utLook September 7, 2010Volume 43: Issue 3

On the Web: Outlookpress.org

STUDENT PRESSSUNY Rockland’s Student NewspaperO

How to Network Your Way Into An Internship

The Debate OverThe Mosque Near Ground Zero

Looking BackAt A GreatSports Summer

FEATURES 4 OpiniOn 6 SpOrtS 11

As the deadline for late registration approaches, more and more SUNY Rockland students can be found clustering in the Academic Advisement Center, located on the second floor of the Technology Building. Although the lines to meet with advisors is long, they

move swiftly due to the efficiency of the secretaries, coordinators, and faculty advisors in the center.

To avoid mass confusion during the “rush period” for registration, the Advisement Center placed a desk near the entrance into the office, where student secretary Alexarae Vasquez and co-coordinator of Academic Advisement Joan DeLisser, helped students get cleared for classes or place them with a faculty advisor.

“The Academic Advisement Center acts as a clearing house for students to find information about classes and get cleared,” DeLisser said. “Students can receive standard advisement about the SUNY general education requirements and also address any career issues that they have.”

Additionally, the center set up a 50 seat waiting area in the career/transfer

SEE ADVISEMENT PAGE 3

Students Pack Advisement Center as Deadlines Near

Susanna PerlovEditor-In-Chief

Students taking Business 101 have one less thing on their minds this semester. Professors in the eight sections teaching the introductory course have adopted an affordable, open-licensed textbook available free online.

“Exploring Business” by Karen Collins is published by Flat World Knowledge, a company that is transforming the way textbooks are being published and sold.

The Irvington, NY based commercial publisher offers its entire textbook catalog free online, with printed textbooks starting at just $30 for a black and white softcover copy.

“Everyone knows that publishers are coming out with new editions way too often, they are making minimal changes, and they are jacking up the prices,” said Catherine M. Roche, Associate Professor of business.

Informal surveys conducted by Roche last year found that students and professors are satisfied with the open textbook, and find its quality comparable to that of the more expensive, traditional books.

“Today’s students want choices. They have choices in everything they do. So maybe they want to download a few chapters and put them on their iPod? Or perhaps they want to just print a chapter at a time,” Roche said.

Flat World Knowledge offers different options for students to purchase their books.

Print versions are in color or black and white, and while a PDF can be downloaded for those who wish to print on their own, an eBook version is available to be used on an iPad or Kindle. Students can also purchase individual chapters and audiobooks.

Flat World Knowledge was founded in 2007 by former textbook publishing executives Jeff Shelstad and Eric Frank, who recognized the industry’s troubles and decided to model their company with students in mind. They also a variety of study aids, such as flashcards, interactive quizzes and audio study guides.

SEE BOOKS PAGE 3

Open-License Textbooks

Lower CostsElchanan HellerManaging Editor

Online learning has become a part of the SUNY experience. It can come in the form of full online curriculums, or web enhanced courses in the conventional classroom.

Starting this fall, any course can have an ANGEL component, which means that any course can have an online component.

Students can now access resources, view discussion topics, and learning modules that their teachers enable.

ANGEL can provide schedule and assignment updates, simple communication between other students and faculty, and visual course and grade progress.

All new students will be automatically given access to their own ANGEL account after activating their web mail and going through orientation.

Fully online courses allow students

from other colleges to receive course credit for classes that their own college might not offer, or RCC students to receive those credits if they cannot meet certain schedule requirements.

Currently, there are 77 faculty members at RCC who supply a range of courses through ANGEL.

“Some students take online courses because they think it’s going to be easier,” said Jeanne Linhart, a professor in

SEE ANGEL PAGE 3

Angel Online System Now Available to All CoursesIan Mauro

Photo Editor

Susanna Perlov / Outlook Student Press

“Publishers are coming out with new editions way too often, they are making minimal changes, and they are jacking up the prices.”

Catherine M. Roche, Professor of Business

NewsSeptember 7, 2010 3>> ANGEL CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

the Nursing Department. “But it’s not…you have to be organized to take online courses.”

Students who have experienced web-enhanced courses have found that the schedule compliments their other commitments. Student Tim Guccione, pointed out, “the flowing assignment deadlines were great for my awkward work schedule.”

The ANGEL software also provides teaching assistance for web-enhanced courses by bringing an electronic medium into the classroom.

Additionally, tutorials and other

information such as a course roster, can be viewed over the SUNY Rockland website. ANGEL can be personalized to accommodate a student’s preferences, and can be viewed through a PDA- style format to be navigated easily on the go.

Lena Hyun, professor of Art History and Appreciation said, “I miss the face no face time [but] have more of a dialog with students in an online class. Online requires more of a discussion. I can go to the New York Met and talk and then show my class with Youtube.”

The SUNY Learning Network provides support and the professional development of the ANGEL online learning system.

>> BOOKS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“It started with customers, and our feelings are that [students, faculty, and authors] ... are extremely dissatisfied with the current textbook market,” said Frank, who serves as the company president.

According to Frank, the dissatisfaction runs across the board.

College students keep complaining about the rising costs of textbooks and the lack of choices they have. Faculty have to deal with continuously updated editions, and textbooks that are inflexible.

Authors are affected as well when their books aren’t being sold, because students are renting, buying used, or pirating the books, with no royalties to be earned.

The company’s model aims to solve these problems. Open textbooks are written by leading scholars, and undergo the same rigorous peer review process of ordinary textbooks.

But instead of a traditional copyright, the books are assigned an open Creative Commons license, which allows professors to edit and rearrange the text as they wish, or even add their own content to a book, as long as the work is properly attributed and is not then resold.

Once a professor “adopts” a textbook, either as is or edited, it’s available either for free online, or it can be purchased as an

economically priced softcover textbook. The books are printed on-demand and sold directly to the student or campus bookstore.

According to the company, over 50% of students decide to purchase a printed textbook.

SUNY Rockland joins over 800 colleges and universities across the world who are using Flat World’s 24 published titles. An additional 50 textbook titles are in the works.

Roche now makes sure to carefully consider the price of each textbook she assigns and tries to choose books that are affordable.

