The Chronicle: March 26
Baseball team prepares for tough season
Brett Starkopf
Features Editor
“What are you doing to better yourself, right now?” a voice barks from behind the dugout of the CLC Baseball team. The few players the question was directed to scatter around the field and get back to work, continuing to prepare for the season opener, March 23 against the Lake Land College Lakers in Mattoon.
Constantly trying to better themselves, the Lancer players work continuously, hardly taking a moment to sip water, let alone breathe. The structure of this team is reminiscent of a professional ball club. An hour into their first practice outside, Head Coach Ken Kelly takes his first steps onto the field. The team has already begun running drills and coaching each other without him, which is surprising considering these players are only teenagers.
The squad will head into Mattoon looking to start the season on the right foot. The Lancers are playing a Laker team, whose season began at the end of February. They have already played 20 games and are in peak regular season form. Lake Land, a Division I junior college, started their season playing games in Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee, but that doesn’t intimidate any of the Lancer players.
“The division doesn’t mean anything, it’s the players on the team,” Freshman Outfielder Denzale Denton said. “A lot of JUCO’s actually have better players, they just didn’t have the right grades. So we should be able to stay with them.”
Lake Land has struggled up to this point in the season. Losing 10 of 13 games outside the state, the Lakers bounced back, splitting their next six. They will try to take their momentum into the contest against the Lancers, but will have the tough task of facing sophomore ace, right-hander Rob Wilson. The 6-foot-3-inch Canadian hurler was 4-1 last season. He was second on the team with a 1.28 ERA and struck out 28 batters in 42 1-3 innings.
“I’m real excited about the first game,” Wilson said. “I’m healthier than I was last year, my fastball is stronger and my changeup has developed a lot.”
The pitching rotation is the only part of the lineup and only part of the series, for that matter, Coach Kelly has set.
“It’s not who we play, its how we play,” Kelly said. “I never look at the other teams. I can’t control anything about the other team. You can pretty much tell in (batting practice) for the other team who can play, that’s my scouting report.”
After Wilson throws, sophomore Ben Ehgoetz will get the call the second game of the double header. Ehgoetz was 2-0 in only 22 1-3 innings last year, but posted a very respectable 2.02 ERA with 22 strikeouts.
After their series in Mattoon, the Lancers will head to Bloomington on March 24 to take on Heartland Community College. Freshman left-hander Luis Cruz will get his first start of the season.
Aside from the unset lineups, the Lancers have to figure out their injury situation. A couple of players have to deal with arm problems, one of whom might be shut down for the season, and Denton bruised a bone in his hand after being hit with a pitch during a scrimmage. However, he is confident he will start Tuesday.
“If the trainer says he thinks he can go, he can go. If the trainer says ‘no,’ he’s not going no matter what he thinks,” Kelly said.
After their tough three day stretch, the Lancers head home and face Joliet Junior College on March 28 for their home opener. It will be nice for the team to get three days between games, but then again, as Kelly would ask, “what are you doing to better yourself?”
Features Editor
“What are you doing to better yourself, right now?” a voice barks from behind the dugout of the CLC Baseball team. The few players the question was directed to scatter around the field and get back to work, continuing to prepare for the season opener, March 23 against the Lake Land College Lakers in Mattoon.
Constantly trying to better themselves, the Lancer players work continuously, hardly taking a moment to sip water, let alone breathe. The structure of this team is reminiscent of a professional ball club. An hour into their first practice outside, Head Coach Ken Kelly takes his first steps onto the field. The team has already begun running drills and coaching each other without him, which is surprising considering these players are only teenagers.
The squad will head into Mattoon looking to start the season on the right foot. The Lancers are playing a Laker team, whose season began at the end of February. They have already played 20 games and are in peak regular season form. Lake Land, a Division I junior college, started their season playing games in Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee, but that doesn’t intimidate any of the Lancer players.
“The division doesn’t mean anything, it’s the players on the team,” Freshman Outfielder Denzale Denton said. “A lot of JUCO’s actually have better players, they just didn’t have the right grades. So we should be able to stay with them.”
Lake Land has struggled up to this point in the season. Losing 10 of 13 games outside the state, the Lakers bounced back, splitting their next six. They will try to take their momentum into the contest against the Lancers, but will have the tough task of facing sophomore ace, right-hander Rob Wilson. The 6-foot-3-inch Canadian hurler was 4-1 last season. He was second on the team with a 1.28 ERA and struck out 28 batters in 42 1-3 innings.
“I’m real excited about the first game,” Wilson said. “I’m healthier than I was last year, my fastball is stronger and my changeup has developed a lot.”
The pitching rotation is the only part of the lineup and only part of the series, for that matter, Coach Kelly has set.
“It’s not who we play, its how we play,” Kelly said. “I never look at the other teams. I can’t control anything about the other team. You can pretty much tell in (batting practice) for the other team who can play, that’s my scouting report.”
After Wilson throws, sophomore Ben Ehgoetz will get the call the second game of the double header. Ehgoetz was 2-0 in only 22 1-3 innings last year, but posted a very respectable 2.02 ERA with 22 strikeouts.
After their series in Mattoon, the Lancers will head to Bloomington on March 24 to take on Heartland Community College. Freshman left-hander Luis Cruz will get his first start of the season.
Aside from the unset lineups, the Lancers have to figure out their injury situation. A couple of players have to deal with arm problems, one of whom might be shut down for the season, and Denton bruised a bone in his hand after being hit with a pitch during a scrimmage. However, he is confident he will start Tuesday.
“If the trainer says he thinks he can go, he can go. If the trainer says ‘no,’ he’s not going no matter what he thinks,” Kelly said.
After their tough three day stretch, the Lancers head home and face Joliet Junior College on March 28 for their home opener. It will be nice for the team to get three days between games, but then again, as Kelly would ask, “what are you doing to better yourself?”
Softball team stays hopeful after rocky start
Salvador Galvan
Staff Writer
The women’s softball season is underway and the women are working hard to get wins and get on their way to a successful season.
The team trip to St. Louis was cut short due to rain and the team headed home a day early. Only able to play one game out of six, the women dropped the game 6-3 against Meramec College.
Coach Susan Garcia said there were things she liked and things she wants to see improvement on. The offense looked good, hitting a few triples that helped them stay in the game and build confidence. The rainy field conditions didn’t favor the defense with errors in the infield giving up four unearned runs.
Getting back to the field didn’t turn out the way the team hoped. On March 17, the Lancers played two away games against Kankakee, losing both games with scores of 19-4 and 8-0.
Coach Garcia saw problems in the defense, watching balls go through player’s legs. Sophomore Kellie Kraft said, “We weren’t there.”
Coach Garcia was confident that all the things that went wrong for the team could and would be corrected for their following home games, March 19, against Triton College. Friday was better for the Lancers, as they split the double header against Triton, winning the first game 4-2 and losing the second in a close score of 6-5.
In the first game against Triton, Sophomore Becky Taylor pitched seven innings, while giving up eight hits, three walks, and striking out two batters, limiting Triton to one earned run. Giving support to Taylor’s pitching, Sophomore Heather Ruetsche went 2 for 3, with a triple and Kellie Kraft, a sophomore, added a double to help the Lancers take the first game.
In the second game, Ruetsche pitched six innings, giving up seven hits, two walks, two strikeouts and one earned run.
Sophomore Melissa Ori had a good game offensively, going 2 for 4 and hitting a three-run triple to help the Lancers stay in the game.
Coach Garcia said game two was difficult because. “Players were playing out of position and, unfortunately, we are not yet comfortable on the field,” she said. “Right now we are looking for the consistency outside to get a good rhythm with both our offense and defense.”
The team will play Kishwaukee on March 25 at 3 p.m. and will try to get a win streak started and get comfortable on the field with each other.
“Team chemistry is good, they just need to bring it to the field and respect each other’s talents and know they can get the job done,” Garcia said.
With plenty of games left in the season, the team has a lot of time to get more wins under their belts and get comfortable on the field.
Freshman Monika Wedick, a pitcher for the Lancers who also plays the outfield and second base, talked about coming into her first season of women’s college softball.
The change from high school softball to college softball made Wedick nervous but excited about change, and the chance to play alongside people with more experience.
“It’s harder coming from high school into college because it’s more competitive,” she said.
Wedick said her goals for the season are to improve her hitting, keep her attitude up and become a leader for the team. She said it’s harder to lead the team with sophomores who already have experience. She said that, although the St. Louis trip was cut short, she did enjoy team activities and said it was a good bonding experience with her teammates. Wedick pitched against Kankakee on March 17, but wasn’t satisfied with her pitching.
“It was a tough game because my pitching wasn’t on and I was pulled to right field where the sun was in the way, but I was happy with my hitting offensively,” she said.
For her next start Wedick said she hopes to hit her spots, make pitches on target and continue to hit the ball well.
Staff Writer
The women’s softball season is underway and the women are working hard to get wins and get on their way to a successful season.
The team trip to St. Louis was cut short due to rain and the team headed home a day early. Only able to play one game out of six, the women dropped the game 6-3 against Meramec College.
Coach Susan Garcia said there were things she liked and things she wants to see improvement on. The offense looked good, hitting a few triples that helped them stay in the game and build confidence. The rainy field conditions didn’t favor the defense with errors in the infield giving up four unearned runs.
Getting back to the field didn’t turn out the way the team hoped. On March 17, the Lancers played two away games against Kankakee, losing both games with scores of 19-4 and 8-0.
Coach Garcia saw problems in the defense, watching balls go through player’s legs. Sophomore Kellie Kraft said, “We weren’t there.”
Coach Garcia was confident that all the things that went wrong for the team could and would be corrected for their following home games, March 19, against Triton College. Friday was better for the Lancers, as they split the double header against Triton, winning the first game 4-2 and losing the second in a close score of 6-5.
In the first game against Triton, Sophomore Becky Taylor pitched seven innings, while giving up eight hits, three walks, and striking out two batters, limiting Triton to one earned run. Giving support to Taylor’s pitching, Sophomore Heather Ruetsche went 2 for 3, with a triple and Kellie Kraft, a sophomore, added a double to help the Lancers take the first game.
In the second game, Ruetsche pitched six innings, giving up seven hits, two walks, two strikeouts and one earned run.
Sophomore Melissa Ori had a good game offensively, going 2 for 4 and hitting a three-run triple to help the Lancers stay in the game.
Coach Garcia said game two was difficult because. “Players were playing out of position and, unfortunately, we are not yet comfortable on the field,” she said. “Right now we are looking for the consistency outside to get a good rhythm with both our offense and defense.”
The team will play Kishwaukee on March 25 at 3 p.m. and will try to get a win streak started and get comfortable on the field with each other.
“Team chemistry is good, they just need to bring it to the field and respect each other’s talents and know they can get the job done,” Garcia said.
With plenty of games left in the season, the team has a lot of time to get more wins under their belts and get comfortable on the field.
Freshman Monika Wedick, a pitcher for the Lancers who also plays the outfield and second base, talked about coming into her first season of women’s college softball.
The change from high school softball to college softball made Wedick nervous but excited about change, and the chance to play alongside people with more experience.
