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December 5, 2007
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22
Opinions
Vol. 80 Issue #13
AnchoR
The The
Free Access to Ideas... Full Freedom of Expression
RIC PRIMARY
Photo Courtesy of Mike Shiel By Kameron Spaulding Anchor Editor Secretary of State Ralph Mollis referred to the Rhode Island College Primary held on campus on Wed. Nov. 28 as “the nation’s first.” If that is truly the case, then Barack Obama is the early leader in this campaign as he won with 40 percent of the Democratic vote. On the Republican side, Rudy Giuliani won handily with almost 35 percent. Overall, it was a great event with some solid student sup-
port. The campaign rally on Tuesday night was full of opportunities for RIC students to learn about this important presidential race. Every candidate was represented at the event, yet some just seemed to walk away with it. The Ron Paul group was especially prominent. They had young people with signs outside and quite a few more walking around the event inside. They also had a large multimedia setup and seemed to draw quite a bit of attention. The Dennis Kucinich camp was out there rocking
RIC NSCS To Sponsor Drive By Paula Richer Anchor Staff “’Tis the season, everybody! That’s the spirit spreading through Rhode Island College’s chapter of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars (a national honors organization for highachieving students). This season, NSCS is holding its annual Women and Children’s Drive on campus to benefit local domestic violence shelters, and they’re asking us to chip in. From now through Dec. 20, we’ll see donation boxes in nearly every department hall on campus. Why not drop a little something in? The list of needed donations (posted with each box) includes the same kind of practical items we as college kids use; things like bus tickets, umbrellas, paper towels, bean bags, phone calling cards, batteries, hygiene products, mittens, packaged foods, and linens. The RIC students from the NSCS couldn’t have made it any easier for us to feel that warm and fuzzy rush that only giving can bring, so let’s show ‘em what we’ve got! If volunteering is your thing, the NSCS-ers are also planning an Arts & Crafts play date with the kids at Hasbro Children’s Hospital on December 21 as well as soup kitchen visits throughout the year. There’s a lot to do at these events and an extra pair of hands is al-
ways appreciated. Chapter President Sunny Intwala, a Biology major/Chemistry minor (who will enter Brown’s Med Program next year) and winner of last year’s National Merit Scholarship started RIC’s NSCS Chapter in 2006. He says of his decision, “After learning that there was not a single organization on our campus dedicated to scholarship, service and leadership for all members of the college…I wanted to start a chapter…to leave something behind. I wanted to start an organization that was focused on giving back to the community...that would carry on for hundreds of years.” It appears that they are well on their way. The RIC Chapter of the NSCS started with 67 charter members last year and they inducted 64 new members on Nov. 1, for a current total of 131 students. Membership is offered based on grade point average and class standing and its benefits include scholarships, leadership development, travel opportunities, and career resources. For more information about the National Society of Collegiate Scholars, visit www.nscs.org. To help out with our Chapter’s campus activities, contact Sunny Intwala at sintwala@cox.net. Happy giving, everyone!
the vote as well. “The peace candidate always wins” was the message preached at his table all night long. There were two common words that were used at almost every table: Facebook or Myspace. The extra focus on the Internet was apparent. Mike Reyes was one of the young Paul backers and, when asked where he learned about him, his response was quick and simple: “It was easy. I found his videos on Youtube and was hooked.”
Cont. on Centerspread
The Free, “Green” Alternative to $3 per Gallon
By Christina Morra Anchor Contributor
Patrick Keaney takes a unique approach to fueling his car and money is no object. He says, “I don’t care if I can save money. It doesn’t concern me. I just know I don’t want to burn foreign oil.” Fortunately for Keaney, he can fill his tank for free with just a few hours of manual labor. That’s because he converted his 1984 diesel Volkswagen Rabbit pickup truck to run on waste vegetable oil which he collects from local restaurants and then filters. “This is work. This is what I do.” But this isn’t what Keaney, 38, has always done. Raised in Boxborough, Mass., he graduated from Boston College in 1990. He worked as a journalist for a few years and then, in 2000, Keaney was campaigning for Ralph Nader when his friend, who owned the Hempest on Newbury Street, told him that a car fueled by hemp seed oil would be coming to the shop. “At this point in my life, I thought I was pretty hip,” says Keaney. “But there I was, looking at a car that ran on plants, and I just couldn’t believe that I had never heard of this before. I was completely blown away.” After some research, Keaney bought an old Mercedes Benz and started running it on biodiesel. It is made from renewable resources instead of fossil fuels. In 2004, he learned how to modify a diesel car to burn vegetable oil. In short, it requires installing a secondary tank
where the vegetable oil is heated until it is thin enough to power the engine. Keaney formed a team, GreenGreaseMonkey.com, and has been converting diesel cars, collecting vegetable oil, and making biodiesel ever since. In the next few months, Keaney plans to get the Brighton apartment building he owns running on the biodiesel he produces. He rents the rooms to five people with similar environmental interests. He has a vegetable garden in his backyard and a composting toilet in his basement. Yet Keaney remains realistic about what he’s doing. “I try to say whenever I can that this is not saving the world. We’re living in a couple of hundred years where there’s abundant energy sources due to geological factors that are totally out of our control, and we’re squandering it. Driving a veggie car is not helping matters. You’re doing less damage, but the reality is, we need a revolution.” Lorin Kinney, who transferred to Rhode Island College this semester, has been running on vegetable oil for a year and a half. “I had been interested in buying a diesel car for quite a while because I’d heard that they are far more dependable than gasoline engines and can last half a million miles without any huge trouble,” recalls the psychology major. “In the process of looking for a car,” he says, “I met someone in New Hampshire who was selling his in favor of a newer Mercedes diesel. He told me about the site GreaseCar.com.”
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