Presidential Inauguration Slated May 5

By RACHEL DIMAURO Staff Writer

On May 5, 2017, Cumberland County College (CCC) will induct Dr. Yves Salomon-Fernandez as the seventh president of our institution. The induction ceremony will be held at 2:00 p.m. in the Luciano Theatre located in the Fine & Performing Arts Center located on campus.

The ceremony will be approximately 90 minutes in length. There will be several speakers in attendance, including representatives from the college, local and regional two and four-year institutions, professional colleagues, mentors, elected officials, and a keynote speaker. Dr. Salomon-Fernandez will be delivering an inaugural address.

Dr. Yves informally took office last June. As a result of that, one thought that has crept into the minds of eager learners on campus is: why hold an inauguration ceremony a whole year after you’ve been serving as president?

In a recent interview with Executive Director of Grant Development and Trustee Relations, Anne Bergamo, she stated that, “Formal inaugurations/installations are the practice in institutions of higher education across the nation. They are usually held at some time during the first 12 months of a president’s term. The ceremony signals the “official” instillation of the college’s leader.” Bergamo went on to say, “It is important to formally recognize and celebrate the College’s newest leadership administration as it begins its next 50 years.”

Presidential inaugurations are a way to formally communicate the vision, goals, and theme of the new administration. They are full of pomp and circumstance, and it is often customary for representatives from local and regional colleges and universities to join in the festive celebrations. The board of trustees will present Dr. Salomon-Fernandez with a Presidential Medallion. The medallion is worn with academic regalia at formal academic ceremonies, such as commencement. The back of the medallion is inscribed with the President’s name and the date on which she started. The front of the medallion is inscribed with the College Seal.

There will be an informal luncheon in the Conference Center Banquet Rooms directly following the ceremony.

The 50th anniversary and inaugural gala that will be held on May 6, promises to be a sophisticated event. It will be held at the Centerton Country Club, from 6:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. A social hour will begin at 6:30-7:30, and from 7:30-11:00 there will be dining and dancing, with music performed by the David Christopher Orchestra. Tickets to attend the event are $150 per person. The gala will be held in celebration of the College’s seventh president being inducted, and the College’s 50th anniversary. It is anticipated to be a major scholarship fundraising event, and is being run by the College Foundation with support from the local community. Sponsorships and donor options that benefit the Cumberland County College Foundation will also be available.

Both events are being held in honor of Dr. Salomon-Fernandez, and I am sure that she will continue to propel Cumberland County College, and the community at large, into reaching its highest potential.

For more information regarding the gala, contact Alice Woods at 856-691-8600 ex. 1390 or awoods@cccnj.edu.

Since CCC is celebrating its 50th anniversary, here are a few fun facts from 1967—the year it all began:

1. Gas was 32 cents per gallon.

2. A new car was $2,650.

3. The television show Batman premiered.

4. First Class Stamps were 5 cents a piece.

5. A dozen eggs cost 60 cents.

6. No.1 T.V. Show was Bonanza.

7. CCC student population was 350.

8. Elizabeth Taylor won best actress for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf.

9. It’s a Small World opened in Disneyland.

10. Pampers created the first disposable diapers.

Women Making Their Voices Heard

Photo Credit: Warren Jones/ CCC Graphic Design Student

BY AHMAD GRAVES-EL, Staff Writer

Throughout the history of human civilization, an innumerable number of men have treated women unfairly, unequally, and with utter disrespect. Women, unfathomably, have also been treated with disdain, distaste, and distrust.

For example, men in this country kept women from being able to vote for almost 200 years. According to The Concise History of Woman Suffrage by Mari Jo Buhle and Paul Buhle, through the tireless efforts of the Suffragettes, a 19th Amendment was added to the U.S. Constitution, giving women their long sought after right to vote.

On January 21, over a million women, children, and men, across the globe, marched in an idea birthed by Women’s March Global, to protest the ideologies of one of those men, who one day prior officially became the 45th President of the United States; Donald J. Trump.

From North to South America, Europe to Africa, and even Antarctica, people (mostly women) gathered and marched side-by-side with posters in hands and pussyhats on heads to demonstrate the power of humanity; the power of unity.

