Adding Latin Spice to the annual Chili Cook-off

By Vanessa Chang
Central Bureau Chief

What could be spicier than a Chili Cook-off? The ingredients can be found in a tablespoon of salsa, tunes and a buffet of authentic Spanish cuisine to complement bowls of chili stirred with a healthy serving of competition.
On Oct. 6 students gathered on Central Campus to appease the appetite of not only their hunger but fun at the merging of Broward College’s Chili Cook-off and Hispanic Heritage Festival. The cook-off took place in the courtyard and was followed by a Latin dance competition.
Omoy Watson, Programming Coordinator of Student Life and the Student Programming Association (S.P.A.D.E.S.) said, “Our Chili Cook-off is usually a separate event, and we usually do a country theme. This year we wanted to incorporate both of them and make it an event bigger and better.”
Student Life and S.P.A.D.E.S. were out early prepping the courtyard area behind Building 19 with tables, decorations, coolers with soda and getting a stage together.
Around noon, the Chili Cook-off began to boil, and students noticed the free food.
Live music was provided by The Javier Mendoza Band on a center stage directly across from the chili contestants.
The judges critiquing the chili were two student government officers and one S.P.A.D.E.S member.
There were 12 teams; each team involved represented a student club, organization or faculty.
Last year’s winning team, Team Showtime, was confident about their homemade chili, said team captain Johnny Burgess. “Special people make special chili,” shouted Team Showtime member Arturio McCrea.
Even though chili is a dish that is often associated with ingredients like ground beef, tons of beans and spicy secrets; it would not be enough to sway the judge’s taste buds.
After approximately an hour of debating, the judges grabbed the microphone to pronounce Phi Theta Kappa’s team, Save the Beef, Eat the Turkey, the winner.
Team captain Cara Malave said, “I was up until midnight making the chili.” Malave turned to her Puerto Rican roots to spice up the chili with traditional Hispanic ingredients like sofrito.
Team Save the Beef, Eat the Turkey, won a $200 voucher in sponsor money and a trophy. Second place went to the Phi Beta Lambda and third place went to the Dean’s Office.
After announcing the winners, there was a smooth transition from the Chili Cook-off to the Hispanic Festival.
Free yellow rice, tostones platanos, maduros platanos, pastries and Spanish sodas were available. The line that formed measured the length of the courtyard, about 60 students.
Many of the female members from S.P.A.D.E.S. were dressed in festive red dresses, while the male members were dressed in sombreros and colorful ponchos.
After the winners of the cook-off were announced, 10 students paired off for the Latin dance competition.
As the heat reached its peak, the dancing began and after the first elimination, a huge crowd of students formed to watch the remaining four pairs dance in the next round.
From this point the judges would eliminate two pairs, scoring based on chemistry, energy and variety of movement. The final round had two couples dance to the same song for first place.
William Cubas, President of the Salsa Club, and Bernadette Orellana, member of the Salsa Club, won a trophy and a Phillips portable DVD player. All participants won movie vouchers.
“I feel we devote the same importance to all of our cultural events,” said Watson.
Student Life and S.P.A.D.E.S. put a lot of effort into making sure the events are executed to their full potential. They begin planning fall events in the summer, ensuring the success of each activity. Martin Fitzgerald, S.P.A.D.E.S. member since 2007, explained his thoughts about what it takes to make an event like the Chili Cook-off a reality: “A lot of team work, organization and communication.”
Watson said the event went well and felt the big turnout was proof of its success.

