Jan2512

TheYoungtownEdition COUNTY COLLEGE OF MORRIS AWARD-WINNING STUDENT NEWSPAPER

VOL. 88, NO. 1

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2012

RANDOLPH, N.J.

Gold Medalist, 2009 Columbia Scholastic Press Association • First Place General Excellence, 2010 NJPA

“May all your troubles last as long as your New Year’s resolutions.” -Joey Adams

The world is ending, do I still have to go to class?

Acting managing editor

HTTP://VOLTA.ARTLOG.ORG/EXHIBITOR/22

Money talks........ like a crazy person with pamphlets.

Index

January 2012, a new year, a new semester, and a chance for everyone to wipe the slate clean and start off fresh. Almost a whole month has gone by and while some of CCM’s students have abandoned their new year’s resolutions complete with planet fitness keychain IDs, others are busy hoarding away canned goods and bottled water in their fallout shelter.

The year 2012 is finally upon us. For years the media has been monopolizing on the fact that the Mayan calendar ends on December 21, 2012.

Why do we care when the Mayan calendar ends?

Well the Mayans were a civilization that was extremely technologically advanced and possessed uncanny degrees of knowledge ranging from mathematics to astronomy.

The fact that the Mayan calendar ends with such little explanation is almost as mysterious as the fact that no one really knows what happened to the Mayan people. It appears the Mayans just disappeared leaving very few relics from which to gain insight to their way of life.

What is known is that conspiracy theorists and doomsday prophets have had a grand old time predicting the end of time.

Theories range from the probable to the “are you smoking crack?” extremes. But since you may not be as cunning as John Cusack, or as good looking for the New World Order to choose you for breeding purposes, a little foresight may come in handy when fire begins to fall from the sky.

A popular theory is that toxic gases have polluted the atmosphere so heavily that soon no living organism will be able to survive on this planet. That is where our heroes step in, no not the environmentalists, the aliens!

Features 3 Opinions 2 Entertainment 4

They will help us by using their advanced technologies to help rid the atmosphere of several gases that could wipe out the human race. These aliens will then reveal themselves as our new leaders and feed off the sweet, sweet nectar that are our glandular secretions. Phil Schneider, an ex-military alien whistleblower, has said our glandular secretions are like cocaine to the aliens.

There is also the popular Nibiru theory that deals with aliens hiding behind some planet destined to collide with the earth causing an Extinction Level Event reminiscent of what killed off the dinosaurs.

Regardless of how crazy the alien talk may seem, sightings have increased over the last year. A YouTube search for UFO sightings will bring up various clips from reputable news organizations covering mass sightings worldwide.

Are they starting to reveal themselves?

Others believe the end of the Mayan calendar does not mean the literal end of the world, but the end of the world as we know it. In other words big changes are coming.

Conspiracy theorists believe it is the Illuminati, a secret society often linked to the Freemasons, which will bring about this change.

The idea is that the Illuminati have been secretly working within the upper echelons of govern-

ment. On December 21, they will initiate martial law and send all the rebels to death camps while allowing all their followers to live and be part of the New World Order.

What is the New World Order?

Just pretend Lex Luther and Hitler got together to form the most villaintastic take over the world has seen. Seriously, look it up.

The fact that President Obama recently signed the NDAA Martial Law Bill does give the theory a little bit to go on though. The bill allows for the indefinite imprisonment of anyone, yes even US Citizens, believed to be engaging in terrorist activity without a trial.

Well at least they haven’t starting building the death camps, or have they? A YouTube query for FEMA death camps may be a little unnerving.

On the religious side, churches all over the world are preparing for all sorts of events involving their God. The most common idea is that of a rapture-like event that zaps all the believers to heaven and leaves the rest of the world to suffer through the end of days.

Either way, whether the end is near or far the world will be watching that calendar like it is Y2K all over again. If you need me, I’ll be underground somewhere reading the Bible and the Qur’an front to back guarding every gland I have that secretes.

MOLINELIBRARYTEENS.WORDPRESS.COM

Aliens? Illuminati? Nope, my vote goes to Zombie Apocalypse.

