Barack Obama has won!

Barack Obama has won the the election! 297 electoral votes versus McCain's 145.

Michael Sutherland
Online Coordinator

Gigi's BMM

Book:

Amanda Foreman, Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire Read it, watch the movie, read it again. So detailed and well-organized that one wonders how Georgiana's great great niece, Diana Spencer, could not take her as an example and avoid the same mistakes. If you know anything about Princess Diana's tragic life, Georgiana's will not be too foreign to you.

Movie:

"In Bruges" If you forgot that Colin Farrel is in the film industry for a reason other than bedding starlets with a surprising speed (and you'd be forgiven for thinking that) watch this movie. Apparently Mr. Farrell can still channel his old treading-the-boards days and get some good acting onto celluloid - o.k., digital tape. It's billed and marketed as a comedy, but don't be fooled, it is dramatic and heart-wrenching in the goofiest but most real way possible: A complex yet simple movie with a great cast that delivers.

Music:

Tarkan, "Metamorfoz & Remixes" Grew up listening to this man, love this man and his music. Tarkan is more often than not described as the Turkish Ricky Martin and, like Ricky Martin, most of his albums tend to pander to easy pop sales. With this album, the Turkish wonder-kind combines easy pop melodies with slightly darker lyrical themes. It is about time... Nevermind the odd cover photo of him as a mudcaked guru... Buy the album and enjoy the triple charged, first rate remixes by DJ's from around the world.

Ekpa's Recommendations

Book:
Lightning by Danielle Steel. This was the first book of hers that I read. It's a mind-blowing, tear-the-pages-or-your-hair-out-in-frustration, cry, laugh,
and in the end make you think and wonder book. A must read!

Movie:
I haven't watched a movie in ages. The movie that comes to mind now is "Zoolander". When I want to crack up to Ben Stillers' unique acting abilities, I watch this.
Nice insight into the world of high fashion modeling for smart men and the not so smart :)

Music:
'Where Did Your Heart Go Missing' by Rooney. A fun and upbeat rock/techno song. Gets my head moving.

Daniela's BMM

Book:
He's Just Not That Into You: The No-Excuses Truth to Understanding Guys
by Greg Behrendt (Author), Liz Tuccillo

Music:
Lullabye (Goodnight, my angel) by Billy Joel

Movie:
Centerstage

Is the New iPod Nano worth it?

It has already been a year since the last iPod Nano came out, and now a new one has arrived - the iPod Nano 4G. The new Nano has gone back to a similar design to its 2^nd generation - tall and lankly, ditching its previous classic look-a-like generation. The Nano comes in two sizes, 8GB and 16GB. Trust me, you’re going to need them. Especially with its bright display, you won’t only be listening to music on it, but watching a lot more videos. The new Nano is much lighter than it’s predecessor and is much more colorful, coming in 9 vibrant colors, including the Red (which supports the (red)^TM project). Apple has even come up with innovative ideas for the Nano where with just a shake it shuffles your songs!

Apple has also taken in to consideration that people like to be more interactive with their games, taking their cue from Nintendo Wii’s success. By manipulating the device, the player delves into the game: you tilt the screen and the ball moves. With the accelerometer, the buttons on the click wheel can get a bit confusing when you play a game on it or are going through the album art, but soon you get pretty accustomed to it. The structure of the iPod can be a bit annoying when watching a video because its curves just aren’t smooth. It’s also a bit sad that there is only one case for the Nano currently available, let’s just hope Apple hurries up – the Nanos just feel unbelievably light and it's case is heavy. Overall the iPod Nano is a good buy, especially if you ran out of memory from your last year’s iPod, but if you can’t be bothered with buying a new one, you may be able to win a 8GB Nano by taking MC’s National Cybersecurity Awareness Month survey, for more information on it you can either click this link: iPod Nano Contes.

