Spring 2015, Issue #7
The Crier Is Sponsored, In Part, By Student Association
March 7th, 20IS
Baron Bash
By: Crier Staff
The Baron Bash, which took place on April 30th, was a major success. The History Club and The Crier’s joint effort to bring more fun to the campus while raising money for a good cause showed exactly what clubs can do when they work together. With the help of Student Life and AVI, the Baron Bash is a tradition that will hopefully continue. All proceeds were donated to the Ugandan Water Project.
Much to the students’ delight, many teachers look a pie or two in the face. There were plenty of tacos to feed everyone and enough raffles to satisfy most people’s tastes. The prize wheel too was very popular attraction.
Professor Hatesh Radia was the first professor ever to get pied at the Baron Bash. He was pied a total of three times before he had to head off to his meetings. Hatesh was very enthusiastic about the event and helped bring the initial energy to the pie throwing station.
As the event continued, bargaining among professors and students began. Instead of trying to qualify to pie a teacher, students, with the encouragement of other professors, began to raise money to force professors to accept a pie in the face.
Professor Jen O’Hara, who did not initially volunteer for the event, was pied for a $12 donation. Professor Tim Bonomo, the most wanted man on the lawn, went down for
about $15. The big winner was Professor Rob Kephart, who was pied for $20. Keith Ward, Dann Coble, Sky Moss, and Dean Shaw were also pied for undisclosed fees, much to the delight of their co-workers. The day was memorable for all involved and will likely never be forgotten, especially by those pied. Some unruly students were also pied by some of their favorite professors. The Bash will hopefully continue in the future. The smiles on the faces of those involved could not have been any bigger.
The looks of retribution and revenge were sweet on students faces as professors wiped their tough looks and whipped cream off their face.
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SPRING 2015, ISSUE #7
Discovery Day
By Silka Jacobson-Evans
Over one hundred people attended the first annual Discovery Day on April 25th Discovery Day was an event organized to showcase the liberal arts degrees offered at CCC. Many departments set up small demonstrations to show the community members what they do. The Psychology Department gave out mini surveys to help people learn more about themselves. The Chemistry Department created methane bubbles with regular dish soap. With a small spark these bubbles would light in a burst of flame. The manufacturing methods department engraved CCC dog tags with names. Several different elementary schools also attended the event and “discovered” CCC.
Dr.Arun Gandhi’s Visit to CCC
By Silka Jacobson-Evans
After the Discovery Day festivities were over, a special guest speaker, Dr. Arun Gandhi, spoke about nonviolence. He also discussed Mahatma Gandhi’s experiences that lead him to pursue a nonviolent lifestyle. Dr. Arun Gandhi is the fifth grandson of Mahatma Gandhi. As a child, Dr. Arun Gandhi was being bullied at school. He described the situation as very frustrating and he held anger against the people bullying him. His parent’s recognized the situation and sent him to stay with his grandfather where he stayed for two years. At one time during his stay, he was walking home from school. He looked at his short pencil, maybe only three inches long, and thought to himself that he deserved better than that. Without a second thought he threw the pencil out and headed home certain that he would get a new pencil. Instead, his grandfather asked him many questions about where and why he threw the pencil out. In the end, Arun’s grandfather made him go out with a flash light and find the pencil. The lesson Arun learned is that even the smallest actions that we don’t perceive to be violent, may in fact be hurting a person or the environment. In this case, the pencil was not completely used up and getting rid of it before it was, was an act of violence towards the environment and towards humanity.
SPRING 2015, ISSUE #7
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In Appreciation
By Professor Tim Bonomo
It is altogether appropriate in this, the season of rebirth and blossom, that we take time for reflection, celebration, and recognition. Our students prepare to commence with best wishes and pride from the entire CCC community.
As we watch their procession to whatever-lies-before-them, it is important to pause to appreciate all of those who have contributed to their hard earned success.
To my mind there is one person who, virtually without recognition, stands as the lynchpin to all of our collective achievements.
This young woman, often singlehandedly, acts as a ftilcrum for academic success, a cornerstone for emotional stability, and a nexus for social engagement. As if these feats were not enough, amazingly, she does this for students and faculty, for administration and staff, for lofty dignitaries and simple visitors.
In truth, who else can claim to clear professor’s minds, to reinvigorate students, to calm staff and refocus administrators?
But wait....I sense your hesitation and suspicion gentle reader.
Who could do all of this? How could one person possibly accomplish these things?