“The vibe was peaceful, loving and energetic,” said Camden, New Jersey native Tamika Chester, Program Officer for the New Jersey Department of Education, who attended the March in Philadelphia. When describing the atmosphere during this historic day Chester stated, “There was a sense of sisterhood [including men] amongst all the races of…participants.”

Michele Cortese, a teacher of many subjects including Language Arts Literacy and Math, who resides in northern New Jersey and participated in the Washington, D.C. March said, “I have never felt anything like this. The feeling of unity is so powerful.”

It’s not an alternative fact to state that President Trump has made some spectacularly shameful comments regarding women. Cindi Gant, Administrative Assistant in the Center for Academic and Student Success at Cumberland County College, who marched in Philly, agreed. “The new president made many disturbing and disparaging remarks against women, showing his lack of respect for women,” she expressed.

For example, after a completed interview with Billy Bush, former host of Access Hollywood, pre-President Trump was caught, on the now infamous hot mic audio which was released for public consumption, explicitly verbalizing things he “can do to women,” and “get away with” because of his celebrity status.

“I’m automatically attracted to beautiful. I just start kissing them…I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star…You can do anything,” Mr. Trump said. “Grab ‘em by the pussy. You can do anything.”

Let that sink in for a minute…

There were many speakers at the Global Women’s March ranging from legendary activists Gloria Steinem and Angela Davis, TV hosts like Van Jones, to actresses like America Ferrer and Scarlett Johansson. Ashley Judd gave a particularly charged speech while reading a poem sent to her by 19-year old Nina Donovan of Tennessee, titled “I Am A Nasty Woman.”

“I’m nasty like my grandmothers fought to get me into the voting booth,” Judd quoted. “…but not as nasty as racism, fraud, conflict of interest, homophobia, sexual assault, transphobia, white supremacy, misogyny, ignorance, [and] white privilege,” she passionately recited.

Chester, Cortese, and Gant proudly consider themselves nasty women. “I try my best to keep my opinions to myself,” Gant declared. “However, I will speak up when I feel strongly that someone has stepped way over the line. So…yes, I guess you can say that I am…!”

“Yes! With a capital Y, a capital E and a capital S,” said Cortes, unequivocally.

While the global protests were mostly peaceful, they didn’t escape without controversy.

At the March in Washington, D.C., Madonna made some questionable comments that some feel were not in harmony with the essence of the March. Furthermore, supporters of the pro-life movement were basically banned from participating, which did not sit well with Chester.

“While I am pro-choice, and believe wholeheartedly that women should have the right to do what they want with their bodies and our bodies should not be regulated, I respect the women who are pro-life and feel they should be heard,” she said.

While Cortese agrees that everyone has the right to be heard in accordance with the United States Constitution, “I also need people to understand that a pro-life movement continues to allow lawmakers to make decisions about my body…They don’t own me, nor do they own my body,” she asserted. “I do.”

Women are the mothers of civilization. Men’s despicable attempts throughout history to lower a woman’s status and treat them unequally are a stain on humanity. It’s time for all of us, in unison, to stand up and fight for what is right.

As Hillary Clinton said in a speech at the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women, on September 9, 1995, “Human rights are women’s rights, and women’s rights are human rights.”

TTP: Trust The Process

By THE LUNG Staff Writer

“Trust The Process,” has become the rallying cry of the Philadelphia 76ers and their long-suffering fans. They haven’t won a title since 1983, when Hall of Famers Julius Erving and Moses Malone were roaming the court.
The last time the Sixers played in an NBA Finals was 2001, where they were throttled by the Los Angeles Lakers led by Shaquille O’neal and Kobe Bryant. The team, led by polarizing superstar Allen Iverson and solid players with a lunch-pail mentality, were beloved by the Philly faithful.
The Sixers have been one of the worst teams in the league since. They’ve accumulated just four winning seasons in the last 15. In 2013, they hired Sam Hinkie as general manager. “The Process” officially began.
Hinkie made a bevy of moves during the 2013 Draft, drafting point guard Michael Carter-Williams and trading All-Star Jrue Holiday for injured center Nerlens Noel of Kentucky. Hinkie then persuaded Brett Brown of the San Antonio Spurs to leave and coach the team.
The Sixers finished with a 19-63 record that season, but Carter-Williams won the Rookie of the Year Award and all signs were pointing up.
Hinkie then began making moves deemed insane, launching a trend of acquiring players- some mediocre, some with expiring contracts, and some who cringed at the thought of wearing a Sixers uniform- in hopes of landing as many draft picks as possible.
Hinkie was blatantly, in the short term, making them worse. The team only won 18 and 10 games the next two seasons. The Sixers became the laughingstock of the league.
After the Sixers hired Jerry Colangelo as chairman of basketball operations, Hinkie resigned, leaving behind a 13-page letter explaining his decision.
According to Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated, “The Sixers acquired, owned the rights to, or signed 99 players during Hinkie’s time in Philadelphia.” That is an unimaginable figure. However, several of the players have shown the potential to become perennial All-Stars.
One is center Joel Embiid who averaged an astounding 20.2 points in 24 minutes per game. Rookie Dario Saric and Robert Covington are other players making a positive impact. Also, first overall pick Ben Simmons, who is yet to play, can help elevate Philly to the next level.
In the 2015-16 season, the 76ers won a total of 10 games. In January alone, they won 11. This team is on the rise. Trust the Process.

