4/24/08
By Matt Vercillo
Critic Staff
The Twilight Players opened up their production of Stephen Sondheim’s classic musical comedy “A funny thing happened on the way to the forum” on Thursday, April 24. I decided that, since the show was free and located conveniently here at the school, that it would be a perfect opportunity to get an entertainment review done.
My expectations were not too high, I am very seldom impressed by many cultural or artistic events held on campus. So, I didn’t expect anything different this time.
From the start my experience with the production was surprisingly positive. The play was scheduled to start a 7 pm and when the lights dimmed at 6:58, I realized that the event might actually start on time. Things were looking up, the earlier this thing started the earlier I could get out of there.
The opening musical number set the tone for the play, assuring everyone that the following story would be a comedy, and not a tragedy. This was good news for me, since any sudden fits of laughter could be disguised as being with the cast and not at them.
One of the most refreshing things about the play was its lightheartedness. I thought it proved to be a wise choice for a college audience. Set in ancient Rome, the story centers around a bunch of slaves and hookers. The humor was very quick, witty, and laden with delicious sexual innuendo.
Any lack of vocal ability or acting experience was pleasantly disguised by the sheer enthusiasm displayed by the cast. Two members, Karen Rose Sague (Pseudolous) and Jim Gibbons (Senex) stood out as giving particularly memorable and spirited performances. The rest of the cast wasn’t too bad either, and nobody screwed up noticeably. This proved to be the greatest thing about the production, not necessarily how good it was but how much fun the cast appeared to having. It really showed, and they appeared surprisingly comfortable for an opening night show.
All in all, I wouldn’t be canceling any prior engagements to catch the play. However if you find yourself with nothing to do one night this weekend, it might be worth a look. If you have to attend it for a horizon event, for a class, or even if your significant other is simply dragging you there – don’t worry. This play is pretty accessible to those who don’t particularly enjoy theater, it isn’t hard to follow and it doesn’t take itself too seriously. When the lights came on I glanced at the time, 9 o’clock. The night was still young, and I didn’t regret going.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Students elect leaders for next fall
4/24/08By Keith Whitcomb Jr.
Critic Editor
Andrew Chapin has been elected Student Government Association president for the fall 2008 semester. Tim Cappalli won the vice presidency, Nathan Carter was elected secretary, and Liane Carson is now the treasurer.
Each candidate ran unopposed.
While there were many write-in candidates for the various executive board positions, only Christopher Arsenault gained a significant amount of write-in votes for the presidency with 43 votes to Chapin’s 135.
The highest amount of votes out of all the candidates was secretary Nathan Carter with 177 votes.
Last Monday an open forum was held in the Student Center, moderated by Brian Shaw. Three LSC students, including current SGA president Jon Maciel and one member of The Critic attended.
The voter turnout for the SGA executive board elections was better this year than normal, Kate Murphy, SGA adviser, said. Nearly 200 votes in total were cast.
Andrew Chapin, on ballot for SGA president, has yet to accept presidency.Chapin has spent on year as the First-Year Senator sitting in at House meetings. At his high school in Southbury Connecticut, he was vice president of his class throughout his four years there.
One of the goals Chapin has for his term is bringing the SGA back into prominence. Regular town meeting style forums for students to attend and discuss issues is one of the ideas he and the other potential SGA executives have discussed.
Tim Cappalli, SGA vice president for 2009.Cappalli has been sitting as House Representative for LSNPA since September. Aside from the regular open forums, Cappalli would like to require House Representatives and Senators to bring two student issues to each House meeting. While that idea still needs work, Cappalli is certain that he would like House meetings to run smoother and more efficiently.
“If they’re long just because people are arguing, then that’s a problem,” Cappalli said.
Nathan Carter, SGA secretary for 2009.Carter helped out the Adolescent Drug and Alcohol Prevention Tools (ADAPT) program in his high school by typing memos and keeping records for his four years there. For three years, he helped with ADAPT’s Web site and enjoys keeping blogs of his own.
Carter would like to see easier online forum use for LSC students. He feels that the forums on Blackboard aren’t easy enough to use and are underutilized because of that.
Carter wants to increase the LSC student body’s awareness of the SGA, as many students don’t know what it is or what it can do.
The price for perfection: Men and women share their views on the controversies of plastic surgery
4/24/08
By Mary Wheeler
Special to the Critic
In today’s nip-tuck world, more and more young people are choosing cosmetic surgery to enhance their appearance. Alexandra Mooney is just one of many seriously considering the trend that made Pamela Anderson a household name.
“I’ve had a deviated septum (a condition where the wall inside the nose isn’t located in the middle) for a few years now, and it’s to the point where I’m about 85 percent sure I’m going to get it fixed,” the 24-year-old Bellows Falls Vermont resident said.
While Mooney insists the procedure is for health-related reasons, she is aware of the additional homework she will need to do before going under the knife. “I definitely know I need to do my research,” she said.
Mooney admits that she has considered other procedures. “I’ve considered getting liposuction and a breast reduction,” she said. What’s stopping her from proceeding— “The costs, and it’s dangerous. It was more of a fantasy, rather than something I would seriously considering going through with.”
Some are less than thrilled about people artificially altering their appearances. “I don’t support women getting plastic surgery. You just have to work with what God gave you, plus I like the natural female body,” Brent McGrady, 23, of New York, said. “I would never get plastic surgery, because I don’t find it necessary.”
Approximately 12 million plastic surgery procedures were conducted in 2007- a 59 percent increase from 2000, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. While women accounted for 91 percent of those procedures, men raked in a 17 percent increase from 2006 to 2007.
For Aiesha Lang, plastic surgery should be a personal choice, but not a choice that she would personally make.
“If you feel like it’s going to help you in becoming the person you want to be, then why not,” Lang, 30, of New York, said. “People should do what makes them happy, but I wouldn’t want plastic surgery.”
In 2007, the most popular procedure for women was breast augmentation, followed by: liposuction, eyelid surgery, abdominoplasty (where fat is removed from the stomach and lower abdominal area), and breast reduction. For men the most popular procedure was liposuction, followed by: eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty (nose job), male breast reduction, and hair transplants, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
“Surgery is a serious decision and it works best if the patient is internally motivated — not pressured by a parent or someone else — and has reasonable expectations,” Dr. Brent Moelleken, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, said, in a statement to MSNBC.
So what is the motivation behind plastic surgery? Improving self-esteem and confidence, looking younger, and work related reasons (some studies have shown that attractive people receive more promotions and raises than unattractive people) were among the top reasons for why both men and women choose surgery, according to a survey conducted by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
“As a personal choice, I wouldn’t get plastic surgery, Noah Smith, 23, of Brattleboro Vermont, said. “I suppose I could see someone getting it if they had a severe issue with something in their appearance.”
Breast augmentation, in particular, can result in some serious side effects including: infection, swelling, redness, bleeding, deflated or ruptured implants, as well as needing additional surgeries, according to the Institute of Medicine. The side effects for liposuction are equally severe which can include: infection, allergic reaction to anesthetic or other medications, swelling and scarring, facial nerve damage, and blood clots.
Think having plastic surgery will only make a minor dent in your wallet? Think again. Plastic surgery is usually not covered by insurance, because insurance companies don’t see cosmetic surgery as a necessity, but rather a personal choice, according to the American Medical Association and the ASPS. However loans, and payment plan options are available through plastic surgery finance companies such as MediCredit and Care Credit.
The price tag for certain procedures varies from region to region, as well as with each patients specific needs. These prices don’t include added costs for medication and supplementary treatments.
• Breast Augmentation (silicone gel implants) — $4,087
• Tummy tuck — $5,350
• Facelift — $6,792
• Gynecomastia treatment (male breast reduction) — $3,445
• Rhinoplasty (nose reshaping) — $4,357
(According to 2007 research from the National Average for Physician/Surgeon Fees per Procedure.)
While the plastic surgery industry isn’t going away anytime soon, young adults will still feel the pressures to obtain perfection. You have to wonder: Will societies infatuation with beauty and youth ever really diminish?
“I’d rather be attracted to someone for who they really are. More often than not, I think these surgeries don’t actually increase desirability,” Smith said.
By Mary Wheeler
Special to the Critic
In today’s nip-tuck world, more and more young people are choosing cosmetic surgery to enhance their appearance. Alexandra Mooney is just one of many seriously considering the trend that made Pamela Anderson a household name.
“I’ve had a deviated septum (a condition where the wall inside the nose isn’t located in the middle) for a few years now, and it’s to the point where I’m about 85 percent sure I’m going to get it fixed,” the 24-year-old Bellows Falls Vermont resident said.
While Mooney insists the procedure is for health-related reasons, she is aware of the additional homework she will need to do before going under the knife. “I definitely know I need to do my research,” she said.
Mooney admits that she has considered other procedures. “I’ve considered getting liposuction and a breast reduction,” she said. What’s stopping her from proceeding— “The costs, and it’s dangerous. It was more of a fantasy, rather than something I would seriously considering going through with.”
Some are less than thrilled about people artificially altering their appearances. “I don’t support women getting plastic surgery. You just have to work with what God gave you, plus I like the natural female body,” Brent McGrady, 23, of New York, said. “I would never get plastic surgery, because I don’t find it necessary.”
Approximately 12 million plastic surgery procedures were conducted in 2007- a 59 percent increase from 2000, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. While women accounted for 91 percent of those procedures, men raked in a 17 percent increase from 2006 to 2007.
For Aiesha Lang, plastic surgery should be a personal choice, but not a choice that she would personally make.
“If you feel like it’s going to help you in becoming the person you want to be, then why not,” Lang, 30, of New York, said. “People should do what makes them happy, but I wouldn’t want plastic surgery.”
In 2007, the most popular procedure for women was breast augmentation, followed by: liposuction, eyelid surgery, abdominoplasty (where fat is removed from the stomach and lower abdominal area), and breast reduction. For men the most popular procedure was liposuction, followed by: eyelid surgery, rhinoplasty (nose job), male breast reduction, and hair transplants, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.