Good Luck

Michael Sutherland
Online Coordinator

Blackberry introduces 3G contender

Yes, the iPhone3G is the finest smartphone, but only because of the hardware. iPhone's software is debatable as a contender in the smartphone universe. Using the same old trackball and back-lit QWERTY keyboard layout, the BlackBerry® Bold™ integrates email, phone, IM, Internet, camera, and video recording. And with an increase of up to 1GB of internal memory, plus 128MB dedicated RAM, support for microSD cards ranging up to 16GB storage, as well as adding great applications become much easier than with previous models. Be weary, though, as some service providers – eg. T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon - may limit the memory you can use. This quad-band cellphone is 3G ready and set for T-mobile's 3G network coming in October. The Bold comes with a 2MP Camera, GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth hardware. GPS support for turn-by-turn navigation with such applications as Google Maps and the built-in Blackberry Maps makes your life truly mobile. Wi-Fi really makes a difference on a Blackberry, but only if you have a service that supports VoIP calls – Voice over Internet Protocol – which allows you to use your Wi-Fi network to make calls (for free even!). Bluetooth on a Blackberry enables the remote side of your life – syncing files, controlling your PC or Mac, printing, connecting to headsets, and even using the Bold as a wireless modem for your PC or Mac's Internet connection. With 9-10 days of stand-by time, you can get almost everything you want done without having to worry about charging it.

Viewing photos & video, as well as listening to music is organized and simple using the Media Sync software. A wide range of codecs are supported for audio & video, including DivX 4, 3gp, and AAC. And with an upgraded processor – 624MHz – doing all that is noticeably faster. Media editing for Microsoft® Word and PowerPoint® files is supported with WordToGo and SlideshowToGo. You can even watch videos online or listen to Internet radio either through the built-in speakers or the 3.5mm stereo headset port. The Bold not only sounds great, it looks great too with a resolution of 480x320.

My concerns however are with the full mobility of the Bold. Wireless 'n' networking has been greatly improved upon in the past two years. However, we are still waiting on a phone that utilizes that technology. Testing should be happening as this is written. Still, though, demand for a wireless N phone will increase as consumers become aware of faster Wi-Fi.

Nevertheless, the Blackberry Bold is a very great phone and, despite certain locks by service providers, the features are outstanding. Expect to see the Bold come out soon either with AT&T or T-Mobile.

Stuart Brothers

Staff Writer

Assalamu-waalaikum: Peace be upon you

On September 26th, the Muslim Student Association (MSA) and the Arabic Club hosted an Iftar

event in the Student Activity Center.

Arabic Club President Sarood Al Noori started off the evening with an Arabic poem titled The Last 10 Days that “[was asking] God for forgiveness and [described] how Ramadan is a beautiful thing.” MSA member Yaseen Mohammed brought food for the event, while the Dubai Embassy provided the food for the Arabic Club’s contribution. The feast was available for the full house after a prayer of thanks was recited.

Fatimah Mollah and Nosheen Hayat then presented Ramadan and its origins with a powerpoint presentation. Lasting one month, Ramadan is when the Quran, the holy book of Islam, was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. The holiday follows the lunar calendar, so the fasting varies ten to eleven days every year. In the second chapter, verse 183-184 of the Quran, fasting was used to empathize with the poor who go hungry everyday and to benefit the health of the people, as it lowers the blood sugar, cholesterol and systolic blood pressure. It was also used to promote self-analysis.

A common misconception is that Ramadan is the celebration: Eidu-ul Fitr is the festival marking the end of Ramadan and is met with much celebration. Zakat-ul Fitr also comes at the end of the month and is when a “prescribed amount of money [is] obligatory on every Muslim calculated to feed one person in his region for one day.”

The MSA and Arabic Club ended the night with a “Ramadan Mubarak (Congratulations) to all.”

Daniela Pila

Technical Director

Elmali Pogaca/Apple Pastries

It’s a Turkish Delight

This dessert is sure to have people wanting more. It’s a lovely Turkish dessert that has cinnamon apples stuffed in golden-brown baked dough, topped off with powdered sugar.

Ingredients:

For the dough:
1 cup of olive oil
1 cup of yogurt
1 cup of melted butter
1 teaspoon of baking powder
Use as much flour as is needed

For the stuffing:
4 apples
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
1 cup of walnut (chopped into little pieces)
½ cup of raisins
1 cup of powdered sugar

First, take off the apples skin and grate them. Mix it together with the cinnamon, walnuts, rains, and powdered sugar. Cook it in the pan for about 15-20 minutes. Then, take a piece of the dough, the size of a walnut, put it on your palm, and spread it out so that it is as big as your palm. Put the mix inside the dough, and then fold over the dough to close. Make sure to press the outside part of the dough firmly so that nothing can come out. Put the pastries on baking sheet (make sure to have a little oil on the sheet) and put in the oven at 350 degrees. Cook until the dough becomes golden-brown or for about 15 minutes. When it’s done, allow for them to cool off and once it is, top it off with some powdered sugar. You can eat it with some tea, coffee, or by itself…Enjoy!