Shhh! Don't ask, Don't tell events held at Central Campus

By Farrah Fleitman
Staff Writer

This past year President Barack Obama proposed the plan to repeal the “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. Meanwhile hundreds of miles away from the White House, this past semester Broward College’s Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) managed to upstage the president by creating the “Do ask, do tell” policy!
Homosexual students and supporters of equality assembled on Central Campus on Oct. 8 for the “Do Ask, Do Tell” informational session, which not only raised awareness and answered questions, but also provided a warm, welcoming and judgment-free environment for students to share their experiences.
For Andrew Dutka, Archives Librarian and GSA Advisor, it was “a personal goal to host a college-wide event celebrating and recognizing National Coming Out Day,” which was Oct. 11, and hopes to “use this as a building block to have more events coming up next year.”
A panel was assembled consisting of student members Andrew C. Frosch and Amy Miller, Charles Miller, Transportation Coordinator for the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, and Jim Gigliello, local LGBT Rights Activist, who is in the process of publishing a comprehensive book on the history of the movement’s pioneers, such as Harvey Milk.
Panel members addressed such questions as, “Is the media supporting the gay community or portraying them in a negative light?” For instance, movies and television shows can give an incorrect or exaggerated idea of what being gay really is.
“I don’t want to offend anybody who likes “Will & Grace,” but growing up watching that I thought, ‘Wow, I don’t feel the way they do,’” said Frosch.
The forum also discussed how to deal with offensive and derogatory terms based on one’s sexual preference.
“Instead of [opting for] resentment and futile loathing, I’ve chosen to see those people [who are offensive] as an opportunity for growth,” said Frosch.
There was a general sentiment of unity at the event and had a powerful force driving people to push for equality. During the discussion, a student in the audience commented, “It’s up to us to change those stereotypes.”
Also mentioned was the example set by Rosa Parks, and how one valiant effort led to countless accomplishments for the Civil Rights Movement.
It was said that the gay community should follow in those footsteps and continue working to change oppressive legislature.
Students are taking a proactive approach toward their rights and there will be a video, based on the ideas of what love is, submitted to Congress by the GSA in hopes of changing preconceived notions.
Students shared their own coming out stories, and how some found acceptance from their family members to be difficult.
Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) is an organization which provides support for those going through a complicated time.
The question of identity was also brought up. “It’s a part of me but it’s not who I am,” said panelist Amy Miller. This was argued by Gigliello, who stated, “it IS who I am, I want everyone to know.” There are divisions within the community regarding ideas and lifestyle choices, but this is also interpreted as freedom of expression.
“Do Ask, Do Tell” succeeded in providing answers and a comfortable environment in which to discuss them. “I’m very grateful for the GSA to put this event together...I’m thrilled,” said Dutka.
A great deal of work was put into it by GSA members including Vice President Rodrigo Labbe, who moderated the questions. “I was amazed by the turnout,” said Labbe. “I feel like I’m definitely doing this for the right reasons.”
Despite the hardships faced by the community, they continue to press forward in togetherness.
“We’re a big family... We come from different places and we’re different colors but we’re all a family,” said Gigliello. “It’s okay to be different. The difference is what makes the rainbow.”
Interested in joining the Gay Straight Alliance? Meetings are held every other Thursday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Central Park Cafe on Central Campus. For more information, e-mail Andrew Dutka at adutka@broward.edu.

