Housatonic Horizons December 2011

hccperspective.blogspot.com December 2011

HORIZONSHOUSATONIC COMMUNITY COLLEGE

News

Hidden HCC

Opinions

A & E

Sports

See what’S hidden in hcc

StudentJournaliStS

2011 MlB PlayerSStudents Get Involved

Pick uP the PaPer

reality tV

2

Horizons StaffEditor-in-ChiEfLovanda “Dava” Brown

AdvisorProfessor Steve Mark

nEws And outrEACh EditorDeb Torreso

opinions EditorJennifer Claybrook

sports Editor, Editor-At-LArgET.J. Mallico

wEb dEvELopErAdam Bello

stAff writErsMary AndersonKaitlyn Barra

Mark BeinTom Cahill

Ashley CampbellTamirah Collins

Mohammed DafallaSamantha Delgado

Chad FisherChris Galli

Laura GustafsonJames Harlow

Chris HeunVanessa Hylton

Keri-Ann JacksonIsaiah JeffersonJay Lederman

Andrew MathieuRaul Rodriguez

Sam RosoffAshley Stephen

Jason StoverEric SwansonAustin VaughnAshley Welfare

Dave WeidenfellerLauren Weinstock

distribution And promotion CoordinAtorBobbi Brown

Graphic Design StaffdEsign Advisor

Andy Pinto

dEsign dirECtorsAlyssa PoplaskiSergio Escobar

Cassandra Mendoza

dEsign stAffDaniel Bourque

Vera CotrimZachary Cowan

Samantha DankulichRomar EdwardsLauren HartlettCarol HumbertMichael Kelly

Tammy McMichaelSharon PoplaskiAbelardo Pulido

Jean SalomanNicole Strazza

ContentsHorizons

I’ll Be Home For The Holidays �� 3by LAurEn wEinstoCkstAff writEr

The Long Spring Semester �� 3by JAmEs hArLowstAff writEr

I’m New Here, but Should I know My First Amendment Rights? �� 4by dAvid wEidEnfELLErstAff writEr

Hiring? �� 4by vAnEssA hyLtonstAff writEr

The College Years: Opportunities and Obstacles�� 5by mAry E. AndErsonstAff writEr

The BSU and What It Means to You! �� 5by AshLEy wELfArEstAff writEr

White Halloween �� 6by Austin vAughnstAff writEr

Hobbies For Hire �� 7by JAy LEdErmAnstAff writEr

What’s the Rush? �� 7by bobbi brownsEnior stAff writEr

A New Year, A New Me �� 8by JAson L. stovErstAff writEr

Tis the Season to be Shopping�� 8by AndrEw mAthiEusEnior stAff writEr

Letters to the Editor ��9

Ratemyprofessor? �� 10by tom CAhiLLstAff writEr

A Multicultural Campus�� 10by LAurEn wEinstoCkstAff writEr

Uncovering the “Hidden Housatonic” �� 10by stEvE mArkAdvisor of horizons

“Help, I’ve Fallen and I Can’t Get Up!”�� 11by LAurA gustAfson stAff writEr

Stress Relief For Finals �� 11by ChAd fishErstAff writEr

As Ke$ha Will Say, “We R Who We R” �� 11by AshLEy wELfArEstAff writEr

Teen Author at HCC �� 11byy Austin vAughnstAff writEr

6WXGHQW�3UR¿OH��/XLV�5RGULJXH] �� 12by rAuL rodruguEsstAff writEr

Art in the Eye of the Beholder �� 12by bobbi brownsEnior stAff writEr

Online Game Passes Cause Problems for Con-sumers �� 13by mArk bEinstAff writEr

Currency or Conspiracy? �� 14by tom CAhiLL stAff writEr

Campus Crawlers �� 15by LAurA gustAfsonstAff writEr

Pick Up the Paper! �� 15by bobbi brown sEnior stAff writEr

Waiting for the Bus In The Rain Sucks��It Could Happen to you! �� 16by dAvid wEidEnfELLErstAff writEr

How Real is Reality Television? �� 17by vAnEssA hyLtonstAff writEr

Christmas Classics �� 17by rAuL rodriguEzstAff writEr

Santa Isn’t Coming to Town any More �� 18by sAmAnthA dELgAdostAff writEr

MLB Players to Watch For: �� 19by tJ mALLiCosports Editor

2008 NFL Draft Recap: Booms and Busts �� 19by tJ mALLiCosports Editor

Is Coach Tortorella the Right Man for the Job?�� 20by mArk bEinstAff writEr

3+25,=216 �� 1HZV

The Long Spring Semester

ewsI’ll Be Home For The Holidays

by LAurEn wEinstoCk

stAff writEr

Today is the fourteenth of November. Outside, the leaves are all changed to the normal, yet beautiful colors

of fall: orange, yellow, brown, and some red. As I step outside my college campus, I breathe in the fresh crisp air and realize the season of Autumn has arrived. As I observe around Housatonic, I see the busy students come in and out of Beacon Hall. Some getting to class, and others are leaving and heading to work or home for the day.

Most students are bundled up already in dead-of-winter jackets. As I see these busy students rushing to get from one place to another, I come to think of the busy holiday shopping and how fast and abruptly the holidays have been rolling in. While looking around, my fellow college mates and I start thinking about what most students do for the holidays. Do some go to some exotic places with their friends, boyfriends, or girlfriends? Do some go to

Florida or California or even venture off to the West Coast where there is very little to no snow to see their family? Or do most students stay in the comfort of their own home to celebrate this joyous season?

As I sat on one of the benches in the courtyard, I began to ponder about which

is more of a fun and enjoyable holiday experience; going away for the holidays or staying home. Being home for the holidays is a much better choice than to go someplace different. Vacations are not meant for December. Vacations are meant for summer or spring when people have time off to go and experience a real vacation.

The holidays is a time where you should stay at home and be with your family and share the holiday spirit by loving where you live all year round. I know that a lot of people do decide to go away for Christmas and New Years, but why? Who wants to deal with all the hustle and bustle of baggage in the airport and people rushing everywhere to catch a plane when you could be in your own home, on your own FRXFK��DQG�LQ�IURQW�RI�\RXU�RZQ�¿UH�ZLWK�D�hot cup of hot chocolate with snow falling peacefully outside.

I sat down with a student named Jonathan Resto,who I just happened to catch on his way out to the HCC garage. I asked Resto what he normally does to

celebrate his holiday season. “I celebrate Christmas and my family and I normally stay home.” Has he ever ventured off anywhere to celebrate Christmas?

Resto said he went to California with his family one year and “just wasn’t happy with being there. Without any snow on the ground, it didn’t feel like a real Christmas. It is much better to stay home because it is much more traditional.”

With Resto’s reasoning in consideration,

I decided to go and interview some other students to get more feedback on what students prefer for the holidays.

The holidays are a time for giving thanks and appreciation to what you have in your life. How can you appreciate the

love and special aspects of your life if you are far away from your home? You simply cannot. Being home for the holidays is best because it gives you an understanding of what you have all year, and the things that you are fortunate for because there are people less fortunate out there than you. Being home for theholidays is also a very safe and smart decision because a lot of people travel around the holiday season and many planes and buses, and trains are busy and full. Also, on average, most car accidents, and travel accidents happen during the holiday season than any other time during the year. It is just one more reason why staying home for the holidays is the best way to enjoy it fully.

Kevin Poremba was sitting on his laptop in the upstairs Beacon Lounge. I quickly approached him and we discussed the importance of staying home for the holidays. As I talked to him, I discovered that he is also another student who stays home for the holidays. “Sometimes my family and I will decide to go to Vermont for the holidays but normally we stay local

most years,” he explained. Is traveling is a good idea for anyone

around this time of year? Kevin smiled as he responded, “Well you know what they say, its the busiest season of all, so no, I truly believe staying home is much

more safe because it is too busy on the roads, in the airports, and in the train stations.” I told him that I agree-- there is something about being at home that makes everything so much more special to everyone.

Kevin nodded his head in agreement and said, “No matter what sort of issues you may have going on in your life it all seems to go away for the Holidays and being home w your family brings everyone together regardless of other events.” I shook Kevin’s hand and thanked him for his time.

I looked at my watch. It was a quarter to six. The campus was dark and dead. I sighed as I stepped outside into the cold chilly air. I decided it was best to head home. As I began to walk to my car, I thought about being home for the holidays. Holidays are about tradition. Which better way to be traditional than to celebrate a priceless, happy, and loving holiday than LQ�\RXU�RZQ�KRPH�LQ�IURQW�RI�\RXU�RZQ�¿UH�place with your own family? The cold air was blowing against my face as I wrapped XS�P\�VFDUI�WLJKWHU��,�IHOW�D�VQRZÀDNH�IDOO�on my nose and cringed a little. But then I remembered, I live in New England, and it snows here but this is my home. Besides, what is Christmas without a little snow?

by JAmEs hArLow

stAff writEr

Every person that goes to college looks forward to one thing, and that thing is shorter semesters. In

high school, students get one week off for Winter Holidays, and two weeks off in the spring. But college students get almost a month off in between. As great as that sounds, most students would agree with me that it seems to make the semesters last longer, but especially the spring semester. 7KH�IDOO�VHPHVWHU�JRHV�E\�OLNH�D�ÀDVK��EXW�the spring for some reason seems to lin-ger on forever. But this reporter wants to know, “why is that?”

So here’s what I have gathered to help make any sense of the topic, and that is, if there is any sense to it. In the fall semester, we are just coming off summer vacation with the summer weather, and are now heading into fall. It is a completely differ-ent season that doesn’t last too long, but causes a big change in the weather. The spring semester has mainly winter months that then shift into spring. I think every-one can agree with me that winter seems to drag on forever! Therefore, our classes feel like they are dragging on forever, too. We do have days off in the spring semes-ter, but they seem too far apart to matter.

In the winter, we get four days off for Thanksgiving, a day for studying, a week-

end off, Labor Day, Columbus Day, and get out about half way through December. Now let’s look at the less desirable spring semester. In the spring we get off Wash-ington’s Birthday, a three-day weekend in April, and a week off for spring break in March. The week off is great, but it just makes the semester last longer.

Cathy Migliazza, who is new to HCC this fall, agrees that the fall semester is going by very fast. “I feel like I just start-HG� KHUH� \HVWHUGD\�� DQG� ¿QDOV� DUH� DOUHDG\�around the corner,” she said.

Migliazza went on to say, “I haven’t had a spring semester at HCC yet, but if it is anything like high school, it will last forever.”

Now, if you’re thinking that it’s just here at HCC that is feeling the semester blues, it’s not, we still haven’t looked at other colleges. Lindsay Wargo, who goes to Southern Connecticut State University, had similar things to say about the topic: “I have commuted to Southern and lived here on campus. The Spring Semester al-ways seems longer than the fall. Especial-ly when I drive to school for my classes. The constant driving really makes the se-mester last longer.”

Now that you know the facts about the different semesters, the choice is yours. The fall is shorter to some, but the spring may be shorter to you. Either way, try to get through them as best possible.

The cold air was blowing against my face as I wrapped up my scarf

tighter.

,�IHOW�D�VQRZÀDNH�IDOO�RQ�P\�QRVH�and cringed a little.

Happy Holidays!from the Horizons’ Staff

4 +25,=216 �� 1HZV

by dAvid wEidEnfELLEr

stAff writEr

It was the beginning of October and the OWS protests were grabbing the attention of a nation. Being a student

journalist, I thought it would be a great idea to take a trip to the magical New York City. I grabbed a black and white compo-sition note book, one of those single use digital camera from CVS, and I was off. With candid snapshots of protesters and their message for change, I scribble in my notes, compiling what could have been my ¿UVW�WUXH�SUHVV�NLW��ZKLFK�LV�VRPHWKLQJ�WR�add to my journalistic portfolio if there is such a thing, but I’ll never know.

$FFRUGLQJ� WR� D� SROLFH� RI¿FHU�� MXVW�because I was some journalism major from a community college in some other state, I had no rights as a journalist and was forced to hand over both the the note book and camera. I was pretty sure that they couldn’t do this, I also wasn’t going to press the issue and end up in the slammer either.

Now, I knew that I was in no violation of any ordinance or law regarding priva-cy, as there is no expectation of privacy in public areas. So, I found myself ask-ing what are the rights of student jour-nalists and what should they do if they run into a similar situation or worse. I asked for answers from Professor Steve Mark, advisor to the Journalism Pro-gram at HCC since Spring 2001. He is DOVR�D�VHDVRQHG�YHWHUDQ�LQ�WKH�¿HOG�ZKR�has published a range of material from horoscopes to hard news and investiga-tive pieces. He was also the co-founder of an arts magazine during his college years, and has been teaching since 1991.

Mark had this advice for students, “Every reporter is going to have to de-cide for him or herself what level of risk is appropriate, how far they’re willing to go for a story.” Mark also raised the point that people are not required to do interviews, but that it is a courtesy. Mark followed this with the notion that mostly journalists are intimidated and some-times may deal with thinly veiled threats but are usually not arrested or charged with criminal activity.

6WLOO�� LW� GRHV� KDSSHQ�� 0DUN� ¿QLVKHG�with the advice that having some sort of press pass identifying yourself as a reporter for a publication can certainly help, and to identify yourself early on as a reporter.

It is always best to see the advisor of your student newspaper, but there are other sources of information out there.

Student journalists can and should utilize their class professors and news-paper advisors for information, but out-side sources of information and help may be needed. The SPLC, or Student Press Law Center whose legal advocacy is most valuable to students, is another option.

In an email, Frank LoMonte, Execu-tive Director of the SPLC, had this very important statement, “There generally

are no greater First Amendment rights for members of the paid, professional news media than for any other citizen. Professional journalists do not get a special legal right to trespass on private property or otherwise break laws that apply to non-journalists.”

This is very simple, but important in keeping the line of legal and illegal from being blurred. Just like professionals, their students may be granted special platforms or other accommodations that the general public do not enjoy and are nothing but a courtesy. Again, students must remember that this is not covered by any special law or government provi-sions, and that if a student journalist is unsure if he or she should be there, or if the taking of photographs is permitted, all he must do is simply ask.

LoMonte also spoke about the report-er’s privilege “which allows journalists WR�ZLWKKROG�FRQ¿GHQWLDO�VRXUFHV�DQG�XQ-published information even if disclosure is demanded by police or prosecutors.” 7KLV�SULYLOHJH� LV�JRRG� LQ�DOO�¿IW\� VWDWHV�for journalists who make a majority of their salary from reporting; however, he

did go on to say that this privilege in not extended to non-professional or student journalists in some states.

If in a state that does, LoMonte says this is what a student journalist should do if confronted with seizure of mate-rials and/or arrest, “ ...an unpaid stu-dent reporter who is told by police to surrender the photos or video out of a camera, or turn over a notebook, should immediately claim the protection of the

reporter’s privilege, should ask to call a lawyer, and should encourage the police RI¿FHU� WR�FRQVXOW�ZLWK� WKH�GHSDUWPHQW¶V�lawyer.” Should the seizure go through an arrest made, LoMonte’s advice is to contact the SPLC as soon as possible, so the legal network can have time to ¿QG� KHOS� DQG� RWKHU� OHJDO� DVVLVWDQFH��LoMonte suggests utilizing the SPLC’s website for answers concerning rights and responsibilities as well as ethics and assistance.

Another source of information for the student journalist is the JEA, or The Journalism Education Association. “The Journalism Education Association sup-ports free and responsible scholastic journalism by providing resources and educational opportunities, by promoting professionalism, by encouraging and re-warding student excellence and teacher achievement, and by fostering an at-mosphere which encompasses diversity yet builds unity.” Though the JEA is focused toward teachers and advisors to journalism students, there is information that is still valuable to the student jour-nalist.

Another leading source of informa-tion regarding journalism is the SPJ, or Society of Professional Journalists who in there mission states that “The Society of Professional Journalists is dedicated to the perpetuation of a free press as the cornerstone of our nation and our lib-erty. To ensure that the concept of self-government outlined by the U.S. Con-stitution remains a reality into future centuries, the American people must be well informed in order to make decisions regarding their lives, and their local and national communities.” This very state-ment certainly holds true to the student, reporting on issues effecting their edu-cational institution/student body, and city or state in which they go to school in, since students report on issues rela-tive to students and their school. The website for the SPJ is full of informa-tion on ethics, to student based informa-tion, to documentation and the Freedom of Information Act.