Suzie MacLeod
Staff Writer

Movie Review: Vicky Cristina Barcelona

"Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

Director: Woody Allen

Starring: Javier Bardem, Scarlett Johanson, Penelope Cruz, Rebecca Hall.

Alright moviegoers take a break from the usual blockbuster hit of the weekend and try something different. In limited release right now is a fantastic movie named "Vicky Cristina Barcelona". In this film, Woody Allen brings to us a quirky and humorous story about love. In the movie, two young American women, Vicky (Rebecca Hall), and Cristina (Scarlette Johansson), head to Barcelona for their summer vacation. While there, the two meet Juan Antonio (Javier Barden), an outgoing, and seductive painter, who is still involved with his somewhat insane ex-wife Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz). An unforgettable adventure soon begins for the girls once meeting this strapping fella, and his estranged wife. Love ensues in the movie, in all its forms, setting the stage for a story full of surprising twists and turns and funny moments that all take place in scenic Barcelona.

Suzie MacLeod
Staff Writer

Birthday Blues

Dear Advice Sisters:

I had my birthday a few weeks ago and I invited all of my friends for a party. One of my best friends not only didn't show, she didn't even respond to my invitation! Now, she's having a birthday party and has invited me. She's never even mentioned not coming to my party. No "Happy birthday, sorry I couldn't make it to your party." -- Nothing! I'm still kind of mad at her and I don't really want to go to her party, but I feel like I should. What do you think?

Sincerely,
Birthday Blues

Dear BB,

Hey, a party is a party! Will your other friends be there? I'm betting they will. So, why not just go and have fun? And, if you want to patch things up with your friend, find a quiet moment (NOT in front of all of your other friends, unless you really never want to speak to her again) to say, "Hey, I really missed you at my birthday party. I wish you could have been there." Maybe she'll have a good reason, maybe she won't. Maybe you'll find out that she never even got the invite and was hurt that she wasn't invited! Either way, you'll get an idea of what's going on and you can both start working on getting over it. And, if she doesn't have a good reason, you can always keep her present and give her a box of dog poo instead!

Madame Never Wrong

Dear Birthday Blues,

Happy belated birthday wishes to you!! I hope you were still able to have some fun on your birthday, it only comes around once a year, and no one should get you down on your day. I'm sure you must have been/are mad at your best friend right now for not coming to your party, not r.s.v.p.'ing, and then not apologizing (I would be too). But what I wouldn't do is over-react. I am very sure there is an explanation for it all. For all you know, she might not have gotten your invitation and is probably wondering why you are mad at her. The best way to deal with this is to actually deal with it. Don't assume your best friend knows how you feel. I know we all want our bffs too read minds and know us better than anyone. Still, she is human and not wonder woman. Invite her over to your house before the day of the party, and talk to her. Find out why she didn't come, r.s.v.p, and apologize. Tell her how you felt let down, hurt, and mad. If she really is your friend I am sure she will be really sorry, and give a reasonable explanation, and ask you to please attend her party even though she couldn't make yours. If she doesn't feel that way, then by all means go with Madame Never Wrong's Idea. Don't give up the chance to go out and have fun with your friends because of a little rift. Now go on and have fun, and don't do anything your mother wouldn't do!

Miss Always Right

Welcome to Montgomery College. How may I not help you today?

Our college is due for an uprising. A passionate, conscientious and humanitarian rebel faction of students is bound to take a stand and soon. That’s not the worst that could happen, and it’s not the most realistic prospect either. Most likely, our students will continue to receive inflammatory and rude treatment from certain faculty members, and the young people that make up the majority of this campus will learn more than academics: they’ll learn that immaturity, pettiness, rudeness and all around un-neighborliness is acceptable behavior among grown, professional adults.

When I go to a sporting event, a movie theatre, or even a mall, I expect to run into a less-than-friendly person either behind the sales counter or in line as a customer. As an American and a member of our individually-minded society, I expect to deal with difficult people generally wherever I go. And as a customer service associate at my weekend job, I’m paid to interact with sometimes irate customers.

At my college campus, however, where I feel proud to matriculate and the decal of which is prominently displayed on my car, I expect a higher level of humanism and familiarity. Montgomery College has been around a long time, and has acquired a long list of happy alumni and a reputation for giving a lot of bang for the buck. Lately, though, I find that many of the professional representatives at our school seem to have burnt out on their enthusiasm, which is admittedly wearing at my own enthusiasm as well.

