100 Days Show Candidate and President are One in the Same

By: Caitlin Nolan

In the short time he has been in office, President Barack Obama has been compared to Abraham Lincoln, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Lyndon Baines Johnson. Many seem to think 100 days is a lengthy period of time to adequately assess the success of the current President and can use it as a marker for what remains of his term. I do not agree. Where 100 days may seem like a long period of time when you’re told that’s how many days until summer break or Christmas morning, President Obama still has some 1,300 or so days to contend with and make use of to better this country. Thus far, it seems President Obama is on the right track.

The past 100 days, however, have shown us something: President Obama is a popular man. Like popular presidents

100 Days Passed and Obama continues to make good on promises. Photo courtesy of www.boston.com

before him, Obama has had high approval ratings based on his personality consistent with this past year’s campaign.

In an article found on CNN.com, presidential historian Doug Brinkley explained that, “People are learning to trust Obama that when he talks, he’s not just articulate, but he’s shooting straight.”

Not wavering from the man America became familiar with throughout his campaign, Obama has continued to keep many of his promises and push forward, making a steady progress towards his goals. According Politifact.com, a website which has tracked Obama’s promises and how true to them he may or may not stay, the President has kept 28, compromised on seven, broken six, stalled on four, currently has 63 in the works and has yet to take action on the remaining 406.

Among those promises kept is the creation of a foreclosure prevention fund for homeowners. According to Politifact.com, the creation of a $10 billion fund as part of his stimulus package to help homeowners refinance or sell their homes is in effect. According to a mortgage fact sheet found on www.barackobama.com, “The Fund will not help speculators, people who bought vacation homes or people who falsely represented their incomes.” It’s refreshing to see someone in charge on the side of honest workers who deserve help in hard times.

Many students, graduating or continuing to pursue a degree, may not feel that a mortgages are nowhere near the immediate future. This may or may not be true, but student loans are an inescapable part of many students’ lives and Barack Obama recognizes this. Part of his campaign entailed a more reasonable way to afford college. No person should go without an education and Obama is working towards making that a reality.

According to a statement released by President Obama on www.barackobama.com, “In a way to improve student loans Federal Family Education Loans, President Obama has called for ending the FFEL program, and shifting entirely to providing direct loans to students. This will save Americans tens of billions over 10 years.”

“By cutting out the middleman money saved would pay for 95% of our plan to guarantee growing Pell grants,” President Obama said on the subject.

President Obama is not without his faults. Thus far, he has broken six promises, including allowing five days of public comment before signing any bills. It would be virtually impossible to imagine agreeing with every action the president commits. He is only one man and to hold him on that sort of pedestal could only lead to disappointment.

President Obama signs off on executive orders. Photo courtesy of zimbio.com

As stated in an article on CNN.com, ‘”Too many times, after the election is over, and the confetti is swept away, all those promises fade from memory, and the lobbyists and the special interests move in, and people turn away, disappointed as before, left to struggle on their own,” then-Sen. Barack Obama said as he announced his intentions to pursue the Democratic nomination.’

Well, the election is over, but the promises still seem to be intact. Time will tell, but so far, I would consider the progress made a success.

America Does Not Condone Torture, Nor Should It

By: Caitlin Nolan

The clock is ticking, a potentially fatal situation is at hand and [insert country here] may be blown to smithereens if someone does not act quickly: enter Jack Bauer. On television, there is always a clear cut bad guy, good guy, and as long as the good guy comes out on top, who cares how he did so? In real life, however, things are not always as black and white. Shades of gray paint our world affairs and the end does not always justify the means.

President Barack Obama was recently called to make an executive decision regarding the act of torture. After September 11, 2001, many people felt that those behind enemy lines were deserving of anything we could throw at them. However, it is not always safe to assume that the “enemy” has a clear cut image or identity to grab hold of. Abu Zubaydah, a man regarded as one of the top men in Al Qaeda, was captured in March 2002 and questioned for information using “interrogation techniques.” Interrogation techniques, such as slapping, placing insects in a confined area, and waterboarding were all condoned and used on Zubaydah. According to another recently released memo, Zubaydah was waterboarded at least 83 times in August 2002. It was later discovered that Zubaydah was mentally ill and held a position in Al Qaeda that required no actual skill or capability.

