to The New Code of Conduct

Transcription

“Truth No Matter The
Cost”
The Torch
BERGEN COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENT NEWSPAPER
IGNITING STUDENTS TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE
VOLUME 23 . . . No. 2
TORCHBCC.COM
OCTOBER 2014
The BCCFA Says “No!” to The New
Code of Conduct
BLAIR DELONG
news editor
Amidst controversy and the
urgings of employees, including
new Alumni Trustee Victoria
Tahhan, the revised BCC
Employee Code of Conduct
was voted into existence by the
Board of Trustees during their
September meeting.
During the waning
months of last semester, the
Board of Trustees had introduced
an Employee Code of Conduct
that was seen by many of the
staff as vague and too obtuse
in its interpretation. The Board
of Trustees, under the request
of several faculty members to
rework the new Code to better
serve all those covered under it,
tabled the code reworked it to
better fit what faculty members
would see as more far and the
wording not so vague.
The new Code of Conduct
,however, is under just as
much fire as the old iteration.
Questions were raised yet again.
Associate Professor of Physics
Joseph Sivo questioned a line of
the Code that read, “This code
also applies to members of the
College community, whose host
may be held accountable for
the misconduct of their guests.”
Sivo, who volunteers at the
Emil Beuhler Perpetual Trust
Observatory, questioned the
vague nature of “may be” as he
felt he could be held responsible
for a visitor to the Observatory.
He was answered by Board Of
Trustees Chairman E. Carter
Corriston saying, “...MAY be held
responsible, this doesn’t mean
you will be held responsible.”
Vice President of Academic
Affairs, Dr. William Mullaney
responded to the new Code by
saying, “Based on my review
of the Employee Code of
Conduct, it seems in keeping
with similar documents of this
type from around the country.
The revised Code was the result
of collaboration among the
employee groups and seems
better for it.”
The subject is still being hotly
contested though, as Associate
Professor of Chemistry Brant
Chapman said, “I find it ironic
that the Board began its meeting
with the Pledge of Allegiance,
followed by the swearing in of a
new Board member, who swore
to “uphold the Constitution of
the United States. After all those
formalities, they proceeded to
pass a document that tramples
those rights of the employees of
the college. One can only assume
that they have been reading
their Orwell: ’All animals are
equal, but some more equal than
others.’.” He continued by saying,
“If you want a picture of the
future…”
While faculty have been the
most vocal on the new Code,
several other employees of
BCC have voiced their opinion
as well. A source close to the
administration, who agreed to
comment on the Code under the
promise of anonymity for fear of
retaliation, said, “The wording,
while vague, seems like it will
take certain groups collective
voices away.”
The Faculty, though, had other
plans in mind. In a recent Bergen
Community College Faculty
Association meeting, the faculty
union agreed not to sign the new
Code and the new Code itself
will only cause more strife within
an environment that many have
described as toxic and chaotic.
Dr. Alan Kaufman and E. Carter Corriston
Board of Trustees Meet for First Time This
Semester
Illustration by Ricardo Montero
BLAIR DELONG
news editor
The Board of Trustees of Bergen
Community College started with a few
important changes to employee life on
campus. The revised Employee Code
of Conduct was voted on as well as the
reorganization of the college’s many
academic departments into a more
condensed structure. Amidst controversy
there was a cloud of sadness hanging over
the meeting. Vice Chairman Cid Wilson
unfortunately attended his last meeting
as Vice Chairman; he is moving onto
greener pastures in Washington DC to
take up the positions of President & CEO
of the Hispanic Association on Corporate
Responsibility.
Amongst this, there was even
more good news to spread. In BCC
President B. Kaye Walters’ report, she
said, “... we have moved into the number
one slot in New Jersey for Associate
degree institutions.” While BCC is now
top of the list, President Walter continued
to say BCC was rated 48th, but has moved
up to 27th nationally in graduation rates.
A new member of the BOT
spoke as well, Victoria Tahhan, a recent
graduate of BCC and Alumni Trustee,
expressing her happiness from working
with the Board of Trustees. Tahhan also
reminded all those assembled at the
meeting that Oct 9, 2014 the BCC Alumni
Dinner will be taking place. While she
did express her sadness over former Vice
Chairman Wilson leaving, she spoke of
her happiness on his new position and
wished him luck in his future endeavors.
The new President of the Student
Government Association, Laura Hoyos,
took to the mic next and spoke of how
excited she was about recruiting for Student
Senate and helping students, new and old.
She said, “... I look forward to presenting
new ideas to the administration,” also
adding, “We will work strongly for voter
registration with help from the various
clubs on campus.”
A big point on the meeting’s
agenda was the revised Employee Code of
Conduct. Associate Professor of Physics,
Joseph Sivo, was first to speak on the
matter. Sivo recommended removing
the Code and reconsider it due to the
vagueness of its wording. Professor Sivo
said to the Board that they should get
more input from the faculty before voting
on the code.
Faculty weren’t the only members
of the audience to voice their concern
over the Code however, Alumni Trustee
Tahhan spoke against voting on it as well.
Tahhan said, “I’m not just a figurehead, I
do agree the Code of Conduct is vague.”
She also asked, “Where does this land
in the collective bargaining agreement?”
in which BCC’s lawyer John Schepisi
answered, “It is non-negotiable since
wages aren’t changed.”
As the meeting came to a close,
the Code of Conduct was voted on by
the Board and passed, with only one
vote being against it, Trustee Tahhan.
Chairman Corriston commented on this,
assuming there was a unanimous vote
saying, “In two years I’ve gotten used to
everyone agreeing.”
2
News
THE TORCH
VOLUME 23 ISSUE 2 | OCTOBER 2014
Why Are the Departments
Restructuring? No One Knows.
FELLIX LYU
online editor
Last year, the Board of Trustees proposed that every academic department be
reorganized. The topics that were held in the September Board of Trustees meeting
made it clear that this proposal would be a consolidation of departments.
Vice President of Affairs William Mullaney suggested that the school restructure
its whole programming during a meeting for the academic chairs that was held last
year. Mullaney handed out data sheets showing that the academic structure was
obviously not in an organized fashion. Dr. Mullaney and the Academic heads handled
the decision by voting for a reorganization. However, when questioned about the reorganization, an answer would never fully be given. Professor Gregg Biermann, a
faculty member who raised the question as to why there is a reorganization, said,
“When questioned, [Dr.Mullaney] could not explain what the academic reasons for
the reorganization were -- only that the Board of Trustees charged him with carrying
it out.” When Biermann repeatedly requested for an actual answer, he was either
shrugged off, or given a typical answer about an unknown “goal” for the school.
Biermann said, “I even asked President Walter at a Faculty Senate meeting if
she could explain why the reorganization was necessary and she again referred to
the will of the Board of Trustees. I told her that her response was only about power
but it lacked a substantial academic basis.” Biermann continued by saying, “I told
them (The Board of Trustees) that the reason for the vote of no confidence in Walter
was that faculty felt they no longer had meaningful input into college decisions. The
Board responded by giving President Walter a raise and extended her contract over
the objections of the faculty.”
Dr. Mullaney commented on the reorganization: “The academic reorganization
was the result of a year researching comparable colleges, as well as considerable
feedback from the BCC faculty through open faculty forums, the Faculty Senate
and the current department chair organization. The new structure is designed to
serve students better by providing fewer and more cohesive departments that are
easier for them to navigate. In addition, as part of the reorganization, the department
chair job description was revised so as to focus more directly on helping students to
succeed in their academic programs.” The open faculty forums were held four times
in February.
President Kaye Walter said on the matter, “The new One Stop Shop came out of
this review, as did the re-organization of the academic departments. Dr. Mullaney
and Dr. Gonzalez-DeJesus, along with staff and consultants, held numerous focus
groups to gain input from all stakeholders in these processes.”
Professor Alan Kaufman of the Senate said,
“The faculty administration believes that there
should have been a reorganization committee,
however there wasn’t. The previous reorganizations,
there was always a committee and I was a part of
them” Professor Kaufman said, “The entire faculty
met in a Faculty Association and passed the motion,
rejecting the re-organization.”
Many of the departments are now in a similar
situation where they are forced to merge with other
departments. The coalescence of these divisions
have now become too large to manage under one
person. Visual Arts, Philosophy and Religion, and
History and Geography are now a department
under Humanities, none of which having anything
to do with the prior. Professors were outraged when
they heard the news because it was too late to fight
back. The reorganization is expected to be effective
around January 1, 2015.
Running for Office: Bergen County Executive 2014
DEVIN MERCADO
staff writer
Bergen County has a population of over 900,000 people. And out of these people,
one person will be responsible for leading the executive branch of government in the
county. This individual will have the power to formulate all county policy, remove
and apply county positions, develop a budget and approve or veto proposed laws,
ordinances and resolutions. They must also overlook services of the county such as:
criminal justice, social services, health services, business and economic development,
natural disaster assistance and many other county-related needs.
In New Jersey, a county executive is elected every four years. On November 4th,
2014, Bergen County will elect a County Executive between two candidates. One is
the Democratic ex-mayor of Paramus, James Tedesco. On the other side of the coin is
a Republican, the current County Executive, Kathleen Donovan. Both candidates have
extensive history with the county and are extremely qualified for the position.
James Tedesco served as mayor of the town of Paramus from 2003 until 2010. He
served as an instructor at Bergen County Technical school’s HAZ-MAT section, has
been a volunteer firefighter in Paramus for over 35 years and has been selected to be
Chief of the Department twice. He has also served as a Paramus councilman from
2000 to 2002 and as a member of the Board of Directors for the Red Cross of Northern
New Jersey for two years. He is currently a freeholder for Bergen County.
Kathleen Donovan has previously served as County Clerk for four terms and has
run for County Executive twice, winning once. She is the first woman to become
County Executive in Bergen County. She was a public defender in her hometown
of Lyndhurst, New Jersey for five years, served as a member of the Environmental
Quality Committee and, in 1994, was appointed Chairwoman of the Port Authority by
Governor Christine Whitman.
Both candidates have education as central components in their campaigns. On
September 17th, 2014, James Tedesco spoke about an education plan at Eastwick
College. The proposals included: a free tutoring program for low-income elementary
students, programs for students with disabilities who have turned 21 to revoke their
eligibility for local school services due to their age, improvement of county bus
transportation, and free train passes for college students. According to http://www.
co.bergen.nj.us/, Kathleen Donovan has, as County Clerk, brought in $1 billion in
revenue by creating government efficiency. She has proposed increasing the county’s
contribution to Bergen Community College by an additional $800,000 to the 2014
budget.
Tedesco supports the proposal of a merger between the Bergen County Police
Department and the office of Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino, which is
believed to save the county between $90 and $200 million. The differences between
the two candidates are exponential. In the ever-changing world of politics, it can be
difficult for someone who is not “in the loop” to follow along with each candidate’s
ideas and ideals. Although it is a nuisance, it is imperative that the student body
becomes more involved in the government and the governing of the places we live, go
to school and work, or face being forgotten by it.
County Executive Candidate James Tedesco and incumbent
JOIN THE TORCH
Meetings every Tues., 12:30 p.m., SC-111C-D
DO NOT FORGET TO VOTE
BCC Receives
$15 Million Grant
from DC
pg. 6
3
The Only Time
the Red Zone is a
Bad Place to Be
pg. 8
NEWS
The Torch
Protecting The Student Body, One
Camera At A Time
NOMI EIJKENAAR
editor-in-chief
Due to security reasons, Bergen Community College is
receiving a new parking lot surveillance system thanks to a
$157,000 grant awarded by The Department of Homeland Security
and a bid that was taken from Integrated Systems and Services
Inc. in the amount of $132,000; totalling $289,000. The bidding
process took a few months to approve the installation of this new
system and will take a few months to begin the installation of the
system.
The system is wireless and will be located in all locations of
all parking lots around campus. According to Lieutenant of Public
Safety Ed Zingg, via e-mail, said, “ For security reasons, we do
not divulge how the system works or location of the cameras.”
Zingg said, the cameras will be checked constantly.
After asking if there was a specific reason to adding this sytem
to our campus Zingg’s response was that they are simply put in
for security reasons. Zingg said, “It is for monitoring all areas.
If an incident has to be investigated, we can review through our
recording system.”
Zingg said the new system was not in response to a report
last January, later found to be false, of armed people on campus.
“Just trying to be as safe as possible on campus,” he said.
Coming into play in the next couple of months, these
cameras will begin to work and observe the areas of all parking
lots around the Paramus Bergen Community College campus.
Hopefully the new addition of cameras and the larger amount of
Public Safety members around campus will keep our campus a
calm and welcoming environment.
Courtesy of MCTcampus
“On a day just like today...”
JESSICA RODRIGUEZ
features editor
To think that until 13 years ago September 11th was just an average day like any
other is mind boggling. Now, that day is ingrained in all Americans of all ages. It is a
day that will never be forgotten and will always be felt as strongly as that first year in
2001. On September 11, 2014, Bergen Community College held a memorial ceremony
in remembrance. The ceremony took place in the Student Center and was held by the
Center for Peace, Justice, and Reconciliation and also by the Office of Student Life.