“The book by Karen Collins is basically the same book that other publishers would have charged a a lot of money for,” Roche said. “The instruction resources are great as well. It’s very well supported from an instructor’s point of view, too.”

While Flat World is working on expanding its textbook offerings, the publisher is also hard at work on developing the textbook of the future.

“These textbooks will take full advantage of technologies offered by devices like the iPad. It will be an interactive experience, offering embedded videos, personalized self assessment tools and ways for students to communicate and study together,” said Frank.

>> ADVISEMENT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

resource area adjacent to the sign-in desk. Instead of standing in a long, seemingly endless line, students are given a number and can keep themselves occupied with the computers and college resource books.However, the “number system” is only reserved for days when the lines are extremely extensive and even then, the waiting time is never more than a few minutes, Delisser said.

Although the center has only been in existence for five years, it’s become a centralized resource that students can utilize at their convenience. New students are able to meet one-on-one with highly trained adjunct professors and full-time faculty members.

“Advisement isn’t a transaction—it’s an interaction between a student and advisor,” said co-coordinator of Academic Advisement Joe Planck.

In order to ensure that the Advisement Center is accurately targeting the needs of students, surveys are distributed for

students to fill out as a way to voice their opinions of how to improve the advisement process.

Even though the primary goal for the staff in the Advisement Center is to ensure that students are taken care of in respect to their schedules, transfer questions, or any other class-related questions, the coordinators also stress the importance of registering for classes on time to avoid the late registration hassle.

“The registration process is a seamless pipeline…students can enroll in Admissions on the first floor of the Tech building, take their placement exam on the third floor and then come here for advisement,” explained DeLisser. “But it really helps if students apply early.”

In addition to all that the Academic Advisement Center provides, it is also closely linked with the learning communities project being implemented on campus. Overall, the center provides students with various resources that will help them receive a degree and create a path for their future endeavors.

The smoking ban introduced on the SUNY Rockland campus just over a year ago is well underway, prohibiting smoking on all school grounds. Signs posted all over campus act as reminders that smoking is not permissible—but are students and faculty abiding by the new school policy?

Several students admitted to having witnessed others smoking on campus, lighting up a cigarette or two with little care of the new rule. Smoking is a habit that is hard to break, but the recent ban should at least deter smokers from lighting up on main campus, most say.

Officer Christian Cea of Public Safety has observed the events following the administrative decision to enforce a non-smoking campus. When asked if the ban has been successful this past year, Officer Cea responded, “The ban is a hard thing to implement because of the amount of people on campus. This semester we will be cracking down a lot more.”

“Smoking is a nasty habit that,

unfortunately, affects not only the smoker but surrounding people and the environment. So it should be a rule that no one can smoke on campus, in between classes and around others,” said one student who did not want her name used.

On the other hand, many believe that people have the right to smoke where they deem appropriate, regardless of school regulations. Although the non-smokers who oppose cigarettes on campus may be satisfied with the ban, the ban could be acting as “fuel to the fire” for those who think it’s their right to smoke where they want.

Although there is no official fine for being caught smoking on school grounds, the penalty, so far, is a written warning by by Public Safety. If Public Safety notices an individual who is repetitively being written up for smoking, the issue is then taken to administration.

Officer Cea believes the best way to prevent people from smoking on campus is to meet those in favor of smokinh on campus half way. “Maybe something like a designated area for smoking on campus can solve the problem of smokers who disregard school policy,” he said.

Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that things will change, Officer Cea said. “It’s the same concept as a stop sign. You could put hundreds of stop signs up but it doesn’t mean people will actually stop to obey the law.”

Smoking Ban: One Year LaterHas the Ban Truly Been Enforced?

Sari UgellFeatures Editor

“The ban is a hard thing to implement because of the amount of people on campus. This semester we will be cracking down a lot more.”

Officer Christian Cea, Public Safety

Features4 September 7, 2010

Internship. It’s a somewhat frightening word, one that calls to mind demanding corporate settings and the often foreign world of maturity, responsibility, and seminal decisions that could easily shape one’s whole profession and eventually, one’s life.

It is through internships that students can gauge which of numerous career tracks to embark upon and what to expect from them. In addition, through internships, students are given opportunities to apply their learning and talent in real world milieus and to develop skills and form connections that will greatly aid their success in a chosen career path.

Through internships, many students survey the vast world around them and attempt to identify their particular calling or passion. As the inimitable philosopher Aristotle writes, “The early bird may get the worm, but the second

mouse gets the cheese.”Many college students use internships as a potent

tool in pinpointing exactly what that means for them on a personal level. On the winding and uncertain path of academic, professional, and personal achievement, a well-chosen internship can serve as a large green road sign on a highway, an ‘x’ on an ancient treasure map, or a flashlight in a dark and murky forest.

Internships provide an experience that we would do well to take seriously.With this realization comes understandable nervousness, and a whole barrage of questions.

The most obvious one is also arguably the most pressing: where do I find an internship? Surprisingly enough, simple tips go a long way. Finding an internship is far easier than one might suspect.

One longstanding method for achieving your perfect placement is “networking.” This involves spreading the word that you are searching for an intern position through your “network”—your family, friends, neighbors, and

Navigating InternshipsThe Search for Your Placement in the Career World

Sarah SchwarzContributing Writer

Often, SUNY Rockland students come to campus for their classes and leave immediately after. Campus clubs are a great way to meet new people while engaging in an activity of interest.

Besides being an easy path to making new friends, clubs offer an avenue of stress relief to overburdened students. Involvement in extracurricular activities also helps when transferring to a four-year school or applying for a job.

Colleges and employers want to see what makes you different, and involvement in clubs is a great way to do that. Aside from the benefits clubs provide in terms of strengthening your résumé, they are also enjoyable.

Every club has officers, usually a secretary, treasurer, vice president, and president. Holding any one of these positions looks good on an application. Being a club officer also helps improve certain practical skills.

A list of the activities completed every meeting has to be submitted to the Student Involvement Office by the club secretary. This improves time management and organizational skills.

By managing the club’s finances, the treasurer hones her accounting abilities. The vice president and president gain leadership training by running club meetings. You don’t even have to hold any position in the club to gain benefits. Many clubs, such as Habitat for Humanity, spend a great deal of time doing community service.