Author Christopher Hitchens undergoes waterboarding for a better understanding of what the process entails. Photo by Gasper Tringale, courtesy of www.vanityfair.com

Such flop ups were justified, with officials claiming that these methods of extracting information did not, according to Judge Bybee, member of the United States Court of Appeals and former assistant attorney general, “inflict ‘severe pain or suffering.’ ” How can one really know what causes “pain or suffering” without experiencing it first hand? Author Christopher Hitchens wrote in the August 2008 edition of Vanity Fair of undergoing waterboarding to determine just how terrifying it can be and to settle the debate (for him) on if those in support of such means are actually right. Before beginning, he was required sign a contract of indemnification which included:

‘“Water boarding” is a potentially dangerous activity in which the participant can receive serious and permanent (physical, emotional and psychological) injuries and even death, including injuries and death due to the respiratory and neurological systems of the body.’

That statement was written by someone who had underwent the process and had a clear understanding of what could happen in such a situation. Of the experience, Hitchens wrote, “Unable to determine whether I was breathing in or out, and flooded more with sheer panic than with mere water, I triggered the pre-arranged signal and felt the unbelievable relief of being pulled upright and having the soaking and stifling layers pulled off me. I find I don’t want to tell you how little time I lasted.” Keep in mind that Hitchens is a completely sane, normal person. It is believed that Abu Zubaydah showed clinical signs of schizophrenia.

Hitchens also explained that this technique has been used in the past by Americans, on Americans. You may be scratching your head thinking I made a typo. Not the case. In the past, Americans have trained to withstand the torture of waterboarding. Learning how to waterboard was only part of the process, it was not meant to be transformed into a “how- to” course. Americans were trained to withstand this practice, not inflict it.

Two wrongs do not make a right, as cliché as that may sound, and possessing the need to extract information from another human being does not need to lead to torture. It has been found that in situations of extreme pain and panic, someone may very well lie to escape the torture. Wouldn’t you? By condoning the act of torture, America cannot persecute others for using the same methods of information gathering. That’s just plain contradictory. In fact, waterboarding has been prosecuted as such by our judicial system when perpetrated by others. Following World War II, the Japanese captors of Chase J. Nielsen, one of the U.S. airmen who participated in the Doolittle raid following the attack on Pearl Harbor, had been tried for war crimes.

Demonstration of waterboarding. AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta courtesy of science.howstuffworks.com/water-boarding.htm

At the trial, Nielsen recounted the event, stating, “The towel was wrapped around my face and put across my face and water poured on. They poured water on this towel until I was almost unconscious from strangulation, then they would let up until I’d get my breath, then they’d start over again… I felt more or less like I was drowning, just gasping between life and death.” How can officials on our side of the fence state that this practice causes no pain when one of our own testified to it?

The President banned the act of torture and rightly so. Many may be up in arms but when no distinction can be made between the enemy and the hero; those labels hold no meaning. At the end of the hour, Jack Bauer is still a fictional character and those in the real world have to face the actions of our leaders. Stand by your decision, President Obama; you’re in office for a reason.

Korean Provocateurs

By: Joe Walsh

A North Korean missile launch pad. Image from time.com.

Sunday, April 5 marked North Korea’s first successful launch of a multistage rocket. The rocket went over Japan and landed in the Pacific Ocean at 9:30 p.m. EST.

This demonstration proved to the world that North Korea can not only launch a rocket, but one that has the ability to carry a destructive payload; though this test did not contain such a payload. Regardless, it has become something of deep concern to countries like South Korea, Japan, and the U.S.