“It’s harder coming from high school into college because it’s more competitive,” she said.
Wedick said her goals for the season are to improve her hitting, keep her attitude up and become a leader for the team. She said it’s harder to lead the team with sophomores who already have experience. She said that, although the St. Louis trip was cut short, she did enjoy team activities and said it was a good bonding experience with her teammates. Wedick pitched against Kankakee on March 17, but wasn’t satisfied with her pitching.
“It was a tough game because my pitching wasn’t on and I was pulled to right field where the sun was in the way, but I was happy with my hitting offensively,” she said.
For her next start Wedick said she hopes to hit her spots, make pitches on target and continue to hit the ball well.
Men's tennis relies on first-year talent
Kat Dankowski
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
This year’s men’s tennis team will have to fight the odds to succeed this season. In the past five years Head Coach and Tennis Pro Randy Malone has rebuilt the tennis program at CLC. He accomplished this with five winning seasons with the women’s tennis team, yet struggles with the men’s because of problems on and off the court.
Unfortunately, this year the men’s team does not have any returning players. Malone said they are a very inexperienced team.
Recruiting is also difficult with so many high school players going to four year colleges, said Malone.
“We don’t get good players from areas like Grayslake or Vernon Hills, the ones that have more experience in high school,” said Coach Malone.
Up and coming freshman, Andrew Yopp, who Coach Malone said has real talent, is someone to watch this season. The left-hander will be playing singles and doubles.
With inexperience and no veterans to lead the way, the weather seems to be against them as well. There are no indoor courts at CLC and snow is still melting in some areas.
However, the snow finally began to melt in some areas, said Sophomore Eric Zeddies.
Deer Creek Courts in Highland Park, where Coach Malone instructs, has opened their indoor facility to CLC men’s tennis players to practice and prepare for the upcoming season.
“You have to practice,” said Malone.
The team has been traveling to the courts at least twice a week for the last few months. The drive to Highland Park, as well as the practices, can be draining for some players.
In general, the lack of resources at CLC makes it “tougher getting the team ready,” said Coach Malone.
With much success in the past, Malone wants to help mold his team for the future. He keeps his hopes high and his expectations low.
“This is going to be a tricky year,” said Malone.
Recruiting is also difficult with so many high school players going to four year colleges, said Malone.
“We don’t get good players from areas like Grayslake or Vernon Hills, the ones that have more experience in high school,” said Coach Malone.
Up and coming freshman, Andrew Yopp, who Coach Malone said has real talent, is someone to watch this season. The left-hander will be playing singles and doubles.
With inexperience and no veterans to lead the way, the weather seems to be against them as well. There are no indoor courts at CLC and snow is still melting in some areas.
However, the snow finally began to melt in some areas, said Sophomore Eric Zeddies.
Deer Creek Courts in Highland Park, where Coach Malone instructs, has opened their indoor facility to CLC men’s tennis players to practice and prepare for the upcoming season.
“You have to practice,” said Malone.
The team has been traveling to the courts at least twice a week for the last few months. The drive to Highland Park, as well as the practices, can be draining for some players.
In general, the lack of resources at CLC makes it “tougher getting the team ready,” said Coach Malone.
With much success in the past, Malone wants to help mold his team for the future. He keeps his hopes high and his expectations low.
“This is going to be a tricky year,” said Malone.
Cubs, Sox work out kinks this spring
Amber Kuehl
Sports Editor
Spring is in the air and in Chicago that translates to one thing: baseball season is finally here. Whether it’s the Cubs or White Sox, each team is getting ready for the regular season in Arizona for Spring Training.
Both the Cubs and the Sox hope to move on from disappointing 2009 seasons, where neither team reached the ultimate goal, the World Series, let alone the playoffs.
For the Cubs, the 2010 season is especially important. This year has the potential to be manager Lou Piniella’s last year managing the Cubs, or any team, as the 66 year old talks of retiring after this year.
It may also be the final season for first baseman Derrek Lee and the left handed pitcher Ted Lilly, both nearing the end of their contracted time with the Cubs.
Piniella has three winning seasons with the Cubs. In 2007 and 2008, Piniella led the team to consecutive postseason appearances by winning the National League Central Division. In 2009 the Cubs did not make the playoffs but did boast a winning record of 83 wins and 78 losses, a winning percentage of .516.
In six seasons with the Cubs, Lee has a batting average of .302 with All-Star appearances in 2005 and 2007. He’s had a few injuries the last few seasons, but that hasn’t stopped from returning to the game in full force.
Lilly has pitched for the Cubs since 2007. In three seasons with the Cubs, his average ERA is 3.67 and made the 2009 All-Star team. Though he is currently rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery, Lilly is ahead of schedule and already throwing to hitters. He is expected to return by the end of April.
The Cubs have a lot of work to do besides worrying about the contracts of a few top players. They still need to decide on the fourth and fifth pitchers in the starting rotation because of Lilly’s injury, settle the bullpen issues and decide on the bench players.
The Cubs are looking at righty Jeff Samardzija and lefty Sean Marshall as the top two pitchers to fill the holes in the rotation. Both have struggled as starters in the major league, but Marshall has done a great job as a reliever in previous seasons while Samardzija has struggled in the majors.
The Cubs are also exploring the idea of Carlos Silva and Tom Gorzelanny for rotation spots. Gorzelanny is a left-handed pitcher, which is something the Cubs would like to have to replace Lilly.
As everything stands now, Samardzija and Marshall are likely to be in the starting rotation, along with Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster and Randy Wells, all of whom are right handed.
Justin Berg, a reliever, has locked down his spot in the bullpen. This leaves one more bullpen spot open and four pitchers competing for the spot. There is also space for another bench guy, and the Cubs are looking for someone who can play all three outfield positions.
Sam Fuld can play anywhere in the outfield, but he hasn’t shown that he can hit with consistency in Spring Training or the big leagues. Kevin Millar, a veteran player, can play outfield and first base, but the Cubs aren’t sure he’s versatile enough to make the final cut.
The Cubs also hope to produce more runs than they did last year by adding hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo to the payroll. Cubs fans hope Jaramillo can solve the hitting problems, especially when it comes to Soriano, who should have hit for a better average than .241 in 117 games last season. Jaramillo worked with Soriano in Texan in 04-05, where he boasted averages in the high .200’s. The Cubs want Soriano to be batting at least that throughout the regular season.
Also working with Jaramillo is catcher Geovanny Soto. Soto lost 40 pounds during the off season. His rookie year, 2008, Soto batted .285 and earned the title Rookie of the Year. Last season he batted a poor .218 and also packed on some weight. This season Soto said he’s going to be better with help from Jaramillo and his new lighter form.
While the Cubs have a good problem of too much talent to choose from, ranging from handy veterans to shiny new rookies, the White Sox have bad problems on and off the field.
This Spring Training has been drama filled for the Sox. Manager Ozzie Guillen seems unable to get along with the management, especially after his son resigned from the White Sox front office, despite the fact that Guillen swears everything is fine between him and General Manager Ken Williams.
Guillen has managed the White Sox since 2004. In 2005 he led the Sox to their first World Series title since 1917.However, since then he has only led the team to one other playoff appearance, 2008, where the Sox lost in the first round. Last year the team finished third in the American League Central Division with a .488 winning percentage, 79 wins and 83 losses.
White Sox closer Bobby Jenks has sat the last few games with mild calf soreness, something that also bothered the closer last season. He hasn’t pitched since March 12, and though his injury isn’t good, it has allowed other players to step up and show Guillen what they have.
Matt Thornton and J.J. Putz have stepped up to fill in the void Jenks has left. Guillen told the Chicago Tribune if Jenks isn’t ready to go by Opening Day, Thornton is the one who would replace him.
Third baseman Mark Teahen is suffering from a sore right elbow, the arm he relies on most while throwing and batting. Teahen tried to play with his elbow wrapped, but his batting average suffered because of it.
The Sox moved Gordon Beckham to second base after acquiring Teahen during the off season. Last season Beckham batted .270 in 103 games for the Sox at third base. Beckham has made the transition smoothly, calling second base “easy”. At second base this spring, Beckham is batting .333 in 11 games.
Meanwhile, the pitching staff isn’t worrying about their opponents as much as themselves.
After a recent game, Sox pitchers and coach agreed they would do things differently during the regular season, but for now they want to work on getting their pitches down pat before they concentrate on winning games.
Mark Buehrle, Sox star pitcher, is 0-3 with a 3.86 ERA during Spring Training. Pitching coach Don Cooper doesn’t like to see that kind of stat, but he’s more worried about Buehrle not getting enough innings or pitches to prepare him for the regular season.
“To me, it really is about the starters getting their innings and pitches up, getting their stuff ready and getting their arms ready to compete come opening start,” Cooper said on the White Sox website.
Jake Peavy, the Sox number two starting pitcher, also hasn’t looked great this spring. He has two wins and one loss, with a 6.55 ERA. He’s been working on his fastball, and though he doesn’t like where his numbers are, Peavy’s not worried. He said on espn.com that he’s making quality pitches and he’s taking steps in the right direction.
Last season, Peavy battled injury not long after joining the White Sox after he was traded by the San Diego Padres. He was traded to the Sox in early Aug. 09 but didn’t debut with the club until mid Sept. Peavy came to the Sox recovering from a partially torn tendon in his right ankle and he injured his right elbow in a rehab start in the minor leagues. Peavy and the Sox hope that he can pitch this season without any injuries.
Veteran right fielder Andruw Jones has a .391 batting average in Spring Training. Catcher A.J. Pierzynski is batting .345 and Designated Hitter Mark Kotsay is at .407 this spring. With these three power hitters in the lineup, the Sox shouldn’t have a problem scoring runs.
The Sox haven’t made too many drastic changes from last season. They traded for Juan Pierre and Teahen and signed Putz, Jones and Omar Vizquel as free agents. They lost Scott Podsednik and Jermaine Dye to free agency, but they stand by their decisions and hope the recently acquired players can step up and take them to where they failed to go last season, the playoffs.
The rivalry in Chicago is hot and fans of both teams are ruthless. It’s always interesting come June when Major League Baseball allows teams to compete in interleague play, the time of year the Cubs and Sox have a showdown in Chicago.
This year’s Cross Town Classic will be exciting, no doubt. In Spring Training, the Cubs won three of four games against the Sox so the rivalry will be thick this summer.
Both teams have something to prove this year, that they can, and will win, despite all odds against them.
Sports Editor
Spring is in the air and in Chicago that translates to one thing: baseball season is finally here. Whether it’s the Cubs or White Sox, each team is getting ready for the regular season in Arizona for Spring Training.
Both the Cubs and the Sox hope to move on from disappointing 2009 seasons, where neither team reached the ultimate goal, the World Series, let alone the playoffs.
For the Cubs, the 2010 season is especially important. This year has the potential to be manager Lou Piniella’s last year managing the Cubs, or any team, as the 66 year old talks of retiring after this year.
It may also be the final season for first baseman Derrek Lee and the left handed pitcher Ted Lilly, both nearing the end of their contracted time with the Cubs.
