Diversity and Inclusion Center Opens on Campus By Rashelle Herrick On Monday, February 25, the Triangle Lounge was packed with students, faculty and staff, and Board of Trustees members for the “CCC Center for Diversity and Inclusion Grand Opening Party.” The event started at 11 in the Triangle Lounge, and ended at about 1 PM at The Center. Attendees were treated to an ethnic food potluck including rice, Senegalese dishes, meat-balls, and vegan desserts. Another special treat was the African drumming led by Dr. Baruch Whitehead of Ithaca College. After speeches were done welcoming eve- ryone and introducing the Center, it was time to hear the drummers. Dr White-head was proud to introduce Sulley Imoro, his own drumming teacher from Ghana, and Ithaca college student Matt Mickelson. The trio began their presentation with Imoro doing a special dance, and chanting that Dr. Whitehead explained was for thanksgiving and blessings, among other things. Some students who were unable to attend the entire ceremony risked being late to their classes and stood in the back to enjoy a small portion of the drumming and dancing. After a short time, the trio had the entire room, including Dr. Katherine Douglas, up on our feet and chanting and dancing in celebration while they played. Once the room was thoroughly excited and energized, Dr. Whitehead, Imoro, and Mickelson led a procession from the Triangle Lounge to the ribbon cutting ceremony at The Center, located beside Student Life. Dr Christine Atkins and Dr. Douglas had the honor of cutting the red ribbon and officially opening the Center for the first time. The Grand Opening wrapped up with cake and free T-shirts as well as new “Safe Space” key chains made especially for the event by members of EQUAL. It was obvious that everyone who attended the opening enjoyed themselves. The location for the Center was formerly occupied by CCC’s chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society. PTK has moved next door, and as Dr Douglas stated in her speech, “now that entire stretch of hall is dedicated to students”, so check it out! PAGE 2 THE CRIER SPRING 2103, ISSUE #3 Campus Spin: Faculty and Staff on Sex Week Are You Going to Attend Any of the Sex Week Events? Tim Bonomo: Can you define “Sex Week Events”? Barb Squires and Mary Guzzy: Barb: Absolutely. It’s what all the cool Karen Poole: I’m going to the kids are doing! one on sex food. Mary: Sex Week? Yes, please Rants and Ramblings By Rashelle Herrick There are many varying degrees of PDA in the world. It can vary from a simple handhold, a hug, or a quick kiss, to things better left privately behind closed doors. As a college campus, not only are we expected to act like adults while we are here, we also expect to be treated like adults. Recently I became aware of a few different situations involving PDA on campus. In some of the incidents, students had to go out of their way to avoid students “going overboard with affection” in the hallways or stairwells. In others, students were reproached and threatened with disciplinary action for something as simple as a hug or hand-holding. While both situations would cause disciplinary action in high-school, we are adults now. A simple, excited hug after passing a test, for example, should not cause a huge problem. However, no longer having “hall-monitors” or “pink slips” is not an excuse to be explicit in your affection either. When it comes to the issue of PDA on campus, I think everyone should use common sense. If you are unsure if it is allowed, look it up in the student handbook. There is a copy of the Course Catalog with the handbook on every flash drive given out free by Student Life. We are all adults at CCC, let’s act and treat each other like it. If you have a pet-peeve, email it to: rbuckIa2@corning-cc.edu and I’ll consider it for my next rant. SPRING 2103, ISSUE #3 THE CRIER PAGE 3 Immortalize Yourself In Crier History Are you an artist? Graphic designer? Need $50 and a cool new Crier t-shirt? Why not try your hand at designing a new logo for The Crier? Entries should include “The Crier” text and the rest is fair game, so let your imagination’s run wild. All entries must be submitted as .jpeg file by April 16th to ccccrier@gmail.com. The new logo will be featured in the final issue of The Crier this semester, and onward. Beyond the honor of having your work immortalized in future issues, there is a $50 prize and a free Crier t-shirt for the winner. Have at it! Healthy Hub: Spring is Coming! By Sydney Mixon Spring is coming! Spring is coming! Turn those frowns upside down my fellow CCC’ers, winter is coming to an end! But there's a catch; swimsuit season is on its way and we all know where all that winter comfort food went. Don't panic though! You can get that swimsuit body in time to tan. A word of caution, however, those fad diets and pills and voodoo magic may work in the short term, but in the long run they don't work out! And starving yourself the week before vacay is not okay, it’ll only may you feel weak and grouchy the whole time. But time for the good news, it's easy to get swimsuit ready and stay that way if you follow a few simple easy steps to get there starting now. Changing little habits is much easier and effective than stopping old habits cold turkey. Here is the secret formula: 1. Replace one small