The Puyallup Post | Volume 12 | Issue 8 | May 2007

Dirty little Resumé secrets revealed responsibility See page 4

VOLUME 12

ISSUE 8

See back page

May 2007

It’s odd! It pays! And we work there!

See pages 8 and 9

SERVING THE STUDENTS OF PIERCE COLLEGE PUYALLUP

New rules for Computer Center Cameron Rutt

For The Puyallup Post

Photo by Cody Turk

Dr. Gregory Feldman of the University of British Columbia speaks about migration and population regulations on a worldwide scale at the conference on the Puyallup campus. Feldman, an assistant professor of international migration, talked during the opening keynote address at the Migration and Cultural Conflict in Europe conference.

Want your article here?

Cody Turk Photo Editor

The Puyallup Post staff is looking for students who are interesting in writing or taking photos for the student newspaper during the next school year.

Most students on this year’s staff will be moving on to greener pastures, leaving many openings.

Working on The Post offers some pretty awesome benefits. First and foremost—it is a paying job. And unlike fast food and retail, it has a pretty relaxed and friendly work atmosphere.

This is also a huge opportunity for those of you who are looking to break into journalism as a career. Working on the newspaper gives you the experience employers are looking for.

And if you are not sure if journalism is for you, The Puyallup Post can give you a taste of what “real” journalism is like in a very forgiving environment. The program offers a sort of be-your-own-bossfeel: you can work as much or as little as you want and the hours are extremely

flexible.

Another great thing about the news paper is that you can be on the staff and take the journalism class for credit (JOURN 111 & 112). Essentially getting paid to take the class, or getting college credit for doing your job.

Also, being a part of the newspaper for credit and for cash looks good to potential employers because it basically looks like an internship.

The program offers a variety of jobs, including reporters and photographers.

There is also an editorial staff that consists of an editor, managing editor and photo editor. So for those with a need to lead, positions are available.

For more information on joining The Puyallup Post team, come visit us in our office in room C218, someone from the staff is usually there and will be more than willing to answer any questions you might have.

You can also e-mail our supervisor Teresa Josten with your questions at tjosten@pierce.ctc.edu.

The Pierce College Puyallup computer lab emits a sound of typing, clicking and printing, but the sound of conversation has been cut short.

The computer lab has added two new rules to its list since last quarter, affecting students more than the previous rules.

The first rule limits multiplayer gaming to the computer classsroom, C274, and only when it is available.

The second rule, and the one appearing to be the most problematic, prohibits the use of cell phones inside the computer lab.

“The talking gets really loud and is distracting to people who are doing work,” says Anna Maria Lathrop, an employee in the computer lab.

“Basically, anywhere where anyone is forced to sit and listen to you is usually inappropriate for using cell phones,” says Kandee Nelson, an instructional technician at the Computer Center. “The Computer Center is one of those places. I once asked a girl to take her loud cell phone conversa-

tion into the hallway and I got a very approving nod of thanks from the lady sitting next to her.”

Both multiplayer gaming and cell phone conversations created too much noise, and since the lab is a place for studying before it is a place for fun, they decided getting rid of the two was the best idea.

However, there’s the issue that most students do not even read the rules of the computer lab. They are posted on the wall when entering, but hardly anyone takes the time to read them.

Students who answer their cell phones are dealt with rather quickly. One of the computer lab attendants simply walks up to them and asks them to leave the lab while they are on the phone.

Most students agree and walk out, whether or not they are frustrated, but some students won’t even comply with the rules.

“Some people just say no,” says Lathrop.

Student Caleb Brumley follows the

See Rules on page 7

Where have all the voters gone?

Tim Guy

Managing Editor

Every year, millions of people turn out for the general elections, turning their political beliefs into civic action. Generally speaking, these votes have far more impact than we realize, and at times, believe.

However, we also only believe that the general elections are what count and half the time, we don’t even spend much time on what we’re voting, relying purely on the information the voter pamphlets provided at the voting booth state.

Regardless, the real issue isn’t how we deal with the general election, but how we, as in young adults, don’t deal with the special elections.

For those who don’t know, special elections are bonds, levies, initiatives and whatnot usually involving schools, libraries, the fire department and the police department.

These elections are usually held throughout the year, and unlike the annually fixed general election, they get no attention whatsoever from young people.

Forget not really knowing about what you’re voting on, because when it comes to special elections – young people are not even voting.

Some have attributed this problem to the lack of media coverage, while others really

don’t believe it has anything to do with them.

Overall though, if you look at the track record for the general elections with young people, can media coverage, whether or not there is any, really attribute to the reasons behind young people not voting?

After all, if you live in small areas like Puyallup—which just so happens to be having a school bond on on this May 15th— you’re going to see the signs, groups of advocates waving signs and even get flyers in the mail about these special elections.

Obviously the information is there, and if young people are far too oblivious, or excellent at tuning out the locale, then our up coming generations are in trouble, and if you look at it from the Puyallup example, most of these people happen to be students at Pierce College.

If voting, in the most local sense, is not valued by the educated, who then will determine our future? Our parents?

That then leads us to the real problem, which happens to be more about the last reason, which is that so many young people do not feel it has anything to do with them. The problem is, it has EVERYTHING to do with them!

Almost all the up-and-coming young voters are right out of high school, one of the

See Voters on page 5

2

Editor’s Corner

COMMENTARY

The Puyallup P O S T

Transhumanism: human enhancement has begun

Rebecca Watkinson Editor

Tim Guy

Managing Editor

Hey Everybody!

It’s finally starting to feel like spring as May rolls around and we approach the middle of the quarter. We’ve got about five weeks left before it’s time for finals, and then we can settle into summer or head off to bigger and better things. Stay with us at The Puyallup Post through our last two issues this school year; we’re working extra hard to bring you the best.

In this issue, we decided to showcase some students with somewhat irregular jobs. Some Pierce students opted to choose a path less taken when it came to their jobs, and they steered clear of the typical fast food/retail/restaurant occupations. You can read about these individuals in our middle pages. Also, we at The Puyallup Post want to help you get prepared for the job of your dreams, so we have tips on writing a resume on our back page. Plus, with Memorial Day coming up, we decided to introduce to you some very cool veterans who just happen to be Pierce students. I hope you enjoy the new issue!

So now that I’ve covered this month’s issue, I wanted to talk briefly about something that has been weighing on my mind. Some time ago, the college set out a large cardboard poster with a map of the world on it in the C building. There were cards glued on to it with “hot topics” such as gay marriage and the Iraq War written on them, and then pens were set out, so that students could sound off on their thoughts on each of these topics. The idea behind this “discussion board” is just that—to start a conversation about things that we are all pretty passionate about. However, the point was lost when students used this opportunity to insult and attack each other instead.

Now, I saw that board every day it was up. It was right next to our office, and it was tough to not read it on my way in. There were many things written on that board that I disagree with, and many that I wish I could downright scribble out. But to do that would be disrespectful of me. Even though I may not like what a person has to say, I know that he has the right to say it. We are lucky in this country to have that right.

So please, if this opportunity is offered to you again, don’t abuse it.

Explain your side of the issue and leave it at that. We’re in an adult setting here at Pierce, and I know we can be more mature. Besides, attacking the other person doesn’t actually accomplish anything – it just makes you look like a jerk.

Thank you, and see you next month.

In an age where terms like “bioengineering” and “biotechnology” are no longer fictitious terms found in science fiction novels, many have come to the conclusion that human enhancement is an ethical issue that needs to be examined now, and with great haste, because such an idea is not far off.

Recently, Pierce College Puyallup held an event where Chris Pearson of UW-T gave a speech about the ethical issues involved in human enhancement via bioengineering/genetic engineering.

Although his speech was informally enlightening, it really lacked the punch necessary to get people passionate about what he was talking about. The lecture was very idiosyncratic for how generic Pearson made the topic of human enhancement seem, which, at times, felt unnecessarily uninformed.

Thus, very few questions were raised and of the few that could be answered, the speech left one begging for information, but without the curiosity to pursue said facts.

Regardless, human enhancement is certainly no stranger to the lives of the many students attending Pierce.

In fact, most people are familiar with the movie Gattaca, which I would argue has left many unnerved by the thought of genetic manipulation of humans.

Whilst few might even go as far as to call human enhancement the most positive way of saying “positive eugenics,” which I'm sure critics will argue is another way of saying “weeding out the undesirables,” we have little examples of the good that human enhancement could bring about.

However, I would argue that the memetically enhanced cultures found on the vastness of the Internet are not at all that behind, nor afraid. What I am referring to is Transhumanism, an international movement of both intellectualism and cultural efforts that support the use of science and technology for the sake of enhancing the physical and mental capacities of humans, especially in the broad

sense of aptitudes, all the while eliminating unnecessarily undesirable factors of the human condition that are not limited to the likes of stupidity, suffering, disease, aging and even involuntary death.

Transhumanism is not new and, in fact, it has already begun to form actual institutions and thinktanks dedicated to discussing the future of politics from the perspective of an inevitable human enhancement existence for humanity at large.

Groups like the World Transhumanist Association and Betterhuman are the more democratic, civil libertarian Transhumanist groups that dominate the sphere of human enhancement in the Internet scene.

In fact, when it comes to human enhancement, many argue that it isn't just the bioethical factors that need to be addressed, but also the infoethics, nanoethics, neuroethics, roboethics and technoethics involved as well.

This then brings up the factor of whether or not human enhancement has become far too political to merely label it just an ethical issue after all.

To begin this, one must address the various forms of Transhumanism propagated upon the net.

Abolitionism is a morality based on the idea that human enhancement is obligatory in its use for the sake of eliminating suffering for all sentient beings.

Democratic Transhumanism is merely a synthesis of liberal democratic, social democratic and direct democratic ideologies via human enhancement.

