and made it his audience. He relies on the
through to the main area before it power of his message and poignanwas filled to the brink. One half cy of his delivery to connect with
hour after I got through the metal the crowd. Thousands of fired-up
detectors, I heard great cheers supporters cheering to the gencoming from where the entrance uinely sincere speech created an
was. People couldn’t bear the bot- impression that this man has a
tleneck anymore and simply chance to be our next president,
spilled over the barricades without indeed. He touched on the cost of
being checked for guns, knives and college, (striking an important
whatnot. This little victory for chord with the disenchanted
non-conformity lifted my spirits. youth of the audience) the faulty
By the time Obama emerged on healthcare system, America’s
stage, the park was completely addiction to oil, the war in Iraq
packed with people as far as the and various other points. His language was frank, and his willingeye could see in every direction.
ness to expose issues fearless.
I encourage everyone to vote in
the primaries, and certainly the
He touched on the
presidential election. But more
cost of college, the
know your candifaulty healthcare system, importantly,
dates. Know who you support.
America’s addiction to Don’t rely on rumors and rhetoric.
Making a well-informed decision is
oil, the war in Iraq...
much greater than simply just
making one. Judging by the
During the course of his speech approval ratings of the current
it became apparent to me why he president, I cannot help but wonis generally considered a great der if many of us who voted for
speaker. Obama seems honest, him would have made the same
down-to-earth, and friendly with decision were we to closely examhis crowd. Moreover, he does not ine his platform, his record, his
employ empty rhetoric to motivate affiliations, and his character.
THE TORCH
PAGE 6
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007
THIS & THAT
All Eyes on Me! Looks are Deceiving. Hey, Stranger!
BY KERRY BEEKMAN
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
I once saw an ad for a beauty
product featuring a gorgeous
woman. At the bottom of the ad, it
said, “No matter how good you
look, you can always look better!”
When does it all end? When will
people finally be satisfied with the
way they look?
My answer: it will stop when
people stop judging others based
on appearance?
Why does appearance have such
a big impact on young adults? Are
looks really that important?
Unfortunately, the answer seems
to be “yes.”
Appearance is at the root of first
impressions. As natural observers,
humans are visual creatures. Before
we get to know someone, we look
at him. But are first impressions
truthful? Take a look at your
friends.They are a part of your life
for a reason, mainly because you
like them.Now look back to when
you first met them.What were
your first impressions of them?
Were they right? I know for me,
the answer is, “No.” A teacher
once told me that looks are not as
important as people make them
out to be. She asked me what I’d
think if I saw a new girl in school
covered in mud on her first day. I
told her I would assume she was a
slob. My teacher pointed out that
perhaps the new girl just slipped
in mud on her way to school.
Some people, insecure about
themselves, enviously point out
flaws in others.
Appearance not only plays a part
in how we judge others but also
how we judge ourselves. When we
look in a mirror, we are often looking for flaws. A person with weight
issues might ask, “Do I look fat
today?” The person notices flaws,
tries to hide them, and checks if
they stand out as much as he or
she thinks. If you are looking for
a flaw, you’ll find one.
The media plays a big role in
influencing our opinions about
appearance. Look at any fashion
or celebrity magazine. How realistic do the models look with their
flawless skin, toned figures and
perfect make-up jobs?
These
models look like gods and goddesses. In reality, they are not
flawless; They are airbrushed and
made to look like life-size Barbie
dolls, We must remember though
that they exist like this simply to
advertise make-up, hair products,
skincare and anything else people
will want to buy after looking at
how good the models look. When
people observe these flawless creatures, it only reinforces that this is
what everyone should look like.
When will people realize that
what’s inside is what matters?
“Brain Sex” Vs. “Physical Sex”
BY PAUL IBANEZ
STAFF WRITER
Victoria’s Secret models are
viewed as “hot” to those of the
male
persuasion,
while
Abercrombie and Fitch models are
viewed as “hot” to women. Many
people would like to meet their
perfect physical mate, but is there
more to physical attraction than
just looks alone? Where did stereotypes like “dumb blonde” come
from? Does it mean that being stupid is physically attractive to men?
Both men and women act like
dogs when they encounter a member of the opposite sex who has a
physical presence that leaves everyone in the room looking his or her
way. Conversely, many people
have great conversations and share
similar interests with people
whom they don’t have any physical
attraction towards. What are the
reasons for this?
Is it because most of us were
taught not to like certain types of
people, or is it because we are
scared about what others might
think if we go out with a person
whom others don’t find “sexy” or
“beautiful”?
Both men and women
act like dogs when they
encounter a member of
the opposite sex
Being male, I sometimes find it
difficult to find an attractive girl
with conversational skills and the
same. Some girls are beautiful, but
they may not share interests with
me.
Maybe as humans we cannot talk
to somebody unless they fit our
definition of “attractive.” We don’t
know if we have to lower our standards just a little.
A girl may not have the perfect
body, but she loves basketball the
same way you do. That guy may
not be a bodybuilder, but he is
obsessed with movies as you are.
Men and women have to sit back
for a second to look at the “haves”
and the “have-nots.” If that person
doesn’t have that certain physical
attribute you’re looking for, he or
she might have a similar interest
that can substitute for that physical attraction. Sometimes, when
you have a lot of one thing, you
have less of the other. It is best to
try to balance both “physical sex”
(physical attraction) and “brain
sex” (intellectual stimulation).
So step back for a second and really think about what counts more
when spending time with a guy or
girl. Similar interests last a lot
longer than mere physical attraction. If you take a chance, both of
you may discover you share something special -- something that will
surpass physical attraction.
BY ROB TORRES
STAFF WRITER
One good thing about Bergen
Community College is the diverse
crowd of students that walk the
campus (especially the girls). You
can be on campus from 8 a.m. to 8
p.m. and still find some lovely looking ladies heading to class or talking
to their friends. Sometimes, this is
too much of a good thing, so much
so that it becomes a distraction.
Today, for example, I noticed a
very attractive young lady sitting
on one of the benches near the
registration line. (I think it was the
blond hair that stood out.) She
was absolutely gorgeous – so gorgeous that I kept staring and, not
looking where I was going, I
bumped into a stranger.
Now, this tells me two things: (1)
I need to look where I’m walking
and (2) instead of simply admiring
her beauty as I walked by , why
didn’t I stop and say hi?
My problem – and a common
problem many people encounter
at Bergen – is what to do about
the beautiful stranger.
Everyday the schedule is pretty
much the same: walk to class, sit
for the required time, walk around
campus or go to the next class, then
rinse and repeat. Along the way, we
sometimes eye a cutie who catches
our attention and even smiles. We
smile back, hoping this will magically lead to a conversation. But
instead of striking up that conver-
sation, we continue walking
towards our destination until the
next day when we experience déjà
vu. We may see this person everyday or once a week, but we rarely—
if ever--stop to say, “Hey, stranger!”
Why is this?
One reason could be that we
don’t know what to say. There are
just 10 seconds to walk past, hardly enough time to come up with
the perfect line. Then there’s the
fear. Is she late for class and won’t
have a minute. Is she headed
home? We may embarrass ourselves or get rejected. So, what can
be done to break this cycle of science? Fear not, for there is an
answer, and it’s a fairly simple one.
What to do about the
beautiful stranger
Take a stand, and say something!
A simple “Hi!” can start a conversation. If you are walking down
the hall and see that special someone, smile, wave or just catch her
attention without doing something out of the ordinary. You
could ask her where she’s headed
to, suggest to meet up somewhere,
and just simply walk and talk with
her.
Don’t wait for cupid’s arrow to
strike: The more you hesitate, the
more time you waste. And who
knows? Maybe that person has
been waiting all this time to say
something too.
JOIN A TEAM!!!
INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS
Changes at Bergen: Looking Good
BY KIRYL BYCHKOUSKI
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
One cannot help but marvel at
the ‘new and improved’ Bergen
Community College this semester.
It matters neither if you are more
likely to dwell outside on the
benches than go to class nor if you
treat this college as a strictly academic affair: You must have
noticed something new.
For those of us who’ve lost count
of our semesters squandered here
at Bergen, its overall change this
fall is the most significant in memory. For all the newcomers, the
upgrades are many. Even though
Bergen is a community college, it’s
a really nice one--kind of like a
fake Christmas tree with all the
pretty decorations.
Have you seen the library? It
looks so inviting to just go in, sit
and read. The book giveaway section is always full (granted, of
crap). The chairs are plentiful and
comfortable, and the atmosphere is
busy and scholarly. Confidence in
our ability as a collegiate student
body to control our own noise levels without visual props has been
restored as the traffic lights monitoring the noise level reminiscent of
elementary school, were removed.
The pizza is no longer
a cold triangular piece
of cardboard
Now if you happen to be hungry,
you no longer need to groan in
despair. Bergen cafeteria food -drumroll, please--doesn’t suck anymore! The pizza place located
downstairs next to the Dunkin’
Donuts offers pizza that is so much
more, dare I say…delicious, than
its outrageous predecessor. It is no
longer a cold triangular piece of
cardboard with expired canned
sauces splattered unevenly along its
chewy surface. Mushrooms, olives,
chicken, Sicilian… It’s all here now.
And they take credit cards! Upstairs
we now have a Nathan’s and another new stylish-looking college
eatery. Subway is still here, always
with the longest lines, which, in my
opinion, is unwarranted. Subway
pales in comparison to pretty much
any other sandwich place. And for
those of us on a budget, the good
old taco stand is still peddling rice
and beans in a wrap
Also, of course, is the new building, the impact of which, has not
yet been felt, nor apparently, realized. West Hall stands as somewhat
of a mystery. What can the student
body expect from the use of these
new facilities? Will any ambitious
students seize the opportunity to
utilize the new TV and Radio studios and equipment to create projects that will propel Bergen into the
national spotlight? Or was it a waste
of money, and is Bergen as barren of
talent as Maine is of palm trees? We
shall see in the near future.
The student body is as diverse as
ever. People of all shades of skin and
perversions of fashion still tread the
halls in their quest for credits. If I
befriend a Sudanese refugee by the
end of this semester, I will not be
surprised. There are also many
familiar faces from the very first
semester I came to Bergen (three
years ago). When I catch sight of
my past classmates, I feel warm
inside; I want to playfully scream
out, “Hey! Move on with your life
already!” Then, I realize that such a
statement would be highly hypocritical, and I merely nod my head
in silent greeting while taking a pull
Bergen Community College
FALL
WINTER
Cross Country - Men & Women
Soccer - Men
Soccer - Women
Volleyball - Women
Basketball - Men
Basketball - Women
Wrestling - Men
SPRING
Baseball - Men
Softball - Women
Golf - Men & Women
Tennis - Men & Women
Track & Field - Men & Women
Great Coaching! Improve Your Game! Have Some Fun!