Fit4Life: New club to help students stay fit at South Campus

By Jessica Poitevien
Staff Writer

With obesity and weight-related diseases reaching near epidemic levels in the United States, three Broward College students have taken a stand and created a new club, Fit4Life, which is designed to help its members improve their overall health.
It all started last year when Fit4Life advisor, Denise Brown, began discussing the importance of health and fitness with Melanie Tuitt, the president of Fit4Life. They both agreed that something needed to be done to help students become healthier.
“It was an idea that our advisor, Denise Brown, had and little by little it grew to what we have now with club officers and a few members,” Tuitt said.
The road to where Fit4Life currently stands was a hectic one according to Tuitt. Since last year Tuitt and Brown have been working to get students interested in this club, which would act as a support group to help people meet their health goals.
After a health and fitness workshop hosted by the Success Center prompted Fit4Life vice president, Marie Domond and secretary, Adriana Brito, to get involved, this new team of four began by promoting their group at Club Rush on South Campus.
With 27 new members joining Fit4Life, Tuitt said she considers Club Rush a success and gives some credit to their healthy snacks, which attracted people to their table.
“We were the only ones with food,” Tuitt said. “It got people talking and coming up to us.”
Everything is set for their first official meeting on Oct. 7 and the Fit4Life officers have several goals for the club and its members.
Brito said she realizes many people will join the club to improve their appearance, but she hopes they will aspire for more.
“It’s not always about having a good body and looking good, it’s about being healthy,” Brito said.
Brito once struggled with her weight and high blood pressure. She wants to use her experiences to help others take control of their health.
“If you have bad health, you need to tell yourself, ‘Stop.’ You need to think what are you doing right or wrong,” she said.
Domond wants members to learn about the importance of overall health, including nutrition and regular checkups with the doctor. She also envisions the club spreading statewide.
“I hope it goes to other colleges, so it can become a trend,” she said. “We all look for fitness. We all look to be healthy and look good,” she said.
In order to reach these goals, the officers are planning to meet at 1:30 p.m. in the gym on the first and third Wednesday of every month.
According to Tuitt, each meeting will be different. Some will have guest speakers who will discuss several health issues that students face, while other meetings will include group exercise.
“If it’s just 30 minutes a day of exercise or 2 hours for the week it makes a huge difference,” Tuitt said.
Overall, Tuitt wants people to realize that it is possible to lead a healthy life. “You can have a balanced lifestyle,” she said. “You don’t have to be in the gym every day.”

New Seahawks welcomed at Freshmen Frenzy

By Matthew Porche
Contributing Writer

Young, eager faces crowded into Broward College’s South Campus Gymnasium to attend the Freshmen Frenzy event on Oct. 3. The event was organized and put together by Rose Ortega, Director of Student Life and Development on South Campus, with the help of student advisor Dr. Matthew Pace, English professor Dr. Patrick Ellingham, Student Government (SGA), Student Programming Board, and Gay Straight Alliance (GSA).
Booths were set up around the gymnasium giving freshmen detailed descriptions about the numerous clubs and organizations available at BC. These clubs included Student Government, the Student Programming Board, the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society, GSA, and ASPIRA organizations.
Dr. Pace, who hosted the event, explained why he thought the event was helpful to freshmen students. “Freshmen students attending the Freshmen Frenzy will learn that there are also other things they can do outside of their school curriculum, including clubs and organizations they can get involved in,” he said. Students were able to receive information on a new club called Fit4Life, created to encourage students to live a healthy lifestyle.
In addition to informing freshmen students about the several clubs on campus, areas of the gymnasium were set up to give information about ways students can receive financial aid, scholarships and legal assistance. “My advice to students is to get involved [with] as much as you can by getting connected with your peers and professors,” Dr. Pace said.
Between the commentary by Dr. Pace and Dr. Ellingham, who spoke words of encouragement to the freshman class, students were entertained by hip hop and salsa dancing performances, a team oriented beach ball activity and prize drawings that included a $50 gift card and an iPod Nano. “I really enjoyed the hip hop dancer [named Pablo], he was really talented,” said Karland Joseph, a freshman majoring in nursing. She felt she would walk away with better knowledge of her college experience. “The Freshman Frenzy was helpful because it elaborated on things freshmen students should know.”
Baret Hazell, a freshman majoring in architecture, enjoyed the event as well. “I would recommend this to other students in the future because you really don’t get a chance to interact with everyone in the classroom, and here there are fresh, familiar faces,” Hazell explained while enjoying lunch with his new friends.
Students were given a lecture on campus safety by Albert Smith, dean of business, and were explained how BC maintains a safe environment for students. Later in the event, the students were given a PowerPoint presentation by Dr. Ellingham, who spoke to students about the importance of becoming good learners throughout their lives. “Once you stop learning, you stop living, really, because there is so much more to learn about life than what you learn here in college,” he said. Dr. Ellingham went on to explain the relationship between professors and college students. “Our job as professors is [to be] here to help you along the way, as you find your way and discover who you want to be.”
SGA and the Student Programming Board also took the stage and performed a skit for the freshman, giving them information about the opportunities available on campus such as intramural sports and the campus game room.
After the event, students were given free Popeye’s lunches, and were allowed to tour the gymnasium and view the various booths that were set up. According to Laudy Oliverous , Central Campus student, the event was a success. “It’s really good to come here and learn new things, especially relating to how we can improve in college,” said Oliverous.

