Crier Thursday, March 13,2008 Issue 22 Spring 2008 Political Update By Michael Coates With the race over for the Republicans, and all major contests over until the Pennsylvania primaries on April 22nd, the race has turned decidedly ugly. Despite the continued efforts of the Obama campaign to remain positive, the same old ugliness managed to creep into that camp last week, as one of the top campaign officials referred to Hillary Clinton as “a monster” during a press conference (she promptly resigned, but the damage was already done). In the twelve delegate race in Wyoming, Senator Obama won handily, taking seven of the available delegates despite speculations over “momentum” by various pundits, and accusations by one Republican pundit that an Obama victory would have Al-Qaeda “dancing in the streets” and “declaring a victory in the war on terrorism.” Senator Clinton, meanwhile, is predicted to have an easy win in Pennsylvania, keeping her in the race at a fairly even stance with her opponent. On the Republican side of the presidential campaign, Sen. John McCain, the Republican nominee, has announced plans to visit Europe and the Middle East later this month as part of a congressional delegation and plans to meet with various foreign leaders along the way. In Washington, the President vetoed a bill that would forbid the use of waterboarding in CIA interrogations. According to President Bush’s weekly radio address, the bill, which was included in a broader US intelligence package, was vetoed because “we need to ensure (that) our intelligence officials have all the tools they need to stop the terrorists," and the proposed bill would “diminish these vital tools.” Despite the Presidents protest, House democrats led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi vowed to overturn the Presidents veto in coming weeks. In New York, twenty-ninth district Congressman John Randy Kuhl announced Friday that he would, in fact, be running for reelection in November. The announcement came after a whirlwind of rumors hinting that Congressman Kuhl would join a number of Republican lawmakers in stepping down this year. The Congressman cited a desire to move past traditional partisan politics in his announcement speech on Friday, pointing out his recent breaks with party policy, especially over the Presidents cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. Thursday, March 13,2008 Page 2 A Tool of Bargaining By Anthony Popkin North Korea’s at it again, but if you pay attention to what’s actually going on over there, one may say, who cares? When I look at North Korea and their fluctuating tirade of pointless blabber I think to myself, this government is becoming so predictable that it’s boring. It’s as if I’m watching a three year-old child that's trying to outsmart his mother for a cookie before dinner. In the past year, the Communist regime has returned to the six-party talks that it has abandoned so many times before when the country has been in need or just feeling a little more greedy than normal. With that, do you think all that aid being sent over to the country is going to the starving people of the country? Of course not; it goes straight into the pocket of the “Great Leader” Kim Jung-II, who’s soaking it up at home. It seems only apparent that if you actually study and read in depth about North Korea you get a better understanding of how its regime works. The news of a nuclear bomb being tested may be true, but it has a different purpose from what one may think. The true purpose behind that test is negotiations. That’s right I said it, negotiations. For years, North Korea has had a long and prosperous reputation of making idle threats when faced with a rise in hardship in the country. It’s a bargaining tool that the government uses to strike fear in the international community, all in the name of turning negotiations into its favor. ing change and hope until foreign aid began rolling in. As famine subsided North Korea continued to pursue its nuclear program. The North Koreans ignored the demands of the international community, including the United States and South Korea, for an end to their nuclear program. This again continued until international aid began to decline. In 2002 at the height of North Korea’s foreign debt problem, North Korea began talks again and also agreed on building an industrial complex in the third largest city of North Korea, Kaesong. It's a back and forth see-saw that sees no end as, for some reason, the international community thinks that all this talking is leading somewhere. I was stationed in the United Nations in Korea for nearly two years and during that time I was able to meet a North Korean defector that trudged across four kilometers of minefields to get to South Korea. To see him scared around people and seemingly always look over his shoulder did not show any success in these seemingly needed diplomatic “necessities.” Yet nearly two weeks ago, it seemed that having New York’s Philharmonic’s symphony in North Korea was the most groundbreaking event to take place in decades. I think we should talk to the North Korean’s that are starving and dying of famine to get their take on the situation. As the years have passed I myself have grown bored, tired, and appalled by the willingness of countries to allow this to continue. We definitely do not want another war at our hands, but we need to draw the line on how much slack we are going to provide a nation that ridicules us every time and then leaves us crawling back for a little more. In the 1990s North Korea was faced with numerous hardships that included the fall of the Soviet Union, food shortages, and economic hardships. During these harsh times, North Korea talked with foreign nations promis- Thursday, March 13,2008 Page 3 Safety Synopsis: Department of Public Safety Campus Beat All information provided in the Department of Public Safety Campus Beat is provided by Sergeant Michael Von Bevern and the information provided is not altered from its received form. 03/03/2008 12:35pm 911 Hangup Officers received a call from Steuben County 911 stating that they had received a 911 hang up call from the Campus. Officers checked the area and discovered that everything was in order and there was no emergency. 03/04/2008 8:30am Motor Vehicle Accident Officers received a walk in complaint from a student who stated that there was a vehicle in the ditch on Spencer Hill Rd. Officers responded to the scene and had Cranes Towing respond to remove the vehicle. 03/04/2008 10:15am Motor Vehicle Accident Public Safety Officers were notified of a one car MVA on Spencer Hill Rd. Officers responded to the scene and notified Steuben County 911. Officers remained on scene until the vehicle was removed. 03/05/2008 10:09am Motor Vehicle Accident Public Safety Officers were notified of a one car MVA on Bailey Creek Rd. Responded to the scene and requested Cranes Towing to respond to the scene. Officers remained on scene and did traffic control until the vehicle could be removed. Upcoming Events Friday, March 14 - Pi Day Celebration Math Learning Center Saturday, March 15 - 13th Anual Easter Egg Hunt Sunday, March 16 - Intramurals & Recreation Monday, March 17 - St. Patty’s Day Give-aways Find a paper leprechaun in the Commons Lobby and turn it in the the Student Life Office for a prize Tuesday, March 18 - Foul Shooting Contest Gym, 12:30 p.m. - Film & Food Festival “Do the Right Thing" Palace Theatre, Market Street 6:00 p.m. Tickets $10 in Student Life 25 FREE tickets first come/first served TK • Editor e Crier St af? : • Lindsay Secretary Reporters • • Woodruff Meagan Marsh Michael Coates • # Assistant Editor Student Association Anthony . • Amanda Morse Representative Vazmenko Bondulic Advisor • * Treasurer Elise Eberhardt Paul McNaney * Thursday, March 13,2008 Page 4 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 Alfred State College Bachelor degrees offered Architectural Technology Computer Technology Construction Management Engr Tech Construction Management Tech Digital Media and Animation Electrical Engineering Tech Electromechanical Engr Tech Financial Planning Forensic Science Technology Information Technology • Applications Software Dev • Network Administration • Web Development Manufacturing Technology Mechanical Engr Technology Surveying Engr Technology Technology Management SUNY College of Technology Visit us. www.alfredstate.edu/transfer-students Then decide. Open House Dates: Spring 2008 Sunday, March 30 Saturday, April 26 Call -800-4-ALFRED Hit the ground running