The Seminole Scribe Issue No. 6
The Official Newspaper of Seminole State College of Florida
April 19, 2013
Graduating Seminole State students receive free bonus By Sabira Mawji Editor- in- Chief
This semester, walking across the stage for graduation will no longer be an extra expense for Seminole State students. Many students who waited tables with no tips and washed love-bug covered cars at a local car wash to pay for tuition and books were relieved to not worry about wangling up the extra cost for a cap and gown only to be worn for a few hours. Continued on page 8
Tuition: $1252.56 Still Searching for Wi-Fi? Books: $503.60 Walking across the stage for Budget constraints. Multiple devices. Interference. graduation: Priceless By Ashley Collier Staff Writer
These are the reasons why the school’s Wi-Fi, specifically the connections at Sanford/Lake Mary, is weak and faulty. According to Julio Valentin, director of network and user support services at Seminole State. The first explanation Mr. Valentin offered was the current budget constraints of the school. “Not every building on campus has full wireless coverage,” he said. “Due to budget constraints, we are not able to completely cover all areas in all campuses. We have already identified some areas that need equipment upgrades to support more users. As funds become available the upgrades will take place.”
Increase your credit score in 4 easy steps
Continued on page 8 By Bryan Hohns
Graduating? Check your to-do list
Staff Writer
For students with less than great credit, or even not credit at all, experts like Melody Hayes can help you get your credit to wherever you would like it. Hayes, a training manager at Insight Credit Union who hosted a budgeting seminar at the college last month, visited again in April for a seminar on how to “Enhance your Credability,” which focused on how to get good credit, how to check your credit report for free and what to watch for. “Today I’m here to help you understand the significance of good credit and how to build it. Some of you may have less than great credit right now,” said Melody, “or may not even have any credit yet, but that’s okay; I can help you get your credit to wherever you would like it to be.” “Good credit improves your image in the eyes of lenders,” she said. “It helps you to get Continued on page 3
Graduation is less than a month away for more than 500 students at Seminole State and many might be wondering what to do next.
should come to the career center early and often.
Since most companies prefer hiring college graduates over non-graduates, it’s important to start your career hunt early since finding a job can be a full time job. Lisette GuillenDolby, assistant director of career services at the Career Development Center, which boasts a 100 percent success rate for helping students find employment, said students
“There has been a much larger success rate demonstrated for students who use the career center early on,” she said. “It is wise to know the requirements of the student’s field of study, and the success rates of schools.” Continued on page 7
Natural vs. Antibiotics: Save a Trip to the Pharmacy with These Homemade Remedies By Brooklynn Holman Staff Writer
Household items are not just for collecting dust; they can also be turned into home remedies to help you save money. Tasty treats like vodka can be used to cure smelly feet, and marshmallows can be used to coat a sore throat. Even peppermint gum is known to prevent road rage.
Continued on page 2
News
Remedy from page 1
THE SEMINOLE SCRIBE / April 19, 2013 2
“I would rather use remedies that are natural rather than using an artificial ingredient that was created in a lab.” Sorenda Sierra, who studied herbology and also the Supervisor at Earth Origins, said. “It’s trial and error there and the error part is a long list of side effects. But in nature, you don’t see all that as much.” “Anything natural is better than any kind of antibiotics,” Rhonda said. “If you continuously use the same antibiotic, its effects will not work as well when you desperately need them.”
Here’s our Top 10 Tips
1
Got the Case of Smelly Feet?
4
Soak a washcloth with your leftover vodka that is lying around your house and rub your feet with it to get rid of that athlete’s foot smell. As an alcohol, vodka destroys the fungus and dries out the moisture, which causes the initial odor. Yuck!
Bumpy Car Ride or the Boat’s Rockin’?
Motion sickness tends to make you produce more saliva. By having a few olives or sucking on a lemon, the saltiness and acidity will lower the amount of saliva that you produce, which helps you not feel as nauseous as before.
8
5
“Egg whites are supposedly good for getting rid of pimples,” Sara Glaspey, a Seminole State student, said. “I’ve heard of putting toothpaste on them, but I don’t think that works.” Toothpaste has worked for Sorenda though. “If its natural toothpaste with natural oils, oils work as an antifungal and acne is fungus from within,” she said.
6
7
Long day at work? Ran a marathon wearing the wrong shoes? Use tennis balls or a similar object as a simple massage ball. Sit down and roll your feet/soles around on top of it to relieve the aches. Try freezing the tennis ball for extra relief.
All Your Friends Offering You A Breath Mint?
Try having a plain yogurt to help you and your friends out. Live bacteria lives in yogurt that can help suppress bad breath. Every day dental care (i.e. brushing and flossing) also prevents bad breath.
Playing Connect the Dots on Your Face?
2
3
Are Your Dogs Barkin’?
Place a pencil or pen between your teeth with the ends facing out. When you are stressed or anxious, people tend to clench their jaw. By relaxing your jaw on the pencil and gently biting down, you relax the muscles that lead up to your temple, causing your initial headache.
Road Rage Got the Best of You?