YOU’LL LOVE THE EXPERIENCE
QUESTIONS? CALL 201-447-7182 or go to G-201 (2nd fl. above gym)
of my cigarette near the building
and carefully watching out for public safety officers.
Yes, there is a real witch-hunt for
smokers now.
Amid all the protest and outcries
accusing the administration of tendencies up to, and including, fascism, I almost agree with the new
smoking ban. As a smoker with no
willpower, I feel a smoke-free campus might help me quit. But as far
as a health concern, can someone
get cancer walking in and out of the
building simply being in proximity
of cigarette smoke for a grand total
of thirty seconds a day? Not likely.
Overall, Bergen delivered a nice
surprise for both the newcomers
and returning students. It sent our
wallet’s a surprise too when we
received our semester bill. But was
it that shocking? After all, someone’s got to pay for all these spiffy
new improvements.
Was it the final legacy of a small
lady with a big vision? Or were
these renovations part of a natural
course toward the future? Among
all these questions, one thing is for
certain: if you hang out in the
gazebo, you have father issue.
THE TORCH
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007
PAGE 7
FASHION WEEK 2007
Spring 2008 Ready to Wear:
New York City Fashion Week Review
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Now that all the hoopla has died
down over the spectacle that is
New York’s annual fashion week –
where the paparazzi vie with
celebrities for a chance to view
spring’s upcoming fashions -what’s to be made of it all?
Think yellow.
Yellow is The IT Color for
Spring ’08
The bright, happy color was visible all over the runways of New
York City last month when
Fashion Week hit the U.S. fashion
Oscar de La Renta
capital. Jewelry, sunglasses, belts
and dresses—both pastel and
vibrant shades of yellow were
everywhere and will definitely be
“in” this spring.
Fashion Week in New York City
is the most critical week in the
fashion industry to determine
what color to wear, how short or
long skirt lengths will be, and what
we simply must have in our spring
and summer wardrobes next year.
The week was brimming over
with the newest trends as well as
the au courant: models, designers,
and celebrities. From the tents at
Bryant Park to churches and warehouse of New York City, models
Yellow is the new "black" this
spring
were catwalking all week while
wearing designer fashions from
Gwen Stefani, Heatherette,
Carolina Herrera, Marc Jacobs,
Oscar de la Renta, Stephen
Burrows and Anna Sui–just to
name a few.
However, the three designers who
stood out were clearly Oscar de la
Renta, Anna Sui and Carolina
Herrera who brought a resurgence
of midriffs and neon colors.
All three designers captured the
inclusive elements of spring 2008
in a way that allows everyone,
from the businesswoman to the
punk rocker, to express her inner
glam, sophistication and exuberance. Other designers’ showcases
were hardly comparable to that of
de La Renta, Sui and Herrera.
Even Heatherette, a designer usually expected to dazzle, did not
exactly deliver this year
De la Renta, a seasoned veteran
in the fashion world, chose to
showcase his collection in a
Georgian Church on Park Avenue.
He set the tone with The
Polyphonic Spree playing live as his
models displayed the spring trends
in a classic, yet modern procession.
According to de la Renta, spring
style will have lots of safari prints
with mosaic patterns and pleated
dresses. Overall, de la Renta put
on a spectacular show, and his line
of spring clothing was absolutely
beautiful. There were plenty of
must-have items such as cinched
waist-dresses, tailored pants and
suits. He played on the neon trend
with a lime green cocktail dress,
but stuck with earthy safari—
almost African—inspired prints.
As Fashion Wire Daily put it,
“Oscar is still the king of Park
Avenue.” Next is Anna Sui. Also
sticking to the neon and bare
midriff trend, she put on a show
reminiscent of the Seventies, but
with a 2008 twist. The models
rocked with neon hair streaks and
super high heels. They wore highwaist short-shorts, boleros, and
sheer dresses.
From the Sui perspective, spring
is going to be colorful, fun, and
slightly whimsical. The totally
wearable dresses were bright and
refreshing; her collection was completely reciprocal to the de la
Renta showcase. Sui’s neon-haired
models were the highlight of New
York Fashion Week.
Everything from Carolina
Herrera’s line is likely to be worn
and copied. Herrera claimed to be
inspired by watercolors of
Jeremiah Goodman, an interior
illustrator, whose book, “Jeremiah:
A Romantic Vision,” was published earlier this year. This inspiration was evident in her display of
floral colors and prints on dresses,
skirts and shirts. Everything she
displayed had a free-spirited vibe
with great attention paid to detail
and accents.
BY TIKEYA CHESS-STORY
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
1. Irina Kulikova modeled in
over 20 shows, opened for Marc
by Marc Jacobs, Carolina Herrera,
Peter Som and Donna Karen.
2. Agyness Deyn opened for
Temperley and closed for Anna
Sui, Oscar de la Renta and
Narciso Rodriguez.
3. Suvi Koponen opened and
closed for Max Azria and closed
for Carolina Herrera
4. Chanel Iman opened and
closed for Custo Bacelona
5.
Raquel
Zimmermann
opened for Proenza and Rodarte
Irina Kulikova
Community College Students
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11:00 a.m. Alumni Theatre
RSVP at www.caldwell.edu/rsvp/ or 973-618-3500
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philosophy of scholarship, committed teaching and professional development.
With almost 80% of our undergraduate class sizes 20 or less, and a 12:1
student/faculty relationship, we provide personal attention and support that
empower our students to succeed.
Caldwell College also offers solutions for our adult undergraduates, including
accelerated courses, day, evening, weekend courses, and distance learning options.
To find out more contact us at www.caldwell.edu
Center for Graduate & Continuintg Studies
Tuesday
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10:00 a.m. Alumni Theatre
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BY TIKEYA CHESS-STORY
The Hot 5
Who Worked
the Catwalk
THE TORCH
PAGE 8
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007
OPINIONS & EDITORIAL
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."
– Lao Tzu
Approximately one in seven American women will embark on a journey
they never wished to encounter. Approximately one in seven American
women will be tested both physically and emotionally. Approximately one in
seven American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.
The Torch would like to honor National Breast Cancer Awareness Month
with the faculty and students of Bergen Community College. Every month,
The Torch, by its own choice, will raise awareness within the college
community through the banner’s color on the front page.
More than two million Americans, both men and women,
are living with breast cancer today, and still, the cause for and the
prevention of the disease is unknown.
For more information on breast cancer, visit the American
Cancer Society’s Web page at http://www.cancer.org.
Bergen Speaks Out on Smoking Ban
FIGHTING FOR THE SMOKING BAN
BY LAUREL KING
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Signs…you see them everywhere,
plastered onto every inch of wall in
every hall at Bergen Community
College. All of them important to
one individual or another, yet passed
by –unnoticed- are the rules and regulations set up for safety on the
grounds of Bergen. One particular
sign, however, if noticed and practiced, could help the health and safety of all the students and faculty that
come here to teach and learn. The
sign that I am referring to, which is
situated outside every door, is the
sign that says “No Smoking Within
Fifty Feet” of Bergen’s buildings.
It is this sign that is losing effectiveness, even with the use of security guards who warn students who
smoke wherever they please. Most
people don’t even notice its existence
or think anything of it because hardly anyone gets reprimanded for
smoking. It is a very unpleasant
experience to walk out of a building
to get to another class and have to
inhale a cloud of smoke. I doubt
anyone’s lungs will be very grateful
for the lack of clean oxygen breathed
in -not by choice- but by the several
smokers that crowd around the
doors of every building. And let’s not
even mention how rude it is when
someone exhales the smoke right
into your face. It’s a rather difficult
situation to avoid, no matter how
many times one may cross the street
or walk in the parking lot.
Since this rule does not seem to be
working well, the best big step was
to pass the smoking ban. Where
there is no smoke, there is no
increase in second-hand smoke and
lung cancer, shortness of breath or
other physical illnesses that are common side-effects of smoking. Health
risks such as these should never be
taken lightly, especially since both
smokers and non-smokers are equally affected. I assure you that no one
would like to become a victim of the
many dangers of smoking, whether
one subjects oneself to smoking for
his or her own personal reasons or if
one just happens to breathe in the
toxins while walking through a band
of smokers. . Currently, the only way
to walk around the campus is either
to hold your breath until you pass all
bands of smokers, or promote the
smoking ban. I’d say the smoking
ban makes the most sense and will
be the safest way to remove the harm
of smoking so that everyone at
Bergen can breathe a little easier.
Editor-In-Chief
Managing Editor
Assistant Managing Editor
Layout Editor
Entertainment Editor
Sports Editor
Office Manager
Illustrator
Amanda Ferrante
Jill Bartlett
Michelisa Lanche
Louis Campos
Alon Melamed
Danny LaFaso
Doug Smith
Moses Agwai
Staff Writers:
Moses Agwai
Nicholas Cali
Elisa Cervone
Paul Ibañez
Soo Yong Kim
Robert Torres
Doug Smith
Contributing Writers:
Kerry Beekman
Ervisa Bilalaj
Kiryl Bychkouski
Tikeya Chess-Story
Nicole Januarie
Laurel King
Advisor
Pat Winters Lauro
Mailing Address:
400 Paramus Road
Paramus, NJ 07652-1595
Room L-115
Phone: 201-493-5006
Fax: 201-493-5008
[email protected]
The Torch, a member of the Associated College Press and the College
Media Association, is the official student newspaper of Bergen
Community College. The purpose of the The Torch is to report on
the events at BCC and the local community and to offer the BCC
community a forum for the expression. The opinions expressed in
The Torch are not necessarily those of The Torch. All the materials
submitted to The Torch become property of The Torch.
FIGHTING AGAINST THE SMOKING BAN
BY Nicholas Cali
STAFF WRITER
At Bergen Community College, a
certain buzzing is in the air about the
recent smoking ban which takes
effect in January. I myself believe this
is not a health issue that is being
resolved, but a lessening of our freedoms. As far as the health issue is concerned, people who do not want to
breathe in second-hand smoke
should just stay within fifty feet of the
buildings while at school. This may
lead some people to say that smokers
do not obey the school rule of no
smoking 50 feet from the building,
but if school officials actively
enforced the rule and maybe gave out
tickets, then this would not happen.
What about the defense that when
exiting the school, people inhale
second hand smoke? If this is really
a problem, why not have designated
smoking areas or “booths” where
smokers will be able to smoke as
they please. If the booth idea is
implausible, then why can’t people
just walk away from smokers or take
an alternate route when going to
their cars? Is it just plain laziness?
