DECEMBER 2012
observer THE OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE
THE STUDENT VOICE
SINCE 1968
THE EFFECTS OF HURRICANE SANDY In the Aftermath, Sandy is Just the Beginning
By Tsahai General Features Editor Photo Credit: RealityTVMagazine
For weeks, the East Coast was advised to beware of an impending storm. Many people, even those inland, took caution to the wind and made preparations, “just in case.” Just last year, nearing the end of the summer, the coast was hit by Hurricane Irene. Irene took down trees and power was lost in areas heavily populated by those trees; it cost more than $15 billion in damage. Then, a month later, on All Hollow’s Eve, the tri-state area was hit with a snowstorm that felled even more trees and surprised Mother Nature herself. The snowstorm had hit earlier than normal and Irene’s winds led to strange weather in the Mid West, but not many fingers were pointed at global warming. As this year’s storm approached, a hurricane by the name of Sandy, it blew through the Caribbean. It caused quite the devastation, Jamaica being lucky enough to be located in the eye, and then continued towards the East Coast of the U.S. The southern-most states were said to expect ‘peripheral impacts’ of the hurricane and it was expected to turn inland on the shores of Delaware. Due to Sandy’s unusual dynamics, it was reclassified continued on page 2
Seaside Heights devastated after Hurricane Sandy
Hurricane Sandy News -page 2
Computer Lab Issues Student Life -page 5
Wanted to Say Goodbye Opinions / Editorials -page 7
Why the Democrats Won 2012 A Political Analysis of Why Romney Lost the Election
Disney Buys STAR WARS for $4 Billion
By Lev Zilbermintz
Executive Editor / Student Life Editor
Illustration credit: Jonathan Williamson Photo Credit: Wintella Powell
continued on page 2
New Films Planned When the House of Mouse Meets the Skywalker Ranch
Illustration credit: www.reddit.com/user/filmeiker By Jonathan M. Williamson Layout Editor
A “New Hope” may be on the horizon for fans of the iconic space opera franchise, Star Wars. Walt Disney Co., the home of Mickey Mouse, has announced it will purchase Lucasfilm to the tune of $4.05 billion dollars, with the intent of creating more Star Wars movies, with Episode VII in planning for a 2015 release, and Episodes VIII and IX in the pipeline for the years after. With this, a new future for Star Wars may be coming to a galaxy not so far away. The Star Wars films, centered around the epic struggle between the forces of good and evil – lightsaber wielding space knights, bounty hunters and exotic aliens – have had a resounding impact on modern American popular culture, changing the face of film and the entertainment industry forever. Since the first film’s release in 1977, Star Wars has generated a box office revenue of $4.49 billion, making it the third-highest grossing film series of all time, and an estimated $23 billion in-
Photo Credit: Wintella Powell
Why did Governor Mitt Romney lose the election? This is the question that Republicans all over the country are asking. Was it because his campaign could not match the charisma of President Obama, his rhetorical skills, and appeal to younger voters? Or was it because the Republican Party is using a combination of political strategies that are outdated in 21st century America? The answer is a combination of all of these factors. Republicans failed to learn from Senator John McCain’s loss in 2008. Obama galvanized young people, women, Latinos, Hispanics and
Blacks into voting for him. He managed to split the Catholic vote, get the support of gays and core Democrats. Thus, Obama’s coalition was based on transcending gender, race, religion (Jews, Muslims and Christians voted for him) and sexual orientation. By comparison, Republicans relied on older voters, especially white males to win the election. But this is not 1988. America is now more diverse than ever. Whites now constitute 72% of the population, down from 74% in 2008 and 77% in 2004. Hispanics are the largest-growing group in America. It was this group that Romney should have taken a lot more seriously. Take, for example, immigration reform. Obama issued an Executive Order allowing the children of illegal immigrants to gain American citizenship. The president basically passed a miniature version of the DREAM ACT, which Congress was loath to do. Romney, on the other hand, undertook conservative positions that did not appeal to Hispanics. Romney’s backers included the Tea Party, a very conservative wing of the Republican Party. Simply put, the Tea Party was against gay marriage, illegal immigration, unfriendly to women, and in many places, male-dominated. The two conservative Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate named Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock, both made disparaging comments about rape, which illustrate the problem. One said that women had natural defenses against rape, while the other claimed that rape was ordained by God. Statistics illustrate the story. Obama won the young voters, aged 18-29, by 22 points, 59 to 37 percent. One out of five voters was under 30. Older people overwhelmingly backed Romney. The former Massachusetts governor received 56 percent to Obama’s 43 percent. White voters backed Romney by a 59 – 39 percent margin. The president more than made up for the deficit by
Flight Movie Review Arts -page 9
Essex County College 303 University Ave. Newark, NJ 07102
continued on page 9
DECEMBER 2012
PAGE 2
NEWS Hurricane Sandy continued from page 1
Photo Credit: Wintella Powell
Post Election Analysis continued from page 1 winning 93 percent of the black vote and 70 percent of the Latino vote. Independents backed Romney by a 50 – 45 margin, while moderates backed Obama, 56 – 42. * However, numbers tell only part of the story. It is the character of the two men that defined their campaigns. In the eyes of the public, Obama was more telegenic, a better communicator. Romney, on the other hand, was viewed as more of a wealthy businessman and less relatable to the average person. It was not until the first debate with Obama, in October, that Romney found sure footing. By then, early voting had already started in some places. Another mistake made by the Romney campaign was not picking Marco Rubio of Florida for a running mate and instead picking Wisconsin’s Paul Ryan. Had Rubio been Romney’s running mate, he could have definitely made a pitch for the votes of Hispanics and Latinos. More to the point, Rubio could have de-
The hurricane struck meteorologists and the general public as strange because though it was a hurricane, its ‘force wind field’ was abnormally large. According to Weather. com, its sustained winds extended in a diameter of about 930 miles from the southwest to the northeast which is equivalent to the driving distance from Jacksonville to New York. This hurricane season has been shockingly eventful. Two tropical storms, Alberto and Beryl, took place pre-hurricane season, but were still counted towards this seasons’ total. The first hurricane of the season also took place in pre-hurricane season and was quite far from the equator. It was named Chris and was located far up north, past the state of New York, rather than south in the Caribbean. Chris was followed by other hurricanes during the season, but the Atlantic was shocked to find its 4th hurricane arriving in June rather than the usual late August. No named hurricanes occurred in the month of July, which is not unusual, but a total of 8 named storms occurred in the month of August. This had happened before in 2004, but, again, the storms were ahead of schedule. In addition, the first hurricane for the month of September was also slightly ahead of schedule. The total for the beginning of Hurricane Season hit 13 in only September. This fact raised some eyebrows because storms are named alphabetically during the season and never has the first major hurricane occurred after the letter “I”. 12 named hurricanes occurred before the only category 3, Hurricane Michael, occurred. <weather.com> The question on everyone’s mind is, “Can we blame global warming?” Climate scientists are not so quick to point fingers. However, they will admit that green-house gasses emitted by humans account for the rise in sea level over the decades; in addition, this rise in sea level is what led to the storm surge along the Atlantic coast. Scientists want humans to be aware that they are making a lot of unnatural changes to the earth without knowledgeable means of reversal. Sadly, Hurricane Sandy is just the beginning.