“The fact that North Korea has the potential to attack our country in a huge way is shocking,” said Marist College junior Dan Greco. “The only mild sense of security I have is that they are probably more likely to hit a target on the West coast since it is much closer than attacking us here on the East Coast. It’s still clearly unacceptable, but I feel a little safer.”

The U.N. at large has issued several sanctions against North Korea, specifically U.N. Security Council Resolution 1718, in an effort to deter their nuclear ambitions. North Korea’s official news agency tried to assure the international community in an official statement that their efforts were merely to serve as “strictly peaceful purposes, largely to aid our search for food in outer space to meet the needs of our starving population.”

“I don’t know about you, but last time I checked nobody has found an abundance of food just sitting around in space,” Greco said. “They could have at least bothered to come up with a more realistic excuse.”

President Obama is currently abroad, forcing him to give a reaction from outside the White House in a less formal address to the American people and the world community:

“The launch today of a Taepo-dong 2 missile was a clear violation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1718, which expressly prohibits North Korea from conducting ballistic missile-related activities of any kind. With this provocative act, North Korea has ignored its international obligations, rejected unequivocal calls for restraint, and further isolated itself from the community of nations.”

The launch beckons back to Vice President Joe Biden’s famous statement during the 2008 presidential election.

“Mark my words: It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy,” Biden said. The vice president relating the current situation to the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.

Not even he could have known that the test he spoke of would come less than three months into the president’s first term. Six months was giving anti-U.S. countries too little credit.

“I thought Biden was going to be wrong about us getting tested so soon into Obama’s first term,” Marist College freshman Jimmy Mercadante said. “I’m sure he’s not in the mood to say, ‘I told you so,’ with something like this. Plus, a multistage rocket just sounds intimidating, you can’t deny that.”

A multistage rocket uses two or more “stages” to propel itself. These separate stages have their own fuel and engines so that when the fuel is burned up, the rocket can release the empty sections. This reduces the amount of weight the rocket has to move for future acceleration by the other stages. It can be seen on rockets leaving NASA at Cape Canaveral, FL.

When President Obama was in London a week ago, he asked Chinese President Hu Jintao to

From U.N. Dept. of Public Information

speak with North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Il in an effort to quell his nuclear ambitions.

“The Chinese…don’t want to see the Japanese get nuclear weapons,” ex-Pentagon official Lawrence Korb said. Korb, currently a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress think tank added, “We need to tell the Chinese if North Korea keeps it up we’re not going to be able to hold Japan back.”

Citizens like writer Michael Hughes are recalling past U.S. conflicts and applying them to current struggles.

“…Obama must exude strength and not blink as he stands eyeball-to-eyeball with Kim Il Jong, because it will set the tone of conflict in these early stages of the New Cold War.”

Continuing Gay Marriage Ban a Disappointment in the ‘Home of the Free’

By Jacel Egan

While most American families are attempting to salvage their marriages – with the average rate of divorce in the US at about 50 percent – others do not even have the opportunity to get married in the first place.

Is gay marriage really so wrong? Photo from blogs.nashvillescene.com.

Though civil unions and domestic partnerships are legally recognized, gays and lesbians are not just without the approval and support of the religious community, but are also deprived of other fundamental elements given to heterosexual couples through marriage. In most states, these include the power of attorney, the ability to sponsor one’s partner during the immigration process (which allows them to gain US citizenship) and joint adoption or foster care, among others.

Massachusetts, Vermont and Iowa have shown to be at the forefront of supporting gay rights; they became leaders in advocating equal rights for all people, regardless of sexual orientation, when each state legalized gay marriage. Despite their efforts, an overwhelming proportion of other states are in the opposition, as was made evident by laws such as California’s Proposition 8 that have caused 18,000 divorces.

Numerous associations, such as the National Organization for Marriage, claim to be protecting the sanctity of marriage in God’s eyes, and assert that gays are spitting on their right to discriminate. Well, trying to turn the tables by placing themselves as the victims instead of the victimizers is playing a card somewhat similar to the one Hitler played on the Jews.

