HORIZONS

Horizons
HOUSATONIC COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Housatonic Community College

http://hccperspective.blogspot.com March 2011

News

Will CSUs
and CCs be
Merged?

H&S

The Hunt for

Exoplanets

Opinions

I’m an Adult,
Treat Me Like
One.

A&E

Is Your Major
Worth It?

Sports
Get Ready for
“Shepard Cycle” Enlightens Students About Hate Crimes
MLB Season
“The Shepard Cycle” - Plate VI (etching) (Image courtesy of Nomi Silverman)
2011
2

Hor i z o n s Contents
All Aboard for Incoming Reaccreditation.............................................3
By Eric Bjornson Health & Science Tidbits.........................................................................14
Staff Writer By Horizons Staff

How Much School Work Can Cancellations Reduce? .........................4 Health as a State of Mind........................................................................15
By Jose A. Rosas By Deb Torreso
Contributing Writer Outreach Editor

An Anniversary Worth Celebrating!......................................................4 The High-Tech Communication Culture...............................................15
By Jess Nomack By Deb Torreso
Staff Writer Outreach Editor

South Africa and HCC Unite..................................................................5 Becoming An Adult..................................................................................16
HCC’s Early Childhood Development By Jennifer Claybrook
Opinions Editor
Laboratory Links with RSA Preschools................................................5
By Chad Fisher If I Can See It, Can You?.........................................................................16
Staff Writer By Bobbi Brown
Staff Writer
Fleeing the Nest, or Not?.........................................................................5
By Stephanie Castillo Keep It Simple.. Or Tat, Tat, Tat, it up? ................................................17
Staff Writer By Dana Souza
Staff Writer
Finding the Right Place to Study............................................................6
By Bobbi Brown When Is Enough Enough?......................................................................17
Staff Writer By Elisa Byrdsong
Staff Writer
Right Places to Study ............................................................................7
Tips on Arguing........................................................................................18
Burning The Book Burden......................................................................7 By Brandon T. Bisceglia
By Keri-Ann Jackson Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
Staff Writer
Assistant Director of Student Activities
CSU and CC: Together at Last?.............................................................8 Brings New “Hope” to Department........................................................19
By Lovanda Brown By Brandon T. Bisceglia
Editor-at-Large Editor-in-Chief Emeritus

HCC Honors Student Conducts “A Sociological Experiment in Democ- Radio Broadcasting: Journalism for the Music Enthusiast.................20
racy”..........................................................................................................8 By Tina M. Eckart
By Brandon T. Bisceglia Staff Writer
Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
The Shepard Cycle...................................................................................20
Senators Wrestle with State Funds, Students’ Funds...........................9 By Tori Centopanti
By Brandon T. Bisceglia Editor-in-Chief
Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
The Stations of the Cross.........................................................................21
Text Messages Can Save Your Life.........................................................9
By Mimi Williams Watching the Garden Grow:
Staff Writer Knicks Land a Second Super Star..........................................................22
By Mark Bein
Want To Lose Weight? There’s Hope Right On Campus!...................10 Staff Writer
By Myranda Sinkler
Staff Writer HCC Hawks, Extinct?.............................................................................22
By Chad Fisher
Snow, Snow, Go Away, Time to Grow My Spring Bouquet..................11 Staff Writer
By Deb Torreso
Outreach Editor Major League Baseball Season Preview................................................23
By TJ Mallico
Dreadful Weather Creates Disruption for HCC Students...................11 Staff Writer
By Jose A. Rosas
Staff Writer NFL Season Lockout Ever So Close.......................................................24
By Rondale Williams
Is Your Major Worth It?.........................................................................11 Staff Writer
by John Francis
Staff Writer No Super Bowl in NYC Please................................................................24
By Rondale Williams
Exoplanets Explained The New Worlds at the Frontiers of Space......13 Staff Writer
By Brandon T. Bisceglia
Editor-in-Chief Emeritus

Horizons Staff Vincent Altamirano Staff Writers

Patrick Beach
Dana Souza
Mimi Williams
Opinions Editor Mark Bein Rondale Williams
Editor-in-Chief Eric Bjornson Carolyna Zarate
Jennifer Claybrook
Tori Centopanti Tiana Bridtter

News You Can Use Editor

Bobbi Brown Senior Staff Writers
Editors-in-Chief Emertius Elisa Byrdsong Jose Rojas
Susan Smith Stephanie Castillo
Brandon T. Bisceglia
Victor Rios Tina Eckart Graphic Design
Arts and Entertainment Editor Chad Fisher

Advisor Michael Bednarsky John Francis

Whitley-Ann Grant
Staff
Prof. Steve Mark Keri-Ann Jackson
Editor-at-Large TJ Mallico Advisor
Lovanda Brown Andy Pinto
Outreach Editor Anthony Moran
Deb Torreso Jessica Nomack
Web Designer Travis Owens Art and Design Staff
Adam Bello Marysol Rodrigez Janeivy Hilario
News Editor Myranda Sinkler Tara Shepard

All Aboard for Incoming Reaccreditation
By Eric Bjornson
Staff Writer
H
ousatonic Community College is
currently undergoing a vigorous
self-evaluation for the incoming
process of reaccreditation, which is per-
formed by the New England Association
of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and will
begin in March of 2012.
Reaccreditation will focus on the school
and its effectiveness in serving stu-
dents and fostering well-prepared,
confident graduates.
It has been 39 years since HCC’s
initial accreditation, and the school
is still progressing and facing new
challenges, while trying to provide
optimal services and opportunities
for staff and students alike.
It is a process with far-reaching
implications for the school, the
community, faculty, and staff. It
ensures that students are receiving
the opportunities which will help
bolster their success in academia
and their future endeavors outside
the school.
Reaccreditation, along with the
planning and rigorous efforts to
meet and surpass the criteria im-
posed upon schools in New Eng-
land, affects HCC en masse.
“It is an opportunity to look at
what we’re doing, see the big pic-
ture,” said Academic Dean Eliza-
beth Roop, a co-chair for the pro-
cess at the school. “It’s essentially
assurance that the college is doing
what it promised.”
Accreditation is performed by NEASC
(New England Association of Schools and
Colleges) and occurs every ten years with
a five-year interim report in between. The
process involves a four-day visit and thor-
ough evaluation of HCC.
The evaluation is performed by fellow
teachers from schools across New Eng-
land, with expertise in areas such as aca-
demics, library resources, and comprehen-
sive assessment.
It delves deeply into every working
facet of the school, focusing primarily on
eleven standards. These include organi-
zation and governance, student services,
programs and instruction, and more. The
success level of students is scrutinized and
monitored closely.
Stephanie Hart, a professor of English,
chair of the Humanities Department and
co-chair of the Steering Committee, said,
“There are many things that the organiza-
tion of NEASC wants us to prove, about
integrity, quality of student learning, as-
sessment of student learning, assessment
of programs, making sure that there is a
general education core.”
The process keeps the school on its toes,
ever-watchful, with alacrity to implement
new innovations which might aid members
of the HCC community. It keeps progress
on a perpetual drive forward.
With the advent of Beacon Hall, HCC
has been evolving and growing. The school
is now attracting more students and trying
to offer enough opportunities and activities
for this new influx of bodies. This growth
brings forth new challenges in serving a
larger staff and student population.
HORIZONS • News
ews
Kyle Zander, a co-chair of the accredi- Major and poet/performer, praised HCC’s
tation process and an instructor in Biology efforts.
and Physiology, addressed Housatonic’s Though Abdul cannot recite the school’s
growth rate: “A big challenge recently is mission statement verbatim, she believes,
adding classes at different times, adding “HCC has opportunities for people who
online classes, so that we can be able to get want to be empowered. When you use the
to more of the students within the area. It’s school and the tools it gives you, you are
a big issue for any school.” empowered.”
But Housatonic is trying to keep up A powerful tool for students is their
the pace, despite the rapid growth and voice. Though much of the work that goes
the looming threat of budget cuts coming into the accreditation process is performed
An elevated view of the Housatonic Community College campus, showing aspects of Lafayette Hall,
Beacon Hall, and the courtyard.
Photo by Eric Bjornson
down from Governor Dan Malloy in the by faculty and staff, students may be able
near future. to help by giving honest feedback about
In reflection of HCC’s mission state- their experiences.
ment, it is their goal to serve all students This may involve praise for a passion-
effectively and equally, making sure their ate teacher who diligently works with their
learning environment, whether online or in students and is always there for aid or a fa-
a live classroom setting, is sufficient, paral- vorite club which keeps them engaged with
lel to the coursework and level of rigorous- the school.
ness at other colleges. This is a pertinent A student may also be asked to take a
aspect to reaccreditation. survey. Such surveys may ask: “How in-
“Our purpose at Housatonic Commu- volved are you? How happy are you with
nity College is to empower all individuals the program? How happy are you with the
to develop their full potential. We are com- courses?” With honest, thorough responses
mitted to lifelong learning for all,” declares and reflection upon their scholastic careers
the mission statement of HCC. at Housatonic, students may aid in the pro-
It is a broad goal, needing dedication cess.
and involvement in order to achieve re- “If students can complete those forms it
sults. It is a call-to-arms for all employees gets us a better view of how we’re doing,”
and affiliates of the college. It is a promise Zander stated.
students might vaguely recall but which Ultimately, it is a student’s education
directly affects their experience here at the that counts. The process matters because it
school. is directly intertwined with the success of
Many students do not know what the students.
accreditation process is, or, for that matter, It is about having the best teachers,
what Housatonic’s mission statement is classes, and services available. It is hav-
about. Students, like 20-year-old Market- ing the most informative resources in the
ing Major Eric Richard, acknowledged that library, as well as media-rich facilities
there is a mission statement, but plead the equipped with up-to-date technology. It en-
fifth in regard to its content. sures that problem areas will be addressed
“I know it’s on the Web site and cal- in order to fix any issues which might have
endar, but I don’t really know what it is,” a bearing on the students and their prob-
Richard said while awaiting the start of his ability for success.
Biology class. This matters. For a student looking for
Some students, like Lala Abdul, a a quality education at a more affordable
20-year-old Psychology and Sociology price, it is essential.
3
Accreditation is also a matter of pride.
It is evidence to support the promise of a
given institution to serve the community,
to arm students with priceless knowledge
and experience. It speaks to four-year
universities, aiding in the acceptance of a
transferring student’s credits.
It means HCC is of high caliber, that
it should not be dismissed because it is a
community college. It is assurance in the
capabilities and skills of a student hitting
the job market.
It means HCC is a professional
community, a flourishing garden
of culture and curriculum, where
all involved are given the tools
they need for success. It is vital for
teachers as well as staff members at
the library, developmental services,
and throughout the school.
It is pride for a student, know-
ing their time at HCC has prepared
them for a better future.
To prepare for the incoming re-
accreditation process, which will
occur in March 2012, eleven com-
mittees have been formed, each to
focus on a specific standard set by
NEASC. The committees consist of
faculty, who volunteer to help out.
Co-chairs like Hart, Roop, and
Zander oversee the progress of the
committees. They are in charge of
reviewing data, addressing con-
cerns and issues, writing intensive
reports, and ensuring that progress
is being made.
“You’re not required to do any
of this. So it’s really just faculty and
staff, throughout the college, out of
the goodness of their hearts, saying: ‘This
is an important process, we need to get ac-
credited,’” said Zander.
Hart also has great faith in her col-
leagues. “These committees are all made
up of faculty members who have full teach-
ing jobs, and we work so hard to serve our
students, teach our classes… We’re pedal-
to-the-metal the whole time.”
Progress continues. The committees
of dedicated staff and faculty, as well as
co-chairs like Hart, serve to ensure that it
does. With input from around the school,
and honest students sharing their experi-
ences and thoughts through surveys or
by speaking with staff, HCC is striving to
maintain its momentum.
Housatonic was first accredited in 1972.
Since then there has been tremendous
growth. The school has more recently ac-
quired Beacon Hall and continues to offer
on-line courses in hopes of expanding their
reach to more students in the area.
Challenges like future budget cuts and
the need for more full-time teachers will
also become a part of HCC’s story. But it
will not impede the school’s overall pur-
pose: education.
HCC’s story is a triumphant narrative of
progress and a community college’s evolu-
tion which will hopefully span another 38
years and so on.
Academic Dean Roop, a 30-year vet-
eran of community colleges, has great faith
in Housatonic and other hard-working
community colleges. “They are amazing,
resilient institutions. They reflect their stu-
dents in that way. I’m sure they’ll continue
to do that.”
4
HORIZONS • News

How Much School Work

Can Cancellations Reduce?
By Jose A. Rosas world. deed made many of our lives much easier. cancelled, and on Wednesday I have an
Contributing Writer “They should offer more online classes. Teachers now have the advantage of send- evening class that is scheduled only once a

E
ven now that the weather is begin-
ning to look better and students are
getting amped about spring, many
classes still have some catching up to do.
For the first few weeks of spring semester,
we witnessed the rise of snowy, slippery,
dangerous roads. Due to all the bad weath-
er we had this winter many school days
were canceled, which created an obstacle
for face-to-face class meetings.
Despite the cancellations, some stu-
dents believe these undesirable storms
had no great effect on their education.
Ryan Damilowski, a student at HCC who
comes to school from Monday through
Thursday, said, “Lots of teachers either
give out makeups or send their students
assignments through email. My teacher
emailed my class lots of readings to do so
we wouldn’t fall behind, which I thought
was good because that meant I didn’t have
to shovel [snow] all day.”
Students taking online classes have the
least chance of missing any session days,
since all the work is completed and turned
in through Blackboard. The hybrid classes
weren’t affected much either. Although
they meet some days on campus and some
days online, most work that needed to
be done could be sent though the virtual
I think many students would benefit a lot
from that,” noted Damilowski. “There is
nothing better than being educated in a a
comfy environment,” he added.
HCC student Christian De Los Santos
said, “I’m so thankful that I signed up for
an online course. I was thinking of doing
the traditional version of the class, but
something told me it would be interesting
to try this out.”
“If I had taken the traditional version
of the class, my class would have prob-
ably been far behind,” said De Los Santos.
“That can become stressful because there
is so much you need to cope with, not to
mention that many students out there work
full time jobs and are parents.” Each stu-
dent has different responsibilities; even
though each one is responsible for his or
her school work, some have a load of re-
sponsibilities to deal with.
Dejuan Roberts, another student at
HCC, said, “The beauty of the Internet
has allowed us to keep up to date with
things. As long as the Internet exists, there
shouldn’t be many missing assignments.
My teacher tells us to check Blackboard
at least twice a week, which pretty much
helps the students to not fall behind even
if they’re not present on the day of class.”
The resources we have today have in-
ing assignments and instructions through
Blackboard; others prefer to email stu-
dents.
However, there are some tasks that
can’t be made up online. Steve Robinson, a
student at the campus, said, “The thing that
sucks about a traditional class is that quiz-
zes or tests can’t be made up through the
Internet. I don’t blame the teacher for not
doing that, because then anybody would be
able to cheat. But I still think it would be
nice not to fall behind.”
Not only do assignments and projects
get delayed, but study sessions as well.
Some exams, such as history, may require
a lot of memorization. Students with class-
es that were cancelled will have to do a lot
of extra studying come exam time.
“I find it very difficult for my brain
to memorize so many notes in a certain
amount of time,” said Robinson. “I really
appreciate when teachers go over what’s
going to be on a exam, but I’ve been in
situations before where due to class being
cancelled for whatever reason, our review
time gets shortened.”
The classes that were affected most
by the snowstorms were ones that only
meet once a week. HCC Sociology Pro-
fessor Barbara Richards said, “The big-
gest problem is that two Wednesdays were
week. I didn’t even meet the students until
the third week of classes.”
As one can imagine, a class that hasn’t
met doesn’t give students a chance to in-
troduce themselves to each other, which
could make it challenging to create some
chemistry. Several students find it impor-
tant to get to know their classmates. An-
drew Sanchez, a student at HCC, said, “It’s
important to get to know as many people
as you possibly can in your class. If one
day you’re absent and you can’t get in con-
tact with the professor, it’s good to always
know several people’s email or telephone
number.”
In a fifteen-week semester, missing two
weeks can lead to a lot of extra stress. Stu-
dents have to make arrangements to keep
track of deadlines and exams. How they
go beyond that is up to them, but what can
teachers do to help catch up with missed
school days?
“I can reduce some of the time spent on
group work, and cover things more quickly
in lecture,” said Richards.
“One class is behind but I am working
hard to catch up. I sent them emails and
put study guides up on Blackboard Vista,
but we are still behind,” she added.
One thing that’s for sure is students will
be very busy this semester.

An Anniversary Worth Celebrating!

