By Fred Snyder
Contributing Writer
May 3, 1946 and Dec. 5, 2008. These two dates are more than 60 years apart, but what happened on these days can be seen as a measurement for how far we have come as a nation.
The first date marks the beginning of the The International Military Tribunal for the Far East, or as its more commonly referred to: The Tokyo Trials. These trials were led by the U.S. and a coalition of other countries that fought in World War II. Their goal was to put Japanese military officials and civilians that where suspected of authorizing , engaging in, or promoting war crimes against enemy prisoners of war and civilians on trial.
By the time the trials ended on Nov. 12, 1948, there were seven people sentenced to death and 16 sentenced to life in prison. Of those seven sentenced to death, five were found guilty of Count 54, which was for those thought to have ordered, authorized and permitted “inhumane treatment of prisoners of war (POWs) and others.” This makes what happened on Dec. 5, 2008 so historical and so disturbing.
On Dec. 5, 2008, ABC news anchor Jonathan Karl conducted an interview with former Vice President Dick Cheney. Cheney has done hundreds of interviews throughout his political career but what made this sit-down so special was that it gave a new title to the former Vice President; he was now an admitted war criminal. The question asked was, “Did you authorize the tactics that were used against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed?” The answer was “I was aware of the program, certainly, and involved in helping get the process cleared… and I supported it.” This program included the use of waterboarding on detainees at Guantanamo Bay. A 2005 Justice Department legal memorandum states that waterboarding was used 83 times on Abu Zubaydah and a total of 183 times against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.
This was not because of “a few bad apples” like in the case of abuse in Abu Ghraib, this time the torture was approved and promoted by Vice President Cheney. Waterboarding is performed by strapping a prisoner to a flat surface and pouring water into their nose and mouth to simulate death by drowning. It is obvious that this is a form of torture and that is why waterboarding was one of the “inhumane treatment(s)” listed under Count 54 in the Tokyo Trials, and it is to this day seen by every organization as a form of torture. Waterboarding is illegal and goes against both the War Crimes Act and the Detainees Treatment Act, and as it was over 60 years ago, the punishment, if found guilty, is death.
This admission by any elected official, let alone the second most powerful person in the country, is an offense that should have Americans taking to the streets and Cheney sitting in a defendant’s chair. But sadly this isn’t the case. It has been more than nine months since Cheney’s admission on national television but there has yet to be any strong outcry from the public or our elected officials.
We talk about how much we need change, but in a democracy, you can’t just say you want something then sit back and wait, you need to take action. Gandhi put it best when he said, “The spirit of democracy is not a mechanical thing to be adjusted by abolition of forms. It requires change of heart.”
We have a new administration but we also need to have a new mindset. The way to prove to ourselves, to our government, and to the world that we have changed is to punish the people of the last administration that showed blatant disregard for laws and human life. We must start with former Vice President Cheney because we have the evidence and we have an admission.
I am like the rest of the rational thinking members of this country in that I want to move forward and far away from the eight years of abysmal Bush administration memories. But we all need to have some closure. Americans and the rest of the world know that what the Bush Administration did (wire taps, outing CIA officials, starting wars on false information) were all morally wrong and in the case of former Vice President Cheney authorizing torture tactics, downright illegal. The ace that Cheney holds is the sad but true belief that Americans simply don’t care. This may have been true before but the time has come to change this way of thinking. Cheney is not any more powerful than you or I because he gets his power is from the people. This is the double-edged sword that is democracy. We get to have officials that we elect, but we also have to hold ourselves responsible for their actions. By silently observing criminal actions that take place on a national and global level, we are also be to blame.
One of the things that Cheney said is that when he looks back on all the things he has caused in the last two terms, he has no regrets. Well, Former Vice President/War Criminal Cheney, I wish the American people could say the same thing. What we can do is make our voices heard and our power felt. We must make it known that we won’t accept anything less than to see Cheney punished for the war crimes that he committed, and admitted to.
The Bush Administration supporters are always saying that “history will judge the Bush Administration,” but this escapist ideology cannot be accepted anymore. We cannot wait, we need to take action now and make Cheney stand trial. We cannot forget that we have the power to make Cheney pay for what he has done to this country, the American people and the world.
Lets get something done.
Visit myflorida.com and write an e-mail to the Office of Attorney General or Supreme Court of the United States.
Monday, October 19, 2009
The best way to "zone out" when traveling
By Brandon Audain
Columnist
Let’s get one thing straight, riding the bus is no fun. I do believe the very first time I rode the bus was the second day of school, in kindergarten.
On my first day of school I was taken by my mother, so I was pretty disappointed to have to ride the giant yellow bus to school.
Between the ages of five and 19, everywhere I went by myself, was on the bus, whether it be the city bus or the school bus. When I was 19, I received my current car, and I haven’t touched the bus since, and with good reason.
When I think about the bus, not many positives come to mind, but the negatives sure do stand out.