Photo Credit: U.S. Coast Guard via Getty Images
as a non-tropical storm; not to mention, it constantly changed its direction. Irene was a hurricane that, like other hurricanes, brought with it massive flooding, which led to the high cost in repairs; Sandy, on the other hand, proved to be much more special. Rather than the general Southern coastal regions, the areas that felt Sandy’s might laid up north. New York and New Jersey felt the brunt of the hurricane. Along the coast, homes were washed away without a trace and those remaining were filled with the sand of the man-made coast. New Jersey lost one of its more famous tourist attractions and the location for a popular television series, the Jersey Shore. Luckily, the Jersey Shore reality series hadn’t planned on continuing there for another season, because the remains of Seaside Heights are underwater. Residents of New Jersey were shocked to see that all that remained ‘down the shore’ was the upper half of the roller coaster. The eradication of the boardwalks and the flooding of casinos were not the only issues to be dealt with along New Jersey’s coastline. Homes that were evacuated were lost at sea and residents found themselves displaced. In addition, residents who refused to evacuate due to the inconvenience of the previous year’s evacuation, found themselves trapped with the surrounding areas engulfed by water. Not only were these residents trapped, but they were left without power, they had no service or a means to charge their already dying phones, and the outside temperature was dropping. The displaced shore residents called in to various radio stations sharing their stories. Families inland listened from battery powered radios in order to stay up to date with the devastation. Radio hosts extended their sympathy to families who lost their homes and to those without power, who were freezing inside their still standing houses. Essex County residents like Liana Bryan waited out the power outage at home, bundling up her family and little ones to keep warm. Cars were the only means of charging cellular devices, but the devices were almost useless when it was announced that 25 percent of cell towers had fallen causing service to be limited, according to the Huffington Post. Residents feared dying car batteries and running out of gas trying to refill on supplies. “Luckily, my truck didn’t need to be on in order
to charge our phones,” stated Steve Wright. His truck did consume a lot of gas and he had to wait four hours in line, hoping his truck wouldn’t die in the process. Other residents whose cars were below ‘E’ had to stand in line for 4+ hours in the cold, just to fill a canister or two. Eventually, in an attempt to stop the madness, it was announced on November 2 that there would be an odd-even rationing for gasoline. The announcement, referred to as ‘Executive Order 108,’ took effect on November 3 in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Morris, Monmouth, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren counties. The order did not apply to the canister lines, so residents continued to line up, reports NJ.com. In regards to the power outage, on October 31, it was confirmed by PSEG that 1.4 million New Jersey residents lost power due to Hurricane Sandy. In Essex County alone, 420,000 residents lost power. This loss of power continued while workers tried to get themselves organized in order to restore power to grids. Towns like West Orange had crews mobilized, ready to act when the storm hit, but they did not expect that 85 percent of the township would lose power <thealternativepress.com>. Hurricane Sandy, at first considered category 2, was the latest and strangest oddity of the 2012 season. Sandy arrived on October 22; it evolved and dissolved many times during its journey through the Caribbean and up the coast of the US. It began as a tropical storm and evolved into a category 1 hurricane on October 24. The next day, Sandy intensified into a category 2, while still hovering over the Caribbean and it weakened that night into a category 1. On October 27, Sandy further weakened into a tropical storm, and after just 3 hours, it strengthened back into a category 1 hurricane. Three days later, Sandy had transitioned into a post-tropical cyclone and touched down on the shores of New Jersey, working its way to New York, with winds sustained at 130 km/h. The storm finally weakened to a tropical depression and the remains settled on to the Great Lakes. <weather.com>
livered Florida’s 29 electoral votes to Romney instead of the 3 electoral votes that Paul Ryan provided. Romney thought that people hated Obama so much that they would easily vote him out as in 1980, with then-President Jimmy Carter. The time period was rife with long gas lines, the Iranian hostages crisis, stagnation and inflation, as well as the invasion of Afghanistan by the Russians. But now, in 2012, the economy is not the same as in 1980. In addition, the Republican nominee, Romney, didn’t seem to have Ronald Reagan’s telegenic talent. Then came Hurricane Sandy. This was the icing on the cake, so to speak. The disaster caused by the hurricane allowed Obama to take central stage with relief efforts. Romney could not overcome the image of Obama talking to people in New Jersey, with Governor Chris Christie at his side. The image of a president hugging a crying victim of Hurricane Sandy ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE OBSERVER
spoke volumes to those who watched on TV and Internet. Bottom line is that Romney lost because he could not appeal to minorities that now make up close to 30% of America’s population. Also, Romney was not viewed as telegenic as Obama, nor could he connect with the average person. There was no sense of direction in his campaign. Ultimately, this is what cost Governor Mitt Romney the election. *These numbers were the result of a preliminary exit survey of 15,825 voters conducted by a media consortium. The Associated Press and the TV networks are part of the consortium.
DECEMBER 2012
PAGE 3
Student Life HOMECOMING Homecoming Celebration Honors ECC Olympians
“Our athletes are proof you can do anything you put your mind to.”
—President Edythe Abdullah
Photo Credit: Wayne Yourstone
Olympians will get full athletic scholarships. According to Marsha McCarthy, Director of Office of Marketing and Communications, the six ECC Olympians established numerous records. Demetrius Pinder, Class of 2009, is Gold Medalist for Bahamas’ winning 4x400 relay team. Pinder came to the celebration wearing his gold medal. Kanika Beckles, Class of 2011, competed in the women’s 400 meter dash for Grenada. Joel Redhead, Class of 2007, competed in the men’s 200 meter dash for Grenada. Moussa Dembele, Class of 2013, competed in the men’s 110 meter hurdles for Senegal. Enrique Llanos, Class of 2002, ran in the men’s 110 meter hurdles for Puerto Rico. Melanie Walker, Class of 2004, competed for Jamaica. She is a 2012 Olympian and the 2008 Gold Medalist/Olympic record holder for the women’s 400 meter hurdles. Carol Y. Clark, a member of the County of Essex Board of Chosen Freeholders, saluted Coach Knight for making such incredible athletes. “Athletics is in my heart. I know it does not come close to opening and closing ceremonies,” said Clark. Clark then called the name of each athlete. As they stepped forward, Clark presented each athlete with a copy of a resolution by the Freeholders honoring them for their achievements. According to the 1985 ECCOLOG, and
ECCO archives, Clark used to be Director of Student Activities at ECC. With the flags of their nations waving behind them at the podium, diplomatic representatives from Bahamas, Grenada and Senegal stepped forward to congratulate the Olympians. Carol Young Miller, representing the Bahamas, said her country was “proud of the accomplishments of that golden night in giving Bahamas preeminence”. Miller said the consulate maintains a database of ten states where Bahamian students live. Miller concluded her remarks by giving Demetrius Pinder a resolution and an award honoring his achievement. Anthony Howard, representing the Consulate General of Grenada, said that “sacrifices are made not only in the classroom but also in the field.” The diplomat gave Kanika Beckles and Joel Redhead, the Grenadian athletes, awards and resolutions recognizing their achievements. Fall Mouhamadou Rassoul, Counselor of the Senegalese Consulate, congratulated current student and Olympian Moussa Dembele, for his achievements. To stormy applause, Rassoul said, “Today, Senegal is happy to honor one of its sons, Moussa Dembele. Sports frame the lives of people.” Rassoul presented Dembele with an award and a resolution. Angel Millan, Chairman of Essex County College’s FOCUS branch, presented a certificate of recognition to Enrique Llanos, the sole Puerto Rican athlete. Attorney Calvin Souder, representing the Board of Trustees, told the athletes, “What you accomplish as student athletes is no small feat. Every millisecond counts. We are glad you came to serve other students [as role models].” United Airlines was recognized as the sponsor of the Homecoming event. Blenda Riddick, UA Director of Corporate and Government Affairs, told the audience that “our relationships with the state of New Jersey have expanded. United Airlines is a major employer.” In closing, ECC President Abdullah told the audience, “Our athletes are proof that you can do anything you put your mind to.”
