FALL Ed. II October 17, 2013

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Pandora’s Box Serving York College of the City University of New York and the surrounding Jamaica, Queens community Fall 2013 Ed. II ; Thursday, October 17 2013

“The truth is rarely pure and never simple.”

-Oscar Wilde yorkpbnews.com

Porn Stars Advocate for More Condoms

BY ELIZABETH ORTIZ

Two of the three pornographic film performers who tested positive for HIV within a one-month period held a news conference on Sept. 18, in Hollywood to discuss the importance of condom use in the porn industry.

Porn actors Cameron Bay and her boyfriend Rod Daily said they contracted the HIV virus from the lack of health standards in the porn industry. Prior to the incident, the porn industry required HIV testing of performers every 28 days, but in response to this year’s outbreak changed it to every 14 days.

Bay, 28, has been in and out of the porn industry since 2010 using different names, according to the Free Speech Coalition, the leading industry trade PHOTOS BY (clockwise): ALEXI TATSEV/FLICKR; JUSTIN HENRY/FLICKR; FARM7/FLICKR;ELITE DAILY/COMMONS group. Bay said that she contracted the D.O.J. recognizes states’ authority in response virus while filming a shoot for Kink.com, to new CO and WA laws that take effect in Jan. where her male co-star had a cut on his

BY YVETTE BROWN ment had no legal rights to challenge change to state law, democrats like As“The Justice Department is right not penis. She tested positive for HIV on Aug. As medicinal marijuana is being legal- these new states’ laws. semblyman Hakeem Jeffries of Brooklyn to intervene,” said Joshua McClellan, 20, 21. ..see “HIV” on A4 ized and accepted in more states, the end Although the Justice Department is praised Cuomo, saying current laws dis- Communications Technology major at of marijuana stigmatization seems inevi- not stepping in, these legalized states are proportionately target youths in minor- York College.“The way they’re going about table. The Department of Justice recently obliged to address issues such as sales to ity and low-income neighborhoods. this is better, safer for the minors because announced that it will not block states minors, driving under the influence and Eighteen states and the District of Co- nowadays, kids are heavily influenced.” that have legalized marijuana. illegal distribution to other states. lumbia have legalized the usage of meAccording to Forbes Magazine, in A Congressional hearing was held on In New York State, Gov. Andrew Cuomo dicinal marijuana and Cole has explained addition to promising prosecutorial reSept. 10 on the subject of marijuana le- proposed legislation in June to de- that the federal government will not go straint, Cole said the Justice Department galization in Colorado and Washington. criminalize the open possession of small after these states unless they show that is working with federal regulators to ...see “WEED” on A3 United States Deputy Attorney General amounts of marijuana. While Republi- they cannot control the amount of illegal

BY NYA CAMERON James Cole said that the Justice Depart- can state legislators vowed to oppose the marijuana distributed.

Four-year-old Ariel Russo died after marriage licenses were provided to riage may not always be given effect in being struck by an out-of-control driver same-sex couples by six states along connection with employee benefit docu- fleeing the police on an Upper West Side with the District of Colorado in June 2011, mentation. The Employment Retiree In- sidewalk in early June. Officers radioed compared to just one state in 2004. come Security Act (ERISA), does not pro- for an ambulance that arrived eight BY ­­­ROSANNA Due to the varying modifications, em- hibit any employer from affirmatively minutes later intensifying an ongoing SINGH ployers need to be heedful in regards to drafting plan documents to recognize debate on the reliability of New York’s Since additional ju- their existing plan documents and along same-sex spouses for most benefits. new 911 emergency response systems. risdictions are giving with their definition of “spouse and do- The New York Times reported that the The police department updated to recognition to mar- mestic partner.”

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently the new system officially known as the riage equality, employ“Gays and lesbian couples should be agreed that same-sex couples filing Emergency Communications Transforers throughout the accepted and should be given the same federal income taxes are considered mation Project in May 2013. According United States are reas- benefits as any other couple, like a man married, regardless of where they live. to Caswell F. Holloway, the deputy mayor sessing their employee and a woman,” said Henry Ethienne, ju- In addition, the Social Security Adminis- for operations who is overseeing the benefits in regards to nior Marketing major at York College. tration has not been on the same page as project, May’s rollout marked the first of same-sex spouses.

Largely as a result of the federal De- the IRS in terms of perspective in a three-part phase to the $2 billion dollar ... see “SAME SEX” A3 system and brought fire, police...

According to the Hu- fense of Marriage Act of 1996 (DOMA), (CLEMENTINE GALLOT/FLICKR) man Rights Campaign, state law definitions of spouse and mar...see “911” on A6

LEGALIZED WEED

Unreliable 911 System in NYC Sparks Calls for Changes

States Revise Spousal Benefits for Same-Sex Couples

INDEX

News:......... A1-7 A&E:........... B1-4 Opinion:..... C1-2 Sports:........ D1-3

Dating Apps

A2 Meet Molly

B2 Cross Country

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Visit our website to read more articles such as York’s Health Program, CUNY’s Black Male Initiative, and the “Central Park 5”

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THE APP AGE

Mobile technology has made dating easier - especially for the gay men - but at a cost

The Grindr app is the most used gay dating app, boasting over 4 million users (GRINDR.COM)

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NEWS

BY JOSEPH DARIUS JAAFARI

It can be heard in local delis, swanky Chelsea restaurants and the quietest corners of train stations. The gayest sound heard ‘round world, distinguishable by a “brriiip!”

In predominantly male gay bars, it’s easy to notice that half of everyone’s faces are lit with an orange hue from their cell phone, and The Pines on Fire Island is well known to be pathmarked with glowing rectangles. All waiting for that next notificationthe sound of sex.

Thirty years ago, dating for gay men was severely limited to the social circles they had to, oftentimes secretly, ally themselves. However, with the cultural shift of accepting homosexuality in America, gay men are utilizing technology to expand those previous social circles to greater numbers, but at specific costs to the community’s health.

Sleepy Hollow on the “DL” The inception of gay dating apps such as Grindr, Scruff, Jack’d and Adam4Adam all stem from the preference of anonymity for many gay men in America. Turn on the app, and dozens of ripped torsos without faces fill the screen.

“It’s easier to hide behind a phone screen and not show your face. You can be whoever you want,” said Joe Vega, an administrative assistant at the Cancer Research Institute in Manhattan.

Vega, 31, uses Grindr with a lovehate relationship and admits that there are some annoyances with the always-present torso shots. “If you’re not out, this is an easy way to stay in the closet and have sex. All your friends and family will never be the wiser,” he said.

Anthony Ruiz, a 22-year-old theater

York Macaulay Honors College.

Petraeus’ adjunct hiring in April by CUNY Honors College first got on the radar of these activists due to his starting salary.

He was being offered $200,000 to teach a seminar once a week, three hours per week. After backlash from the media and other CUNY schools, Petraeus conceded to a $1 salary to teach the course, and an undisclosed amount from an anonymous donor.

“It’s a little ridiculous that they offered him such a large amount,” said Yesenia Gonzalez, 20, a Political Science major at York College. “And then when Petraeus Protesters outside MaCaulay’s Honors College (MARVIN DUARTE/PANDORA’S BOX) “humbly” took up a $1 salary, it just seemed like a media stunt. This is the only reason why this anonymous donor gave him the money. It was because Petraeus made himself look like the victim.”

On Sept. 9, Petraeus, who was also the CUNY students, faculty and staff formed

BY CIJI THOMAS The controversy surrounding General head of the North Atlantic Treaty Organi- the Ad Hoc Committee Against the MilitaDavid Petraeus’ first days as an adjunct zation’s International Security Assistance rization of CUNY. This group was created professor at City University of New York Force for operations in Iraq and Afghani- in hopes to protest Petraeus’ presence as Macaulay Honors College intensified after stan and co-wrote the Counterinsurgency a symbol of militarization of academia at six CUNY students were arrested for pro- Field Manual, began a new job as an ad- CUNY. junct professor at City University of New Supporters who were at this protest said testing his recent hire.

Students Call for Dropping Charges Against “CUNY 6”

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Thursday, October 17 2013

major at LaGuardia Community friendCollege, disagreed that the ships. apps are keeping people in the closet and believes “We go online and that they offer a nurblast each other for turing environment for those that want having too much flab. to. “I think they are It’s sad.” actually giving us more opportunities -Joe Vega, 31 to meet people and even help them come out of the closet,” he said.

The anonymity of these apps led W h a t ’s to unintended consequences, though, dangerous, and such as straining body image issues seems to be more prevalent, is the within the gay community. attack on self-esteem for users. AlIn the past, gay men were central- though there is indeed a type for ized to bath houses and bars to find everyone, the gay culture has always a sexual partner. Now, gay men have been fixated on a mainstream “look” been thrust into everyday life as a that seems to change with the decommoner - intermingling with the cades: the ‘70s were hairless muscled rest of the world. men, the ‘80s were handlebar-musStraight men are walking more tached bikers, the ‘90s were heroin hand-in-hand with gay men, gay chic ‘twinks’ and now the trend seems women with straight women. Al- to be toward the ‘bear’. though larger gay-friendly cities like But the flood of torsos with names Los Angeles, New York City and San like ‘Ripped Only’ paired with headFrancisco continue to be primary lines like ‘only looking for other good hubs for tolerance among the two looking white guys’ has started a new classes, it’s difficult to go anywhere in wave of intergroup conflict, critical the United States now without meet- with each other based on their looks ing someone who at least knows an- rather than a mutual cause. other gay man.

“We used to stand for something, Most gay-rights activists of the past marched in the streets to be seen as would rejoice in this newly found equals,” said Vega. “Now we go online openness, but then comes the ques- and blast each other for having too tion of sexual desires. Where, now, do much flab. It’s sad,” he said. gay men go to find sex?

Prof. Michael Branson Smith, head of the Communications Department “Asians and Fatties Need at York College, said that this may be Not Apply” just another form of trolling, and that Scott Lewallen, senior vice presi- “there will always be people who just dent of product and design for want to start a fight.”

Grindr, said that the original inSmith argued that users behind a tent for Grindr was to be a mobile keyboard (or phone screen) have a replatform that allowed fellow gay sponsibility to be civil, but the online men to network, chat and solidify ...see “GRINDR” on A5 that police roughed up students and there was video footage that supports these accusations. These viral videos provoked the CUNY faculty and staff union ‘s delegate assembly to pass a vote on a resolution that condemned the arrest of the “CUNY 6” and police repression at the protests.

Luis Henriquez, 25, Jose Disla, 25, Denise Ford, 24, Angelica Hernandez, 18, Rafael Pena, 24, and Augustin Castro, 23, were charged on Sept. 18 with disorderly conduct, rioting, resisting arrest and obstruction of government administration. Supporters rallied outside the jail after the students were arrested in effort to show police the students were not alone.

“There was a guy here who kind of got in the face of one of these police officers and the cop just pushed him around,” said Benjamin Hailler, 21, an Accounting major at Baruch College. “It was a little uncalled for, I mean I know it was tense but a police officer isn’t supposed to act like that.”

Graduate students and educators from the CUNY system issued a statement

that demanded the Honors College terminate Petraeus and for the charges against these students to be dropped.

“As graduate students and educators of CUNY, we express our outrage at the violent and unprovoked actions by the NYPD against CUNY students peacefully protesting the appointment of war criminal David Petraeus as a lecturer at the Macaulay Honors College. We deplore the use of violence and brutal tactics against CUNY students and faculty who were protesting outside the college. It is unacceptable for the university to allow the police to violently arrest students. We emphatically support the efforts of these CUNY students to resist the attempts by the U.S. government and the CUNY administration to turn the university into an infamous “war college” with the appointment of Petraeus,” the statement read.

The six students who were arrested are due back in court on Oct. 17 Ciji Thomas is the News Editor you can reach her at: Ciji.Thomas@yorkmail.cuny.edu

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States’ Weed Laws won’t be challenged ...cont’d from A1

allay banks’ fears of dealing with marijuana businesses, which often operate on a cash-only basis because financial institutions are reluctant to accept their deposits.

“We have reserved quite explicitly the right to go in and pre-empt at a later date,” Cole said.

At the hearing, Sheriff John Urquhart of King County in Washington state testified that he supported marijuana legalization in his state, calling the war on drugs a “failure.”

In New York City, all three mayoral candidates Republican Joseph Lhota, Democrat Bill de Blasio and Independent Adolfo Carrión,Jr. are supporters of cannabis law reform, and are in favor of decriminalizing or legalizing cannabis.

Lhota was the first New York City mayoral candidates to come out in support of recreational cannabis legalization.

“I support legislation to decriminalize the display of small amounts of marijuana,” deBlasio said during an interview with Daily News in July. “The current law saddles many young people with a criminal record unfairly and it must be changed.”

Despite a poll conducted in May 2013 by Siena College Research Institute and Drug Policy Alliance, 82 percent of state and 79 percent of city registered voters support medical marijuana, yet New York is not among the 20 states that have already legalized its use.

Marijuana was first recognized for its medicinal use in 1850. However, the Marihuana Tax Act of 1937 deterred physicians from prescribing it. According to Huff-

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ington Post, in 1944 New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia commissioned the New York Academy of Medicine to study marijuana, and their finding debunked many claims that inspired the Marihuana Tax Act. Marijuana did not lead to significant addiction in the medical sense, nor did it lead to morphine, heroin or cocaine addiction.

In 1970 the Federal Controlled Substances Act classified marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug, banning it from medical use. By 1982, more than 30 states had passed laws recognizing the medical value of marijuana.