The first speaker was Dr. Naydeen Gonzalez DeJesus, Vice President of
Student Affairs. Dr. Gonzalez De-Jesus spoke about forgiveness and how she chose
to remember 9/11. She said, “I choose to honor those who are still alive and through
their courage have taught us to forgive.”; an important statement since there are many
survivors who have had to live on without family members and friends who passed the
same day that they survived. These are survivors who didn’t just watch these terrible
acts on TV, but were right there in the midst of it all. Dr. Gonzalez De-Jesus made it a
point to remember them as well.
The second speaker was Professor Thomas LaPointe who is the Co-Director
of the Center for Peace, Justice, and Reconciliation. Professor LaPointe spoke about
his experience on September 11th. He explained how he had seen the towers on fire
and then crumbled within minutes right before his eyes. He told the audience how he
thought it was such a shame because those towers were so beautiful. He hadn’t realized
the countless lives that were just lost in that moment. As he spoke about the rest of
the day he kept going back to the idea that it was a very hard concept to grasp. He
expressed how surreal it was to think that in an instance so many lives were lost, that
two planes had hit the Twin Towers, it was incredibly difficult to realize the magnitude
of the situation. Professor LaPointe also explained how 9/11 has left a gap. He said,
“We are all still stuck in the gap, we exist here for the purpose to remember the fallen
and survivors.”
Dean of Student Life and Judicial Affairs Nestor Melendez closed the ceremony
with some short but powerful final words. He said, “We are where we are today thanks
to the brave men and women.” His last statement was, “remember and appreciate the
gift we’ve been given.”
The Torch was able to get a word with Professor LaPoint after the ceremony.
When asked what has stuck with him the most about September 11th, he responded
with a moving statement. He explained how 9/11 is difficult to think about, explain and
understand; it’s something that’s very hard to grasp. He said, “September is a month, 11
is a day. It’s a time. That tells us that there’s a before and an after. That means there was
a break; time has broken. All we can do is remember and relive it, we’re stuck doing it
over and over again. All we can do to honor those who passed and who have suffered
is to remember them and September 11th for them.”
9/11 Rememberance at the Student Center
Tania Boghossian//The Torch
4
News
THE TORCH
Russia - The Phantom Menace
GRZEGORZ KOCIUBINSKI
staff writer
Turmoil continues since protesters brought down pro-Moscow President Viktor
Yanukovych nearly seven months ago, and Russia is now hinting towards closing
airspace over Ukraine
Even since Yanukovych stepped down, the fighting has continued. Almost a
month ago, Russia attempted to send assistance to the region and the afflicted areas,
as well as sending a convoy of trucks to the border under the disguise of humanitarian
aid. The Kiev government refused to let the supplies in, under the belief that the convoy
of 280 trucks were actually a hidden attempt to smuggle supplies into Ukraine for the
separatists. According to The Guardian, the trucks were hastily-repainted military
vehicles. Along with that, there was a video on YouTube showing soldiers standing next
to the convoy with a missile launcher parked across the road; the video later disappeared.
Along with all these subtle coincidences, Russia did not benefit credibility due to a photo
tweeted by a Russian journalist moving along with the convoy, which placed the position
of the convoy in the Rostov region of Ukraine. If the convoy had entered Ukraine from
that region of the border, tensions would have most likely been inflamed, as the rebelcontrolled border crossings lie between the Rostov and a neighboring region.
On Friday, August 22nd, just under a third of the trucks entered Ukraine territory
without “clearance or participation of the International Red Cross,” or agreement of the
Ukrainian government. State Security Chief Valentyn Nalivaychenko responded to the
entrance with, “We consider this a direct invasion by Russia of Ukraine.” Russia gave its
own statement on the entry, saying that it was tired of waiting on Ukraine for allowing
humanitarian aid to enter, which had been long stalled due to the violence. Ukrainian
officials later announced, “Ukraine will liaise with the International Committee of the
Red Cross so that we, Ukraine, are not involved in [accusations of] provocations that
we have been holding up or using force against the vehicles of so-called aid.” While
keeping a cease-fire on the convoy, Ukraine made no mention of stopping fire against
any rebels.
In response to Russia’s consistent meddling, more sanctions have been imposed
on Russia on top of what had already been put before, for the annexation of Crimea by
the Russian Federation, where 16 individuals were sanctioned as well as Bank Rossiya.
On April 28, the US banned seven Russian officials, as well as 17 corporations, from
doing business transactions on US territory. The European Union (EU) supported the
move by doing the same with 15 more officials. Since then, up to September 11, 2014,
seven countries including the US, Japan, and Canada, have either imposed their own
limitations on Russia, amended their sanctions to match the European Union’s, or have
stated that they intend to impose tougher sanctions.
On September 8th, 2014, the EU unveiled new sanctions directed towards
the energy and defence sections of Russia, hoping to prevent funds being raised for a
period of longer than 30 days. In return, Russia finally bared its teeth. While already
on extremely precipitous footing, Russia threatened to close its territory from foreign
flights. Dmitry Medvedev, Prime Minister of Russia, claimed that such a ban would
bankrupt many airlines, stating, “But this is a bad story. I just want our partners to
understand this point.” Forgetting Russia’s near-solitude, Medvedev stated that Russia
has and is sticking to their long-term plans, having high hopes for integration to the
global economy and turning Moscow into an ‘international financial center’. “Sanctions
will pass, there will be no trace of them after a while, but the task of creating the
international financial center remains in place ” says Medvedev. Medvedev forgets that
to create something, one requires tools and supplies. As of current time, Russia does not
have much of both.
Courtesy of MCTcampus.com
Dangers Of Journalism Abroad
Ryan Boyette works with Yassin Hassen in an interview with a rebel in Sudan’s Nuba Mountains. Boyette
started the Nuba Reports website in 2011 and recruited Hassen to join as a citizen journalist.
JOSEPH CIRILO
staff writer
When it comes to breaking down the most dangerous jobs in the world, few would
tell you there comes a hefty risk in being a reporter. Most of the job may be done
in climate controlled offices painted by the cold blue light of an LED-lit monitor,
cracking away at countless hours of research and fact-checking, but the backbone
of the operation comes from the men and women in the field deriving the critical
information we use to construct objective opinion and outlook on the world.
Across the border in Mexico, journalists face the siege from both organized
crime and abusive government authorities. El Sur newspaper in Acapulco was one
such news outlet that had to implement various precautions in order to deal with the
threats they receive on a daily basis, especially as the National Army and Marine
Corps continues its fight against drug cartels. Protecting their staffing is an important,
though almost fruitless cause.
While objective reporting bleeds the kind of information needed to create a
more informed public, the risk you undertake in doing so is staggering, and the results
aren’t always well received. Ultimately, journalism is one of the rare career choices
in which no one will thank you for if you do right, but will raise hell when you do it
wrong.
Syria in particular has become realized as one of the most dangerous places
in the world for members of the media, underscored by the recent executions of
James Foley and Steven Sotloff. The Wall Street Journal reported that several dozens
of reporters have been kidnapped in recent years and as many as 20 are currently
still being held overseas. The Committee to Protect Journalists says these facts are
unprecedented.
The reason we don’t hear about it is because we observe a media blackout,
largely refraining from publishing information about such abductions to avoid
disrupting negotiations to free the captives. Keeping information from the public at
large is said to be the best approach as anything else could put lives at risk, but as
the public might well imagine, being kept in the dark also strains the credulity of a
trustworthy relationship, even if the measure is to protect the people who are trying to
bring the truth of the world to them.
Soldiers have almost always been accompanied by reporters, dating back
to the early 20th century when news journalists and photographers were largely
censored about which materials they were allowed to publicize. Information deemed
too “sensitive” for public consumption may still linger in the edges in between what we
know of reporting during war time, and what was only seen by the people who were
there.
But for the reporters riding along with military units to record the events,
bond with the real men and women on the front lines fighting, there is still a large
degree of danger they must contend with, regardless of how much of it the public is
aware of.
Although body armor is normally issued with bold white letters reading
“MEDIA” across the chest, it hasn’t stopped the death of many good reporters who
were caught up in the right place at the wrong time before. As much as we try to look
toward a future in which we can protect those brave few storytellers who go to dig
deeper and bring back the truth so that their community, and by extension, the global
community, may be informed, the deadly nature of this job is not likely to change.
OCTOBER 2014 | VOLUME 24 ISSUE 1
TORCHBCC.COM
News
5
GRZEGORZ KOCIUBINSKI
staff writer
When someone is denied the option to do something,
one considers their right in this society, the usual
result is a grueling ordeal in the judicial system. Going
through the court system usually involves a lot of money,
mudslinging, and more likely than not ends up turning
into a public circus. Change is not always guaranteed.
A human rights complaint was filed by transgendered
student Tracey Wilson last winter when she requested
permission to wear a female uniform and have access
to female bathrooms in her Catholic school, located in
Vancouver, Canada, and was told “no.” At the time of the
lawsuit, Doug Lauson, superintendent of the Independent
Catholic School Board of Vancouver said, “The position
of the Catholic church is that… you live your life in the
sex that God gave you.”
To the Wilson family, the issue was
personal. Lauson continued to say that the point of a
Catholic school is to follow and support the Catholic
doctrine and that, while researchers have attempted
to find out more on the medical side of transgendered
youth, they have not been led to any definite, concrete
conclusions. The data collected by researchers proved
to be a double-edged sword on whether or not letting
the child show the gender they desire is negative to their
wellbeing. Lauson states that some children choose to
revert their decision in later age, transitioning back to
their birth gender. One fact that has no ambiguity of
which side it sits on is that 40 percent of transgender
children and teens will attempt suicide.
The Wilsons moved Tracey to a public
school after filing a complaint, which has since then been
resolved by the school board with their new policy. The
policy, released by the archdiocese, states that student’s
needs will be handled on a case-by-case basis, but could
theoretically allow students to use their preferred name,
uniform, pronoun, and washroom or be given their own
private washroom.
One key note that must be stressed
is that the policy puts heavy emphasis on gender
‘expression’. The teachings of Catholicism state that
people cannot change their gender or sexual identity,
which in turn, leads to the policy stating that the school
cannot help or accommodate a student who wishes to
transition from one gender to another, reaching a gentle
medium between the wishes and needs of students and
the school board’s religious faith. “We are people of
the Catholic faith. Our schools will be as inclusive as
Blaine Bonham, left, and Rick Spitzborg kiss during a marriage equality rally at City Hall on Tuesday, May 20, 2014, in Philadelphia.
we can while still retaining our Catholic identity,” said
Lauson. Outside of the theological side of the policy, the
parents and families of transgendered youth expressed
joy and relief. Jane Duff, the mother of a transgender
child voiced her opinion that the policy will benefit the
youth that question their sexual and gender identity but
are too afraid to properly voice their feelings.
The new policy synergizes well with
Vancouver schools’ new LGBTTQ+ policy, which
has recently been put in as well. Under the heading
“Names and Pronouns”, it states, “Trans students will
be addressed by the names and pronouns [they] prefer to
use.” The policy works to fit with lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, two-spirit, queer, and questioning students
by creating three new pronouns as well, replacing both
saintpeters.edu/transfer
the feminine and masculine terms with xem, xe, and
xyr, pronounced zem, ze, and zur. Mike Lombardi, vice
chairman of the Vancouver Board of Education said
that this new policy was made “to create a safe learning
environment for every child,” and will allow children of
any and all sexual orientations “to learn and thrive.” In
defense of that line, under the “Leadership” section of
the policy, it reads that “staff will not refer students to
programs or services that attempt to change a student’s
sexual orientation or gender identity.”
With the recent policy additions,
Vancouver is spearheading the LGBTTQ+ movement
so far, being the first area in North America, and the
world itself to institute such changes. Only time can tell
if these changes shall stick for the better.
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• Mac Mahon Student Center featuring a fitness center, game
room, student meeting rooms and Commuter Student Lounge.
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process; we are a member of NJTransfer.org.
Scholarships for Bergen CC students!
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6
News
JOSEPH CIRILO
THE TORCH
Scotland Decided
staff writer
In what could marginally be called a landslide victory,
a pro-union decision was finalized after 32 counts of
the vote in the Scottish Independence Referendum held
September 18, 2014.
Four million Scottish citizens from ages 16 and
up were asked to lend their hand in deciding Scotland’s
future; should the country stay a part of the 307-year-old
union that culminates into the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland, or break away and set the
stage for their growth as an independent nation.
The decision largely underscored a number of
issues with Scottish nationals, not the least of which had
to do with the usage and exportation of the North Sea
oil which many Scottish citizens agreed belonged to
Scotland.
Statistically, 84.6 percent of the some four
million who were able to vote cast their voices from
early morning Thursday. However, 4,283,392 people 97 percent of the electorate - had registered to vote.