(Art Appreciation); BUS 201 (Principles of Management); CIS 107 (Computer Literacy); CIS 131 (Micro Computers in Business); ENG 101 (College Composition I); ENG 102 (College Composition II); ENG 109 (Effective Speech); FRN 101 (Elementary French I); FRN 102 (Elementary French II); HST 101 (World Civilization I); HST 102 (World Civilization II); MUS 100 (Music Appreciation); SPN 101 (Elementary Spanish I), and SPN 102 (Elementary Spanish II). “This is also an excellent option for students who received a non-passing grade in an available intersession class, who can now retake a course in which they are already familiar, and who can hopefully find success in the condensed timeframe offered,” added Professor
Yee. Fulltime students may also choose to take a general education course offered during the Winter Intersession to lighten their academic load in the Spring semester. In order to apply financial aid to an Intersession class, students must register for Spring 2013 and have previously applied for financial aid. All classes will be held in the Center for Technology at the Newark campus. An open lab will be available for computer support and writing papers 9 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. On-line and in-person registration is set for Dec. 13 to Dec. 18. Call Enrollment Services at 973-877-3100 or go to essex.edu/esx for additional information.
ECC President Edythe Abdullah recognizes the achievements of our Olympic athletes. From left to right: Moussa Dembele (110 meter hurdles), Kanika Beckles (400 meter dash), Demetrius Pinder (4x400 meter relay Gold medal), and Joel Redhead (200 meter dash). Not pictured: honorees Melanie Walker (400 meter hurdles) and Enrique Llanos (110 meter hurdles)
By Lev Zilbelmintz
Executive Editor / Student Life Editor
Essex County College honored six former and current students who competed in the 2012 Olympics. An Olympic Homecoming Celebration was held on October 25, on the second floor of Essex County College, by the Mary Burch Theater. The program included presentations by diplomatic representatives from the Bahamas, Grenada, and Senegal. Catering was provided by the ECC Cafeteria. Food included fruit, various chesses, punch, and other refreshments. ECC President Edythe Abdullah opened the Homecoming program. Calling the homecoming of six athletes “a momentous occasion”, Abdullah thanked everyone for supporting the event. The president introduced the athletes, who stood up as their names were called. Demetrius Pinder, 2009; Melanie Walker, 2004; Kanika Beckles, 2011; Joel Redhead, 2007; Moussa Dembele 2013; and Enrique Llanos were the Olympians honored at the homecoming. Walker could not attend because her flight was delayed in Jamaica. Director of Athletics, Melvin Knight introduced the Olympians. “Amazing things have happened. These young men and women come to us with hopes, aspirations, and established goals. They deserve to be here because of all the hard work they put in. They understand the importance of education. Thank you for carrying the name of ECC globally,” said Knight. Track Coach Mila Smart said that all the
Photo Credit: ECC Student Success
SPRING FORWARD TO GRADUATION Register for Winter Intersession and Spring 2013 By Wayne Yourstone Senior News Writer Marketing & Communications Department
Does 3 credits in 10 Days sound too good to be true? It’s possible for students who take a class during the Winter Intersession. The College is offering 14, 3-credit Winter Intersession classes Wednesdays through Saturdays from Dec. 19 to January 3, 2013. “This is a great opportunity to earn three credits by taking one class four hours a day, four days a week,” said Donald Yee, Professor Emeritus who is facilitating the Intersession. “Winter Intersession is becoming a popular trend nation-wide among college students. The compressed schedule enables students to quickly earn credits in a required general education course. That can be a real time saver for students as they move toward graduation.” Courses to be offered include ART 100
ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE OBSERVER
DECEMBER 2012
PAGE 4
Student Life ISLAMOPHOBIA
On the Return of Anti-Americanism and Democracy in America By Khadijah bint Costello
Marketing Director
Photo Credit: http://www.ijtihad.org
Photo Credit: Wintella Powell
Dr. Muqtedar Khan, Associate Professor, Dept. of Political Science and Int. Relations at the University of Delaware
Khan defined Islamophobia as cultural prejudice, religious intolerance, and racism. He pointed to how the same country that was founded on religious intolerance, allows Muslims in America to suffer discrimination. America is a country that values the Constitution, but violates religious rights of their citizens. I had the opportunity to speak personally with Dr. Muqtedar Khan. As he spoke, I listened to his reaction to some of my questions. Q: Do you think it is time for Muslims in America to unify and start addressing Islamophobia and the violation of our civil rights, as per the 1st Amendment? A: For the past seven or eight years that has been the primary objective of all Muslim organizations. Muslim intellectuals, public intellectuals and scholars among others are working together to combat Islamophobia in the West. We are talking about the misrepresentation of Islam and how not respecting each other’s belief system has caused much damage in the Muslim world. For example, in the Qur’an Jewish and Christians are not addressed as infidels or kufars (non-believers). They are addressed as People of the Book. In the same context we have to correct our Jewish and Christian friends when they say, “Muslims don’t believe in God or they worship Muhammad.” (Sometimes people say that Allah is not God and that just like Christians worship Jesus we worship Muhammad.
WORTH AT T E N D I N G
NJCU Instant Decision Day Apply to NJCU in person and receive an answer before you leave campus. Application fee will be waived for students who attend.
Transfer Students Instant Decision Day
Thursday, December 13 3 p.m. – 6 p.m. Prospective transfer students must bring official transcripts from all colleges attended to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions (Hepburn Hall, Room 207). njcu.edu 201-200-3234 admissions@njcu.edu 2039 Kennedy Boulevard Jersey City, New Jersey 07305 NJCU_Instant Decision_ECC 6x6.333.indd 1
Worth it. 11/26/12 3:10 PM
ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE OBSERVER
Allah is an Arabic word that means The God). We should show our intellect and give the right response without anger or ignorance. Q: From a cultural point of view, have you noticed that as Muslims we don’t tolerate one another? Do you think this is our biggest problem, affecting the whole fabric of the Islamic society here in the United States? A: Yes, I have noticed such problems. I believe intra-faith dialogues should be initiated in our Islamic communities. Conversations between Muslims in America from all walks of life and from different ethnic groups will help build a stronger Islamic community. Islamophobia has become a threat not only to Muslims, but the whole of society. Dialogues should continue regardless of the outcome. We should try at the very least to show who we are, giving the opportunity and time to others so they can realize we are not the monsters we are said to be. MAKE LOVE, NOT WAR.
EOF Transfer Workshop Preparing for the Next Level Photo Credit: Wintella Powell
Essex County College invited speaker Dr. Muqtedar Khan, from the University of Delaware to speak on “Islamophobia: Return of Anti-Americanism and Democracy.” Dr. Khan was born and raised in India as a member of the country’s Muslim minority. After receiving an engineering degree from the Osmania University in 1987 and an MBA in 1989, in 1990 he moved to the United States. There, Khan earned a PhD in International Relations, Political Theory and Islamic Thought at Georgetown University. He is currently an associate professor at the Department of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Delaware. Dr. Khan is also a fellow at the Center for the Study of Islam and Democracy and a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. He authored several books, including “Islamic Democratic Discourse: Theory, Debates and Philosophical and Perspective.” (Lexington Books, 2006) In a confident, yet unassuming voice Dr. Muqtedar Khan told us how America is at a cross-roads. He said that the importance of the then-upcoming elections can bring change the United States forever. Khan then gave us a depiction of both candidates. Dr. Khan commenced by describing President Barack Obama as an intellectual, a philosopher, and an extremely educated man. (We already know who he is voting for). Next, Khan described Governor Mitt Romney as out-of-touch with the very people he thinks he represents. Therefore, Dr. Khan called the upcoming November elections a cross-roads for America. Dr. Khan spoke about the controversial anti-Islamic movie, “Innocence Lost.” He called the movie and the global reaction to the movie “garbage.” He explained how Muslims should have used reason, instead of reacting with violence in a matter that threatens the very core of Islam. According to Khan, “The movie represents Islamophobia and the reaction represents Americanism.”