Extropianism is a form of Transhumanism that advocates a proactive approach towards the evolution of humanity.

Immortalism is a morality based on the idea that if immortality is possible, it must be desired, and therefore, advocation of human enhancement for the realization of immortality is a must.

Libertarian Transhumanism is merely a political ideology that advocates pure libertarianism via human enhancement.

Postgenderism is a social philosophy that advocates the eliminaSee Transhuman on page 3

The Puyallup Post

The Puyallup Post is produced by students attending Pierce College Puyallup. This publication is intended as a public forum. Published materials are the sole responsibility of the editors, reporters and photographers, and are not intended to represent the college’s policies.

For information on advertising rates, or how to submit letters to the editor or story ideas, call 840-8496 or email puypost@pierce.ctc.edu.

The student newspaper office is in room 218 in the College Center.

Photo by Rebecca Watkinson

Students ideas fought it out on the world discussion board. Hot topics included immigration, same-sex marriage, global warming, Iraq and abortion. The board let students express themselves and see others opinions as well.

CORRECTION: Chris Vanneson would like to clarify that he does not believe the war in Iraq was a mistake. He does not like to discuss the reasons behind America’s

involvement in Iraq; rather, he would prefer to focus on what is to be done now that we are there.

Editorial staff: Rebecca Watkinson, Tim Guy and Cody Turk Reporters: Sharon Coward, Matthew Hartmann, Appriel Lance, Svetlana Nozdrina and Erin Stockton

3

COMMENTARY

MAY 2007

Transhuman Continued from page 2

tion of gender and the use of human enhancement as a means for reproduction.

Singularitarianism is a moral code that stresses the idea of unified consciousness (kind of how the blogosphere works) via human enhancement used to create singularity.

Lastly, Technogaianism is rooted in the combinations of Technopaganism with Transhumanist elements that stress the use of human enhancement in order to preserve the environment.

Obviously, these are merely random streams of data and thought, much of which began as some cyberpunk fancy, but are now taking on real life proportions.

However, Transhumanism is not without criticism, and certainly it carries many warning labels, most of which are well warranted.

Avid readers and moral philosophers who addressed such ethical concerns will have read Aldous Huxley's A Brave New World, allowing them to quickly realize why the dismissal of human enhancement is no longer a plausible idea.

Human enhancement, after the rapid growth of the Transhumanism movement via the Internet, must be confronted and addressed immediately and with great haste.

Human enhancement has already began the sowing of positive seeds within the intellectualism of the common people (aka Nerds, Geeks, Programmers, and the like) using the so-called “post-cyberpunk” examples such as the anime Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and the pencil and paper RPG Cybergeneration.

Since the following examples stress the positive advantages of a Transhumanist existence, they also raise many issues regarding the ethical nature of human enhancement.

Aside from the more common arguments like major social divisions or great economic classism that would be brought about by human enhancement, there are four other key arguments against it.

First is the infeasible uncertainty that spawns from technological hype, which

Photo by Cody Turk

Chris Pearson of UW-T lectures on what human enhancement is and the ethical consequences of further development in the field. argues that human enhancement is merely another form of hype, a science fiction fad that has escaped the confines of local grocery stores’ paperback section. Alas, the very same argument was used against nuclear energy and traveling to the moon, dismissing it as mere hype.

Obviously, a cold war later, and the misinformation of the Flat Earth Society predominant, one must really consider that human enhancement is as real as it gets, it just hasn't hit the shelves of Wal-Mart yet (but don't put it past Rumsfeld's Monsanto corporation).

Next is one of the arguments speaker Pearson addressed, the whole “playing God” case. Although our speaker dismissed this argument against human enhancement, he wasn't all that off for doing so.

The basis to this case is that to change humans is to alter the image of God, because in Judeo-Christi-Islamic sense, humans are made in the image of God. Thus, any attempt to better the image of God or to become like God is wrong, and proponents of this argument claim that is exactly what human enhancement seeks to achieve.

Unless you consider religion to be a factor, in the Western sense of religion, this argument is as meaningless as Pearson's counterexample of clear-cutting forests.

The third argument is on the superficial nature of human enhancement, and how placing emphasis on things like eternal youth, or agelessness, has become the focus of the enhancement of humans via genetic modification.

Advocates of this claim propagated the idea that human enhancement is necrophobic and narcissistic, and extreme enough that they claim it will lead to designer babies. This is in fact the only extremely feminist avenue of thought against human enhancement, which has been recently popularized by the film The Fountain.

The last major argument is often labeled the “enough argument,” because it believes that if human enhancement allows us to overcome human limitations that are inherently universal in all humans, our lives will be forced down a road towards becoming meaningless, because no objective values would be retained due to technology providing “enough” of everything.

Thus, due to a lack of measurable worth, human enhancement, in the end,

will lead to the trivialization of human identity.

Transhumanists argue that this is far too subjective to be merited a proper criticism against human enhancement, but many environmentally economic minded individuals, like Bill McKibbing have been conclusive in saying that this is a highly valued, if not highly valid, criticism of human enhancement’s unethical measures.

As such, although few, more subtle, arguments are addressed, human enhancement has been accused of many apocalyptic possibilities.

Many other criticisms of human enhancement, especially against the Transhumanist movement, touch upon more nightmarish concepts like Dehumanization, Frankenstein complex, Ableism, Social Darwinism and even Global Ecophagy.

Obviously, when our society has failed to recognized the multitude of dangers presented by human enhancements in a more localized sense, can you imagine the horrors that would emerge via more militaristic use of human enhancement? Not that the Metal Gear Solid series is commonly examined from an ethical standpoint, but one cannot deny that the concept of the genome soldier is nonetheless a disturbing possibility.

However, let us not forget the so-called strongest argument, brought up by the speaker Pearson, which is the genetic divide argument.

This focuses on the socioeconomic dangers of human enhancement, and how it will wipe out the middle class and create a frighteningly, unrepairable gap between the poor and the rich that is genetic, with the rich having access to human enhancements that will keep them ahead and the poor genetically disadvantaged.

This argument usually incorporates one of the other arguments already provided, but merely adds the ethic concerns via socioeconomic outcomes.

In the end, the overall message that human enhancement has made clear is that it is an ethical issue of gravely ignored proportions and we, as the human race, have an obligation to examine the circumstances as they are. Otherwise, we not only risk our humanity, but we risk our identity.

Recycling: It’s not just good, it saves space too Cody Turk Photo Editor

What will be the fate of this newspaper after you are done reading it? Will it be wrapped around a present? Line the inside of a bird cage? Or maybe it will make a nice origami sculpture.

In all likelihood, however, it will get thrown in the trash.

And it will not be alone, according to naturalist Leah Thorpe, “44 million newspapers are thrown away every day in the United States.”

That amounts to about 500 thousand trees each week.

Now add in old homework assignments, junk mail and diapers and we’ve got a lot of trash on our hands.

Most people know that trash doesn’t just disappear, it goes to a sanitary landfill. But don’t panic! The word landfill often invokes images of flocks of seagulls and a rather unpleasant smell. But that is actually an open dump.

Sanitary landfills take their garbage seriously. It is compacted and buried with several protective measures in place to make sure it causes minimal damage. Even so, sanitary landfills have a limit to how much waste they can hold. When their capacity is reached, a new landfill will have to be created.

The process takes a lot of time and money, and most importantly, land.

Landfills take up space—space that could be used for other purposes. So to help the people at the landfills out, and prolong the life of our current landfills, we should try and minimize the garbage that each and every one of us generates.

Photo by Cody Turk

The easiest way to do this is to simply recycle.

Recycling is easier than you think. All around campus there are recycling bins, you just might not have noticed. In the C building in particular there is almost always a mixed paper bin

standing right beside the garbage. Paper is one of the most important things to recycle because it makes up a huge portion of landfill space.

Student Programs Representative Two and Chair of the Environmental Committee, Heather Soto, is concerned about recycling on campus, and while she likes that there is some recycling available to students, she would like to see more.

“We are thinking of planning more events to encourage recycling,” said Soto. She continued by saying, “we would like to have new multipurpose bins, and give more information on what students can recycle. Even more bins of mixed paper in the classrooms would be good.”

However, they have encountered a problem with placing more bins in the classroom. There is only one person who Heather Soto comes to pick up the recycling, and he’s only here at a certain time. Since he can’t interrupt classes, it would make it difficult for him to get the recyclables from classes that are in session when he’s there.

Regardless, there are still many recycling options available to students outside the campus, and recycling is easier than ever in some places thanks to the new multipurpose bins that are available for homes.

Recycling is something easy that everyone can do to help the environment, so please, recycle this paper when you’re done. Thanks.

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The Puyallup P O S T

MAKING NEWS

Shh...it’s a secret for everybody Rebecca Watkinson Editor

I have a secret—and apparently, so do many Pierce students.

At the beginning of the quarter, students started taking part in a month-long event on campus called “Postcard Secrets.” There was a station in the Connection Café with paper and markers where students could write down something they were keeping secret (good or bad, happy or sad) that would be turned in and later posted on the wall to share with other students.

This was done anonymously of course. Students were not asked to attach their names to their paper. It’s supposed to be a secret, remember?

The whole idea behind this project was to get students to read a secret that they could identify with, and hopefully they would realize that they aren’t alone on the campus.

“We thought it would be a great way for students to connect to other students on campus, even if it’s not a face-to-face connection,” said Student Programs President Sean Cooke.

As the days progressed, the wall filled up with pages, and students took notice.

A few, like student Rachael Fauley, were reminded of a video they had seen on MTV. “I think it’s pretty cool. It reminds me of the video for ‘Dirty Little Secret’ by The All American Rejects,” she said.

Some students really liked the idea and enjoyed reading what others had to share.

“I think it’s a really cool idea and it’s interesting to see what other people think or don’t want to tell anybody.