Peppermint or cinnamon gum helps with road rage, frustration and alertness, according to a study funded by NASA; scientists monitored 25 college students during simulated driving scenarios. The report showed: “peppermint lowered their feelings of fatigue/anxiety by 20 percent. Peppermint and cinnamon each decreased frustration by 25 percent, increased alertness by 30 percent, and made the ride seem 30 percent shorter.” (Source: www. abcnews.go)
9
Hacking Up a Storm?
Rub Vicks on the bottom of your feet with socks. Rhonda Nell, my grandmother, swears by this remedy, although I haven’t tried it myself. She isn’t sure how or why it works but said: “It works for me and that counts for something, right?”
Can’t Think Because Your Head is Throbbing?
Nothing Can Soothe the Burn in Your Throat or Your Upset Stomach?
Warm Jell-O or marshmallows might do the trick. For warm Jell-O, mix your favorite flavor with water and heat it up for 30 seconds, adding 1 teaspoon of honey when completed. The warm Jell-O will soothe and coat your throat and/or stomach, while the honey will help kill some bacteria. Puffy marshmallows can also help.
Nasty Cold or Virus?
10
Sorenda says to use Oregano Oil. “It’s antiviral and antifungal. If someone has a cold, they can take it internally and it kills the bacteria in the gut.” She also said it helps with ear infections, athlete’s foot and more.
Letter to the Editor Dear Editor, It is of great concern the barriers faced by international students as expressed in the article written by Elisha Moleski, “First World problems? International Students Face Big Barriers” (Feb. 15). The article references several issues encountered by international students. However, my attention is focused on the financial barriers of high education cost and the inability to work. Depriving international students from working not only affects the student, but the economy in general. As mentioned in the article “The student is required to have a minimum 12 credit hours, purchase health insurance which is $1,100 per year, and prove they have $28,000 in an account per year they are in school…” International student expenditures play an important factor in providing revenue for the U.S. economy. The regulations and strict guidelines imposed by the state towards our international students regarding employment viability are not only creating barriers for our international students, but also to our economies Gross Domestic Product (GDP). As learned in my macroeconomics class with Professor Modupe Soremi, GDP is very important given the fact that it indicates the health of a country’s economy. A country with a low GDP encounters significant impact in company profits, high unemployment rates, lower stock prices, which can also lead to a budget deficit in a country’s economy. Given that our international students play an important part in our economy’s growth, we should establish more suitable methods of serving this population where there is an even exchange of goods and services, and the impact is positive for both sides. Sincerely, Aimmy De Jesus Rodriguez (via email)
News
THE SEMINOLE SCRIBE / April 19, 2013 3
Are hip-hop lyrics too degrading to women? gangster rap, east coast rap, west coast rap and horror By: Kyle Yeoman, Guest Columnist
core,” Mr. Edmund said. “Many rappers do not Hip-hop music is one of the most popular types of agree with being labeled as a certain type of artists. music all across the world. Since the beginning in the Everyone is entitled to their own style” 1980s, hip-hop has branched out into other genres, such as r&b, pop, alternative and rock. Some would say that hip-hop has a reputation for misogyny or the dislike of females. But the lyrical content from hip-hop artists is presently a lot different from the way it was before. Nashlee Quinones, a Seminole State College student, According to Seminole State College student, said there have been many occasions when she has Kenneth Edmund, hip-hop has changed to the point heard lyrics that degrade women. where originality has faded. “The way that women are being objectified in hip“I cannot say that hip-hop is dead,” Mr. Edmund hop music is disrespectful at times,” Ms. Quinones said. “Today hip-hop is mostly about money, cars, said. “The things that are said pertaining to women sex and clothes.” such as their bodies and the names that are used to describe women.” He also said he feels that there are many genres of hip-hop and it has become segregated. So, although hip-hop music has become popular worldwide, it still has room to improve. “Nowadays there’s southern rap, hipster rap, pop rap, Credit from page 1
apartments, insurance and jobs and may dramatically improve the interest rate on any loans you have to take.” She emphasized good credit as a value of “utmost importance” to high school graduates, college students, young adults, recent immigrants, people who had fallen “off track” and lastly to women, particularly if all credit is in husband’s name. “To understand where you stand,” she said, “you’ll need to get a credit report. A credit report is composed of identifying information, employment history, creditors and payment history, bankruptcies, judgments, liens, lawsuits and inquiries you may have initiated.” She recommended that you order your credit report on annualcreditreport.com. “Beware of ‘free’ offers such as freecreditreport.com; they offer monthly credit reports for a fee. You do not need to check your credit report every month; for most people, you should be checking it every year at most as it will change slowly over time,” she said. “A credit score is simply a number that represents creditworthiness; the higher the number, the better. Your credit score will change over time depending on payment history. It essentially answers the question ‘how likely are you to pay a loan?’”she said. “Your FICO credit score, which is the most commonly used credit score, will range from 300 to 850; you can order your score from myfico.com”
STEPS TO A STRONG CREDIT SCORE 1. Bills must be paid on time, 2. Less than 25 percent of your credit is utilized 3. You avoid closing/opening many new accounts and 4. You do not co-sign for a person with bad credit, lest you imply irresponsibility.
