FIGHTING REVIEW AND INTERVIEW WITH ZULAY HENAO

By Philippe Buteau

Copy Editor

I like fighting. And what do you know a movie comes that is all about that.

Channing Tatum, the twinkle-toed marvel from the original “Step Up,” plays as Shawn MacArthur a New York City bootlegger with a mean hit. Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard) notices his right hook and gives him an opportunity to earn extra money fighting.

The story serves its purpose just fine, namely not getting in the way of the fist-to-cheek action. He fights, he gets paid, he fights, he gets paid more then he fights the final boss. MacArthur’s background is interesting, but the movie spends a bit too much time for my liking teasing something in his past which in turn takes away from the fighting.

I would have much rather learned more about Boarden, the used-to-be-big time hustler from Chicago. I don’t know how people from Chicago speak, but if Howard told me that they speak like his character, then I’d believe him. He delivered his lines with a voice and cadence that at first seemed annoying, but grew on me as I found out more about Boarden’s style and the kind of person he is.

The actual fighting in “Fighting” is bada**. The hits sound like they have real weight, and the reactions from the one hit add to that. I wish I could say more about how much I like the fights unfortunately there weren’t enough of them to talk about. Barely a handful of fights lightly sprinkled into a two-hour movie. Sure, I wouldn’t want them overdone but a little more would’ve made me happier.

Although the story stays out of the fighting’s way, the lovey-dovey stuff between MacArthur and Zulay Valez, played by Zulay Henao, is obtrusive. Throughout the movie they feel unnecessary and like something Montiel felt had to go in. The conversations between MacArthur and Boarden during the long no fighting moments add much more.

The fighting in this movie is sick, simple as that. I only wished the movie knew that or was more confident in it.

Interview with Zulay Henao

Zulay Henao, plays Zulay Valez in Rogue Picture’s upcoming movie “Fighting.” The following is an interview that I had with the actress prior to the film’s release.

Q: Your character shares your name. Can you explain how that came to be?

A: The director [Dito Montiel] really liked it and he asked if he could use it and I said yeah because a lot of people didn’t know how to say my name right. So I thought it was a good opportunity to present my name to the world and be like, “This is how you say it.”

Q: So when Shawn McArthur (Channing Tatum) says in the movie, “It’s like ‘July,’” did that come from you?

A: It did. Somebody said that to me when I was trying to tell him how to pronounce my name. He’s like, “Oh so it’s like July but Zulay.” And I said yeah and I was like that’s a good way to tell people when I meet them when they have a problem because it makes sense. So it worked. And I said it to them in the audition room and the director liked the line and he kept it.

Q: Would you prefer if she wasn’t named after you, or does that not really matter?

A: You know what, in the beginning I was like, “Do I really want it to be my name?” But I think ultimately it’ll be to my benefit. And I think it’s a different, unique, interesting name so why not. It’s fine. I never had a problem with it really.

Q: How was working with Channing Tatum?

A: He’s such a nice, genuine, sweet person. It was really fun. I mean obviously he has so much going on and there’s so much that he’s doing it was great for me to have the opportunity to work with him at this point in my career. So it was great.

Q: And Terence Howard?

A: Terence was very interesting to work with. He’s a very focused and intense actor, and I really enjoyed my work with him and watching him work. And it was great. He’s an Academy Award nominee and that’s a plus to work with someone on that level.

Q: Since he’s an Academy Award nominee, did he offer you any sort of advice?

A: He just told me to relax in my work. He told me to trust what I was doing, so I took those words and ran with it. Because he, well they both did, they all put me at ease.

Q: In the production notes you said that Zulay, Shawn, and Harvey strip each other to the bone. What did you mean by that?

I don’t think I was the one that said it.

Sorry.

A: But I think what they mean by that is that when they all meet, I think that they’re all in a very low point in their lives. These people are not people who necessarily would be friends had it not been for this fighting stuff. I don’t think that they would’ve met, or would’ve been friends under different circumstances. So I think what they meant by that is that they ultimately teach each other how to trust and love again and that’s important. Because I think, especially in a city like New York City, you’re beaten down and you’re just doing, doing doing and you’re not seeing the outcome the way you want it to be, you can get really down and low. So this is about them learning to trust each other again and to trust life and to get up from where they are to ultimately achieve their goals.

Q: How was Dito Montiel as a director?

A: He was a free director. He gave us a lot of freedom to make mistakes and to explore our characters. He was a very, very kind person. I think that his personality definitely comes through in his work. And I really loved and enjoyed his first movie [“A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints”] so I was very excited to work with him on this.

Q: What scene do you remember shooting the most?

A: The first scene because I was so nervous. It was the first day. It was the scene Channing and I shot in the park when I go up to him to apologize… to explain to him why I’ve been lying to him. It’s probably one of the most intense scenes for me. Because she’s now in love with this guy and he’s walking away from her. So it was pretty intense and it was the first day of production for me.

Q: Did you learn anything from this movie as an actress?

A: Yes I did. As you go, every job that you do I think you grow a little bit and feel more comfortable and more free to explore yourself, your experiences and what you can bring to the characters.

Q: Do you think viewers can learn anything from this movie?

A: I think aside from all the action and all the fighting sequences people are going to be able to take away something from the individual relationships that these people are making. I think we can all relate to being in a place in our lives where we’re not exactly that happy. I think that we can all relate to those moments. And I think in this movie we’re going to see three characters who are growing and evolving before our eyes and I think that’s going to be really interesting.

Q: You wrapped S. Darko (the sequel to “Donnie Darko”) before starting to shoot “Fighting”?

A: Yeah that was recent. That was last summer.

Q: Did you learn anything from that movie that you applied to “Fighting”?

A: Maybe just the experience of being on-set, but nothing from the movie itself or from the character. Samantha Darko is completely different; she’s a recluse and someone who is very dark. I don’t think Zulay is dark at all in that sense. So not from character to character, but just the experience of being on-set and working with different types of people.

Q: What do you think is the most interesting aspect of “Fighting,” whether it’s the story or the characters?

A: I think it’s that. Of course we’re all going to like the fighting sequences, but I think the underlying truth is that it’s OK to fall down, to make mistakes, and to get back up and try again. I think that’s what the movie is saying, “you have to get back up and just try again.”

Q: Are there any funny behind-the-scenes stories?

A: I keep coming back to the grandmother because I think that’s funny and everybody finds her funny. It’s been a while, so I don’t remember anything specific but working with my grandmother is a lot of fun. She brought a different energy to the set. She was really funny off and on-camera.

Q: She’s your grandmother?

A: No, no, no. [Laughs] My name. My grandmother. [Laughs]

Q: Seeing as Kevin Misher, one of the producers, created “The Fast and the Furious,” do you think “Fighting” has the potential to be that popular.

A: I don’t want to say “no.” Hopefully. That would be great. He really believes in the film and thinks it’s going to be a lot of fun. I think fighting and car racing have that thing in common. They have a big audience. So it’s a possibility. I would love to do another one.

E-BOOKS HAVE A CHANCE TO DEBUT ON NORTH CAMPUS

By Buzz Lamb
Staff Writer

Innovative thinking by a group of three students on North Campus recently caught the Board of trustees by surprise. Every year, beginning in January, the Board of Trustees conducts three of their monthly meetings on each of the Broward College main campuses. At all of these meetings the students from the individual campuses do a presentation to the Board.

Michael Bramwell, Jewel Khan and Micki Racine used a PowerPoint presentation to illustrate a ground-breaking idea to address the issue of textbook affordability. “According to a recent study, the average cost for textbooks is about $120 per class,” Bramwell told the Board. “We are greatly interested in opening a new chapter in the affordability of textbooks for students at Broward College,” he added.

According to Bramwell, the Florida Legislature previously adopted Statute 1004.085 which required that by March 1, 2009 the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors shall each adopt policies, procedures and guidelines for implementation by community colleges and state universities, respectively, that further efforts to minimize the cost of textbooks for students attending these institutions while maintaining the quality of education and academic freedom.

