Lions' Roar 04-08-2011 by Lions' Roar

‘Bad apples’ corrupt the bunch

Lions’ Roar april 8, 2011

The NCC Student Senateʼs outof-town conferences have been condemned as a waste of time and money. Senators have been criticized for late-night drinking parties and missing scheduled break-out sessions, for which the student body covers the check. This year faculty-chaperoned students are expected to abide by the rules:

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Not ‘takin’ care of business’ Kopp Student Center schedule “workin’ overtime” as original deadline approaches. New projections place the completion date sometime in August, 3 months later than planned:

Choosing between a paycheck and mental health

Columnist Emily Rasmussen discusses the awful choice between a personal stability and that job you can’t stand: Opinion 7

Governor Dayton’s budget cuts to hit education The budget proposal will cut funding to both the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system: 3

A trip to the salon can mean a lot more than the pain of a waxing. Here are some tips for staying clean of communicable diseases when going in to get your hair done: 8

Atomic Fallout!

Should we be worried about a nuclear disaster in Minnesota or should Americans embrace nuclear power?

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NEWS

Your disease-free guide to patronizing the salon

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Briefs

“Comedy of Errors” will be performed at the Fine Arts Theatre April 20-23. Admission is $10/$5

Semifinalists named for Century top job

photo from staff

MnSCU chancellor James McCormick talked with a group of college journalist and newspaper advisers earlier this month at a luncheon in St. Paul.

The names of three semi-finalists for president of Century College in White Bear Lake have been submitted to James H. McCormick, chancellor of the MNSCU. They are Ronald Anderson, Rassoul Dastmozd and Brad Stewart. Interviews will be conducted with the semifinalists by McCormick and members of the Board of Trustees and others. McCormick will make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees, which is expected to act on it at its April 20 meeting. The new president will replace Larry Litecky, who is retiring. The chancellor, along with one to three members of the Board of Trustees and others, will conduct interviews with the semifinalists. McCormick will make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees, which is expected to act on the recommendation at its April 20 meeting. The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system comprises 32 state universities and community and technical colleges serving the higher education needs of Minnesota. The system serves about 277,000 students per year in credit-based courses and an additional 157,000 students in noncredit courses.

Team Dynasty reigns supreme over Flash

Team Dynasty defeated team Flash in NCC Recreational Sports 5 on 5 Basketball League Champions, 46 - 42 on April 5. Leading scorers for team Dynasty: Devin Stensrude with 18 points and Cliff Johnson with 14 points. Team Dynasty members: Ibrahim Daud, Matt Dybing, Cliff Johnson, Luis Montero, Devin Stensrude, Taylor Pagitt, Marton Campbell and Michael Penn. Primary scorer for team Flash was Unity McGill. Team Flash members: Beau Shaw, Trent Raymond, Brandon McLaughlin, Adam Eyton, Kenny Thunder, Terrell Hurbin, Darious McCormick, Joseph K Williams Woods, and Sean Kelly. 5 on 5 Basketball League began in January and concluded with elimination tournaments in March and April. There were 9 teams that participated with 11 players on each team.

photo from staff

Left to right: Ibrahim Daud, Matt Dybing, Cliff Johnson, Luis Montero, Devin Stensrude. Missing: Taylor Pagitt, Marton Campbell and Michael Penn

Bowling registration open Bowlers, how would you like the chance to take part in a student run tournament? The Minnesota State College Students Association are hard at work planning their 9th annual tournament. It will be held on Wednesday, May 25th 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. at Drkula’s Bowl in Inver Grove Heights, MN, 55076. The proceeds from this will be used to raise money for the MSCSA Leadership Scholarship Program. Entry fees are $20 per student ($30 non students) and is open to college freshman and Presidents alike. For entry forms go to https://www.formstack. com/forms/?1061999-UtNM8eNm4b For more information contact Emily Harrison at 651-297-5877

Quake, tsunami decimate Japan One of the largest earthquakes ever recorded struck Japan on March 11. The magnitude-9.0 quake spawned a deadly tsunami that slammed into the small island nation, leaving a huge swath of devastation in its wake. Thousands of people are dead and many more are still missing or injured; almost half a million people are homeless. An earthquake is a series of vibrations generating in the earth’s crust by the abrupt rupture and rebound of rocks in which elastic strain has been slowly accumulating. Japan rests near a major fault in the Pacific Ocean, on the edge of a massive tectonic plate. Since the disaster, concerns of nuclear fallout from plants in Japan have raised concernVideos of the incident have been viral on the Internet.