Sometimes problems do arise. Take Hazelwood School District v. Huhlmei-er (1983). A Supreme Court ruled that a school-funded newspaper is not consid-ered a public forum and therefore subject to a lower level of First Amendment pro-tection than a student newspaper run in-dependently. This is important to know when writing for a school newspaper. Some schools may not interfere with the editing or censoring of the articles

submitted and some do, but knowing the policy at your school is something a student should consider when facing a controversial topic.

New Jersey v. T.L.O (1985): Though this case was primarily about the illegal search of a student’s pocket book, the is-sue at hand was that students do in fact have a smaller expectation of privacy at school and on school grounds. When student journalists roam throughout their campus in search of photographs and interviews, they should be be sure to know if it is allowed, if not, the school PD\�FRQ¿VFDWH�PDWHULDOV�ZLWKRXW�KDYLQJ�to go through any channels to do so.

For more information on student journalist related court cases, visit: www.uscourts.gov and search their da-tabase. Knowing the outcome of court cases when First Amendment questions come to light can help a student decide if the risk is work the consequences.

Follow David on Twitter @dcweid, or email him at [email protected]

I’m New Here, but Should I know My First Amendment Rights?

6WXGHQWV�SUDFWLFH�-RXUQDOLVWLF�VNLOOV�KHUH�RQ�+&&¶V�FDPSXVPhoto by Zach Cowan

Hiring?by vAnEssA hyLton

stAff writEr

America has been hit hard with-in the past few years with the dwindling economy and job

market. There are thousands of people who lost their jobs in this economy from doctors to business men of Wall Street. With this job situation effecting so many already, it raises brows for the future of college graduates and how they will face the not-so-promising job market. When someone graduates, they are happy to ¿QG�RXW�ZKDW¶V�LQ�VWRUH�IRU�WKHLU�QHZ�OLIH��It can be the beginning of a new life, the start of a long awaited career, or for some people, the harsh reality of paying back student loans. Most student loans are

to be payed back right after graduation, DQG�VRPH�ZKR�GRQ¶W�¿QG�MREV�ULJKW�DIWHU�school don’t have that opportunity.

According to Forbes magazine, medi-cal careers such as Registered Nurses, Physicians, and Surgeons are some of the few occupations that are always in de-mand, according to The Bureau of Labor Statistics. One factor of the high demand LQ� WKH� QXUVLQJ� ¿HOG� LV� WR� UHOLHYH� DJLQJ�QXUVHV�ZKR� OHDYH� WKH� ¿HOG�� 7KH�PHGL-FDO�¿HOG�LV�DOVR�H[SHFWHG�WR�JURZ�E\��percent from now to the year 2016 alone.

Some careers might be alright in this time of the recession but the salary is one thing that might be changing. According to Forbes magazine, the average starting salary for lawyers was $90 to 95,000 and now has dropped to as low as $80,000.

Not only has the pay changed for new ODZ\HUV�� EXW� WKH� MRE� ¿HOG� WKH\� HQG� XS�working in has also changed. Lawyers are now graduating from law school and JRLQJ� LQWR� ¿HOGV� VXFK� DV� EXVLQHVV� DQG�clerks for judges.

According to AOL Money and Daily Finance site, it was reported that 2009 was the worst year to graduate, but more information shows that it actually got worse in 2010. Employers were expect-ed to hire seven percent fewer graduates than in 2009. A poll done by the New York Times was done showing the em-ployment status of the recent college graduates under the age of 25. The polls show that only 55.6 percent of graduates are working in jobs that require a college degree and not necessarily in the career

they went for. The poll also revealed that 22 percent of them are working in jobs that do not require a college degree and 22.4 percent of them are not working at all.

Many students, though, remain opti-mistic. Jonathan Smith, a photography major, said, “I’m sure there aren’t many jobs out there, but I am doing something I love and I will really be disappointed if ,�GRQ¶W�¿QG�D�MRE�´�

Jamee Presley, who is a nursing stu-dent, said, “I know the job market is really bad, [but] that is why I went into nursing because I new I wouldn’t have PXFK�RI�D�SUREOHP�¿QGLQJ�D�MRE�´��7KDW�seems to be what many students are do-LQJ��7KH\�DUH�VLPSO\�¿QGLQJ�FDUHHUV�WKDW�have a promising place in the job market.

5+25,=216 �� 1HZV

by mAry E. AndErson

stAff writEr

College can open doors of opportu-nity for younger and older students alike. Some students utilize the lo-

cal community college as a stepping-stone WR� IXO¿OO� D� OLIH� ORQJ� GUHDP�� ZKLOH� RWKHUV��view it a means of self-exploration to dis-cover where their interests lie.

At HCC, it is easy to realize both. HCC offers associate degrees in a variety of ¿HOGV� UDQJLQJ� IURP� DFFRXQWLQJ� WR� WKHDWHU�DUWV�� $OVR�� WUDLQLQJ� FHUWL¿FDWHV� DUH� DYDLO-DEOH�LQ�PXOWLSOH�¿HOGV�OLNH�EXVLQHVV��FULPL-nal justice and human services. There are even online classes available for students who are unable to attend traditional class-es. Unfortunately, it is not always as easy as it sounds and for some students the col-lege experience can be an uphill battle.

What is the biggest obstacle facing HCC students today? Ms. Eady, who has been with HCC for 36 years, and today works as a social worker in the Counseling Center, offers some insight with her obser-vations.

“Many young people attend college ZLWKRXW�D�VSHFL¿F�JRDO��EXW�RQO\�WR�¿QG�RXW�what it is all about. Some lack focus,” she said.

(DG\�¿QGV�WKH�PDMRU�SLWIDOO�RI�VWXGHQWV�experiencing trouble is “not placing value in tutoring.” Eady believes if struggling students would seek help from HCC tutor-ing services, their outlook could change dramatically. Eady predicts that as educa-tion teaches students respect for others, it will overall enrich their life; “and they will act differently, interacting with others dif-ferently as well.”

With around 5979 students enrolled, The average student age is 27 years old, DFFRUGLQJ�WR�+&&�DGPLVVLRQ�RI¿FH¶V�9LWDO�Statistic database. Some are returning stu-dents, such as Debbie Falcon, who works full time and will be attending weekend classes offered at HCC. Although Falcon’s goal is to get her nursing degree, she also wants to better herself and be a positive role model to her family of seven. Fal-con admits that time management proves to be a major challenge. Imagine if time is a commodity now, how much more will be the case when she takes on a six credit course load?

Is student dropout a problem at HCC? 1RW� DFFRUGLQJ� WR� -DQLFH� 6FKDHIÀHU�� RI�+&&´V� � ,QVWLWXWLRQDO� 5HVHDUFK�� 6FKDIÀHU�reveals that instead of a dropout rate a “stop rate” is more common. From time to time students may have to stop and take D� VHPHVWHU� RII� � EHFDXVH� RI� ¿QDQFHV� RU� WR�tend to family matters. But the good news, according to the Community College Jour-nal (April/May 2011 issue), is that HCC “is exceeding the average retention rates found for two-year colleges” and has done VR�IRU�WKH�SDVW�¿YH�\HDUV��

The issue of cost can create problems for students as well. HCC offers federal ¿QDQFLDO� DLG� DQG� RU� ORDQV�� 6WXGHQWV�PXVW�apply before deadlines and payment plans FDQ�RIWHQ�EH�VHW�XS�ZLWK�WKH�EXUVDU¶V�RI¿FH��There is also Veteran’s assistance available and in some cases the tuition is waived de-pending on which war the veteran partici-pated in. Fortunately, the tuition at a two -year college, like HCC, is more affordable than at a four -year college. HCC’s tuition for a full-time student is $3096 compared to the national average of $2963 as listed at http://www.communitycollegetimes.com/Pages/Funding/Tuition-fees-edge-up-as-state-funding-decreases.aspx.

Overall, it is clear that today’s college student must exercise patience and think long term, not letting a “stop out” end in defeat. An extreme example would be the story of Beth, a student at HCC who start-ed in 2005 with the goal of completing the Nursing program. Beth started by taking one weekend class at a time, since she had a full-time work schedule. One by one, she completed her prerequisites but stopped short of completing her associates degree because she was anxious to start a nursing program in 2008. The Nursing program did not work out for Beth and she took a year and a half off from school in general.

When Beth began receiving letters from HCC encouraging her to return since she needed only three more classes to com-plete her Associates degree, her interest was sparked once again. Beth is currently LQ�KHU�¿QDO�\HDU�DW�+&&�DQG�ZLOO�FRPSOHWH�her Associates degree this year.

Beth’s story is important because it un-derlines the fact that some times the col-lege years may contain unexpected twists DQG� WXUQV�� EXW� WKH� ¿QDO� DFFRPSOLVKPHQW�is more than worth the sometimes bumpy ride.

The College Years: Opportunities and Obstacles

by AshLEy wELfArE

stAff writEr

The Black Student Union, better known as the BSU, was started at Housatonic a little over 20 years

ago. The BSU is a union with the mindset to teach, empower, and educate the young students that are molding themselves into the type of people they want to be.

A conversation with just a few of the YRLFHV�RI�WKH�%68�¿QDOO\�SXWV�DQ�HQG�WR�WKH�stereotype that the BSU is for blacks only. With meetings every Thursday at 2:00 p.m in Beacon Hall, room 317 A, across from the table tennis room, there is no way any student should miss out on an experience to learn about your culture, or the culture of somebody else.

Their motto is to “To Learn, Grow, & Empower,” and the BSU aims to strength-en the idea that all students can come to-gether and empower not only themselves, but the community that they live in. All students are able to join, and it is not only limited to just blacks. The Black Student Union is the voice of all students. In the next few months, their plans are to have a “What is BSU?” gathering, a great way for students to understand exactly what the club is about, and how they plan to help each and every student that attends Housa-tonic to transfer not only their credits, but

WKHLU� JRDOV� DQG� GUHDPV� LQWR� WKH� ¿HOG� RI�their choice. The BSU also has trips to dif-ferent colleges and museums, which can strengthen the desire to transfer and the desire to learn about different heritages on and outside of campus.

Jamar T. Brown, a human services ma-jor, and also the President of the club, tells me about how the club meetings go about,

“even though we are still trying to structure everything, and make the meetings which will make the club more advanced than it is already, what we [record] is attendance, to see who is here, both new and old. Then, we hold an election since we want to have as many students feedback as possible, to remind students, of all races, that the club is about you [all]. After that, we discuss old

meetings, and cover what was going on the week prior to this meetings. Then lastly, we go on to new [business and discuss] what we want to plan coming up.”

One of the members, Brandon Slade, a criminal justice major, wanted to explain his thoughts and reasons on why the BSU was a choice for him. “I joined the BSU because I wanted to make a difference. Its a chance for not only minority students, but all students to make a difference,” he said. “I started this semester, and my goal is to have and enlighten as many students as I can. One way I will try to bring in the students is to spark their interest, but edu-cate them as well. The BSU is a big enough organization in its self. I want to sit them down, have a meeting about the events that we sponsor, and co-sponsor and have them understand the importance of joining a club. Don’t forget that it is good on a re-sume’ and college application.”

-RLQLQJ�WKH�%68�KDV�PDQ\�EHQH¿WV�WKDW�this article only touched the surface about. Again, go check out their meetings, ask questions of their advisor, Professor Eddie Rose, and last but not least, encourage one another to take the time out and just spend a few minutes to learn, grow, and empow-er. The BSU is not just a club, it’s just one of the many passageways that students can take toward their futures.

The BSU and What It Means to You!

Members of the BSU gather for a meeting.Photo by Dava Brown

Got some news you want covered?Let us know!

Write to [email protected].

6 +25,=216 �� 1HZV

by Austin vAughn

stAff writEr

On Saturday, October 29, 2011, the mid-Atlantic and New England states were hit by a rare nor’easter

snow storm. The storm was not only bizarre in that it was early in the season, but it also dropped a record two feet of snow in some regions. Hundreds of thousands of people and businesses dealt with damage and power outages handed them by the heavy snow, but what was the effect of this rare and powerful storm on students and teachers at Housatonic?

Emily Bump, a 19-year-old Early Childhood Education major, was surprised by the early snowfall. “It feels like winter already,” thought Bump during the storm, “Where did Autumn go?” Bump also said she could not remember having snow before her birthday, which is November 1st.

Bump lives in Milford, which only received 3 inches during the storm. “It was nothing compared to last winter,” said Bump, “It melted within a couple days.”

In fact, Bump said she was disappointed there wasn’t more snow, because she loves to play with her puppy in the deep snow. “The snow was nice, because my boyfriend’s father, who was visiting from Georgia, was excited to see so much.”

She had no power or travel problems

because of the snow, but was shocked to UHDOL]H� WKDW� RQO\� ¿YH�PRQWKV� KDG� SDVVHG�since the last snow due to the late snowfalls in the spring.

Dave Weidenfeller, a 35 year-old Journalism major at HCC, witnessed the fury of the snowstorm while visiting a friend in Derby. “We were pretty much stuck inside for a day with no heat,” said Weidenfeller. “The snow took down four trees on my friend’s street and piled up about a foot, blocking in our cars.”

Weidenfeller said the snow last winter wasn’t quite as harsh as this. “I was lucky,” said Weidenfeller, “I didn’t have work or school on Sunday, so I didn’t have to panic.” On Sunday morning, Weidenfeller stated, it took them over an hour to clear the drive and scrape their cars before they could pull out.

“I’ve lived in Connecticut my whole life and have never seen snow in October, much less this heavy,” he said.

Weidenfeller’s friend lost power for almost six days, but the trees were cleared and most of the snow was gone by Sunday afternoon.

Ron Hamel, a 57-year-old Psychology professor at HCC and Sacred Heart

University, lives in New Haven, but didn’t ¿QG�WKH�VQRZ�GDPDJLQJ�RU�VXUSULVLQJ��³:H�only received 1 or 2 inches, and I was off from school,” said Hamel, “The classes I teach are predominantly online, so snow is not an issue anymore.”

Hamel said he had seen snow this early in the year before. “I can remember snow around my father-in-law’s birthday (October 15th) years ago,” said Hamel. However, Hamel’s son and his family

weren’t that lucky. “My son, who lives in Simsbury, CT, stayed with us for four days after the storm,” said Hamel.

³7KH\�UHFHLYHG�¿IWHHQ�LQFKHV�RI�VQRZ�before they left, and Simsbury was out of power for eleven days.”

White Halloween

Milford man enjoys the early snow.Photo by Austin Vaughn

³��LW�WRRN�WKHP�RYHU�DQ�KRXU�WR�FOHDU�WKH�GULYH�DQG�VFUDSH�WKHLU�cars before they could pull out.”

7+25,=216 �� 1HZV�<RX�&DQ�8VH

by JAy LEdErmAn

stAff writEr

With the holidays quickly ap-proaching, I often look back to my childhood, recalling a

much simpler time, not having to worry about buying gifts for people, or gaining an extra ten pounds from gorging myself on tons of food.

As adults we often overlook the joy of the holiday season. Rather than embracing the holidays, we frequently bow down to their draconian grip. Sometimes it seems as if we put ourselves through some sick satanic ritual, in which we dedicate the next few months of our lives to being mis-erable.

,� ¿UPO\� EHOLHYH� LW� KDV� EHHQ�P\�PDQ\�hobbies over the years that has helped me see through the winter slump. I can be considered a kind of “Jack of all Trades” because I do have many hobbies.

I enjoy playing the guitar, I feel con-nected to outdoor activities, and I love video games. In 2007 Beer making or “Home Brewing” was pretty much it for me. A friend and I scrounged up $95 and headed to the local home brew shop .We SXUFKDVHG�D�NLW��DQG�DIWHU�RXU�¿UVW�EDWFK��D�³3DOH�$OH�´�ZDV�¿QLVKHG��,�ZDV�KRRNHG��Although the friend who I initially started

making beer with lost interest after just a few batches, I continued to hone my craft. (YHQ� PRUH� UHFHQWO\� ,� HQWHUHG� � P\� ¿UVW�home brew competition and took third place with a “Pumpkin Spice Ale.” That was enough encouragement for me to con-tinue brewing. I look forward to the days dedicated to making beer. In fact, I con-sider it a way for me to relax, and enjoy what I’m doing. I also noticed that I feel happier when I’m doing things that I like.