“Surgery is a serious decision and it works best if the patient is internally motivated — not pressured by a parent or someone else — and has reasonable expectations,” Dr. Brent Moelleken, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon, said, in a statement to MSNBC.
So what is the motivation behind plastic surgery? Improving self-esteem and confidence, looking younger, and work related reasons (some studies have shown that attractive people receive more promotions and raises than unattractive people) were among the top reasons for why both men and women choose surgery, according to a survey conducted by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
“As a personal choice, I wouldn’t get plastic surgery, Noah Smith, 23, of Brattleboro Vermont, said. “I suppose I could see someone getting it if they had a severe issue with something in their appearance.”
Breast augmentation, in particular, can result in some serious side effects including: infection, swelling, redness, bleeding, deflated or ruptured implants, as well as needing additional surgeries, according to the Institute of Medicine. The side effects for liposuction are equally severe which can include: infection, allergic reaction to anesthetic or other medications, swelling and scarring, facial nerve damage, and blood clots.
Think having plastic surgery will only make a minor dent in your wallet? Think again. Plastic surgery is usually not covered by insurance, because insurance companies don’t see cosmetic surgery as a necessity, but rather a personal choice, according to the American Medical Association and the ASPS. However loans, and payment plan options are available through plastic surgery finance companies such as MediCredit and Care Credit.
The price tag for certain procedures varies from region to region, as well as with each patients specific needs. These prices don’t include added costs for medication and supplementary treatments.
• Breast Augmentation (silicone gel implants) — $4,087
• Tummy tuck — $5,350
• Facelift — $6,792
• Gynecomastia treatment (male breast reduction) — $3,445
• Rhinoplasty (nose reshaping) — $4,357
(According to 2007 research from the National Average for Physician/Surgeon Fees per Procedure.)
While the plastic surgery industry isn’t going away anytime soon, young adults will still feel the pressures to obtain perfection. You have to wonder: Will societies infatuation with beauty and youth ever really diminish?
“I’d rather be attracted to someone for who they really are. More often than not, I think these surgeries don’t actually increase desirability,” Smith said.
One of the biggest losers went to LSC
4/24/08
By Catherine Story
Business Manager
Virginia “Ginnie” Bourque a 2002 LSC alumni was severely overweight when she signed up for NBC’s reality show The Biggest Loser.
“There was an open casting call in Boston and I happened to have the day off,” Bourque said.
Bourque weighed 277 lbs when she started the program and she lost 114 lbs.
“It’s not just what you eat but how you eat,” Bourque said.
Bourque worked the night shift as a news producer and she often skipped breakfast, had a snack from the vending machines at night and then went home and gorged herself on take-out or fast food.
“A lot of people stop at McDonalds occasionally,” Bourque said. “For me it was a five times a week occasion.”
Students and staff came to the event with questions focused on how to lose weight and what Bourque had learned while on the show.
“College is hard,” Bourque said. “Keep whatever you can in your fridge to minimize what you grab in the dining hall.”
Bourque gave students advice about what to avoid when they slide their meal card.
“Most salad bars have the full fat dressings,” Bourque said. “If you keep lemon juice or other low fat toppings in your fridge you can avoid those extra calories.”
Bourque also encouraged the group to snack often but on healthy foods.
“If you eat five cups of fruit and five cups of vegetables everyday that’s a lot of food,” Bourque said.
“In the first biggest loser book there are lots of snacks that you can carry around with you,” Bourque said. Bourque emphasized holding your hunger back until you can find something healthy with nuts, raisins and other healthy nibbles.
Bourque also emphasized squeezing exercise into a busy college schedule.
“When I first finished the show I didn’t think it was worth exercising if I didn’t have a solid hour and a half to dedicate to it,” Bourque said. “Now I’ve realized that even if it’s just 15 or 30 minutes it’s worth taking a walk, every little bit helps.”
There is a difference between starving yourself and trying to lose weight.
“If you don’t eat enough your body is going to store more,” Bourque said. “Breakfast is important because it jump starts your metabolism.”
“If you only eat one meal a day your body will start storing,” Bourque said.
Bourque’s lifestyle has changed since her time on The Biggest Loser.
“Understanding what you’re putting in your body is the most helpful,” Bourque said. “I spent hours in the super market looking up the calories of food when I began my lifestyle change.”
Bourque still keeps a food journal about what she eats each day.
“I don’t like calling it a diet because it’s more of a lifestyle than a diet,” Bourque said.
Not everyone is perfect when it comes to dieting.
“I went a little crazy with sundaes last summer,” Bourque said. “That’s why I’m up about 10 lbs.”
Life after reality Television hasn’t been that different for Bourque.
“I don’t get recognized,” Bourque said. “ I do get a lot of friend’s family members commenting about how they saw me on television.”
“The time between when the show was shot and when it aired was a little over my head,” Bourque said. “I was a little surprised when people started saying they had seen me on television.”
By Catherine Story
Business Manager
Virginia “Ginnie” Bourque a 2002 LSC alumni was severely overweight when she signed up for NBC’s reality show The Biggest Loser.
“There was an open casting call in Boston and I happened to have the day off,” Bourque said.
Bourque weighed 277 lbs when she started the program and she lost 114 lbs.
“It’s not just what you eat but how you eat,” Bourque said.
Bourque worked the night shift as a news producer and she often skipped breakfast, had a snack from the vending machines at night and then went home and gorged herself on take-out or fast food.
“A lot of people stop at McDonalds occasionally,” Bourque said. “For me it was a five times a week occasion.”
Students and staff came to the event with questions focused on how to lose weight and what Bourque had learned while on the show.
“College is hard,” Bourque said. “Keep whatever you can in your fridge to minimize what you grab in the dining hall.”
Bourque gave students advice about what to avoid when they slide their meal card.
“Most salad bars have the full fat dressings,” Bourque said. “If you keep lemon juice or other low fat toppings in your fridge you can avoid those extra calories.”
Bourque also encouraged the group to snack often but on healthy foods.
“If you eat five cups of fruit and five cups of vegetables everyday that’s a lot of food,” Bourque said.
“In the first biggest loser book there are lots of snacks that you can carry around with you,” Bourque said. Bourque emphasized holding your hunger back until you can find something healthy with nuts, raisins and other healthy nibbles.
Bourque also emphasized squeezing exercise into a busy college schedule.
“When I first finished the show I didn’t think it was worth exercising if I didn’t have a solid hour and a half to dedicate to it,” Bourque said. “Now I’ve realized that even if it’s just 15 or 30 minutes it’s worth taking a walk, every little bit helps.”
There is a difference between starving yourself and trying to lose weight.
“If you don’t eat enough your body is going to store more,” Bourque said. “Breakfast is important because it jump starts your metabolism.”
“If you only eat one meal a day your body will start storing,” Bourque said.
Bourque’s lifestyle has changed since her time on The Biggest Loser.
“Understanding what you’re putting in your body is the most helpful,” Bourque said. “I spent hours in the super market looking up the calories of food when I began my lifestyle change.”
Bourque still keeps a food journal about what she eats each day.
“I don’t like calling it a diet because it’s more of a lifestyle than a diet,” Bourque said.
Not everyone is perfect when it comes to dieting.
“I went a little crazy with sundaes last summer,” Bourque said. “That’s why I’m up about 10 lbs.”
Life after reality Television hasn’t been that different for Bourque.
“I don’t get recognized,” Bourque said. “ I do get a lot of friend’s family members commenting about how they saw me on television.”
“The time between when the show was shot and when it aired was a little over my head,” Bourque said. “I was a little surprised when people started saying they had seen me on television.”
Chinese Travelogue
4/24/08By Avery Williams
Travel Correspondent
Staring from my seat at 6,000 feet I hear over the planes intercom system announces that we will be arriving in Beijing in 20 minutes. Fourteen hours is an amount of time no human was designed to sit through, especially when it is in the company of 20 or so spoiled high school brats. Looking from my window seat you can see the sharp peaks of terraced mountains that lay north of the city. And as suddenly as these pass you see the city. Even from this vantage point it expands on beyond sight and not an inch of the land is wasted.
We went through the airport and were greeted by our faithful tour director, Jeffery Shu. Chinese born, but a resident of the United States now, Jeffery was one of our worst experiences with English. All being exhausted we were brought to our hotel then out to dinner. Once dropped off we need to walk to the restaurant. This is when I knew we were really in a different country. We walked the streets and were invaded with images, sounds and smells so very abnormal. Police officers everywhere, but with no guns; an overpowering smell that reminded me of sewage, which I later learned was a delicacy known as sticky tofu; people with no concept of personal space. 
My senses just opened up and try to experience it all. Walking the streets and being offered foods that were promised to be deer and candy dipped fruits brought an almost uncontrollable desire to try it all. I must say though that this was strongly discouraged because it would undoubtedly give us a case of the “Runny Stomachs”.
One of the most addicting things of China is one thing that will always be held dearly in my heart, the silk market. It is the world center of con artists who will gladly part foreigners of there money. But with the right insight and a quick wit and strong resolve you could really be the winner of this haggler’s paradise. One of my crowning achievements from this center of debauchery was a hand made tea set they tried to sell me for almost three hundred dollars(US). With an unwavering resolve I walked away a happy man with something that cost me one tenth the asking price. I must admit though that I made a few enemies who insisted that I was a no good thief.
But above this all, two things really stood out about the whole trip that made me fall in love with China. First of these was of course the food. I went into this fearless, undaunted by the fears of “socially unacceptable” foods. I was not disappointed by anything I tried, and there wasn’t anything that I didn’t try. 