By Raymond Spencer
Staff Writer The Educational Opportunity Fund Program at Essex County College held a transfer workshop on November 13 and the 15th. The EOF is a program of supports for the college student of low income background. The program offers educated and experienced advisors, tutors and support staff who provide assistance with academic concerns. Additionally each main semester, fall and spring, the EOF student that is in good standing receives an additional $525 over and above the money received from other financial aid programs. The purpose of the transfer workshop is to help students at two-year colleges transfer to a four-year college or university successfully. It also assists students with choosing an appropriate four year school that best matches their degree program. To participate in the EOF a student must be registered full-time with 12 billable credits, be verified as a low income student, maintain a GPA of 2.0 or above and the student must be ready and willing to participate in the program’s various activities. There is also a website to assist students in their transfer efforts. The website, sponsored by the New Jersey Commission on Higher Education and New Jersey Presidents’ Council, is http://njtransfer.com, and on this website students will be able to search for fouryear colleges and universities that offer courses for their continuing education within their disciplines. After going to the website myself, the website itself is very easy to navigate. After reading the tutorial on how to navigate the NJ transfer website, I moved on to the “find course equivalencies” section and then to the “plan your academic programs” section. I am very enthusiastic about the compiling of my infor-continued on page 6
DECEMBER 2012
PAGE 5
Student Life SOME MAINTENENCE REQUIRED Facing
final exams,
ECC
students demand proper
computer lab maintenance, accountability
Photo Credit: Wintella Powell
Photo Credit: Wintella Powell
By Lev Zilbermintz Executive Editor / Student Life Editor
Barkley, Director of IT Operations; and Technical Support Specialists Abu Yakubu and Cesar Rodriguez on October 24. According to minutes of the meeting, some steps were taken to address computer problems. According to minutes of the October 24 meeting, four full-time technical support specialists are responsible for maintaining over 20 academic computer labs across a morning and evening shift. Immediately following the meeting, SGA Senator Marshey Kernizan was given a guided tour of academic computer labs at ECC and Center for Technology. He was accompanied by Cesar Rodriguez and Abu Yakubu. During the tour, it was shown that two computers in Lab 4103 are now back in working order. A non-functional jack caused two computers to become non-operational. After the lab coordinator submitted a request for repair to Facilities Department, the computers were fixed. Similarly, in CFT 212 lab, a damaged port required repair from the Facilities Department. The technical control specialists explained that students often confuse a printing quota restriction with a printer problem. The print quota is necessary to minimize rampant abuse of printing privileges, such as printing entire textbooks, and allow every student to print. According to Seddiki, ECC does not charge students for printing. Tarrick Tucker, the Treasurer of the Hip Hop Student Association and current SGA Senator, said that some SGA officials considered the language in the students’ petition to fix computers too demanding. The petition asks the ECC administration to fix computer labs around ECC before final exams start in December. So far, hundreds of students have signed the petition. According to the SGA Constitution, “A petition, signed by twenty percent (20%) of the SGA shall make it mandatory for the Board to take action upon any matter within its jurisdiction, such action to be taken eight days after the petition, properly signed, has been verified
Photo Credit: Wintella Powell
Throughout Essex County College, students are up in arms over problems with computer labs. An evaluation of computer labs found various problems, some since addressed. These ranged from non-functioning computers to printers not having enough toner. According to Mohammed Seddiki, Executive Dean/Chief Information Officer of Administrative and Learning Technologies, there are more than twenty computer labs spread throughout ECC and the Center for Technology (CFT). These include labs in Student Support Services (SSS); Clara Dasher Center (CDC); the Academic labs on the first four floors of the Megastructure; WISE Computer lab; Open Lab 3404 by the MLK Library; Lab 4103; CFT T211, 212; the SGA Office computer; ECCO student newspaper; Learning Center Lab, and others. Not all computer labs report to him, Elizabeth Barkley, Seddiki’s spokeswoman, wrote in an email to ECCO. Many labs, such as SSS and WISE, report to the heads of their respective departments rather than Dean Seddiki. The SSS computer lab is described by many student users as the worst in the school. Although it has 17 computers, the lab faces numerous maintenance problems. According to a copy of the SSS computer lab report, two computers have viruses; six have no Internet connection; and the rest require servicing and cleaning. ECCO’s research revealed further problems. Of 18 computers, 2 are infected with viruses; 15 do not print; one has a blue screen; one does not have Microsoft Office; and 6 have no Internet connection. Multiple sources told ECCO the SSS lab has not been repaired in at least two years or more. The sources claimed lack of funding was a key concern. Betty Foster, Director of Student Support Services, did not return requests for how much money was being allocated to computer maintenance. The computer lab falls under Ms. Foster’s jurisdiction. Clara Dasher Center Cyber Lab had new computers installed on October 25, the day after SGA Senator Marshey Kernizan met with Dean Seddiki. However, the printer is still out of order as of press time. Student Government representatives have taken some steps to address the computer problem. Senator for Technology Marshey Kernizan met with Dean Seddiki; Elizabeth
New computers were installed in the Clara Dasher Center Cyber Lab on October 25th, but the printer remains unusable. ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE OBSERVER
and submitted to the President of the SGA. … The sole purpose of the petition is to require the Senate to take some definite action.” The SGA is made up of the President, the Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and seven Senators. According to a copy of Essex County College budget, total revenues for Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 were $64,898,914; FY 2012 revenues were $64,034,498. Tuition and fees provided 62% of revenue in 2012, and 59.1% in 2013. The State of New Jersey provided 18.1 percent in revenue, $11,589,000 in FY 2012. Its share remained virtually unchanged in FY 2013, with $11,800,302. The County of Essex provided 17.5% of the college budget for both fiscal years. Its portion of the budget amounted to $11,350,000 dollars. ECC expenditures for Academic Support were $2,522,714 in FY 2013 and $5,448,187 in FY 2012. Expenditures for Student Services were $4,688,317 in FY 2013 and $3,241,630 in FY 2012. Institutional Support expenses were $19,425,968 in FY 2013 and $19,865,543 in FY 2012. Sources told ECCO that some computer labs are funded by grants at ECC. Thus, departments have to buy new computers when old ones break down. Students damage computers with downloads, careless handing, and other ways, sources said. During the October 24 meeting, Seddiki stated that “all departments have budgets allocated for purchasing cartridges, paper, etc. This type of issue [computer problems] should be reported directly to the department or area in question.” Not all ECC computer labs report to Information and Technology, headed by Seddiki. Instead, there is a crazy quilt patchwork of various departments being responsible for their own computer labs. This is one of the problems that makes repairs and replacement of technology difficult due to budget constraints. While most computer labs are under Information and Technology, headed by Dean Seddiki, academic labs are not computer labs. This was confirmed by Dean Edwin Knox in a Nov. 13 meeting with ECCO and SGA representatives. Knox said that ECC has three tiers that have responsibility for computers. These are Academic Affairs, headed by Knox, overseeing academic labs; Student Support Services, headed by Dean Phil Linfante, responsible for computers outside of classrooms, and operation of facilities; and Community Outreach, headed by Dean Charles Lovallo, responsible for relationships with organizations outside college. According to Seddiki, Learning Center Lab, Student Support Services Lab. WISE computer lab, ECCO student newspaper and Clara Dasher Cyber Lab are not academic continued on page 6
DECEMBER 2012
PAGE 6 4
Photo Credit: Wintella Powell
Student Life
tridge (see Clara Dasher Cyber-Lab) does not constitute a printer or computer problem anymore than running out of paper is a printer or computer problem.” Although it may seem like the outlook is grim, help is coming. On November 6, New Jersey voters approved the Higher Education Bond Act of 2012 in a referendum. The vote was 62% in favor, 38% against. According to Marsha McCarthy, ECC Director of Marketing and Communications, the exact language of the referendum states, Computer Labs “This bond act authorizes the State to issue continued from page 5 computer labs, and thus not under IT’s supervi- bonds in the aggregate principal amount of sion. Minutes of the October 24 meeting stated $750 million to provide matching grants to that “a printer that simply needs a printer car- NJ’s colleges and universities. Money from the
ECCO’s Roving Photographer Meet Sol Bonet
Photo Credit: Wintella Powell
grants will be used to build, equip and expand higher education facilities for the purpose of increasing academic capacity.” Out of the $750 million, $150 million is allocated for county colleges. According to the ECC website, the school could receive up to $11.1 million for academic facilities improvements. Proposed capital projects at ECC include technology infrastructure redesign and upgrade, renovations. Instructional and academic support services facilities including classrooms, computer labs, and tutorial space will undergo redesign and renovations. Construction start date is tentatively set for July – December 2013. Planning and design is anticipated to begin in December 2012 with anticipated date of design completion in May 2013. Classrooms, labs, and even Martin Luther King Library will undergo extensive renovations. There will be more Internet access and updated equipment as well as classrooms and small meeting rooms. Students and lab workers told ECCO that the school needs to upgrade its computers. Angel Lopez, Class of 2014 New Media Technology major, said “newer models to maintain” were necessary in Clara Dasher Cyber Lab and elsewhere. Lopez said, “old, old printers” were difficult to maintain. “In the long run, we should get newer computer models. We will never have to send for maintenance. Printers that require less maintenance will save money,” said Lopez. Clyde, a computer science/economics major, told ECCO that “new computers” are the solution for Student Support Services computer lab. A computer lab assistant, Clyde said he believes that the SSS computers need someone to “have to come down and service them.”