By Jess Nomack the world. are still so Contact Professor Koch for
Staff Writer “It unified young, and complete details.
us, the question have much to

A
pril 12 marks the 150th anniversa-
ry of the greatest event in United
States history, the Civil War.
Just 150 years ago, our men and chil-
dren were off fighting their own country-
men, human beings were still enslaved
as labor, and our beloved country was in
shambles.
Hostilities began after the Presidential
election in 1860, when Abraham Lincoln
campaigned against slavery. The South,
with slavery being their main form of la-
bor and wealth, disagreed and proposed a
Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument in Seaside Park
Image courtesy of the Conn. Historical Society
secession of the eight “slave states”. Be-
cause the North came to victory, we did
not split apart, but instead have become
one of the strongest independent nations in
is now what is work towards,
In late April, Koch will be offering
it that makes a but the results a talk on Civil War medicine here
US citizen, and of this war at the school. The exact date is to
what makes a have projected be announced.
person a good us into a new
citizen?,” said era. Any steps
David Koch, a we take toward
history profes- our futures, we
sor at HCC. must acknowl-
Many as- edge our past,
pects of our and learn from
150th Anniversary of the Civil War.
lives today were Illustration by Jess Nomack
it.
shaped from that epic five- There are an array of
year battle, so a small acknowledgement monuments commemorating the war in the
of this upcoming date couldn’t hurt. city of Bridgeport alone, including the Sol-
Koch has his own enthusiastic opinions diers’ and Sailors’ Monument in Seaside
on the war and general awareness of the Park. Take a look around and you’ll see
upcoming anniversary. He is encouraging statues and monuments all over; reminding
us as students to get aware of our nation’s us of what we went through, and all those
history, and have some basic knowledge who gave their lives. Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument in Seaside Park
if nothing else, of what our country went Even if history is not your favorite sub- Image courtesy of the Conn. Historical Society
through, and how far we have come as a ject, this April is a huge milestone of being
nation. an American. On April 12, from 6-8 p.m., Koch
On April 12, 1861 the war began with If anything about the country’s civil
the Battle of Fort Sumter, in South Caro- war peaks your interest, there are plenty
will be speaking at the Trumbull
lina. With our “united” states divided, of discussions, events and sources you can Public Library on the war.
the north and south battled for what they contact to get involved in the community, And finally, on April 15, there is a
believed in. Anyone that could call them- and school alike. conference at CCSU on the Civil
selves an American was forced to question The history of our country can be War, where students can go and
the morality of slavery, and take a stand for as exciting as you want it to be, so
what they thought was right.
participate.
“[The Civil War] solved all of our ques- stay informed! David Koch is here on campus
tions at the time and gave us new questions Here’s a list of a few upcoming to answer any questions,
for our future. It ended slavery and those events in this area: and welcomes any friendly
issues, but here we are embarking on a Later this month, Koch will be conversation on the topic in his
whole new set of problems for our coun- doing a talk here on Abraham
try,” he said.
office, Room 254 of Beacon Hall.
The war gave this country a chance to Lincoln, the man and his
thrive and move away from its past. We presidency, a basic biography.
 HORIZONS • News 5

South Africa and HCC Unite

HCC’s Early Childhood Development
Laboratory Links with RSA Preschools

By Chad Fisher The trip to South Africa seems to have to come on Saturday,
Staff Writer made a big impression on Noe. April 2 to hear about

I
“I think I will above all remember the early childhood edu-
n the spring of 2010, a group of Ro- colors of South Africa,” she writes on her cation in South Afri-
tarians from South Africa were visit- blog. “The colors of the uniforms, the rich ca and how this proj-
ing Connecticut and decided there red earth, the green foliage, the painted ect will be sustained
was an opportunity to bring South Africa walls of even the most meager shacks, the and connect our two
and Bridgeport early childhood education colorful language, the tile mosaics, and the communities.”
(ECE) together to exchange philosophies. many colorful people we have met in the The South Af-
“Although the areas were very differ- past 3 weeks,” she said. rican team will be
ent, they share some common challenges, The trip and the program were funded very busy on their
such as the large by $110,000 in trip to the United
number of lan- rotary grants. States. They will be
guages spoken, The purpose visiting such places
the poverty, and of the program as the Groton sub-
the belief in the is not only to marine base, the
importance of improve early United Nations in
early childhood childhood edu- New York City, the
Children and visitors at the Semane Preschool in the Royal Bafokeng Nation.
education,” says cation in South Photo courtesy of Laurie Noe
Stepping Stones Mu-
Dr. Laurie Noe, Africa, but also discussion board will help South Africa seum, the Maritime
coordinator of to improve and HCC early childhood development Aquarium, and the Bridgeport Downtown
the ECE pro- B r i d g e p o r t ’s communicate. The grant will also develop Cabaret Theater.
gram at HCC. early childhood two online courses for incoming students “This program supports and is sup-
As a result, education. from both countries. ported by the core values of the HCC ECE
Noe and the According “HCC students will get a broader under- Program, those being access, diversity, re-
A photo of Dr. Laurie Noe (far right) and the two travel teams,
Bridgeport Al- from both Bridgeport and South Africa, taken at Pilanesberg to a press re- standing of early childhood education on lationships and intentionality,” says Noe.
liance for Young National Park in South Africa. lease from HCC’s a global level and be encouraged to think “It is the beginning of what I hope to be
Children (BAYC) Photo courtesy of Laurie Noe public relations about their own philosophies and practices an incredible opportunity for our students
took a three-week office, Bridge- in a new light,” says Noe. and our faculty to reach beyond the Greater
trip to South Africa this January in order port Mayor Bill Finch said at a news In addition, “HCC will host the South Bridgeport area.”
to set up a program linking early childhood conference,“Through this international African team for part of their three week
development classes and South African dialogue we’re all going to improve: Con- stay in Bridgeport,” says Noe. “There will To check out more information about
preschool staff. necticut will improve, South Africa will be three days of workshops and discussions the program, visit the HCC website at hcc.
Noe’s trip lasted three weeks. During improve and Bridgeport will improve.” here. They will be observing at the HCC commnet.edu. To see pictures of the South
that time she visited schools in the Royal HCC will have an important role in the Early Childhood Lab School, and they Africa trip, check out Noe’s blog at http://
Bafokeng Nation to teach better ways of program. The grant will be put towards will be speaking with anyone who wants laurienoe.blogspot.com.
educating preschoolers. starting an online discussion board. The

Fleeing the Nest, or Not?

By Stephanie Castillo years to master his Associate’s degree. So, is it just the college environment magazine.
Staff Writer Already with three years of commu- that allows students to be more lenient What all students have in common is

S
ince Housatonic is a place of oppor-
tunity which is convenient and cost
friendly, most students choose HCC
rather than a four-year university for those
reasons.
Yet,there seem to be a few students
who stay around campus more than usual.
Rather than studying, they’re hanging out
with friends, creating more of a social club
rather than study group.
College allows a place to meet and so-
cialize with friends, yes, but it leaves ques-
tion: Do these students actually study, or
do they have set schedules where studying
takes place and then spend the majority of
their time hanging out with friends?
More than frequently, one of the stu-
dents I spot on campus is Christopher Pop-
pa, 23, who has plans of transferring but
he’s just not ready to. “Housatonic is the
school that I can afford,” he said.
There are many transfer choices out
there, like Fairfield University and South-
ern, which would be of interest in the fu-
ture, but it would take more than a couple
nity college under his belt, he said that he
failed a few semesters due to not passing
his exams. “I’m not a good test taker,” he
explained. “I changed my major twice be-
cause I just did not like taking tests.”
When asked if he ever takes classes off
to study—in other words, “skip”—Poppa
said “no.”
He is close with his parents and just not
ready to move out. It is going to happen
one day, but as of now he is still continuing
his education at Housatonic and working
towards his Associate’s degree.
“I used to ‘skip,’ when I was fresh out
of high school but not anymore,” said Sha-
harazod Lebron, 20. She plans on becom-
ing a registered nurse and moving out of
her parent’s house in two to three years.
She often takes time between classes
to hang with friends, meet and greet, and
occasionally do study groups with friends
who are in different classes.
Most of her catching up on assignments
is done at home, and Lebron admits to be-
ing more serious about her time spent here
now that she is sure about her major.
when it comes to school? These same stu-
dents who deny skipping class can be seen
sitting in the cafeteria and lounging on the
couches provided throughout the college.
Whether on financial aid or not, some-
way, somehow, someone is paying for their
education and time spent at the college. It
is crucial that people come to cope with the
saying, “Time is Money.”
Otherwise, all the years we spend and
hours of the day we commit to each class
when registering could potentially become
a waste, or another way of saying we are
accomplishing something by just having
our names written on a piece of paper.
Deon Wonack, 21, of Bridgeport is an-
other fellow student who lives on his own
and does admit to cutting class to catch up
on assignments due for other classes, and
even for things outside of school.
“I’m used to ‘skipping’ class, doing
something more beneficial,” said Wonack.
He has not taken any classes in the area
of his major yet, but plans to soon. His
hopes are to become a “famous writer”
someday and write for a newspaper or
that they attend HCC because it is more
cost friendly and convenient for them to at-
tend school; so why not class?
As it is understood that many people
have different priorities and many other
responsibilities outside of school, it leaves
the question: Are these students ready to
flee the nest?
What would it take for students to dis-
tinguish the differences between the im-
portance of school, and that high school
mentality of skipping classes and hanging
with friends?
Setting aside assignments and skip-
ping class is not something that would be
beneficial to get used to simply because it
would not be acceptable in the professional
work field.
Would they ever set these priorities
aside to accomplish something more ben-
eficial to their life, or is HCC just a means
to release what’s left of their high school
inhibitions?

Visit HCC Online!

Curious about the services, courses, and programs at HCC? Go to http://www.hcc.commnet.edu, the college’s home page. From there you can
navigate the various departments, search for courses, or follow links to other useful sites, such as MyCommnet and the HCC Foundation.
6
HORIZONS • News

Finding the Right Place to Study

By Bobbi Brown HCC.. Bridgeport and the surrounding areas who says Kaylen Turner, a student at HCC.
Staff Writer According to a recent count, HCC has look for a good place to look up infor- “I’m in agreement with the eating and
over five major study rooms in both Bea- mation for school or just to study,” says studying,” says Mario Santos, another stu-

A
full-time student at HCC, Tracey
Cummings carries numerous books
and papers from each of her class-
es. After all four of Cummings’s classes,
she searches for a nice, quiet place to study.
From Lafayette Hall to Beacon Hall,
there are many study rooms to provide this
quiet atmosphere. However, these rooms
can become filled with many other students
and sometimes can become that place
known as the “hang out spot.”
“I guess I can call myself an explorer
because I’ve been to almost every study
spot in HCC, and I’ve found them all to
be helpful when it was time to prepare for
a test or simply clearing my mind for my
next class,” says Cummings.
On the other hand, many students re-
main unaware of the study rooms that HCC
provides for free use. Some students also
don’t realize the support that businesses
outside of school give to students looking
for a place to study.
“This is my first semester at HCC. I re-
ally like the new studying rooms in Beacon
Hall. They are very quiet and they encour-
age independent studying,” says Daymine
Smith, a computer engineering major at
con and Lafayette Halls. These rooms al-
low students a great amount of space for
group or individual studying.
HCC study rooms provide comfortable
couches and tables for a student’s pleasure.
“The study rooms are somewhat like
my room at home: relaxing and stress free.
I have to remind myself sometimes that
I’m not at home because I’ll put my legs up
on the table and go straight to studying,”
says Anthony Coleman, a criminal justice
major at HCC.
Although many students may agree that
studying requires a level of quietness, oth-
er students need a little noise to help them
study.
“My friends say I have bad study habit;
when I study I go straight to the cafe. I sit
at the last table in the cafe by the window, I
put in my head phones and go start my bio
homework,” says Cielia Perkins, a nursing
major at HCC.
If students find that HCC is closed on
a day they need an important assignment
done, the downtown area of Bridgeport
provides places for students to come in and
study free of charge.
“We get many students from all over
Pat McDonald, the library assistant at the
downtown Bridgeport Library. “We cater
to the general public and our students are
our number one concern. The Bridgeport
Library is accessible to those who are driv-
ing or walking.”
The library allows students to use their
computer space and numerous books for
studying. They are open six days a week
from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
“Students don’t really need anything
to use our facilities. We really encourage
them to use everything that our library of-
fers to help them succeed in school, and we
try to maintain a quiet atmosphere for all
who use our library,” adds McDonald.
Places like the library have all the books
and computers you need to study, but many
students prefer a place where they can
snack while they study. HCC is located
downtown, in the midst of many good
places to eat. Dunkin’ Donuts, Downtown
Bristo bar and grill, Quizznos, Subway and
McDonalds all provide Wi-Fi for anyone
who has a laptop.
“I’m not greedy, but find eating and
studying is quite cool. I kill two birds with
one stone - my hunger and my homework,”
dent at HCC. “I don’t have a problem with
the food served at HCC, but sometimes I
have a taste for something else, so I go to
Subway and study there.“
Whether students decide to study inside
or outside of school, there are many places
that are in the downtown area that lend a
helping hand. One place that may not be
known to students is McLevey Green,
which is located right across the street
from the Playhouse On the Green. Some
students have been seen reading or camp-
ing out on the grass during the spring and
summer months.
“ Sometimes after I’ve finish my classes
for the day, I take a walk over to the park
[McLevey Green]. I enjoy the outside at-
mosphere; it really helps with my studying
and can be a stress relief after a long day,”
says Nattlie Billups, a student at HCC.
With all the classes held at HCC stu-
dents, have been finding their special plac-
es for studying and they have been encour-
aging their friends to pick a good studying
place with their friends who can help them.

Horizons Wants to Hear from You!

Write to us at housatonichorizons@gmail.com to:

- Share your opinions

- Submit ideas, articles, and information about upcoming events
- Request interviews or other information from the Horizons staff

Visit our companion blog at www.hccperspective.blogspot.com to:

- Read additional articles

- Find out about upcoming events
- Leave comments that will be immediately viewable

Listen to Continuum, our weekly podcast feature at www.

housatonichorizons.podbean.com.

Grace Weltch comes to the library for the quiet atmosphere in
order to get her work done
Photo by Bobbi Brown
Photo by Bobbi Brown.
Photo by Bobbi Brown.
Burning The Book Burden
By Keri-Ann Jackson
Staff Writer
E
scalating textbook rates have
brought fury to many HCC stu-
dents. This has become an epidemic
of sorts because some textbooks cost more
than a class itself. How did this happen,
and what can we do to change this growing
pain in the pockets of our student body?
“Rent your books now!”, says a sign on
the website bulletin of the Folletts Book-
store, the merchandise company of our
college. The phrase continues with “Please
HORIZONS • News
Right Places to Study
Honorah Cousins is reading over an homework assignment .
With wind blowing her hair, she keeps focused on her assige-
ment.
Photo by Bobbi Brown.
Luis Olivares enjoys the cafe he eats while studying.
Photo by Bobbi Brown.
Jeannie Jalbert has found a hot spot in one of the study rooms in
Photo by Bobbi Brown. HCC that is fitting for whatever subject she is working on.
remember, you are signing a contract when well purchase the book for the full amount,
you rent. If your rentals are not returned by and at least try to sell it back to make some
the due date, per the rental agreement, you form of a profit.”
will be charged a non return charge to cov- It makes sense to search for the most
er the text and a non-return processing fee. reasonable book prices before you just go
These fees are reflected on your receipt”. out there and buy them, doesn’t it? Well
While this might seem fair, some stu- that would be easier if the edition of the
dents disagree. “It makes no sense to rent books didn’t change just about every se-
books,” says student Aaron Edwards. mester, which is usually the case. For ex-
“One of my books cost $190.00, and to ample, you had a friend who took English
rent it still would have cost me approxi- 101 in the previous fall semester, and now
mately $150.00. Furthermore, if I want a you have to take it in the spring. So, you
used book I would still have to pay about ask that individual if you could borrow
$130.00; so you do the math. I might as their book, and he/she accepts. After get-
7
Students (Gina Burbank, Laura Botha, Honorah
Cousins, and Zarchariah Fernades) working on
homework in a group in the cool March weather
outside in the park.
Photo by Bobbi Brown.
Photo by Bobbi Brown.
Photo by Bobbi Brown.
ting excited that you will no longer have
to purchase this book, you find out the edi-
tion has changed ,and even though it’s the
same teacher and the same class, it’s not
the same book.
Yet, while fishing for some solid rea-
soning for why these changes occurred so
rapidly, no one had a simple answer.
Yet Housatonic sophomore Mark Ec-
celson has found an alternative way to get
the books he needs for courses. “I have
never purchased a book from the book-
Continued on page 8
8 HORIZONS • News
Continued from page 7
store. I have always used websites (such
as Chegg.com, and Amazon) to purchase
my books and I always end up saving hun-
dreds of dollars. I feel as if the school is
trying to rip us off as if tuition itself isn’t
enough; it’s just sad.”
But not everyone agrees with purchas-
ing textbooks online. Student (and upcom-
ing Housatonic graduate) Jermaine Black-
well said, “It always seemed like too much
of a hassle for me so I never purchased
a book from the outside. My text-books
were always provided from within the col-
lege. I must say that students should take
necessary precaution when purchasing
textbooks via Internet.”
Students must indeed be very careful
when closing a deal on “the Web.” Consid-
ering the fact that textbook prices greatly
vary on the Internet, students should close-
ly analyze all possible alternatives before
choosing a certain bookseller over another.
It is important to note that the purchase
price should not be the only considered
aspect when buying textbooks online; stu-
dents should also factor in shipping costs
and delivery time before deciding upon
buying their desired textbooks on the In-
ternet. In order to fight the high cost of col-
lege textbooks you should double-check
for the correct 10-digit International Stan-
dard Book Number, or ISBN. This number
is situated above the bar code on the text-
book’s back cover or title page. When you
are purchasing online you should check
for the ISBN along with the book title, au-
thor and edition.
Money is always going to be a huge
factor not only for the students but to the
school as well. In order for the school to
get funding they have to get funded. Basi-
cally, a profit has to be made and regard-
less of how it affects the students it will
continue to be this way. The textbook com-
panies themselves have few alternatives in
dealing with this problem. They can and
do raise the price of the books so that they
try to recoup their investment on the first
sale. They can revise the book frequently,
which renders the previous edition obso-
lete. They can try to bundle in or shrink-
wrap some additional item (a workbook or
compact disc) with the new text, so that
students will need to buy new books to
get the free item. This strategy can work,
but some bookstores will just separate the
book from the study guide and sell both in-
dividually! Sounds quite familiar doesn’t
it? Unless and until laws are changed to
prevent the organized sale of used books,
you can expect textbook prices to keep in-
creasing.
We should not anticipate much change,
instead we should search for other outlets,
and try to scheme our way through the
price-tag of our ideal college experience.
If we have to make copies in the library or
wait two weeks for a text-book to come in
the mail, so be it, but all we can do is try to
lessen all expenses. The only way we can
survive is by looking out for ourselves, be-
cause in reality the only one whose look-
ing out for the students are the students.
We should continue to help each other by
keeping one another up-to-date on web-
sites with the lowest bookrates. Sharing
with a classmate or friend who may not
yet have their book for whatever reason.
Sometimes you have to live life with the
message of the theme song to the televi-
sion series Degrassi: The Next Generation
gave us: “whatever it takes, I know I can
make it through.”

CSU and CC: Together at Last?

By Lovanda Brown excluding the ever distinct University of stitutes are awarded with higher budgets own area of specialty, they’re able to work
Editor-at-Large Connecticut, of course. Still, a certain and the other, which of the two has a larger better on certain needs.”
change such as this may have a serious student demand and an overall higher suc- Nonetheless, in a statement released on

I
t seems the Governor is looking for
ways to save money, and it affects us
all.
On Wednesday, February 9, 2011,
newly elected Governor Dannel P. Mal-
loy announced his current plan to save the
state millions. He has proposed the idea to
merge the boards of trustees and offices
of Connecticut’s State Universities and its
Community Colleges.
Talk about a big plan.
It’s ambitious, yet stands as an aggres-
sive effort to improve the state’s economy.
This new proposal suggests that one sole
office stands responsible for managing the
financial and other essential aspects of both
state universities and community colleges,
impact on students and faculty members/
board of trustees’ regents across the state.
Conflicting perspectives on the matter
are risig to the surface as the details of this
proposal emerge to light within the com-
ing weeks. Students here at HCC are al-
ready voicing their opinions, “I think this
would allow us to stand out a lot more [as
a community college] instead of standing
in the background of [state] Universities,”
says 24-year-old Criminal Justice Major,
Quanesha Carter. Nonetheless, many may
disagree with her point.
There has been an unspoken dispute
over attention between state universities
and community colleges over the years,
one being which of the two groups of in-
cess rate? Such questions may be amongst
whispered conversations and closeted
board meetings, but that doesn’t negate the
fact that they are out there, and because of
this proposal, their “hush-hush” demeanor
will slowly lose its edge.
Still, there are those who remain neither
opposed nor for the new proposal, rather
uncertain to where all of this could lead.
“I’m hoping perhaps it will be a way to
cut costs but I really can’t tell,” says Sherry
Harris, the Coordinator of Imath and the
Self-Paced Lab, which are two key compo-
nents of the Department of Developmen-
tal Studies at HCC. “I’m not usually ‘for’
creating larger unions out of smaller ones
because I think when each group has their
the Governor’s website, Malloy assures
that this current proposal is expected to
save the declining financial status of the
state. “We need to make it a lot easier, par-
ticularly [for] people who are under pres-
sure because they’re working, they’re rais-
ing children, [we need to] make it easier for
them to earn their degrees. And we need
to get a lot of the bureaucracy out of the
way and to flatten the management of these
systems.” Well, only time will tell just how
effective this proposal is. In the meantime,
it is still in every one’s best interest, to hold
on tightly to their wallets.