un healthy eating habit every week or two. Say you eat a bowl of chips every day when you get home from school. Throw that out! Instead try some mixed nuts or trail mix or even better a cup of fresh fruit. If you usually eat buffalo wings for dinner, instead try some fresh grilled or baked chicken with a little bit if homemade buffalo sauce. Small changes have the biggest effect in the long run. 2. Get some exercise! An hour a day is the rule, but not many of us can run a marathon after sitting on our tush all winter. Take it in baby steps by walking your dog or doing jumping jacks for ten minutes or parking farther away from class for some extra steps. Also try to make exercise fun! Buy a Zumba DVD and dance with friends or take up a new fun hobby like hula hooping. (It's what the cool people do) After a few weeks you can work up to more vigorous and longer workouts to tone those jiggles. 3. Be positive! The power of the mind is much greater than you think. Your body listens to your thoughts, so if you're thinking negatively all the time, your body's not going to want to work with you and you will be even more stuck. This month is nutrition month! If you have any questions about your diet or what foods to eat, stop in with the lovely people from AmeriCorps or the Fitness Center every Friday at the front of the Commons Building. They would gladly help out. Happy journeys to you all! PAGE 4 THE CRIER SPRING 2 103, ISSUE #3 Clean Water for Uganda DIDYOU KNOW? By Marie Hannan-Mandel * St. Patrick was not Irish. He was born in what is now Britain but was captured by Irish marauders and taken to Ireland as a slave. * In Ireland, St. Patrick is called either St. Patrick (St. Patrick’s Day), by the devout, or Paddy (Paddy’s Day) by the rebellious. Never St. Paddy or St. Patty. * March 17th is the date of St. Patrick’s death. * St. Patrick is reputed to have driven all the snakes in Ireland into the sea when a crowd of them bothered him while he was on a fast. * Those with no faith, point out that Ireland has probably never had snakes. * St. Patrick’s Day is a bank holiday in Ireland. * It is also a holy day of obligation for Catholics (you must attend Mass), which goes to prove, you get nothing for nothing. * People in Ireland wear fresh shamrocks, preferably with the roots still attached, on their lapels to celebrate St. Patrick’s or Paddy’s Day. * Irish people drink in pubs the length and breadth of Ireland (and around the world) on St. Patrick’s Day. By Roland C. Brown There are many things that people take for granted. One of the most important things is water. Not too many people stop to think about the clean water that we all have to drink, wash our dishes, do our laundry, or even take a bath with. Think about this: what if you were a ten year-old child living in a place like Uganda and you had to walk ten miles, two times a day to get stagnant, disease-contaminated water from small pits and ponds for you and your family to drink and cook with? This is the reality for the children and young women of Uganda. They do not have reservoirs of treated, clean water like we do. Many children and adults in Uganda suffer frequent illness by drinking the unclean water, leading to short life expectancy and high infant mortality. The Ugandan Water Project is a Rochester-based “non-profit humanitarian organization that works with sponsors in the U.S. to provide safe accessible drinking water and other catalyst resources to communities in Uganda. The goal is to implement relational solutions that help Ugandans pull themselves out of poverty in a sustainable way so they can live the lives they were created for” (UgandanWaterProject.com). The Ugandan Water Project helps by gathering donations to purchase rainwater collection tanks for the villagers. They travel to many rural communities to help by installing a rainwater tank for the whole community to use. The tanks are 2,500 gallons each, supply water to about 400 people, cost $3,500 each, and have a lifespan of 30 years. The tanks take about 30 days to construct. On Thursday, March 28th at 12:00-1:30 pm in the Triangle Lounge in the Commons building at the main campus of CCC, there will be an awareness and benefit event for the Ugandan Water Project. The event will entail a 23-minute video that will show a need for the work that the project does. There will be personal accounts shared by team members who have previously gone on trips to Uganda. There will also be handcrafted jewelry (necklaces, earrings, bracelets, etc.) from Uganda for sale, and all proceeds will go directly to the funding for the water tank project. All are encouraged to attend the event to gain and spread awareness on the increasing global problem of fresh water. Also, donations to the organization will be accepted before, at, and after the event. There will even be an opportunity of possibility joining the Ugandan Water Project as a team member. The project sends different teams to Ugandan 3 to 4 times a year. The next two trips are scheduled for May 22 - June 4 and July 31 -August 13. Two weeks before the March 28th event and one week after it, there will be a table set up in the Commons hallway and staffed as often as possible. This station will help to build awareness for the event and to provide follow-up for questions and for future trip recruitment. If