The Youngtown Edition COUNTY COLLEGE OF MORRIS AWARD-WINNING STUDENT NEWSPAPER
VOL. 87, NO. 1
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 2011
RANDOLPH, N.J.
Gold Medalist, 2009 Columbia Scholastic Press Association • First Place General Excellence, 2010 NJPA
“Genius is 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration.” -Thomas A. Edison
The word disaster through his eyes Managing editors
Hurricane Irene for many living in North Jersey was just a fly-by-night mixture of heavy wind and rain. While some lost power for a couple days, many never lost it at all. By the time Irene made it’s third US landfall here in New Jersey it had been downgraded to a tropical storm. The comments on Facebook newsfeeds ridiculing all the preparation and hysteria associated with Irene grew as the storm made its way out of New Jersey. County College of Morris student Joseph Pohl was not one of the fortunate individuals able to disavow Irene’s presence. In the aftermath, Pohl, like many others, was forced to return to a home deemed unlivable due to flooding. His hometown of Manville, surrounded by the Raritan and Millstone Rivers, had turned into a Waterworld overnight. What the fortunate residents of New Jersey do not realize is that Irene caused substantial amounts of damage and some people not only lost power, 56 lost their lives. Pohl is now forced to deal with alternate living and commuting arrangements and is operating a few new make-shift means.
Index
Pohl provided this account of what he considers tragedy through his eyes: If you were to drive down the streets of my hometown of Manville on August 29, you would have seen looks of utter shock and confusion plastered on its citizens’ faces. All it took was one day to completely turn this town and its people upside down. Hurricane Irene hit the onesquare-mile town of Manville in the middle of the night on August 28 and by late morning the extensive damage had already been done. The Raritan and Millstone rivers, which surround Manville, had engulfed a good portion of the town in its waters by noon that same day. The two rivers rose one foot every 20 to 30 minutes from 9 a.m. to noon, according to some of the townspeople. Every citizen in danger of being flooded watched intently either in person, on T.V., or online praying it would eventually stop. Unfortunately for the citizens of Manville, the rivers did not stop
Features 3 Opinions 2
rising until it left most of the town distraught. But to truly understand the gravity of this storm’s effects, you would have had to live through the experience. I did. • As I waited in the hotel room my parents booked for that weekend, my heart raced and I grew extremely anxious while I watched the hurricane coverage on the news. 24 hours later, after the storm had ripped through Manville and the rivers started to recede, my family and my girlfriend and I drove into town. The rivers still consumed some of the streets in town, which in turn, began one of the longest walks of my life. We had to walk over the train tracks and through some woods to reach my house. All I could smell was sewage and muddy water. Each step felt like an hour because I feared what was at the end of this journey. We finally reached our street and I could feel an emptiness in my stomach as some of the neighbors looked at us in sorrow. They knew something awful happened. I arrived at the gate to my house, took a deep breath and opened it. As I looked down my heart dropped so hard that it failed to beat, for which felt like five minutes. Hurricane Irene had demolished one quarter of our house’s foundation and my house was deemed unlivable for human oc-
cupancy. Everyone in my family was shocked, dumbfounded and heartbroken. The day went on and shock eventually turned into sadness as I watched my father sit on the steps of our house with a look of complete hopelessness. This man who had worked hard his whole life to own his own house—this house—never thought it would be destroyed in the blink of an eye. But unfortunately, the damage did not end there. • A little over three weeks have passed since that painful day, and normalcy, at the moment, is still in the distance. Currently my family, my girlfriend and I live with our relatives in separate areas. Clothes in tubs and garbage bags in each of our cars is the norm at the moment. Torn apart by the storm, we just hope for the best everyday. FEMA, which is a disaster relief program, finally has granted my finally money to repair the considerable amount of damage that had been done. Now contractors, electricians, plumbers and carpenters have to be called to fix this tragedy that was once referred to as home. Will the grant money be enough? How long will it take? Questions, there are plenty, but at the moment, all go unanswered. Well I pray that not one of you have to experience anything like this in your lifetime and hopefully this will be the last time for me.
JOSEPH POHL
More of the devastation in Manville caused by Hurricane Irene
Still no ‘dislike’ button ALICE PETERSON Editor-in-chief
Many users have been complaining about the recent changes made to Facebook’s interface, as has been witnessed on many news feeds and friends lists all over. A large majority of the comments made in response to the changes have been negative. Many people have said they will be switching to the relatively-new Google+. Timeline, one of the new changes uses another new feature, a ticker, to identify what someone is doing while on the social network. For example it can tell if you’re streaming a movie from the Internet or reading up on chemistry. That said many users feel their privacy is being compromised to an extreme at this point. Some of the smaller changes include putting the most active news at the top of the user’s homepage. These changes have been made so that Facebook can compete with Google+, which is using the same systems to integrate life and interest.