And even though it’s anonymous, you can relate to some of the things,” said student Antoinette Cantu.

Another student, Curtis Ashby, agreed with Cantu.

“For the most part, I think it’s interesting to see what other people have to say.”

Others felt it was a good way to help students blow off some steam.

“I thought it was a good opportunity for students to vent,” said student and fellow Post reporter Appriel Lance.

However, some did not share in the praise for the wall of secrets. They felt it was demoralizing.

“I didn’t like it. By the time you read half of them your day is ruined,” said Head Security Officer George Burks.

Still, whether they liked the postcard secrets wall or not, students were pretty surprised at what others chose to reveal.

Photo by Cody Turk

These are just some of the many secrets that were posted on the far wall of the connection café for the postcard secret event hosted by student programs.

“It’s rather shocking how open people can be when they know that no one knows it’s them who said it,” student Alex Halaszyn said.

Many students were even more shocked, however, at the student(s) who wrote comments on other people’s secrets.

“I think (the postcard secrets are) a good outlet for people who have something to say but want to keep it anonymous; and the people who feel they have to judge or make comments are just being disrespectful and rude,” said Health and Wellness Coordinator Andrew Monson.

“It wasn’t the purpose of the display and I think it’s

unfortunate that there are people who can’t recognize how hurtful their comments can be. I was pretty disgusted by it. I thought it was ironic that someone scribbled ‘you’re a sad person’ on someone else’s very personal secret, because the person who commented obviously couldn’t see how ‘sad’ they were themselves. It was such a rude, juvenile and self-righteous thing to do. It made me very angry,” Cooke added.

Despite the controversy, the postcard secrets certainly grabbed the attention of Pierce students, and for good or bad, it’s something that they will continue to talk about.

Activists get displaced for those displaced Cameron Rutt

For The Puyallup Post

Thousands of people left their homes recently for one weekend all throughout the United States for an event called “Displace Me”; all to bring awareness to problems half way around the world, in a small country called Uganda.

“Displace Me” was a nation-wide event on April 28 put on by the nonprofit organization Invisible Children where people left their homes and gathered together to simulate a Ugandan displacement camp, 2007.

The event was to raise awareness about the civil war and the problems that have risen from it.

Magnuson Park in Seattle was one of 15 locations throughout the country that was transformed into a displacement camp for that Saturday and Sunday. More than 5,000 people gathered at this site alone, and became displaced for the displaced.

The event lasted 18 hours, and the

park became the home of those 5,000 people for that time.

Everyone had to bring their own cardboard to make a small hut to live and sleep in.

Along with the living conditions, everyone was limited to one sleeve of crackers and one bottle of water for the entire event.

Not only was the amount of food supposed to simulate a Ugandan displacement camp, but the way the food was retrieved was part of the simulation as well.

Only women could get the water, and only one water bottle at a time, so if a group had only men, they had to ask women to get some water for them.

Likewise, only men could get the crackers, but could grab three sleeves at a time.

People who attended the event took pictures of themselves wearing white shirts with a red X on them, to symbolize that they had been displaced.

They plan to send these pictures,

Photo by Cameron Rutt

More than 5,000 people participated in Seattle’s ‘Displace Me,’ an 18-hour event to build awareness about the Ugandan refugees. along with letters that they have written, to their congressional leaders hoping that some action will be taken.

Anyone who wants to know more

about Invisible Children or the war in Uganda, or even get involved in the stopping of the war can go to www.invisiblechildren.com.

VOTING On citizenship: your right to vote

5

MAY 2007

Sharon Coward Reporter

Pierce College political science and history professor John Lucas spoke to the campus on being a citizen in American democracy on April 24.

Lucas first addressed what is means to be a citizen.

“Being a citizen,” he said, “means (the) rights and responsibilities that come with it.”

Before delving into those rights and responsibilities, however, Lucas first explained the difference between a subject and a citizen, using North Korea and the United States as examples. Lucas pointed out that North Koreans are required to support and participate in their government. In the United States, however, participation in government is voluntary, and Americans are not forced to support the government.

“It's optional,” Lucas said. “People don't need to do it.

When they do do it, it's because they've chosen to.”

It is this ability to chose that makes Americans citizens, and North Koreans subjects.

In addition, this choice is a cornerstone of American democracy, as it creates a check on the American government. If a citizen doesn't like what the government is doing, they can chose not to support it, and if enough people don't support it the government changes.

However, this motion of change starts with a citizen's decision to become involved. Democracy, Lucas said, is an expression of what people believe, and in order to continue functioning as a nation, Americans must be willing to express their views.

One of the most important methods of expression is the act of voting. Lucas used American Idol as an analogy to the American democratic system, because the two share a common method of selecting winners: through the votes of people.

“The ones that tune in and vote are the ones who are going to impact,” said Lucas, hinting that only those who vote are going to make their voices heard.

Clearly, then, initiating any change in government requires some citizen involvement. Lucas took this tenet a step further, returning to the rights and responsibilities of a citizen.

“I think it's also our responsibility to vote,” he said.

As citizens, voting is our responsibility. In addition, it is an act expected of every citizen. People, Lucas noted, are less likely to admit that they voted on American Idol even when they did, and are more inclined to claim that they voted in a presidential election even if they didn't. “(This is because) people don't like to admit they didn't vote because it's expected of them,” said Lucas.

With regards to voting, it is clear that American Idol mimics American democracy. However, unknown to some, American democracy also mimics American Idol. This comes from the notion of voters as consumers.

Lucas used the Nixon-Kennedy debate of 1960 to explain this idea.

Richard Nixon and John Kennedy were the 1960 presidential candidates, and they participated in a series of four debates. These debates were the first televised presidential debates, and they were also aired on radios.

The television viewers, at the end of the debates, believed Kennedy was the winner. Radio listeners, on the other hand, thought Nixon had won the debate.

The difference lies in the outward appearance and characteristics of the candidates, and how their audience perceived them.

Radio listeners believed Nixon won because they only heard the debates, and from what they heard Nixon presented his case better than Kennedy.

Television viewers, however, saw Kennedy as the winner

Voters

Continued from page 1

many things affected by special elections.

Also, we all have seen a police car pull someone over for speeding or have seen a fire truck racing on by us down the road. And most importantly, all of us use a public library at some point.

All of these things are affected,

because of the image Kennedy presented on television, not the words that came out of his mouth.

“Kennedy was much more attractive and telegenic than Nixon,” explained Lucas.

Both media outlets were airing the same debate, but Kennedy looked better on television, and this is what people remembered from the debates when Election Day came.

It is in this example that the idea of voters as consumers can be found. A consumer is someone who sees a product, weighs the costs of this product against the benefits of owning it, and makes the decision to either purchase it or disregard it.

Similarly, many voters see candidates as products, and they weigh the pros and cons of electing this candidate as their leader before they make their decision.

Candidates, in turn, have recognized this trend and have capitalized on it. Instead of focusing on pressing issues, they pay their campaign managers to focus on appearance and image, because candidates know that this is what voters will be looking at when making their decision on whom to vote for. “(The) American people blame politicians for being superficial, but that's because we (are) superficial,” said Lucas.

Numerous studies indicate that Americans are not wellversed on the issues that candidates promise to address.

Americans vote for superficial things like appearance. They vote as consumers of goods. They see the benefits of having these goods and they want them.

Lucas advised the audience to reject this trend. We shouldn't vote as a consumer, he said.

“You should vote because that's your responsibility as an American citizen,” he said. “(A) democracy doesn't work if people don't participate.”

This is because a democracy is run by citizens who represent the people's views, and if people don't make their views known through voting, they won't be represented by leaders who hold their views. “(Voting also serves as a) check and balance between the government and the people,” continued Lucas.

You can show loyalty by speaking for the government, or you can show your patriotism by speaking out when you don't like what they’re doing. In this way, citizen voters are just as much a check on the government as the legislative branch checks the judicial branch.

This is another difference between being a subject and a citizen.

Subjects are required to participate in a certain way, and support everything the government does because they are subjected to the government.

Citizens, on the other hand, have the option to participate in and support their government, and can live their lives without ever casting a vote. It is their choice.

However, if they are to call themselves citizens, they should realize that being a citizen means accepting the rights and responsibilities that come with it. As a citizen, you have a right to reject these responsibilities, but as a citizen you are expected to accept them.

Being a citizen doesn't just mean casting your vote on Election Day. Indeed, if you want to create the most change, voting is not the best way to go about it.

“I'd probably go to political science purgatory for saying this,” said Lucas, “but your vote will probably never make the difference in an election.”

This is because America has an indirect election system, but as Lucas reminded, this fact shouldn't discourage people from voting. Your vote may not count, but the fact that you participated does.

most often, by special elections.

Any young person who claims they believe it has nothing to do with them is gravely mistaken, because everything involved with special elections is something we encounter, use, or rely upon in our lives. That is why, special elections are not just about voting, they’re about taking responsibility and making sure that you get a say in what is going to happen to your life.

Lastly, but certainly not least, the President of Pierce College Puyallup,

See Speech on page 7

Dr. Tana Hasart, has some words of wisdom for young voters when it comes to special elections: “Voters of any age have the ability to help shape their communities through the voting process. If we are to have strong communities it is important that people exercise their right to vote at all times, not just during primary, higher profile general elections.”

So, without further ado, young people, get out there and vote!

SHOUTOUT

“Why don’t young people vote in special elections?”

“Maybe they don't know, or maybe they don't care.”

—Jesse Morgan

“They don't want to, or they don't sign up. Or they're losers.”

—Vannesa Otero

“I don't think there's a bunch of media coverage.

Maybe their parents don't (vote).”

—Lori Pollard-Johnson

“People are afraid of what to vote on, like unknown people.”

—Frank Brijht

“I would say that it is (at) the bottom of their priorities list.”