Piniella has three winning seasons with the Cubs. In 2007 and 2008, Piniella led the team to consecutive postseason appearances by winning the National League Central Division. In 2009 the Cubs did not make the playoffs but did boast a winning record of 83 wins and 78 losses, a winning percentage of .516.
In six seasons with the Cubs, Lee has a batting average of .302 with All-Star appearances in 2005 and 2007. He’s had a few injuries the last few seasons, but that hasn’t stopped from returning to the game in full force.
Lilly has pitched for the Cubs since 2007. In three seasons with the Cubs, his average ERA is 3.67 and made the 2009 All-Star team. Though he is currently rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery, Lilly is ahead of schedule and already throwing to hitters. He is expected to return by the end of April.
The Cubs have a lot of work to do besides worrying about the contracts of a few top players. They still need to decide on the fourth and fifth pitchers in the starting rotation because of Lilly’s injury, settle the bullpen issues and decide on the bench players.
The Cubs are looking at righty Jeff Samardzija and lefty Sean Marshall as the top two pitchers to fill the holes in the rotation. Both have struggled as starters in the major league, but Marshall has done a great job as a reliever in previous seasons while Samardzija has struggled in the majors.
The Cubs are also exploring the idea of Carlos Silva and Tom Gorzelanny for rotation spots. Gorzelanny is a left-handed pitcher, which is something the Cubs would like to have to replace Lilly.
As everything stands now, Samardzija and Marshall are likely to be in the starting rotation, along with Carlos Zambrano, Ryan Dempster and Randy Wells, all of whom are right handed.
Justin Berg, a reliever, has locked down his spot in the bullpen. This leaves one more bullpen spot open and four pitchers competing for the spot. There is also space for another bench guy, and the Cubs are looking for someone who can play all three outfield positions.
Sam Fuld can play anywhere in the outfield, but he hasn’t shown that he can hit with consistency in Spring Training or the big leagues. Kevin Millar, a veteran player, can play outfield and first base, but the Cubs aren’t sure he’s versatile enough to make the final cut.
The Cubs also hope to produce more runs than they did last year by adding hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo to the payroll. Cubs fans hope Jaramillo can solve the hitting problems, especially when it comes to Soriano, who should have hit for a better average than .241 in 117 games last season. Jaramillo worked with Soriano in Texan in 04-05, where he boasted averages in the high .200’s. The Cubs want Soriano to be batting at least that throughout the regular season.
Also working with Jaramillo is catcher Geovanny Soto. Soto lost 40 pounds during the off season. His rookie year, 2008, Soto batted .285 and earned the title Rookie of the Year. Last season he batted a poor .218 and also packed on some weight. This season Soto said he’s going to be better with help from Jaramillo and his new lighter form.
While the Cubs have a good problem of too much talent to choose from, ranging from handy veterans to shiny new rookies, the White Sox have bad problems on and off the field.
This Spring Training has been drama filled for the Sox. Manager Ozzie Guillen seems unable to get along with the management, especially after his son resigned from the White Sox front office, despite the fact that Guillen swears everything is fine between him and General Manager Ken Williams.
Guillen has managed the White Sox since 2004. In 2005 he led the Sox to their first World Series title since 1917.However, since then he has only led the team to one other playoff appearance, 2008, where the Sox lost in the first round. Last year the team finished third in the American League Central Division with a .488 winning percentage, 79 wins and 83 losses.
White Sox closer Bobby Jenks has sat the last few games with mild calf soreness, something that also bothered the closer last season. He hasn’t pitched since March 12, and though his injury isn’t good, it has allowed other players to step up and show Guillen what they have.
Matt Thornton and J.J. Putz have stepped up to fill in the void Jenks has left. Guillen told the Chicago Tribune if Jenks isn’t ready to go by Opening Day, Thornton is the one who would replace him.
Third baseman Mark Teahen is suffering from a sore right elbow, the arm he relies on most while throwing and batting. Teahen tried to play with his elbow wrapped, but his batting average suffered because of it.
The Sox moved Gordon Beckham to second base after acquiring Teahen during the off season. Last season Beckham batted .270 in 103 games for the Sox at third base. Beckham has made the transition smoothly, calling second base “easy”. At second base this spring, Beckham is batting .333 in 11 games.
Meanwhile, the pitching staff isn’t worrying about their opponents as much as themselves.
After a recent game, Sox pitchers and coach agreed they would do things differently during the regular season, but for now they want to work on getting their pitches down pat before they concentrate on winning games.
Mark Buehrle, Sox star pitcher, is 0-3 with a 3.86 ERA during Spring Training. Pitching coach Don Cooper doesn’t like to see that kind of stat, but he’s more worried about Buehrle not getting enough innings or pitches to prepare him for the regular season.
“To me, it really is about the starters getting their innings and pitches up, getting their stuff ready and getting their arms ready to compete come opening start,” Cooper said on the White Sox website.
Jake Peavy, the Sox number two starting pitcher, also hasn’t looked great this spring. He has two wins and one loss, with a 6.55 ERA. He’s been working on his fastball, and though he doesn’t like where his numbers are, Peavy’s not worried. He said on espn.com that he’s making quality pitches and he’s taking steps in the right direction.
Last season, Peavy battled injury not long after joining the White Sox after he was traded by the San Diego Padres. He was traded to the Sox in early Aug. 09 but didn’t debut with the club until mid Sept. Peavy came to the Sox recovering from a partially torn tendon in his right ankle and he injured his right elbow in a rehab start in the minor leagues. Peavy and the Sox hope that he can pitch this season without any injuries.
Veteran right fielder Andruw Jones has a .391 batting average in Spring Training. Catcher A.J. Pierzynski is batting .345 and Designated Hitter Mark Kotsay is at .407 this spring. With these three power hitters in the lineup, the Sox shouldn’t have a problem scoring runs.
The Sox haven’t made too many drastic changes from last season. They traded for Juan Pierre and Teahen and signed Putz, Jones and Omar Vizquel as free agents. They lost Scott Podsednik and Jermaine Dye to free agency, but they stand by their decisions and hope the recently acquired players can step up and take them to where they failed to go last season, the playoffs.
The rivalry in Chicago is hot and fans of both teams are ruthless. It’s always interesting come June when Major League Baseball allows teams to compete in interleague play, the time of year the Cubs and Sox have a showdown in Chicago.
This year’s Cross Town Classic will be exciting, no doubt. In Spring Training, the Cubs won three of four games against the Sox so the rivalry will be thick this summer.
Both teams have something to prove this year, that they can, and will win, despite all odds against them.
Male sexuality more complex than thought
Nathan Caldwell
Editor-in-Chief
The marble statue of “Venus de Milo” and the painting “The Birth of Venus” are beautiful. Picturesque depictions of the female form immortalized, feats of art instantly recognizable even to the casual observer.
Yet some of their beauty is due to the simple fact that they are enshrined in a perpetual state of arousal, forever fixed in provocative poses. Nipples erect, head tilted, face flushed – curvy, voluptuous women in their sexual prime, all practically screaming, “Come and get me.”
Conversely, consider Michelangelo’s “
We live in a culture that caters to the pornographic imagination and not-so-latent sexuality of males, while simultaneously refusing to embrace that which it caters to.
In an admittedly phallocentric civilization, we haven’t gone far from the luscious depictions of Venus. There are beautiful women lounging about in ads for everything from shoes to lingerie – all artfully airbrushed and insinuating anything but celibacy. After all, sex sells.
Certainly, what some men want is to insert hard object Y into wet object X – but why reduce something as complex as sexuality to so simple an equation?
This archaic view of male sexuality has been perpetuated since antiquity and is, at best, outdated. And why wouldn’t it be?
Men had no sexual revolution. There was no men’s liberation movement. There have never been hoards of angry men ripping off their undergarments in protest of inequity.
Conversely, there is a long history of females fighting for equality and it has resulted in the acknowledgement of female sexuality as something that exists, is complex, and can be discussed in an intelligent and academic setting.
Meanwhile, male sexuality has remains ensconced in a pre-Victorian bubble that has devolved from an over-simplification to a social stigma.
Aside from a high-five and a vivid description of how hard he “smashed” that, there is absolutely no forum for males to have a calm, intelligent discussion on issues of sexuality without being ostracized.
Society loves to accommodate the idea of simple male sexuality. It’s uncomplicated, generally accepted and marketable. And while the idea may be all of these things, it is also detrimental.
Why? Is that all male sexuality is – an exercise in the redirection of blood flow?
Males aren’t expected to have sexual needs beyond the blood flow. Indeed, those who do are seen as needy and emasculated.
Emasculation. The word conjures its own unique blend of testosterone-fueled terror and acute homophobia. It’s been argued this is the most effeminate generation, that metrosexuals and gays are ruining what it means to be a “real” man.
Ironically, metrosexuals and gays are the only ones having any semblance of an open discussion on issues of sexuality and masculinity.
To be simultaneously male and vocalize an opinion on one’s own sexuality, one must declare one’s self a pariah. Men who discuss the issue openly are instantly branded as perverts, horndogs, gays or some combination of the three. Those who hazard such discussions without regard to the inevitable social castration, are in reality the most liberated.
Embracing “emasculation” is means to endure social stigmas in exchange for the ability to engage in scholarly discussions about what historically has been one of, if not the most, inviolable social issue.
There may not have been a male sexual revolution. There have been no violent protests, no peaceful sit-ins. Instead there is the infinitesimal movement towards the ability to discuss sexuality outside of the simplistic shadow of “bang bang bang, skeet skeet skeet.”
That movement happens to be through the realm of what has been branded emasculation and while it may have a negative stigma now, there is hope.
This generation is more tolerant of homosexuality than any before. Steps have been made in the right direction on everything from gay rights to healthcare. Perhaps with time, what is now considered emasculation will be recognized as the male sexual revolution, covert though it may be.
Editor-in-Chief
The marble statue of “Venus de Milo” and the painting “The Birth of Venus” are beautiful. Picturesque depictions of the female form immortalized, feats of art instantly recognizable even to the casual observer.
Yet some of their beauty is due to the simple fact that they are enshrined in a perpetual state of arousal, forever fixed in provocative poses. Nipples erect, head tilted, face flushed – curvy, voluptuous women in their sexual prime, all practically screaming, “Come and get me.”
Conversely, consider Michelangelo’s “
We live in a culture that caters to the pornographic imagination and not-so-latent sexuality of males, while simultaneously refusing to embrace that which it caters to.
In an admittedly phallocentric civilization, we haven’t gone far from the luscious depictions of Venus. There are beautiful women lounging about in ads for everything from shoes to lingerie – all artfully airbrushed and insinuating anything but celibacy. After all, sex sells.
Certainly, what some men want is to insert hard object Y into wet object X – but why reduce something as complex as sexuality to so simple an equation?
This archaic view of male sexuality has been perpetuated since antiquity and is, at best, outdated. And why wouldn’t it be?
Men had no sexual revolution. There was no men’s liberation movement. There have never been hoards of angry men ripping off their undergarments in protest of inequity.
Conversely, there is a long history of females fighting for equality and it has resulted in the acknowledgement of female sexuality as something that exists, is complex, and can be discussed in an intelligent and academic setting.
Meanwhile, male sexuality has remains ensconced in a pre-Victorian bubble that has devolved from an over-simplification to a social stigma.