Jewel Khan’s portion of the slide presentation included information about Miami-Dade College and Northwest Missouri State University. “Miami-Dade will be implementing their first e-book (electronic book) program this summer.

Thirty-seven students will be participating in the will have a choice of utilizing iPod Touch or the iPhone. It will allow students to sign in to class and give non-verbal responses to specific question with the flip of a button,” she said. “They will still have to attend class.”

According to Khan, Northwest Missouri State already has an e-book in place which has 500 students in 10 different departments participating. “Those students were provided with a Hewlett Packard (H/P) rental laptop computer, which is ironic because BC already has a contract with H/P,” she said. “The students are charged $10 per credit hour for the use of the laptop.”

Miki Racine, Phi Beta Lambda President, explained to the Board that each student selected the way they would get involved with an e-book program. “With that being said, I would like to introduce you to the new iPhone,” he told the Board. “Some of the features are that it is very flexible, convenient and compact. Books can be downloaded, stored and deleted.”

The next device Racine displayed was the Kindle 2 by Amazon.com. “I had the pleasure of experimenting with the Kindle 2 and I can tell you from my personal experience that it is great,” he said with a big grin on his face. Racine said that this electronic gadget is affordable and books can be downloaded to the Kindle 2 for only $9.99 and it is capable of downloading a vast number of newspapers and periodicals as well.

Racine showed the Board and the audience a brief video presentation describing the features of the Kindle 2. The video stated that there are over 250,000 book titles available on Kindle 2. “Moving on,” Racine said,” you’re probably wondering how this will benefit students. First and foremost is affordability. They create a way for students to save on the cost of textbooks.”

Racine said e-books are environmentally friendly as well. “It took 8.4 million trees to print the Harry Potter books,” he said. “I can download the whole series onto this little device,” he said as he waved the little 10-ounce unit above his head. Before Racine could turn the presentation back to Bramwell, Trustee Sosa-Douglas asked if she could get a hands-on demonstration of the new apparatus and Racine obliged by carrying it over to her. “I’m just blown away by this idea,” she said.

After the Board members took a few minutes passing the small device among themselves, the students were able to resume their presentation. Bramwell resumed by saying, “So, what are we asking for? Well, we’re asking for your endorsement and support for a pilot program for the fall semester of 2009.”

Bramwell said the North Campus English Department has already endorsed the experiment and has gone as far as authorizing e-books for two classes. “ENC 1101 (Prof. Karen Parker) and ENC 1102 (Dr. Tai Houser) will be using the Kindle 2 in their classes,” he said.

Associate Dean Jeffrey Nasse, who was sitting in the audience, told the Board that the English department was already using e-book in some of their classes. “They are much cheaper than traditional textbooks. Professor Parker is currently using one and Dr, Houser is using one as well in his class. These are much more than just reading. There are a lot of interactive activities and videos that go along with this as well. Faculty will decide which devices are appropriate”

Trustee Sosa-Douglass asked “How can we help you make this happen? You certainly have my full support as a Board member.” BC President J. David Armstrong, Jr. responded, “This is a grand experiment that we should explore and let these great faculty members and the students test it out for us and diagnose what bugs it might have and what challenges there are using e-books in our classes.”

A few days after the Board meeting, Dr Houser said he is pleased that the cost to the student will be less that if they were to purchase a traditional textbook. “I think e-books and the effective use of technology in the classroom, properly utilizing blackboard and its features, for instance, is really a great way for the college to become more learning centered,” he said.

“Students are engaged in reading all the time; e-mails, web pages, chat rooms, blogs, video blogs, etc. If 21st Century education is operating in a 19th Century paradigm, then education and educators are missing their primary goal. It’s fun for me because it’s asking me to step out of my comfort zone as an instructor and into a reality that belongs to my students.”

North Campus Provost, Dr. Barbara Bryan said she has always had an interest in finding ways to help students afford their books. She said she recently read a story about North West Missouri’s e-book pilot program and it looked promising. She met with all of the campus organization leaders and asked if there was an interest on the part of BC students.

In response to an e-mail inquiry, wrote, “E-text books are one on the few viable affordability options that colleges can consider. BC’s research study will focus on students and faculty satisfaction with the e-book format and the effectiveness of e-books as teaching and learning tools.”



Kindle 2 Overview

· Revolutionary electronic-paper display
· Simple to Use: no computer, no cables, no sync
· You never have to locate a “hot spot”
· Utilizes EVDO high speed cell phone network
· No monthly wireless bills, service plans or commitments
· Buy a book and it is delivered in less than one minute
· Lighter and thinner than a typical paperback book
· More than 250,000 titles currently available
· More than 1,100 top blogs available
· Holds over 200 titles
· E-mail your Word documents and pictures to Kindle 2
· Top US and International newspapers can be auto delivered
· Has a text to speech feature
· 6-inch screen with 16-level grayscale electronic paper
· Kindle for iPhone allows iPhone and iPod Touch to access Kindle
· Current retail cost from Amazon.com $359

AN EASILY SURVIVABLE SURVIVAL-HORROR

By Philippe Buteau
Copy Editor

Imagine if Freddy Krueger entered your dreams and you Muhammad Ali’ed him until the sun came up. Or if the big breasted blond turned around and used Jason Voorhees’ own machete on him.
Despite the fun I had with Resident Evil (RE) 5 that is my major gripe with it, basically, not being horrified of the horrific characters.

Resident Evil as a series has been moving towards the action genre more and more but has, until now, at least tried to be scary. RE4 set in Europe had monster closets, eerie destinations, haunting music, dark and stormy nights and a wide variety of enemies. RE5 has none of these. Sure the bosses are creepy enough, but in arenas with plenty of ammo at my disposal, I wasn’t scared, or even worried, about facing them, no matter how many tentacles they had.

Knowing that throughout the game my partner, Sheva Alomar, would be by my side helped in keeping me from getting scared. I wouldn’t ask to remove her, but I would tell the developers to remedy that by adding the elements mentioned above.

As similar as RE5 is to the previous game, Alomar being there is the biggest difference to my time in Europe. While Leon Kennedy was alone, RE5 has a cooperative mode that allows two people, online or split-screen, to play through the entire game together. When alone the computer controls Alomar and handles her well enough but is too quick to use those green herbs.... They’re for healing.

Another place where the game took a misstep is in the “why” of its story. It’s been about a week since I finished the game and I’ve been thinking about it since then for this review, but I still don’t understand everything that happened for those 12 or so hours.
I was sent to a town in Africa to capture some guy who I think was a biological terrorist, or maybe my bosses didn’t like his voice as much I. Then I received some information about an old friend and former boss. I had to rescue the former and stop the latter. He’s bad so I had to stop him, I get it. But why did he want to wipe out the human race? Agoraphobia?

Whatever the reason, my most basic objective of staying alive had a few steps in order to complete: pick up any of my laser-equipped weapons, aim and shoot. However, like Kennedy, Alomar and I (Chris Redfield) cannot multitask, or in other words, move and shoot. I certainly would like to but I knew going in that this game wouldn’t have that and don’t really mind because the game is still fun to play.

Capcom somehow managed to improve and screw up the inventory system at the same time. It is fixed in that I can now designate spots on the D-Pad (up, down, left or right) for quick weapon swapping; screwed up because it is limited to nine spots where in RE4 I had a case that could, with proper management, fit as many weapons and items that I could find.

So despite my complaints, I still enjoyed the game overall and would recommend it. It does feel like a $60 special edition of RE4 but I didn’t finish it with a feeling of having been cheated. Was it worth the money? To me it was. I plan on playing through it maybe three more times, I have to uppercut a zombie while wearing a safari costume.

BASEBALL A BIG HIT IN THE POLLS

By Igor Mello
Sports Editor

It was pure excitement.

The Broward baseball team jumped for joy in the locker room when they first learned that they were ranked first in the state, edging out rival Miami-Dade College.

“We’re finally being viewed as one of the top programs in Florida” said sophomore pitcher Joe Mata.

They held their spot strong in the poll for three weeks before MDC recently flip-flopped their spots, leaving Broward at a close second.