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news

Dayton’s budget to make significant cuts to higher ed

MCT Campus

Minnesota Governer Mark Dayton’s budget proposal would make severe cuts to institutes of higher education including the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system. by Becca Freeman Governor Dayton proposed over two months ago to make high cuts in the budget for higher education, including the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system (MnSCU). When his plan to cut the higher education’s budget was released, the Republican party who controls both branches of the Legislation was expected to oppose it. They did not, and instead they have proposed a $411,000,000 cut to higher education—more than double Governor Dayton’s original proposal for reductions. In response to this, University of Minnesota CFO Richard Pfutzenreuter said, “Once again higher education is taking a disproportionate share of the cuts.” To counter this, however, the House Speaker Kurt Zeller, R-Maple Grove, called the reductions an “aggressive target”

but that “the goal is to improve the current situation [the deficit] as well”. There are also a few other higher education programs that will receive some major high-end cuts in Governor Dayton’s budget plan such as the Work Study program, which allows students to find jobs at the college they attend where the money they earn is applied to their tuition debt to help pay it off while they are still in school. Governor Dayton’s plan is to permanently reduce it by around $2.5 million per year, which would be a 17 percent cut. Also, post-secondary child care grants would also be cut by $500,000 permanently. As a result of the money appropriated for the State Grant program ($44 million), it is estimated that around 12,000 fewer students will not qualify for grants for their higher education according to Dayton’s proposed budget.

However, Minnesota Higher Education Commissioner Sheila Wright said, “The Dayton administration hopes to minimize tuition increases under the proposed budget.” So though the dollar amounts are skyhigh, there is a silver lining to every cloud after all, as at least one of the issues students attending higher education face will have some protection from the proposed cuts. Another area protected from cuts is the State Grants program. However, just because it is protected from the cuts does not mean it is safe from having issues. The financial program which appropriates funds for students on a need-based list is expected to be $42 million short of the money they need to run a fully functioning program that can continue to give the grants they do to those in-need students. Though the cuts are significantly high on both ends (the Republicans end and Dayton’s end), they still

have many problems with the others’ budget proposals, as to be expected. “Earlier today the governor reiterated his belief that budgets are a reflection of values and priorities and the decisions we make about the budget affect people’s lives,” wrote Katherine Tunucci, Dayton’s spokeswoman, “Based on the spreadsheets the GOP put out today, it appears those values and priorities are cutting education, cutting health care, cutting jobs, cutting veterans and raising property taxes. These cuts will hurt school children, tax payers, businesses and seniors.” However, it seems that the two sides agree on at least one thing. Both the GOP and Dayton want to shift the education for the K-12 system of $1.4 billion into the future, to give the state more time to conquer the current deficit.

student senate

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College to curb potential ‘bad apples’ on senate trips

by Bryan Kisse For many years members of Normandale’s Student Senate have gone on trips across Minnesota to conferences at other college campuses as well as spent weekends at resorts. All of which is paid for by the average student through fees attached to tuition. Justifying these expenses is the idea, quite possibly the fact that we need student leaders to have the knowledge they need to make informed decisions on issues that are important to students. These conferences are held by the Minnesota State College Student Association, otherwise known as MSCSA, which is comprised of the majority of Minnesota’s two-year college student senates and acts as a voice for students on a state level. A major benefit to sending senators to MSCSA conferences is that they get the

experience needed to successfully organize meaningful events such as Rally Day, Get Out to Vote and Advocacy Days. In recent years, the downside to sending senators to these conferences on the dime of the average student has been an issue of if these individuals decide not to fulfill their leadership responsibilities. This problem become a reality last year when senators, while on the road at these conferences, made the local nightlife a higher priority than their leadership duties. Senators were reported to have missed important meetings and/or workshops the following day due to drinking the night before. Another problem was with senators that would sign up for these conferences just to bail out at the last minute, leaving a bill that was essentially picked up by the students. When Neal Omstead took over the role of student senate president he realized things needed to change in

order to establish and maintain a consistant level of accountability of the senators that were sent to these conferences. Omstead believes that in dealing with moneys accumulated from student fees ,“student senators should be held accountable” and it’s for this reason that he wrote up a new contract that senators are required to sign in order for them to go to MSCSA conferences. This contract states that if a senator defaults on his/ her responsibilities at these conferences, the senator will be stuck paying for the bill. That means they end up paying for their hotel room, meals, and transportation costs. On top of this new policy, student life coordinator, Liz Sabel, will be chaperoning the upcoming conference at Breezy Point Resort to make sure that senators don’t let their nightlife get in the way of their duties as student leaders, because according to Liz, “it only takes a few bad apples to spoil the bunch.”

Lions’ Roar Staff Spring 2011 Editor-in-Chief Matthew Homan

Business Manager Yueping Zhu

Adviser Mark Plenke

Webmasters Dominique Williams Brittny Garrett

Writers and Reporters Omara Anjum Bryan Kissee Muse Ahmed Sharon Carroll Derek Burt Steve Dodds Tim Wellman Rebecca Freeman Josh Wickstrom Evan Johnson Caleb Sorernsen Jay Johnson Amanda Brown Miriam Mongare Laurent D’Almeida Ben Rasmussen Emily Rasmussen

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On the Web: www.lionsroar.info On Twitter: NCClionsroar