 

all stats courtesy of espn.com. image courtesy of google images.

NBA Most Valuable Player: Who Has Your Vote?

By STEVEN RISLEY Staff Writer

    Every October begins a new season in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Along with every new season, there are a slew of predictions. Who will win the championship? Who will win the Coach of the Year award? Who will win Rookie of the Year? Above all of those comes the most heavily debated. Who will win the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. There are always a few obvious candidates and then those who seemingly come out of nowhere.
Prior to the start of the 2016-17 season, there was one player whom many believed would take home the award, Oklahoma City Thunder’s (OKC) Russell Westbrook. With Kevin Durant leaving OKC to play with the Golden State Warriors, many believed Westbrook would be able to do the unthinkable by               averaging a triple double.
To date, he has not disappointed. Westbrook is posting averages of 31.1 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 10.1 assists in 34.6 minutes per game heading into the All-Star break. This would make him the only person to average a triple double this late into the season since Oscar Robertson averaged one for the entire 1963 NBA season. Robertson is the only player ever to accomplish this feat.
Unfortunately for Westbrook, team success plays a vital role in deciding who receives the MVP award. While OKC doesn’t have a bad record (32-25), they are the seventh best team in the Western Conference. Westbrook’s main competitor for MVP is Houston Rockets guard James Harden. Harden is putting up  unprecedented stats in his own right, boasting averages of 29.2 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 11.3 assists in 36.6 minutes per game.
While averaging slightly inferior individual stats, Harden’s play has led to a significant difference in the win column (40-18), giving Houston the third best record in the league. Some will argue that the Rockets are a better team overall, but Westbrook and Harden are both superstars on teams full of role players. No players on either team have ever been named to an All-Star team other than Westbrook or Harden.
To further demonstrate the significance of team success, there have only been two MVPs since 1985 whose team wasn’t either the first or second seed in the conference. The two were Karl Malone in 1999, whose team was tied for the best record but fell to the three seed due to seeding rules, and Michael Jordan in 1988, whose team was also the third seed.
When you take this into consideration, there are several players that will receive first place votes for the award. Each voter casts a vote for first to fifth place. Each first place vote is worth ten points. A second place vote is worth seven, with third, fourth and fifth being worth five, three, and one respectively. The player who racks up the highest point total wins the award, regardless of what place votes they receive.
Some examples of players who are bound to receive votes are Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs, Isaiah Thomas of the Boston Celtics, Kevin Durant of the Golden State Warriors, and Lebron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

All of these teams are within the top two of their conference.
Regardless of who your favorite player is to win the award, the media will ultimately have the final say at the end of the season. Harden and Westbrook seem to be the clear favorites, but don’t count out the rest of the league just yet. It is safe to assume that this year’s race to the MVP award will be one of the tightest in history.

 

all stats courtesy of espn.com. image courtesy of google images

New Edition Mini Series

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES

By JOE PARKER

The New Edition story chronologized the rise and fall of the legendary RnB group.

The Group was made up of 6 members, Johnny Gill, Ralph Tresvant, Michael Bivens, Bobby Brown, Ronnie Devoe, and Ricky Bell. The mini series took viewers deep into New edition’s lives. Bobby, Michael, Ricky and Ralph, decided that they wanted to form a group. After being presented with the idea by Bobby Brown. The Group found Brook, a well-known manager from Roxbury, Massachusetts. Brook breeded New Edition into a very successful stage entertainers.