Transfer Workshop continued from page 4
By Wintella Powell
Photo Credit: Wintella Powell
Photo Editor / Arts Editor
Sol Bonet is a full time freshman student here at Essex County College (ECC). I thought that she had an unusual name so she told me that her name means “SUN” in Spanish. She was born and raised in Newark NJ; her parents were both born and raised in Puerto Rico. Sol was raised by her mother as a single parent. Her mother suffered from bipolar disorder, but in spite of her condition she worked hard during the days, and went to school a night to learn English. Her determination and work ethics are one of the many things that inspired Sol to focus and persevere no matter what challenges come her way. Sol states that she is a single mother and her children are her inspiration. Sol has two beautiful children, a son name Jonathan, who is three years old and a daughter name Leilani, nine years old. Leilani attends North Star Academy in Newark, NJ and is a great student. Many times she find herself exhausted, and the thought of giving up sounds good. But when she looks at her children they give her the strength to give it a try just one more day. As Sol wanted the best for her children, one of her first priority when applying to ECC was to enroll her son Jonathan in the Early Childhood Abbot Program. It is a phenomenal program at the college that is offered at the college for low-income students and she is very grateful to have been able to take advantage of the opportunity. She advised that anyone who is eligible should apply immediately as the classes are filled very quickly. The program is free and this location is one of the top Abbot programs in the Newark community. They also provide lunch for the children. Sol stated that initially she was concerned at first about leaving Jonathan because he was not very sociable or outgoing, but surprisingly, on the first day of school he loved it so much that he did not want to go home. Jonathan loves his new environment, his teachers and his new friends and knowing that her son is comfortable and safe allows her to give full attention to her studies. Prior to becoming a student at ECC Sol worked as an office accounting manager for ten years. Due to the company’s financial problems, they decided to close the office, so that is when she decided that her best option was to return back to school to pursuer an AA degree in Applied Science. She stated that her History professor, Mr. Smallman, and her Math professor Dr. Susan Gaulden, encouraged her to pursuer an associate degree in Accounting and get her license as a Certified Accounting Technician. Sol’s long term goals are to start her career in an Accounting firm, eventually acquiring the experience to one day have her own Accounting firm. Her short term goal is to graduate ECC so “my children can be proud of me and to show them that mommy did it just one day at a time.” Sol planned on attending Rutgers University after leaving ECC, but after being told of the large class sizes there by some of the students, she may instead choose the New Jersey Intuition of Technology just for the smaller class sizes and the more individual attention that she may require. In closing, Sol wanted to express her heartfelt appreciation to her professors (Gaulden, and Smallman) for all the support and guidance they have given her. She also wants to thank the entire staff of Early Childhood for having a valuable and educational program on campus for student with children so they can completely commit to their classes and future success. ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE OBSERVER
--mation, as I am anxious to know where I will be going to school next. I tried to start a profile on the website for myself but was unsuccessful. For some strange reason, stepping up from a two-year college to a four-year college can be intimidating. I speak from experience as I find myself hesitating to take the next step toward these great opportunities. I’m including myself in the story because I know I am not alone, even though I feel like that. Many of my fellow students share this daunting feeling about the next great challenge in life. Do not be swayed for we are the future. Yes it is a very scary thing to be thought of as the future, knowing that some futuristic aspect of life lies on your shoulders but fear not my fellow students we must forge ahead and be more comfortable in this next step of our evolution. That can be done by allowing others to assist us. The transfer workshop is the opportunity for students to connect to a multitude of resources to help facilitate the transfer from 2 to 4 year colleges. Here is a list of resources located within Essex County College. The ECC website: http:// Essex.edu, is the first resource available. Then you have The Student Development area located on the 4th floor, Dr. Phil Linfante, the Dean of Student Development. There’s the Wise Women’s Center located in the yellow area on the 3rd and 4th floor, then there’s Phil Maraviglia and Patricia Pallente, located at the student development office, Financial Aid, The Learning Center, childcare at ECC, the Clara E Dasher Student Center for student life and activities, student health insurance and the Single Stop located on the 4th floor at the student development Center. These are resources within Essex County College that will assist students in the transfer process. When will you be graduating? If you are a sophomore looking to continue with your education after obtaining your Associates degree, then now is the time get started. If you are a Freshman, this transfer process can benefit you even more by guiding you along a strategic plan that stays with you from your first year to your last year of college, helping to avoid common mistakes made by first year college students, while clearly defining a path for the future.
DECEMBER 2012
PAGE 7 5
OPINION
Photo Credit: Christian Blair
“I Just Wanted to Say Goodbye”
By Christian Blair, Managing Editor
Photo Credit: Kristen Williamson
In 1955 my parents were 18 year old newlyweds. They borrowed money, scrimped, saved, and bought their home for $5,000. That is not a typo. Five thousand dollars. You can’t even buy a new car these days for that. It was a tiny, two room bungalow on three quarters of an acre. By the 1970s my father built that little place into a four bedroom, two bathroom home with a massive fireplace. The yard, once barren, became a showplace of horticulture. Towering oak trees, fifteen foot hedges, walkways lined with torso high bushes, and a twenty-five foot diameter rose bush were just some of his points of pride. My parents never went to college. My dad isn’t a carpenter, plumber, brick-smith, electrician, or gardener by trade. He taught himself. He did all this by himself whenever he wasn’t working. For many years he’d work overnights at the Post Office and move furniture by day. How he found the time to build
rare and mostly when the weather was really crazy or the sump-pump got unplugged. Last year we had a hurricane and Mayor Bloomberg told everyone in Zone A to evacuate. My parents said, “hell no,” but I took it very seriously and made them go to a hotel for a few days. Upon their return, besides a few downed branches and 6 inches of water in the basement (the sump pump hose got knocked out of the drain) there was no real damage. That’s probably why when the Mayor Bloomberg made the same dire warnings this year, we didn’t pay him any mind. So it’s probably no surprise where this is going. My parent’s lives changed dramatically in the days and weeks following Hurricane Sandy. I’ll never forget how helpless I felt when at 8:36pm my mom called and told me the lights had just gone out and the ocean waves were up to their thighs in the living room. Note here that my dad built this first floor level very high so when my mother says the water was up to their thighs in the living room this means the the water was ten feet high outside. The bridges to Staten Island were closed. I told them to get to the highest part of the house and they fought the tide through the dark, through the hallway into the kitchen. My dad got up on top of the kitchen table and my mom got up on the Kenmore. The water continued to rise. My mother cried that the water outside was now coming in through the windows. Just before the cell phone died, my dad took it from my mom. Through a cacophony of surf and howling wind he calmly said “Chris, I just wanted to say good bye.“ Luckily, soon after, they were rescued by boat. The house is gone but they’re okay.