—Joel Kady

“I bet you anything if more people don't know about it…

They don't know enough to form a valid opinion. Or they just don't care.”

—Whitney Roan “Some of them may hate everyone in them.”

—Mike Youngson

“I just don't know why they don't vote.”

—Michael Merril

—by Tim Guy and Sharon Coward

The Puyallup P O S T

6

A war of confusion: the war in Iraq uncovered Sharon Coward Reporter

In times of war, confusion is common, and the war in Iraq is no exception. Surrounded by rumor and opinion, the war is further complicated by the presence of political and cultural elements foreign to American understanding. Indeed, it is these elements that are largely responsible for the endless violence and bloodshed in Iraq, and understanding them will afford better clarity of the situation.

Diverse Nation Like piecing together a complex puzzle, some areas are better to start with than others. For Iraq, the first key to understanding the issue lies with the people. Ethnically, Iraq is primarily composed of Arabs and Kurds.

While these two share a history of animosity centering around the Kurdish desire for independence, their struggle is dwarfed by the larger issue of religion.

For while the majority of Iraq—indeed, the majority of the Arab world —professes adherence to Islam, there is a struggle within this realm as well as the ethnic one, and it is this struggle that is currently tearing Iraq apart.

To better understand why, a side trip into Islamic history is required.

Origins of Hatred As with most things in the Middle East, this struggle can be traced to an ancient quest for power and control.

Hundreds of years ago, all followers of Islam were one under their spiritual leader, the Prophet Mohammed. After his death, his followers argued over his suc-

cessor, and the direct result of this argument was a split within Islam. Those who believed Mohammed's close friend Abu Bakr should succeed him became the Sunni, and those who preferred Mohammed's cousin Ali were called the Shia.

It is this basic argument of who should have ruled that has kept the bitter sectarian rivalry alive all these years, and over time the distinction between the two sects has developed into a deeper chasm.

Moreover, as with all other rivalries, the Sunni and Shia share an underdogoppressor relationship. Traditionally, the Shia have been the underdog, a role which stems from their numerical minority status in the Arab world. The Sunni, as the numerical majority, have consistently played the role of the oppressor, and this relationship has created much resentment in the Shia.

Nowhere in the Arab world is this dynamic seen so clearly as it is in Iraq.

Unlike other Arab nations, who are predominately Sunni Arab nations, Iraq is a mixture of both sects, and it is this trait that has defined their chaotic existence.

In addition, as a look at Iraq's brief history shows, it is the numerical difference between the rival sects that has bred today's unrest.

Historical Context Back in the early 1900s, before the First World War, the nation we know as Iraq was not a nation at all; it was three Ottoman Turkish provinces. Modern Iraq was born following the collapse of the Ottoman Turkish Empire, when the British combined those three provinces and dubbed them the nation of Iraq.

In retrospect, this patchwork nation was doomed from the start, as it threw together ethnic and religious groups that basically hated each other.

It did not help matters that the minority Sunni held most positions of power, and instead of treating the Shia with respect, the Sunni oppressed them. This trend continued, reaching its height during Saddam Hussein's reign, and it was only after Saddam was dethroned and a democratic government instilled that the trend reversed.

For in a democratic-minded nation, the majority rules, and in Iraq's case the majority is the Shia. The Sunni, after decades of control over their nation, were regulated to minority status—and minority power.

Now briefly place yourself in the position of an Iraqi Sunni. For years you've held a position of power; suddenly, in less than a month, you've lost that power, and in a twist of irony it is your hated rival who has more control than you. What would you do? Most likely, you would do as the Sunnis of Iraq are currently doing: you would grab your AK-47 and other weaponry, form a militia with the rest of your like-minded neighbors and take out your rage on the Shias for taking your power away, and the Americans for putting the Shia in power.

Now imagine you're an Iraqi Shia. You used to have a large family, until Sunni leaders killed most of them. All your life you've lived under their oppression, but you couldn't do anything about it because Saddam's soldiers would kill you.

Now Saddam is gone. What would you do? Chances are, you'd join your fellow Shias in a civil war-like revenge mission

on the Sunnis for all the evil they did to you while they were in power.

Welcome to Iraq. It is into this context that America entered in 2003, and into this context that we find ourselves four years later. When you hear reports of civil war or sectarian violence, it is the Sunni and Shia populations of Iraq continuing their ancient rivalry in the 21st century.

Is there a way to fix this cauldron of hatred and strife? Or was the American attempt at spreading democracy in Iraq doomed from the start? What options are there to “correcting” the “problem”?

I challenge you to find out.

What you've just read is merely an overview of the issue of Iraq, an issue that is not going away anytime soon, regardless of whether or not American troops are withdrawn.

It is highly likely that you will continue to hear about Iraq for the rest of your life.

Now is the time to inform yourself of the situation. You are the future lawmakers and policy-makers, and it is your responsibility to know the issue at hand as thoroughly as possible.

See the following books: The Reckoning: Iraq and the Legacy of Saddam Hussein by Sandra MacKey The Future of Iraq: Dictatorship, Democracy, or Division? by Liam Anderson and Gareth Stansfield Crisis in Islam by Bernard Lewis Holy War, Inc. by Peter Bergen The Assassin's Gate: America in Iraq by George Packer The Iraq Study Report

Check out the events planned for Student Appreciation Week . See page 12.

MAY 2007

7

PROFILES

Rieland is back in his homeland Sharon Coward Reporter

For many Americans, Memorial Day means a day off work and school. Originally, however, the day was designed to honor military personnel and veterans for their service to our country.

Today, the holiday takes on additional significance with many soldier serving in the Middle East.

We would like to recognize the following Pierce Students for their service to our country in Iraq and Afghanistan. They are two of several current and former military personnel who are now Pierce students.

Please join us in recognizing them and thanking them, as well as others not mentioned here, for their service to our country.

Not all American soldiers regret being deployed to Iraq.

Pierce College student David Rieland served in Iraq from 2004-2005, and he remembers mostly positives about his deployment.

“I enjoyed my time there,” he says. “I felt really good helping people.”

Rieland, who joined the Army shortly after September 11, 2001, was a driver/gunner in southern Baghdad, and his job consisted of assisting both American soldiers and the Iraqi people.

“We were a support team,” he explains. “Our main job was to… transport equipment to, like, frontline soldiers.”

“A couple times we had to transport ammunition to people under fire. We (also) transported a lot of food and supplies… (for instance, one day) we had to transport grain to farmers in Iraq.”

Rieland's job required him to leave the American base every day, and he often saw Iraqi families.

“The families that I ran across, it doesn't matter where we

went, there'd always be children there,” he remembers.

“One of our missions was assisting the schools… so we'd go to the different sections in our area… and talk to teachers and we'd set up schools. The kids were awesome. It was a lot of fun.”

Rieland also dealt with Iraqis on the American base who were cleared to work David Rieland there.

“I really enjoyed a lot of the people I worked with,” he said.

He points to an instance where an Iraqi group, noticing that there was no internet on Rieland's base, came in and set up an internet connection. “(Now there are) thirty computers on post that actually have decent internet (connection), so we could contact our families and loved ones. And that was because of the Iraqis.”

Rieland still keeps in contact with some people over there.

“The people I worked with were a lot of fun,” he says.

“They were really grateful we were there.”

Indeed, from what Rieland saw while in Iraq, much good was being done by the Americans.

“My personal experience there was to sit down and help people and that's what I did in my year in Iraq. I helped other Iraqis who could not help themselves. So… from my perspective… we were right to go in.”

While it is clear that Iraqi culture and society are very different from American culture and society, Rieland had some idea of what to expect when he arrived in Iraq.

“Every day in our training that would be a big thing brought out… that there are really diverse ethnic groups, (and) there's a diverse religion compared to what we're used to every day. So you had to be very careful of your actions…

and the perceptions that come from that.”

Rieland notes that not all of his fellow soldiers were optimistic about being in Iraq.

“Some people were really optimistic,” he recalls. “(And then) some people were, ‘yay, we're in Iraq, I hate it.’ And some people were, ‘hey, we're deployed, and I hate it.’ So… there's, like, a really wide variety of how people reacted to it.”

“It's really more of a personal thing…You can't really put a general statement on what everybody felt.”

Rieland has been out of the Army since November 2006, but his views of the war haven't changed much.

“I try not to pay attention to...what the news says about the war,” he says. “I've found that it's really unreliable and just doesn't tell at all the story of what's going on.”

For instance, while he was in Iraq, Rieland's parents learned that his base was overrun four times and his whole battalion was dead at least a dozen times. This, he discovered, they learned from the news.

“Don't listen to the media,” advises Rieland. “Things are really blown out of proportion in order to get attention.”

As much as the media tends to focus on the sensational, the American public is also obsessed with the negative aspects of Iraq. Rieland finds this lack of support for the war troubling.

“I think… a lot of people are so focused on, like, scandals and bad parts of the war that they're not seeing what's actually being done,” he says.

“I think it's kinda disrespectful to the people there, that you're looking for reasons to get out when you don't even understand why they're there in the first place.”

Rieland is going to school now to get his bachelor's in accounting. He plans to work for the state.

From Specialist Cooke to President Cooke Sharon Coward Reporter

Being in the military provides soldiers the opportunity to travel. For ASCPC president Sean Cooke, one such location was Iraq.

“I was in Iraq for seven months,” he recalls. “We were there a month after the war started.”

Cooke, who is fluent in Russian and was in Afghanistan and Uzbekistan prior to his Iraq deployment, worked as a human intelligence collector on a base in Baqubah.

“I managed my own detention center,” he explained, adding that that was where he spent most of his days.

“We didn't have air conditioning or toilets when we got there. We didn't have anything.”