Aside from a high-five and a vivid description of how hard he “smashed” that, there is absolutely no forum for males to have a calm, intelligent discussion on issues of sexuality without being ostracized.
Society loves to accommodate the idea of simple male sexuality. It’s uncomplicated, generally accepted and marketable. And while the idea may be all of these things, it is also detrimental.
Why? Is that all male sexuality is – an exercise in the redirection of blood flow?
Males aren’t expected to have sexual needs beyond the blood flow. Indeed, those who do are seen as needy and emasculated.
Emasculation. The word conjures its own unique blend of testosterone-fueled terror and acute homophobia. It’s been argued this is the most effeminate generation, that metrosexuals and gays are ruining what it means to be a “real” man.
Ironically, metrosexuals and gays are the only ones having any semblance of an open discussion on issues of sexuality and masculinity.
To be simultaneously male and vocalize an opinion on one’s own sexuality, one must declare one’s self a pariah. Men who discuss the issue openly are instantly branded as perverts, horndogs, gays or some combination of the three. Those who hazard such discussions without regard to the inevitable social castration, are in reality the most liberated.
Embracing “emasculation” is means to endure social stigmas in exchange for the ability to engage in scholarly discussions about what historically has been one of, if not the most, inviolable social issue.
There may not have been a male sexual revolution. There have been no violent protests, no peaceful sit-ins. Instead there is the infinitesimal movement towards the ability to discuss sexuality outside of the simplistic shadow of “bang bang bang, skeet skeet skeet.”
That movement happens to be through the realm of what has been branded emasculation and while it may have a negative stigma now, there is hope.
This generation is more tolerant of homosexuality than any before. Steps have been made in the right direction on everything from gay rights to healthcare. Perhaps with time, what is now considered emasculation will be recognized as the male sexual revolution, covert though it may be.
Israel settlements undermine peace efforts
Dave Balson
Opinion Editor
Two generations have come of age in a world where war in the Middle East seemed as familiar and normal as television reruns and people hating Monday. In the U.S., presidential and congressional candidates routinely promise to solve the stalemate, and succeeding administrations have seen their efforts stymied by the enduring deadlock. The Obama Administration has faced a familiar, inauspicious first year in mediating the conflict.
On March 9, during a visit to the country Vice President Joe Biden gave a speech vowing the administration’s support for Israel. The Israeli Interior Ministry announced plans to extend Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem by building 1,600 new homes.
Last spring President Obama, in an effort to bring regional leaders to the negotiating table, tried to convince Israel to freeze new settlement in contested parts of the country. Israel initially rejected this, but eventually accepted a 10-month freeze on settlements in the West Bank. While East Jerusalem was not included in the freeze, announcing the planned expansion during the vice presidential visit insulted the administration and was a step backward in the peace process, since Palestinians believe East Jerusalem is rightfully and historically theirs.
The president, vice president, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton all expressed their outrage to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu offered his apology for the poor timing of the announcement, but indicated that he would be moving forward his plans, regardless.
Over the years of the Middle East conflict, lasting peace between Israel and Palestine was mostly considered a foreign interest of the U.S. We liked Israel, thought a free democracy in the Middle East was a fine idea, and had its back if anything went down. But things have changed. Now the stakes are higher, and the consequences hit closer to home.
The “Israeli occupation of Palestine” has proved a great recruiter and fundraiser for Islamic extremist groups and gains sympathy from moderate Muslims around the globe. Because the U.S. is by far Israel’s strongest ally, the hatred toward Israel is easily extended to America. A core demand of al-Qaida is that America withdraw its support for Israel.
I, along with most of the planet and much of the Middle East, take great pleasure in reminding al-Qaida where they can stick their demands. But American soldiers are fighting and dying in two separate wars in the region, and with would-be terrorists stuffing explosives into their tighty-whities to attack the U.S. homeland, solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an urgent necessity.
The good news is a generally agreed upon solution exists. The bad news is that it has been generally agreed upon, but not acted upon, for many years.
Since Israel’s founding, the “two-state solution”—dividing the country into two sovereign nations, Palestine and Israel—has been continually proposed, discussed, endorsed and opposed. Even today, polls show the majority of Israelis and Palestinians favor this plan over any other.
Reasonable minds on both sides know that the two-state solution is what should, and eventually must, happen. But talks break down over small, contested regions, especially Jerusalem. In the 1990s, President Bill Clinton mediated a peace plan to near completion, but neither side would cede or share the Temple Mount.
I’m not opposed to intellectual endeavors, but when two groups of people refuse to end a whole lot of death and murder because each group is committed to an inflexible interpretation of their holy book, I get very offended.
Having a free democracy in a region of the world that generally and consistently gets low marks for both freedom and democracy is a good thing. But Palestinians also have a fair argument. In the messy years that marked the end of the British Mandate of Palestine and the founding of the state of Israel, the Palestinians got the shaft. And the walled, impoverished Gaza strip looks a lot like apartheid.
Though I tend to have more sympathy for those who wish to extend civil rights (Israel), rather than curb them (Palestine), both sides can argue injustices for a literal lifetime. The best we can hope for is that both sides pause their retaliations long enough to make a solid agreement. Announcing new Israeli settlements in territory that Palestinians hope will be returned to them through negotiations hinders that peace effort.
This is a shame, considering the unique opportunity Israel currently has.
Iran has become so politically and militarily ambitious that the entire region considers it a threat. Facing the possibility of a nuclear Iran, nations that have been historically hostile to Israel—Jordan and Saudi Arabia, for example—would probably work with Israel to ensure regional stability. Strong, lasting alliances can be built by nations who seek a common defense.
If and when a two-state solution is reached, hatred toward Israel in the Middle East will turn to reluctant acceptance. But diplomatic engagement is thwarted whenever Israel is publicly seen as unwilling to make the compromises needed to work out the solution.
Israel is justified in refusing to negotiate with Hamas, the militant group which runs the Gaza strip and continually lobs missiles into Israel. But the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, under Mahmoud Abbas, has shown a strong desire for a two-state solution and a willingness to suspend hostilities while negotiations take place.
The U.S. lends its enormous influence to Israel, partly because it’s a democracy and partly because American Jews hold great political and cultural clout, but also because without our support, Israel/Palestine would become very bloody very quickly.
Israel is consistently one of the top recipients of U.S. foreign aid, adding to our deficit spending during a financial crisis. Our alliance engenders hatred in Iraq and Afghanistan, putting American troops further at risk. The one thing Israel can do to lessen those burdens on the American people is to make the concessions necessary to achieve a two-state solution. When Israeli leaders refuse to make those concessions, they make our alliance—their lifeline—much harder to justify.
Opinion Editor
Two generations have come of age in a world where war in the Middle East seemed as familiar and normal as television reruns and people hating Monday. In the U.S., presidential and congressional candidates routinely promise to solve the stalemate, and succeeding administrations have seen their efforts stymied by the enduring deadlock. The Obama Administration has faced a familiar, inauspicious first year in mediating the conflict.
On March 9, during a visit to the country Vice President Joe Biden gave a speech vowing the administration’s support for Israel. The Israeli Interior Ministry announced plans to extend Israeli settlements in East Jerusalem by building 1,600 new homes.
Last spring President Obama, in an effort to bring regional leaders to the negotiating table, tried to convince Israel to freeze new settlement in contested parts of the country. Israel initially rejected this, but eventually accepted a 10-month freeze on settlements in the West Bank. While East Jerusalem was not included in the freeze, announcing the planned expansion during the vice presidential visit insulted the administration and was a step backward in the peace process, since Palestinians believe East Jerusalem is rightfully and historically theirs.
The president, vice president, and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton all expressed their outrage to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Netanyahu offered his apology for the poor timing of the announcement, but indicated that he would be moving forward his plans, regardless.
Over the years of the Middle East conflict, lasting peace between Israel and Palestine was mostly considered a foreign interest of the U.S. We liked Israel, thought a free democracy in the Middle East was a fine idea, and had its back if anything went down. But things have changed. Now the stakes are higher, and the consequences hit closer to home.
The “Israeli occupation of Palestine” has proved a great recruiter and fundraiser for Islamic extremist groups and gains sympathy from moderate Muslims around the globe. Because the U.S. is by far Israel’s strongest ally, the hatred toward Israel is easily extended to America. A core demand of al-Qaida is that America withdraw its support for Israel.
I, along with most of the planet and much of the Middle East, take great pleasure in reminding al-Qaida where they can stick their demands. But American soldiers are fighting and dying in two separate wars in the region, and with would-be terrorists stuffing explosives into their tighty-whities to attack the U.S. homeland, solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an urgent necessity.
The good news is a generally agreed upon solution exists. The bad news is that it has been generally agreed upon, but not acted upon, for many years.
Since Israel’s founding, the “two-state solution”—dividing the country into two sovereign nations, Palestine and Israel—has been continually proposed, discussed, endorsed and opposed. Even today, polls show the majority of Israelis and Palestinians favor this plan over any other.
Reasonable minds on both sides know that the two-state solution is what should, and eventually must, happen. But talks break down over small, contested regions, especially Jerusalem. In the 1990s, President Bill Clinton mediated a peace plan to near completion, but neither side would cede or share the Temple Mount.
I’m not opposed to intellectual endeavors, but when two groups of people refuse to end a whole lot of death and murder because each group is committed to an inflexible interpretation of their holy book, I get very offended.
Having a free democracy in a region of the world that generally and consistently gets low marks for both freedom and democracy is a good thing. But Palestinians also have a fair argument. In the messy years that marked the end of the British Mandate of Palestine and the founding of the state of Israel, the Palestinians got the shaft. And the walled, impoverished Gaza strip looks a lot like apartheid.
Though I tend to have more sympathy for those who wish to extend civil rights (Israel), rather than curb them (Palestine), both sides can argue injustices for a literal lifetime. The best we can hope for is that both sides pause their retaliations long enough to make a solid agreement. Announcing new Israeli settlements in territory that Palestinians hope will be returned to them through negotiations hinders that peace effort.
This is a shame, considering the unique opportunity Israel currently has.
Iran has become so politically and militarily ambitious that the entire region considers it a threat. Facing the possibility of a nuclear Iran, nations that have been historically hostile to Israel—Jordan and Saudi Arabia, for example—would probably work with Israel to ensure regional stability. Strong, lasting alliances can be built by nations who seek a common defense.
If and when a two-state solution is reached, hatred toward Israel in the Middle East will turn to reluctant acceptance. But diplomatic engagement is thwarted whenever Israel is publicly seen as unwilling to make the compromises needed to work out the solution.
Israel is justified in refusing to negotiate with Hamas, the militant group which runs the Gaza strip and continually lobs missiles into Israel. But the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, under Mahmoud Abbas, has shown a strong desire for a two-state solution and a willingness to suspend hostilities while negotiations take place.
The U.S. lends its enormous influence to Israel, partly because it’s a democracy and partly because American Jews hold great political and cultural clout, but also because without our support, Israel/Palestine would become very bloody very quickly.
