Outlook Student Press

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Vol. 44 Issue 11 February 20, 2012 Facebook.com/Outlookpress

Features 4

Maybe it’s the inconsistency that makes some urban legends so hard to believe. Regardless, there is always some truth to them....”

Tina Pace, Student

Jclub fest credit / Outlook Student Press

Here are some of the things we know for sure about these urban legends.

Coming soon? Officials at the College are holding discussions about the feasibility of having on campus student housing, like the residence hall above.

Campus Residence Hall Being Considered Style 15 “While some stars shined on the carpet, styled to perfection, others looked like a hot mess returning from a week long excursion to the bottom of a rummage bin.”

Elizabeth Maze, Student

Great and cringe-worthy looks from this year’s Grammy Awards.

Planning is at discussion stage; some see “an opportunity” for international students Brian Katzman

Staff Writer

On campus housing for students, an idea floated at various times over the past few decades, is once again getting a serious look from the College.

The discussions about whether the College should build residence halls involve questions

about projected enrollment levels, sources of funding, and the makeup of the student body, RCC President Dr. Wood said.

“We know that over the next ten years, the high school population in Rockland County is going to decrease,” Dr. Wood said. “We need to keep our enrollment at about 8,000 to be able to have the kind of comprehensive programs that we want to have.”

College Showcases Clubs at Club Fest Spring 2012 Elan Weinberger

Sports 19 “It’s crazy to think that after Lin’s high school basketball success and his great play at Harvard, he would go so unnoticed. ” David Strinkovsky, Student

“Jeremy Lin” is a name you should get used to hearing.

News Editor

Early in the Spring semester on Thursday, February 9, 2012, the popular event known as “Club Fest” was held in the Student Union building. Organized by the school’s Student Involvement Office, nearly every club on campus was represented by a table. This occasion gave new as well as returning students the opportunity to become involved in activities and clubs that make Rockland Community College so unique. Various clubs that were present included

the Student Activities Board (SAB), Music Appreciation club, Political Science and Pre-Law club, and nearly forty others.

Among those Clubs was the Hillel Center for Jewish life, the only club on campus that promotes and facilitates Jewish events for the college. Sitting at the table was Erica Rasch, a freshman, representing the non denominational Jewish club.

“Hillel is a good option for those who want to have a strong sense of Jewish identity,” said Rasch, a resident of Pearl River.

Students were approached SEE STUDENTS PAGE 3

One of the reasons the idea of a residence hall might now be more feasible than before, is that there is funding that is now available that was not in the past.

The State of New York, as well as SUNY, now provide new forms of financial support to community colleges.

Out of the 30 SUNY colleges, approximately half have residence halls, with large

amounts of international students living in them.

For any RCC residence halls, priority would be given to students from Rockland, Dr. Wood said, but in terms of numbers, international students would probably be the majority living in the hall.

“If this works out it SEE HOUSING PAGE 3

NEWS

February 20, 2012

Get the Frac Out of Here

Lecture highlights the pros and cons of a contentious issue Elan Weinberger

To frac, or not to frac? That was the question posed to over 100 SUNY Rockland students and faculty who were looking to brush up their knowledge on the environmentally controversial topic that is hydrofracing. Professor Elyse A. G. Fuller, an RCC associate professor of science, gave the lecture which took place on Tuesday, February 7, 2012, here at the college.

Hydrofracing, an issue that has taken main stage in environmental policy, is a method of searching for and collecting natural gas. The process includes drilling through numerous layers of rock and dirt, including the water table, coal, and other rock layers, until hitting the shale which contains the natural gas. This process, if done correctly, does not add much contamination to the groundwater, but it is rarely conducted with enough caution to prevent this contamination.

Although this process is very risky, the United States receives 23 percent of its energy by using natural gas. The reason that this process is becoming more and more of an issue in our area is because they are starting to search for natural gas in the state of New York. We live on the Marcellus Shale distribution, which possesses one of the highest concentrations of natural gas in the country.

In recent years, natural gas has become an alternative to coal and oil because it emits less carbon emissions than other fuel sources. It is made of fossilized animal and plant remains.

In addition to the contamination of ground water, hydrofracing also requires millions of gallons of water in order to extract all of the gas. When they finish drilling, they pump the pipe with water, which fractures the shale and releases all

Stock Photos/Outlook Student Press

News Editor

Water and chemical fluids used to crack open hydrocarbon-rich shale and extract natural gas

of the gas contained within. Because the water is mixed with a number of chemicals, many of which are carcinogenic, the water is considered toxic and must be treated as toxic waste.

This process has already affected millions of people, animals, and plants, including the Leafy Spurge, a plant that is native to the plains of the northwestern United States. Numerous different birds and burrowing animals are also affected by this hazardous routine. These examples have only served to contribute to the growing fear of widespread animal extinction due

to this process.

The lecture itself is part of a series of educational lectures that have been created by the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, a new addition to the college, which focuses on giving students the best possible education with additional lectures and presentations outside of the classroom.

Dr. Elaine Padilla, who is the head of the Center, describes its job as “bringing the faculty, students, the college community, and the larger Rockland community issues of importance and interest.” Padilla, a

Hillel Celebrates Tu 'Bshevat Tyler Silver

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Whether you are Jewish or not, you have probably heard of Rosh Hashana, commonly known as the Jewish New Year. On this day, Jews are typically found in synagogues praying and blowing the Shofar, or ram’s horn, and afterward go home to eat apples dipped in honey and other festive foods. Whether you are Jewish or not, SUNY Rockland cancels classes because it effects so many students on campus.

But did you ever hear of Rosh Hashana for trees? Tu‘Bshvat, the holiday celebrating the new year of trees, requires the Jews to eat fruits such as figs, pomegranates, dates, olives, grapes, and the like. It is called Tu’Bshvat because it is celebrated on the 15th day of Shevat, one of the Jewish months. “Tu” in Hebrew is the translation to the number 15. This is the day when the trees in Israel start going through their new growth cycle after the mild Israeli winter.

The Center for Jewish Life held a Tu B’shevat Seder on Tuesday, February 7, 2012 largely attended by members of the Hillel club and others on campus. Rabbi Oliver, the campus Rabbi, led the Seder.

There were many deep and inspiring teachings shared amidst the consumption and blessings over an abundance of different fruits. The atmosphere was relaxed and curious as the attendees familiarized themselves with this relatively unknown holiday.

“The Tu B’shvat Seder was a great experience. Having the chance to spend such an interesting holiday with all of my Jewish friends was extremely rewarding,” said David Brustein, co-treasurer of the Hillel club.

Rabbi Oliver commented, “Along with Tu B’shvat there are many lesser known beautiful holidays in the Jewish calendar that have great symbolism for everyone, Jewish or not. The Torah teaches us that “Man is as the tree in the field.” Just like a tree must be nurtured with water and sunlight, so must a person nurture him or herself with water, representing a connection to God and sunlight representing a focus on being kind, bringing light and joy to others. With this, rearing its roots will truly sustain it, leading to a healthy tree with strong branches and beautiful leaves, fruit, and flowers. This corresponds to a strong person whose thought, speech, and action are all for the betterment of his or her environment.

One of the deeper teachings discussed

was the contrast between rock fruit (or any fruit with something inedible inside) and fruits with peels, where the outside is inedible, such as a watermelon or pineapple. The Kabbala, a brand of Jewish mysticism, teaches that we eat these fruits to symbolize that sometimes what we need to throw away is our external, superficial appearance and let the inner beauty shine.

Whereas sometimes the outside seems to look good and attractive, but it is a facade that hides the fact that deep down there is something symbolically inedible that needs to be discarded.

The ultimate form of human refinement is expressed by a berry. Where the outside and inside are equally edible. This corresponds to a person who is beautiful on the inside and reflects that beauty on the outside too. Tu B’shvat comes along and reminds us to strive towards that goal.

“Learning through the delicious fruits about the hidden worlds according to Judaism was very enlightening,” said Hillel Board Member, Julie Kaufman.

With a mild winter plaguing our county, we must start thinking about the blossoming of new trees and their effect on our community.

professor of sociology here at the college, described the lecture as full of “rich material for everybody.”

This was the first lecture in the Spring series and was co-sponsored with the Science Department and the Science Lecture Series. After the presentation, students and attendees were greeted by warm chocolate chip cookies, made fresh for the event. Yanush Rosenstein, a second year student here at the college, described the cookies as a “perfect way to end a great lecture.”

NEWS

February 20, 2012

Black Achievement Awards

African American students receive recognition for successes Stephanie Nelson

Contributing Writer

The Black Achievement Awards, an event made to recognize the accomplishments of Rockland’s African American students, was held this past week to honor their hard work.

The event took place on Tuesday and Wednesday, February 7 and 8, 2012 from 7:00 – 9:00 PM in the Cultural Arts Center. The night was a celebration of the remarkable accomplishments made by local African American students.

Around 176 students were honored for their achievements in categories such as academic success, community service, artistic expression, athletic ability, leadership, and personal triumph.

Students as young as sixth grade were given awards. “It is so inspiring to see kids younger then me receiving awards for experiences that I still strive to accomplish”, says Jackie Fox, a freshman at RCC. It certainly is incredible to learn about what great projects and successes are occurring right here in Rockland County. The fact that the people participating in them are so young, shows what a strong community we have. There were some great future leaders honored both nights and it is exciting to see what they will do next.

“Nothing is more important than honoring students,” says Dr. Cliff L. Wood, “Some of them will hopefully end up here”. Although college isn’t on every 8th graders mind, it does look great that they have received such a prestigious award at a young age. Dr. Wood emphasized, “The important thing is that they go to college”.

Hopefully these awards will encourage the young students to keep up the good work in the future.