Which Tablet Should I Get? By Kristen Williamson
Picking the Right Tablet for You
News Editor
3G capabilities, and applications that run at a lightning pace on the Android 4.1 Jelly Bean system. With a size more suited for eReaders, reading on the Nexus might be harder to make out with extra small font and the Nexus is also without a back camera or any external input device, preferring users to utilize Google Cloud storage for which your mileage may vary. Regardless, if other tablets are out of your range, the Nexus 7 delivers. Ranges from 16 to 32GB and
is priced between $199 and $299 Asus Transformer Pad Infinity: Another great android tablet from a company perhaps less well-known is the Asus Transformer Pad Infinity. Practically indistinguishable from a laptop when docked, the Transformer Pad combines the benefits of the android market, high quality resolution and a great deal of speed with the functionality of multiple ports. Complete with a continued on page 9
Local Newark FEMA Relief Resources
Check This Out Designed By Tarrick Tucker@yahoo.com
Since the release of the iPad in April 2010, there has been a huge surge in the tablet market. From 7 inches to over 10 inches, the shape and style of tablets you can choose from are numerous. With so many on the market, it’s hard to know which you should go for, especially with the student struggles of expensive textbooks and school work on the go. If you’re considering what to ask for this Christmas, here are some of the most notable and highly praised tablets this year. iPad 4: The iPad has become the standard that all other tablets are compared to. With its stunning retina resolution, speed, and quality, as well as an extensive app store, iPad has paved the way for tablets. The new iPad is the 4th iteration of the device, and while it is not a significant upgrade from the iPad 3, it has an improved front facing camera, faster charging dock, and a much faster processor. For a lot of people, it’s all they want in a tablet. However, there are downsides to the iPad. Without an USB input device or any expandable memory, Apple expects users to rely on iCloud. The problem with iCloud is twofold: using iCloud is noticeably limited on PCs, and you are unable to access these files if you don’t have a connection. Still, the iPad continues to shine above the competition. It ranges from 16 to 64GB and is priced between $499 and $829 Microsoft Surface: One of the newest tablets on the market is the Microsoft Surface which runs on the Microsoft RT operating system, and includes Microsoft Office. Considered the best in terms of productivity, if you’re someone looking for something more for work than play, this might be the tablet for you. It offers a hybrid experience that feels more like a laptop than other tablets on the market and has a kickstand, plus USB and SD card ports to boot. But, like anything else, it has its downsides. While advertised with a bright and attractive keyboard, it’s an extra $100 dollars, and users will find themselves locked into a notably barren app store and an operating system that takes some getting used to. Other downsides include an inability to run old PC programs, a lack of 3G capabilities, as well as feeling quite a bit clunkier than other tablets. For productivity though, it can’t be beat. It ranges from 32 to 64GB and is priced between $499 and $699 Google Nexus 7: Currently a shining star of the android market is the Nexus 7. The tablet considered to be the best bang for your buck, the Nexus 7 features a sharp screen and access to the steadily growing Android app store. Smaller than its 10 inch brother, the Nexus 10, the Nexus 7 offers excellent pricing without sacrificing design with full GPS and
ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE OBSERVER
Designed By Tarrick Tucker@yahoo.com
this home I’ll never know. By 1975 he’d retired from the Post Office. He bought his own moving van and started his own moving company. My mom answered the business phone, made the appointments, and did the billing from her fancy workspace -- the Kenmore dryer in the kitchen. They never became rich. They never left the States. They never wanted either of those things. They had everything they wanted in each other and their home. What my dad built was more than enough to sustain them through anything. They sent me to a private school, every christmas and birthday was amazing, every summer we’d vacation in Lake George, and I never wanted for anything. I will admit that I felt very spoiled. In the past few years my dad has had some health problems but my mom is going strong and at the age of eighty just bought a bicycle. Last month she emailed me to tell me of her maiden voyage cycling down near the beach where she “felt like a nine year old”. Nothing could be truer. My mom has always had young spirit and is blessed with the gift of never really being fully cognizant of her age -and being honestly shocked when reminded of it. There was one place in the house that never seemed to make it out of the 1950s. The basement of our house was more of a damp cellar. Depending on the weather you could end up with a few inches or a few feet of water. When I was twenty-something, I dug a hole in the exposed gravel portion of the cellar and created a bricked well of sorts to house a sump-pump. Since that point, the water issues were pretty
PAGE 8 6
OPINION of the
World... Again
Photo Credit: Google
It’s The End
By Alissa Lopez Staff Writer
us once more. Ancient Mayans predicted the world’s end in 2012, specifically December 21st… kind of. December 21st 2012 marks the end of the Mayan long-count period. “It’s the time when the largest grand cycle in the Mayan calendar—1,872,000 days or 5,125.37 years— overturns and a new cycle begins,” explained Anthony Aveni, a Maya expert and archaeoastronomer at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York. This cycle has been exaggerated to symbolize the end of this ‘fifth world’ and the beginning of another ‘sixth world’. With a shift in the earth’s magnetic pole global catastrophe will ensue along with the re-rise of Mayan rule. “If they really could predict the future, they would have predicted the conquistadors that came and killed them,” smirked first year student Michael Heerwing, “This would be the 13th baktun according to the SciShow, and last time it repeated nothing happened.” This clearly shows another point of view on the matter. The one where our calendar ends in December 2012 and begins again in January 2013 just as it has continued since its creation. NASA workers on the NASA website calmly reassure the worried that, “Nothing bad will happen to the Earth in 2012. Our planet has been getting along just fine for more than 4 billion years, and credible scientists worldwide know of no threat associated with 2012.” Nowadays, weather reports world-wide seem to worsen as USA racks up a record number of multi-billion dollar weather disasters.
Mayan prophecy blames it upon the seven year period of ‘crazy weather’ preceding December 2012. And with a bipolar climate becoming usual for New Jersey weather, some can’t help but doubt that legend is only legend. The most recent Hurricane, Sandy, branded Jersey residents with her wrath leaving many jobless, homeless, and more than 110 death tolls as warehouses and homes were reduced to rubble. Parts of the East Coast remain devastated by the storm, not to mention the apocalyptic gas crisis drivers experienced just few weeks ago. This adds to the hype surrounding end of the world myths, though scientific evidence consistently denies the validity of every one. Rest assured, the prophecies flying around cyberspace, TV, and movies are not based on science, but folklore. “Every year they say the world’s going to end, it’s up to God to judge,” explained sophomore Almeisha McCullough. In reality, recent extreme weather events spawned of frequent climatic changes powered by artificial global warming. NASA scientist James Hansen explains this scientific fact in his new study, “We can solve the challenge of climate change with a gradually rising fee on carbon collected from fossil-fuel companies, with 100 percent of the money rebated to all legal residents on a per capita basis. This would stimulate innovations and create a robust cleanenergy economy with millions of new jobs. It is a simple, honest and effective solution.” Question and fear still linger when the very end of human life is mentioned because, although believers and prophets may disagree, the response to the time old debate over the ‘Afterlife,’ and if that truly exists, forever remains unanswered. Now, as the air thickens and snow topped trees show signs of December, hope keeps humanity thriving on Earth, as the axis revolves every hour closer to Friday the 21st.