Brook used his name to perform in huge showcases to attract labels. One talent show would lead to a low budget label owner Maurice. At first, Maurice was only interested in signing Ralph because he stood out and, had the qualities of a star. Ralph would not sign without his best friends so the whole group was signed to Maurice.

Upon signing with Maurice, New edition toured the U.S. and quickly gained fame. The instant fame brought conflict in for the Group. Bobby Brown caused issues with in the group because he wanted to steal the spotlight. Brook tried his hardest to keep the group together but he was fired due to discrepencues over money. New Edition was released from Maurice’s label and they began looking for new management. The new manager, Gary evans got New Edition signed to a bigger label MCA records. Gary was all about business and he couldn’t relate to the group or show the same kind of support Brook did.

New Edition was finally making the money they deserved at this point, several hit songs, and albums like Candy girl, Telephone man, and Can You Stand the Rain. Ricky began battling with alcohol and drugs, Bobby’s behavior was bringing the group down with his behavior. Ralph was hinting towards going solo but had to do a few more albums with new edition but fear of him leaving made them add Johnny Gill. Shortly after Gill was added, Bobby went solo, Ronnie, Michael, and Ricky would leave to start their own group BBD. Ralph would go solo, New Edition had ended over money and high tensions with in the group. They would come together for special anniversary performances like B.E.T and weddings, but ultimately, they would not release another New Edition album.

Super Bowl LI: NE vs. ATL

By JOSEPH PARKER Staff Writer

Super Bowl LI was held in Houston, Texas. The big game aired Sunday February 5, 2017 at 6:30 pm Eastern Time.
The New England Patriots, led by quarterback Tom Brady, were set to take the field against the eighth highest scoring offense (33.8 points per game) in regular season history, The Atlanta Falcons. The offense was led by quarterback Matt Ryan, wide receiver Julio Jones, and starting running back Devonta Freeman. They also averaged 40 points per game in the playoffs.

Tom Brady made his 7th Super Bowl appearance, an NFL record. The Patriots were without their number one receiving option, Rob Gronkowski, and still managed to be one of the top 5 offenses in the league. They had several running backs capable of catching passes starting with Dion Lewis. The Patriots also had plenty of above average wide receivers led by Julian Edelman and a top tight end in Martellus Bennett.
Atlanta was looking to achieve their 1st Super Bowl title. The Falcons were America’s team for this game with a national poll saying 73% of the U.S. wanted the Falcons to win.
Most U.S. citizens rooted against the Patriots due to the great hate that the Patriots organization and Tom Brady continue to receive. This is because of the number of scandals and accusations the organization has been linked to.
One of the major accusations the Patriots faced was recording teams special signals at practice, dubbed Spygate. This would cause the Patriots to lose a few 1st round draft picks. Another major scandal was the deflated footballs in the 2015 AFC Championship game, a scandal named Deflategate. This would lead to Tom Brady being suspended the first four games of this season due him not cooperating with NFL during the investigation.
On the other hand, the Atlanta Falcons seem to have finally broken away from a dark past left by Michael Vick’s dog fighting scandal. This ended with Vick pleading guilty to dog fighting after the evidence presented against him was unarguable. He served 21 months and was cut from the roster in 2009.
The Falcons don’t have any skeletons in their closet as an organization, however. They seem to play by the rules and always show opponents proper respect. This made it a battle of two opposites, a team surrounded in scandals and a team clean of any wrongdoing. Both teams rode high into Sunday’s game, making it fun to watch. The game was an epic battle, which made history as the first Super Bowl ever to go in to overtime.
The Patriots got off to an embarrassingly slow start. The Falcons held an 18-point lead at halftime, and ultimately ended up being up 25 in the third quarter. Then, the unthinkable happened. The Patriots came back with 31 unanswered points, including the game-winning touchdown in overtime.
The game left many people questioning the Falcons motives as they continued to pass the ball instead of running out the clock. This marked Tom Brady’s 5th Super Bowl ring and 4th Super Bowl MVP. This put him on the top of the list for Super Bowl wins by a quarterback and cemented his spot in history.

image courtesy of google images. stats courtesy of espn.com

What’s The Ethical Stance On Abortion?