Cooke's job consisted of interrogating suspected terrorists or insurgents who were brought to the base during raids and other methods. One of the biggest frustrations Cooke faced was what he calls a “dragnet” operation. “(Say) something would happen in the vicinity of a village, and the next day some commander would go and he would, like, round up every single able-bodied male between the ages of, like, 16 and… 60, you

Speech

Continued from page 5

If you want to leave an impact, though, writing your representatives and senators is the best way.

“In some ways,” says Lucas, “writing your representative has more (of an) impact than voting.”

For example, a political scientist estimated that if 250 people in each district of the United States sent letters to their

know, and they'd bring 30, sometimes 50 people to the detention facility.”

“Now, I've got these people in my detention facility. I don't treat people in my detention facility badly, (and)… I know… not all of these people could be guilty, if any of them are guilty, and I had no evidence… to accuse them of anything, except that something happened in the vicinity of their village.”

If someone gets shot here in America, he argued, police don't round up every person on the block.

“That's essentially what we were doing,” he concludes. “So we were making a lot of enemies.”

The Iraqis themselves did not help the situation.

“Saddam, (when he was in power), would encourage people to inform on each other,” said Cooke.

“People were settling old grudges by accusing each other of being responsible for crimes or attacks on Coalition Forces.”

This was frustrating for Cooke and other soldiers because it made it nearly impossible to find the guilty party. With each other ratting everyone out, the innocent were hard to distinguish from the guilty.

Not all Cooke's interaction with the Iraqis

representatives regarding the genocide in Darfur, the U.S. Congress would be mobilized to take action.

There are a few guidelines to keep in mind before sending a letter.

One is, when writing, to be respectful of your representative. Beginning a letter with slander and accusations will not gain your representative's attention, said Lucas. A respectful and thoughtful letter will.

It is also important to ensure you are writing the right representative. There

resulted in negativity, however.

“There were also a lot of regular citizens there who were pro-American,” he says. “And they were still pro-American after they'd been arrested.”

Sean Cooke “They were in favor of what was happening, and they thought it was unfortunate (and stupid) that they'd been caught… but they… still had optimism for the process (of) democracy.”

Having dealt with a wide variety of Iraqis, Cooke has this to say about them.

“They're just people… just like anybody else,” he says. “Their culture is different, their habits are different, but essentially, you know, they all seem to want the same thing that everybody wants a chance to be happy and be safe.”

Nevertheless, Cooke also noticed a significant undertone amongst the populace.

“When you talk to them… you can tell that there's a lot of frustration,” he says. “(It's) like the society's kinda been damaged by years of… oppression by Saddam Hussein.”

“It's almost… a cutthroat society.”

are several levels of U.S. government such as city, state and federal government, and certain concerns should be addressed to certain levels.

Before he concluded his lecture, Lucas encouraged the audience to register to vote if they hadn't already, and reminded them to be become more knowledgeable on the issues, to further combat the notion of a voter as a consumer of marketed goods. “(Now) go and be good citizens,” he finished.

Rules

After talking to Iraqis and spending time with them, Cooke realized that his initial assumptions about the reasons for going into Iraq were justified.

“I didn't object to going to Iraq,” he recalls. “They painted a pretty bad picture of what Iraq was like under Saddam Hussein, and it was, from talking to Iraqis… pretty bad.

So I was happy to do it.”

Indeed the war was never a political issue for Cooke.

“When I was in the military, I didn't think about politics,” he recalls. “I was just going because I was in the army, it was my job, and, you know, all my friends were going, and so I was going.”

The war didn't become political for him until after he'd returned to the States and had a chance to view the surrounding context of the war and put it all in perspective.

“You don't know anything that's going on, really, when you're there, except for in your own little area,” he says. “So when I came back… I got to be able to put everything into perspective… and I think we just made a lot of mistakes.”

“I don't know if we're ever fully going to achieve our objectives. I don't know if its possible anymore.”

Continued from page 1

rules, but doesn’t necessarily like them.

He knows they have a purpose, but didn’t see much of a problem to begin with.

“Most people using computers to study go to the library. People go to the computer lab to print something out or to check their MySpace before class,” says Brumley.

No matter the opinion, the new rules are here to stay.

The lab staff says that this quarter is going well so far, and that they don’t see any new changes in the near future.

The Puyallup P O S T

8

This month, we examine some interesting occupations that some of our fellow Pierce students are undertaking off campus.

Esther Heckman

Job Title: “Well, officially I cut wire shelving for a construction company. In reality, I’m kind of the go-for.

I unload the truck if I’m there when it arrives, I cut metal rods, drill clips onto poles, generally keep the bay clean, and help out where needed.”

Wages: “I started at $8 an hour, but now I make $8.50.”

Hours: “I pretty much set my own hours. I typically work two 5 hour days a week during school, but on break I usually work more.”

How did you get the job? “The owner of the company goes to my church. One time he needed some people to come clean out houses after they were finished building them, so he asked a bunch of the youth if they wanted to do it. I did that part time for a couple months, then he asked if I wanted a full time summer job. I found I liked the job and asked if I could work part-time when the fall came.”

Do you plan on staying/going into the field?

“No, I am actually going to start working as a trim carpenter this summer. I think I will probably do that for a few years because it makes good money, which will help me make it through college until I can get my teaching degree.”

Kendra Stejskal

Job Title: “I am a Page Substitute with the Pierce County Library System. I shelve books, check in books, and whatever other things need doing.”

Wages: “I make $8.29 an hour.”

Hours: “My hours per week vary since I substitute at a number of library branches for regular workers.

I can work anywhere from 20 hours a week to none at all. Certain times of the year I get called a lot to work.”

How did you get the job? “Well, I volunteered at the library for about four years, and then when a position for a page came up, I applied, and I didn’t get hired as a regular page, but as a substitute, which I was totally fine with. Volunteering I think helped me get the job, because the staff already knew me, and I knew a lot about the library system.”

Do you like it? “I do enjoy my job! There are a lot of interesting people in the atmosphere, and I feel like I’ve learned a lot working there.”

Do you plan on staying/going into the field? “I’m not quite sure yet if I will stay with this field, I’m considering it though.”

Craig Sanchez

Job Title: Security (bouncer) for Club Impact.

Wages: $25 a night.

Hours: “Usually just Saturday nights, but sometimes I work at Tuesday shows during the summer.”

How did you get the job? “I used to work for Club Friday, and then I got contracted out to Club Impact because they needed security.”

Do you like it? “I like it very much. I get to see free shows and abuse authority.”

Do you plan on staying/going into the field?

“I’m probably not gonna go into the field, but it’s a good place to work and there’s good people. It’s fun and I will work there as long as I can.”

9

MAY 2007

LaSandra M. Owens

Job Title: Work First Comprehensive Evaluation Systems Coordinator Wages: “Very well compensated.”

Hours: “8 to 5 daily, but no weekends.”

How did you get the job? “In 2003, I was hired at Bates Technical College as a Job Developer. I did that for seven months and then I was asked to take on the role of Targeted Wage Initiative Coordinator for Pierce County. Basically it was coordinating the partnership between DSHS ESD and the five colleges in this county as the partnership related to TWI. I was in that position for three years before I was promoted to the title of Work First Comprehensive Evaluation Systems Coordinator.”

Do you like it? “I absolutely love my job. Not just because of the monetary benefits, but because anytime you have the opportunity to help someone create a plan that gradually moves that person or transitions that person from dependence to independence, then you have the best job in the world.”

Do you plan on staying/going into the field? “I plan to stay at Bates. But I don’t know how long I will stay in this capacity because growth and advancement are very important. But right now my focus is my new position.”

Dustin Fortsch

Job Title: “I’m a panel saw operator, or sawer. I also move materials, cut parts, and operate the fork lift .”

Wages: “I get $9.25 an hour.”

Hours: “My hours are pretty good. I get about 28 hours a week. If I want to work overtime I can. I can take time out for school, and it’s pretty flexible hours.”

How did you get the job? “My step-dad used to work there—he put his foot in the door for me.”

Do you like it? “I can listen to whatever I want and wear whatever I want, and everyone is pretty friendly. But it is manual labor and some co-workers are hard to deal with.”

Do you plan on staying/going into the field? “This is pretty temporary. Not sure what I want to do, but I’m pretty sure this isn’t it.”

Carlo Ciccone

Job Title: Supervisor at UPS Wages: $1,660 per month Hours: 20 hours a week How did you get the job? “I wanted to go back to school and decided to work at UPS when I found out that the company paysfor supervisors to attend college.”

Do you like it? “Yes, they pay for my college tuition.”

Do you plan on staying/going into the field?

“Sorta. I want to major in International Business and see the world. A desk job isn’t for me.”

Michael Manley

Job Title: Food Server (waiter) for Willow Gardens Retirement Home Wages: “Minimum.”

Hours: 12 hours/week.

How did you get the job? “I knew somebody else that worked there.”

Do you like it? “It changes every day because the residents’ moods change, but I’m glad I work there. I’m a completely different person now than I was before I started and it’s because of the residents and my coworkers.”

Do you plan on staying/going into the field? It’s just for right now. “I plan on being a physician, but I’m not going into geriatrics.”

Dan Wadsworth

Job Title: “I am an Interpreter in the Education Department at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium. As interpreters, we do more than just try to give people basic info on the animals; we really try to connect them. I get to use biofacts like skulls, bones and fur so that people can see up close the parts of the animals I am talking about. I answer questions, give informal presentations (like squid dissections) and sometimes even get to handle the smaller animals like rats, guinea pigs, and rabbits to let people have close encounters. My goal is just to have people walk away thinking animals are absolutely the coolest things on earth (Which they are!).”

Wages: “Hmmm, well lets just say its very personally rewarding.”

Hours: “I work anywhere between two and a half to eight hours a day.”