“I think what Facebook is trying to do is innovative and it would be a good idea if they could find a better way to integrate the changes they make. They make them without warning, and then they make even more changes without letting everyone get used to the previous ones,” CCM student Alexandra Castiglia said when asked for her own opinion on the matter. “I also think Facebook should have an options menu, where users can choose which features and layout they enjoy best,” she said. Not many others seemed to have had such a level-headed response to the changes. As with most web sites, change is often inevitable. However, most people get used to them and eventually can’t even remember what the site looked like prior to the updates. Especially in the days of 2011, changing times mean changing measures, and with the army of Google+ developers on the horizon get ready for not just another update, but a revolution in social networking. Stay tuned for coverage of Google+, the world’s largest search engine turned social.
Attention The Youngtown Edition is now on Facebook and Twitter.
JOSEPH POHL
Search for The Youngtown Edition on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter @TheYoungtown
Flooding on Main Street in Manville, NJ on August 28, 2011
News 4 Roving Reporter 2
Today’s Headlines
EDDIE VILLABON AND JOSEPH POHL
CCM student takes home prize
Students design a café for the National Historic Landmark Page 4.
Benefits of honors classes
Read why an honors course might be good for you Page 4.
Page 2 The Youngtown Edition
BY EDDIE VILLABON • Acting Managing Editor What would you like to see improved or added to the Youngtown? Bolivar Reyes 20 Communications “A way to start our own college community, a way to share what’s going on in the latest events.” Daniella Montoya 19 International Studies “Travel would be cool, a way to do it on a budget.”
Tiffany Deturo 18 Fashion Design “Definitely more jokes that will get people laughing, then they would get more into it. Horoscopes would be cool too.” Joe Petrozzino 18 Graphic Design “A spotlight where you could meet other musicians that don’t have a project right now. You could always hook up with them and get something going” Kathleen Vargo 18 Exercise Science “I would say sports, inside and outside of the school though”
Mitchell Kerstetter 18 Computer Science “I’ve never read it so improvement-wise I wouldn’t care. But as far as what’s in it could be anything.” To see these interviews and more go to our Facebook Page: Youngtown Edition
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........................Eddie Villabon and Joseph Pohl Acting Business Manager.................................................Lauren Nelson News Editor.................................................................................... OPEN Features Editor............................................................................... OPEN Entertainment Editor.................................................................... OPEN Sports Editor.................................................................................. OPEN Photography Editor....................................................................... OPEN Layout Editor................................................................................. OPEN Copy Editor.................................................................................... OPEN Communications Manager............................................................ OPEN Technical Adviser...............................................................Wilma Martin
Staff:
Mike Mainenti, Joe Mauti, Megan Lauther, Melanie Cenicola, Sandra Pledger, Lauren Bozzi, Joe Felano 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.
OPINIONS
September 28, 2011
Does the Republican Party have the candidates to take down Obama? MIKE MAINENTI contributor
Minimum government, less regulation, tax cuts, spending cuts, and the repeal of “Obamacare” are among the Republican Presidential candidates’ favorite topics, but are these the policies that the American people really want? The GOP 2012 candidates participated in three major televised debates over the past five weeks. From the looks of it, we are beginning to see what candidates are going to be around as the Republican Party chooses their nominee to run against President Obama for the 2012 Presidential election. First and foremost, Rick Perry is the governor of Texas and the consensus is you either love him or hate him. Perry is currently leading all of the other Republican candidates in the polls. The question though, are his extremely conservative views going to sit well with the majority of Americans? Perry’s biggest talking point to voters is that since June 2009 more than 40 percent of all net new jobs in America have been created in Texas. A more in-depth look at the data shows that the increase of jobs has not kept up with Texas’s rising population. This reveals that the state’s unemployment rate is increasing, according to
the non-partisan website, factcheck.org. It is also important to note that Texas is one of the states with the highest percentage of workers paid at or below minimum wage. The Texas governor has also received a lot of negative criticism from both sides of the aisle regarding his statements about the country’s Social Security program, calling it a “ponzi scheme.” These types of remarks are not going to attract voters who depend on a Social Security check each month just to get by. Like many other conservatives, Governor Perry believes less government can solve just about any problem the country faces. This is simply dangerous talk. Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts, is just behind Perry in recent polls. People have been quoted as saying he “looks like a president.” Unfortunately looks can only take one so far. Romney has “all the answers” in relation to fiscal responsibility. If elected president, he assures that federal spending will be cut and taxes will be reduced (for the wealthiest Americans). Most economists will agree that this does not benefit the nation because there must be some type of balanced system in order to create revenue. Money
needs to be generated one way or the other. Therefore cutting taxes and spending will only lead to more damage. Romney shares the same theories as most republicans when it comes to health care. They believe the private sector is the key to improving the nation’s health care system. Clearly this is far from the truth. The nation’s health care system is financially “broke” and there are countless stories of Americans who have to battle with health insurance companies every day, just to get coverage. Although Rick Perry and Mitt Romney seem to be running away with the race, their views are not a whole lot different from the other candidates. Unfortunately there are no real solutions coming from these nominees. It’s the same old talk of tax cuts for Corporate America, which most average Americans are sick of hearing. The Census Bureau has recently released chilling data that 1 in 6 Americans are living in poverty. Hopefully, American voters will keep this in mind and realize that these Republican candidates are only about big business, not the people.