Another complaint I’ve heard is
the sanitation issue. Cigarette butts
are all over the place. There is a simple solution to this…..instead of
using all the grant money that we
receive on refurbishing wings in the
building, why not use a miniscule
amount of money to install many
more cigarette disposal units?
I am not alone in my opposition
to the smoking ban. I have been
asked in friendly conversation if I
had heard about the smoking ban
by people who are against it.
Unbelievably the people who are
against the ban are not only smokers, but non-smokers as well. By the
way, this was not just a rare occurrence, but a frequently asked question, and all with the same opinion
– against the ban. Based on these
facts I have come to the conclusion
that the only ones who want this
smoking
ban
are
Bergen
Community College officials and
maybe a small amount of nonsmoking students.
-Nicholas Cali is a smoker.
Keep Bergen Informed!
Learn about publishing, media,
graphics design and writing.
Join The Torch.
We need writers, reporters,
photographers and students with
interest in graphics design.
How Far Will You Go to Protect Your Right to Free Speech?
BY SOO YONG KIM
STAFF WRITER
The first amendment of the United
States Constitution guarantees the
right to freedom of speech, among
several basic human rights, to every
person. This basic right runs a very
thin line between stating whatever
one desires and maintaining respect
for a fellow human being. While the
world of journalism struggles to
remain neutral and maintain respect
for even the most despised of public
leaders, (many journalists would like
to say certain things about the
President, per se) one man decided
to break the boundaries and flat out
state what he wants.
The Rocky Mountain Collegian,
Colorado State University’s school
newspaper, presented an editorial
column that concisely, and rather
effectively, stated the newspaper’s
views. The whole editorial read
“Taser this: F*ck Bush”.
The school newspaper claimed
that the editorial was written in
response to an incident at the
University of Florida on Sept. 18,
where a student was brought down
with a TASER gun after repeatedly
asking Senator John Kerry questions in an open forum.
The defenders of J. David
McSwane, Editor-in-Chief of the
college’s paper, argued that the
newspaper was protected by the
rights of the First Amendment,
while critics deemed the article
unprofessional and vulgar.
“We feel this statement, albeit
unpopular, was necessary in communicating our opinion that it's
time college students challenge the
current political climate and speak
out” McSwane said to the public in
a letter in his defense.
He refused to voluntarily resign
from his position.
It is true that honesty should be
celebrated
and
the
First
Amendment should be embraced.
It, however, is truly inhuman, and
for Mr. McSwane, unprofessional,
to attack someone openly with vulgar words. Yes, the First
Amendment guarantees freedom of
speech, but that shouldn’t mean one
can publicly use words that may
hurt another’s status or feelings.
Imagine someone posting papers
all around the campus that read,
“‘so and so’ is an idiot with the
author’s name and your name
printed on the paper. It’s not only
an unfair, painful attack to the
recipient, but it is a senseless exposure of the author’s shortcomings
in thoughts and maturity.
The paper’s debated article may
be claimed practice of the First
Amendment, but it is an abuse of
one’s journalistic power and the
amendment, all to vulgarly
defame, not argue with, a person
who the newspaper’s editors subjectively disliked.
I am not a fan of the current
administration, yet, I do not go on
writing editorials attacking someone without any support for my
argument (the newspaper article in
debate was only four words long),
nor would I consider such a terse
and inarticulate article a well-written one.
Mr. McSwane will be keeping his
job. He is a college student; active
and hot-headed, as are many other
students out there. Yet this incident should remind us what kind
of impact our practice of free
speech can bring about in people
with whom we coexist.
THE TORCH
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007
PAGE 9
Cell Tower
Sell-Out
BY PAUL IBANEZ
STAFF WRITER
Opinions from both students
and teachers regarding the safety
of the T-Mobile cell tower that is
to be built on top of the Anaa
Maria Ciccone Theatre have been
heard around campus over the
past few months. However, most
of these opinions have been
ignored.
When I attended the second
open forum regarding this issue, I
could not help but thinkd I was
being worked on by a professional.
There were so many technical
terms used that I should have
brought a dictionary. The health
concerns brought up by those in
attendance were not addressed
because a health care professional
was not present. As I looked
around the room, the majority of
the people in attendance were faculty members., Only a hand full
of students attended.
This question occurred to me:
Why were students not fully
informed about something so serious being built on their campus?
Bergen Community College
should have conducted mandatory
conferences with members of the
student body. especially when it
concerns a question of their overall health and well-being. The
school should also have sent emails to students before this deal
was made. After all, every student’s
email address is on file.
Since students were not made
fully aware of the situation and
could not address it, the burden
was then placed on the shoulders
of our teachers, who took the
responsibility very seriously.
Teachers voiced their opinions at
the meeting; some even sent emails to other faculty members
with serious information about
potential health issues, from
migraines to cancer.
There is information online stating cell towers does not cause cancer, but it alsoother research states
cell towers and cell phones have
not been out long enough to
research whether or not they do
cause cancer. Websites that have
substantial information on these
issues include www.cancer.org.
Although we may be blowing
this out of proportion; the problem is we don’t know the answers.
Will the cell tower just add to our
problems? Don’t college students
have enough to worry about in the
world today? Now we have to
worry about a cell tower? The
school seemed to work very hard
to keep the cell tower decision low
on the radar screen, but the question is why? BCC will get aated
$33,000 a year for the tower.
For this sum, we also open the
door for other cell phone companies ,(i.e.Verizon, Sprint) to buy
their own space atop the theatre.
This is business-savvy?
And where was our Student
Government on this issue?
Bergen’s Student Government
Council (SGC) is responsible for
representing the whole student
body. Yet it was silent on this issue.
I applaud the faculty’s efforts to
stop the cell tower from being
built; it shows they really care. To
the SGC: it is time to take a stand
on an issue as important as this
one.
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THE TORCH
PAGE 10
Science Made Easy:
BY MOSES AGWAI
ILLUSTRATOR
Winter is upon us.
While some hate it because of the
rigors of shoveling snow and the
health hazards associated with cold
temperatures, others love making
snowmen, skiing, snow boarding,
and other wintertime activities. In
reality, whether you like it or not,
this season must come. Other sad
news about winter involves the catastrophes that accompany it. Some of
these have the potential to be lifethreatening if ignored, while others
can be solved with a bowl of hot
chicken soup.
Some illnesses around this season
are simply respiratory tract illnesses
caused by the common cold. We
know that germs causing the common cold have symptoms beyond
the standard runny nose, sore
throat, high fever, prolonged
cough, choking on mucus, wheezing, trouble breathing, loss of
sleep and poor appetite—all
symptoms to be watched out for.
What people don’t know is that
these common cold symptoms
could actually be signs of viral
infections such as Para influenza,
measles, adenovirus, influenza A
and B, and respiratory syncytial
virus (RSV). You better watch out:
These diseases can be deadly if left
unattended. (Especially for older
folks and young infants).
Now, let us discuss all types of one
of the deadliest winter illnesses:
Influenza!
The “flu,” as it is commonly
known, is a virus that infects the respiratory tract.
Haemophilus influenzae is a
bacterium that scientists years
ago incorrectly considered to
cause the flu. After a more
detailed study, scientists found
that though it had the same
name, it was a bacterial, not a viral,
infection.
Several pandemics have occurred
in the last 100 years since the flu was
discovered around 1933. Unlike
other diseases, it wasn’t first discovered through direct human
contact–it was discovered in animals.
In 1918, the disease recorded one of
the world’s greatest pandemics: the
“Spanish Flu.” The name came from
the large number of mortalities in
Spain; allegedly 8 million people
died. The disease killed between 2040 million people, more than the
amount of people killed during
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007
CONQUERING THE INFLUENZA FLU
World War I. Initially, the virus was
known to be a killer of infants and
the elderly, but in 1918, the reverse
was the case. The flu was most deadly to people between ages 20 and 40.
It was a pandemic that shook the
face of the earth. During this pandemic period, children would always
skip rope to this particular rhyme:
“I had a little bird
Its name was Enza
I opened the door
And in-flu-enza”
Causes of Influenza:
Flu viruses are divided into types
A, B and C. Type C is usually
mild with little or no symptoms. It is not as catastrophic as types A and
B; they are the
ones
to
d r e a d
every wint e r .
Whenever
one is a survivor of the
flu, his or her
immune system
recognizes the
virus and puts
antibodies on
alert against it.
However,
it
mutates, meaning it changes its
form so that it
cannot to be recognized by the
“cops” in the body.
There are two ways the
virus changes: antigenic
shift and antigenic drift.
Antigenic shift is a change
within the virus that comes
gradually whereas antigenic
drift is a change that comes
suddenly. Type B influenza
cannot change abruptly; it
can only undergo an anti-
genic shift, making Type A the deadliest form of all three.
To drive the point home, imagine
that there are cops (antibodies) in
your body and they are about to nab
a criminal (virus) who has just killed
a bunch of cells. As their siren
approaches, the influenza mutates
into one of the cops. When they
finally catch up to the criminal, the
cops can’t apprehend him because he
has cleverly mutated into a cop himself. Finally, the cops evacuate the
scene, leaving it as an unsolved case.
This is an edge influenza type A has
over all influenza viruses.
Symptoms of Influenza:
How do you know if you have contracted influenza?
The most vivid symptoms of
influenza are fever (ranging from
100-103 degrees Fahrenheit), sore
throat, constant runny nose,
headaches, cough and muscle aches.
While most people recover from
influenza in a week or two, others
might take longer. As it continuously weakens the immune system, the
virus could lead to other severe illnesses.
Treatments for Influenza:
There is no known cure of the flu.
The best precaution to take is getting
a flu shot which is made from an
inactive influenza virus. The flu shot
causes the body to produce more
antibodies by injecting an inactive
virus into you so that your immune
system recognizes the virus. New flu
vaccines are developed almost every
year.
The best way to prevent influenza
is by receiving a flu shot, especially
for seniors and infants who are most
likely to be infected during flu season. It’s just like having a hunting
dog smell the shirt of a criminal in
order to hunt him more efficiently.
The sad part is that people loathe
getting a flu shot. Some people
believe it is additional stress to everyday life while others believe it’s not
worth the time because they’ll never
catch the flu anyway. Still, others
believe the flu shot is potentially a
cause of the virus itself.