On Aug. 29 New York City Comptroller John Liu held a press conference at New York Downtown Hospital and announced the release of a report calling for legal access to medical marijuana. According to the Daily News, Liu stated that more than 100,000 New York City residents would benefit from legalized marijuana. His report recommends seeding a $100 million public-private research fund, establishing city-owned and operated medical marijuana growing sites and requiring insurance providers to cover medical marijuana.

Opponents of medical marijuana are concerned that allowing medical use might increase its use among the general public. However, a 1999 Institute of Medicine report concluded, “No evidence suggests that the use of opiates or cocaine for medical purposes has increased the perception that their illicit use is safe or acceptable.”

“I don’t see too many studies out there that says marijuana is harmful,” said Sarah Hanson, 30, a Math major at York College. “If these states are using it to help cure people and put them at ease, there’s no need for any intervention.”

Yvette Brown is a contributing writer, you can reach her at: Yvette.Brown@yorkmail.cuny.edu

States Alter Same Sex Benefits ...cont’d from A1

significant spousal benefits. They have been working with the Justice Department on an applicable law.

Michael Cole-Schwartz, a spokesman for the Human Rights Campaign said, “The Obama administration is doing right by our veterans and faithfully executing the Supreme Court’s opinion.”

However, they are advising same-sex couples to apply for benefits anyway, even if they live in a state that holds no Gay couple at NYC pride festival. NY is one of 12 states that recognize gay marriage. Calirecognition towards their marriage. fornia is the most recent to legalize same-sex marriages and benefits. (FLICKRCOMMON) They are also encouraging other legal Jennifer Milton, a senior Business major declared that “the federal government same-sex relationships; civil unions or at York College.“It should be fair, everyone must provide legally married gay couregistered domestic partnerships to apshould be allowed 100 percent fairness.” ples with the same federal tax, health, ply for the benefits, since there is a posIn addition, The Washington Post Social Security and other benefits that sibility of eligibility,you can have benefits recently highlighted that the Obama opposite-sex couples receive.” that can remain retroactive to your filing Administration has reached out and “The continued unwinding of discrimidate. extended veterans’ benefits to same-sex nation against legally married couples in “In the coming weeks and months, we married couples. It was featured that gay the aftermath of the Windsor decision will develop and implement additional married couples are going to be eligible is a welcome development.” said James policy and processing instructions,” the for veterans’ benefits under a new policy, Esseks, the director of the American Civil message says. “If you are in a same-sex which was addressed by U.S. Attorney Liberties Union’s Lesbian Gay Bisexual marriage or other legal same-sex relaGeneral, Eric Holder in a letter to mem- Transgender Project in an interview tionship, even if you live in a state that bers of Congress. with The Washington Post. “The federal prohibits same-sex marriage, we encourThe announcement on same-sex spou- government is right to ensure that leage you to apply right away.” sal benefits for veterans was addressed gally married couples, where a spouse Employers can provide spousal equivaafter the U.S. Supreme Court struck has served valiantly in the military, are lent benefits to same-sex partners down a federal law that deprived federal treated equally.” through a domestic partner benefits benefits to gay and lesbian couples who Spokesman Joe Davis of Veterans of program. This allows employers to make were legally married. This new policy Foreign Wars, an organization that repa one-plan amendment which recognizwould make the same-sex spouses of vet- resents veterans’ interests said, he hopes es partners to be eligible dependents for erans eligible for various benefits, includ- that the department “moves quickly benefits. They ensure that benefits are ing healthcare and survivor benefits, and to implement this change and begins fully available to same-sex spouses and it was quite acknowledged by gay rights paying veterans and eligible survivors partners. This means they will be both advocates. promptly.” fully insured, state-regulated plans as In June, after a ruling that involved well as self-insured, federally-regulated a woman who was denied a spousal Rosanna Singh is a contributing writer, plans. “Once two people are married, you can reach her at: exemption to the federal estate tax Rosanna.Singh@yorkmail.cuny.edu they should be allowed any benefits,” said when her wife died, the Supreme Court

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protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases.

An Associated Press article on the AIDS Healthcare Foundation website stated that “industry officials have said when they tried using condoms after an HIV outbreak nine years ago, the $7 billiona-year business saw revenue decline as much as 30 percent as audiences made it clear they don’t want them.”

The issue of porn stars wearing condoms during movies was debated heavily especially in Los Angeles County. But the requirement only applies to films made in Los Angeles County, not the entire state, and critics say it is difficult if not impossible to enforce.

Professor of Health Education Mitchell Brodsky feels that condoms should always be required in the porn industry. He stated that practicing unprotected sex could send out the wrong message to viewers. However, porn actors may feel it is necessary to be involved in risky behavior.

“Since sex workers are usually in a low income category, there is more pressure on them to accept the risks of unhealthy sexual practices as part of their job,” said Brodsky. “One of the reasons the pornography industry has been legalized in some states was to initiate a regulatory policy to help the workers put themselves at less risk.”

The Centers for Disease Control estimated that more than one million people are living with HIV in the United States. The CDC stated that one in five of these people living with HIV are unaware of their infection.

HIV Scares in Porn Make Condom Usage an Old (Yet New) Industry Issue ...cont’d from A1

Chair of the Health and Physical Education Department, Dr. David Ajuluchukwu said that a negative HIV test cannot be used as a form of prevention.

“Being HIV negative does not protect you from contracting HIV,” said Dr. Ajuluchukwu. “Common sense will prevail, so any sexual activity must include the use of condoms.“ After these HIV cases were revealed, the porn industry issued a moratorium on Aug. 21, requiring all performers to be tested for sexually transmitted infections. The moratorium was lifted on Aug. 27 and performers were slated to go back to work.

Founder of Kink.com Peter Acworth said that it is the porn actors’ responsibility to decide whether or not they want to take extra precautions to protect themselves and will not require the use of condoms while filming. Acworth said that the porn actors are in control of the scene leaving the decision for condom use up to them.

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation continues to urge the porn industry to require the use of condoms to prevent actors from contracting the virus in the future.

In response to the conference, the CEO of the Free Speech Coalition, Diane Duke assured that the industry is working with doctors to improve testing protocols. The coalition is also offering more to help performers

Students at most City University of New York schools have been dealing with a new content management system called CUNYfirst. This system was first introduced in Queens College and Queensborough Community College in the spring of 2012 and was partially implemented at York College last spring and fully implemented this fall.

According to the CUNY website, CUNYfirst was designed to streamline the process for all things computerized, from registration and transferring credits to financial aid and applying for transcripts upon graduation.

But the reality for many York students this fall was a bureaucratic nightmare.

Many students were dropped from classes because of an unpaid balance in their CUNYfirst account, often because one computer system from financial and did not connect properly with another.

Anyone who was on campus this fall couldn’t help but notice the long lines stretching from the many administrative offices including the Financial Aid, Registrar’s and Bursar’s of-

Online Rates Available Discounts for Students, Campus Clubs and Local Businesses.

“Safe Porn” protest outside the 2013 XBizAwards held in NYC Protesters were joined by major porn figures including Ron Jeremy. (XBIZAWARDS)

“We support choice for performers, as well as the successful testing system that has been in place since 1998, which have resulted in no on-set transmission of HIV in nine years, nationwide,” said Duke.

Ajuluchukwu said that using protection during sexual activity is key to preventing transmission of the virus.

He states that HIV has not gone away and its most recent target groups are teens and the elderly.

“We must make it clear that there is no cure for this virus, and the virus

fices. Many departments were also swamped with students who needed special permission to be readmitted to classes.

Many students expressed their frustration with the system. “This CUNYfirst system made me come to school more than three times during the summer,” said Jissell ThenOrtiz, 24, a Sociology major at Queens College. “It would be better if they could put e-Sims back in service because I never had an issue with e-Sims.”

But several York College officials who worked throughout the summer to ensure the smoothest possible transition from the relatively antiquated E-Sims system to the new platform felt that while things were not ideal, they weren’t all that bad.

“CUNYfirst is an incredibly complicated system.” said Cathy Michaels, the director of the Financial Aid office at York College. “Once the system is fixed everything should work properly.” As for the financial aid glitches, Michaels explained that TAP took a long time to process into students’ accounts because CUNYfirst handles TAP differently causing the process to be slower.

“The legacy systems that e-Sims had were handled by employees here at York,” Michaels said, noting that CUNYfirst is a University-wide endeavour and that there has been a large

CUNYFirst Causes More Troubles for York College Students and Faculty

BY OMAR CINTRON

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weakens your immune system which makes you susceptible to any other infections which may eventually kill you,” said Ajuluchukwu. “No one should take HIV infection lightly, but we must continue to seriously educate everyone about the consequences of the virus until the epidemic is totally controlled and stabilized.”

Elizabeth Ortiz is a reporter, you can reach her at: Elizabeth.Ortiz@yorkmail.cuny.edu

turnover at the staff in her office in recent years. The challenge of training new personnel in a rapidly changing environment has been difficult, she added.

Michaels said that while CUNYfirst issues should be better for the Spring 2014 semester, students might experience problems down the line. She said she spoke to the Financial Aid offices at other CUNY schools and they warned her that their schools had long lines.”We have prepared as much as we could for the lines here at York,” she said.

Last spring, a Brooklyn College professor wrote an article in the faculty union’s newsletter, The Clarion, in which he claimed CUNYfirst was an inferior product for academia, and much better suited for the private business sector. Many of his critiques contended that the program was counter-intuitive for undergraduates.

The article also noted that the University has spent around $600 million so far for the system, with a final price tag estimated at closer to $1 billion by the time it is rolled out and fully implemented university-wide.

“CUNYfirst is very slow compared to the system they had in the private school I came from,” said Stephanie Davis, 21, a Communications Technology major at York. “They should find a way to make CUNYfirst more efficient for students to use because right now everyone is not happy with the system.”

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On the plus side, Michaels said that if a student lost credit or class time they think they are owed, she believes qualified students will receive their money provided they file the proper paperwork.

“The pending aid protected the classes from being dropped,” Michaels said, describing the way that classes get dropped is a process. The Bursars Office goes through a list of students who have outstanding balances in their account and then drops them from their classes until the sum is paid.

Students can tell if their classes are in danger of being dropped by looking at their account to see if their pending aid is greater than the bill.

Michaels also said that, “Fifty percent of the students on line were there to check if everything was fine because they did not trust the CUNYfirst system.”

Michaels said she appreciated the stress caused by the new system’s implementation, and advised students to avoid problems with the next registration cycle by applying early for financial aid. “I do want to thank the students for their patience,” she said. “We were all in this together we did what we could, students were in line for hours just to hear from someone that everything is fine with their pending aid.”

Omar Cintron is a reporter, you can reach him at: Omar.Cintron@yorkmail.cuny.edu

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In a Partisan Move, House Cuts Food Benefits

BY DOMINIQUE WILLIAMS

The House of Representatives voted to cut $40 billion dollars in nutrition aid from the food stamp program on Sept. 19, a move that would deny benefits to millions of Americans.

If passed by the Senate, the cuts are planned to go into effect in 2014.

The bill passed by a vote of 217-210, pushed through by the Republican majority and its prime sponsor Eric Cantor of Virginia. Senate democrats responded quickly saying the measure had little chance of passage and President Obama promised a veto if it did.

According to The New York Times, the bill contained a few changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) requirements.

If passed by the Senate, it would require adults between 18 and 50 without minor children to find a job or to enroll in a work-training program in order to receive benefits.

“It may be true that we have budget problems,” said Kevin Williams, 21, a Business major at York. “But you can’t punish people who are legitimately on that list, there are children and disabled people who need aid from the government, how can they take away a program like that?”

The bill would limit the time that recipients could get benefits to three months. Currently, the U.S. Agriculture Department allows states to extend food stamp benefits past three months for able-bodied people who are working or preparing for work as part of a job-training program.

The bill would also give permission to states to require drug tests from potential recipients.

Republican leaders who support the bill argued that the bill was created to encourage people to find work. Supporters said that the food stamp program was spiraling out of control, costing taxpayers about $80 billion annually. Cantor and others point out that the program has expanded enrollment in recent years despite the apparent easing of economic recession.

Democrats believe that the bill was created to attack the poor, since the bill would take away benefits from Americans who really need them and increase poverty rates.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, nearly four million people would be removed from the food stamp program under the House bill starting next year. The budget office said after that, about three million a year would be cut off from the program.

“They’re going to work more hours at their job to pay for food and it will probably lower their GPA,” said Ros-

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mady Liriano, a Communications Technology major at York. “People who receive benefits from the government do not work? That’s bull, I do not agree with them but I guess I could understand their reason.”

According to The New York Times, the census reported that 47 million people live below the poverty line, nearly the highest level in two decades. If the SNAP Program was left unchanged and the economy continues to grow, the budget office estimates that the number of food stamp recipients would decline by about 14 million people. Even if the proposed cuts are made to the food stamp program, Congress will end up spending $700 million dollars for it over the next 10 years.

According to Federal Reserve data, the median family net worth dropped from $126,400 in 2007 to $77,300 in 2010. Median family income fell from $49,600 in 2007 to $45,800 in 2010.

The Federal Reserve has noted that for 30 years, wages have flat-lined or declined for most workers, particularly in the past 10 years, as lowpaying jobs outpaced the growth of middle-income jobs. In 2009, only half of the country had any assets, and those numbers have gotten worse during the last three years.

Based on wage levels today, half of Americans live in or near poverty.

Records have shown that there may be some fraud in the SNAP program, but ultimately the food stamp program has an error rate of only three percent and some of those errors were committed by the government.

According to The Atlantic, earlier this year, Sen. John Thune of South Dakota and Rep. Marlin Stutzman of Indiana, both Republicans, introduced legislation to save $30 billion over 10 years from SNAP, supposedly by “eliminating loopholes, waste, fraud, and abuse.” However it has been noted that none of the savings actually come from fraud, but rather from cutting funding and tightening benefits. Payment error rates, which is when money is sent in incorrect amounts or sent to the wrong people, have declined from nearly 10 percent a decade ago to four percent today.