If they’re taking the ‘Bible defense,’ then why not take everything into account by enforcing other crimes the Book condemns instead of such selective reading? Other than persecuting homosexuals, why not discriminate and punish those that eat shellfish, or sentence death to misbehaving children and fortunetellers, like Miss Chloe?

I understand that marriage creates a foundation for society to promote wealth and familial prosperity; it fosters a place where children can socialize and grow into contributing citizens. Yet, as I mentioned before, the astounding fact that the institution of marriage has been crumbling without the influence of homosexuals just presses how much less contemporary society values this sacred sacrament. Though divorce rates vary depending upon location, most people are now marrying later if at all (the average age of marriage is around 25), or choosing to cohabitate with their significant others as opposed to tying the knot.

Actress Jennie Garth protesting Prop 8. Photo from zimbio.com.

Not to say that cohabitating or waiting later to marry is something to look down upon; it just validates my point further. Why are Americans so keen on protecting something they’ve basically rendered valueless? Why is it so offensive that gays and lesbians are eager to experience what so many heterosexuals take for granted or scorn? It’s touching and awe-inspiring to see so many couples strive for the social status that many have tossed to the wayside.

With more and more marriages ending in divorce, is there really anything left to protect?

Impeached Governor Hopes to Appear in Reality Show

By: Caitlin Nolan

Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has high hopes in becoming a member of the newest cast of NBC’s “celebrity” based reality show, I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!

The ousted Blagojevich is currently in search for a new job, as he has been impeached and removed from office for multiple accounts of abuse of power. He has pled not guilty to federal corruption charges and, according to an article found on CNN.com, was indicted “on 16 felony accounts, including racketeering, conspiracy, wire fraud and making false statements to investigators.”

“Makes sense for him. He’s going to have a huge legal bill, and I hear that he’ll be getting $80,000 for each episode,” Dr. Keith Hamel, Visiting Assistant Professor in the Media Arts Department of Marist College, said in an e-mail correspondence.

“Although, I guess the money is supposed to go to charity, so maybe it’s just a way for him to stay in the public eye in

Former Gov. Blagojevich to be the next reality TV star? Photo courtesy of weblogs.newsday.com

case he beats the charges against him and wants to stay in politics,” Hamel said.

The links between politics and celebrity clearly have become intertwined as anyone who bore witness to the most recent election can testify to. Tina Fey was constantly mistaken for Sarah Palin and Will.I.Am’s “Yes We Can” was regarded as a strong means of campaigning to a younger generation. The line between a politician and celebrity has been blurred in the past, but when a politician of the past pursues the celebrity, how will people respond?

“In the terms of this show and genre of TV, he is [a celebrity], although celebrity in this case means ‘Has- been,’” Hamel said. “When you think about the ways in which television producers have used the term lately (Dancing with the Stars, Celebrity Fit Club, The Apprentice: Celebrity Edition, etc.), the contestants are certainly not current (if they even were… and this goes for advertising too; Just look at Jenny Craig ads or most infomercials). Steve- O, Diamon Dustin, Andrew Dice Clay… were these people ever really celebrities?”

Those at Marist College were quick to voice their opinions on the subject.

“I think it’s completely and utterly pathetic that you are trying to make money off of a reality show because he was fired for being unethical,” Jen Plaveck, a sophomore at Marist College said. “I hope no one watches.”

“He doesn’t deserve any more spotlight attention,” Kerry O’Shea said, an English major at Marist College. “He should be in jail and that is that. He’s never been in the entertainment industry and this is no time for him to start.”

Hamel, as cynical to the situation as he may have appeared, recognized the logic in Blagojevich’s strategic move.

“I do think that future success in “The relationship politics and media” [have] will depend on how well the politician looks on camera, sounds in the: 30 sec byte, or provides generalizations in Twitter messages,” Hamel said. “
So, as absurd as it is, this situation fits.”

