The Crier
Thursday, March 6,2008
Issue 21
Spring 2008
1957-2007
WebCT Tutorial Now Available to Assist Students
By Lindsay Woodruff
With the increasing popularity of Internet and hybrid courses, it is quite likely that students will come across WebCT at one point or another during their career at Corning Community College. It is also quite possible that students planning to advance to four-year institutions will find themselves using the WebCT system in courses to come. While most students in this day and age are equipped with the skills to access the Internet and use it to their advantage, there are still some aspects of WebCT that prove rather challenging.
Learning Resources has put together a comprehensive WebCT tutorial that is available for students on MyCCC. This tutorial can be accessed by clicking on the Internet Education link in the Student tab of MyCCC or by clicking the link Library Services for Remote Learners, found on the Library Online page, which is available on the Welcome tab.
The tutorial includes information and visuals about each feature of WebCT in thirteen modules. These files are PDF documents and Adobe Acrobat Reader is needed to view them. All computers on campus have this program, so using the tutorial on campus will be especially convenient.
Once the documents are opened, the Bookmarks tab on the left hand side of the page provides detailed links for easy navigation. In addition to written instructions explaining how to work with WebCT, there are also many screenshots to illustrate how to properly carry out each action.
There is also an Icon Glossary & Index link, which should help students find information on anything they are having trouble with.
The WebCT tutorial, though very detailed, is still a work in progress. Learning Resources encourages any feedback on how to make the tutorial better. Associate Dean of Learning Resources Sarah Conrad Weisman stresses that the Library is a valuable resource as they have more computers than any computer lab on campus, and the knowledgeable staff in the Library is always willing to assist any student in need. The hours for the Library are Monday - Thursday 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., and Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Feedback of any sort can be sent to library@corning-cc.edu.
Inside:
To Ban or Not to Ban?
A plethora of smoking-related health issues were brought up at the round table discussion held on Thursday, February 28. Find out what they are.
Page 2
Safety Synopsis
Find out what the Department of Public Safety is up to.
Page 4 Weekly column
Flashback
Take a trip down memory lane with a reprint from a past issue of The Crier!
Page 5 Weekly Column
Reality TV Gone Too Far?
Is that a sign that society has gone too far when we spill our secrets for half a million dollars?
Page 6
Thursday, March 6,2008
Page 2
Smoking Ban Round Table Brings up Health Issues
By Jamie Carter
I recently attended the round table discussion about the smoking ban issue on campus. Among the attending was our own Professor of Health, Yvonne Stephens. I was very interested in hearing her side in all of this but was surprised as she took neither side and remained neutral in the discussion. I listened thoughtfully to all the participants at the meeting and include my own thoughts and concerns on the smoking issue. I am a non-smoker, although I do believe that everyone has a right to do with themselves as they wish. My problem is when the smokers inflict their habits on me. By this I mean having to walk through clouds of smoke at almost every entrance of the college. The main reason I am writing this is not to criticize the smokers on campus but to educate those who smoke on the harmful effects of smoking. I realize that may sound like I am insulting the intelligence of our students but please be aware that is not my intent.
I approached Professor Stephens after the discussion and asked if I could use some of the information she had spoke about in her discussion time.
Among some of the information in her paper work,
I found this very enlightening - for those of you who have children, second hand smoke can cause children to develop asthma, can increase the risk of Sudden Infant Death (SIDS), can increase the risk of middle ear infections, and can cause learning impairment. As parents we want our children to be as healthy as they can be and smoking around children is putting them at a higher risk for problems. Smoke clings to clothing, hair, hands, skin, and teeth so even if you don’t smoke around you children, it is still on you.
Over the past 40 years researchers have made a list of the harmful effects to the body caused by smoking. Basically, smoking affects every organ in the body in one way or another. Smoking kills more people each year then alcohol, drugs, homicide, suicide, car accidents, fires, and car accidents combined. Some 50 % of smokers will develop a smoking-related illness that will eventually kill them. Out of 15 million college students, a reported 1.7 million will eventually die of smoke-related illnesses. Smoking is
also the most preventable cause of death. An estimated 300,000 children will develop a lower respiratory infection as a result of second hand smoke. On February 11, 2008 a 19-year-old woman died of an asthma related attack in a bar was she worked - an autopsy concluded that the fatal attack was caused by second hand smoke. Smoking while pregnant can cause lower birth weight, higher risk of premature death and SIDS.