But the players aren’t concerned about that, they believe that the only standings that matter are the conference standings.

The Seahawks (12-4, 26-10 overall) are now tied with MDC (12-4, 32-7 overall) for first with four games to go. Broward is ranked thirteenth in the nation, while Dade, ranked fifth, has a little more respect from the national polls.

Both teams have identical records, identical amount of games left and against identical opponents.

Something’s got to give.

If they come out ahead of MDC at the end of the season, they will be awarded a first round bye in the Southern Conference Tournament which starts from April 27 and ends on April 30.

“It’s played out as I exactly expected,” said Seahawks skipper Bob Deutschman, who feels that his team is right there in the thick of things at the final stretch of the season.

Out of those four games remaining, the Seahawks will slug it out with MDC two more times, one at home then one away.

A first round bye could be critical in one of the toughest conferences in the nation. The Southern Conference is one of the few conferences in the state, let alone the country that has two out of the three nationally-ranked squads in the state.

Although they kept the last two games against MDC close, the boys in blue have only managed to outlast Dade once out of their six meetings.

“Up until this last series it was a bit mental with us,” said Deutschman.

He does admit that being swept by MDC in their first couple of series may have been mental, but says that his team has now overcome that.

“They’re good, but we’ve got Dade twice into our style of play which is low scoring,” said Deutschman, who later on uses a basketball term. “We cannot run with them, we have to play a very slow, methodical type of game which is what we did [recently].”

If they manage to keep their games close, they should be in good shape. The Seahawks are 7-2 in games decided by one run.

Despite gaining interest from the national polls, some players still feel like there are still doubters out there.

“We work hard because we don’t have the big name players like everyone else has and we come to the field everyday to get better because we know we have something to prove to everybody else because people still doubt us,” said Third Baseman Patrick Donahue, who is batting .344 with 16 Runs batted in.

Even though both teams are in a tight-lock race, the Seahawks shouldn’t overlook Brevard CC., who they face in their last two games of the season.

Brevard (5-10, 10-22 overall), is one of the weaker teams in the Southern Conference. Brevard gave the Seahawks a hard time last time they met, scoring 17 runs on Broward as they split both meetings.

“We just got to keep playing our style of game. Keep the game close and let someone get that big hit,” said Mata, who is 2-0 with a 1.87 ERA. “That seems to be the winning formula for us this season.”

YOU AND A GUEST ARE INVITED TO A SPECIAL ADVANCE SCREENING!

STOP BY THE BC OBSERVER OFFICE BLDG. 68, ROOM 268 (SOUTH CAMPUS) FOR YOUR CHANCE TO PICK UP FREE ADVANCE SCREENING PASSES! HURRY!

WHEN YOU HAVE NO CHOICE, I'M YOUR MAN

Who are you going to vote for Central Campus' SGA Pres? No one is running...

(Commentary)

By Brendan Connolly

Staff Writer

“Winston Churchill said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried…or wait, maybe it was Joe the Plumber, no it was definitely Churchill, definitely, I think…”
-Brendan Connolly

My fellow Broward Collegians my name is Brendan Connolly, as if you didn’t already know that, and this is my bid for the Central Campus Student Government Presidential position. And even though, as I write this, there is no one, technically, running and I missed the entry date for the exploratory committee, I hope you don’t hold it against me. Help a brother out.

Write me in.

Show those fat cats and blue-toothed Tories in Building 19, who say they have the pulse of the student body, just what makes you tick. Together, yes you can, get me into elected office. My platform is a melting pot of ideas, fueled by my own hot air.

I say smoke wherever you want. These nicotine terrorists, constantly spreading their message of fascism, will not bully us into the corner.
Vote for me. Vote for loose change.

I promise I will fill my cabinet with all the top names: Johnny Walker, Jack Daniels, and the distinguished and stately Jim Beam. The stimulus plan they bring to the table will leave you under it wanting more, despite the headache of their complex directives.

I can bridge the fundamental divide of the stratified abscesses between the haves and the have a hangovers. And even though I probably won’t get to shake your hands, let it be known I don’t really want to anyway.
One more term, at least.

I vow an aggressive new public works project called the “Parking for the Universalization and Socialisumption of the Parking Protocol Initiative.” I had to make up words just to explain it. Everyone will be assigned a numbered parking space, regardless of car ownership.

Read my lips, “No new math classes.”

Gone will be the days of the previous administration, especially their “trickle down GPA” ideology.

During my reign, any student with a 3.2 and above will be subject to a more stringent workload to spread the grades around evenly. Students below this ceiling will be given a .7 increase to their GPA to close the gap and restore the middle class.

I am pro-choice: Bottles, Cans, Draft. Make your own decisions. I don’t want to make them for you.

All I can really say to you is I hope. I hope you help me become what I have always wanted to be. A chairman sitting easy in a big easy chair.

With me in the top spot, you can rely on my selfishness, pretentiousness, narcissism, and complete devotion to laziness to ensure you won’t even know I’m there. So on whatever day, whatever time they decide to actually have the election, and you look and don’t see my name, remember, Brendan Connolly can possibly do it better than someone else.

I’m the best you got.

Oh yeah, and may God bless something or other you hold dear.

LACKMANN (SCHOOL'S LUNCH COMPANY) WANTS TO NEGOTIATE

By Buzz Lamb
Staff Writer

Over the last couple of years, Student Government Associations (SGA) on all three campuses have voiced their concern over the quality and pricing of food in the campus cafeterias. SGA members on South Campus were advised not to even bring up the matter at their Student Forum in February. The issue was raised again in March at the Student Forum on North but, if history repeats itself (as the old saying goes) not much will happen.

Lackmann Culinary Services (Lackmann), based in Woodbury, N.Y. (on Long Island) has held the contract to provide to Broward Community College (BCC), now Broward College (BC), since Dec. 17, 2004. That contract is due to expire on Dec. 17, 2009 however it does have a provision in it for an automatic three-year renewal if requested by the college.

According to Bill Pennell, BC Chief Financial Officer, the food service provider preceding Lackmann was Sodexo, a French multi-national corporation and food service provider to over 600 campuses in the U.S. and Canada. Pennell said that when BCC released RFP 805-002, Food Service – College-wide, in November 2004 to secure proposals from firms interested in providing cafeteria service, catering and vending for the college, Lackmann was the lone company to respond.

Pennell said that when Sodexo was managing the food service it was costing the college over $200,000 per year. According to a letter dated Nov. 19, 2004, Lackmann’s financial agreement with the college allowed for a flat $28,000 commission in the first year; $28,000 commission or 18 percent of sales (whichever is greater), plus a 1.5 percent utilities charge in year two; and $28,000 commission or 18 percent of sales (whichever is greater) plus a 3 percent utilities charge in years three through five.

The letter also stated that Lackmann would invest $100,000 into the dining services at BCC and it was signed by Andrew W. Lackmann, Vice President – Development and Marketing. Pennell said that his office monitors Lackmann’s performance with regard to contractual obligations and indicated Lackmann has completed $70,000 of improvements to date.


Kathy Reese, an administrative assistant at Lackmann’s corporate headquarters referred all questions to their regional operations manager. Ed Godziszewski (“everybody calls me Eddie G”) called back to answer any questions. He said the company has enjoyed the partnership it has had with the college over the last four-plus years and looks forward to renewing that affiliation.

The contract makes mention of a food service committee and when asked if one existed Eddie G responded that he has made some requests from his side to get one going but nobody has wanted to participate. “There is not one on-going that I know of,” he said. He also said he was not aware that SGA had raised concerns about pricing and quality at the Student Forums.

“It’s really strange that they have these forums and then they don’t get back to me. How can I deal with the issues if I don’t know about them?” he asked.

According to Pennell, each campus, through Student Affairs, is supposed to have a committee to review customer service aspects of Lackmann’s performance. “I’m aware of initial meetings when I first got involved several years ago, but I believe there have been few, if any, meetings recently,” Pennell wrote in response to a question in an e-mail. Pennell added that in the past feedback has been provided to Lackmann where certain improvements can be made and they have adjusted menus to try to address student/customer concerns.