How did you get the job? “Well, there is no degree required, just a general knowledge of animals and a huge will to learn. At the interview process they really were just seeing how comfortable we were talking in front of people. They even surprised us with an on-the-spot presentation of an animal that we had no time to prepare for. After that we go through a pretty rigorous training course to learn as much as we can about every animal in the zoo.”

Do you like it? “I love it! Even if I am having the most horrible day, as soon as I remind myself I am getting paid to touch sea stars and talk about walruses, things get much better.”

Do you plan on staying/going into that field? “Definitely, animals are my passion. I am not sure exactly what field yet, but working with animals is in my future. Zoo keeping, education, who knows, maybe someday I will have a show like Jeff Corwin.”

SHOUTOUT

“Tell us about your job. What do you do?”

“I am currently serving in the National Guard and damn proud of it.”

—Senior Airman Vince Vince-John Frijas

“I work at Spanaway Vet and (I) am basically a glorified janitor.”

—Randy Ladowski

“I work at Medical Billing Service—it’s a third party of Lab Corps. I handle everyone’s problems when they get someone else’s medical bill instead of their own.”

—Chris Gregersen

“I work for the Boeing Co. I’m a material handling specialist. When people need tools for their job, they come to me and I get them for them.”

—Dianne Buchanan “My profession is starving college student. We survive on ramen and Mountain Dew.” —Pete Clow

“(I work at) Great Northwest Building Co. I help build additions and do remodels on houses and I’m learning as I go.”

—Chad Barker “I work at the (Pierce College Puyallup) Writing Center. I help people improve their papers and I really like it.”

—Annette Bleich “I’m a student lab assistant at the computer lab at Pierce. Basically I help people with their homework or any problems they might have with the computer and anything else during their stay in the computer lab.”

—Jennifer Harnéy —by Rebecca Watkinson and Cody Turk

The Puyallup P O S T

10

Sleep deprivation is one of U.S.’s top health problems Nicholas Rick

For The Puyallup Post

In 1959, radio disc jockey Peter Tripp planned to stay awake for 200 consecutive hours – more than eight days – as a publicity stunt to raise money for different charities, as told

by Stanley Coren in his book Sleep Thieves. Until this time in modern history, sleep was never really scientifically studied.

When Tripp first announced his plan he was contacted by a number of different medical specialists, from psychologists to neurologists, advising him not to go through with his plan.

At that time what was known about the toll a lack of sleep, or in this case no sleep, was taken came from animal testing.

They found that depriving dogs of any sleep for a week, in almost all cases, caused death. Even with this information they couldn’t change Tripp’s mind about his experiment.

Tripp did agree to let a group of specialists observe his experiment, however, for both his safety’s sake, and for the sake of education.

This would be among the first studies done on sleep deprivation—a problem that in the United States has reached epidemic proportions. According to many doctors, sleep deprivation may be America’s number one health problem.

Tripp did in fact succeed at staying up for 200 straight hours, but not without some extreme consequences.

By day four, the specialists found that Tripp was showing signs of serious mental deterioration. A psychologist that was monitoring the even said, “Here is a competent New York disc jockey trying vainly to find his way through the alphabet.”

Hallucinations also plagued Tripp. At one point he believed he was being attacked by spiders. Other times he claimed that objects would move and change size, and that the clock had a human face that would stare at him.

By the end of Tripp’s experiment he was convinced that the doctors were plotting against him to have him locked away in prison.

On the morning of the last day, Tripp completely lost it when a doctor was examining him. Tripp became convinced that the man in the dark suit standing over him was an undertaker preparing to bury him alive. Tripp jumped up, ran out of the room and down the street.

Today, even after all of the studies inspired by Tripp’s publicity stunt, little is known about sleep, such as why it is needed for survival.

What is now known is that Americans are receiving less sleep now than ever before and that could be one of the leading causes of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and even cancer.

More than just a personal health concern, people who suffer from sleep deprivation can also be a concern to public safety. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), sleep deprived people perform just as poorly or in some cases worse than intoxicated people on tests used for testing coordination.

The NHTSA has also said that, “Driver fatigue is respon-

sible for an estimated 100,000 motor vehicle crashes and 1,500 deaths each year.”

Sleep deprivation is a huge problem among teens and young adults. Many high school and college students need to worry about balancing jobs with schoolwork. The end result in most cases is cutting out hours of sleep to accommodate a full-time student work load and a job or two.

Stephanie Cordes, 18, is a Running Start student at Pierce College. She has to worry about graduating while still keeping up with a full-time college schedule. Cordes says she can only get about five to six hours of sleep – as opposed to the recommended eight hours—because of busy days and school work she has to keep up with in the evening.

Sleep debt is what accumulated hours of missed sleep are called. This is where sleep deprivation can really take its toll.

According to Stanley Coren’s Sleep Thieves, to make up for sleep debt, one must sleep longer for a few nights. So someone who loses sleep, like a college student who has to stay awake late one night to do work for school, can’t just make up those hours with the recommended eight hours of sleep.

This given person would need a night to sleep longer. That could be hard for many students.

“My lack of sleep affects my everyday life,” Cordes said.

“Sometimes I fall asleep in class.”

Ben Crawford, 20, is also a full time student at Pierce College. He works the 10 p.m. to 6:30 a.m. night shift at Safeway. He, like Cordes, feels exhausted throughout the day.

“I only get about four hours of sleep a day,” Crawford said.

Four hours a day is an extremely small amount of sleep.

Not to mention, any extra sleep that Crawford is able to sneak into his busy schedule may not be as effective as continuous sleep would be.

Crawford admits that his lack of sleep has a huge impact on his day. He constantly spaces off and finds himself not paying attention in class.

However, it is alarming that Crawford may not know how bad sleep deprivation could be for his health.

“Maybe (sleep deprivation is impacting my health), but I mostly just feel tired. I don’t know that it’s hurting me.”

Sleep deprivation is a big issue for all age groups, which is why it’s among America’s top health problems. It may be hard for college students to balance school work, jobs and a social life. But what about working-class America?

Marilee Fisher, 43, works in customer service for a major airline. Having to start work at 4:30 in the morning and take care of her 20-month-old, she gets about five hours of sleep per night.

Fisher also notices the extreme impact sleep deprivation has on her mood. She said she is constantly irritable, and has no patience.

She feels that her lack of sleep is taking a tremendous toll on her health.

“It’s making me old,” she said.

Perhaps what’s most disturbing is Fisher admits to catching herself dozing off on the drive home every once in a while.

Pioneering sleep researcher, William C. Dement once said, “Five billion people go through the cycle of sleep and wakefulness every day, and relatively few of them know the joy of being fully rested and fully alert all day long.”

Talk to any college student, or any working parent, and it is pretty obvious this is true.

Photo illustration by Jenny Lovering

Teaching field for John Bryant is just what the doctor ordered Lisa Lillie

For The Puyallup Post

What would you do if you were told you would never be good enough to go to college? Most people thought this to be true of John Bryant, but he became a doctor instead.

Dr. Bryant started teaching health science after retiring and then deciding to go back to work. He has been teaching for 13 years.

He first started teaching at the Fort Steilacoom campus before coming to the Puyallup campus. He has taught many online classes, but decided he prefers teaching in the classroom.

“There is a fairly heavy dose of liveliness in young people and there is just something about looking into their eyes and joking with them,” he said with a smile and a chuckle.

Bryant decided to teach nutrition because of the things he has seen in the American diet in recent years.

In his opinion, people seem to think that fast food restaurants are the only thing the people of today’s world can afford. He says this isn’t true.

He wanted to show students how to take care of themselves and to turn back to the natural fruits and vegetables that come straight from the ground.

Bryant has a contagious personality and a smile that lights up the classroom. Students would never guess that he was once a shy and bashful young child.

Bryant grew up in Zearing, a small town in Iowa. He woke early each morning to finish his chores on the farm before

going to school.

His teachers thought he was just lazy because he didn’t do his homework, but they didn’t realize that after school, he would do chores until he went to bed. He just didn’t have time for homework.

During his high school years, he was told by one of his most important mentors that he would never go to college.

The mentor said Bryant wasn’t good enough to earn a higher education.

His happier childhood memories include being a part of the 4-H club and showing animals, some of which included sheep.

“I just loved winning those shows,” he remembered.

Maybe showing the animals is what persuaded him to earn his bachelor’s degree and then his master’s degree in animal nutrition at Iowa State University.

With the combination of his love for learning, and perhaps the words that were so bitterly engraved on his heart, Bryant went on to earn his doctorate at Washington State University.

Along with the pure determination it took in earning his degrees, he also co-wrote and edited a technical manual in the mid-1970s for a co-op in the Northeast. It went on to earn an impressive 97 out of 100 points in a national contest.

Some of Bryant’s hobbies include old model cars, Mercedes to be exact. He has owned quite a few Mercedes, including a motorhome, which has a Mercedes motor and transmission. He also owns a 1965 190D, which is pretty darn

Students falling asleep in class is all too common.

sweet.

Another one of his hobbies includes genealogy.

“I think it’s important to know your heritage and where you came from,” he said.

Bryant traveled to Europe to learn more about his German and English heritage.

He went to the Netherlands, England, Switzerland and Germany. He says he enjoyed his trip because he learned about the people who lived through World War II. “As a nation, we have been through wars, but it’s nothing like what Europe went through during World War II,” he said.

His approach on life is just to take it as it comes and to laugh about everything.

“You just can’t take things too seriously,” he said.

MAY 2007

BOOKS

Ehrenreich rages war on wages Appriel Lance Reporter

Anyone who has ever tried to make it on their own knows how difficult it can be to make all of the ends meet, but take comfort in the fact that you are not alone. Millions of Americans try to scrape by every year by working full-time for minimum wage. In times of desperation, when the bills are rolling in and the basic needs are thinning, the welfare office argues that any job is the big door to success.

In 1998, Barbara Ehrenreich began the journey through the big doors to see if what welfare reform preached was true.