Israel is consistently one of the top recipients of U.S. foreign aid, adding to our deficit spending during a financial crisis. Our alliance engenders hatred in Iraq and Afghanistan, putting American troops further at risk. The one thing Israel can do to lessen those burdens on the American people is to make the concessions necessary to achieve a two-state solution. When Israeli leaders refuse to make those concessions, they make our alliance—their lifeline—much harder to justify.
Congress passes historic student loan bill
Dave Balson
Opinion Editor
President Obama signed into law the most extensive overhaul of student aid in 40 years on Thursday, March 25. The program is expected to save the government $61 billion over 10 years. The savings will be used to boost Pell Grants, lower interest rates and approve more loans, according to the Associated Press.
The legislation removes banks from the federal student loan program. Since 1965, banks used federal subsidies to make student loans, making the profits while the government assumed most of the risk. Now all loans will come directly from the U.S. Department of Education.
Of the $61 billion savings, $36 billion will provide more students will be awarded larger Pell Grants. Starting 2014, monthly payment caps on low-income graduates will be reduced from 15 percent to 10 percent of their incomes and any remaining debt will be forgiven after 20 years, costing the government $1.5 billion, according to the Washington Post.
The bill will also be used to fund education programs, providing $2 billion to community colleges for job training.
A CNN/Opinion Research poll released March 25 shows 64 percent of respondents supported the education overhaul, while 34 percent opposed it.
The program was part of, and overshadowed by, the health care reconciliation bill. The bill passed the Senate 56-43, then passed the House 220-207 before being sent to the president. No Republicans voted for the bill.
Opinion Editor
President Obama signed into law the most extensive overhaul of student aid in 40 years on Thursday, March 25. The program is expected to save the government $61 billion over 10 years. The savings will be used to boost Pell Grants, lower interest rates and approve more loans, according to the Associated Press.
The legislation removes banks from the federal student loan program. Since 1965, banks used federal subsidies to make student loans, making the profits while the government assumed most of the risk. Now all loans will come directly from the U.S. Department of Education.
Of the $61 billion savings, $36 billion will provide more students will be awarded larger Pell Grants. Starting 2014, monthly payment caps on low-income graduates will be reduced from 15 percent to 10 percent of their incomes and any remaining debt will be forgiven after 20 years, costing the government $1.5 billion, according to the Washington Post.
The bill will also be used to fund education programs, providing $2 billion to community colleges for job training.
A CNN/Opinion Research poll released March 25 shows 64 percent of respondents supported the education overhaul, while 34 percent opposed it.
The program was part of, and overshadowed by, the health care reconciliation bill. The bill passed the Senate 56-43, then passed the House 220-207 before being sent to the president. No Republicans voted for the bill.
Auto Tech makes was for hybrid cars
Ashley Meyer
Staff Writer
There’s nothing like the smell of new car. Although CLC’s automotive technology program isn’t experiencing the refreshing scent, they have recently purchased a used 2005 Toyota Prius. After careful budgeting, the little blue Prius was bought about one month ago. In the past, the college has also saved money for other major purchases like the highly-desired paint spray booth.
The auto program is developing course work that will include the hybrid car in automotive studies. Department Chair Dr. Lance David intends to create a class dedicated solely to studying hybrid cars. This class will be available in the fall 2012, but students have already begun to incorporate the hybrid in the classroom to understand the differences between hybrid and gas-fueled cars.
“Parts of this car will be utilized in almost every class,” David said.
The opportunity offers two very important things for students. The hybrid addresses the fact that with a smaller gas engine, the efficiency of the car is greatly improved. After braking, energy is recovered and used to slow the car. These details were prominent ideas in David’s decision to integrate new technology into the classroom.
The Prius will be used to demonstrate the advantage of improving fuel mileage. Compared to the gas-guzzling 4-door which uses a 12 volt battery, hybrids have unleashed a world of economically-friendly options, functioning on a 200 volt battery. This decreases the waste of the world’s fossil fuels like gasoline.
Staff Writer
There’s nothing like the smell of new car. Although CLC’s automotive technology program isn’t experiencing the refreshing scent, they have recently purchased a used 2005 Toyota Prius. After careful budgeting, the little blue Prius was bought about one month ago. In the past, the college has also saved money for other major purchases like the highly-desired paint spray booth.
The auto program is developing course work that will include the hybrid car in automotive studies. Department Chair Dr. Lance David intends to create a class dedicated solely to studying hybrid cars. This class will be available in the fall 2012, but students have already begun to incorporate the hybrid in the classroom to understand the differences between hybrid and gas-fueled cars.
“Parts of this car will be utilized in almost every class,” David said.
The opportunity offers two very important things for students. The hybrid addresses the fact that with a smaller gas engine, the efficiency of the car is greatly improved. After braking, energy is recovered and used to slow the car. These details were prominent ideas in David’s decision to integrate new technology into the classroom.
The Prius will be used to demonstrate the advantage of improving fuel mileage. Compared to the gas-guzzling 4-door which uses a 12 volt battery, hybrids have unleashed a world of economically-friendly options, functioning on a 200 volt battery. This decreases the waste of the world’s fossil fuels like gasoline.
Polarized Congress passes health care
Sarah Bigler
Staff Writer
“This is a big f---ing deal.”
That’s what Vice President Joe Biden said to President Barack Obama before the signing of the health care bill.
He wasn’t wrong. On March 23, Obama signed into law the largest social initiative since Medicare was passed 45 years ago. He signed the bill with 22 pens in front of 200 Democratic lawmakers and White House staffers with a smile on his face.
“This is what change looks like,” Obama said of the bill passing. “That our generation is able to succeed in passing this reform is a testament to the persistence and the character of the American people.”
This day was long in coming. Obama, along with many members of Congress in recent elections, campaigned on the promise of health care reform. His speech before signing the bill was repeatedly interrupted with shouts of excitement from the audience.
Among the witnesses present were Vicki Kennedy, widow of the late Senator Ted Kennedy, and their niece Caroline and son Patrick, who is a member of the House of Representatives. CNN reported that after the bill was signed, the surviving Kennedys walked to Ted’s gravesite and held a small victory party. Ted Kennedy was a tireless proponent of health care reform, and Patrick left a note on his grave. “Dad,” he wrote. “The unfinished work is done.”
Signing the bill into law was the result of many months spent debating, arguing and rewriting. The health care reform bill was the first major issue taken up by the president since his inauguration, and he finally saw his vision come to fruition.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as it's officially named, was passed in the House by a margin of 219 to 212. It was sent to the House of Representatives for approval after being passed by the Senate on Christmas Eve.
The Act will cover 30 to 32 million people who don’t currently have health insurance, including children. It requires most Americans to have health insurance of some kind, and allows 16 million of those people to join Medicare programs.
The process was marred by instances of inappropriate behavior. Protestors filled the streets outside the Capitol Building, chanting and holding up signs both for and against the bill. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was harassed walking into the building, and John Lewis, a civil rights leader in the 1960s and current congressman was called a nasty racial epithet.
Perhaps the worst example of name calling wasn’t from citizen protestors, but from inside the House chamber. Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas) shouted “baby killer” at Rep. Bart Stupak as he stepped down the Congressional aisle. Stupak is a pro-life Democrat from Michigan’s first district who negotiated the tricky subject of abortion relating to the health care bill.
Under the provisions accomplished by Stupak, Obama will sign a guarantee that no federal funds will be used to provide abortions. Insurance companies can still choose whether or not to cover abortions in their plans, but federal money will not go toward the procedure. This was a point of contention amongst pro-lifers, but Obama’s agreement doesn’t change anything in the bill or current law, only reinforces it.
Behind all the partisan bickering and fighting, there is a new law of the land. There are some immediate changes to the health care industry, and also some changes that won’t go into effect for a couple years.
Among the changes immediately implemented, insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage on the basis of a child’s pre-existing conditions. A patient’s coverage will not be dropped due to these conditions, and the Act ends the practice known as rescission. Rescission is when an insurer ends a patient’s coverage even when they’ve kept their policy current.
The other immediate change is the insurance companies can no longer put a lifetime limit on benefits. Perhaps the most important change for college age kids is that insurers must now cover children of insured parents through age 26, whether or not they’re current students.
In 2014, more changes will take over. Adults will not be dropped for pre-existing conditions. Most individuals and families will be required to have health insurance. Those who meet certain need requirements will be added to Medicare or will be qualified for subsidies to help pay for their insurance.
In today’s money, the requirements for free care would be an individual making $14,400 or less, or a family making $29,327. Individuals and families making more than those limits but less than certain amounts will get help paying their insurance through subsidies.
Also in 2014, wealthy families and individuals who don’t have insurance will be fined $625. Low income people and groups will be exempt from this law. Employers with more than 50 employees will be required to provide insurance, or face a $2,000 fine per employee. By 2020, the prescription drug “doughnut hole” in Medicare will be closed.
Perhaps the least talked about amendments in the bill are the ones covering restaurants and tanning beds. Chain restaurants that have more than 20 locations, such as McDonald’s and Burger King, are now subject to a law that requires calorie information on the menu. When this goes into effect and the exact regulations will be decided by the Food and Drug Administration. Some cities, such as New York and Los Angeles, already have this law.
Health care reform also imposes a 10 percent tax increase on the use of indoor tanning beds. Proponents of the measure cite those who use tanning beds have a significantly increased risk of cancer. According to CNN, lawmakers considered taxing all cosmetic procedures, but settled on only taxing tanning beds.
There are still some revisions to be voted on in the Senate, which are expected to pass quickly- at least in Congressional terms.
MSNBC reported there has been violence this week. Rocks and bricks have been thrown through windows of the offices of Democratic leaders across the country.
There are still protests happening around the country, and within the walls of Congress, there are still debates and arguments. Change never comes easy in this country, and without doubt, there will be debate for years to come.
White House Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs, posted on Twitter shortly after the event.
“Powerful moment when the President described the people he was signing this for and for the millions back in control of their health care,” he said.
“And yes, Mr. Vice-President, you’re right.”
Staff Writer
“This is a big f---ing deal.”
That’s what Vice President Joe Biden said to President Barack Obama before the signing of the health care bill.
He wasn’t wrong. On March 23, Obama signed into law the largest social initiative since Medicare was passed 45 years ago. He signed the bill with 22 pens in front of 200 Democratic lawmakers and White House staffers with a smile on his face.
“This is what change looks like,” Obama said of the bill passing. “That our generation is able to succeed in passing this reform is a testament to the persistence and the character of the American people.”
This day was long in coming. Obama, along with many members of Congress in recent elections, campaigned on the promise of health care reform. His speech before signing the bill was repeatedly interrupted with shouts of excitement from the audience.
Among the witnesses present were Vicki Kennedy, widow of the late Senator Ted Kennedy, and their niece Caroline and son Patrick, who is a member of the House of Representatives. CNN reported that after the bill was signed, the surviving Kennedys walked to Ted’s gravesite and held a small victory party. Ted Kennedy was a tireless proponent of health care reform, and Patrick left a note on his grave. “Dad,” he wrote. “The unfinished work is done.”
Signing the bill into law was the result of many months spent debating, arguing and rewriting. The health care reform bill was the first major issue taken up by the president since his inauguration, and he finally saw his vision come to fruition.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as it's officially named, was passed in the House by a margin of 219 to 212. It was sent to the House of Representatives for approval after being passed by the Senate on Christmas Eve.