“Everything I’ve been saying so far has applied only to those who have a credit history,” she said, “so what about those of you who don’t even have a credit card yet? Well, if you’d like to start your credit history, one way you could get off to a strong start without immediately jumping into a credit card would be to apply for a department store or gas card. That way, you can begin to build credit by making all of your minor payments on time for the card.” Melody concluded her presentation with warnings about pitfalls and debt collectors: “Beware of ‘credit repair clinics, rent-to-own schemes, and poorly thought out payday loans. Be careful with your I.D. and never enter your information online unless you are entering it into a verified site. Lastly, remember that debt collectors cannot use violence, offensive language, threaten to illegally take your property or blackmail you under any circumstances.” Check out InsightCreditUnion.com for more information on establishing and keeping good credit.
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THE SEMINOLE SCRIBE The Seminole Scribe is the student newspaper of Seminole State College of Florida. MISSION STATEMENT
We are a student-run newspaper that aims to construct a publication of professionalism. Through each individual staffer’s utmost potential, we write for the interest of the school and its student body to deliver a quality news and entertainment source that uphold traditional journalism values.
STAFF
Editor/ Designer Sabira Mawji Reporters Ashley Collier Bryan Hohns Brooklynn Holman Elisha Moleski Sorangel Santiago Faculty Adviser Jennifer Sheppard PUBLIC FORUM The Seminole Scribe is a “designated public forum.” Student editors have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. COPYRIGHT ©2013 The Seminole Scribe. All rights reserved. All content is property of The Seminole Scribe and may not be reproduced or transmitted without consent. The Scribe is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. EDITORIAL POLICY Viewpoints expressed in columns and letters to the editor are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The Seminole Scribe or Seminole State College. Letters or columns can be emailed or dropped off at the office. Please limit letters to 500 words, and include phone number, name and area of study or affiliation. Letters will not be printed anonymously. We reserve the right to reject letters. CONTACT US Room J-107 Sanford/Lake Mary Campus thescribe@seminolestate.edu
4 April 19, 2013
Any ideas? If you have been following The Scribe this semester, you have seen that the College’s five-year “Quality Enhancement Plan” for reading improvement, Read to Succeed, is going to be kicked off this year. This is an important aspect of our school’s accreditation, but it also has the potential to spark change across campus. We currently have a Student Advisory Council that is reviewing many ideas we have for this initiative. However, we would love your input as well! The following are some of the main projects we would like to implement for our plan. Remember that we still have two goals: improving reading comprehension in the classroom and
microphone poetry reading. We want to expand this all across the campus with book clubs for specific disciplines in addition to popular titles that students choose. 3. Book Nooks: These book exchange kiosks will provide students with little libraries to “take a book and leave a book.” They will be placed in high-traffic areas to encourage reading on campus. 4. Events: We plan on inviting authors and speakers in addition to celebrating reading events like World Book Day/Night, National Read-a-Book Day, and Banned
Book Week. 5. Read to Succeed Center: At some point, we hope to have a central location for our Read to Succeed program in the form of a center open to students which will include space for reading. 6. Student Reading Ambassadors: In the future, we want to have students who participate in events, monitor the Book Nooks, and act as general ambassadors to peers about the benefits of reading. 7. Technology: Over the next few years, we hope to increase the connection between technology and reading on our campus by posting events/ speakers online, encouraging eReader use in the Library, using electronic textbooks, beginning a video game-like badge system, and promoting our initiative different places online.
creating a culture of reading on campus.
Do you have any other ideas? We would love to hear them!
1. Reading Apprenticeship: This will involve teachers in many disciplines learning in a program called Reading Apprenticeship. This framework emphasizes awareness of learning processes and learning strategies in addition to building a “toolbox” to help study in different classes and creating a community of learners in the classroom. 2. Book Clubs: The Honors Institute has a book club, and the English Department hosts open
Contact Professor Carissa Baker (bakerc@ seminolestate.edu) to comment on these projects, suggest other things, or discuss ways to get these ideas out to peers. Remember that student involvement will be the most important aspect of this program, as well as the key determinant, of whether this initiative will make a difference, so please help us read to succeed!
The Odds Are in Your Favor By: Carissa Baker, Professor, English
The semester end is approaching and that means it is summer reading time. Chances are, you have heard of the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins. You may have even seen last year’s film version starring Jennifer Lawrence. If you have not done so already, you should think about reading the books before the movie sequel Catching Fire is released this fall. The three novels are a quick and easy read, but they will keep you sweating and at the edge of the seat, perfect for a summer read! The Hunger Games is set in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic nation called Panem, formerly North America. It focuses on a corrupt and cruel government that forces children to fight to the death each year to pay for an earlier rebellion. Specifically, the story follows a pair of “tributes,” Katniss and Peeta, from the poorest district in the land who are forcefully sent to the bloody arena and set against young people who want to kill them and multiple obstacles put in place to interfere with success. The odds are certainly against the teenagers, but the reader gets to watch these young people try to change circumstances that seem beyond their control. The subject matter is compelling, especially for a book series meant for young adults. The author does not hold back brutality; indeed, the series is dark and violent. However, the stories also provide meaningful messages. One of the fascinating aspects of the series is the protagonist. She is a fierce, cynical and resourceful young woman who battles against the odds but also against herself. The story is told from a first-person perspective, so it is easier to empathize with her. The sequels, Catching Fire and Mockingjay, continue the story and bring Panem to greater conflict. If you are hot this summer and don’t want to leave the house, take some of those hours to enjoy this absorbing trilogy.