The second thing was the grandness of all of China. The culture was one refined by thousands of years more than we can conceive. The very manor of life is so different from ours and there are so many things I think we could learn from them. They have buildings and structures that describe their way of life, functionally, but never forgetting the importance of ascetic value. The Summer Palace was a place of beauty and affluence. A walk up the Great Wall was a far more demanding then any post card could describe but worth every bit of it. The Forbidden City and Terracotta Soldiers showed the grand scale of China’s past. And the Temple of the Jade Buddha showed both the beauty of their religions but also there acceptance of the west by allowing us in. But I fear with increasing Western influence this is slipping away and they are becoming a little bit more like us. 
There is just so much that this country has to offer, and the way it is portrayed in the news now is really unfair. It is not the history, culture or faith of these people that we are opposed to, but their government. Even with everything in the news I know that I personally fell in love with ever aspect of China I experienced and have promised myself that I will return one day.
What not to wear
4/24/08
By Jennifer Ingram
Critic Staff
Lyndon State College does not have a dress code that is enforced school wide, however when students get out into their field they are expected to dress professionally.
In the Education department when students go into the school system to either do their practicum or their student teaching they are expected to wear clothing that is appropriate. Appropriate dress attire for women includes dress pants, and skirts and knit tops and for men appropriate attire includes dress pants and button up shirts. Blue jeans and tee shirts are excluded.
There is much debate across the United States as to whether or not there should be dress codes in place and enforced at a college level.
Many argue that a dress code would impose a financial burden on college students. College Freedom argues that by imposing dress codes sends a message of conformity and repression.
Although in Vermont it is not common for universities to have dress codes, there are many universities around the country that do. At Bethune-Cookman College, students should dress in a way that shows respect for themselves and for other students.
According to their handbook, females are not allowed to wear tops that show their midriffs or sleeveless men's undershirts, and not allowed to wear skirts that do not meet the "finger-tip test".
Males are not allowed to wear pants below their waistline or show underwear. No one is allowed to wear hats inside buildings. It is also prohibited for female and male students wear pajamas outside of the dormitory because they believe that it is unprofessional.
At Illinois State University’s College of Business, a public university, the faculty instituted a “business casual” dress code for all juniors and seniors. “We tried to come up with ways to enhance the overall professionalism of our students,” Dr. Tim Longfellow the department chair, said.
At Campbell University in North Carolina, a private university, some aspects of dress codes are enforced. Females can not wear spaghetti straps to class. Students that take science classes have to wear pants and lab coats and can not wear open toe shoes for safety reasons.
“Each individual major has their own guidelines for dress codes. In the Pharmacy program students must dress professional,” a student at Campbell University said.
Professionalism, safety and equality are some reasons that colleges and universities have, and enforce dress codes. However, by consensus, the students at LSC are happy with no dress code. “There are many drawbacks by having a dress code, it would be financially hard because we would all have to go out and buy clothes, and we wouldn’t be able to show our individuality,” an anonymous student at LSC said.
By Jennifer Ingram
Critic Staff
Lyndon State College does not have a dress code that is enforced school wide, however when students get out into their field they are expected to dress professionally.
In the Education department when students go into the school system to either do their practicum or their student teaching they are expected to wear clothing that is appropriate. Appropriate dress attire for women includes dress pants, and skirts and knit tops and for men appropriate attire includes dress pants and button up shirts. Blue jeans and tee shirts are excluded.
There is much debate across the United States as to whether or not there should be dress codes in place and enforced at a college level.
Many argue that a dress code would impose a financial burden on college students. College Freedom argues that by imposing dress codes sends a message of conformity and repression.
Although in Vermont it is not common for universities to have dress codes, there are many universities around the country that do. At Bethune-Cookman College, students should dress in a way that shows respect for themselves and for other students.
According to their handbook, females are not allowed to wear tops that show their midriffs or sleeveless men's undershirts, and not allowed to wear skirts that do not meet the "finger-tip test".
Males are not allowed to wear pants below their waistline or show underwear. No one is allowed to wear hats inside buildings. It is also prohibited for female and male students wear pajamas outside of the dormitory because they believe that it is unprofessional.
At Illinois State University’s College of Business, a public university, the faculty instituted a “business casual” dress code for all juniors and seniors. “We tried to come up with ways to enhance the overall professionalism of our students,” Dr. Tim Longfellow the department chair, said.
At Campbell University in North Carolina, a private university, some aspects of dress codes are enforced. Females can not wear spaghetti straps to class. Students that take science classes have to wear pants and lab coats and can not wear open toe shoes for safety reasons.
“Each individual major has their own guidelines for dress codes. In the Pharmacy program students must dress professional,” a student at Campbell University said.
Professionalism, safety and equality are some reasons that colleges and universities have, and enforce dress codes. However, by consensus, the students at LSC are happy with no dress code. “There are many drawbacks by having a dress code, it would be financially hard because we would all have to go out and buy clothes, and we wouldn’t be able to show our individuality,” an anonymous student at LSC said.
Graffiti
4/24/08By Keith Whitcomb Jr.
Critic Editor
The men’s bathroom in the main LAC hallway was hit with graffiti sometime Wednesday night, David Wood said.
“My position is basically it’s great to voice your opinion, but when you’re voicing your opinion through vandalism, it’s not right,” Wood said.
Wood said that it’s the custodians and maintenance workers who have to clean up the graffiti, and it merely makes their jobs harder.
The graffiti looked to have been made with a stencil and black spray paint. To get rid of it, the wall can be painted over but not without removing some of the black paint first.
This school year has seen an unusually high amount of vandalism with 9-10 instances being attributed to “Theo”, Wood said.
Water sport not drawing much interest for intramurals
4/24/08
By Andrew R. Koch
Sports Editor
Water polo is considered by many to be a niche sport, played and followed by a select few individuals. The sport is played as part of intramural director Sue Henry’s swim conditioning class, but those students have not appeared to show any interest in playing outside of the class.
“I was hoping we’d get some teams out of that (her swim conditioning class), but it just hasn’t happened,” Henry said.
According to Henry, who has been the intramural director here for 20 years, water polo has been offered as an intramural sport for the last 18 years. It appears however that this is a down year for water polo.
“Most activities go in cycles. The interest grows, and then it dies out. The key is trying to get it going, then spread it through word of mouth,” Henry said. She also mentioned that if people did see that it was going on, then they might be interested in playing. She thinks that instant messaging and more night classes are among the major reasons for the lack of interest.
While Henry does not see a rebound in interest happening before the end of this semester, she does believe that she should become more proactive in encouraging her students to get involved with playing water polo.
“Maybe I could make it (playing intramurals) an extra credit for the class,” Henry said.
While it may be too late to sign up for water polo this semester, there’s always next year, because the sport is offered as an intramural activity. To get involved, you can either get a group of your friends together and sign up, or simply join as a free agent on the sheets posted on Henry’s office door.
By Andrew R. Koch
Sports Editor
Water polo is considered by many to be a niche sport, played and followed by a select few individuals. The sport is played as part of intramural director Sue Henry’s swim conditioning class, but those students have not appeared to show any interest in playing outside of the class.
“I was hoping we’d get some teams out of that (her swim conditioning class), but it just hasn’t happened,” Henry said.
According to Henry, who has been the intramural director here for 20 years, water polo has been offered as an intramural sport for the last 18 years. It appears however that this is a down year for water polo.
“Most activities go in cycles. The interest grows, and then it dies out. The key is trying to get it going, then spread it through word of mouth,” Henry said. She also mentioned that if people did see that it was going on, then they might be interested in playing. She thinks that instant messaging and more night classes are among the major reasons for the lack of interest.
While Henry does not see a rebound in interest happening before the end of this semester, she does believe that she should become more proactive in encouraging her students to get involved with playing water polo.
“Maybe I could make it (playing intramurals) an extra credit for the class,” Henry said.
While it may be too late to sign up for water polo this semester, there’s always next year, because the sport is offered as an intramural activity. To get involved, you can either get a group of your friends together and sign up, or simply join as a free agent on the sheets posted on Henry’s office door.
Hard times for LSC
4/24/08By Ben Holbrook
Managing Editor
Last night the VSC Board of Trustees approved a six percent tutition increase to offset a $500,000-$900,000 deficit, LSC President Carol Moore said in a mass e-mail sent out today.
"Also, the legislature appears to be prepared to raise the state allocation by 2.5 percent. If this comes to fruition, coupled with the tuition increase, our budget will have a little room to expand," Moore said in the e-mail.
Last Monday, Moore held an informational session to discuss the problems LSC is facing this year with a significant deficit.
Wayne Hamilton, Dean of Administration, discussed the deficit more in depth over the course of the meeting. Although such a deficit can pose a serious challenge for the school, “it’s not unusual to show a first cut deficit,” Hamilton said.
A large portion of LSC’s funding is generated from student tuition and fees and the enrollment for the fall of 2009, “is not looking as promising and we are a bit concerned about that,” Hamilton said.
LSC is not the only college experiencing issues with their budgets this year. All of the other colleges in the VSC are also facing debts in large part due to a lack of funding from the state. Even though each college is facing the same deficit issues, it is still up to the individual college to adjust their budgets accordingly, Moore said.
President Moore, who is not unaccustomed to dealing with a deficit, was challenged during her first year at LSC when the school was in the red $800,000. During that time, Moore was forced to let staff members go in order to submit a balanced budget on time. Even with a significant deficit this year, “we’re not asking people to leave their position,” Moore said.
In order to balance the budget, cuts will most likely be made from the equipment budget, Moore said. The problem with cutting money from the equipment budget is that television studies and the meteorology programs need to update their equipment every few years, Moore said.
If there was an emergency situation where the college experienced a significant drop in the enrollment for the semester then there are emergency funds that can be acquired, Moore said.
The presidents of each college meet with the Chancellor on a monthly basis to discuss concerns and other business, Moore said.
The new building plans will still be going into effect and the money spent on the project does not affect the deficit since the students have already paid for the building, Hamilton said. “Legally we can use that money (new building fund) for any legitimate reason,” Hamilton said. The money however will still be used to construct the new building, Hamilton said.