Although the vote was expected to be close, the
wide gap between 55 percent “no” and 45 percent “yes,”
overall is telling. The split was more or less varied across
the regional polls, the closest being at Inverclyde with
50.1 percent no to 49.9 percent yes; just a hair’s breadth
away from a tie. Likewise, the largest gap regionally
was at Orkney--an archipelago to the far north, 10 miles
off the coast of Caithness--where 67.2 percent of the
population voted “no,” followed by Scottish Borders and
Dumfries and Galloway.
Dundee received by far the most “yes” votes with
57.4 percent, followed in step by West Dunbartonshire
and Glasgow, which holds an electorate of half a million.
According to the BBC, John Curtice, a professor of
politics at Strathclyde University, noted that the results
were obviously not as close as the opinion polls had been
predicting up to voting day. “That is not uncommon
in these referendums where people are being asked to
make a big change. They often draw back at the last
minute,” he said.
Scots everywhere had lent their voices in pride
for one of the most stunning and mature displays of
politics since the 1951 general election. The “Indy Ref,”
as it has been popularized, saw an even larger turnout
from the then 83.9 percent, which held the record for the
largest vote in Scotland to date.
British Prime Minister David Cameron, who has
been adamantly campaigning for Scotlands solidarity
with Britain in the former weeks, gave a speech outside
his office at No. 10 Downing Street, London at 7 a.m. on
Friday.
“There can be no disputes, no reruns – we have heard
the settled will of the Scottish people.”
What this means for the Scottish people is a
devolution in politics across Great Britain to come.
Prime Minister Cameron has promised that this move
will include votes on English issues by English Members
of Parliament (MP’s) at Westminster, though Scotland
will have to wait for those constitutional reforms. The
prime minister made it clear that these promises would
not be capable of being delivered until after the general
election.
“We have heard the voice of Scotland and now the
millions of voices of England must be heard,” he said.
Scotland’s first minister, Alex Salmond, stood
proudly at a Scottish National Party (SNP) rally in
Edinburgh saying he accepted Scotland had not “at this
stage” decided to vote for independence.
“We have touched sections of the community who
have never before been touched by politics,” he said,
paying tribute to what he called a “triumph for democratic
politics.” First Minister Salmond has promised to work
with Westminster in the best interests of Scotland the
rest of the UK, warning the leaders of the three main
parties to make good on their promises for an enhanced
devolution in Scotland.
“Yes” or “no,” Scotland’s citizens were, for a brief
moment, given the chance to lend their voices to the
politics that affected them most, and had a hand in
shaping the future of their country. They have outdone
themselves in this regard, conceding with little doubt
that they will continue to uphold their part in what has
been a truly United Kingdom.
Scotland has officially voted “No Thanks” in the Independence Referendum that would have changed the
course of Scottish history and broken up the union they’ve shared with England and Wales for the past
300 years.
Celebrity
Nudes Leak
BCC Receives $15 Million
Grant From DC
ADRIAN YLLATOPA
staff writer
If you’ve ever fallen into the Internet’s underbelly
known as 4Chan, you have an idea of the content posted
on a daily basis. The “shock post” site had people up in
arms over leaked nude photos and racey videos of wellknown celebrities on August 31, 2014. Accompanied by
the army of “anonymous” posters, an unknown hacker
was able to break through the digital barriers of Apple’s
iCloud data storing service.
As the pictures began leaking in groups through
4Chan, news caught around the web with sites such
as Reddit and Buzzfeed reporting and spreading the
photos amongst the web. Some of the exposed celebrities
consist of Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton, and Kirsten
Dunst. These women along with a reported 100 other
recognizable stars had their iCloud accounts hacked as
of September 3, 2014. Apple claims that they are not
to blame for the “hole in the wall” of security in their
iCloud system.
In the aftermath, the FBI is currently investigating
the whereabouts of the hacker in question. Addressed as
“OriginalGuy” by someone online, they have reportedly
fled their hacker base and their whereabouts is currently
up in the air.
In the digital age that we currently are a part
of, it seems as if the rich and famous have less and less
privacy to live with. In 2011, Scarlett Johannson was
the target of another hacker who leaked explicit photos
of the movie star. The hacker was soon identified as
Christopher Chaney. After pleading guilty to computer
hacking, Chaney was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Other notable celebrities that have shared the same
fate are: Paris Hilton, Rihanna, Vanessa Hudgens, and
Snooki.
The outcry from those who have been exposed
have called for legal action against the hacker and some
have claimed that the pictures are fake. With 4Chan
and Reddit doing detective work, taking some notable
body tattoos, piercings, etc. to the leaked photographs
and putting them together, they were able to prove that
they are real. A publicist for Jennifer Lawrence said in a
written statement that the photos are a “flagrant violation
of privacy.” The Academy Award winning actress has
not made a public statement herself.
Construction site of the Health Professions Building at Bergen Community College
Valerie Batista // The Torch
FELLIX LYU
online editor
On September 28, 2014, Bergen Community College
received a $15 million grant that will go to a training
program that will help create jobs in the future. The
federal government funded this amount of money to
the college because it is the lead in a consortium of 12
two-year colleges. The New Jersey Health Professions
Pathways to Regional Excellence Project (NJ-PREP)
consortium is expected to train 2,000 participants. Out
of the 71 grantees in the program, Bergen was awarded
the fourth-highest award.
“We are the lead institution of the NJ-PREP
consortium in New Jersey, because of our work in
the healthcare industry and because we have a lot
of partnerships in the Bergen County healthcare
system.”President B. Kaye Walter said. “This money
is going as a grant for the workforce training in the
healthcare industry and it’s all going into the students,
between teachers, faculty, and etc.” she added.
The Trade Adjustment Assistance Community
College and Career Training program (TAACCCT)
was originally given to 71 grantees. Vice President
Joe Biden, U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez and
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan funded
$450 million for the program. Past projects that were
led by Bergen Community were funded by the Health
Professions Opportunity Grant (HPOG), which gave
the school $24 million. Another investment that Bergen
has made in the past was the new health professions
education building that was funded with $26 million.
The building is expected to be open by Fall 2016.
The 12 two-year schools that are being led is as
follows: Brookdale Community College, County
College of Morris, Essex County College, Hudson
County Community College, Mercer Community
College, Middlesex County College, Ocean County
College, Passaic County Community College, Raritan
Valley Community College, Sussex County Community
College and Union County College. The groups that have
been a part of the NJ-PREP consortium are the local
workforce investment board, hospitals, and commercial
employers.
TORCHBCC.COM
ROVING REPORTER
News
7
If Happiness was the National Currency,
What Would Make you Rich?
Alfredo Bautista
Jimmy Fenmore
“I guess a fulfilled life would
make you rich. To me, I find
happiness in helping other
people. So, as long as I keep
helping other people and they
return the favor, I would get
rich that way.
“What would make me rich is
having a family and being able
to provide for them.”
Anthony Velasquez
Isra Eldosougi
“Doing what you want in life without
any regrets would make me rich - like
not going for a job because of the
money, but going forward just because
I would be happy to do it every day.”
“If happiness was the
currency, I think that respect
and kindness would make me
very rich.”
Damien Brito
Eva Kupi
“I guess it would be food. I love food. It could
make you happy even on a sad day. There
have been plenty of times where I’ve been
sad or pissed off and I go to McDonald’s
and order a cheeseburger. Just having finer
foods, like lobster and caviar pizza.
.”
“If people stopped fighting.
But no, actually, I think it
would be if everyone got an
education.”
Michelle Perez// The Torch
Religious Tolerance in Burma and Bergen
Sports Editor, Gabe Wanissian and Melissa Nunez discussing the Burma presentation at the library.
Valerie Batista // The Torch
GABE WANISSIAN
sports editor
Burma(currently known as Myanmar) and Bergen are
separated by 8,408 miles of land and sea, but the shared
longing for tolerance and acceptance is shared by both.
Through FAITHSPACE USA, the “Faith In Action”
photo exhibit was held inside the Sydney Silverman
Library from September 13 to the 27. The in depth look
into the various forms of religious beliefs in Myanmar
gave a refreshing take on what coexistence between
religious factions looks like; a far cry when compared
to the horrors of todays current events that are littered
with strife and chaos between various denominations
and backgrounds.
Charlotte Bennett Schoen, the Chair for Peace and
Conflict Resolution for the Rotary Club, began her work
in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) by linking up
with a Non Governmental Organization called Smile
located in the former Myanmar's capital, Yangon. The
NGO’s director Myo Win’s willingness to reestablish
the Rotary’s presence in Yangon along with grants sent
over by USaid (United States Federal agency responsible
in administering foreign aid) created fertile grounds to
grow awareness and acceptance in a region that was
dealing with religious persecution.
“The issues [regarding the religious persecutions]
were complicated - was there a government role in
the violence? Who is [instigating] violence,” stated
Charlotte in regards to seeing first hand ethnic cleansing
committed by Buddhist Extremist against the resented
Muslim minority in Burma. In 2014 alone, over 200
Muslim civilians were killed, along with 150,000 forced
to abandon their homes by the Buddhist lynch mobs;
The Burmese Government has done little to assist the
impoverished Muslims. Charlotte added that although
the former Burmese dictatorship has now become the
Republic of Myanmar “free speech is not hate speech.”
Malicious actions towards the Muslim minority
have occurred throughout the years in Myanmar, but it
reached a fever pitch whilst Charlotte was working with
Smile in 2013.
The town of Methala saw the Buddhist on Muslim
killings escalate to catastrophic rates. In response, peace
initiatives sprung up from various Non-Governmental
Groups (including NGOS that Charlotte was responsible
for) to get the word out to the otherwise uninformed
public.
Usage of eye opening material with books such
as “Half of The Sky,” and the riveting best-seller “I Am
Malala” along with the film “The Lady,” gave an in
depth look on the injustices committed towards a group
of people from the eyes of a survivor.
Charlotte’s goal was to inspire participants to share
the same vision that peace builders such as Dr. Martin
Luther King and Mahatma Gandhi famously fulfilled.
“What can you do? What will you do? Who do you know
that shows personal courage?” These are the thoughts
Charlotte hoped to conjure up in the public’s mind.
In May 2014 Charlotte helped bring FAITHSPACE
to the city of Yangon, while considerably more
peaceful and developed compared to
its
inland
counterpart, it still maintained ethnic
tension
between various religious sects.
According to Charlotte, Yangon’s youth gravitated
to the “Faith In Action” peace exhibit with the same
enthusiasm and passion brought forth by Bergen’s own
students. The Rotary Chair stated, “[I] see differences
in clothing and language, some food and architecture.
But it is amazingly similar when you are living across
the world - what people want for their families and their
children is just the same.”
Along with the photos showing the different religious
sects in Myanmar (most notably the photo between a
Christian priest, Muslim shiekh, and Buddhist monk
walking the streets as one in a peace rally) an interactive
board was placed in which students wrote and drew
things ranging from Hindu mantra “Aum” to Jesus
Christ’s words “I am In you as You are In me.”
“The graffiti boards are fabulous and I love that some
students have also written in different languages. I value
all of the writings because it shows another connection
to the showing [of tolerance].” Charlotte said.
It doesn't stop here, however, as the photo exhibit
continues to grab the attention of people willing to
demonstrate peace to a global scale, there are speculative
plans to hold the “Faith in Action” at a Rotary Action
Group located in Portland, Oregon. Bringing awareness
to an issue that is overlooked by mainstream media,
interactivity, and inspiring action was the goal; the rich
soil has produced an abundance of fruit.
It came in the form of peace initiatives in Yangon,
Bergen’s participation by hosting the telling and
inspiring illustrations within its own Library, and now
with a written piece for the schools Newspaper; Peace
is growing like the vines of an unkempt garden. When
Charlotte was asked if peace will fully reign in the world,
her optimistically emphatic response of, “It has to,” was
the harvest every human would long to reap.
8Editorials
The Torch
THE TORCH, a member of the
Associated Collegiate Press and the
College Media Association, is the
official student newspaper of Bergen
Community College. The purpose of
THE TORCH is to report on the events
at BCC and the local community,
and to offer the BCC community a
forum for expression. The opinions
expressed in THE TORCH are not
neccessarily those of THE TORCH.
All the materials submitted to THE
TORCH become property of THE
TORCH.
THE TORCH
The Only Time The Red Zone
Is a Bad Place to Be
NOMI EIJKENAAR
Editor-In-Chief
JESSIE CASTELLANOS
Co-Editor
CLIFF BOAN
Copy Editor
BLAIR DELONG
News Editor
JESSICA RODRIGUEZ
Features Editor
GABE WANISSIAN
Sports Editor
DOMENICA PAZMINO
RICARDO MONTERO
VALERIE BATISTA
Layout Editors
PAOLA BAEZ
Ad Manager
TANIA BOGHOSSIAN
Photo Editor
PROF. LEW WHEATON
Advisor
Corrections
The Torch strives for the highest
journalistic standards and accuracy.