Transferring into CCM: is it really so bad? MELANIE CENICOLA contributor
High school seniors, recent high school graduates, and international students are just some of the people who make up the College County of Morris population. Another chunk of the student population is transfer students like me. After two years at a fouryear college, The University of Delaware to be exact, I decided to change my major from nursing to communications. My parents were less than thrilled and thought it would be best for me to come home to save money. That’s how I ended up here at CCM. When you make a big change like that, your friends, family and pretty much everyone else you know ask how the change has been and if it’s a lot to deal with. Here’s how I see it. At first transferring from a four-year school to a community college can be a bit of a culture shock. You go from living on your
own with some of your closest friends to living back at home. All of a sudden you have your mom hovering over you again saying, “Don’t you have any homework to do?” or “When are your classes? What time will you be home today?” At least that’s what it’s like in my house. People generally do not hang around at the school like they do at other colleges, myself included. For the most part you see people heading to class right when it starts and leaving right when they are done. Also the chances of you hanging out with people you meet in class on your free time is a lot smaller here than it was at my other school. You have your “in school” friends, as I like to call them, but they aren’t the people you would call up to see on the weekend. Aside from the social differences of the school, the school itself was much easier to adjust to. Compared to most four-year colleges, the CCM campus is small. This makes getting lost almost
impossible and it doesn’t take long to learn your way around which is comforting in a new environment. In addition to a small campus, the class sizes are also substantially smaller. Some general education classes at other schools can have upwards of 300 people in them. This can make learning material rather difficult, but at CCM that’s never a problem. My only real problem with the school itself is the fact that I have to drive an hour everyday to get here. It’s not that I mind the driving as much as I dislike the amount of money I’m paying for gas every month. But that’s just me. It’s clear that transferring home can have some benefits as well as disadvantages, but just like everything else in life, it’s what you make of it. After nearly two full semesters at CCM, I can honestly say the transfer process was not as bad as everyone makes it sound.
September 28, 2011
FEATURES
The Youngtown Edition Page 3
RESTAURANT REVIEW
Tabor Road Tavern cooks to impress MEGAN LAUTHER Contributor
When you are hungry and want to break away from your usual fare, Tabor Road Tavern in Morris Plains is a superb alternative. The menu is fairly small, but offers some exciting twists on classic favorites. Â If you are looking for dishes a little more outside of the box, the special menu is the place to look. The ingredients are fresh and everything is made in-house, from the bread to the desserts. The bread basket includes some interesting and surprising choices, including pretzel rolls, raisin bread and mini corn muffins. The appetizers and salads are inventive, with a unique combination of ingredients and variety of flavors. Although the selection of entrees is small, it is not restrictive. Different types of meat, poultry and fish are all offered, so there is sure to be something for everyone. Whichever you choose, it will be fresh and cooked well. Most often the star of the dish is not the choice of meat or fish. The accompaniment is the portion of the dish that will tickle your taste buds. The sides and the sauces are creative, from the pumpkin seed pesto, lentils, or creamy grits with roasted yellow corn. The flavors are simple, yet complex at the same time. They dance on your tongue. A perfect finish to the meal is a
YALECHINA.CMARKET.COM
The Tabor Road Tavern.
choice of one of the homemade desserts. The donuts with raspberry dipping sauce are playful, light and nothing short of delicious. The service is good and the wait staff is knowledgeable. They work on a team system, with two servers assigned to your table. The purpose behind this seems foggy, as often times you only are helped by one of the servers, and the counterpart is never to be seen or heard from. Despite this small detail, you receive the service that you would expect from a restaurant such as Tabor Road Tavern. Entrees start around $20 and chances are you will want to have a three-course meal since the appetizers, salads and desserts are just as mouthwatering as the entrees. There is no dollar menu here, so you may want to make this a special occasion dinner destination. It is difficult to be disappointed with any of the choices at such a delightful jewel in Morris County. It is not so much a secret, so it is best to make reservations.