+DYLQJ� D� KREE\� RIIHUV� PDQ\� EHQH¿WV�that you may not have considered. Hob-bies can be used to relieve stress. Kristina Kyoryosh, 22, a Wildlife Biology major, has used her hobby of horse back riding as a therapeutic experience.

“The feeling of riding a horse is an in-credible experience, you seem to just for-get about everything,” she said.

Kristina who has been riding since she was four years old, makes the treks to up-state New York once a month to ride. Kris-tina prefers recreational riding to competi-tive horse related activities, mentioning she would be too focused on the competi-tion itself, completely eliminating the fun factor. She enjoys riding among the beau-tiful New York state landscape, absorbing every free moment she has.

Keira Hallu, a General Studies major, uses her hobby of playing video games as a way to bond with her family. “I grew up

in a house where video games were the norm,” she said.

These games created a bonding expe-rience for Keira’s family, including her father , who was in the military, often leaving Keira’s mother and siblings home for months on end. He suggested play-ing video games as a way of entertaining themselves. Quickly one computer turned LQWR�¿YH��DQG�WKH�ZKROH�IDPLO\�ZDV�SOD\-ing together.

I can relate to a similar experience about a friend in high school. Upon ar-ULYLQJ�DW�KLV�KRXVH�RIWHQ�¿QGLQJ�KLP�DQG�his mother playing World of Warcraft to-gether. Curious about why her son was spending so much time on the computer, one day she watched over his shoulder as the character her son controlled mounted D� ODUJH� JU\SKRQ� DQG� JUDFHIXOO\� ÀRDWHG�above an evergreen treeline. Shortly after, she began to play the game with him. Even through college he continued to play with his mother and younger brother. Though he eventually grew tired of the game, he always remembers the bonding experience he shared with his family.

+REELHV� FDQ� HYHQ� ERRVW� FRQ¿GHQFH��:KHQ�,�¿UVW�OHDUQHG�KRZ�WR�SOD\�WKH�JXLWDU�it seemed like an up hill battle. But after I got the hang of things, I was brave enough to start playing in front of people at parties or jamming with friends. Playing the gui-

tar and brewing beer opened up new doors in my life. My hobbies helped me become D� PRUH� FUHDWLYH� DQG� FRQ¿GHQW� SHUVRQ�� ,�meet a lot of interesting people at beer competitions or when I play the guitar.

:KHQ�FKRRVLQJ�D�KREE\��¿QG�RQH�\RX�OLNH� O� VRPHWKLQJ� WKDW� ¿WV� \RXU� OLIH� VW\OH�and personality. Hobbies can be effortless like growing an herb garden indoors or ad-vanced like learning how to play a musical instrument.

Always read up on the subject that you are interested in before you actually dive in. This will always give you a better un-derstanding about it, and if it’s really for you.

The Internet is a great source for com-municating with other people about the hobbies you’re interested in. For my home brewing hobby I’m a regular on Home-brewtalk.com, a large brewing community WKDW�¿HOGV�KRZ�WR�4$V�RQ�WKHLU�IRUXPV��The most important thing to remember is to do something you enjoy. Something that makes you relaxed, something that you can do with your family, or something that makes you cool and creative. Hobbies are apart of our life, and they’re what make us who we are. So what are you waiting for? there, and get a hobby!

ews you can useHobbies For Hire

Keeping Busy and Being Happy

by bobbi brown

sEnior stAff writEr

Jessica Vega, a student at HCC, works over night at a Toys R Us store in Mil-ford stacking and unpacking toys for

the very next day. After leaving work she rushes home to get two hours of sleep be-fore she has to wake up to be at her 9:00 class. For many students like Vega, there still seems to not be enough time in the day.

“Sometimes I feel over worked and ex-tremely tired, I feel like I never get any-thing done that is most important!” she says.

�+&&�LV�ÀRRGHG�ZLWK�RYHUZKHOPHG�VWX-dents. From classes to their very own per-sonal lives students are missing key facts on time management. This alone can cause a student to crash or breakdown because they have overworked themselves and have not planned according to their lives. :LWK�PLGWHUPV��¿QDOV��KRPHZRUN�GXH�DQG�a busy life at school, most students have no proper layout for their day.

“At times I feel like my hair is going to fall out with all the running around I do. I often forget to be somewhere because my head is so crowded with with not only school work but being an older sibling trying to help out my parents,” says Sean Davis, a nursing major at HCC.

With crazy lives and time clocks tick-ing off the wall, there is a better way for students to manage their time.

In an article for PersonaDev.com, Tim Bridges, a writer and psychologist, lists 7 keys to eliminate loss of time. Bridges, who studies the habits and structure of the life of an everyday human, realizes that

ZLWK�ZRUNLQJ�KDUG�DW�WKH�RI¿FH�DQG�WU\LQJ�to manage family can also be a task when there isn’t a set schedule for an individu-als. Bridges created a healthy list of ways to maintain a structured day simply from the view of his own life and the life of oth-ers that are around him.

1. Make a list:In order to really complete an every-

day task you may have set out for your day.Create a list. Simply get a planner or notebook and write the things that are PRVW�LPSRUWDQW�¿UVW�DQG�WKLQJV�WKDW�DUH�QRW�so important towards the end of your list. This will create a certain kind of structure to your day and helps you check off things that you have completed.

2.Work according to list:Whatever you write on your list make it

your duty to follow it. Most people create WKH�OLVW�DQG�¿QG�WKHPVHOYHV�RII�WUDFN�VLP-ply because they added things that were not important to their list. Also do not cre-ate a list that can be too long.

3. Keep a time log:This will also help you not only re-

member what you are doing but also give you a since of time you are working with. This will help you not take more time in one area than the other.

4. Divide and conquer and Don’t cram things together:

Make your work manageable. Divide larger task into several smaller task and complete one part at a time.

5.Evaluate the results:After you have done everything you

have written out, go back through your day

and see how you could have done things better and realize the minor as well as the big mistakes. This will help you plan even better the very next day.

6.Never over commit:Overcommitting simply means taking

on more than one task for someone other than yourself and forgetting your needs or task.

7.Leave room for fun:Most people over work themselves

and never take a break just to enjoy life and leave what stressful alone. Taking a break ensures that you haven’t for-gotten about your responsibilities but just put them on hold to take a breather. With the many ways to manage your time VWXGHQWV�PXVW�¿UVW�PDNH�WKH�¿VW�VWHS�E\�UH-alizing that there is a better way to enjoy their day with having to crash after they have endured a stressful day.

HCC also supplies a relaxation room located in Beacon Hall for students who may seemed over worked. This room be-comes a great help just to get away from the chaos to get yourself back on track.

7KH� 2I¿FH� RI� 6WXGHQW� 'HYHORSPHQW�and Academic Support Center are also located in Lafayette Hall. Both of these rooms givestudents a place to complete assignments or seek help with creating schedules that can make their day run smoother.

“College is stressful with a combina-tion of life but with better planning and a little bit of rest I honestly feel I will no longer have to rush to get things I’ve planned done,”says Elijah Delgado.

What’s the Rush? Gaining Better Time Management Skills

7KLV�LV�ZKDW�VWXGHQWV�PD\�ORRN�OLNH�LI�WKH\�GRQ¶W�PDQDJH�WLPH�FRUUHFWO\� Photo by Bobbi Brown

8 +25,=216 �� 1HZV�<RX�&DQ�8VH

by JAson L. stovEr

stAff writEr

Lose weight, quit smoking, drink less and pay off debt. Every year we make the same generic New

Year’s Resolutions as the prior year. When setting these goals, we don’t take in to ac-count what it will take to accomplish the task. Are you setting yourself up for fail-ure? Or have you reworked your resolu-tion?

“My mom buys the best junk food,” said Milysa Musial, who has spent two New Year’s resolutions on weight loss. It has been one of her least successful reso-OXWLRQV��GXH�WR�IDPLO\�LQÀXHQFHV�

“I wanted to become more outgoing,” said Martin Florestant, but fear of failure and rejection led to his unsuccessful at-tempt.

“I didn’t realize how hard it would be,” said Cathy Migliazza, about quitting smoking. “You need to change your envi-ronment,” she added.

“People see the New Year as a new be-ginning. So, making New Year’s Resolu-tions, gives people a starting point to do things differently, i.e. eat better, exercise, start a new habit or stop a bad habit, make behavior changes in their life, etc,” said Claudine J. Coba-Loh, Professor of Psy-chology and Human Services and Chair-person of the Behavioral/Social Sciences Department. “Even though we can make these changes anytime, any day, the idea of a New Year’s Resolution gives them motivation. Most of the time, people won’t change until they are motivated. Having a new year oftentimes motivates people; they think to themselves, the new year will be better if I do this or stop doing that.”

Yet research has shown that after six months, fewer than half the people who make New Year’s resolutions have stuck with them, and after a year that number declines to around ten percent, according to Jim Taylor, Ph.D of The San Fransisco

Chronicle. That’s why it’s so important for XV� WR�VHW�VSHFL¿F�JRDOV�� VKDUH�RXU� UHVROX-WLRQV�ZLWK�RWKHUV��DQG�IRFXV�RQ�WKH�EHQH¿WV�of achieving the resolution.

2IWHQ��ZH�GRQ¶W�XQGHUVWDQG�WKH�VLJQL¿-cance of New Year’s resolutions, which should be corresponding to major life changes in hopes of achieving. Without change, we will remain the same way we

are and do things the way we have always done. If we’re making a New Year’s reso-lution, clearly this is not the way we want to be. When setting up a resolution, you need to think about if you’re willing and ready to change. Of course, there are ob-stacles to change, that’s why it’s necessary to make a plan of action to execute your goal.

Change starts with a simple, yet pow-erful, epiphany that comes from a very strong deep and personal place inside of us. Emotions can be potent motivators for change, whether positive, such as hope, inspiration, pride, or negative, such as fear. Courage is essential because change requires risk and taking risks are scary.

Courage to change means the willing-ness to acknowledge and confront aspects of ourselves that we may not know about or may not like.

Change is uncertain, the only way to change is to take a leap of faith. That being said, it’s important for you to know what you want, where you want to be and how you plan to get there.

Determination plays a key role in change because without persistence to pursue your goals and resist all obstacles, you will not be motivated. There will ab-solutely be moments when things get dif-¿FXOW�EXW�LW¶V�XS�WR�\RX�WR�NHHS�SXVKLQJ�

“People are sometimes fearful of change and they doubt their ability to do it successfully,” said Coba-Loh.

The process of change takes time, when you make the deep commitment to change, allow yourself an adequate amount of time. Pinpoint obstacles, specify what the baggage, habits, emotions, and environ-ment are that’s keeping us from our goals. Explore how others have successfully made changes in the areas we would like

to change by identifying the best practice. Create an environment that supports

and encourages our efforts. This means changing your surroundings, people and activities of your present life situation. Change goals, establish clear objectives for what areas we want to change, how we will change them and the ultimate out-come of what we want to achieve. Take action steps that we can use to counter our old baggage, habits, fears, and environ-ment, to pursue our change goals, accord-ing to Taylor.

Musial plans to be more religious, go-ing out of her way to help with church ac-tivities, others and being devoted, “to live my life through the plan God has for me.”

By eating right and hitting the gym four to six times a week, with a group of friends who accompany her so she stays motivated, “continuing to lose weight in to next year,” said Migliazza.

“I want to be buff,” said Florestant, who plans on exercising a lot more this upcoming year. To keep himself reminded of the goal he hopes to obtain, he plans on leaving sticky note reminders on his mir-ror so he remembers each and every day.

Stay persistent to maintain your deter-mination to achieve your goals consistent-ly. Respond positively to setbacks because during the process of change we will ex-perience this. Be patient, this often times is the biggest problem. We want it, and we want it now. Change takes time and if we maintain our commitment, we can make the changes.

To keep from being discouraged, Co-ba-Loh says, “have realistic goals and a healthy sense of self-esteem. If their goals are unrealistic, they will not achieve them and feel like a failure, which damages our self-esteem. If they can stay positive and believe in their ability to make the chang-es, they will be more successful. They also need to stay motivated and have a clear fo-cus on what they want to achieve.”

A New Year, A New Me

Illustration by Sergio Escobar

Tis the Season to be Shopping��by AndrEw mAthiEu

sEnior stAff writEr

As the holiday season inches ever so closer, students of all ages pre-pare for the festivities to come.

However, in a time with the economy struggling, it is a good time to be cautious and organized when shopping. What is the best way to purchase gifts for those you love (and possibly yourself)? How do you save money while trying to buy for mul-tiple people? Here are some shopping tips I personally have found helpful over the years, and hope it helps you too.

Timing is Everything:Through rain, sleet, and snow, shop-

ping at the right time can make all the dif-ference. Always make sure to shop early for gifts, especially for popular items like game consoles, iOS devices, and other electronics that are likely to sell out if waited on too long.

Location, Location:This is a time of year when college stu-

GHQWV�QRW�RQO\�VWUXJJOH�WR�SUHSDUH�IRU�¿QDOV�and register for next semester, but also prepare for the holidays they celebrate. It can be tough to know the best way to buy gifts, whether it is online, designated store sales, or bargain shops.

Stores that are infamous for their year-round savings like Target, Walmart, and Best Buy are great choices. Not only do they carry a wide variety of merchandise, but sales specials run weekly, so you have a good chance at saving money when buy-ing the perfect gift for your loved one.

Online shopping can also be great for ¿QGLQJ� EDUJDLQV� DQG� FRPSDULQJ� SULFHV��Some websites may have special bargains for those who purchase multiple items, like free shipping. Meanwhile, you can also JLYH�VRPHRQH�D�VXEVFULSWLRQ�WR�1HWÀL[�RU�*DPHÀ\�� VHUYLFHV� WKDW� DUH� RQO\� DYDLODEOH�online. The options are pretty vast.

Show Me the Money:Another issue is money management.

How are you able to determine how much you spent, and who you spent it on? What’s the best way to go about this?

)LUVW�� \RX� VKRXOG� ¿QG� RXW� ZKDW� \RXU�friend or family member would want the most. Depending on your income, it could be tough to buy gifts for multiple people. When all else fails, gift cards are great gifts for anyone. Basic information, like where your friend shops the most, is all that’s re-

quired to buy a gift card; plus, it takes a ton of pressure off yourself if you’re really not sure what to get.

If you can’t select a single store, you could always gift a prepaid cash card. These gift cards work like bank cards, and can be used just about anywhere.

If all else fails, however, you could just put cash into a Christmas Card and call it a day!

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff:While holidays can be stressful, the

most important part of shopping is not to overdo things. With such a tough econo-P\�DQG�JURZLQJ�¿QDQFLDO�ZRUULHV�QDWLRQ-wide, the last thing you want to do is max out your credit card over the holidays. It’s important to shop smart, and make the most of what you have. Holidays are for everyone to enjoy, including yourself.


+ROLGD\V�DUH�IRU�HYHU\RQH�WR�HQMR\��LQ-

cluding yourself. Happy shopping,

and

Happy Holidays!