Going to the Dogs: Presidential Pup Bo Make World Debut

by Robin Miniter

Next time you’re over at the White House, be sure to introduce yourself to the newest member of the Obama clan with a hand – or paw – shake.

The White House announced this week after months after President Barack Obama’s inaugural promise of a puppy playmate for his two daughters, Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, that a 6-month-old Portuguese Water Dog named Bo is finally making himself at home in the Oval Office.

Six-month-old Bo, a Portuguese water dog, arrives at the White House this past week as a gift from Massachusetts State Senator Ted Kennedy (Courtesy of http://www.herald-dispatch.com)

The Washington Post reported that the dog, named after first lady Michelle Obama’s father whose nickname was Diddley, was a gift was Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy. The identity of the pup has been long awaited with pictures and reports leaking before his official introduction was staged this past Tuesday.

However, a rumble of disappointment has been festering among pet welfare workers and shelter advocates who feel Obama has broken his promise to adopt, “a mutt like [him].” According to an interview featured in People Magazine, Obama stated that, ” ‘two criteria that have to be reconciled.’ One was that the new dog ‘has to be hypoallergenic’ because of 10-year-old daughter Malia’s allergies. The other, he said, was that, ‘our preference would be to get a shelter dog.’ “ It appears that the first condition has been fulfilled. According to Pet Connection, “Portuguese Water Dogs…have what’s known as a “single” coat. These coats shed less than the more common canine double coat, and so less dander gets deposited in the environment.” However, whatever happened to the pound puppy promise?

Katie McCormick Lelyveld, a spokeswoman for Michelle Obama, told the Associated Press that the Obamas started off with a shelter search. However, as it is reported on People’s website, “after meeting Bo and feeling that he fit their lifestyle and ‘because this gift came before their pound search sort of was completed, [The Obamas] made a gift to some of the places they were looking.’ “

“His choosing to go to a breeder is a disappointment. Choosing a shelter dog, that would have been a really powerful message to the American people,” said Steve Gruber, spokesman for the Mayor’s Alliance for NYC’s Animals in New York City.

Christie Donnelly, the president of the Marist College Fox PAW (People for Animal Welfare) group finds it, “disappointing that Obama said he would adopt a shelter dog, but ended up with a pure bred. I recently read something about a newly discovered moss-like plant that was named caloplaca obamae – he’s such a large part of popular culture, science, everything that moss is being named after him.”

President Obama and the first dog take a stroll down the White House corridor (courtesy of http://www.nationalgeographic.com)

That being said, Donnelly thinks, “he could have set an amazing example for the country by supporting animal shelters and adopting. lots of “pure bred” dogs are actually from puppy mills, are often products of doggy incest, and aren’t entirely healthy…Not to mention the millions of dogs that could be adopted and saved from being put down. [In regards to his donation] hopefully he’s planning on donating to no kill shelters, like the North Shore Animal League.”

The Humane Society of the United States president Wayne Pacelle said that even if all didn’t go as promised, shelter dogs still got a bit of national spotlight. People reports that right now about 1.5 million healthy, adoptable dogs are euthanized a year, a situation that could be avoided if just 35 percent to 40 percent of dog-owning families would get their next dog from a shelter.

New President Proves Nice Guys can Finish First

By: Caitlin Nolan

Watching Steve Townsend take control of the Marist Student Government meeting in a way only a natural born leader could, you would never have guessed that he had no intention in becoming involved with student government when he began at Marist College.

“In high school I did not affiliate myself with student government at all,” Townsend said. “I ran for freshman class

Steve Townsend, pictured at the Annual Transition Dinner, hopes to create a more informal relationship between student body and government. Photo courtesy of facebook.

president because on move in day there was this kid who said he was going to run and he really pissed me off because I was sweating my ass off moving things up and down the stairs and I figured I wanted to run against him, and then I won.”