One of the issues behind the deficit that has been a problem for a number of years at LSC deals with retention rates. Since LSC is funded in large part from the tuition fees, the school must maintain solid retention rates from semester to semester to keep from facing a deficit like this years.
In order to address this issue a student success task force was assembled to find ways to keep students at LSC. In the future, LSC would also like to initiate a program called Project Compass that would market to students from modest financial backgrounds.
LSC must submit a balanced budget by May 14 but, “we don’t know where admissions will land until September,” Moore said.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Audio Slideshows
Spring Break Road Trip
By Catherine Story
A slideshows of Catherine Story recent trip to Colorado.
Why Lyndon State College?
By Joshua James Gervais
The reasons different people decided to work at Lyndon State College.
Spring Break Hiking
By Ben Holbrook
A funny slideshow about a hike Ben Holbrook went on.
By Catherine Story
A slideshows of Catherine Story recent trip to Colorado.
Why Lyndon State College?
By Joshua James Gervais
The reasons different people decided to work at Lyndon State College.
Spring Break Hiking
By Ben Holbrook
A funny slideshow about a hike Ben Holbrook went on.
LSC installs new flat screen televisions
4/17/08By Amanda Wozniak
Critic Staff
Upon entering the ATT lobby you are greeted by a new 65-inch flat panel display. The cost of the screen was $7,876.
“It seems like a big waste of money to me,” LSC senior Tim Welsh said. An LSC Junior agreed, “I think that the televisions and banners are a waste of the student’s money to make the school look nicer,” Kyle St. John said.
A fund established by donors to the college paid approximately $2,800. Wayne Hamilton Dean of Administration explained that this fund is to “allow the president to supplement college funds to make improvements to the LSC campus.” The remaining balance, about $5,000, was paid by the college equipment fund.
“I think the money could have been better used within the departments,” Meghan Cosby said, also an LSC senior.
The ATT lobby is used as a reception and gathering area for many events throughout the year. The large screen will provide a place for them to display presentations. It will provide students and other groups, using the ATT lobby, with education and entertainment, Hamilton said.
Hamilton explained the larger screen is beneficial because it will allow a larger audience to view it at one time. It will also be used as an information kiosk just as the smaller one had. “We hope it will be utilized by student groups, faculty, and staff as well as some of the community groups that use our facilities throughout the year,” Hamilton said.
A new Sony flat panel LCD HD television has also replaced the old TV in the Student Center. The cost was about $2,500. The TV was paid for by the SGA out of the General Fund. The money in the General Fund is part of the $94 Student Activity Fee that each student pays. Half of that money goes to the Campus Activities Board; the rest is divided up between the clubs allowing whatever is left over to go into the General Fund. The decision to purchase the new TV was voted on at a House meeting. There were 22 votes in favor of the TV, only two opposed. Money was also passed to purchase an HD receiver for the TV.
SGA President Jonathan Maciel said, “The student government has always purchased the TV for the Student Center.” He added that the TV it replaced “was 8 years old.” Although the TV still worked, the buttons on the TV were illegible and didn’t work well, said Maciel. The screen was also starting to fade in the corners. The SGA plans to donate the old television to the St. Johnsbury Children’s Center.
The TV screen in the Student Center is a 52-inch, 13-inches (measured horizontally) less than the one in the ATT lobby. “I like the idea of the new TV’s but they need to switch them,” LSC Junior Eric Sevelovitz.
The burning truth behind sunscreen: Fewer and fewer people lathering up before hitting sun’s rays
4/17/08
By Mary Wheeler
Special to the Critic
For Maria Guzman, wearing sunscreen is hardly a part of her daily routine.
“I don’t use sunscreen on a daily basis because I forget too. I only really use it when I’m going to the beach or going on vacation, where I’m really exposed to UVB rays,” the 21-year-old New Jersey resident, said. While doctors may frown on this, Guzman is doing something right. “I’m aware of the dangers of the sun, so I don’t go to tanning beds, because of the potential risks of skin cancer and premature aging,” she said.
Guzman isn’t alone. In a 2007 study, conducted by iVillage and The Skin Cancer Foundation, 40 percent of people revealed that they never use sunscreen, with only 11 percent using one with an SPF of 15 or higher on a daily basis.
“I only use sunscreen when I know I’m going to be outside for awhile,” Patrick Boyle, 22, of Vermont, said.
According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, the biggest mistakes people make with sunscreen is using too little and not applying it frequently enough. It’s recommended to use one ounce, (the equivalent of a shot glass), all over exposed body parts, including the neck, lips, and hands.
“Most people who use an SPF 15 get the protection equivalent to a SPF 5 because they put it on too thinly,” Dr. Martin A. Weinstock, a Brown University Professor, and chairman of the American Cancer Society’s skin cancer advisor group, said in a statement to MSNBC.
In 2008, approximately 62,000 people will be diagnosed with melanoma, a deadly cancer that starts in the melanocytes skin cells, which contributed to 8,100 deaths in 2007, according to the American Cancer Society.
The most effective way to detect melanoma is to look for changes in skin growths. Melanoma generally starts out as small-mole like growth, but overtime it increases in size and changes colors, according to the American Cancer Society. A fair complexion, family history, and a weak immune system are other contributing factors to this cancer.
With so many products out on the market, how do you know which sunscreen is right for you? Experts say to look for products that contain zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, and are water-resistant. Also choose a sunscreen that has a broad-spectrum label (which protects against both UVA and UVB rays) with an SPF of 15 or higher.
Guzman knows at some point in her life she will start a sunscreen habit, just not now. “I will eventually start using sunscreen, because as you get older, it starts to take an effect on your skin,” she says. “If you see someone who spent a lot of time in the sun, you can see how weathered their skin is, and I don’t want to look like that. I don’t see those effects now, but I know I will in the future.”
Boyle on the other hand, isn’t concerned about the various warnings made by doctors about the dangers of the sun. “I don’t really think I need to wear sunscreen daily, he says. “If I had skin cancer running in my family, I would, but as of now, I don’t.”
Not looking to hibernate inside this summer? The Mayo Clinic offers some helpful tips to protect yourself this summer:
-Avoid tanning beds and sun lamps: Tanning beds emit UVA rays that studies have shown may be just as, if not more dangerous than UVB rays from the natural sun. UVA rays go deeper into the skin, resulting in a higher chance of getting premature aging, and precancerous skin lesions.
-Avoid being in the direct sunlight for too long: Especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the sun’s rays are the strongest. Think that a cloudy day makes you immune to the sun? Think again. Even on dark or rainy days, you’re still absorbing radiation.
-Cover yourself: While this may be difficult in the summer, when possible, wear clothing that covers your arms and legs, as well as a wide-brimmed hat.
By Mary Wheeler
Special to the Critic
For Maria Guzman, wearing sunscreen is hardly a part of her daily routine.
“I don’t use sunscreen on a daily basis because I forget too. I only really use it when I’m going to the beach or going on vacation, where I’m really exposed to UVB rays,” the 21-year-old New Jersey resident, said. While doctors may frown on this, Guzman is doing something right. “I’m aware of the dangers of the sun, so I don’t go to tanning beds, because of the potential risks of skin cancer and premature aging,” she said.
Guzman isn’t alone. In a 2007 study, conducted by iVillage and The Skin Cancer Foundation, 40 percent of people revealed that they never use sunscreen, with only 11 percent using one with an SPF of 15 or higher on a daily basis.
“I only use sunscreen when I know I’m going to be outside for awhile,” Patrick Boyle, 22, of Vermont, said.
According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, the biggest mistakes people make with sunscreen is using too little and not applying it frequently enough. It’s recommended to use one ounce, (the equivalent of a shot glass), all over exposed body parts, including the neck, lips, and hands.
“Most people who use an SPF 15 get the protection equivalent to a SPF 5 because they put it on too thinly,” Dr. Martin A. Weinstock, a Brown University Professor, and chairman of the American Cancer Society’s skin cancer advisor group, said in a statement to MSNBC.
In 2008, approximately 62,000 people will be diagnosed with melanoma, a deadly cancer that starts in the melanocytes skin cells, which contributed to 8,100 deaths in 2007, according to the American Cancer Society.
The most effective way to detect melanoma is to look for changes in skin growths. Melanoma generally starts out as small-mole like growth, but overtime it increases in size and changes colors, according to the American Cancer Society. A fair complexion, family history, and a weak immune system are other contributing factors to this cancer.
With so many products out on the market, how do you know which sunscreen is right for you? Experts say to look for products that contain zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, and are water-resistant. Also choose a sunscreen that has a broad-spectrum label (which protects against both UVA and UVB rays) with an SPF of 15 or higher.
Guzman knows at some point in her life she will start a sunscreen habit, just not now. “I will eventually start using sunscreen, because as you get older, it starts to take an effect on your skin,” she says. “If you see someone who spent a lot of time in the sun, you can see how weathered their skin is, and I don’t want to look like that. I don’t see those effects now, but I know I will in the future.”
Boyle on the other hand, isn’t concerned about the various warnings made by doctors about the dangers of the sun. “I don’t really think I need to wear sunscreen daily, he says. “If I had skin cancer running in my family, I would, but as of now, I don’t.”
Not looking to hibernate inside this summer? The Mayo Clinic offers some helpful tips to protect yourself this summer:
-Avoid tanning beds and sun lamps: Tanning beds emit UVA rays that studies have shown may be just as, if not more dangerous than UVB rays from the natural sun. UVA rays go deeper into the skin, resulting in a higher chance of getting premature aging, and precancerous skin lesions.
-Avoid being in the direct sunlight for too long: Especially between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the sun’s rays are the strongest. Think that a cloudy day makes you immune to the sun? Think again. Even on dark or rainy days, you’re still absorbing radiation.
-Cover yourself: While this may be difficult in the summer, when possible, wear clothing that covers your arms and legs, as well as a wide-brimmed hat.
Have you seen your grades lately?