There is a wide range of different clubs on campus, everything from video gaming to chess. Ethnic- based groups such as the Haitian Club give students a chance to associate with others from the same background. Religious-based groups, such as Hillel, offer many fun- and food-filled celebrations around holidays.

Many clubs organize exciting trips for their members, such as the Environmental Club’s canoeing trip last

spring. Others have weekly activies right on campus, such as growing vegetables with the Organic Gardening Club. If you are looking to be involved in the community, student chapters of national organizations may be a good choice. Good examples on campus are ROTORACT, the student chapter of the national service organization the Rotary Club, and Habitat for Humanity.

For the politically active student, clubs like the Gay-Straight Alliance or the Hemp Activist Group provide an issue to fight for. Some clubs offer a chance to actively develop a skill, such as writing for a newspaper (Outlook) or working on a stage production (Stage Crew).

Sports teams and clubs offer a chance to be both involved and physically active. Other clubs, such as the Chess Club, are perfect for students looking to develop a new hobby or have fun with an old one. With all these options, there is a club for everyone

Finding a club to join is easy. All clubs are required to have a table at Club Fest, an event at the start of the semester designed to help students find clubs. One can

also find a list of clubs on the RCC website.Most clubs meet during the Common Hour, 12:30

- 1:30, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Most classes do not meet during that time period to allow students to participate in extracurricular activities. Some clubs meet only one day a week, while others meet both days. Many clubs also serve lunch. Try joining a club this semester. You will discover that RCC has another side, and that it’s not all about academics.

More Than Just Lectures on RCC CampusGet Involved in Extracurricular Action This Common Hour

Jeremy PardoOpinions Editor

teachers. Any acquaintance is fair game. Email, call, or meet with as many people as you can until you’ve found an interested party.

Many companies are glad to offer internships. The best thing to do is take the initiative and actively seek them out.

Working with the college’s Career Services Center is also an effective but simple means to score an internship. The Internship Program offers positions with hundreds of local and regional businesses in the tri-state area, some of which are among the most prominent and esteemed companies in New York City.

Talking with a college mentor about your options or making a quick visit to the center will help you find an internship that can most benefit you.

The Internet can also aid in your search for the perfect placement. Going straight to the source is one way to get the job done—if there’s a particular company you have your eye on, scan their website for job openings. If you want a more generalized search, however, the web is no less helpful.

For example, Internweb.com allows you to search available positions tailored to your choice of location, industry, and time of year. A quick Google search will come up with many similar sites. Alternatively, you can just search major online job databases and input the keyword “intern.” There is an incredible wealth of information stored online. Take advantage of it, and you could be minutes away from finding your preferred internship.

Interning is an integral part of the college experience, and with the right information, the right internship can be easily attained. There are many effective ways to gather information about the various different positions available, and a comparable amount of resources that help students obtain different kinds of jobs.With only minimal effort, you can track down your ideal internships and begin to put your hard-earned knowledge to practical use. Remain positive, enthusiastic, and assertive, and you will reap the benefits of this accessible and rewarding system.

Courtesy of Habitat For Humanity

Features 5September 7, 2010

Just three minutes from the Rockland Community College Campus is Route 59, which is filled with many great places to eat. The top five selected are scattered along Route 59, but are no more than seven minutes

away. These tasty options are very convenient and won’t hurt your wallet, either.

If you are in the mood for a quick burger or your typical fast food restaurant, then “Wendy’s” is certainly a great suggestion. Wendy’s is on the left where Spook Rock Road meets Route 59. Besides being well-known for their burgers, they also specialize in sandwiches, fries, and chili. The 24-hour drive-thru is also a great feature for ordering on the go.

Further down on Route 59, there is a small shopping center that has a “Subway.” Subway is great because it’s open for breakfast and you can order a foot long sub for just $5. This reasonable option is great because you can choose what type of bread, meat, cheese, vegetable, and condiment you would like on your sandwich. There is also the option of including a drink and chips!

In that same shopping center, there is a Chinese take-out restaurant called “King Dynasty.” This small place offers fantastic lunch specials that can appeal to any customer. The basic lunches offer different combinations of noodles, vegetables, chicken, meat, and seafood for only $4.95. There’s also a diet menu that contains healthier options for less than $7. Either way, this option is a quick way to get fresh Chinese food on the go.

If you’re in the mood for pizza, a great suggestion is “Bella Vita Pizzeria and Restaurant,” located in the Wal Mart shopping center on Route 59. A normal slice costs around $2 and a gourmet slice is about $3. Gourmet slices include baked ziti, chicken parmigiana, veggie, Philly cheesesteak, and other great choices. This pizzeria also serves salads, delicious appetizers, and heroes.

Lastly, if you’re in the mood for an affordable meal at a deli, a great suggestion would be “Airmont Eats.” This deli serves many different types of food. The food served here ranges from scrumptious appetizers, to hearty soups, to a fabulous pasta bar, sandwiches, and their well known brick oven pizza. With great prices and different selections, this deli has truly established itself as a great place to eat. With a pasta bar at $7.99, a salad bar at $5.99, and sandwiches for less than $8, this successful restaurant has made a name for itself by

serving great food at reasonable prices.

These five places are smart options to eat or grab to go when hungry during a day of classes. Take a trip to any of these recommended restaurants and grab yourself a bite of tasty and affordable delights.

Lauren SmithStaff Writer

Inexpensive Places to Eat Off Campus

or interests may be, RCC students are known for continuing their education at some of the most prestigious and well-known colleges and universities.

According to the US News and World Report website, the best business schools in the country include University of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor), New York University, Cornell University, and University of Virginia.

Other schools such as CUNY Baruch College and Pace University are known for their business programs, and are both in New York.

Another popular major at RCC is English. US News and World Report have New York University, University of California (Berkeley), University of Iowa, Northwestern University, and Columbia University on their list of the best English programs.

Graphic design majors should look into Carnegie Mellon University, Rhode Island School of Design, University of Delaware, Drexel University and Maryland Institute College of Art. According to www.usnewsuniversitydirectory.com, the best science undergraduate programs include Stanford, Harvard, Cornell, Duke, John Hopkins University, and University of Wisconsin.