The “how” is elegantly simple and yet also exceedingly complex: She is a magician, a sorceress. Nay! She is an alchemist!
Lowly leaves, roots, spices and seeds are hers to command. Emulsions, suspensions, libations and mixtures are her playthings.
To watch her concoct her psycho/physio altering potions is to see the exactitude of a scientist fuse with the gentle emotional subtlety of an artist. It is a daily joy to behold. She has no equal Euid we are all willingly bewitched!
So, as we reflect and rejoice at our accomplishments let us never forget “She Who Brews”; the one who can activate, liberate, and motivate with but her caffeinate.
The “who” then is.....Caitlyn, our Starbucks Coffee barista and she has earned our undying gratitude.
In fact, even now I muse...
“Do you have the pumpkin chai latte?....yes!... a venti then, unless you have a trenta!”
Old Music New Ears:A Reflection and the Future
By Nick Curreri
It’s all over now... Now that my time at CCC has finished, so too will this column. I hope a few people have read my articles and enjoyed them. Perhaps, my articles even introduced some people to new music. I would like to thank those who have read my articles. I hope that many of you will attend summer concerts because there is nothing like seeing an artist live. It can be surprising how much better, or how much worse an artist is live. There are certain live performances that can define an era, an artist, or a time period. I cannot stop myself from recommending the Dire Straits live DVD Alchemy or Pink Floyd’s,
Is There Anybody Out There? The latter album is a live performance of Floyd’s legendary album, The Wall.
Other fantastic live albums include Frampton Comes Alive, Babylon by Bus, and AC/DC Live. These are just a few examples of great live albums put out by some great artists. Please go out and support your favorite bands and enjoy them in their live setting. It might be nothing like what you expected. Remember, too, that there are local acts within our own community that need support as well.
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SPRING 2015, ISSUE #7
Look Book: Diversity Center Spring Fashion Edition
By Crier Staff
What Does Your Desk Say About You?
By Crier Staff
Crier: I see you have a framed photograph of J.F.K. Tell me about that.
Professor Logan: J.F.K. will always be one of my role models. I was in first grade when he was killed and it was very traumatic. The fact that MLK and Bobby Kennedy were killed shortly after was very tough on our generation. It still impacts me.
Crier: I like your rainbow slinky!
Professor Logan: I bought this slinky at my first Gay Pride March in Harrisburg, PA. It reminds me to not be ashamed of who I am and to feel pride. What struck me about that march was that it was the first time I felt comfortable in a large group.
Crier: Your desk is interesting....tell me about your organizational practices.
Professor Logan: There's no real method, but I can find papers I need and I know which stack they are in. This is definitely what I would call an organized mess!
SPRING 2015. ISSUE #7	THE CRIER	PAGE 5
A Farewell to Arms... or the NRA
By Ian Valone
“The right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” If you guessed the Second Amendment, you would be right. But did you know that quote is incomplete? This is something the NRA does not want you to know. In its entirety, the Second Amendment reads, “a well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a Free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
Although many Americans believe that it is their absolute right to own a firearm, I believe that is actually up for debate. Former Chief Justice Warren Burger was quoted as saying that the Second Amendment “has been the subject of one of the greatest pieces of fraud, I repeat the word ‘fraud,’ on the American public by special interest groups that I have ever seen in my lifetime.” I do not believe that the average citizen was intended to own a gun.
For more than 200 years following the adoption of that amendment, federal judges uniformly understood that the right protected by that text was limited in two ways: First, it applied only to keeping and bearing arms for military purposes, and second, while it limited the power of the federal government, it did not impose any limit whatsoever on the power of state or local governments to regulate the ownership or use of firearms.
Do you own guns? Do you believe you are part of a well-regulated militia? I do not believe that many, if anyone, can honestly answer the latter question with a resounding yes. There are gun owners trained for hunting, and to some degree, self-defense, but they are not a part of any larger organized unit that would characterize a “well-
regulated militia.” A militia being defined “as a body of citizens enrolled for military service, and called out periodically for drill but serving full time only in emergencies,” or “a body of citizen soldiers as distinguished from professional soldiers,” or “all able-bodied males considered by law eligible for military service,” or “a body of citizens organized in a paramilitary group and typically regarding themselves as defenders of individual rights against the presumed interference of the federal government,” according to Dictionary.com. Some may say that the being part of the NRA counts, but with that, I also disagree.