Smoking is an addiction and it controls you in ways you may not be aware of. For every emotion, you smoke. For every problem related to those emotions, you smoke. The reason for this is because the nicotine in cigarettes releases chemicals that enhance endorphins in your brain. There is a high amount of Glutamate, which effects memory. So when you think you are better able to function and your emotions are alleviated when you smoke, you are terribly mistaken. I don't feel like CCC is trying to force students to quit smoking, but to help them to stop smoking. I also believe that CCC wants to help them become healthier. There are smoking cessation classes available in the community which will teach the effects of smoking and the control that it has.
Thursday, March 6,2008
Page 3
Our Desperate Need for Diplomacy
By Michael Coates
In recent weeks, both President Bush and Senator John McCain have come out strongly against Senator Obamas suggestion that we should be willing to engage in diplomacy with nations that are less than friendly with us.
History, however, paints a much different picture.
Way back in the early‘60s, the very real threat of an impending nuclear war led many Republicans and most of the high ranking officers in our military to advocate “surgical” air strikes against Cuba. President Kennedy, on the other hand, insisted on opening talks with Russian Premiere Nikita Krushchev - the leader of a nation which many Americans then insisted was the epitome of evil. As it turned out, Kennedy’s use of diplomacy paid off, and Florida is still a green and profitable vacation state to this day, rather than a radioactive wasteland.
Several years later, President Richard Nixon shocked the world by traveling to China and opening trade relations with that Communist nation. The result of Nixon’s stellar diplomatic efforts has been that China is one of America’s leading partners in trade - and that the United States has never gone to war in China.
On a more modern note, it was only a few years ago that North Korea’s leader, Kim Jung II, threatened to reduce America to a “lake of fire.” Rather than launching an attack on North Korea, America resorted to a long series of multilateral negotiations - a singularly uncharacteristic act of diplomacy for the Bush administration. The result of this diplomatic process was incredibly apparent last week, when the New York Philharmonic Orchestra performed in Pyongyang, and Kim Jung II himself extended an invitation to American rock star Eric Clapton to perform in North Korea.
administration’s success in the use of force to solve our differences with other nations. Years after the President foolishly declared a victory in Iraq, our troops are still there.
Similarly, in Afghanistan, where we have refused to negotiate with anyone, the war is still in full swing. The Taliban, who we supposedly defeated, have simply shifted their sights toward Pakistan.
We in America pride ourselves on freedom, on justice, and on equality before the law, and yet we question the wisdom of relying on these virtues to guide us in our dealings with foreign nations. We teach our children to “use their words” rather than fist fighting to solve their playground disputes, and yet we advocate war over negotiation. We claim that all men are created equal, and then assume that only we, in America, have the reason or the intelligence to make any decisions whatsoever.
Under the Bush administration, we have repeatedly backed foreign rulers who were dictators in all but name - from Musharaff in Pakistan (the Pakistanis don’t like Musharaff), to the monarchy in Saudi Arabia, to the corrupt and oppressive government of Columbia. We trade constantly with China, even allowing some of our largest corporations to build factories there (like Wal-Mart) despite the known human rights abuses sanctioned by the Chinese government, both in Asia and abroad.
The Republican Party talks a good game about terrorism, and yet it has made no efforts to aid the victims of genocide in Darfur and throughout the Sudan. Under President Bush, we have seen endless diatribes against Cuba, and their former leader Fidel Castro, even in the face of Cuba’s offer of medical aid during the Hurricane Katrina debacle.
Diplomacy, it seems, is a great way to avoid a nuclear
holocaust.	Story	continues	on	page	7...
On the opposite end of the spectrum, witness the Bush
Thursday, March 6,2008
Page 4
Safety Synopsis: Department of Public Safety Campus Beat
02/25/2008 8:54am Motor Vehicle Accident
Public Safety Officers responded to a MVA rollover on Spencer Hill Rd. NYSP, South Corning Fire, and Rural Metro Ambulance also responded. Officers remained on scene until the subject in the vehicle was transported
02/25/2008 4:15pm Medical Emergency
Public Safety Officers received a call that there was an unconscious subject in the Gymnasium. Officers responded to the scene and contacted Rural Metro Ambulance.