9+25,=216 �� /HWWHUV�WR�WKH�(GLWRU

To the Editors,

The article “HCC: A School of Opportunities” is all true. I totally agree with all of those opportunities and there are more. I got the chance to get informed of these opportunities when I got to the college because I like to be involved in different activities such as clubs and there is where I got the chance to meet new people that informed me not only op-portunities about the college, but also different kind of events, trips and workshops that the college has. Furthermore, the faculty is amazing. I am freshman student at Housatonic Community College, and all my teachers are so helpful. Tutors are the best, they are very patient and they are always open to answer any question I have had, especially my favorite WXWRU�ZKR�LV�/RYDQGD�%URZQ��VKH�DQVZHUV�DOO�P\�TXHVWLRQV�DQG�VKH�PDNHV�PH�IHHO�VR�FRQ¿GHQW��,�ZRXOG�OLNH�WR�JLYH�D�VXJJHVWLRQ�DERXW�ZKDW�VKRXOG�EH�GRQH�VR�QHZ�VWXGHQWV�JHW�to know about all kind of opportunities and events that are going on in the college. There should be someone who would let them know about these opportunities because many VWXGHQWV�GRQ¶W�HYHQ�NQRZ�WKDW�KHUH�DW�+RXVDWRQLF�&RPPXQLW\�&ROOHJH��WKHUH�LV�D�VWXGHQW�OLIH�RI¿FH��VRPH�GRQ¶W�HYHQ�NQRZ�DERXW�FOXEV��7KDQNV�WR�WKLV�DUWLFOH��SHRSOH�ZRXOG�JHW�more interested in knowing more about the college and searching for new opportunities. It also has positive point of views from different students and that will make more people to join HCC, and people will be interested in participate in different opportunities that the college provides.

SincerelyClaudia Maldonado

To the Editors,

I’m writing about Bobbi Brown’s article “HCC: A School of Opportunities.” Most people think of Housatonic as a bad school, but HCC has a lot of opportunities. As Heather Walker said that she wanted to go to a four-year college but when she applied she got a rejection later. She did not let that get into her education so she applied to Housatonic and signed up for the nursing program. I am impressed by what she said, because HCC has giving many students a second chance to really get them together and start again. Heather Walker talks about how E-Tutoring helped her in math because she was not that good. The article tells me a lot about how people think about HCC and the opportunities they offer.

Sincerely,Kacy Fulgence

To the Editor,

I’m writing in response to Bobbi Brown’s article about using Facebook to connect with her family. Facebook is the new trend around the world. Everyone from every different country is using Facebook today. People from the ages of 7 to 70 are making a Facebook account. Even my own country, Iraq, the people are making a Facebook account.

My own brother, who lives there, sends me a request to be his friend. But I personally don’t have a Facebook anymore because it didn’t do any good to me but it caused prob-lems with school and relationships.

When I was into Facebook, I would only concentrate on checking my Facebook account. I would look for the comments that I would have or check on who wrote on my wall or even what are my friends are up to. This caused me to pay less attention in class and more on the Internet. My grades in high school went from A’s and B’s to D’s and F’s.

:KHQ�,�VDZ�P\�JUDGHV�GURSSLQJ��DW�¿UVW�,�GLGQ¶W�EODPH�)DFHERRN�EHFDXVH�,�GLGQ¶W�ZDQW�WR�VWRS�JRLQJ�RQ�LW��,�ZRXOG�MXVW�PDNH�H[FXVHV�IRU�WKHVH�DFWLRQV��$IWHU�D�IHZ�PRQWKV��,�¿QDOO\�FDPH�WR�WKH�UHDOLW\�WKDW�)DFHERRN�ZDV�WKH�FDXVH�RI�PRVW�RI�P\�SUREOHPV��

Even though it was hard to disconnect from the Facebook world, I knew it would do me good in the future. Even though Facebook might have some advantages, it has more disadvantages. It all depends on how the individual uses and act upon Facebook.

Sincerely,Zhian Saeed

etters to the Editor

G

G

I

I

G

G

10 +25,=216 �� +LGGHQ�+RXVDWRQLF

ousatonicidden

A Multicultural Campusby LAurEn wEinstoCk

stAff writEr

Housatonic Community College-- a wonderful place to start your education. It has a lovely campus

¿OOHG�ZLWK�DOO�NLQGV�RI�GLIIHUHQW�SHRSOH��,�am currently sitting in one of my favorite lounges in the brand new building . I am RQ�WKH�YHU\�WRS�ÀRRU�RI�%HDFRQ�+DOO�RQ�D�surprisingly comfortable couch. While ob-serving around the long hallway, I can see many students as well as professors pass-ing through to get from side A of the build-ing to side B. On one of the bulletin boards, ,�QRWLFH�D�YHU\�LQWHUHVWLQJ�À\HU��³3DUUDQGD�Night! Come enjoy Spanish music and food! December sixth four to seven pm in the center of Beacon Hall.” Toward the HQGLQJ�RI�WKH�À\HU�LW�DVNV�HDFK�DWWHQGHH�WR�bring a wrapped gift to donate to children for the Holiday Season.

Most students do not participate in events such as Parranda Night. I know because I interviewed two students, and both were unfortunately unaware of this event. More students should read the bul-letin boards around campus because there are many events that go on for our campus. Fun places where you can meet and so-cialize with other students and make more friends, but if needed of course. Still, who doesn’t have room for another friend in their lives? Pete Villard is a student I de-cided to discuss this issue further with. He was sitting across from me on the couch. “Hmm that is pretty interesting,”Pete said. “I didn’t know or pay attention to this event; however, I would attend the event.”

Pete began to further explain his love for Spanish food and their culture. “I am indeed multicultural based, so it would be EHQH¿FLDO�IRU�VWXGHQWV�DV�ZHOO�DV�P\VHOI�WR�experience and see how other people in-

cluding many students on our own campus live in the country they came from.”

Pete’s explanation was not enough. I decided to get up and interview someone else. I found a friendly student named Bareatum Noeeioll. She also did not know about the event. As I explained the event to her, she began to seem interested and FODLPV�VKH�ZRXOG�PRVW�GH¿QLWHO\�JR�WR�WKH�event, but it unfortunately doesn’t work with her schedule.

“I believe it is highly important for students to celebrate diversity and learn more about other cultures especially with the peers that you attend class and school with,”Bareatum said.

She added, “A little while ago, there was an event at HCC called the Interna-WLRQDO�)HVWLYDO where they would celebrate many different cultures [of different coun-tries] such as, African, Spanish, Portugese, and Italian with traditional clothes and

food.” She wishes that HCC would bring it back again because it was a very educa-tional way for students to be able to express themselves and where they come from.

Students should be much more aware of the events going on around HCC. Espe-cially when the events are things such as Parranda Night where students come to celebrate their differences and the diversity among them. It also gives you a chance to meet new people and new friends as well as learn about other places around the world. Students should learn to be more active and make an effort to be part of their school! Each individual should be proud of where they go to school to better his/her eduacation!

So next time you are walking to a class DQG�\RX�VHH� WKH�EXOOHWLQ�ERDUG�¿OOHG�ZLWK�information and events, read it! You may surprise yourself.

Ratemyprofessor?by tom CAhiLL

stAff writEr

AQ\ERG\� DI¿OLDWHG� ZLWK� DQ\� FRO-lege institution will tell you at all schools, there are good teachers

and there are bad teachers. It’s plain and simple, and you can apply that to just about any type of profession. What’s beautiful about this bureaucracy is the right to com-plain. One voice may not do much, but collectively a difference can be made.

Every semester, you hear horror stories about awful teachers whose classes stu-dents dread making the bi-weekly trip to. I myself have fallen victim and had I known DERXW�5DWHP\SURIHVVRUV�FRP�P\�¿UVW�IHZ�semesters, my course selection may have been altered slightly. A very wise profes-sor of mine here at Housatonic had advised me always to pick the best teachers. I was always told to pick my classes around the teachers, not to pick my teachers because D�FODVV�¿WV�LQ�\RXU�VFKHGXOH��

This of course, is juxtaposed to the the community college ideal of convenience and taking classes when you need them. Ratemyprofessors.com may not solve all

your problems, but it will serve as it is in-WHQGHG��WR�¿OWHU�RXW�WHDFKHUV�DQG�JLYH�\RX�feedback from people who have taken their course.

The website offers ratings 1-5 in cat-egories of Easiness, Helpfulness, Clarity and Rater interest. A great teacher can make or break a class, and more impor-tantly, your grade. This website is easy to

access and easy to search, decipher and re-VSRQG��7KLV�FDQ�EH�D�YHU\�EHQH¿FLDO�FKRLFH�to make prior to choosing your courses for the Spring 2012 semester.

0RUH�LPSRUWDQWO\�KRZHYHU��MXVW�¿QGLQJ�the best classes for yourself helps the col-lege as a whole by giving your feedback to the website on each teacher you’ve had. You have to admit it, there are bad teachers

at every college, but that can’t be helped. Giving articulate and detailed information for feedback, when aggregated, can be an eye opener to the college.

It is important to maintain composure despite any urges you’ve had to bash your teacher during this opportunity to truly evaluate them. Bashing and bad talking gets you know where. You must be as pro-fessional and as VSHFL¿F as you can be to what it is you are upset with in that teach-er. It is the well thought out sincere com-plaints that will hold weight in the eyes of higher staff.

This website isn’t something I had known about until this semester, which leads me to believe that I am probably not the only one. Taking time to choose the best school schedule for yourself is key, and the right teacher can mean the differ-ence of a horrible or a great semester. Just as there are bad teachers in every school, there are just as many if not more tremen-dous teachers. Do yourself a favor and make sure you get the better of the two for next semester, and do your part to inform and possibly save the next student.

by stEvE mArk

Advisor of horizons

After completing their ar-ticles for Issue 3, Horizons reporters learned of a new challenge I’d created for them.

Drawing on the writing, reporting, and observation skills they’d been develop-ing and practicing all se-mester, they had 24 hours to write an article “inform, surprise, delight, or enlight-en us with a short article

about D� OLWWOH�NQRZQ� DVSHFW�RI�RU�GLVFRYHU\�DERXW�VRPH-WKLQJ�RU�VRPHRQH�DW�+&&.” They were asked to look for the unexpected, the unusual.

In this section, you’ll see the articles editors chose to run in this issue, which

cover a wide range of topics DQG�UHÀHFW�WKH�LQGLYLGXDO�LQ-terests, styles, and voices of some of our Horizons staff. Happy Reading!

Uncovering the “Hidden Housatonic”A Special Section

Illustration by Graphic Design Staff

11+25,=216 �� +LGGHQ�+RXVDWRQLF

“Help, I’ve Fallen and I Can’t Get Up!”by LAurA gustAfson stAff writEr

We’ve all heard the obnoxious headlines of countless info commercials on TV, but this

one in particular may hold a valid point. “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” may seem like an exaggeration for some one being temporarily off balance or hurt, but what if an injured individual really cannot get up?

This very thought drew my eyes to a particular emergency alarm located in our very own Beacon Hall bathrooms. These

alarms are located on the wall closest to the bathroom stalls, and each is labeled as an “ Emergency Alarm.” With good inten-tion, these are placed in every bathroom in the newly renovated building.

As I continued my conquest around the building, I found that each hall way was SURSHUO\� HTXLSSHG�ZLWK� ¿UH� KRVHV�� HPHU-gency axes and alarms. According to our own school site, “In September 2008 HCC became a multi- building campus as we opened the doors to Beacon Hall.” The new addition has proven itself as a very important one to the community and has been loyal to its students by meeting such

safety hazards. )HZ�SHRSOH�UHDOL]H�KRZ�GUDVWLF�¿UHV�DUH�

and what sort of damage they can create. Although these “typical” safety measures were met, it is more than comforting as a student to know that the building is safe especially when you or your classmates’ lives could be at risk.

Every student at HCC should recognize all of the elements put into our school that makes it a safely functioning environment. Although opinion varies from person to person, I would hope no one could dis-agree that safety is vital to any establish-ment. Anything can happen at any given

time. Another concern is for students who

have special needs or are disabled in any way. These students need to be comfort-able in the bathroom or any place for that matter; danger could appear out of thin air and help may not be as easily reached. The ÀRRUV�PD\�EHFRPH�VOLSSHU\�GXH�WR�SOXPE-ing problems beyond our control, a leak-LQJ�VLQN��RU�ORRVH�SDSHU�RQ�WKH�ÀRRU��

The alarm system set up in the bath-rooms is an extra hidden entity that can only ensure more safety for all students.

by ChAd fishEr

stAff writEr

DXULQJ�¿QDOV�ZHHN��WKH�+RXVDWRQLF�Healthy Living Club will not be having their regular meetings,

but will rather be meeting in the Wellness Center.

Why? Because they want to help you UHOLHYH�VWUHVV�\RX�PLJKW�KDYH�GXH�WR�¿QDO�exams.

They will do this by holding group workouts.

“We decided that since the weeks be-WZHHQ�7KDQNVJLYLQJ� DQG� ¿QDO� H[DPV� DUH�busy and stressful for students, we will not

have our regular Tuesday meetings, but will instead have informal meetings in the Wellness Center to work out and relieve stress,” said Jennifer Falasco, club advi-sor.

Yet how does working out relieve stress?

“Exercise essentially burns away the chemicals like cortisol and norepinephrine that cause stress,” according to Natural News’ website.

Cortisol and norepinephrine are the chemicals your body releases when it is under stress.

“Cortisol serves many important func-tions, including the rapid release of gly-

cogen stores for immediate energy,” said Mark Sisson in his book about eating healthier and working to reduce stress levels. “But persistent cortisol release requires that other vital mechanisms ef-fectively shut down immunity, digestion, healthy endocrine function, and so on.”

<RX�FDQ�DOVR�¿QG�ZD\V�WR�UHOLHYH�VWUHVV�GXH�WR�¿QDO�H[DPV�MXVW�E\�XVLQJ�WKH�*RRJOH�search engine.

According to College Fashion’s web-site, the “Six Tips To Beating Final Exam Stress” are avoiding stressful people. This means people who stress you out on a regular basis. Stay away. Eat healthy and exercise, which you can do with the HCC

Healthy Living Club. Say no to people who want to take up your time. If you have someone who is trying to distract you, say no to them and don’t feel bad. Your educa-WLRQ�LV�¿UVW��7DNH�EUHDNV��DQG�GXULQJ�WKHVH�breaks you can try some breathing exer-cises. Visualize everything going right, and if you stay positive then you have a better chance of passing. If you’ve studied all you can and you need to get your con-¿GHQFH�XS��WHOO�\RXUVHOI�\RX�KDYH�GRQH�DOO�you can and that you are ready.

For more helpful tips type “stress re-lieving tips” into any search engine, and \RX�ZLOO�EH�VXUH�WR�¿QG�PDQ\�DUWLFOHV�

by AshLEy wELfArE

stAff writEr

As the famous song titled, “We R Who We R” buries deep into my head while thinking about the

more than 500 students that walk into the doors of Housatonic Community College, I ponder the number of different students, both young and old, we come across every day. There are different races, ethnicities, and genders that we see more of in the cafeteria than we would in the hallways. With that said, there are even many groups. There are the ones who comes to play card games, the ones who come to study, the ones who come to meet up with friends DQG� FKDW� DERXW� WKHLU� GD\�� DQG� ¿QDOO\� WKH�ones who actually use the cafeteria to eat. So, with all the groups that are formed within a school such as HCC, are we able

to feel free enough to be who we are?At times, the ones who are in a particu-

lar group might feel a certain way about those in another, thinking that their time in the cafeteria might be a “waste of space.” For instance, a person who goes there to study, might feel irritated by one who is there to play their card or electronic games with their friends while thinking that some of the students are a bit too loud and they are unwilling to concentrate. Conversely, a student who is there to eat might feel as if they are not able to take a seat because the ones who are chit-chatting are taking up to much space. How can we not only elimi-nate the child-like behavior of students with groups that are not like their own, and still remain friendly towards one another?

One way that a problem such as this can be eliminated is to go back when ³FOLTXHV� DQG� JURXSV´�ZHUH� ¿UVW� RULJLQDW-

ed--high school. Yes, growing up, there was always a set “crew” that people ei-ther knew about or maybe even disliked, but in high school, there was a time when somebody from a clique either hurt you, annoyed you, stressed you out, bothered you, and the list can go on and on. After you admit that many of these groups are just groups from high school, you can resolve that most of them [the immature ones] are probably in that state of mind. Many had admitted that community col-lege is like a second high school, either for the ones who want to not take their grades seriously and fool around, or for the ones who feel as if they are getting some what of a “second chance”. So for some, it’s like they never left. But this article is not to of-fend, disrespect, or even trash people and the ones that they hang out with, this ar-WLFOH�LV�WR�¿QDOO\�KDYH�SHRSOH�RSHQ�XS�WKHLU�

eyes about tolerating and respecting others because the second and actually the only appropriate way to handle a “clique and group” problem is to respect them, and re-spect that even though they do things you might not agree with, they are still human.