Photo Credit: Wintella Powell
The numbers of myths focusing on the ever coming ‘End of the World’ remain countless. But guess who’s still alive and kicking? Wonderful Mother Earth of course! Few have forgotten about the Apocalypse scare of May 2003 where planet Nibiru was to collide with the Earth, leaving nothing but dust. The warnings sparked across the media, hitting almost every American home. Headlines of websites screaming, ‘endoftheworld2012.net’, movies like ‘2012’, and even books titled, “The End of Time: The Maya Mystery of 2012” by Anthony Aveni, all inflexed warning of the coming end. Precautions were taken in unimaginable ways. In Tapachula, Mexico, residents stood by their ancestral myth, resembling a digital clock, installed as a countdown to December 21st 2012. Rumours of myth believers selling homes, all kinds of possessions, and stocking up on canned foods weren’t uncommon either. Even entrepreneurs found inspiration from the scares. One of the best examples of this is Bart Centre’s “Eternal Earth-bound Pets,” a business driven by clients that are religious myth believers. According to the NPR News website, clients are assured that employees are Atheists, and therefore, will stay behind after the Rapture and make sure Mr. Whiskers gets taken care of. In the rare case the Rapture does not occur, Centre has a no-refund policy, leaving living clients out of luck. Whichever way you view it, fear hovers over festivities this holiday season as the rain checked date of the world’s end is upon
DECEMBER 2012
FELICIAN COLLEGE
SATURDAY INFO SESSIONS December 8 & 15, 2012
10:30 a.m.–12 p.m. at the Rutherford Campus GET THE INSIDE SCOOP! • • • • • • •
Generous transfer scholarships Transfer up to 90 credits More than 55 academic programs Small class size NCAA Division II athletics Degree completion programs for working adults Fully online degree completion programs in: Criminal Justice Computer Information Systems
Sign up online at felician.edu Questions? 201.559.6131 admissions@felician.edu ST UDENT S FIRST ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE OBSERVER
DECEMBER 2012
PAGE 9 7
arts Photo Credit: Wintella Powell
A Poem by Karl Vetter Staff Writer
All students count down the days Post-thanksgiving through mid-December Trudging through academic haze This day awaited by every student body member Anxious to reach this Student Holiday Marked December 17th in your agenda Set to reoccur in the midst of May For it is the last day of the semester
“Flight” Movie Review Caution: Drunk Pilot Flying the Plane
Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures
STUDENT HOLIDAY
By Amber Rae Staff Writer
Hi everybody. My name is Denzel Washington, and my character is…an alcoholic? We’ve all seen the Flight commercials: the cloudy, blue sky, the crashing plane, but that’s not just what the real story is about. Washington’s character is revealed to the audience by his excessive drinking habits as the movie continues. Like most alcoholics, Washington’s character does not admit that he abuses alcohol. Many alcoholics oppose interventions and AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meetings because they are in denial about their substance abuse. Mark S. Gold, M.D. reflects in “Dealing with Denial in Alcoholism,” that an alcoholic’s denial is so prevalent that it convinces the abuser that the “problem is something other than it is—weak health, bad luck, accident proneness, depression, a tendency to be preoccupied and worried, a mean temper” or any other excuse possible. The temptation of alcohol overcomes Washington’s character. It influences the decisions he makes and convinces him that he is not the reason why that plane crashed. What makes matters worse are the enablers surrounding Washington’s character.
They know that he has a drinking problem, but they do not enforce their disapproval of it. All this does is encourage the alcoholic to continue his abuse. This is the question you must ask yourself: did the plane crash because of mechanical dysfunctions, or because the pilot is an alcoholic? As the case on Flight 227 continues, the plane company needs to address the mechanical and piloting issues. The pilot is admired and praised for being a hero, but behind the scenes there is distrust among his friends, family, and colleagues. Due to the mechanical malfunctions, nobody can understand how this man was able to fly and land this plane the way he did. Robert Zemeckis is able to capture and portray a miraculous and believable story using a great and esteemed actor.
Choosing Tablets continued from page 7
A short stint of academic reprieve Photo Credit: Google
A few weeks to mentally hibernate Freedom fleeting like a winter breeze And on January 7th our brains must reflate Academic success is a common New Year’s Resolution For those who will return to academic institution
STAR WARS continued from page 1
sales through clothing, books, rentals, comics, video games, toys, and more. Disney’s acquisition includes all of Lucasfilm’s properties, including Star Wars and Indiana Jones, as well as Industrial Light and Magic: the largest visual effects company in the motion picture industry, and all of Lucasfilm’s lucrative toy licenses. The merger, which has not yet passed through anti-trust regulation, would add to Disney’s increasingly formidable portfolio, which has grown to include PIXAR, Marvel, and the Muppets. In a press release given after the announcement, Lucasfilm chairman and CEO George Lucas, 68, explained: “I’ve always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime.” Lucas, who in a January interview with the New York Times expressed a desire to retire from the “blockbuster” business, will stay on as a ‘creative consultant,’ but has stated his plans are to pass the torch of Star Wars “onto a new generation of filmmakers.” Lucas has started this transition by promoting Kathleen Kennedy, who co-founded Amblin Entertainment with Steven Spielberg, to president of Lucasfilm. Witnessing Star Wars being passed from one generation of fans to the next “has been one of my greatest pleasures,” says Lucas, who has actively guided the franchise for 35 years – often in the face of fierce opposition from his fans. Certainly, fans have a love-hate relationship with Star Wars: particularly the newer films, Episodes I through III. In the 2010 docu-
micro-HDMI socket and microSD slot, when docked on the (additional $150) keyboard, the tablet also includes an SD card reader and a USB slot. Shipped with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich, it is slightly less recent and with somewhat less battery life than the other tablets mentioned here (unless the keyboard is connected), and as stated before, the keyboard adds additional cost to a somewhat pricey device that possess . However, if you want to use your tablet as a laptop with external memory on an Android system, the Transformer Prime is the way to go. Ranges from 32 to 64GB and is priced between $499 and $599.
mentary “The People vs. George Lucas” Howard Tayler, writer & illustrator of webcomic Shlock Mercenary, derided Lucas for “making ‘Star Wars’ a safer, dumber place,” through family-friendly revisions and Special Editions which replaced many older props and costumes of the original trilogy with abundant special effects and CGI. That said, the popularity of Star Wars games and TV shows like the acclaimed Clone Wars series with younger fans seems to show no signs of waning, a fact of which Lucas is keenly aware – and deeply proud. For a filmmaker whose earliest brushes with the motion picture industry made him deeply protective of his own creative control, and a creator wearied by a decades long tug-ofwar with a passionate fan base, George Lucas’ relinquishing of Star Wars to Disney represents a new episode in more ways than one. Speculation on who will be directing the next chapters in the Star Wars saga runs rampant – but it is known that the films will be set after Return of the Jedi, and the original trilogy’s actors Carrie Fisher (Princess Leia), Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), and even notoriously recalcitrant Harrison Ford (Han Solo) are open to talks to return as older versions of their characters. Disney’s name carries weight. And as Hamill tells The Onion’s A.V. Club, “I have mixed feelings about it, but I think Disney certainly hasn’t done badly by the Marvel universe. They’ve done well with the Muppets, and I guess they own Pixar as well.” The recent critical and cinematic success of Marvel’s the Avengers with Disney’s aid, has warmed many ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE OBSERVER
fans to the potential of the new and excitingly different stories that might come from the merger. Though many are skeptical the franchise will recapture the magic and tone of the originals, fans disappointed by Star Wars’ current incarnation have admittedly little to lose at this point if nothing changes. For this reason, ECC students are cautiously optimistic. “I think it’s a good thing!” offers Chris Watson, a Liberal Arts major. “There’ll be more opportunities to revisit the story and make it more modern.” Marcus Barron, also a Liberal Arts major, thinks it’s too early to tell, but agrees that the merger makes him curious. “I want to see what happens,” admits Barron. Interest in the possibilities for new Star Wars properties –sans Lucas– was a common thread. “It’ll be interesting to see where they go with it,” mused Racquel Alves, an Art major, though she expressed concern over Disney’s growing share of the film industry. “They’re buying out everyone.” When asked what he thought about George Lucas selling off Lucasfilm, Art major David Strange was positive – but not surprised. “For [Lucas], it was a logical choice. I mean, he was talking about retiring, so him selling Lucasfilm to Disney was the logical choice.” “He got one hell of a retirement package,” Strange added. Whether or not with Lucas’ departure the fans will get what they want too is a phantom menace that remains to be seen.