News 3 Roving Reporter 2

Today’s Headlines

EDDIE VILLABON

Study shows video games may be messing with gamers’ heads

BRITFA.GS

Warning! Too much video game play can do this to you. Scary.

Violent video games may affect the brains of players, according to a study conducted in November by the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis .

For years, many people have argued that playing violent video games negatively affect those who play them, but little scientific evidence has proven such claims.

This evidence has been found due to a study that was presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America said Yang Wang, the assistant research professor in the Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

The study consisted of 28 adult males, aged 18 to 29, with little to no past exposure to video games. All the participants took a preliminary functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan.

The group was then randomly assigned into two smaller groups of 14.

The first group played an undisclosed shooting game for 10 hours at home for one week. They were to then refrain from playing any video games for the following week. The second group did

not play any video games during the two-week period.

Follow-up MRI scans were conducted after the first and second week of the test. During the scans, participants completed an emotional interference task, in which they were asked to press buttons according to the color of visually presented words. These words were a mixture of both violent and non-violent action words.

The results showed that after a week of playing video games, the first group showed less activity in the left inferior frontal lobe compared to their original scan and the scans of the second group that did not play any video games. The left inferior frontal lobe controls an individual’s cognitive flexibility and attention.

The scan after the second week showed the first group’s brain activity beginning to return to their original states and was closer to the results of the second group’s scans.

“These effects may translate into behavioral changes over longer periods of game play,” Wang said.

Though the study showed that violent video games do indeed affect the brains of players, the long-term effects are still unconfirmed.

CCM student excels in New Pfizer Internship Program

Repercussions of a disaster from Hurricane Irene

THOMAS RUSSELL Contributor

Yury Rincon overcame obstacles to achieve her dreams. Page 3

CCM student still feeling the effects five months later. Page 3

OPINIONS

Page 2 The Youngtown Edition

January 25, 2012

New Year’s resolutions: Easier said than done

BY LAUREN BOZZI Entertainment editor

BY EDDIE VILLABON •

photographer

Do you think the world is going to end and how?

Alex Castillo 18 Early Childhood Education “I think it’s all bull!”

Anthony Morin 19 Criminal Justice “It’s all hype.”

It’s 2012 and my New Year’s resolution is..(insert failed aspiration here). It may seem harsh, but the previous statement is not as farfetched as it may seem. It seems as though people think: “New year, New life!”, but it’s not that simple. If it were, we wouldn’t wait until New Year’s to make changes.

Aside from the fact that a New Year’s resolution is an awesome way to further procrastinate doing what we know we should, it truly can be used to better ourselves; when done correctly, of course.

Instead of creating resolutions like: “Lose 30 pounds,” or “Get out of debt,” we should make small resolutions that can

THE STUDENT VOICE

Jessica Rivas 18 Biology “I don’t put a lot of thought into things like that. I just don’t think it will happen.”

A message from the SGA

PETER PELIOTIS Representative

Michelle 20 Early Childhood Education “I think it’s all done just to put fear in people.”

Sarah 19 Fashion Merchandising “No, it’s all just to sell books and movies.”

Tyler 20 Humanities “People think extraordinary things are happening, like all the birds that died at once, but they’re not.”

The Youngtown Edition The Student Newspaper of the County College of Morris County College of Morris • Mail Station SCC 226 214 Center Grove Rd., Randolph, NJ 07869-2086 Phone #: (973) 328-5224 Fax #: (973) 361-4031 E-mail: theyoungtownedition@yahoo.com Acting Editor in Chief...................................................... Alice Peterson Acting Managing Editor............................. Joseph Pohl, Eddie Villabon Acting Business Manager.................................................... Jenna Sopko News Editor......................................................................................Open Features Editor.................................................................................Open Acting Entertainment Editor.............................................Lauren Bozzi Sports Editor....................................................................................Open Photography Editor.........................................................................Open Layout Editor...................................................................................Open Copy Editor......................................................................................Open Communications Manager................................................Joseph Felano Technical Adviser...............................................................Wilma Martin

lead us to the ultimate goal. This way, we can feel proud of our little accomplishments, and the long term goal won’t feel so out of reach. One example could be: drink 8 glasses of water a day, another could be: make coffee at home instead of going to Dunkin’ Donuts every morning.