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by Emily Rasmussen You’d have to have been living under a rock these past few years to not know that the job market isn’t the greatest out there right now. People with Masters Degrees are now doing the same jobs and trying to support families on the same minimum wage paying jobs that high school students once occu-

pied a few years ago. Some say, a job is a job. And I think that’s true. But then again, is it? Is having a job that you hate worse for your mental health than having no job at all? I personally see this as a no win situation. It’s a vicious circle. If you’re unemployed more than likely money is tight, which causes all kinds of stress on a person. But on the other hand, if you hate your job, that can be just as stressful on a person. Having to get up and drag yourself to do something that makes you absolutely miserable, that doesn’t seem fair at all. I know, I know, life isn’t fair blah, blah, blah. But there’s a line isn’t there? For this, I thought it might be a

good idea to get a second opinion from a professional. So I turned to my Chiropractor, Dr. Amy Willcockson of Chiropractic USA in Long Lake, MN. Dr. Willcockson is one of the most accomplished people that I have had the pleasure of meeting, as well as one of the most knowledgeable. Her mission in life is to educate people about all around well being, as well as living the “well-adjusted life”. “It’s a double edge sword,” says Dr. Willcockson, “unemployment brings another whole host of stresses! Likely, unemployment is worse. Having a job to do of any sort is innate and healthy…. the challenge is to turn something you hate into something you can tolerate, but looking at the bright side while tak-

op/ed

Having to choose between a job you hate and your mental health isn’t a choice at all

ing action to change your situation. This can be very empowering and healthy for a person. Either way, taking action, keeping a gratitude list and doing positive affirmations daily are a must.” So there you have it folks. Though it seems to be a little bit of a catch-22, it seems that the trick is to find the good in a bad situation. This type of looking at the glass half full mentality could probably apply to a numerous amount of stressful situations that one may find themselves in throughout their life. Maybe if we all learned to make the best out of situations, there may be a little more motivation to get out of our slumps and prosper to the best of our abilities.

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Toxicology lecturer warns of water contaminants

a result of the system’s exposure to CECs (Contaminants of EmergLast Wednesday, Heiko L. Schoen- ing Concern). CECs are exogefuss PhD, Professor of Anatomy and nous chemicals that cause adverse Director of Aquatic Toxicology at health effects in organisms or its St. Cloud State University, spoke to progeny, consequence to changes students, faculty and community in the endocrine function. Schoenfuss argues that to really members concerning the issues get an idea of how the contamiabout contaminants in Minnesota’s nants effect waters. the nature Schoenfuss’ presentation focused on the biological and regula- in environi.e. tory implications of contaminents. ment, fish in lakes He questioned, “Are our waters on and rivers, steroids?” In the first half of Schoenfuss’ lec- testing and ture, he briefly discussed the very r e s e a r c h complex endocrine system of the needs to be body. He educated the attentive p re f o r m e d audience about how similar the over a numendocrine system is between fish ber of years. and humans. In his field of study As it is, research about these polluthe examines endocrine disruption, ant’s effects on fish are still being or hormone change, that occurs as discovered, nearly 30 years after the initial pollutant was found in the water. The last part of his lecture, Examples of exogenous Schoenfuss discussed some of the regulatory guidelines involved in chemicals: researching contaminants in water. He also described a survey he and • Cleaning supplies his team conducted over a four year • Toiletries span, with three different fish spe• Fecal runoff from cies at 42 various sites along the farms Mississippi River and lakes in Minnesota. According to Schoenfuss, the “85 Guidelines” of regulating compounds, set forth by the U.S. Pollutants and Environmental Protection Agency, only sets a limited number of days percentage: needed to gain observation results. In summary, over time, the endo• Household & Industrial crine system of male fish will beChemicals 39% come disrupted and their hormone • Antibiotics 22% patterns will change, thus causing • Hormones & Steroids 15% male fish to produce eggs and/or • Prescription Drugs 14% to have shortened life span. • Non-prescription Drugs Even with the research done on the rising amounts of contaminants United States Geological Surin some lakes and parts of rivers, vey of Water Samples tested in right now the benefits outweigh 2002. the future potential damage. This means, for example, it’s better to have prescription drugs that help to cure the body and find trace Steps to take to keep amounts in water samples than to pollutants out of stop production of them for fear of contamination. The goal is to bewaters: come educated about the effects of what could happen if large amounts • Dispose of any unused begin to be discovered and what medications properly. we can expect about the disrupCheck with local pharmations in the endocrine system in cies regarding take back fish. We also need to keep in mind recycling programs. that the same effects that happen to • Do not flush medications fish, could happen to us, over gendown the toilet. • Always follow manufactur- erations of time. All in all, humans need not to be er’s directions when using worried about the uncertainty of household cleaning prodsafe drinking water. The United ucts. States has a very safe supply of • Educate yourself about drinking water. All of the samples water contamination and collected and discussed in lecture be aware of possible fuwere about lake and river samples. ture dangers. by Amanda Brown

Lead the Lions’ Roar The Lions’ Roar, Normandale’s official student newspaper, is now accepting applications for its top editorial, website and business managerial positions for the 2011-2012 academic year. All positions are paid and require enrollment at NCC next year.

Editor in Chief

Responsible for the overall content and layout of the Normandale campus newspaper and Web site. Schedules and conducts staff meetings. Meets with the newspaper adviser. Supervises editing, layout, production and distribution of the newspaper and Web site. With the adviser and the business manager, develops and monitors the budget. Appoints and supervises assistant editors. Supervises the newspaper staff. Qualifications: Plans to be enrolled at Normandale for the 2011-2012 academic year. Leadership ability, news judgment, good writing skills and keyboard proficiency are required. Experience on a student newspaper staff is desirable but not required.