Everybody has their own set group of friends. Some might be loud and obnox-ious, some might be wild and crazy, and some might be quiet and to themselves, but the mysterious thing about HCC, like the world, is that all of our personalities, actions, behaviors, and mindsets, makes the privilege of living another day on this earth so enjoyable. We are all differ-ent, and yet we might get on each other’s nerves, but WE R WHO WE R!

Enjoy this article and others that I ZURWH"�7ZHHW�PH�#$VK0DULH+&&�

Stress Relief For Finals

As Ke$ha Will Say, “We R Who We R”

Teen Author at HCCbyy Austin vAughn

stAff writEr

Housatonic has its own resident au-thor, and she’s only nineteen. Em-ily Bump of Milford has recently

SXEOLVKHG�KHU�¿UVW�QRYHO��0XVW�.HHS�0RY-ing, through Xlibris. 0XVW� .HHS� 0RYLQJ� is the story of a

young girl, Amy, whose life has been shat-tered by tragedy but is revived by the love of her new girlfriend, Sarah. Sarah not only livens up Amy, but her entire family. However, both girls are keeping secrets,

which leads to another tragedy that could tear them apart forever.

%XPS� LV� D� ¿UVW� \HDU� VWXGHQW� DW� +&&�focusing on Early Childhood Education. “I think both teens and adults could enjoy the story,” she said. Bump says she feels accomplished that she completed a full novel. She has always had a love for writ-ing and was told from an early age that she had a gift. She has written numerous short stories and poems, but 0XVW�.HHS�0RYLQJ�LV�KHU�¿UVW�IXOO�OHQJWK�QRYHO��

“I wasn’t planning on publishing at ¿UVW�´�VDLG�%XPS��³$�ORW�RI�P\�VWRU\�LGHDV�

GRQ¶W�JHW�SDVW�WKH�¿UVW�SDJH�´However, she added, “My friend, Will,

had given me the idea of trying self-pub-lishing.”

“[Self-publishing] was really simple,” said Bump of working with Xlibris, “It only took about ninety days.”

“I originally started in the middle with a scene about a girl on a bike using it as an escape, and the bike leading her to bet-ter things,” said Bump “and I just built the narrative around that.”

“It was really important to me to make their relationship seem natural. I never

used the word gay or lesbian,” said Bump of the LGBT content of the book. “I didn’t want to focus on coming-out or bullying like other lesbian-themed books do. The characters deal with problems that anyone can identify with, not just gay or lesbian couples.”

Bump is currently working on a pre-quel to 0XVW�.HHS�0RYLQJ that focuses on Sarah’s chaotic life, from parental abuse to foster care, and before she met Amy.

12

by bobbi brown

sEnior stAff writEr

Is art simply something a person be-hind an easel creates with portraits of people, beautiful colors, or simply

VWLFN�¿JXUHV�D�FKLOG�PD\�PDNH"��7KHVH�H[-DPSOHV�PD\�DOO�GH¿QH�DUW�RU�RQH�LQGLYLGXDO�but they can stand as amazing genres to an artist who lives and breathes art. Stu-dents at HCC display powerful paintings or sculptures. HCC offers classes for the arts. which allow students to embrace their true talent and put it into work. By simply walking down a hall, students may pass by pictures located to the right of them or to the left of them. HCC students have even become even more creative as to see artwork hanging from the ceiling located in Lafayette Hall. Many may walk underneath these pieces of art work, not understanding that simply located above them is neatly constructed stones hanging from the ceiling.

+&&�LV�ÀRRGHG�ZLWK�DPD]LQJ�DQG�ZHOO�prepared pieces of art. HCC even opens

up the school for people to have a chance to revive the artwork done by students and

even some staff. Holding these art affairs allows students to show off their work

and also be graded for their work. What many also fail to notice is that art work done by the students at HCC is also sold when there are art exhibits.

6WXGHQWV� DW�+&&�¿QG� WKH� TXLHW� DQG�comfortable place at HCC. Maybe on its campus or even simply sitting in a class room, dim lights and peaceful mu-sic playing in the background, creates a atmosphere to draw or create a mas-ter piece that may be misunderstood by those around it but a pleasure to the one who has made it.

HCC offers creative art classes for all those students looking to express their creativity simply by lodging on to HCC website or signing up on campus. Students can sign up for classes and put their true passions to work. HCC stu-dents are hard at work and what is said to be truly hidden is simply in the face of its beholder. Art work we walk or sit up under everyday has great meaning when

those around can see it.

+25,=216 �� +LGGHQ�+RXVDWRQLF

6WXGHQW�3UR¿OH��/XLV�5RGULJXH]by rAuL rodruguEs

stAff writEr

Luís Rodriguez, 20, lives in Milford. 7KLV�LV�KLV�¿UVW�VHPHVWHU�DW�+RXVD-tonic and he is a small business ma-

jor. Rodriguez works at his family owned restaurant called 1XHYR�/DWLQR located in Orange, Conn. on the Boston Post road. He works as the bartender and is hoping to start a business of his own soon.

When his family started a number of years ago, they thought of the idea to start a high class restaurant in Connecticut to show this place some culture. They each

started by saving some money and get-ting a loan from the bank. Eventually, they found this little building on the Post Road and considered it the perfect location. Ev-eryone passes by the Post Road since it has the mall, Barnes and Nobles, and Guitar World along with other places. This would then give people an opportunity to see and try something new.

,W� VWDUWHG� RQO\� DW� WKH� WRS� ÀRRU� RI� WKH�building they leased. Once the restaurant gained popularity, they were able to open WKH� ORZHU� ÀRRU� IRU�PRUH� URRP� DQG� EXVL-ness. This new Latino upscale dining bar and grill became a hit.

Luis himself started four years ago at the age of 16 by washing dishes. As an employee, he committed himself to learn-ing the menu and all the ins and outs of how the food is made. He then became a waiter. But a year and a half ago, he was taught by his uncles how to become a bar owner since it was his new interest. He then went for his bar owning license and LV�QRZ�D�FHUWL¿HG�EDU�RZQHU��

Inspired by his family’s drive to make something out of nothing, Luis is now try-ing to start his own bar and grill restau-rant. “It’s going to be a microbrewery and grill,” he says,which means they would

have their own custom made beer with a restaurant.

“I want this to be a contemporary sports themed grill with upscale gourmet food,” says Rodriguez. “I’m already try-ing to make deals.”

What’s so uplifting is how at his youth-ful age, he already knows how to start his business and is on the path to start. He shows how even a couple of months at col-lege can make a difference.

“Being [at HCC] taught me the funda-mentals to start,” says Rodriguez.

Art in the Eye of the Beholder

$UW�SLHFHV�FDQ�EH�IRXQG�DOO�DURXQG�+&&¶V�FDPSXV�Photo by Cassandra Mendoza

13+25,=216 �� 2SLQLRQV

pinionsOnline Game Passes Cause Problems for Consumers

by mArk bEinstAff writEr

Recently game companies like EA and THQ have been including redeemable codes called ‘’Online

Passes” in their software. These codes are generally needed in order to access any of the game’s online content and are included in every copy of each game that utilizes them and can only be activated once. This is an attempt to reduce the amount of used games sales at retailers such as GameStop, because developers receive no money from used purchases. Many people have already supported this and feel these new online passes are harmless.That would be great if that were actually the case, but sadly this inclusion of online passes causes many more problems for consumers than developers would like us to know about.

If this practice of requiring online

passes to lock out any multiplayer or online content continues, it will effectively NLOO�VHUYLFHV�VXFK�DV�*DPHÀ\��,W�ZLOO�DOVR�make you unable to loan a game to a friend, rent games from a store to try it out before you buy it, or for people with more than one family member to play on the same systems that have multiple PSN or Xbox live accounts without having to pay 10-15$ every time we want to do any of those things. Assuming it stops there, but as the seemingly never ending assault these large companies are launching on their consumer’s wallets I doubt it will. More likely if gamers willingly accept publishers new practices of taking away rights we’ve always had as gamers they are going to keep taking until there is nothing left.

Over time developers have found more DQG�PRUH�ZD\V�WR�SUR¿W�IURP�PXOWLSOD\HU�on things that used to be free. We’ve done nothing but encourage them to continue to do so. In the olden days, DLC always used to be free; never did you have to pay for map packs and costumes and other add-ons. Now many games are sold to us incomplete and they charge us for the rest of it later. Never did we have to pay 60$ a year to just play online all together, or pay $50 just to get discounts on content that probably should be free or cheaper than it DFWXDOO\�LV�LQ�WKH�¿UVW�SODFH��2Q�WRS�RI�DOO�of this, games went from being $50to $60 each, so it’s no wonder why people buy so many used games just to save money wherever they can, considering how

insanely expensive everything has gotten in the gaming industry. Now they want to take that away as well.

Justin Richmond, employee at Naughty Dog, the developers of recent blockbuster “Uncharted 3,” a game that uses online passes, has defended this practice saying “When that stuff goes online, it isn’t free. We have to pay for servers and all this different stuff to maintain it, and so at some point, you know, games have to make money. It is a business, and we just wanna be able to continue to provide that kind of content. If Sony ever comes to us and says ‘You’re not making enough money on this, you need to cut it’ or whatever, that’s not something that we want.”’

Sounds logical right? Sure, but he is greatly exaggerating the issue. Also, Sony’s supposed reaction to cutting things they want to do is a completely unrealistic scenario considering the popularity of the series and how successful this entry and previous entries that didn’t even use online passes were. They say it costs money to put stuff online, which is true, if you are using dedicated servers, that is.

Uncharted 3 doesn’t use dedicated servers. It uses p2p; Running a peer-to-peer online architecture costs absolutely nothing, so I am not sure what Sony would tell them to shut down. They claim they need charge more because it costs them too much to have you run the game off your own Internet connection? Brilliant. All of this talk is just them trying to justify themselves for ripping you off. The meaning behind this move is not because developers are being run out of business by the used games market; they make plenty of money and they just want more of it and it’s as simple as that.

Though in a way that does make sense, because as Mr. Richmond says, it is a business and the point of a business is to make the most money possible. I just suppose it is the lying to consumers and the hassle that this causes them for a supposed solution that doesn’t entirely address the issue at hand is what really bothers me. I think one thing many are forgetting is that while people do buy used games, people sell their games as well; and what do they generally do with the money they get from the used games? They buy new games. However, once you have activated that online pass it is gone forever and without it, your copy is now devalued and depending on the game store or the other people on sites like Amazon and Ebay you are trying to sell to they will either not give you nearly as much for it or simply won’t want it at all. Getting less back from the games they sell will generally mean they will buy fewer games or be much more cautious about the games they do buy, making the market that is already unkind to small time developers and unique new I.P.’s even harsher. So in the end this practice might end up hurting new games sales just as much as it does “help” them. So the only ones who might feel any of the effects from this are the gamers.

Some have even said that buying used games is just as bad for developers as piracy. Even though that is one of the most ridiculous claims that I’ve ever heard, seeing as how a copy of the game has already been purchased, I’ll humor that

thought process for just a brief moment. Gabe Newell, is the Managing Director of Video Game development at Valve Corporation, the company responsible for the popular digital distribution service “Steam.” Steam distributes games to PC gamers all around the world, and as many know PC game piracy has always been a massive problem for the developers of that industry. Many companies have tried to combat it with DRMs and anti-pirating protection programs that basically infect your computer with viruses in attempts to stop it; but they generally fail and the codes are cracked and work-a-rounds are sometimes found by pirates before the game is even released. So all that work they go through to stop pirates is almost useless and the only ones suffering are the ones who bought it legally.

But Gabe and his company continue WR� ¿QG� PDVVLYH� VXFFHVV� DQG� SUR¿W� GDLO\�despite the piracy issue. When questioned about the problem he responded “One thing that we have learned is that piracy is not a pricing issue. It’s a service issue. The easiest way to stop piracy is not by putting anti-piracy technology to work. It’s by giving those people a service that’s better than what they’re receiving from the pirates.”

This is exactly what Steam does. It offers all sorts of free updates constantly to games, adding and improving multiplayer and singleplayer experiences. Despite the fact that games on steam are already cheaper than games on consoles,

they frequently go on sale for incredibly low prices or even given away for free. All of your games are stored on your hard drive so you can access them all at a moments notice without any switching discs and also, you can access your Steam account on different computers entirely and download and play your games there at no extra charge. In short Valve has made Steam’s service so good that they’ve made pirating their games almost pointless because even if you do put in all the effort and go through with it, the end experience is still inferior to what they offer so it isn’t even worth the hassle.

While there is no used game market on PC like there is for the consoles, the problem is that they are trying to give console gamers all the restrictions of the PC gaming market but none of the

EHQH¿WV��,I� WKH\�DUH�JRLQJ�WR�GR�WKLV�WKHQ�they need to give something back. Let us rip our games to our hard drives, let us access online through at least more than one account so families and friends who play on the same system but different accounts aren’t charged extra. Maybe make single player campaigns longer than 6 hours from now on so gamers don’t sell or trade away their games so quickly. How about they charge less too? If they are QRZ�PDNLQJ�SUR¿W�RII�RI�HYHU\RQH�ZKR�LV�playing your game even if it’s just different people playing the same copy surely they don’t need to charge $60 per game. While games do eventually drop in price in retail, by the time they do its already been forgotten about and the public is interested in buying its sequel or spin off or whatever hot new titles are coming out.

Even if they don’t do it for us, they should do it for themselves. If developers offer us a better service it will be better for everyone. It would mean more games bought, sold and possibly help the entire industry grow.

I am not suggesting any sort of massive boycott of any games that use online passes, that would just be a waste of time. There are just too many different demographics of people who buy games like parents and young kids or just gamers who don’t really know the full effects of these practices so they will continue to sell, for the time being at least, though I can assure you this will get worse before it gets any better. The decision as to where

the industry will go from here on out is up to the developers. I would just like to ask them one question; Is your goal just to make money or is it to make people happy? Is game development “just a business” or are you artists who want as many people to enjoy your craft as humanly possible. Do you care if the users of your products are constantly inconvenienced or does it not matter to you as long as you see slight LQFUHDVHV�LQ�\RXU�SUR¿W�PDUJLQV��

I realize developers do need to make money to continue to deliver new experiences to gamers and there are a few issues that I can understand they would want to address, but the solution to a problem should never be to treat your consumers like criminals. After all the money we already do give you just to enjoy a video game, we deserve better.

Photo courtesy of imgboot�com

3KRWR�FRXUWHV\�RI�JDPHSOD\ÀLFNV�EORJ�FRP

14

Currency or Conspiracy? What is Your Money Actually Worth?

+25,=216 �� 2SLQLRQV

by tom CAhiLL stAff writEr

The United States hasn’t owned its own money in what will be 100 years in 2013. Nothing is new

here. Our money is in the hands of a few very powerful, very corrupt men, men who are above any representative or system in our government, men who, prior to 1913, had already been controlling the nation’s money, and now just have legal custody. Yes, the Federal Reserve prints our money, but you already knew that.

“Most Americans have no real understanding of the operation of the international money lenders. The accounts of the Federal Reserve System have never been audited. It operates outside the

control of Congress and manipulates the credit of the United States,” said former Senator Barry Goldwater. The Federal Reserve Act of 1913 was persuaded into action by dominant banking names like the Rockefeller, Warburg, Morgan, and Rothschild, who wanted to create another central bank, which hadn’t been in existence in America for the prior eight years. With an internally conspired Panic of 1907, these people made The Federal Reserve appear to be the solution to any future economic scares. These are people who control entirely the availability and worth of our nation’s currency.

According to the Board of Governors, the Federal Reserve is independent within government in that “its monetary policy decisions do not have to be approved by the President or anyone else in the executive or legislative branches of government.” Its actual job title, if you will, is the task of manipulating the money supply in such a way as to maximize employment and RXWSXW� DQG�PLQLPL]H� SULFH� LQÀDWLRQ�� ,W�LV�VXSSRVHG�WR�EH�D�ÀH[LEOH�FXUUHQF\�WKDW�FDQ�EH� LQÀDWHG�LQ�RUGHU� WR�VXLW�QHHGV�RI�JRYHUQPHQW� DQG� ¿QDQFLDO� LQVWLWXWLRQV��Hell, it was even audited until the Federal Banking Agency Audit Act passed in 1978.