When we make realistic goals for ourselves, it is much easier to stick to them.

It is also a great confidence-booster when we accomplish a goal, and it gives us the incentive to tackle the next. Once the general public accepts the idea that resolutions should be attainable, short-term goals, maybe they’ll stop shelling out hundreds of dollars on gym memberships that are forgotten almost as quickly as they were purchased.

Last semester, our student government organized several events such as International Week and a seminar on our test piloting of Planga, a college social network currently exclusive to only few schools (ours being the only community college). We also gathered students’ opinions on the new water bottle filling stations, the smoking policy, and countless suggestions concerning student e-mail, Blackboard, and Web Advisor.

Over the past months, our senate has been working through ways we can reform policies and facilities to make the students’ experience as enjoyable as pos-

sible during their time at CCM. We’ve even gone as far as taking measures to improve the food selection in our cafeterias to offer more vegetarian options. We also met with key officials to keep book prices as low as possible in our book store.

We have come a long way but there is still much left to do.

Spring semester brings us new challenges as well as new opportunities. Student government has been planning a “Mr. and Miss CCM” as well as a volleyball competition complete with sponsorship to act as a fundraisers.

We will also continue to listen to students in order to further improve campus life and we encourage anyone interested to become involved whether it

be through attaining a position in student government, joining a club, or supporting one of our fundraisers.

County College of Morris is much more than just a place you go to attend classes. Our campus is filled with activities and people to meet. If you’re interested in joining the student government, helping with a fundraiser, or just finding something fun to do; come visit our office located downstairs in the student center or e-mail SGA@student.ccm.edu.

And as always, if you have any suggestions or comments about life on campus, we’d love to hear them! On behalf of the student government, I’d like to say Happy New Year and let’s make this a great semester!

The Creative Corner T

he Creative Corner is a segment in The Youngtown Edition designed for CCM students to submit their creative works either for class or recreationally. This is a segment dedicated to the ideas of the student body. It is designed for CCM students to show off their creative side. Everyone is unique in their own way, whether or not you draw, write, or blog.

If you enjoy writing short stories or poems on your own time, or even if you wrote a poem for class and want others to read it, send it in to the Creative Corner. The option to submit poems or stories anonymously also stands. Maybe you are a jock and you feel too embarrassed to share your poetry or stories with your friends but you still want to share it with the world; the best place to start is at your own school. Show CCM what you’ve got and get recognition in the newspaper.

To send your piece of creativity to the Creative Corner all you have to do is attach the .doc file to an e-mail and send it to theyoungtownedition@gmail.com. Someone will get back to you in a matter of days and let you know when your work will be featured in the school newspaper. The Creative Corner is for blogs, poems, stories, essays, drawings, and more. It’s what the student body makes it!

Staff:

Daniel Chardon, Thomas Russell, Luciana Cornejo

Adviser: Mindy Drexel The Youngtown Edition is printed every other Wednesday during the fall and spring semester. Unless specified, the opinions of the editorial page are those of the editorial board.

Signed letters to the editor of 250 words of fewer are welcome and should be dropped off on a disk in the Youngtown mailbox in SCC 226 or e-mailed to theyoungtownedition@yahoo.com.

All students are welcome to contribute articles to The Youngtown Edition either in person or via e-mail. However, students cannot receive a byline if they belong to the organization on which they are reporting. Writers must include a telephone number where they can be reached. The deadline for submission is the Wednesday prior to the date of publication.

BLOG.DISCOVERYEDUCATION.COM

January 25, 2012

FEATURES

The Youngtown Edition Page 3

Repercussions of a disaster from Hurricane Irene

BY JOSEPH POHL Acting managing editor

JOSEPH POHL

Almost five months have passed since Hurricane Irene and I can still feel the effects that this disaster has left behind. The house I once called my own is now referred to as my parents’ house.

After living with my girlfriend’s family during the beginning of the so called “reconstruction” of my one time house, it was time to make a difficult decision—continue living in my parent’s house with my girlfriend or take the next step in my life.

After some careful and relatively uncomfortable thought, I made the decision.