Business Manager

Works with editor-in-chief and adviser to develop an annual budget, manages accounts receivable and payable, coordinates all local advertising activities and serves as liaison with national advertisers. Schedules advertising for placement in each issue of the newspaper. Coordinates all bill collections and payments with the campus business office. Develops advertising policy in coordination with the editor-in-chief and the adviser. Helps recruit advertising sales people. Deveops and executes marketing strategy for the newspaper. Qualifications: Plans to be enrolled at Normandale for the 2011-2012 academic year. Keyboard skills, good business etiquette, basic math ability, well organized.

Web Editor

Responsible for regularly updating the Lions’ Roar Online website. The web editor works with the editor and advisor to maintain a lively, newsy and attractive site with the help of other newspaper staff members. Qualifications: Plans to be enrolled at Normandale for the 2011-2012 academic year. Experience with blog or website management or other web design experience. Experience on a student newspaper staff is desirable but not required.

To Apply

Before noon on Friday, April 22, e-mail a letter of application including your work experience and the reason you’d like to help lead The Lions’ Roar next year to Adviser Mark Plenke at mark.plenke@normandale.edu. If you have questions about the positions, e-mail Mr. Plenke.

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april 8, 2011

news MCTCampus

Los Angeles is 68 miles from the San Onofre nuclear power plant, about the same distance from the Twin Cities to Monticello’s plant.

Nuclear meltdown would end life in Twin Cities by Timothy Wellman Jr. Minnesota could experience radiological dangers and effects similar to the nuclear disasters of Chernobyl and Fukushima-Daiichi if an incident were to occur at the Monticello plant. The Monticello nuclear power plant is approximately 41 miles northwest of the Twin Cities. The power plant may seem to be a safe distance from the Twin Cities; however, on March 16, 2011 the White House advised Japan’s government to consider a 50 mile evacuation zone from the Fukushima-Daiichi power plant, according to the Associated Press. The evacuation zone in Japan was initially a 6.2 miles radius then later extended to 12.5 miles or after reevaluating the crisis. With recent monitoring of radiation levels throughout Japan, the Japanese government decided to extend the evacuation zone even further to 18.5 miles, stated the Associated Press. Understanding how radiation can spread in an environment will help give an idea of how far radioactive material could travel. In a national Ukrainian report it

says, “Radiation may travel through the air in masses. Differences in weather may also affect the distance or destination of these radioactive elements as they travel through the atmosphere. Consider the terrain of the environment, and complex landscapes may also determine the direction and altitude of radioactive air masses as they travel.” Precipitation will also be a factor in land contamination, as it will disperse radioactive elements across a vast area quite easily. Radioactive elements may also travel through streams, rivers, lakes, etc. If any of these waterways become contaminated, humans and wildlife may be affected. Furthermore, consuming water and various foods is a potential hazard if the environment becomes contaminated to any degree, according to a Ukrainian national report in 2006. Some of the food contaminated from the Chernobyl disaster was water, milk, various meat and vegetables, according to The Chernobyl Forum: 2003 – 2005. Similar foods have been affected during the current disaster in Japan and have caused food importation issues in

the region, according to the Associated Press. The total possible area of contamination from a disaster in Minnesota may best be visualized by a Ukrainian national report of 2006. The report describes how the Chernobyl disaster created a contamination area of 56,550 square miles. The contaminated area referred to, which is no longer safe to inhabit is larger than the state of Iowa or equal to 65 percent of Minnesota’s total area. Unfortunately, the nuclear crisis in Japan seems far from over and determining the total area of contamination created from this disaster is not yet possible. Therefore, a comparison of Japan’s physical area of contamination is open for speculation at this point. Besides the uninhabitable area previously mentioned, the remaining environment has the potential of receiving radioactive fallout as well. For instance, a Ukrainian national report in 2006 states “Europe and portions of the world received various levels of radioactive fallout created by the disaster at Chernobyl.” The possibility of radioactive ele-

ments reaching great distances can significantly increase the amount of affected humans exponentially as seen in the Chernobyl disaster of 1986. The amount of people evacuated due to the disaster at Chernobyl totaled 350,400 people, according to a report commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Children’s Fund with the support of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the World Health Organization. Chernobyl’s nuclear power plant had a full meltdown in only one of their four reactors. However, the Fukushima-Daiichi plant has experienced partial meltdowns in three of their six reactors and the crisis is yet to be over, according to the Associated Press. Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to prepare for a nuclear disaster as the effects can vary greatly. Determining how Minnesota may be affected by a similar disaster may only be done based on speculation and probabilities, no certainties.

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Courtesy Photo

The clean work stations of Seidou Salon Spa in Navarre set the standard for a clean salon.