Not everyone needs to get a flu
shot. While some people are at more
risk than others, it is safer to take the
flu shot before flu season starts (just to
be safe). Needless to say, prevention is
better than cure. The Center for
Disease Control (CDC) advises individuals within the following age group
to get a flu shot:
• 6 to 23 months
• 65 years of age or older
• People 2-years-old or older with
underlying, long-term illnesses
(heart or lung disease, metabolic diseases [like diabetes], kidney disease,
blood disorders or weakened
immune systems)
• Women who are pregnant or are
planning to be during the height of
flu season
• Residents and workers within
nursing homes
• People who are 6 months to 18
years of age taking aspirin daily
• Health-care workers
• People who have or are taking
care of a baby under 6-months-old
• DO NOT give a flu shot to
babies under 6 months
Finally, before you put down this
paper, think of your odds of contracting the influenza virus. Make up
your mind, and get a flu shot soon.
Never get caught in an “I wish I
had…” situation. Your decision
affects your future! Once again,
remember: Prevention is better than
cure.
For further information regarding Influenza, log on to
h t t p : / / w w w. h a n d s o n h e a l t h sc.org.
Influenza Virus Types (A, B, C)
Winter
A
Rutgers
newark
Session 2008
January 2-18
The State University of New Jersey
A Open to all!
A A variety of undergraduate
and graduate courses in an
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A Easy to register!
http://winter.newark.rutgers.edu
THE TORCH
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007
PAGE 11
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
October's Warm & Fuzzy Albums
BY ALON MELAMED
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
The many new albums in October
display a fair share of talent, featuring all musical genres, two popular
local acts preparing a comeback, and
a melodious "dress-up" that makes
Halloween just the final stage of a
musical success. This month is full of
phantoms missing only the skill of
singing opera.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street
Band/ Magic: When hearing the first
single of this much anticipated album,
"Radio Nowhere," it seems the clock
has been turned back at least 30 years!
Thinking of great songs like "Rosalita
(Come Out Tonight)" or "Hungry
Heart," New Jersey's Bruce
Springsteen in his latest collaboration
with the E Street Band in five years,
make some "magic" and release a new
album.
The E Street Band first started
recording with the Boss back in
1973. (Greetings from Asbury Park
was Bruce's first album) and ever
since that year, it seemed that with
every release from the Boss, his popularity kept growing.
In the past few weeks, intense radio
airplay of the new single was as common as the colorful autumn leaves
turning.
It is the Bruce's first work with The
E Street Band since 2002, when they
co-wrote and released the sentimental
and uplifting post 9/11 album, The
Rising. If it’s an American tune you
want to hear, all you have to do is
check one of The Boss's many red,
white and blue songs such as "Born in
the U.S.A" or "The River" – both
rock anthems that baby-boom
Americans love to hear and sing along.
Jennifer Lopez/Brave: When Bronx
native Jennifer Lopez released Como
Ama una Mujer (2007), we learned
"how a woman loves" and that her
first full Spanish album received a very
nice reception, claiming the number
one spot on the U.S. Billboard chart
for Top Latin Albums for a few weeks.
Bruce Springsteen and the E
Street Band Magic
This month, English is the main language as she comes out stronger and
"braver" than ever making it her sixth
studio album. Hard to believe that
although the past year went by relatively uneventfully for “Jenny from the
Block,” she had been heavily involved
with the release of this album.
In what can be only described as a
loving married life, Lopez is touring
with her husband Marc Anthony as
the two are scheduled to perform and
feature songs from their broad careers.
LeAnn Rimes/Family: At first when
hearing the single "Nothin' Better to
Do," memories of Christina
Aguilera's powerful first album, particularly the song "Come on Over.”
However, if you lend your ear to hear
a couple of more seconds of the
catchy/kitschy song, you realize how
wrong you really are.
Three things the average Bergen
Community College student does
not know is that Jackson, Miss sits
Jennifer Lopez Brave
atop a dead volcano, singer Kid
Rock has a song named after
Mississippi's capital city, and LeAnn
Rimes was born there. One of the
most prominent country singers in
the world today, this LeAnn's twelfth
studio album, and she is only 25!
Releasing her first single “Blue”
when she was only 13, her latest
album Family is her musical interpretation of a rough childhood
where she was financially abused by
her father. Produced by Dan Huff,
(Faith Hill, Rascal Flatts, Carrie
Underwood, among others) the
album features 12 personal voyages
of Rimes’ and two additional bonus
songs, one a duet with Jon Bon Jovi
and the other with Reba McEntire.
Editor's Pick: The Hives/The Black
and White Album: So apparently
Sweden is a little more than just Abba
and safety… umm…Volvo, anyone?
The Hives are a fun loving group of
overgrown rebellions.
LeAnn Rimes Family
Fagersta, a town of 11,000 people
give or take a few, introduced the
world to a musical concept that
MTV almost killed – garage bands.
The Hives, led by Pelle Almqvist,
formed in the 1990s and their first
popular single, "Hate to Say I Told
You So," from their second album
Veni Vidi Vicious (2000) was one of
the world's catchiest songs that year.
This year they are back, cooler than
ever and with production coming
from some big time acts as The
Neptunes and Timbaland, expectations are even higher for success.
Timbaland's collaboration with The
Hives came after the band was featured on his song, "Throw it On
Me," 14 tracks, with one unique track
featuring clapping hands and a piano.
As for the popular acts setting out
to capture attention, Alter Bridge,
Vanessa Carlton, Kid Rock, The
Backstreet Boys, and even The
Eagles, are back with their first studio album since 1979!
The Hives The Black and White
Album
Bergen’s Black Star: Somethin’ Really Float Like a But terfly,
Funky’s Goin’ on Right Here
Rap Like Biz Markie:
BY MICHELISA LANCHE
Mario Strikers Charged.
Theo then points to the boy
ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR
standing near a keyboard and says,
As I enter a townhouse in “This is Dave.”
After the introductions, Hugo
Belleville, a small town just outside of Newark, a surge of aromat- looks at Theo and suggests,
ic Filipino herbs and spices imme- “Maybe I should start the show
diately enters my nostrils. Trying like, ‘Scabbadabba boo dabba
to control my hunger, I greet the doop doop abba…I’M A FAT
family seated at the dinner table MAN!’” adapting lyrics from the
and walk through a corridor to 1994 hit “Scatman” by Scatman
another door behind which are John. Theo smiles, laughs a little,
four boys already comfortably nes- and gives him a look that screams,
tled in the room. This is where the “You’re an idiot.”
We patiently wait for the band’s
boys–some of them Bergen stupercussionist
to come to Ryan’s
dents–rehearse as members of a
hot new band called Black Star house for a quick rehearsal before
(not to be confused with the the open mic at The Dancing
famous rap duo of Mos Def and Goat in South Orange. An open
mic is a live show during which
Talib Kweli).
“These two are Hugo and Ryan,” audience members can perform
Theo Figurasin says, as he points provided that they pay a small fee
to the two guys intently playing for a time slot. While waiting, I
decide to get to
know Black Star
and its members a
little better.
Theo, the 19year-old lead guitarist
from
Bergenfield,
is
actually one of
B e r g e n
Community
College’s
NJSTARS majoring in
History.
“I would say a
lot [of my time is
put into this project]. It’s like a second job. I have to
schedule everything, write music
and teach [the
STAFF PHOTO/MICHELISA LANCHE other band memBlack Star Members (top left to right) Dave,Treavor, bers],” he says.
Hugo, (bottom left to right) Theo, and Ryan
In fact, a lot of Black Star’s songs
were written before the band got
together.
Percussionist Treavor Wieczorek
is a 19-year old from Cliffside
Park, NJ.
“It’s weird ‘cause we all look really weird as people—you wouldn’t
see any of us on TV,” Theo says.
“Well, except for Treavor; he’s the
generic [punk rock] white guy.”
Both Theo and Treavor went to
Paramus Catholic High School.
Treavor currently attends RutgersNew Brunswick where he majors
in Criminal Justice.
Theo and Treavor belonged to
another band called Exit Wound
just before Black Star’s formation
last year. The two left Exit Wound
behind to form another band on
their own. First on their list of
important things to do: Find a
lead singer.
As fortune would have it, Treavor
met 23-year-old Hugo Portorreal,
also known as “Hugo Fuego,” at a
party. He hails from West New
York, NJ.
“We were drunk,” Hugo says.
“[Treavor] was like, ‘Hey, I’m in a
band!’ and I was like, ‘Hey, I sing!’”
Hugo’s afro is not the only thing
that stands out; the same can be
said about his voice. It’s reminiscent of Daryl Palumbo, lead singer
of Head Automatica. Possibly after
Palumbo’s having had 50 cigarettes
and a few shots, that is. That’s
meant as a compliment: As a
result, his voice is stripped of any
generic pop-quality.
Theo decided to ask his cousin
from Belleville, 18-year-old Ryan
Noche, to be Black Star’s rhythm
guitarist.
See Black Star . . page 14
Hip-Hop Heavyweights
Finally Touch Gloves
BY PAUL IBANEZ
STAFF WRITER
When they said hip-hop was
dead, Kanye West and 50 Cent
were the two hip-hop heavyweights
who stood up to prove to listeners
it surely is not. Now, the question
is, did the world pick the right rapper? Who is the champion of hiphop: Kanye West or 50 Cent?
With 957,000 sales its first week,
the people clearly chose Kanye
West as the champion of hip-hop.
“Yeah, 50 Cent drops the same
thing, Kanye is different.”
Nathanael Carter, a Bergen
Community College student states.
Both albums are heavily
acclaimed. Most listeners know
both artists provide quality music.
50 Cent chose outside his G-Unit
camp to feature on his album
Curtis. Curtis featured artist like
Justin Timberlake, Akon, Robin
Thicke, Timberland, and many
more. A star-studded lineup that
drove 50 Cent to confidence,
prompting him to pose a challenge:
“If Kanye West sells more records
than 50 Cent on September 11, I'll
no longer write music.”
If he holds true to his word, this
means bye-bye to 50 Cent.
Perhaps we will see him in a few
more movies instead.
Was the big lineup of featured
artist a flop for 50 Cent?
“It kind of uplifted his lyrical
content, but it still wasn’t enough
to up lift the album.” Brandon
Baldwin,
another
Bergen
Community College student, said.
One thing 50 Cent did do something right: He told Kanye to release
"Can't Tell Me Nothing" first. A
hood banger, the song generated
more of a hood audience, something
Kanye was supposedly lacking.
It is Kanye’s second single that
got many listeners’ attention.
“Stronger” hit the charts on a high
note and became the number one
record in the country upon the
peak of “Graduation’s” release.
So, how did Kanye become the
victor and 50 Cent the loser? 50
Cent’s creativity is at a low ever
since he scored big with Vitamin
Water. Are people tired of 50 talking about his money?