02/26/08 2:05pm Personal Safety Alarm
Public Safety Officers received a Personal Safety Alarm in the Nursing Building. Officers responded and discovered that it was an accidental activation. The alarm was reset and the scene was cleared
02/29/08 8:40am Agency Assist
Public Safety Officers checked the Main Campus for a vehicle involved in a hit and run accident at the request of Corning Police Dept.
02/29/08 12:48pm Personal Safety Alarm
Public Safety Officers received a Personal Safety Alarm in the Nursing Building. Officers responded and checked the area with negative results. The alarm was reset and the scene was cleared.
Upcoming Events
Saturday, March 8
- Cool Kids “Science Circus”
10:00- 11:00 a.m.
Main Dining Room, Commons
Sunday, March 9
- Intramurals & Recreation
Open Badminton 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Open Volleyball 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. Open Indoor Soccer 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Gymnasium
Tuesday, March 11
- Intramurals & Recreation
12:30 - 2:00 p.m. Gymnasium
- Commencement Fair
9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Commons Lobby
Wednesday, March 12
- Commencement Fair
9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Commons Lobby
Thursday, March 13 - Student Association Elections Open Forum for Candidates
__________1:00	p.m.,	C106_________
til	e Crier St Secretary	aflf
• Editor Lindsay	Meagan Marsh	Leah Jumper •
. Woodruff	Student Association Representative	Anthony Popkin #
• Assistant Editor	Vazmenko Bondulic	
Amanda Morse	Reporters	Lindsay Woodruff •
s Treasurer	Jamie Carter	Advisor
• Elise Eberhardt	Michael Coates	PaulMcNaney ,
Thursday, March 6,2008
Page 5
Flashback
In honor of Corning Community Colleges 50th Anniversary, we will befeaturing one or more reprints each week from past issues of The Crier. This can be a photograph, article, letter, advertisement, factoid - anything that we can dig up in the archives! Articles are chosen each week with the assistance of Cindy Maier in the Library. These materials have not
been edited or otherwise altered from their original form.
C.C.C. No-Nos Nudity
April 26,1974
C.C.C. students will not be caught with their pants down, at least not with administrative blessing.
Course number 135, Introduction to Streaking, has been voted down by curriculum Committee.
The coeducational course was designed to “Introduce the student to the philosophy and basic techniques of this new recreational activity.” Topics of discussion were to include: where and when to streak; variable streaking speeds; streaking equipment, (masks, kites, sneakers, umbrellas, etc.) effective streak planning, (retrieval and disposition of clothing, position of getaway vehicles); and alternative streaking styles, including streakcycling, sky streaking, motorstreaking, and snailing.
The course was to be taught by instructors who exhibited “interest and expertise,” with one session to be given in the fall and, for the braver and hairier students, one during the winter mini-mester.
The classes were to be limited to 15 students because, “effective evaluation becomes difficult when more than 15 bodies must be recognized.”
The course description sheet listed no cost to the college, other than “Embarrassment and losing face in the public eye.” It went on to say,“But then, we must learn to turn the other cheek, so to say.”
It was also noted that the course would transfer to all state units “as long as it is understood that the activities learned in this course will be continued during the students’ tenure on the campus of the four year unit.”
It was also mentioned that other courses, such as anatomy and physical education, could be incorporated into the streaking course.
In order to receive one credit for the course, a student would have had to “demonstrate skills learned in this course by... performing a one-person streak at a place and time of his choosing,” and, “demonstrate streak planning by organizing and carrying out a mass streak to be carried out at a time and place designated by the instructor.”
Thursday, March 6,2008
Page 6
A Reality Television Value System
By Anthony Popkin
As I sat at home recovering from a brief illness last Wednesday, I came to a realization that I have long fought against: has American society lost it? I myself must admit that I am quite a media fanatic; basically I love to know what’s going on in the world. Whether it be through television, newspaper, internet, or a litde of my own research, I like to know what’s going on.
Yet last week I found myself becoming disgusted in what I was watching. Turning to CNN, I viewed highlights from the television game show Moment of Truth. The show consists of strapping a contestant to a lie detector, asking 21 questions which get more and more personal. If the contestants get through all 21 questions they win $500,000.
Sounds great, doesn’t it? Not so quick there...
The $500,000 prize comes a price that includes not only the contestant but their loved ones. Last week’s show had a young married woman admit to her husband that she would rather have married her ex-boyfriend and that she had sexual intercourse with someone other than her husband during their marriage.