Health, Beauty and Medical Bills

Salon Do’s and Don’ts: What to look out for when receiving regular beauty treatments. Story and photos by Emily Rasmussen

pa. Don’t you just automatically relax when you hear that word? People go to the spa to do just that; relax, pamper and take all-around care of themselves. However, did you know that some of those very activities that you find so relaxing could also have some harmful consequences? From foot fungus, to ring worm, to staph infection, your very place of relaxation can also pass along some not-so-relaxing side effects if the services you receive are not performed correctly. Here are some key things to look for and to avoid, to make sure that your spa experience doesn’t become a negative one.

Tell the truth: If there are forms that you need to fill out before receiving a service (and with majority of salons you should), don’t lie on them. And don’t be afraid of listing too much information. If you have a high blood pressure or diabetes, salons need to know about it; if you have a hang nail, they need to know about it. You would be surprised what is a contraindication for a service and what can be affected if you don’t list all health issues, medications, etc. So don’t be afraid of paperwork. In fact you should welcome it. That is a sign that the salon/spa you are at plays by the book and that they take their job and reputation seriously.

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Dirty pedicure tubs:

Who doesn’t love a nice pedicure? The foot soak in the tub, the foot massage, the foot fungus bacteria sitting in the jets…oh wait, maybe not so much that last one. Many spas and nail places in general will wash their tubs with a sanitizing cleaner of some sort. However, that’s not enough. They should do a minimum of a rinse, two types of sanitation (for example run a cleaning solution through it, then spray with Lysol or bleach), as well as clean out the hair and dirt that collects in the jets regularly. Some places use pedicure bowls that they fill in place of the foot spas. But many still prefer the massage chair and the jets on the pedicure foot spas. As long as you make sure they are thoroughly cleaning their tubs, you should be ok.

Dirty implements:

If you see someone who is giving you a manicure or pedicure pull out a finger nail file or toenail clipper from their drawer that you saw them use on the person before you, RUN! All implements such as tweezers, nail clippers, cuticle nippers, etc. need to be washed, sanitized, and disinfected (yes sanitizing and disinfecting are two different things) at minimum! At the salon I work at we even soak our implements in Barbacide, which is a tuberculosidal cleaner that is antibacterial and antimicrobial. Essentially it kills everything and nothing lives in it. Also, nail files, buffers, etc. are porous implements. Therefore, they CANNOT be properly sanitized and need to be thrown away or given to the person they were used on to take home. Do not let your nail technician use a nail file on you that is not brand new.

Avoid double-dippers:

Do not let your esthetician fool you. When waxing someone, no matter what the area being waxed is, it is not OK to double dip the waxing sticks. Once that stick has touched skin it is considered contaminated, even if it was on accident and no wax was even on it yet. When waxing a person, you are dealing with bodily fluids even if there happens to be no blood in the area; that pore where the hair was removed is now wide open and susceptible to anything it comes in contact with, whether it be staph infection or worse. And no, a wax pot does not heat to a high enough temperature to kill all the bad germs in there. If it did, it would be way too hot to put onto someone’s skin. In fact, the wax pot heats to a warm enough temperature to form a perfect breeding ground for all sorts of nasty stuff. YUCK! There is one exception to this rule. If the salon/spa uses “NuFree” wax, the sick can be double dipped. The reason being is that it is an antibacterial/ antimicrobial wax. Meaning, again, that nothing can live in it.

Overall cleanliness and appearance: If the salon looks sketchy or unclean, go with your gut feeling. If your gut tells you to turn around and go somewhere else, do it. It’s better not to risk it. Anyone who cares about their business, retaining their clientele, and is good at what they do, will make sure that their station/work area is clean. Same goes for the owners of the salon. The amount of effort a place takes to make sure their salon/spa is clean says a lot about how much they care and take their job(s) seriously.

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Earth Day is coming up, no foolin’ Have you ever saranwrapped the seat of a toilet, or stitched together a pair of your brother’s boxers? Well, I have. Of course, I’m not really the pranking kind of person, but for some reason, April 1st was the one day it was okay to act out of the ordinary and finally exact revenge on someone who deserved it. For me, of course, that was always my older brother, but there are many ranges of people who get tricked on this day. The real question is how did it get that way? Though the actual history of why the first of April was the date chosen for the day of ultimate pranking—or even why it came about at all, is not concretely known, there are theories. The history of April Fool’s Day is placed in France during King Charles the IX’s reign. That was in 1542, so if this estimate is right, that means this day of fools has been around for over 450 years.

And it all started because they changed the calendar. They wanted to change New Year’s week to one specific day—the day it is now, January 1st, and there were people who didn’t agree. The people who didn’t agree were made the butt of all the jokes, and they were the first people ever to get pranked on April Fool’s Day. The ones who didn’t agree were called fools, and they were sent to parties that weren’t real, and other jokes played on them. Eventually, it stuck. After a couple hundred years, this custom spread to other countries such as Scotland and Britain in the eighteenth century. Once it had done this, it became an internationally known holiday. Of course, in the different countries, April Fool’s Day has been known as different things. In Scotland, it has been known as Taily Day. And something interesting is that the beloved ‘Kick Me!’ sign can actually

be traced to this country and Taily Day. In England, the jokes are only played in the mornings and in Rome the holiday was referred to as “Roman Laughing Day” and they used this holiday to honor the god Attis. Even in India, there is a sort of celebration like April Fool’s. There it is referred to as The Huli Festival, where they also p l a y jokes on their friends and family. Of course, the tradition obviously carried into the Americas, or we wouldn’t know about it today. We also may be one of the only countries in the world that actually celebrate it so widely, or with such reverence. If you’ve never participated in this event, try it out this year; I can guarantee the looks on your family and friends’ faces will be priceless.