The Act will cover 30 to 32 million people who don’t currently have health insurance, including children. It requires most Americans to have health insurance of some kind, and allows 16 million of those people to join Medicare programs.
The process was marred by instances of inappropriate behavior. Protestors filled the streets outside the Capitol Building, chanting and holding up signs both for and against the bill. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was harassed walking into the building, and John Lewis, a civil rights leader in the 1960s and current congressman was called a nasty racial epithet.
Perhaps the worst example of name calling wasn’t from citizen protestors, but from inside the House chamber. Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas) shouted “baby killer” at Rep. Bart Stupak as he stepped down the Congressional aisle. Stupak is a pro-life Democrat from Michigan’s first district who negotiated the tricky subject of abortion relating to the health care bill.
Under the provisions accomplished by Stupak, Obama will sign a guarantee that no federal funds will be used to provide abortions. Insurance companies can still choose whether or not to cover abortions in their plans, but federal money will not go toward the procedure. This was a point of contention amongst pro-lifers, but Obama’s agreement doesn’t change anything in the bill or current law, only reinforces it.
Behind all the partisan bickering and fighting, there is a new law of the land. There are some immediate changes to the health care industry, and also some changes that won’t go into effect for a couple years.
Among the changes immediately implemented, insurance companies will no longer be able to deny coverage on the basis of a child’s pre-existing conditions. A patient’s coverage will not be dropped due to these conditions, and the Act ends the practice known as rescission. Rescission is when an insurer ends a patient’s coverage even when they’ve kept their policy current.
The other immediate change is the insurance companies can no longer put a lifetime limit on benefits. Perhaps the most important change for college age kids is that insurers must now cover children of insured parents through age 26, whether or not they’re current students.
In 2014, more changes will take over. Adults will not be dropped for pre-existing conditions. Most individuals and families will be required to have health insurance. Those who meet certain need requirements will be added to Medicare or will be qualified for subsidies to help pay for their insurance.
In today’s money, the requirements for free care would be an individual making $14,400 or less, or a family making $29,327. Individuals and families making more than those limits but less than certain amounts will get help paying their insurance through subsidies.
Also in 2014, wealthy families and individuals who don’t have insurance will be fined $625. Low income people and groups will be exempt from this law. Employers with more than 50 employees will be required to provide insurance, or face a $2,000 fine per employee. By 2020, the prescription drug “doughnut hole” in Medicare will be closed.
Perhaps the least talked about amendments in the bill are the ones covering restaurants and tanning beds. Chain restaurants that have more than 20 locations, such as McDonald’s and Burger King, are now subject to a law that requires calorie information on the menu. When this goes into effect and the exact regulations will be decided by the Food and Drug Administration. Some cities, such as New York and Los Angeles, already have this law.
Health care reform also imposes a 10 percent tax increase on the use of indoor tanning beds. Proponents of the measure cite those who use tanning beds have a significantly increased risk of cancer. According to CNN, lawmakers considered taxing all cosmetic procedures, but settled on only taxing tanning beds.
There are still some revisions to be voted on in the Senate, which are expected to pass quickly- at least in Congressional terms.
MSNBC reported there has been violence this week. Rocks and bricks have been thrown through windows of the offices of Democratic leaders across the country.
There are still protests happening around the country, and within the walls of Congress, there are still debates and arguments. Change never comes easy in this country, and without doubt, there will be debate for years to come.
White House Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs, posted on Twitter shortly after the event.
“Powerful moment when the President described the people he was signing this for and for the millions back in control of their health care,” he said.
“And yes, Mr. Vice-President, you’re right.”
ASA serves up charity dance competition
Erik Hayner
Staff Writer
While waiting in line to purchase tickets, I found myself getting more and more excited by all of the colorful dancers walking about. I watched one girl walk by in a large blue shirt and an oversized spotted tie with large square framed glasses. It felt like a more intimate version of the show America’s Best Dance Crew on MTV.
It was, after all, the Lake County’s Best Dance Crew (LCBDC) competition. The doors opened at 6 p.m. on March 19. The event was held by the CLC’s Asian Student Alliance (ASA) to benefit a nonprofit organization, 3Doves.
I walked into room C005 to find it relatively crowded with a close-knit audience. The environment was intimate and friendly. Everyone was excited to see friends and peers dance in the show.
The show kicked off with a large exhibition dance crew introducing us to the multitudinous talent of students from CLC to the Chicagoland area. The audience was immediately ready to hoot and holler as the performers showcased various steps and hand movements and the balance and control of the break-dancers.
After being introduced to the feeling of a hip hop dance show in person, three leaders from the ASA stood on stage to welcome us to the first year of Lake County’s Best Dance Crew. One leader danced in the first show, and had the sweat to show for it.
The participants came from locations all over the Illinois area, included quite a few CLC students, students from Loyola, UIC, and elsewhere.
Before the rest of the dance show began, the hosts took the time to acknowledge the larger goal behind the dance competition and introduced the representative from 3Doves, Jason Dela Cruz. Dela Cruz presented the audience with a PowerPoint of the Filipino children and families the 3Doves foundation supports.
He thanked the audience for their participation and talked about the typhoon on Sept. 29, 2009. He invited the audience to be a part of the events his foundation has planned for the future. He expects a large turnout for the parties they have planned and mentioned a possible following dance event sometime in the future.
The hosts explained that there would be two types of groups performing that night. The exhibition dance groups and competition groups alternated performing. One of the dance groups had to bow out later in the night, so there wound up being four competition groups and five exhibition groups.
The competing groups would be critiqued by three guest judges who work at or attend CLC. Felicia Ganther is the executive director of Student Life. Students may know her as the woman who gives the speech at introduction to CLC events. Josh Beyda is the clerk at the Multicultural Center, and Ben Aparte is a dancer and student.
The first group up was “Pushstart.” Their members were clad in black tee shirts with a yellow customized logo on the front and fedoras angled to the side. They worked a storyline dance based around the female member of their group in a “get the girl” scenario. They played Kanye West and Lil’ Wayne to start, and the music changed throughout the routine. They stood in front of the female performer as she changed into different clothes toward the end of performance.
The audience loved them and cheered loudly as the men on stage bowed to the female performer.
The group “Megapixels” performed next. They wore colorful blue and orange track jackets and sunglasses. The personality of the group stood out as much as their timing and attention to detail. They exuded confidence and humor, which was recognized in the message relayed before their performance.
“They want to spread their sexiness around the world,” the hosts said.
After five groups had performed there was a break for intermission. One of the hosts came back onto the stage with the rest of his musical group, One Persona, to perform. They played several songs, including a couple originals and a medley of a few songs by Lady Gaga. There were two singers, a drummer, a keyboardist, and a bassist. It was a pleasant, light-hearted set with funny lyrics harmonized between the tenors nicely.
Super Saiyan Five or SS5 had dyed hair with jagged parts, bandanas, jeans and black shirts. Their title refers to the Japanese animated television show “Dragon Ball Z.” The group is comprised of five choreographers who worked with some of the other groups on stage who performed that night.
It was evident they were professionals when they performed. They started out creating a platform with one member crouched down holding another up, the others standing around in a human construction. The way they organized the styles of movement they used was expertly designed. The crowd seemed impressed with their creativity and referenced their namesake with a “kamehameha!” at the beginning.
“Ten beats and one heart,” or 101, was the last group competing. They began with couples onstage and creative musings on ballroom and tango steps. The females in the group really took the performance up a notch with their enthusiasm. They were a joy to watch and continued the real competition between the groups.
The last exhibition group performed spectacularly, as they had opened up for some groups from America’s Best Dance Crew in the past. They opened the stage for the competing groups to all fit in with the three guest judges. Ganther was first to take the microphone, doing a vibrant impression of Lil’ Mama, one of the judges on America’s Best Dance Crew.
“Can I get a slow-mo?” She said, as Lil’ Mama would.
She called for the slow motion replay of some of the more intricate moves of some groups. As she did this two of the groups took liberty to show some slow-mo intricacies of their own with no technology necessary. Ganther, Beyda, and Aparte generally concurred on their criticisms and compliments of the groups and, after deliberating, came to a final result.
Megapixels took home the second place trophy and SS5 won overall.
The music started to play again and everyone on stage showcased their improvised talents. It was really a ball to watch all of these talented students perform and see them in their element.
It was all capped off by the announcement that the event raised $836 in support of the Philippines.
Damon shines in third feature with Greengrass
Kyle Stephans
Staff Writer
Director Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon are great together. Both are familiar with action, suspense, and both know how to kick ass. They did it in The “Bourne Supremacy” and “The Bourne Ultimatum.” Seeing this film in a theater is an action packed adventure.
They are just as good in “The Green Zone”.
The movie is set in Iraq in 2003 when Saddam Hussien has fled and American troops are searching for weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Damon portrays Roy Miller, a chief warrant officer of his squad who is looking for WMDs and so far has found nothing. It seems all the intelligence he is being given from the government leads to nothing. He is becoming agitated and nothing is making sense.
The supporting cast includes Amy Ryan, who plays a journalist determined to find the truth about the government intelligence and where is coming from.
Greg Kinnear plays a shady government official who claims he receives intelligence from an Iraqi informant named Magellan. Once Miller learns this, he begins to doubt the legitimacy of the army’s stay in Iraq and if WMDs even exist.
If you like action, you will like the “Green Zone.” The fast paced action is off and on, but the suspense sticks with the movie throughout. The story will pull you in, but you may disagree on how the United States government is portrayed as sneaky, corrupt, and greedy.
The film is very loud. It has great and accurate sound mixing. The editing is crisp and the cinematography feels realistic. At times the audience may actually feel like they are in the war with Damon.
The landscape is very believable and feels like the film was shot in Iraq even though it was done in Morocco and Spain.
The acting is good with believable performances by the whole cast. My only complaint about the film is that I feel the story should have been more accurate. We are all familiar with the clichéd story that the government is keeping secrets from the people, and the film should have stayed apolitical. “The Hurt Locker” was able to do all of this and was, in my view, the best film of 2009, and won the Oscar for Best Picture.
Although the movie may not be a critical success, it was pretty good and gives a good dose of action. If you are looking for an exciting film with a good cast, then this is a movie you should see.
Grade: B-
Gorillaz dive beneath surface with Plastic Beach album
Laurie Torres
Staff Writer
Forget politics, religion, love and teen angst. Let’s talk about our planet and its decay. That’s exactly what the Gorillaz do in their third studio album appropriately titled “Plastic Beach”.
Unlike most pop albums found these days, “Plastic Beach” does not simply borrow or recycle from other genres but sounds as if it takes what genres like disco, alternative and hip-hop have left behind and salvages them to create something familiar but new.
For this album, Damon Alburn and his animated bandmates recruited the likes of Mos Def, Snoop Dogg, Mark E. Smith and Lou Reed. The Lebanese Nation Orchestra provides the lush and warm oceanic string introduction to the album. The blend of styles and collage of sound work well to portray the themes of artificiality the album centers around.