According to Eddie G, the predominant complaint on all of the college campuses, not just BC, is food pricing. “In the 35 years that I have been in the college food service business, that’s number one,” he said. He went on to explain that the company only operates on the campuses for approximately 30 weeks but they have to maintain their staff year round. “It’s just tough making ends meet,” he said. “There’s a lot of completion out there. Students bringing their own lunch…fast food chains located close to the campuses…it all adds up,” he lamented.

Eddie G also said it was a real test for his company when the college switched to block scheduling. “Business on Fridays is off 47 percent,” he exclaimed. “North Campus has been a challenge for us over the years as well, but now we have the right people (working) there.”

Lackmann provides food service for numerous colleges such as Hofstra University, Pace, St. John Fisher, Miami-Dade and Adelphi. Broward College SGA’s are not alone in voicing complaints about Lackmann. A Feb. 28, 2008 article in Hofstra’s college newspaper The Chronicle reported that their SGA issued a resolution addressing multiple issues with Lackmann including the fact that multi-cultural clubs were dissatisfied with the authenticity of cultural foods provided by Lackmann.

Student’s palates have changed over the years as well. According to a Feb. 25, 2009 press release from Sodexo, their customer insight experts culled through 20 years of menus in hundreds of cafés served by the company and in keeping with the latest flavor trends, came up with a list of the top 10 foods preferred by college students today, and 20 years ago. (See chart below)

Not everyone complains about Lackmann. Miguel Ramirez, Events Coordinator for BC Public Relations said he is very pleased with the services offered by Lackmann. “I get a lot of compliments regarding the food they serve. I use them 90% of the time when I plan events,” he said. “I think they would be very cooperative in resolving any student complaints.” Ramirez said he sometimes uses other caterers in the Fort Lauderdale area when he needs specialty or ethnic foods. “I think their pricing is reasonable as well,” he added.

Contrary to popular belief, Lackmann does not have exclusive rights, or the right of first refusal to the catering service for college events. For example, at the Student Forum on North Campus in March, Student Life chose Exquisite Catering by Robert to cater the luncheon. Event planners are able to get competitive quotes from local companies and from Lackmann as well.

As mentioned before, the current contract has a provision for an automatic three-year renewal. Eddie G said his company is currently working on a proposal requesting that the contract be extended. Pennell said the college would only do that only if it was in both BC’s and Lackmann’s best interest.

Pennell indicated that, as a rule, the BC Board of Trustees does not like to do that type of thing (contract extensions) so he believes the college may look to do another RFP to assure a solid competitive bid process.

In either case, Eddie G said Lackmann wants to continue providing food service to BC. “We just started hitting the mark as far as profit is concerned.

We will be happy to sit down and re-negotiate if that is what the college wants to do. After four-and-a-half years at Broward College, we know the business real well. We want to stay,” he said.

FOUR DAY SCHOOL WEEK SAVES COLLEGE MONEY

By Kelly Rivera
Staff Writer

Before beginning a college career, you remember wishing you didn’t have to go to class on Friday. The end of the week would inevitably come around and you’d think to yourself, ‘I don’t want to go to school, it’s the beginning of my weekend!’ Well, your wishes have come true. Recently, Broward College’s (BC) Board of Trustees unanimously passed a four-day workweek schedule for summer sessions.

This new schedule change is being made in order to help the school save money. “We are trying to attain cost savings in buildings that we close on all three campuses,” Dr. Edna Chun said.

Chun, Vice President for Human Resources & Equity, estimated that the savings to the college is projected to be from $23,000 to $50,000, depending on how many buildings are closed on Friday. BC Chief Financial Officer, Bill Pennell, said that his office would be comparing the utility bills from prior years to determine the cost savings.

Economics Professor Hugo Villegas said he loves the idea of the four-day workweek because it gives people more down time and not keeping students and faculty stuck in a room all week long will encourage them to be happier.

Courtney Grosse, Film/Media Studies major, is opposed to the idea. “I don’t think this should go on, it’s not a good idea, the great thing about college is that you can take classes whenever you want, whenever it’s convenient for you, and changing that just isn’t right.”

The libraries will continue to remain open, as will South Campus’ Aviation School and North Campus’ nursing program. In order to save money and conserve energy, BC will be closing unneeded buildings from Thursday evening through Sunday of each week during the summer session between May 11 and August 15.

During this time, security will be highly enforced to ensure that the buildings are not occupied or vandalized. BC President J. David Armstrong, Jr. also said he plans to have the college turn off air conditioners in the portables when they are not being used to save the school more money and conserve energy. Armstrong also said the maintenance department plans on taking advantage of the closure to do routine repairs while the buildings are unoccupied.

The four-day workweek plan will be beneficial to students by giving them more free time and cutting transportation costs. “There will also be a cost savings for students because they will only have to drive to campus four days a week as opposed to five,” said Armstrong.

Electrical Engineering major Luis Ballester said, “The school's [goal] should always be about what’s in the best interest of the student. The school has to recognize that it still functions thanks to the high attendance of students always enrolling.”

This plan is only in effect during summer sessions. “We could never do this year-round,” Armstrong added. “Our buildings are so over-utilized during the fall and winter terms that it would be impossible.” Armstrong said there is less demand for space in the summer, which is the reason the pilot program is being attempted during that time period.

IN WITH THE NEW, OUT WITH THE OLD WEBSITE

Old Website

New Website

By Caroline Walker
Staff Writer

A college website is the first glance of the school seen by eager students interested in enrolling. The website is where information about the college is found, how to apply and what it can offer to students looking to start or continue their education.

On Sunday, March 29 a new website was launched for all Broward College (BC) students.
“The new website will be easier for students to navigate and reduce the number of pages,” said Karen Peruzzi, assistant director of Web Support SVC of Information Technology at BC. The site, which has been in the redesigning process for two years now, was developed by five separate tech people from Information Technology.

Students were confused by navigation of the old website and this new site will be clearer for students to find things, said Peruzzi. Surveys were held at student events and open houses where students, faculty and parents were asked to look at the previous site and find what they didn’t like about it. “We found that it took longer for students to find links to certain pages they wanted to access,” said Peruzzi.

After researching student’s needs the redesigning process began. More color and a modern style were created for an eye appealing website, said Peruzzi. The new website is now more helpful to students and is connecting all campuses. It has many new options for current, transfer and future students making it more student-centric, it’s all about what they need and want, said Peruzzi.

The Career Center, Student Success and Campus Life are the new main navigation tools on the site. A dropdown search, a turning calendar, and having access to changing the announcements is all new to the homepage.

“I had just gotten used to how the website operated and now it’s changed making me have to learn how to use it all over again,” said Psychology major Alexandria Meyer.
After the website was redesigned, it was presented to Broward College Leadership for approval and later was launched.

Also a “maps page” has been added with a link to Google Maps that shows all of the campuses. Information about local transportation that is provided at BC is also available on the same page.
“Pages will all have certain links to them and the pages will be condensed,” said Peruzzi.

A tutoring page was added for all campuses and also a Child Care page for students who have children, providing information about the program for each campus. Page resizing and bookmarks are now on each page link; email is still set up the same next to student log in.

“I like how the new homepage has the BC Seahawks emblem, it makes it a more personal website and gives off the vibe of a more friendly school,” Amanda Ortega, Communications major said.

Students are able to voice their opinion on what they don’t like and what they would like to see on the homepage. “Surveys are there on the rotating announcements and on the Contact Us page, we want feedback to make sure the students like what is happening,” said Peruzzi.

SOCIAL STATUS OF BLACK MEN AND BOYS ON A MISSION

By Stephanie Brossard
Contributing Writer

Motivational speakers, a Hall of Fame football player, community involvement, appetizing food and the question about the crisis of the social status of black men were all present in the Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Liberal Arts Building on central campus on March 27.

Broward College (BC) students and faculty members and even students from local high schools such as Taravella and Dillard were present to take note of the convention on the status of black men and boys.