“These cuts would affect a broad array of Americans who are struggling to make ends meet, including working families with children, senior citizens, veterans, and adults who are still looking for work,” the White House said in a statement on the bill.

Dominique Williams is a contributing writer, you can reach her at: Dominique.Williams@yorkmail.cuny.edu

Grindr & Scruff: Two of the Scariest Gay Bars if there is an innate desire within the promiscuous gay male for a meaningful relationship, but there is a cultural push and a drive towards the opposite direction.

Profiles like the one above are commonplace, stating racial preferences that, to an outsider, would seem derogatory. (Douchebagsofgrindr.com)

...cont’d from A2

more gay men to the gym, but that is anexperience breaks through so many ma- other place which has tested the boundturity levels and age groups that it can’t aries of gay relationships. be readily expected.

In a Facebook survey, 150 men who Other professionals agree with Smith regularly went to the gym answered and add that Grindr and Scruff 10 basic questions about their gym makes the gay commulife. The results showed nity more racist that for partnered and segregated.

“On the one hand, peo- men who conMatilda sistently went ple are stating their prefBernstein to the gym erence, but on the other, Sycamore, and placed a these are not neutral editor of the higher emterms.” antholog y phasis on the -Matilda Bernstein Why are Fagway they and gots So Afraid their partner Sycamore of Faggots, said looked, they were in an interview with 63 percent more likely FAB magazine that “sex to use the gym to hook-up should be about opening possibilities, on a more frequent basis (at least once not closing them off.” a month). Furthermore, the results Sycamore mentioned that the use of showed that among those partnered, biased language like “no fems”,”‘no fats”, 40 percent were in an open relationship and “no Asians” shows a lack of responsi- (meaning they could have other sexual bility for users. “On the one hand, people partners) and of those who were in an are stating their preference, but on the open relationship, only 25 percent disother, these are not neutral terms,” she closed to their partner having used the said. gym to have sex.

Jordan Russell, a 28-year-old Texan Among the single population in the transplant now living in New York survey, participants who place a higher City, said that the apps have made emphasis on their gym routine were him question his body and compare more likely to not have sex with somehimself to others. “I think it’s natural one who doesn’t fit their certain body to compare yourself, but at the same type. Furthermore, within those single time it’s also made me look in the mir- participants, 85-percent have used the ror a lot more and wish I looked a bit gym to have sex. different sometimes.”

What’s interesting, though, is that every single one of the participants that 10 minutes cardiofell into the above category was either 30 minutes cruising extremely unhappy or moderately unThis fixation on looks drives more and happy with their relationship status- as

A Question of Health The apps have also brought about unintended health consequences with anonymous sex being commonplace and more users open to unsafe sex.

Ruiz openly admits to using apps like Grindr to hook up, but said he is less worried so long as he and his other friends who do the same use safe-sex measures.

However, false representation is still a persistent worry. Thomas DellaMonica, a 30-year-old actor living in Manhattan who also uses Grindr and Scruff, argued that people aren’t always trust-worthy on the apps. “You just can never know if what they say is true; if they are truly disease-free or not,” he said.

Russell said that he also knew of a few friends who have contracted AIDS from using the apps without being safe.

New York’s Community Healthcare Network (CHN) conducted a study titled “Zero Feet Away: Perspective on HIV/AIDS and Unprotected Sex in Men Who Have Sex With Men Utilizing Location-based Mobile Apps” and found that 80 percent of participants knew how the virus was transmitted, and 46 percent admitted to using the apps to have bareback (unprotected) sex always, often or sometimes.

Also alarming is the new fetish called “Bug Chasing” - men deliberately having unprotected sex with other AIDS/HIV infected partners as a sexual thrill. Rolling Stone magazine in Feb. 2003 published an article by Gregory Freeman who wrote that a quarter of all AIDS/ HIV infectants came from bug chasing.

There have been many who dispute the numbers, but there is no disagreement that the fetish still exists and hasn’t gone away.

Yet there are some who argue that the apps, with all their problems, can be utilized for good. Ruiz said that the apps have become the new gay bar and allows “gay men to meet each other when they normally wouldn’t have been able to.”

And romance, even though it seems uncommon, isn’t altogether gone. DellaMonica met his current boyfriend on Scruff. “I was packing and opened up Scruff and messaged him for the heck of it,” he said. “He immediately responded with ‘let’s screw around’,” he said. Ultimately, DellaMonica would say that what was meant to be a onenight-stand turned into an incredible relationship.

“If it weren’t for Scruff - I would have never met this grounded, handsome, mature- yet goofy, wonderful guy,” DellaMonica said. “I call him my pleasant Joseph Darius Jaafari is the Online and Layout Editor. You can reach him at Joseph.Jaafari@yorkmail.cuny.edu

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Nation Sees Rise in Hispanic Enrollment

BY ALMA SACASA

The number of Hispanics between the ages of 18 and 24 enrolling in college increased from 2011 to 2012 while the rates for white non-Hispanic and black college students fell according to a recently released report.

Hispanic enrollment rose from 8.8 percent to 9.5 percent while black and white student enrollment fell from 8.7 to 8.3 percent, according to a report issued by the Pew Hispanic Center in August.

Much of the growth among Hispanics has been in community colleges.

Of all the young Hispanics who were attending college last October, about 46 percent were at two-year colleges and 54 percent were at four-year colleges. In comparison, 73 percent of white college students, 78 percent of Asians and 63 percent of blacks were enrolled in four-year colleges.

“There is an increase of Hispanic students because of the word of mouth between families and hearing who is doing better with an education,”

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Generational differences and female breadwinners push Latino community into higher education

said Brunilda Almodóvar, director of Scholarship Programs and advisor of the Latin Caucus Club.

Almodóvar also said that the increase in the number of Hispanic students is due to the fact that students feel more comfortable in the college environment.

“More Hispanic females are enrolling into college because now men are contributing to the household,” said Zita Hernandez, a college assistant in the Office of Admissions. “Females are becoming more independent and going back to school.”

The U.S. Census Bureau reports that more female Hispanic students enrolled in college than male students did in 2012.

“The population of Hispanic students has slowly been on the rise at York College over the past couple of years,” said Professor Fabiola Salek, Chair of the Department of Foreign Languages, Humanities & ESL. “However it’s not the amount expected in the Queens community that is filled

with many Hispanics.”

According to the latest census figures, one out of every four public school students nationwide in October 2012 was Hispanic. Hispanics made up 29 percent of public nursery school students, 27 percent of kindergarten students and 25 percent of elementary schools students. Only among public high school students is the Hispanic share below one-quarter at 23 percent.

“Even though there is an increase in Hispanic enrollment, there aren’t enough students to meet the needs of the rising population,” said Fenix Arias the Director of the Testing Center and a member of Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities.

Arias also said that if there aren’t any Hispanic recruiters at York how will they get any Hispanic students and inform them about the need of getting a college education.

Nearly nine out of ten Latino young adults say that a college education is important for success in life, yet only

about half that number—48 percent—say that they themselves plan to get a college degree, according to the Pew Center survey.

“The Hispanic population has increased because of certain students who don’t have proper papers and are still getting a chance to get a degree and a better job.” said Kenia Suarez, 22, a Physician Assistant major at York College.

Suarez thinks that Hispanics and all students should know that it is really important to attend college and obtain a degree because it is a major requirement nowadays and the demand for one will only increase in the future.

In Hispanic cultures, it’s important for a person to succeed in many ways to have a better life for their family.

Due to this, an increasing number of Hispanic students are now enrolling in higher education in order to obtain a degree.

“In order for students to get these good jobs, they have to go out and

get a degree,” said Carina Guzman, 19, a Teacher Education/Psychology major at York College. “Especially now that most employers are asking for higher education from potential job applicants.”

Not only is college a place for Hispanic students to gain an opportunity at receiving a college degree, but they become informed on other subjects and gain much more knowledge in school than at a minimum wage job.

“Hispanics should know about the many scholarships given,” Adriana Arline, 20, a Psychology major at York.

“It is important to attend college to obtain good jobs in the future.”

According to data that was published by the National Center for Education Statistics of the U.S. Department of Education, Latino college students received a record high number of college degrees in 2012, with 112,000 degrees conferred.

Alma Sacasa is a contributing writer, you can reach her at: Alma.Sacasa@yorkmail.cuny.edu

Dr. Charles Coleman EXCERPTS FROM DR. COLEMAN’S “I AM A TEACHER” Gives Final Speech

BY JOSEPH DARIUS JAAFARI In his final convocation attendance on Sept. 18, Dr. Charles Coleman, a senior professor at York College and a historical figure on campus for breaking racial barriers, recited an emotionally thoughtful speech, “I Am A Teacher.” In it, Coleman detailed his decision to be a professor for introductory english, something he refers to as an “intelligent decision.” Coleman will be retiring at the end of the 2013/14 academic year,“but I am not retiring from what motivated me to become a teacher. My love of learning,” Coleman said.

Joseph Darius Jaafari is the Online and Layout Editor. You can reach him at Joseph.Jaafari@yorkmail.cuny.edu

is a tangle of new and aging com911 Dispatch puter systems, whose vulnerabilexposed after the attacks of Gets Overhauled itySept.was11, 2001, and the 2003 blackout. ...cont’d from A1

and emergency medical dispatchers together. The incompatible system was upgraded to allow each department to better communicate with each other.

The second phase includes building a duplicate backup call center in the Bronx that will cost over $600 million. The final stage to the new police system, scheduled for completion in 2015 will replace the fire and emergency medical service computer systems with one single system, which will also cost an estimated $600 million dollars.

According to the Mayor’s Office of Citywide Emergency Communication, the updates that are being made are with the dispatch system. The current system is about 40 years old and needs improvements. New York’s emergency call system

Mayor Michael Bloomberg took on this project in 2004 which was then priced at $1.3 billion.

The union for EMS workers and other emergency service departments have blamed glitches in the new 911 system for the delay in sending an ambulance to the scene of the Manhattan accident. According to CBS News, all sides have said that it’s impossible to know whether the delay factored in Russo’s death.

“I think the new system is a waste,” said Samuel Fagbamigbe, a Computer Science major at York College. “Why is there always something replacing something that doesn’t need replacing. I mean I know it may have been an old system, but shouldn’t it be spent wisely? Don’t create more problems by trying to fix something that doesn’t need fixing.”

“My love of learning; my need to share learning with others; and my quest for understanding are organic parts of who I am.”

“Sometimes I imagine earth is alive; she’s a female who was made pregnant over four and a half billion years ago by a visiting meteorite, or by a star or by anotherplanet. Since then she has continuously spawned children. So every time a species goes extinct, she has lost another child.”

More than forty years ago I made an intelligent decision.

I decided to become a teacher.

During a City Council hearing on the 911 system in June, emergency dispatchers, firefighters and EMS workers said the city’s modernization of its 911 system, which includes brand new technology and a new backup call center, is unreliable.

A number of problems have been reported with the system since its May release.

Calls to 911 have generated conflicts in addresses for dispatchers, information loss, and on a number of occasions, there have been screen blackouts for as long as 18 minutes.There was a four minute delay in dispatching to the ambulance at the time of Russo’s death, officials said.

“We need reliability,” said Dennis Ordonez, a Business Administration major at York College. “Especially when it comes to the police, ambulance or the fire department.

It is very important that we have the best of the best running these outlets. I know every system isn’t perfect, but if nothing was wrong with the old way why fix it?

Now a family has to live without their

child because of something that could have been avoided.”

According to The New YorkTimes, in 2012, City Comptroller John C. Liu performed an audit and found that Hewlett-Packard, the company that used to work on the 911 systems, may have been involved in fraud.

These findings were relayed to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, which has filed no indictments.

A new vendor named Intergraph located in Huntsville, Ala. designed the new system and replaced Hewlett-Packard. Intergraph was awarded an $88 million dollar contract for the dispatch portion of the new system.

Officials have reported that emergency operators in New York City have been forced on three documented occasions to resort to using pen and paper to record 911 calls and dispatch workers after their computer systems went dark.

Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, whose department is also responsible

for oversight of the 911 system, said every call that came in was answered appropriately.

City officials at the Police Department’s communications division provided the public with the response time data. During a week in August, for example, firefighters on average arrived at the scene of structural fires in 4 minutes 34 seconds, a slight improvement from the average of 4 minutes 51 seconds for the same week in 2012.

Paramedics reached New Yorkers with life-threatening injuries in 9 minutes 11 seconds, down from 9 minutes 25 seconds.

Although the City Council held a hearing in June about the system, the city has dismissed the accusations, claiming that response times have been unchanged since May. Nya Cameron is a contributing writer, you can reach her at: Nya.Cameron@yorkmail.cuny.edu

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YORK STUDENTS ON THE U.S.-SYRIA CRISIS to the Students Not Buying object vote.

The U.S., after Media Hype. Domestic seeing the British Parliament’ Economy Higher Priority disapproval ofs

BY ANDREW JOHNSON After much debate and discussion over intervention in Syria, the United States, Russia and other permanent members of the U.N. Security Council agreed to a resolution in which the civil war plagued country agreed to relinquish its chemical arms.

The resolution is seen as a significant step for an entity that remained inactive in the last two years as the death toll from Arab Spring rose to approximately 100,000.

Russia has led the U.N. Security Council in opposing military intervention in the conflict.

The resolution’s adoption was preceded by a one-month period of debate about whether or not to intervene in Syria, after a chemical weapons attack in the country that the U.S. government believed was carried out by the Assad Government. The attack, according to U.S. government figures, killed more than 1400 individuals.

The attack provoked outrage from the world, particularly Western powers such as the United States and Britain.