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Discover your personality type by your true colors By: Bryan Hohns Staff Writer
Professor Patricia Ferguson found herself in the company of many students recently, each of them hungry for the bonus points offered to them for their attendance that evening. But why were they here? “You can tell a lot about a person’s personality through simple things,” Mrs. Ferguson said, “things as simple as colors.”
two from the rating yourself by the picture/description). After everyone had discovered their personality score, Mrs. Ferguson described the personality types in detail, “How many of you are Oranges?”About a third of the people attending raised their hands. “Oranges are adventurous, witty, charming and thrive in the here and now,” she said. “They communicate with confidence and desire to be seen. Orange is a very popular color for the young; I used to be an Orange but I grew out of it.”
She distributed a pair of papers to the group. One was labeled “True Colors Assessment” and sported multiple unfilled boxes with some information as to how to fill them up. The other paper had content on both sides; its front side was adorned with four distinct pictures of male and female mimes representative of personality types, and the back side had more information about the four types mentioned.
“How about Blues?” Mrs. Ferguson said, raising her hand. Nearly half of the group raised their hands as well.
Mrs. Ferguson instructed the group on how to take the assessment: “First, take a look at the pictures and order them from 4 to 1, with 4 being the most like you and 1 being the least like you.” The four pictures depict Harmonious/Blue, Responsible/ Gold, Curious/Green and Adventurous/Orange personalities.
“Any Golds in the audience?” Only one hand went up.
“Then,” she continued, “turn the [paper with the] pictures over and read about what each represents on the back. Score as before: 4 for most like you, and a 3, a 2 and a 1 for the card that is least like you.”
“Blues look for meaning in life. They need to be appreciated, want to be important and helpful in the lives of others, and tend to be friendly and humble unless their convictions are tested.”
“The world would not survive without Golds. Golds are those who are loyal, dutiful and predictable. They have a need to be ‘useful’ and communicate best through details and writing.” “Lastly, we do have any Greens?” A few hands went up. “Greens are the Einsteins of the group, best described as ‘quirky geniuses’. Greens tend to use logic to the point of near excess while remaining calm and analytical at most times.”
Simple graph of the four colors; graphic courtesy of gender-focus.com.
The final step to filling out your assessment was to describe yourself in terms provided by the assessment, once again labeling four categories as a number from 4 to 1 for most like/least like you. This section sported 4 columns (in order of blue > gold > green > orange) and 5 rows, with each category using three words (i.e., Blue #1 “Authentic/Harmonious/Compassionate) to invoke the desired implication. Your total score is calculated by adding the numbers in each category. There is a total of 70 available points from all of the seven rows (including the first
Mrs. Ferguson finished for the evening by thanking everyone for their attendance and encouraging them to put what they’ve learned about themselves and others to good use.
6 April 19, 2013 / THE SEMINOLE SCRIBE
Zombies may be taking over the world after all By: Sorangel Santiago News Writer Zombies…the undead. A huge nightmare for some, an amusement for others.
Zombies have lately taken over the mortal world. They are on movies, TV shows, video games, documentaries and the news. They are action figures and even also mentioned by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention to help people prepare for a zombie apocalypse.
Zombies are becoming another race we are living with, something that is strongly
becoming part of human culture, taking our focus away from the daily and mundane.
“I love zombies,” high school student Kari-Ann Stein said. “I like zombie movies because they scare me and they are bloody and twisted.”
But what is it about these undead creatures that are captivating people more and more into their lack of existence?
Jeffrey A. Kottler, professor, psychologist and author of more than 80 nonfiction books wrote in his book “The Lust for Blood: Why are we Fascinated by Death, Murder, Horror and Violence,” about why people are so fascinated by zombies. “What both vampires and zombies share is
immortality, they are members of the undead
Western Africa.
film. Romero’s zombies gave way to the more
club. We are fascinated with them as much
The documentary also explains how from
modern, gory, cannibalistic, horrific zombies
for their ability to cheat death as for their
China, Arabia and Scandinavia, zombies found from films like “Resident Evil,” “28 Days Later,”
monstrous predation.” Kottler wrote in his
in history are more of a victim of not having
“Zombieland,” and the upcoming “World War
book.
been properly buried or the demon of a sinful
Z.”
woman. This historical zombie is completely He also talked about a metaphor that said,
different from the crazy, apocalyptic, eat-your-
When it comes to zombies on the TV screen,
because zombies literally feast off the energy
brains-out zombie that is now known all over
“The Walking Dead”, a television show based
and spirit of the living, anyone who seeks
the world.
on the comic book series by Robert Kirkman,
wealth, power, and status at the expense of
has more and more people falling in love
others’ misfortunes can see a connection with
Still, the thought of the dead coming back to
with zombies and their bloody antics. Set on
them.
life to take revenge on the living sends shivers
a world that has been overrun by zombies,
“However disturbing their behavior, on some
down many people’s spines, so much so that
a sheriff wakes up from a coma to find that
level, we admire their sheer resilience to
people have to bolt caskets shut before burying
all he knew is gone and sets out to find his
survive at all costs,” he wrote.
them.