Readers are encouraged to contact
us if they find any mistakes in any
edition of the Torch.
Editorial and
Opinion Pieces
As an open public forum, The Torch
welcomes guest opinion pieces and
letters to the editor from any member
of the Bergen Community College
community. Materials should be
submitted to eictorch@gmail.com or
delivered to The Torch office, SC111. Such submissions must include
the writer’s name, contact information and affiliation with the college.
Students should include their major;
faculty and staff should include campus title or position. Opinion pieces
are limited to 600 words and letters
to the editor to 200 words. The Torch
reserves the right to edit and to refuse publication of any submission.
The Torch offices are located
in Room SC-111,
400 Paramus Road
Paramus, NJ 07652-1595
201.493.5006/5007
eictorch@gmail.com
FOLLOW
US
FB.com/bergentorch
Who can help when no one is around?
Tania Boghossian // The Torch
NOMI EIJKENAAR
editor-in-chief
A never ending news story, the one about
a missing girl. Haven’t we all heard enough
of those? Is there a way to prevent so many
women and girls from disappearing? It
is our duty to understand the dangers out
there and prevent the disappearance of
more females.
Regardless of sounding sexist, it is a fact
that women will forever be easier to attack,
rape, kidnap, and just simply disappear
with. In the world we live in today it is a
must to understand the importance of never
finding yourself alone.
This time of year is called the “Red
Zone.” According to nytimes.com, the
Red Zone is “a period of vulnerability for
sexual assaults, beginning when freshmen
first walk onto campus until Thanksgiving
break.” During this time of year many
new students begin their experience as a
college student. It is difficult to believe, but
according to rainn.org, the nation’s largest
anti-sexual assault organization, every two
minutes an American is sexually abused;
237,868 Americans are sexually abused
every year. According to whitehouse.gov
one in five women attending college in the
United States have been raped, almost 22
million women.
As a college student and as an individual
in general, whether you are a male or a
female, it is important to remember this
number and attempt to avoid anything that
could lead you to become another statistic.
In recent days, it was found that an
18-year-old University of Virginia student,
Hannah Graham, went missing. According
to ABCNews.go.com, Graham left her
apartment and went to dinner with her
friends around 9:30 p.m. She had left the
restaurant around midnight and went to an
off-campus party. At 12:46 a.m. she was
seen on surveillance cameras walking into
an Irish pub and was then seen running
towards a mall at 1:00 a.m. No one was
following her; she then realized she was
lost and texted her friends at 1:20 a.m.
telling them she was lost. Ever since then
she has been missing.
A man was seen following her after
leaving the pub; he noticed she was
stumbling and hid behind a tree. He then
kept following her and was seen on cameras
doing so for a few more minutes. The man
claims to have walked behind her trying to
help her because he noticed a man earlier
in the night putting his hands on Hannah.
That night was the last time anyone
has seen or heard of Hannah, she has been
missing since September 13, 2014.
This story might just seem sad to you,
or you might even say “well, she was being
stupid for walking around alone,” but in
all honesty, have you ever walked alone at
night? Do you think you will at some point
or another?
The key to staying safe is not staying
in every night, avoiding parties, and
being locked inside. It is the capability of
understanding the importance of never
walking alone. It is a helpful tip everyone
should follow, especially women and girls.
It is too easy for someone to just pick you
up and take you away. We are too accessible
walking alone, it is a must to always walk
with a partner and never find yourself on
your own.
Don’t be naive and say “but it won’t
happen to me.” Life is a mystery, don’t
let it swallow you in. Realize that you are
in control of your actions, the places and
people you choose to surround yourself
with, and the way you view life. Remember,
it might sound cheesy, but we only live
once. Make smart decisions and don’t let
yourself end up in a dangerous situation;
surround yourself with friends, and never
forget it could be you next time.
Response: Truth About Gaza
To The Editor:
In a recent Torch article on the Israeli-Hamas conflict, I was struck by the author’s
presumption that Israel and Hamas are equally at fault for the past summer’s conflict
and the blame he places on Israel for not doing more to prevent civilian casualties. Yet,
a closer examination shows the deep disparities between the combatants.
First, Israel never escalated matters; Airstrikes only began following a sharp increase
in rockets being fired from Gaza, and the ground assault also only occurred following
an attempt by Hamas militants to cross into Israel - during a ceasefire, no less – via
tunnel. The September piece’s author paradoxically suggests that Israel should have
immediately engaged with the full force of a ground invasion, yet at the same time, he
is criticizing Israel for continuing the conflict.
Even once the conflict began, Israel took extraordinary measures to minimize
civilian casualties: phone call, leaflet, or firecracker warnings up to fifteen minutes
ahead of an attack to warn civilians to get clear of Hamas weapon caches. In contrast,
Hamas ordered civilians to act as human shields to prevent airstrikes or drive up
casualty rates. Even when ceasefires were declared, rockets and mortars continued to
fall on Israel, and Hamas still enshrines hatred into their fundamental charter with calls
to slaughter Jews (Article 7), classical anti-Semitic myths (Article 22), and references
to peace agreements as “treacherous“ (Article 32).
This conflict can only end when there are no more calls to fire rockets at civilians
or wage crusades against innocent populations. Only then can the wounds of the past
truly begin to heal and allow peace to flourish again.
Michael Itvin.
@torchheadsays
First Place Awards: General Excellence, Layout &
Design, Column/Opinion 2011-2012
Winner for, Enterprise/Investigative Reporting
2011-2012
Winner for News & Arts and Entertainment/Critical
Writing, Features, Sports Writing, 2011-2012
New Jersey Press Foundation Better College
Newspaper Contest
First Place Awards
Society of Professional
Journalists: Breaking
News Editorial,
Editorial Writing,
Best All-Around
Non-Daily Student
Newspaper
Bergen Gets
Exotic!
9
Pages 12-13
OPINIONS
The Torch
Uncle Blair: Are You A
Meaningless Number?
BLAIR DELONG
news editor
Not everyone on this planet has the chance
to vote, but guess what folks, WE HAVE THE
RIGHT TO VOTE! And to the members of
Generation Y, that have registered in Bergen
County, I tip my hat to you. “I have watched the
voters registration and I am very proud of our
students. They want to have their voices heard.”
said BCC President B. Kaye Walters. You are
among a select and special few that are actually
completing a civic duty, that I, personally, take
very seriously.
We stand at a slippery precipice, ladies and
gentlemen: on November 11, 2014 the race for
Bergen County Executive will be decided. It is
finally time to have our collective voices heard.
Now, I am not here to tell you who to vote for,
because that would be going against every ounce
of journalistic integrity I have. I am, however,
telling you to read the stories we have in this
edition and to become informed on who the
candidates are for County Executive. Get to know
them, get yourself acquainted with their proposed
ideas on what they want to do for Bergen County.
This election hits close to home for us at BCC.
Did you folks know that the County Executive
selects the Chairman of the Board
of Trustees, and in turn the Chairman and the
rest of the Board select the president of the school
as well? I’ve been harping on this for quite some
time. Changes need to be made. I’ve sung loud,
yelled, screamed and tried to cause an avalanche
but I feel as though my words have fallen flat at
student’s feet. How many times must I say this:
We are the majority, ; we have control here, not
the administration. We can control who runs
things with the correct and informed choice.
As I said before, here we are, on the
ragged line. Who do you vote for? Why do you
vote for them? Why am I going to vote at all?
These questions can only be answered by you,
and if you don’t want to speak up and make
yourself known, if you want to continue to be a
number without meaning, by all means, continue
to be just another statistic that has no meaning.
Frag out.
Why Does Anyone Support Israel?
ERIC LEIDERMAN
contributing writer
As someone born and raised in the United States, the values of freedom and equality
for all pulse through my veins. I believe in democracy. I believe in women’s rights, gay
rights and the protection of minorities. These values are Israel’s values. All freethinkers
should be able to see that Israel is a nonpartisan issue. Israel is a moral issue. Israel is
a tiny nation, with just over 8 million people (roughly the same size and population as
New Jersey), surrounded by a chorus of enemies who call for her destruction. Israel
stands for life over death; for coexistence over hate. Israel stands for love.
This past summer, while much of the Middle East was ablaze, I had the opportunity
to chaperone a trip of over 100 campers and staff to a rally in support of Israel in front
of the United Nations headquarters in New York City. Our group was one of a number
of Jewish summer camps from around the Northeast to come into the City that day.
This particular rally drew over 10,000 supporters. Similar rallies with speeches about
Israel’s right to self defense and her desire for peace from politicians, community and
religious leaders, happened a number of time this summer in New York City and in
many major cities across the United States, Canada, and Western & Northern Europe;
all drawing large groups rallying to show their support of Israel.
Today, more than ever, it is crucial that we stand up for freedom over oppression.
Supporting Israel is not only the right thing to do, but the American thing to do. Agreeing
to the two-state solution may help bring us closer to end the conflict; hopefully one day
soon, Israelis and Palestinians will peacefully live side by side. Even now, after yet
another war, Israel still yearns for peace.
As a Jewish person, I understand the importance for all people to have a home of
their own. The Land of Israel, which is the historic homeland of the Jewish people,
today hosts an ethnically diverse country which stands for peace and justice for
all. Today, due to the highest levels of anti-semitism since the end of World War II,
the Jewish communities in France (Europe’s largest), with a population of roughly
500,000, no longer feel comfortable living in cities like Paris. According to the Jewish
Telegraph Agency, 2014 has had the highest number of immigrants from France to
Israel. However, the unrest is not localized to Western Europe. The Jewish Agency for
Israel, a non-government organization, has set up a new branch in Ukraine to help the
uprooted Jewish communities find refuge in the State of Israel.
Israeli assistance is not limited to helping world Jewry. Across the Middle East,
churches are burning, and Christians and Muslims are being massacred for their beliefs.
Israel is the only country in that region where not only are all holy sites protected, but
the Christian population is growing. I support Israel because I care about history; I
support Israel because I care about the future. Israel is the only country in the Middle
East to protect all peoples, their religious and cultural sites, of all ethnicities, faiths, and
traditions.
There is no debate. Israel deserves to thrive like all other countries: in peace and
security. Israel’s fight is our fight; Israel fights freedom’s fight; Israel’s war is the
world’s war. Now is not the time to forget. Israel needs you: speak up, get involved,
do something, promise Israel to future generations. It is your turn to show that threats,
terror attacks, rockets, intimidation, lies, will not stop us from supporting freedom —
from supporting Israel.
Rally in support of Israel held on July 28, 2014.
Eric Leiderman // The Torch
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THE TORCH
A Q U I N A S
10Editorials
11Editorials
THE TORCH
The Crowdfunding Conundrum
ANDREW STREET
staff writer
Crowdfunding has become a popular method for
many different people and companies to create and
distribute a product or service. The use of websites such
as Kickstarter, Indiegogo and GoFundMe has become a
tool in which people can support anything from movies
and games, to gadgets and people’s lunch. The new form
of purchasing sought after items is one that has me torn. I
often find myself debating if, as it stands, crowdfunding
is safe and morally sound for consumers.
Traditionally, any person who has an idea for a product
would seek out the philanthropic support of investors.
If these investors thought the idea was profitable, they
would take the risk, and in turn garner a percentage of
the company and its profits. When potential investors do
not believe there is enough market to gain a return on
their money, they will not invest. This is when people
turn to crowdfunding.
Crowdfunding is different from the traditional
methods of venture capital. Anyone can now take on
the risk of supporting an idea someone has. However,
spending the money upfront does not make you an
investor. You simply become a consumer, buying the
idea in hopes you will receive the product. The person
or company builds a brand, product or service using
the capital from backers, who do not reap the financial
benefits. These “supporters” are to receive the item they
backed, based on the tier/amount they chose, and be done
with it. If the creator goes on to be successful, there will
never be compensation to those who helped the product
into existence.
The risk that the normal consumer takes on, when
choosing to support a crowdfunding campaign is
certainly prevalent. For example, once the project is
funded, and the money is transferred, Kickstarter takes
no responsibility for anything that happens. The sites
Terms of Use page, explains that they do not handle any
disputes with backers and projects. You are on your own
when backing a project. Nobody is looking out for your
interest, and nobody oversees what your money is being
used for. There are already lawsuits as a result of creators
not keeping their word, and it is all on the shoulders of
backer to seek legal action towards fraudulent Kickstarter
accounts. The act of backing a project binds you into a
legal agreement with the creator.
I can’t help but feel that this is taking advantage of the
mass consumer. The creators of these projects take on
no risk. The backers put money in, which helps pay for
everything needed for the project, such as salaries and
other expenses. Then when the product is done, backers
receive the product (free), plus some other minor addins depending on the amount invested. Afterwards, when
the product is sold to the mass public and makes massive
profits, the company makes one-hundred percent of that
return, because they don’t have to pay out to the people
who adopted the risk to make it happen.