“Nobody wants to hear that; they
want to hear stories. Not everybody
See Heavyweights . . page 14
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROLLINGSTONE.COM
Kanye and 50 go head-to-head
on the Sept. RS cover
THE TORCH
PAGE 12
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007
A Walk Through the Rubin Museum of Art The Next Big Thing:
BY NICHOLAS CALI
STAFF WRITER
The Rubin Museum of Art was
opened in 2004 in the Chelsea
District of Manhattan in New
York City by a couple looking for
a place to show off their exquisite
Himalayan art collection. I arrived
there by a bus (which was provided by Bergen Community College
as this was one of their trips), but
there are many ways of getting to
this destination (i.e. train, bus
stops, and subways are all within
walking distance). As you enter the
building, you are greeted by the
sounds of both traditional Indian
drums and sitars being played in
the small reception area.
A guided tour begins with a stone
carving of Ganesha, a Hindu God,
dancing atop a lotus flower with
musicians around him. This piece
dates back to around the11th century C.E. and was made in India.
Though the piece is only a drab
grey stone, its history is quite
intriguing. Coins, candy and flowers are scattered on the carving’s
base. Have you ever thrown coins
into a fountain for good luck? The
concept is the same here: If you put
things on the statue, you gain good
fortune. Ganesha is adorned with
an elephant head, jewelry, ten arms
and weapons such as an axe, a lasso,
and a hook. The guide explains that
Ganesha had many arms so that he
could do many things, an
exhibiting his great power. He is
also called the “mover of obstacles”
because he empathizes with and
helps people in times of hardship.
In fact, most Indian art is based on
narratives with moral or symbolic
meaning.
After a short hike up the stairs to
the second floor, you can see a
painting of Buddha with brilliant
colors. This painting was created
during the 19th century in
Mongolia, it portrays Buddha
deflecting warriors’ weapons by
using a “force field.” While surrounding Buddha, this field
turned the tips of soldiers’
weapons into flowers. The painting’s features have significant symbolic meaning. For instance, the
bump on the tip of his head means
that he had so much wisdom that
he could not fit it all in his head.
All the paintings of beings are usually depicted on top of a lotus flower.
Lotus flowers grow in the murkiest
of swamps and have only a brief
blooming season. They represent
rebirth, a rare and precious thing.
To the left of these paintings sits
a sand-colored stone carving titled
“Buddha’s Death. Over two thousand years old, the carving happens to be the oldest piece in the
entire museum.
Back then, no one agreed on
what the gods looked like; the only
way to discern a god from an ordinary creature was by posture. As a
result, all the depictions of gods
are posed in the same way.
Directly next to “Buddha’s Death”
carving is a statue from Ghandara
(modern
day
Afghanistan/
Pakistan). As Alexander the Great
passed through the silk route, he
brought with him some Greek
Culture. So, it’s not surprising to
see that when this statue was made
in 300 C.E. (long after Alexander
the Great’s time) it was given
Greco-Roman features
Out of all the ravishing art in the
museum, the most exquisite pieces
are the ones made from precious
ground minerals. The one of the
gods Shiva and Parvati is the most
eye-catching. Looking at this
piece, you can clearly see the brilliant shimmer of different precious
minerals including gold and sapphire used in the painting. This
piece depicts Shiva and Parvati
with countless heads and arms, a
metaphor for extreme power.
Shiva was also standing on top of a
wrathful character, symbolizing
the overcoming of obstacles.
After the tour, you can catch
some lunch in the delightfully elegant cafeteria that has choices of
both gourmet food and teas from
around the world (compliments of
www.inpursuitoftea.com). The
Thai beef salad and Chinese rice
tea are exceptionally impressive.
If you’re serious about art, get
serious about checking out the
Rubin Museum of Art.
Students in Pursuit of Trivia
BY ALON MELAMED
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
"Who is the King of Pop?"
"Who
played
Napoleon
Dynamite?"
"Which movie won Best Picture
at the 2000 Oscars?”
These were among the many
questions asked Of audience members in the Student Center recently
during Bergen Community
Collge’s annual annual pop-culture
trivia game, hosted by the Office of
Student Life. hosted by the Office
of Student Life.
Game shows are usually a pursuit
between three or four contestants.
They play some random game of
“Who has More Trivia Knowledge”
or “Who Can Solve a Puzzle Faster,”
while the audience, although a great
supporting cast, never gets to be
part of the show itself.
On September 18, however, the
trivia game show revolved around
the audience’s participation.
Students’ knowledge of American
pop culture was challenged.
The rules were very simple.
Participants were given a clicker
with the letters A, B, C and D,
that corresponded to the answers
for a multiple-choice question that
appeared on a large screen in front
of the audience. The selected audience member would then press the
button that he or she thought to
Some of the students
got so caught up in the
game that they actually
skipped class
be the correct answer.
The game was intense, but with
four rounds of 20 pop-culture
questions and a time-bar, you
wouldn’t expect anything less. The
time-bar forced participants to
think fast—the sooner you
answered a question correctly, the
higher the point-value. At the end
of each round, the screen displayed
each team’s score and ranking.
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
The Gogo’s, The Bangles,
Fleetwood Mac, Janis Joplin,
Blondie, Hole—females have been
rockin’ and rollin’ since Gloria
Steinem and friends felt the need to
burn their bras.
In today's music, Evanescence and
Flyleaf seem to be the only mainstream rock bands fronted by
women.
Still, with No Doubt's Gwen
Stefani promoting a very successful
solo career and Courtney Love past
her glory days with Hole, it is only a
matter of time before new bands are
born and earn immense radio play
and popularity, all in heels!
At the top of this new list is
Holland's Within Temptation,
formed in 1996. , This band started
off with influences from deathmetal and vocals between singer
Sharon den Adel and guitarist
Robert Westerholt butsince then,
their style has completely evolved.
Pure coincidence formed the bond
between Robert, Sharon and the rest
of the band as they studied at the
same school. Heavily influenced by
symphonic rock, Celtic and the way
classical music is cinematically used,
they gained popularity in their home
country as well as neighboring
nations Germany and Belgium. By
2000, the release of their second fulllength album, Mother Earth, propelled them into wider popularity in
Europe. Currently, only Sharon,
Robert and bassist Jeroen van Veen
are from the band’s original lineup.
In the past couple of years, the
band has started spreading their
music across the world. Beginning
in Japan, they finally reached
American soil in early 2007 as one
of the acts opening for Lacuna Coil
on the popular "Women of Metal”
tour. Realizing they gained a significant fan base, the band headlined
their first North American tour this
past September.
With the release of their latest
album, “The Heart of Everything”
(2007), the band uses Sharon's voice
as a powerful tool accompanied by
symphonic rock/metal music. With
powerful vocals like hers, it’s hard to
believe she never took any voice lessons.
Sharon’s choice of wardrobe also
contributes a great deal to the band’s
image. Her clothing is almost as special as her voice. According to her, if
she were not lead singer for Within
Temptation, she would probably go
into the fashion industry.
This fall, the band will be performing live with a full-scale orchestra.
Unfortunately, tickets to this unique
experience will only be available in
Eindhoven or Rotterdam in Holland.
As for the rest of the year, the band
plans to re-release their first three
studio albums for U.S. fans. It has
taken Within Temptation 10 years
to leave Europe and become popular
overseas; only time will tell if massive worldwide touring will pay off if
fans will not resist temptation.
PHOTO COURTESY/WITHIN-TEMPTATION.COM
Gothic Rock Band Within Temptation
10 reasons to transfer to Iona College:
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BY ALON MELAMED
Teams like the Jets, Trumps and
Danes were constantly battling for
the top spot to get a chance to
compete against the three previous
winners in a head-to-head match
for a first-place prize of $100.
At first, for some reason, the controllers did not work, but the technical difficulties did not detract
from the audience’s fun
The students were very eager and
interested as this was a way for them
to learn some new things about
movies, television shows, and songs
of which they have never heard..
The game lasted approximately
two hours. Some of the students
got so caught up in the game that
they actually skipped class.
Although Bergen does not support
absences from class, Student Life
provided a fun way for students to
be involved in school events.
This game show was a one-of-akind experience. It was a display of
contestants playing a game with
the audience as opposed to for the
audience.
Social Service
ALLIES INC.
Within Temptation
We currently have flexible opportunities for you near Bergen Community
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6. 22 NCAA Division 1 (MAAC) athletic teams
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9. Dozens of campus clubs and activities
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Learn more about transferring to Iona College
Undergraduate Open House • Sunday, November 4, 2007
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For more information and to learn about all current opportunities,
please call 866-620-0943 or e-mail [email protected]
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Register today. Call (800) 231-IONA or register online at iona.edu
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Celebrating over 200 years of Christian Brothers’ Education
Earn a degree that matters
THE TORCH
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007
PAGE 13
Drew Torres: “Swimming In The
Depths” All The Way to The Top
BY AMANDA FERRANTE
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
What do Bone Thugs ‘n
Harmony and Fiona Apple have in
common?
They are both influences on 22year-old Drew Torres, a musician
hailing from the Bronx who is taking the “me and my guitar” cliché
and adding a little spice for a great
sensation that is unlike anything
we have heard. Thirteen years ago
Drew picked up a guitar, and for
eight years, he’s been pouring his
heart out into lyrics that tell stories. His passion, dreadlocks, and
killer footwear are just a couple
seasonings in a recipe of musical
magic. From his trips to the
Bahamas to his always faithful fan
base, Drew draws inspiration from
wherever it may come.
It’s early in the evening on a crisp
October night, and music is dancing its way up to the streets from
the underground stage at Ace of
Clubs, a popular venue for up and
coming musicians to strut their
stuff in Lower East Side
Manhattan style. Drew has been
given the task of keeping the crowd
entertained in between sets.
Sipping vodka, waiting for his set
to begin, the multi-talented musician shares a laugh with friends
and keeps it cool for a bit.
Applause accompanies his short
walk to the stage, as well as one of
his “greatest investments,” his
acoustic-electric Martin.
“This Bottle I Wallow,” a powerful comment on the monotonous
day-to-day routine of being
unhappy, prefaces Drew’s influen-
tial set. Drew’s style is unparalleled.
Some may have trouble making
out his lyrics as he sings unusually
(and refreshingly) fast. The audience is immediately intrigued by
his confidence and talent as he
pours his heart out with aggressive
strumming on his guitar
“When I write, whatever it is that
comes out, stays,” Drew tells me of
his emotionally intense lyrics, “I’m
not usually one for crossing out or
correcting. I don't feel any reason
to take back anything. It was a raw
emotion from conception and
shall remain so. What I write is
what you hear and what you get.”