Slaves of a modern healthcare system

By Buzz Lamb
Staff Writer

Dr. Walter McConnell knows a challenge when he sees it. Dr. McConnell has climbed Mount Everest three times. In 1997 he biked across the U.S. with a group from Bucknell University, his alma mater and for 30 years he was the top master runner in his age group in the state of New Jersey.
Dr. McConnell, 78, retired from the medical profession in 2000 but he has always kept his finger on the pulse of healthcare in the U.S. Dr. McConnell’s latest challenge entails being one of the executive producers of a documentary titled “Money Driven Medicine.”
According to Dr. McConnell, the documentary was produced by Gabriel Film Group and Alex Gibney, director of the Oscar-winning “Taxi to the Dark Side.” It takes a look at the American medical marketplace and explores why, when it comes to healthcare, money can’t buy everything. It is directed by Andy Fredericks.
The documentary was inspired by the book, “Money Driven Medicine: The Real Reason Why Health Care Costs So Much,” by Maggie Mahar. Its New York Premiere was held on June 17, 2009 in New York City at the Society for Ethical Culture. According to Dr. McConnell, the 83-minute film explores how a profit-driven health care system squanders billions of healthcare dollars while exposing millions of patients to unnecessary or redundant tests. “We’ve got to get a handle on this,” Dr. McConnell said.
According to the website www.moneydrivenmedicine.net the United States has the most expensive healthcare in the world. Americans spend at least two-and-a-half times per person more on healthcare than any other developed country. But what are we getting in return for all that money?
Dr. McConnell said one of the major problems with healthcare these days is that medical students who graduate are virtually forced into specialization in order to repay student loans. “The lack of primary care in this country is going to cause serious problems if we don’t correct that situation,” he said. “At one point in my career, I got so disgusted with the way the medical profession was going in general that I co-authored a book called “Malignant Decisions.”
Dr. McConnell said Senator Mike Balkus (Montana), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, has recently addressed the issues of the lack of primary care. Balkus highlighted a new concept called the “medical home” in legislation he introduced last fall. Dr. McConnell and Dr. Dan Larsen from Hudson Headwaters Healthcare produced a YouTube video as well. In the video the two discuss primary care and what to do about it.
The “medical home” concept is based on the idea that stronger relationships between patients and their primary care doctors will save money in the long run. A “medical home” would coordinate all of a patient’s needs. Proponents point to research showing that 30 to 40 percent of medical care is unnecessary.
“Somewhere along the way, doctors gave up being decision makers. The decision making was taken over by insurance companies, HMOs and hospital administrators,” Dr. McConnell lamented. “They were telling us what we could do or what we couldn’t do even though I felt it might not be in the best interest of my patient.” In the documentary, Mahar says the word “care” is the keyword. “Is it just medical care or someone who cares?” she asked. “A physician puts his patient’s interest above all else. A corporation puts its stockholder’s interest above all else.”
In remarkably candid interviews, both doctors and patients tell stories of a system where medicine has become a business. “We are paid to do things to patients,” says one doctor. “We are not paid to talk to them.”
According to Dr. McConnell, Chris Matonti, a 1994 Bucknell graduate and president of Gabriel Film Group in New York City, asked Dr. McConnell to do a synopsis of what he felt the issues in healthcare were. “I wrote them all up and sent them to Chris,” Dr. McConnell said after Gibney read his one-page diagrammatic. He said, “Oh, Walter must have read Maggie’s book.” He had not yet read Mahar’s book but, after reading it, he said he realized at that point they were on the same page as far as the issues were concerned. That’s when he decided to join the 26-person investor team.
Dr. McConnell said the documentary in essence does not necessarily offer solutions. “It brings up all of the issues for people to look at,” he said. “It is an educational thing… these are the problems that are affecting our healthcare system.” Dr. McConnell said his YouTube video actually suggests solutions to the primary care crisis.
He went on to say “We have to give everyone in this country access to a healthcare system.” Yet he said he is opposed to universal healthcare. “Ask the Canadians if they are happy with their system,” he said.
Dr. McConnell feels that there are viable alternatives to President Obama’s healthcare overhaul plan. “My concern is that we already have people telling the doctors what they can and cannot do. Now they want to add the government and I just think that is wrong,” he said. “For example, they’re talking about eliminating certain procedures for those over the age of 65.”
He says that doctors today should be able to sit with a patient and talk about prevention rather than shuffling them in and out, treating them with medications. “It’s very important to talk about wellness rather than me seeing you when you are sick,” he said.
Dr. McConnell said that the vast majority of people who are being seen in the emergency room have insurance. “This is addressed in the documentary,” he said. “They are there because they can’t get in to see a primary care doctor!” He looks at Obama’s plan as a bailout. “Doctors have asked, ‘Can’t we fix it before we finance it?’ I think we are going about it the wrong way… [the government] wants to finance it and then they’ll try to fix it,” he said. “The motivation to fix it should be the fact that it is not being financed.”
Dr. McConnell emphasized that the documentary serves three vital purposes: get informed, get involved and be heard. “People will have a better understanding of our healthcare system after they view the film. They can go to the website and fill out a survey which will feed into Washington,” he added.