For example, the creator of Veronica Mars, Rob
Thomas, recently used Kickstarter to fund a movie for
the adored series. This is someone who works in the
entertainment industry, and has connections. Yet he
could not get anyone to help make this movie happen?
Whether he could or not, the campaign made over $5
million, about $3 million over the estimated goal. After
all is said and done, the movie was made using other
people’s money, so all the profit gained in theatre tickets
and Blu-ray sales led to 100 percent profit.
Crowdfunding is certainly not a cesspool of
corruption and villainy, and some people really put
the platform to great use. In fact, numerous different
industries have benefited greatly from the crowdsourcing
method. Smaller video game companies for example
have been able to create games that no publisher would
touch (looking at you Shovel Knight). I do not think that
crowdfunding is a negative thing. In fact, the platform
has allowed many games, movies and comics I love
come to fruition. It is more that I struggle to agree with
someone taking on all of the risk with their own funds,
and someone getting all the rewards.
With the introduction of this new means of purchasing
a product comes all this controversy and minutia. I have
no doubt in my mind that the platform is here to stay
and will continue to evolve as it grows. Though everyone
who believes in the platform must be vocal on helping it
grow. We should never see large companies using this
platform as a way to make even more money off of the
consumer. Crowdfunding sites have a place in the market
as it stands, but we have to make sure it is never abused
and it remains morally sound for the public at large.
Bergen ge
“NATURE” NICK JACINTO
f
ounder and owner of
“Animal Adventures,”
Jacinto has
degrees in Speech
Communication,
Child Study and Elementary
Education. He has two licenses
as well, one from the New
York State Department of
Environmental Conservation and
another from the United States
Department of Agriculture.
KELLIANN CIRONE
contributing writer
T
he
Animal Care Club
started the semester off
Nature Nick and his animal
friends to the Student Center. The event was
run and hosted by the club president, Alex Nuñez. The Care Club had existed at Bergen for a
while but no one really knew what it was about.
The Exotic Animal Show was the newly renamed club’s first opportunity to get more students’ attention.
The Student Center began to fill up well before the 12:30 p.m.
start time. Seats in the front of the Student Center were taken
the moment they were placed, and soon after there was standing
room only. Students that attended
got a close-up look at animals normally only seen at zoos. The most
with a bang by inviting
ets exotic!
popular animals shown were:
Lulu
the kangaroo, own
of the animals were trained with positive re-
Jessica Rodriguez, chimed in with something that caught my attention.
She said she’d asked her friends from other schools in the area if they had
ever had an event like this; logically the answer was no, “But Bergen said yes!”
Bergen showed how open minded and committed it is; committed to giving
students the best experience during their time here, and open minded
enough to allow such an extraordinary event to occur. The club’s
doing the wrong thing, instead they are simply re-
not be the only event of the year for
Tarzan the adorable but jealous squirrel monkey,
and Cheesecake the stunning albino Burmese python.
With each animal, Nature Nick also presented a
slew of interesting information including the fact
that owls, despite their association with wisdom,
are actually one of the lesser intelligent animals.
Each
inforcement.
Meaning
they were never punished for
warded for doing the desired behavior.
Nick
demon-
strated the system quite well when he brought out
his squirrel monkey,
Tarzan. Nick “hid” a marshmallow in his pocket so that Tarzan “couldn’t get to
it” when he was released. Of course, Tarzan knew
president did mention that this will
them, but for now he would prefer
future plans to remain a mystery.
Looks like we’ll just have to wait and
see what great events are to come!
exactly where to go for his favorite treat and
how to get a smile out of the audience members.
The Torch
was able to meet with
the event ended to ask him a few
Nature Nick after
questions. He’d al-
ways loved animals as a child and researched how
to obtain the licenses to care for them.
When
asked
what he did with the baby animals once they became
too big to participate in the show with him,
swered,
“I
Nick
an-
Clockwise from left: “Tarzan” the
squirrel monkey, “Brutus” the alligator, the unnamed porcupine, “Lulu”
the kangaroo, crowd of curious
onlookers at the Student Center, the
unnamed owl and “Cheesecake” the
Albino Burmese Python.
Jessica Rodriguez//The Torch
usually pick animals that can still do the
show fully grown, but the others go back to the zoo.”
For
cases like
Lulu,
the baby kangaroo, the ani-
mals go back to the zoo they were born
in.
They get to live full lives and usually
participate in the zoo’s breeding program.
These breeding programs play a vital
role in the conservation of many species.
This event was a unique experience that
will certainly be remembered in the minds
of all who attended.
During the interview
with Alex, the club president, the Torch’s
“Nature'' Nick & his exotic animals came to the
Student Center, and things got wild real quick.
14
Features
THE TORCH
“INVADERS FROM MARS
ATTACK EARTH!”
MARK ELLARD
contributing writer
“Attention all listeners! Drop everything and seek shelter! We are under attack! I repeat, we are under attack!”
Although these words were not directly broadcast over the radio wavelengths, it would not have been uncommon to
hear such frantic cries of fear and anxiety from neighbors, family and friends on October 30, 1938. On this night before
Halloween, Orson Welles delivered to the American people on CBS radio a broadcast that would forever be etched in
the annals of media history.
“The War of the Worlds” is a novel written by H.G. Wells that was later adapted into a live action news cast directed,
produced, and narrated by Orson Welles. The broadcast was aired during The Mercury Theatre on the Air timeslot as
an orchestra performed dance numbers. At the beginning of the hour-long broadcast, Welles informed the audience that
what they were about to hear was an excerpt from the novel, and that it is entirely fictional. This announcement would
not be made again until the fortieth and fifty-fifth minutes. Welles strategically waited until the twelfth minute of the
orchestra’s performance to interrupt with his first breaking news announcement regarding a strange phenomenon on
the surface of Mars. At this time, listeners would just be tuning in from NBC, thus missing the portion in which Welles
revealed it as fiction.
Throughout the broadcast, the audience is informed by reporter Carl Phillips of the ensuing alien invasion. With
additions from Welles himself, under the guise of Professor Richard Pierson of the Princeton Observatory, the claim of
an extraterrestrial invasion is given viability. Curiosity of the spacecraft that once filled the air is quickly overcome by
the shrieks of bystanders incinerated by alien heat-rays. Sporadically, as the events climax, listeners are forced to wait
as the story develops, while the dance ballads continue. Residents are advised that martial law has been declared across
numerous countries in the state. The state militia is being overrun as reinforcements are sent from Mars. Communication
with the frontlines is cut off. Phillips’ charred body is identified at a local hospital, and Professor Pierson is presumed
dead. Defeat seems imminent. However, miraculously, the invasion falters as the Earth’s atmosphere proves toxic to the
creatures. Order is restored and tension is relieved.
Welles informs the audience once again that this broadcast was merely an adaptation of the novel “The War of the
Worlds”. However, those who had not yet tuned in to have heard his introduction, believed it as truth. Six million radios
were tuned into CBS radio’s The Mercury Theatre on the Air, twice as much as usual. 1.7 million believed it as true,
in which 1.2 million admitted to have been genuinely frightened. Reports of suicide attempts ranging from Seattle to
New York came in, though none documented as successful. Many spent much of their life savings to flee the chaos.
Emergency lines were crippled for hours due to the overload of calls. In fact, many had mistaken the so-called alien
invasion as a Nazi invasion of America, for at this time in Europe, Hitler had recently signed the Munich Pact, the
stepping stone that would begin the blitzkrieg of the continent.
The commotion experienced by those listening to the broadcast may seem familiar to what many of us witnessed or
experienced in the Spring of 2012, when Harold Camping supposedly foresaw the end of the world. Through all forms
of media, mass panic and mockery was spread throughout the country. Whether we believed the claim to be true, or
dismissed it as lunacy, mass media remains to have a firm grasp on what we may perceive as reality.
You Can Play All of That?
JESSICA RODRIGUEZ
features editor
Why is there a grown man singing “Let it Go” from Disney’s Frozen, in the Student Center?
Well, because you asked him to. “Let it Go” was one of the many songs that musician Gary
Johnson performed, along with songs like Stacy’s Mom, Thousand Miles, and even some
Backstreet Boys to name a few. Johnson came to Bergen on September 10, 2014, and the
performance began at 12:30 p.m.
Gary Johnson performs at different schools as a live looping artist. For those that don’t
know what that means, essentially he is a one man band. He’ll sing or play multiple different
melodies and beats and then he’ll play them back simultaneously to create the song desired. All
of this is done with multiple pedals and buttons to which he knows like the back of his hand.
That is due to the fact that he’s been doing this for about 15 years. Johnson began looping when
he was a little kid, back when the looping pedals were actually echo pedals.
Johnson’s performance is unique in the sense that he doesn’t go to a school with a set list
knowing everything that’s going to happen. On the contrary, he has no idea what songs he’ll
be playing. At the beginning of the show Johnson gave out his cell phone number and asked
audience members to send him requests for songs. If he knew the song or could figure it out,
then he’d play it. The audience really enjoyed this aspect and were floored when he picked their
song.
With this system, a connection was made between the audience and Johnson which is actually
his favorite part. In an interview with Johnson after the show, he expressed how he enjoys
entertaining people and how through these cellphone requests, he is able to really interact with
the audience. After the show he sent a message to everyone who sent in a request thanking them
for doing so and for being a great audience, something that the average musician does not do
and is not really able to do. Thus, setting Johnson apart from the rest even further.
Johnson cares more about the audience and they’re experience than anything else. When
asked what is his favorite song to perform, he responded with, “any song that people are singing
along”. He shared how difficult it is to perform the way he does, not because of the pedals or
songs, but because “it takes a lot of thought to figure out who wants what and when” as he put
it, so that everyone can have a great time and everyone is happy. Throughout the interview this
was a recurring thought and he summed it all up by saying, “its very important that its about
them, not me”.
Gary Johnson while performing.
Jessica//The Torch
Pets, Beasts &
Dinner
pg. 19
15
Movie Review:
Maze Runner
pg. 16
FEATURES
The Torch
DON’T TURN AROUND
BLAIR DELONG
news editor
We’ve all heard the stories. A faceless man with impossibly long
arms and legs doggedly follows your every step, always in the shadows
or in the corner of your eye. While he may look different depending on
who is telling the story, in the end, he is the harbinger of your death.
Your death does have a name though, and it is Slenderman.
After being birthed as an Internet meme on Somethingawful.
com by user Eric Knudsen, Slender Man has captured the imagination
of popular culture. From Halloween costumes to comic book convention
cosplay, Slender Man can now be seen fully instead of out of the corner
of your eye.
Slender: The Eight Pages was released in June of 2012 by
developer Parsec Productions but still hasn’t lost its scare factor. Seeing
that Halloween is coming up, why not give yourself a quick jump start on
the scares with Slender.
Being in the first person perspective, your objective is to collect
eight pages located in different areas of a forest while avoiding Slender
Man. Your only weapon, if you can call it that, is a flashlight that will
eventually die if left on for too long. While the player can jog, they will
become tired and wheeze if they jog for too long. The player can also
sprint, but sprinting will deplete the stamina meter permanently leaving
you less energy to work with to get away from Slender Man and retrieve
the pages.
Slender: The Eight Pages relies exclusively on jump scares.
Sometimes when a player turns around there he will stand and a loud
discordant piano slam will be heard, or just the paranoia of thinking that
the next time you turn around Slender will be standing there, waiting for
you.
The quote from the very first Slender Man picture that appeared
under the photo described the abduction of a group of children said,“We
don’t want to go, we didn’t want to kill them, but its persistent silence
and outstretched arms horrified and comforted us at the same time…”
Can you stay out of Slender’s reach?
#IRLBook: “IN REAL LIFE”
NOURA DAKKA
staff writer
Everyone should be familiar with the MTV series “Catfish: The
TV Show” hosted by Nev Schulman. For those who don’t know
what a “catfish” is, a catfish is someone who makes fake social
profiles to deceive people for personal and specific reasons.
Recently, Nev Schulman published a book called “In Real Life”.
In the beginning, Nev talks a little about his personal life. He also
includes the types of catfish, their motivations, and why people fall
for them; even how to identify a catfish. What’s scary is that you
might be a victim yourself and you don’t even know it.
The book really teaches readers a lot about people, in general,
because we are all catfish. Even though we might not be doing it
online, in our daily life we are; we try to be something we aren’t.
Nev also shares in his book the crazy amount of emails he
received after the documentary. It’s like he became the official
therapist for online dupe encounters. People would even stop him
in the street to tell their story.
“In Real Life” sheds light on a very important issue people all
over the world are tackling. We are more concerned about our
online life than we are about our social life. We spend too much
time posting, editing and liking photos on social networks. While
they are called “social” networks, on the contrary they don’t keep
us social. We prefer chatting online rather than actually interacting
in person. Nev explains how to live and love online. Nev believes
there are guidelines and rules to such relationships, and you can
find that in the second part of his book.
So what else is there to expect from the book? A self-confidence
boost, yes. Nev is determined to convince everyone that they are
awesome. He says it loud and clear in “In Real Life”.