You know, like the smell, the noise factor, not being able to sit down, being late and actually missing the bus… there are too many to name.
However, as with all setbacks, one must find a way to cope with their situation, and I did just that.
In sixth grade, my bus experience completely changed when I got my first CD player. It was then that I learned the power of music, and how it seemed to change many situations. With those headphones covering my ears, the minor incontinences of the bus no longer seemed to matter, because frankly, I no longer noticed them. With my music taking control of my attention, riding the bus was no longer a pain.
As I would soon find out, there is different music for different situations. There’s music to drive to, music to sing to, relaxing music, etc.
There is also music that takes you away from your current position and places you in another; something I call “zone out” music. “Zone out” music is perfect for the bus for that very reason.
One example of such music is the first album by Kelis, “Kaleidoscope.”
The music on this record is so organic, so out-there, and so funky, that it’s almost perfect for long rides on the bus. The lyrics may not captivate you, but the production surely will. Released in 1999, acclaimed producers, The Neptunes, show no mercy on the production forefront. 13 of the 14 songs on the record are just about incredible and will take your mind for a spin.
I cannot recommend this album enough for the young adult sitting on the bus in frustration. “Kaleidoscope” is a journey that everyone should take.
My next example is from the rap group Mobb Deep, and their second album, “The Infamous.”
With its top-notch production and stellar lyrics, this could, once again, be the perfect album for this situation. The lyrics on this album are so unbelievable, they almost force the listener to imagine and visualize what’s being said.
You seriously will not believe the stuff being said on this album, which is far too gangster to be printed in this publication, but when you listen to songs like “Temperature’s Rising,” and “Trife Life,” you will fully understand where I’m coming from.
Once you start mentally seeing the lyrics, you will quickly be hooked by the production (which I would argue is the second best on any rap album, ever), and will have hopefully “zoned out.”
My final suggestion for this “zone out” time is from rapper Raekwon, and his debut classic, “Only Built for Cuban Linx…”
This album is basically a movie in CD form as it starts with two men, Ghostface and Raekwon, talking about how they would rather sell drugs for the rest of their lives and ends with one man’s revelation about life. This is by far, the greatest rap album ever produced and the easiest album to “zone out” to, and it should hook you on the first listen.
Similar to “The Infamous,” this album will have your mind visualizing images of the gritty New York streets, while trapping you with the production. It’s indeed a formula for success.
Before I learned the power of music, when I was riding the bus, the only place I wanted to be was “anywhere but here.” Music effectively allowed me to travel to different times and places at a very low cost.
Only through music can I travel back in time to 1995 to take my mind off of the present.
I want you to learn of this power as well, and if you already have it, pass it on.
Everybody on the bus is super miserable as it is; the least we can do is help.
Columnist
Let’s get one thing straight, riding the bus is no fun. I do believe the very first time I rode the bus was the second day of school, in kindergarten.
On my first day of school I was taken by my mother, so I was pretty disappointed to have to ride the giant yellow bus to school.
Between the ages of five and 19, everywhere I went by myself, was on the bus, whether it be the city bus or the school bus. When I was 19, I received my current car, and I haven’t touched the bus since, and with good reason.
When I think about the bus, not many positives come to mind, but the negatives sure do stand out.
You know, like the smell, the noise factor, not being able to sit down, being late and actually missing the bus… there are too many to name.
However, as with all setbacks, one must find a way to cope with their situation, and I did just that.
In sixth grade, my bus experience completely changed when I got my first CD player. It was then that I learned the power of music, and how it seemed to change many situations. With those headphones covering my ears, the minor incontinences of the bus no longer seemed to matter, because frankly, I no longer noticed them. With my music taking control of my attention, riding the bus was no longer a pain.
As I would soon find out, there is different music for different situations. There’s music to drive to, music to sing to, relaxing music, etc.
There is also music that takes you away from your current position and places you in another; something I call “zone out” music. “Zone out” music is perfect for the bus for that very reason.
One example of such music is the first album by Kelis, “Kaleidoscope.”
The music on this record is so organic, so out-there, and so funky, that it’s almost perfect for long rides on the bus. The lyrics may not captivate you, but the production surely will. Released in 1999, acclaimed producers, The Neptunes, show no mercy on the production forefront. 13 of the 14 songs on the record are just about incredible and will take your mind for a spin.
I cannot recommend this album enough for the young adult sitting on the bus in frustration. “Kaleidoscope” is a journey that everyone should take.
My next example is from the rap group Mobb Deep, and their second album, “The Infamous.”
With its top-notch production and stellar lyrics, this could, once again, be the perfect album for this situation. The lyrics on this album are so unbelievable, they almost force the listener to imagine and visualize what’s being said.
You seriously will not believe the stuff being said on this album, which is far too gangster to be printed in this publication, but when you listen to songs like “Temperature’s Rising,” and “Trife Life,” you will fully understand where I’m coming from.
Once you start mentally seeing the lyrics, you will quickly be hooked by the production (which I would argue is the second best on any rap album, ever), and will have hopefully “zoned out.”