The guest speaker, Deena Wilson, who is a former winner of the awards, spoke highly of all of the winners. She, along with numerous other past recipients, attended the presentation, in hopes that they could learn from her achievements.

Her speech was mainly advice to the students about how to improve their lives and truly change the face of this world.

She called the awards “honorable,” and “prestigious,” as she spoke of the story of her life and how she has enacted change in Rockland county, and in our nation. She hopes that she can influence our youth to show pride in their African American heritage.

This is just one in the long list of events that are being used to mark Black History Month. The month, which has always been in the month of February, celebrates the heritage of African Americans. The next event is A Gospel Concert, highlighting the music of the African American community.

This event, taking place on February 24, is open to the public.

The fact that this event strictly honored African American students shows how far our country has come. Seventy years ago African Americans would have never been given the opportunity to achieve such great accomplishments. Now their hard work and successes are being recognized by everyone in extraordinary ways.

Campus Residence Hall Being Considered

HOUSING FROM PAGE 1

will help many of the international students,” said Maria Dell’Arciprete, Coordinator of International Students.

“Some students have to walk more than half an hour just to catch the bus. To live on campus would get rid of travel time,” she said.

The residence hall would draw more than just international students; it would hopefully bring in athletic students from smaller colleges and the many areas that do not have intercollegiate sports programs. In addition, there are some students who mght appreciate the “away from home” feeling while still being near home.

One main issue at this time is how to fund the Residence Hall.

“Once you build them, over a period of time they will pay for themselves. In fact you design them so that they will make money,” Dr. Wood said.

Some funding for any residence hall that would be built, would come from the Dormitory Authority, a state organization that manages money for the State of New York for use by colleges for facilities. In order to access that money, the College would need to match money contained within the fund. Rockland County, a developer, or even a private individual are candidates to match the fund.

The location, design, and all other details of any proposed hall are not even being

discussed at this time. At some point in time in the near future, an architect will come to campus to help create a new Facilities Master Plan. This will include mostly restoration of the campus, as RCC has not had one in nearly 15 years. Repairing walkways, adding exterior lighting, and upgrading bathrooms are just a few of the expected items to be on the list.

While on campus, the architect will also look at possible locations for a Residence Hall and give some ideas as to the size and appearance of what could be built on campus.

While many are optimistic, there are some that say the hall is just another idea that will never come to fruition. “I have been on campus for over 30 years, and have heard the idea of a dorm brought up countless times,” said one staff member. Others say this is a great time for such a project and believe the plan will succeed.

With the economy adversely affecting students’ incomes, many people of college age will not attend college as part of their education.

But Dr. Wood remains hopeful about RCC’s propsects.

“The low cost of tuition will help draw students,” Dr. Wood said. “ The proximity to New York City is another advantage, as Rockland has a lower crime rate then NYC, but is still nearby.”

College Showcases Clubs at Club Fest STUDENTS FROM PAGE 1

by club members and leaders, promoting all that their associations have to offer. There are clubs for almost everything, ranging from Gay and Lesbian Rights, to the Christian Faith.

The Economics Club, a club which focuses on National and International Economics, had a large presence at the event.

“The best time of the school year to get students to join clubs is during Club Fest”, adds student and member of the economics club, Christy Koutsourades.

“When you can talk face to face with your fellow classmates about what your club can do for the community, it really makes the school come together.”

John Marra, the organizer of the event, believes that Club Fest is a great opportunity for the college to show off its great array of student run clubs and organizations.

“Hopefully the students find other like-minded students that allow them to have a good time while they are here,” said Marra. He went on to say, “Its important that we make them feel welcome on campus.”

Club Fest, which happens every Spring and Fall semester, is a very exciting way for students to meet others and show their true passion for nonacademic interests.

FEATURES

February 20, 2012

A Deeper Look Into Urban Legends

Stock Photos/Outlook Student Press

Tina Pace

staff Writer

There is always a story to be told; some horrific, some upbeat, and some completely true. The majority of urban legends are based on truth, but over time the details become misconstrued.

The technical definition of an urban legend is “a modern story of obscure origin and with little supporting evidence, which spreads spontaneously.” Urban legends are thought to be made up stories used to scare children and are often taken as a joke. Some legends are world famous and others are only known by a small number of people.

Maybe it’s the inconsistency that makes some legends so hard to believe. Regardless, there is always some truth to them.

There is one legend about a beauty queen who is addicted to tanning. From the excessive tanning, her organs were cooked and she died a few years later. There’s no vengeful spirit in this story or a curse on those who tan, but this story does instill a

is the legend of Bloody Mary. There is no definite, straightfoward story to this one because it dates back to before urban legends were even known. Each version has a few common grounds; there is always a mirror involved and there is always a woman named Mary who is seeking pain.

The background of the tale reads that Bloody Mary was known as Queen Mary the 1st of England. She had a large amount of miscarriages and false pregnancies, as a result of this, she went mad and is now haunting anyone who mentions her name.

It is said that if Bloody Mary is summoned, she would proceed to kill the summoner in an extremely violent way, such as ripping their face off, scratching their eyes out, cutting their head off, driving them insane, bringing them into the mirror with her, or scratching their neck. Mirrors are a reflection of one’s true personality, and since Mary misunderstood herself until the day she died, she is now out to judge others.

The truth of this is that there was a Mary and there is said to be stories of people seeing her face but it is highly unlikely that

check things out. It turns out there was a dead girl rotting underneath the bed. It’s even more surprising that this situation happened in Las Vegas, Kansas city, Atlantic City, Florida, and California. Apparently it’s quite common to kill someone in a hotel room. Under the bed and the closet are the two most popular places to hide a dead body. The true event of this legend is that a guy once brought a prostitute back to his hotel room, strangled her, left her under the bed, and then checked out as if nothing happened. So the next time you hear something bizarre, don’t be so quick to write it off as a myth because it might be true.

A classic legend called “The Killer in the Backseat” is about a young woman who stops at a gas station and while she’s getting gas, a man with a knife climbs into the backseat of the car. As she drives away, the truck behind her tries to warn her about the killer in the backseat by flashing his high beams in her rear view mirror. The woman ironically gets scared of the truck that was following her. The truck finally follows the woman all the way home and screams at her to run into the house and call the police. The woman frantically runs inside, not knowing that she was only a foot away from death, and that the sketchy truck driver just saved her life. Even though this tale was exaggerated, it still has an origin of truth. As reported in the Decatur Daily News on September 14, 2007, a female college student in Alabama was threatened by a man with a gun who popped up suddenly in the backseat of her SUV. She fortunately escaped by slamming on the brakes and bolting from the car. Over

Stock Photos/Outlook Student Press

fear of tanning yourself to death. This tale is in fact true, but not 100%. One woman did die after using a tanning bed in Chicago in 1989, but her death was caused by a medication that lowered her resistance to UV rays. The average person’s organs cannot burn because UV rays can’t penetrate that far, but there is still a risk for cancer. You can see how one out of the ordinary death turns into a horror story rumor.

A more popular and interesting tale

anyone will be killed by Bloody Mary by saying her name in the mirror.

Ghost stories are always hard to believe and are almost never completely true.

These are the type of stories people like to run off with, therefore it makes it hard to decipher the truth and the lies from these types of tales. In Kansas City, there was a couple staying in a nearby hotel. She smelt something funny coming from under the bed, so she called the front desk to come

Stock Photos/Outlook Student Press

time, it’s inevitable that some details will be added and some forgotten.

Out of the hundreds of legends out there, many of them have a trace of truth in them. Some are mostly true, and some are barely true, but stories have to start from somewhere. Every town, city, state and country have their own legends about the past, and it’s important to look for the real facts and the obvious fibs.

FEATURES

February 20, 2012

Dinner Party Etiquette Anna Berent

SPECIAL TO OUTLOOK

In our modern culture, throwing dinner parties is a favorite pastime for many people. Whether you are throwing the party or attending a party, there is no doubt that there are certain unspoken guidelines that everybody should follow so that everyone attending the dinner party can have a good time.

First and foremost, I cannot stress how important it is to have good manners. It is sometimes easy to get caught up in today’s fast-paced world and forget your good behavior elsewhere. However, people will really appreciate it if you act in a polite manner at the table and thank your hosts after you finish your meal. Also, do not discuss controversial issues at the table, such as politics, unless you are sure that everyone there will agree with you. You do not want to make a person feel like a pariah at the party because of an opinion. Keep the conversations friendly for everyone.

If you are hosting a dinner party, be very confident in yourself. Greet your guests at the door and take their jackets from them to hang up. If the guests bring dishes to contribute, express your gratitude towards them. It is also a complete myth that you need to spend hundreds of dollars on a good dinner party. If money is an issue, there are plenty of amazing dishes you can put together for under 50 dollars; you just need to be creative, but it is certainly doable. An important portion of any dinner party also is setting a good mood. Play some music in the background and make it comfortable for

your guests.

When you are actually at the party, I would suggest serving some finger foods/ appetizers and drinks first, that way everyone can catch up with one another in an informal manner, and guests that do not know each other too well can converse. When all the guests have arrived, it is then okay to sit down and actually begin eating the main course. Pace yourself; dinner parties usually last a few hours so enjoy every bite of your food! When everyone seems to have finished eating, start clearing the table off and serve your teas/coffees and desserts. I would suggest having a few types of desserts so everyone can choose a favorite one.

Throwing or attending a dinner party does not need to be a stressful task. It

should be fun and exciting. I hope these tips encourage you to throw your own, and

remember to have fun! Your guests will appreciate it.

College Students Can Help Children Worldwide Kristina Nikolaj

contributing Writer

As college students that have necessities such as water, food, education, and a home, we don’t always realize that we are so lucky. Our parents gave us all of this and people forget that it’s a gift to have a life with so much when other children have absolutely nothing. Children all over the world are living in poverty. They have no food, no clean water, no medical attention, no education, and many are without homes.