The Fed does not just print money for the United States, it loans it to us at interest. You don’t need to be an economics expert to notice something wrong here. Every single US dollar we bring in to our country has debt attached to it! We are being enslaved to debt right in front of our own eyes.

So they charge us money to use our own money. Where does the charge come from then? If that’s not bad enough, they control the amount of money in circulation at any given time. That means they control

how much money there is access to, which ultimately decides its value. The simple concept of supply and demand teaches you that the more money that is in circulation, the less the dollar is worth, especially when they are printing it out of thin air. The amount of money in circulation actually doubled from 1914 to 1919. That immediately would make all the money in your bank account or in your pocket only worth about half of what it was. This type of crooked behavior is frequent with the Federal Reserve, and there is nothing we can do about it. There isn’t even anything our government could do about it, if, in fact, the government even cares.

The bottom line is that this is a systematic collapse of our economy of the 99% by the 1%. Americans can practically see the dollar being devalued daily, and the more money the Fed prints, the less it’s going to be worth. These people are not stupid, but are taking us Americans to be. This has been going on for too long, and it will take a generation to wake up and

make themselves aware of what is going on. “Thanks to the ability of the Internet to circumvent the gatekeepers of approved opinion, a small but determined anti-Fed constituency has developed among people who understand the Fed, supposedly the source of economic stability, is giving us instability..this alleged guardian of the dollar has actually been lowering the dollar’s value,” said Thomas E. Woods, Jr. in his book Rollback.

If information like this doesn’t leave you skeptical enough of this corrupt system, a quote such as this one from Woodrow Wilson, who signed the Federal

Reserve Act should seal the deal. “I am a most unhappy man. I have unwittingly ruined my country. A great industrial nation is now controlled by its system of credit. We are no longer a government by free opinion, no longer a government by conviction and the vote of the majority, but a government by the opinion and duress of a small group of dominant men.” Wilson made his statement in 1919, six years after passing the bill, a bill passed strictly in the interest of America’s banking elite. The FRXQWU\�KDG�EHHQ�GRLQJ�¿QH�IRU�WKH�HLJKW�years prior with no central bank. It is an act and an institution with conspiracy written on it since day one.

“The real truth of the matter is, as you DQG�,�NQRZ��WKDW�D�¿QDQFLDO�HOHPHQW�LQ�WKH�large centers has owned the government of the U.S. since the days of Andrew Jackson,” said our 32nd President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

Just because there isn’t anything new being discovered here, that doesn’t decrease the severity. The Fed has been

the elephant in the room for America for too long now. Our forefathers warned of the corruption of a central bank, and how it could be the end of a free society. There is only one thing our economic system can produce in the long run, and that’s debt. Thomas Jefferson so wisely said, “I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous than standing armies. If the American people ever people allow private banks to control the issue of currency...the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of their property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their

fathers conquered.”At least up until 1971 every dollar

was backed by an amount of physical gold, to hold its worth. Not if these elite money holders have anything to do with it. The Gold Standard, as it was called, was abolished in 1971.

So that leaves America, for the last 40 \HDUV��ZLWK�ZKDW�\RX�FDOO�D�¿DW�FXUUHQF\��or money that only has value because of government regulation or law. Ironically enough, Dr. Edwin Vieira Jr., Ph.D., J.D. states, “the average life expectancy for a ¿DW�FXUUHQF\�LV��\HDUV��ZLWK�WKH�VKRUWHVW�life span being one month.” We reached our 40 year mark at the start of 2011.

Vierra added, “The British pound 6WHUOLQJ� LV� WKH� ROGHVW� ¿DW� FXUUHQF\� LQ�H[LVWHQFH��,W�ZDV�GH¿QHG�DV��RXQFHV�RI�silver, so it’s worth less than 1/200 or 0.5% of its original value. In other words, the most successful long standing currency in existence has lost 99.5% of its value.”

You may have seen the pictures from a post-war Germany in the 1960s of people burning wheel barrows full of paper money just to keep warm. For them, it FRVW� PRUH� WR� EX\� ¿UHZRRG� WKDQ� WR� MXVW�simply burn the bank notes themselves as fuel. Printing money out of thin air to pay off exponential debt can cause exactly that to happen. This would be better known as devaluing money.

Simply put, every good or service in America has intrinsic value, for example a pen with a value of $1. If you put 20 times the amount of money into the economy, it doesn’t make it so that you can now buy 20 pens, it means that that same pen is now worth $20.

At the end of World War ll, Germany was in indebted as we are today. Ironically enough to that Obama has announced the War on Iraq to be over in December, meaning we too now are a post-war country. So we of course now have to print money to get us out of our debt, right? I’m not sure how fond China would be of that, SD\LQJ�EDFN�RXU�GHEW�WR�WKHP�ZLWK�LQÀDWHG�money, but that’s another article in itself. Needless to say, as a country we are not in the best shape right now. History will tell that there is a rise and fall to every empire, and if money is a direct indicator to its success, then we might need to take another look at our monetary system before it all comes to an end. Two hundred DQG�WKLUW\�¿YH�\HDUV�ZRXOG�EH�D�UHODWLYHO\�short reign for the American empire, but if the value of the dollar isn’t revamped, the future for this country will be very grim.

+RZ�PXFK�LV�\RXU�PRQH\�DFWXDOO\�ZRUWK"Photo By Zachary Cowan

Like Horizons on Facebook and Follow Us on Twitter!

Visit the Housatonic Horizons Facebook fan page to read the latest about what’s going on at +&&�DV�ZHOO�DV�DUWLFOHV�\RX�ZRQ¶W�¿QG�LQ�WKH�SDSHU��DQG�WR�VHQG�XV�OLQNV��FRPPHQWV��DQG�VXJJHV-

tions.

Follow us on Twitter at @HCCHorizons, and search the hashtag #hoccnews to learn about cam-pus news as our reporters discover it!

15+25,=216 �� 2SLQLRQV

Campus Crawlersby LAurA gustAfson

stAff writEr

YHV�� ,� DP� JLYLQJ� \RX� D� GH¿QLWLRQ�all your own. I’ve grown discour-aged. My eyes are getting weary

at the sight of empty chairs, unopened books and lack of bodies present in class. What is stopping students from attend-ing class on a daily basis? The number of VWXGHQWV�,�VHH�¿OOLQJ�WKH�FDIHWHULD��OLEUDU\��halls and lounges is expanding rapidly. I FDQQRW� FRPSUHKHQG� ZK\� +&&� SHHUV� ¿OO�these “hangout” spots but not their own classrooms.

If I told anyone in my family of this trend I continue to see, they would be very disappointed. Not only would I be letting my loved ones down, I would be letting myself down as well. As a motivated indi-vidual, it irks me to witness such a lack in educational interest. As HCC student Tina Barcello puts it, “Education is important because it allows us to explore all the op-WLRQV�ZH�KDYH�ZKHQ�LW�FRPHV�WR�¿QGLQJ�D�career we can be passionate about.”

Whether you are paying for your tu-ition on your own, with the help of a fam-LO\�PHPEHU�� IULHQG� RU� ¿QDQFLDO� DLG�� ZK\�would you want to burn an extra hole in your pocket? What students forget to put in to any sort of perspective is the under-standing that they are paying for attend-ing. The average 3 hour class at HCC costs $466. Assuming there are about 80 days in a semester that averages out to about $6.00 a day for each class cut. This might not seem like a lot of money but these num-bers can quickly add up.

With this is mind, a student’s atten-dance should be a top priority. If you do

not go to a class or lecture, you are putting your own success and wallet at risk. Not only are you missing review of old and new material, you are neglecting possible projects and long term papers that could KDYH� D� VLJQL¿FDQW� LPSDFW� RQ� \RXU� ¿QDO�grade.

My history professor, Professor Koch, has an attendance policy that makes up for 20% of a students grade along with one’s participation. At the beginning of every class we sign in on a sheet of paper to con-¿UP�RXU�SUHVHQFH�DQG�DV�KLV�V\OODEXV�UHLW-erates, “Attendance is mandatory.” During my conversation with Professor Koch, he was expressing his understanding of peo-ple not showing up saying , “This happens all the time.”

%HLQJ� LQ� WKH� HGXFDWLRQDO� ¿HOG� IRU� VR�long and experiencing so much, he could easily consider medical issues that may KROG�RQH�EDFN��D�IDPLO\�¿JXUH�EHLQJ�SUR-nounced ill and other real life scenarios that may come into play which all hinder a student’s attendance. For those whose ex-cuses are not as substantial, however, he said, “If you don’t come to class, don’t be RIIHQGHG�ZKHQ�,�ÀXQN�\RX�´�

As a compassionate person, I am also completely aware of life circumstances. Things happen, people and circumstances may change and with that said, it is a pos-sibility that school may have to come last at times. Family deaths, sickness and lack of an income are a few factors that could play in to one’s attendance. I, myself, have been displaced at times throughout my col-OHJH�FDUHHU�E\�D�KRXVH�¿UH�WKDW�OHIW�PH�ZLWK�little to no personal belongings and a lack of motivation to carry on. I did, however, contact my professors about my situation,

and missing their classes because I cannot fathom teaching a class that students are not willing to show up for.

So, yes, my heart does go out to those suffering with personal problems that are beyond their control, what is there to say about those fully capable of going to class? In fact, I have witnessed my own classmates being present in either build-ing and instead of getting on their way to class, they frolic in the halls, talk to their boyfriends or girlfriends, who should be pushing them to be successful, or loung-ing in a chair. So, what is it that is causing this ugly trend of non-class-goers?

According to a recent study referred to as, 7KH�+LGGHQ�&RVWV�RI�&RPPXQLW\�&RO-OHJH� conducted by American Institutes

for Research (AIR), “Community college dropouts cost federal, state and local tax-SD\HUV� QHDUO\� �� ELOOLRQ� RYHU� D� ¿YH�\HDU�

period.” These very large numbers cor-relate with our HCC community and the realization that we need to prioritize by attending our classes so this does not es-calate.

Students within our Housatonic com-munity should consider the impact that lack of attendance at school can have to-ZDUG��IXWXUH�HQGHDYRXUV�DQG�VSHFL¿FDOO\�D�lifelong career. Attending class when you are already at school should be no extra burden if you are taking your own educa-tion into account.

Is the cafeteria just a place for students to escape class?Photo by Zachary Cowan

by bobbi brown sEnior stAff writEr

Students at HCC who are part of the college paper called “+RUL]RQV” work hard every semester to create

a paper that will encourage students and teachers to read the school paper. HCC’s school paper allows students to report on issues inside of HCC as well as outside current events.

However, there still seems to be a large amount of students who are not read-ing the the school paper. This has caused +&&¶V� +RUL]RQ¶V� VWDII� WR� ¿QG� FUHDWLYH�ways to encourage more student readers and teachers as well.

“I read the school paper because I have a friend who writes for it. She is a good writer and I enjoy what she writes. Over-all, I think it’s important [for] any student who wants to know what affects them to pick up our school paper,” says Nina Goodson, a student at HCC.

Everyday, people watch their T.V.’s and listen to their radios or upload recent or current news on their computers or phone, but there is a percentage of people who no longer read the newspaper. According to a recent article, “Why People Skip News,” by Emil Sterntrom, “people no longer read newspapers because of the newer ways to get information such as web articles, and people are morally entertained by news that is not printed but actually taking place live, such as T.V. news.”

“I’m going to be honest, when I think about the school paper or any newspaper, I think about an old women or man sit-ting back with his feet up sipping on tea or coffee,” says Marlon Sparks, an HCC student.“Don’t get me wrong, I like the newspaper, but I realize maybe my life is too stuck around technology. In a quick second, I would pull up an article on

my phone before I ever pick up an actual newspaper,” adds Sparks.

However people receive news, students who write for +RUL]RQV¶ newspaper feel that many students are not reading what is taking place on campus.

“I don’t read newspapers that much, but when I do, it’s normally something that I enjoy which is the comic strips in most newspapers. I am a visual person I have to see what I am reading,” says Kyle Mason, an HCC student.

HCC’s +RUL]RQV has much to offer, from its news section on down to its sports section. Nonetheless, there are many sec-

tions of the paper +RUL]RQ¶V staff is always looking for new ways to improve by mak-ing them more appealing to students on campus by reporting on issues that HCC students can relate to. The school paper

even goes as far as reporting on issues outside of HCC campus, which also gives students a sense of social and economic issues.

“Well I can honestly say the school pa-per is very informative! I believe it was a few semesters ago when someone wrote about HCC’s Early Childhood Education program partnered with South Africa.

Not only was I amazed at this great ac-complishment, but I didn’t even know our school reached out that far,” said Sarah Durham, an HCC student.+RUL]RQV has many ways students can

read without being bored or have a hard time picking up the paper. +RUL]RQV has many of its printed issues located on its website. Students can log on to http://hc-cperspective.blogspot.com where they are able to read the school paper online and they are also able to respond to the differ-ent articles.

“I never knew anything about colleges having school papers until I came to HCC. This girl was dressed as a chicken last semester promoting the school paper an would not leave me alone until I picked up the paper! I can honestly say she was so motivated to be apart of the school paper,”says Jeremiah Romero, an HCC student.

“I agree with you,. I think last semes-ter was truly too funny!”Jasmin Sneed agreed.

“Whoever was in the chicken suit made me want to dance and read the paper! I al-ways grabbed the paper to read about the “Opinion” section because at times I hon-estly feel like the writer about certain top-ics, and they seem to address them well,” Sneed adds.

Whether students are using their iPhones to read HCC’s school paper, or walking into the cafe or the students lounge areas, HCC school is always lo-

cated in areas where it can be accessible to any student or staff. Both in Beacon and Layfette Hall, there are designated paper spots where the HCC school paper is lo-cated.

The Horizons paper has a lot to offer more than many students may truly know. There are even professors on campus who encourage their students to read it. Profes-sor Scott Empric, a Developmental Eng-lish professor at HCC, has his students not only read the paper but also write letters to the editors about a story of their choice. This helps students interact with Horizons writing staff and also see their letters in the school paper.

Although there are many ways to re-ceive information, simply picking up HCC’s Horizons school paper lets staff and students know that someone is sup-porting them, and also informs them about what’s taking place around them. For more information on�+RUL]RQV simply log on to http://hccperspective.blogspot.com.

6WXGHQWV�HDJHUO\�UHDG�+RUL]RQV�Photo by Bobby Brown

Ashley Welfare points out a picture she has found interesting to her friend.Photo by Bobbi Brown

Pick Up the Paper!

16 +25,=216 �� 2SLQLRQV

by dAvid wEidEnfELLEr

stAff writEr

I hate standing in the rain. Especially when it’s cold and blustery out, with those chilly Northeastern

winds blowing in to my face. Not a good day. With the winter months ahead, it is only a matter of time until those bone chilling days and early nights are here. They have slowly started to arrive already.

I, like many students at HCC, depend on the local bus system to get to and from class. With campus wide concern for student health, wellness, and safety, why are those students without a personal mode of transportation left outside in the cold rain and snow?

The college focuses on smok-ing on campus, safety in the park-ing garage, health and nutrition DZDUHQHVV��D�¿WQHVV�FHQWHU��EXW�QR�bus shelter for students, a simple small enclosure with a map of the Bridgeport city bus routes on one wall. One would think this would have been done years ago, maybe people decided it was not impor-tant as those other things.

The Bridgeport city buses stop at the State Street entrance to the school. The problem here is that the physical entrance is set back 30 yards or so away from the street, leaving a small courtyard area between the building and the street and with no protection from the elements. This poses several problems. Standing under

the overhang of Lafayette Hall, the view from which the bus is coming, is obscured E\��)DLU¿HOG�$YHQXH��PDNLQJ�LW�QHFHV-sary to stand directly on the curb. There is plenty of room for a shelter here, and is a complete mystery to me and many of

the students that I spoke to, all of whom depend on the bus.