BY RACHEL DIMAURO, Staff Writer

Since Roe vs. Wade, abortion has been one of the most debated, deliberated, and discussed topics in today’s society.

The morality, women’s rights, right vs. wrong, pro-life vs. pro-choice and every other concern has been canvassed.

Most arguments surrounding abortion usually focus on the law aspect of the topic, and whether or not it should be illegal or legal.

Instead of playing volleyball with the two sides, I would like to look at abortion from a strictly ethical viewpoint.

Many debates surrounding abortion focus on one thing: whether or not it is morally right to terminate a pregnancy before the full duration has passed.

Now, to better understand what each side thinks, and to come to a decision and/or conclusion based solely on ethics, let’s examine exactly what it means to be pro-life or pro-choice.

Pro-choice supporters argue that is it a women’s right to decide what is done with her body, as opposed to pro-life enthusiasts, who are of the opinion that it is immoral to end a life simply because it is “your choice” to do so.

There is, however, somewhat of a dispute in regards to what is actually considered to be a living fetus. Pro-life supporters would argue that life beings at conception—point blank.

In comparison, most pro-choice advocates believe that a fetus only becomes human, or alive, at 26 weeks. But, if life doesn’t begin at conception, then there must be a point when these bundles of cells that we call fetus’ become humans.

Pro- choice advocates will even admit that there is a point when fetus’ cease to be (not alive, shall we say?), the question is: when is this point?  This point, many would argue, doesn’t exist.

Humans are constantly changing and rearranging to becoming different (even if it’s a minute change) versions of themselves—during these changes, do they cease to be human?

An article by Quora.com, used an interesting analogy by using the colors red and yellow, it stated that, “This is red. This is yellow. These are, obviously, very different colors. If red is not yellow (it isn’t), then there must be a point where a color actually makes the transition from red to yellow. Where is that point? I’m being ridiculous, of course. We all know the correct answer here: There is no “point” where red becomes yellow. It gradually does.”

This could be used for a developing fetus as well.

There is no “point” in which a fetus is officially a human. It has always been one, it just gradually grows into a complete life form at the end of nine months. But, that does not mean that at one stage along the way that it ceased to be alive.

If a woman has consented to have relations, and has not taken the proper steps to ensure that there is not pregnancy as a result, then that woman knows that being pregnant and having a child might be a result of that action. If a woman then chooses to get an abortion, does that woman not hold some form of ethical obligation to not terminate a living organism?

Now what about the child itself—there is some conflict pertaining to the rights and choice of that child.

If there is an argument that a woman should have the choice over her body, then it follows that there is an argument that she is making that choice not just for her, but also for the growing fetus inside of her.

Whether you believe that a fetus is a human or not, you’re still, making a conscious decision that that life (or potential life) inside of you doesn’t need to exist.

To put it in context, think of it this way: if you are 15, and your mother decides that she doesn’t want to have children anymore, is she ethically right to end your life merely because she decided she doesn’t want you?

If the action is wrong when the child is older, then what makes it acceptable when the child is in utero?

In our society, regardless of your religious, political or social views, we all have an underlying code or principal of what is right and wrong. If we step over the boundaries of that code, and break the morality and ethicality that is interwoven into our society, then we are tearing at the equilibrium and balance that helps keep our society stable.

Everyday Inventions Hidden In Plain Sight

BY AHMAD GRAVES-EL, Staff Writer

To paraphrase Hip Hop Lyricist Emeritus Krs-One, “African-American History is the world’s history.”

Before I go any further, I must inform the readers, this is not a Black History Month article. This is a mini-history lesson. However, before I move on to the subject at hand, I will acknowledge that a certain segment of citizens in our country chafe at the mere mention of the phrase “Black History Month.” Here is an example of why African-American achievements are hallmarked in the month February:

On February 1, President Donald Trump held a press conference dubbed the “African-American History Month ‘listening session.’” In speaking about several American icons including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Harriet Tubman, (future face of the $20 bill), Trump made an overtly obtuse comment regarding Frederick Douglass. “Frederick Douglass is an example of someone who’s done an amazing job and is being recognized more and more, I notice,” President Trump said.