This sort of fluke may be one of the best things to have happened to Townsend and the student body. When walking into the Student Government office, you can instantly tell Townsend is in his element as the newly elected Student Body President. He knows everyone in the office, is running in ten different directions to make sure everyone is comfortable and prepared for the upcoming meeting and can tell you everyone’s first and last name who is in the room. He greeted me with a high five and a genuine “Thanks for coming” and asked if there was anything he could do to make me more at home. Clearly, Townsend is a people person.

“After winning, I had to figure what to do from there,” Townsend said. “That year we ended up winning class of the year, so I figured something must have been going right.”

While running around the office and talking to all who enter, Townsend does not miss a beat in greeting one female sporting rather large sunglasses with an energetic, “Hey Bono, what’s up.” She ignored it and took her seat, clearly used to his good natured humor and quick wit. When it came down to business though, Townsend became serious.

One of the first issues on the agenda that Townsend brought to the table was the move from “Student Government Association” to “Marist College Government.” The move to a more personal atmosphere is an essential facet of Townsend’s goals for his administration.

“One of my main objectives is to let everyone know who we are and what we do; there are going to be a lot of changes this year,” Townsend said. “In the comments section of the online ballots, 90% of the comments students made showed that they didn’t know what we did. I will be a failure as Student Body President if everyone at Marist doesn’t know who we are and what we do.”

Among his many plans to get the student body and Student Government to establish a closer relationship, Townsend, who previously served as Senate Speaker, plans on beginning the administering of surveys. Members of the Student Government will soon be found passing out surveys concerned with the interests of the students. During the meeting, Townsend put it simply, saying, “I see us as one entity. We are the Marist Student Government and the best thing to do is get together and get our name out there.”

If his administration is anything like his campaign, Townsend has nothing to worry about. Employing unique methods of advertising and appealing to the masses by taking the time to actually knock on doors and meet those he could one day represent.

“It was intense,” Townsend said of the campaigning experience. “It was probably the most nervous I have ever been in my entire life; it was an exciting nervous feeling. We knocked on over 1000 doors, we met everyone.”

Both Townsend and his running mate, Victoria Billeter, made use of every creative outlet possible to ensure those on campus were educated on the upcoming student government election.

“I had a running mate which, before Erik, was unheard of,” Townsend said. “I felt that if I was going to appoint someone, the student body should know them. We talked to every club we could and we had 110 t-shirts walking around. We had postcard fliers explaining what we did, what have done what we want to do.”

Upon mentioning the postcards, Townsend grabbed his backpack and fished out what appeared to be a tiny, blue card. These cards could be found throughout campus during the Month of March. Listed on the cards were the accomplishments of both Townsend and Billeter separately and joined, and an account of all goals set for the future if elected. Among those listed under Townsend’s name was the fact that he has “raised over $109,000 for St. Jude’s Research Hospital.”

“I think one of his biggest achievements was what he has done for Saint Jude,” Ben Condon, Townsend’s roommate of two years said. “He brought it to the school. He has just taken the reigns and it has grown tremendously. He has gotten all of the clubs involved and they now have a letter writing night where they get sponsorships and donations.”

Former Student Body President Erik Zeyher echoed Condon’s sentiment, saying Townsend has worked tirelessly to improve the conditions of others.

“Since his freshman year Steve has worked tremendously hard on Saint Jude [charities],” Zeyher said.

After sitting down with Steve Townsend, the fact that all who know him well can instantly say he is a hard worker comes as no surprise. Initiative and a strong work ethic is only to be expected in a President, and Townsend is no exception.

“I thought I could do good for the student body,” Townsend said. “It wasn’t a personal goal of mine [to be Student body President], but I had a lot of plans and I thought the only way to get those plans done was to do it myself.”

There’s More to a Girl than Combat Boots.

By: Caitlin Nolan

A common occurrence at Marist College is the late night drive to Dunkin’ Donuts to fuel up with coffee and other necessities before beginning the work so many procrastinate. Getting into Cassandra Gilday’s station wagon is an experience in and of itself. The car is full of character and full of belongings. In fact, if one was to just look down on the passenger side’s floor, one black high heel and an olive green canteen can be found. That’s because Cadet Gilday is the first female member of the Marist College ROTC.