During Welcome Week, I was publicly harassed by an extremely unhappy employee of the college. When I helped myself to an unattended bun selection at the free food buffet, I received a disturbing assault from the main steward who seemed to be personally affronted. She demanded the bun back, and said tartly, “I hope your food is clean.” She kept making loud, snide comments until I walked away.

Not even a week later, I held the elevator door for a woman who was in a hurry. When the elevator doors closed, she explained most hotly that the elevators were for faculty and disabled students only. While the other five people in the elevator said nothing, including a girl in a wheelchair, the young man behind me apologized for his use of the elevator. The annoyed woman explained that the policy was to protect faculty because they carried a lot of books. I replied, “So do the students. What a coincidence.” She said, “Well, I don’t think they carry nearly as much.” Her thoughtless and irreverent error in judgment aside, it was very snarky of her to criticize the users of the elevator. Maybe we were late to class, or had a bad foot, or perhaps – could it even be possible – we were carrying a lot of books.

Alas, I went along my business.

Next, I visited the Math and Science Learning Center beneath the library. While I can expect to encounter some understandably distrustful computer administrators, I feel fairly unmolested there. That is, as long as I remember to sign in and bring my student ID and limit my activity to homework only and don’t sit at a tutor’s computer station (they’re not even labeled) and don’t speak loudly and do not leave with a textbook unless I’m signed out and certainly not for longer than 15 minutes and only if I’m Xeroxing…

You get the point. I go there because I can’t afford a $175 textbook. I was told that I was able to copy it or scan it and the scanning was free. I asked where I could take the book to be scanned, and the monitors at the checkout had no idea. They suggested the library, and as soon as I signed a little note to say I was coming back, I went off to find it. The scanner wasn’t in the library or the computer lab downstairs. I did manage to find it after what felt like a wild goose chase (F.Y.I. it’s in the Humanities building computer lab, and the stewards there are actually extremely helpful - maybe because they’re students?). After I figured out how to use the scanner and finished my business, I had been gone for about 50 minutes. Knowing the note I signed promised me back in 15, I was ready to apologize for being out so long.

Upon returning, I found that my student ID used to rent out the book had been confiscated by an administrator. I recognized her as the monitor that angrily asked me not to sit at the tutor desks (even though they’re unmarked). She proceeded to lecture me about policy, while I attempted to explain my lengthy checkout. After all, if it takes more than 15 minutes to even find the Mysterious Free Scanner, maybe they should change their policy. Regardless, my “situation” was “unique,” and she brought me to her supervisor, to whom she handed my ID and checkout agreement form.
> Her supervisor, Carol B____, was very upset after learning what I had done. She continued the lecture on policy, and was very suspicious of me. “Why did you need to scan it? What were you going to do with it after you scanned it?”

“Well, I needed to copy several pages but I don’t have two and a half dollars to dump into the copier. It’s my homework.”

She started talking about copyright infringement and more about policy. I was incredulous. We can copy it until our hearts are content as long as we pay fifteen cents a page but we can’t scan it unless we can manage to find the Mysterious Free Scanner and not print it out or email it to ourselves and still get the information we need and all in under 15 minutes? Sounds like the beginning of an infomercial to be skeptical of.

I tried to explain my predicament, and I chose to explain that I couldn’t afford to just buy the book, but she wouldn’t hear of it. She rose from her chair and continued arguing with me, threatening to suspend my privileges there. Privileges? Didn’t I already pay tuition for these resources? I can understand revoking someone’s rights if they proved to be unreasonable and disrespectful, but I felt totally and unjustly affronted.

After I left, I mulled over these connected events. Did these people just have a bad day? Or a bad week? How can they think that kind of behavior is okay? With actions that ranged from cranky and resentful, to more disrespectful and downright insulting, I still can’t believe that I’m retelling the stories of Montgomery College faculty behavior. Where is the pride, the compassion, the brotherly understanding that a community college is expected to exhibit?

Upon asking some students if they’ve had similar experiences, I received numerous responses. Elodie Z___ has had difficulties with the student services representatives. “Those people are so angry all the time, like they’re always having a bad day.” It puts her in a bad mood, she says.

Eric Hadzima agrees. “It makes me want to say something smart back, but I know that won’t get me anywhere. It just makes me feel hopeless, like nothing will ever change. It feels like high school again. I can see things from their perspective, why can’t they see things from the students’ perspective? We’re juggling books and math problems and essays and we have bad days too. But I don’t act like a jerk over it.”