What’s enjoyable about “In Real Life” is how Nev uses his
episode stories as examples to clear the picture. He’s not just
saying it, he’s proving it. Nev having experienced the catfish
situation makes the book more credible. So it’s not just some
person giving random advice, Nev knows what he’s talking about.
“In Real Life” is a book worth reading. It exposes the digital
age scams and tricks, helping you avoid “catfish”. It’s good to hear
other people’s mistakes so you can evade them yourself. Plus,
Nev has a great sense of humor, you’ll surely have fun reading “In
Real Life”.
Tania Boghossian, Adrian Yllatopa, and Briana Cole completing their faces
Illustration by Noura Dakka
16
Features
THE TORCH
NYFW 2014: I Didn’t Know You Could Wear That?
DOMENICA PAZMINO
layout editor
All fashion lovers know that when the first week of September
is here, their favorite week of the month has arrived, the famous
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York. New York Fashion Week is
held every February and September of the year, usually lasting for 7
days, bringing the newest spring and summer 2015 fashion collections
to their passionate buyers and the public. Designers showcase their
newest and best upcoming designs for the new seasons, bringing the
most unique and creative pieces to life, available for us, the public, to
wear. NYFW is one of the five most fashionable weeks in the world,
the others include those in Paris, Milan, Berlin, and London.
It all starts when you arrive to the Lincoln Center at the MercedesBenz Theater where designers such as Carolina Herrera, Vivienne
Tam and many more present their new astonishing work. Once you
start walking those stairs, you can feel the environment change into
a complete new fashion world; people wearing absolutely the most
unique creative, and classic clothes that you will only find in the fashion
capital of the world, which is NYC. All around are photographers
snapping pictures of you here and there, fashion bloggers posing
for their photographers, and the public including famous celebrities,
artists, and fashionistas from all over the world. You get indulged in
this fashion world and do not worry about fitting in because here it is
all about standing out.
Once inside, you are welcomed into the most amazing environment.
People from all over the world are walking around, people are
snapping pictures of you, offering you beverages, magazines, and
food, fun activities including photo booths and glitter stickers surround
you while you wait for your fashion show to start, making you feel
extremely special. When the fashion show begins you walk into the
runway where designers showcase their new collections by some
of the most popular supermodels of the world including Alessandra
Ambrosio, Miranda Kerr, Chanel Iman and more. I was lucky to be
invited to the Art Institutes fashion show, in which young and new
designers presented their new modern, unique designs leaving the
public ecstatic. The show lasted for about 20 minutes, and when it was
the closing time all designers walked the runway with their respective
model and design for the public to admire, and applaud to their work.
You will see designs which you probably thought you would never
be able to wear, at the same time you grab those ideas so you could
add some of that to your own wardrobe, because fashion is all about
adding your own, unique piece of style.
It was truly one of the best experiences, opening up your world
to new ideas and networking with people in the fashion world is an
opportunity of a lifetime. Seeing the talent of such amazing young
designers which possess an enormous amount of talent, and sharing
it with passionate people around you was wonderful. If you ever
have the opportunity to attend NYFW, take it and enjoy every single
moment of it, it will open new doors for you, and bring up millions of
new fashion ideas, which you later on will be able to apply into your
own wardrobe and style.
Layout Editor, Domenica Pazmino, atteding NY Fashion week for the first time.
Photo Courtesy of Adriana Escoto
The Maze Runner:
Another Typical Movie?
NOURA DAKKA
staff writer
Photo Courtesy of MCT Campus.
From a young adult novel to the big screens in theaters, The Maze Runner
has kept everybody waiting anxiously for its release. Although it was director
Wes Ball’s first feature film, he made the right character choice to bring the
book to life. Thomas, played by MTV’s Teen Wolf star Dylan O’Brien, wakes
up to find himself in a community of boys after his memory has been erased.
Soon, Thomas finds out the boys have been trapped in a maze with no known
escape. With the help of his fellow “runners” Newt (Thomas Sangster), Minho
(Ki-Hong Lee), Alby (Aml Ameen), and many more, Thomas delves into the
treacherous depths of the maze in search of an escape.
With Hunger Games: Mockingjay part one coming out soon and Divergent
being criticized as “archetypal” , where will The Maze Runner stand? Though
the movie was pretty amusing and it was easy to connect with the characters,
it didn’t bring much of expected action. The more suspense a movie creates,
the more it capture it’s audience. The Maze Runner trailer had more suspense
than the actual film. The movie was predictable, nothing really seemed to
surprise, except the ending which was probably the most intriguing part of
the film. It had the audience in complete awe, especially for those who didn’t
read the book.
The story itself is fascinating. It’s a post-apocalyptic fiction with a plot
twist. One you read one book, you have to read them all. But, of course,
you can’t compare the book to its movie. Books always win, they have more
detail, suspense, and a palpable sense.Books force us to use our complete
imagination, adding a level of excitement a movie will never create.
There were barely fifteen people at AMC Theater in Garden State Plaza
Mall when I went to watch The Maze Runner. During the film, the audience
was laughing out loud to a couple of hilarious scenes, other than that it was
complete silence. However, the sound effects were outstanding, and felt
realistic. After the film ended, I asked a number of people what they thought
about the movie and I got the same answers, “It was okay.” From a scale of 1
to 10, they rated it exactly a 7. Compared to The Hunger Games, people said
they were looking forward to it more than The Scorch Trials (Maze Runner
Series #2).
For future reference, AMC Theaters have a student discount on Thursdays.
Bring your student ID and you will get about a 20% discount on your ticket.
TORCHBCC.COM
Features
17
I Know What You’Are Thinking!
NOMI EIJKENAAR
editor-in-chief
Finishing each others sentences, attempting to call someone and receive a
call from them right as you dial their number, sensing something is wrong with
someone without even talking to them, all of these are examples of telepathy.
According to dictionary.com, telepathy is the “communication between minds
by some means other than sensory perception.” As believed by most, we all
experience telepathy if we notice it or not.
While completely blindfolded and blocking out all sound, Dr. Michael
Berg sat in a laboratory of the University of Strasbourg in France and thought
as hard as possible. On March 28, 2014, for an hour long experience, Berg
was attempting to communicate with Dr. Alejandro Riera from a city in India
without using any of the human senses, all that was being used was the power
of the mind.
According to dailymail.co.uk, the experience was very complex. It
involved powerful computers, robots, and a skull-cap worn by Riera which
measured the electrical currents in his brain. The process started when Riera,
nearly 5,000 miles away from Berg, was imagining himself creating a series
of horizontal or vertical movements. By repeating the patterns, he was able
to execute two different movements which were sent from his cap to the
computers. The machine was translating those patterns into the figure 1, or 0.
The figures were used to create a code which slowly built up to the formation
of letters.
The letters used in the experiment were H and C. In an attempt to
communicate to Berg the words ‘hold’ and ‘ciao’, it took them a half hour of
intense thinking to complete the words in patterns of 1 and 0.
When the words were formed, they were transported through the
cap worn on Riera’s head to the computer used and were then emailed to
the laboratory in France. Dr. Berg and two other ‘receivers’ were completely
blindfolded and connected to a machine. The machine took the messages
sent from India and converted them into pulses of electricity that were sent to
the part of the brain responsible for sight. The pulses created an experience
within Berg and the other two ‘receivers’, they were able to see the numbers
1 and 0 which created a pattern, the pattern helped them identify the words
‘hold’ and ‘ciao’. It took a half hour for Berg to process the pulses into the
numbers which were then converted into the words.
Even though it took a very long time to transport only two words, it was
proven to be possible. People believe that, in the future, this technique could
be improved and used in our society. Some have been suggesting of this being
used in court, or by police officers. Will anything stay private? Or will we never
be able to keep our thoughts to ourselves anymore?
Michael Rodriguez and Edwin Rodriguez read each other’s thoughts.
Tania Boghossian//The Torch
The Bigger, The Better:
iPhone 6 Makes Public
Release
ADRIAN YLLATOPA
staff writer
As if Apple wasn’t already ruling the technological
age of today, the release of the iPhone 6 made its
way to shelves on September 19th. You couldn’t find
an Apple Store anywhere in the world that didn’t
have a crowd of people waiting to get their hands on
the new iPhone.
Apple unveiled the next generation of mobile
phones only 10 days prior at a press event in
Cupertino, California. The press event also marked
Apple’s first step into the “smartwatch” world with an
introduction to the Apple Watch. Early reports have
already penned this release as the highest-selling
Apple product yet. Pre-order sales for the new
iPhones exceeded over 4 million in just 24 hours of
availability.
The initial speaker at the September 9 event,
CEO Tim Cook said, “They are without a doubt,
the best iPhones we’ve ever done, and I hope you’ll
agree, these are the best phones you have ever
seen”.
A physical change to the iPhone 6 Plus is the
signature top-right sleep button that everyone has
grown accustomed to. It now will reside on the
right hand side of the phone in order to avoid using
two hands on the large phone. As the phones get
larger, the thinner they get, too. The iPhone 6 is 6.9
millimeters thin, but to make up for its length in size,
the iPhone 6 Plus is 7.1 millimeters wide. With more
room to play around with, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus
have a 1080p display. Similar to the iPad dual-pane
layout screen, both phones’ home screens will adjust
to the phone being horizontal or vertical. Also, both
iPhones will be preloaded with iOS 8, what seems to
be an improvement over the predecessor software
system, iOS 7.
This and among many others are the changes
made to the new iPhones. The landscape for mobile
phone has changed yet again and will only leave the
consumers wanting more from their providers.
18
Features
THE TORCH
TORCHBCC.COM
Features
19
Solar Roadways: The Sun Paves the Way
Dr. Osbert Cheung sits among folding solar panels at SBM solar in Concord, North Carolina. The company has been hit by the goverment shutdown and sequestration as it supplies solar panels to
the military.
INESS RABAH
contributing writer
Google, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Disney.
All are extremely successful companies that all
started in someone’s garage. Now, another brilliant
technological break-through has emerged; solar
powered roadways.
Unless you’ve been living in a cave for several
decades, you know that global warming is an
increasingly huge problem. If you haven’t heard of
solar powered roadways yet, prepare to be blown
away by a potentially dramatic step forward for
climate change efforts.
Scott Brusaw, an inventor and engineer from
Idaho, and his wife Julie Brusaw debuted the
concept of solar roadways in 2010. The Brusaw’s
received $850,000 from the U.S. Federal Highway
Administration to develop their company “Solar
Roadways” and build a prototype parking lot.
They’ve also received $2 million from crowdfunding and celebrity recognition.
The concept is this: each hexagonal panel
contains solar cells to store energy, LED lights,
and heating elements. The LED lights can spell out
messages such as “STOP” or “SLOW DOWN”. The
elements of heating prevent the accumulation of
snow and ice and keep the system working.
Brusaw believes that if we covered asphalt and
concrete surfaces with solar panels, we would
generate over three times the amount of energy we
use as a nation. We’d be using energy that is clean
and renewable instead of coal. Also, the energy
emitted from these panels can charge electric cars.
Of course, with everything there is always
skepticism that needs to be addressed. There is
the question of durability. “The panels have passed
load testing for vehicles weighing up to 125 tons
without breakage,” Brusaw said.
The panels are certainly durable. They have
also been tested for slipperiness. “Our textured
surface has been traction tested and can stop a
vehicle traveling 79.5 mph on a wet surface in the
required amount of distance,” Brusaw adds.
So of course, after hearing about all this, you’re
thinking “Perfect! The world is saved,” or more
likely, “What’s the catch?” The answer is simple:
money. Of course it’s not going to be cheap. These
panels are different from regular solar panels so it
hasn’t been determined how much each hexagonal
panel will cost. It will obviously take time to get all
the funding needed for such a huge operation.
Nobody knows how much the operation will
cost, not even Scott and Julie Brusaw themselves.
This was an answer found on the Solar Roadways
website to one of the questions asked concerning
cost: “We are now going to hire a team of engineers
this summer, who will help us make tweaks to
the design, streamline production and get costs
down. At that point, we’ll be able to release cost
information. But right now, not even we have that
information, so if you read an article where a
journalist claims to have any data on costs, you can
be assured that they have not done their homework
and are quoting another unreliable source or they
are making up numbers.”
So there you have it. Solar roadways can be the
key to drastically changing the environment for the
better, playing a huge role in climate change. There
are prototypes being funded by the government, so
it is not all speculation. It is important to weigh pros
and cons for having solar roadways and to keep an
open mind.
Pets, BEASTS & Dinner
MICHELLE PEREZ
staff writer
“My art gives voice to the billions of animals who
live, suffer, and die in factory farms and laboratories”,
wrote Michelle Waters under her paintings exhibited in
West Hall’s art gallery. Waters is one of the many artists
shown in the exhibit titled “Pets, Beasts & Dinner:
Relations Between Human and Animal Creatures”.