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NEWS
September 28, 2011
Visit your colleges without CCM Student takes first place in design it having to be a ‘road trip’ competition SANDRA PLEDGER contributor
With more than 200 colleges in attendance, the Morris County Regional College Fair held Sunday, Sept. 18 turned out to be a significant success for students and parents alike, as they searched for the best options available to earn their college degrees. Parent Sandy Giercyk was more than happy to attend this years fair, saying, “It helped that I didn’t have to drive six hours to investigate a college; they were all here today, and I was able to narrow my choices down.” Also being offered were several workshops that included The Fundamentals of College Admissions, NCAA Athletic Eligibility, College Admissions Process for Students with Disabilities, and The Fundamentals of Financial Aid. Judy Demonico who was attending with her son Don said the workshops were so informative
and wonderful. “To be able to get the information needed from the workshops put our fears to rest,” she said. There was an array of options available from traditional to non-traditional choices, including culinary learning, arts and photography, health sciences and technical schools that gave out information to those interested. Mandi DaDona from the Culinary Institute of America was on hand to tell prospective students how their college was a world primer culinary experience giving students hands-on skills along with the superior reputation that comes with their degree. Parent Ariel Marrero of Randolph was there scouting colleges for his daughter Tiffany. “Because of this fair I now have six final choices,” he said. Student Michael Kaufmann from Morris Hills stated that the fair was well organized and staffed. He was there exploring
his options for a brighter future. Volunteer Ilana Kurtin was very helpful in giving directions and handing out programs for the event. “I want to be a part of everything. I like being a part of the energy of what’s going on,” she said. Brett Levine, Director of Guidance from Madison High School was on hand to guide all volunteer students to make sure things continued to run well. Michelle Garrigan from The Savannah College of Art and Design said, “We want our students to be employed after graduation.” With effective organization and skilled volunteers, The County College of Morris has yet to be outdone in their quest to give back to the community. Providing an opportunity for those who came out to explore numerous colleges without the difficulties of traveling put many parents and future college students at ease.
Need a challenge? Try an honors course EDDIE VILLABON Managing editor
Are you finding school to be extremely boring and tedious? Maybe it isn’t you, it might be the classes you are taking. The County College of Morris offers honors courses that can be the challenge you need to ignite your passion for your area of study. Honors courses are available to both full-time and part time students. You may take as many courses as you want. You can even receive an Honors degree. Even if you do not want to pursue an honors degree, they are a great way to supplement your college transcript. This could help students who have blemishes on their transcript and are looking to transfer to another school. Scholarships are also available for students who have demonstrated their academic prowess through honors courses. These are extremely useful for students seeking education at a four-year college or university with high tuition rates. Students looking to attain an honors degree are required to take 16 credits in communications, humanities, social science, mathematics, and science for an Associate in Applied Science. For an Associate in Arts, Associate in Fine Arts, or Associate in Science the requirement is 21 credits in the same areas of study mentioned. The classes are smaller and students get to work with some of the school’s most knowledgeable professors. Honors courses present an opportunity to explore a specific discipline. In other words you can begin to build
on your level of expertise early. They consist of the more general education courses that are required for most degrees. Therefore it isn’t much of a risk enrolling in an honors course. They tend to be classes you most likely need to take anyway County College of Morris students need to have a 3.4 grade point average or higher in order to be eligible for enrollment in honors courses. If you do not have a 3.4 grade point average you can still enroll in them. In order to be admitted into the program you will need recommendation from
a professor and formal permission from the honors coordinator. Whether you need a challenge because you are bored with your current studies or you could use the extra money a scholarship provides, honors courses are worth looking into. Students are encouraged to contact the honors study coordinator with any questions regarding honors courses and eligibility. Professor Laura M. Gabrielsen is the honors study coordinator and can be reached at (973) 328-5459 or by e-mail lgabrielsen@ccm. edu.
COURTESY OF THE STICKLEY MUSEUM AT CRAFTSMAN FARMS
Ju Young Kim, an interior design student at County College of Morris, works on her winning café design in the Stickley Craftsman Farms Design Competition. Participants were given 6 hours to design a café ,including a three-dimensional model, for the grounds of Craftsman Farms, a National Historic Landmark in Morris Plains. The competition was a partnership between the Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms and the Robert Busch School of Design at Kean University.