family. After doing so, he leads them and other
Though zombies are now more popular
survivors through this new found nightmare.
because of TV shows, movies and video
In reality, there has never been a real case of
The show is not short of blood, guts and
games, this is not the first time they are heard
zombies, but in history, some events could
scares, which is probably why some people
of.
paint a glimpse. For example: the Black plague,
count the days for a new episode.
the Spanish flu, mad cow disease and the story The History Channel documentary “Zombies:
of Jeffrey Dahmer, though all different, showed
Nikki Davilla, college student and faithful
A Living History,” tells us that zombies
some light in what cannibalism and diseases
fan of “The Walking Dead,” said she is one of
first appeared in one of the oldest works of
can do to the living, something that is very
the first shows she has kept up watching all
literature, “The epic of Gilgamesh.” In this
close to what a zombie apocalypse might do.
throughout.
and they will eat the living. And the dead will
Throughout the years, zombies have also
“I’ve never been a fan of horror movies, but
outnumber the living.”
become a big part of cinema. Though George
I like zombies,” she said. “There’s something
Romero’s 1968 film “Night of the Living Dead”
about this show though, the fact that these
The documentary also stated how the word
is not the first movie with zombies as the main
people are trying their best to survive in a
‘zombie’ means ”animated corpse” and comes
character, it is the one film that more resonates
world full of zombies and are not giving up, it’s
from the Haitian voodoo religion, rooted in
with people when asked about zombies in
fun, terrifying, and heart stopping to watch.
piece, a quote reads: “I will rise up the dead
BLOG: seminolescribe.blogspot.com I’ve enjoyed not only the story line and the
look,” Paige Huggins, a high school student
characters, but how great the zombies look.
said.
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Knowing that, unlike a movie, I can keep watching new things happen every week,
The best kind of zombies are the gross
it’s a plus.”
looking, want-to-eat-your-brains-kind and “The Walking Dead” has some of the
People are loving zombie violence and
best looking zombies that has ever been
directors of the horror genre are aware and
created and seen in any movie, video game
happy to oblige.
or TV show. Just ask the thousands, maybe millions, of fans of the popular TV show or
“Hollywood directors are not misguided in
any zombie enthusiast and they will agree.
their common knowledge that it requires
Avid video gamer Chayla Franklin said she
higher doses of violent stimulation to evoke
likes zombie video games more than the
greater reactions in today’s audiences.”
actual show.
Mr. Kottler wrote. “Whether in news
“However, I like how they are able to
coverage or entertainment, viewers become
transform a person into a realistic zombie
desensitized and blasé over time.”
in the show. It’s impressive how they look, walk and sound,” she said.
Mr. Kottler continues by comparing contemporary writers to Roman emperors
No matter where you stand, whether it
and Aztec priests in their need to keep their
terrifies or excited you to hear the word,
people or audience interested.
zombies are here to stay. But the question remains whether zombies are a real threat
“Just as the Roman emperors and Aztec
or not, whether they can exist or not, we
priests discovered that they had to invent
should be ready.
newer and more unusual forms of human destruction in order to keep the masses
So watch the show, watch the movies and
satisfied, so contemporary writers, as well
play the video games. Just be aware that,
as film and television producers, create
though maybe the undead might not come
more graphic, bizarre, and over-the-top
for your flesh soon, thanks to what history
depictions of tragedy and horror in order to
has shown, anything is possible.
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make their mark,” he wrote.
People definitely like the horrific more and more these days. Viewers are not okay anymore with just having a bunch of zombies take revenge on the living; they have to look the part too.
“People like ‘The Walking Dead’ because they like horrifying things and the way the zombies
Wi-Fi from page 1
But with students paying tuition fees and buying books, how is the school able to afford a revamp of the old library building and All of these issues come together to say one simple thing: an expansion of the Altamonte campus but not wireless routers Seminole State needs more wireless routers in order to meet the for the various buildings around campus? needs of the expanding student body. Kylie Andrews, soon to be student at Seminole state, found that “And it should be first priority,” Holland said. “It doesn’t make very hard to believe. sense that it isn’t. Students can lose homework assignments because of lost connections and that’s not acceptable.” “That’s bull,” she said. “Sorry for my language, but it is. I spend money on classes, books and at least $50 a month at the Nature’s Yet, Valentin said that the College is, “constantly looking for Table. I think the school can put in some routers to make the funding to upgrade and improve our wireless infrastructure.” connection better.” Hopefully, the money will be found soon. specific techniques to minimize interference,” according to the PC World website. “Most people replace their phones every couple of years, so unless you have a really old phone or Bluetooth device, it’s unlikely that [Bluetooth] will interfere with Wi-Fi.”