PAGE 10
SPORTS
DECEMBER 2012
U P C O M I N G EVENTS December 1st: AIDS Day Fundraising Party Key Club, Newark. • Finish off AIDS awareness week with partying and fundraising for a better cause. 8pm. December 1st: Shop ‘til you Drop • Enjoy a day of shopping at Franklin Mall Outlet Mall and a meal at Dave & Busters! $20 for students, $25 for everyone else.
DECEMBER December 6th: Pre-Kwanzaa Celebration Africana Institute. • Enjoy the culture and celebration of Kwanzaa and its principles. 4:30pm - 6:30pm December 7th: F.E.B. 31st Semi-Annual Talent Show • Mary Burch Theatre. Come see the hand picked talent and performers in the 31st Semi-Annual Talent Show. $5 for students, $10 for staff, $15 at the door. 7pm - 10pm.
November 2012 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE 4th Tues. Raritan Valley CC ECC Gym 5pm 6th Thurs. Mercer CC Mercer 5pm 8th Sat. Delaware Tech CC – Stanton ECC Gym 1pm 11th Tues. Lackawanna College ECC Gym 5pm 13th Thurs. Burlington CC ECC Gym 5pm 15th Sat. Manor College ECC Gym 1pm 18th Tues. Northampton CC ECC Gym 5pm 20th Thurs. Globe Institute ECC Gym 5pm
December 11th: Finals De-Stress Day • Dasher Student Center. 5 minute massage or minimanicure for free! 2pm - 4pm. December 17th: Last day for Fall Semester Classes December 19th - January 3rd: Winter Intersession FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE VISIT THE OFFICE OF STUDENT LIFE AND ACTIVITIES IN THE CLARA E. DASHER STUDENT CENTER Room 101, or call (973) 877-3208
December 2012 MEN’S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE 1st Sat. Philadelphia CC Philadelphia 3pm 4th Tues. Raritan Valley CC ECC Gym 7pm 6th Thurs. Mercer CC Mercer 7pm 8th Sat. Delaware Tech CC ECC Gym 3pm 11th Tues. Lackawanna College ECC Gym 7pm 13th Thurs. Burlington CC ECC Gym 7pm 18th Tues. Northampton CC ECC Gym 7pm 20th Thurs. Globe Institute ECC Gym 7pm
New Basketball Team Sets Sights on Championship Title
OBSERVER The Student Voice of Essex County College Essex County College 303 University Ave. Newark, NJ 07102 eccecco@gmail.com Editor-in-Chief Christie Marie Avila Managing Editor Christian Blair
By Justin Rich Sports Writer
Led by its head coach, the men’s basketball team is ready to hit the ground running. In his second year at Essex County College, Corey Lowery is a coach that expects nothing but the best from his team, with a championship or bust mentality. With a team compiled of sophomores and freshmen, youth may be an issue. Lowery doesn’t see it that way. “We feel our sophomores will really help guide our freshmen into a smooth transition”, said Lowery. Youth is not an excuse for this team. Its members expect to make it to the tournament. The team will have to figure out their chemistry in order to carry out this difficult task. It will mean replacing veteran players such as forward Davorn Bryant and guard Curtis Symonds. Bryant was the team’s leading scorer at 19 points per game and leading rebounder at 7 points per game. Symonds was the top threepoint shooter, at 47 percent. On the positive side the team will have key returners to lean on. These include guard Neville Joseph, who was second on the team in scoring, with 16 points per game. Statistics are part of the coach’s mixed bag. Nowhere is it more evident than on the wall outside of Lowery’s office. The statistics are mounted there to keep the players focused By Justin Rich Sports Writer
and level-headed. It has nothing to do with punishment or reward. According to Lowery, “we try to work harder and put them in situations in practice where they have to respond to some type of adversity.” There is a target on their backs coming in as defending conference champions of the Garden State Athletic conference. When dealing with foes like Lackwanna Community College and Delaware Tech, the margin for error is slim. ECC team members believe they can compete and maybe have the edge with a trio of 6’7 forwards. These include freshmen Abel Yekeh, Craig Slade, and returning sophomore Edereson Exume. A recent addition is newcomer center Eddie Brown, who comes with a 6’8 frame. Lowery is confident of victory, saying, “Our guards will lead the way.” The coach feels that the only thing that may hold the team back is themselves. Although excited to see how far this team can go, Lowery insists on team members doing well academically. He requires his players to maintain a 3.0 GPA. The next home game is against Raritan Valley at 7 p.m. December 4th. Make sure you go out and support the team!
NETS vs KNICKS
Set the date and leave your calendar open for November 26. This date is important because this the day Nets and Knicks face off. Usually, when you think of the Nets and Knicks facing off, you may believe neither of the two can make it to the post-season. In fact, this was what happened over the past decade. Disappointed fans are left scratching their heads: What went wrong? Fast forward to November 2012. You have the new-looking Brooklyn Nets and the New York Knicks trying to forget the last decade. The Nets will be hosting their crosstown rivals for the first time in their deckedout and shiny new arena, the Barclays Arena. So what is different this time around?
Could it be the new area code the Nets acquired? No, the fact of the matter is that there is a new sheriff in town who will give the Knicks a run for their money. This is a matchup of two teams with great expectations, big contracts, two stars and different styles. Now, this one game will not determine who exactly are the kings of New York, but bragging rights and support of the fans will be up for grabs. This will not be your typical match-up by any stretch of the imagination. Both of these teams have become legitimate contenders seemingly overnight, at least on paper. Last season the men in orange-white (Knicks) dominated the Nets, sweeping the season series. The Knicks won all six matchups.
ESSEX COUNTY COLLEGE OBSERVER
Executive Editor Lev D. Zilbermintz News Editor Kristen Williamson Features Editor Tsahai General Student Life Editor Lev D. Zilbermintz Arts Editor Wintella ‘Quin’ Powell Photo Editor Wintella ‘Quin’ Powell Staff Writers Alissa Lopez Amber Rae Justin Rich Karl Vetter Raymond Spencer Marketing Director Khadijah bint Costello Layout Design Editor Jonathan M. Williamson Contributors Wayne Yourstone Humanities Faculty Co-Advisors Eileen DeFreece Jennifer Wager Both teams have gotten off to a fasttrack start. The two teams have posted records over .500 and are looking as serious as ever. Expect the Nov. 26 game to be an up tempo game throughout. Do not be surprised if the deciding factor comes down to a defensive play or two. You will have to tune in to see if the boys in orange and blue or black and white prevail.