HCC Honors Student Conducts “A Sociological

Experiment in Democracy”
By Brandon T. Bisceglia meant to capture Welton’s vision for the always been a part of my life.” networking,” says Welton. “I think what
Editor-in-Chief Emeritus site. His goal is not just to provide an ag- The inspiration for Networking Politics we saw was that social networking was

A
gregator of opinions, but to spur conversa- came during the 2008 presidential cam- very effective for campaigning, but really
n Honors Student at HCC has cre- tion among average people about the deci- paigns. Candidates like Barack Obama hadn’t had an impact in governing yet.”
ated an interactive blog for users sions made by their countrymen - and in constructed massive grassroots organiza- As an avid follower of the news, Wel-
to share their thoughts on current the wider world. tions using the Internet as an infrastructure. ton already commented on articles and
events and national politics. “It’s me poking around Republican Ron Paul, despite being ig- reposted them to his per-
The blog, called Networking Politics, is and exploring what’s on sonal Facebook page on a
the brainchild of 32-year-old Political Sci- people’s minds, what af- regular basis. But he was
ence major Caysey Welton. fects them,” he says. “Is trying to think of a better
According to the site, the aim of Net- there an interest in poli- way to encourage engage-
working Politics is to “explore and pro- tics now, and if not, why ment in the governing
mote political communications through is that? What can we do process. When he enrolled
social networking.” to change it?” in the Honors Program at
Welton picks national subjects at the “There’s become so HCC, he knew he would
forefront of the political consciousness. He much apathy and com- be required to conduct a
curates an aggregation of news and opinion placency in our society semester-long indepen-
sources that span a variety of themes and that people have removed dent project. That’s when
perspectives. themselves completely it all clicked.
Certain features are appear on a weekly from the legislative pro- “The structure of our
basis, such as the “Sunday Edition Edito- cess, and even more so government is based
rial,” in which Welton shares his personal with the grassroots pro- around freedom of
opinion on a hot topic or trend in politics. cess,” he adds. speech, and that’s exactly
“Today’s Topic” draws news articles to- Welton is not shy about Networking Politics features a number of editorial cartoons. Some, like this one, were commis- what this is – an outlet
sioned exclusively for Welton’s site.
gether from different perspectives that admitting that he hopes it for freedom of speech,” he
Cartoon by P. Lipman. Image courtesy of networkingpolitics.com
span the political spectrum. can change. He grew up in says.
He also runs a section called NPTV, a an environment where the daily functions nored early on by most mainstream media Welton says that the largely peaceful
collection of video clips of politicians and of political life were part of the normal fab- outlets, used a savvy online strategy that uprising in Egypt this February confirmed
pundits talking about issues relevant for ric of being a citizen. helped him to break fundraising records that his optimism about social network-
the day. “I had parents who were actively in- and made him, for a short time, the most ing’s potential was well-founded.
The subtitle of Networking Politics, “a volved in politics, who worked in cam- searched-for name on the web.
sociological experiment in democracy,” is paigns when I was a kid,” he says. “It’s just “The 2008 election really utilized social Continued on page 9

Continued from page 8
“The entire protests were planned
through social networking, which proves
that this kind of thing can be used to gov-
ern,” he explains. “I think what’s so fan-
tastic about it is its real-time capability.
Here’s this medium that, if something hap-
pens right now, within one second the en-
Senators Wrestle with State Funds,
Students’ Funds
By Brandon T. Bisceglia
Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
A
new generation of Student Sena-
tors is rolling in. And if their Feb.
24 meeting was any indication,
they could have some divergent opinions
on how student government should oper-
ate.
Two new student senators were induct-
ed at the meeting, bringing the current total
to eight. Only one - Treasurer and Acting
President Konrad Mazurek - has more than
a semester of experience on the Student
Senate.
The newest batch of senators was given
a crash course in budget allocation during
the two-hour long session held in Student
Life office 317D. From the Miss Housa-
tonic pageant to their own funding proce-
dures, senators made motions on a long list
of agenda items. Most items had monetary
sums attached.
The first foray into fiscal matters came
from a discrepancy in the Student Senate
Finance Report, released that same day.
After accounting for itemized deduc-
tions, the report listed a balance from
the Student Activity Fund (SAF) of
$46,083.89. The SAF is maintained by a
fee that every student at HCC pays as part
of enrollment, and is disbursed by the Stu-
dent Senate for clubs, events, and other
expenses (Horizons is also partially funded
through the SAF).
Co-Treasurer J.P. Keleman disagreed
with that number. He said the actual cash-
on-hand was $23,613.62 based on a report
Text Messages Can Save Your Life
By Mimi Williams
Staff Writer
C
ell phones have an ever growing
amount of uses. Now they can also
save your life and keep you out of
harm’s way. Take a stroll around Housa-
tonic’s campus and you are sure to see stu-
dents attached to their cell phones. What
better way to communicate with students
than through the device that connects them
to nearly everything?
After the Virginia Tech tragedy that
took place in April, 2007, many college
administrators have pondered ways this
could have been prevented or how the situ-
ation could have been better controlled.
The result was the Text Message Alert Sys-
tem. It allows each college to send mass
text messages to their students, warning
them of potential danger.
Prior to the shootings, colleges used
campus wide e-mails and web page up-
HORIZONS • News
tire world can know.”
Welton thinks that these kinds of uses
will become more acceptable as the young-
er generations enter begin to take on lead-
ership roles.
“They’re born into this,” he says. “They
don’t know a society without Facebook
or MySpace. I want to encourage them to
use this medium now, while it’s still in its
he had received from the Business Office
on Feb. 4.
Mazurek said he knew the number
might not be exactly correct, because it
was based partly on projected enrollment
for Spring 2011. But he was surprised that
the difference was so large.
“I will be following up with [the Busi-
ness Office] tomorrow to find out exactly
what the balance of cash is for us going
forward,” he said.
Soon after, Mazurek presented another
report which included a call to action re-
garding the cuts to state funding for Con-
necticut community colleges suggested by
Governor Dan Malloy’s budget proposal
for fiscal year 2012.
Mazurek passed out information about
the proposal. Among other things, it
showed that the colleges have been essen-
tially flat-funded since 2008, a period of
unprecedented growth in student popula-
tions at all schools across the state.
For the current year, the colleges were
allotted $158,282,029. Malloy’s pro-
posal would bring the number down to
$149,130,964 next year - a loss of about
$9 million.
“Students are encouraged to contact
their legislators about the severe impact of
this budget on the community colleges,”
the summary concluded.
Mazurek said that the Appropriations
Committee at the State Legislature in
Hartford would be hearing testimony that
coming Monday, and that they specifically
wanted to hear from college students. He
suggested the Student Senate arrange a bus
dates to keep students informed. The Vir-
ginia Tech murders immediately proved
the system to be inefficient in cases of
emergency.
While history cannot be undone, we
can certainly learn from it. Many may be
pleased to discover that Housatonic Com-
munity College is a participant in the safe-
ty alert system. This service is called my-
CommNet Alert. It is a notification system
that delivers critical information to stu-
dents and faculty in case of an emergency
through text messaging.
As beneficial as the system may be, a
lot of HCC’s students were not aware that
such feature existed. HCC freshman, Ash-
ley Davis said, “That sounds awesome, but
I didn’t know we had that. I wonder how
they got my number?” You actually have
to register for this alert system. A lot of stu-
dents are unaware of this.
Edgar Negron, also an HCC student,
asked “How do I register?”
youth, as a network to communicate and
express political views, to really take on is-
sues head-on and not let somebody else tell
you why something is important.”
On a practical level, Welton sees Net-
working Politics as a prototype for future
methods of conducting political discourse
- another example of how these tools can
be used to empower people.
to drive interested students to the Capitol
and back.
“This is democracy at its best. We’re
not really voting on this; this is your voice
going out telling administrators and legis-
lators in Hartford as to how you feel about
this.”
Director of Student Activities Linda
Bayusik noted that the student government
of Gateway Community College had sent
her a letter promoting student action on the
issue.
Mazurek said that he wanted Bayusik to
do the same on behalf of the Student Sen-
ate. Due to the time constraint, the sena-
tors agreed to have the letter sent out the
following morning after sharing amongst
themselves (you can see both letters at
housatonichorizons.blogspot.com).
Up until this point in the meeting, the
new senate candidates had remained in
the audience as spectators. Jeremy S. Day,
a psychology major in his third semester,
and Mariah Smith, a second-semester stu-
dent, were now questioned by the Student
Senate. Both were approved unanimously,
and they moved to the front of the room, at
the long rectangular desks where the other
senators sat.
Immediately following this, the group
tackled a two-page list of agenda items.
Then, something unusual began to happen:
votes began to split along seemingly ran-
dom lines. A vote to fund another produc-
tion of the Miss HCC Pageant passed with-
out dissent. A proposal to spend $1,000 to
host an event for Mardi Gras failed without
a single “yea.” On a successful measure
Registration is free and voluntary. You
have to log into myCommNet then register
for myCommNet Alert.
Want Horizons on Your iPod?
Listen to
Continuum
Horizons’ weekly companion podcast
Your source for
News, Events, Interviews and Commentary
About HCC and the community.
www.housatonichorizons.podbean.com
9
“I realize that Networking Politics is
not in itself going to change society. But
hopefully it starts a trend where there are
hundreds of sites like Networking Politics
across the country.”
You can visit Networking Politics at net-
workingpolitics.com. For more informa-
tion about HCC’s Honors Program, visit
hcc.commnet.edu.
to use $200 for drinks during an upcom-
ing Laser Golf event, Smith was the lone
dissenter.
Then the Student Senate came to the
question of whether to change the Activi-
ties Committee meetings from a bi-weekly
schedule to a weekly one in order to make
up for time lost to the numerous weather
cancellations at the beginning of the se-
mester. The vote on each side was equal,
leaving Mazurek to cast the tie-breaker.
For a moment, he appeared confused
by the development. After a second, he re-
gained composure and voted for the week-
ly schedule.
Finally, the senators had to make a
formal decision about paying for a bus to
Hartford to deliver testimony without hav-
ing prices to look at. Questions arose about
how best to estimate the cost in a realistic
manner.
As the vote approached, Parliamentar-
ian Dave Koch sounded one note of cau-
tion.
“You’re basically writing a blank
check,” he said. “It concerns me, espe-
cially when you’re talking about Monday,
because I tend to doubt that you’re going to
be able to fill a bus by then.”
Senator Priscilla Mathew spoke up.
“But when were we notified about this?
Twenty-four hours? We really didn’t have
a choice.”
In the end the bus was approved with
a tally of three senators. All of the others
abstained from voting.
10 HORIZONS • News

Want To Lose Weight? There’s Hope Right On

Campus!
By Myranda Sinkler Friday 9 – 1 p.m.
Staff Writer The Wellness Center is easy enough
for everyone to use. You are able to use

H
ave you ever heard of the fresh-
man 15? It’s the legendary fifteen
pounds that students acquire while
attending college. Between the stress of
homework and deadlines, you might for-
get to take care of your body. If you want
to prevent or undo this weight gain, then
you may want to take advantage of the fit-
ness program at the Housatonic Wellness
Center.
For your convenience, the Wellness
Center has extended its hours from eigh-
teen per week to forty. It is now open Mon-
day through Thursday from 9 – 6 p.m., and
HCC Student working out
Photo by Myranda Sinkler
the facilities as much as you want.
“I come here 2 days a week,” says
HCC student Dipo Sule. “Mondays and
Wednesdays.”
“It’s convenient, free, [and] we have 29
pieces of equipment,” says Kelly K. Hope,
Assistant Director of Student Activities.
“You can really get a good workout.”
These twenty-nine pieces of equip-
ment include elliptical, treadmills, cardio,
and weights. There is a time limit on these
machines to make sure that everyone has
a chance on them. You have one hour per
machine and thirty minutes on the cardio
equipment per day.
There are showers, water
fountains, and lockers for
every one’s comfort. Also
remember to bring your own
towel, soap, and lock for
Machines in the Wellness Center
your own safety. Photo by Myranda Sinkler
There are some upcom-
ing attractions according to To be able to use the Wellness Center in shape.”
Linda Bayusik, director of is a simple process. You must get an ap- This I.D is valid for one year and ab-
student activities. plication from the Wellness Center, located solutely free as a student of Housatonic
They are going to include in Beacon Hall room 117. Then go to the Community College. However, if you lose
dancing and yoga classes, Student Activities Center located in Bea- your I.D there is a dollar fee. If you already
kickboxing, which is similar con Hall, room 317, there you must watch have an I.D but need to renew it, all you
to karate, and Zumba, which a video on how to use the gym equipment have to do is go to the Student Activities
is dancing to Latin music. and then you receive your I.D. Center and they will give you a new sticker
There are also plans for a When asked about the process of get- for your I.D to prove its validity.
weight loss challenge in April. ting an I.D, HCC student Jamie Nieves
“Hopefully everyone can be said the process was easy. He stated that
nice and healthy,” Bayusik says. he attained a Wellness Center I.D. to “get

LOST AND FOUND

IN THE PUBLIC SAFETY
SECURITY OFFICE

ROOM A105
The Lost and Found Department has
accumulated a large quantity of clothing,
books, and other items.

If you have lost something, please stop by

the office on the first floor and speak to the
shift supervisor on duty.