Gilday is like any other girl. She loves hazelnut coffee, light and sweet, is a member of the Marist College Equestrian team, and is excited to see her

Cadet Cassandra Gilday at her swearing in, September 2008. Photo Courtesy of www.facebook.com

boyfriend, David, of a year for the first time in eight months.

“It was David’s second deployment; I haven’t seen him in eight months,” Gilday said. “His first deployment was to Iraq, and his infantry unit went through some pretty tough times. During this one he was on a boat and he was the force ready to act. At one point he was in Somalia deterring pirates.”

This is the reality of Gilday’s life. While maintaining a course load of that of a biomedical science major, working eighteen hours at the Information Technology Help Desk, and participating in extracurricular activities, Gilday is working towards completing the Army ROTC program at Marist College. Her schedule is not that of a typical college female.

Gilday’s typical morning routine consists of waking at 5:15 a.m. for a 6 a.m. personal training session, opening the Help Desk at 7:30 a.m. and attending organic chemistry, art history, and animal behavior. It is through such an intense regimen Gilday will be able to achieve her goal of becoming an Army Veterinarian. When she graduates Marist College, Gilday will be considered a second lieutenant.

“They do food inspections, take care of military dogs, civilian animals on bases; they’re also the biggest in research and development out there,” Gilday said of the duties of an Army Veterinarian. “They have some of the biggest research [in regards of] breast cancer and looking for new medicines. They’ll go to Africa and start vaccinating cows so they produce better milk and meat and [the people consuming such products] will live a longer time, have more babies.”

Military life is in Gilday’s blood, coming from a line of military men. Her grandfather, father, and uncle have served in the military and currently, Gilday can count two members of her family as enlisted.

Cadet Gilday marching in the 2009 Saint Patrick's Day Parade. Photo Courtesy of www.facebook.com

“I’ve always wanted to [be part of the military] since I was in middle school,” Gilday said with a shrug. “I thought it was cool. My dad was in the army and so were my uncle and my grandfather. My cousin is in the Marine Core and my godfather’s son is also in the Marine Core.”

The Army ROTC at Marist College is comprised of approximately twenty males and three females, Gilday included among them. The remaining two joined this year and have had a transition period made simpler by the experience Gilday had.

On her experience when first joining the ROTC, Gilday recalls with a laugh that it was “awful. I was the only female at Marist and I kind of had to pave the way for the females who followed me. It was pretty difficult because the guys don’t realize that ‘maybe she can’t do that exercise’ so they treat you just as hard as a fully in- shape male which is absurd.’

Despite the trials and tribulations the first few months in the new environment held, Gilday managed. In fact, this year she began work at the Marist College Help Desk, only adding to her workload. Danny Jagoda, a Marist College sophomore and supervisor at the Help Desk, was able to elaborate on how well Gilday has been able to manage her many faceted life.

“This is her first semester [working at the Help Desk],” Jagoda said. “She told me she was interested and gave me her resume and I passed it along to my boss, Kristen Lake. She had experience in customer service and in dealing with people.

There was one time where she had to go to a PT test and she also had to open the Help Desk at 7:30 a.m. but they were running behind schedule with her test so she had to juggle it out to get to work on time so she could open the Help Desk on time, which she was able to do.”

At the end of the journey to Dunkin’ Donuts, Gilday was finally able to locate that second heel. While it may have been on the other end of her car, she seemed to know exactly where to look. It is that sort of organized chaos Gilday thrives on and has seemed to serve her well.

“The whole world is very different in the military,” Gilday said. “Very structured and very strict and if you don’t do well you get smoked- you’re driven to excel. In the army, to get what you want from the military you have to be the best of the best. You have to be top notch to do anything- to go to school, to get the job you want; you have to be the best.”