Yes, Douglass, who courageously escaped from the hellish bowels of slavery, was a pre-eminent scholar, orator, abolitionist, and occasional counselor to Abraham Lincoln, while becoming one of the leading citizens in American history. However, Douglass has been dead for 122 years.

If one didn’t know better, one could reasonably infer, through President Trump’s statement that Douglass was still walking the Earth, “abolitioning.” Uninformed remarks such as these are one reason why there is a Black History Month.

However, this article is not about black history—it is about world history. This article will shed some light on this topic for our readers who have been inconceivably kept in the dark regarding the accomplishments of several “Hidden Figures”; African-American inventors whose brilliant inventions continue to leave a positive and lasting impact on human beings throughout the world.

Millions of people have heard of the term, “The Real McCoy,”—which means the genuine article. Many don’t know that, that phrase came into existence because of an object created by African-American inventor Elijah McCoy.

According to biography.com, McCoy (1843-1929) was the son of runaway slaves from Kentucky, who escaped to Canada, and later became a master mechanic by studying mechanical engineering in Scotland.

In the 1800s, railroads were the major means of transport—whether it was humans or products—across the U.S. The ride was rarely smooth because the engines in the locomotives would heat up rapidly, causing them to make frequent pit stops. While at rest, an engineer would squirt oil on the engine to help it cool off, so the train could continue its journey.

As you can imagine, the intermittent stops kept people and products from getting to their desired destination in a timely fashion, and to many—-time is money.

Understanding this, McCoy invented an automatic lubrication device that was patented in 1872 as an “Improvement in Lubricators for Steam Engines.”

“McCoy’s invention was a small thing,” wrote Aaron E. Klein in his book, The Hidden Contributors: Black Scientists and Inventors in America, “but it speeded up the railroads and faster railroad deliveries spurred the economic growth of a nation.”

After McCoy’s invention, numerous imitators arose with their own version of the lubricator; but none were comparable to the ingenious efficiency of the original. Thus, when people wanted to purchase an automated lubricator, they wanted nothing less than “The Real McCoy.” This term that is still prevalent in the American lexicon today.

McCoy also invented the folding ironing board and the lawn sprinkler.

In 1923, Garret A. Morgan invented something that most of us would agree we couldn’t live without. The three-way traffic light is the brainchild of this African-American inventor.

According to Patricia Carter Sluby, author of “The Inventive Spirit of African-Americans: Patented Ingenuity,” after witnessing a fatal accident between a horse drawn carriage and a car, Morgan visualized that it was a good idea to use illuminated colored lights visible during the day and at night, to control vehicular traffic at intersection…” Hence, the three-way traffic signal was born.

Although there is no way it can completely stop car accidents, there is also no way to count the innumerable lives that have been saved by Morgan’s bright invention.

African-American inventors have left a profound and indelible mark on the lives of billions of people across planet Earth. Unfortunately, there has been a long-standing systematic scheme to keep pertinent facts out of certain history books to purposely keep the masses in the dark.

It is now time to enter the light and become aware that “African-American History is your history.”

Movie Reviews: What to see

PHOTO COURTESY OF GOOGLE IMAGES

By NICOLE PEREZ

If you’re looking for something to fill your Saturday night with, catching a movie at your local movie theater could be a good idea. This last year has brought us some exciting, new movies to watch. Some of the recent releases are movies we have been waiting a long time to see. Whether you are into action, comedies, or thrillers there is definitely something for you to watch at the movie theaters.

Logan is among one of those movies, being one of the most recent releases on March 3, 2017. The action movie is about a man named Logan, also known as the Wolverine, who is hiding away from the world near the Mexican border. He works as a driver while he aiding Professor X whose mind keeps worsening with seizures. However, Logan’s plans to hide away from the world are quickly interrupted when a mysterious woman appears looking for him. She asks him to take a magnificent little girl to safety. It isn’t long after that when Logan has to face enemies and dark forces from his past.

Logan stars Hugh Jackman as the Wolverine and Patrick Stewart as Professor X. It has 7.8 out of 10 in ratings on rottentomatoes.com. According to top critic Katie Walsh from the Tribune News Service, the movie “Strips away the spandex, the posse and the chaos, distilling the story down to the essence of the man, Logan. What’s left is the agony and the ecstasy of mutanthood.”