Mullikin documents history in an unique way

By Kara Spadone
Staff Writer

If a picture is worth a thousand words than Mildred Mullikin can write a novel! Mullikin, a former Broward College theater faculty member, has pages upon pages of photos, letters and more documented in her scrapbooks at the Central Campus library that are solely dedicated to BC’s history. Mullikan plans to return to BC on Oct. 21-23 to reunite with old friends, colleagues, students and most importantly her scrapbooks.
“Ms. M,” as her students refer to her as, was born June 26, 1928, and graduated from Lander University in South Carolina, earning her Bachelor’s Degree. She earned her Master’s Degree from the University of Alabama. “I’m an eighth generation South Carolinian,” noted Mullikin.
Prior to working at BC, Mullikin taught at Blue Mountain College in North Mississippi for 10 years. She accepted the theater position at BC after several phone calls from Dr. Elzie Lauderdale, BC’s former dean, and persuasion from her own mother.
After a visit to South Florida to explore the school formerly known as BCC, the environment ended up growing on Mullikin and her mother. “I think we both kind of fell in love with South Florida and I did with the idea of building a program from, truly, the ground up,” said Mullikin.
Part of the reason for Mullikin’s initial decline of interest in the beginning was because she was focused on earning her Ph.D. However, Dr. Lauderdale assured her that she could get her Ph.D. from the University of Miami while she worked as head of the theater department at BC.
Mullikin explained that her love of theater came from her mother, an organist, and her father, a Methodist minister and Shakespeare enthusiast. “I had a lot of creative input from both parents,” added Mullikin.
Aside from teaching students, Mullikin also directed several plays. She confirmed that she directed some of the time, and other times she would do the design of the set. “I did a lot of the technical aspects of theater, too,” stated Mullikin.
During the 30 years Mullikin taught as head of the department, an average of four to five plays and musicals a year were conducted. “That’s a lot for a major university, much less a community college,” said Mullikin.
Some of the plays and musicals included: “Finian’s Rainbow,” “The Sound of Music,” “Fantastiks,” “The King and I,” “Baby,” “Fiddler on The Roof,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” and “The Corn is Green.”
There were many more plays and musicals which Mullikin directed herself, such as “Cinderella,” “Winnie The Pooh,” and “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” These pieces were part of Children’s Theater, a program that initially was a way for live theater to be provided to elementary school children at the college.
Mullikin was associated with Children’s Theater, and firmly believes that children need to be taken to live theater when they’re very young so they are able to experience it at an early age. She mentioned that one must be carefully taught and introduced to all the things in the world that make it exciting. “I have nothing against movies, but live theater- there’s no substitute for it,” claimed Mullikin.
Throughout the years, Mullikin would save articles, pictures, letters, and information from all her work with the drama department, and spent 10-12 years compiling and completing the scrapbooks after she retired in 1990. She said that she always saves things that she thinks might be pertinent to history. “I guess you could call me a pack rat,” joked Mullikin.
The 50th anniversary of BC is Aug. 2010, and Mullikin wanted to donate the scrapbooks prior to the anniversary so that it would be available for everyone to admire.
The scrapbooks were created because Mullikin wanted to value and savor all of the precious moments formulated throughout her theater career. “Our past is so important, and we have to remember it and we have to look at it because it will help us with the future,” said Mullikin.
Mullikin’s scrapbooks are located in the Archives and Special Collections Department on the fourth floor of the Central Campus library. Come check out the history of BC, and the woman behind all of the theatrical tenacity!