Although the album does not possess the instantaneous infectious buzz of past hits like “Feel Good Inc.” and “Clint Eastwood”, the melodies undoubtedly grow on the listener. “Stylo” was released as the first single off the album, featuring a driving disco beat with synthesized strings resounding over it.
While the Gorillaz typically have a darker feel to their sound, “Plastic Beach” surprisingly has light, upbeat pop songs like “Superfast Jellyfish” and “Some Kind of Nature”.
If you’re looking to turn off the radio in search of something different, “Plastic Beach” could fulfill that wish. Just don’t be surprised if it feels as if you’ve heard it all before at first, it goes far below the surface.
Staff Writer
Forget politics, religion, love and teen angst. Let’s talk about our planet and its decay. That’s exactly what the Gorillaz do in their third studio album appropriately titled “Plastic Beach”.
Unlike most pop albums found these days, “Plastic Beach” does not simply borrow or recycle from other genres but sounds as if it takes what genres like disco, alternative and hip-hop have left behind and salvages them to create something familiar but new.
For this album, Damon Alburn and his animated bandmates recruited the likes of Mos Def, Snoop Dogg, Mark E. Smith and Lou Reed. The Lebanese Nation Orchestra provides the lush and warm oceanic string introduction to the album. The blend of styles and collage of sound work well to portray the themes of artificiality the album centers around.
Although the album does not possess the instantaneous infectious buzz of past hits like “Feel Good Inc.” and “Clint Eastwood”, the melodies undoubtedly grow on the listener. “Stylo” was released as the first single off the album, featuring a driving disco beat with synthesized strings resounding over it.
While the Gorillaz typically have a darker feel to their sound, “Plastic Beach” surprisingly has light, upbeat pop songs like “Superfast Jellyfish” and “Some Kind of Nature”.
If you’re looking to turn off the radio in search of something different, “Plastic Beach” could fulfill that wish. Just don’t be surprised if it feels as if you’ve heard it all before at first, it goes far below the surface.
A day in the taboo life - book review
Megan Schroeder
Staff Writer
In this world anything too close for comfort, with in your face notions, is considered taboo.
Alice Sebold, author of “The Lovely Bones,” pulls together some of the hardest things a person can say in her memoir “Lucky.” A poignant and ironic title, the book contains her account of her rape and the aftermath of such an intrusion of self.
The book is cut and dry and does not need to be anything more than that. It is done in a way to help the reader understand just how real it was. It’s a difficult book to read at times because of her unapologetic blunt truth.
It’s a hard kick to the stomach to hear anything about someone else’s misfortunes for those that have not had their lives altered so drastically.
It will be a sensitive topic for those that have been assaulted and never spoken about it.
According to the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network, “On average 1 in 6 women, and 1 in 33 men, will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime, college women are 4 times more likely to be sexually assaulted, and every 2 minutes someone in the United States is sexually assaulted.”
Victims of assault will be disturbed for the rest of their lives and Alice Sebold’s book will leave the reader with a haunted feeling, and a reminder of how cruel life can be.
It takes patience and a certain amount of empathy to read the book. It’s only recommended to those that are willing to accept that taboos aren’t necessarily taboo.
National Alcohol Screening Day arrives April 8th
Meghan Gray
Staff Writer
With Spring Break just around the corner, many college students have only one thing in mind, spending an entire week doing whatever they want. While some plan to stay local, others are jet-setting to warmer climates with nothing more than a bikini, swim trunks, and flip-flops.
The primary goal is to let loose with friends, soak in the sun, and try new things.
While this sounds like an incredible vacation from second semester blues, often times adding alcohol to the mix becomes a recipe for disaster.
Binge drinking has damaging effects both physically and socially, and is the leading cause of death and arrest for undergraduate students nationwide according to the Boston College School of Social Work.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports 31 percent of college students meet criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse.
According to a 2009 study by Cabrini College alcohol abuse is not the same as alcoholism. Rather, it is a pattern of drinking that involves one or more of the following: failure to carry out major responsibilities, drinking in physically dangerous situations, legal issues related to using alcohol and continued drinking despite ongoing problems in relationships with others.
The Health Center will conduct free, anonymous alcohol screenings as part of National Alcohol Screening Day on April 8. The event is open to the community and will be held on the Grayslake campus 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in room C002.
The event will include a presentation on alcohol problems, completion of a screening form and one-on-one, private consultation with a health professional.
Local treatment referrals and support resources will be made available for those who need further evaluation. Appointments are not necessary.
National Alcohol Screening Day is a program of the nonprofit Screening for Mental Health, funded by the “National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism” and the “Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.” The screening program is designed to raise awareness of the dangers of alcohol consumption and offer help for those struggling with the problem.
Disney internships animate résumés
Alvin Sandique
Staff Writer
Students at the College of Lake County who are looking for a great way to give their résumés a jolt need to speak to Sue Whittaker of the College and Career Placement Services.
Whittaker is in charge of getting students to participate in the Disney College Program.
The Disney College Program is a four or six month internship where students live in Orlando, FL and work for one of the biggest companies worldwide. Students are able to enroll in classes and get credits through the business division and career placement services.
“This program is a great internship, especially for college students,” Whitaker said. “You get to work in a great environment in Disney World, and to top it all off, you get to live in Florida. It is an internship that is unlike any other.”
Whittaker believes the program can be a game changer for students in terms of strengthening their résumés.
“The program is an outstanding tool to use to boost your résumé,” Whittaker said. “It’s an opportunity to work for one of the biggest and most renowned companies in the world. It can help students become more competitive in the job market.”
Nowadays, the job market is becoming more and more competitive. Whittaker is more than willing to help students compete against older applicants.
“I am here to help students succeed and see that they are able to compete with more experienced job seekers,” Whittaker said.
The Disney internship is fairly new to CLC. It has only been available for CLC students for four semesters.
Though CLC is fairly small compared to other colleges who partake in the internship, such as University of Illinois and Northern Illinois University, Whittaker said CLC is very competitive with other schools sending students to participate in the program. She said the school is able to send as many students down to Central Florida as the bigger schools.
“This school is like a young colt scrapping to compete with the thoroughbreds of U of I and NIU,” Whitaker said.
There are currently 17 students from CLC in Orlando for the internship. Last summer, nine went. In the two previous semesters, 10 students went in the fall and 11 in the pilot semester of spring 2008.
“I believe in all the benefits that this program has to offer students,” Whittaker said. “That is why every semester I try and encourage as many students as I can to take advantage of this opportunity.”
Whittaker also sees this internship as a way to reward students for their hard work in the classroom.
“I deal with students all the time, and I know the stress of college can sometimes be overwhelming for students to handle at times,” Whittaker said.
“The fact that I have gone through the same struggles that students face is another reason why I want to help these amazing students in any way that I can. Offering this internship to students is one way in doing that.”
As for the future of the Disney College Program becoming a fixture in the school’s plethora of extracurricular activities, Whittaker is hopeful.
“I hope this program continues to pull students from CLC for years to come,” Whittaker said.
“The Disney internship is something that any student from this college would love to be a part of. I am here to help them get there if they wish to do so.”
A Disney information presentation will be held April 5 at 1 and 5:30 p.m. in room C005.
Staff Writer
Students at the College of Lake County who are looking for a great way to give their résumés a jolt need to speak to Sue Whittaker of the College and Career Placement Services.
Whittaker is in charge of getting students to participate in the Disney College Program.
The Disney College Program is a four or six month internship where students live in Orlando, FL and work for one of the biggest companies worldwide. Students are able to enroll in classes and get credits through the business division and career placement services.
“This program is a great internship, especially for college students,” Whitaker said. “You get to work in a great environment in Disney World, and to top it all off, you get to live in Florida. It is an internship that is unlike any other.”
Whittaker believes the program can be a game changer for students in terms of strengthening their résumés.
“The program is an outstanding tool to use to boost your résumé,” Whittaker said. “It’s an opportunity to work for one of the biggest and most renowned companies in the world. It can help students become more competitive in the job market.”
Nowadays, the job market is becoming more and more competitive. Whittaker is more than willing to help students compete against older applicants.
“I am here to help students succeed and see that they are able to compete with more experienced job seekers,” Whittaker said.
The Disney internship is fairly new to CLC. It has only been available for CLC students for four semesters.
Though CLC is fairly small compared to other colleges who partake in the internship, such as University of Illinois and Northern Illinois University, Whittaker said CLC is very competitive with other schools sending students to participate in the program. She said the school is able to send as many students down to Central Florida as the bigger schools.
“This school is like a young colt scrapping to compete with the thoroughbreds of U of I and NIU,” Whitaker said.
There are currently 17 students from CLC in Orlando for the internship. Last summer, nine went. In the two previous semesters, 10 students went in the fall and 11 in the pilot semester of spring 2008.
“I believe in all the benefits that this program has to offer students,” Whittaker said. “That is why every semester I try and encourage as many students as I can to take advantage of this opportunity.”
Whittaker also sees this internship as a way to reward students for their hard work in the classroom.
“I deal with students all the time, and I know the stress of college can sometimes be overwhelming for students to handle at times,” Whittaker said.
“The fact that I have gone through the same struggles that students face is another reason why I want to help these amazing students in any way that I can. Offering this internship to students is one way in doing that.”
As for the future of the Disney College Program becoming a fixture in the school’s plethora of extracurricular activities, Whittaker is hopeful.
“I hope this program continues to pull students from CLC for years to come,” Whittaker said.
“The Disney internship is something that any student from this college would love to be a part of. I am here to help them get there if they wish to do so.”
A Disney information presentation will be held April 5 at 1 and 5:30 p.m. in room C005.
Prevention, intervention key to campus safety
Dave Balson
Opinion Editor
Prevention and intervention are keys to keeping CLC’s campuses safe and open to all students, the CLC Police Department says. The CLC Police Department reported that the college’s campuses have had eight incidents of violent crime.
The statistics, which the department is required by law to produce, show the frequency of certain crimes committed on campus 2006 through 2008. Throughout those years, the statistics show no murders, one sexual assault, two aggravated assaults (both in ’06), and five cases of battery.
“Our statistics are not fudged,” CLC Police Sergeant Theodore Waters said. “These are honest statistics and not all schools can say that.”
In his 19 years at CLC, Sergeant Waters said he hasn’t seen violent crime rates trend in either direction. Fights make up the majority of violent crime the department deals with. But college campuses across the country now confront the challenge of trying to prevent the next major school shooting.
“CLC has always been a very safe place,” Waters said. “But we have to be prepared and have those plans in place to keep it safe, because violence is trying to make its way in.”
“You try to intervene and prevent,” CLC Chief of Police Kevin Lowry said. “On a national level, that’s what the FBI and Secret Service do for our country. They try to intervene, prevent, before that bomber does what he’s trying to do. On our level, we’re trying to do the same thing. Campus wide, a department of 20 can’t do that all by ourselves, so what we try to do is train individuals to help with that.”
The individuals Chief Lowry is helping to train make up the school’s Crisis Prevention and Intervention Team. Most of the staff on the team are heads of departments who have direct contact with students.
“We have the key players in place who might get information about students in crisis,” said Julie DeGraw, dean of the Counseling, Advising and Transfer Center at CLC. DeGraw is also the team’s chairwoman.