His passion,
dreadlocks, and killer
footwear are just a
couple seasonings in a
recipe of musical magic.
It’s this matter-of-fact bravado
that makes things no one wants to
say easily told by Drew’s sometimes morbid, but always inspiring, lyrics. After Drew sets the
standard with his first tune, he
plays some other “friend favorites”
like “Swimming In The Depths,”
“When it All Unfolds,” and
“Undastand,” his one and only
reggae jam that is always a crowd
pleaser. Drew recalls fondly his
motivating vacation,
“I listened to absolutely nothing
but reggae on that trip [to the
Bahamas] and for literally months
after my return; it definitely helped
fuel the fire for that song,” he said.
If Drew’s music is “fire,” his trip
to the Bahamas wasn’t the only
“fuel.” Drew’s fan base is loyal and
growing. With almost 12,000 plays
on his Myspace page, it seems as if
everyone wants in on the music.
“[My friends and fans] definitely
give me the drive to create more
original and ear-pleasing material.
I'm thankful for every fan and supporter I can get, so I think I owe it
to them to keep my music fresh
and original while maintaining
“Drew-ness,” he says. In addition
to playing guitar and writing
songs, Drew writes poetry. It’s
Drew’s passion and emotions that
serve as fodder for his best tracks.
Drew’s latest, “Hope Revoked,” is
a sensitive, sultry observation of
the world present day.
“[It’s] an answer to the questions I
ask myself while watching the news.
It's pretty much one of those ‘world
keeps spinning and shit's gonna
happen’ ballads…The lyrics are
about the lack of peace…the current
happenings in Iraq,” he tells me.
In “Hope Revoked,” Drew sings
beautifully,
“Unguided, divided, let's fight it
and remain united. Someone else's
life is way too short to take into your
own hands. The ones on top just sit
and plot, soul search a lot. If time
allowed, it shall be so devoutly
wished for thought invoked into
every being of this Earth, rebirth into
a whole new style of folk. No hatred,
much patience, and nobody's broke.
Just hear out the facts, not the rumors
they spoke. But I can revoke this hope
cuz it's all a joke, so make a note, this
planet needs an antidote.”
Though Drew hasn’t been
snatched up by a record label just
yet, his stage resume is impressive.
“I’ve shared the stage with Dick
PHOTO CREDIIT/E. GARCIA
Drew Torres and his "greatest investment," his Acoustic-Electric Martin
Dale, Gym Class Heroes, Patent
Pending, Cobra Starship, Hangar
18, Daly's Gone Wrong, A
Moment's Worth, The Flaming
Tsunamis, [and others],” Drew
proudly tells me. He acknowledges
that good music is everywhere. “I
try to take into account anything
and everything that’s different and
inspiring. I would definitely love
to have a song in every genre.”
Drew’s aspirations are evident and
improbable, and it’s clear that he’s
willing to play his way to the top.
You can catch Drew November
10th at The Creek and the Cave on
Long Island City and on November
14th at LUV 24/7 in Manhattan.
Check out myspace.com/drewtorres for the latest.
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THE TORCH
PAGE 14
New Campus
. . . continued from page 1
Dacey said that New Jersey Transit
is currently in discussions with
Xanadu regarding mass transit.
“We will also be joining in with
these discussions,” Dacey offered,
concerning bus services to the new
campus.
No one at the college is aware of
any plans as of yet regarding
improvements to be made to any of
the roads in the surrounding area.
"The state has not shared plans
with the College regarding road
improvements,” said Dacey.
There are also no plans as of yet
to include a shuttle service
between campuses.
The million dollar question for
students, of course, is whether
the debt incurred for this new
building affect tuition rates for
current students.
“At this time there is no anticipation of incurred debt for this
building project. It is expected that
all the necessary capital funding will
be raised prior to the commencement of building,” Dacey stated.
There is also some consideration
for childcare services to be offered
for students and the surrounding
community at the campus.
As for the way clubs and activities
will run between campuses, it is still
far too early to tell.
"The student development plan is
in its infancy at this early stage of
the project...it is not envisioned that
a full spectrum of student services
will be offered," Dr. Porter said.
County Cops
. . . continued from page 1
“We haven’t had much involvement in [the smoking ban enforcement],” he says.
When asked about the idea that
a police patrol could be perceived
as intimidating to some, Sgt. La
Duca said that there are pros and
cons to that concept.
“When you say there’s an intimidation factor, that’s good and
bad,” he said. “[People on campus
should] recognize that we have a
presence here, but it should be
more of a comfort factor. We
would like to intimidate people
who are here to do bad things,
people who are here to steal
things, people who are here for the
wrong reasons.”
People on campus
should recognize that
we have a presence here,
but it should be more of
a comfort factor
Though Sgt. La Duca said the
county police are still new at
Bergen, he encouraged anyone
who sees something out of the
ordinary to notify the police here.
If someone is concerned about
another’s behavior, they should
report it, he noted.
“We’re police. The more information we have, the better we can
Joyce King
STAFF PHOTO/LOUIS CAMPOS
do our job,” he said.
Such is the case with the threat on
the first day of school here on campus. During a Student Government
Council (SGC) meeting, President
Ryan discussed what happened.
There was a message written on the
chalkboard of a classroom in the Swing. It read: “Columbine, Virginia
Tech, you’re next.”
"By the first day of classes, the
threat had passed...we had great
cooperation from the County
Police who [found] it was an idle
threat," said Dr. Ryan.
Sgt. La Duca declined to comment on the nature of the threat,
but he reinforced the importance
of the crisis management plan.
Sgt. La Duca insists that the police
here on campus are approachable
and always available for anything.
However, if your situation may be
handled by Public Safety, the police
will refer you to them.
When asked what people on
campus can do to further assist in
the safety goal here, Sgt. La Duca
says, “Say hello, get to know us,
we’ll help you out. We’re here to
serve the community.”
The Bergen County Police can
be found in West Hall, and they
encourage everyone to be aware
and be comfortable to share information that maybe relevant to the
safety and protection of him- or
herself and others.
. . . continued from page 2
Haudenosaunee, King brought the
Two Row Wampum, which traces
its roots back to the original agreement between the Haudenosaunee
and Dutch settlers. The whole
wampum represents the "river of
life." Within the river of life there
are two blue rows of beads, one
representing "the canoe" and the
second representing "the ship."
The canoe, symbolic of the
Haudenosaunee, signifies cyclical
thinking and group dynamics. The
ship, symbolic of the Dutch settlers with whom the Two Row
Wampum was exchanged, represents linear thinking and the
dynamics of the individual.
Three rows of beads are woven inbetween the rows representing the
canoe and the ship. These rows
stand for the values of peace, respect
and friendship that were agreed
upon between the two peoples.
The Two Row Wampum was a
treaty created in brotherhood, she
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007
said, under the auspices that the
two very different peoples could
travel down the river of life sideby-side. Neither the Dutch nor the
Haudenosaunee would steer each
others vessels, and thus, could
travel as brothers, together in
peace, friendship and respect of
one another.
The Haudenosaunee have always
kept this agreement, she said.
Sadly, the settlers decided to take
advantage of the trust and friendship bestowed upon them.
Before opening the floor up to
questions, King left the audience
with words echoed by the Iroquois
leaders in a U.N. address some
years ago, “Think not of yourselves, O Chiefs, nor of your own
generation. Think of continuing
generations of our families, think
of our grandchildren and of those
yet unborn, whose faces are coming from beneath the ground."
The BCC Men’s Soccer Team defeated Burlington CC 2-0 in the first round of the Region XIX Men’s
Div. III Soccer Tournament on Sunday, 10/21/07 at Bergen CC. Second-year players Michael Jaimes
and Carlos De las Salas each scored a goal for Bergen in the victory. Here, BCC's Michael Jaimes
outpaces a Burlington defender.
Psychic
. . . continued from page 4
were. Without touching or
smelling any of the items, he successfully guessed them.
The watch trick was an interesting one. A student was sent to find
an analog watch and change its
time to whatever he wanted. The
watch was given to another student who held it while Channing,
still blindfolded, correctly guessed
the new time on the watch.
The biggest event during which
everyone in the audience was able
to participate was next. In this
event, everyone was asked to write
four things: the funniest moment
in your life, a number, a question
you’d like to ask, and your first and
last name on a small piece of
paper. The papers were collected
Black Star
and put into a bowl. Like a raffle,
Channing would pick a piece of
paper, “telepathically” read the
questions, and answer them. After
that, he took off the blindfold.
"35 percent of what you
witnessed here today is
E.S.P, 35 percent is
showmanship, and the
rest is just dumb luck"
The finale was the most interesting. The audience was asked to
think of where they’d like to go for
vacation, who they would bring
with them, what time of year they
would go, and how much money
they’d spend. He then picked four
random students and asked each of
them one of the questions. When
he had an answer, he took from his
pocket an envelope with pre-show
“predictions.” Surprisingly, the predictions were the same as the audience members’ answers.
The event lasted about an hour,
and students really enjoyed the
show. His mix of comedy and
amazing tricks kept the attendees
attentive.
“35 percent of what you witnessed
here today is E.S.P., 35 percent is
showmanship, and the rest is dumb
luck, ” Channing said before he left
the stage. For more information
regarding Robert Channing, visit
http://www.robertchanning.com.
. . . continued from page 11
“[Ryan] was in my first band,
[and] I thought we had great
chemistry,” Theo says.
Although Ryan is just a freshman
at Bergen, his guitar skills definitely surpass that level. He’s able to
quickly learn riffs, catchy patterns
of notes often used as building
blocks for solos, and make his own
riffs over them.
Dave Pelli, at just 17-years-old, is
Black Star’s youngest member and
the band’s bassist from South
Hackensack. Dave and Theo also
knew each other from their days at
Paramus Catholic. Dave is a freshman majoring in History at
Rutgers-Newark.
“Dave’s really talented,” Theo
says as Ryan nods his head in
agreement. “He can just listen to
something and make a groove that
everyone will be into.”
The five-member band considers
their music to be part of the
rock/alternative/metal genre. In
fact, the musically political “Lust
for Love” single is the band’s
favorite song because “it sounds like
the song [they’d] be known for.”
Treavor finally arrives about half
an hour late, and the band quickly
rehearses in Ryan’s living room, then
packs up and heads for The
Dancing Goat. This is Black Star’s
second time performing at The
Dancing Goat. They’ve also been
seen at A’s Café (now Mama Fina)
in Bergenfield, Wawa Social Club in
North Bergen, and Broccoli Rabe
(yes, like the food) in Fairfield.