As students living in America, we can do so much to help these children in need. There are several ways a person can get involved with charities that work with children and their families all over the world.

An organization that helps these children is World Vision. World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization. This charity helps them by providing food, clean water, health care, and an education. World Vision assists nearly one hundred countries and about one hundred million people each year.

To donate you can visit their website, www. donate.worldvision.org. On the website you can go to sponsor a child and they will give you a child with his/her name, birth date, and where he/she is from. A donor will also receive a photo of the child that they are helping and can write letters to them.

For about a dollar a day you can help these children and families that are in need.

Operation Smile is another international humanitarian organization. Operation Smile is a medical charity that helps children who have a cleft lip or a cleft palate. Children with this problem are often unable to speak,

eat, or smile properly. Since the year 1982 many medical volunteers have helped give free surgeries to kids. As a donor you can visit the website, www.operationsmile.org, and for 240 dollars, you can help a child in need and give them a beautiful smile.

UNICEF, a humanitarian relief for children, is a charity that works with over one hundred and fifty countries. UNICEF provides health care and immunizations, clean water, nutrition and food security, education, and emergency relief. More than 21,000 children die from things like malnutrition, dirty water, and lack of affordable vaccines. Here in America, supplies like water, food, and medical attention are things that we don’t ever think we can lose and we sometimes take it all for granted. Education is also something that makes our country strong and it is unfair that children all over the world can’t have the same opportunities we do. One way a donor can help is by donating at least 50 dollars or more by visiting their website, www.unicefusa.org. By donating you will give these children the hope of a better, more successful life.

Another charity that helps children in need is K.I.D.S. (Kids In Distressed Situations).

This charity provides toys, clothing, shoes, baby products, and books. K.I.D.S. helps children and families who are experiencing poverty, domestic abuse, major illnesses, and homelessness. You can help by visiting their website, www.kidsdonations.org and donate as little as ten dollars. With that diminutive amount of money you can help them buy 100 dollars worth of baby supplies for pregnant women living in poverty.

We need to remember that we are more

fortunate than we think. College students should take time to think about all that they have and think of ways to help. So many children around the world need our attention.

By giving money, donating your old

clothes, or helping to build a school, you are giving these children the hope of a better life and a reason to smile every day.

FEATURES

February 20, 2011

Stock Photos/Outlook Student Press

New York University Former student recalls her experience

Joan Danahy

Contributing Writer

I was 18 years old and living on my own in New York City, experiencing the epitome of freedom in the epicenter of the world and I wanted out.

My parents were shocked when I told them I wanted to withdraw from NYU. I had been so excited to get my acceptance letter, thrilled with Greenwich Village, and even enthusiastic about living in a small triple with two other girls. I had to understand their surprise. On the phone, I had expressed that I was ecstatic, enjoying my classes, and everything was as great as I had imagined it would be.

What I didn’t mention however, was that during my auditorium filled lectures I couldn’t focus. Something was really tormenting me.

I couldn’t help but wonder, “Where was all the money going to come from?”

NYU is a notoriously expensive school and my family is by no means wealthy.

Instead of paying attention in class, I was scribbling figures on the outskirts of my notes, calculating the costs of attendance, and trying to make sense of how I would manage such debt upon graduation. I had a scholarship, qualified for work study, and my parents were supportive, but no matter how I added or subtracted the figures, the calculations always seemed to suggest the same thing: a doomed lifetime of poverty. I would spend the day laughing with new friends, learning interesting things both inside and outside of my classes, and adventuring around

the city. But at night, I would lie awake listening to the traffic outside my window below, worrying about finances.

That said, it may seem that I now consider the University a black hole of financial ruin. While many think I must feel bitterness, or that NYU is not worth the cost, surprisingly this is not true. It is actually not my intention to dissuade anyone at RCC from applying to NYU. In fact I encourage others to apply. While I had the aforementioned experience, it was only because I had the weight of four years of tuition and room and board to contend with. For someone who has already saved enormous amounts by starting at RCC, I think NYU may be a great option.

At NYU, you quickly learn that your college experience will not be “typical” in any sense of the word. For some, that is difficult to digest, but for others it can be very exciting. If you do a little research, you’ll learn that some students complain that there is no defined campus, a lack of community, and that the college is filled with snobby, self-important, artsy types.

But the true experience at NYU is quite different. I found it exciting when I left my dorm each day and was surrounded by people of all different backgrounds and ages. I wasn’t trapped in a sort of “social bubble” that many of my other friends at state colleges had experienced. Instead, I was enjoying the prospect that on any given day I would be entertained by a new interesting personality or experience. I quickly learned that in New York City you can say, do, or wear anything you want, and no one will give it a second thought.

Many people take advantage of this,

which provides for a lot of outrageous experiences. Although on my way to class I’d pass an assortment of people including 9-to-5-ers, vendors, dog-walkers, models, actors, and the occasional man on stilts, I would still bump into the same classmates and friends. I was shocked that even at a school with 22,000 undergraduates, I was constantly seeing familiar faces. It may be slightly less true for transfers, because the sense of community had a lot to do with freshman residence halls and the traffic in dining halls created by mandatory meal plans, but I find that even now, when I go back to visit my freshman year roommates, I see old friends scattered around the periphery of Washington and Union Square Park.

While the closest friend I made is from Washington State, I also made friends from California, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Texas. I even went on a few dates with a student from Istanbul.

Some of my friends were prep school kids from New England living in their own apartments in Soho, while many came from extremely humble backgrounds and depended on grants and their part time wages to pay for their education. Thus, NYU does not have a standard type of student, which means that whoever comes here will be able to find friends to relate to.

Academically, NYU has a lot to offer.

While each college has strong programs, Tisch is renowned for acting, film, and television production, while Stern is at the forefront of undergraduate business programs. Although I had been in the College of Arts and Sciences, I also had a great experience taking a class

through Steinhardt, the college that offers scholarships to RCC transfers through the community college opportunity program.

I think it is important for transfer students to note that there are several restrictions about taking classes across schools. It is easy for those in Stern, Tisch, Steinhardt, or the other undergraduate schools to double major or add a minor in the College of Arts and Science, but for those students within the College of Arts and Science, it’s slightly more difficult to explore the other schools. Despite the frustrations of advisement and college bureaucracy, I think what makes an NYU education so special is the quality of professors.

The location of the school attracts highly qualified and successful academics who are as dedicated to teaching as they are to research, and because New York City is a major metropolis guest speakers and lecturers are a more frequent occurrence.

In fact, one of my Media classes was taught by Jon Stewart from The Daily Show! Furthermore, I think the urban setting helps students mature and gain independence. While you are earning your degree, you are also learning the realities and routines of adult life.

While it is true that NYU is not for everyone, many students find it to be a perfect fit. If you are a student who wants the security of a tight knit student body, and loves going to weekend football games, then I wouldn’t say NYU is the best choice. But for those students who are outgoing, independent, self-assured, curious, and financially able, NYU can be more than satisfying.

FEATURES

February 20, 2012

Awkward Everyday Encounters Shara Beitch

Features Editor

I used to think that I was the only one who would experience such awkward everyday encounters. Sometimes they got so embarrassing that my bewildered giggles transformed into cringes of fear. Once my coy demeanor subsided, I began to laugh at these everyday calamities and realized that I’m not the only one who experiences them.

Essentially, they are what make us human and give us that humble kick we need when we think we are invincible. Maybe you will recognize a few and be able to laugh out of elation rather than squirm with discomfort.

Waving You know those times when you are walking in the hallway or down the street and someone waves at you, and as they get closer, you have no idea who they are? You don’t want to be rude, so you wave back and watch their face overcome with pity as you realize they were waving to the person behind you. If you do what I do, then you pretend to be scratching your head in such a flamboyant manner that you appear to have Tourette’s. There have even been times where I pretended that I was just waving to the person behind them, but when the actual person behind them gives me a pretentious expression due to my sudden friendliness, I rightfully give up and speed walk away to act as if I am just exercising.

What also tends to happen is that I wave to someone who I know and they just completely miss it. So now I am waving to no one and I can almost smell the sympathy emerging in the air from my failed attempt to be friendly and attentive. This is another one where I either pretend to be smacking a bug off of my ear or act as if I am trying to live a healthy lifestyle by speed walking… in boots.

I have a habit of walking in a daydream and the steps that I take are ultimately stored in my memory. People wave at me and it doesn’t click until three seconds after they have passed me by. By now, they probably think I am some impertinent snob who doesn’t care to interact with others. What ends up happening is that I wave after they have passed, just to go back to square one where I wave to nobody.

Hugs vs. Handshakes

Whenever it is time to say goodbye to someone, I am generally very affectionate.

However, there are times when I am not sure if a handshake or a hug would be more appropriate. So it gets to that situation where we are saying goodbye and our arms and hands are wobbling as I’m trying to make eye contact to see which gesture is suitable.

After no eye contact, I go in for my normal hug and feel their hand quickly switch from a handshake pose to a hug stance. Now I just feel like a baby monkey wanting their mother because I’m giving this awkward caress that they did not expect.

Then, on occasion, there are the times when I am almost 100% positive that a handshake is the most befitting way to say hello or goodbye. I put out my hand and they strike me by surprise with a hug. Now I am that person that I hate by probably making them feel like a clingy dork for attacking me. I quickly switch and always add in an “aww” to make it clear that I appreciate the hug that I remorsefully did not immediately

reciprocate.

Sometimes I’ll see someone in passing that I may not have seen in a while. We wave, say hello, but I’m still not sure if we should awkwardly stop to exchange a hug and a real conversation. One of us always does somewhat of a halt in such an awkward manner that it looks like the “Electric Slide” was attempted. That person is usually me.