I was discussing this story with a

friend, Josh Brellis, Case Manager, at %ULGJH� +RXVH�� D� ORFDO� QRQSUR¿W� RUJDQL-

zation providing non – clinical services, such as assistance in educational goals for adults with persistent and chronic mental health issues, and he pointed out a few good points. Medications can effect ones ability to handle certain weather condi-

tions. For example, a side effect could be super sensitive to sunlight, where skin burns much too easily. Others with physi-cal limitations can not navigate ice and snow as well, making a curb side wait in the cold an everyday battle of tolerance be it sun, rain or temperature and consis-tently leaves students and the like scuf-ÀLQJ�DFURVV� WKH�RSHQ� VSDFH�DV� WKH\�KLGH�from the weather.

This poses a large problem for those students who have some sort of physi-cal limitations that may impair balance,

or ability to cross areas quickly, or even stand for periods of time, such as wait-

ing for the bus. Staff do the best they can, along with the City of Bridgeport, to clear the snow and ice from this area, but it re-mains throughout the winter months, leav-ing a hazardous walk for many. A covered bus shelter would give students a level of protection from the elements and giving those with a-for-mentioned limitations a safe shelter where they may sit and wait alleviating the need to traverse the area WKUHH��IRXU��¿YH�WLPHV�RU�PRUH�ZKLOH�ZDLW-ing for their bus and seeking refuge from mother nature.

Students new to the bus system or only XVLQJ�LW�SDUW�WLPH�RU�WHPSRUDULO\�ZLOO�¿QG�comfort and a higher degree of safety as maps and route information can be posted directly on the wall of the shelter. Know-ing you’re on the correct bus, and where to get on and off and of course where you’re going are all very important, and not knowing the answers can be very intimi-dating to those unfamiliar to the Bridge-port transportation system.

Of course, because it is a city bus stop, not only students would be using it. A shel-ter bus stop at the State Street entrance of +&&�ZRXOG�DOVR�EHQH¿W�WKH�JHQHUDO�SXE-lic. Good community relations between the school and the City of Bridgeport is not something that would be frowned upon and may even attract more students, due to the friendly relationship between school, the city and the people.

It may seem like a trivial thing, but just think, if it was your little brother or sis-ter, or better yet, that upper middle aged aunt, out in an early evening winter thun-GHUVWRUP�� DIWHU� OHDYLQJ� KHU� ¿QDO� FODVV� RI�the day, frozen hands clasping drenched books...But that’s just my opinion.

Follow David on Twitter @dcweid or email: [email protected]

6WXGHQWV�ZDLW�IRU�WKH�EXV�WR�DUULYH�Photo by Zachary Cowan

Waiting for the Bus In The Rain Sucks��It Could Happen to you!

³�$�FRYHUHG�EXV�VKHOWHU�ZRXOG�JLYH�VWXGHQWV�D�OHYHO�RU�SURWHFWLRQ�IURP�WKH�

elements...”

17+25,=216 �� $UWV��(QWHUWDLQPHQW

rts and ntertainmentHow Real is Reality Television?

Christmas Classicsby rAuL rodriguEz

stAff writEr

What is a better way to celebrate Christmas than a feel-good movie revolving around the

holiday? There is none. Movies are the SHUIHFW�PHGLXP�WR�UHÀHFW�RQ�\RXUVHOI�DQG�WKH�PDJQL¿FHQW�KROLGD\�WLPHV��

Yet which movie is best for which type of people? Is it a comedy like “Bad Santa?” A parable like “Doubt?” Or pos-sibly even a classic like “It’s A Wonderful Life?” This list will include some person-al faves as well as the ones that the Housa-tonic students themselves love. Let’s see what are the best for the holiday that de-serves the best.

For the hard laughs, there is a toss up in my mind of the funniest. One is the hilar-ity of “Home Alone.” The movie about a big family that forgot its most important PHPEHU�� OLWWOH�.HYLQ��7KH�PRYLH� LV�¿OOHG�with sight gags and unforgettable lines, “Look what you did you little jerk!”

Another one is “National Lampoon’s

Christmas Vacation.” Clark Griswald is waiting for the Christmas bonus to sur-prise his family...his whole family. every-one from his side to his wife’s side is com-ing, including cousin Eddie! This is quite possibly the greatest comedy sequel ever if only for the turkey carving scene.

Students agree that “Nightmare Before Christmas” is one of the most fun and in-ventive movies of the holiday. I think that it’s amazing how that movie can work for two holidays. HCC student, Jeremy San-FKH]�VD\V�KH¶V�ORYHG�WKH�¿OP�HYHU�VLQFH�KH�was a kid: “I’ve been watching it since i was a kid, it’s timeless.”

Another student, Alex Carattini agrees. “Its visual style and characters are so dif-ferent, and Tim Burton is one of my favor-LWH�>¿OPPDNHUV@�´�KH�VD\V�

It’s a sweet story about unity in the holidays and composer Danny Elfman’s clever lyrics to the movies tunes really gives meaning to the story and a voice to the characters.

:LOO�)HUUHOO�SOD\V�D�PDQ�ZKR�¿QGV�RXW�he doesn’t belong in Santa’s workshop in

“Elf.” Need I say more? Many HCC stu-dents agree it’s hilarious. The movie is sweet with some mature humor that’s not too out of reach for the children. You’ll laugh and cr... no yeah you’ll pretty much just laugh.

When it comes to being able to relate to the desire of that one special gift every-one wants, it’s hard to deny “A Christmas 6WRU\´�HSLWRPL]LQJ�WKDW��7KH�¿OP¶V�DERXW�D�boy wanting to get the Christmas gift he’s always wanted in 1940’s Indiana. Seeing KRZ�GLI¿FXOW�LW�ZDV�EDFN�WKHQ�VKRZV�SHR-ple that, not only were people desperate IRU�WKRVH�VSHFL¿F�JLIWV��WRR��EXW�DOVR�VKRZV�how our country once was.

HCC’s Ashley Rodriguez feels, “it was perfect at showing that people struggled during that depression era.” It showcased humor through the holidays, parents, and the dreaded embarrassing gifts from aunts.

When it comes to classics, it’s hard to beat “It’s A Wonderful Life.” The classic story of how important family and loved ones are during the holidays, and how ev-ery life, and every moment are precious.

7KH�¿OP�WHOOV�WKH�VWRU\�RI�*HRUJH�%DLOH\��D�man who always makes time for his loved ones and the people of his community de-spite not getting the respect he deserves for it. You’ll go from depressed to happy so many many times over the course of the ¿OP²DQG�ORYH�HYHU\�PLQXWH�RI�LW�

However, my favorite Christmas movie is...”Love, Actually.” It’s kind of a FKLFN�ÀLFN��EXW�,�GRQ¶W�FDUH��,W�WHOOV�PDQ\�stories of love in the coming holiday of Christmas, while intertwining to be one plot. These stories view the different as-pects and times and kinds of love. The fact they all revolve around a holiday, shows how special and meaningful Christmas is to people. It’s funny, touching and gets right in there with your emotions to feel the similarities between you and the love you’ve felt for someone.

There you have it, the Christmas mov-ies to end all Christmas movies. Hopefully, this article will help you make a decision when it comes time to spend the holidays with the people you care most about.

Horizons Wants to Hear from You!Write to us at [email protected] to:

��Share your opinions��Submit ideas, articles, and information about upcoming events��Request interviews or other information from the Horizons staff

by vAnEssA hyLton

stAff writEr

Reality television has become very popular over the years. Some may call reality television a genre that

is watched by all kinds of people both young and old. There are many reality television shows on T.V. right now. There are also many scripted shows that people just can’t stop watching. We are drawn in by the gritty disputes and the feeling of getting a glance into the lives of our fa-vorite celebrities, or the raunchiness of our favorite TV personalities, but one question still lingers, “is there anything “real” about reality television?”

Reality television consists of “unscript-ed” shows that use real people in unreal situ-ations to create stories. But can one call something real even if the characters are put into situations that they would not be in if it wasn’t for the producer “creating”

the situation? Many of our favorite reality show stars complain that the way they are GHSLFWHG�RQ�WHOHYLVLRQ�GRHV�QRW�UHÀHFW�WKH�way they are in real life. Somehow, they are portrayed in a way that would make good T.V. Heidi Montag of “The Hills” recently did an interview in which she exclaimed, “People don’t see every side and sometimes the situations get miscon-strued. Its a 20 minute edited drama. They can’t show everything.”

Spencer Pratt, another star of “The Hills” and husband of Heidi Montag, said in an interview, “Reality T.V. doesn’t fol-low us 24 hours a day. It’s in pieces that

they put to-gether to make a show.” So that brings forth the question that

HYHU\RQH�LV�WU\LQJ�WR�¿JXUH�RXW��:KDW�H[-actly is this thing they are calling reality?

Another factor of how many can con-cur that reality television is fake can be

WKH�WKH�¿QDO�FXW�RI�ZKDW�WKH\�SXW�RQ�7�9��5HDOLW\�VKRZV�¿OP�KRXUV�RI�IRRWDJH�WR�¿OH�down into one 30 or 60 minute episode. Ray Richmond, a T.V critic stated, “The Editors have become the new storytellers by altering sequences and course of events and contextual elements to weave together a story that is radically dif-ferent of what went down.” One element that would prove this no-tion to be true can be found in a particular reality show called Keeping Up With The Kardashians. In one scene of the series, you can clearly see that they created one conversation out of two different ones. In the scene, Kim Kardashian and her mother are bouquet shopping and they are discussing a par-ticular topic. In one scene, Kim is holding two different bouquets. This goes to show the audience that the producers cut the show the way they want, and place words

out of context.HCC students’ offered their take on the

realness of reality television and some of the answers were surprising.

Rebecca Brown, a general studies ma-jor, said, “Sometimes, but I don’t really watch it for the accuracy. I just see it as

a show full of idiots do-ing funny things.”

A n o t h e r student, Da-vid Blake, a nursing ma-

jor, said,“I’m sure some of the situations are real but the editing is what makes it fake.”

I don’t think people watch reality tele-vision for the accuracy. They just enjoy the entertainment in it all. Viewers like to witness situations that push the envelope, and they don’t care where it stems from or how the problem started because they just want to see it all unravel.

³5HDOLW\�7�9��GRHVQ¶W�IROORZ�us 24 hours a day. ”

“I just see it as a show full of idiots doing funny things.”

18 +25,=216 �� $UWV��(QWHUWDLQPHQW

Santa Isn’t Coming to Town Anymore by sAmAnthA dELgAdo

stAff writEr

Father Christmas, Saint Nick, or San-ta Claus. Once, he was not just a sto-ry to me. He was an old chubby man

who climbed down my nonexistent chim-ney and gave me presents. One Christmas (YH��P\�ROGHU�FRXVLQ��0LFKDHO��FRQ¿UPHG�what had been in the back of my mind for quite sometime. My brother and other cousin Lisa were talking about Santa, and Michael taunted me,“I think we still have a believer.” It turned out Santa Claus was actually two people: My parents.

On the “Santa Truth Poll” on familye-ducation.com, it shows that in the estima-tion of adults, most children stop believ-ing in Santa Claus between the ages of 8 and 10. I fell into that average. What about other HCC students?

Fellow Horizons reporter Raul Rodri-guez found out the truth about Santa at the age of ten. “...that’s a pretty old age, but it’s kinda ironic. Everyone was telling me he wasn’t real. I should have found out when I was younger like eight or seven.”

Rodriguez says he was hanging out with his sister, talking about how excited he was for Christmas, and wondering what Santa was going to get him. His sister ei-ther had enough of Rodriguez believing or felt sorry for him because that was when she said, “Raul, we have to tell you, you’re like ten years old. Santa’s not real,” he says. “Then I left her room, [and] I didn’t cry or anything. I just thought to myself, and went back to them and said, ‘Why the

hell didn’t you tell me this before? I look like an idiot in school.”

Jeremy Sanchez says he never believed in Santa Claus simply because he never had a chimney. “I wondered how he’d

get in my house, and I knew my mother wouldn’t let him in,” says Sanchez, “Plus none of my presents said, ‘from Santa.’ They all said, ‘from mom or mama.’ How am I supposed to believe in Santa when it says from mama? And my mother would

ask me ‘what do you want for Christmas? I can get it for you.’”

Sanchez also says he will not be telling his kids Santa is real. “When they realize Santa is not real, it will break their hearts.

I would rather my kids be the ones to tell their friends Santa isn’t real. I’ll tell them, ‘You break the other kids’ hearts because I’m not gonna deal with you crying.’”

Angelica Gonzales keeps the charade up each year for her siblings and plans to

do the same for her kids. “Even now my father and my step-mother still puts ‘from: Santa’ on the presents.We want them to keep their childhood a little bit longer.”

She remembers as a child on Christmas Eve not being able to fall asleep because she wanted to hear Santa Claus coming. “I really wished I saw Santa. I don’t even remember when [I stopped believing]. ,� ¿JXUHG� LW� RXW�� DQG� ZDV� MXVW� OLNH� µRND\�whatever.’”

Aysha Padila says, “We [in Puerto Rico] believe in the Three Kings, so when I came [to America], and everyone here believed in Santa, I started to believe in him too.” Padila was in seventh grade when her uncle “ruined” it for her. “It was NLQG�RI�GHYDVWDWLQJ�DW�¿UVW��EXW�WKHQ�,�JRW�over it.”

.U\VWDO� 9HODVTXH]� ZDV� LQ� ¿IWK� JUDGH�when she overheard her crush say he didn’t believe in Santa. She says,“I was mad at ¿UVW�� EXW� WKHQ� ,� MXVW� IHOW� VRUU\� IRU� KLP�� ,�thought to myself ‘you poor thing, you’re such a fool. Who else would be bringing you presents?’ It wasn’t that day that I re-alized he was right, but it was shortly after that I let my doubts get the best of me.” Velasquez says she is not mad but rather wishes, “Between the tooth fairy, Santa, and unicorns, why can’t one of them at least be real?”

Either from family or friends, we are all eventually told that Santa is not real. $OWKRXJK� ZH� ¿QG� WKDW� 6DQWD� GRHV� QRW�come around, we can rest assured that the magic of Christmas is still there.


&/3��1HWÀL[��+HUPDQ�&DLQ��:KHUH�'LG�7KH\�/RVH�WKHLU�0HVVDJH"Learn more in a New Public Relations Course at HCC!

Introduction to Public Relations, COM201, will be offered this spring at HCC, Mondays and Wednesday, from 12:30-1:50 p.m. for all interested students. The course will focus on public relations as it’s practiced today, and also review the historical backdrop of this very important profession.

In addition to learning theory and industry best practices, the class will cri-tique current public relations scenarios in business, government and poli-tics. Through these case studies, we will appreciate the complexity and range of decision making strategies that go into crafting effective public relations policy.

A former journalist and editor, Adjunct Professor Frances Trelease brings 15 years of experience to the classroom. She creates a highly interactive classroom environment where students will become actively engaged in the learning process. They will come away with a real-word understand-ing of this profession.

19

ports+25,=216 �� 6SRUWV

by tJ mALLiCo

sports Editor

Every year there are players who don’t get all the love they should. In the media, sometimes the name

means more than numbers. ESPN would rather show highlights of $OH[�5RGULJXH]¶V�¿UVW�DW�EDWV�IURP�injury rather than young, exciting players like Eric Hosmer and Paul Goldschmitt. Every season there are plenty of players who go com-pletely under the radar, here are the most underrated hitters and pitchers of 2011 who also are on pace for a break-out and a more notable 2012 season.

American League:1) The Baltimore Orioles

needed a young second base-men to replace Brian Roberts for the future. They selected Ryan Adams in the second round back in 2006 and slowly worked his way through the minors. In 2010, Ad-ams had a career high in home runs, games played, and average in double-a. In triple-a this year he continued to hit ZHOO�DQG�¿QDOO\�JRW�WKH�FDOO�XS�WR�WKH�ELJ�leagues. In 89 at bats, Adams hit .281, with a .333 on base percentage, and 4 doubles. With Brian Roberts struggling to stay healthy the past 2 seasons and

mediocre play, Adams has a chance to start next season. A potential 2012 bat-ting line of: .271/9HR/50RBI’s could be in line for Ryan Adams next year.