Thank you,
Public Safety Department

LOST AND FOUND


Snow, Snow, Go Away, Time to Grow
My Spring Bouquet
By Deb Torreso
Outreach Editor
T
his is a magical time of the year
when everything feels new and
fresh. Anyone who has grown any-
thing from the earth up knows the joy of the
incredible process. Our days become about
watching those tiny plants sprouting from
the seeds that were planted weeks earlier,
to the enjoyment of puttering around the
yard, weeding and watering those little
babies—watching them grow into big,
strong, vibrant life. Being successful is
so fulfilling and not nearly as hard as one
might think.
Let’s start with a basic clean up of what
has been strewn around the yard with the
winter weather. It’s important to clean out
your old garden beds, strengthen any wood
structures, and situate the rocks in your
rock gardens.
Here are some tips of my own, as well
as from Internet sites I found along the
way:
Dreadful Weather Creates Disruption for
HCC Students
By Jose A. Rosas
Staff Writer
W
ith all the weather cancellations
we’ve had this semester, several
students had quite a winter this
year. Many did not find it entertaining deal-
ing with all the snow. Students in the cam-
pus were affected in many different ways.
Elizabeth Roop, Academic Dean,
worked with security, maintenance staff,
and weather reports to determine if campus
should have been closed or not.
Mother Nature sure supplied many with
a surprise this semester. “I didn’t think we
would have so much snow this year,” said
HCC student Charles Robert. “Looking at
the last few winters we’ve experienced,
this one was a shocker.”
The dreadful weather we experienced
this winter brought many difficulties into
people’s lives. Whether it involved going
to school, work, or shoveling snow, there
weren’t many happy faces this past winter.
Roop agreed, “Its been so frustrating. I
byJohn Francis
Staff Writer
It is not uncommon that a student be-
comes curious as to whether or not they
have chosen the right major. In fact, Pa-
tricia McDonnell of the HCC Academic
HORIZONS • News You Can Use
ews you can use
• Fill bird feeders
• Clean the bird baths
• Prune back all flowering shrubs
• Lay down mulch in gardens
• Plant trees and shrubs, especially in
containers
• Plant when temperatures remain 45
and over/day and night
• Plant hardy bulbs like Gladioli
• Start seeds indoors of more vul-
nerable plants like sunflowers and
herbs
• Others like begonias can go into
planters outdoors before they are
put in the ground
• Prune rose bushes
• Invest in a spreader and lay fresh
grass and fertilizer (read the in-
structions)
• Check the condition of yard tools
and equipment
If you are like most of us you need help
in getting started so don’t be afraid to ask
questions. There are many great garden
centers throughout the area. Home Depot
think this [has] been the toughest semester
since I’ve been here.”
Living in this area, however, forces
us to be cautious when depending on the
weather; you never know what we are in
store for. “ We live in New England, and in
this part of the region, we have to consider
the weather,” said Roop.
Although most dangerous days were
canceled, some students didn’t attend
campus even on the days school was in
session. Jason Hill, a student at the cam-
pus, said “It was so tough for me to get
anywhere. There was just so much snow
all over. I had to miss two class sessions
because of that, not counting the ones the
school did cancel.” Although education is
very important to consider, many students
viewed there safety as their main priority.
“Each student has to make their own deci-
sion based on their safety. They still must
make arrangements to cover the material
they missed,” said Roop.
HCC student Bobby Shea said the snow
was pretty bad in his hometown of Trum-
bull. He was one of the many students who
Is Your Major Worth It?
Advising Center says she sees about ten
students a week declaring a major-or
changing their current one.
But whether choosing or switching
a major, how can you know if it will be
worth it in the end?
It is rare for any student to go through-
and Lowes tend to be more about purchas-
ing than educating, although you might
find someone with the amount of knowl-
edge you need at the time.
Start off slowly, don’t overwhelm your-
self with trying to get it all done in one
year. Be careful not to overspray chemi-
cals if you are using weed or grass killers,
even the slightest breeze can carry them to
places you don’t want them to go.
Weeding is the most important task and
laying down mulch is the best way to help
keep the weeds down. Some wood chips
may bring along the concern of termites,
so ask before you buy.
Make sure you read up on what you are
planting, just because you like it doesn’t
mean it will grow anywhere you plant it.
Label each plant. Trust me you’ll forget
where you planted one from the other—
and it’s a good way to learn how to identify
the differences.
There is always a risk of getting fungus
and disease on your plants. I take a clip-
ping to a garden center for education and
help.
was glad school was canceled. Shea joked,
“My car is worth a whole lot more than
what I’m investing into this school.”
Shea also mentioned, “There was a
huge snow bank in the parking lot at one
time, and you had to make a U turn. If the
school didn’t provide students with can-
cellations, it would be absolute hell in the
garage.”
There were many places in Connecticut
where snow played a major role in prevent-
ing people from having an ordinary day.
According to the National Weather Ser-
vice, snow totals have amounted to 56.4
inches in Bridgeport at the time we went
to press. This city has not experienced so
much snow for quite a while now, which
explains why this may be shocking to
many.
“The school does an excellent job in
canceling school when it needs to be can-
celed. Its always important to think of peo-
ple’s safety, and I respect that,” said Shea.
According to Roop, “We cancel be-
cause its appropriate for us to cancel. Safe-
ty should be a major concern.”
out college without having doubts as to
what their prospective degree will yield.
Will it produce enough money? Am I going
to be happy doing this for the rest of my
life? It’s no secret that students are under
a lot of stress when deciding on a major,
but how can you tell if you’re choosing the
11
There are a variety of organic products
that make better sense when you plan on
putting bouquets in your home or ingesting
what you’ve grown. I have a squirrel prob-
lem so I use a natural pepper spray around
my sunflowers and it works pretty well.
Also, don’t forget to have plenty of
stakes around so that as your babies grow
(especially sunflowers, baby’s breath,
gladioli, roses, etc.), you can prevent them
from falling down and breaking.
For most of us it takes years of trial and
error to learn what works and what doesn’t.
We develop skills that draw from our inner
architect to our unexpressed artist. There
can be something spiritual about looking
out over your finished work of colorful,
beauty and life. I strongly suggest it.
For more information, visit two of the
web sites I consulted for this article www.
aikenstandard.com and www.associated.
content.com.
Although many students drive to
school, others have to go on bus, or even
walk to get here. Richard Otero, a student
at the school, feels it was difficult to walk
down the streets when it was very chilly
and slippery. He takes the city bus to HCC
every day. “There were some days school
was not canceled but it was still pretty
bad outside, so I had to go through all that
struggle just to make it in time for my 8:00
a.m. class,” said Otero. Walking or waiting
for a bus may not be as dangerous as driv-
ing, but it can still danger the life of one
because all the snow, ice, and cold weather
that surrounds us.
This shocking winter brought much
chaos into people’s lives. Some may wor-
ry finals may get affected because of all
closed days the school provided. However,
“At this time we don’t plan on making any
change in the current [school] schedule,”
Roop said.
So once again the temperatures seem
to be rising, and even though many expe-
rienced an awful winter, smiles can began
to come out.
right one?
Matt Lupinacci of Shelton has attended
five different schools, including Eastern
Carolina University, Housatonic Commu-
nity College and University of Connecti-
cut. He has never changed his major, but
Continued on page 12
12
Continued from page 11
that’s because he never chose one.
“I never changed (my major) because I
never declared for one, just took classes to-
wards them. Right now I have three minors
in psychology, marine biology and envi-
ronmental science,” he said.
Like Lupinacci, many students remain
without a path, while others never stray
from the course they chose at the start. Mi-
chael Sullivan, also of Shelton, Conn. has
been attending Western Connecticut State
University for over four and a half years
now and was recently seen on the cover of
the Connecticut Post because of his major
and the story behind it.
Sullivan’s great grandfather was a part
of the first graduating class from St. Vin-
cent’s College, graduating with a nurs-
ing degree, and now he and his sister are
both going down the same path. (Although
he claims his bloodline is not the reason
for him entering the nursing program at
WCSU, it does add an ironic factor to it.)
His real reason for becoming a nurse
has to do more with his own past, not that
of his late grandfather: “Basically, when I
was younger I was in and out of the ER all
the time due to injuries from skateboard-
ing and playing soccer. Well, mostly skate-
boarding. But I got so used to being there
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Psychology Club Meeting / 11:00 AM
– 12:00 PM / Student Club Offices (BH-
317A)
Christian Studies Club Meeting / 12:30
PM – 1:30 PM / Student Club Conference
Room (BH-317D)
Music Club Meeting / 2:00 PM – 5:00
PM / Student Recreation Room (BH-315)
Student Activities Committee Meeting
/ 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM / Student Club Con-
ference Room (BH-317D)
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Photography Club Meeting / 11:45 AM
– 12:45 PM / Lafayette Hall Room B221
Thursday, March 31, 2011
ALAS Club Meeting / 11:15 AM –
12:15 PM / Student Club Offices (BH-
317A)
Table Tennis Meeting / 12:00 PM – 1:00
PM / Student Recreation Room (BH-315)
Criminal Justice Club Meeting / 12:30
PM – 1:30 PM / Student Club Offices (BH-
317A)
Music Club Meeting / 2:00 PM – 5:00
PM / Student Recreation Room (BH-315)
Literary Club Meeting / 6:30 PM – 7:30
PM / Student Lounge (BH-318)
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Bus trip to the Police Museum, NYC
/ $10 for students; $15 for non-students /
sponsored by the Criminal Justice Club /
to sign up or for more information visit the
Student Activities Office (BH-317)
Monday, April 4, 2011
Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA) Club
Meeting / 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM / Student
Club Offices (BH-317A)
HORIZONS • News You Can Use
and understanding how everything worked
that it seemed like something I would be
pretty good at.”
Sullivan also said that the comfortable
pay that comes from being a nurse is also
a key factor in his decision. He did, how-
ever, state that he has indeed had doubts at
some times.
“Especially recently, I would say I
question it sometimes. It’s not so much
that I don’t think I will like it, but more
that I might like other professions more,”
he said.
Knowing you’re not alone in feeling in-
different about your college degree is com-
forting, but even more comforting would
be to know whether or not it will pay off
Photo courtesy of http://oncampus.macleans.ca
in the end. So how can you know if your
major is really worth it?
A survey done by payscale.com found
that the highest starting salary for any
worker with a bachelor’s degree are those
Student Activities Calendar
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Psychology Club Meeting / 11:00 AM
– 12:00 PM / Student Club Offices (BH-
317A)
Christian Studies Club Meeting / 12:30
PM – 1:30 PM / Student Club Conference
Room (BH-317D)
Music Club Meeting / 2:00 PM – 5:00
PM / Student Recreation Room (BH-315)
Student Activities Committee Meeting
/ 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM / Student Club Con-
ference Room (BH-317D)
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Photography Club Meeting / 11:45 AM
– 12:45 PM / Lafayette Hall Room B221
Writer’s in the HCC Classroom: Visit-
ing author presentation by Okey Ndibe /
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM / Lafayette Hall Events
Room (A101)
Laser Golf / 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM / Bea-
con Hall Events Center (BH-214) / spon-
sored by the Student Senate
Thursday, April 7, 2011
ALAS Club Meeting / 11:15 AM –
12:15 PM / Student Club Offices (BH-
317A)
Table Tennis Meeting / 12:00 PM – 1:00
PM / Student Recreation Room (BH-315)
Music Club Meeting / 2:00 PM – 5:00
PM / Student Recreation Room (BH-315)
Student Senate Meeting / 2:00 PM –
3:00 PM / Student Club Conference Room
(BH-317D)
Literary Club Meeting / 6:30 PM – 7:30
PM / Student Lounge (BH-318)
Friday, April 8, 2011 – NO DAY-
TIME CLASSES
Professional Day / daytime classes will
with a major in petroleum engineering, and
it’s by a lot! In fact, 7 of the top 10 and 10
of the top 15 highest average salaries by
major midway through their career were
those of a type of engineering degree. In
addition to this, 20 of the top 21 degrees
were math-related, management informa-
tion systems being the only degree that
was not.
Of course, not all people will consider
a starting salary of $93,000 worth it. Most,
but not many. I can safely say that if I had
a degree in petroleum engineering, I would
not enjoy my work. So what if you con-
sider your major being “worth it” based on
a scale of happiness?
Well, there’s good news. In a study done
by the National Bureau of Economic Re-
search, it is the college education itself that
brings happiness. They list several benefits
of being a college graduate including bet-
ter job security, better health benefits and
higher salaries.
Matthew Arpin, Nashua, NH, is the
perfect example of somebody who chose
happiness over wealth when it came to his
career.
“Well, way back in high school I got
a 1520 on the SAT, which, on the new
tests that have today would translate to
about a 2280. My GPA, if I remember cor-
NOT be in session today; evening classes
will be held
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Bus trip to the Guggenheim Museum,
NYC / $10 for students; $15 for non-stu-
dents / sponsored by the Photography Club
/ to sign up or for more information visit
the Student Activities Office (BH-317)
“Stomp” at the Shubert Theater, New
Haven. Conn. / sponsored by the Student
Senate / to sign up or for more information
visit the Student Activities Office (BH-317)
Monday, April 11, 2011
Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA) Club
Meeting / 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM / Student
Club Offices (BH-317A)
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Psychology Club Meeting / 11:00 AM
– 12:00 PM / Student Club Offices (BH-
317A)
Christian Studies Club Meeting / 12:30
PM – 1:30 PM / Student Club Conference
Room (BH-317D)
Music Club Meeting / 2:00 PM – 5:00
PM / Student Recreation Room (BH-315)
Student Activities Committee Meeting
/ 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM / Student Club Con-
ference Room (BH-317D)
Biology Club Meeting / 2:00 PM – 3:00
PM / Lafayette Hall Room C206
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Photography Club Meeting / 11:45 AM
– 12:45 PM / Lafayette Hall Room B221
Early Childhood Club Meeting / 5:30
PM – 6:30 PM / Student Club Offices (BH-
317A)
Thursday, April 14, 2011
ALAS Club Meeting / 11:15 AM –
rectly was a 3.6,” he said. These numbers
could easily translate to ivy league quality
numbers, but Arpin chose to go to Plym-
outh State University. Arpin wanted to be
a teacher, and because Plymouth State is
known as an exceptional teaching school,
he followed that path.
Matt knows he could have gone on to
do remarkable things in this world, but he
chose teaching instead because it is some-
thing he loves to do, “I wanted a job that
mattered. Teaching is the most important
profession because you can shape the fu-
ture. Without great teachers you wouldn’t
have CEOs, engineers or scientists. I know
I could have done something along those
lines, but making a difference in the lives
of individual people and actually seeing it
is what makes me happy.”
Maybe the answer to the question, “is
your major worth it?” really comes down
to what we are really trying to get out of
our college education in the first place. If
you are seeking a degree to do what makes
you happy, then find out exactly what it is
you love to do, and if your eyes are blinded
by money signs, then I sure hope you like
math.
12:15 PM / Student Club Offices (BH-
317A)
Table Tennis Meeting / 12:00 PM – 1:00
PM / Student Recreation Room (BH-315)
Criminal Justice Club Meeting / 12:30
PM – 1:30 PM / Student Club Offices (BH-
317A)
Music Club Meeting / 2:00 PM – 5:00
PM / Student Recreation Room (BH-315)
Literary Club Meeting / 6:30 PM – 7:30
PM / Student Lounge (BH-318)
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Bus trip to Stepping Stones Museum,
Norwalk, Conn. / $10 for students; $15
for non-students / sponsored by the Early
Childhood Education Club / to sign up or
for more information visit the Student Ac-
tivities Office (BH-317)
Friday, April 29, 2011
Bus trip to Maritime Aquarium and
Cruise, Norwalk, Conn. / $10 for students;
$15 for non-students / sponsored by the
Biology Club / to sign up or for more in-
formation visit the Student Activities Office
(BH-317)
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Bus trip to the Brooklyn Botanical Gar-
dens, NYC / $10 for students; $15 for non-
students / sponsored by the Art Club / to
sign up or for more information visit the
Student Activities Office (BH-317)
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Bus trip to the MOCCA Museum, NYC
/ $10 for students; $15 for non-students /
sponsored by the Graphic Design Club / to
sign up or for more information visit the
Student Activities Office (BH-317)

ealth and
Exoplanets Explained
The New Worlds at the Frontiers of Space
By Brandon T. Bisceglia
Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
F
or centuries, humans have wondered
what other worlds might exist out-
side of our solar system. Science fic-
tion authors have imagined exotic planets
scattered throughout our galaxy, often re-
plete with fantastical life forms and land-
scapes.
Over the last few years, space technolo-
gy has finally caught up with our imagina-
tions. And our first few glimpses of planets
outside our solar system have already chal-
lenged many things we thought we knew
about the universe.
With the launch of NASA’s Kepler sat-
ellite mission on Mar. 6, 2010, a whole new
age of exoplanet discovery is getting un-
derway in which the number of planets we
will be able to learn about will rival any-
thing the crew of Star Trek ever dreamed
of finding. A key part of Kepler’s mission
is to find the astronomer’s Holy Grail: a
planet similar to Earth, and, perhaps, evi-
dence of extraterrestrial life.
Here are the basics you should know
about the hunt for exoplanets.
What is an exoplanet?
Short for “extrasolar planet,” an exo-
planet is any planetary body outside of our
solar system. Presumably it orbits its own
star, instead of the sun.
How do we look for and find them?
Exoplanets are much smaller and darker
than stars, and even the nearest ones are
light years away, making it impractical to
try to view them directly.
We can use strong indirect evidence to
pinpoint distant planets, though. There are
currently two ways to detect exoplanets;
the “wobble” and the “transit.”
The wobble method takes advantage
of the fact that gravity is a two-way street:
just as the pull of its parent star keeps a
planet in orbit, the planet tugs back slightly
on the star. Astronomers track those nudg-
es; if they happen at regular intervals, then
there’s a good chance a planet’s there to be
found.
The transit method of planetary discov-
ery uses the brightness of a star to assess
whether anything is passing in front of it. A
passing planet will produce the same effect
as an eclipse, blocking a little of the light.
Measures of those dips can tell scientists
whether a planet is lurking in the shadows.
It only works, of course, for planets with
orbits that pass in front of our field of view;
at certain angles, they won’t cross any light
being projected in Earth’s direction.
How does Kepler’s mission factor
into the search for exoplanets?
According to NASA.gov, “The Kepler
Mission...is specifically designed to survey
a portion of our region of the Milky Way
galaxy to discover dozens of Earth-size
HORIZONS • Health & Science 13
cience
planets in or near the habitable zone and a few up so far. The first to be confirmed terrestrial Intelligence (SETI). But not all
determine how many of the billions of stars in 2009 was COROT-7 b, a planet about scientists are convinced that we’ll find it,
in our galaxy have such planets.” twice the size of Earth that travels around and others point out that we might not rec-
Kepler uses the transit method to find its parent star in only 20 hours. Because of ognize it if it’s not in our familiar carbon-
exoplanets. It has its sights focused on that, it is much too hot to support life. based packaging.
about 100,000 stars in a portion of the Another rocky planet called Kepler-10 If life is a common occurrence in the
galaxy between the rightmost edge of the b was discovered in January. It was even galaxy, however, then we have a decent
constellation Cygnus chance of finding it as
and the nearby constel- we survey the exoplan-
lation of Lyra. ets we’re discovering.
Kepler is designed
to stare at this section If we find life on an
of sky for about four exoplanet, what hap-
years. That’s because pens next?
it needs to see at least
three passes of a planet Nothing up there,
to confirm it - and for but a lot down here.
a planet the same dis- Manned missions
tance from its star as to any place outside
the Earth is from the the solar system are
Sun, each orbit takes a still beyond feasibility,
year. and any probe we send
If it completes that would take hundreds
mission and still works or thousands of years
properly, it will con- to reach its destination.
tinue to collect data on Even communication
planetary candidates via light waves would
that take longer than a take at least a few de-
year to orbit. cades to get there and
come back.
How many exo- On Earth, though,
planets do we know it would immediately
Kepler-11 is a sun-like star with six gaseous planets orbiting it, five of which are closer than Mer-
of? Where are they? cury is to our Sun. change our understand-
Artwork by Tim Pyle. Image courtesy of nexsci.caltech.edu. ing of our position in
According to The the universe. It would
Extrasolar Planets En- be a worldwide shift in
cyclopedia, a website knowledge on the scale
maintained by Jean Schneider of the Paris closer in size to the Earth, but also much, of nothing ever experienced before. Teams
Observatory in France that aggregates dis- much hotter. would work on ways to study the new
coveries from all over the world , there are The real goal is to find a planet in the world and its life from afar, but it would
currently 531 confirmed exoplanets. 106 of so-called habitable zone, a range of tem- still be a long time until most of the de-
these were found in 2010 alone. peratures that would allow for liquid water tails were known. In the meantime, every
That number is bound to go up with on the planet’s surface. A number of gas individual on Earth would process it dif-
Kepler’s help. It has already confirmed giants have been found in this range, in- ferently - and as we process it, our societal
15 planets, and currently has 1,235 “can- cluding one dubbed COROT-9 b. Although institutions would change to reflect our
didates” - things that seem like planets it may have water vapor in its atmosphere, new perspective as co-inhabitants of this
but haven’t yet been checked thoroughly gaseous planets aren’t believed to har- quirky, mysterious universe.
enough to rule out other possibilities. bor life. If the COROT-9 b has any rocky
The first exoplanets that we’ve seen moons, however, they might make pleasant For more information about the Kepler
have been scattered across the night sky, homes for new creatures. mission, visit www.kepler.nasa.gov.
but over the next few years the largest In early February, Kepler discovered
number to be catalogued will likely be in the largest planetary system to date (be-
Kepler’s field of view, simply because it sides our own). It consisted of six gas
spends so much time looking there. planets, all unexpectedly close to their star
All of the known exoplanets are inside - five of them closer than Mercury is to the
the Milky Way. Most of them are relatively Sun. This discovery illustrated a growing
close - within a few hundred light years realization among researchers: most plan-
of our solar system (by comparison, the etary systems are probably much different
size of our galaxy is 100,000 light years from ours.
across). A few have been found that are
tens of thousands of light years away, but What are the chances that life could
it’s still difficult to detect such small ob- exist on an exoplanet?
jects much farther away than that.
No one knows, exactly. Part of the prob-
What are the planets like? Are any of lem is that we only have a sample of one -
them similar to Earth? ourselves. We tend to base our predictions
about whether life exists elsewhere based
It depends on what is meant by “simi- on what we know about the conditions on
lar.” Most of the exoplanets that have been Earth, but there is no telling whether we’re
found so far are gas giants, as big as or big- a normal case or an outlier.
ger than Jupiter. These are the easiest plan- Certainly many people hope to find life
ets to see, since they’re so huge. of one sort or another, which is why Ke-
Rocky planets (like Earth) tend to be pler is searching for Earth-like planets, and
tiny in comparison, so we’ve only picked why programs like the Search for Extra-
14
By Horizons Staff
A
dapted from “’Walking cactus’ is
arthropods’ lost relative,” by Zoë
Corbyn. Nature News, Feb 23,
2011:
A clue to how arthropods — the group
of more than a million invertebrate species
that includes insects, spiders and crusta-
ceans — evolved their distinctive jointed
legs has been discovered in southwestern
China.
Nicknamed the ‘walking cactus’ be-
cause of its spiny appearance, the Diania
cactiformis fossil find is reported in a pa-
per published today in Nature. The animal
belongs to the Lobopodia, a now-extinct
group of animals resembling worms with
legs, which may have been a relative of to-
day’s velvet worms. But it is the first spe-
cies of that group found to have the jointed
legs typical of Arthropoda.
“A lot of scientists had long suspected
that arthropods evolved from lobopodi-
ans,” says Jianni Liu, a palaeontologist
from the Early Life Institute at Northwest
University in Xi’an, China, and currently
at the Free University of Berlin, who led
the work. “But we did not have a single
fossil we could point at and say, ‘This is
the first lobopodian with jointed legs’.”
She adds, “Now, with the ‘walking cac-
tus’, we do. It is important because it could
be seen as a missing link from lobopodians
to arthropods.”
The creature, which dates from around
500 million years ago, is about 6 centime-
tres long. It resembles a thin, soft-bodied
worm, similar to the lobopodians. But it
is also arthropod-like in that it has jointed
legs — ten pairs in total. The researchers
believe the legs had hardened surfaces, not
unlike the tough surfaces of the articulated
limbs of crustaceans or insects.
The finding adds to our understanding
of Arthropoda, a group that contains more
than 80% of all known living animal spe-
cies, and makes up the bulk of the tree of
life. It could imply that arthropods devel-
oped hardened limbs before hardened bod-
ies, say the researchers.
Palaeontologist Simon Conway Morris
of the University of Cambridge, UK, says
the discovery of D. cactiformis provides
important insights into the flourishing of
new animal body plans during the period
dubbed the Cambrian explosion, the sud-
den appearance — in geological time — of
most major phyla around 530 million years
ago.
Conway Morris says that the fossil “of-
fers crucial evidence about the key step of
moving from an effectively soft-bodied
construction to an articulated exoskeleton
— a breakthrough that would ultimately
lead to such biological designs as the crab
claw and the praying mantis.”
Adapted from “Why Van Gogh’s Yel-
lows Turn Brown,” by Marianne Eng-
lish. Discovery News, Feb. 14, 2011:
Despite restoration efforts, some paint-
ings may appear less brilliant than they did
when they were originally crafted.
In the case of one 19th-century artist’s
work, scientists are using high-tech tools to
pinpoint the cause of an undesirable chem-
ical change in paint color.
Synchrotron X-ray technology, which
allows a powerful and up-close look at the
molecular composition of surfaces, has
previously been used to look underneath
layers in paintings -- their skeletons, so to
speak.
Now a team of researchers has found a
HORIZONS • Health & Science
Health & Science Tidbits
new use for these tools to study a chemical
reaction of chrome yellow, also called lead
chromate, that degrades vibrant yellows to
dark browns. The findings help curators
and restoration specialists protect other
paintings composed with the chemical.
The collaborative study, published
in the peer-reviewed journal Analytical
Chemistry this week, confirmed chemical
changes in chrome yellow in two of Vin-
cent van Gogh’s paintings. Although his
Sunflower pieces weren’t studied, they
Diania cactiformis has shed clues about how the jointed legs of
arthropods - the largest group of animal species - first evolved.
Drawing by Mingguang Chi. Image courtesy of nature.com.
demonstrate why this color makes van
Gogh’s work stand out. The scientists vali-
dated previous hunches that UV light and
sunlight are to blame for catalyzing chemi-
cal reactions of chrome yellow on canvas.
What’s especially interesting is the way
the scientists came to their conclusions.
They studied the chemical properties of
chrome yellow paint left in historic tubes
from this time period. After noticing the
darkening of chrome yellow when exposed
to a UV lamp for several hours, the group
used X-ray technology to confirm that the
source of the darkening stemmed from
chromium(VI) changing to chromium(III)
in the paint.
The same steps were used to study van
Gogh’s “View of Arles with Irises” and
“Bank of the Seine”.
The research also showed that varnish-
es aren’t entirely protective in art preserva-
tion. In fact, the chrome yellow chemical
reaction occurred between the layers of
varnish and paint.
Adapted from “Simple Marine
Worms Distantly Related to Humans.”
ScienceDaily, Feb. 10, 2011:
Two groups of lowly marine worms
are related to complex species including
vertebrates (such as humans) and starfish,
according to new research. Previously
thought to be an evolutionary link between
simple animals such as jellyfish and the
rest of animal life -- the worms’ surpris-
ing promotion implies that they have not
always been as simple as they now appear.
Although the marine worms Xenotur-
bella and Acoelomorpha are very simple
animals -- they lack a developed nervous
system or gut -- they have been a source
of much debate among zoologists. Acoelo-
morphs were reclassified in the 1990’s as
an early branch of evolution -- the crucial
link between the very simplest animals
such as sponges and jellyfish and the rest
of the animal kingdom including humans,
starfish, insects and mollusks.
Now, in research published online Feb-
ruary 9 in Nature, an international team led
by scientists from UCL (University Col-
lege London) and the Université de Mon-
tréal have shown that neither type of worm
is an early branch of evolution. They show
that both groups descended from the same
ancestor that gave rise to the complex
groups of animals that includes vertebrates
and starfish. This implies that the worms
have in effect ‘evolved backwards’ into
much simpler looking organisms.
Specimens of Xenoturbella were col-
lected from the mud at the bottom of a
Swedish fjord where it eats bivalve mol-
luscs; the acoelomorphs are found in vari-
ous marine environments -- one called
Meara stichopi even makes its home in the
throat of a sea cucumber. Scientists com-
pared hundreds of genes from both Xeno-
turbella and the Acoelomorpha with their
counterparts from a whole range of animal
species to determine their evolutionary re-
lationships.
The results show that the two groups
constitute a newly classified phylum (a
major division of life), which the authors
name the ‘Xenacoelomorpha’. The xena-
coelomorph phylum joins the three known
phyla of deuterostomes: vertebrates (in-
cluding humans), echinoderms (e.g. star-
fish) and hemichordates (acorn worms).
Professor Max Telford, from the UCL
Department of Genetics, Evolution and
Environment, and joint leader of the re-
search, said,”Because the simple Xena-
coelomorpha are descended from the same
ancestor that gave rise to complex groups
such as vertebrates, echinoderms and
hemichordates, these simple worms must
have lost a lot of the complexity that they
originally possessed.”
“Warm Arctic, Cold Continents:
Changes in the Arctic Are Hitting Closer
to Home.” National Oceanic and Atmo-
spheric Administration (NOAA), Feb.
28, 2011:
Extremely cold winds have swept
down through the Northern Hemisphere
recently, reaching as far south as the state
of Florida and causing record low tem-
peratures in January. The unusually cold
winter of 2009–2010 – which saw massive
snowstorms dubbed “Snowpocalypse” and
“Snowmageddon” — and the frigid start
to 2011 in the eastern United States and
Europe have scientists talking about what
might be influencing the weather.
Dr. James Overland, a scientist at NO-
AA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Labo-
ratory (PMEL) in Seattle, has been study-
ing the changing conditions in the Arctic
for 30 years. He explains why the deterio-
ration of the Polar Vortex could be leading
to some of these extreme winter weather
events.
“When the Polar Vortex — a ring of
winds circling the Arctic — breaks down,
this allows cold air to spill south, affect-
ing the eastern United States and other re-
gions,” says Dr. Overland. “This can result
in a warmer-than-average Arctic region
and colder temperatures that may include
severe winter weather events on the North
American and European continents.”
The Polar Vortex is a strong wind flow-
ing around a low-pressure system normally
present over the Arctic in winter. Average
December values from 1968–1996 show
the Polar Vortex remaining strong and
helping to keep the cold air in the Arctic
region. During winter of 2009–2010, this
normal pattern broke down, and a weak-
ened Polar Vortex allowed cold Arctic air
to move southward.
“In December 2009, the Arctic was 9
degrees F warmer than normal, and mid-
latitude continents were 9 degrees F cooler
than normal, with record cold and snow
conditions in northern Europe, eastern
Asia and eastern North America,” says Dr.
Overland. “This is the Warm Arctic-Cold
Continents pattern. The winter of 2009–
2010 had especially extreme weather in the
U.S. as moisture from El Nino hit cold air
from the Arctic.”
According to the 2010 Arctic Report
Card, there is reduced summer sea ice
cover, record snow cover decreases, and
record temperatures. Could these changes
be linked to the weakened Polar Vortex and
extreme winter weather events?
Many factors, including natural climate
variability, can produce extreme weather
events. But, there also is a potential im-
pact from Arctic regions, where solar heat
absorbed by recently ice-free regions of
the ocean warms the atmosphere dur-
ing autumn, impacting the winds. More
research is needed to study the causes
and extent of the recently observed
Warm Arctic-Cold Continent pattern.
“Some scientists are beginning to suspect
that the lack of sea ice allows the oceans
to pump heat into the atmosphere in the
Arctic in a way that could impact weather
patterns such as the North Atlantic Oscil-
lation,” said Mark Serreze, director of the
National Snow and Ice Data Center. “The
idea is still very much in its infancy, but
it’s worth looking into. If it turns out to
be right, it could help to explain the frig-
id winters the eastern United States and
Europe have experienced these past two
years.”
The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO)
is a natural climate pattern that is the domi-
nant mode of winter climate variability
for the region, which ranges from central
North America to Europe and into North-
ern Asia. A strongly negative NAO can
indicate a breakdown of the Polar Vortex.
Last winter, there were two extreme cold
continent events — and the breakdown of
the Vortex, as measured by the NAO, was
the most extreme on record for the past 145
years.
Undoubtedly, changes in the Arctic are
being felt near and far. The winters of 2009
and 2010 serve as a jumping off point for
more research to determine potential link-
ages between Arctic changes and continen-
tal weather to help predict if the Northern
latitudes will witness colder winters in the
future as more summer sea ice is lost.