Once I see the other person has kept walking, I try to pass off my appalling dance moves as a burst of excitement from something else.

Doors You know those times when you decide to be altruistic and hold the door open for someone? Well, if you have luck like mine, that one person usually becomes a swarm of people who must have come from Narnia since no one was there a minute ago. This generally happens when I’m in a rush and no one will take the door from me. I am almost eager to just close it on the next person who refuses to acknowledge my existence as the chivalrous door-holder.

I also have the opposite happen. I am going into a building that has two sets of doorways, and I hold the door open for someone coming out as they are holding a door for me coming in. We both stand there in anticipation of the “thank you” from our philanthropy, but instead we just stare and wait to see who should give up first. Yes, you guessed it; we both give up at the same time and just awkwardly laugh as we open our own doors.

Cars I cannot count how many times I have been driving and I accidentally honk the horn. Whether I’m leaning on the wheel at a red light or getting a little too into the music, it seems to be inevitable. As the person in front of me looks in their rear view mirror, I can almost see the fangs grow out of their mouths in disgust from my honking them.

I don’t know how to possibly say it was a mistake, so I have a pathetic habit of waving my arms to apologize. I realize at that point I probably look like a psychopath trying to lure them in with a cry for help. I just keep my distance after that.

I try to be really nice when I approach an unclear intersection at the same time as someone else. I wave them on to let them go, not realizing that they are also waving me on.

This has to be one of the most disconcerting aspects of driving. We both wait, then go at the same time, then stop, then go again. The act of kindness has turned into a game of who can hit the other one first. The amount of eye-rolling and frustrated sighs radiates out of our cars and one of us eventually goes.

Now, I can almost feel someone staring me down at red lights. I avoid looking, but eventually give in to see that my peripheral observation was correct. All I can do is stare at the red light and mumble “turn green, turn green” until it actually does. And on occasion, I will be guilty of the socially unacceptable act of staring at the person in the car next to me. I don’t do it on purpose; it is part of my arbitrary daydreaming habit.

The worst part is when they look over and see me staring at them. Just then does it click and I realize that I’ve been staring and now, so are they. Once again I focus on the red light and mumble “turn green, turn green.”

OPINION

Are Office Hours Effective?

Kristen Loretoni

OPINIONS EDITOR

Most professors here at RCC offer students office hours to ask questions, elaborate on class material, and overall discuss their concerns. Although this is helpful for obvious reasons, many students are committed to jobs and other activities outside of school that interfere with the given time frames.

Meeting one on one with the

professor is the most direct way to receive further assistance with course work.

Many students feel that the opportunity to meet with faculty is not provided to them, forgetting that office hours even exist due to loaded schedules and hectic lifestyles. Do office hours actually aid students or do they only cause stress and frustration for those trying to seek out additional guidance?

February 20, 2012

Outlook Student Press Sari Ugell, Editor-in-Chief Elizabeth Maze, Managing Editor Ken Grand-Pierre, Art Director Elan Weinberger, News Editor Shara Beitch, Features Editor

Monica Powell, Science & Health Editor Kristen Loretoni, Opinions Editor David Strinkovsky, Sports Editor Louie Gaitan, Photo Editor

Outlook Student Press is published every other week except during exam periods and summer. It is an independent newspaper and public forum produced by students and paid for by advertising revenue and student activities fees.

Outlook Student Press invites you to submit your opinions and ideas for publication. We strongly encourage letters to the editor.

Content does not necessarily reflect the views of the Outlook editors or staff. Submissions may be edited for clarity, length, style, and taste. Outlook does not accept anonymous submissions.

On the web: Outlookpress.org Facebook.com/outlookpress Email: Outlookstudentpress@gmail. com Office: Student Union Room 3200 Phone: (845) 574-4389 Fax: (845) 356-6261

Staff: Tina Pace, Nicole Arzoomanian, Brian Katzman, Stephanie Nelson.

Contributors: Melissa Mone, Amanda

Van Ryn, Kristina Nikolaj, Joan Danahy, Tyler Silver, Arel Blau.

Snail mail:Outlook Student Press Rockland Community College 145 College Road, Suffern, NY 10901 Professor Fuentes, Advisor

. . .

T U O B A K N I H T U O Y O WHAT D S? R U O H E C I F F O D N A S R O PROFESS Shara Beitch

Monica Powell

Elan Weinberger

Professors having office hours is a laudable theory, but I have hardly found them to be beneficial. Almost every time I have gone to the professor’s office during their available time slot, they were no where to be found. The few time they were there, I felt completely rushed. I don’t know if my questions were irrational or they just wanted to finish their lunch, but I have rarely felt satisfied afterwards. Now, please don’t get me wrong, there are certainly a handful of professors who have been helpful and kind, but I have found this to be rather seldom. I feel that these people have so much wisdom to give and I want to consume it all, so I can only hope that I will have better luck with office hours in the future.

The availability of professors outside of the classroom is critical during the college experience. Not only are these men and women professionals in a particular field of study, but many of them are also professionals, if you will, in directing and guiding students in making the most of their college life. The extra time spent with students can be used to give advice when it comes to class choice, to suggest specific universities upon transferring, and even to counsel in choosing a major or in pursuing a career. With that being said, it is important that each professor hold office hours at a convenient time for the students, and it is also commendable when the professors are willing to meet with a student during a time outside of there established schedule if necessary. In this case, availability of the instructor equals opportunity for the student - a valuable relationship, no doubt.

I think that professor’s office hours are a good concept, but are not exactly practical. There have been numerous situations in which I go to a professor’s office during their supposed “hours” and they have simply not been there. I wish that the professors would understand that the students need them to be there, because in many situations it is a choice between passing or failing. We must have our professors do more for our students and be there on time and when they are supposed to be. It is there job and if they are not there than they should be subject to punishment.

OPINION

February 20, 2012

The Truth About Abortion

Society's lack of knowledge may result in poor decisions

Kristen Loretoni

OPINIONS EDITOR

Abortion is a topic that typically ends in a heated argument. Everyone is entitled to his or her own opinion, but my concern with this is that some people are unable to back up their opinions with the cold, hard facts. The lack of knowledge and humanity on the topic is startling to me and raises much concern within our generation.

Abortion is defined as the removal of an embryo or fetus from the uterus in order to end a pregnancy. According to the Association for Natural Psychology, 25% of pregnancies are terminated in the United States.

In a survey of 100 RCC students, 40% said that they (or their partners) would consider getting an abortion. Is abortion simply a way to erase a mistake as a young adult? The lack of responsibility many people have raises much concern in our society. A lot of people say “I wouldn’t be ready to have a child...I’m only 18.” I would agree with that statement; if you don’t have enough common sense to make sure you have a condom on, then you sure as hell aren’t ready to raise a

child. There are priorities that people are missing and I can’t understand why it is that teenagers have such a strong feeling of being invincible. Just because you are irresponsible and don’t take into consideration the consequences of your actions doesn’t make it right to simply take the “easy way out” by killing an unborn child. Many argue that the fetus or embryo is not yet developed into a child.

I hate when anyone says this because it would grow into a child if you didn’t terminate its life. How someone can just kill a child is beyond my comprehension.

No one would dare kill a smiling, laughing infant, so why is it any better to kill a baby when it’s still developing? That child will never get the same chances in life that you have every single day, so how could that be fair?

There are people in this country that would love to have the ability to raise children. Many women cannot have kids, and adoption is a way for these women to live their dream of being a nurturing and loving mother. According to CBS News, 44% of women ages 15-44 in America cannot have children. If you don’t think that you are ready to have a child, you could give someone else the gift of raising a child, which is what they desire more

than anything.

The idea of having an abortion is simply selfish when there are so many different options. You made the choice to have sex, so you need to deal with the consequences.

Whenever I have a conversation with someone who has the opposite views as me, I always get asked the question, “Ok Kristen, well what about you? If you got pregnant right now, would you have the child? You as an 18-year-old working, college student. Would you have it in you to carry around a child for 9 months?”

When I get pregnant, it will be on my own terms, simply because I am a responsible young adult. I know the consequences of my actions, so I do everything in my power to prevent pregnancy. I have always had these strong views, and not because of the influence of my parents, but from my own experiences and interactions with people. How someone could take the life of a child, because it causes an inconvenience for the parent, is unthinkable to me. I can’t begin to wrap my head around the idea of trying to simply erase your “mistake”. Having sex and being irresponsible is your problem, not the child’s. Being sexually active comes with a large amount of responsibility. If

as a teenager you cannot handle these responsibilities, and don’t think about the consequences that follow your actions, that leads me to believe you are ready to be neither an adult nor a parent.

With all of this said, I strongly believe that every woman has the right to choose for herself. However, the means by which she chooses needs to be altered. I believe that if a woman is sexually assaulted, raped, and impregnated, there is no reason for her to have to live 9 months with a predator’s child in her womb. This is the one and only exception I have for abortion. I don’t think the government has the right to tell a woman that she must have a child, but I also think that an abortion should not be an “easy way out” of an inconvenient situation for a young woman. There is no way the government would be able to regulate who is eligible for an abortion, so the law needs not to change, but the knowledge of women, and the morals of women, need to be reconsidered.

Many people tell me that my views are very one-sided and that I come off as too opinionated. I see myself as someone who can back up every statement I make...can you?

OPINIONS

10

February 20,2012

Mel Gibson: Famous or Infamous?

Amanda Van Ryn

Contributing WRITER

Very open with his religious views as a Roman Catholic, Mel Gibson is considered to be famous by some and infamous by others.

His religious convictions have made a statement not only in his public personal life, but also in his career as an actor, director and producer.