Black Star's fashion
sense is different from
other bands: It doesn't
collectively have one.
When we get to the café, it’s pretty damn late. There’s only a small
crowd left, but like troopers, Black
Star performs three songs: “The
Jam Song” (a written-on-the-spot
song reminiscent of both the Red
Hot Chili Peppers and Incubus),
“Ready Set Communism” (a skainspired number) and “Lust for
Love” (a “political love story”).
I notice Black Star’s fashion sense
is different from other bands: It
doesn’t collectively have one.
Everyone dresses in his own style,
demonstrating a strong sense of
individuality. From Etnies to black
ties, they mesh together into an
“it’s not about the image—it’s
about the music” look
The band has recently finished
recording a demo; however, they’re
still working on new songs. It’s too
early to tell when a complete
album will be coming out, but the
band’s shooting for summer 2008.
As I congratulate Black Star on
their show, I ask them what their
aspirations are for the band.
“You know when people listen to
a song, and they say, ‘Wow. That
song really touched me?’” Hugo
asks. “We want people to listen to
our music and be like, ‘What the
f*ck?! We don’t even know what’s
goin’ on, but we like it!’”
To read more about Black Star,
visit their MySpace page at
http://www.mysace.com/blackstarthegm.
Heavyweights
. . . continued from page 11
[has]
money,"
commented
Nathanael Carter, a Bergen
Community College student.
Two of 50 Cent’s first four singles dealt with talking about
money, Straight to the Bank, and I
Get Money. Amusement Park is not
too different from The Massacres’
Candy Shop. AYO Technology is
high on the charts, but not enough
to push album sales.
Meanwhile Kanye West has his
best creative album since his career
began with Graduation.
“Yeah, Graduation put Kanye to
the top; this album solidified him
the top five MCs in the game.”
said Brandon Baldwin, a Bergen
Community College student.
Graduation is the first album with
no skits. Tracks one thru 13 is a different sound and can relate to all
kinds of listeners. From Champion,
Kanye talks about his relationship
with his father, to Big Brother
which talks about his up and down
relationship with his idol Jay-Z.
The Music is not the only thing
that drove sales to 957,000 in one
week; it is also Kanye’s persona. He
appeared on a variety of shows
ranging from Jimmy Kimmel Live
to the Emmys.
Kanye is also on Jay-Z’s record
label, Roc-A-Fella Records and
Jay-Z is a savvy businessman. In
2006, Jay-Z was able to market
himself to about 600,000 units; it’s
not bad for Kanye to have someone like that driving his album.
Kanye West is truly a graduate of
hip-hop who has earned a doctorate in music.
THE TORCH
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007
PAGE 15
SPORTS
The Lives and Tales of the “Football Widow”
BY ELISA CERVONE
STAFF WRITER
NFL Replica Jersey: $79
Margaritas and Chips: $50
Girlfriend Enjoying Football:
Priceless
Admit it, gentlemen. With Labor
Day long over, women everywhere
have become football widows again.
Who is the football widow? Any
girlfriend, wife or lover who loses
her significant other to the television when NFL games are on the
air. This can cause a lot of trouble
in a relationship, as the man is
rarely willing to give up the game.
This makes for many lonely
Sundays, Mondays, and sometimes
even Tuesday night. However, if
you want to spend quality time
with your mate and still not miss a
single play of the game, sit down,
listen closely, and be sure to take
good notes.
It’s not that women don’t like football, it‘s rather that most women
have not learned the nuances of the
game. Holly Robinson, actress from
the 1980s series “21 Jump Street”
has written a woman’s guide to football. She has a keen insight for the
game since her husband, Rodney
Peete, is former pro-football QB.
This book attempts to explain the
“ins and outs” of football by a
woman, for a woman. It just may be
the perfect gift for your non-football
loving better half.
Another idea is to remind your
girlfriend or wife that a football
Sunday could also be “Party
Sunday.” The perfect time for them
to show off their “hostess with the
mostest” skills and throw that spectacular party she has always wanted
to give. The only added attraction
would be the NFL game on TV.
Women can even take turns throwing the “football party.” They can
compare notes, try out new recipes,
enjoy their friends and ask questions about the game all at once.
This way, your girlfriend, wife,
lover, or flavor of the week can
learn about the game in a group
instead of alone.
Now that NFL is marketing team
gear to fit women, your girlfriend
or wife can see how important all
of your jerseys, sweatshirts and tshirts are to you. Go ahead, surprise her with a gift. Teams matter
not when you decide what to purchase, but, from a woman’s point
of view, color and logo can make a
fashion statement. Before, ladies
had to wear jerseys and t-shirts
suited for men, but not any more.
Now the apparel is cut in a way
that flatters a female figure and
your girlfriend no longer needs to
look like a teenage boy.
You can also explain to your girlfriend or wife that out of the four
major sports (basketball, baseball,
football and hockey) football uni-
forms have the tightest and most
fitted pants. After all, girls look
too! So what do you say, ARE
YOU READY FOR SOME
FOOTBALL...alongside
that
lady-friend of yours?
PHOTO COURTESY/WWWTHINKANDASK.COM
She just can't wait until the day after Super Bowl Sunday
Bergen vs. Vikings: Women's Soccer Back in Season
BY NICOLE JANUARIE
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
It’s the start of a new semester, and
sports are back on the charts
forBergen Community College’s
women’s soccer team. The team has
been busy showing endurance and
stamina, opposing other local colleges, showing up in rain or shine.
This weekend they were challenged
by the Vikings, a team ranked 4th in
the nation.
Even though the girls felt a little
intimidated, they held their own try-
to break through their
barrier, and they had
the score board at 4 to
0 after the first half. It
was a long and trying
first half, but even
after balls to the face
(ouch!) the girls kept
their spirits up and
continued on.
As the whistle blew
for the second half, the
Women’s Soccer Team with Coach Gazwan Ihssan
team seemed to have
ing to keep the Vikings at bay. swallowed some medieval pills and
Unfortunately, the Vikings managed jousted their way into the Vikings
Job Offer
domain, playing a stronger offensive
game than before. To all our dismay,
the Vikings seemed to have taken the
same medication and attacked full
force scoring another two goals in the
second half. The game ended with a
score of 6 to 0 in the visitors favor.
The team usually practices weekdays, Monday through Friday, from
5 p.m. on. It currently has a score
record of 2 wins and 2 losses. Even
though Bergen was dealt a short
hand due to the absence of their long
term goal-keeper (she’s suffering
injuries from a broken nose), they
adjusted well to their substitute
goalie in a short amount of time.
Being new in the box, she did an
amazing job discouraging the
Vikings. (Do we have the name of
the goalie?)
Coach commented that the girls
should work harder on playing
offense, and he’ll be engraving that
into them. The girls did perform to
the best of their abilities, he said.
This is but one loss amongst many
victories to come since Bergen’s
woman’s soccer team is a good team
in general, Coach mentioned.
Big Blue Wrecking Crew is Back
BY ELISA CERVONE
STAFF WRITER
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children ranging from 16yrs to 3yrs available to
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Spurred by the Linebacker quartet’s presence
known as the “Crunch Bunch” and a raucous sellout crowd, the New York Giants’s defense flashed
back to its glory years. The defensive starters were
introduced to the sellout crowd, and they did not
disappoint. In fact, they fulfilled both their own
and their fan’s wildest expectations.
The Giants’s defense gave up 97 points in the
first 10 quarters played this season: 45 points
were given up to the Cowboys, 35 points were
given up to the Packers, and 17 points were
given up to the Redskins. However, from the
start of the third quarter last week in Washington
to the game’s finish on the evening of Sunday,
October 21, “Big Blue” gave up a mere three
points. An awesome second half in the nation’s
capital, highlighted by a game-saving 3-play goal
line standing from inside the three yard line, carried over to the Eagle game Sunday night.
With former star linebackers Brian Kelly, Brad
van Pelt, Harry Carson and Lawrence Taylor
serving as Honorary Captains, the new group of
Giants took over in a big way. It took them the
first two games of the season, but the team is
finally looking very comfortable in new defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s “pressure” system. His unit had but four sacks in the first three
games, but it exploded against the Eagles and
quarterback Donovan McNabb in record style.
Actually, three records were reached during the
8:20 p.m. game on September 30. First, defensive
end Michael Strahan broke the New York Giants’s
record for most sacks in a career. His 133 and ?
sacks now stand one sack over Lawrence Taylor’s
(LT) former record of 132 and ?. Although, it may
be fair to say that since Taylor’s 9? sacks in his rookie year of 1981 were not registered because the
NFL did not recognize sacks as a defensive statistic, Strahan is still 8? behind the Hall of Famer.
Second, the Giants tied the NFL record for most
sacks in a game, and third, defensive end Osi
Umenyiora registered six of those 12 sacks. With
those six, he broke the Giants’s record of 4? sacks
by Pepper Johnson against the Tampa Bay
Buccaneers and fell just one sack short of the late
Derrick Thomas’s record of seven-in-one game.
Eli Manning, Giants QB, rears back for a
pass attempt.The Giants are now 6-2.
The first quarter was scoreless, as Lawrence
Tynes missed a 34-yard field goal wide right. In
the second quarter, the Giants lit up the scoreboard on a 9-yard scoring pass from Eli Manning
to Plaxico Burress over two defenders deep in the
corner of the end zone. Tynes was able to connect on a 29-yard field goal, but Philadelphia’s
David Akers missed on his attempt from 42
yards away wide left. The Giants then scored on
a rather fluky play, when McNabb and running
back Correll Buckhalter fumbled a hand-off and
Giants line backer Kawika Mitchell fell on the
ball. He was never touched by an Eagle, and he
got up and ran the ball in from 17 yards out for
his first touch down of the season. Tynes missed
the extra point, and the score was
16-0 at that point. The Eagles scored its only
points on a fifty-three yard field goal by Akers at
the 12:51 mark of the fourth quarter.
The Eagles mounted one more drive and actually scored a touchdown, but McNabb crossed
the line of scrimmage before he threw the ball.
This was flagged by the referees, and on the very
next play, the Eagles quarter back was sacked
again by Umenyiora. This ended the game as Eli
ran out the clock by taking a knee twice.
After four games, the Giants look like two different teams. For the first two they looked
pathetic defensively-speaking, but in the last
two, they looked like the Big Blue Wrecking
Crew of old.