Is this what we call entertainment? Or is this just another step into the mindless junk that we allow ourselves to sit and watch every night at the expense of other’s lives, and for what...$500,000???
I admit when reality television first took stage on American TV sets I became intrigued, but I’ve come to realize that this form of entertainment is eating away at a value system this country used to be proud of.
Just from this show it’s apparent. Marriage used to mean something...a sacred bond of two people who loved each other. In today’s society marriage is just a flavor of the day.
But what does it matter for $500,000? Point number two. Is $500,000 really that much? Look at the statistics: the majority of people that win lump sums of money such as this aren’t able to maintain it...they go on spending sprees... waste it on materialistic junk...and end up right back where they started before the game show appearance... maybe just a bit more miserable than before.
Just in case anyone was wondering, the woman made it to the last question where she was asked, do you believe you are a good person? She answered yes and was found to be lying...what did she do? Ruined a marriage and two families... WOW.
Everybody wants the easy way out, but all I can say is welcome to the real world. For 90% of society, we’re going to have to work our butt off for the majority of our lives to make a living for ourselves and our families.
Marriage takes time, effort, and communication and if you don't think about those things before you get married, maybe it’s not the answer. Putting yourself up for the ridicule of the world to see is disgusting and it’s all over a minute amount of money that will probably get blown in a year or less.
That’s all right, though, because the days of discipline, respect, commitment, dedication, and hard work are slowly diminishing into a melting pot of a take care of you and forget about everyone else.
Thursday, March 6,2008
Page 7
Disappointment By Lindsay Woodruff
You’re hanging over a cliff And I can’t help you up.
“Long live the king”?
Not for me.
I can’t just drop you and watch you fall, And I can't just let you disappear.
I know -The abyss,
The path of least resistance —
Fine.
But you could do so much better in time.
Moment’s Memory By Leah Jumper
i Each moment of time is a gem,
I It creates a path with many bends; i But if we stop a moment on the ! Road to rest,
to observe the things of life that Are best—
Is he a fool for losing his wealth in time, Or is he a king for gaining the gold By the memory he finds?
A Cup of my Java By Michael Coates
I a cup of my java, its so good for the heart )just one cup of java, brewed nice and dark \ just one cup, and a walk through the park....
Damn the bean; it should taste like the tree till you feel in the warm brew the whispering breeze I don’t want to wake up-1 need to run back to the pot, to the cup, to the park ' back to the stones and the sweat scented dark • back to the place where all this began
I back- to the time when we still were just friends’;
I you need a cup of my java- with just one pinch of salt like it was in the days when this was nobody’s fault; you need my java- and I need a stiff drink:
that hole where my heart was is starting to stink.
Our Desperate Need for Diplomacy
Continued from page 3...
Frankly, it seems that our refusal to negotiate with hostile nations and our repudiation of all the good manners of diplomacy has only served to increase the dangers facing our Republic. By storming around the world with weapons drawn, refusing to negotiate with anyone, the United States has successfully built around itself the image of a global bully. The foreign policies advocated by the President and by Senator John McCain have not made us safer, but have instead gained the nation a longer list of real and potential enemies.
But this nation will have to learn how to negotiate, and learn fast, because our so-called “enemies” in Iran have apparently already figured out the oldest and simplest rule of international politics - that it is easier to talk than to fight, and cheaper to sign treaties than declarations of
war. While many right-wing pundits have maintained for weeks that a withdrawal of US troops from Iraq will lead to an Iranian takeover, this week’s “brotherly” visit to Iraq by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad seems to suggest an entirely different (and altogether more peaceful) course of events.
Certainly, there are instances in which negotiation is a waste of time - no one has suggested that we sit down for a talk with Osama Bin-Laden, for instance, but in most situations, diplomacy should be the first tool in the hands of our government.
To suggest otherwise is worse than naive- its bald-faced warmongering.
Thursday, March 6,2008
Page 8
MID-DAY MEDITATION: listening in silence
WEDNESDAYS 12:15 - 12:45 pm
ROOM: R213
BEGINS JANUARY 16, 2008
CONTINUES THROUGH MAY 7TH
ALL CCC STUDENTS, FACULTY, STAFF WELCOME
refresh body, mind and spirit! Sponsored by CCC Campus Ministry
We want your stories!
Articles can be submitted to
criernewspaper@yahoo.com
$10 per published article $5 per published photograph