Gibson’s career as an actor and director are tainted by the criticism that his movies often receive. Even though The Passion of the Christ was the eighth highest grossing film in history, it received mixed reviews because of its religious connotation. Some believed that the movie was a fantastic depiction of the Roman Catholic Gospels, but others claimed that it was anti-Semitic.

In July of 2006, Mel Gibson was found to be driving under the inf luence.

He was caught speeding with an open bottle of alcohol in the car with him.

This arrest began a downward spiral in Gibson’s career and personal life. While being arrested, Gibson went on an angry and anti-Semitic rant exclaiming, “Jews are responsible for all the wars in the world”. Of course Gibson issued public apologies, but the damage was already

done.

The day after his 2006 arrest, Gibson and wife of twenty six years, Robyn Denise Moore, separated. After photographs were released of Gibson embracing Russian pianist Oksana Grigorieva, Robyn filed for divorce.

When the divorce was finalized, the settlement between the couple was over $425,000,000.00, making it the highest in Hollywood divorce history.

In 2010, the news of Oksana and Gibson’s split was made public. The split took a turn for the worse when tapes were leaked of Gibson threatening

to kill Oksana and admitting to hitting her more than once. Gibson was under investigation for domestic violence, gun charges, and child endangerment of his daughter with Oksana.

Mel Gibson’s personal life highly contradicts his religious beliefs. In the Catholic faith, divorce is highly frowned upon, as is having a baby out of wedlock. Gibson so often does not follow his faith, so when he goes on rants and rages about other people and other faiths he is perceived as a hypocrite.

When asked about his religious beliefs he once said, “There is no salvation for those outside the Church ... I believe it”.

Gibson has been accused of being homophobic, anti-Semitic, sexist, and racist, along with the charges of domestic violence and child endangerment. If someone is accused of all of these horrific things, then it can’t be everyone else that is wrong, it has to be them. While Gibson has donated money to many needy charities across the world, his outbursts against anyone that is not like him overpower his philanthropic donations.

In my opinion, anyone should be able to practice whatever religion they choose and in whatever place they desire to.

Mel Gibson claims to be tolerant, but we have seen in more than one instance that how he really feels is contradictory to what he verbally expresses. Mel Gibson’s addiction to alcohol and manic depressive behaviors are far from what a “good Catholic” is.

Mel Gibson is extremely judgmental of others, but when he acts out he expects everyone to forgive his mistakes. Mel Gibson has upset just about every group of people different from him through his movies and especially through his drunken outbursts. Gibson may say that he is a Catholic and can be judgmental of those that are not, but he has enough trouble following the governmental laws, let alone the Ten Commandments.

Gibson’s most recent movie, The Beaver, tanked. Was this the movie’s fault or Mel’s? No matter how good a movie is, if Mel Gibson is cast as the main character there will be people that choose not to go because of this. All that some people will remember about him for the rest of his life will be his famous mug shot from his 2006 arrest.

Mel is a fantastic actor and director, but right now he might want to take a break from the spotlight and hope that people will forgive, and more importantly, forget.

Kudos To The Komen Foundation Decision to continue funding breast screenings

Melissa Mone

StAFF WRITER

The Susan G. Komen Foundation was planning to stop funding Planned Parenthood when suddenly it decided to reverse the decision and keep financially aiding the organization.

But what is the Komen foundation, and why were they planning on stopping the funding in the first place?

As many of Americans know, Planned Parenthood is an organization that helps women to make their own decisions about sex and their health.

According to their website, www.

PlannedParenthood.org, they are the nation’s leading sexual and reproductive health care provider and advocate.

Planned Parenthood also works with partner organizations worldwide to improve the sexual health and wellbeing of individuals and families everywhere. They have 800 health care centers across the nation, and 79 independent local affiliates that operate the care centers.

The Susan G. Komen for the Cure® foundation is dedicated to Susan Komen and her fight against breast cancer. Usually known for their pink ribbons in football stadiums, on food products, and featured through advertisements, they are a proud leader for the funding of breast cancer research and care for diagnosed patients across the globe. The foundation raises billions of dollars from their activities, and all of the money goes towards finding a cure for the horrible disease.

The foundation has always been well respected for its work.

However, this past month the

foundation was struggling to maintain their popularity. An evangelical Christian group known as Lifeway was selling pink Bibles on behalf of the Komen Foundation, when they realized that the foundation was funding Planned Parenthood. Lifeway is totally against what Planned Parenthood does for society and religion.

When Lifeway found out that the Komen foundation was supporting Planned Parenthood, which is prochoice, Lifeway began to refuse to sell the Bibles. Many activists against Planned Parenthood began to protest against the Komen foundation because they believed that the foundation “betrayed” them and were completely against their cause with Planned Parenthood.

Nancy Brinker, who founded and leads the foundation, has been involved with many organizations including Planned Parenthood. However, critics say that Brinker and the Komen Foundation are very susceptible to activists because of the political controversies going on about Planned Parenthood and the fact that they allocate abortions.

According to the Florida Family Policy council, Planned Parenthood is currently under investigation for Medicaid fraud in Texas and California, and fraudulent reporting and illegal abortions in Kansas is under federal congressional investigations.

The Komen foundation does not want to fund any organizations that are under investigation by the government, and because of this it cut off its grants towards Planned Parenthood. The funding that was cut off was for the

breast cancer screenings conducted by Planned Parenthood.

Judy Norsigian of “Our Bodies Ourselves,” a popular women’s health guide states: “One of the things that many women don’t understand is that the founder of Komen, Nancy Brinker, has had a longstanding and supportive relationship with the Bush family, with the Bush presidencies, with the Republican Party, and on many occasions has supported policies that most supporters of Komen probably wouldn’t approve of.”

Since Brinker is supposed to be involved with the Republican Party, who is Pro-Life, then why does she fund Planned Parenthood?

In the end, Planned Parenthood is not only looked upon as supporting abortions. They do many other things for women such as helping in the reduction of sexually transmitted infections through testing and treatment as well as the screening for cancers such as cervical and breast cancer. The goal of Planned Parenthood is not only to offer abortions. They want to help the women in society make their own decisions on what they want and not what society or the government encourages them to do.

In my opinion, Brinker and the foundation granted the money to this organization for the sole purpose of having breast cancer screenings for women who go to Planned Parenthood, which makes sense considering the foundation has based itself on breast cancer to begin with. I do not believe that the foundation had connections with anything else in the Planned Parenthood organization further than the breast

cancer screenings they were funding.

According to Fox news, after the foundation faced criticism for prochoice lawmakers and accusations that the breast cancer awareness organization was swayed by political inf luence, the foundation decided to reverse its decision.

“This decision will undoubtedly save lives, as Komen funds to Planned Parenthood health centers provide breast cancer screenings to women who have no other health care options,” said NLIRH executive director Jessica González-Rojas. “We celebrate this just decision and the preventative care that it will provide to Latinas across the country.”

I couldn’t agree more myself.

February 20, 2012

STYLE & ENTERTAINMENT

11

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STYLE & ENTERTAINMENT

12

Why We Love...

Elizabeth Maze

Managing Editor

When you look good, you feel good.

Whether it’s clear skin, soft hair, or getting rid of the dry winter skin that’s been bothering you, your attitude drastically improves as your beauty regimen works.

OPI Nail Lacquer in “Pink Flamenco” When the sky is dreary you can look down at your bright pink nails and smile.

It’s that effortless touch of sunshine and Summer that you can bring everywhere.

Found at most drugstores, “Pink Flamenco” is a great color that is just one example of the color options for this Spring’s bright nail color trend. Vibrant and playful, this color is sure to get you a lot of positive attention and complements for a good price.

Johnson’s Baby Oil The cold winter months often dry out skin, leaving you uncomfortable and itchy.

In the search for a perfect lotion that was not overly scented or heavy, I decided to grab a small bottle of Johnson’s Baby Oil. I simply mixed it in with my unscented Cetaphil Lotion and applied it all over my body. The oil traps in moisture and leaves skin radiant and healthy all day. Daily application after a shower or bath will improve your skin and leave you feeling soft and comfortable throughout the dry Winter season.

Renpure Organics Shampoos and Conditioners With a unique blend of fruits and flowers, Renpure Organics Shampoos and Conditioners are charged with antioxidants that will leave your hair silky, healthy, and full of volume. Your hair will feel revitalized and strong after just a few uses. With continuous use, you can repair damaged hair and maintain those beautiful locks year round. Found at most drugstores for a reasonable price, Renpure Organics Shampoos and Conditioners are definitely worth the try.

Cetaphil Lotion If you’re anything like me, you know how tricky it is to find a lotion that works for sensitive skin. For the last five years, I

have been a loyal user of Cetaphil lotion.

It’s non-greasy formula is mild and keeps working throughout the day leaving skin soft. Perfect for using before putting on makeup, this moisturizer is gentle and great for everyday use. Free from parabens and other skin irritants, Cetaphil lotion is perfect for people with sensitive skin or just looking for a great moisturizer for daily use. With a reasonable price, this lotion is a must have for every beauty ritual.

Arbonne Aromessentials Awaken Sea Salt Scrub The key to great skin is exfoliating about every two weeks. Too much exfoliating will damage skin and leave your complexion red and sore. Arbonne Aromessentials Awaken Sea Salt Scrub is packed with sea salt that takes away dead surface skin cells leaving your skin healthier and looking bright. With key ingredients like avocado and sweet almond oils, you’re left smelling great and feeling healthy as you pamper your skin.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple Facial Cleanser Recommended to me by my brother’s girlfriend, I was excited to try a new face product. A simple one-step cleanser that has a pH-balanced formula seemed almost too good to be true. It’s formula quickly cleans off makeup and dirt from the day while also cleaning deep into pores to leave your skin feeling refreshed.

A formula that is able to be used by even those with very dry and sensitive skin, this facial cleanser leaves you refreshed after each use. With ingredients such as sage, carrot, and chamomile this facial cleanser will leave you feeling great each time you use it.