THE TORCH
PAGE 16
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2007
Torch Sports Top 10: Influential Leaders
Athelete
SPOTLIGHT
Chris Creer
BY DANIEL LAFASO
SPORTS EDITOR
Alright sports fans, it’s time for
the newest installment of Torch
Sports Top 10. Each new issue of
The Torch will consist of 10 new
things related to sports that will be
put in order from 10 to 1 in a way
that we feel is appropriate. So be
sure to check out The Torch at
www.Myspace.com/bcctorchnewspaper, and feel free to give feedback. Let us know which top 10s
you want to see.
For this issue: the top 10 most
influential sports athletes, coaches
and owners of all time!
10. Curt Flood- Any big-time
free agent your favorite MLB team
has ever signed would never have
been possible, were it not for Curt
Flood and his challenging of Major
League Baseball’s “reserve clause”
in 1970. After learning of his trade
to the Philadelphia Phillies, Flood
refused to report to his new team,
and even went as far as to call the
reserve clause “slavery.” His lawsuit
against Commissioner Bowie
Kuhn and Major League Baseball
headed all the way to the Supreme
Court. Flood lost the suit to a 5-3
majority who voted in favor of the
commissioner and the league.
Flood had a terrific career on the
field, yet his most important contribution made to the game of
baseball was his highly controversial moral stand.
9. Lamar Hunt- Ever watched a
Super Bowl and wondered to
yourself just where the name of the
most watched sporting event, year
after year, came from? Lamar
Hunt, that’s where! Hunt founded
the American Football League,
rival to the National Football
League for many years, in 1960.
Forming his own franchise, the
Dallas Texans, who later became
the Kansas City Chiefs, the same
year, Hunt built a league that was
considered second-rate in the eyes
of the rival NFL. However, when
the Chiefs won the AFL championship in 1966, they earned the
right to play the powerhouse
Green Bay Packers of the NFL. For
weeks and weeks the game was to
be known as the NFL/AFL
Championship game. One day,
while his daughter bounced a
“super ball” against the wall,
Hunt’s muse struck him, and he
coined the name “Super Bowl,”
the most recognized championship
game in the world of sports.
8. Bill Walsh- As the prolific
inventor of the west coast offense,
Bill Walsh coached Stanford
University for two seasons before
moving on to the NFL. Walsh’s
San Francisco 49ers were a bottom-dwelling franchise whose
hard times were the talk of the
league. Drafting pivotal NFL stars
such as Joe Montana, Jerry Rice,
Ronny Lott and Charles Haley,
Walsh’s genius has yet to be surpassed. Super Bowl victories in
1981, 1984 and 1988 cemented
his legacy as a mastermind in the
game of football and, no doubt,
helped his induction into the NFL
Hall of Fame in 1993.
7. Patrick Roy- Pronounced
WAH, Patrick Roy is widely
regarded as the single greatest
goalie in NHL history. Born in
Sainte Foy, Quebec in October
1965, Roy was drafted in 1984 by
the Montreal Canadians. Patrick
was picked number 51 overall, and
played with Montreal from 1985
to 1995. In the 1993 playoffs
many Canadian writers suggested
that Roy be traded due to his
team’s 0-2 series deficit to the
Quebec Nordiques. Roy responded to this criticism by playing as
stellar as any goaltender can, winning 11 straight games and leading
Montreal to the Stanley Cup. Roy
later played for the Colorado
Avalanche after being traded by
Montreal in a deal that Canadians
fans still shake their heads at.
Colorado won the Stanley Cup in
2001, with Roy leading the charge.
Roy holds the record for just about
every category, including most
wins, most playoff games played
and most minutes by position.
6. Nolan Ryan- Boy, do Mets
fans hate seeing this name! Nolan
Ryan played a record 27 seasons in
Major League Baseball, and threw
a miraculous 7 no-hitters. His
5,714 strikeouts remain the most
in MLB history to date.
Remarkably, Ryan also threw
2,795 walks. Many a modern day
pitcher, from Roger Clemens to
Jonathan Papelbon, reveres and
idolizes Nolan Ryan. Ryan pitched
for the New York Mets, Texas
Rangers, California Angels and
Houston Astros. Ryan’s only World
Series appearance was in 1969 with
the Mets. He was inducted into the
MLB Hall of Fame in his first year
of eligibility, 1999.
5. Bobby Orr- Prior to Orr’s
tenure in the NHL, no defensemen
even bothered going past their own
blue line. Orr did more than just
that by joining -and even leadingmany an odd-man rush, sometimes
skating from his own end of the ice
to the other and back again, all
with the puck in his possession.
Orr was signed to a professional
contract at the age of 12 (that’s
right, 12!) by the Boston Bruins.
Orr’s impact on hockey is still felt
to this day, and anyone who has
seen the famous photograph of
“the goal” from the 1970 Stanley
Cup finals knows exactly why.
Bobby Orr may have been plagued
by knee problems throughout his
NHL career, but his defensive and
offensive records are still the stuff
legends are made of. Orr holds the
record at 139 for most points in a
season by a defenseman; most
assists by a defenseman with 102;
and also highest plus/minus by a
defenseman at +124.
4. Vince Lombardi- Coach
Lombardi’s prowess in the world of
football has yet to be matched by
any head coach to this day. The
Green Bay Packers were the most
prolific powerhouse in all of football
during Lombardi’s reign as coach,
and Lombardi’s book, “Run to
Daylight” is widely read by anyone
and everyone associated with coaching football. Lombardi began his
coaching career with the New York
Giants as their offensive coordinator, turning them from an anemic
cellar dweller to a squad of championship winners. The “power sweep”
offensive play that Lombardi created was as unstoppable as any in the
game, even today, and was the backbone of his many championship
winning teams. Every season, The
Super Bowl champion team is
awarded a silver trophy bearing the
name “The Lombardi Trophy.”
3. Bill Russell- Boston Celtics
basketball was at its pinnacle during
Russell’s career with the team, winning eleven championships while
Russell was their center. Never
before had a shot blocker, passer,
shooter, and all around talent like
Russell been seen on a basketball
court. Red Auerbach coached
Russell during his amazing tenure
with the Celtics, and allowed
Russell to succeed him as coach of
the Boston Celtics, making Bill
Russell the first African-American
coach in U.S. history. Russell won
five MVP awards, and was named
the Professional Basketball Writer’s
Association of America’s “greatest
player in the history of the NBA.”
2. Wayne Gretzky- He’s not
known as the Great One for nothing. Wayne Gretzky was told time
and time again by NHL scouts
that he was too small for pro hockey. Gretzky got his start in the
World Hockey Association with
the Indianapolis Racers at age 17
due to the fact that the NHL has a
strict policy against signing players
younger than 18. The WHA was a
flat out joke, and Gretzky was later
sold to the Edmonton Oilers who
moved to the NHL in 1979. Tying
Marcel Dionne his first year in the
league with 137 points, Wayne
quickly proved all his critics
wrong. He followed this with a
164-point second season, and
became the youngest 50 goal scorer in NHL history. 50 goals in 50
games was a record few thought
would ever be broken, until
Gretzky did just that in 1981. He
ended that season with a still
remaining record of 92 goals, 120
assists and 212 points, and get
this: He missed two games!
Edmonton won five Stanley Cups
in seven years with Gretzky at the
helm. Wayne Gretzky will forever
be known as one of the greatest
athletes of all time, whose career of
2,857 points, 894 goals and
countless unbreakable records
earned him the right to be appropriately titled, The Great One.
1. Jackie Robinson- In 1947,
Brooklyn Dodgers GM Branch
Rickey took a chance on a shortstop from the Kansas City
Monarchs who showed nothing but
Major League-ready talent. That
shortstop would go on to break
Major League Baseball’s 80-year
racial divide. That man was Jackie
Robinson. Robinson made his
Major League Baseball debut on
April 15, 1947, in front of a crowd
who both respected and outright
hated him. Countless death threats
were sent to Robinson, and racial
slurs and names were thrown at
him from all sides. When Robinson
asked Branch Rickey if he wanted
someone “afraid to fight back,”
Rickey replied, “I want a man with
the guts to not fight back.”
Robinson contributed not only to
baseball, but to his country, serving
in the military from 1942 to 1944
as a second lieutenant in the U.S.
Army. No words can sum up the
courage and unflinching resolve
Jackie Robinson showed by stepping onto the field that fateful April
afternoon in the late 40s. That
resolve and unbreakable spirit is the
reason why Jackie Robinson is our
number one most influential athlete of all time.
Well, there you have it, folks.
Another Top 10 come and gone.
We hope you enjoyed it as much as
we enjoyed writing and debating
it. Again, we welcome your
responses and comments at
http://www.myspace.com/bcctorchnewspaper, thank you for
reading.
PHOTO CREDIIT/JILL BARTLETT
BY PAUL IBANEZ
STAFF WRITER
Chris Creer, the new captain of
the Bergen Bulldogs basketball
team, attains high scores both on
the court and in class.
“School comes easy for me; [it’s]
not something tough. I was
always able to balance both,” says
22-year-old Creer.
Creer not only has new goals for
the basketball team, but he also has
big goals for his academics. Chris
plans to earn a bachelors degree in
Business so later he can pursue a
career in sports management.
Creer has already been accepted
to the New Brunswick Campus of
Rutgers University for the fall
2008 semester.
On the basketball court, he is
accepting a demanding leadership
role.
“I am the captain. I am going to
take the responsibility of being a
captain. If anything goes wrong, I
am going to address it, make sure
the team is on the same page, and
not have the same problems we
did last year,” Creer affirms.
Creer said he is keeping this year’s
team in check and disciplined. Last
year the team had many problems.
The students that were playing for
the team did not perform when it
came to academics, and the ego of
most of these players was the
demise of the team. After last year’s
8-20 record, he has big predictions
for this season.
“I expected [a] way better [record]
than last year,” he said. “We had a
lot of arguments, [but I] hope that’s
out the window this year. 20 plus
this season,” Creer says.
Creer is trying to bring Bergen
back to the Jay Pettiford era, during the 2005-2006 when the
Bergen Bulldogs was the highest
scoring team in the country,
according to the National Junior
College Athletic Association.
As an athlete-scholar, he did not
know if he could have a lifestyle
that involves school and basketball, as opposed to one with a 9 to
5 job and no college degree. It
took Creer two years to return to
school; Chris coming out of
Hackensack High School did not
think college was for him. He is
getting through it with a great
deal of motivation that comes
from his family and friends. (In
fact, that motivation that helped
him win scholarships on FastWeb
to help financially support his college education.) Chris Creer dealt
with adversity, which he takes
these challenges from school and
on the basketball court very seriously. With the strength he gained
from life experiences he is able to
excel on the basketball court as
well as his academics.