Why does it seem like there is a war going on between faculty and students, like a high school drama? College should be co-operative, because students, staff, and faculty need one another equally.

I don’t have a lot of stories about abusive students to offer, because I rarely see it occur. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen, but the faculty are the professional representatives of adulthood, and they are currently representing themselves very poorly. Not only do they set examples and serve as role models of behavior for young students, but they are representing Montgomery College as a whole. It reflects very negatively on the college.

It certainly doesn’t sound like students are “the center of our universe,” or that the college is somewhere you can experience “intelligent dialogue,” according to MC’s mission statement. How about “holding ourselves accountable” and being “inspiring?” Lastly, “our internal spirits” need some serious attention. The college is not “welcoming,” or “compassionate” and certainly not “service-oriented,” or “enthusiastic,” “celebratory,” and definitely not “respectful” and “fun.”

Our members of the MC family, students and faculty alike, need to be reminded of the brotherliness upon which MC was founded, and also of the values quoted in our mission statement. We all just need to have a little more respect, and a willingness to serve others.


Evin Maria Eldridge
Staff Writer

Does the U.K. Hate the U.S.?

In the month of August, I visited London. Getting out of the airport, major differences between the U.S. and the U.K. were apparent. Cars in the U.K. are driven on the opposite side of the road than they are here. It wasn’t a shock though; I knew that already. What I wanted to know is what the diametrical Londoners think about America. Lucky for me, I bumped into Shonem Sediqi, a Londoner, and she said, “America is portrayed as a country that sticks its nose into other people’s business and creates destruction as far as international relations is concerned.” After September 11, 2001, European countries sympathized greatly with America, but now the country has lost the continent’s grace. The Iraq war, Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, the country’s stance on global warming, and more has corrupted the nation’s image. Sediqi said, however, that when the media portrays America, “it’s not the people but the administration.” Perhaps it is the current administration, but most of the people I spoke with in the city thought the Americans are idiots for electing the same administration, and twice. George Bernard Shaw’s quote, “The 100% American is 99% idiot,” seemed to sum up the general attitude towards Americans in the city. With these discrepancies, I wonder how the 2008 presidential election will change the people of U.K.’s view of Americans. Naisham Jamshidi, a resident of the D.C. Metropolitan Area said that the U.K.’s attitude towards Americans will change negatively or positively according to which presidential candidate is elected. “Right now,” she said, “Europeans have a negative view of the U.S., but with the president’s change in message, Europe will change its attitude.” She went on to say, “If McCain is elected, I don’t think the European attitude will change. They’ll see him as another George Bush. If Obama is elected, they’ll see the government will not invade countries under false pretenses.” The U.K. may have a change of heart. We’ll have to wait and see if America’s foreign policies change or stay the same following November 4, 2008.

Sohayl Vafai

Associate Editor

How To Make the Most of MC

Over the years, the phrase "I go to a community college" is met with an "Oh..." But just as four-year institutions provide opportunities for its students, so do the two-year institutions such as Montgomery College (MC). Fact of the matter is, community colleges are receiving the same education for a cheaper price. But with the lower cost does not necessarily mean less opportunities for the students.

1. Need a job? - With the hard economical times, more students are opting to work part-time jobs - sometimes two or three - to pay off their educational costs. MC is aware of this and has many jobs available to the students. Most of the jobs promote conveniency because of their on-campus locations, give your resume a face-list and also provide you with future networks of employment. In addition, many professors and staff are unofficial liaisons to jobs off-campus, as they tend to be in contact with companies, employees and such. If they know that a student is looking and is qualified for a job, they will recommend the individual to the employers. E-jobs, a free service provided to MC students, is an "Internet based job matching system designed exclusively for Montgomery College students/alumni that gives [the students] access to thousands of part-time and full-time jobs, internships, and on-campus employment." Go to http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/ejobs or to Campus Center Building Lower Level 002 for more information.
2. Need an internship? - The Paul Peck Humanities Institute (PPHI) has partnerships with the Smithsonian Institute, the Library of Congress and the recently-added Holocaust Museum to give students the amazing once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of working in the renowned institutions. With MC's varied and diverse populations, select students with either language skills for translation purposes, computer skills to maintain databases, and writing skills to publish for the institution are chosen. The PPHI internships count as a three-credit course elective, so you are also getting three credits closer to graduation - why not spend your electives to working for some of the world's most celebrated academic institutions? Go to http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/humanities/ for more information.
3. Need to get involved? - Universities that you will soon find yourself applying to transfer into adore individuals who are involved in extra-curriculars: this shows them that you are not only involved with bettering yourself, but that you are also one of the better citizens of society. Office of Student Life provides a plethora of clubs, activities and volunteer opportunities for students, all ranging from academic organizations such as Phi Theta Kappa to the game-related clubs such as the Rubik's Cube Club. With more than forty clubs to offer, there is something for everybody. Go to http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/stdactrv/ or to Campus Center BuildingLower Level 005 for more information
4. Need a sport? - With more than ten sports, MC is wide-open for athletes. Winning NJCAA Division III Championships, such as the Women's Tennis Team in 2006, the sports teams are directed by "experienced coaches that assist athletes in achieving their goals," according to the Athletics home page. Transfer universities often offer scholarships to superb athletes, alleviating the cost and the stress of paying for college. Go to http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/athletrv/?page=index for more information.