In an effort to prevent future attacks, the United States condemned the attack and threatened to launch missile strikes against Syria.

It led Britain to create a resolution that would have led to British involvement in the Syrian Civil War. The resolution was rejected by the British Parliament and David Cameron did not

engagement in the conflict, felt that Congress and the people of the United States should be consulted before engaging in strikes against the country.

“I’m also mindful that I’m the President of the world’s oldest constitutional democracy,” said President Obama in a Rose Garden speech on Aug. 31.

“I’ve long believed that our power is rooted not just in our military might, but in our example as a government of the people, by the people, and for the people.”

The national debate over intervention revealed a public that severely rejected getting involved in another Middle Eastern crisis, after years of fighting in Afghanistan and after questionable intelligence released by the Bush Administration in the run-up to the Iraq invasion more than a decade ago. This was a sentiment reflected by York College Business student Brandon Sukhnanan.

“I think that the President should focus more on what’s going on in America,” said Sukhnanan. “Use the money to help the communities in America, all over the country, instead of trying to fight another country’s battle.”

The poll numbers on intervention in Syria reflected broad disapproval of intervention by the American public. According to a CNN/ORC poll, Americans would be opposed to intervention even if it did have congressional approval.

The President defended his position

on the issue and gave interviews with all major network and cable news operations.

The talk of intervention provoked a question from CBS reporter Margaret Brennan to Secretary of State John Kerry in a Sept. 9 press conference. She asked Kerry if there was any way that Assad can dodge the chance of missile strikes.

“Sure. He could turn over every single bit of his chemical weapons to the international community in the next week,” Kerry said in response. “Turn it over, all of it, without delay, and allow a full and total accounting for that.”

Russia jumped on the impromptu proposal and it soon morphed into an agreement that was approved by the U.N. Security Council.

Physician Assistant student Arman Aslam said that the U.S. should arm the rebels to stem the ongoing crisis in Syria, but also said that dropping bombs is not the answer.

“I don’t see how dropping bombs over there is going to help,” said Aslam. “It’s still death. You’re going to be killing people. I don’t see how killing people is going to stop people from killing people” Aslam then said that the situation is tricky and very complex and would require immense effort that would increase the casualties.

“I don’t know if there’s an ideal situation,” he said. “If you can somehow eradicate the people who are doing the bad things, but in one swoop, but I do not think it’s possible without civilian casualties.”

Andrew Johnson is a reporter, you can reach him at: Andrew.Johnson@yorkmail.cuny.edu

TSA Plans For New Regulations line.TSA officials claim that each individual acBY JAMIN MCBAIN

The U.S. Transport Security Agency will now be expanding its Pre-Check Program to a 100 different airports by the end of this year.

The TSA started the Pre-Check Program in October 2011 and since then has enrolled 15 million travelers into the program. Currently participating in 40 different locations, TSA plans to add on 60 airports by the end of this year.

The agency said that participating airlines will include Alaska, American, Delta, Hawaiian, United, US Airways and Virgin America.

Southwest and JetBlue Airlines are scheduled to join the program soon.

“As TSA continues to move away from a onesize-fits-all approach to transportation security, we are looking for more opportunities to provide the most effective security in the most efficient possible,” said TSA Administrator John S. Pistole.

Under the Pre-Check program, qualified passengers don’t have to remove their shoes, light jackets and belts. They can keep laptops in cases, and liquids and gels in their carry-on bags.

“Unless they enhance their metal detectors

and security system I don’t like it,” said Peter Gonzalez, a flight attendant for JetBlue and an Aviation Management alumni atYork.”It is a little tedious taking off shoes, belts and laptops,but even us flight attendants go through regular security, we have to do the same. It makes people feel safe, I don’t approve of the program expanding. If they want to progress with the program it should be extremely exclusive. Better safe than sorry.”

The Pre-Check program falls under TSA’s new Risk Based Security Initiatives, which assures that the administration is taking up new efforts to “improve the passenger experience at security checkpoints by applying new intelligence-driven, risk-based screening procedures and enhancing its use of technology.” These initiatives also include expedited screening for active-duty U.S. service members, passengers 12 and under, passengers 75 and older and a fourth category known as “managed inclusion.” In this category, passengers will be screened by dogs and what the TSA calls, “Behavior Detection Officers.” They are forced to step on a mat which randomly designates whether they can move through the expedited line or the standard screening

cepted into the Pre-Check program are U.S. citizens who belong to frequent-flier programs of participating airlines or some type of government trusted-traveler program.

Canadian citizens who belong to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s NEXUS program, and certain random passengers in the Pre-Check program may also be picked out by the system and be directed to the regular screening lanes.

To register for TSA Pre-Check program, passengers pay $85, verify their identity and provide fingerprints for a five-year clearance. A U.S. passport is not required for the Pre-Check program. However, each passenger is given a “Known Traveler Number” and this number needs to be placed when booking travel reservations.

“I think it definitely sounds cool, but it doesn’t elaborate on how safe it would be for every other flyer,” said Moe Elsamanoudy, a Physician Assistant major at York.“It makes me feel that it’s less safe but faster service for the all travelers, which isn’t fair. I believe safety is the most important aspect of traveling, not just the process of getting onto the airplane.”

“Though I am a frequent traveler for a living,

Complex Problems Require Nuanced Diplomatic Solutions

BY JAZMINE BLAKELY

The diverse country of Syria is home to about 21 million people and is a regional war zone.

In the aftermath of the August chemical attacks that led Barack Obama to threaten U.S. military intervention, many Americans began to take an interest in the conflict, but few know exactly what started the civil war in Syria in the first place.

PBS.org compiled research indicating that the Syrian Civil War started during the Arab spring of 2011 as peaceful protests. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ordered government troops to respond to the protests in a violent manner.

This backlash was returned with violence from civilians and then it escalated into mass murder, with an estimated 100,000 fatalities to date, including large numbers of women and children.

As many people were emotionally impacted, others worried about the financial toll military involvement would take on the teetering American economy..

“United States is not economically prepared for a war,” said Kester Harding, 19, a Business major at York. “We’re trillions of dollars in debt and the forthcoming of this war will affect us deeply because our taxes will increase to fund it. Our nation is clearly doomed.”

NBC News put together a report that portrayed some potential global ripple effects if the American military does decide to send cruise missiles into Syria.

China and Russia both hold veto power in the United Nations Security as a Flight Attendant I go through precautions of potential hazards on a flight to flight basis and our safety is very important to us.

I would rather the TSA check employees and customers, frequent flyer or not,” said Gonzalez. “As an employee of Jet Blue, I hope this extension does not alter my safety. Mistakes happen and certain things are overlooked. If you want to avoid lines and your safety concerns you,just get to the airport early and give yourself some time.”

This program resembles a trusted-traveler program used by the Customs and Border Protection agency called Global Entry, that allows quick-pass traveling for international travelers. Passengers can go to a kiosk with their passport, verify their identity through their fingerprints, answer the automated questions and take their approval receipt to a designated exit line.

According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, there are about 300 Global Entry kiosks available at 34 American airports. An application must be filled out along with a $100 application fee in order to get through U.S. arrivals from international travel.

Although these programs expedite the long wait to clear security lines, it comes with a cost of privacy.The Department of Homeland

Council and would block American efforts to work through the U.N. to punish Assad. China reminded the United States through a commentary in the government-run Xinhua news service that it invaded Iraq 10 years ago on the pretext of banned weapons that were never found.

Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said that western countries were behaving in the Islamic world like a “monkey with a grenade,” according to the al Arabiya news channel.

According to NBC News, the Arab League, an association of 22 countries, found the Assad regime responsible for the chemical attacks and recommended that those responsible stand trial in international court.

The league suggested that the U.N. Security Council members should get over their differences and find a solution.

“You want my thoughts? I say it’s just a scam to try to influence the American people to go into war,” said Darwin Clermont, a freshman Business Administration major at York College. “The tension between the Syrian president and the people was due to his overwhelming dictatorship and not providing the civilians what they wanted.”

“Obama’s plan to intervene is not beneficially good,” said Clermont. “It’s the complete opposite. Look at the unemployment rate and the rising numbers of people below the poverty line. If we go to war, it will result in catastrophe.”

Jazmine.Blakely is a contributing writer you can reach her at: Jazmine Blakely@yorkmail.cuny.edu

Security revealed that the TSA is proposing to disclose TSA Pre-Check applicant information to federal, state, tribal, local, territorial and foreign governmental agencies.

Mark Rotenberg, president of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, testified before Congress about another program called Registered Traveler program in 2005. He said that all traveler screening procedures should follow all Privacy Act requirements. In his prepared testimony to Congress, he said,“The TSA watchlists have widespread problems, flagging as security risks a minimum of hundreds of passengers who pose no threat.”

Congress discontinued the program in the following month, but now TSA Pre-Check is taking up a similar initiative of linking passenger information to Homeland Security.

“The U.S. government always goes on record saying that this is in the interest of the country,” said Milton Cueva, 23, an English major at York. “However the federal database keeps growing, and citizens’ rights keep getting violated. In the end, it’s all about national security, right?”

Jamin McBain is a contributing writer you can reach him at: Jamin.McBain@yorkmail.cuny.edu

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PARIS

Paris Fashion Week was held in the Carrousel du Louvre, with smaller shows taking place at various other buildings throughout the city.

Many things were to be noted at the Paris shows.There was a resurrection of pleated clothing on the runway this year. Japanese designer Issey Miyake’s collection contained a wide variety of knife edged pleats in his gowns, skirts, and leather jackets.

Stripes of all sizes also made a grand entrance to the runway, which gives anyone the advantage of visual geometry for a flattering figure.

Shirtdresses also made an appearance on the runway. Mixing in the casual look of a boyfriend frock and the prim and proper look of a dress, shirtdresses allow for an effortless look.

There were a serious amount of flash and bling on the runway with shirts that had 24 carat jewels sewn onto the lapels. The idea behind these designer houses was to make these shirts look as memorable as they can.

If fashion teaches us anything, it’s to not take things things too seriously. For some it meant a lot to be in attendance. Paris is the fashion capital and the men and women who participated were very happy to be in attendance.

“Paris is where everyone wants to be,”said Celine Saby,designer of Beau Travall at the premiere show of Paris Fashion Week. “Every single designer and model worked extremely hard to get to where we are right now. This year, we are going to shake up the industry.We are going to change the expected and replace it with the unexpected.”

Photos and Story by Ciji Thomas

The Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, more known to the public as New York Fashion Week (NYFW) is an event held two times a year in various parts of New York City.This year it was held from Sept. 5-12 in Damrosch Park at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

NYFW is one of four major fashion weeks held around the world, along with Paris, London and Milan.

Fashion weeks are generally held by the fashion industry. In one week, fashion designers and brands display their latest collections in runway shows and through popular media.

Fashion Week also allows buyers and media to take a look at the rising trends, and lets the public know about the “ins” and “outs” for the upcoming season.

This year, there was a revival ofAmerican fashion in the spring/summer fashion weeks. American fashion embraced stances on beauty, power and femininity.

The clothes shown also were also pretty, fun, and in some cases, pretty affordable.

The runway was met with a lot of flowery dresses, botanical prints, and slim jeans. Crop tops and midriff baring shirts also summed up a lot of the collections in these designer houses.

There was simplicity in each collection which allowed the “romantic American” appeal to shine through.

Crystal embellishments and sparkly accessories also resurfaced on the runway promoting the idea of classic beauty.

It didn’t matter if it was simplicity or uniqueness, each piece of clothing had a general idea of embracing American beauty.

NYFW is a big deal for local fashion enthusiasts. “This is my first time working at a fashion week,” said Evangeline Hensinger, 21, a self taught float designer recruited for NYFW.She hopes that thisyears fashion show will make things seem a little more attainable for the average New Yorker.“I know a lot of people think that no one will realistically wear these outfits anywhere in public, but that’s what so different about this year. This year, we are trying to bring back old school fashion.So more people can mirror these looks with versions of their own.”

Even for those who were there in the past were still happy to be apart of the event.“This is my second show and I still can’t get over the feeling of being a model for fashion week,” said Lily Hopkins, 20, a model for New York Model Management. “It’s not something you get used to. Designers trust you with their clothing, they hope that you can make it work.They want you to sell it in order for them to achieve their fame too.”

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“It was interesting to see a guy go through so much for his family to stay financially stable after he finds out that he has cancer.”

-Amir Shah, Accounting, 24

Da N raj Scene from Breaking Bad’s series finale that aired on Sept. 29 (AMC)

Breaking Bad Ends, York College Mourns

BY MARVIN DUARTE

AMC’s Emmy Award winning drama Breaking Bad aired its series finale Sept. 29 with a conclusion that rewarded all of its fans with closure.

Breaking Bad tells the story of Walter White (played by Bryan Cranston), a 50-year-old chemistry teacher who goes from upstanding family man to a mastermind criminal. Walter is diagnosed with lung cancer and does not know how he will provide for his wife Skylar (played by Anna Gunn), teenage son Walter Jr., and unborn child after his possible death.

After being invited to a drug bust set up his brother-in-law, Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) agent Hank Schrader (played by Dean Norris), Walter sees drug dealing as a profitable financial

opportunity. With help from his former student, Jesse Pinkman (played by Aaron Paul), Walter secretly starts producing and selling the purest crystal meth in New Mexico in order to ensure his family’s well being long after his demise.

Throughout the series, Walter goes up against a variety of nefarious characters including a ruthless kingpin, calculated businessmen and a brutal neo-Nazi group. Prevailing in each instance contributes to Walter’s twisted and overblown sense of ego and pride, turning him into the very thing he might have despised at some point.