8 April 19, 2013 / THE SEMINOLE SCRIBE Graduation from page 1
Spring graduates like Arame Fall said she was Since students are already paying their relieved to find out the cost of the ceremony student activity dues, which are included in and a gown was free. the tuition price at $7.88, why not let them benefit from their own money? “I didn’t even know it was free until I walked into the bookstore to RSVP,” she said. “I Last term, there were more 500 students rubbed it in my sister’s face when I got who marched with free cap and gowns. The home because she graduated from here three turnout for this year may be just as much, or semesters ago.” greater. Therefore, seeing this as a possible incentive for students who want to attend President of Seminole State College, Ann graduation instead of waiting for their McGee, Ph.D., said the executive team took diploma in the mail, Dr. McGee said she steps to make sure the students no longer talked with Student Affair’s Vice President needed to worry about limiting the number Marcia Roman, Ph.D., to try and have an of invitations to their graduation. No longer annual cut from the student activity budget would have to pay to share their success with in order to pay for cap and gowns. others. If her plan succeeds, future Seminole State “We [also] wanted to hold graduation in a students will never have to worry about an bigger form,” Dr. McGee said. “To have as extra expense of graduation again. many people as they wanted to attend and cheer them on by celebrating their hard However, since the process involves many work.” steps and individuals, it might be a while before it is approved, Dr. McGee said. The For more than 45 years, graduation has taken fees, she said, go into the student activities place in the Seminole State gymnasium, fund where the student activities board packing hundreds of students and their then decides how it is spent. Yet, since the families in the bleachers. So, for the first majority of the board is students who are time last year, graduation was held inside representing the rest of the student body and the 10,000-seat arena at the University may want this to happen as well, it may not of Central Florida, which seemed like a be as difficult to pass. practical solution for the Class of 2012’s 500 graduates. Students were no longer limited to Seminole State alumni Fatema Siwji said she only having two tickets and were allowed 10 did not mind graduating in the gym and it tickets or more. Plus, the smell of sweaty feet was close to home. from the school’s gym was no longer in the air. “I liked it at the gym,” Siwji said. “It’s down the street from my house which means less However, there is an added plus for this gas, less driving and no tolls like driving to year’s graduation: free caps and gowns for UCF. I liked it because it was not too big of a graduation. Dr. McGee said she approached crowd. My high school graduation was at the the executive board about using money from UCF arena and I felt as though it wasn’t as the student activity fund to provide free cap personal, but it was spacious.” and gowns for students.
The Editor Was Here I first want to give my condolences to the ones who were injured during the explosions at the Boston marathon. It seems as if bad news is the only news that is heard and read these days. Think about it. When something catastrophic, heartbreaking and horrifying happens, it’s on Twitter, Facebook, news outlets and even Huffington Post within minutespushing aside all the great news occurring at the same time. I am no statistician but the majority of the human species are obviously more intrigued by negative breaking news than positive. And it is no shocker that when I turn on NPR on my way home from work, the words I first hear are, “ Investigators believe a Jordanian Muslim was the master mind behind this explosion…” Surprised? I’m not. When will people realize that as soon as a bomb explodes, it may actually not have anything to do with Al Qaeda or the so-called word “jihadists” – which isn’t a real word by the way. Why has the world become so blind that the views of Muslims are enthralled by visions of explosions and terrorist attacks? Definition of a terrorist: One who terrorizes. Oh wait, I must have read that wrong because I do not see the word “Islam” or “Muslim” in there. Islam is nothing but a peaceful religion. When we greet our other brothers and sisters in faith, we say “Asalaym wa aliakum” which means peace be upon you. Not, I am going to count to ten and press this shiny red button so we both blow up and kill everyone in our perimeter. Yea no. Yes, unfortunately I do have to admit that there are appalling and atrocious people out there who do such vile tasks in the name of Islam. But just like the Pastor Terry Jones who wanted to burn Qurans and cause damnation to Islam in the name of Christianity, does not make all the Christians in the world terrorists. Right? Since this is my last column in The Scribe as editor in chief, I just want to end it on an educated and positive note. Please do not be close-minded and do not just jump to conclusions about anyone because of their faith.
Don’t spend this summer slacking! Get ahead of your classmates by enrolling in JOU 2930 Selected Studies in Journalism. Learn how to cover news stories with your smart phone, develop your storytelling talent - in words or pictures - and prepare yourself for a career in multimedia.
“But the vast majority stands against that darkness and, like white blood cells attacking a virus, they dilute and weaken and eventually wash away the evildoers and, more importantly, the damage they wreak. This is beyond religion or creed or nation. We would not be here if humanity were inherently evil. We’d have eaten ourselves alive long ago.” Patton Oswalt. Please share your ideas, complaints or comments to Sabira.Mawji13@gmail.com or tweet me @SabiraMawji -Sabira Mawji -Editor in Chief of The Seminole Scribe -www. SabiWasHere.com
BLOG: seminolescribe.blogspot.com
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US had 172 ‘IED’ incidents in last 6 months, government info says By: Matthew Schofield and Erika Bolstad McClatchy Newspapers
(MCT)WASHINGTON - The two explosions that killed three people and wounded more than 170 Monday in Boston were dramatic, the deadliest bombing in the United States since April 19, 1995, when a truck loaded with fertilizer blew up outside the federal building in Oklahoma City, killing 168. But the method of attack wasn’t particularly surprising to anti-terrorism experts: a homemade bomb that officials refer to as an IED, or improvised explosive device.
thousands of bullets and dozens of high-capacity ammunition magazines at the home of Everett Basham of Santa Clara, Calif. Authorities also reported finding what they describe as a homemade “destructive device.” Basham was charged with threatening to kill Sen. Leland Yee, a state lawmaker, over proposed gun-control legislation. A Democrat from San Francisco, Lee has proposed a law that would limit the sale of high-capacity magazines.
