Time for Action

On Friday March 15 2009, ABC news aired portions of an audio tape revealing intentions of Osama Bin Laden. The well known Al-Qaeda terrorist could be heard expressing his views on the conflict in Gaza and calling for the liberation of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq, three countries in which the American military have been heavily involved in over the past six years. President Barack Obama has recently taken forceful measures to move Bin Laden from hiding which is more than we can say for the previous presidents’ efforts for capturing the man responsible for the attacks on September 11, 2001. Although the former President Bush told America we have other reasons for invading the Middle East such as weapons of mass destruction and Sadaam Hussein’s regime for harboring terrorists, the main culprit of the 9/11 attacks was put on the back-burner of American military priority. For this lack of urgency towards those who cause my country pain and despair, I call conspiracy on behalf of the Bush administration for a few distinct reasons.

Osama Bin Laden has been on the run and in hiding from America for several years yet we are supposedly unable to locate him. We, an incredibly advance technological society who can monitor microscopic organisms on Mars are unable to keep tabs on one human being in flip flops with an AK-47. The preposterousness of this comparison opens the conspiracy which leads me to believe that Bin Laden has been allowed to survive for a reason.

As long as one can identify with a common enemy, there will always be a reason to fight. Perhaps Bin Laden has been left to run free so that American will have a common enemy, but this enemy demands that we occupy middle eastern countries in order to find him which means that America will have control over the middle east’s biggest economic resource for the world known as oil.

I also take issue with the immediate attention Bin Laden receives from American media. Every time this man records his voice, there is a possibility of death so I can understand why our news stations would want to keep ahead on issues like that; but it almost seems as if this man has complete control over our country’s operations.

I don’t have explanations for my observations, all I do know is that if there is a reason why this man was left alive purposely by the country which he attacked, I want to free passport to get me to Canada A.S.A.P!

David Lewis
Wilkes Universit 11'
17 March 2009

Show Some Courtesy Economy

With the economy falling at a rapid pace, many companies are forced to file bankruptcy. On July 29, 2008 I received a phone call telling me that I was no longer employed at Bennigan’s. Many citizens are being laid off, and I experienced this first hand. This is a very big issue in America, not just because I fell victim to it, but because many people can relate to this issue.

I was let go by Bennigan’s because the chain restaurant corporation filed Chapter 7 bankruptcy protection and are slated to close. This came with no notice to the employees or to those local managers who run the different Bennigan’s around the U.S.
This isn’t right. Employees who counted on their income to provide for themselves and some to provide for a family should have reasonable notice before losing their jobs. I understand the economy is bad, and many corporations have to file for bankruptcy. All I am saying is inform those who work for these companies within a reasonable period of time before the closing.

Failure to give advanced notice of layoffs indicates employers don’t understand that they aren’t the only ones with bills and families to tend to. I applaud companies like Circuit City who gave their employees some type of heads-up so the employees could find jobs elsewhere. But to just snatch jobs from citizens unannounced is just wrong. Companies know when they are having financial problems and are in danger of filing bankruptcy. The least they can do is warn those who are employed for the company.

Although I was just saving money for books, many of my colleagues/fellow workers had bigger things to do with their money. For too many, Bennigan’s was their only income, and were divested when they heard that they were out of a job.
In conclusion, I just feel that cooperation’s should show some type of courtesy and let their employees know when they are on the verge of filing bankruptcy. The workers also have to survive through this tough time.

Darnell R. Corbin
Wilkes 11'
17 February 2009

OBAMA: PRO-ENDANGERED SPECIES

On Tuesday March 3rd President Obama celebrated the 160th anniversary of the Interior Department and overturned, to be completely blunt, yet another pointless and stupid ruling which was passed by the Bush Administration that undoubtedly weakened the Endangered Species Act which has been protecting wildlife, both endangered plants and animals, since 1973.
Under Bush's regulation, federal agencies would no longer have to clear any projects with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service or National Marine Fisheries Services that could affect wildlife, but rather if those agencies deduced that their projects wouldn't harm any endangered species than it was okay for them to push forward rather than consulting with scientists.
Now President Bush hasn't exactly been an advocator for advancements in science which is obviously noted with his actions to halt stem cell research, but it almost seems like he hates natural sciences and the preservation of such fields when he does things like pass regulations that create potential unnecessary evils for the wildlife that is already dying off the way it is. It's not that George W. Bush is a bad guy per say, it's just that he prefers the concrete jungle to the real deal. Maybe he's intimidated by the Lion King who rules fiercely with no objection and is just trying to steal some of his thunder for his own Presidency. But wait, that doesn't seem to make any sense being that he passed this regulation only weeks before his way out the door back to his good ole' ranch where he is sure to have control over any and all wildlife that crosses his path. Maybe this was his last attempt to piss off anyone who still wasn't mad at the Bush administration for our involvements overseas or the economic crisis and George W. Bush's own denial of recession or what have u. So as so many Americans face struggle, why not the happy, furry little critters in the woodwork too? One doesn't need to be an environmentalist to see what is wrong with federal agency bureaucrats regulating themselves and grading their own projects as environmentally friendly or not rather than the scientists whose job it is to make that decision. How does it make any sense to skip consultations with the people who are educated and passionate about the protection of endangered species and give federal agencies freedom to structure projects as they please? Well it doesn't make any sense as President Obama has pointed out by overturning the regulation.
President Obama is well aware of the divide between those in favor of profiting off of natural resources and those wanting to conserve those resources for future generations. But he also thinks this divide is pointless by referring to it as a 'false choice', and believes that one does not need to be sacrificed for the other.

Whitney Roper
Wilkes University '11
Communications

Has Miley Cyrus Become Miley CyRACIST?