The Florida Council on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys is on a mission to constantly strive to alleviate and correct the underlying conditions that affect black males throughout the state of Florida and to bring about an environment that promotes the value of learning, family, prosperity, unity and self-worth among black gentlemen.

BC President J. David Armstrong, Jr. opened the event by addressing the importance of seeing each student graduate and how he looks forward to it.

Several other people attended the conference such as psychologist, former Miami dolphin players, founders of the organization, state attorneys and much more. Of the attendees that were there Dr. Na’im Akbar author of “Visions for Black Men” was the first guest speaker at the affair. To many he was the most influential lecturer. Akbar, more or less a black activist as he was quoted making remarks like “we were the first to roam the universe… everyone came from Africa.”

He furthermore explained all the negative aspects which blacks obtain. As he went over the various realistic fact of black culture such as how blacks have the highest rate of failure, and how they had the largest number of convicted felons, several students had an awakening moment. One of which was BC student Wes Bradford. “It really teaches you a lot, to think of where you came from, now having an outlook on life,” said Bradford.

Nevertheless it wasn’t all discouraging. Akbar enlightened the crowd on how one can resolve the contradictions which society has placed upon black men by using three Cs: competence, courage and consciousness. Explaining that blacks demonstrated competence because they have mastered every field they go into, how blacks demonstrate courage because, despite the malicious experiences which they went through they over came the obstacles. For instance, how in the olden day blacks were beaten and tortured for reading yet today we have black lawyers, doctors and even presidents.

Dr. Akbar concluded his speech with a moving quote form Maya Angelou “we still rise.”

The conference continued with additional guest speakers such as hall of fame Miami Dolphins football player, Dwight Stephenson who spoke of the importance of developing healthy relationships. Stephenson even used other NFL players as examples such as Terrell Owens. Stating that the professional football player was a selfish individual, however, if he were to develop a better relationship he could excel more, even becoming as good as Jerry Rice, another NFL player.
It was an active discussion, students asked many questions, however none of them pertained to the topic which Stephenson spoke; instead the students were interested in knowing why he chose football rather then basketball, being that was his most beloved sport.

Kionne McGhee, the ex-convict who graduated high school whit a dreadful 1.9 GPA yet still overcame the obstructions which life threw his way and later became an assistant state attorney. He spoke about strategies for the black male to achieve success. His speech sounded somewhat similar to Akbar, however less significant then the renowned psychologist was still incredibly moving.

Many students found his words to be quite poignant. “It made me realize that self accomplishment is significant, one should get their priorities straight, start thinking about the future I know I am” said BC student Bertin Semelfort.

As the conference came to a close, various audience members left the laughter-filled auditorium with autographed books, gift bag bags and with the knowledge of success for black male students.

MARILYN NELSON POETIC SESSION

By Liz Fleming
Contributing Writer

Broward College Foundation in conjunction with the Hannah Kahn Poetry Foundation brought Marilyn Nelson to South Campus. Over 60 people filled the lecture hall, building 698/room 133, to hear the ethereal, methodic voice read from among her 10 published books of poetry.

The highly-accredited Nelson was the second installment in a series of three poetry readings hosted by Barbara Nightingale, President of the Hannah Kahn Poetry Foundation and English Professor at BC. Nelson stunned the audience with her honest depictions of dissection, slavery accounts and a lynching.

Nelson began reading from The Freedom Business, a book containing both an actual narrative by the slave Venture Smith and Nelson’s response to the narratives in the form of poetry.
Caroline Lavayen, BC sophomore, connected with “A Voyage by Sea” from this book. Lavayen said it was the most descriptive and kept her attention the best. She also commented that it was “interesting how most of what she writes is on history.”

Nelson read 3 more poems from Fortune’s Bones, an account of the first known skeleton in the United States, located in Waterbury, Conn. The poems from this book were also written as songs which were performed by a soloist to “soothe the community” once they had learned the story of how the bones became a skeleton.

Nelson recounted the story saying the bones were actually a slave’s, Fortune, whose owner had dissected his body and then drilled holes into the bones so he could reassemble them for learning purposes.

A Wreath for Emit Till, the story of a 14-year-old boy being lynched in 1955, was the last book Nelson read from; the entire book was one poem. Nelson recounted her own version of what may have happened to Emit Till and read the entire Heroic Crown of Sonnets. David Plumb, Associate Professor at BC North Campus, responded by writing his own poem as Nelson read hers aloud. “It reminded me of why I write and why history is important in a time when in our culture we don’t take time to reflect,” Plumb said about A Wreath for Emit Till.

Publishers send Nelson ideas about historical events and she responds to them; however, her favorite era to write about is the 19 century. Some of her awards include: the Anisfield-Wolf Award and the Poets’ Prize. She is a three-time National Book Award finalist. You can learn more about Marilyn Nelson at poets.org.

The last poetry reading in the series will take place on April 20, and will be the renowned Molly Peacock, which you can learn more about on mollypeacock.org. To join the mailing list of the Hannah Kahn Poetry Foundation sign-up at hannahkahn.org.

STUDENT ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTING AN OFFICER

By Philippe Buteau
Copy Editor

Barrington Deferrell, a Broward College (BC) student is in hot water with Pembroke Pines Police and possibly the college.

A student from the science lab went to the safety office and advised the safety-student worker that three individuals, Deferrell among them, were smoking what appeared to be marijuana according to the BC incident report.

Campus Safety Officers (CSO) Reinaldo Castillo said that they received the call around 2:37 p.m. on March 25. According to the incident report Castillo and CSO James Champagne responded to the complaint and after arriving to building 70 asked Deferrell to approach them. “We saw one of them puffing it up. When he saw us, he got up, walked away and started running,” said Castillo.

The incident report says that Champagne called Pembroke Pines Police Department Officer E. Guy for assistance. Castillo said the detail officer (Guy) told Deferrell to stop but he didn’t. “When you start running from us and you start running from the police, you’re running for a reason,” said Castillo.

In an interview following the incident Deferrell said that after seeing his counselor he smoked a Black & Mild cigar with some friends. He admits to leaving when Campus Safety approached him because he had to take a College Placement Test.

From the city’s complaint affidavit, Guy “observed the odor of burnt cannabis.” He made several, more than 10, verbal commands for Deferrell to stop but instead increased his speed.

As he walked up the staircase on the east side of building 70 he says he heard someone behind to tell him to stop and he replied “I don’t know you,” and the person punched him. He turned around and saw that it was a police officer and went on his knees and allowed himself to be handcuffed.

On the other side of the story, the affidavit says after reaching the stairs Deferrell “quickly turned around into an aggressive fighting stance.” Guy gained control of the situation and placed Deferrell in handcuffs. He was then transported to the Broward Sheriff’s Office. Deferrell’s offenses according to the affidavit were assault on a law enforcement officer (LEO) and obstruction- resisting officer without violence.

After being taken to the BSO Deferrell said that the report was changed when the officers noticed bruises he had on his hands from the week prior. “A homeboy and I got into a fight, that’s how I got the bruises. When they saw that, they changed the whole report from marijuana possession to assault on a LEO,” he said.

Because of Deferrell’s resistance, the other three individuals were able to get away, for the time being, scot-free. Castillo said that they did not know the names of the other two. He said that although they saw the faces of the other two they “just went after him [Deferrell] because he was the only one to walk away from the bench.”

“If he would’ve sat there and listened to us nothing would’ve happened,” Castillo said.

What will be the fate of Deferrell?

Lieutenant James Sutton of South Campus Safety said this is going to go to the office of the Dean of Student Affairs, Janice Stubbs.” They’re probably going to want to interview all parties involved and make a decision from there,” he said.

Stubbs said that because there is no evidence of Deferrell using a controlled substance she could only warn him with regard to the suspicion of drug use. “Regarding the resisting of a command from a law enforcement officer, I'm still waiting on the police report from the City of Pembroke Pines,” said Stubbs.

Deferrell is awaiting a trial.