By Deb Torreso
Outreach Editor
G
rowing up we were taught to eat in
moderation, follow the four basic
food groups, and stay away from
too much candy and soda. Not everyone
listened. Stress, lifestyle and income level
had other paths for some of us—some we
may not have even noticed we were on.
In my household, pots of meat and
vegetables in stews, soups and sauces
were common. They were hearty and fill-
ing, usually soaked up with bread, and all
the ingredients were fresher than they are
today. As the population grew so did the
demand for mass production; new ways
of farming and processing foods were de-
veloped to sustain required amounts. The
economy changed; once both parents
needed to work, household normalcy took
a back seat and morphed into the “fast food
era.” With those changes came a change in
our state-of-mind.
Fast food tycoon Ray Kroc, McDonald’s
founder, took the idea of a “burger stand”
in San Bernardino, California to a new lev-
el when he “revolutionized the American
restaurant industry,” according to Forbes
Magazine. Kroc’s method of offering the
The High-Tech Communication Culture
By Deb Torreso
Outreach Editor
I
find it disturbing that our communica-
tion has morphed into something un-
recognizable. With all the texting and
e-mailing going on, there isn’t much room
for truly getting to know one another—or
for that matter—to achieve any real inti-
macy.
According to an article in the Connecti-
cut Post, in his current exhibit at the Havi-
land Street Gallery in South Norwalk, New
Haven artist Ronnie Rysz “addresses the
diminishing importance of physical com-
munication of individuals.”
“There is a lack of one-on-one dialogue
of intimate experiences,” Rysz said. “It’s
making our society—and my generation—
disconnected.” He feels that texting “cre-
ates a technological buffer between them
and other people.”
Innately, we are programmed to sense
and be aware of certain scenarios like dan-
ger, empathy and sympathy. When we raise
our children, we strive to teach them the
cautionary signals that are extracted from
body language and eye contact—or lack
thereof.
However, with this new practice of
reaching out from behind all types of high-
tech apparatus, it appears we have lost the
Visit www.hccperspective.blogspot.com
HORIZONS • Health & Science
Health as a State of Mind
same exact product in every chain and in
every town and city transformed the fast
food empire into a $500 million fortune
and one of America’s greatest exports.
The more the need for this new culture
of eating arose, the less we noticed our in-
dividual health.
Often we are not aware that problems
exist unless there is a rise in health prob-
lems like diabetes or heart disease. Then a
certain amount of research and notoriety
take place to determine where this new pat-
tern is coming from.
In recent years, childhood diabetes,
obesity and heart disease have increased
due to the massive amounts of sugar, salt
and fats we consume. In general our bodies
are failing at an alarming rate.
In contrast to these cultural and dietetic
changes, there have always been exercise,
health and lifestyle-changing gurus com-
mitted to helping us reconnect and stay
focused to healthier versions of ourselves.
Over the years, some of us have felt
a connection to this and lived our lives
within these sensible confinements, main-
taining our health to the best of our ability.
Others have continued to indulge to what-
ever degree, regardless of research and re-
sulting cautionary concepts and studies.
need, or worse, the desire to be present in
our human connections.
We sit in silence with our heads point-
ed downward—a sign often equated with
a feeling of low self-worth, watching
words—or their short-hand version, appear
as we finger the keys that have become our
voice with which to express our thoughts
and feelings.
A Tech News World article featured re-
search on technology and its effect on chil-
dren. While some exposure, as in learning
and development tapes, [Baby Einstein]
may be linked to improved reading skills,
there were also dangers as in “vision im-
pairment, technology addiction and sexual
solicitation.”
Stanford’s Adjunct Clinical Assistant
Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral
Science, Mali Mann, says in the article, “It
[technology] is overwhelming for young
children and creates patterns of behaviors
similar to addiction patterns.”
The article goes on to claim, according
to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey, that
31 percent of children age three and under
are already using computers, and 21 per-
cent can point and click with a mouse by
themselves.
The American Academy of Pediatrics
argues, in the same article, that children
under two should not be exposed to televi-
Gain Some
Perspective
Now there is a movement in this coun-
try, dubbed by many as a “revolution.”
People are becoming more aware and
much more vocal about our current situa-
tion regarding our food sources and their
quality (or lack thereof). We read stories
all the time about E. Coli bacteria and anti-
biotic-ridden, infectious animals produced
by factory farming conditions. Fortunate-
ly, there are always a certain number of
“watch dogs” in the industry who become
aware of something regarding these issues
and start to shine a light on it.
In December 2011, San Francisco
passed a landmark bill implementing new
fast-food standards. The Responsibility
Project ordered that a Happy Meal could
include a toy only if the combined calories
in the food and drink are fewer than 600
calories and only 30 percent are from fat.
Doctors and nutritionists from all over the
world are stepping up to speak their mind
on issues from diet to lifestyle and how
they can affect one’s health. There are diet
theories to suit any biological, chemical
and geographical makeup. There are veg-
an, vegetarian, and lacto-vegetarian diets,
as well as high protein, high carb, low fat,
low cholesterol, and low glycemic diets.
You name it, you got it.
sion because the child’s brain is still devel-
oping and there is uncertainty as to what
effect it might have, and secondly there
is as possibility of it interfering with the
“child-parent bonding.”
There is an obvious loss of social skills
once easily developed by young people. If
teenagers start “hiding” during their forma-
tive years, in which their skills to relate and
react are often honed, they may miss the
opportunity to establish these skills at all.
It would be similar to the loss of aca-
demic skills by not receiving the necessary
tools to formulate proper English, or cal-
culate mathematical equations. The brain
may have a harder time absorbing and re-
taining this valuable information as we get
older.
Katherine Rossman, writer for Wall
Street Journal, says that young people of
the ages 13-17 send and receive on the av-
erage of 100 texts per day. She feels it is a
matter of having “total control.”
In other words, you can say what you
want, keep it brief and not be bothered with
pleasantries, and in doing so, “cutting off
the free-flow of dialogue,” which can take
the conversation off on an unnecessary tan-
gent.
Rossman interviewed teenagers who
informed her that they felt rude and inva-
sive bothering someone with the nuisance
15
Terms like organic, community sup-
ported agriculture (CSA), free-range, and
eating local have become widespread.
I had heard these terms many times,
and was curious. I was always invested in
health, but didn’t know as much as I want-
ed to.
On my several year quest to find a pro-
gram I could learn from, HCC Counselor
Marilyn Wher suggested I check out the
Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN). She
said she had heard about it from another
student and it sounded like what I was ex-
plaining my heart-felt dream was. I signed
up and spent the next 18 months immersed
in online education including, iPod lectures
and incredible amounts of documented re-
search. It made me feel like I had found
my way home.
I decided to write about some of what I
had learned at IIN in the hope of bringing
some awareness to the HCC community.
Next issue: Sugar Blues
To learn more about the Responsibility
Project, visit responsibilityproject.com.
of leaving them a voice mail, something
they would do only “if it were an urgent
matter.”
An article in the Natural Awakenings
Magazine entitled “Tech Sabbath,” at least
one area has recognized the potential prob-
lem and has made an attempt to find a bal-
ance. Local businesses in San Fransisco re-
cently sponsored a Tech-Free Day inviting
people to attend a potluck picnic.
Picnic attendee, Aubrey Harmon, agrees
that she felt “more present” while at the
event by not having the ability to use any
technology. She says, “I realize it’s good
for my son to balance TV and technology
with face-to-face and outdoor time.”
In the same article, Dan Rollman talk-
ed about creating the Sabbath Manifesto,
which encourages people to enjoy more
time outdoors with loved ones. A practice,
he says, “they remember from a time be-
fore the advent of the Internet.”
In human evolution, there have been
many progressive changes—some positive
and necessary, others—not so much, and
while we have to have faith that with every
change comes an extreme and eventually
a balance, does anyone really believe that
this new “etiquette” is a positive one? I
suppose we will have to wait and see.