If you had a nickel for every time you made a funny face or a rude gesture in a picture, how rich would you be? What if you had to pay every person you offended with that face or gesture $4000? How much in debt would you be? Well, to answer this, all we have to do is look at some music celebrity news!

On Feb 11th, one of Disney Channels top teen stars, 16 year old Miley Cyrus, had a lawsuit filed against her for an offensive gesture made in a picture. While sitting on her boyfriends lap with several friends standing around her, including an Asian-American boy, Miley though it would be funny to stretch her eyelids like many people would do to make a stereotypical gesture about an Asian person. Unfortunately for Miley, having an Asian-American in the picture could not be used as a “get out of jail free” card in this situation.

Lucie J. Kim of Los Angeles, California, and part of the OCA, an organization dedicated to advancing the social, political and economic well-being of Asian Pacific Americans in the U.S., has filed a class action lawsuit against Miley on behalf of all Asian Pacific Islanders living in Los Angeles County. On the accusation of a civil rights violation, she is requested to pay $4000 in damages to each potential plaintiff, making the lawsuit have a net worth of a whopping $4 billion.

In response to the lawsuit Miley made two attempts at apologizing. The first apology didn’t seem too sincere and possibly could have put her in even hotter water. Her first apology said, "I've also been told there are some people upset about some pictures taken of me with friends making goofy faces! Well, I'm sorry if those people looked at those pics and took them wrong and out of context!" Her second attempt was much more mature, but a little late. This apology said, “I want to thank all of my fans for their support not only this week, but always! I really wanted to stress how sorry I am if the photo of me with my friends offended anyone. I have learned a valuable lesson from this and know that sometime my actions can be unintentionally hurtful. I know everything is a part of GODs ultimate plan, and mistakes happen so that eventually I will become the woman he aspires me to be. Peace and love, Miles."

This lawsuit just goes to show, how anyone in the spotlight is a target waiting to be hit. It is one thing to teach a kid a lesson about a racist gesture, but it’s another thing to squeeze a ridiculous $4 billion out of it. If we all played the game like that, then I could probably file a lawsuit against Miley for being born with, what I think is, an offensive face and collect $4000 for every picture of her with her face in it.

There are millions of other things to worry about in our world today, and much more important problems to solve. Unfortunately racism, is one of these problems, but I think we could work on fixing this problem in much more efficient and cost effective ways then filing lawsuits against children for being children!

Amanda Touch
Wilkes University '10
Communication Studies

Military Services

One of the many things that this country may forget about is the current war we are in. With the economy the way it is and how people are losing their jobs, everyone is making sure that their life is going to be secure and nothing bad will happen to them, which is understandable. Although, when our troops finally do come home how will they be treated? They should be able to receive the metical attention if need be. Emotional stages also take into account when they come home because we are unsure as to what they are thinking about and what might be bothering them. My dad is currently over in Afghanistan on his second tour in three years, now although he doesn’t tell me much about what went on over there, but he never really talked about any benefits he got when he came back to America. I hope they soon come up with a law that benefits all returning soldiers with the proper health care that they should receive for minimal or no cost at all. They are more than qualified to be able to get the benefits they need in order to come back to America. It wasn’t easy dealing with him being gone for two tours in the past three years, it was not only me that had to deal with him being gone, but our family and friends and especially my mom. Being gone for that long slows down the family emotionally and nothing can be done during that time while he or she is gone serving our country. I propose that some kind of treatment for the service men and women in the military for when they come back form Afghanistan and Iraq.

Chris Jordan
Wilkes University '10
Communications

What’s Going On?

Between a near trillion dollar stimulus bill which was over one thousand pages long, billion dollar corporate bailouts, and executives taking taxpayer funded multimillion dollar bonuses, there seems to be something fishy amiss. With all of these financial scandals going on it’s no wonder news organizations are reporting economic doom. What happened to “the new era of responsibility”, nothing seems to have changed. We are spending more, corporate thievery is afoot, and the American tax payer is footing the bill. The dollar is losing its value and fast, and inflation is very real, bread used to be fifty-nine cents. In all of this craziness it looks like Rush Limbaugh is getting his wish. What I don’t understand is how the spending of billions to corporations, petty state projects, and who knows what other nonsense that the government has planned for our money, is going to help. When will it stop? When will the era of fiscal responsibility begin, and when will the era of irresponsibility end?

It looks like what had been promised to the American people has taken a sideline to the usual bureaucratic nonsense that we had under the old administration. If indeed it is the time for change, then for crying out loud, make change, radical, swift change. This is what is needed in our government. Without this change we are doomed to repeat the last eight years and it seems that those who now hold office are not making sufficient effort to make this happen. Where is it, President Obama? America voted for change, now where is it?

Joe Cooper
Wilkes University 10'
19 March 2009

Sorry is Just a Word

Unless you have been living under a rock the last few weeks, you have heard something about the scandal involving Luzerne County’s Judge Mark Ciavarella and Judge Michael Conahan. Although it is difficult for an average citizen to understand the legal ramifications behind the situation, from a moral and ethical standpoint, what the judges did was wrong. It is expected that the judges, like all public figures who do wrong, should apologize for their wrong doings. Here is the question? Are they sorry for what they did, or are they sorry because they got caught?

They obviously are smart men, well, at least educated men, achieving such high ranks in the judicial court. They obviously were well aware that what they were doing was wrong. Where was the guilt when they were taking kickbacks totaling around 2.4 million dollars? Although, undoubtedly the judges will offer the public some form of apology, whether or not the apology is heart felt is questionable. In my opinion, I don’t believe these judges are sorry for their wrong doings; they’re merely sorry they got caught.