So make the most of your MC stay and take full advantage of what it has to offer!


Daniela Pila
Technical Director

BMM (Books, Movies and Music)

Books:

David Goldblatt's The Ball is Round: A Global History of Soccer, written well, with passion and humor, a must for soccer fans and those just getting to know the "beautiful game". An epic at 900-some pages, as he is tackling a comprehensive history no one has complied before, it reads easily and fast. - A.G. Akturk

Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk
From the author of Fight Club, Lullaby is a dark look at what constant invasion of privacy and too much power can do to an average person. - Tara Garwood


My Horizontal Life by Chelsea Handler

Chelsea Handler, the comedian best known from being on the show "Girls Behaving Badly", and being the host on her own show, "Chelsea Lately", Chelsea writes a very witty memoir. From her Jewish family to her frivolous escapades, Chelsea reflects on her life laughing about all the experiences that she had that and you just have to join in and laugh with her. - Mike Sutherland

Long Way Home by Ishmael Beah. This book is excellent. It's a touching memoir of Ishmael Beah . This book gives you the riveting insight on his life. His stolen childhood due to the genocide happening in his country, and his subsequent journey to becoming a child soldier. Although this book has some life altering occasions, it does have a wonderful ending and powerful message. A must read!! - Ekpa Eyoma

Movies:

Sleuth (1972), Starring Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine
An incredibly well-written and well-acted thriller, this is one of the most entertaining, enjoyable, keep-you-on-your-toes movies of all time. - Tara Garwood

There are questions you never ask servicemen and -women returning from a war. But the questions lie under the surface, waiting to be asked, waiting to be answered. To somehow share the burden of war in all its reality and ugliness, the National Endowment for the Arts funded an anthology of writing straight from the pens of our soldiers and Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience (2007) is the documentary based on these writers and their work. I don't know that those of us who've never been to war could ever truly share the burden of those who have and are serving overseas. But with projects like this, we can at least try. - A.G. Akturk

Sound of Music (1965) - I think i have watched this movie a total of 100 times, and i still can't get enough of it. I grew up to this movie, love the music, have the soundtrack, and love the message on love. You can never go wrong with this classic. - Ekpa Eyoma

Mirrors (2008) - So I have to admit, this movie was decently scary. The last true scary movie I saw was The Ring(2002), over six years ago, which is pretty sad. There was some gore in Mirrors which I did not really expect, which enhanced the scare factor, and made it into the best scary in half a decade. Many parts made me jump, but found some humor, there's nothing more funny that your friends jumping every few minutes - just beware the mirrors, it's a whole different world. - Mike Sutherland


Music:

Sacrifice by Lisa Gerrard - Sohayl Vafai

Disturbia by Rihanna. Always gets me moving, and feeling a little freaky!! - Ekpa Eyoma

I've been listening to Marc Broussard, lately. The man is the soul of Delta blues/rock! I can't get enough of his tracks Home, Gavin's Song and Let Me Leave! Home will put you right in the swampy heart of Louisiana, stompin' to the beat for your everlovin' life!! And Gavin's Song is the purest expression of a father's love for his son. Truly a Southern treasure. - A.G. Akturk

Cake (All albums)
Far beyond their radio hits Never There and Let Me Go, Cake's music is possibly the coolest you will ever hear. With beats that get you moving and surprising harmonies, they are perfect for any mood or occasion! - Tara Garwood

blink-182's I Miss You Yeah, yeah, I know that this song is old, but I just can't let go. A punk band that embodied punk. I Miss You seems to be about someone who died and with reference to Jack and Sallie from Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas, they died and that they wish to be together, wherever the deceased girlfriend may be. It could also mean that simply the relationship died and that they wished that they were still together. Whatever the definition, the song is addictive, sweet yet, dark. "Don't waste your time on me you're already
the voice inside my head (I miss you, miss you)" - Mike Sutherland