What You Should and Shouldn’t Have To Ask Your Parents
By Jennifer Claybrook
Opinions Editor
S
ome parents can be so controlling!
“I guess I’m one of those ‘control-
ling’ parents,” said Samantha Man-
nion, Professor of Criminal Justice and
Political Science and Coordinator of the
Criminal Justice Program at HCC, who is
the mother of four children.
Many parents feel as though, just be-
cause you live in their home, they can
tell you where to go, where not
to go, what to do, and what not to
do. That’s okay for minors, but for
adults it’s beyond ridiculous.
I’ve recently had an issue with
my father about having to ask him
to go places. I think NOT! I’ll be 21
years old in three months, so why
should I have to ask him anything?
I’ve never asked him if I can go
anywhere, and I refuse to start now.
I am not a little girl. Those years are
over and done.
Okay, yeah, I do live in his
home. But that doesn’t matter. Out of re-
spect, I let him know where I’m going. I
don’t have to have permission.
I’m responsible. I do what I have to do
in school and at work. I’m not wild, nor
am I disrespectful. I’m not a whore - I
don’t have different men coming in and
out of his home. I don’t go out partying
By Bobbi Brown
Staff Writer
S
ometimes our eyes can really play
tricks on us, or we can actually be
seeing the right thing. We may even
take a double look and ask the question
“What would posses them to wear what
they have on?” Whatever the question may
be, our eyes are definitely seeing correctly.
Males and females of all sizes seem to be
revealing a lot more nowadays. This has
become a serious distraction and a sight
many people don’t want to see.
“I have been going to HCC for more
than two semesters and I have seen it all,
I honestly don’t like sitting or walking
behind someone who backside is hang-
ing out their clothes. Like c’mon pull your
pants up or put your shirt down so it can
cover it,” says, Jilliain Knowles, as she
demonstrates pulling her shirt down.
“I too find it not cool at all,” Trenton
Seaguile agrees. “I do indeed love the la-
dies, but how you wear your clothes and
what you are willing to show makes guys
approach a woman the wrong way.”
Some people may argue the fact that
they are the ones who buy their clothes,
while others may argue that what they are
wearing and revealing is messing up their
self image.
This is true, people prejudge each other
based on what they’re wearing. A kind-
hearted, intelligent young man could be
viewed as a thug or drug dealer based on
his pants hanging below his backside. This
works both ways for women as well.
HORIZONS • Opinions
pinions
Becoming An Adult
and come in at ungodly hours, drunk out
of my mind. I hardly do anything!
General Studies major Kristie Walker
has a similar problem. “I’m 20 years old,
I work, I go to school and I help pay the
bills. But for some reason my mother feels
that I have to have her permission to hang
out with my friends,” she said.
This is something that I will never
understand. Some parents really need to
lighten up. However, not all parents agree
on this matter.
Photo courtesy of zawaj.com.
“As an adult, if they live in their par-
ents’ house, I think out of respect, they
should inform their parents where they are
going, what they are doing, etc. - but not
necessarily ask for permission, since they
are an adult,” said Claudine J. Coba-Loh,
who’s a mother of two children, Professor
of Psychology and Human Services and
If I Can See It, Can You?
There have been times where I was re-
ally tempted to ask a girl to cover her chest
because it looked like if she just moved a
little bit, her whole entire chest would fall
out. I honestly feel that is not cute!
Fashion has changed even when it
comes to designer clothes. It seems as
if they are looking to show more skin.
Things such as ripped stockings and
ripped leggings are catching the eyes of
many people today.
“No more than two years ago people
would throw out ripped clothes (stockings,
jeans and shirts), now people pay more for
these things.” says Dana Souza, a Journal-
ism major.
From students to staff I’ve always felt
that there should be level of respect that
they should have for themselves. I believe
that this must be spread throughout HCC
and even into our personal lives.Y es,
people may purchase their own clothes,
but I have been wondering are they pur-
chasing the wrong size, or do they really
like spending money on clothes that they
know they will only get a short wear out
of.
“I am not the best dressed person at
school but time to time I run into a per-
son who looks like they had a very hard
time fitting into their clothes” says, Darius
Rodgers.
What most people seem to forget is that
the way one dresses really impacts every-
thing around them. From school to work,
everyone’s first view of a person is always
by what they are wearing rather than what
they are saying. No one wants to see an-
Chairperson of the Behavioral/Social Sci-
ences Department.
Former HCC student Zamika Forrest, a
mother of one child, said, “when you get
out of my house and start paying your own
bills is when you can do whatever you
want.”
Coba-Loh disagreed on that point,
though.
“I think that 18 years old is an adult and
they don’t need to ask permission of the
parent,” she said.
Samiyah Anderson-Neal, a
mother of one child, agreed. “Per-
sonally, I think 18 years old, when
out of high school, because at that
time you’re not grown but you’re on
your way to making your own deci-
sions and becoming an adult.”
Other parents believe that their
children have to continue to ask
them permission for certain things.
“I am not sure I believe that age
on the calender is how I would de-
cide,” said Laurie R. Noe, who’s a
mother of one child, Associate Pro-
fessor of Early Childhood Education, and
Coordinator of the Early Childhood Edu-
cation Program at HCC.
“As an adult, I don’t think my child
should have to ask my permission for any-
thing, unless it involved using, borrowing
or taking something that belongs to me or
my husband,” Mannion said.
other person’s body parts if they don’t
have to.
Media has truly played a role in what
people wear today. The media and our
music has shaped many people’s views on
what is excepted as fashion today. More
singers and dancers are coming out with
different ways to wear clothes, even if that
means showing more skin.
Whether it is the music that inspires or
encourages us to dress so revealing, some
people neglect to realize how this can de-
termine whether or not you can get a good
paying job.
HCC student Carla Davis explains how
her self image allowed her to get a good
paying job.
“I remember preparing for my first job
interview. As I walked in to the office for
my interview I was sitting with people
who were all going for the same job that I
was. At first, I thought I was over dressed
for the position (secretary) compared to
the girl I was sitting next to,”says Davis.
Davis learned, however, that her at-
tempt to dress professionally gave her the
upper hand in getting the job she was go-
ing for.
“She had on a real short skirt and a
blouse that was revealing her chest. I
couldn’t help wonder why she would
show up to an interview dressed like that.
All I knew was that I wanted the job and
if that meant dressing like I was going
to work on Wall Street, I would do that.
Surely enough, I was hired for the job,”
adds Davis.
No matter the size of a person there are
16
Some parents believe it’s a little deeper
than that.
“As an adult, children should have to
ask about anything that impacts the other
person [parent] much the same way I be-
lieve a roommate should ask if it is okay to
have someone over for the night. They are
not obligated by anything except respect.
it is not about the parent/child relation-
ship as much as a respectful adult relation-
ship,” Noe said.
It’s clear that not all parents are con-
trolling and they expect certain things
once their children reach a specific age.
This is fine. But adults who still live with
their parents should not have to ask per-
mission for anything unless, as Madeleine
Burbank, a mother of three children and
Assistant Professor of Psychology, said:
“I think even an adult should ask about
having a guest stay over in a shared living
situation. It’s just common courtesy.”
It may not always be about a parent be-
ing controlling. The main point may be the
concern of the parent.
“With adults, the guiding principle to
‘what to ask about’ is the concern for oth-
ers, including the parent’s comfort level
and also out of respect for them,” Burbank
added.
clothing stores that support people of all
sizes.
There are many places people can go
in order to find the correct size for their
clothing.The question is, how many peo-
ple will care enough to do it. The way a
person dresses says a lot about them.
Organizations such as “Dress for Suc-
cess” encourages men and women to pull
up their pants and pull down their dresses.
They also encourage etiquette classes for
all ages.
“In society, there is a phrase used that
says, ‘sex sells.’ It is the individual’s deci-
sion to decide what they are selling, but I
encourage my son and his friends to sell
positivity, dispel the perception of soci-
ety,” says Michelle Wilson, a parent and
also a student at HCC.
“I agree. I feel that young and old
people are going through a fashion cri-
sis. They are trying to keep up with move
stars, singers, and dancers. Honestly some
things are not meant to be worn in public,”
Wilson added.
Honestly, no woman wants a man to
only see their appearance and neglect
what’s on the inside.
I feel that no woman wants to bring
home a guy to their parents let alone out in
public with his pants hanging down with
his stripped or checked boxers showing.
Although media portrays what’s hot
and cool in today’s fashion, you can still
wear your designer clothes but wear your
clothes to the point that what is supposed
to be a secret, or better yet, hidden from
the sight of other remains that way.
 HORIZONS • Opinions 17

Keep It Simple.. Or Tat, Tat, Tat, it up?

Tattooing... TOO much?
By Dana Souza arms, and covering them with ink would Marisa Mamet, a Junior According to Esquire
Staff Writer hide the muscular definition. Of course, he at the University of New Magazine estimated

T
attoo’s used to be a considered de-
viant. However, tattoos are quite
the norm these days. There has
been a large increase in the amount of ink
a person gets.
I have three tattoos, all with significant
meaning. But there is a line a person can
cross when it comes to “tatting” them-
selves up. Too many tattoos on a person’s
body can be unattractive. I don’t judge
anybody or look down on people who
choose to get excessive tattoos, I just don’t
see attraction in covering your body in ink
that is permanent.
Photo Courtesy of Anonymous Subject.
Trevor Hansen, a local landscaper in
Trumbull has 12 tattoos. He explained,
“Tattoos can be very sexy when done right
especially when they have a deeper mean-
ing. My girlfriend has 3 and is going for
more. Many of my female friends have ink
as well. I think tattoos are beautiful.”
There are some ugly tattoos out there, I
must say, but tattoos are usually beautiful
pieces of art work. When a person has fifty
percent or more of ink on their body, it re-
ally boggles my mind.
My boyfriend keeps talking about get-
ting a half sleeve, and I am completely
against it. He has nice muscular toned
does not agree with me but it’s true. You Haven. in March 2002, 1 in 8
only have two arms, so why cover them Why do people get Americans was tattooed.
up. tattoos of random objects That is a large percentage
On the flip side, a friend of mine, Rach- that don’t mean anything? of people.
elle Willis-Rosario, felt the opposite. To get it just because you Borntoride.com is a
“I think tattoos are quite sexy in certain can I assume. Not only Motorcycle, Beer, Cigar
areas. On a guy, sleeves are hot and back are people getting tattoos, and Tattoo blog. Accord-
pieces are hot. On a girl some sleeves are but people are getting ingn to their website,
attractive, and every where else is attrac- LARGE tattoos. “Life magazine estimated
tive except face and chest area,” she said. Josh Kekac, 23, a stu- in 1936 that 10 million
First year student, Glenda Rorick, has dent at HCC, has 5 tat- Americans, or approxi-
no tattoos but said she may get a small one. toos. However, he says mately 6% of the popula-
She feels that facial tattoo’s are “shocking because of the size, they tion had at least one tat-
and repulsive.” “Tattoos on too many parts could probably count for too. A Harris Poll, done in
of the body are offensive to me, it is hurt- more. Photo courtesy of Talia Munzer. 2003, nearly triples those
ing the body,” she says, with a pained look “Any demonstration numbers and estimates
on her face. of one’s artistic value, es- that 16% of Americans
Tattoos are personal preference but pecially in their choice of body art is ask- now have one or more tattoos.”
what becomes “too much?” ing for judgement good or bad. Regard- It has become the norm these days,
Tattoos become too much when they less, I believe expression of oneself is the ranging from all different ages, 16 to 66,
are offensive to other people. Symbols and way to go and no matter what someones people are picking out their ink colors,
words that cannot be cov- thoughts are on them, if laying down the deposit and sitting into
ered up is an issue. it is what YOU want then the chair, session after session to get tat-
Jillian Woods, who you absolutely should go ted. So what do you say, eyeball tattoos
graduated from Masuk for it. The right people to anyone?
High School (in Mon- have in your life will see
roe) in 2006, thinks it is right through them,” said
too much when it’s on the Kekac.
face. Josh has a large tattoo,
She added, “If it’s in- which covers more than
side the lip what does it 75 percent of his back, in
matter no one can see it his house he explained,
really. But it makes you “no tattoos whatsoever,
look scary, unapproach- so the last few months
Photo
able and no one will re- courtesy of http://fyeahstrange-
have been interesting and
ally want to hire you for finds.tumblr.com my mother constantly
any jobs unless its a job tells me to put on a shirt
that’s like a circus, tattoo when she is home. “ Photo courtesy of Anonymous Subject.
place, etc.” Skin tattooing isn’t
The most common an- the only place to get ink.
swer I have found is when In fact, a man from To-
a person has random tat- ronto is the first to get
toos without meaning the whites of his eyeballs
that it is unattractive. tattooed blue. Corneal
“I don’t think tattoos tattoos are usually used
can be generalized into for patients that have had
attractive or unattractive. trauma to their eye, un-
I LOVE tattoos, but the like this man, he has done
ones without meaning, or it for personal interest.
the ones that are extreme- Now if that isn’t
ly common I find to be Photo courtesy of Josh Kekac. “TOO much” then I don’t Photo courtesy of http://fyeahstrangefinds.
very unattractive,” said know what is. tumblr.com

When Is Enough Enough?

By Elisa Byrdsong under their skin especially when you’re state agencies, court systems, jails and lationship styles it wouldn’t be fair to get
Staff Writer upset, which is not good,” Klein says. also with Department of Family and Chil- only one expert’s opinion. Michael Ami-

H
ere at HCC, 20 students, faculty,
and staff members were asked if
they have had harmful endings in
relationships. 17 out of the 20 answered
yes. From hurtful phrases like “I Hate
YOU!” to physical pain like fighting and
throwing things--these relationships have
ended with pain. Some say it’s hard to see
when the end is coming. Others say they
saw it coming but were in denial. Why do
these relationships end like this? How can
we prevent the issue at hand from spiral-
ing out of control?
Chris Klein, a criminal justice major,
here at HCC, newly single from a rough
ending relationship expresses his personal
opinion to why he believes relationships
end with such hostility. Klein states that in
his experience he’d “seen it coming.”
“We started to argue a lot towards the
end of the relationship, and we were al-
ways distant or away from each other. Not
like the beginning. We tried to work it out
but breaking up was unavoidable, and
when you’re in a relationship with some-
one you learn things about them, their likes
and dislikes So you know how to get
On the other hand, Kiah Goldson, ma-
joring in business law, says that she had
no idea that her relationship of three years
was ending. Goldson admits that there
could have been warning signs to let her
know that the relationship was going down
the wrong path, but she says she thinks her
ex wanted it to end badly so he could feel
less guilty.
“ I didn’t see anything wrong in the re-
lationship. I mean I did, but they were mi-
nor issues. So when we got into a huge ar-
gument over something so simple I could
tell that there was a real meaning to it and
he just wanted his space to be single. And
believe it or not he confessed to this later
down the line that he didn’t know how
to tell me without hurting my feelings,”
states Goldson.
Psychology Professor, Dr. Jim Julian,
who has been a psychologist for the past
10 years, and owns his own personal psy-
chotherapy office, says that within his
experience he has worked with a lot of
patients dealing with harmful breakups.
Julian has experience in many fields deal-
ing with psychology such as hospitals,
dren (DCF). Julian believes that a lot of
relationships end because participants in
the relationship idealize either each other
or one towards the other.
He states, “When meeting someone
people tend to jump head first into the re-
lationship. They are impressed with what
they see in someone and adore the atten-
tion. They fill in the gaps of the missing
things they want from love and fall for
anyone who pays attention to them. Then
when into the relationship they notice
things that they didn’t notice before or
traits that they never knew the person had.
This causes conflict”.
Julian believes that a lot of people
continue to stay in these relationships for
many of reasons.
“A lot of the time it has to do with guilt.
No one wants to be the heart breaker. An-
other case may be that they’re scared to
leave, not necessarily abuse but scared to
be alone. What ever the case may be, these
individuals deep down know that they are
unhappy and know that the outcome will
be eventually breaking up”
When dealing with many different re-
co, Assistant Professor of Psychology,
who has been with HCC for three years,
believes that from his clinical experiences
he has noticed a lot of relationships end
badly because of cognitive dissonance.
“ A lot of factors can play a role in the
harmful ending to a relationship. Denial,
difference in expectations, even observa-
tions of parental relationships can be a
problem. But when two individuals tend
to have conflicting belief about the rela-
tionship or conflicting action in the rela-
tionship, that is what causes tension and
uncomfortably, which can cause one to
justify the behavior,” Amico says.
Amico continues to say, “when deal-
ing with a bad ending to a relationship that
couples must face reality, and have clear
communication between each other.”
Every situation is different and each
one has its own solution, but the ending
result is clear. Everyone deserves to be
happy. And to truly understand what it
means to be happy in a relationship or to
even avoid harmful ending to one it de-
mands time for communication between
one another.

By Brandon T. Bisceglia
Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
I
t’s a tough world. Every day, you are
barraged by advertising schemes, sta-
tistics, and political rhetoric. Every
day, you must express your own views
to friends, family members, teachers, and
employers.
If you want to hack your way through
all that material or convince others of your
opinions, it is essential to develop criti-
cal thinking skills. These skills are rarely
taught in the classroom, yet they often
make the difference between getting your
way and being ignored.
The editors at Horizons are committed
to helping you develop these tools. Each
issue, we bring you one tip to increase
your arguing power, and one hint to sharp-
en your critical eye.
Vet Your Facts: Vetting your facts sim-
ply means looking into them. It may sound
like this should go without saying, but fail-
ing to double-check a source is one of the
most common ways that misinformation
spreads.
The advent of Google and other search
engines has given people access to more
information than ever. But not all infor-
mation is created equal. Public relations
departments disguise their self-advertising
to look like news stories. Political groups
shape the presentation of facts to fit their
agendas. Groups peddling pseudo-science
publish their own journals, and conspiracy
theorists sometimes make stories up out of
whole-cloth.
Even if you are using a well-respected
source, though, there is always a chance
that human error will creep in. If you read
New York Times articles that are more
than a few days old, you’re likely to see
corrections posted at the bottom. It’s not
because they weren’t careful the first time
around – it’s because new information has
overturned a previous statement, or new
sources have provided further details.
There are several ways to get your facts
HORIZONS • Opinions
Tips on Arguing
Vet Your Facts/ Weak Analogies
straight, though none is foolproof. When-
ever you can, you should always use a
primary source over a secondary one (I’ll
cover this topic in greater depth in the next
issue). Primary sources tend to be more
accurate and deliver more nuance.
Cross-checking is a simple way to
make sure your facts are legitimate. If
one source says A is true, find a different
source – one that is independent of your
first source - and see if it says the same
thing. If your second source says that B
is true, you’ll have to do more research to
figure out which is closer to the truth.
If you’re drawing facts from scholarly
journals or books, go through their refer-
ences. Did the “fact” about Thomas Jef-
ferson’s beliefs come from a document he
wrote or from Wikipedia? If it came from
Wikipedia, it might be correct, but the
chances for error are higher.
Another tool often used by researchers
to determine whether a given scholarly ar-
ticle is widely accepted by the academic
community is to find out how many times
it’s been cited by other papers. The more
citations, the more likely it is to be useful
information.
Unfortunately, there is no perfect way
to vet your facts. Eyewitnesses remember
things inaccurately. Typing, writing, and
speaking mistakes are common. Personal
biases can cloud even the most intelligent
person’s assessment of a situation.
Vetting your facts is, however, the
best way to minimize your own errors. It
doesn’t mean that you’ll get everything
right, but it will prevent you from getting
a whole lot of things wrong.
Weak Analogies: An analogy is a com-
parison that shows how two seemingly
different things are similar in some rel-
evant way. They can be extremely helpful
for relating new or complex ideas to peo-
ple, because you can draw connections to
things with which they’re already familiar.
Analogies can also be amusing meth-
ods of description that stretch our imagi-
nations. Consider this example, from a
1999 Washington Post humor contest:
“She grew on him like she was a colony
of E. Coli, and he was room-temperature
Canadian beef.”
The comparison here tells us some-
thing important about the development of
the relationship between the characters. E.
Coli is a bacterium that grows quickly and
heartily, especially on meats that aren’t
refrigerated. The male character must be
swiftly becoming fonder of the female.
There’s a negative aspect to this rela-
tionship, as well: as E. Coli thrives, it ren-
ders the meat poisonous.
The key to building a successful com-
parison, however, is making sure that the
Photo by Brandon T. Bisceglia
similarities between two things are rele-
vant to both of them. If the elements aren’t
important to both, then the analogy falls
apart without illustrating anything.
This analogy was presented by a com-
menter in response to blog post about nu-
clear energy:
“Talking about use of nuclear energy
is like terminating the human race, think
about the effects it would have on the hu-
man body, the massive radiations released
from the fusion of atoms can cause life-
long mutations that can be transferred
from generation to generation.”
The comparison here is supposedly
between “talking about use of nuclear en-
18
ergy” and “terminating the human race.”
And why does the commenter think
these two things are similar? He offers two
reasons. First, there are effects on the hu-
man body from nuclear radiation.
That’s true, if the radiation is poorly
contained. But nuclear energy doesn’t
guarantee catastrophic human exposure to
radiation.
Even less clear is the effect that termi-
nating the human race has on our bodies.
One would assume that it wouldn’t be
pleasant, but that’s hardly illuminating.
The second reason that this commenter
justifies his analogy is by pointing out
that genetic mutations “can be transferred
from generation to generation.”
Aside from the fact that most mutations
caused by exposure to radiation make re-
production difficult, if the human race
were terminated, there would be no new
generations to pass mutations on to. This
part of the analogy doesn’t even make
sense.
A weak analogy doesn’t necessar-
ily mean that a person’s ideas are invalid.
Some concerns over the drawbacks of
nuclear energy are definitely worth dis-
cussing, even if this particular commenter
failed to articulate them intelligibly.
Still, the first step to convincing some-
one else to listen to you is logical consis-
tency. If you can’t explain your position
properly, then you can’t expect anyone
else to agree with it.
Get involved in the debate! If you have
a suggestion for a Tip, a question about
critical thinking, or a comment about ar-
guing, please send it to housatonichori-
zons@yahoo.com. And for quality news,
including a healthy dose of arguments that
challenge the norm, be sure to read Hori-
zons!