These programs are known for being competitive, but it shouldn’t scare you off. SUNY campuses like Stony Brook Binghamton, or Downstate, are also noted for offering great science programs. Other universities to check out are Arizona State University, University of Central Florida, and University of North Texas, which according to US News and World Report online, enrolled approximately 5,000 transfer students in the fall of 2009.

Many RCC students apply to schools like Ramapo College in New Jersey, SUNY New

Paltz and SUNY Albany, Hunter College, St. Thomas Aquinas, and John Jay College of Criminal Justice.When transferring, it’s important to know where you stand—but don’t be afraid to send out applications to a few schools.

Don’t be discouraged by uncertainty, use an opportunity to transfer to be unique and explore all the schools you could possibly find.

RCC Transfers: Where to Go NextHow to Find the Best Colleges That Fit Your Major

Sari UgellFeatures Editor

SUNY Rockland students spend approximately two years studying hard, experiencing the ups and downs of college life, gearing up for whatever comes next. However, the big question is, “What does come next?”

Although some students have an idea of where they want to journey onto, others may have not one clue as to what to look for when deciding where to transfer.

With so many different colleges and universities—large or small, with a city life or “suburbia”—the choices seem endless.

Nevertheless, narrowing down your options doesn’t have to be too difficult when choosing the right school.

The most important thing to know is that picking the right school is an individual decision.

Len Gersten, a faculty counselor at RCC, specializes in transferring and offers advisement for any student enduring the college transfer process. The whole ordeal of transferring can become overwhelming, but luckily there’s a group of people located in the Academic Advisement office who are willing to help.There are several factors that one should keep in mind when selecting school possibilities and creating a list. School size, location, and financial limitations are some examples of criteria that need to be considered when figuring out the best options.

After pinpointing exactly what you want your school to have, the best way to research the perfect school is to know what kind of programs the schools on your list offer.

From business to graphic design, whatever your major

OpinionOutlook Student Press

Outlook Student Press is published every other week except during exam periods and summer. It is an inde-pendent newspaper and public forum produced by students and paid for by advertising revenue and student activities fees. Outlook Student Press invites you to submit your opinions and ideas for publication. We strongly encourage letters to the editor.Content does not necessarily reflect the views of the Outlook editors or staff. Submissions may be edited for clarity, length, style, and taste. Outlook does not accept anonymous submissions.

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

Snail mail:Outlook Student PressRockland Community College145 College Road, Suffern, NY 10901

Professor Fuentes, Advisor

Susanna Perlov, Editor-in-Chief Babita Persaud, Production ManagerDemi Moore, Art DirectorElchanan Heller, Managing EditorSari Ugell, Features Editor

Jesse Strauch, Style & Entertainment EditorJeremy Pardo, Opinion EditorZehra Sheikh, Science & Health EditorIan Mauro, Photo Editor

Staff: Ken Grand-Pierre, Jonathan Mallon, Vanessah Raymond, Lauren Smith, Farah Naz

Contributors: Chayim Tauber, Kris Dougherty, Sarah Schwarz, Josh Bla-chosrky, Rachel Kohl, Kuldip Singh, Lindsay Goldman

6

Joshua BlachorskyContributing Writer

www.facebook.com/OutlookPress

www.twitter.com/OutlookPress If you’ve turned on any cable news network, radio or flipped through the paper in the past few weeks, the lead story has been about the proposal to build some form of Islamic center near Ground Zero, the spot where the Twin Towers fell on Sept. 11, 2001. Depending on the network, the issue is framed so differently that it can cause one to wonder if the same topic is being discussed. The center has been described as a celebratory monument to a deadly act, or a “peaceful relations ambassador”; the imam of the mosque has been called a radical jihadist or a peaceful, tolerant community leader. The building of the center has clearly touched a nerve.

It cannot be disputed that the proponents of the project have every legal right to build it. The First Amendment guarantees both the freedom of expression and the freedom of religion. Nor can it be disputed that people around Ground Zero are still reeling from the tragic events of Sept. 11, and that their passions run very deep.

The issue has become not whether it is legal to build the Mosque, but rather if the mosque should be built at the proposed site near Ground Zero. The media and politicians have clutched this controversy and are exploiting it to fuel their own agendas.

Almost one year ago, on Dec. 8, The New York Times reported that developers had purchased the property near Ground Zero and were planning on building an Islamic center. There wasn’t even a whisper about the proposal at the time. One can only wonder why all of a sudden this issue has caused such controversy.

With the mid-term elections rapidly approaching, candidates are focusing on this issue, almost to the exclusion of all others. In fact, the homepage of Rick Lazio, the Republican candidate for governor of New York, is almost exclusively about the Mosque. As soon as visitors enter the homepage, they are asked to sign a petition against this project. Lazio is using the public outrage to further his campaign and hammer Democrat Andrew Cuomo, who has gone on record as supporting the builder’s right to erect the project under the First Amendment.

New York’s gubernatorial election is not the only election being affected by this controversy. It seems that almost every politician, local or national, from city council members to President Obama, has

opined on the issue, and used it to further an agenda.

There is a long history of politicians manipulating controversial issues to further campaigns. In the 1790’s, it was Alexander Hamilton and the whiskey tax. The 1850’s had Stephen Douglas and the extension of slavery. More recently, during the 1960’s, George Wallace used civil rights.

Only, those were national issues deserving of national attention. The Islamic center issue is a local issue that has been resuscitated from obscurity nearly a year after it was first reported.

Why didn’t these concerns surface when the property was purchased? Why now, going into the electoral season, is this issue taking on such monumental significance? It seems that only after the news started covering the project 24/7, did these issues come out. The media has long had an effect on the minds and actions of Americans, but that effect seems to be reaching new heights.

The opponents of the project have legitimate worries and deserve to have their voice heard; however, it is very difficult to believe that this newfound fervor against the mosque just happened to come out now.

It appears that the media is hijacking this issue and using it to further its own agendas. Fox News, long known as a right wing station, offers airtime to any Republican running for office willing to give a two minute sound bite against the project, while MSNBC, Fox’s liberal counterpart, will make any pro-mosque Democrat sound like the second coming of Thomas Jefferson.