A day not quite like April Fool’s in April is Earth Day. Fortunately, this history is much clearer. It was founded by Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1962, after he realized that “it had been troubling [him] that the state of [the] environment was simple a non-issue in the politics of the country.” The senator used the environmental concern of the general public to try and put issues of environment on the political plan. So, on April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans gathered on the streets to demonstrate for the Earth’s cause. Yet the most impressive thing was that this was all done during a time of war. It worked magnificently, and as 1990 rounded the corner, they planned another campaign for the Earth. Thus, Earth Day went universal and it drew at-

“(Have) you ever stitched together a pair of your brother’s boxers?”

tention to recycling and a push for energy that was pure. And from then on, on each mark of a decade, there was a huge organization assembled for the history of Earth Day, although it is celebrated every year regardless if it is the mark of ten more years or not. If you’ve never participated in Earth Day, 2011 is the year to start! Plant a tree, hug a tree, or just simply recognize how important the environment is to daily life. Take advantage of this day to start recycling, reusing, and reducing the amount of trash consumed every day. Figure out your views on conserving the earth we all live on and share them with a friend, or even a complete stranger! Whatever you do, don’t forget to remember all the Earth does for you, and consider giving something back to it in 2011.

FUN

by Becca Freeman

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april 8, 2011

by Bryan Kisse

photo provided by Dozie Okpara

NCC’s new Student Senate President-Elect Dozie Okpara

Dozie Okpara, a 20-yearold student at NCC, considers himself a growing student. Back in Nigeria where he attended high school, he was never involved in extracurricular activities and was extremely shy. Dozie along with his sisters and mother came into the United States on June 6, 2009, and enrolled at NCC that fall with plans to earn an A.S. in Engineering Foundations. Dozie is majoring in petroleum engineering and plans to transfer to a fouryear college in the fall of 2012. “Being a student at Normandale has really influenced my life and career,” he claims. In the spring of 2010, Dozie and his sisters got into the student senate with the aim of just being student senators, but a month later after attending a Minnesota State College Student Association General Assembly conference at Breezy Point, they all decided to run for

student senate executive board positions. Dozie, who’s currently the Technology Director of Normandale’s Student Senate was voted Senate President-Elect on March 29 for the upcoming fiscal year, resuming duty on July 1. His time as Technology Director has been a success, Dozie has increased the number of student participants in the Student Technology Advisory Committee and has advocated for students on both state and federal levels. Dozie’s plan for 20112012 as Student Senate President-Elect is to increase the awareness of student senate on campus by tabling and recruiting students into the student senate. He will organize a visit to the State Capitol where members of the Student Senate and other participating Normandale students will go and discuss with lawmakers about higher education. At the top of Dozie’s agenda are: • his commitment to creat-

ing a new senate website that’s easily accessible from the Normandale h o m e p a g e • working with various departments and organization that deal with students • making sure students who are members of the senate are recognized on their transcript • organizing forums about higher education on campus • organizing orientation for students who are newly elected into the Student Senate. Last but not the least, he will make sure Normandale students are advocated for and represented at the state and federal capitals. Dozie states that “this year has been a success for Normandale Student Senate. We really grew in numbers and this tremendous success is giving me a boost that next year will be awesome. I’m so happy for what Student Senate is contributing to the growth of NCC.”

Find your career and your calling in Social Work. Social workers help people overcome some of life’s most difficult challenges. They help prevent crisis and counsel individuals, families, and communities to cope more effectively with the stresses of everyday life. Professional social workers are found in every facet of community life – in schools, hospitals, mental health clinics, senior centers, elected office, private practices, and in numerous public and private agencies that serve individuals and families in need. If a social work career in your community sounds right for you, St. Scholastica offers a great foundation. • On-site classes in Duluth, St. Paul, Brainerd and Fond-du-Lac • Designed to meet the needs of adult learners through convenient evening course delivery • Small class sizes • Program delivery through a “cohort model” enabling the same group of students to complete the program together • Faculty who practice in their areas of expertise • Accepts MN Transfer Curriculum and an Associates of Arts degree in a seamless plan through community college partnerships • Program faculty who work in teaching areas of expertise

PEOPLE

President-elect wants higher profile for Senate

Call (877) 271-5921 to learn more or visit go.css.edu/Normandale

april 8, 2011

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by Steve Dodds A couple of semesters ago Normandaleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kopp, student closed for a major renovation and expansion. When the closure was announced it was expected to be closed until June 2011. The building site next to the Jodsaas Science Center has sometimes been a hive of activity and a noisy place as well, especially to the Dental staff and patients alike. The vibrations from the construction workersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; digging and drilling could often be felt while sitting in the dentistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chair in the adjacent dental clinic. There are many changes to the original building but some of the original features are staying, some features - such as a peaceful view of the Japanese garden are-being either maintained or even enhanced. New facilities include a fireside lounge and a full service on-campus bank with services. The dining area is to have a brand new Pizza oven. The ensemble will be completed with its stone fascia being imported directly from Italy. The fascia should be arriving at NCC in the next few weeks and should be installed in time for the grand opening. The dining areas in the

photo by Tim Wellman Jr.