DEBBIE OBILE WINS CENTRAL CAMPUS NEXT TOP MODEL

By Jillian Goltzman
Staff Writer

Fashion icon Coco Chanel once said “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street. Fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”

On March 31 true fashion was at Broward College as well! Five promising girls performed in front of a BC audience, two Miami Fashion class judges and Project Runway’s Jerell Scott for the title of Central’s Next Top Model at Central Campus outside of Bldg. 19.

The five finalists, Amanda Walker, Evena Seneque, Debbie Obile, Linda Cearc, and Danielle Brown didn’t just spring up out of thin air! The first Central’s Next Top Model competition took place on Feb 18. After the judges picked Richard Michel for the male top model they chose five of the twelve female models to move on to the finals. The competition included modeling, style and even acting challenges.

The outcome of over 50 BC students created uproar of cheers when Project Runway’s Jerell Scott emerged from the doors of Bldg. 19. After weeks of watching Jerell produced his wild and wonderful creations on the show, students who were fans showed their excitement.
Scott hosted the show and was as enthusiastic as to be giving his time. “It was a lot of fun! There was definitely a lot of energy. I think that anything that could bring the school together and unite people is amazing. I was glad to be a part of it,” he admitted.

When it came to the scoring the judges knew best! Returning Central’s Next Top Model judge from Model Incorporated International, Chris Phasion, and Model Incorporated International’s model Nia Burnett. Burnett claimed “We were just looking for a girl that had a great attitude, a girl that was confident and fashionable for the industry. We weren’t really looking for the height or weight, the industry has changed a lot. We were looking for a girl who over all has that ‘it factor.’”

The show opened with the contestants coordinated dance. During a brief intermission the crowd was entertained by the local band Lady Galaga. Lady Galaga, an edgy alternative band, consists of BC’s very own Aaron Harnamji and Evan Gothelf along with friend, Chris Sanchez.
Following Lady Galaga was BC student and rap artist Carl Fortune, further known by his stage name S3H. The contestants walked the runway and “vogued” for the cameras during Fortune’s appearance.

Not only must a model work the runway but they should work their style! The next challenge was the style challenge. The five contestants were given a hat to style an outfit around and model with. The hats ranged from trucker caps to tennis visors and each girl had a different style. Walker won the challenge for style. Walker was content with her prize and suggested to future contestants “If you really want to do it show that you really want to . . . just have fun with it!”

Finally the time came to announce the winner! The judges each discussed what the girls had to offer and what they lacked. Some lacked confidence while some lacked modesty. After consolidating, Scott spoke the final words that the audience wanted to hear. Central’s Next Top Model was Obile.

Obile won a digital camera and free modeling contract, photo shoot, and training with Model Incorporated International.

Obile, elated with her win, admitted “I love to work the runway.” She could not believe the outcome of the show. “This better not be an early April Fool’s joke!” she exclaimed.

Obile was not the only one who enjoyed the show. Obile’s friend and BC student Cassandra Desrameaux said “I think that from the beginning ‘til now it was a great outcome. There were different models, different sizes. It was beautiful and a great show. You didn’t just see the same type of girl . . . and that’s what made it good!”

Hissa Jean-Jacques, BC student admitted, “The show was great! I enjoyed it a lot.”

CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR FOR SOFTBALL TEAM

Lady Seahawks are in last place in one of the toughest conferences in Florida.

By Jonathan Vega
Contributing Writer

Coach Brian Staubly was pulling out his hair watching his team's performance on March 26 against a formidable Brevard softball team. In the first of the two games the major theme was errors and “major” is an understatement.

The Seahawks committed nine errors en route to a 10-2 blowout which cut the game an inning short. The game was close until the third inning when the Seahawks committed two errors to begin the inning, putting runners on second and third with nobody out when it could've been two outs with no one on base. The next batter doubled in the two runs and the rout was on.

Starting pitcher, Jillian Burdick, went five innings allowing nine runs but only four of which were earned. She did this sporting her brother's high school and college number, 19. He is currently serving his second tour in Iraq and Burdick said, “As soon as I got a chance to change my number I grabbed number 19 for him.” She also stressed the importance of defense for her team to come out and win the second game. She got a much deserved rest in the second game but still cheered wildly for her team.

One of the few bright spots, Megan Sewell, got on base every time she was at bat with three walks and scored one of the two runs for Broward. She commented after the game saying, “It felt really good getting on base so much, but it would've felt better if we would've won.” Coach Staubly also commented after the first game saying, “Our defense killed us. We made some mistakes on defense when they had no one on base and it just snowballed from there.”
Sami Christiansen also had a good game with two hits including an RBI double in the fourth inning.

The second game was nothing short of a pitcher's duel. Misty Huber, who sat out game one, came in and simply displayed dominance. She had three strikeouts in the second inning before allowing a slap shot to Brevard's lead-off hitter which fell between the Seahawks’ right and center fielder. The ball rolled to the wall allowing the speedy hitter to come all the way around for an inside-the-park home run. After that Huber went right back to dominating the other team, striking out four more batters for a total of seven in the game.

A costly error in the fifth inning with two outs allowed two more runs to score for Brevard and pretty much sealed the game. Brevard's starter threw a gem for the Lady Titans allowing only two hits in the entire game, and pitching a shutout. Broward came up just short by a score of 3-0 in the end.

Coach Staubly commented on the second game saying, “We played better defense and Misty pitched a great game.” Huber, who didn't even know she had seven strikeouts until she was told said, “We did a lot better, we made some errors which really shouldn't happen but I liked our defense in the second game.”

Currently the Lady Seahawks are last in one of the toughest conferences in the state; a conference of five teams, three of which are 10 ten in the state and two of which are top 10 in the country. Brevard is one of those teams. Staubly said that his team can compete with every one of those teams, but mental mistakes are the only things stopping them. The Seahawks will face Indian River next as they continue to vie for a playoff seed.

BENJY DAVIS, TWO THUMBS UP!

By Stephanie Brossard
Contributing Writer

Ever find yourself humming to a song playing throughout the speakers of a grocery store, but never figuring out the actual name of the band? This has become the perfect personification of the sound of The Benjy Davis Project (BDP).

Their memorable hits are very catchy still they are not well-liked. The group pitches their music somewhere between the outlet store friendly styles of Counting Crows and the mature pop/rock sound of Better than Ezra. The type of music you would more than likely hear through the speakers of your local Starbucks.

The Louisiana-based group unlike today’s music artists, stick to tradition. Their music maintains the customary southern-influenced style which they started off with since the debut of their first album “More Than Local.” The BDP have continued that habit throughout their other albums, presently in their recently released fourth album “Dust” the band uncommonly uses a variety of instruments ranging from banjos, mandolins and harmonicas.

Just as they utilize different instruments they also highlight their many sentiments. From the emotional stature of “The Rain” which interprets those hard days when an individual just wants to get away. To their heartfelt romantic hit “I Love You” which isn’t your typical love song, however, none of their songs have been ordinary. Their music portrays the true meaning of life, love and the attitudes of college kids growing up in today's society.

The Benjy Davis Project sound more or less like The Fray, not only because of their likable tunes, but also because that they too deliver somewhat of a hidden religious message. In songs like “Whose God” the bands catchy beat simply appears as a song about the world around us but in actuality reads between the lines of which God would want the malicious things of this world to be the way they are; though sadly unlike The Fray the BDP have not yet received any airplay on religious stations.

The group continues to advocate their proud, soulful, southern expression tradition of music that speaks to listeners everywhere. Giving a new sound to southern music the album “Dust” takes those customs to new height.

ADVENTURELAND, NOT YOUR AVERAGE TEEN SEX ROMP

By Cody McGowan

Staff Writer

Sometimes I feel as though I can’t throw a rock without hitting a teen comedy. An endless stream of hormonally-charged cinema constantly bombards the American public.

So it is pleasant to see a movie once in a while that rises above the empty-headed redundancy of the norm. “Adventureland,” Greg Mottola’s love letter to the freedom of youth on the verge of adulthood, represents a different kind of movie. It’s not a teen comedy, but rather a young adult comedy; one that captures an adolescent wistfulness with a maturity and poignancy that is not easily found in your average teen sex romp.