4/17/08
By Ben Holbrook
Managing Editor
A proposal to make it mandatory for all professors to submit midterm grades was made during Wednesday night’s SGA meeting but was met with fierce opposition.
The proposal, which was brought to the SGA by faculty members, would make it mandatory for all professors to submit midterm grades. As of right now, it is optional for a professor to submit a midterm grade.
Many of the SGA members were opposed to making such a change citing reasons such as, students are responsible for knowing their own grades and the faculty are the ones who should handle this type of issue.
The faculty members who brought up the issue wanted to get the SGA’s opinion on the matter since they represent the student body, Maciel said.
“I wasn’t complaining about how it was decided,” Maciel said, “but faculty members and I thought it would pass fine.”
The Academic Policy Committee is responsible for handling this type of issue, Maciel said.
Although the initial proposal to make midterm grades mandatory was voted down unanimously, SGA members were open to making adjustments to the proposal such as having grades be posted in Blackboard. Another idea included having professors submit an actual grade.
A new proposal was made during the meeting to have professors submit grades in a timely manner which failed to pass during a vote 18 to 4. One of the main issues with the proposal was that “timely manner” was too open to interpretation and it is possible it wouldn’t change the way grades are handled now.
Discussion about the grade resolution was heated which was Maciel was surprised by because, “I didn’t think it was going to be a big issue.” Maciel doesn’t have an issue with the way grades are handled now because, “all of my professors give me my grades.”
Each department typically handles the way grades are given, Maciel said.
Although a resolution to make such a change, as this would typically be handled by the school administration, faculty members wanted the SGA’s opinion on the matter, John Maciel, SGA president, said. Even if SGA approved a resolution to change the grading policy, Donna Dalton, Academic Dean of Student affairs and President Carol Moore would make the final decision.
Roughly 60-65 percent of the professors submit a midterm grade, Maciel said.
Even though the grade resolution didn’t pass Maciel wasn’t fazed by the outcome, “what’s done is done,” he said.
By Ben Holbrook
Managing Editor
A proposal to make it mandatory for all professors to submit midterm grades was made during Wednesday night’s SGA meeting but was met with fierce opposition.
The proposal, which was brought to the SGA by faculty members, would make it mandatory for all professors to submit midterm grades. As of right now, it is optional for a professor to submit a midterm grade.
Many of the SGA members were opposed to making such a change citing reasons such as, students are responsible for knowing their own grades and the faculty are the ones who should handle this type of issue.
The faculty members who brought up the issue wanted to get the SGA’s opinion on the matter since they represent the student body, Maciel said.
“I wasn’t complaining about how it was decided,” Maciel said, “but faculty members and I thought it would pass fine.”
The Academic Policy Committee is responsible for handling this type of issue, Maciel said.
Although the initial proposal to make midterm grades mandatory was voted down unanimously, SGA members were open to making adjustments to the proposal such as having grades be posted in Blackboard. Another idea included having professors submit an actual grade.
A new proposal was made during the meeting to have professors submit grades in a timely manner which failed to pass during a vote 18 to 4. One of the main issues with the proposal was that “timely manner” was too open to interpretation and it is possible it wouldn’t change the way grades are handled now.
Discussion about the grade resolution was heated which was Maciel was surprised by because, “I didn’t think it was going to be a big issue.” Maciel doesn’t have an issue with the way grades are handled now because, “all of my professors give me my grades.”
Each department typically handles the way grades are given, Maciel said.
Although a resolution to make such a change, as this would typically be handled by the school administration, faculty members wanted the SGA’s opinion on the matter, John Maciel, SGA president, said. Even if SGA approved a resolution to change the grading policy, Donna Dalton, Academic Dean of Student affairs and President Carol Moore would make the final decision.
Roughly 60-65 percent of the professors submit a midterm grade, Maciel said.
Even though the grade resolution didn’t pass Maciel wasn’t fazed by the outcome, “what’s done is done,” he said.
Vermont Politics class ventures to Montpelier
4/17/08
By Jennifer Ingram
Critic Staff
There is much that goes into the running of Vermont’s politics.
To fully understand how politics are run today you need a concrete understanding of what happened in the past.
On Thursday, March 27, David Plazek’s Vermont Politics class took a trip to the state’s capital to meet with the state archivist, to learn about the history of Vermont and then to tour the state house.
The class first met with state archivist D. Gregory Sanford, a physically imposing, self-deprecating and witty man with a long, thick white beard. Throughout the meeting with Sanford he described the history of Vermont in terms of politics and described how Vermont has progressed through the centuries. Sanford has been the State of Vermont's archivist for 25 years.
“The trip to Montpelier was a good educational experience, off campus. The archivist seemed very knowledgeable about all aspects of Vermont,” Timothy Carlough said by e-mail.
As part of Sanford’s presentation he presented many different types of political documents spanning from the 1700’s all the way through the 1900’s.
One particular document that he showed was a petition from the 1800’s, men and women couldn’t sign the same petition together, and each sex had to sign different documents. “Meeting with the state archivist was very interesting, and seeing all the documents that he had was very fascinating. I wish that we would have had been able to see more of them, and been able to see where they are all kept,” Megan Guilck said.
After meeting with the state archivist the class then went to tour the state house to see how the Vermont government is run and to see the different groups in session. The state house was not very guarded for many groups being in session.
”For 2008 I was amazed at how open the access was to the building. There were uniformed security guards patrolling the corridors however,” Brent Lyons said by e-mail.
Once inside the State House the class was free to explore the state house and to see what was happening.
“It was interesting to see Vermont State government working first-hand. The House was debating on the State Budget for 2009, specifically the merits of a tax reduction plan for
individual's capital income. It appeared most of the active debate was coming from representatives from the Chittenden County area,” Brent Lyons said by e-mail.
By Jennifer Ingram
Critic Staff
There is much that goes into the running of Vermont’s politics.
To fully understand how politics are run today you need a concrete understanding of what happened in the past.
On Thursday, March 27, David Plazek’s Vermont Politics class took a trip to the state’s capital to meet with the state archivist, to learn about the history of Vermont and then to tour the state house.
The class first met with state archivist D. Gregory Sanford, a physically imposing, self-deprecating and witty man with a long, thick white beard. Throughout the meeting with Sanford he described the history of Vermont in terms of politics and described how Vermont has progressed through the centuries. Sanford has been the State of Vermont's archivist for 25 years.
“The trip to Montpelier was a good educational experience, off campus. The archivist seemed very knowledgeable about all aspects of Vermont,” Timothy Carlough said by e-mail.
As part of Sanford’s presentation he presented many different types of political documents spanning from the 1700’s all the way through the 1900’s.
One particular document that he showed was a petition from the 1800’s, men and women couldn’t sign the same petition together, and each sex had to sign different documents. “Meeting with the state archivist was very interesting, and seeing all the documents that he had was very fascinating. I wish that we would have had been able to see more of them, and been able to see where they are all kept,” Megan Guilck said.
After meeting with the state archivist the class then went to tour the state house to see how the Vermont government is run and to see the different groups in session. The state house was not very guarded for many groups being in session.
”For 2008 I was amazed at how open the access was to the building. There were uniformed security guards patrolling the corridors however,” Brent Lyons said by e-mail.
Once inside the State House the class was free to explore the state house and to see what was happening.
“It was interesting to see Vermont State government working first-hand. The House was debating on the State Budget for 2009, specifically the merits of a tax reduction plan for
individual's capital income. It appeared most of the active debate was coming from representatives from the Chittenden County area,” Brent Lyons said by e-mail.
Back from Baghdad
4/17/08
By Brian Howe
Special to the Critic
People often have interesting stories to tell which is the case for one such student here at LSC who served time in Iraq.
Josh Fanjoy was stationed in Baghdad, Iraq. His rank is Specialist E4, and his unit was four battalion 320 field artillery, part of the 101 airborne division. Nearly two thousand were in the same station as him. It was very hot; the summers would reach 120 degrees and the coolest days during the winter only reached 60 degrees. But that didn’t stop him from doing his job. “I had to guard that gate for our base; some days would be 12 hours long.” He would sometimes hear bombs going off in the distance.
He didn’t guard the gate all the time, sometimes he would also do humanity missions, where he would help out the surrounding communities and try to make a better place for people to live. They would even give out food for people that had none.
Josh didn’t see too much fighting over in Baghdad. The most he saw was some mortars, and indirect fire. “It had its days, and had its off days,” Josh said. While he guarded the gate he didn’t see much action. The most he heard while guarding the gate was bombs going off in the distance.
When Josh wasn’t working you could find him playing cards and watching television in their recreation center. After the long days Josh looked forward to being able to relax in the recreation center. They had a separate gym to work out in and lift weights. They also had a general store where they could buy DVD’s or some snack food.
After the long days Josh liked the food. He said, “It was alright.” The showers were warm and he could get food most of the time. Many people were found in the dinning hall at one time. “The food here at LSC was about the same as the food in Iraq.”
Although Josh won’t be here next year, you can find him in Kessler Air Force base in Biloxi, Miss. He will be going there for Air Force forecaster training. Josh is currently a freshman in the meteorology major and he will be getting vital training. He is really looking forward to the nice weather and going back down south. Josh would return to Iraq if he had to.
By Brian Howe
Special to the Critic
People often have interesting stories to tell which is the case for one such student here at LSC who served time in Iraq.
Josh Fanjoy was stationed in Baghdad, Iraq. His rank is Specialist E4, and his unit was four battalion 320 field artillery, part of the 101 airborne division. Nearly two thousand were in the same station as him. It was very hot; the summers would reach 120 degrees and the coolest days during the winter only reached 60 degrees. But that didn’t stop him from doing his job. “I had to guard that gate for our base; some days would be 12 hours long.” He would sometimes hear bombs going off in the distance.
He didn’t guard the gate all the time, sometimes he would also do humanity missions, where he would help out the surrounding communities and try to make a better place for people to live. They would even give out food for people that had none.