In rural western Pennsylvania, a man blew up himself with a device in his truck, leveling an acquaintance’s home. Prosecutors said the man had tried In fact, in the last six months, there have been 172 IEDs reported in the to commit suicide the previous summer with a 1,600-pound fuel bomb United States, according to a government count that an official revealed similar to one used to blow up the Oklahoma City federal building. Tuesday in answer to questions about U.S. preparedness. The official shared the figures, which were gathered before Monday’s explosion, only on the The day of the explosion, the man had faced charges of illegally possessing condition that neither the official nor the official’s office be identified. liquid ammonia for non-industrial or agricultural use, local newspapers reported. Some of the chemicals could be used to make explosives or The official shared information in an email that indicated most American methamphetamine. IED attacks were small: “Homemade fireworks, childish pranks and other such non-terror related activities.” In Arizona last Friday, authorities say, a package addressed to controversial Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio would have exploded if it had been But the information also notes that American officials have long understood opened, causing serious injury. the threat, and includes a warning that has been distributed to other agencies: “Expect IED attacks by Homegrown Violent Extremists (HVEs) The government official who provided details of his agency’s count of and individuals to continue throughout the United States. High profile IED attacks in the United States said there had been 31 in March, 23 in events will present additional targets for HVEs and other individuals.” February and 31 in January, though none as deadly or as high-profile as what occurred in Boston. According to the official, Afghanistan suffered The bombs in Boston were more powerful and deadlier than any seen in the far more IED attacks than any other nation but the United States had more United States in years. Even so, initial reports from investigators indicate such attacks than Israel, Somalia or Yemen. In fact, the United States trailed that they were made using gunpowder or black powder as an explosive, not only Afghanistan, Colombia, Pakistan, India and Syria in the sheer number higher grade and more dangerous explosives such as C-4, a military-grade of IEDs over the past six months. plastic explosive. In an introduction to a White House report on the threat of IEDs that was The explosives were packed into two pressure cookers, an increasingly released in February, President Barack Obama noted that it had been 20 popular container for bomb makers from Pakistan to the United States. A years since the 1993 World Trade Center attack, when an explosives-laden pressure cooker bomb allegedly was discovered in the Killeen, Texas, hotel van blew up in a parking garage, killing six people, and said a great deal of room of a soldier absent without leave from Fort Campbell, Ky., who later progress had been made in countering such weapons. was convicted of plotting a 2011 attack on Fort Hood, Texas. He added, however, that “We must not become complacent, but must Officials say that with the growth of Internet instruction videos on bomb continue to challenge ourselves and each other to be more effective against making, little stands between someone wanting to make a low-grade weapon these threats.” and being able to do so. “IEDs remain one of the most accessible weapons available to terrorists and A YouTube video titled “Easy Gunpowder Bomb” shows the viewer criminals to damage critical infrastructure and inflict casualties,” the White everything from extracting gunpowder from fireworks and bullets to setting House report said. a fuse. The video is narrated by a young man who answers a comment by noting that he was wearing shorts while filming the clip. “To better meet the IED threat at home, we will seek to incorporate lessons learned abroad,” it added. Another commenter asks: “Do you have video of it going off? How did it go?” The answer: It left a big hole in the backyard. Internationally, anti-IED efforts focus on denying would-be bombers access to chemicals and materials. Beyond that, U.S. policy relies on vigorous Officials say there are much more sinister bomb-making websites. One security screening and citizens reporting suspicious activity. online video shows a young man demonstrating how to make a cellphone detonator for a bomb. Investigators think that Monday’s bombs were set off James Clapper, the director of national intelligence, noted in March, with timing devices. however, that interest in using bombs continues. “Homegrown violentextremist planning in 2012 was consistent with tactics and targets seen The use of pressure cookers as bomb shells has become so common that in previous plots and showed continued interest in improvised explosive some Internet sites call them “trendy.” Officials have said they think that devices,” he said. Army Pvt. Naser Jason Abdo learned to make the pressure cooker bomb they say he intended to use at Fort Hood from instructions found in an al-Qaida online magazine. Abdo was sentenced last year to two consecutive sentences of life in prison, plus 60 years. Pressure cookers reportedly were used for bombs during the civil war in Nepal in the 1990s, and they were the method for a series of railcar bombings on July 11, 2006, in Mumbai, India, that killed more than 200 people. Daniel Byman, a terrorism expert at Washington’s Brookings Institution, when asked about the attack in Boston, noted simply: “There’s no surprise on the type of attack _ improvised bombs are very common.” Over the past few weeks alone, authorities across the country have investigated several explosions, threats or suspicious devices involving improvised bombs. The Boston Globe reported last month that police in a town south of Boston were investigating who had set off three homemade explosive devices. Several more undetonated explosives were unearthed after blasts were reported March 12. In mid-March, The Associated Press reported that police had found 26 guns,
Victims of the bomb blast during the Boston Marathon are assisted in Boston, Massachusetts, Monday, April 15, 2013. (Stuart Cahill/ Boston Herald/ MCT)
10 April 19, 2013
Congratulations! Nicole Goldman is your new SGA president We spoke with Nicole (Nikki) Goldman about her agenda for the 2013-2014 school year just before she was elected president of Student Government Association for the Sanford/Lake Mary campus. Contact her via Facebook: facebook.com/NikkiGoldman.SGAPresident
Why did you choose to run for SGA president? I distinctly remember thinking (just over 7 months ago) that since I had left high school, the chance to get involved with student government had long up and passed me. All of this changed during my first couple weeks of college here at Seminole State. I became involved with the Honors Institute, Leadership Retreats, the Art Club, the Environmental Initiative and eventually became a Campus Tour Guide. Now I have the greatest honor of being your SGA President. At the Welcome Back event during the first week of college, I met an enthusiastic guy in a clown wig (this was of course our ex-SGA President, Brandon Reed!). He invited me to attend a SGA meeting; since then, it has been rare that I miss one. I even made time during the spring semester so I wouldn’t have class. Many of my new friends and advisors began to pull me in even more; they saw potential in me and encouraged me to believe in myself. At first I was involved for a variety of ‘selfish’ reasons; I wanted to develop my own leadership skills and enrich my own college experience solely for my own benefit. y dream is to have every But once you get a taste of the thrill of involvement, you want it for Seminole State student allow everyone. I started to notice how much every student could benefit the opportunities here impact from it, how every student should know what opportunities/help is offered through departments and clubs/organizations at Seminole State. them, while they in turn Every student should know how to improve their college experience by impact the community and improving their leadership skills, volunteering, or making changes on each other. campus. It truly is the students’ future, make it memorable! Make it count Friends and family encouraged 100 percent!