My final suggestion for this “zone out” time is from rapper Raekwon, and his debut classic, “Only Built for Cuban Linx…”
This album is basically a movie in CD form as it starts with two men, Ghostface and Raekwon, talking about how they would rather sell drugs for the rest of their lives and ends with one man’s revelation about life. This is by far, the greatest rap album ever produced and the easiest album to “zone out” to, and it should hook you on the first listen.
Similar to “The Infamous,” this album will have your mind visualizing images of the gritty New York streets, while trapping you with the production. It’s indeed a formula for success.
Before I learned the power of music, when I was riding the bus, the only place I wanted to be was “anywhere but here.” Music effectively allowed me to travel to different times and places at a very low cost.
Only through music can I travel back in time to 1995 to take my mind off of the present.
I want you to learn of this power as well, and if you already have it, pass it on.
Everybody on the bus is super miserable as it is; the least we can do is help.
Tigertales
By Sheri Wieseman
Hanging out in the cafeteria and walking around the mall are no longer the only places for Broward College students to spend their time. Wouldn’t it be nice to go kayaking and windsurfing between calculus and biology? Seems like a comical idea, huh? What if these activities were free for BC students? Now they are.
Tigertail is the place for students to go to fulfill their water sports need. Everything from canoeing to rope climbing is offered and all activities are free for BC students. If students are looking for more intense learning sessions, they can choose to take part in a course. These courses are all one elective credit hour classes and are open to all levels.
The scuba course was designed in the early 2000’s and has grown to become an eight-week class. Students learn the fundamentals of scuba diving, such as snorkeling and safe diving. The class, which meets once a week, spends half their time in the classroom learning from ‘how-to’ videos, and half the time in the water. Divers can become certified with a Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) Open-Water Certificate by the end of the course. The length of the course is scheduled so that the four-hour class time is “just perfect... enough that you stay interested,” said Jon Groover, Senior Water Sports Coordinator.
The idea that Tigertail should have a scuba program was inspired by the lake’s rolling topography. World Water Sports is adjacent to Tigertail’s location and they help the program by lending out gear. Groover also thought up the idea to rent out the lake to other instructors in the area. This helps bring in more revenue to invest in the programs offered. Tigertail was able to acquire 15 sets of scuba gear and a compressor for the oxygen tanks with this money. Learning to scuba dive is an amazing opportunity.
“You become the anemone of the ocean,” said Groover.
Besides teaching open-water diving, the program offers confined water dives. This means learning skills in the safety of a pool. The pool is built into the lake inside of the existing dock. It has an eclosed shallow end that is 4 feet deep and the deep end of the pool is 10 feet deep. The lake also has a $100,000 dock.
Other activities and courses available are kayaking, sailing and windsurfing. There are also a multitude of other skill-based classes, such as underwater photography, basic lifesaving and a technical series of classes helpful to firefighters. Many courses are certified by PADI. Tigertail is an ideal learning location because it has its own private lake and the students are “not going to run into million dollar yachts,” said Groover.
The ropes course is another popular amenity for visitors. A group of at least 10 people can have an adventure-filled day working as a team for a common goal. Tigertail hosts many corporate events, which lets employees get out of the office. They work on their “interaction with each other, weaknesses and needs and get comfortable talking to each other,” said Groover. Once a month there is an Open Challenge Day for everyone to participate, and admission is free for BC students.
Another attribute of Tigertail is the adventure trips which last anywhere from day trips to five day getaway trips. The scuba trip costs $200, which includes food, lodging and boat trips. Anyone is welcomed on the trips, though participation in at least one course is suggested. The only test required is a swim test. There is also a surfing trip during the summer and Spring Break trips are also popular. Lake Placid, the Keys and Ocala National Forest are popular spots.
Michaela McGuire, a sailing and windsurfing teaching assistant, says her favorite aspect of Tigertail is “the multitude of different people... many different cultures,” She says the adventure trips are one of the greatest features of Tigertail. During the canoe trips to Blue Springs, it is not too uncommon to spot manatees. Students can “see all kinds of wildlife,” said McGuire. Tigertail “wants everyone to have fun and put a smile on their faces,” added McGuire.
Lensey Knox, 18, just started participating in the water sports courses. “Everyone should try it,” said Knox, “It’s different, something new.” Deanna Wall, 23, trained in lifeguarding at Tigertail and loves the adventure trips to the Keys. Once students start coming to Tigertail, they end up “being here everyday,” said Wall. “We are one big happy family.”
Tigertail is an alternative way to spend your day off and a way to learn new skills in water sports. Come on your next day off to dive to the lowest depth and discover a statue of Poseidon, or try your hand at rope climbing. Groover says Tigertail is “your facility, feel free to use it.”
For more information, students can visit the Tigertail website at www.broward.edu/watersports/ or call (954) 201-4500.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
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.
Friday, April 10, 2009
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
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
· 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
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