Josh didn’t see too much fighting over in Baghdad. The most he saw was some mortars, and indirect fire. “It had its days, and had its off days,” Josh said. While he guarded the gate he didn’t see much action. The most he heard while guarding the gate was bombs going off in the distance.
When Josh wasn’t working you could find him playing cards and watching television in their recreation center. After the long days Josh looked forward to being able to relax in the recreation center. They had a separate gym to work out in and lift weights. They also had a general store where they could buy DVD’s or some snack food.
After the long days Josh liked the food. He said, “It was alright.” The showers were warm and he could get food most of the time. Many people were found in the dinning hall at one time. “The food here at LSC was about the same as the food in Iraq.”
Although Josh won’t be here next year, you can find him in Kessler Air Force base in Biloxi, Miss. He will be going there for Air Force forecaster training. Josh is currently a freshman in the meteorology major and he will be getting vital training. He is really looking forward to the nice weather and going back down south. Josh would return to Iraq if he had to.
Why is this computer so sticky?
4/17/08
By Matt Vercillo
Critic Staff
Here at The Critic, our goal is always to report on the news and issues that concern the student body. Every week there are several meetings where the staff bounces ideas around, and eventually decides what to include in the following issues. During one of the more productive meetings recently, a familiar concern was brought up.
Based a popular tale of oral folklore that floats around this campus, it dealt with the infamous computer-lab masturbator. Assuming that most students have heard this rumor at one point or another, it is unnecessary to go into all the sticky intricacies of the story. If not however, the gist is not difficult to deduce from the phrase ‘computer lab masturbator.’
Eventually the conversation evolved to include the broader issue of pornography, and it’s relationship with the student body. There were a lot of questions raised about policies, network issues, monitoring or restricting of content, and about specific incidents concerning the student use of pornography on campus.
There are many rumors that flow from the mouths of students and faculty like diarrhea of ignorance. So, honestly hearing stories of masturbation in the computer labs doesn’t exactly present itself as something that is likely to be true. However, it is enough to convince a controversy-starved student newspaper to investigate what the extent of pornography viewing on campus truly is.
What was discovered wasn’t exactly the juicy piece of journalistic fluff we had hoped for. Instead, we found ourselves with a boring realization of order and normality. In our imaginations we constructed stories of self-satisfaction and gluttonous over-consumption of perverse materials. Resulting in disciplinary action or scandal. Most of what was found out simply disproved all of these wild notions.
According to Michael Dente, the Chief Technology Officer here at Lyndon, there hasn’t really been too many problems with pornography on campus. “Most students realize that everything is tied to their login.”
Although, this doesn’t necessarily deter students from looking at pornographic content. Dente acknowledged that in the past, there had been cases of students taking up Z-drive space with pornographic content. Which subsequently had to be removed by IT.
This is the extent of any action that IT will take against the use of pornography. This being a university setting, there are no restrictions on what students are allowed to look at. “We don’t actively watch connections, but we can see what’s going on.” Dente said.
“This is a college, here that type of content could be part of the curriculum for certain classes, and it has been in the past.”
Previously most issues have been more about respect and common courtesy than harm done to the computers. In the library for example, there are several public computers that do not require a student password. There had been issues in the past where, people were asked to stop looking at certain things by the library staff.
According to Garret Nelson, Library Director, the location of the public computers deters most people from doing anything peculiar.
“It is like if you have a computer at home with children. You keep the computer in the living room where you can see it. This is our living room.” Nelson said motioning toward the computer stations sitting directly behind him.
So, as expected another rumor here at LSC has bitten the dust. There was no mention by anybody actually in the know about a lab-masturbator, or any other sexually deviant activity by students in the labs. Only by a few odd visitors on the public computers, which certainly doesn’t qualify as scandal.
So the search for interesting happenings at LSC continues on, with one more dead lead and one less interesting rumor to spread.
By Matt Vercillo
Critic Staff
Here at The Critic, our goal is always to report on the news and issues that concern the student body. Every week there are several meetings where the staff bounces ideas around, and eventually decides what to include in the following issues. During one of the more productive meetings recently, a familiar concern was brought up.
Based a popular tale of oral folklore that floats around this campus, it dealt with the infamous computer-lab masturbator. Assuming that most students have heard this rumor at one point or another, it is unnecessary to go into all the sticky intricacies of the story. If not however, the gist is not difficult to deduce from the phrase ‘computer lab masturbator.’
Eventually the conversation evolved to include the broader issue of pornography, and it’s relationship with the student body. There were a lot of questions raised about policies, network issues, monitoring or restricting of content, and about specific incidents concerning the student use of pornography on campus.
There are many rumors that flow from the mouths of students and faculty like diarrhea of ignorance. So, honestly hearing stories of masturbation in the computer labs doesn’t exactly present itself as something that is likely to be true. However, it is enough to convince a controversy-starved student newspaper to investigate what the extent of pornography viewing on campus truly is.
What was discovered wasn’t exactly the juicy piece of journalistic fluff we had hoped for. Instead, we found ourselves with a boring realization of order and normality. In our imaginations we constructed stories of self-satisfaction and gluttonous over-consumption of perverse materials. Resulting in disciplinary action or scandal. Most of what was found out simply disproved all of these wild notions.
According to Michael Dente, the Chief Technology Officer here at Lyndon, there hasn’t really been too many problems with pornography on campus. “Most students realize that everything is tied to their login.”
Although, this doesn’t necessarily deter students from looking at pornographic content. Dente acknowledged that in the past, there had been cases of students taking up Z-drive space with pornographic content. Which subsequently had to be removed by IT.
This is the extent of any action that IT will take against the use of pornography. This being a university setting, there are no restrictions on what students are allowed to look at. “We don’t actively watch connections, but we can see what’s going on.” Dente said.
“This is a college, here that type of content could be part of the curriculum for certain classes, and it has been in the past.”
Previously most issues have been more about respect and common courtesy than harm done to the computers. In the library for example, there are several public computers that do not require a student password. There had been issues in the past where, people were asked to stop looking at certain things by the library staff.
According to Garret Nelson, Library Director, the location of the public computers deters most people from doing anything peculiar.
“It is like if you have a computer at home with children. You keep the computer in the living room where you can see it. This is our living room.” Nelson said motioning toward the computer stations sitting directly behind him.
So, as expected another rumor here at LSC has bitten the dust. There was no mention by anybody actually in the know about a lab-masturbator, or any other sexually deviant activity by students in the labs. Only by a few odd visitors on the public computers, which certainly doesn’t qualify as scandal.
So the search for interesting happenings at LSC continues on, with one more dead lead and one less interesting rumor to spread.
LSC Alum Grooms Trails in Retirement
4/17/08
By Norman Johnson
Critic Staff
It’s a cold, blue-bird-sky morning, David Dwyer, 62, drives the Mule, a two-seat tracked vehicle used in grooming cross-country trails over frozen brown grass and patches of corn snow on the Bemis Trail below Darling Hill Rd. in Lyndonville. Dwyer and his wife Kathy live up the hill and the trail crosses part of their property.
Dwyer's checking how much snow is left on the trail. Ski season is over and trail maintenance for the bike trails will start in a few weeks. Dwyer has been grooming ski trails for the Kingdom Trails organization since he retired from Lyndon Institute in 2006 after 35 years of teaching and coaching.
He explains the differences in maintaining the trails between winter and summer. “You have to groom smooth and 12 feet wide for the skiers,” Dwyer said. "Sometimes they'll complain if there's the slightest little bump. With the bikers, it’s ‘Bring it on,’ rocks, stumps—they don’t care. And the trail is only a bike tire wide,” Dwyer laughed.
“I came here in 1967,” Dwyer said in a hard Rhode Island accent, the "here" sounding like, "he’ya” to the rest of us. “The Vietnam War was on. I was about to be drafted and Lyndon State was on the draft list,” Dwyer said, meaning LSC was one of the colleges in the 60s admitting anyone in eminent danger of being drafted.
Then the LSC campus was split between the Burklyn mansion on Darling Hill and the old Vail mansion, where the present campus is. “A friend of mine drove the campus bus,” Dwyer said. “The weekend I came to look things over there was a big party with two bands at Lawson’s Auction House on Rt. 5.” Dwyer said the Northeast Kingdom looked a lot better than being shot at in a rice paddy and he stayed. "I majored in not getting shot," he laughed.
“Politically it was a very liberal place to be, we were what you’d call hippies,” Dwyer said. “Kent State [the student shootings] had happened and we all went to Washington to protest. Everyone at the college was from New York, New Jersey, or were locals.” He said in the sixties, locals mostly came off the farm.
After Dwyer graduated from LSC with a degree in English, he did volunteer work at Lyndon Institute teaching pre-special-ed reading. “LI was perennially the state championship team,” Dwyer said about LI’s athletic program.
“Merlyn Corser was physical education coach at the time. Been there forever,” Dwyer said. “She said one day, ‘You know, you ought to go into coaching.’” Dwyer agreed. He began recruiting kids in the hallways at LI. and eventually worked it into the cross-country program he coached until retiring. "There's a rich history of skiing here," Dwyer said.
“I loved being around kids,” Dwyer said. "When I started at LI, I was 23 and most of my students were 17 or 18." Dwyer continued. "I didn’t like school much. I went to Catholic school for 12 years and it wasn’t a lot of fun,” he said.
At LI, “I got to see the whole spectrum. We had the best and worst skiers in the country, some even went to the Olympics," Dwyer said. "I saw them happy, angry, hurt, or crying." He thought a moment, "I think I talked to more parents over coaching than school. Some kids went to work, and some went to Harvard.”
“I don’t remember much of an interview process,” Dwyer said of being hired by LI. “There wasn’t a union. Usually unions are formed out of problems. My contract was one paragraph. That says a lot for LI,” Dwyer said.