February 20, 2012

Stock Photos/Outlook Student Press

February 20, 2012

STYLE & ENTERTAINMENT

13

Naked vs. Caked feel that you must wear a foundation, I would recommend a powder foundation, staff Writer as opposed to a liquid one. Liquid foundations will make your skin more oily A little bit of blush and a touch of than it already is. If your skin is relatively mascara can make a young girl instantly dry, either a liquid foundation or a powder feel like a princess. Wearing makeup is foundation will work fine.

Another very important thing to a right of passage for many girls. When and if these pre-teens learn how to apply remember is that you absolutely must makeup, most of them are told, “less is match your shade of makeup to your more.” That being said, many females skin tone perfectly. When you go to today use a copious amount of product buy foundation at a beauty store such on their face, eyes, and lips. Instead of as Sephora or a department store, ask a beautifying their looks, they end up hiding specialist to help you match your shade. their most beautiful, natural features. In They can tell very easily if a shade you turn, they may look fake and unattractive. have chosen will be too dark, too yellow, Women sometimes forget that natural or too pink for your particular tone. Don’t beauty is always in style. Overdoing your be afraid to ask a specialist for help! They cosmetics from day to day will hide the would be happy to assist you in choosing unique characteristics that make every the products that will make you look your woman beautiful. Freckles, birthmarks, best. The goal of applying foundation is to beauty marks, thick eyebrows, pale skin make it look like you aren’t wearing any and brown eyes should be played up, not at all.There is nothing more unattractive hidden. When it comes to makeup, if you than a girl who has caked on too much can apply just the right amount to enhance foundation in a shade that is too dark or your own special features so you look like too light for her natural skin tone. If you your natural gorgeous self, then you’ve have freckles, don’t cover them up! They are gorgeous and separate you from the done the job right.

When a girl first steps foot into the next girl. Beauty marks and birthmarks makeup world, sometimes she is tricked also should be left alone. They define you, into believing that a foundation is always and covering them up would be a shame.

For your eyes, there are many things necessary. This is not true. I find that in the Summer it is easier to go without to evaluate, particularly your eyebrows. foundation because my face absorbs Thick eyebrows are beautiful, so there is Vitamin D from the sun, and gets nourished no need to over-tweeze or compulsively and slightly bronzed. Regardless, the most wax them. I have light eyebrows so I important step when it comes to skincare use an eyebrow pencil to make them is moisturizing, because with nourished appear fuller. If you are lucky enough to skin, any foundation you put on top will have beautifully thick eyebrows, I would look flawless. If you have oily skin and accentuate that and shape them to fit your 12FEB ReFuel10x8_Nyack 2/8/12 12:59 PM Page 1 Nicole Arzoomanian

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face shape. If you don’t want to leave your lids completely naked, I recommend the Naked and Naked 2 Palettes by Urban Decay. They have several different neutral shades that are appropriate for everyday wear. The soft pink, tans, and browns can be used on anyone, regardless of eye color.

If you have light eyelashes, don’t wear such a harsh, dark colored mascara. Try a brown instead of a midnight black color.

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STYLE & ENTERTAINMENT

14

Spiked, Studded, and Sexy

Kristen Loretoni and Elizabeth Maze EDITORS OF OUTLOOK

As fun as it is to be the girly-girl in her whimsical summer dresses, sometimes bad girls have more fun. Spikes and studs have been making a well deserved comeback this fashion season. They are no longer for the quintessential 80’s teen, but the modern woman looking to make a bold statement.

Shoes With high-end designers like Christian Louboutin jumping into this new trend bandwagon, more and more women are dying to get their hands on this sharp new trend. With spiked boots available for the girl who doesn’t want to wear pumps, this trend is as accessible as it is amazing.

Whether it is spiked on the heel itself or the toe of the shoe, this is sure to add that extra bang to any everyday outfit. A simple outfit, like black jeans and a nice top, can be instantly upgraded. With cheaper options available, women on any budget can invest in a pair of these amazing shoes.

Bags Boring bags can ruin any almost perfect outfit. 1980s bedazzled bags have finally gotten the upgrade they deserve with a sleek, modern take on the once overdone trend. Instead of playing it safe with a boring, brown leather satchel or overdone clutch, why not go out of your comfort zone and be a little edgy with a wild bag that is sure to make a statement? Every girl likes to be the center of attention sometimes and this bold new look is sure to have all eyes in the room on you.

Do It Yourself Spiked Pumps If you’re anything like us, there is no way you’d dish out $600 for a pair of shoes. No way. In order to get this look for less, we decided to get creative and make our own. All you need is a bag of silver spikes, a tube of Super Glue, plain black pumps from Payless, and a little creative spark. You will get comparable results for much less.

Step 1: Plan a design for your dazzling new shoes.

Step 2: Make sure your shoe surface is smooth and clean. Ensuring that your shoe surface is flaw-free will make the finished product that much better.

Step 3: Lay the spikes that you will be applying out on the counter for easy access before application.

Step 4: Make drops of super glue where you desire a spike or stud. If you are worried that your hand is too shaky, don’t be afraid to use tweezers to ensure exact placement.

Step 5: Let your shoes dry for a day before you take your shoes out for a night on the town.

Step 6: Look spiked, studded, and sexy all year long.

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STYLE & ENTERTAINMENT

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Grammy's Fashion 2012: Best and Worst

Stock Photos/Outlook Student Press

Elizabeth Maze

Managing Editor

When walking the red carpet, celebrities either have a hit or miss when it comes to wardrobe. In an age of changing fashion trends, what’s in one day may be hideous the next. As a result, it is imperative to have a good stylist and a reliable sense of fashion direction when getting ready for award season. This year’s Grammy Awards brought out the big names in music and pop culture. While some shined on the carpet, styled to perfection, others looked like a hot mess returning from a week long excursion to the bottom of a rummage bin.

Just like removing a band aid, looking at the bad styles from this year’s awards is best done quickly and with your eyes closed. With this said, let’s go through the cringe-worthy look from this year’s Grammy Awards.

Nicki Minaj Now it’s no surprise that Minaj went for a wild and controversial look, but her over-the-top red Versace

religiously-themed cloak was just ludicrous. It was clear to see that she was trying to make a statement but her overbearing cloak and Pope look-a-like escort just made her look like a mad woman who stumbled onto the carpet rather then the successful pop artist she really is. Though a creative choice, Minaj’s wardrobe did nothing for her curvy shape and failed to live up to our fashion expectations.

Fergie Oh Fergie how you let us down! With a great shape, f lawlessly applied makeup, tasteful jewelery, and a sleek ponytail, Fergie left us with a bad taste in our mouth as she paraded down the carpet in an orange lace Jean Paul Gaultier dress.

While a great concept and fantastic cut that f lattered her shape, Fergie’s choice to wear black granny panties under a see-through dress was just too much to overlook. With a sheer slip or different undergarments, this dress could have moved from an “oh God no” to an “oh God yes.”

Robyn With a mullet hairdo, platform work boots, and an oddly cut dress, this singer really disappointed all fashion

enthusiasts and stylists. While it’s fun to push the edges in fashion and try something new, Robyn may have overstepped her bounds and lost her stylist among the clothing racks when she rocked this confused outfit on the carpet.

Instead of just hanging our heads in fashion defeat, let’s focus on the greats of this year’s Grammy Awards.

With sleek styles, daring cuts, and breathtaking gowns, these celebrities really took that extra step and their radiant appearances on the red carpet was a true ref lection of that.

Rihanna Always a trend setter, Rihanna wowed on the carpet this year with a daring custom made black Armani gown. Designed by Rihanna and Armani to create this one-of-a-kind look for the Grammys, this slinky back dress showed off her figure perfectly with daring cuts and lots of skin. Her decision to keep the accessories to a minimal and her f lawless makeup and hair created a sexy look that had everyone’s eyes glued to this trendsetting songstress.

Carrie Underwood Donning a sparkling Gomez-Garcia long-sleeved, backless dress Carrie Underwood looked positively ethereal this year on the red carpet. With simple earrings, natural makeup, and an elegant swept-back ponytail, Underwood lived up to all of our fashion expectations.

This fashion darling rarely misses a mark and this red carpet look went above and beyond, leaving her one of the best dressed of the evening.

Katy Perry Strutting down the carpet in a princess-styled Ellie Saab gown, Perry dazzled the crowd. With a pale blue color and glittering shine, this dress f lattered her shape and left everyone pleased with the songstress’s pick.

Complete with perfectly coiffed blue hair, playful pink lipstick, simple, yet tasteful, jewelry, and sultry smoky eyes, Perry looked absolutely beautiful at this year’s awards. While many thought she’d be looking down following her recent divorce from Russell Brand, Perry looked like a confident woman with a great style at this year’s awards.

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STYLE & ENTERTAINMENT

February 20, 2012

The Static Jacks Rock Shea Stadium New Jersey Rockers Deliver An Unbelievable Show

Photos by Ken Grand-Pierre

Ken Grand-Pierre

ART DIRECTOR

I can still remember my fingers becoming colder by the second because of the wind. The wind was ferocious that night as I walked in an area which resembled a set from The Wire a little too well for my liking. Brooklyn, in recent years, has become a high property area in the areas closest to the bridges leading to Manhattan.

What could bring me to an area where loads of syringes and broken glass lied on nearly every street corner? A rock show of course. Shea Stadium is a place I’ve heard about over my time in New York City. Insane parties, walls which are always breaking due to dancing, and crowds who are always hungry for a good time. After a boring week behind a desk, my anticipation for this gig grew more and more by the minute, even as I walked down the incredibly sketchy street the venue rested on my excitement, which never wavered. I opened the door to the show already beginning, the crowd rushing to the front of the stage in a steadfast fashion.