When asked about the intent of bringing an exhibit
such as this to our college community, art professor and
curator Dr. Suzaan Boettger says, “To share with the
college community new perspectives about the position
of animals in society, and how humans’ relations to them,
are changing. More and more people are vegetarians, if
not vegans. Animals are actually referred to by scholars
interested in this subject as ‘nonhumans’.” After nearly
six months of hard work and an open call with 60
Michelle Perez//The Torch
responses, the opening reception was held on Tuesday,
September 16th at 6 p.m., welcoming faculty members,
staff, and students to explore the relationship between
humanity and animals.
Sculpturist Barbara Fiore was in attendance and
mentioned that she uses “humor and playfulness to make
people contemplate their own point of view.” While not
all enjoy heavily entrenched emotion in art, there were
some lighthearted pieces as well as the alternative and
interactive. At 6:30 p.m., faculty, staff and students
enjoyed the open mic, which allowed those from the
audience to share stories, jokes, and readings covering
the topic of human-animal relations.
Dean Amparo Codding, Professor Brian
Cordell and others spoke during the event while artists
and observers mingled between artwork. Department
Chair Adam Goodell read a piece of the epic “The
Odyssey,” then said, “Animals
take
companionship
really
seriously, and people should
too.” Gallery manager, Timothy
Blunk, was said by Boettger to
have been “instrumental to the
success of this show.” Others
she thanked included the Public
Relations Department, Visual
Arts department secretary, Chair
Gregg Biermann, and Dean
Codding.
Along
with
the
sculpture, photographs, paintings,
and speakers there was work
from video artist Lindsey Garcia
who has two separate videos on
display exploring, “why people
eat animals” and the idea that
“some days you’re the hunter and
some you are the hunted.” One
video was an ode to the video
vixen while the other explores the life of a working
woman in cycle with the life of a chicken. With herself
as the model for both pieces, she explained how she was
“trying to understand why people eat animals.”
The overall atmosphere was aided by music played
by student Michael Svechin on the piano. The exhibit
is open until October 31st and is free for all to view and
enjoy. (Select artists’ work can be viewed on the following
websites: HarrietSobieGoldstein.info, BarbaraFiore.
com, lindseygarcia.com)
20
Features
THE TORCH
Call It A Comeback
ERIK GAVILANES
staff writer
When I ask Cory Nyberg
how many vinyl albums he
has, he says, “I have a half
million records in storage.”
Nyberg is a vendor at The
Greater New Jersey Record &
CD Extravaganza held at the
Raritan Center in Edison, NJ on
September 14, 2014, and today
he has roughly ten thousand
of those records up for sale.
He is one of fifteen vendors at
the convention where one can
find CD’s, memorabilia, books,
magazines, DVD’s of live
concerts and much more from
the last sixty years of popular
music.
Well into an age when music
is available at an instant, about
a hundred patrons make their
way from around the tri-state
area to sift through boxes of old
records. From running his own
record store to helping organize
the convention, Nyberg has
seen a rise and fall in vinyl’s
popularity over his twenty five
years in the business, which he
says is seeing a rise once again.
“It’s all about the packaging,”
he says. “People have heard
the same songs from their
favorite artists already, but you
have these guys that need to fill
out their collection, to get that
rare or limited pressing. I have
regulars that have been coming
back to see me for years.”
While a large majority of the
patrons are collectors trying
to find the music from their
youth, there are certainly some
younger faces in the crowd.
Steven Dios, 27, is a musician
that appreciates the medium
for its quality. “I’m a drummer,
so when I listen to a song, I’m
trying to pick out the individual
components of it. It’s not as
easy with the digital stuff so I
put my money into the original
studio recording.” Steven says
that he and his friends are
definitely a part of the vinyl
collecting resurgence but notes
that, “there’s a snobbery to
record collecting. Some people
just want to look cool but a lot of
people are doing it for honest
reasons.”
Damon, a patron at the
convention who owned a
record shop until 2007 then
went to work for a record
label, disagrees with the whole
premise of a vinyl resurgence.
“It’s more hype than what really
exists,” he says, adding, “In
the very near future, you’ll see
a divide in music consumer
between those who download
songs and don’t care at all and
the people that buy the $100
deluxe edition of releases.”
The deluxe editions will have
customers in people like Dios
who says, “For the super fan,
you want it all.”
The next Greater New Jersey
Record & CD Extravaganza will
be held in the Raritan Center
in Edison, NJ on December 7,
2014.
Henry Fowler//The Torch
BLAIR DELONG
news editor
Cleaning for A Reason was started by Debbie
Sardone, owner of Buckets & Bows Maid service in
Lewisville, TX. Sardone, said she had taken a phone
call from a prospective client and after providing a
price estimate for the house cleaning, the woman on
the other end of the phone said, “I won’t be able to
afford that now, I’m undergoing cancer treatment.”
and hung up. Without a phone number to contact
the woman again and make arrangements, Debbie
decided no woman undergoing cancer treatment
would ever be turned down by her business; they
would receive free service.
In 2005, at a national cleaning industry convention,
Debbie told her story to other maid services. Through
her passion and conviction, she shared her idea that
these women are undergoing the physical, emotional
and financial rigors of cancer treatment, they are the
ones that need professional housecleaning services
the most.
Through this idea, what Debbie describes
as “an onslaught” of cleaning business owners
began expressing their interest and support. When
Sardone returned to Texas after that convention, she
registered Cleaning For a Reason as a 501(c) 3 nonprofit corporation. According to their website, “Since
2006, Cleaning For A Reason has helped women
with cancer receive the gift of over $4.5 million dollars
worth of free house cleaning from approximately
1,100 maid service partners.”
Rena of Pleasant Hills, CA said, “I want to thank
the wonderful, polite maids who came and cleaned
for me. They did a wonderful, thorough job, and I
am so pleased. They came 4 times. I am 90 years
old and really needed help with cleanings. Whoever
thought of this program, I want to thank them for
this wonderful service.” There are many other
testimonials at cleaningforareason.org to show the
gratitude of women who are facing the most stressful
and frightening part of their life.
Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness
month, take a moment and think of how maybe you
can lend a hand to someone that could use a little
extra help. Be it around the house, or just a simple
conversation could change a woman’s feelings of the
day. I don’t know about you, but I was brought up on
the idea of helping yourself by helping others. Let
Cleaning For A Reason be a lesson, something small
can help in a way you would never comprehend.
W’s, F’s, and E’s...WTF?!
HECTOR TORRES
staff writer
What could be worst than an F? Why do
I have an E on my transcripts? What does
the W stand for? Many of these questions
are being asked, leaving fellow students at
Bergen confused or unaware of the effects
of these letters on their transcripts. The
Torch had the opportunity to interview a few
students at Bergen. Out of the ten students,
only one knew what the letters stood for. Other
students answered, “I’m guessing E stands for
expelled or exempt?” or “I’ve been here for two
semesters and have never heard of this.”
So what are they? As we all know, an F is
obtained if the student is doing poorly and not
working to potential. According to BCC grading
policy, a 65 or lower is considered the failing
grade. But that all depends on the professor.
So let’s just say a student is not doing
so great in a class and they’ve missed the
opportunity of the add/drop period. A student
is given a second chance to withdraw from the
course. Withdrawing from a course will have
no effect on your GPA, thus meaning that
the failing grade is now gone. However, if the
withdrawal process is not completed correctly,
there are consequences. Here’s an example, if
a student fails to notify his or her professor, and
they failed to attend class, they will get what
we like to call the horrible E. This is worse than
receiving an F, reason being, that an E stays
on a college transcripts for life.
But, there are ways to get all of this fixed.
With an F, there is a possibility to retake a
course. If a student manages to score high, an
F disappears and their GPA returns to normal.
In a situation with an E, retaking a class is an
option. It will fix the GPA the same way as an
F will, but an E will stay permanently in the
academic record. If transferring is a goal, some
universities will overlook it and let it go; but it’s
still there and will never go away.
The only way to get rid of an E is to request
an appeal process. At office A-118, a student
must speak to a counselor and explain the
reason behind the E; a weekly committee will
meet and decide whether or not the student’s
reason is valid, therefore removing the E from
the record.
So let’s be smart and aware of what we can
do to avoid an F or an E because honestly,
would you rather graduate, or spend another
semester paying out of your pocket to retake
the course?
“If they failed to attend class,
they will get what we like to call
the horrible E. This is worse than
receiving an F, reason being, that
an E stays on a college transcripts
for life.”
E
Cleaning For
A Reason
Sports
TORCHBCC.COM
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21
22Sports
THE TORCH
Friday Night Lights Out
MICHELLE PEREZ
staff writer
Mary McCarthy once said, “In violence, we
forget who we are.” We have all heard the story or
some remnant of it. On a single night in February,
the then engaged, Ray Rice not only punched
his bride-to-be in the face during an elevator ride
in an Atlantic City casino, but he knocked her
unconscious and dragged her limp body from the
elevator. Simply put, it has been a brutal few weeks
for former Baltimore Raven running back Ray Rice
as well as several others involved in domestic
violence disputes in their recent past.
Why is it such a big deal? Because it isn’t
only one NFL player who has been caught in
recent months beating on their significant other or
“loved” ones and then been allowed to continue
playing. According to the USA Today database:
Ray McDonald, Chris Cook, Tony McDaniel, Kevin
Williams, Brandon Marshall, Santonio Holmes,
Greg Hardy, Dez Bryant, Erik Walden, Donte
Whitner, Randy Starks, and Frostee Rucker have
MELISSA PEREZ
Contributing Writer
all been arrested for domestic violence or related
charges since 2005. That is a whopping total of
12 football players in the last 9 years who are still
playing in the NFL after being arrested for physical
abuse against a partner. One in four women are
victims of domestic abuse, and the majority do not
report it.
Sports writer, Benjamin Morris, researched the
statistics on domestic violence for NFL players
and the national average and concluded “there are
83 domestic violence arrests, making it by far the
NFL’s worst category — with a relative arrest rate
of 55.4 percent...That 55.4 percent is more than
four times worse than the league’s arrest rate for
all offenses...domestic violence accounts for 48
percent of arrests for violent crimes among NFL
players, compared to our estimated 21 percent
nationally.”
Where does this culture of aggression and
violence come from and how is the NFL handling
it? Dan Diamond, Forbes writer, notes “NFL players
suffer repeated blows to the head every Sunday.
A star player …will get tackled hundreds of times
every year. And there is evidence to suggest that all
those hits to the brain may increase the propensity
to commit domestic violence.” Though it cannot
all be biological. According to the Clark County
Prosecuting Attorney, many batterers learn violent
behavior that becomes more severe over time.
A new six-game suspension was imposed for first
time offenders, leaving more serious consequences
for repeat offenders. NFL commissioner Roger
Goodell addressed the public on Friday, September
19th vowing to make fundamental changes toward
the NFL’s policies on handling domestic abuse by
February, saying, “I am not satisfied with the way
we handled it... I made a mistake.” He continued to
say how dissatisfied he was with the process and
conclusion in dealing with Ray Rice.
Rice has since been indefinitely suspended
from the NFL, while other stars will be on temporary
suspension until their innocence is proven. Why is
it though, that only after months of “investigation”
that only now a video has surfaced of the Ray
Rice attack with consequences to follow? Others
(meaning the TMZ reporter who allegedly made
a single phone call to the casino to receive the
elevator footage) asked the same question. Goodell
had no response, but assured no one, including
himself, had seen the video before it’s release by
news outlet, TMZ.
Is the culture of the NFL one of secrecy and
misogyny? Why do different people receive different
punishments for the same crime? Unfortunately,
it took a video camera for the NFL to admit fault
and change a policy that was well overdue. The
argument between fans seems to be somewhere
between, “It’s just because he’s a celebrity that they
are punishing him so severely.” and “#BoycottNFL”.
How does the issue of domestic violence in sports
affect the millions of fans who sit in the stands
every year?
For adults and the young men and women
who love football the effects vary, of course. No one,
however, can argue the fact that the way the NFL
handles this situation can and will set precedent
for other groups to do the right thing. The way
that Roger Goodell and his team treat each case
of abuse will affect the many young boys and girls
who look up to the NFL models to follow.
Domestic abuse affects millions of people
annually, and guilt falls not only on the batterers,
but the bystander who fails to act as well. Nolan
continued, “...topics like domestic violence and
racism and corruption; let’s let Boomer handle
those between downs. It’s time for the conversation
to change or at least those participating in the
conversation. It’s time for women to have a seat at
the big boy table, and not where their presence is a
gimmick or a concept, just a person who happens
to have breasts offering their opinion on the sports
they love and the topics they know. Because the
truth is, the NFL will never respect women and
their opinions as long as the media it answers to
doesn’t.” Just let that sink in.
The Dedovich Story
Have you heard of Deana
Dedovich? The girl who proves
that she can do it all? Deana is the
head coach for Bergen Community
College’s cross country team, and
has earned her position through
pure sweat and dedication. Coach
Dedovich, like most coaches started
from the bottom and ran her way to
the top.