Some of the best cross-country skiing in the area is on Darling Hill ridge, by the Wildflower Inn. Dwyer skis and grooms, a good combination. He believes in the Kingdom Trail organization, started by mountain bike aficionados, owners and employees in East Burke. The 100 miles of bike trails cross 40-50 private properties, the written agreements granting access to bikers and skiers. “Without them,” Dwyer said of the landowners, “Kingdom Trails would be nothing."
Dwyer grinds the Mule up to a small bridge spanning a frozen stream bed and stops. He eyeballs the mound of snow still on the bridge, mentally calculates the bridge supports and says, "I better not." He throws the machine into reverse, turns it around and heads back down the trail.
"Obama," Dwyer exclaims and launches into what the Democratic presidential hopeful was saying this week. Dwyer, at 62, is still very much a child of the 60s.
By Norman Johnson
Critic Staff
It’s a cold, blue-bird-sky morning, David Dwyer, 62, drives the Mule, a two-seat tracked vehicle used in grooming cross-country trails over frozen brown grass and patches of corn snow on the Bemis Trail below Darling Hill Rd. in Lyndonville. Dwyer and his wife Kathy live up the hill and the trail crosses part of their property.
Dwyer's checking how much snow is left on the trail. Ski season is over and trail maintenance for the bike trails will start in a few weeks. Dwyer has been grooming ski trails for the Kingdom Trails organization since he retired from Lyndon Institute in 2006 after 35 years of teaching and coaching.
He explains the differences in maintaining the trails between winter and summer. “You have to groom smooth and 12 feet wide for the skiers,” Dwyer said. "Sometimes they'll complain if there's the slightest little bump. With the bikers, it’s ‘Bring it on,’ rocks, stumps—they don’t care. And the trail is only a bike tire wide,” Dwyer laughed.
“I came here in 1967,” Dwyer said in a hard Rhode Island accent, the "here" sounding like, "he’ya” to the rest of us. “The Vietnam War was on. I was about to be drafted and Lyndon State was on the draft list,” Dwyer said, meaning LSC was one of the colleges in the 60s admitting anyone in eminent danger of being drafted.
Then the LSC campus was split between the Burklyn mansion on Darling Hill and the old Vail mansion, where the present campus is. “A friend of mine drove the campus bus,” Dwyer said. “The weekend I came to look things over there was a big party with two bands at Lawson’s Auction House on Rt. 5.” Dwyer said the Northeast Kingdom looked a lot better than being shot at in a rice paddy and he stayed. "I majored in not getting shot," he laughed.
“Politically it was a very liberal place to be, we were what you’d call hippies,” Dwyer said. “Kent State [the student shootings] had happened and we all went to Washington to protest. Everyone at the college was from New York, New Jersey, or were locals.” He said in the sixties, locals mostly came off the farm.
After Dwyer graduated from LSC with a degree in English, he did volunteer work at Lyndon Institute teaching pre-special-ed reading. “LI was perennially the state championship team,” Dwyer said about LI’s athletic program.
“Merlyn Corser was physical education coach at the time. Been there forever,” Dwyer said. “She said one day, ‘You know, you ought to go into coaching.’” Dwyer agreed. He began recruiting kids in the hallways at LI. and eventually worked it into the cross-country program he coached until retiring. "There's a rich history of skiing here," Dwyer said.
“I loved being around kids,” Dwyer said. "When I started at LI, I was 23 and most of my students were 17 or 18." Dwyer continued. "I didn’t like school much. I went to Catholic school for 12 years and it wasn’t a lot of fun,” he said.
At LI, “I got to see the whole spectrum. We had the best and worst skiers in the country, some even went to the Olympics," Dwyer said. "I saw them happy, angry, hurt, or crying." He thought a moment, "I think I talked to more parents over coaching than school. Some kids went to work, and some went to Harvard.”
“I don’t remember much of an interview process,” Dwyer said of being hired by LI. “There wasn’t a union. Usually unions are formed out of problems. My contract was one paragraph. That says a lot for LI,” Dwyer said.
Some of the best cross-country skiing in the area is on Darling Hill ridge, by the Wildflower Inn. Dwyer skis and grooms, a good combination. He believes in the Kingdom Trail organization, started by mountain bike aficionados, owners and employees in East Burke. The 100 miles of bike trails cross 40-50 private properties, the written agreements granting access to bikers and skiers. “Without them,” Dwyer said of the landowners, “Kingdom Trails would be nothing."
Dwyer grinds the Mule up to a small bridge spanning a frozen stream bed and stops. He eyeballs the mound of snow still on the bridge, mentally calculates the bridge supports and says, "I better not." He throws the machine into reverse, turns it around and heads back down the trail.
"Obama," Dwyer exclaims and launches into what the Democratic presidential hopeful was saying this week. Dwyer, at 62, is still very much a child of the 60s.
Sustainability summit: Sorry folks, summit’s been postponed
4/17/08
By Ben Holbrook
Managing Editor
Due to scheduling conflicts the sustainability summit has been postponed until next year which may work out better.
The sustainability summit which was planned for earth week this semester had to be postponed because the other VSC schools involved were on vacations during the planned event. The sustainability summit was proposed by John Maciel, SGA president, because sustainability is becoming an important issue across many campuses, Maciel said. A number of schools have already taken steps to improve their sustainability, Maciel said.
The proposed date for the summit to be held next year would be in late October, which may be more appropriate since the summit won’t conflict with other events, Maciel said.
The summit itself would consist of a series of presentations on ways to improve your campuses sustainability and a discussion for participants to talk about ways they think they can improve their campuses. Most of the presentations are already set up even though the event has been postponed.
Having more time to plan the summit will improve the quality of the event and possibly allow for more presentations, Maciel said. Maciel is also hoping that the other Vermont colleges will be able to provide funding to offset the cost of the summit.
By Ben Holbrook
Managing Editor
Due to scheduling conflicts the sustainability summit has been postponed until next year which may work out better.
The sustainability summit which was planned for earth week this semester had to be postponed because the other VSC schools involved were on vacations during the planned event. The sustainability summit was proposed by John Maciel, SGA president, because sustainability is becoming an important issue across many campuses, Maciel said. A number of schools have already taken steps to improve their sustainability, Maciel said.
The proposed date for the summit to be held next year would be in late October, which may be more appropriate since the summit won’t conflict with other events, Maciel said.
The summit itself would consist of a series of presentations on ways to improve your campuses sustainability and a discussion for participants to talk about ways they think they can improve their campuses. Most of the presentations are already set up even though the event has been postponed.
Having more time to plan the summit will improve the quality of the event and possibly allow for more presentations, Maciel said. Maciel is also hoping that the other Vermont colleges will be able to provide funding to offset the cost of the summit.
Exercise and personal trainers
4/17/08
By Gwen Cook
Critic Staff
Getting in shape doesn’t have to be a hard and strenuous chore, especially at LSC.
Andrew Longley, an exercise science major and personal trainer at LSC, says, “Doing 30 minutes of physical activity a day is recommended by the surgeon general. I can’t really recommend exercises for a general population; personal training is individualized for every client’s goal, needs, and medical history.”
Having a personal trainer can be a huge advantage in getting into shape quicker and with better results. Longley says, “We help accomplish any goal that a client might have that deals with their physical well-being. The personal trainer uses guidelines and techniques learned from the NSCA (national strength and conditioning association) to help a client achieve those goals.”
If a person wants to work on developing lean muscle and toning down, they would have to have a different routine than a person who wants to gain muscle weight and “bulk up”.
Working out alone can still be effective if you remember to stay on top of your routine. Longley says, “If a person runs or walks multiple times per week and lifts weights two to three times properly per week, then going it alone works fine.”
If making time in the day to fit for 30 minutes of physical activity proves impossible, try changing up your routine. Park your car father away in the parking lot, be intentionally late for class so you can run or power walk, or forgo the elevator and use the stairs instead. These seemingly small things do add up.
Exercise is good for school crunch time or getting over arguments. “Exercise is thought to reduce stress, anxiety, and is even thought to improve your cognitive abilities, Longley says, “I’ve personally always used exercise when I’m extremely stressed out about something, and have found it puts me in a much better mood.”
People can sign up for personal training even if they don’t see themselves doing it all semester. Longley says, “The ultimate goal is for you to, in 4-6 weeks, to be set enough in a routine to be able to exercise by yourself.” Sign up is available at the front desk in the gym.
By Gwen Cook
Critic Staff
Getting in shape doesn’t have to be a hard and strenuous chore, especially at LSC.
Andrew Longley, an exercise science major and personal trainer at LSC, says, “Doing 30 minutes of physical activity a day is recommended by the surgeon general. I can’t really recommend exercises for a general population; personal training is individualized for every client’s goal, needs, and medical history.”
Having a personal trainer can be a huge advantage in getting into shape quicker and with better results. Longley says, “We help accomplish any goal that a client might have that deals with their physical well-being. The personal trainer uses guidelines and techniques learned from the NSCA (national strength and conditioning association) to help a client achieve those goals.”
If a person wants to work on developing lean muscle and toning down, they would have to have a different routine than a person who wants to gain muscle weight and “bulk up”.
Working out alone can still be effective if you remember to stay on top of your routine. Longley says, “If a person runs or walks multiple times per week and lifts weights two to three times properly per week, then going it alone works fine.”
If making time in the day to fit for 30 minutes of physical activity proves impossible, try changing up your routine. Park your car father away in the parking lot, be intentionally late for class so you can run or power walk, or forgo the elevator and use the stairs instead. These seemingly small things do add up.
Exercise is good for school crunch time or getting over arguments. “Exercise is thought to reduce stress, anxiety, and is even thought to improve your cognitive abilities, Longley says, “I’ve personally always used exercise when I’m extremely stressed out about something, and have found it puts me in a much better mood.”
People can sign up for personal training even if they don’t see themselves doing it all semester. Longley says, “The ultimate goal is for you to, in 4-6 weeks, to be set enough in a routine to be able to exercise by yourself.” Sign up is available at the front desk in the gym.