College campuses across the country are implementing similar prevention teams. The teams are largely a response to the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007, when student Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people before turning the gun on himself.
“What they found from Virginia Tech was that Cho had had encounters with campus police, counseling, health center and numerous faculty members,” said Lowry, also a member of the team. “All that information from the faculty was held within their divisions.”
“As a result of that,” DeGraw said, “there was a lot written about how we should create avenues for (information sharing) to happen, especially in extreme situations where we’re worried about the safety and health of the student or the campus.”
The team’s main functions are to train and educate staff and faculty on how best to identify and work with students who may be in crisis. Then, they meet and share information to identify students who have the potential for violence.
If a student seems to be in crisis, his or her name is brought up to the group.
“If others say, ‘yes, that name is familiar to me,’ then we share the info as it’s appropriate.” DeGraw said. “If people say no, that’s the end of it.”
“Anything that is said in that group is confidential,” she added, “it can’t be taken out of that group. I don’t want people to think that if they come in to talk to me or the police that we’re going to share that information outside of our office. It’s really only when we think it may be harmful to other places on campus.”
The team is also responsible for helping plan the campus-wide emergency response.
“I’ve been really impressed since I’ve been here,” DeGraw said. “We know what we’re doing. Everybody has a plan and has walked through that plan.
“We don’t want to just be responding, we want to be preventing things before they happen.”
Waters and DeGraw both stressed the importance of keeping the college open to the community.
“Community colleges have people who are fresh out of prison for violent crimes,” Waters said. “But they are here to get an education, to become a productive member of society. This is where you want them to be.
“They’re coming here to learn how to not be violent and live a better life, and that’s a good thing. CLC is lucky, and CLC is a good place. People are here to improve their lives, and they don’t want to mess that up.”
In fact, countless studies have shown that prisoners who get an education are far less likely to go back to prison. A 2009 report released by the U.S. Department of Education, “Partnerships Between Community Colleges and Prisons,” found that community colleges make their community safer by turning potential re-offenders into productive citizens.
“You want colleges to be open and public and available to all people,” DeGraw said. “We’re all about access and trying to be a resource to the community. Do we want to be about locking our doors and making everybody swipe a card to get in? I don’t think we do.
“There’s a strong connection between education and being able to move forward. So why wouldn’t we want that to be available to everyone?”
Sergeant Waters also said the general attitudes and expectations of people on campus play a very large role in keeping the campus safe.
“We, the students, staff, everybody, create a culture that is not accepting of the precursor elements of violence,” Waters said. “Valuing diversity and making sure that everyone feels included and is included, treating people with respect, that’s what we do. I think that’s why CLC is a safer place.”
Opinion Editor
Prevention and intervention are keys to keeping CLC’s campuses safe and open to all students, the CLC Police Department says. The CLC Police Department reported that the college’s campuses have had eight incidents of violent crime.
The statistics, which the department is required by law to produce, show the frequency of certain crimes committed on campus 2006 through 2008. Throughout those years, the statistics show no murders, one sexual assault, two aggravated assaults (both in ’06), and five cases of battery.
“Our statistics are not fudged,” CLC Police Sergeant Theodore Waters said. “These are honest statistics and not all schools can say that.”
In his 19 years at CLC, Sergeant Waters said he hasn’t seen violent crime rates trend in either direction. Fights make up the majority of violent crime the department deals with. But college campuses across the country now confront the challenge of trying to prevent the next major school shooting.
“CLC has always been a very safe place,” Waters said. “But we have to be prepared and have those plans in place to keep it safe, because violence is trying to make its way in.”
“You try to intervene and prevent,” CLC Chief of Police Kevin Lowry said. “On a national level, that’s what the FBI and Secret Service do for our country. They try to intervene, prevent, before that bomber does what he’s trying to do. On our level, we’re trying to do the same thing. Campus wide, a department of 20 can’t do that all by ourselves, so what we try to do is train individuals to help with that.”
The individuals Chief Lowry is helping to train make up the school’s Crisis Prevention and Intervention Team. Most of the staff on the team are heads of departments who have direct contact with students.
“We have the key players in place who might get information about students in crisis,” said Julie DeGraw, dean of the Counseling, Advising and Transfer Center at CLC. DeGraw is also the team’s chairwoman.
College campuses across the country are implementing similar prevention teams. The teams are largely a response to the Virginia Tech massacre in 2007, when student Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people before turning the gun on himself.
“What they found from Virginia Tech was that Cho had had encounters with campus police, counseling, health center and numerous faculty members,” said Lowry, also a member of the team. “All that information from the faculty was held within their divisions.”
“As a result of that,” DeGraw said, “there was a lot written about how we should create avenues for (information sharing) to happen, especially in extreme situations where we’re worried about the safety and health of the student or the campus.”
The team’s main functions are to train and educate staff and faculty on how best to identify and work with students who may be in crisis. Then, they meet and share information to identify students who have the potential for violence.
If a student seems to be in crisis, his or her name is brought up to the group.
“If others say, ‘yes, that name is familiar to me,’ then we share the info as it’s appropriate.” DeGraw said. “If people say no, that’s the end of it.”
“Anything that is said in that group is confidential,” she added, “it can’t be taken out of that group. I don’t want people to think that if they come in to talk to me or the police that we’re going to share that information outside of our office. It’s really only when we think it may be harmful to other places on campus.”
The team is also responsible for helping plan the campus-wide emergency response.
“I’ve been really impressed since I’ve been here,” DeGraw said. “We know what we’re doing. Everybody has a plan and has walked through that plan.
“We don’t want to just be responding, we want to be preventing things before they happen.”
Waters and DeGraw both stressed the importance of keeping the college open to the community.
“Community colleges have people who are fresh out of prison for violent crimes,” Waters said. “But they are here to get an education, to become a productive member of society. This is where you want them to be.
“They’re coming here to learn how to not be violent and live a better life, and that’s a good thing. CLC is lucky, and CLC is a good place. People are here to improve their lives, and they don’t want to mess that up.”
In fact, countless studies have shown that prisoners who get an education are far less likely to go back to prison. A 2009 report released by the U.S. Department of Education, “Partnerships Between Community Colleges and Prisons,” found that community colleges make their community safer by turning potential re-offenders into productive citizens.
“You want colleges to be open and public and available to all people,” DeGraw said. “We’re all about access and trying to be a resource to the community. Do we want to be about locking our doors and making everybody swipe a card to get in? I don’t think we do.
“There’s a strong connection between education and being able to move forward. So why wouldn’t we want that to be available to everyone?”
Sergeant Waters also said the general attitudes and expectations of people on campus play a very large role in keeping the campus safe.
“We, the students, staff, everybody, create a culture that is not accepting of the precursor elements of violence,” Waters said. “Valuing diversity and making sure that everyone feels included and is included, treating people with respect, that’s what we do. I think that’s why CLC is a safer place.”
Center powers to new location, name
Vik Bhardwaj
Managing Editor
The Student Empowerment Center, formerly known as the Student Development Center, was recently relocated from the second floor B-wing room B210 downstairs to the more spacious B120 and held its open house on from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday. Students could socialize and lounge on one of the two sofas in the room while eating food from a variety of local ethnic and American restaurants.
The SEC is composed of the Women’s Center, THRIVE, Multicultural Student Center, and Student Retention, with Veteran’s Services coming soon. It frequently works to connect students with the Learning Resource Center, the library, financial aid and the near-by counseling office.
Aside from referrals, the center offers a multitude of ways students can “recharge,” Coordinator of the Multicultural Student Center Jorge Tennin said.
The point of the Student Empowerment Center is to get around the fact that CLC is a commuter college by helping make it a place where students can connect, Tennin added.
The change in name was to avoid confusion with CLC’s other Student Development Center, a part of Career and Placement Services.
“The (new) name is fitting,” Tennin said, although he added the name did take some getting used to. Like hearing a new song on the radio, it eventually grew on him, Tennin said.
“I saw that the meaning related and that it was something we could live up to,” Tennin said.
The purpose of the Multicultural Student Center is to have an ethnic, diverse connection and representation on campus, Tennin said.
Multicultural Student Center consists of eight clubs—Asian Student Alliance, Black Student Union, Latino Alliance, International Club, Hillel, Muslim Student Association, Pride Alliance, and South Asian Student Association.
Student Retention offers academic coaching and information on need-based grants and scholarships like Title-9 grants.
Title-9 Grant Manager and Adviser to Latino Student Alliance Rudolfo Ruiz-Velasco said the retention efforts go beyond the center. He said the student may be more or less inclined to stay in school by the total student experience, with interactions at all levels, from the janitors to the teachers.
Regarding the recent cuts across the board to colleges and four-year institutions, Tennin said the MSC is as important as ever. There are 190 students and 17 academic advisers involved in the clubs.
Four year institutions could forgo its diversity clubs on account of the vicinal connections its students have living with each other, whereas CLC couldn’t afford to since its students don’t live with each other, said Tennin.
Student, officer of Muslim Student Association and member of South Asian Student Association Osman Mohammed said the clubs are an effective way for students to develop cultural awareness.
“By having clubs at the college, students can have a place where they can fit in,” Mohammed said.
Ruiz-Velasco said the club puts students in the company of productivity. Many officers in the club are examples of achievement. They go on to four-year institutions and provide a “domino effect,” he said.
The Women’s Center was founded by Director Theresa Aguinaldo and provides financial assistance and confidentiality to women who need it. Clients are qualified and approved by the Women’s Center.
The Women’s Center, the American Association for Women in Community College, as well as CLC, all recently co-sponsored a slew of informative lectures, as well as a performance of the “Vagina Monologues” to commemorate March as Women’s History Month.
THRIVE is under the Women’s Center and provides students with free academic guidance and coaches, development workshops, study groups, peer mentors, conferences and social events to help keep students on track.
THRIVE clerk and student Liz Clark said there are two types of Women’s Center clients, traditional and non-traditional. The former may be the typical 18 to 22 year old college student. The latter make up the older students who may have jobs or families.
Clark’s first stint at college didn’t work out because she felt disconnected. She attended Penn State University. Some 15 years later, she thrives at CLC because of its closer-knit community.
Clark, a single mother, first came to the Women’s Center as a client in search of child care assistance for her 4-year-old son. She obtained it, and while looking for jobs the following summer, heard about an opening to work for the center and took it.
She can now return the favor by offering assistance to others.
“It’s the best feeling in the world,” Clark said.
She is majoring in psychology and is vice president of Student Government Association. She plans to go on to the University Center then to NIU to get her master’s.
New Student Orientation and First Year Experience used to be in B120, but moved down to the student activities office, C101. Coordinator of First Year Experience Mark Lowry said the move was more convenient in that it brought him closer to the familiar faces who started in NSO/FYE.
Lowry said his previous office won’t be sorely missed since it was in the corner and away from most student traffic, but will take the walk up to B120 to visit from time to time.
The Student Empowerment Center is open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday through the spring semester. Brochures for all the components of the SEC can be found in C101 and B120. A bulletin board is located outside B120 with information regarding scholarships, a calendar of events, and other offerings.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)