Construction still underway renovating the Kopp Student Center. new student center are not viewed with creating a â&#x20AC;&#x153;smokinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; hot enas mess halls, for example the Kop vironmentâ&#x20AC;? said Ed Wines, Vice Center dining areas are going to President, Finance and Operations have a mixture of a more intimate at NCC. dining experience with small booth The Field Superintendent for the settings, high level tables and will construction of the new building is apparently look nothing like the Mark Koshiol, of Donlar Constructypical mess hall scenarios that are tion, who said that the new center prevalent in many institutions. will have almost double its original The dining areas were designed capacity and will have space for the by the Baker Group, out of Grand new college bookstore. The current Rapids, MI, while the bookstore and bookstore, on the first floor of the other retail space comes to us from College Services building will be the locally based L&M, Associates, relocated and there are many sugof Eden Prairie, who were charged gestions as to what to do with the

existing space once that transition occurs. For many months now the crew of Donlar Construction have been transforming the Kopp Student Center from the building site that we have grown accustomed to seeing and when the center reopens it is estimated it will be twice its original size growing from its former 32,000 square feet to over 55,000 square feet of space. All being well the new Kopp Student Center will be open by the start of the next school year. The building being commissioned as occupant ready by July 8, 2011 and a grand opening will be held in September, according to Wines, who added that the decision to revamp the Kopp Center came about as a result of a perceived need for a bigger student center. Many students have embraced that. In the light of the economic recession in the past two years or so many things have had to change. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even though the economy is down, the student population is actually increasing and as funding for the Kopp Student Center is based upon student fees there is more money available to pay for it,â&#x20AC;? said Wines.

A 4-year bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in as little as 1-3 years. The College of St. Scholasticaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s St. Paul Campus offers accelerated evening undergraduate degrees in business. Transfer your credits and complete the degree you need to get the next promotion. Business majors include: Accounting, Management, Marketing and Organizational Behavior.

Call (877) 208-3924 to learn more or visit go.css.edu/normsbt

Now accepting applications for the Summer term.

NEWS

Student center opens in August, 3 months late

St. Paul Campus

april 8, 2011

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Nuclear energy low-risk in spite of arguments by Bryan Kisse The United States has always been looking for new sources of energy, ranging from coal and natural gasses to wind and solar power. But one source of power holds a particular reverential fear from the populace: nuclear power. People worry about nuclear power being unsafe because of radiation, but is it really that unsafe? The Lions’ Roar will examine how nuclear power works and how safe it is. At its most basic, nuclear reactors work by fission or splitting atoms. Atoms look like miniature solar systems, with protons and neutrons at their center and electrons spinning around them. All of these are held together by a force known as the “strong nuclear force.” Uranium atoms are generally used because they are so large and are easier to split apart. When an unattached neutron collides with an atom, in the reactor, it can split the atom apart, creating fission. The newly split atom can collide with other atoms, splitting them as well. This reaction causes a great deal of energy to be released, heating the water the atoms are resting in to become steam. This steam rushes off and turns turbines that are attached to generators to produce electricity. After turning the turbines, the steam goes to half-hourglass shaped cooling towers that are the distinguishing mark of nuclear power plants. In these towers the steam turns back into water, and is pumped back to the reactor to begin again. This is all well and good, but the real question is how safe nuclear power is and whether or not we should use it as an energy source in the United States. When opponents of nuclear power argue against it, they generally cite the three large accidents in nuclear history: Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania., in 1979, at Chernobyl, Ukraine, in 1986, and most recently, at Fukushima, Japan, in 2011. Before we discuss more of the actual safety issues surrounding nuclear power, we should dispel a myth. Contrary to popular belief, it is physically impossible for a nuclear reactor to explode like an atom bomb. In order for this to happen, the uranium fuel would need to be

incredibly enriched, far more than the fuel used for nuclear reactors. When an accident happens, it can be because of a nuclear meltdown, but not an explosion. In a worst-case scenario nuclear meltdown, the core temperature rises so much that the uranium fuel rods melt, followed by the stainless steel walls of the core. The uranium then sinks about fifty feet into the ground, where it reacts with groundwater, causing radioactive steam and debris to disperse into the environs. To counter these risks, the United States has frequently gone to great lengths to prevent any chance of meltdown. At Three Mile Island, the radiation from a partial core meltdown was largely contained by the plating on the fuel reactor and further by a containment building around the reactor. The Chernobyl

reactor, on the other hand, lacked the containment building, and the damage was much more widespread throughout the countryside. According to current news releases, the anti-meltdown systems at Fukushima were functioning normally, until they were struck by the tsunami. The risks of nuclear energy can be seen as low-probability (there are many reactors that have been working throughout the world since the 1950s, and only three large accidents have occurred), but highconsequences if those accidents do happen. The largest point in favor of nuclear energy is probably the fact that it does not depend on fossil fuels—not to mention the fact that nuclear energy would not fluctuate with the market like gas or oil. Carbon dioxide emissions are also much smaller than with coal or oth-

er fossil fuels. Reduced carbon dioxide emission comes with a price though, and that is the unique type of radioactive waste produced by nuclear power plants. This waste cannot be thrown away, and must be carefully guarded lest it fall into the wrong hands. Another downside of nuclear energy is the high cost associated with building reactors, obtaining uranium, and disposing of waste. With fossil fuel supplies ever depleting, nuclear power is beginning to look more appealing—especially compared to the less certain results from solar or wind power. Nuclear power is still a tricky situation though, and our government will need to decide if the benefits are worth the potential costs.