Centering on James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg), a recent college graduate looking for a summer job to help pay his way in graduate school, “Adventureland” tells the story of one summer’s effect on the lives of the employees of the titular location. Brennan makes new friends and falls in love, while at the same time coming to terms with getting older and taking responsibility for his life. Kristen Stewart, of Twilight fame, stars opposite Eisenberg as love-interest Em Lewin. As the summer progresses, Brennan and Lewin’s romance grows, and as they get closer potentially damaging secrets are revealed about Lewin’s past, and present.

“Adventureland” is, very simply put, Cameron Crowe’s “Say Anything…” for the post-“Napoleon Dynamite” set. It’s surprisingly sincere, despite its occasional forays into a modernist detachment. This serves as the weakest part of “Adventureland,” and more than once threatens to undermine an otherwise earnest and heartfelt movie. In fact, it’s so pervasive in the first twenty or so minutes that I almost lost interest completely. However, once the plot gets going it becomes quite obvious that this is a movie worth watching.

One of the more interesting traits of the movie is the relative lack of melodrama. It’s true that for all of its genuine sincerity “Adventureland” can be sappier than a Bob Seger song, but every character is well rounded and very human. Problems are addressed, but not all are resolved. There is enough reality to this picture to give it the weight of true honesty. Not every beginning has an end and not every end is happily ever after.

It’s this kind of open-endedness that saves the movie from being just another run of the mill coming of age flick.

There is an unwritten rule in American society that says college is the time to decide who you want to be for the rest of your life. “Adventureland” is a movie for those who have not yet decided who they are, and what defines them. It’s a movie for the people who have not yet caught up with life, who take on the world at their own pace, whether they chose to or not. It’s for the romantics who believe that you can be whatever you want to be when you grow up but who aren’t ready to grow up yet.

FAST & FURIOUS MOVIE REVIEW

By Cody McGowan

Staff Writer

It’s surprising to me how popular “The Fast and the Furious” franchise has become. I suppose it shouldn’t be, really. The recipe is basic enough: fast cars, big explosions, tight clothing over well-formed bodies. It seems too simple not to work. However, what it amounts to, despite its fairly standard make-up, is an original idea. Perhaps not the most original, but one without a built-in audience ready to support it. In a time when the few movies that gain a following are ones that are based on properties with origins outside the world of cinema, (I’m looking at you “The Dark Knight”) it’s refreshing to see something new and, however mildly, daring come to the big screen. The latest in the franchise, the unimaginatively named “Fast & Furious,” continues this tradition of illegal street-racing, rogue-copping, vigilante-justicing and brain-melting excitement.

Let me be very clear: this movie, objectively speaking, is not good. It is, in fact, a bad movie. The acting is subpar, the direction is questionable, and the writing is juvenile. Paul Walker and Vin Diesel reprise their roles as Brian O’Conner and Dominic Toretto, respectively.

In this installment, Toretto is out for blood against the people who wronged him, the very same gang of miscreants that the recently reinstated FBI agent O’Conner is investigating. Can you say coincidence? Beyond that, the plot gets murkier and murkier, but really, who needs it? Toward the beginning O’Conner resolutely declares to Toretto that “a lot has changed.” But you know what? It hasn’t. Not one bit in four movies. Cars go fast, cars crash, cars go fast then crash. That’s all that matters.

The sole merit of this movie is in its stunt work. Where it is common for modern movies to rely on computer generated images in lieu of old-fashioned stunts, “Fast & Furious” provides some of the most exciting car chases in recent memory, in particular the opening scene. This works both for and against the movie, as it easily grabs the attention of the viewer, but I couldn’t help but feel disappointed that not a single part of the movie could live up to its first ten minutes. The relative uniqueness of using stunt-people instead of computer animation gives “Fast & Furious” enough credibility to warrant at least a glance.

There’s not much to say, in the end, about “Fast &Furious.” It’s simple, sometimes painfully so. It’s not great cinema. It’s not even a great action movie. It is, nevertheless, a genuine action movie, something that is fading from the public view. “Fast &Furious” is a movie that, setting aside its flaws (and there are many), values humanity over technology. It’s a rarity in the megaplex and one that should be appreciated for its commitment to that ideal. So crank up the Don Omar, buy American, and allow “Fast &Furious” to Tokyo drift its way into your heart.

"ANNA IN THE TROPICS" TRANSPORTS ITS AUDIENCE TO THE 1920s

By Cheryl A. Post
Contributing Writer

The Broward College Fine Arts Theatre presented Nilo Cruz’s Pulitzer Prize winning play “Anna in the Tropics” from March 19-28 at Central Campus directed by Mariah R. Johnson.

Set in the 1920s in the area of Ybor City, Fla. (a city founded by Vicente Martinez-Ybor in the late 1800s as a cigar manufacturing center) the play centers around a Cuban-American family and their business of hand rolling cigars while the country is on the verge of a major depression.

Johnson (director) added in the playbill that “Political and Economic forces created a sense of unease in Americans, but possibly more was felt by the community of refugees who came to Florida seeking to preserve a way of life and culture of tradition.” She went on to add that, “In this play the old ways are being challenged by an increasingly industrialized and mechanized society, not unlike today’s struggle between the analog and digitized manner in which we work, play and communicate with one another.”

The supporting cast, upon much research, depicted “Anna in the Tropics” in a very real and genuinely believable way and included (in order of appearance): Eliades (Anderson Freitas); Santiago (Jonathan Varillas); head of the family business, husband to Ofelia and father to Conchita and Marela, Cheche (Michael Rodney); the boisterous half brother who helps with the business Ofelia (Lillian Franky); wife to Santiago and matriarch of the family, Conchita (Natalia Sanchez); the eldest daughter, Marela (Sophie Snyder); the youngest daughter and Juan Julian (Issam Villamil) the much anticipated lector. Other cast members included 4 travelers that included: Peppino (Andres Maldonado); Palomo (Juan David Botero); Manola (Elisa Welch) and Pascual Torino (Yamil Jaman).

The play begins with Ofelia, Cochita and Marela anticipating the arrival of Juan Julian (the lector) by ship and the gambling of Santiago and Cheche.
From the beginning of the play the cast used all their abilities and put their hearts into the portrayal of their characters. Love, lust, betrayal, infidelity, loyalty, dedication and humor are all elements of the everyday happenings in and around the cigar factory. Juan Julian begins his first lecture with the reading of Tolstoy’s novel, “Anna Karenina” and this great work of literature educates and forever transforms those who listen.

Their lives come undone at the seams as Santiago begins to neglect the business, indebted to Cheche because of gambling, as well as spending too much time with the bottle and with Ofelia forced to take his place, she bears the burden of running the business and “keeping her girls’ feet on the ground.”

This is not an easy task as Conchita falls for the lector, who doesn’t value machines and says, “The words he reads are like a breeze that breaks the monotony of the factory,” and the passion rises. As her husband becomes aware of the affair the he contemplates the words read by the lector and seeks to win back the heart of his wife.

Marela dreams of going to Russia and the affect the book has on her is evident in the power of her words as she speaks. Her dreams are brought to an end when she is attacked by Cheche whose thoughts turn to his dead wife on a daily basis because of the words from the novel. Now it seems that she is alone and lost in a world of sadness because of being unable to reveal what happened.

After all is said and done the family pulls together and human communication on their part is at the forefront. Towards the end of the second and final act, the family is decorating for a celebration, one that Santiago (who is back in control of himself and the family business) says “will last all day long – that of gypsies and bohemian!”

The celebration is the introduction of a new cigar, “Anna Karenina” and Marela is chosen by her father to be on the label. All in attendance sample the new cigar and sing its praises, but a surprise twist happens when Cheche kills Juan Julian (the lector) in cold blood during the celebration. Though they are devastated, they continue the reading of the novel as a sort of memoriam and life continues.