If I didn’t see my group of friends rocking out at the front, then I most likely would have convinced myself that I accidently walked onto the set of Skins. I rushed to the stage’s left and saw my friend Matt tossing his fist into the air as a short red-haired man clapped his hands viciously. Ripping apart the stage with their feet and guitars were Westfield, New Jersey’s punk heroes The Static Jacks. Their front-man, Ian Devaney, could be seen in an iconic 1970’s punk stance as he roared the lyrics to “Defend Rosie” into his microphone. His mic stand never stood still for a second, as both his hands held onto the metal pole as though he’d be propelled into oblivion if he were to let go.

To his right you could see both guitarist Henry Kaye and bassist Andrew

Santora playing their instruments with unrelenting energy while smiling joyously to each other and the crowd below. When the band played their single, “Into The Sun,” the crowd of twenty something’s pushed forward and most could be seen jumping at least a good inch or two off the ground. The redhaired man from before could be seen perched on top of someone’s shoulders as he made his way to shaking Kaye’s hand. Meanwhile my friend Emilia could be seen nearly climbing the back of a man with a buzzcut while they both shouted the lyrics of the track back into Devaney’s face.

As soon as Kaye and fellow guitarist Michael Sue-Poi began strumming the chords to, “My Parents Lied,” a collective “Yeah!” was shouted loudly inside the compact venue. How the f loor didn’t shatter into splinters is something that still baff les me. Even thinking about that show again brings back that excitement. The pure, unfiltered energy of being happy about where you were is something that felt so tangible that night. I’ve seen the band perform live before but the atmosphere and passion the band exerted from stage proved that they weren’t only talented but that they were simply born to entertain.

Be sure to check out The Static Jack’s debut album ‘If You’re Young’ OUT NOW!

February 20, 2012

SCIENCE AND HEALTH

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Natural Products For Radiantly Healthy Skin Elizabeth Maze

Managing Editor

It seems everyday we are bombarded by some new product that promises to give us the complexion we’ve been looking for since day one. Formulated with chemicals and skin irritants, many products are far from healthy, and locating one that lives up to its price tag and hype can be hard to find. Tired of eighty dollar products that were simply drying my skin out and robbing me blind, I began to look for a cheaper and healthier solution. Who would have guessed that the answer was right in my local grocery store? By picking out healthy foods to both eat and “wear”, the goodness inside these fruits and vegetables was really ref lected in my complexion.

Avocados Grown in tropical areas such as Central and South America, avocados are actually considered a fruit. This creamy, green food is packed with complex B vitamins and essential oils that nourish the skin and leave it supple. A major ingredient in avocados

is Niacin, or Vitamin B3. Niacin can act as an anti-inf lammatory and help soothe red and blotchy skin.

Tomatoes Tomatoes are bursting with Vitamins A and C, as well as antioxidants.

Tomatoes can help banish impurities and imperfections in your skin, leaving you healthy on both the inside and the outside through detoxification. Easy to incorporate into a meal, tomatoes are a cost-efficient way to enjoy a healthy snack for clearer skin.

Cucumbers Perfect for under eye redness, puffiness, and dark circles, cucumbers are a healthy solution to your undereye worries. The natural benefits of the cucumber include, but are not limited to, natural salts, vitamins, and enzymes that are great for cell repair and growth.

With a high mineral content and the benefit of antioxidants, cucumbers are a great way to stay healthy and look great.

Plums and Prunes Full of antioxidants, plums and prunes are great for ridding free radicals from the skin and the body.

Since they also aid in the body’s ironabsorption and are rich in Vitamin-C,

these fruits are ideal for maintaining a glowing and clear complexion. That additional burst of Vitamin C is perfect for this winter season as colds are still going around. With a quick trip to your produce section, you can boost your immune system and keep your skin feeling great.

Acerola Cherries Though a lot of cherries are VitaminC deficient, Acerola Cherries are packed with this vital vitamin. Vitamin C can help skin protect against wrinkles and and skin damage. It also plays a vital role in collagen production which keeps the skin firm and healthy. This vitamin also helps boost the body’s immune system and protect the body from a slew of ailments, such as the f lu and even cancer.

Mangoes With more than 80% of your body’s daily Vitamin A requirements, mangoes are absolutely amazing for your skin.

Vitamin A is essential for maintaining and repairing skin cells. People who lack Vitamin A often face dry, f laky skin that is uncomfortable and as well as unbecoming. A mango a day seems to be an easy and low-calorie way to leave you with a healthy and smooth

complexion without the hefty price tag.

The next time you’re standing in line about to buy that one hundred dollar skin perfecter that promises to make you look amazing, put it down and make a trip to your local grocery store’s produce section. Instead of buying into the gimmicks, take the all-natural route that will leave your wallets full and your skin beautiful on the inside and out.

Messing With Mother Nature - The Practice of Genetically Modifying Foods: Part 3 Monica Powell

Science & Health Editor

Even though the fairly recent breakthrough of biotechnology promised only positive results, problems have arisen due to this transplanting of genes from distinctly different organisms.

Genetic alterations contradict nature’s course of natural breeding and reproduction, and because of this they are proving to have harmful consequences, specifically against the body’s health as well as the health of the environment. Below, four reputable studies are brief ly discussed that reveal a direct correlation between genetically altered foods and an increase in unfavorable outcomes.

In Europe, a review of a collection of studies concerning the bodily defects caused by the ingestion of GMOs, was announced just earlier this year. Testing specifically GM corn and soybean products that comprise 83% of the commercialized amount sold in today’s markets, experiments were carried out mostly on mice and rats for varying amounts of time, ranging from 90 days to nearly 2 years. One of the more lengthy studies conducted involved the feeding of GM soybeans to mice, and the results at the end of the period of experimentation were profound. The cellular structures within the mice were damaged, noticed by irregular hepatocyte (liver) nuclei and additional nuclear pores. (“Genetically Modified Crops Safety”, 2011) This mutation has been attributed to the pesticide that

this particular GMO crop was exposed to. The soybean plant was initially labeled as resistant against absorption of the pesticide, but the ability of the chemical solution to penetrate the cellular plant barriers of the soybean became evident. In a separate study that was conducted, rats were fed corn that had been genetically altered. By the end of the period of testing, both the liver and kidney cells of the rats suffered from congestion and alterations in the nuclear envelope, and the liver itself was observed as having severe granular degeneration. (“Genetically Modified Crops Safety”, 2011) Granular degeneration, by definition, is characterized by the swelling of cells, or an accumulation of intracellular water, due to injury of those cells.

In October of 1989, an epidemic of Eosinophilia-Myalgia Syndrome (EMS) broke out in the United States, beginning in New Mexico and spreading to various other parts of the country. Approximately 1,500 people experienced irreversible bodily damage from this disease, and it proved fatal to another 37 individuals. (“The Truth About Tryptophan”, 1993) The most common symptoms included severe myalgia (muscular pain), increased number of eosinophiles (type of leukocyte), rashes of the skin, muscle spasms, lung disease, and neuropathy which led some to develop permanent cognitive disabilities. The common link among all of those affected by EMS was their regular intake of a specific strain of the amino acid supplement called Ltryptophan. The particular strain that was being ingested by the hundreds of individuals who were experiencing EMS, was produced with a form of bacteria that had been genetically altered in order to increase the yields of the product. Nearly a year following the first onsets of EMS, Michael Osterholm of the Minnesota Department of Health, who was one of the first men

to investigate this epidemic, publicly admitted the connection between EMS and the genetically modified bacteria. (“The Truth About Tryptophan”, 1993) In addition, papers were published in the spring of 1990 that stated the direct correlation between EMS and the biotechnology procedures utilized in the manufacturing of the particular L-tryptophan product. It is important to note that after the suffering individuals stopped their intake of the L-tryptophan product that had been infiltrated with the GMO’s, every single person’s symptoms ceased to exist.

In another study involving humans, this time intentionally, 39 healthy nonpregnant women and 30 healthy pregnant women were blood-tested for the presence of the herbicide gluphosinate (GLUF), which GE crops are reportedly tolerant against, and the toxin known as Cry1Ab, which is created by a gene derived from the bacterium labeled Bt, or bacillus thuringiensis. This bacterial gene is injected directly into GE corn and cotton to prevent pests from feeding on them, therefore yielding a larger amount of crops during harvest.

In disproving the claims of GMO producers who stated that GM plants and their pesticide residues are not able to survive the digestion tract and do not pose any health risks to humans and their development (“Genes From GMO Food”, 2011), the Canadian scientists who were responsible for conducting this study came across groundbreaking findings. When testing for the metabolite (a product of metabolism; a metabolic waste usually more or less toxic to the organism) of GLUF, 100% of the blood samples taken from the maternal cases and their umbilical cords possessed it, and 67% of those non-pregnant also tested positive for the toxin. (“Genes from GMO Food”, 2011) This indicates that the metabolite has easy access to the fetus, and other tests show the exposure to GLUF is

capable of causing growth retardation and an increased fatality rate in unborn children. (“Maternal and Fetal Exposure to Pesticides”, 2011) When observing Bt in the bloodstream, it proved to be present in 93% of the pregnant women, 80% of the fetuses, and 69% of the non-pregnant women. (“Maternal and Fetal Exposure to Pesticides”, 2011) It is obvious that this toxin is not removed after consumption of the GM plant that produces it, and those who retain this toxin in their blood may be at a greater risk for allergies and inf lammatory disease.