Breaking Bad is best described as a modern day western that isn’t afraid to show the harshness of today’s criminal world. It isn’t afraid to combine the constant

“Molly” Drug Comes Back In Nation’s Drug War Dialogue

“Meet Molly” (ALEX CORRADO)

tension with a little comedy every once in a while to give its viewers a little space to breathe. The show’s popularity is one of the many reasons why Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul won consecutives Emmy’s for their iconic roles in previous years. Anna Gunn won her first Emmy for Breaking Bad for best supporting actress this year.

As the promotional posters for the final season say, “All Good Things Must Come To An End.” Unlike other critically acclaimed shows like The Sopranos or Lost that ended with a cut to black or left dedicated viewers confused, Breaking Bad ended with all important questions answered.

It was a proper send off to one of the most memorable shows of the last decade, according to many York College students.

BY MARISSA COLLADO

When two concertgoers overdosed at the Electric Zoo (Ezoo) music festival on Randall’s Island during Labor Day weekend and 19 others collapsed over the span of two days, New York City officials cancelled the rest of the event despite the fact that more than 100,000 people were expected to attend.

The deaths were attributed to the drug MDMA, more commonly referred to “ecstasy” or“molly.”The drug, a mild hallucinogen in the amphetamine class, induces a sense of well-being and intimacy and is currently glamorized by popular musicians like Madonna, Miley Cyrus and Tyga in their songs.

Molly, short for molecule, is the powder of crystal form of the drug while the pill form is referred to as ecstasy. Molly has risen as a popular drug at rave music festivals. Users of the drug describe a euphoric adrenaline rush known as “rolling.” It can cost upwards of $20 per dosage.

A 20-year-old Nursing major at LaGuardia Community College named Yaritza first took molly at the Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) at Citi Field in May.“I had one pill a day,” said Yaritza.“The high was an amazing adrenaline rush, I felt like I was floating on Cloud 9.

The combination of lights and loud music was intense. I was rolling hard,” she added.

According to CNN, in the 1970s some American psychiatrists described MDMA as a “penicillin for the soul.” Back then, the drug was believed to allow greater insights and better communication.

Officials who ordered the shutdown of the Ezoo event in September said the 20-year-old

Ba ichu

“Pure mastery.

It explores the human condition, what money can do to a person.”

-Danraj Baichu, Accounting, 18

Kha Li d

Co llins

“I like that the show influences people that are in dire situations to not give up.”

-Khalid Collins, Comm. Tech, 25 All students’ photos taken by Marvin Duarte

Rhode Island girl who died had taken six hits of molly.The event’s promoter, Made Event LLC, is run by Mike Bindra who founded the festival five years ago. He promised to refund ticket buyers for the cancellation.The refunds have yet to occur and Bindra was slapped with a class action lawsuit.

“The bottom line here is that you see people here who are doing drugs that shouldn’t be doing drugs,” said Mayor Michael Bloomberg about the cancelled event.“And you see the fatal consequences.The city will have to take a look at every concert to see if the concert can be run safely.”

Bindra used to run the Chelsea nightclub Twilo that closed down in 2001 after two clubbers died of alleged Ecstasy overdoses, according to Vibe magazine.

“The deaths at Ezoo definitely made me rethink taking molly,” said Yaritza.“When I went to another EDM event with Afrojack, I decided to just drink instead. I don’t see anything wrong with molly, I just think people should learn to not abuse their limit.”

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) describes MDMA as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substance Act.This means it has a high potential for abuse but no current use for medical treatment in the United States. “No one other drug is quite like MDMA, but MDMA produces both amphetamine-like stimulation and mild mescaline-like hallucinations,” according to the DEA’s information page on MDMA. Yasmine, a 19-year-old Psychology major at Queensborough Community College first tried molly at EDC.“It definitely enhanced

Marvin Duarte is the staff photographer, you can reach him at: Marvin.Duarte@yorkmail.cuny.edu

everything and gave me this energy.” said Yasmin. She described the feeling as empowering, intimate and feeling as if nothing was wrong.

According to DrugFree.org there was a 123 percent increase in the number of emergency room visits involving MDMA from 2004 to 2009. The 22,816 cases only amounted to four percent of emergency room visits.

U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer issued a press release in Sept. proposing steps that would increase enforcement and make it harder to manufacture and obtain the drug. He said that the drug is frequently counterfeited and cut with even more dangerous substances.

Schumer’s plan would have the Federal Drug Task Force focus on Molly labs and give the DEA emergency authority to ban hallucinogenic chemicals.

“As this drug gets more popular, it also gets more dangerous as drug dealers cut it with increasingly deadly chemicals,” said Schumer in the press release.“We’ve begun to see the number of cases of overdose and death rise this summer, and things are going to get far worse unless we take immediate and aggressive action.”

“In the end a festival is just a dance party,” said Yasmin.“If you want to have fun that’s fine but not to a point where you are putting your life in unnecessary danger.”

Patience Goanue contributed to this story.

Marissa Collado is the Editor in Chief you can reach her at: Marissa.Collado@yorkmail.cuny.edu

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PB’s FALL TV GUIDE A list of TV shows that our staff thinks are memorable.

The sixth season has raised a number of questions regarding the future of the biker gang. Will Jax and his wife Tara finally escape their life of crime, will Jax’s stepfather and former president of the gang really snitchc, and can SAMCRO manage to run a crime free business now that they have opened a legal brothel?

HomelandSundays at 9 p.m. on Showtime Showtime’s psychological terrorism centered thriller Homeland began its third season in September.The show began with a simple premise. Marine Nicolas Brody, played by actor Damian Lewis, returns back home after being captured by terrorist. He was kept in captivity and tortured for eight years. When he is suddenly set free, he becomes a symbol of hope for America and the war on terror.

Brody struggles with fidelity, maintaining a bond with the family that accepted he was dead and his now conflicted views on American politics.

Meanwhile CIA officer Carrie Mathison, played by Claire Danes, is hellbent on proving that Brody was really set free to spy on America because he was turned into a terrorists while in captivity. Danes won the 2013 Emmy for lead actress in a drama series for her portrayal of the CIA agent who suffers from mental issues. Homeland’s third season will continue to focus on whether Brody is a good guy or a bad guy and has he really been converted into a terrorist.

Walking DeadSundays at 10 p.m. on AMC AMC’s hit show The Walking Dead based on the ongoing comic book series follows a band of survivors during a zombie apocalypse. The end of the third season saw the main characters survive an attack led by the Woodbury Commons governor on their place of refuge, an Atlanta prison. Despite losing 12 of their own members, former Atlanta sheriff Rick Grimes managed to take in the remaining survivors of Woodbury.

The season will focus on Grimes continuous struggle with being a leader and a father to his son Carl and infant daughter Judith. “It really is all about one thing,” said executive producer Greg Nicotero in an interview and extended preview for season four. “What would you be willing to do? And can you come back from the things you’ve done to survive?” said Nicotero.

The season will also focus on a new central character, Tyrese who also appears as a major character in the comic book series and was introduced in the season 3 finale. “This is The Walking Dead,” said creator and executive producer Robert Kirkman.

“Things are only going to get worse, just wait.”

Marvel’s Agents of Shield Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on ABC This fall viewers can return to the Marvel’s Cinematic Universe except this time it is on the small screen. Taking place after 2012’s box office phenomenon The Avengers, Marvel’s Agents of Shield follows a small team of agents from the same agency responsible for bringing the superhero team together in the first place. What’s exciting is that it’s in the same universe as blockbusters like Iron Man and Captain America and takes place after the events of the Avengers film.

The show also sees the return of everyone’s favorite witty suit, Agent Phil Coulson. How that’s possible is sure to be answered in the shows first season, though you won’t find too many complaints from fans of the movies.

From critically acclaimed writer and director Joss Whedon (Firefly, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Avengers), Agents of Shield is a show to pay attention to for comic book fans, fans of last years Avengers and fans of Whedon’s much celebrated list of television cult classics.

Parks and Recreation-Thursdays at 8 p.m. on NBC Leslie Knope, Ron Swanson and April Ludgate are all back for a sixth season of everyone’s favorite small but important department of government.

Thursday nights are sure to be home of more crazy antics and adventures for the Parks and Recreation department of the great, wacky and sometimes very backwards city of Pawnee.

With The Office officially wrapped up and 30 Rock gone, Parks and Rec finally has the spotlight completely to itself. Despite the show’s all-star cast made up of some of the biggest names in comedy today (Aziz Ansari, Aubrey Plaza, Amy Pohler, Rashida Jones, Nick Offerman, Rob Lowe, Chris Pratt and Adam Scott) and its strong cult following, it has barely survived from season to season on the troubled network. This year might be the make or break season for the long running mockumentary series.

Tune in to see why this writer considers Parks and Rec to be one of the most heartwarming, laugh out loud comedies on network television today.

ScandalThursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC The new season of Scandal kicks off this fall picking up where it left off, with the reveal of Rowan (Joe Morton), the mysterious man, behind the latest sabotage of the Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) and Fitzgerald Grant (Tony Goldwyn) affair.

Rhonda Rhimes’ ABC drama has fans wondering what the future holds for “Olitz” now that Olivia, has been publicly outed as Fitz’s mistress. With election season underway, an unlikely alliance is forming in order to keep Fitz alive in the upcoming election.

Season three will give a deeper look into Olivia’s personal relationship with Rowan, his involvement with B613, as well as his connections to Charlie, Huck, Cyrus and Jake. The show will have more flashbacks of each of the gladiators and tons of new developments.

Follow the cast as Olivia Pope does what she does best and attempts to fix both her personal life and the lives of those around her.

YC RADIO Show Schedules Since going worldwide, YC Radio listenership has been on a steady increase. In seven days time, YC Radio received over 700 downloads and plays on their Podomatic.com web page with just five shows. Listeners tuned in from over 14 countries around the world including Ghana, Japan, Spain, Italy, France and the U.K. Be sure to check out the shows live at the following times:

TUESDAYS

Nerd New York Hosted by Giovanni Anglin 10:30 a.m.

Cardinal SpotlightHosted by John Scarinci 12:30-1 p.m.

In Check UrbanHosted by Maya Jones 1 p.m.-1:30 p.m.

Mez in Ya MentalWith Metzline Desravine 2 p.m.

The York College UniverseHost by Jean Bruno ft.

Giovanni Ramparsad 2:30 p.m.

Advanced Broadcast Class 4-5 p.m.

WEDNESDAYS

Coffee Break with Patience Goanue 10 a.m.

Star TimeHosted by Dr. Tom Zlabinger 4-5 p.m.

THURSDAYS

The Raymond Sports Show 1-1:30 p.m.

STORY CONTRIBUTORS:

Sons of Anarchy Tuesdays at 10 p.m. on FX The Sons of Anarchy are back for their sixth season of gun-toting, murder and sex. Jackson “Jax” Teller, played by Charlie Hunnan, and the rest of the Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club (SAMCRO) are forced to deal with Clarence “Clay” Morrow’s possible decision to be an informant while in jail, their newly opened brothel and a U.S. marshal determined to get revenge for his sisters murder by a former club member.

yorkpbnews.com

Marissa Collado Editor in Chief Marissa.Collado@yorkmail.cuny.edu Trone Dowd A&E Editor tljdowd@gmail.com Marvin Duarte Staff Photographer Marvin.Duarte@yorkmail. cuny.edu

Allyson Gil Contributing Reporter Allyson.Gil@yorkmail.cuny.

Raymond Mora Reporter Raymond.Mora@yorkmail. cuny.edu

The York College UniverseHosted by Jean Bruno ft.

Natalie Gonaue 2-2:30 p.m.

FRIDAYS The Stan and Tony Music ShowHosted by Prof. Tony Andrews 6-8 p.m.

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YC Radio Gets New Studio Space

BY TRONE DOWD

YC Radio, York’s College’s student driven and faculty run web based broadcast station, has seen major renovations since last semester. The radio station received a complete overhaul in the broadcasting room, which now features professional equipment, soundproofing and countless other improvements.YC Radio is now broadcasting worldwide.

YC Radio’s goal is to offer students with an interest in broadcast programming a chance to work with the same equipment and fundamentals that a real radio station works with. That hands-on experience also comes with the hard work and pressures that goes into producing an actual radio station.

YC Radio wants all of the consistency and determination that goes into working for a professional station to go into this.

The station won’t be holding anything back for the participating students. They are getting an authentic experience that will ideally benefit them in the long run.

YC Radio wants to have all ends covered for the listeners of the station.From news on campus and sports to current events and comic book discussions, as long as the shows offer original content that is newsworthy or thoughtful in some way, YC Radio is completely welcoming towards the idea.“If you’re going to have a show, let it be educational as well,” Director of Marketing and Communications Jean Bruno said referring to the content he’d like to see air.

The huge changes stem from two benefactors. One of which comes from York College alumni and YC Radio founder Ray Warren. Warren, who is now Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer at NBC Sports, who helped establish the original station in the spring of 1973..

Establishing a college radio station in a school that didn’t have one was one of the main reasons he chose to attend York all those years ago.

Along with his colleague Bob Reich,Warren was able to start a petition and hire a team to put together shows, manage the station and write news for their newswire that ran every thirty minutes and even get a hold of over 1,000 free records, spanning from The Beatles to The Who, from record companies willing to support the startup college station.

After receiving an overwhelming support from fellow students, Warren received a $25,000 grant from the York College Association, with which he was able to buy turntables, mics and the equipment needed for the station.

On the morning of Oct. 7, 1974, Warren, Reich and his colleagues threw a small party with bagels and champagne. Kicking off with Poco’s “Hear That Music”, WYCR-FM went on the air, planting the

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Thursday, October 17 2013

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seeds for what YC Radio is today.

Last year, Warren and his company donated $7,500 to renovate YC Radio, which was a huge help moving the station forward. “It was a major accomplishment to be a part of the creation of a radio station to serve my fellow students where the was none,” Warren said about the station.