If the judges are to apologize, it is important for them to directly acknowledge and apologize to the innocent teenagers and families that were affected by their greed. They must own up to the fact that they did these kids wrong and these kids will be affected by this for the rest of their lives. As long as the judges don’t use excuses, admit that they were wrong and serve the punishment they are sentenced, the citizens of Luzerne County may be more willing for forgive and forget.

Mareen Iskra
Wilkes University 10'
16 February 2009

Obama’s Use of PMDs

President Barack Obama broke several barriers upon becoming the forty-fourth leader of the United States of America. Obamas’ triumphs have a wide range of significance but none more important than the fact that he managed to break down the barrier between American voters and their personal sending and receiving devices.

Before the 2008 presidential race between Senators John McCain and Barack Obama, personal computers, cell phones, and personal media devices (PMDs) were used to maintain connections with peers, friends, and employerst. When Barack Obama ran for president, all of these devices were suddenly transformed into platforms for receiving political updates on his campaign affairs through e-mail, text messaging, and live video feeds.

I appreciated Obama’s campaign tactics as a first-time voter who is constantly on the go and does not have much time to sit down and read a news paper or watch television. If it was not for his constant use of interactive media outlets such as e-mail, text messaging, and video posting, it is quite possible he would have failed to get the attention of first-time voters across the nation since we have become so-well acquainted with hyperlink information that we sometimes do not pay attention to other media outlets that we do not have time for.

The issue which Barack Obama must realize is that some barriers which people
put up towards others, political figures in particular, are meant to keep some sentiments of personal property for non-public access. By invading our PMDs Obama may have created a tension which was not previously present. Although his use of interactive media keeps the American people abreast of his political activities, I am not so sure that the American people want continuous political updates every day on their PMDs.

People of twenty-first century who use cell phones, personal computers, and other forms of personal media are better-equipped to receive breaking news than those who still use the morning newspaper and evening news coverage from their local television networks may. Obama has revolutionized the position of President of The United States with this tactic, but I am skeptical about whether or not the American people want political updates on their PMDs. The key word is in the title of a “Personal Media Device” is “Personal.” When something is “personal” to someone, that usually entails notions of individuality within the object. If another person invades the object which was at one point personal and unique to the individual’s needs, then odds are that the invader of the other’s personal device will be looked upon with harsh eyes. My suggestion for President Obama is to ease up on how much you are contacting people through their PMDs if you don’t want them to get too annoyed with you.

David Lewis

Wilkes University 11'

23 March 2009

Spending Money un-Wisely

On March 9th, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announced a $173,000 program to train state liquor store employees in what they call "Charm Training". According to the Pittsburg Tribune, over 4,000 employees from 600 states will be trained on how to be kind and courteous to their customers.

There's something wrong if we now have to give classes to salesmen on how to be nice to people. I think the training is a waste of the states money. I can think of a million other ways we can of spend Pennsylvania's tax payer money on other than teaching the local liquor store cashier how to say please and thank you. These workers are anywhere from eighteen years of age and older, and if they haven't learned manners by the age of eighteen, I highly doubt "charm training" is going to cause them to have an epiphany.

If you think about it wherever you shop and have to get checked out by a cashier, nine times out of ten that person is not the first to say "Hi, how are you today[?]" or "have a nice day." I've worked at the YMCA, Cinemark, and currently at Wal-Mart. During the training I received for every one of those jobs I was told customer courtesy is one of the most important things to remember. I've always made it my routine to greet customers and talk to them while I'm bagging their purchases; when working at Cinemark, I always said "enjoy the movie."

Now when I go to Cinemark or Movies 14, I'm the one doing the greeting, and the goodbyes. Most people behind the box office glass stare at you like you have two heads, all because you said "have a nice day!" When I go to Wal-Mart shopping, the cashiers never say "hi," "how you," "goodbye," or attempt to initiate any type of friendly conversation. Most of them are downright rude; in fact one girl went as far as to stop scanning my items so she could answer a text message.

The "Charm Training" of liquor store employees is a nice thought, but it's a waste of good money that could be going to something in more dire need. Why should I be paying for professionals to teach liquor store employees manners, when they could have learned it for free growing up eighteen years ago?

Ruth Whispell
17 March 2009

Youth + Economics = Don’t Know a Thing

A few weeks ago Wilkes hosted a viewing of an economic documentary called “IOU USA.” The film showed the economic struggle that our country is in. It turned out that it was a bit out dated when we saw it but the message was still clear. Another message that I got was that I don’t know all that much about the state of the economy.

I went to see this with three of my friends. Two of us were sitting there and contemplating what country we wanted to move to in order to get way from such bad situation that this country is in. That of course was just our fear talking because we have no idea what we are going to be in store for when we graduate. Right now I have about 15 months before I have to be in the real world and it is a lot more terrifying now because of the state of the economy and the unemployment rate that I will have to come and face. The odds that it is going to get better are slim. The other two people that I was with fell asleep during the movie. Maybe they had nightmares about what they saw. However I know these people and I know that isn’t the case. They found it to have no real interest to them. I found it very interesting and very scary.

The documentary isn’t the real focus of this the point is the fact that it made me open up my eyes and realize all the things that I don’t know. I can’t tell you anything about taxes and revenue. Everything that I saw that day made me wonder at what age do people start to not only understand but care about the economy. I hope the age isn’t 20 because that means that I am way behind my generation. But I don’t know if that’s realistic because I know people that range from 19-23 that don’t have the slightest clue about what’s going on. If you ask them about the state of the economy they won’t have an answer. To be fair they all do know that we are in bad shape and would go as far as to say that we are screwed if we continue down the path that we are heading. If you try to ask them how we got to this point they will blame Bush and that is as much as you will get from them. They have no other real knowledge of the situation that we are in or how we got there.