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me to take the opportunity for presidency because of three main things; I care, I know what’s going on, and I have a unique open and level minded perspective. Their belief in me got me to say yes to one of the greatest opportunities of my life.
What is your agenda for the upcoming school year? The core of my agenda is to enrich the students’ college experience. It can be broken down into three main ideas, all of which require communication and collaboration from all parts of the school. • Be Aware. Communication and marketing are vital. Example: I want to create a clear visual image that explains and breaks down all the different aspects of Student Life, their functions, and how to contact them (several images may be needed). Some have described it as an umbrella; organizations above and clubs below. I believe it should look more like a web with the members of SGA pulling everything together. • Get Involved. Collaboration is key. Almost every part of college is self-initiated. Involvement in SGA is no different; if you don’t ask and look you simply won’t know. While marketing should help get the word out there, I plan on encouraging involvement of everyone; departments, organizations, clubs, and most importantly individual students. Don’t be scared to ask questions and give suggestions! Example: I plan to feature each department, think “Department of the Month”. Using resources such as the Scribe, Film Club, SGA meetings and orientation we can encourage students to take advantage of what’s offered. Many free things are over looked such as tutoring (Academic Success Center), admission into the Honors Institute (as well as PTK), or barrowing a net-book (Library). • Improve It. Truly it’s all improvement; building on the great things that are already here. But sometimes we need some change. Example: I strongly believe that everyone should secretly be an environmentalist; this is of course a farfetched ambition. The earth is our home and therefore we, as its future owners, need to be aware of our impact and make a difference. I plan on making ‘greener’ choices in policy where ever I can; it is the way of the future, a future we need to start now. Do you hope to make any changes to the way SGA operates? Yes, of course changes are always needed to meet the needs of the people. A few examples: • More interactive and public meetings and events (outside, for example) I want to reach and hear from as many students as I can! • Requiring SGA officers and encouraging the rest of student life to address a ‘specialist’ on every issue (for example: the Student Engagement Team would give advice on event planning because that is their specialty). • Redesigning the campaign/election process for next year. continued
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What sort of work is the SGA president responsible for? The purpose of SGA is to represent the student body, make their voice heard. Therefore the president’s job is to make sure this happens successfully. She/he must take the time to get to know the school and its parts, listen to the students and the administration/staff, and all the while have an open mind to understand all sides of any issue before developing a creative solution. What is your favorite part of SGA? I simply love and adore the people already involved with SGA. They are friendly, passionate, and driven. They strive for success for themselves and others; I would not be here without them! Thank-you! I hope to meet many more wonderful people! (If this sounds like you, email me for applications to be on my eboard!)
Suggestions? Shoot me an email at: nicoshea@live. seminolestate.edu.
I can help make a difference in your college experience.
What do you think your greatest difficulty will be as SGA president and also a student? My greatest difficulty as a student and prospective president is being too honest and my dislike of competition. Although these are also strengths in some respects, there is always a balance I have to work to get. Sometimes I may say things that are strictly factual and blunt. I have been told that these comments don’t always sound positive, although they are unintentional. As for competition, I was scared to death to campaign or rival anyone because I hate the idea of purposefully hurting anyone. I know in my heart that I will be as good as, if not better than anyone else. So I have decided to do my best, knowing that it will all work out. Do you plan to go into public service as a career? Presently I am obtaining my general A.A. degree. I have several interests, and because I have come to realize that people are a passion of mine, I look forward to working with many in the future.
Anything else you would like to add? We are a unique college because though we are now legally a state college; at heart we are still a community college. We are a diverse college of interests, ages, and experiences because Seminole State welcomes everyone through their doors and gives them the tools to succeed. Take your future in your hands and run with it, say yes to every opportunity you can!
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