I moved into my own apartment with my girlfriend and now have to rely on my unemployment paychecks to pay my bills. Although I like living on my own and I wanted to move out eventually,

the hurricane forced me into an earlier departure from the more ideal situation.

The house in Manville that was left with only half of a foundation still has not been finished since that horrific day. When I was visiting my childhood home last weekend, my parents still had cabinets in boxes lying all over the kitchen and my old room looked like a section of Home Depot.

Tools, sheetrock, and plywood were lying all over the floor where my bed used to be. Every time I walk into that room, it is like watching my memories disappear because it does not look anything like the room I used to sleep in at night.

Every weekend is like working on the home makeover show; except that this house used to be mine. Every room on the mid-level floor had to be re-insulated and have new sheetrock put in to replace half of the wall that was not there anymore.

My parents, their neighbors, my grandparents, my sister, my girlfriend and I have all spent a lot of time trying to put my parents’ life back together.

It is finally starting to look like a house again now with all the walls painted and a new carpet that was just put down—it took only four and half months to accomplish.

My parents have had to use all the money they received from FEMA, plus more. The total figure is around $30,000 that my poor parents had to put back in their house. That’s around how much it would cost to put on an addition to your house but for my parents this was just to make it livable again.

As for me, the apartment has forced me to become more independent then I’ve ever needed to be. I went from living at home rent free, to paying electric, cable, and internet bills—not a very easy transition.

I now cook dinner every night for my girlfriend and me; food shopping has also become part of my weekly routine. I felt like I became a homemaker overnight.

The changes that have occurred since the hurricane have been hard for everyone and it continues to affect our lives even now -- and probably for months in the future.

CCM Student Excels in New Pfizer Internship Program Yury Rincon of Dover arrived in this country from Colombia at the age of 10 knowing no English and with only her mother by her side. Today at 21 she is a successful student at County College of Morris (CCM) with a 3.3 grade point average who has paved the way for other chemistry students at CCM to benefit from an internship at Pfizer.

One of two students to take part in CCM’s first internship program at Pfizer last summer, she knows the value of such hands-on experience.“Adding this internship to my resume is giving me a real advantage,” says Rincon. “It also has allowed me to become a leader at CCM by giving me confidence in my techniques.

Everything that I have learned at CCM, I was able to put into practice at Pfizer.”

It was not until she arrived at CCM that Rincon discovered her ability to succeed in science. Working part-time as a pharmacy technician, she was intrigued by the world of pharmaceuticals, from the derivatives of their names, to their chemical compositions. But science and math were not her strong suit.

Then she took a math course at CCM and was encouraged by her professor, Dale Garlick, to take Calculus II. Similarly, in her chemistry class she was encouraged by Professor Janet Johannessen to keep asking questions. “Her comment was that if I had a question, other students also were sure to have the same question.”

As an Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) student, Rincon also took advantage of the academic support services pro-

vided by the EOF staff.

“My first semester here was not so successful, but the attention I have gotten here, what I have experienced here, has really made a difference,” she says.

Her grades became so good that they, along with her strong determination, earned her the internship at Pfizer, along with another student who graduated from CCM last May. The internship was created through the relationships Professor Anthony DiStasio has established through CCM’s Industrial Advisory Committee for Biotechnology. His hope is that similar internships will be created at other leading companies in the area.

While the support Rincon has found at CCM has been critical to her success, she notes that it is her mother, Yolanda Merchan, who has provided her with the inspiration and motivation to succeed.

“My mom made a lot of sacrifices so I could get a good education. She was a manager of a healthcare facility in Colombia but gave that up to bring me to the United States so I could attend schools here,” says Rincon.

Rincon’s goal is to become a pharmacist and develop a career in the regulatory arena. Along with the practical experience she received from her internship, another benefit was the chance it gave her to talk with established scientists. “It showed me that what I am going through, others have gone through and they made it.”

JOSEPH POHL

Lose Something??