Maybe the key to knowing about the economy and other what I like to call “adult stuff,” is to officially be an adult. Just because my age says that I am, its hard to think of myself as one when I go home to my parents. Maybe its not at an age that you start to understand and care about the state of the country, it’s a stage in your life that makes you take notice. It could be after these next 15 months that I could potentially be on my own in this world that I will start to take notice to the things that are going on in it. Perhaps when the day comes that I move out of my parent’s house permanently it will be the day that I care about the situation that the economy is in because I will no longer have someone to depend on like I do with my parents.

Now I’m not trying to undersell my generation because there are people out there that do know about the economy and understand what is going on. Not because they feel the need to keep out on current issues but because they enjoy the fact that they have knowledge on things that there “superiors” know about. One day I hope to be one of those people it just doesn’t seem like I’m at the stage in my life that I want to have that type of fear keeping me up at night. The fear of where this economy is going to be in when I need it the most is something that can wait for a little bit longer even if that isn’t the logical thing to think.

Mary Turtschanow

22 March 2009

Wilkes University 10'

Wake up America

America, lets be serious; it’s not the war in Iraq, party discrepancies, or ideology that is our biggest threat.

In recent news the economy is surfacing as the most serious and difficult problem challenging America. It’s hard to fathom that in order for us to balance our national budget we would need 53 trillion dollars.

For most of us we will never know what 53 trillion dollars will look like.

In the documentary film I.O.U.S.A, producers outline what is contributing to this economic mess. The film identifies major problem areas that need to be addressed. There seems to be no easy solution to pay down the debt.

The film starts off by first discussing the national budget, and how every year it increases and we continue to borrow money from other countries that we will never be able to pay back.This will eventually lead us to our demise. Ultimately, the country we owe a debt to is in charge of this nation’s policy.

It’s really foolish to think that we can continue to receive tax cuts or even have our taxes lowered at a time like this.

Within less than ten years we will start paying out more in Social Security than we will receive from the working force. We won’t be able to take care of the people that took care of us.

I think a good start at solving some of our deficit would be to tighten up guidelines for who would qualify for Social Security. Let’s get the alcoholics and drug addicts off our government’s money and put them through a program based system instead.

We could continue to help these people trying to beat their addiction without making it easier for them to not work: and give them responsibility, like getting a job!

It makes me so mad to see some people sitting home on Social Security who really don’t need it or deserve it for that matter when others that have a legitimate disability, just don’t qualify for it.

If we could reform Social Security successfully it would decrease our deficit by $ 7 trillion.

Our saving deficit continues to cease to exist. This country exists by spending more than it makes. To put is simply we don’t live within our means.

Everyone wants to live comfortably and the leaders in this country have a tendency to make us believe that this is realistic.

What national officials fail to tell us is the truth. We shouldn’t be lied to anymore. Fiscal irresponsibility shouldn’t be allowed. It’s not fair to our children who will have to pay back such a large debt.

The ideas of sacrificing to make a better future, has been pushed aside. Our parents taught us to save our whole lives to be able to afford what we want in the future.

Politicians what happened to representing the values of your constituents!

We also need to change our trading habits. This country has a tendency to use more than we produce or export. Living with excess is not only bad for the economy but causing an even bigger environmental problem.

Everything that affects the economy can be connected to other serious problems that we face. Its way past time for our country to take the reins on this and not be foolish: one president is not the solution for this disaster we need so much more reform.

America we cannot sit aside and let our nation continue to destroy itself. As Americans we need to make sure that we are voting for those truly interested in the betterment of this nation and not let those that have been dishonest in the past get their hands on spending our dollars or lie to us about the severity of the problem.

Even if we ended the war in Iraq, ear marks and pork barrel spending was eliminated, and bush tax cuts expired we would still not be able to solve the national debt.

So, wake up America! The economy should be on everyone’s mind.

Melanie L Thomas

19 MArch 2009

A-Rod's steroid use hits close to home

With Spring Training just underway, you would think the big question this March would be who is the team to beat in 2009. Instead, it seems that all eyes are on one man. With the Yankees officially opening up camp on Tuesday, February 17th, the question isn’t about the team, but instead about Alex Rodriguez. This offseason has been nothing new for A-Rod, who is no stranger to the back pages of New York’s tabloids, making news everywhere when he was found to have tested positive for steroids in a 2003 “anonymous” test. A few days later, he admitted to taking steroids from 2001-2003, his 3 seasons with the Texas Rangers. This news sent a shockwave through the entire baseball world and may have officially put a damper on the MLB for this entire generation.

Being a baseball fan my whole life, I have seen some pretty good players come and go. As a die-hard Yankee fan, the late 90’s were good to me, getting to see them win 4 out of 5 seasons to end the decade. I saw the seasonal home run record broken twice and the all-time home run record, what some have considered the greatest record in sports, surpassed. I loved watching all those 450 foot home runs and 99 mph fastballs fly by. It seemed like I was lucky enough to be witnessing some of the greatest players of all-time. That was until the release of the Mitchell Report in 2007, naming 89 players who have been found to have used some sort of performance enhancing drugs during their careers. Some of the biggest names to have played during my childhood were on their, some of whom I had imagined being like while playing out in the streets or in little league. These long distant home runs and rocket fastballs had all been fake. These idols of mine had been cheaters. My whole childhood had been a lie.