“It allowed me to be on the air, which was my career choice at the time and lit an entrepreneurial style that has served me well throughout my life and career” On the staff side, both the previously mentioned Jean Bruno and Lead Operator Bryan Graves have been a big part of YC Radio’s revitalization. Bruno, who has a background in social marketing, has been trying to give students with an interest in broadcast a place to speak since day one. He started the Broadcast club in 2012 when he was a student at York.

Bryan Graves on the other hand has a deep background in radio. He’s done work for numerous stations including WYNG, AM1440 and currently does a show on AM1240 WGBB. At YC Radio, Graves uses his radio expertise to help students with structuring the programming that airs.

Faculty members from both Student Activities and Student Development have played a large part in the recent developments at the radio station as well. Assistant Director of Student Activities AnthonyAndrews,who has a background in radio, oversees the station and the work that goes into it. He had the vision for YC Radio as far back as 15 years ago and even has one of his long running classic soul and R&B show on WGBB switching over to YC Radio.

Soon to be formerAssociate Dean of Student Development Dr. Thomas Gibson has a background in the mass communications and four years of experience in television and has worked closely with Andrews to get the station up and running. “Learn as much as you can,” Gibson said to students at the most recent YC Radio meeting. He told students they should “approach it as a professional opportunity” regardless if they are interested in YC Radio as a hobby or because it’s something that will help them out career wise due to the many skills one can pick up at a radio station.

Vice President of Student Development Dr. Geneva Walker-Johnson, the head of student development, has overseen the YCRadio project and has been supportive the whole way through.

“When you have professional people doing this externally, that’s why this place is not going to sound like a college radio station” Andrews said. “We’ve got people who are trained that way. To bring you the news, to bring you the music just like any other radio station.” That is exactly what YC Radio wants to offer students and what it‘s striving to be. Just like any other radio station.

YC Radio is accessible at www.ycradio. org.

Trone Dowd is the A&E Editor you can reach him at tljdowd@gmail.com

Weird News

1

“Now you know...”

(WIKIPEDIA)

California minors will now be able to delete every dumb and regrettable thing they’ve posted on the Internet. A new bill signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown will require any Internet website, online service and mobile or online application to allow underage users to delete any information they post or request that it be removed. Senate bill 568 will not require the providers to delete the data from their internal information. The law will prevent the information from being accessed if the minor has asked it be removed.

Mike Wyllie helped harden flaccid penises worldwide as one of the scientists that created Viagra. Now he is preparing to release a spray on medication to help battle premature ejaculation. The penis numbing spray is called Tempe has been found safe and effective by the European Medicines Agency. The spray contains two low doses of anesthetics that can be sprayed on up to two hours before sex and only takes five minutes to begin working. According to the Daily Mail during the trial period the medication helped men last up to five times longer in bed.

3

(REUTERS)

BY MARISSA COLLADO Editor in Chief marissa.collado@yorkmail.cuny.edu

2

(PAILLE/FLICKR)

Doctors in China have helped a man “grow” a new nose on his forehead. The man, who according to Reuters has only been identified as Xiaolian, lost his nose to infection following a car accident. Doctors placed a tissue expander underneath the 22-year-olds forehead creating a pocket of skin. Next they put rib cartilage inside the pocket and molded the new nose. Doctors expect his new nose to function normally.

4

A fake advertisement circulated on social media sites convinced some iPhone users who updated their operating systems to iOS 7 that their cell phones had become waterproof. “Update to iOS 7 and become waterproof,” the prank advertisement began. “In an emergency, a smart-switch will shut off the phone’s power supply and corresponding components to prevent any damage to your iPhone’s delicate circuitry,” (FARM8/FLICKR) explained the advert. The fake photo was circulated on social media websites and believed to have been started by the online forum 4Chan. iPhone users who fell for the prank expressed their anger on the same websites that encouraged them to test out the waterproof update. “Whoever said iOS 7 was waterproof f**k you” wrote twitter user @TDermot. The iPhone 5S and 5C, which already come with iOS7 installed, sold more than nine million units its opening weekend almost double the amount of iPhone 5 sales during its 2012 launch.

5

A 61-year-old Texas man had so much yeast inside his stomach his body that he naturally produced beer. The man walked into an emergency room with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) level of .37 despite not consuming any alcohol. The man’s wife, who is a nurse, was so concerned about her husband’s constant dizziness and seemingly drunk behavior she regularly tested him with a breathalyzer. He tested with a BAC level as high as .4 percent, in the United States the legal driving limit is .08 percent. After several tests, doctors found that the patient had high levels of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a type of yeast used in alcohol fermentation. Every time he ate carbohydrate heavy meals the yeast in his body turned the sugar into ethyl alcohol making him drunk from the inside.

(FLICKR)

BBM Now for Android

BY JULISSA DUCHATELLIER

BlackBerry Messenger, or BBM is now available for both iPhones and Android phones. BBM is a wellknown free messaging app that was only for Blackberry phones.

Now anyone that owns an iPhone or an Android phone can use BBM. According to The Guardian, Executive Vice President for BBM Andrew Bocking said the messaging service is simple to use and is winning. Bocking also said that BBM is “easy to personalize and has an immediacy that is necessary for mobile communications.”

Also according to a Wall Street Journal blog, BlackBerry’s Chief Executive Thorsten Heins announced this plan four months ago and also said that BBM was going to come this summer. According to the Wall Street Journal, the people who were close to the BBM Company set a plan in late 2011. That plan was to have the phone carriers pay a certain fee to, “take BBM to customers using other phones.”

But luckily that plan was scratched out by Heins once he took over as the CEO early last year.

Koran Edwards, 21, Computer Science major, did not even know about BBM coming to Androids and iPhones. He said that he is not shocked that BBM is finally being available for all phones and that

it is just like any other app that people can use to communicate.

“It took them a while but glad they were able to do it,” said Edwards. “Even though BBM is played out, people have the option to use it if they like it.”

BBM Vice President Bocking in an interview with The Guardian said this time is the right time to bring BBM to the Android and iPhone world because there are more than a billion Android, iOS, and BlackBerry smartphones in the market, but there is no mobile messaging platform that is dominant.

Julissa Duchatellier is a contributing writer. You can reach her at: julissa.duchatellier@yorkmail.cuny. edu

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Imagine if York Acted Like the Fed. Government

BY JOSEPH DARIUS JAAFARI Imagine the York College faculty and administration got together and saw an issue with the library’s books being old and worn down.

Imagine that some of the faculty believed there was nothing wrong with the books and students should take it upon themselves to buy new books if they wanted them. Many thought it would be in everyone’s interest to replace all the old books with new books and update the library check-out system.

Now imagine that there was a vote to solve this issue, and the majority went in favor of replacing the old books and updating the system. There were still a good amount who disagreed and campaigned to try and get the new library check-out system abolished on the basis that it would cost too much time and work; that the system wasn’t broken. So the majority conceded in order to please the other side, but still held firm on replacing the old books.

The minority still wasn’t happy.

Keep imagining that the minority went on campaigning against the repurchase, and the president of the school saw this campaigning and said, “let’s vote again.” So they voted again and the majority still agreed

with repurchasing the books. Imagine that this went on 35 more times, and imagine every time there was a vote the majority always agreed with the repurchase.

But imagine that Joe in human resources was part of the minority and Joe had the power to delay payroll. So Joe took it upon himself and said, “I will not process payroll until York College officials decide against repurchasing books for the library.” So the school shut down. The security guards didn’t come to work, the janitors and faculty were told to stay home. The administration still came in and got their paychecks (including Joe), while the students who pay Joe’s salary were left without teachers, facilities and, ironically, books.

Imagine that Joe defended himself on Pandora’s Box and told the student body he gave faculty and administration plenty of negotiation time and only have themselves to blame.

What do you imagine would happen to Joe if that happened? Joe would get his ass canned and someone else would come in who could actually get the job done.

Joseph Darius Jaafari is the Online & Layout Editor, you can reach him at: joseph.jaafari@yorkmail.cuny.edu

Stand Your Ground Wouldn’t Stop Another Trayvon

BY XAVIER CANDLE

Since July, I’ve been perplexed by the meaning of “Justice for Trayvon Martin.” I was fortunate enough to appear on a panel recently which addressed this issue.Themes included “Where do we go from here?” and repealing Stand Your Ground, the controversial law this case originally centered on.

Confronting the former by first dealing with the latter, I feel I should inform the audience of one key component: Stand Your Ground had nothing to do with this case.

George Zimmerman didn’t even use the law as part of his defense, and even if he wanted to,he probably couldn’t.If Stand Your Ground is essentially an outdoor expansion of the Castle Doctrine, none of the reports of the incident suggest Zimmerman would be awarded it.

Trayvon Martin could have used Stand Your Ground, and if he survived, probably would have. Ironically, without it, duty to retreat would have been enforced.

Stand your Ground didn’t cause this tragedy, nor would its repeal prevent future scenarios like this one.

The biggest problem in this whole tragedy, the one aspect nobody likes to discuss is the media’s horrendous, yet meticulously calculated coverage since news first broke in 2012.

Every media form played into the confirmation biases that we all have. When we first heard the tragedy, everyone had a theory about what happened. Rather than consume media to help acquire all the facts, we took in what confirmed what we already thought based on our own tinted view of society.

With the confirmation bias also came

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fundamental attribution error. We put too much emphasis on the behavior of the individuals involved to explain what we thought happened, again, based on a bias. So Trayvon became the “Angry Black Man,” Zimmerman the concerned citizen protecting his community. Or, Martin became an innocent teenager, Zimmerman the paranoid, wannabe vigilante. No matter what your views were, there was a media market ready and able to fuel your thoughts before they gave you facts.

Trayvon became a symbol to both sides of the political spectrum to push their particular agenda. “Justice for Trayvon Martin” was countered by the “George Zimmerman Defense Fund.” There was no resolution to be had because no resolution was wanted.

Trayvon’s mother, Sybrina Fulton had to copyright her son’s name, citing her goal was to prevent anyone else from pushing an agenda.

However, like many NRA backed laws, it has become a symbol of unchecked aggression, playing into the minds of its citizens who have been coerced to see danger all around them. And yes, there is strong evidence to suggest the law is racially biased. In Florida cases concerning the law, 78% of Black homicides are considered justified. Yet Marissa Alexander, Michael Giles and countless other Blacks have been denied Stand Your Ground.

But laws, or the absence of laws mean very little unless we can change the mentality of the people who enforce them and the citizens who fall under their jurisdiction.

Xavier Candle is a contributing reporter. You can reach him at: xavier.candle@yorkmail.cuny.edu

Thursday, October 17 2013

novation Plan, Hospitals Closures which is a fedfunded Should be Last Resort erally public initiative

BY CIJI THOMAS

Escalated hospital closures in communities are raising concerns about whether people can receive quality health care and treatment when emergency care facilities are miles from their neighborhoods.

The borough of Queens, and its diverse population of more than 2.2 million, lost four hospitals between 2008 and 2012. According to the Queens Ledger, Parkway Hospital in Forest Hills was the first to close its doors, emptying 251 beds and dissolving the jobs of approximately 600 people.

Mary Immaculate in Jamaica and St. John’s Queens Hospital in Elmhurst followed in 2009, after its management company, Caritas, filed for bankruptcy and the hospitals were forced to close. The two hospitals combined for more than 420 beds and treated an estimated 100,000 emergency room patients per year.

Finally, Peninsula Hospital closed in 2012 due to lack of funds and a sickly reputation after its lab failed a state health inspection. Peninsula Hospital’s closure caused a lot of problems since it was one of only two full-service medical centers in the Rockaways, which must now look to St. John’s Episcopal Hospital in Far Rockaway and a few urgent care centers to replace the nearly 170 beds serving a community of more than 130,000 residents.

“I’ve been working there for more than 15 years, and I still can’t believe this actually happened to us,” said Dorothy Clegg, a former nurse at Peninsula Hospital. “It still brings me down knowing that we gave our 110 percent every time we were at the hospital, working short staffed, taking care of patients, and still providing the best care we could.”

More than 500 people rallied in Glen Cove on Aug. 31 to protest North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System’s plan to convert the Glen Cove hospital into an ambulatory center in January.

“We’re having an influence on the decision-making,” said Mayor Ralph Suozzi standing on a stage outside the Glen Cove library. “But we don’t need a pacifier like a child screaming.

We want a functioning hospital here so you can get medical care.”

The State University of New York Downstate Medical Center released a report in 2005 on hospital care in the 100 largest U.S. cities and their suburbs. The study found that “more public hospitals were lost between 1996 and 2002 (16 percent in cities and 27 percent in the suburbs) than for-profit (11 percent in cities and 11 percent in suburbs) and non-profit hospitals (11 percent in cities and 2 percent in the suburbs).” The report also found that hospitals underserved high-poverty suburbs while low-poverty suburbs brim with them.

The State Health Department announced in April that they would implement a State Health Care In-

to transform the state’s health care delivery system.

The state was awarded a $1 million grant from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to develop this plan, according to State Health Commissioner Dr. Nirav Shah.

Some of the key components of the Innovation Plan are to help ease bill payment in nursing homes, to integrate primary care and mental health management and simplify the movement of patients within the hospital.

“Out of all places in this country, I can’t fathom that hospitals are the place that the government wants to downsize,” said Dr. Michael DeAngelis, an internist at North Shore Long Island Jewish Hospital. “Hospitals are so vital, so critical to everyone, it doesn’t just affect one person, but changes up the whole community. If a community doesn’t have a nearby hospital, then it could be a medical emergency.

People’s lives could be in danger.”