Assistant Director of Student Activities Brings
New “Hope” to Department
By Brandon T. Bisceglia
Editor-in-Chief Emeritus
I
t’s a busy Wednesday afternoon in the
Student Life office on the third floor of
Beacon Hall.
HCC’s newly hired Assistant Director
of Student Activities Kelly K. Hope is in
the thick of things. Students pass by with
questions. One asks to finish up with his
student I.D., so she brings him over to the
back of the outer office, where the ma-
chine is waiting.
31-year-old Hope’s desk is a few feet
in front of the ID machine, facing out the
transparent glass wall to the Game Room
on the other side of the hall. Before she
can make it back that far, though, another
student asks to be lent the chess set kept
in the office. He presents his I.D., and she
dutifully pulls the set from under a desk.
The phone rings as she talks; some-
times she can defer it, but other times she
needs to answer.
Despite how hectic the room can be-
come, she executes her tasks with the ease
HORIZONS • Profiles
rofiles
of an expert. She started on Jan. 14; in
barely over a month, she’s already mapped
out most of the office.
Indeed, this kind of scene is familiar –
she’s been working in student services for
over a decade.
Hope began her career at Southern
Connecticut State University (SCSU) in
her hometown of New Haven. “I’m used
to dealing with urban, inner-city colleges
and college students,” she says.
There, she pursued a degree in English
Education, eventually attaining a Mas-
ter’s degree in the subject. Meanwhile,
she began working at SCSU as a Resident
Advisor. After three years, she became a
graduate intern, and then moved up to the
position of Residence Hall Director. She
would continue in that position for the
next seven years.
Eventually, Hope decided that her ca-
reer needed a change. For one, her job
at SCSU required her to live on campus.
“Technically, I had lived on campus since
1999, when I was a freshman there. So ul-
timately it was time to move on,” she ex-
plains. At HCC, she could live wherever
she wanted and commute.
“I had just turned 30, and I was ready to
live my life,” she says.
If Hope stayed, there wouldn’t be many
prospects for moving up, either. “It’s not a
common practice to stay at one institution
as long as I did,” she says. “There weren’t
many positions to advance to. Moving
from one institution to another is common
practice in this particular field.”
In her capacity as assistant direc-
tor under Director of Student Life Linda
Bayusik, Hope takes part in working with
clubs, the Student Senate, and individual
students. She co-supervises the Wellness
Center with Bayusik, as well.
Hope is also the Facilities Scheduler,
a job that requires coordinating events at
the college with people and organizations
outside HCC. “One of my main jobs is to
make sure that for the Events Center and
the other areas on campus we have the
contracts and all of the necessary forms
filed.”
Though her experiences at SCSU and
19
HCC share some similarities, there are
also some major differences.
“The Student Life Office [at HCC]
handles a lot,” she says. “At Southern, we
didn’t have anything to do with student
IDs – that was a whole separate depart-
ment. The same goes for the Wellness
Center – over there they call it the Fitness
Center, and it’s also another department.”
As she’s gotten to know HCC, Hope
has been surprised by some of the prac-
tices unique to the college. “To come here
and find out that fundraising is not some-
thing that happens often” was a shock for
her; at SCSU she was used to students en-
gaging in fundraising on a regular basis.
“I’m still trying to learn the community
college way – the HCC way,” she says.
By all appearances, though, Hope is
quickly adapting, and says she takes plea-
sure in the bustling atmosphere.
“The students coming in and out, the
students that have questions, the students
that just want to talk…I enjoy that. And
learning.”

rts and
Radio Broadcasting: Journalism for the
Music Enthusiast
By Tina M. Eckart
Staff Writer
A
lthough accessibility and conve-
nience of jobs offered on the In-
ternet formed that outlet into the
primary media of today, there still holds a
place for those entering the journalism and
communications world in radio broadcast-
ing.
Music enthusiasts discover their skills
in the broadcasting subset of communica-
tions. This type of journalism still holds
true to the basics: accuracy, brevity, and
clarity, but focuses on the entertainment
industry, possibly leading to public rela-
tions or production.
Journalism is not just the actual report-
Bank memorabilia line the walls of WPLR’s radio
station celebrating 40 years of classic rock and
roll.
Photo by Tina Eckart
ing of news; there are also hidden facets.
Maybe we (as students) should start “play-
ing detective” ourselves; searching for the
clues to crack the case that will lead us to
the ultimate dream job in our field(s).
Deciding to see for myself what radio
By Tori Centopanti
Editor-in-Chief
A
rt has the unique ability to foster
enlightenment through dynamic
images. “The Shepard Cycle”
(2008) by Nomi Silverman is no exception.
The exhibit, featured in Housatonic’s
Community Gallery, was co-sponsored by
the Housatonic Museum of Art and HCC’s
Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA).
The gallery, located on the third floor
of Beacon Hall in the student lounge area,
is meant for smaller exhibits that highlight
one artist or theme.
“It’s an opportunity to address issues
that happen in society,” explained Housa-
tonic Museum of Art Director Robin Zella.
Silverman, who said that her work
“only deals with social and humanitarian
issues,” drew inspiration from the story of
Mathew Shepard, a young gay man who
was murdered over a decade ago.
Upon hearing the story in the news, she
was “shocked, horrified and angry” and
believes that “he did not deserve what he
got.”
Accompanying the exhibit was an in-
formal group discussion meant for reflec-
HORIZONS • Arts & Entertainment 20
ntertainment
broadcasting is really all about, I approach of what’s going on in the music world, and long as I can be surrounded with the vibe
the 3rd floor of one of Connecticut’s old- even lends a bit of trivia and history to his of music?! Not only can radio broadcasters
est classic rock show. share their journalistic abilities to commu-
radio stations, He describes nicate to music fans, but they can also help
99.1 WPLR. the music aspect with promotions of aspiring music artists
When the el- of radio broad- as well, especially by playing their music.
evator opens, I casting as “theater
make my way of the mind,” giv-
past glass secu- ing his listeners a
rity doors where “rush” when they
a woman called hear news about
“the prize lady” their favorite
smiles behind the bands and con-
reception desk. certs. Lapitino’s
Marie-Claire Ab- M`ike Lapitino, journalist of 25 years, offers personality most exciting ce-
riola is WPLR’s and creative style to WPLR’s afternoon show in the way of lebrity interviews
music trivia and history for his listeners.
part-time recep- include late mu-
Photo by Tina Eckart
tionist who al- sic artist Warren
lows guests entry Zevon (who re- Marie-Claire Abriola smiles behind the reception
into the facility. Abriola says, she “meets corded song “Werewolves of London”), as desk of WPLR.
all types of personalities,” and because well as bands Steppenwolf, and The Black Photo by Tina Eckart
most people come to her to claim prizes Crowes.
they have won through the station, “ev- The perks to being a broadcast journal- For all those journalists in entrepre-
eryone’s pretty happy here!” ist according to Lapitino are “making con- neurship,, what’s wrong with opening up a
Radio personality Mike Lapitino, a nections, seeing the shows backstage, and radio station of your own? All you have to
veteran journalist of twenty-five years, not wearing a suit every day!” do is establish a studio, equipment, fund-
hosts WPLR’s daily afternoon music show Maria Lashley, sales manager at ing, local bands guest appearances, and
from 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Allowing me WPLR admits that “there’s never a dull find a talented host among the many Jour-
to sit inside the studio during the airing of moment” when working at the station. nalism/Communication students at our
his show, Lapitino reveals, “consistency, Observing WPLR’s producer and addi- institution! Maybe HCC could help stu-
identifying your audience, and relevance” tional crew, there are many unappreciated dents with this aspect of their job search,
are the key elements to success in the radio efforts that take place in radio broadcast- and possibly a hopeful future.
broadcasting field. ing. Long days, live shows, sound effects, There are many forms of journalism,
Classic rock music is what Lapitino’s commercial advertising, and guest appear- and for those who want to step outside
listeners expect to hear, and the computer- ances are key to attracting and keeping the newsroom experience, allowing their
ized pre-programmed play-lists keep them WPLR’s loyal listener fan-base. creativity and freedom of expression to
tuned in every day. In between music Learning all of this information al- dance over the airwaves, radio broadcast-
breaks, Lapitino adds his own personality lowed me to believe radio broadcasting is ing sounds like a worthwhile plan.
and style to the air. Informing listeners of far above the rat race of any newsroom.
every detail possible, he keeps them aware Who cares if long days keep me at work as
The Shepard Cycle
tion on the artwork’s social and cultural poses right and a year Matthew Shepard was
context was held on February 24. The art- on the crucifixion print a 21-year-old political
ist, faculty and staff, students, and alumni alone. science major at the Uni-
were in attendance. Each print’s medium versity of Wyoming when
was carefully chosen to he was attacked, tortured
obtain a “certain effect and murdered because of
or emotion.” Etching his sexual orientation.
and lithographing for the Unfortunately, it
pieces in this collection. wasn’t his first experience
“Etching is a very with assault. About
“The Shepard Cycle” - Plate II (lithograph)
violent medium, so I Image three years prior to
courtesy of www.nomisilverman.com
used it for the more his death, in February
violent pieces,” she 1995, he was beaten,
clarified. robbed and raped during a high school trip
In the process of applying for a grant, to Morocco.
the suggestion came up to tell Shepard’s Fast-forward to October 7, 1998, when
story using the Stations of the Cross—it Shepard met and hitched a ride with two
was a perfect fit. Thus, the original five men: Aaron McKinney and Russell Hen-
pieces flourished into 13. derson.
A brief lesson on the Stations of the That night Shepard was robbed, repeat-
Cross and Matthew Shephard’s story was edly pistol-whipped in the head, and tor-
given to the group by English Professor tured by the two men—who tied him to a
Matthew Shepard
Photo courtesy of kooldog54.deviantart.com Kirk Hughes, coordinator of the Honors fence in a rural area and left him to die. By
Program. the time Shepard was found, 18 hours later,
“By making a cycle, you’re inviting us he was already in a coma.
Silverman shed light on the process of to learn,” he said, adding, “One of the won- He suffered multiple injuries: fractures
creating the prints, which took about seven ders of art is not knowing.” to the back of his head, severe brain-stem
to eight years to complete, and entailed
three years of drawing models to get the Remembering Matthew Shepard Continued on page 21

Continued from page 20
damage, and multiple lacerations on his
head, face and neck. The injuries were too
severe for doctors to operate.
Shepard never regained consciousness
and remained on life support until he died
on October 12, five days after the attack.
Shortly after, McKinney and Hender-
“The Shepard Cycle” - Plate IX (ethcing)
Image courtesy of www.nomisilverman.com
son were arrested and police found several
pieces of evidence in their truck, including
the bloody gun and Shepard’s shoes and
wallet.
While on trial the suspects attempted to
justify their actions by using the “gay panic
defense,” alleging that Shepard had made
sexual advances towards them. But their
HORIZONS • Arts & Entertainment
girlfriends testified against them in court,
revealing that the two men had actually
planned to rob a
gay man.
Henderson
pleaded guilty
on April 5, 1999,
and testified
against McKin-
ney. Both re-
ceived two life
sentences each
“The Shepard Cycle” - Plate VI (etching)
Image courtesy of www.nomisilverman.com
because Shepard’s parents were against the
death penalty—they wanted the men who
killed their son to suffer for the rest of their
lives.
At the time, the United States federal
law did not prosecute crimes committed
on the basis of sexual orientation as hate
crimes. Multiple attempts have been made
since Shepard’s death to change the law re-
garding hate crimes.
The Matthew Shepard Act was adopted
as an amendment on July 15, 2009, and
was passed by the Senate on October 22.
It was signed into law by President Barack
Obama on October 28.
It expanded the federal hate crime law
to include gender, sexual orientation, gen-
der identity and disability.
The Cycle Endures
Hughes pointed out the “cycle of cul-
tural violence” that is constantly transfer-
ring from one group of people to another,
whether its homosexuals, the Jews, African
Americans, the disabled, Muslims, and so
forth.
He defined it as the “universalization
of bullying,” emphasizing that hate crimes
can truly happen to anyone.
It’s not uncommon for a society to tar-
get or discriminate against a group of peo-
The Shepard Cycle” - Plate VII (lithograph)
Image courtesy of www.nomisilverman.com
21
ple who are different in some way, or seem
to pose some imminent threat to their way
of life. It’s a cycle that has continued for
centuries.
Silverman echoed the same sentiment,
explaining that she merely “borrowed”
Shepard’s name and story to illustrate the
vicious cycle. “That’s anybody’s story.
Anybody at any point can be a victim,” she
observed.
It’s the unfortunate truth.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
statistics report 9,691 hate crimes in 2008
based on bias against race, religion, sexual
orientation, ethnicity or national origin,
and disability. About 35 percent were at-
tributed to sexual orientation.
Animosity and prejudice will not dis-
appear overnight, as has been proven time
and time again, but open-minded discus-
sions are a step in the right direction.
“I hate the word tolerance,” Silverman
commented. “I tolerate bees and ants. I
don’t tolerate people, they just are.”
A fully inclusive online gallery of “The
Shepard Cycle” can be found on Nomi Sil-
verman’s official Web site: http://www.no-
misilverman.com/site/Prints.html

The Stations of the Cross

Jesus is condemned to death

Jesus is given his cross
Jesus falls the first time
Jesus meets his mother
Simon of Cyrene carries the cross
Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
Jesus falls the second time
Jesus meets the daughters of Jerusalem
Jesus falls the third time
Jesus is stripped of his garments
Crucifixion: Jesus is nailed to the cross
Jesus dies on the cross
Jesus’ body is removed from the cross (deposition or lam-
entation)
Jesus is laid in the tomb and covered in incense

Share Your Thoughts!

Write a review about an art show featured in The Housatonic Museum of Art for the museum’s blog by e-mailing Curator Terri
C. Smith at tcamillesmithhcc@gmail.com

Visit The Housatonic Museum of Art Online!

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Housatonic-Museum-of-Art/121841171170524

Blog: http://housatonicmuseum.blogspot.com/

Website: http://www.hcc.commnet.edu/artmuseum/index.html

Watching the Garden Grow:
Knicks Land a Second Super Star
By Mark Bein
Staff Writer
A
fter all this time, the NBA (Na-
tional Basketball Association)
“Melo-Drama” is finally over.
Ever since the superstar Carmelo Anthony
refused to sign the three-year $65 million
dollar extension with his former team the
Denver Nuggets, there has been a non-
stop soap opera of rumors and speculation.
One would think after so long with these
negotiations going on that Denver would
have been the team to get desperate and
get something for their star player while
they still could, and they did.
In exchange for Carmelo Anthony,
veteran Chauncey Billups, former Knick
Renaldo Balkman, Shelden Williams, and
Anthony Carter. The New York Knicks
blockbuster trade allowed the loss of play-
ers Danilo Gallinari, Raymond Felton,
Wilson Chandler , Timofey Mozgov, Eddy
Curry and Anthony Randolph along with
a future first round draft pick, two second
round draft picks, and 3 million dollars
handed to the Nuggets franchise.
“When you are getting a player like
Carmelo, you have to give up a lot”, Coach
Mike D’Antoni explained. “We needed to
keep at least one or two of those guys. We
tried like heck to keep two (in addition
to the rookie Landry Fields), but we just
couldn’t.”
Anthony had said from the beginning
he did not want to make this a repeat of
LeBron James’ infamous “decision”, and
he certainly got his wish. Instead of walk-
ing as a free agent at the end of his con-
tract like James (two-time Most Valuable
Player of the league); Anthony got to leave
early, and was able to play where he de-
sired, while getting his former team many
valuable assets to help compensate for his
absence as well. Unlike Carmelo, James
left the Cleveland Cavaliers in shambles,
when he decided to form a dynasty within
the Miami Heat franchise (the “Big Three”
which includes James, Dwyane Wade, and
Chris Bosh). While that is not entirely
James’ fault, it is hard to ignore the fact
that if he had made it clear he wasn’t com-
ing back, teams would have traded any-
Some Think HCC Has Never
Had an Athletic Program, But They Are Wrong.
By Chad Fisher
Staff Writer
I
f you were to look through old copies
of Horizons from 1995 and earlier, you
would see that we once had a sports
section different from what we currently
have. Yes, it covered major league sports,
but it was different because it also covered
Housatonic sports. That’s right! Housa-
tonic used to have sports!
Many HCC students may not be aware
that we once had sports teams. “We use
to have sports? Why don’t we have them
anymore? If we still had sports I’d join a
team in a heartbeat,” says Housatonic stu-
HORIZONS • Sports
ports
thing to acquire him. Had that have hap-
pened, the Cavs’ would definitely be in a
better place then they are right now (the
team went on a 26-game losing streak; the
single longest of that demerit in the history
of the NBA.) The fate of the Nuggets if
Carmelo had walked as a free agent prob-
ably would not have been as grim, but the
Denver Nuggets officials and Anthony
both did not want to take that chance.
Then again, Anthony also did not want to
compromise his largest want; which was
to play in Madison Square Garden.
Photo courtesy of www.ouchnews.com
The Denver Nuggets came away from
this trade like bandits given what their sit-
uation was; they got young, fast, talented
players, several draft picks in the future,
tons of trading options and 3 million dol-
lars for a guy who was going to walk and
leave them with nothing at the end of the
season anyhow. They did lose their veteran
point guard Chauncey Billups, and despite
his talent, he is rapidly approaching his
35th birthday, which made him a lot less
attractive when talking trades. The Knicks
did get the superstar they desired, yes, and
given any other situation this deal would
have been done in a heartbeat, but this
HCC Hawks, Extinct?
dent John Mota.
If you look in the lower level lobby of
Lafayette, you will notice a trophy case
which holds awards from Housatonic’s
various extinct teams.
“I didn’t know that trophy case was for
sports. I always thought it was academic
awards or something like that,” says HCC
student Jeff Miller.
According to Director of Student Ac-
tivities, Linda Bayusik, former registrar
Ed Sylvia was once HCC’s sports coordi-
nator. HCC has not had a sports program
for a number of years due to his retirement.
According to previous reports in Ho-
rizons, baseball, softball, men’s and
was no ordinary ordeal. Anthony wasn’t
going anywhere else and he clearly was
never going to sign with the New Jersey
Nets (the other primary team in the Car-
melo Anthony pursuit). If he ever intended
to, he would not have constantly canceled
the requested meetings with them all sea-
son. ( If you had the choice to play in New
York in an above .500 team with Amar’e
Stoudemire or in New Jersey with no one
but Brooke Lopez on a team who were at
the time 17-42, which would you choose?
Kind of a no brainer)
The Nuggets were in absolutely no
position to make the demands they did
from the Knicks because they were not
going to get an offer that was better from
anywhere else. Carmelo was only under
contract until the end of the year , and the
Nets deal was completely contingent on
if Carmelo would agree to an extension
with them, which no one could force him
to do. The Knicks knew Anthony wanted
to play in the Garden. They had the upper
hand, but instead of playing hardball and
putting a bit more pressure on the Nug-
gets, the Knicks pretty much threw their
hands up in the air and gave the Nuggets
anything they wanted; with the excep-
tion of Landry Fields (Lord knows what
film director and Knicks super-fan Spike
Lee would have done). The Nets ended
up receiving Deron Williams from the
Utah Jazz after Anthony was officially
declared a Knick, so for the time being,
they are content with their roster.
When all is said and done, the Knicks
now have Carmelo, but there is a lot of
work that needs to be done before they can
even think about competing against teams
like the Boston Celtics and the Miami
Heat in a seven game play-off series. As
it stands right now this trade has left them
with little depth. They are in dire need of
more resources: a defender with a high-re-
bound percentage, a back up point to help
the aging Chauncey Billups (Toney Doug-
las will do for now), and some guys on the
bench who can actually play the sport.
This may pay off for the Knicks in the
long run; they were not contending for
a Championship Title this year anyway.
They have almost no tradeable assets to
women’s basketball, and a running club
were some sports which once existed on
HCC turf. Not only did we have sports at
Housatonic, but some teams were actually
really good and played other colleges.
In 1995, Horizons reported that HCC’s
baseball team was supposed to have the
best team they had ever assembled. They
were so serious about playing that the
school actually rented out an old ware-
house for the players to practice in during
the cold weather.
Believe it or not, if you visit prep-
sportswear.com you can actually find
Housatonic Hawks sportswear. Now it
does not use the HCC logo, but you can
22
fill necessary positions; and the payrolls
of Stoudemire and Anthony will not allow
them to go on a spending spree to fill in
all the holes the team does have within the
realm of the budget cap. However there
is always the draft picks: James Dolan
(Executive Chairman of Madison Square
Garden, Inc.) was smart enough to at least
ensure the draft picks they did give away
in the trade will not be taken for a while
because they desperately need to have
those picks as soon as possible.
“The Knicks are back,” said the Knicks
All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire, regard-
ing the acquisition of Carmelo Anthony.
Though the Knicks Center-Forward tot-
ted around that tag-line when he joined
the Knicks in July 2010, it certainly seems
that New York fans believe him this time.
The last time there have been two players
with talent like Stoudemire and Anthony
under the Garden roof together was in the
early 1970’s when Earl “The Pearl” Mon-
roe and Walt “Clyde” Frazier joined forces
to win two NBA championships (1970 and
1973).
Whether or not Carmelo Anthony can
actually help bring the Knicks to a Cham-
pionship bracket, let alone the play-offs,
is up in the air. With him, the Knicks
are more relevant than they have been
in over 10 years, and that’s what Knicks
fans really wanted. The franchise lacked
a winning record since Allan Houston’s
career-crippling injury. Seeing two super-
stars together in Madison Square Garden
is enough to bring tears to the eyes to all
the Knicks fans who have been in hiber-
nation since 2001. While the dirt of that
decade remains unwashed from the hands
of the Knicks organization (and will con-
tinue to be as long as James Dolan is still
listening to former Knicks Head Coach/
Executive Isiah Thomas), it’s at least the
next step needed to making a Champion-
ship-contending team. Without question,
the New York Knicks will at least be fun
to watch. As of March 6th, 2011 the New
York Knicks have 32 Wins and 29 Losses,
Second Place in the Atlantic Division of
the NBA Eastern Conference.
still support our non-existent baseball and
basketball teams.
As for rumors of a football team being
started at Housatonic, those are false, said
Bayusik. According to the activities office
that was just a rumor and that is the way
it will stay. There is no team nor will there
be a team in the near future.
Today, the only sport active at HCC is
our table tennis club.
If you are interested in joining the club
check them out in the glass room on the
Beacon third floor Fridays at one. For
more information on the club, you can also
contact the club coordinator Professor An-
drew Pinto.