Now, two years later, A-Rod seemed to be the last hope for baseball. Prominently stating he was clean his whole career in previous interviews, he was almost a “saving grace” to all baseball fans. Sitting at 553 career homeruns and being only 33 years old, he was supposed to clean up the record book and restore the all-time homerun record to the greatest record as it once was before Barry Bonds, who many see as an obvious steroid user, passed Hank Aaron. Now with his admission of using the very thing he was supposed to save baseball from between 2001-2003, a span in which he hit over 150 homeruns, it seems there is no hope for what has been dubbed “The Steroid Era”. Arguably the greatest player right now and one of the greatest players ever, it is hard to believe anything he says now or to look at him the same way. As a Yankee fan I hope the best for A-Rod; hopefully he helps the Yanks win it all this year, but as far as the past it will never be the same. In what seems to be the dawn of a new era in the MLB, with players being more lean and quick instead of bulky and abnormally strong, baseball fans can now only hope someone great does come along with pure talent gained from hard work and practice, without taking any shortcuts. Someone who can truly clean up the record books and allow the kids of today to see baseball played the way I thought I was, the way it should be. Clean.

Christopher Hopkins
Wilkes University '11
Communication Studies

Britney's Banned Single

Nowadays, we have grown accustomed to seeing Britney Spears do crazy things. Whether she’s shaving her head, driving with her children on her lap or lip synching at MTV’s Video Music Awards, nothing really seems to surprise us anymore. But when I heard that her newest single, “If You Seek Amy” was banned from the radio between 6 a.m. until 10 p.m., I have to admit I was shocked. If you say the name of her new single really slow, it spells out something. Say it. It spells out F-*-C-K-M-E. Of course, it was intentional because Britney wanted to say something that would cause a rise out of some people. A lot of artists say that word in their songs and we don’t ban it from the radio. So why do we become so offended when Britney Spears spells it out for us?

There are hundreds of artists who curse or have songs that could be offensive. For example, Black Eyed Peas came out with the song “My Humps”. The song was full of sexual innuendos but it was played on the radio nonstop. Eminem rapped about drugs and violence but we still keep his songs on the radio. Akon had a song entitled “Smack That”. The song was considered to be offensive to women but it was never banned from the radio.

So why is Britney Spears' song banned from the radio? Do we still like to imagine that she is that sweet, innocent virgin from the 1990’s? Do we not like to hear one of our Pop Music Queens spell out a bad word for us? We have to learn that she is grown up and we must accept that she is not the same Britney Spears that danced around in a Catholic School outfit singing “Hit Me Baby One More Time”. When you really think about it, any song on the radio today can send out the wrong message. Music can be influential, but it is not the only influence. And just because Britney spells out a curse word for us, does not mean we must take it off the air. If kids want to hear the song, they are going to find it somewhere else other than local radio stations. If someone is so offended by the song, than the simple answer is just do not listen to it.

Lora Kormos
Wilkes University '10
Communication Studies

Problems Faizing Veterens

I have been informed of the alarmingly high rates of veterans that are committing themselves to suicide.

As a soldier and veteran this disturbs me, but at the same time I understand. Its not easy being a soldier among civilians, nobody understands the kind of stuff you saw, things you had to do, and why every noise puts you on alert. A veteran returning home has to cope with all of these things and then some. It might seem with such a high suicide rate among vets that the military hasn’t provided any assistance to help them cope. But there is.

There are many options that a veteran in need has to help them in their time of need. The Vet Center is one option; the VA hospital is always available, as well as military one source, which is one of the best means to find help. Military one source offers help to soldiers and veterans alike from finance to family counseling. The fact of the matter is that even with all of these resources the threat of suicide is something that the people surrounding a person should be looking out for. The only people who show signs of suicidal intent are the ones who are looking for help and those people should be helped. However, when someone wants to commit to suicide they don’t usually tell anyone or even show “typical” signs of their intentions. It has been my experience that a suicidal person who is truly committed to ending their life won’t let you know it. They will lead you to think that everything is fine until you find them dead. It saddens me to know that my brothers in arms are coming home and are struggling so much to cope that they feel that death is the way out. If you know any veterans who are struggling to cope with civilian life please find them help, suicide is not a proper warrior’s end.

Joe Cooper
Wilkes University 10'
12 March 2009

Obesity and Its Effect on Children

I think we all can agree that obesity is literally a growing problem. We can all see it, just by walking down the street or through the mall. With a large portion of Americans’ diets consisting of foods high in Trans fat and calories from fast food restaurants such as McDonalds, Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Wendy’s it’s no wonder within today’s society in Pennsylvania alone roughly 27.1% of the population is obese; according to The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

I’d like to add that I know some people who can’t help their weight. They may take a certain type of medication or have a health problem causing them to gain weight, and I am not ridiculing those particular people. As a matter of fact, my father is one of those people taking medication after two strokes have caused him to gain excessive amounts of weight. I am discussing the people who are overweight because they are sedentary, over-eat, and do nothing about it. I’m talking about people who make fast food joints their daily meal choices.

Obesity has not only increased in our adult population, but also in our children (In Pennsylvania or America). A study done in 2004 by The Institute of Medicine of the Nation Academies proved that approximately nine- million children over six years of age are considered obese. This study was conducted in 2004, it’s now 2009, in 5 years don’t you think that the number of obese children has increased? Some say maybe, others disagree. Sure when you walk through a middle school most of the kids are athletic and in good health, but what about the ones who are fighting an ever-losing battle against their weight? Is it their fault they have a few extra pounds? Or does the blame belong to a high authority, such as the parent? These days’ parents just don’t seem to care as much about their kids. I’m not pointing fingers and saying if you have an overweight child you’re a bad parent, but let’s face it, some parents just don’t care.