Lady Seahawks fall short to Miami-Dade

By Igor Mello
Editor-in-Chief

In most sports looking ahead on the schedule could hurt a team, but not according to volleyball assistant coach Michael Zarate

In a dead-lock race for second place in the Southern Conference, the Lady Seahawks volleyball team stumbled to nationally ranked Miami-Dade College in straight sets (25-13, 25-16, 25-13).
“Everything must start with communication. Our communication today was absolutely horrible,” said Zarate, who is in charge of the team while head coach Caitlin Faulk is on maternity leave. “We have to be playing our absolute very best in order for us to compete with them.”

This was Broward’s third straight loss as they drop to 9-4, 5-3 in the Southern Conference. Only the top two teams in the conference are awarded a playoff berth for the state tournament.
With first place out of reach, Zarate feels the team must focus on defeating Palm Beach Community College (PBCC).

“We were hoping to use this match as good way to practice to get us ready for Palm Beach [Community College]. The result wasn’t as good as I was hoping for it to be, but that is what practice is for,” said Zarate.

Freshman right side hitter Allorie Sanders also felt that it wasn’t necessary to beat MDC.

“To be honest, it wasn’t that important. Our main competition that we need to focus on is Palm Beach [Community College] right now,” said Sanders.

PBCC is currently in second place, slightly ahead of the Lady Seahawks in the standings. Both teams have split the season series at one game apiece. The ladies will play host to PBCC. one more time on Oct. 22.

The team seemed to disagree about whether Miami-Dade’s long winning tradition is a factor on the court. Sanders admits that Miami-Dade intimidated her team and had a mental edge over them despite Zarate stating otherwise.

“They’re pretty big if you haven’t seen them,” said Sanders referring to the Miami-Dade players. “We just thought about how they did in the past… it got to our heads.”
Freshman outside hitter Jessica Mendoza also feels that intangibles such as mental edge can affect her sport.

“Volleyball itself is a very mental sport. It’s just a swing of momentum,” Mendoza said.
According to Mendoza, this team has the potential of being special and can possibly compete with the top notch teams in the state tournament.

“I think we all have our mind straight and that’s where our goal is. We all want to get to the top and we want to make it far. We don’t want to end our season here,” she said.

With only two remaining home games on Oct. 20 against Indian River State College and Oct. 22 against second place PBCC, home court advantage will be crucial for the Lady Seahawks.

Time for Cheney to stand trial for war crimes

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.

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.

Tigertales

By Sheri Wieseman

Staff Writer

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.