Michael Dowling, the CEO of the North Shore LIJ Health System cited sweeping changes in healthcare and overall inpatient volume decline among factors contributing to the decision to phase out inpatient beds for stays longer than 24 hours.

The hospital is not closing, he emphasized, but will rather “enhance services to the community by providing or being the catalyst for a broader array of community based services.”

The reduction in state and federal government subsidies to hospitals has aggravated the closure problem.

Although the health care reform law will eventually expand insurance coverage to more people and help hospitals regain costs for uncompensated care, there will be cuts to federal payments to hospitals with a higher number of uninsured patients.

The Department of Health says that law doesn’t take effect for three years and would still leave about 18 million people uninsured.

In the late 1990s, researchers at Boston University School of Public Health reviewed data on acute care hospitals in 52 large and mid sized U.S. cities from 1936 through the mid-1990s and found that nearly 28 percent of them had closed between 1980 and 1997. The researchers concluded that “the pattern of hospital closings in U.S. cities in recent decades may have damaged access to care generally, may have had an adverse and disproportionate impact on minority Americans specifically, and may even have increased the cost of health care.”

The amount of time a person spends in an ambulance is weighed heavily on the distance of the nearest hospital. Vital capacity of a patient lowers exponentially if full on medical care isn’t received in a matter of minutes.

Lenox Hill Hospital stopped providing paramedic services in the beginning of the year due to cost control.

Emergency medical technicians, who have less training than paramedics and generally are not permitted to

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administer medications, now respond to 911 calls.

To compensate for the cuts, the FDNY provided three additional paramedic shifts and another area hospital provided another three, department officials said.

“They’ll no longer provide the advanced life support resource,” said FDNY spokesman Jim Long in an interview with FOX NY. “We’re trying to minimize the impact by studying and knowing the response routine and trying to cover the busiest areas.”

“The restructure of our EMS operations at Lenox Hill Hospital will enable us to become more operationally efficient, improve service, and better control costs,” the hospital said in a statement. “Paramedics will have the opportunity to move into EMT positions elsewhere in the North ShoreLIJ system at their current pay rate.”

According to medicaid.gov, New York applied for a Medicaid waiver about a year ago hoping that the state would net about $10 billion for better care management, which would allow the healthcare system to be modernized.

Almost a year later, Albany has received no money from Washington.

The New York Times reported in May, Governor Cuomo sent a plea to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

“Due to a rapid deterioration in the financial status of essential components of the health care services system in Brooklyn, if nothing is done within the next 12 months, the outcome will be disastrous,” Cuomo’s letter said. “Without the waiver, at least four hospitals—having among them nearly one thousand inpatient beds and supporting hundreds of thousands of emergency room and ambulatory care visits—will be in danger of closing.”

The Affordable Care Act, a piece of legislation popularly referred to as “Obamacare,” is primarily to blame for these rolling hospital closures. In addition to greatly enhancing patient access to care and expanding access for insured Americans, the ACA also had major implications for hospital systems, not only in New York, but also across the nation.

Under the ACA, hospital systems are designed to make patient care more efficient and less costly by running fewer diagnostic tests, minimizing length of stay and preventing readmissions. Hospital systems are to be penalized for conducting too many unnecessary tests, and long periods of hospitalizations for patients.

While the ACA is provoking many hospital systems to action, it’s important to note that the changes the ACA is designed to effect have been a long time coming.

Regardless of whether one views the Affordable Care Act as a positive or negative development, hospital systems must adapt to marketplace changes that have long been taking place.

Ciji Thomas is the News Editor, she can be reached at: ciji.thomas@rokmail.cuny.edu

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My Indian Summer

BY BIMINA RANJIT Opportunity may not always knock on your door, but you can certainly knock on its door, which is exactly what I did this past summer.

As a graduating journalism student, it’s a requirement to get three credits through a working internship at a news organization. Living in New York, there are plenty news organizations you can intern with. However, I may eventually end up working for one of them after graduation and possibly for the rest of my life.

As a person always seeking adventure, I applied for a summer internship in New Delhi, India. I had visited India before and made some friends over there. So I asked around to see if they could recommend me to people

in NDTV (New Delhi Television), which is one of the oldest and most prestigious news channel in India.

Luckily, it took me one email to start corresponding with NDTV at the beginning of this year. I got an invitation for an internship by the end of January.

After the infamous gang rape cases in New Delhi, my friends and family worried for my safety and questioned whether I should do this internship or not. At the same time the journalism department was not too sure I had a doable summer fieldwork. No one in journalism department had done an international internship before. The mandatory one-on-one meeting with the professor every week was already hard enough, but moving to a different time zone and any unpredictable circumstances made the decision harder for the department.

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I was sure that I wanted this and I didn’t want to let this opportunity slide. I was even ready to go on my own expense and didn’t even care if the college gave me credit for it. However, after I kept pushing it to the department, it eventually worked out.

After I got approval from the English department, they suggested that I apply for the Study Abroad scholarship. It is a great scholarship program here at York, the dean of Student Development issues grants to students who are eligible. There are some requirements that are needed, for instance, students need to have at least a 3.0 GPA, a strong academic background and participation in extracurricular activities. I was surprised to know that this program existed. I was ready to fund my own trip and take no credits, but by April, I got the check for $2300 from the Student Development office and I got the green light for summer fieldwork by the department.

It can be a hard decision to leave your country to go somewhere foreign where you don’t know what you are getting into. Taking a chance requires a lot of courage, I’m glad I did it because the three months I spent in India was an experience of lifetime.

I left N.Y. at the start of June and flew straight to New Delhi. My friends in India offered me a place to stay. Since it was a longer stay I had to get accustomed to the lifestyle, the people and the transportation. It took me a few days to get used to the scorching heat at the 100 degree weather.

I even got sick with chronic stomach virus, I could not leave my room for four days. However, don’t let that discourage you, it only lasted few days. After a few nightmarish days, I woke up to start my first day at the job.

The NDTV office was in GK1 (Greater Kailash 1), which was a 40 minute drive from where I lived. I mostly commuted in an auto rickshaw, they would also drop you back from the office after 8 p.m, since it was quite dangerous for a girl to be out late. It was mid June, the early monsoon hit

the northern parts of India and the state of Himachal Pradesh was in chaos. Thousands of people died in the flood.

This was also the time that I joined the office. I was introduced to the news desk by HR, I don’t remember anyone looking at me to say hello, everyone was busy with the content flow of news or the news making. I was supposed to be supervised on how everything worked in newsroom, but they barely had any time for me.

Someone quickly ran through the news system and showed me around a bit, but I had nothing particular to do. I followed the Chief Editor everywhere. Since it was an hourly live broadcast, duties changed and I had to figure out who was in charge and shadow them in the newsroom, editing and graphics room and the production control room.

I couldn’t participate too much since I was untrained and they didn’t want to risk giving me the responsibility for an on-air show. After a mutual understanding of the situation, I decided to switch departments.

I was sent to production the next week, where a producer and his team were working on “The Ganga Project.”

Ganges is the holy river in India and it is an integral part of Hindu rituals and culture. The project was to make the people aware of that fact that the river was becoming highly polluted by industrialization and over growth of population. My primary roles as a production assistant was to check, transcribe and ingest footages, help the editor to edit, research and fact check.

After learning some production skills, I was moved to the “documentary department.” I was working with a 30-minute show on the weekend called “India Matters,” where they focused on the social, religious and political issues of India. In addition to what I was already doing, I was also asked to help the camera man, go on shoots and hold SimSats (an interview of a source on camera via telephone without the presence

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C2 of a host.) Towards the end of my internship I was working for one of the most famous 30-minute weekend shows on NDTV called “Truth Vs. Hype,” which is an investigative journalistic show that focuses on political and social corruption in India.

Working in production and documentaries opened up a whole new world for me, I loved the fact that documentaries had an elaborate way of reporting. One can choose a diverse way to tell the story and depending on the show, you generally have more time to report and research, whereas newsrooms were always chaotic. I was obsessed with documentaries, I took time out to make some personal documentaries on different parts of Delhi.

After coming back from India, I found out that the Communications Technology department was offering a new portrait documentary course. I had an option to do one more internship and I applied at CUNY TV at channel 75 as a production assistant intern. Now I am working with them on a monthly magazine format show called “Asian American Life.”

I would really encourage students to get out of their comfort zone and try and make the impossible possible. The three months I spent in India not only taught me about different forms of journalism but also a different way of life. I got to see how people in India think and live. I got to travel to seven different states in India, including Mumbai, Kolkata, Goa and Agra.

I learned that people in developing countries might not have all the resources that we have here in America but they make the best of what they have. I worked till 1 a.m. for many weeks, but I felt like I did nothing compared to other journalists. Most of all, I realized that bad things could happen in the best of places, but it does not mean that you back out from an amazing opportunity.

Pandora’s Box

is a proud member of the:

Society for Professional Journalists and Associated College Press

Bimina Ranjit is a reporter.

You can reach her at: Bimina.Ranjit@yorkmail.cuny.edu

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yorkpbnews.com

Cardinal Game Spread MEN’S SOCCER Oct. 16 7:00 pm York College @ Berkeley College (NJ) Oct. 18 12:00 pm York College @ Yeshiva University Oct. 23 4:00 pm York College vs College of Staten Island Oct. 26 3:30 pm York College vs Baruch College WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL Oct. 16 7:00 pm York College vs United States Merchant Marine Academy Oct. 18 7:30 pm York College @ St. Joseph’s CollegeBrooklyn Oct. 22 7:00 pm York College @ The College of Westbury Oct. 24 7:00 pm York College @ Medgar Evers College CROSS COUNTRY Oct. 20 9:30 am York Invitational Oct. 27 9:30 am CUNYAC Championship

York College competing in Queensborough Invitationa l(VERITY ROLLINS/PANDORAS BOX)

York Cross Country Teams Off to Great Start

BY RAYMOND MORA

York College’s men’s and women’s cross country team is off to a solid start for the season. York started out their season at the Monroe Mustangs Stampede Invitational at Ferry Point Park.

According to the York Athletics website, the hosts of the race, Monroe College, won both the men’s and women’s races. On the men’s side York finished 3rd, while on the women’s side they finished fourth. The men’s team had senior, Jesus Medina, finish 12th with a time of 20:02 while sophomore, Ismail Oluwo finish 14th in 20:29. On the women’s side York had three sophomores, Verenice Gomez finish 16th in 25:20 , Akera Allen finished in 29:06 and Diana Cueavas 28:32, good for 19th and 20th place.

The teams next meet was the Baruch College Invitational at Van Cortlandt Park. For the women, Gomez finished 19th and Allen finishing 43rd in the 6k race. For the men, Medina finished 42nd and sophomore, Anthony Par-

sons, finish 45th in the 8k race. As a team, the men finished 10th while the women finish 11th respectively.

The Queensborough Invitational was their third meet and men’s finish ninth while women’s finish 12th. Oluwo came in 35th place after running against 130 other participants in the men’s 8k race, Medina finished in 52th.

For the women 5k race, Gomez came in at 37th place out of 128 participants in 25:22 and Allen placed 65th.

On Sept. 29, the Cardinals had the College of Staten Island’s Developmental meet at Van Cortlandt Park.

Overall, the men finished 12th while the women finished 17th. According to the York’s Athletics website, out of 172 participants for the men’s 8k, Ismail Oluwo finished in 58th place at 33:12, Medina, placed 65th at 33:4. The women ran a 6k and Gomez managed to finish at 65th in 29:12 and Allen took 79th at 30:19, there was a total of 155 participants.

Gomez feels good about the season thus far and has been getting help

from her coaches on a new technique.

“My season has been great although I have been getting injured. I’m doing cross country and soccer. The coach has helped me with a new breathing technique I’m getting accustomed to along with helping me mentally,” said Gomez.

Junior, Derrick Clanton, believes the Cardinals are performing at their best this season.

“Our season has been looking great, we have a lot of strong and dedicated runners and many have already ran their personal best in competitions,” said Clanton.

Gomez and Clanton have different goals in mind and are hoping that it is accomplished by the end of the season.

“What I’m hoping to accomplish is pretty much what I’ve wanted to do since I became an athlete. Improve myself as an individual while also contributing to the entire teams’ success and bring back a championship to York College.”

“My main goal for this season is to

Men’s Soccer Season Better Than Last

BY STEVEN RODRIGUEZ

The York Men’s soccer team has posted a record of 3-7-1. Compared to last season’s record, it is an improvement.

In 2012 the Cardinals didn’t get their first victory until Oct. 8th, but this year they started the season on a good note.

The Cardinals earned their first victory of the season against Sarah Lawrence in their season opener on Sept.

5th as they won by the score of 4-0.

Cardinals’ forward, Rachidi Amadou, who is also a newcomer on the team made his presence known as he scored two goals in the Cardinals 4-0 victory.

The Cardinals would go on to lose

three straight games, the third one being against the College of New Jersey, they scored two goals one by junior midfielder, Rohan Burrell and the second made by senior, defensive midfielder, Oluwaseun Ogundele. It was a tough loss for the Cardinals as they lost the game in overtime by the score of 3-2. In the previous two games the Cardinals failed to score any goals.

The Cardinals would snap their three game skid against St. Joseph’s College.

The team had an offensive explosion as they embarrassed their opponents by the final score of 8-0. According the York Athletics website, the eight goals

were the most scored by the Cardinals since Sept. 4 2008 which came against Yeshiva University, in which they won by the score of 14-3. Rohan had himself a game, as he scored three goals. Senior, defensive player Brian Broadbelt and Junior defensive midfielder, Andre Adelson each scored two goals.

The Cardinals would struggle in their next six games as they went 1-4-1. Five of their six matches came up against their CUNYAC rivals. Their lone win came against Lehman College as they won by the score of 3-1. Adelson, Oluwaseun and Broadbelt led the Cardi-

drop my time and have a personal record from last year,” said Gomez.