On November 8, 2007 the show Inside Edition aired a story of a girl around the age of eight and she weighed over 400 pounds. Her mother just kept giving her food, and claimed she didn’t know she was doing anything wrong. How could you not realize that you’re putting your 8 year old daughter at risk when she is 420 pounds and is forced to roll on the floor to get around because her legs are bowed out by her weight?

With stories like this one airing on television, it’s no wonder the state of Arkansas has what they call “obesity report cards;” Where children in grades kindergarten through twelfth get graded on their weight, based on their BMI (Body Mass Index) and other factors. I think obesity report cards are a great step forward in helping overweight children lead a healthier lifestyle. Schools shouldn’t be allowed to have vending machines stocked with candy bars and hostess cakes or soda machines in a cafeteria. They should offer vegetables and fruits, milk, or water. Some of the parents who have children going to school in Arkansas are upset by the obesity report cards and say they can have a very negative effect on an overweight child’s self-esteem. Well doesn’t that child already get made fun of? You don’t need a written paper sent home from school, to inform your peers you’re a bit heavier than them. They were being ridiculed a long before they were receiving grades on their weight, and if they don’t like it then they need to motivate themselves to make a change. Also some may ask when the responsibility to solve this problem fell on the schools hands. Well, doesn’t your child get an eye exam at school? if they fail they get a paper sent home informing the parent to make an appointment with their child’s optometrist. Isn’t this pretty much the same, the school informing the parent of a possible problem that should be looked at by a pediatrics doctor, or a specialist?

Ruth Whispell
Wilkes University 10'
12 March 2009

Obesity: A Disease or Fault?

America has often taken its time to put a label on problems or issues it can’t seem to grasp. Back when our forefathers came to America, alcoholism was not yet labeled a disease and those who had it were shunned, not helped. Today the label is being placed on obesity.
Researchers are now arguing that obesity is, in fact, a disease. I believe it’s true, some people have slower metabolism, and that could quite possibly be genetics (because let’s face it, we all know somebody who eats like crap and doesn’t seem to gain a pound.) However, I believe it can be prevented.
Let’s say we are born with the unlucky fate of having heart disease run in our family bloodline. Right from the time we are born, doctors begin to take precautions. We may need to constantly exercise to keep out heart strong, or we may need to eat right in order to keep our arteries unclogged. We take these steps in order to prevent something from happening to our heart. If obesity is to be labeled as a disease then shouldn’t we take the same precautions? If we can prevent heart disease right from the start by taking precautions, then we should be able to do the same with obesity.
The question remains, should we label it a disease? I feel it’s one more excuse we have created for people. Now, instead of taking the blame, that maybe we eat food we know is bad for us, or we know we don’t get the right amount of exercise, now they can use the excuse, “It’s a disease!” I personally feel that eating better and exercising regularly would make a huge difference. I’m not talking everyone gets down to a size 4, but it would make some difference. We’ve seen so many positive stories from shows like “The Biggest Loser”, “Celebrity Fit Club”, “Weighing In” and “Ruby”. These shows create positive health, diet, and food preparation for its viewers. If we could change our eating habits and make a better attempt to be active everyday, the fight on obesity might not be as bad as it is today.

Danielle Hritzak
Wilkes University 10’
12 March 2009

Generic Criticism of FDR’s First Inaugural and Obama’s Inaugural

The concept of genre is apparent in even our daily lives and relates strongly to interpersonal communication in terms of communication scripts. Certain situations call for certain types of responses and responses within a certain range can be expected and even predicted in any circumstance. When communication takes on a more formal shape and can be analyzed textually, such responses take on interesting facets and can be more easily studied.

While the concept of generic criticism has been present ever since the days of Aristotle, it was best described by Edwin Black, who explained that situational types will recur throughout history, and that by studying these recurrences, we can learn about the types of responses available in certain situations.

Newly-inaugurated President Barack Obama appears to have studied Edwin Black. This is evidenced by his widely-publicized admiration for and study of Abraham Lincoln and his rhetoric. Obama does not disguise the fact that he bases much of his rhetoric on that of his presidential predecessor, Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln, however, is not the only former president whose addresses can be viewed as belonging in the same genre as Obama’s. In this paper, I will discuss Obama’s inauguration speech specifically and its similarities and dissimilarities to another inaugural address: Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s first.

In terms of situation, there are many parallels between the circumstances under which each man took office. Most obviously, both had the economic situation of the country at the forefront of their minds and agendas. Both were Democrats and seen as innovative in their use of the new media of the time. Roosevelt succeeded Hoover, the most unpopular president up to that time; Obama succeeded Bush, the most unpopular president yet.

There are also differences in situation. Roosevelt stepped up to the plate at a time when the country had already sunk quite deeply into the Great Depression; Obama faces the beginning of such a depression. Obama’s America is entangled in war abroad while Roosevelt’s enjoyed peace with foreign nations. In terms of media, the landscape in FDR’s day allowed for tight control – so much so that the nation did not know their leader was wheelchair-bound. In contrast, today’s media can hardly be stopped from reporting indiscriminately on presidential matters – evidenced by a popular e-card reading “I can’t believe you’re not completely aware of something Obama said or did under 10 minutes ago” (someecards.com).

On the topic of style, there are also many similarities to be observed between the two speeches. Both speak, quite understandably, about the economy in terms that denounce the “unscrupulous” (FDR) who “seek only the pleasure of riches and fame” (Obama). FDR and Obama both attack Wall Street: Roosevelt more strongly with his condemnation of money changers who have “fled from their high seats in the temple of our civilization” and Obama more gently when he explained that “a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous.” Roosevelt’s Biblical mention of money changers can also be linked stylistically to Obama’s reference to scripture when he speaks of laying to the side childish things.