Nickel and Dimed is the amazing story of a woman’s struggle to discover if anyone could truly survive on six to seven dollars an hour—let alone prosper.

Ehrenreich embarks on a mission to join the work force of the underside of the American industry. She leaves the comfort of her home, takes the cheapest lodging she can find and the first available opportunity for work under the guise of an inexperienced homemaker returning to the workforce.

Nickel and Dimed takes us with Ehrenreich as she moves from Florida to Maine and from Maine to Minnesota taking a variety of jobs that include: waitressing, cleaning hotels, cleaning for other people, a nursing home aide and even a Wal-Mart sales clerk.

She quickly discovers that even the most seemingly trivial jobs required a certain level of mental and physical skill. Ehrenreich also discovers that it is nearly impossible to survive on one low wage job and she has to take two in order to keep a roof over her head.

Ehrenreich takes an investigative journalistic approach to tear down the inaccurate notions that the middle and upper

classes hold in regards to low-wage workers. She disproves the myth that lower class people are unskilled and lazy. Ehrenreich discovers that it will take more then one or two jobs to pull millions of Americans out of poverty. She discovers that in order for anyone to have a chance they will need to earn a living wage.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said, “No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country” and I think that Barbara Ehrenreich was the first American to uphold that spirit of economic integrity since Roosevelt spoke the words himself. She exposes businesses that are supporting the economic oppression of the American people and demands true reform in the interest of the common class people.

Ehrenreich crafts an insightful look into the low-wage world of America and reveals the underbelly of an economic system that creates anxiety among the retail, fast-food and other lower class job workers. She lends readers her view, which is a new perspective of people from the bottom looking up. You will never see anything—from a fast food meal to a hotel bathroom— quite the same way again.

Nickel and Dimed is a heart-wrenching story that empowers anybody who has struggled to survive on the work opportunity available to them. It is a politically charged shock to the individuals who call for welfare reform from their high perch on the economic food chain. She offers a brilliant and charming solution to an evergrowing problem. Nickel and Dimed is an inspiration and educational must read.

MOVIES

The Invisible

Rating: PG-13, for violence, criminality, sensuality and language Cast: Justin Chatwin, Margarita Levieva and Marcia Gay Harden What it’s about: Remake of the Swedish film, The Invisible revolves around Nick, a writer with a bright future who is brutally attacked and left for dead.

Matthew Hartmann Senior Reporter

If you need a thought-provoking and enlightening film, look no further than The Invisible.

The protagonist is a high school senior named Nick (Justin Chatwin) who is battling the demons within as he joylessly goes through his daily routine.

On the outside he appears to be a model student, but he secretly sells completed essays to fund his desire to travel to England so that he can attend a writing seminar— much to the disdain of his overbearing mother.

REVIEWS

The anti-hero is Annie (Margarita Levieva) a tough girl that lives on the outside of the law as a result of her bad family situation, which has caused her to go over the edge.

She gets caught stealing and the blame is placed on Nick as the snitch. She tracks him down and beats him to a pulp, leaving him for dead.

For the rest of the movie he is in an outof-body state in which no one can see him or talk to him and he is unable to affect the real world physically.

Now he must find a way to get people to realize the location of his broken body before it’s too late.

The movie is focused on the redemption of Annie as she realizes that she needs to do the right thing, after suddenly being able to hear Nick’s voice in her head.

It is a well recommended movie if you enjoy films that make you think and wonder about that gray area in life.

11

VIDEOGAMES

Videogame gems Cody Turk Photo Editor

“Gotta catch ‘em all!” That was the phrase that took American children by storm in 1995 when the original Pokémon games, Pokémon Red and Pokémon Blue, hit the shelves. Many years later, Pokémon is back again in its fourth incarnation: Pokémon Diamond and Pokémon Pearl.

For those who don’t know, Pokémon is a role-playing video game where you are a trainer who travels the region in search of Pokémon to battle, catch, train and befriend.

Pokémon, or pocket monsters, are creatures that exist in the game world, and come in many varieties, the most famous of which is Pikachu, who was made popular by the cartoon series aptly named Pokémon.

Like all of the previous Pokémon games, Diamond and Pearl have introduced a huge number of new Pokémon, 107 in all, bringing the total number of Pokémon to 493. This is a long way from the original 150 Pokémon, and provides much more challenge to those who “Gotta catch ‘em all.”

Being the first Pokémon game for the Nintendo DS, Pokémon Diamond and Pearl use all of the system’s features with great effect. The touch screen can be used for selecting battle options, and is also used for operating the “PokéTech”, a watch-like device with many features.

Perhaps the most exciting new feature is the incorporation of Wi-Fi into the game.

This allows people to trade and battle friends from anywhere, something that the earlier games could never do.

The use of Wi-Fi also has brought the advent of a Global trading network, which is a sort of auction house for Pokémon.

The global trading network allows you

to place any Pokémon up for trade, all you have to do is specify what kind of Pokémon you would like in return, and the game does the rest.

It can even trade the Pokémon while the game is off.

You are also able to look for Pokémon that you would like to have and trade for them.

This makes it possible to trade with more people than ever before.

Unfortunately, the storyline of the game is rather one-dimensional. It is very similar to its predecessors: you are a Pokémon trainer. You travel around the region, and can be attacked by Pokémon if you walk in tall grass or by other non-player trainers.

The eventual goal of the game is to defeat the eight gym leaders, challenge the Elite Four and become the Pokémon champion.

There is also a plot involving the nefarious Team Galactic, which steals and abuses Pokémon, but it’s pretty flat. Despite this, Diamond and Pearl have a lot of end game content, such as high-level training, competitive battling and several mini-games.

Pokémon as a game has come a long way from where it started, while still maintaining its original charm. Having watched the game evolve from its humble beginning until today, I am very pleased with what the game has become, and I am even more eager to see where the game will go.

Pierce College Puyallup’s student newspaper is accepting applications for the 2007-08 school year.

Applications are available and are due M A Y 25.

PAID POSITIONS INCLUDE: lEditor lManaging Editor l Reporters

Information and applications are available in the student newspaper office, C218 or Student Programs, C210.

For more information, call Teresa Josten at (253) 840-8496 or email at tapjosten@aol.com or tjosten@pierce.ctc.edu

The Puyallup P O S T

12

Puyallup’s campus bookstore: the inside edition Sean Hammons

For The Puyallup Post

The bookstore is a somewhat misunderstood part of Pierce College Puyallup.

To many students, the only information they know for sure is that the bookstore sells textbooks. But there is a lot more to this story.

The bookstore is owned and operated

by Pierce College, unlike the Dining Commons below it. The Dining Commons is located in the college, but is still a separate business.

By contrast, the bookstore helps support the college, and most of its employees are Piece students working part-time.

The bookstores retail clerk orders the text books from multiple publishers, including the used books from used bookstore companies. The publishers set the price and the bookstore pays for the textbooks.

To make a profit, the textbooks are sold

at around 25 percent higher than what the book cost. The reason for this is because the bookstore isn’t given money to pay for books, or anything else, by Pierce College.

“The bookstore has to be completely self-supporting,” said Marge Bethel, the manager of the bookstore for 17 years.

“The only money we receive is from our own sales.”

Not all of the profit made by the bookstore is used by the store. After covering the cost to keep the store open, the rest of the cash is given to support other programs, like scholarships.

However, many students still have issues with the prices for textbooks.

“You can pay around $250-$400 each quarter for books,” Pierce student Nathan DuCharme said. “I found it quite ridiculous when I started taking classes.”

Annette Bleich, a Running Start student and a senior in high school shares DuCharme’s opinion. Since Bleich is part of the Running Start program, she doesn’t

pay for classes, but she still has to find the money to buy her books.

“I prefer anything but the bookstore— it’s too expensive,” Bleich said. “I bought Altoids there once, but that’s about it.”

While some students find the bookstores prices unreasonable, others do not.

Maria Schiro-Evans, a part-time employee of the bookstore and a student of Pierce, finds the books affordable.

Schiro-Evans has also attended a university and she feels the prices for both classes and books are higher there.

“The cost of books and classes are far more expensive,” Schiro-Evans said.

Books and classes usually cost more at universities than at a community college, since universities are designed for higher levels of learning and have more students than community colleges.

Community colleges, by contrast, are designed to be more affordable and many students at Pierce are people coming straight out of high school.

This offers another explanation to why many students find textbooks expensive.

Most high school students never have to pay for their textbooks, but they do in college. Having to pay for classes and books can surprise them and make any price seem undesirable.

Another problem could be the lack of funding. Since students coming from high school to college may not have jobs, paying for books becomes more difficult.

However, the difficulties can be manageable if students find ways of handling the financial strain.

Teresa Nieffenegger, a graduate of Pierce College back in 1993, is currently taking one class to learn Spanish. Nieffenegger originally chose Pierce for the same reasons most students do: the college was close and affordable. During her time at Pierce, however, Nieffenegger and her husband also had two young children

See Bookstore on page 13

13

MAY 2007

Bookstore Continued from page 12

to support. To help balance everything, Nieffenegger created a budget.

“We had to scrimp by at times, but we made it work,” Nieffenegger said.

Another way of helping make the textbooks more affordable is the book buyback that happens at the end of every quarter. By selling their books, students receive some of their money back.

However, not all students are pleased with the system.

DuCharme isn’t happy with the process, since not all books can be returned and never at the same price.

“You pay so much for the books, but you only get back $10 or $15,” DuCharme said.

Unlike the bookstore, however, the

book buy-back isn’t controlled by the college. An employee of the bookstore, called the textbook manager, requests a certain amount of books for each class and those books go back to the college.

After the textbook manager’s request for books is filled, the rest of the books are taken to warehouses to be ordered from other colleges or used bookstores.