When examining the effects of GMOs on animals and their habitat, it has been discovered that the genetic alteration of salmon’s genes poses a threat to the biodiversity of wild salmon that contributes to their adaptation in certain environments and their inborn abilities to survive. The majority of genetically engineered salmon, if not all, are altered to produce a uniform biological structure that expresses a less aggressive nature and a resistance to pathogens. These fish are raised on farms, with the primary reason being to control the conditions in which they live in order to guarantee uninterrupted growth. The largest problem with this occurs, though, when these GM salmon escape from the farms and interbreed with the wild salmon varieties. The offspring created does not possess the proper genetics that would equip it for survival in its natural environment or geographical area. (“Factors to Consider”, 2008) This has the potential of leading to disruptions in environmental cycles through the extinction of an entire salmon population. The balance of nature is thrown off, and in acknowledging that nothing in our world exists in isolation, a sudden decrease in aquatic animals is likely to negatively affect numerous ecosystem.

SCIENCE AND HEALTH

18

Greetings, Eco Rangers

Lorinda Hill

Special To Outlook

Last year at this time New York was dealing with somewhere around 27 inches of snow. This year we’ve experienced less, a lot less. Now, while I don’t miss the shoveling, this abnormal predicament does have implications for the summer water supply. And that brings us to the subject of this eco article: water. It’s one of those things that can be everywhere and nowhere, depending on what kind of water we’re talking about. We can do without a lot of things in life, but water isn’t one of them. In a disaster, natural or otherwise, water is one of the things people need the fastest and is in shortest supply.

Right now, across several northeastern states, there is a drilling process being used called hydrofracturing or fracing (pronounced frak-ing). It uses over 500 toxic chemicals to fracture shale and extract the gas trapped there.

It decimates water supplies both in the contamination and the volume of water used in the process. It has been hailed as the answer to this country’s dependence on foreign supplies and as an economic boost in the way of jobs, all of which are important. These will become irrelevant, though, in the face

of the environmental devastation that will ensue as a few companies make millions on the backs of the people and towns they destroy. Air pollution, water pollution and depletion, and geological implications are all ignored because of the Halliburton Loophole. This article from the New York Times gives a pretty good synopsis of the issue: The Halliburton Loophole It stripped the Environmental Protection Agency of its authority to regulate a drilling process called hydraulic fracturing. Invented by Halliburton in the 1940s, it involves injecting a mixture of water, sand, and chemicals, some of them toxic, into underground rock formations to blast them open and release natural gas.

Hydraulic fracturing has been implicated in a growing number of water pollution cases across the country. It has become especially controversial in New York, where regulators are eager to clear the way for drilling in the New York City watershed, potentially imperiling the city’s water supply.

Thankfully, the main company involved has now decided not to go ahead.

The safety of the nation’s water supply should not have to rely on luck or the public relations talents of the oil and gas industry. Thanks in part to two New Yorkers — Representative Maurice Hinchey and Senator Charles

Schumer — Congress last week approved a bill that asks the E.P.A. to conduct a new study on the risks of hydraulic fracturing. An agency study in 2004 whitewashed the industry and was dismissed by experts as superficial and politically motivated. This time Congress is demanding “a transparent, peer-reviewed process.”

An even more important bill is waiting in the wings. Cumbersomely named the Fracturing Responsibility and Awareness of Chemicals Act, it would close the loophole and restore the E.P.A.’s rightful authority to regulate hydraulic fracturing. It would also require the oil and gas industry to disclose the chemicals they use.

The industry argues that the chemicals are proprietary secrets and that disclosing them would hurt their competitiveness. It also argues that the process is basically safe and that regulating it would deter domestic production. But if hydraulic fracturing is as safe as the industry says it is, why should it fear regulation?

What this article doesn’t say is that the companies would not have to disclose “proprietary” chemicals. And I’m not sure transparency will ever be a term associated with big oil companies.

As for a “peer-review”, where are their loyalties?

I wonder what kind of economic

Dumplings To Die For Elizabeth Maze

Managing Editor

Nothing is better than the sweet smell of warm brown sugar and Granny Smith apples wafting through the kitchen. With the chill of the winter season and dull, gloomy weather, you’re sure to bring a smile to people’s faces as you serve them some warm apple dumplings. Simple and easy to make, this recipe will certainly impress each time you make a batch.

What You Need: 2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cored 16 candied pecans 2 (8 oz.) cans of pre-made, refrigerated crescent dough 1 cup of butter (2 sticks) 1 ½ cups of white sugar 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon Cinnamon sugar to liking Brown sugar to liking 1 (12 oz can) of Mountain Dew Directions: Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350

degrees F and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Step 2: After peeling and coring the apples, cut each apple into 8 wedges and set aside in a separate dish.

Step 3: Separate the crescent roll dough into triangles and roll each apple wedge and candied pecan in crescent dough starting at the smaller end. Pinch the edges to seal the ingredients in place and place into the greased baking dish.

Step 4: Melt the butter in a small saucepan or heat in the microwave till soft and stir in the sugar and cinnamon.

Pour this mixture as evenly as possible over the apple dumplings with a spoon.

Pour Mountain Dew over the dumplings after and sprinkle brown sugar and Cinnamon sugar on top to liking.

Step 5: Bake for 35 to 45 minutes in the already heated oven or until the top of the dumpling is a nice golden brown color.

BON APPETIT!

February 20, 2012

boom we will have when folks abandon their properties, residential as well as commercial, because there is no water.

What water is left will be polluted with those “harmless fracing chemicals”.

Rivers and streams that used to be sources of recreation and food are now a science experiment. Places like Ohio are now studies in forced tectonics because of deep injection disposal wells and the fracing process itself.

Imagine entire states being giant Love Canals and hundreds of thousands of refugees f leeing to other states placing excessive burdens on their resources, both environmental and social. Let’s here it for economic growth!

What does this have to do with us?

While there’s no fracing here, we are still a part of the problem; furthermore, the problem extends beyond water and fracing. Our lifestyles suck up fossil fuels at an unsustainable rate. It’s like a guilty pleasure. We know we need to conserve, use responsibly, but maybe just this once . . . or twice . . .

But perhaps the biggest reason is we have gotten complacent. Not about the environment, but about our civic duties.

Next time we’ll explore the larger social issues behind this and how we all can, and should be, involved.

February 20, 2012

David Strinkovsky SPORTS EDITOR

If you haven’t heard the name Jeremy Lin, you better start remembering it. Jeremy Lin is the Knicks’ new starting point guard, who doesn’t even have his own apartment and sleeps on his brother couch. Lin not only got off to an unlikely start but got off to an incredible start in the NBA. First, Lin went undrafted, out of Harvard, and then was signed by the Golden State Warriors, where he was demoted to D-league. After a spending a short while on the Houston Rockets, Lin was claimed off waivers by the New York Knicks. The Knicks were on the verge of releasing Jeremy Lin until, back up point guard, Baron Davis’ recovery was further delayed. Mike D’antoni was then put in a tricky position as to whom he should play at the point guard, and Jeremy Lin sure made him look like a genius for making him the starter. Lin has been averaging 22.7 points per game and 6.8 assists per game, as well as four rebounds. There has never been another player to get off to a better start in NBA history. In a matchup against the Lakers, Lin even managed to out score the legendary Kobe Bryant. The Knicks have been winning with out their main duo of Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudamire, which leaves many people confused about what the Knicks are doing. How do two allstars stop playing and the team gets better?

Does that even make sense? Well, when Linsanity steps on the court, he makes it make sense. Jeremy Lin is a workhorse and quite frankly it will because of his dynamic type of playing style he brings, that the Knicks will be a contending playoff team this year.

SPORTS

Linsanity I Tell You

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Lin is the missing piece to the puzzle that the Knicks needed, a consistently good point guard. It’s crazy to think that after Lin’s high school basketball success, and his great play at Harvard, he would go so unnoticed. But now Lin has given the Garden and Knicks’ fans around the world to cheer louder then ever, because fans love when the newest most exciting player, who comes out of nowhere, is on their team. With Lin’s contributions I think the Knicks can take their game to a completely different level, and let’s just say championship contention doesn’t seem like so much of an after thought anymore.

It’s Winter, But It’s Not Snowing Arel Blau

Contributing Writer

Just in case you don’t know it’s currently winter, and due to the lack of snowfall this season is far from consistent. Not only does it not snow, but in many places the temperature is so high that Ski Mountains are not even able to produce fake snow.

Many weekly Ski groups have been forced to cancel their Skiing reservations due to a lack of snow and cold weather. Even people who wish to snow tube are unable to do so in many places as result of the unusually warm weather. After having experienced a winter as strong as the one we had last year, and the horrific October snowstorm, it seems very surprising that this winter has been lacking snow. This even affects buisness’ such as Joe Sparacio’s Cora House wares and hardware.

Joe recently told CBS that; “We really count on the snow in January and February to get us through the winter months. It’s been a challenge to keep the store going,” said Sparacio, “We’re praying for a little bit of snow.” The lack of snow has not only been affecting various stores and Ski resorts from the buisness side of things, but the Skiers, Snowboarders and, Tubers have all been hit pretty hard by the lack of snow. A large reason that this winter has been a slow one has been due to the affects of global warming.

In the process of global warming the weather doesn’t need to be warm necessarily, the weather just tends to be very inconsistent.

Just a week ago there were three days where the temperature managed to hit higher than 55 degrees and then the next two days were sub 30 and freezing. There have been some stints of snow recently so for all of my fellow Skiers and Boarders the hope for at least a decent winter still remains. This winter

is probably the worst winter in terms of mountain conditions I’ve ever experienced in my life. It’s hard to predict what each Skiing season is going to be like, but I don’t think anyone really thought the season would have this lack of snow. Although there is a classic rivalry between Skiers and snow boarders,

there is one thing everyone can agree on, and that is that with out the snow on the slopes, nothing else matters. Skiers, boarders, and all other winter athletes, all I can say is that you just need to believing that the rest of the season will be a good one.

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SPORTS

February 7, 2012