These stations are just some of the examples of how this issue is being exploited to serve the media’s agendas. The more airtime this issue is given, the more eager politicians looking for a platform will speak about it; and the more it gets spoken about, the more airtime it gets.

In his closing remarks to the nation, President Dwight Eisenhower famously warned Americans about the military-industrial complex, or the relationship between politicians and the war industries. He argued that war industries supported politicians, who then in turn supported wars as part of their platform, in order to increase the war industries’ profits.

It seems today that we have a new MIC, only today it’s between politicians and the media. We should all heed Ike’s warning, and get back to real issues of national significance.

Violent Mosque or the Epitome Of American Ideals?

Depends on Who and When You Ask

Susanna Perlov/ Outlook Student Press

How will you reform healthcare?

The mosque is an

abomination!

How are you going to improve the education system?

The mosque is a symbol for terrorism?

Where’d he go?

Uhhh....See ya!

September 7, 2010

Science & Health

Most underdeveloped countries fear the devastation that natural disasters bring in their wake. While developed countries usually have little to no problem with deploying aids to its citizens, countries such as Pakistan cannot offer substantial help to people in need. According to the UN, the number of living people affected by the

flooding in Pakistan the past two weeks is 20 million now. Estimates of the death toll of the floods range from 1,300 to 1,600.

This is by far Pakistan’s worst flooding in 80 years; about one-ninth of the population was displaced by the flood disaster.

Three weeks into the worst natural disaster in Pakistan’s history, people were still desperate to escape as a second wave of monsoon floodwaters surged southward. Citizens were frantically trying to get out

of town to reach dryer ground. Health officials fear that the suffering

is not ending anytime soon. As people are forced to walk through unsanitary water, while clean drinking water is scarce, there is a growing concern about the spread of diseases.

According to the World Health Organization, more than 200 health facilities have been damaged, making it more difficult to help survivors in

7

Floods in Pakistan Create Health ConcernSeptember 7, 2010 7

The harsh summer sun can leave our skin looking dull with no glow. First, bare skin exposed to the sun is damaged by UV rays. Second, any marks on the skin, such as acne marks, are darkened by the sun, making them stand out more. Finally, deep under the skin, we have proteins that hold our skin together, making it look smooth, firm and healthy. UVA rays break down these proteins, resulting in rough-looking skin and even wrinkles. So here are some after-summer tips that can help your skin glow and look radiant again.

Getting healthy skin doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to invest in expensive products. Adhering to these simple tips will make obtaining radiant skin fast and easy. Also, you’ll find yourself feeling healthier, more awake, and energized just by making a few simple changes to your lifestyle.

Start Taking Multivitamins:

Multivitamins can be essential when it comes to trying to repair your skin. These vitamins can help your skin heal and become radiant again.

Hydrate your self: The oldest and most efficient way of getting clear, healthy skin is through hydration. Drinking a substantial amount of water can cleanse the blood and replenish body

cells, which creates a natural and healthy glow.

Invest in a cleanser: It is important to wash your face at least once or twice a day. Investing in a cleanser like Neutrogena can help you maintain fresh looking skin. Also, cleansers are able

to get rid of dirt and bacteria, leaving your skin smooth and clean.

Disaster Relief is Looking Dim for Impoverished Country

Vanessah RaymondStaff Writer

Healthy Glowing Skin| After A Summer’s Heat

Clear-Skin diet: Eating healthy is very important to achieve glowing skin. Eat at least three servings of vegetables a day to help keep skin healthy. Also, it is vital to eat a variety of vegetables

and fruits. Different shades of vegetables and fruits offer different nutrients.

Zehra SheikhScience & Health Editor

unsanitary conditions. The lack of hygiene, overcrowding and breakage in waterlines could lead to diseases, including measles, malaria and acute diarrhea.

Cases of acute diarrhea exceed 204,000, the number of skin disease cases tops 263,300 and more than 204,600 survivors have reported acute respiratory infections, reports the World Health Organization.

“The depth of suffering is incalculable as risks escalate of diarrhea, acute respiratory infection, malaria and other communicable diseases,” said Dr. Guido Sabatinelli of the World Health Organization. “It is crucial that all humanitarian health providers, local and national, coordinate their relief efforts closely to save lives, reduce suffering and deliver the most effective response.”

The shortage of aid, funds and medicine/vaccines left millionaof people, the majority of them children, at risk for deadly diseases due to filthy water. Though more

than 100,000 children received polio shots in Charsadda and Peshawar, additional funds are needed to reach a larger amount of people.

The United Nations appealed for $460 million over the next three months to help the roughly 20 million survivors.

The funds would help people in need of shelter, food and emergency care. These necessities would greatly increase the chance of survival for Pakistani people.

General Fiasco – BuildingsThis is an album that features not

only three talented musicians, but quite possibly the most honest tracks you’ll ever find. For fans of Death Cab for Cutie and Weezer, General Fiasco ease their way into your hearts with catchy guitar hooks. The opening lyric of their hit single “Ever So Shy” is “Lets get wasted, it’s all we ever do” and it is greatly delivered by frontman Owen Strathern and hits home as being one of those tracks you simply get. Other album standouts are “Rebel Get By” and the title track which shows not only great maturity in the band’s sound but surprising versatility for a debut. If I had only one way to describe this album it’d be “the type of music kids in college SHOULD be listening to.”

Standout tracks: Rebel Get By, Buildings, Ever So Shy, and I’m Not Made of Eyes.

Gorillaz – Plastic BeachIf there were ever a way to define

experimentation and solidify it into how it should sound, then Gorillaz have certainly succeeded in doing so. With their third release, Plastic Beach, ex-Blur frontman/Gorillaz co-creator Damon Albarn over- exceeds every expectation set on him whilst recording the album with his multi-instrumental skills, but also largely due to the vastly impressive cast of musicians who were recruited. Rappers Gruff Rhys and De La Soul provide laughable yet impressive dynamics to upcoming single “Superfast Jellyfish” as Swedish singer Little Dragon duets with Albarn on tracks “Empire of Ants” and “To Binge” with incredible chemistry and harmony. The true spectacle on this album is the track

“White Flag” which integrates the rap vocals of Bashy and Kano with the mesmerizing skills of The Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music in a way that you almost can’t bring yourself to believe.