Spring has sprung and fields are ready for play
4/17/08
By Andrew R. Koch
Sports Editor
A true sign of spring has finally arrived on the LSC campus, as most of this year’s snow pack has finally been cleared off the athletic fields.
The school’s preparation for spring sports was greatly aided by the late arrival of warmer weather during last week’s spring break. According to Athletic Director Chris Ummer, the fields are about two weeks behind schedule in terms of being ready for spring sports.
“If this warm-up had happened two weeks ago, we’d be in very good shape,” Ummer said. He added that because of this later-than-normal warm-up, all four spring sports will have to play all their home games within the next week and a half.
Rescheduling games and locations hasn’t been such a big problem, according to Ummer. The problem is when the new dates have to be rescheduled.
“When you have to reschedule your reschedules, that’s when things get tricky,” Ummer said. That can lead to frustration among some of the players.
“It’s the seniors who feel the frustration (of being unable to play) the most,” Ummer said.
One sport that has had a particularly rough time scheduling home games is lacrosse, which is back at Lyndon State after a 23-year hiatus. Ummer said that finding 12 games for the teams was relatively easy. Getting enough of those games at home is proving to be the hard part.
“It’s been difficult to get a balanced home schedule. We’ve had a couple home games played elsewhere,” Ummer said. One such “home” game was supposed to be the team’s home opener, which ended up being played at Kimball Union Academy in New Hampshire because the field here wasn’t ready. As the schedule stands right now, it appears the lacrosse team will only have two home games this season.
Lyndon State isn’t the only school here in Vermont that’s facing this type of situation. Schools such as Norwich, Green Mountain College, Vermont Tech and others are also having problems with games being postponed, cancelled or even relocated. Schools in Maine and New Hampshire are also facing those same issues.
Physical Plant Director Tom Archer said that the maintenance department has done everything it can to prepare the fields given the circumstances. One problem the department has faced is that because the snow came early this year, the ground didn’t have a chance to freeze.
“That’s a bad thing because you can’t put heavy equipment on the field,” Archer said. He added that maintenance had hired help from an outside source to clear off the baseball and softball diamonds, but the tractor that was being used ran into a couple of problems.
First, a part on the machine broke, and took nearly two weeks to replace. Then, when the tractor was able to get back on the field, it started to make impressions in the soft ground. Archer said that the person was told to get off immediately if the tractor started making impressions on the field.
Archer says that it would be great to get artificial turf for the fields, but money would be the only issue.
“Who knows where you can find the funding, but it would be in the dream to get artificial turf,” Archer said.
The Hornets will look to open their spring season on Sunday, when the softball team is scheduled to play a doubleheader against Plymouth State starting at 1 p.m.
By Andrew R. Koch
Sports Editor
A true sign of spring has finally arrived on the LSC campus, as most of this year’s snow pack has finally been cleared off the athletic fields.
The school’s preparation for spring sports was greatly aided by the late arrival of warmer weather during last week’s spring break. According to Athletic Director Chris Ummer, the fields are about two weeks behind schedule in terms of being ready for spring sports.
“If this warm-up had happened two weeks ago, we’d be in very good shape,” Ummer said. He added that because of this later-than-normal warm-up, all four spring sports will have to play all their home games within the next week and a half.
Rescheduling games and locations hasn’t been such a big problem, according to Ummer. The problem is when the new dates have to be rescheduled.
“When you have to reschedule your reschedules, that’s when things get tricky,” Ummer said. That can lead to frustration among some of the players.
“It’s the seniors who feel the frustration (of being unable to play) the most,” Ummer said.
One sport that has had a particularly rough time scheduling home games is lacrosse, which is back at Lyndon State after a 23-year hiatus. Ummer said that finding 12 games for the teams was relatively easy. Getting enough of those games at home is proving to be the hard part.
“It’s been difficult to get a balanced home schedule. We’ve had a couple home games played elsewhere,” Ummer said. One such “home” game was supposed to be the team’s home opener, which ended up being played at Kimball Union Academy in New Hampshire because the field here wasn’t ready. As the schedule stands right now, it appears the lacrosse team will only have two home games this season.
Lyndon State isn’t the only school here in Vermont that’s facing this type of situation. Schools such as Norwich, Green Mountain College, Vermont Tech and others are also having problems with games being postponed, cancelled or even relocated. Schools in Maine and New Hampshire are also facing those same issues.
Physical Plant Director Tom Archer said that the maintenance department has done everything it can to prepare the fields given the circumstances. One problem the department has faced is that because the snow came early this year, the ground didn’t have a chance to freeze.
“That’s a bad thing because you can’t put heavy equipment on the field,” Archer said. He added that maintenance had hired help from an outside source to clear off the baseball and softball diamonds, but the tractor that was being used ran into a couple of problems.
First, a part on the machine broke, and took nearly two weeks to replace. Then, when the tractor was able to get back on the field, it started to make impressions in the soft ground. Archer said that the person was told to get off immediately if the tractor started making impressions on the field.
Archer says that it would be great to get artificial turf for the fields, but money would be the only issue.
“Who knows where you can find the funding, but it would be in the dream to get artificial turf,” Archer said.
The Hornets will look to open their spring season on Sunday, when the softball team is scheduled to play a doubleheader against Plymouth State starting at 1 p.m.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Who wants to be a porn star?
4/17/08
By Catherine Story
Business Manager
LSC students show a lack of interest in an open discussion and educational slideshow about pornography.
Pat Shine, Henekis Stoddard and Carolyn Brown presented “Who wants to be a porn star?” to two LSC students Tuesday afternoon. Stoddard attributed the low turnout to the nice weather and the awkward nature of the topic.
“This is the fourth or fifth time we’ve shown this and this is the lowest turn out,” Stoddard said.
The presentation discussed the changes to a society that pornography is to blame for and the negative effects it has on the men and women who are exposed to it.
“Women learn that their worth is in their appearance,” Stoddard said. “They learn to picture their bodies as a receptacle.”
“Women who buy in are considered sluts and whores,” Stoddard said. “Women who don’t are prudes, don’t like sex or are lesbians.”
The presentation also looked at the difficulties men face from the ideals that porn instills.
“Pornography dehumanizes men because they are led to believe it’s what they want,” Stoddard said.
Stoddard used an example of a man who had admitted he “can’t be sexual with a woman without fantasizing about porn.”
“Men don’t get any idea about what a healthy sexual relationship can be,” Shine said.
“Sex is great, do it as much as you want to but when you’re taught to do it in this way it’s not healthy,” Shine said. “What’s sexy about degrading other human beings?”
Stoddard emphasized that the pornography industry was a societal problem and not just a personal decision.
“The girls get blamed as opposed to the culture that teaches them that that is how they will be valued,” Stoddard said.
The presentation also discussed the negative impact that pornography has on other ethnicities.
”Multicultural porn just means they’re not white,” Stoddard said. “Often the portrayal of those in multicultural pornography is stereotypical and racist.”
Stoddard went through a few examples pointing out the various stereotypes including Latinos, African Americans and Asians.
“Latinos are viewed as illegal or economically poor,” Stoddard said. “While black women are shown in even more degrading ways. They are depicted animalisticly or they’ll be shown as ghetto.”
“Asians are shown as compliant to the white mans fantasy,” Stoddard said
Stoddard began showing the slideshow after having the script and slideshow handed to her.
“It was hard to talk about but it felt like my responsibility,” Stoddard said.
Stoddard works in preventative education for youth and she has been an advocate against sexual and domestic violence.
“I would like to be an activist that helps to change a culture,” Stoddard said.
“I am often the person putting a band-aid on a bullet wound,” Stoddard said, “I would like to prevent the bullet wound.”
By Catherine Story
Business Manager
LSC students show a lack of interest in an open discussion and educational slideshow about pornography.
Pat Shine, Henekis Stoddard and Carolyn Brown presented “Who wants to be a porn star?” to two LSC students Tuesday afternoon. Stoddard attributed the low turnout to the nice weather and the awkward nature of the topic.
“This is the fourth or fifth time we’ve shown this and this is the lowest turn out,” Stoddard said.
The presentation discussed the changes to a society that pornography is to blame for and the negative effects it has on the men and women who are exposed to it.
“Women learn that their worth is in their appearance,” Stoddard said. “They learn to picture their bodies as a receptacle.”
“Women who buy in are considered sluts and whores,” Stoddard said. “Women who don’t are prudes, don’t like sex or are lesbians.”
The presentation also looked at the difficulties men face from the ideals that porn instills.
“Pornography dehumanizes men because they are led to believe it’s what they want,” Stoddard said.
Stoddard used an example of a man who had admitted he “can’t be sexual with a woman without fantasizing about porn.”
“Men don’t get any idea about what a healthy sexual relationship can be,” Shine said.
“Sex is great, do it as much as you want to but when you’re taught to do it in this way it’s not healthy,” Shine said. “What’s sexy about degrading other human beings?”
Stoddard emphasized that the pornography industry was a societal problem and not just a personal decision.
“The girls get blamed as opposed to the culture that teaches them that that is how they will be valued,” Stoddard said.
The presentation also discussed the negative impact that pornography has on other ethnicities.
”Multicultural porn just means they’re not white,” Stoddard said. “Often the portrayal of those in multicultural pornography is stereotypical and racist.”
Stoddard went through a few examples pointing out the various stereotypes including Latinos, African Americans and Asians.
“Latinos are viewed as illegal or economically poor,” Stoddard said. “While black women are shown in even more degrading ways. They are depicted animalisticly or they’ll be shown as ghetto.”
“Asians are shown as compliant to the white mans fantasy,” Stoddard said
Stoddard began showing the slideshow after having the script and slideshow handed to her.
“It was hard to talk about but it felt like my responsibility,” Stoddard said.
Stoddard works in preventative education for youth and she has been an advocate against sexual and domestic violence.
“I would like to be an activist that helps to change a culture,” Stoddard said.
“I am often the person putting a band-aid on a bullet wound,” Stoddard said, “I would like to prevent the bullet wound.”
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