you would like to volunteer to help out with staffing the table for short shifts, please contact Keith Ward at the Writing Center (C-207), call him at 962-9559, or email him at kwardlO@corning-ccc.edu. For more information on The Ugandan Water Project, please visit their website at ugandan-waterproiect.com or their Face-book page “Ugandan Water Project”. Thank you. PAGES THE CRIER SPRING 21 03, ISSUE #3 Bradley Manning:Acts of Conscience By Kelsey Johnson On February 28, 2013, Bradley Manning pled guilty in a pre-trial to ten lesser charges of the handful he faces for releasing military documents to WikiLeaks Organization. Manning faces up to 20 years in prison and could face a life sentence if found guilty of ‘aiding the enemy’ and ‘espionage’. Bradley Manning is an American soldier, proud to serve as an intelligence analyst. In 2007, Manning entered active duty and began serving in Iraq. He was soon troubled by a “seemingly delightful blood lust” and “backroom deals and seemingly criminal activity.” This led Manning to reach out to WikiLeaks Organization and begin to leak what has become the largest publication of classified military documents. The material included video of airstrikes in Iraq and Afghanistan that killed civilians and showed the brutality of the soldiers who continued to engage those trying to escape. Also included were the Iraq and Afghanistan War Logs describing the day-to-day conflicts, assessment files of Guantanamo Bay detainees, and millions of cables from American diplomats around the world. Manning was detained in May of 2010 in Baghdad and has already been held for over 1,000 days for his actions. Many supporters were outraged to find that at least nine months of this detention was spent in solitary confinement where Manning was denied clothing, blankets, or bedding and subjected to inhumane conditions. At trial, Manning admitted that he knew what he had done was wrong because, regardless of acting out of good conscience, he did not have the authority to make the decision to release classified documents. He is quoted as stating that he had hopes that the information would help to enlighten the American public and “spark a debate about foreign policy.” Manning read a 35-page statement explaining his actions and why he was pleading guilty to the ten charges. Manning still faces 22 more serious charges, which are set to go to trial June 3rd. AVI Not-So-Fresh By Anonymous In regards to the numerous issues involving AVI Fresh on campus, the time for silence and patience has long since passed us by. CCC students have endured the mediocrity that is AVI Fresh for far too long, and are tired of hearing the “growing pains” excuse over and over again. This food service came to CCC after masterfully crafting a brilliant pomp and circumstance performance for the administrative powers on campus. I do not fault our Administration, nor do I fault the selection committee that was formed to review potential food service providers. The bulk of the blame lies squarely on the deviant shoulders of AVI Fresh. Our campus population has been pushed beyond the limits of frustration by this inept vendor. We purchase meal cards for use in their cafe, only to be told that we cannot use multiple cards to pay for a meal. When we purchase a meal card, they make their profit. They have our money, but do not allow us full value for the revenue that we give them! As for freshness, where is it? I see food that sits pre-cooked, and under warming lamps with no clear freshness marking. By law, food has a short shelf life under warming lamps. AVI Fresh states that their policy is to remove the food after 15 minutes has elapsed. Where is the documented proof that this practice occurs? In my commitment to a better student experience at CCC, I make a vow that this column will be dedicated to loudly voicing the concerns of the student body. The comment cards that AVI Fresh offers for feedback seemingly go unread and are given the same consideration as the overall quality of the food and service provided by AVI Fresh. Please send your feedback and comments directly to The Crier, and let us unite together to get what we deserve from our food service! SPRING 2103, ISSUE #3 Afghan Hero By Keri Disidoro It has been said throughout time that the pen is mightier than the sword. How about the pen holding more power than guns and bombs? On February 21st, Matt Zeller came to the Triangle Lounge at Corning Community College to share some of his experiences as an embedded combat adviser with the Afghan security forces in Afghanistan. Zeller spoke of the violence, death, and horrors he faced as during his service as well as sharing some touching stories. Zeller revealed how three times his company was bombed, merely for giving out pens to children. School for children in Afghanistan is free, Zeller explained, but they need to provide their own pen and paper. Subsequently, many families are un-able to provide this and keep The Look Book THE CRIER their children from attending school. Keeping females out of school is something the Taliban want. The reason is something far different than from what many would think. It is because in Afghan culture, it is the mothers who give their sons permission to fight. A woman who is educated is more likely to stop her son from joining the Taliban