Standout tracks: White Flag, Superfast Jellyfish, Broken, and To Binge.

We Are Scientists – BarbaraI think it should be said how everyone

in NYC raves about The Strokes when We Are Scientists exist. Their debut (technically sophomore release) With Love and Squalor is everything you could hope a band could accomplish; catchy tunes that have lyrics which are not ambiguous and that you simply “get”.

Frontman Keith Murray did not waste his time on the songwriting for that album and this trait is still prominent on the bands third release, Barbara. The band returned to simple guitar chords followed by Murray’s swoonful vocals of partying, revelations, and of course, girls. I’ll quote what bassist Chris Cain said to me earlier this year when meeting him in that “This is a great throwback to college rock, and anyone looking for an enjoyable thirty minutes will find it with our album”.

Standout tracks: Nice Guys, Ambition, Pittsburgh, and I Don’t Bite.

Two Door Cinema Club – Tourist History

It’s incredible how fast a band can grow. After meeting together in Bangor, Northern Ireland, band members Alex Trimble, Kevin Baird, and Sam Halliday knew their diverse tastes of music would be an asset and not a road block when it came to writing and recording tunes. Utilizing aspects of pop, electronica, indie, and alternative the band crafted catchy track after catchy track. Most notably single

“Something Good Can Work,” which not only produced a massive following in both Ireland and the UK, but allowed the band to tour with Phoenix, Foals, Metronomy, and Delphic before even releasing their debut! Their tracks are short, fast, and more importantly, the type of tracks you want to be humming to all day.

Standout tracks: I Can Talk, Come Back Home, What You Know, and Do You Want It All?

Deftones – Diamond EyesDeftones are that band who are both

melodic and heavy in terms of sound yet never make this come off as an oxymoron. Their career featured them as one of the early “nu-metal bands” (you know, when you were in high school and had to convince yourself Linkin Park and Korn were good) yet most would agree that they were always ahead of their so called “peers” and Diamond Eyes is a clear indication of this. This track is immensely dense, open, imaginative, and outstandingly the best work the band has put out since their critically acclaimed album White Pony, and the best part is this is shown after only the first three tracks are finished and when track four, “You’ve Met the Butcher,” begins, which

is one of the most enjoyable standouts of 2010 alone.Standout tracks: CMND/CRTL, Diamond Eyes, Rocket Skates, and You’ve Seen the Butcher

Tokyo Police Club – ChampOh Canada, is there anything you can’t

do? Last year you brought one of the best albums from your heroes Metric, and this year you bring us the downright awesome nerdgasm which is Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World.

So what else can you offer us? Oh! A new album by Tokyo Police Club! After touring for two years with various acts such as Born Ruffians and Passion Pit, the Canadian indie rockers have learned to become more versatile with their sound as opposed to their quick but enjoyable debut album, Elephants.

This time around frontman David Monks utilizes his easy going Canadian attitude to sing more heartfelt tunes and (this isn’t a joke) succeeds in singing “Your coffee’s cold, your coffee’s icy” in a way that will literally stick in your head all day (Check out “Favourite Food” for this).

Standout tracks: Favourite Food, Breakneck Speed, Wait Up (Boots in Danger), and Bambi.

Style & Entertainment8 September 7, 2010

@RCC

Today, my girlfriend broke up with me via “The Sims 3.” Now I’m watching myself burn alive as she laughs at me. FML

Today, I was told that in order to be eligible for more jobs, I should remove my associates degree from my resume. Thanks RCC! FML

Today, while bored in class, I looked up my name, Jesse, on Urbandictionary. Apparently I should have a huge rack with, and I quote, “a killer bod”. I

unfortunately have none of these... mostly cuz I’m a guy. FML

Today, I finally found my cell phone when I heard what can only be described as MR. T raping R2-D2 coming from my washing machine.

Now I know what “Droid” can’t do. FML

Today, after my psych history class ended I asked Dr. Beisel a quick question about the reading. To my dismay, it has been an hour and he still

hasn’t stopped ranting about Nazis. FML

Today, I joined Outlook. FML

Today, I literally “gassed” out my whole class. I guess eating a Baconator at 2:30 in the morning the night before isn’t the best idea for my bowels.

FML

Today, after class, I thought it would be funny to moon people from my friend’s car. I rolled the window down and let a few innocent bystanders see my pasty cheeks get goose bumps in the breeze. You should have seen their reactions when I had to get out of the car to pick up my wallet, after

it had fallen out of my back pocket. FML

Today, I realized that the best part of my Pluralism and Diversity class was when I discovered that my nipples can work the touch screen on my

iPod. FML

Jesse StrauchStyle & Entertainment Editor

New Tunes to Throw in Your iPod Alternative Rock Albums to Check Out This Fall

Ken Grand-PierreStaff Writer

Impulse

September 7, 2010 Style & entertainment 9

3. The (Stylish) BackpackWho says that backpacks cannot be fashion forward? This hot new item

is the latest must have fashion accessory to start the semester on atrendy, but still functional note. These bags are flattering to nearly

every type of ensemble, and will ensure that you never have to fear afashion faux pas by carrying a backpack to school again.

1. The BlazerNothing says smart and sophisticated quite like a blazer does. Theangular cut at the shoulders portrays a desirably cool, nonchalantdemeanor in the midst of all the inevitable campus chaos. Pair theloosely fitting piece with a fabulous pair of skinny jeans and you

will be able to show off the shape of your toned, summer legs as well!Adorable flats with bows complete the look, adding a subtle yet much

needed touch of femininity to the outfit.

2. The Flat ShoeThey are the anti-heel and, as expected, the very definition of

comfort. Although flats have been experiencing some fashion downtimeuntil recently, they are back with a vengeance in shades of yellow,peach, lilac, red, and more. This season’s trend is all about wearingbrightly colored shoes to contrast the intensity of color against your

outfit. The surest way to lighten up those dark jeans or sweater iswith a pop of vibrancy.

For HIM...