Best of MC Summer Events '08: Chatauqua

The word Chatauqua originates from indigenous Native American lore, but in relation to MC, it is an annual event where actors bring historic figures to life. Sounds like something theatre geeks would be into, right? Think again. This year the theme was Civil Rights and they had the biggest names grace the stage: Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and George Wallace. The point being to personalize and re-examine seminal American moments in time. Trust me, in no other way do you feel more connected to the struggle of the Civil Rights movement, to 1960's America, than when you are staring into the eyes of Dr. King, Jr! And the voices! The voices of these (properly trained) actors, the resonance of Rosa Parks' words, George Wallace's almost-defeated-but-can't-count-me-out-yet proclamations.....goose bumps, I kid you not.

The audience was mostly made up of senior citizens, whom you'd expect at such events, to relive important moments, maybe to re-analyze them. And analyze they did! Part of the Chatauqua deal is that any audience member can ask questions of the personality and then of the actor playing the personality. They asked and cajoled and prodded the personalities to get to some core truths about their collective history which they'd long ago determined for themselves. And it was very enlightening (that's right, enlightening!) to see an older generation come to terms with leaders they'd lost too soon, with tragedies and politics which our generation can now take for granted. All well and good, but the other purpose of Chatauqua this year was to revitalize these leaders and their struggle in the hearts and minds of new generations. And so it was that there were children in the audience, brought by conscientious parents. Matter of fact, it intrigued me how polarized the audience was -- ages 4 to 12, and ages 45 to 70.

Picture this, then: Rosa Parks has just finished explaining her side of the story, ending with a beautiful Southern Baptist hymn. She stands on the little stage, mopping her esteemed brow. From among the forest of white plastic chairs arrayed in front of her comes bopping this little head and soon emerges a little African American girl, aged about 5 whom I'd spied earlier curled up on her guardians lap listening, enraptured. The little girl proceeds as close as she dares to the stage, and using her best outside voice asks the simplest question: "Ms. Parks, what is the KKK that you mentioned?" Rosa Parks, is stumped for a split second -- only a split second, mind -- and gives the only answer she can give, that they are very bad people who don't like anyone different from them and do those they've judged against great harm. Simple, eloquent, and in its very childishness, the exact point of Chatauqua!

Also deserving honorable mention, of the five musical acts which opened each show, Ellen Cherry (yes, you Tom Robbins fans, inspired by THAT Ellen Cherry) did the whole nouvelle-folk-green music movement great justice. She sang some favorites and a few of her own tunes, with great, warm banter in between and she is sooooo worth checking out on Facebook, etc.

You missed Chatauqua? Never fear, MCTV was there to put it all on tape! Episodes have been airing since July 17th so check Channel 10 for air times or check out www.youtube.com/montgomerycollege.


A.G. Akturk
Editor-In-Chief

Gas Leak

On July 23rd at 8:08 am, Summer Session II students were unable to access the cafeteria, nor any of the other facilities, in the CC building after it was evacuated by the MC Rockville Security due to a leak in the gas line. While reconstructing the sidewalks, contractors hit an undetected gas line, according to Christopher Karp, the Plant Maintenance and Operations Supervisor. His team was able to shut off the gas within the hour, but had the firefighters on site as a precaution. The building reopened at 9:04 am. Karp was unable to estimate how much longer it would take for the repairs to be complete or how long it would delay the construction. Debra Hayre, the Safety and Security Advisor for MC Rockville Security, explained that due to the gas being turned off, the cafeteria were compromised and would only serve cold foods. However after the building was reopened, MC Munchies was open for business and accommodated the hungry masses as best as it could. Thanks to the Security and the construction team working together they were able to prevent any injuries and have the building reopened as quickly as possible, preserving the safety of students and faculty.