Major League Baseball Season Preview
By TJ Mallico
Staff Writer
F
ootball season ended last month,
Basketball is past the half-way
mark and that only means one more
thing. Yes, it’s back again, America’s
greatest pastime, baseball. Spring Train-
ing has already started and soon enough
the the Regular Season will be here. So
here’s a preview of the 2011 Major League
Baseball Season, 2010 was the year of the
pitcher, what will 2011 bring?
One of the most important parts of pre-
viewing the upcoming season starts with
reviewing the teams that made the wisest
decisions as well as some of the worst in
the off-season.
Teams that made the smartest moves:
Athletics: The Athletics had a very
busy off season; signing bullpen boosters
Grant Balfour and Brian Fuentes really
gives them a bunch of depth in late-inning
situations. Oakland traded for David Deje-
sus, who had a breakout season and signed
former top prospect, Andy LaRoache and
DH Hideki Matsui. Behind one of the
most talented and youngest starting rota-
tions in baseball, the Oakland Athletics
off-season has put themselves in a position
to possibly win the American League West
Division.
Photo courtesy of theredsreport.com
Orioles: The Baltimore Orioles had
one of the best off seasons in recent years.
It seems like new manager Buck Showal-
ter is really lighting a fire under this orga-
nization. The O’s traded for slugger Mark
Reynolds and shortstop J.J. Hardy. They
also signed veteran bats like Derrek Lee
and Vladimir Guerrero. Baltimore then
signed talented closer Kevin Gregg and
starting pitcher Justin Duchsherer, who
in 2008 had a 2.54 ERA in 141.2 innings
pitched, very impressive. The Orioles are
in the right direction...finally.
Red Sox: The Boston Red Sox had the
best off season of any other team. Theo
Epstein (Red Sox General Manager) did
an amazing job of acquiring talent. He
first traded for Adrian Gonzalez and
signed Carl Crawford via free agency.
Both of these players are easily considered
in baseball’s top 25 best hitters. Epstein
then signed Bobby Jenks to provide assur-
ance in late inning relief and also picked
up Andrew Miller who a couple of years
ago was one of the best prospects in the
Detroit Tigers Organization. The Red Sox
are in position to be a great team for years
to come.
Reds: The Reds off-season wasn’t
filled with big name free agent signings
, but they did something much smarter,
giving their young, talented players con-
Got some news you want covered?
Write to housatonichorizons@gmail.com.
HORIZONS • Sports
tract extensions that assures them to be
there for years to come. The Red’s gave
MVP Joey Votto a 3 year extension, start-
ing pitcher Johnny Cueto a 4 year exten-
sion, and talented outfielder Jay Bruce a 6
year deal. These were all very intelligent
moves by the Reds front office. They also
picked up outfielder Jeremy Hermida and
shortstop Edgar Renteria for short-term,
inexpensive contracts. The Reds biggest
need in the off-season was accomplished,
they locked up their best players. Red’s
fans have to appreciate that.
Teams that made questionable moves
in the off-season:
Yankees: The Yankees went into the
off-season with multiple problems, having
to re-sign future hall of famers Derek Jeter
and Mariano Rivera, then getting a top of
the rotation starter. The first part of the
off-season went according to plan. They
gave Jeter and Mo extensions, but after
that it seemed everything went wrong for
the Yankees. Everybody and their mothers
thought the Yankees were going to wow
Cliff Lee with a huge offer, but that didn’t
happen because Lee decided to go join the
Phillies for less money. So instead of go-
ing after respectable starters like Jon Gar-
land and Vincente Padilla, they over-paid
for a player they didn’t even need in set-
up man, Rafael Soriano. The Yanks were
were basically forced to sign Freddy Gar-
cia and Bartolo Colon, both of whom are
way past their prime.
Padres: For a team that won 90 games
last year, it surprised me how little they
were willing to do in the off-season. Most
teams would try to build on that, but I
guess the Padres didn’t get the memo.
They traded their only offensive weapon
on the team in Adrian Gonzalez, he led
them in Home Runs, RBI’s, Runs Scored
(you catch my drift). They over-paid Or-
lando Hudson and Aaron Harang in the
free agency stage. Maybe the Padres can
prove me wrong, but with their best hitter
batting at 271 now that Adrian Gonzalez is
gone (minumum 90 games played), there’s
a reason to panic in San Diego, someone
call Ron Burgendy.
Angels: The Angels were another
team like the Yankees that had to make
some moves in the off-season, but like
the Yanks, it was a disappointing off-sea-
son for Los Angeles. The Angels needed
to sign Carl Crawford or Adrian Beltre.
They missed both, Crawford went to Bos-
ton, and Beltre fled to Texas. The Angels
did trade for Vernon Wells, but he’s due
over 18 million dollars this season and at
his offensive production it doesn’t balance
out. Not to mention they traded the team
leader in home runs to get Vernon Wells;
Mike Napoli. The Angels have a pretty
good rotation, but with a questionable
lineup who knows if they can even pass
their win total of last year, which was the
lowest since 2003.
Another part of previewing the MLB
Season is to point out the teams that are
going to do better than last year and other
teams that are on going to struggle a little
more this year:
Teams on the Rise:
Athletics: Oakland has a ton of young,
talented starting pitching. Did you know
they led the league as a team in quality
Let us know!
starts? If their offense can even do a little
better expect this team to give Texas a
lot of trouble for the top of the American
League West.
Tigers: The Tigers have a tough lineup
now with potential MVP Miguel Cabrera
and Victor Martinez. Don’t forget Justin
Verlander, Max Schererzer, and young
phenom Rick Porcello. This team is my
pick to win the American League Central.
Blue Jays: The Blue Jays have pro-
duced 80 win seasons in five of the last six
years. They had the most powerful lineup
in baseball last year and can definitely give
the Yankees and Rays trouble. The Blue
Jays starting rotation does worry me, but I
Photo courtesy of fantasyphenoms.com
do not think I am crazy when I say the Jays
have a decent shot at second place.
Brewers: Milwaukee had the second
biggest trade in the off-season, and I feel
like a lot of people forgot about it. They
acquired former Cy Young Award winner,
Zach Grienke; put him behind one of the
most underrated pitchers like Yovani Gal-
lardo and there is a impressive 1, 2 punch.
The Brewers also have a potent lineup
with Prince Fielder, Ryan Braun, Corey
Hart, and Casey McGehee. I think the
Brewers will make the playoffs and win
over 87 games.
Astros: I do not think the Astros will
contend for a playoff berth, but I do think
they will have a couple more wins than
losses by the end of the year, which was
much better than last year. People forget
that Brett Myers posted a 3.14 ERA in
over 200 innings pitched, Wandy Rodri-
guez who had a 2.11 ERA in the second
half of last season, and potential super-
star J.A. Happ whom they acquired from
Philadelphia. This is another team that
can turn some heads if they build around
Hunter Pence.
Teams on the Decline:
Rays: The Rays won the American
League East last year, but were completely
decimated by expiring contracts and play-
ers that wanted long-term deals. They lost
all-star Carl Crawford, Matt Garza who
threw a no hitter last year, Carlos Pena,
Grant Balfour, Rafael Soriano, and Jason
Bartlett. They still have a impressive team
with a plethora of young talent, but whose
to say these prospects can come in and do
what Evan Longoria did in his rookie year?
It’s not likely that they will and with how
competitive the American League East is
this year I see the Rays somewhat strug-
gling and winning between 82-86 games.
Padres: I’ve mentioned them before
and I am not going to back away from it.
The Padres have put themselves in a very
bad position. There offense was in the
bottom of the league in most offensive cat-
23
egories with Adrian Gonzalez, who knows
how bad there going to be now. They lost
Jon Garland, Chris Young, and even with
Matt Latos and it’s is still not enough.
The last segment of the Major League
Baseball Season Preview I will talk about
are players that are going to surprise fans
the way Carlos Gonzalez and Trevor Ca-
hill did a year ago. I will also discuss
players that might struggle this year or not
do “as well” as the year before.
Players to watch for 2011:
Jeff Niemann- Rays - Starting Pitcher:
There was one point last year where Nie-
mann threw 16 straight games with at least
six innings pitched in each, that’s legiti-
mate. Niemann’s second half of the sea-
son last year was riddled with injuries, but
he’s very good, and don’t be shocked if he
wins 14-17 games this year.
Starlin Castro - Cubs - Shortstop: Cas-
tro is one of the youngest players in base-
ball at 20 years old, and in his Rookie
campaign he batted .300 on the nose. He
played over 120 games and had over 400
AB’s, that’s consistent.
Madison Bumgarner - Giants - Starting
Pitcher: If you don’t remember the World
Series, the 21-year-old started Game 4
pitching 8 innings, allowing no runs on
just 3 hits! Last year, Bumgarner posted
3.00 ERA in 111 innings. He’s going to
get more innings this year too, get ready
for another young, top of the rotation
pitcher for the giants.
Andrew McCutchen - Pirates - Out-
field: In his second big league season, Mc-
Cutchen batted .286, 16 home runs, and 33
steals. This guy has the potential to bat
over .300, hit 25 home runs and steal more
than 45 bases. Finally, there’s some light
at the end of the tunnel for Pirates fans.
Possible Let-Down Players:
Placido Polanco - Tigers - Infielder:
Polanco had a great batting average of
.298 with over 500 AB’s, but his on base
percentage was low, and he had his low-
est home run total since 2007. I just don’t
see Polanco keeping up with the average
he had last year, I think he’s due for a sub-
par year.
Freddy Garcia - Yankees - Starting
Pitcher: Some experts give credit to Gar-
cia who did win a respectable 12 games to
just six losses, but his ERA was 4.64 and
he threw 157 innings and surrendered 171
hits! Garcia is also at a hitters ball-park
in Yankee Stadium. I think Freddy Garcia
will struggle in Pinstripes.
Aubrey Huff - Giants - First Base: Huff
surprised a lot of people last year. He
batted .290 with 26 home runs and over
80 rbi’s, a solid season to say the least. I
just don’t see it happening again, Huff’s a
year older and has to play the field because
there is no DH in the National League.
Also, the previous 2 seasons before the
Giants he batted below 260. I still think
he will put up a respectable average in the
.260’s-.270’s, and around 20 home runs,
but nothing like the 2010 season.
So those are some previews of different
aspects of the season. From the smartest
front-office moves, rising teams, declining
teams, and stand out players. The Major
League Baseball Season is almost here.
Are you ready?
 HORIZONS • Sports 24

NFL Season Lockout Ever So Close

By Rondale Williams Indianapolis Colts center Jeff Saturday, are for the NFL owners and player union opted out of the current agreement be-
Staff Writer and executive board member of the NFL- representatives to meet for seven straight cause of differences in the revenue sharing

T
he likelihood of a 2011-2012 NFL
(National Football League) sea-
son lockout is ever so close, as
the current Collective Bargaining Agree-
ment is set to expire March 3rd. There are
many issues concerning both the NFL and
NFLPA (National Football League Play-
ers Association), which are seeming to not
go away as quickly as many would have
hoped.
Some of the concerns of a lockout may
have begun to deteriorate for both NFL
players and fans. Recently the NFL and
the NFLPA decided to agree upon a settle-
ment under the guidance of the Federal
Mediation and Conciliation Service, an
independent government agency.
PA, told ESPN that he was “excited” about
the prospect of entering mediation. “It can
do nothing but help,” Saturday said.
Meetings of any sort did not seem too
promising days after Super Bowl XLV
though, when NFL owners walked out of
a meeting with NFLPA executives. Own-
ers claimed that the players’ union put an
unrealistic proposal on the table. Rumors
are that owners actually walked out be-
cause of an unfavorable revenue sharing
proposal by the players’ union. That would
have split all revenue equally between the
NFL owners and NFLPA. Instead, the
owners want a revenue sharing plan where
they would receive a guaranteed $2 billion
credit before any revenue is shared. Now
though with the agreed mediation, plans
days in Washington starting Friday, Febru-
ary 19th, to work out differences.
Topics to be discussed at the meetings
are plans for an 18-game season, revenue
sharing for owners and players union,
benefits for retired NFL players, and a
proposed rookie wage scale. Most fans
seem to not care much about the NFL’s
money problems but instead just want to
see football this coming fall. “More than
likely, they will come to an agreement,”
says Shawn Gibson, Housatonic student
and New York Giants fan. “The mediation
team appears to have a few present and
former-players on it, so interests of every-
one should represented fairly.”
The most recent CBA was agreed upon
in 2006, however in 2008 NFL owners
of the deal, causing the possible loss of an
NFL season.
“The magnitude of the loss would be at
the very least about $160 million to $170
million per team-city,” NFLPA President
DeMaurice Smith said. “That is a conser-
vative estimate of the economic impact.”
The current CBA is set to expire 11:59
p.m. on March 3rd concurrently putting a
stop to free agency and all team opera-
tions.
The NFL Draft will still happen as
planned though April 28th-30th but draft-
ees will not be able to sign contracts until
a new CBA is agreed too.

No Super Bowl in NYC Please

By Rondale Williams banking on that to be their calling card to the NFL gave those fans the option to get area gets a little something nicknamed a
Staff Writer get fans to come to the area in early Febru- a refund on their tickets up to three times “Nor’easter”.

B
right lights, historical monuments,
millions of tourists everyday, and
a hot night life may make New
York City seem like the perfect place to
have America’s biggest game, the Super
Bowl! For sure, the New York City area
has everything you need in place to make
the Super Bowl reach heights no other Su-
per Bowl has before.
The heights the already wildly popu-
lar Super Bowl can reach will be put to
the test. After last summer, the NFL an-
nounced that there would be a Super Bowl
played in New York in February 2014.
After the recent debacle, the Super
Bowl was in Dallas because of winter re-
lated weather. Does the NFL maybe want
to rethink their decision? Do they want to
re-create the horrible experience the Super
Bowl was in Dallas this year?
No, I don’t think they want to, unless
the NFL likes reliving horror movies and
losing thousands of dollars to its fans be-
cause of Old Man winter.
That isn’t too say though even with
winter, New York City isn’t short on en-
tertainment for NFL fans and that alone
would draw fans to want to come to the
area for a Super Bowl. And the NFL is
ary 2014. the face value, which was about $2400 a This winter alone broke record snow-
But is entertainment and the glamour ticket, or get free tickets to their choice of falls, causing the whole Tri-State area at
of a New York City Super Bowl some- any future Super Bowl they want plus air one point to have to clear around two feet
thing that should be forced because of the fare and hotel stay included. of snow, causing the area to have to shut
almighty dollar? Look at what happened Most fans still were left unhappy about down all transportation systems, high-
in Dallas and the glorious “palace that their experience and the NFL plans of rec- ways, businesses, and schools because of
Jerry Jones built,” a.k.a. Dallas Cowboys onciliation. So now those fans are suing the conditions.
Stadium. Old man Jerry Jones and the After this winter you would think
winter came in NFL for an undis- the NFL would think twice about hav-
made that place closed amount, ac- ing America’s biggest game in America’s
into an igloo, an cording to ESPN. greatest city because quite frankly this
igloo that is prob- That wasn’t the isn’t the place for it in early February.
ably going to cost end of the “Debacle Winter won’t let it happen, and the situa-
Jones and the NFL in Dallas!” When tion that happened in Dallas will only get
millions of dollars. TV crews tried to worse by the congestion that is New York
Dollars that set up for shows City.
once were once on ESPN and other To avoid this mess the NFL should go
thought to be reve- networks many off back to its old system of rotating the Su-
nue, are now going them had to be de- per Bowls between warm weather cities.
to have the pay the Photo courtesy of nflwallpapers.org layed or canceled. I’m sure fans would love Miami, New Or-
families of injured Mike and Mike in leans, San Diego, and Tampa Bay in early
fans who were hit the Morning for February versus the nasty winters of the
by falling ice the day before the Super example was delayed for about two hours Northeast.
Bowl. Let’s not forget the catastrophe that and many guests did not make it for on If no change is to come, then the NFL
was the stadium seating issue at the Dal- the air interviews because of inclement and New York Giants owner New York
las Super Bowl, the one that caused 400 weather. John Mara and New York Jets owner
plus NFL fans to lose seats because a snow Now, remember NFL execs, this de- Woody Johnson better prepare for the
storm delayed stadium workers from set- bacle was just caused by a Dallas snow- “Debacle in NYC”. And their checkbooks
ting up the amount of seats needed to seat storm. I’m not saying that it wasn’t was better be open because unhappy fans will
all the fans who bought tickets. In return bad down there but NYC, and the Tri-State be coming like the “Gangs of New York!”

Horizons is on Facebook!

Visit the Housatonic Horizons Facebook fan page

to read the latest about what’s going on at HCC as
well as articles you won’t find in the paper, and to
send us links, comments, and suggestions.