Although the movie has received various positive reviews, top critic Rex Reed from the New York Observer says “ Another expensive throwaway aimed at milking money out of people who still read comic books. Color it stupid.”

Regardless of what you may hear, it might be worthy of catching this flick during your next trip to the movie theater. If action is not your cup of tea, there are always other options for you to chose from.

Another great option could be watching a horror movie like Get Out released on February 24th, 2017. The movie is about a guy named Chris who is dating a girl named Rose.

The couple has been dating for a decent amount of time and decided that it was time for Chris to meet Rose’s parents. When Chris arrives to their house for a weekend, he begins to notice weird behavior from her parents, Dean and Missy. At first he reads it as the parents getting used to the idea of their daughter being in an interracial relationship for the first time.

However, as the movie progresses Chris soon realizes that is not the case with Rose’s family at all. Starring Daniel Kaluuya as Chris Washington and Allison Williams as Rose Armitage, Get Out is surely full of surprises. With a rating of 8.2 out of 10 on rottentomatoes.com, Get Out might definitely be the next movie to watch on your list.

On the other hand, if horror and action does not interest you then you can always catch an interesting comedy. Fist Fight is about a high school teacher named Andy Campbell who is accused of getting another teacher fired. Campbell is then challenged to a fight after the school day ends. He then has to find a way to get out of the fight to avoid a serious beating.

Although it only has a rating of 3.9 out of 10 on rottentomatoes.com, it still has decent reviews from top critics. One of them being Glenn Kenny from RogerEbert.com says “A consistently intelligent (or at least bright), coherently constructed comedy that is on occasion a rather pointed critique of the American education system in the early 21st century.” Charlie Day playing as Andy Campbell and Ice Cube as Ron Strickland, Fist Fight will be sure to make you laugh.

Gardening Club Article

 

 

 

 

What is it about gardening that can cause feelings of great euphoria? Maybe it’s enveloping your hands in the rich, warm soil whilst preparing the ground for the seeds. Maybe it’s the moment when the budding flower that you grew by hand bursts into bloom, and all your hard work has finally payed off. Or maybe it’s just the overall pleasurableness of being out in a garden on a glorious day, soaking up the sun alongside of the sun thirsty seedlings.

 

Whatever the reason, you can now experience this green thumb bliss by joining Cumberland County College’s (CCC) brand new Gardening Club.

 

Now, you’re probably thinking “Gardening? Sounds intriguing but I have no experience whatsoever with this foreign hobby—I wouldn’t know the first place to start” (Got it right didn’t I? Yes, I know I must be psychic, I can read your deepest and darkest gardening questions). Don’t worry, no prior gardening knowledge is required. All you need to do is have an interest in gardening, plants, and the way that they work.

 

The clubs mission is to further educate students by exposure to agriculture and horticulture opportunities in the community, and at the college. It also hopes to foster greater interest in gardening not just as a hobby, but as a potential career choice as well.

 

This club is open to all students at CCC, not just Agriculture Majors. Club members can plant whatever type of plants they want. They already have a wide variety of ornamental, vegetable, house, and tropical plants growing in the greenhouse on campus—they even have a banana tree growing in there. Some of the members are into the art of Bonsai. This is the art of growing ornamental, artificially dwarfed trees and/or shrubs in a pot, to artificially prevent the plant from reaching its normal size.

 

Students are free—in fact they are encouraged— to explore unconventional growing techniques and environments for different types of plants. During club meetings members will learn about traditional composting, and vermicomposting, as well as aquaponics and sprinkler systems.

 

To get involved and stay connected on campus, the club is hoping to partner up with the maintenance crew on campus to assist with the annual spring planting.

 

When do they meet? An email is sent out to club members as to when they are meeting that week. Where do they meet? They meet in the Science Building’s computer lab. Most communication is posted on the Facebook group “CCC Gardening Club.” Where is the greenhouse? The greenhouse is located in the back left-hand section behind the Science Building.

If any of the above information has piqued the hidden gardener inside of you, or you have any further questions regarding the club, contact Club President Brian Magee at, bmagee@student.cccnj.edu or drop by the greenhouse located behind the Science building.

 

The club hopes to expand as much as possible, and encourages students from all majors to try gardening. See you in the greenhouse!