Michael Sutherland
Online Coordinator


Construction team reviewing blueprints

MC Munchies facilitating the students

MC Tobacco-Free

After almost a decade of efforts to make Montgomery Community College tobacco-free, starting on August 1, 2008 all tobacco products were banned from MC’s three campuses. That means all college owned property, indoors and out are off limits to tobacco users. Nope, you can’t use tobacco products in the parking lots, in the previously designated smoking areas or on the soccer fields – you can’t use them anywhere on MC grounds. The college’s tobacco-free policy comes after years of trying to limit tobacco use. First, tobacco use in buildings was banned. Then, there was the 25 foot rule. Now, it is totally banned. If you think a couple of administrators, fed up by unruly youth, decided to take measures to eventually ban tobacco use, that simply isn’t true. The wider community chimed in on this one. And all MC members are affected, from the custodians to your professors. One just wonders: Will it work? There are Healthy Campus Advocates roaming the campuses warning tobacco users to stop using their products or else… Or else what? They’ll get a slap on the wrist? We are told repeat offenders will be formally admonished. Using tobacco products could be treated the same way as bringing an illegal substance on campus. That means the worst punishment for users would be expulsion. Don’t worry, you’d have to be caught many times before it ever came to that. Besides, what’s stopping tobacco users from walking off campus to smoke? Many hospitals have similar tobacco-free policies and the users simply caper off the hospital grounds to smoke. One can see it being a nuisance to neighboring communities, but as long as it’s not on college property, you can smoke, chew and spit all the livelong day. It’s too soon to say whether the tobacco-free policy will be a success, but after so many years of culminating successes in favor of the policy, one is apt to think it will be.

Sohayl Vafai

Associate Editor

New Courses for Fall 2008

Daniela here, enlightening you on the latest course additions and curriculum changes for Fall 2008.

The Health Sciences program has recently implemented new prerequisites: a GPA of at least 2.50, assessment level or completion of EN101, 101A, 102 or 109, MA 110, BI107, and for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) applicants, PH010 are now necessary to be considered for the program.

A new three-credit honors course titled Ethics/Professional Accounting entails "an examination of the major ethical issues encountered by accountants." The prerequisites for this honors class are as with any other honor class; completion of at least 12 credits, a 3.2 or higher GPA and an A or B grade in EN101/EN101A and AC 202.

Summer 2008 approved courses are expanding the Paramedic curriculum. The new offerings include Basic Emergency Medical Tech, Intro to Pre-Hospital Environment, Patient Assessment, Pharmacology, Airway Management, Trauma, Medical Emergencies, and EMS Operations. Clinical Radiology II is also now available for the Radiology program. Mostly held off-campus and requiring previous credit in several lower level health-science courses, these classes are meant for those determined to work as future hospital employees, whether it is in nursing or ambulance personnel.

To round out the health-science curriculum, new Polosomnography courses – the study of the purposes and arrangement of the cardiopulmonary and neuromuscular systems in relation to sleep pathology – have been added. Another addition is the Sleep Disorders class, which includes "relationships of physical and psychiatric disorders and the effects of various medications on sleep patterns." These courses are so new that ,as I was browsing through the Fall 2008 Schedule, PO, the category for Polosomnography was not yet available. Pretty exciting, if you ask me!

On the other side of campus, the Communication Arts Technologies department has created three brand new interactive options for existing courses: Graphic Design, Photography and Broadcasting, featuring "full audio/video lectures and demonstrations in addition to Q&A sessions... perfect for the students who can't be in a classroom.'"

For a closer look at descriptions, credits hours, and prerequisites, go to http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/credit/WhatsNew/Fall08whats%20new.pdf

Daniela Pila
Technical Director

Welcome to The Montgomery Advocate's Blog

Well, hello, dear reader! Surprised to see us online? Just another way in which we are attempting to better serve your needs, really. The buzz word, the redefining impetus of the whole journalism industry is convergence, which means journalism alive and thriving online, interactive, multi-dimensional. Not to say that we are completely abandoning our print edition; but as we are starting fresh this year, with a revitalized line-up of staff and editorial members, we thought we'd jump on the convergence bandwagon and bring our beloved Montgomery Advocate up to date in the digital age.

Our blogs will go hand in hand with our print articles, feature then further explore vital campus issues, provide a quicker way to update information, and receive your thoughts and comments more efficiently than before. We are striving for increased photographic input, up-to-date classifieds, comics and a debate format advice column exclusive to our online avatar!

We welcome your suggestions and discerning demands as we further develop our site: Please email me directly or send a note to Mike Sutherland, our Online Coordinator, at onlinecoordinator.advocatemcr@gmail.com. Have pictures you want to submit? Send them to our Photo Editor, Mike Seabaugh at photoeditor.advocatemcr@gmail.com.

Ever humbly yours,

A.G. Akturk
Editor-In-Chief