It all started when Dedovich
was a child, her dad handed her a
basketball, and her love for sports
bloomed. From there, she joined her
high school basketball team but was
later recruited into her high school
cross country team by the coach after
he spotted her running a four mile run
with a friend. Dedovich graduated
from Bloomfield College with Graphic
Designs as her undergrad. Currently,
she is earning her masters at Fairleigh
Dickinson University while leading
our cross country team to regionals.
Dedovich came to BCC to achieve
her certificate for coaching and just
as she finished she had been offered
the position to coach our very own
cross country team. When Dedovich
was here at Bergen earning her
certificate she was still able to
maintain a busy life. She participated
in basketball and cross country and
was the Torch’s online editor and
a staff writer.At the age of 24, she
has managed to juggle her work as
waitress while earning a masters
in sports administration. Dedovitch
states “...becoming athletic director,
you have to know all aspects of the
sports.” she played on different sports
teams to ready her for her career.
Coach Dedovich has big
plans for our cross country team
and is excited for this season. “...
when we get to regionals and which
I hope to, win it all. That’s going to
be our next goal and our final goal is
to get to nationals and do damage.
Make something happen.” Although
winning is not the only thing on
Deana’s mind “...right now we are
trying to develop our Fridays –
because Fridays are always a light
day, and trying to develop into a study
hall to maintain our grades.” Coach
Dedovich confirmed.
From individually caring for
each and one of her team mates,
to the journey to regionals, to grad
school and finally her other two jobs
Coach Dedovich is busy but never
overwhelmed. Dedovich is used
to a full plate, and during her time
at Bloomfield college she not only
played softball, soccer and track and
field but also worked three different
jobs all the while trying to maintain
a straight A average. Despite the
constant struggle as a young lady
in college Dedovich really feels as
though it made her a better student
and athlete.
Although young, her experience
grants her wisdom beyond her years;
“My main advice, I would give any
(student) athlete, in general is to do
good in both academics and athletics
in a balanced fashion.”
Illustration by Deana Dedovich
23Sports
THE TORCH
O Captain, My Captain: A
Retrospective of Derek Jeter
CLIFFORD BOAN
Copy Editor
Number 2: Derek Jeter. Leader, legend,
even hero are a few of the words that have
become almost synonymous with the name.
A New York Yankee his whole career;
his 20 seasons in pinstripes is longest of
any previous Bronx Bomber, just one over
Mariano Rivera, and two over Yogi Berra
and Mickey Mantle.For some Yankee fans
(Including Many College students here at
Bergen), next season will the be the first
in which they will see the ballclub Jeterless. Just as well, nobody will be wearing
a number below 11, as Jeter’s #2 has been
retired.
June 1, 1992, Derek Jeter was
drafted 6th overall in the MLB amateur draft
by the New York Yankees as an 18 year-old,
straight out of high school. He had played in
the minors for a few years before making his
major league debut in 1995. He didn’t start
to play regularly until the following season, in
which he not only won the Rookie of the Year
award, but played an integral part in hoisting
up the franchise’s 23rd World Series Trophy
that very season.
Jeter is one of the best contact hitters
to play the game. Sitting just under 3500 hits
all time, he has the 6th most of any player
ever. He was a cornerstone to the Yankees
offense, with his signature opposite-field
hitting that helped him acquire 5 Silver
Slugger awards - his most recent being in
2012. His last at-bat at Yankee Stadium was
an opposite-field, walk-off single to cap off a
very emotional game.
Jeter has also been an icon on the
defensive side of play. His intensity and drive
brought us moments such as the 2001 ALDS
“Flip Play” against the Oakland Athletics and
the Evel Knievel-esque diving catch into the
stands during a Yankees - Red Sox duel
in 2004. His efforts on the diamond have
earned him 9 Gold Gloves and put him in 14
MLB all-star games.
Jeter’s play is by no means limited
to the regular season, however. His playoff
performances have earned him the nickname
“Mr. November,” a play on Reggie Jackson’s
Mr. October title - given to him for his clutchhitting in the playoffs. (Playoffs had been
pushed back a few days after the 9/11 attacks,
moving the World Series to November). Jeter
owns the postseason hit record with a near
70 more than Bernie Williams. He also owns
most singles, doubles, and triples. With the
Yankees, Jeter has taken home five World
Series rings, three in a row coming from ‘98’00.
Have there been players to hit more,
field better, and have just been overall better
baseball players? Sure. But being great is
not all stats. Teammates Mariano Rivera
and Jorge Posada, two of the “core four”
that included Jeter and pitcher Andy Pettite,
have both put Jeter at the helm of their list
of best Yankees of all time. “I got to see how
much the game of baseball meant to him,”
Posada said, “he never made an excuse.”
Rivera adds, “I never saw Babe Ruth play.
Joe DiMaggio, Lou Gehrig, Mickey Mantle..
But I saw Derek play for 19 years… All I saw
was determination and desire to be the best.
Definitely, for me, like Jorge says, he is No.
1. I saw the man that always wanted to win
and give the best for the team. He might not
speak too much, but he said it on the field.”
Many have always thought highly of
Jeter. In 2003, he was the first Yankee to be
named Captain since Don Mattingly retired
in 1995, thus giving him the nickname “The
Captain.”
It may be his off-the-field attitude that
earned him all of this applause and awe.
Many “celebrity” players have been known
to not be the best at keeping their personal
lives quiet. A lot of greats have been shunned
for using performance enhancements,
while others have gotten into the high-class
lifestyle of women and partying.
Derek Jeter is not only one of the most
respected Yankees on the team, but one of
the most respected players in the league.
Louisville Slugger, for the first time in its 130
year history, is retiring a bat in honor of a
a player for him. On his ‘farewell tour,’ he’s
collected a vast array of luxurious gifts from
other teams as he enters their home field,
ranging from a surfboard to a guitar to the
number 2 from the Wrigley Field scoreboard.
As Jeter made his first plate appearances
during away games, he acknowledges the
crowd as the applause and screams rain
down from fans and players of the opposing
teams.
There is almost too much to be said
about Derek Jeter. However, one thing is
certain, he will be dearly missed from the
sport. It will likely be a number of years
before the Yankees name another captain to
replace the great number 2.
Gameday with Jonathan Maher
Contributing Writer
Captain of the Bergen mens soccer team, 4.0
GPA, part time employee, guitar shredder, and now
a contributing writer. If you ever wondered what a
day would be like from the perspective of a student
athlete - look no further - Jonathan Maher is here to
shed a little light.
6 a.m. : I wake up, shower and pack my uniform
for the game. Once I’m packed and ready for class, I
cook and eat breakfast. Usually on game day I have
a few eggs, a protein shake and a few breakfast
bars that I eat in the car on the way to Bergen.
7 a.m. : I leave for Bergen
8 a.m. : Classes start and as the day goes on
it gets harder and harder to focus. To succeed in
class you need to be awake and alert, but when
your mind is trying to wander off and think about the
game, the day goes by very slow.
9.30 a.m. : I have a short break between classes
but it’s straight to the library to do work because I
know I won’t be back home ‘till around 9 tonight and
I still have class work to do.
12.30 p.m. : My classes are done for the day
and I have to run to the cafeteria to get a quick bite
of food before I run off to the locker room because
we leave for the game at 1.
1 p.m. : I get on the bus with my team and listen
to my music on the way to the game. Trying to stay
focused for so long is hard, but I know the more I
concentrate on what I am going to have to do later
the better I will play.
of his life. The busy schedule of a student athlete
is not one for the feint of heart - but for Jonathan
Maher - it fuels him even more to perform at an
elite level.
3 p.m. : Warm-ups start and its all business from
here on out.
3.30 p.m. : Kick Off
5.30 p.m. : Game is done and we’re back on the
bus going home. If we won, its a great bus ride with
plenty of laughing and joking on the way to eat. If
not, everyone’s quiet and just wants to get home
quickly.
6 p.m. : Win or lose, we stop by a restaurant on
the way home and get some food. If we won, its
a good dinner but if not no one is in the mood for
talking.
8 p.m. : I get back to Bergen and head home for
the night.
9.30 p.m. : I am back home, showered and ready
for bed, but unfortunately I’ve been busy all day so
I still have work around the house and work that I
need to get done for my classes.
6 a.m. : Alarm goes off and I begin my next day
for class.
As the gameday bleeds into the next, the central
defender refocuses his efforts towards all aspects
Gabe Wanissian//The Torch
JONATHAN MAHER
24Sports
The Torch
SPORTS
Soccer Teams On a R o l l
YAIDELISSE ROMAN
staff writer
Diego Espinoza scores in a 4-2 Bulldogs victory.
Courtesy of BCC Athletic Department
Bergen’s mens soccer team kickstarted the season
with a double win. On August 26th, the boys had their
first scrimmage against Dutchess CC and won (30). They then proceeded to enter into the Herkimer
Tournament on August 30, beating Genesee CC (21).
During the Herkimer Tournament, The Bulldogs
suffered their first loss of the season against
Herkimer CC, losing (5-2). They picked up the speed
again after their second loss against Camden CC on
September 26, (3-1).
They have a five-win streak after Raritan Valley
CC (3-1), on September 9th, Rockland CC (7-4), on
September 16th, Brookdale CC (2-1), on September
18th, on September 20th they went up against
Gloucester CC (6-3), and on September 25th they
had a great victory against CC of Morris (3-1).
They lost their winning streak on the 27th of
September vs. Manor College, (3-1), and then
again against Sussex Co. CC., (2-1). They picked
themselves back up with a great victory on October
4th vs. Cumberland CC (5-2).
On August 23rd The Womens Soccer team
started their season with a scrimmage against NJCU
but lost 4-0, their second Scrimmage didn’t end well
either. They went up against Dominican College and
lost 2-0.
The girls won their first game on September 6th
against Camden Community College, (6-1). They lost
the streak once again on September 11th against
CC of Morris, (0-3). Their game vs. Northampton CC
on September 13th was Postponed. Then they lost
another game against Brookdale CC, (1-5).
They Picked up the season one September 20th
with a four win streak. Gloucester CC, 5-1), Raritan
Valley CC, (2-1), Montgomery CC, (6-0), Bucks
CC, (8-2). The streak ended when the girls went
up against Sussex CC and suffered a 3-0 loss. On
October 4th, The girls had their first cancelled game
against Cumberland CC. The teams are putting up a
good fight, let’s cheer them on all the way to nationals.
LET’S GO BULLDOGS!
The Bulldog That Bites
ANTHONY GIORDANO
staff writer
No need for the recording on this one: Louis
Isner’s words stuck like the ball to his hands as he
crashes the boards. You see his frame and it’s easy
to understand why he’s one of the players fighting
for rebounds against the opposition. Every bit of
6’5, he has the body of a center at the JUCO level,
but it may be surprising to some that he fancies
himself a facilitator.
While surprising at first, after sitting with
him for about 30 minutes, it’s easy to see why he
enjoys setting his teammates up; he seems selfless
in the way he speaks. Not at all arrogant, he is
instead confident in the way he handles himself on
the court. After a vicious block or beautiful bounce
pass, he won’t get in your face because as he put
it, “I’m not a big rah rah guy.” He acts like he’s been
there before.
His favorite player is Jamal Crawford
simply because, “I like the way he carries himself.
He’s been in the league for over 10 years, will
drop 40 or 50 on you and won’t say a word.” Isner
doesn’t care for the spotlight, only the game which
he has been playing since age twelve. What began
as an escape from the perils of home life led him to
JUCO basketball, contributing on a team he feels
can be very special. Isner states, “We’re looking
really good...we're gonna be like men” insinuating
that this team has a veteran feel to it, despite the
fact that many of them are new to the JUCO scene.
As Isner rattled off the ages of various
players: a 23 year old, a 22 year old and himself
being 24, one can easily tell that this roster has
years of experience on the court that he feels will
translate into wins.
Isner remained intriguing throughout the half
hour discussion, briefly explaining his battle with
asthma, his struggles growing up in his youth and
the fascinating yet honest proclamation that there
have been times where all of his outside problems
have been in his head during games. This was
intriguing in that most players are never this candid
in regards to outside distraction. Isner felt no need
for dishonesty, and opened up about how issues off
the court began to affect him in game performance.
While some turn bitter from hardships, Isner
preferred to use words such as “tougher” and
“stronger” to rationalize his situations and how they
have made him a better individual both on and off
the court. He gave himself a rating of 85 in NBA 2K
when asked to do so, modest yet understandable
when he goes into detail about how his stamina
could use a bit of work. “The easy thing is saying
it, the harder thing is really trying to stay in shape,”
displays a man who realizes his work ethic is key.
Hopefully that talent, work ethic and overall
selflessness leads him to his goals of a four year
college and a contract from a team overseas. While
working on all of that, how about a championship
Louis? Remember, you said the Bulldogs were
capable of hoisting one, we’re holding you to that.
Jessica Rodriguez//The Torch

to The New Code of Conduct

Transcription

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