Linguistically, both mention the words action and unity repeatedly. Both speak of the enduring nature of the Constitution and mention duties that must now be associated with citizenship.
Stylistic differences seen include Obama’s tendency to address topics clearly at first, so his audience is clearly aware of the issue addressed versus Roosevelt’s habit of diving headfirst into each concern.

Substantively, the two speeches are more divergent than convergent. While Roosevelt’s speech never specifically addresses an international audience, Obama’s does so quite expressly at times (“to those leaders;” “to the people of poor nations;” “to the Muslim world”). FDR’s address spells out a specific plan of action, beginning when he declares that “our greatest primary task is to put people to work,” whereas Obama’s speech purposefully omits mention of plans for policy. Each man feels differently about the moral condition of the country. FDR feels it is strong and calls that belief to the attention of the people when he proclaims that “our distress comes from no failure of substance.” Obama asserts that it is weak and addresses the “sapping of confidence across our land.” Roosevelt addresses the Constitution in a non-Originalist way while Obama refers to it in a more literalist manner.

There are also similarities in substance between the two addresses. Both can be viewed as a call to action of the American citizenry and are aimed primarily at lifting the nation from distressing economic situations.

Future presidents will participate in generic studies of presidential speeches just as Obama studied Lincoln’s and FDR’s speeches in preparing for his inaugural. The use of generic criticism can helpful in almost all spheres of the communication world – from a child learning to interact in Kindergarten to a foreigner hoping to adapt to a new culture to a CEO breaking tough news about layoffs. The proverb that history repeats itself is effectively proven through generic criticism.

Monica Turner
Wilkes University, '10
Communications

The Office of the Vice President and his Recent Travels in Germany

What is the role of the Vice President? This question, seemingly easy, cannot be answered by some Americans and even those running for the office itself. According to http://www.senate.gov/, the formal powers of Vice President are:
- To become President should the President become unable to serve
- President of the US Senate that has 2 primary duties:
· To cast a vote in the event of a Senate deadlock
· To preside over and certify the official vote count of the US Electoral College

Basically a loose translation of a role of the VP is to be the President’s right hand man (or woman); someone to bounce ideas off of in times of policy making and hopefully a voice of reason to combat the occasionally fatal “group think” that can happen in any group. Looking at our current Vice President Joseph Biden, so far it seems like he is fitting into his role nicely, but the true test will be time.

Some may not think of Biden as a good leader and second to Obama because he puts the proverbial “foot in his mouth.” But doesn’t that happen to every politician (and every American citizen for that matter) at some time or another? The difference is the importance of his role as Vice President of the United States, which places him in a fishbowl to have his every move and word, be scrutinized and evaluated. So just what has Biden been doing as VP?

Recently Biden delivered a speech at the Security Conference in Munich, Germany addressing an area he has extensive experience in: foreign relations. This was a good marker to see how Biden measures up on a global scale as Vice President.

The overall message of this address was pressing “the reset button” in regard to US foreign relations and promoting negotiation before using force with those in opposition to the United States. Biden mirrored President Obama’s inaugural address in terms of ideas and content. He actually borrowed phrases from Obama’s inaugural such as “our administration rejects a false choice between our safety and our ideals,” and gives examples of Obama’s attitude of “mutual interest and mutual respect” to move forward in relations with the world.

According to CNN.com, people are seeing this administration as the “dawn of a new era” as far as international relations are concerned. A downside of the address is that it was a bit vague and only gave little specifics on what the US plans to do with negotiations. It did address that Russia should work with the US to help rid the world of the terrorists. But Russia Today reported that their deputy prime minister said that “there were a lot of thaws” between the US and Russia that went nowhere but he does hope that this time things will be different.

Biden had a tough audience for this speech but conveyed his point efficiently. Ideas of unity, negotiation, and peace wafted through the speech trying to persuade the world to see things differently now that a new administration has taken the helm. While not as eloquent and captivating as Obama, Biden had fulfilled his role as Vice President that day. Continuity is important in any campaign, and Biden did not “go rouge” or embarrass himself, but continued the message of the Obama administration.

Overall Biden did a decent job. The one major criticism is where’s the details? I understand that one cannot map out an extensive plan when dealing with foreign relations, but how does the US plan to talk to Iran and other countries about nuclear arms development? What are these “incentives” these countries will receive if they abandon their nuclear development? And how will we be able to convince Russia to help the US destroy, or at least curb terrorism? Time will be the indicator of how and if these questions will be answered.
But it is a step in the right direction.

Michele Flannery
Wilkes University, '10
Communications

Pennsylvania Prop 8? I Don't Think So.

I was hoping a 9am class would be the most of my concerns on a Tuesday morning. Unfortunately, I was disturbed to have my professor tell me she received a letter lobbying for a Proposition 8, similar to the one recently passed in California, to be passed here in Pennsylvania. I wanted to throw something when I heard- H8 wasn’t enough in California, we need to spread it nationwide? To me, it doesn’t make sense- and it shouldn’t make sense to you either. I’m sorry. That sounds extremely biased, I’m sure, but I said it anyway and intend to repeat it- it shouldn’t make sense to you either.

You can have Religion, that’s fine. You can tell me Jesus rose from the dead, or that God has yet to send the Messiah. Tell me the plans Allah has for you or recite the 7 pillars of Islam. Please, give me details about the tiny aliens that infest our bodies that must be purified through meetings (and you can do it while jumping around on Oprah’s couch if you feel you must) but DON’T tell me who can and who can’t get married. It doesn’t matter if Jesus, Allah, God, and Buddha had a meeting and said they disapproved- not everyone believes in all of them (not to mention, if they all managed to exist at once, none of the Religions of which they come from could still technically exist… but that’s completely beside the point).