As you may know, the NRA, or National Rifle Association, is an organization that is supposedly interested in assuring the rights for every American citizen to bear arms. It was founded by a group of Union officers after the Civil War who, perturbed by their troops’ poor marksmanship, wanted a way to sponsor shooting training and competitions. Much later, in the year 1977, the organization’s leadership decided to move their headquarters to Colorado, signaling a retreat from politics. By four in the morning, dissenters had voted out the organization’s leadership. Instead, activists from the Second Amendment Foundation and the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms pushed their way into power. The NRA’s new leadership was dramatic, dogmatic, and overtly ideological. Today, visitors to the NRA’s headquarters in Fairfax, VA can read emblazoned on a wall of the building’s lobby an incomplete quote of the Second Amendment. On their own wall, they only post the half-truth.
The gun control debate is also an important issue internationally, though
rarely are gun politics as contentious elsewhere as they are in the United States. Despite that, rather than swinging one way entirely, I do think that there should be compromises made on gun control. A new approach to addressing and reducing gun-related violence is desperately needed.
I do understand that many people use their guns for hunting purposes, and that attempting to acquiesce all guns in circulation would be downright impossible. However, more can be done to prevent guns from getting into the hands of the wrong, or unstable individuals. Thorough background checks need to be established, with periodical assessments of the owner’s mental health. For those that disagree, think of airline pilots who are subjected to mental and physical tests to ensure that they are fit to fly. Those individuals are entrusted with the lives of numerous people; likewise, firearms can take the lives of numerous people.
All new guns should to be sold with biometric locks. I understand that there are many old guns without these features, and those will be the ones to circulate in the black market. I know the cost of firearms will initially go up as biometrics become standard; however, I think it is the best way to move firearms into the modem era. After all, does your iPhone not have a fingerprint scanner? Do you value the privacy of your phone over the safety of your firearm (s)?
I recognize that guns will probably never cease to exist, and people advocating gun rights must also recognize that not everyone believes the status quo is satisfactory. Both sides will
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SPRING 2015, ISSUE #6
A Farewell Continued
By Ian Valone
use the law or lobbyists to advocate their beliefs, but there has to be a compromise. Unfortunately, I think it must lean towards stricter regulations. Regardless, something must be done.
A Movie Review:The Avengers
By Megan Pradichith
As the semester draws to a close, I decided to review one of the most hyped movies of 2015. While I am a fan of comics (besides young adult), I thought The Avengers movie was okay and enjoyable at best. So how did the sequel fare?
Directed and written by Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dollhouse), the film began with the Avengers—Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson ), and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner)—fighting against Hydra. But when Iron Man uses Loki’s scepter to create an artificial intelligence defense program Ultron (James Spader), the program becomes sentient and sinister. After escaping, he works with the twins Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen).
If I were to compare this with the first film, I will have to say that this is a mostly subpar sequel. While it is entertaining to watch, the story is rushed and there were too many jokes made by characters, even in situations when it was not appropriate. Although the acting is good, the character development and interaction seemed lacking in this movie. Ultron had the potential of being a decent villain with a combination of a god-like complex and a “well-meaning” intention of destroying humans for the benefit of the earth, but he ultimately ended up being a sarcastic one-note villain. And the romantic relationship between Hulk and Black Widow felt strongly out of place with no build up whatsoever. However, I do applaud Hulk’s internal crisis despite his lack of screen time, and the development of Hawkeye (considering the circumstances he was in during the first film). Even with these flaws, the film did provide entertaining action and decent effects.
The Verdict
Avengers: Age of Ultron is entertaining, but is not as good as its predecessor. The story wasn’t rushed with unneeded comedy and some underdeveloped characterization. However, there other characterizations are okay. Otherwise, it was an okay movie that doesn’t live up to its predecessor. However, it is common for sequels to be weak compared to its predecessor—mostly because we expect too much out of them. Fortunately, this film is not one of those awful sequels.
SPRING 2015, ISSUE #6
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Baron Bash Photos
By Crier Staff
SPRING 2015, ISSUE #7
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Riddle Me This
Running around, busy all day, Spring is the time for me.
Flying about, no time to play,
Working day long is the key.
What are we?
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pimer
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Staff
Shandelle Pipe: Editor-in-Chief/ Layout Editor
Ian Valone: Assistant Editor
Hope Mancini: Secretary/SAGA Representative
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The views presented to you by The Crier do not reflect the views of Student Life or Corning Community College.