Another difficulty with the book buyback system occurs when new editions come out. The newly released textbooks replace the older versions and usually make it difficult for the students to re-sell their books.

However, the college bookstore also has troubles. When new releases come out, they usually can’t sell the older ones.

“The bookstore gets stuck with books too,” Bethel said. “The older versions become dead books we have to sell cheap or give away.”

14

PROFILES

The Puyallup P O S T

Student practices special movie magic Sean Hammons For The Puyallup Post

A young man is sitting with his legs crossed. He takes a drink of coffee from his mug shaped like Darth Vader’s helmet and passes the novelty mug to the young man sitting to his right. The young man is the first’s duplicate with the same white and black shirt, same black-rimmed glasses and even sitting with his legs crossed. The duplicate takes a drink from the mug just like the first had done seconds before.

Seeing a scene like this in a movie may not surprise some people. Finding out that the young man in the scene had done everything all by himself, might.

The young man, Joshua Redmond, 17, has made similar short movies during the last six years. All he needs is a computer with the correct software, a video recorder, some imagination and enough free time to put everything together.

With the earlier scene, Redmond took two separate drinks at opposite sides of the room. To create the illusion of the two mirrored people passing the mug, Redmond pushed the mug across the small coffee table.

After recording everything, Redmond edited the footage so it seemed he was on both sides of the room and removed the coffee table.

Without the table it appears that the duplicates are handing the mug to each other.

Creating illusion and altering what the audience sees is a common practice in movies today and is usually the job of the

visual effects team. Often called “movie magic”, this use of technology has been important in creating movies like SpiderMan and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Using computers, the visual effects bring life to creatures and places that could take years to actually make.

The ability to create things that don’t exist has fascinated Redmond for years. Ever since he saw the original Star Wars movies, Redmond has had an interest in visual effects.

“I’ve always wanted to make something that wasn’t real,” Redmond said.

This desire to create the unreal has been Redmond’s hobby since fifth grade, when he began working with the Flash program to make moving shapes on a computer. From having a ball bouncing on the computer screen, Redmond’s skill has increased to the point where he can have doppelgangers of himself share a drink.

Now in his last year of high school, Redmond is also a Running Start student at Pierce College, since winter quarter in 2006.

He plans on taking all the required classes to graduate and receive an associate’s degree.

With his basic education taken care of, Redmond plans on going to film school in Vancouver, Canada.

Pierce College Puyallup’s student newspaper is accepting applications for the 2007-08 school year.

Applications are available and are due M A Y 25.

PAID POSITIONS INCLUDE: lEditor lManaging Editor l Reporters l Page Designer l Photographer lAdvertising Manager

Information and applications are available in the student newspaper office, C218 or Student Programs, C210.

For more information, call Teresa Josten at (253) 840-8496 or email at tapjosten@aol.com or tjosten@pierce.ctc.edu

“I want to learn more about visual effects,” Redmond said. “I also want to learn the basics, since everything I know has been self-taught.”

Another goal of going to a film school would be the increase in pressure. For Redmond, everything he does is for fun and he can take his time. Creating something that could take him a week to finish on his own time could be done in six or seven hours in one sitting.

“I’ve never really worked under pressure before and I want to see if I can handle it,” Redmond said.

After spending a year at the film school, Redmond plans to find a job as a visual effects artist and to build up his reputation until he can be a producer.

“Producers do just about everything,” Redmond said with a smile. “I want to spread myself out and be creative.”

Redmond’s love of creativity has found multiple outlets which could later assist him in his goal of becoming a producer. As a child, Redmond has been given piano lessons and he’s also learned to play the guitar. Redmond plays as a guitarist for the band Entourage, which he joined about two months ago. The band gives Redmond time to play music and to hang out with his friends.

Redmond has also played in other bands and occasionally plays guitar for his church on Sundays. He would like to make a music

album on the side, if possible.

Besides having talent as a musician, Redmond mentioned that he enjoys drawing and painting with acrylics. However, what he really loves to do is sculpt.

“I love to get my hands dirty,” Redmond said with a smile.

This other love started back in Redmond’s younger years when he experimented with claymation. Inspired by the claymation in Jason and the Argonauts, Redmond attempted to use claymation himself. His desire for using claymation has lessened, but not his love of molding the clay itself. On a trip to the beach, Redmond spent a day carving a life-sized, naked human walking away on the side of a clay cliff.

“It was so cool looking,” Redmond later said.

Redmond often enjoys attention and has found another way of capturing it, without a camera. As first a way of adding to his creativity, Redmond taught himself magic tricks and would occasionally perform when asked to.

“I like doing magic, especially card tricks, but only the big stuff,” Redmond said with a grin.

For him, anything that could be learned in a day wouldn’t count as being big enough.

The effective use of misdirection is often the theme of Redmond’s card tricks and he tries to include this in his visual effects whenever possible.

“The only way to make it big is to do things different,” Redmond said seriously.

“Being creative is my thing and I want to do it big.”

MAY 2007

15

The Puyallup P O S T

16

Resuming responsibility

W

for one’s resumé

hen it comes to creating a resumé, the hardest part is really pronouncing the word. Resumés are actually much easier, and simpler, to create, especially since all the tools are readily available to you. Most of the time, the idea of a resumé has been quite the boogeyman in the working world, leaving many people to opt out of jobs they are obviously qualified for simply because they are afraid of having to create a resumé. However, the time has come for us to put these fears to rest and realize that a resumé, like most things in life, is not that difficult to deal with.

To begin, let us address the parts of a resume, of which there are three. The first part of the resume is actually sitting down and creating it, which is really simple, as the most common word processing program, Microsoft Word, has resume templates, leaving you only the task of filling in the blanks. The second is the filling in of those blanks, which is going to be the main focus of this piece. The third part is a personal statement, which is nothing more than a short paragraph, occasionally longer, detailing why you are a generally qualified person, regardless of the job you are applying for. However, let us focus on the blanks that need to be filled, as that makes up the bulk of the resumé.

There are roughly eight major resumé facts that must be considered, and each of them are very simple to understand and achieve.

Contact Information

When it comes to your resumé, make sure to provide the contact information of your current residence as well as the contact information of any school you attend or job you currently work for. Also, cell phone numbers and emails are a must if you have either, so make sure to list them.

Appropriateness and accuracy with contact information is very crucial, so make sure to update your resumé often.

Objective

Clearly state the aim of your resumé, which means stating the job your seeking and how you are the one for this job. In fact, just stating that you were meant to do this job can, in itself, be a very clear objective. Don’t generalize, be specific and tailor every resumé objective to the job you are applying for. Resumé fishing does not help anyone—especially you.

Education & Courses

List your education, which includes High School, Community College, Seminaries and not just four-year universities. Also, state when you graduated and your GPA for each institution, but remember to be consistent.

Don’t list your GPA for one institution if you’re not going to list the GPA for all the rest. On top of that, list some courses you took that are relevant to the job you’re applying for, and just a few, like two to five courses taken.

The best part, all social science courses are beneficial to any job you decide to do, so don’t forget to list them!

Experience

Make sure to put down all your work experience. List every job you’ve had and the yearly time frame from which you worked at them. Do not be ashamed of any job you have held, because work experience is still work experience. Also, make sure to list not only the job position you held, but also the name of the place you worked at. But, make sure to tailor work experience to the job you are applying for, because a fast-food position isn’t work experience for a clerical job.

Honors & Activities

For this, list any and all extracurricular activities, community service and/or volunteer efforts of yours. Also, list any awards you have received, and where and when from you received them. The reason for this is to show dedication and determination, as well as your capacity for personal success.

Also, everyone has done some activity, even if it means organizing a neighborhood garage sale or setting up a church picnic—these show you’re capable of commitment—something employers need to see.

References & Recommendations

Of all things usually left off a resumé, references and recommendations are most common. The difference between the two is the information provided. A reference is usually from a previous job, either by a co-worker above you or a former employer, which you need to list their job position and contact number (if not email as well). Relatives are easy references, but people you actually worked with are much more favorable. However, make sure to list references that are favorable, because employers do actually contact these people. Recommendations on the other hand are not, usually, people you worked with, but people of merit who would recommend you. These are your teachers, mentors and community leaders, and you want to list an honorary position of theirs with contact number (if not email as well).

When it comes to recommendations, do make sure to get the individuals approval before using them, and in cases with a teacher, make sure you earned not only the respect, but also the grade for such a recommendation.

Skills

As generic as this sounds, skills are an important part of the resumé.

It would be best to list at least 6 to 10 skills, especially how fast you can type, emergency first aid (CPR is good one), licenses (food handler’s card, special vehicle permit, etc.) and any of your more technical capabilities.

Surprisingly enough, custodial knowledge (another way of saying you clean up after yourself) and HTML programming (another way of saying you know how to make your blog/myspace look nice) are skills that many of us can list and will be more beneficial in the eyes of employers.

Professionalism

When it comes down to it, being professional is one of the most important factors in a resumé. Make sure your email is appropriate, as some people have very inappropriate email titles. Also, when it comes to listing activities, awards and skills, make sure to tailor the ones you list to the job you are applying for. It helps your resumé look professional because it assures the employer that you have taken the time to actually review the job you are trying to get.

Overall, the most important fact about writing your resumé is to be concise, and as standard recommendation, aside from skills and professional aspects, list at least three for each factor of the filling in the blank, usually in a bullet format. And for those who have difficulty keeping their resumé short and concise, and even grammatically correct (which includes proper spelling), make sure to have others proof-read it, which is where Pierce College Puyallup Campus’ Writing Center will come in handy. For those who don’t know, the Writing Center is located in room L207.

Also, in regards to the personal statement, which may take the form of a cover letter, do not be afraid to reiterate in complete sentences what you stated on your actual resumé as single words. Good luck with your resumé and happy job-hunting!

By Tim Guy