Considering that unfair argument, I would love for someone to propose a point to me that does not, in some way, relate back to Religion. Not everyone has one, let us remember, and in this great land, not only is there freedom of Religion (meaning, that even if Atheism isn’t considered a “Religion”, freedom thereof entitles us all to deny it… hence, atheism is valid) but there is also separation of Church and State. So, write up a constitutional amendment that in no way, shape, or form relates back to any form of a Religious argument. Maybe, you can change my mind.

Having said that, allow me to make a plea to the other side of this argument. Again, I’ll be blunt- to the lazy side. Proposition 8 passed in California. Where were you? Did you make any attempts at a donation, a phone call, an email? Maybe, if we all actually moved as one force we can stop the next wave of H8 before it sweeps the nation like some wacked-out version of Beatle Mania. Or worse (and I’m gonna use the other side’s way of thinking in retaliation) the rights movement will move so far backward, women will lose their right to vote again and then… well, you do the math.

Sal Infantino
Wilkes University '10
Communication Studies/Theater Minor

Jon and Kate: Separated?!

It’s running around the rumor mill that power couple, Jon and Kate Gosselin, is separated. According to Star magazine, who was the first to publish the article, Jon Gosselin was found partying out at a bar with college girls, eventually making his way to a co-ed house located near Juniata College. A photo of what appears to be Gosselin, although not proven to be Jon, shows a highly intoxicated Asian man posing for a picture between two college girls at a bar. This photo has surfaced all across the Internet and has fueled the fire of this rumor. Jon was allegedly seen “dirty dancing”, kissing, and drinking with college-aged women. It has also been reported that Jon has moved out of the couple’s new home in Wernersville, PA and is now living with his mother in Huntingdon, PA. Kate still lives at home with the kids, but visits her mother regularly. Another source reported seeing Kate alone at a bar smoking while talking to other men, none of which were Jon. As mentioned before this is only a rumor and nothing has been confirmed from TLC or the Gosselins themselves.

I honestly don’t believe any of this is true because I have been an avid watcher of their television show: Jon and Kate Plus Eight. There is nothing shown on the show that provides any evidence of such an event occurring or even about to occur. The couple even dedicated an episode to their second wedding in Hawaii to show their children that they would never break apart because their family always had to stick together. They have been a loving couple for several years now and have always trekked through the hard times together, especially the birth of their sextuplets. However, I will agree that Kate has become a bit rude and tyrannical toward Jon on the most recently televised episodes of their show, but then again, what kind of person wouldn’t be a bit crabby and on edge having to take care of eight kids and, now, two puppies? I also believe that if this couple were ever to come to a disagreement that could harm their marriage they would first look to marriage counseling or pray in order for their issue to be resolved. They are not the type of people to fight one day and call it quits; they work through their mistakes and come out victorious. And another thing, I know Jon may not like how he is treated every now and then, but do you honestly think he’d want to pay child support for all of those kids? I don’t think he would even want to split the kids up. I think both Jon and Kate would find that highly unacceptable and work together on their problems to keep the kids together.

As far as I’m concerned, I think people need to keep their own perceptions of people to themselves rather than use their judgments to come up with ideas to spice up rumors. For all we know, this story could be just a media ploy to get opinions on the Gosselins and break down their media royalty status on TLC. I just think we should keep the false rumors to ourselves and wait until the couple publicly addresses the issue at hand. It isn’t any of our business to talk about their private lives when they didn’t address it to begin with.

Kristen Karpinski
Wilkes University '11
Communication Studies

Slumdog Millionaire: Will the film impact India's government and its citizens?

According to the article, “‘Slumdog’ turns spotlight on Mumbai’s biggest slum” by Rina Chandran (Boston.com), the hit movie Slumdog Millionaire portrays the slums throughout India in a light that Indian filmmakers and actors do not accept. Dharavi, the slums where part of the film was shot, is Asia’s largest slum. Some residents actually hope the film will pressure their government to support their rights and continue to redevelop the area, which is now under a $3 billion revitalization plan.

With the plan, residents have been relocated until the construction is complete. Through this relocation process, tens of thousands of families have nowhere to go. The plan was drawn up by a U.S.-based architect and was approved by the city in 2004.

It is now 2009…how much time will it take to manage and alleviate the criminal activity and starvation in Dharavi? Maybe Slumdog Millionaire will be beneficial to India and its citizens, even though people feel it is shedding poor light on India.

According to the article “Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan rubbishes Slumdog Millionaire”, from Guardian.co.uk, the famous actor, Bachchan, disliked the way the film portrayed India as a “third-world, dirty, underbelly developing nation”. The film was directed by the British film-maker Danny Boyle, which means it was not a true Bollywood film. However, Slumdog Millionaire is based on a novel, Q&A, by Vikas Swarup, an Indian writer and diplomat.

Throughout the movie, there are scenes in lower class India, upper class, of the slums and of the riches. The number of India’s urban poor is expected to rise with more urbanization occurring. With the relocation process and many citizens being removed from their homes, crime has also increased in the slums. The conditions of the slums cannot be denied, although some people believe the film brought Dharavi into false light.

Although Slumdog Millionaire is quite different than the movies in the Bollywood film industry, it is still an exceptional piece of work, which has won many Oscars this year. Due to this film, controversies of the slums in India has arisen and brought more awareness to the difficulties of the people living there. The question is if the film will raise enough curiosity and attention of others to affect the plans for Dharavi in a positive way.

Amy Fusco
Wilkes University '10
Communication Studies