2) The Boston Red Sox always preach starting pitching depth, so taking 0LFKHDO�%RZGRQ�LQ�WKH�¿UVW�URXQG�RI�WKH��¿UVW�URXQG�PDGH�DOO�WKH�VHQVH�LQ�WKH�world. The 25-year-old had a 3.19 ERA in 690 innings pitched throughout his

minor league career. In 20 IP (innings pitched) Bowdon posted a 4.05 ERA, averaging less than a hit an inning. The Red Sox pitching staff as a team was 22nd in ERA and 28th in quality starts. With clear problems in the rotation, Bowdon will see at least 65 innings next season. Bowdon can potentially win 6-9 games next season with an ERA around

4.24 and over a strikeout an inning.

3) The Chicago White Sox knew Joe Crede wasn’t a long term plan for third base. Drafting Brent Moral in the third round of the 2008 MLB Draft was a sign of changes to come. With a career batting av-erage of .305 in 3 years throughout the minor leagues, the White Sox decided to call him XS��,Q�KLV�¿UVW�IXOO�VHD-son, Morel played sol-id. A .245 average/10 homeruns/41rbi’s was

actually more productive than his team-mates Adam Dunn and

Gorden Beckham. With one MLB season in the books, I believe Morel

will only improve his numbers. An aver-age of .274/16 homeruns/72rbi’s seems just about right for the progressing third basemen.

4) In 2008, the Cleveland Indians accuired Carlos Santana and other pros-

pects for trading Casey Blake to the Dodgers. Santana has been a steal for the Indians. After sustaining a groin injury that put him on the disabled list for the second half of 2010, Santana’s 2011 campaign was off the charts. )RU� KLV� ¿UVW� IXOO� VHDVRQ� LQ� WKH� PDMRU�leagues, Santana belted 27 homeruns, 79 rbi’s, and an on-base-percentage of .351. He was second in home runs by catchers this year, and it’s widely an-ticipated that his .239 batting average will increase during his career. I was a non-believer in Carlos Santana, but after having one of the most produc-tive rookie seasons from a catcher in a long-time, Santana has a change to be something special. An average of .263/29 homeruns/84 rbi’s is looking

like an ideal 2012 season for the rookie of the year candidate.

National League:�� 7KH�%UDYHV�)UHGG\�)UHHPDQ�¿Q-

ished second this season in the Rookie of the Year votings and now we are ex-SHFWLQJ� ELJ� WKLQJV� IURP� WKH� \RXQJ� ¿UVW�basemen. Freeman was taken in the 2007 MLB Draft and with a quick, im-pressive stint in the minors made it easy for Atlanta to call up the young slug-ger. The 2011 season for Freeman was nothing short of spectacular. In over 155 games played Freeman hit .282/21 homeruns/76 rbi’s. He led his team in hits and had over 30 doubles. The 2012 season should be another successful sea-son for the 22 year old, but I do see a slight sophomore slump ahead of him. A batting average of .278/23 homeruns/83 rbi’s is what I estimate for him.

2) Lucas Duda was one of the Mets’ most productive hitters of the 2011 sea-son and he started the beginning of the year in the minors. After hitting .302 ZLWK� �� KRPHUXQV� WKURXJK� WKH� ¿UVW� ��games in triple-a, the Mets decided to give him a chance for their ball club. In 100 games, Duda hit .292, with 10 homeruns, 50 rbi’s, and an off the charts .370 on base percentage. Lucas Duda easily had one of the most underrated

seasons this year, and should continue to be under the radar for 2012. I expect him to play over 150 games, hit around .283 with 17 homeruns, and 79 rbi’s. Duda has the potential to be one of the Mets core players for the next ten years.

3) The Phillies had the best pitching staff in baseball before the addition of Vance Worley. Adding him has given them an easier road to October. Worley was selected in the 3rd round of the 2008 MLB Draft and gradually moved up from the minor leagues. In 131 innings pitched Worley showed everybody what he was made of. An ERA of 3.01, 11 wins, and over 100 strike outs showed analysts around the league the Phillies may have the best pitching rotation of all time. Next season Worley will most likely be their number 4 starter with Roy Oswalt headed to free agency, and I be-lieve he’ll have a solid 2012 season. 175 innings pitched, an ERA around 3.65, and 14 wins is where I think Worley can be next season.

These are some of the players that you should watch for the 2012 season. All of these players on are pace for produc-tive seasons and they will only continue to get more recognition. It’s tough for young players to get media coverage on bad teams or teams with a bunch of su-perstars like the Phillies, Yankees, Mets, etc. If these players continue at the rate they’re going, they will be household names for sure.

MLB Players to Watch For:

2008 NFL Draft Recap: Booms and Busts

)UHGG\�)UHHPDQ�GULYLQJ�D�GRXEOH�WR�WKH�RSSRVLWH�¿HOG�Photo courtesy of tomohawktake�com

6RPH�HYHQ�VD\�9DQFH�:RUOH\�KDV�RXWSLWFKHG�5R\�2VZDOW�WKLV�season.

Photo courtesy of philly�com

&DUORV�6DQWDQD�EODVWLQJ�WKH��fastball into the seats.

Photo courtesy of sportsillus-trated�cnn�com

by tJ mALLiCo

sports Editor

With the 2008 NFL Draft long gone, it’s time to look to see whose been productive and

whose just been a plain bust. Every NFL Draft, there will be players overvalued and will get drafted alot higher than there pro-duction has shown. Sometimes this works out, other times it can be a complete disas-

ter. Without further ado, lets take a look at some of the booms and busts of the 2008 NFL Draft.

Booms:7KH�0LDPL�'ROSKLQV�¿QLVKHG�ZLWK� DQ�

NFL worst 1 - 15 record and were reward-HG� WKH�¿UVW�RYHUDOO�SLFN� LQ� WKH��1)/�Draft. They chose Offensive Tackle Jake Long from Michigan. After signing a re-cord breaking $57.75 million deal every 5 years with $30 million guaranteed, many

wondered if it was a waste of money. Luckily for the Dolphins, Jake Long has been one of the best offensive tackles in the game since being taken 1 overall back in ‘08. He hasn’t missed one game to this date and has made numerous pro bowls. Locker is one of the center pieces to Mi-ami’s offensive line and if they can get a quarterback maybe they can return to their glory days.

After the gigantic Michael Vick dog

¿JKWLQJ�VFDQGDO��WKH�)DOFRQV�URVWHU�ZDV�LQ�need of a franchise quarterback. Coming out of Boston College, Ryan was regarded as the best quarterback in his class and he’s been everything the Falcons hoped for. In his rookie year Ryan threw for over 3,400 yards, won offensive rookie of the year, and led the “Vick-less” Falcons to the Playoffs. Ryan has continued his success up till today and looks like he’s going to be

&RQWLQXHG�RQ�SDJH��

20 +25,=216 �� 6SRUWV

Is Coach Tortorella the Right Man for the Job?by mArk bEin

stAff writEr

When someone has a Stanley Cup on their resume, it is hard to deny their credibility. When he

was with the Tampa Bay Lightning, John 7RUWRUHOOD�FRDFKHG�KLV�ZD\�WR�WKH�¿QDOV�DQG�won it all back in 2004 and was awarded the “Jack Adams Award” for coach of the year. Lord Stanley’s cup is one of the most coveted in all of sports, one which Rang-ers fans have only dreamed about seeing raised again in the Garden for the past 17 years since the glory days of Mark Mess-ier. Though it is understandable as to why Rangers GM Glen Sathers hired him con-sidering his accomplishments, there was a reason he was the former Lightning coach.

After the infamous can-cellation of the entire NHL season in 2005, immediate-ly following their Stanley Cup victory, a lot of things changed. The League al-most completely overhauled its rules and how the sport is played. While many have changed strate-gies and adapted in order to succeed, many would say it feels like Tortorella is stuck in the past. The league changed from a slow paced, defensive and violent affair, to be-ing a much more high octane offensive game. John Tortorella had always coached

a defensive/grinding style and before the lockout he found great success; however immediately following all the rule chang-es, Tampa Bay’s streak of success came to an abrupt halt. They went from the team at the top to being so ineffective that they were eventually awarded the number one overall pick in the draft.

I believe there were a lot of reasons for this sudden turnaround. The league now had zero tolerance on things like hook-ing, holding, grappling cross checking and holding, which slowed down the pace and the physicality of the game that Tortorella coveted in his team’s play. Also there were many changed to the neutral zone and po-sitioning of the net too that changed how offenses operated and requires a lot more break aways, incredibly precise passing,

speed and athleticism from your play-ers in order to get out of your own zone and score goals consistently. Instead Tor-torella’s teams rely on the old dump and chase, which means as soon as they gain possession and reach the neutral zone they

dump in around the net and chase after it in hopes they can get it before the other team can. There is very little cohesion on the offense.

Though many would argue that the Rangers still get results with him in com-mand. In fact he recently recorded his 100th win as the Rangers coach in his time with the team. However, many would credit a majority of those wins to what many consider to being the best goaltend-ing in the league with Henrik Lundqvist constantly carrying the team on his back and Marty Biron backing him up. Lun-qvist recorded a league leading 11 shut-outs, two more than Boston Bruins Tim Thomas who led his team to winning the Stanley Cup that very same season.

Also, this season even though the team is near the bottom of the league in total goals scored they are winning after getting off to a very shaky start. So far they have allowed only 36 goals which is by far the few-est. With such great goal tend-ing and defense, even without

their best defender Mark Staal who is out LQGH¿QLWHO\�ZLWK�D�FRQFXVVLRQ�� D�PHGLR-cre offense would have this team soaring to the top of the standings.

7KH�5DQJHUV�VHHP�WR�EH�¿JKWLQJ�IRU�DQ�eighth seed, only to then be immediately

HOLPLQDWHG� WKH� ¿UVW� URXQG�� DQG� EDVHG� RQ�the teams play despite the recent hot streak looks to happen all over again. With the talent the Rangers have on their team now and the players that have come and gone through their system in recent years they should be better. The team always makes a fairly good haul in free agency, only to have those signings end up a massive dis-appointment.

They are faring well now, but your goal tending can only get you so far. In this league if you want to win, you need to score goals, which the Rangers simply aren’t doing enough of and will continue to struggle to succeed like they have in the past, if their coach keeps juggling their lines and having his players try to grind their way to victories. His own personal feelings towards players on his roster seem to come into account far too often and end up hurting the team. Before the start of the season he sent down fan favor-ite Sean Avery to the Connecticut Whale for a little over a month, only to be forced to recall him after the team suffered a few injuries and some young players from their farm teams that he selected over him showed they clearly were not yet ready for the NHL. Of course he was immediately effective upon arrival, drawing several SHQDOWLHV�DQG�VFRULQJ�WZR�JRDOV�LQ�KLV�¿UVW�two games back.

their quarterback for another 10 more years. Once Matt Ryan starts winning in the playoffs, “hall RI� IDPH´� PLJKW� ÀRDW�around his alley.

Everybody knew the Saints had an ex-plosive offense, but they needed to ad-dress defensive con-cerns. With the sev-enth pick in the 2008 NFL Draft they chose defensive tackle Se-drick Ellis out of the University of South-ern California. Ellis has been one of the most dominating de-fensive tackles ever since he’s been in the league. With 30 tackles and 4 sacks in 13 games in his rookie year alone, he has made many question how challenging Ellis could be in a 16-game season. Last year was KLV�¿UVW��JDPH�VHDVRQ�DQG�(OOLV�SUR-vided career highs in sacks (6), tackles (44), and two forced fumbles. At just 26 years old, Ellis is only going to get better and better.

With the Jets taking the “work-out warrior” Vernon Ghoulston and other teams passing on the talented linebacker Jerod Mayo, the Patriots selected him tenth overall. Mayo played at Tennessee University in &ROOHJH� DQG� LQ� ¿UVW� 1)/� VHDVRQ� KH�won defensive rookie of the year. To this date, Mayo is a top 5 linebacker in the league. Last season, he led the league in tackles with 175 and has aver-

aged more than 100 each season. Mayo has made pro-bowls and has almost won defensive player of the year. Sadly for teams around the league, Mayo isn’t going anywhere and will continue to be a force for New Eng-land.

Busts:The Chiefs had a

ton of issues on of-fense and defense and went into the mindset of the draft selecting the best player that was on WKH� ERDUG� DW� ¿IWK�overall. They went

with LSU’s Defensive Tackle Glenn Dors-ey. Dorsey was regarded as one of the

VDIHVW� ¿UVW� URXQG� SLFNV� DQG� PDQ\� GUDIW�

experts applauded the pick. He had size, strength, and agility, but VR� IDU� WKURXJK� KLV� ¿UVW�three seasons he hasn’t amassed much. Dorsey’s only gotten there sacks in his career at a position where there needs to be more production. His 5 year/$51 million deal with $23 million guar-anteed has not gone ac-cording to plan.

Going into the NFL Draft there was a lot of hype about Vernon Gholston and unfortu-nately the Jets fell for all of it. He made headlines by tying the bench press record and running a freakish 4.58 40 yard dash. With Gholston and Jerod Mayo still on the board at 6, the

Jets chose Vernon and look-ing back on it now could be RQH� RI� WKH� ZRUVW� ¿UVW� URXQG�picks ever. He never re-corded a sack and has already gotten cut by two other teams besides the Jets. Gholston’s mammoth 5 year deal with over $20 million guaranteed was a complete and utter di-saster.

The Jaguars needed a de-fensive end and when a trade for Jason Taylor fell through, the Jaguars traded up in the draft for the best pass rusher available at eighth overall. The Jaguars took the college

sack-machine Derick Harvey. Back in his

days at the University of Florida Derrick Harvey was a machine. In his sophomore and junior year, Harvey recorded 19 sacks and went into the NFL Draft as a projected top 10 pick. During his rookie year, he recorded 3.5 sacks and had plenty to build off of. Sadly, he never did and actually regressed as a defen-sive end. He never had more then 2 sacks in a season and got cut by the Jaguars before the 2011 season. His 5-year, $23.8 million dollar contract has been grotesque.

7KH� ��HUV� KDG� D� ODWH� ¿UVW�round pick after trading down with the Colts for a second and fourth round pick respectively. The weak d-lined 49ers chose

Kentwan Balmer and was thought as reach IRU�WKH�¿UVW�URXQG��:LWK�%UDQGRQ�)ORZHUV��Matt Forte, and Tracy Porter on the board, analysts were shocked to see Balmer go to the 49ers. In three seasons, Balmer has yet to record a sack, force a fumble, get a fumble recovery, or tip a pass. He has struggled in every sense of the word and was traded for a sixth round pick to Se-attle. Balmer’s $11.5 million deal wasn’t WRR�PXFK�RI�D�¿QDQFLDO�VHWEDFN��EXW�LW�GH¿-QLWHO\�GLGQ¶W�EHQH¿W�WKH��HUV�

7KRVH�DUH�VRPH�RI�WKH��¿UVW�URXQG�boom and busts of the NFL Draft. Some of these players will eventually be in the Hall of Fame while others are already no names. Regardless, there’s nothing like draft day. The opportunity to draft a player that can make or break your franchise for the next 10 seasons is like Christmas to WKHVH�1)/�IURQW�RI¿FHV��

-DNH�/RQJ�KROGLQJ�KLV�RZQ�DJDLQVW�IRUPHU�&DUROLQD�3DQWKHUV�'HIHQVLYH�(QG�-XOLXV�

Peppers.Photo courtesy of www�sportsillustrated�

cnn�com

0DWW�5\DQ�ORRNLQJ�IRU�RQH�RI�KLV�IDYRULWH�WDUJHWV�RQ�D�

crucial third down. Photo courtesy of www�2�bp�

blogspot�com

6HGULFN�(OOLV�IRUFLQJ�D�IXPEOH�RQ�5RRNLH�4XDUWHUEDFN�0D[�+DOOPhoto courtesy of www�zimbio�com

³0DQ\�ZRXOG�VD\�LW�IHHOV�OLNH�7RUWRUHOOD�LV�VWXFN�LQ�WKH�SDVW�´

Housatonic Horizons December 2011

Documents

Transcript of Housatonic Horizons December 2011