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Find your Place at the U

View of Northrop Mall, East Bank campus

Many people think of “continuing education” as something you do a er you’ve finished school. But at the University of Minnesota, the College of Continuing Education is a home for transfer students, offering a variety of degree and certificate options so you can continue your education beyond community college. Designed for students with a year or two of college completed, CCE offers both professional and individualized degree options.

Inter-College Program (ICP)

Applied and Professional Studies (APS)

In ICP you design your own interdisciplinary major, choosing course work from departments all across the University. Here are some examples of 2- and 3- area majors students have designed.

APS majors, minors, and certificates are designed to advance your career in particular fields.

• Carlson School of Management and Manufacturing Technology

• Manufacturing Technology (online)

• Sustainability Studies, Applied Business, and Construction Management • IT Infrastructure and Communications Studies

To learn more visit cce.umn.edu. Or call 612-624-4000 to register for an information session or meet with an adviser

Offer code: 3656

• Construction Management • IT Infrastructure • Applied Business (ICP area or certificate) • Addiction Studies (ICP area or certificate)

Easy Transition • Easily transfer your community college credits and course work • Experienced advisers help guide you throughout your program

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CALENDAR

april 8, 2011

APRIL 11 - APRIL 30, 2011

monday

Reception for Student Art Show, NCC’s Fine Arts Gallery from 3:30-5 p.m., awards at 4 p.m.

tuesday

wednesday

thursday

Robert Plant and the Band of Joy concert, State Theatre, 7:30 p.m. tickets on sale, $55-$95

18 Broadway Confidential: The Sexual Revolution (Jersey Boys), Mission American Kitchen and Bar, 5:30 p.m.

25 Historic Tours Theatre, State Theatre, 1 p.m., cost: $5

friday

Weekend Final Exams

20 NCC Job Fair sponsered by Congressman Erik Paulsen, 1:30-4 p.m.

21 “Getting Started” and “Financial Aid” session for prospective students, C1024, 5-7 p.m.

Creative Writing Awards, C1095, 7 p.m.

LOOKING AHEAD... Lewis Black: In God We Rust, State Theatre, May 7, 7 p.m. Girls Only: The Secret Comedy of Women, Hennepin Stages, through May 8 Syleena Johnson feat: Kindred the Family Soul, Pantages Theatre, May 13, 8 p.m.

22 Last Day to Withdraw from Classes

saturday

Weekend Final Exams

23 NCC’s Dept. of Theatre presents “The Comedy of Errors,” 7:30 p.m.

30 Martin Lawrence, State Theatre, 8 p.m.

CAMPUS CLUBS MONDAY Campus Crusade for Christ – 11 a.m., A2562 Archaeology club – noon, S2338 Gay-Straight Student Alliance – 3 p.m., C2032 TUESDAY Break-dance club – 3:30-6 p.m., S2338 or A1570 InterVarsity Christian Fellowship – 9 a.m. in F2231 and 11:30 a.m. in F2235 Juggling club – noon, Gymnasium Hats for the Homeless, 11 a.m., A2552 Student Senate – 2 p.m., A2570 Black Student Alliance – 1 p.m., L1747 Table Tennis Club – 3-5 p.m., A2562 WEDNESDAY Break-dance club – 3:30-6 p.m., S2338 or A1570 IVCF – 11 a.m. in L1747, noon in S2322 IVCF – Bible Discovery, noon, L3701 Peer Mentors – 2-4 p.m., TBD Tae Kwon Do – 3 p.m., A1560 Table Tennis Club – 3-5 p.m., A1550 NCC STEM Club – 4 p.m., S2320 THURSDAY IVCF Women’s Group - 4 p.m. at Rachel’s CSL – Intercultural Service Circles, 1p.m., A2570 Anthropolgy Club – 3:30 p.m., S2320 FRIDAY Break-dance club – 3:30-6 p.m., S2338 or A1570 Outdoor Club – 2 p.m., front of the building Tae Kwon Do – 2-4 p.m., A1560

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TRANSFER QUALIFYING CREDITS AND YOU CAN

transform your life complete your bachelor’s degree When you’ve completed your associate degree you’ll have many great options ahead of you and one is DeVry University. We work with community college students to make sure qualifying credits transfer seamlessly and that you have everything you need, including: • Access to required courses • Financial aid • Lifetime Career Services for all graduates

2 Twin Cities Locations Edina | St. Louis Park