The cast as a whole were very in tune with their characters and gave strong performances, but it was the part of Ofelia (Sanchez) that I walked away the most impressed by. She made me think, feel and laugh, and there was a moment in the play when Santiago says to Ofelia, “I try to take inventory of what I have done wrong, every time I lose. I feel as if something has been taken away from me.” As he looks into her eyes, Ofelia replies, “If you had lost me, I would not be here. If you had lost me, I would not be by your side.”

Perhaps Marela sums it up best when she says in Act 2, “We work hard enough. We deserve all that life offers us, and life is made of little moments, little moments as small as violet petals. Little moments I could save in a jar and keep forever, like now….”

RELAY FOR LIFE COMES TO BROWARD COLLEGE

By Vanessa Chang
Staff Writer

There was heavy cloud cover for a large part of the day on March 27 but that couldn’t keep the American Cancer Society from encoring Relay for Life at South Campus this year.

The Opening Ceremony began at 2 p.m. and it would set the tone for the upcoming 18 hours of reflections, unity and community service that would take place.

The relay was setup on the out skirts of the lake located directly in front of the campus. Surrounding its perimeter were individual luminarias (which were filled with sand and lit during the ceremony) that represented those who have lost the battle to cancer, those still fighting and those who have survived.

This year a there was a twist that would create a special ambience on the lake; a floating message that would light up when the Luminaria Ceremony would begin. The message was the word “hope.”

Teresa Justice, Dean of Academic Resources and Instructional Technology on South Campus said, “American Cancer Society approached me about having a relay.”

Why South Campus? From what Justice could recall, when the representatives from the American Cancer Society saw the lake they thought it would be a great venue. “I agreed,” said Justice.

As the afternoon set sail, students from North, South, Central and Downtown campuses all came together to participate and support their teams.

Alpha Delta Rho held games in the afternoon for the children that came out to support with their parents. Susan Wong, an Alpha Delta Rho member said, “Great event, so many involved.”
In addition to raising over $390, Alpha Delta Rho also decorated the luncheon that was held in the Breeze Way Café for the cancer survivors and their care takers.

Many other school organizations were involved such as Student Life, The American West Indies Club, Student Government Association and Phi Theta Kappa.

Jonathan Stern, a returning student to Broward College said, “I wished for a better turnout.” Yet, overall he said he was there for support and the experience.

Unfortunately, the time was limited this year to have dedicated planning admitted Cindy Denkhoff, a 12 year active Relay for Life supporter/event organizer and Senior Executive Assistant of Information Technology. She said that due to changes being made at the college, only about a month’s time was allotted for planning and organizing.

Samuel Feliciano a current student at South Campus knew exactly why he was there. “I’m here to promote cancer awareness,” he said.

DJ Gary Allen, who voluntarily offered his time after the DJ who was first booked was unable to attend, kept the sound going from 2 to 10 p.m.

There was even a live performance by Community Coalition, a choir group who brought Relay for Life a spiritual brand of entertainment.

While some students mingled and enjoyed the entertainment, others were on a mission to fulfill the true meaning of the Relay and to execute their18 hours of awareness. Cancer never sleeps and as it got later into the night the volunteers kept on relaying.

At midnight a movie screen was placed near the lake and the volunteers enjoyed a movie underneath the stars.

As for the fundraising, well that has just begun. Last year the college raised about $12,000 and this year it is hoping to raise more.

If you are interested in donating, please go to http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR?pg=entry&fr_id=13262 and choose which team you would like to make a donation towards.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES STUDENT FORUM AT NORTH CAMPUS

By Amy Snitehurst
North Bureau Chief

On Tuesday, March 31, the District Board of Trustees formed a panel at North Campus. The Student Government Association (SGA) presented what they hoped to change in the coming year, and what they were pleased had already been improved.

Then the floor was opened up to the students that attended, and they wrote down their concerns for James Evans, Associate Dean of Student Affairs on North Campus, who presented them to President J. David Armstrong Jr. It lasted for about an hour, and the meeting room was completely packed with students and faculty.

The president revealed at the meeting that there is an increase in financial aid and work study money for Broward College (BC), due to the “Finish What You Start” campaign. Also the North Campus update is that they will be using solar paneling to save on electricity, although there was no target date specified as to when they will be up and running.

A student friendly online education plan modification was proposed by SGA, similar to the one used at Valencia Community College in Orlando. Other issues included more intern/mentorship opportunities, pave the parking lot by Building 60, open computer lab until 1 a.m., greater variety of session 2 and 4 courses, and healthy affordable food in the cafeteria.

When it was opened to the other students, their concerns were about football, vacation plan, tuition, and healthy cafeteria food also. Armstrong said that state law would have to change in order for BC to have a football team, and that it is too costly a sport. The vacation plan was unlike other Broward County schools and colleges, because the faculty felt that it was best for student learning. He seemed to indicate that the tuition was only being raised for Bachelor’s Degrees, which would still be cheaper than other Florida institutions. Last was the cafeteria issue, the president felt that the students should get together with the workers and devise a new menu.

The 2009 Student Open Forum concluded with student government presenting Armstrong with a shirt and a plaque. There were issues presented and answers given, it was very organized and hopefully just as productive.

ALL IS FAIR WHEN PARKING AT CENTRAL CAMPUS

By Cheryl A. Post
Contributing Writer

Parking at Central Campus has become not only a chore since the ongoing construction of the new parking garage, but to some it is a worry and hassle.

It is very common to see anywhere from forty to fifty cars and trucks roaming the campus on any given morning trying to find a space to park so that they can get to class on time. You must arrive by at least 8 - 9 a.m. Monday through Thursday in order to find a space that you and Campus Safety are comfortable with. What I mean by this is getting a space that ensures that no parking ticket will be issued.

On the other hand you can drive around the campus beginning at Florida Atlantic University going on through the construction zone facing College Avenue, the south side, and continue on around to what I would say is the “hottest spot” that one has the potential of receiving a ticket, building 19 where Admissions, Financial Aid, Campus Safety, the Bookstore, the Cafeteria and Student Life (with the student lounge) are housed. Hundreds of vehicles are parked on the lawn, in fire lanes, and in NO PARKING zones.

However, not all of these students receive tickets, so it makes me wonder, what exactly is the procedure for issuing a ticket and why are there so many empty faculty spots? On more than one occasion I have driven around counting the empty spots so desperately needed by the faculty and these numbers ranged anywhere from 22 to 47, and this was only when I myself was desperate for a spot.

In February I received a ticket for parking on the lawn (in the “hot spot”), in front of building 19 and for not having a parking decal showing. I must explain that I had been in this spot since 8:15 a.m. (not the only student parked on the lawn at that time) and did not receive the ticket until after I was out of my Math class that ended at 7:45 p.m. Time on the ticket was 1900 hours, are we in the military? I also had a legal parking decal hanging on my rearview mirror that may have been shaded a bit by the tint at the top of my window, but nevertheless, was displayed.

I feel that campus security or the campus patrolman was so preoccupied by the fact that I was on the lawn (safe and secure), that they failed to see the decal. There arises another question, “What parts of the campus are you allowed to park on while this construction is underway?” Why should only certain areas of the campus be penalized while others park where ever they please?

I could certainly understand my getting a ticket had I arrived on campus after say, lunch or dinner and did not take the opportunity to park in the bumpy cow pasture in the southeast corner near Davie Road, but I was there with all the early birds. Let me add that had campus safety checked my plates they would have found that my Kia Sportage, registered with the college, was not in fact gray, but blue; must have been the poor lighting.

I did return to campus safety and inquire about my ticket explaining the situation fully and they kindly cancelled the ticket, but said that this one, being the second (the first one I got was for backing into a parking space before I knew that was against the rules) would be the last one that they would be able to wipe from my now clean slate. I left the building feeling free, but still question the parking policies and if there really are any during the madness and mayhem of the wonderful new parking garage that, as rumor has it, will still not solve all of the parking issues and difficulties.

On a final note, why not throw in a few more thousand dollars to level the cow pasture and have it paved. I’m sure that there wouldn’t be any flooding because all the water settles just before you get there and off of College Avenue.