Head Coach Mark Benjamin feels the same way and has helped the runners tremendously.

“I have enhanced my recruiting and have raised the bar on hard smart training. The results are there with bigger and better rosters as well,” said Benjamin.

Benjamin is pleased to see how great in shape the Cardinals are in this season. “Both teams have gotten into competitive shape. I’m really impressed by the hard work and long 60 min runs followed by weight training sessions.”

The Cardinals have the College of Staten Invitational coming up on Oct. 12 as well as the York Invitational on Oct. 20. These will be the final two meets the cross country team has before the CUNYAC Championship, which takes place on Oct. 27.

Raymond Mora is a reporter you can reach him at Raymond.Mora@yorkmail.cuny.ed

nals to victory as they each scored a goal.

The Cardinals lost two hard fought games against John Jay College of Criminal Justice and the City College of New York. Both games went into double overtime, but the Cardinals fell to John Jay, 3-2 and City College 2-1 According to the York Athletics website the Cardinals’ current homefield, The Aviator Sports and Event Center, has been closed due to the government shutdown. Their match Oct. 2 was postponed due to the shutdown and no make-up date has yet to be announced.

Steven Rodriguez is the Sports Editor you can reach him at Steven.Rodriguez@yorkmail.cuny.ed

yorkpbnews.com

GIRL-STRONG!

we just have some things Women’s V-Ball isn’t doing so well, to work on, but if we but still optimistic about future improve on that we will be good,” said Li.

BY RAYMOND MORA York’s first loss pretty much sums up The women’s volleyball season is starting out rough. Heading into the month how the season is going for them as they of October the Lady Cardinals have post- have struggled offensively. The Cardied a record of 2-13 and are in the midst nals lost five straight games to start off of a five game losing streak, which ties the season and they didn’t secure their first win until Sept. 14 against their CUtheir season high.

Compared to last season, the Lady NYAC rivals John Jay College of Criminal Cardinals have been performing below Justice.

Florentino and Li weren’t happy with their expectations. Of their 13 losses they have been shutout in 10 of them, the first how the team struggled with their rotaone came in their home opener against tions. Both players feel that they need to play at a faster pace in order to perform Kings College.

“I felt like we were a little nervous but better. In their following game against in practice we played with more inten- Mount Saint Mary College the Cardisity. We were lost when it came to rota- nals lost 3-0 despite getting good games tion and we just need to get it together,” from Li and freshmen middle hitter, Carlean McCrimmon. Both put up five said team captain Evelyn Florentino.

After their first loss, sophomore out- kills a piece and combined for 11 digs and side hitter and libero Allison Li, didn’t four blocks.

Their match against Kean University seem too worried about it, “It was okay,

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SPORTS

Lady Cardinals match up against Kings College (VERITY ROLLINS/PANDORAS BOX)

didn’t have enough scoring even with McCrimmon having 11 kills and Li with ten digs. Junior outside hitter, Stayce Kay Muirhead also had nine kills and two solo blocks. Facing the College of New Rochelle it was the same result for the Cardinals. Despite their efforts, they came up with a loss. Even though the Cardinals started the season on a bad note, the team still remained positive.

“We need to stop over thinking, play the game and have fun and do our best. Even though the teams we lost too were beatable, we just got to learn from our past mistakes and move on,” said Muirhead.

Florentino added, “It’s hard to put a positive mindset on anyone especially when we had this losing streak. But I would tell them to push and play hard.

We just need to prove ourselves, we need to start strong and finish strong,” The Cardinals would lose their fifth straight to their CUNYAC rivals Baruch College, but would get their first victory of the season against John Jay College of Criminal Justice. The Cardinals won in a

thriller against the bloodhounds as they won 3-2, they trailed 0-2 but won three consecutive sets to earn their first win of the season.

Defeating John Jay was an important for this team’s confidence and what they want to build on.

“Winning this first game was absolutely amazing and breathtaking. We were down 2-0 & came back to beat them 3-2. Not only was this our first win but it was against a CUNYAC rival which is extremely important for us.”

Muirhead added, “We were hungry for it and knew it was what we needed in order to get ourselves out of the hole we dug into. This team we have is a power house and we are not a complete whole yet, but when that happens there’s no stopping us.”

The next two games were not in their favor despite the comeback win against John Jay. Against Hunter College they were shut out 3-0. The next match they got ahead early leading 2-1, but City College rallied back to take a 3-2 victory over

the Lady Cardinals.

In their next seven contests, the Cardinals managed to go 1-6, four of those losses came in the SUNYIT Wildcat Classic, the Lady Cardinals failed to win one set in the classic.

This late into the season the Cardinals have posted a record of 2-13, but with 14 games remaining coach Ashley Greene remains optimistic for a late turn around in their season.

“We are just having a hard time closing out games.We’re struggling with team chemistry. There are a lot of new girls and a lot of them playing in new positions. We have the individual talent and we just can’t seem to get it together as a team,” said Greene.

There next few games are tough this month, but Greene wants to finish as playoffs contender. Next month will determine how successful this team is as a whole.

Over the course of his career, Sanchez’s numbers are clearly trending downward. Since his debut back in 2009, Sanchez has 68 touchdown passes, along with 69 interceptions, that would make any head coach cringe if that was their starting quarterback.

Due to Sanchez’s injury, the Jets had no choice but to give the rookie Smith the starting job to start the season and he has led the Jets to a surprising 2-2 record.

With the absence of Sanchez it will allow the Jets to determine if Smith is the answer to their quarterback dilemma.

Smith made his highly anticipated debut for the Jets on Sept. 8, and he led the Jets to an improbable 18-17 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their season opener. It was not an easy one for the Jets as they trailed 17-15 in the fourth with the clock ticking.

The deciding factor of that game was when Smith desperately scrambled for 10 yards and while he was out of bounds he was shoved by Buccaneer’s linebacker, Lavonte David. As a result that led to a 15-yard penalty, which allowed the Jets to set up the game winning field goal for Nick Folk.

“The Jets have low expectations for the season so Smith should get the necessary reps to improve as a rookie, as they bring in more talent around him his stats should improve,” said Germain Lewis an 18-year-old sophomore at York College.

In week two the Jets met their division rivals, the New England Patriots, which ended in a sloppy affair. Smith was out of sync due to poor play and frustration.

Smith took the blame for the crushing late-game turnovers which would allow for New England to seal an ugly 13-10 victory.

In their week three matchup the Jets got a huge home win against their division rival the Buffalo Bills, which awarded them a 2-1 record. Just like their previous matchup against the Patriots their bout against the Bills was just as sloppy, the Jets set a team record with 20 penalties. Geno struggled a bit, but managed to complete 16 of his 29 pass attempts, which accumulated to a total of 331 passing yards and three touchdowns.

“I think Geno Smith was a great draft pick, he’s going to play better for the Jets than both Tebow and Sanchez did last year,” said Tyrone Gayle a computer engineering major at York.

Their week four matchup against the Tennessee Titans was the worst loss for the Jets this season. The rookie quarterback had a season high four turnovers as the Jets were dominated by the Titans, they lost 38-13.

So far Smith’s stats haven’t looked too promising. According to nfl.com, so far Smith has a quarterback passer rating of 65%, he’s completed four touchdowns passes, eight interceptions and a total of 11 turnovers. Smith’s stats show he is rookie quarterback that still has plenty of work to do to excel at the position.

For the Jets’ sake, they are hoping Smith can lead them to the playoffs, the last time they made it dates back to the year 2010, when they lost to the Steelers in the AFC Championship game.

“I just know Geno is out there. He’s our quarterback. There is no competition,” said Rex Ryan in an article for the Newsday.

With a quarter of the season gone and Sanchez done for the season, Smith seems to be the Jets’ quarterback for the remainder of the season.

Jets Unpredictable, Still Fun to Watch able.

The Jets’ quarterback has been decided, for now. On Sept. 12 it was declared by Dr. James Andrews that Jets’ quarterback Mark Sanchez has a labral tear in his right shoulder, which has officially put an end to his season.

Sanchez sustained the injury when the Head Coach Rex Ryan decided to put Sanchez in the fourth quarter of a meaningless preseason game against the Giants.

According to cbssports.com, Sanchez is going to have season-ending surgery for his shoulder and the Jets Geno Smith at Home Game (LILMAN3319FLICKR) will have to rely on their

BY CRACIANO CLAUSE rookie,Geno Smith, for the reFour weeks into the NFL 2013, and it’s mainder of the season. been a surprising season for the Jets so The Jets signed Mark Sanchez to a threefar as they have a better record than their year contract extension in March of 2012, New York counterparts, the Giants. At which gave Sanchez a guaranteed 20.5 this point the Jets problems are starting million dollars for 2012 and he will be to become fun to watch simply because receiving the same amount this season, each game of theirs has been unpredict- according to www.espn.go.com.

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Thursday, October 17 2013

Raymond Mora is a reporter you can reach him at Raymond.Mora@yorkmail.cuny.ed

Graciano Clause is a contributing writeryou can reach him at Graciano.Clause@yorkmail.cuny.ed

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yorkpbnews.com

Thursday, October 17 2013

Sports Insights, Opinions and Latest Happenings Crippled Yanks Don’t Look to a Bright Future

After failing to nab one of the American League Wild Card spots, the Yankees had to end Mariano Rivera’s final season in the big leagues without making it to the postseason. On Sept. 26 Rivera made his final relief appearance in Yankee Stadium in front of the Yankee faithful. It was an emotional sendoff for the future hall of famer, but as Yankees watched their closer’s career officially come to an end you can’t help but think that the aging Yankees have some bad years coming their way.

The Bronx Bombers were predicted to be irrelevant in the American League East and have a terrible season due to many injuries. But to the surprise of many, they remained in contention for one of the AL Wild Cards spots until the season’s end.

Even though the Yankees contended throughout the entire season, they struggled offensively and could not stay healthy. A big reason as to why the Yanks cannot stay healthy is because a number of their key players are getting old, such as Derek Jeter, Mark Teix-

BY STEVEN RODRIGUEZ eira and CC Sabathia. a spot in their starting rotation.

Jeter only played “The Yankees are going to have to do a 17 games, Teixeira lot of work with bullpen, since Rivera’s had season ending retired. David Robertson will probably wrist surgery and be his replacement And with Pettitte reSabathia had the tired and Hughes and Kuroda not comworst season of his ing back that leaves 3 spots open in the career as he sported rotation,” said York College Sports an ugly ERA of 4.78. Information Director, John Scarinci.

Sabathia’s season came to an abrupt end The Yankees have a number of their key as he was put on the 60 day disabled list players hitting free agency such as: Robwith a hamstring strain. inson Cano, Curtis Granderson, Hiroki “Sabathia is definitely going downhill Kuroda, Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and isn’t the Yanks ace pitcher in his cur- and Boone Logan. rent status. He lost too much velocity on Even manager Joe Girardi was set to hit his fastball and he needs to learn how to the free agent market, but the Yankees hit his spots more recently signed him to a fouryear contract since he can’t overpower hitters like extension.. he used to. He is a number two or three The name that stands out is their star starter at best,” said 21 year old aviation second baseman, Cano. Since his debut in management major Eddie Mok. 2005 Cano is one of, if not the best second And of course there is Alex Rodriguez, baseman in the major leagues and he is who didn’t make his season debut until the biggest free agent on the market this early August after having hip surgery. upcoming winter.

A-Rod is currently fighting his 211 game It is known that resigning Cano is the suspension and whether or not he plays Yanks number one priority, but accordnext season remains to be seen. Accord- ing ESPN.com Cano is seeking a ten year ing to the New York Daily News, with contract worth 300 million dollars. In an their contracts combined the Yankees interview with Bloomberg Television Yanowe these players a total of 244.875 mil- kees president, Randy Levine, spoke about lion dollars. the upcoming Cano contract negotiation.

With the off-season set to begin soon, “We will sit down and talk to him. HopeYanks’ general manager, Brian Cashman fully he’s a Yankee. Nobody is a re-sign at all already has his hands full. With Andy Pet- costs, but we want him back and we feel titte and Rivera now retired that leaves good about negotiating something with their closer role up for grabs along with him. But nobody is a re-sign at any cost,”

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Robinson Cano is one of several Yankees hitting the free agent market this year

said Levine.

With Cano setting a high price for his services, the Yankees may be reluctant to sign him to a long term deal, as they have seen how it has hurt in the long run with Sabathia and A-Rod. And the Yankees cannot afford Cano if they want to stay under the luxury tax which has been their goal since last winter.

If Cano were to sign with another team it would be a big loss for the Yankees. According to Yankees.com, this past season Cano led the team with 107 RBIs, a .314 batting average and was second in homeruns with 27.

With the possibility of losing their best player, the Yankees might be losing their team captain after next season. Jeter is heading into the final year of his contract in which he is owed 9.5 million dollars and he will be turning 40 years old.The captain had four stints on the disabled list this past season. The final blow was when Jeter was experienced dis-

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comfort in his surgically repaired left ankle,which put an end to his 2013 season.

After having such an injury plagued season, the question heading into the final year of his contract is, will Derek Jeter call it a career once his contract is up? It’s clear that he can’t play shortstop like he used to, so all he has left to contribute is hitting.

Maybe after a full off-season in which he can take his time to get healthy he can show some life in his bat, but if not Jeter may be following Rivera and Pettitte’s footsteps and head into retirement.

It looks like all the big contract signings and age has finally caught up with the Yankees. They contended this past season but they were crippled doing so. It may be time for the organization to head into a rebuilding stage because the days of having a star studded team appears to have reached its end.

Steven Rodriguez is the Sports Editor you can reach him at Steven.Rodriguez@yorkmail.cuny.ed

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