The following items can be claimed in the Lost and Found located in the Public Safety Building, 973-328-5550: Clothes, Phones, Jewelry, Books, Purse, Ipod, Calculators, Dictionary, CDs, Cassette Recorder, Art supplies, Radio and Stealth cam

Page 4 The Youngtown Edition

ENTERTAINMENT

‘Young Adult’ gives audiences a bitter taste of reality LAUREN BOZZI Entertainment editor

Mavis Gary, played by Charlize Theron, is a 37-year-old exprom queen who depicts not only the stereotypical popular girl, but also the materialistic country we live in. She is a ghostwriter for a series of Young Adult books (Gossip Girl, The Clique, Ect.) and has more in common with the preteens reading her series than an actual adult. While writing the last book in the series, she is overwhelmed with the urge to win back her high school sweetheart, and travels back to her hometown to do so.

One of the major issues that affected “Young Adult” was the way it was promoted. It was advertised as being a comedy, but proved to be much less of a feel-good movie than the trailer depicted.

In fact, this is one of those movies that with its conclusion, THEDAILYROTATION.COM forces the viewer to do a bit of unMavis Gary, played by Charlize Theron, at the bar. wanted introspection. It is a film that it less focused on leaving the Who would want to be stuck sympathiz- but her good looks are enough to get her viewer satisfied with the cliche “happy ing with her? by. ending,” and more focused on giving The plot of the movie, as simple as I attribute the bad reviews of this the audience a look at what can happen it was, gave the film room to draw atten- film to the preconceived notion that it when people don’t grow up. tion to Mavis’s horrible character traits, would be a humorous, up-beat comedy.

Furthermore, the film encompasses while it criticized commercial America. Theron, who blew many of our minds in another unorthodox trait: The audience With mindless reality shows constantly her portrayal of Aileen Wuornos in the is persuaded to dislike the protagonist. being played in the background (Kar- film “Monster,” portrayed the self-cenSince it is typical for the audience to dashian’s, Kendra) and a diet coke per- tered Mavis Gary to perfection. There form somewhat of a relationship with petually placed in Mavis’s hand, it was were times in the film when the audience or understanding of the lead, it seems as a reminder of just how shallow and could have almost liked her, but she sucthough the audience was taken off-guard commercially-influenced our society cessfully ruined it each and every time; by the blatant inability to like Theron in has become. It is clear that no matter kudos to Theron. If you can take the the film. She is the epitome of the popu- how self-destructive Mavis could be, her film for what it is, you will find that its lar, beautiful, egocentric girl that every- only priority is outer appearance. She is unusual quirks are what make it worth one can remember hating in high school. absolutely nasty to everyone around her, watching. Four stars.

New York Theatre Ballet to Hold Mini-Residency at County College of Morris The New York Theatre Ballet (NYTB) will be holding a mini-residency at the County College of Morris (CCM) on Friday, February 3, for CCM students and Saturday, February 4, for children and the general public.

On Saturday, February 4, from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m., children’s dance workshops will be offered by CCM dance majors and NYTB company members will visit for an Alice in Wonderland character meet and greet in the CCM Student Community Center Davidson Rooms.

The classes are appropriate for children ages 5 – 11 at various levels of experience. A $10 donation requested at the door will support the CCM Dance Club.

At 2 p.m., NYTB will perform the Once Upon A Ballet: The Alice-In-Wonderland Follies in the CCM Dragonetti auditorium. This one-hour ballet is designed especially for children and is perfect for introducing young people to the grace and beauty of classical dance.

A question-and-answer session with the cast will follow the performance.

Tickets are $20 for general admission and $15 for children, students, seniors and CCM alumni.

At 7:30 p.m., NYTB will perform its highly acclaimed Signatures series including classic masterpieces and contemporary ballets by some of the greatest choreographers in dance history.

This season’s Signatures repertory features The Moor’s Pavane and A Rugged Flourish. José Limón’s The Moor’s

Pavane, danced to the music of Henry Purcell, is cited by critics the world over as Limón’s masterpiece. The ballet captures the drama and passion of Shakespeare’s Othello in a timeless portrayal of love and betrayal. British choreographer Richard Alston created A Rugged Flourish especially for NYTB and set it to Aaron Copland’s Piano Variations. A Rugged Flourish premiered last season to rave reviews.

Selected repertory will be accompanied by live music.

The New York Times’ Alastair Macaulay called Alston “one of the most musically astute choreographers alive” and hailed the ballet as “accomplished, full of interesting detail...” Tickets are $25 for general admission and $20 for children, students, seniors and CCM alumni.