Fall Trends4. The Sneaker

These shoes are classic, comfortable and will always remain in style.You can never have too many pairs of sneakers, and the beginning of

the school year makes for an excellent opportunity to add to yourcollection! Ranging from the basic casual prototype to increasingly

dressier versions, the sneaker just might claim the title of mostversatile shoe on the planet.

6. The Leather JacketThe leather jacket is a timeless, incredibly stylish, smooth and

attractive article of clothing. Never mind the 1950s T-Bird look, thisjacket manages to demand spotlight with its cool and masculine appeal.

Paired with jeans and a nice shoe, you can easily take campus bystorm.

5. The Briefcase

The time has come to lug those laptops, notebooks, texts and bindersfrom class to class. Why not carry the college load in style? This

accessory has the ability to boost casual menswear into a domain ofbusinesslike attire. The briefcase, especially when combined with the

trench coat, is also ideal for job interviews and/or otherprofessional capacities.

Rachel KohlContributing Writer

I’d forgotten him completely Although I’d given Gabe his book

Gabe, my second, my daredevil boy My partner in risking everything together Climbing cliffs where the rock flakes off In the hand, like a theme tablet, Like this one here, the one I’m writing on now and tomorrow is

Nine eleven, nine one one And I’d forgotten about Philippe Petit And my students didn’t know his name at all Philippe Petit and so I told them Of a small young man who fooled officials So he, his team and his cable, one inch Around, made it to the top of Tower One And how they used a bow To shoot a line so heavy in mid air so Philippe Petit could follow such a course, so thin, one Quarter of a mile from the ground

Circuit Where the crowd could just about spy a small being

On a grey thread, and the policeman Who was his audience and was there waiting To arrest him saw Philippe cross the open space The shortest distance between two points Which is what the imagination does sometimes Even when it takes a while and Philippe Made a circuit back and forth, seven, eight times Making the line into a loop and smiling,

That’s what the young cop said as he watched him dance Upon the cable and then he lay down, he said And he thought he was smiling then, too.

And now Philippe Petit is 64 and is Still petit and then his rope was a filament

At the top of the world and tomorrow is Nine eleven and then the cop, Officer Gonzalez, He said he’d never seen anything like it, Not ever again.

-Reamy Jansen

Reamy Jansen is Professor of English and Faculty Advisor to Impulse, A Magazine of Literature and Art.He is the recipient of two SUNY Chancellor’s Awards: one in Creativity and Scholarship; the other in Excellence in Teaching. His most recent book is a memoir, Available Light,

Recollections and Reflections of a Son. His next book, My German Time, Adventures in Bavaria, will be appearing in late 2011.His poem, “Circuit,” was commissioned in 2002 by RCC’s Student Involvement Office. The poem has appeared in a number of publications.

Philippe Petit traversed the towers in August 1974. His book is To Reach the Clouds.

For Her...

Technology10 September 7, 2010

As summer ends, we all find ourselves preparing for the new semester. During this time of the year, laptop computer sales far surpass anything else in the technology market. Laptops come in many different sizes, shapes, and of course prices. Looking for the perfect laptop is often difficult, but with a little bit of research, you can purchase something that will satisfy your needs.

With so many brands and features to choose from, careful research is needed to find the best one. Start by finding a laptop with the basic requirements for school. Most laptops are either Windows or Macintosh based. It is also important to know about the hardware and amount of memory storage. If portability is an issue, then the weight of the laptop should be a consideration, too.

One of the most desired laptops by students is Apple’s Macbook. The Macbook is cheaper than the Macbook Pro, and has almost as many features. The Macbook has flexibility and is light weight. It also has antivirus protection, a built-in webcam, and comes preloaded with software such as iTunes and iChat. It also comes with an amazing 13-hour battery life.

The Fujitsu LifeBook P3110 is another good laptop for college

students. This laptop is more powerful

than a

netbook but is also more expensive. This laptop handles high-definition Flash content for those who want a richer web experience and enjoy watching shows online and on YouTube. The vent of the LifeBook is located on the left side of the laptop rather than the rear, making it easier to avoid. A decent size keyboard makes it easy to type and control, but besides that, it is lacking on features.

A cheaper laptop with great performance is the Dell Inspiron 15. The Inspiron 15 is probably the most economical choice without sacrificing features. This Dell has excellent battery life and a Duo processor for fewer than $1000. The Inspiron 15 runs on Windows Vista and has a webcam. It is excellent for general use and for office work.

If you’re looking for something sleeker and cheaper, then your best pick would be the Asus Eee PC 1005HA-H. The battery life is over six hours, which is great if you’re always on the go or traveling long distances. It contains a flat, wide keyboard which is among the better netbook keyboards used. The best thing about this machine is the size, screen, webcam and processor.

Another laptop to consider is the MSI Wind 12 U200. This laptop lies between a netbook and laptop and is more comfortable to buy. It has a decent size screen and is powerful. It can also handle daily usage and basic requirements. This laptop is more powerful than a netbook and is easy to travel with. Further, if you

want to expand the laptop with more memory, you can easily

install the hardware yourself.

Zehra SheikhScience & Health Editor

|With the Best Laptops

SportsSeptember 7, 2010 11

This summer was a summer that was marked down on every basketball fan’s calendar because of the spectacular class of free agents who became available in the off-season.

The Nets, with a new billionaire owner, drafted power Derrick Favors. They also acquired several new free agents, and plan to move to a new arena in Brooklyn this year.

The Knicks signed four-time All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire and former college star Raymond Felton in an off-season that proved nearly as promising as it was disappointing.

The Knicks were among one of the handful of teams in contention for the off-season’s grand prize, MVP LeBron James. James became the most hated man in basketball this off-season by colluding with fellow free agents to spurn his hometown of Cleveland as well as New York, by forming what many view as a cowardly alliance with Miami.

This summer also meant the beginning of the football free-agency period and

training camp with the Jets. They have quickly become the m o s t talked about team i n New York, causing expectations for

the team to run high. Coming o f f of last year’s miraculous run to the AFC conference finals, they are a Super Bowl favorite in 2010.

The major story in Jets camp this summer, and a

possible deterrent to their championship dreams,

is the contract dispute with superstar cornerback Darrelle Revis.