than an uneducated one. During his stay in Afghanistan, Zeller trained security forces and also worked on creating schools and handing out supplies to help the children obtain an education; something that they all craved knowing that an education provided a way out of poverty. Zeller also discussed the cost of war including how the vehicles that he and his company drove, called MRAPs, cost on average 1.3 million dollars. A few thousand of them were PAGE 6 used in the war. Ironically, IEDs created by the Taliban that only cost about $20 to make resulted in hundreds of destroyed MRAPs. The Taliban also kept the forces from reaching remote villages, preventing Zeller and other companies from doing their jobs, which involved helping the civilians and building good relationships. The most important lesson Zeller learned was this: Not all progress in Afghanistan can be made using the military. Zeller is the author of the book Watches Without Time: An American Soldier in Afghanistan. People of all ages and views are encouraged to read it. The book goes into more detail than what is found on the news or told by the government. Stories in the book are real accounts and situations Zeller lived through in his time. What Are You Wearing Today? Andrea: This hat was actually made by Sarah Grebleski-a C.C.C. student. The jacket is from Old Navy. Perry: I'm wearing Vera Wang. Just kidding! My jacket is from Old Navy too! You match today! Andrea's coat color matches Perry's hat and Perry's purple hair matches Andrea's hat. Did you plan it that way? Andrea and Perry: No we didn't plan it, but we often do match! PAGE7 THE CRIER SPRING 2 I 03, ISSUE #3 Help for a Local Hero (No Money Involved) By Ken Disidoro The Steuben County Veterans Service Agency, along with several local veterans and community organizations, are involved in a joint project to help one of our local heroes who was severely wounded while serving in Iraq. Grant money from winning the contest this month will help to renovate the home of this young man, making it more accessible for him and By Kelsey Johnson On March 5, 2013, Venezuela lost its four-term president, Hugo Chavez. Having battled cancer and respiratory ailments for the last two years, Chavez’s condition took a quick and drastic turn for the worse. Although Chavez had been ill for some time, Vice-President Maduro, along with many of Chavez’s supporters, suspected foul play, implying that enemies such as the United States had poisoned or infected Chavez. At his funeral on March 8, over 2 million people lined up for a mile and a half to view their beloved leader. Chavez built his network of passionate supporters by focusing on the largely marginalized population of the poor. Upon his first election in 1999, he enacted a variety of welfare programs that dramatically reduced the poverty rate throughout the nation. Juana Gutierrez, a national library employee told also more useable by his wife and baby. This will be the second project in our local area. All you have to do is have a facebook account - go to the link and vote for Renovating Hope - this takes less than 30 seconds to help someone from our area, www.facebook.com/ homedepotfoundation You can vote once every day at the link above beginning AP, "He acted like no other president. He opened our eyes. We were tricked by all the previous governments that never took the poor into account." Along with helping the poor in his own country, Chavez also supplied thousands of needy families in America with heating oil every year. Venezuela is the fifth largest oil exporting country in the world with the second-largest reserves of heavy crude oil. Chavez was able to strengthen the country’s economy by restrengthening OPEC and holding countries to their quotas. Chavez also leaves behind a legacy of oppressive behavior, filling the Venezuelan Supreme Court with loyalists who ruled in his favor while he used the judicial system to repress and silence dissent. He revoked the license of a television station that opposed him. Human Rights Watch told AP, "By his second full term in of- March 1 until 11:59 p.m. on March 31, 2013. If fortunate enough to secure this initial grant it also puts the organization in the running for the annual prize of $250, 000. This would provide more for military and veteran families in our community. Please pass this along to everyone you know and don’t forget to vote every day! fice, the concentration of power and erosion of human rights protections had given the government free rein to intimidate, censor, and prosecute Venezuelans who criticized the president or thwarted his political agenda.” On Friday, March 8, Maduro was sworn in as acting president, as designated by Chavez prior to his death. During the swearing-in, Maduro repeated his accusations that the U.S. was responsible for Chavez’s death, and declared, "We tell them: Sooner than later, the imperialist elites who govern the United States will have to learn to live with absolute respect with the insurrectional people of the ... Latin and Caribbean America.” According to the country’s 1999 constitution, a presidential election should be called within 30 days. Opposition leader Henrique Capriles is widely expected to run against Maduro in the upcoming vote. What’s Next for Venezuela? SPRING 2103, ISSUE #3 THE CRIER PAGE 8