“Not since CCM hosted the Shaolin Warriors in 2009 has the college put on such a big cultural event,” noted Colleen McArdle, coordinator of Special Events at CCM and presenter of this cultural event. “It’s a wonderful chance for our students and the community at large to see works that are often only viewed via video or by taking at trip to New York.

To have this in our own back yard is a special treat. What is particularly noteworthy is the opportunity these performances provide to see classical dance accompanied by live music as it was always meant to be.”

NYTB is the most widely seen

chamber ballet company in the United States. The company has earned national acclaim for its restoration and revival of small masterworks by renowned choreographers including Frederick Ashton, Merce Cunningham, Agnes de Mille, José Limón and Antony Tudor, and for its innovative 60-minute ballets based on children’sliterature.

Tickets can be purchased at the door, online at www.ccm.edu/events or by calling 973- 328-5076.

CCM.EDU

January 25, 2012

Out with the old, in with the prints LUCIANA CORNEJO Contributer

After the harsh, cold, storms of winter, spring is warming things up with fresh, quirky print trends. Prints have completely revolutionized fashion; ranging from wild leopard prints, smooth python prints, Flora prints, to plain polka dots. These fun and trendy prints will make sure you don’t get lost in the crowd.

Animal prints have transitioned from being mainly upper-wear garments, to: bottom-wear, shoes, jewelry, and even scarves. These animal prints are clothing made to look like the fur and pattern of animals such as the leopard, cheetah and zebra. These fierce prints can be tamed down with plain solid colors. When looking at an outfit that has a leopard top, it is regularly followed with solid skinny jeans, or black leggings. Since the leopard print has such a bold design, everything complementing it must be toned down.

Moving onto a more sleek style, python prints, or snake skin, are popping up in accessories. Since the texture of a snake is smooth and hard, this print is mostly found in purses, belts and shoes. Snake prints can be worn throughout all seasons, and can turn a simple outfit into an eye-catching masterpiece. According to Style.com, designers such as Givenchy, Roberto Cavalli, and Moschino have loved experimenting with python prints.

With spring comes the blossoming of bright, colorful life. This is represented in Flora prints, commonly known as floral prints. These prints demonstrate a vibrant vision of the colors of life.

This season, the floral prints are quirkier and oddly abstract, highlighted with hyper colors. The distorted floral prints are further enhanced with neon colors, such as electric teal to golden citrus.

Prints have completely developed into a hot new trend that’s shown not only through clothing, but also through accessories. Mixing and matching with prints is easy and results in a stylish, chic outfit. Since they can be simply combined with many items, the trend’s popularity has increased sufficiently. Prints are bold and distinguished among other patterns, and allow fashion to enhance nature’s pattern.

Work of Local Artist and Professor Creates a Place of Serenity at CCM Barry Zawacki of Mountain Lakes brings the “Spirit of the West” to the East in a solo exhibition at the County College of Morris (CCM) gallery.

The exhibit features pottery, paintings and sculpture inspired by the forms, textures, colors and landscapes of Colorado and the desert southwest.

A sense of serenity fills the gallery through the simplicity and understated elegance of each piece created by Zawacki.

“Simplicity is the core of my approach,” says Zawacki, who teachers ceramics at CCM. “In my painting and pottery, the visual relationships of color, proportions and form are the primary focus.

It is a conviction to the strength of a simple visual statement. Visual clutter, social innuendoes and psychological metaphors play no role in my visual images and forms. Each piece is open to personal interpretation by the viewer.”

Along with the exhibit, Zawacki has created a video about his work that can be found on YouTube. The exhibit is free and open to the public and on display through the month of January. The gallery is located in the Learning Resource Center (library) on CCM’s Randolph campus, 214 Center Grove Road.

Zawacki earned his B.A. in art education from the University of Northern Colorado and his MFA in painting from the University of Denver. He has done extensive post-graduate studies in illustration and ceramics at the Parson’s School of Design and at workshops and residencies at Bennington College, Montclair State University and the Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass, Colorado.

A gallery of his pottery can be found at americanpotters.com