F o o t b a l l contracts are not g u a r a n t e e d

a n d Revis, grossly u n d e r p a i d

at $1 million for the u p c o m i n g

s e a s o n , wants to be recognized financially as the best

cornerback in the league. Since the contracts are not guaranteed and injuries are so rampant, contract disputes are inevitable. Unfortunately for the Jets, if not resolved soon, this one could cost

them a Super Bowl. The Giants, a team historically

known for their ferocious defense, embarrassed that legacy last season

and spent this past off-season determined to rectify that. They acquired star safety Antrel Rolle and former Clarkstown North star Keith Bulluck to add some leadership in the clubhouse and help fill in the holes in their defense.

Most important for them is the hiring of fiery defensive coordinator Perry Fewell to replace the more bookish Bill Sheridan after a nightmarish season.

In the world of baseball, Mets fans have been plagued the last few years with a team that seemingly has an aversion to winning. Following last years’s colossal failure and the September chokes of ‘07 and ‘08, the Mets took a different route this year and began to integrate some of their younger talent onto the roster. Ike Davis was one of the most desirable rookies when he first broke into the big leagues, but he’s cooled off considerably since then.

Mike Pelfrey was one of the most dominant pitchers in the majors in the first half of the year. Young lefty John Niese, looks like Andy Pettite circa 1996.

The most pleasant surprise for the Mets has been the performance of role-player Angel Pagan, who blossomed into their best player this summer and seized the role of starting outfielder.

The Mets still have a long way to go and Mets fans should expect some front office changes this winter to help accelerate that process.

The defending champions, the New York Yankees, have proven to be something of an enigma. They were preseason favorites to repeat as champions and despite being tied for the best record in baseball, still haven’t seemed to click yet.

While the pitching has been their strength, their offense seems to disappear. A few of their superstars are laboring through some of the worst years of their careers (Jeter, Posada, Rodriguez) and others have suffered through prolonged slumps (most notably, Teixeira and Granderson).

Despite their inconsistency and several deaths in the family (most notably owner George Steinbrenner, player and manager Ralph Houk, and “the voice of god” Bob Sheppard), the Yankees still sit atop the baseball world as reigning champions. The prevailing feeling seems to be, if they ever do put it all together, the rest of the league doesn’t stand a chance.

Finally, the United States Men’s World Cup soccer team made the United States care about soccer (for at least a month). Bars and stadiums were packed with supporters, as captain Landon Donovan and company captured the country’s imagination with a miraculous “added time” goal to earn a berth in the elimination round.

Their gutsy performance and reputation as “comeback kids” captured America’s heart and their 1-1 draw with rival (and vastly superior) England earned them bragging rights for the next four years.

In a summer with philandering golfers, narcissistic basketball players, and cheating would-be Hall of Famers finding themselves in court, summer 2010 provided several moments, storylines, and intriguing glimpses into the coming year.

A Recap of This Summer’s Major American Sports

A Look Back at the Season’s Star Players and MoreChayim Tauber

Contributing Writer

Satire September 7, 201012

Tip 4: Change Lettering

This tip is one that will change the casual slacker into a full-blown procrastination artist. Times New Roman has been a standard, but now there are literally thousands of choices in fonts to choose from. Why should we be limited to just one? The answer is we shouldn’t. We should be free to choose whatever size font we like. The key is to find a font that will look like the dreaded Times New Roman, but be slightly larger. A good place to start is with the fonts entitled Book Antiqua and Palatino Linotype, and go from there.

Slackers of the World UNITE!It’s Time to Learn How to Eat Up Space When Writing Papers

Jesse StrauchStyle & Entertainment Editor

With school back in full swing, it will soon be essay writing season, and if you’re like me, you procrastinate to the last minute. When writing a paper on a procrastinator’s schedule, it becomes increasingly important to make the work look not only un-rushed, but well thought out, because as you and I both know, the idea of doing your work in a

timely fashion is completely ridiculous. I have come up with a set of tips that will use space on a paper in the most effective ways. Just think of me as your procrastinating enabler!

With all these paper-changing techniques, a teacher may wonder why your paper looks slightly different. The best excuse is the most simple and slightly true one: I always say I have a different word processor than what everyone else uses—and that is partly true. I use a program called Open Office mostly because it’s free, but also because it’s slightly different than Word. Does it really make your paper any different? Hell no, but it’s a good enough excuse for your teacher to hear. I hope these tips will help with the inevitable

two am essay writing and if you have any other tips feel free to e-mail us at OutlookStudentPress@gmail.com.

Tip 1: Margins Margins Margins If you bring in your margins by a quarter of an inch,

you can save almost a whole word per line. You have a line that would look like this:

Today I fought a 4 foot tall leprechaun that screamed “your soup will be mine!” before he stole my wallet.

To a line that looks like this:

Today I fought a 4 foot tall leprechaun that screamed “your soup will be mine!” before he stole my wallet.

Tip 3: Spacing Between SentencesIf you’re a procrastinator, you should use your space

bar as liberally as possible without making it look like the words are floating on an essay wasteland.

Tip 5: Vocab , Get Some! Now I know this tip seems quite un-slacker of me,

but it works and it also helps to make an essay look well thought out and well constructed. Your best bet is to go and dust off your SAT prep book and look through it. There are some useful words that you could use; some even have multiple syllables. Instead of quickly jotting down a word like “good,” you could eloquently write the word “extraordinary.” I should also mention that the cesspool known as the Internet has a plethora of great thesaurus-type resources, but it really comes down to which is easier for you.

Tip 6: Be Punctual The greatest tip I could possibly give is to address the

punctuation at the end of sentences. It is expected that you will type out your paper in size 12 font, but when it comes to the periods, exclamation points, and question marks at the end of sentences, you have a little more leeway. Instead of having a period that’s size 12, change it to size 14. Now depending on how lazy you’re feeling that day, you can go larger.

Tip 2: It’s Still Legal It is standard procedure to type your paper in size 12 font,

but if you increase it by a half, it will hardly be noticeable. But as slacker wisdom would have it: if you’re going to make the font size 12.5, then you’re also going to want to make the punctuation 14.5, just to keep everything even.

Susanna Perlov / Outlook Student Press