Political Activism Encouraged by the Many Tweeters

By: Caitlin Nolan

Twitter has become one of the newest phenomena to enter the lives of people world- wide and such an advance in technology has bled into the political aspects of life as well. According to an article found on CNN.com,  Twitter has become a site in which protestors and activists follow each other’s moves, allowing for a more organized movement.

Clay Shirky, author of “Here Comes Everybody” and an expert on the social and economic effects of Internet

Twitter is the latest and greatest form of communication and many are utilizing it for reasons political and social.

technologies told CNN, “[Protesters] have made it impossible for the defenders to adopt a cut-off-the-head-and-the-body-will-die strategy. [Technology] has made the idea of a frontline of protests almost completely amorphous.”

Many still use this site for simple networking among friends and colleagues. Such users know what benefits Twitter holds, but keep mind of the fact that words on paper can come back to haunt you.

“You can use Twitter for any purpose you want,” Chris Morris said, a senior at Marist College. The business marketing major and psychology minor is well aware of the ramifications one misstep in the information put out on the web can lead to.

“That’s part of the agreement of posting anything on the internet,” Morris said.

Many students campus wide feel that the connection a person can make to their local politician or congressperson on twitter is unlike any other instant connection.

“Twitter is a great tool to use for political activism because you can constantly update and send your supporters at that time,” Danny Jagoda said.“Twitter makes it 24/7.”

James Curran, Director of Networking at Marist College, also feels that Twitter is something worth utilizing. “I think its genius to utilize such a system to reach out to your followers,” Curran said. “I don’t want people to follow me, but I understand the appeals.”

As for the concerns of many in regards to a possible “big brother” scenario, time will tell. The fact still remains that like every other new and improved outlet of communication, many jump on the band wagon quickly and only after realize what can truly come about by being part of the community.

“It is part of that next wave of technologies,” Morris said. Anything you put there has the possibility of being found, but that’s the point of them- it’s huge because of what it does.”

Food for Thought: “Recession Gardens” May Help Budgets Bounce Back

by Robin Miniter

With the economic recession in full swing, Americans are digging deep into their wallets – and now their gardens – for an answer to the crisis.

A little soil goes a long way for your stomach and your wallet. (photo courtesy of Salon.com)

“It does make a good deal of sense economically speaking to have these gardens and to be self sufficient, especially in our economy where food prices are rapidly rising,” says James Marconi, a senior Political Science minor at Marist College.

For 2009 alone, the National Gardening Association predicts a 19 percent increase in home gardening based on spring seed sales data and a telephone survey. The plots have been compared Eleanor Roosevelt’s WWII era “Victory Gardens,” which symbolized the self-reliance of the American peopl. According to Roger Doiron of Kitchen Gardeners International, at their peak these gardens supplied 40 percent of the nation’s fresh produce. With history coming in full circle, First Lady Michelle Obama recently broke ground for a garden on the South Lawn of the White House with daughters Sasha, 7, and Malia, 10, as well as Washington D.C. area school children at her side.

The Washington Times reported that a well-maintained vegetable patch can yield hundreds or thousands of dollars in returns per year. “One-fifth of survey respondents said they planned to start a food garden this year, while more than half said they already were gardening to save on groceries,” reported the Times.

Food at your finger tips: a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables can easily be cultivated in your own abckyard. (courtesy of http://www.easy-green-tips.com

Sophie Ordway, a sophomore English-Writing major, grew up in a gardening family. Her mother, a botany major at the University of Michigan, “treats her plants like they’re her children.” She says that recession gardening would be, “great if everyone had the space and time to do it, and went in on it together… I think it would work.”

To put your green thumb to the test, Easy-Garden-Tips.com offers a guide to get your patch up and running. Locally, the Hudson River Valley will soon be blossoming with local farmers markets. With a higher quality and at a lower price, the fruits of these gardeners’ labor will not only support the local economy, but will help to put food on your table – and theirs.

Easy recipes from your garden to your table:

• zucchini herb pesto
• Indian summer tomato salad
• spinach and strawberry salad
• Cajun-style stuffed peppers
• summer squash bread