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Happy Christmakwanzakah and a Festivus for the Rest of Us Pg. 12 December 1, 2010 A Weekly Student Publication Vol. 42 No. 10 Happy Christmakwanzakah and a Festivus for the Rest of Us pg. 12 Inside: SIS' New Name pg. 5 Terror Hits Home pg. 6-7 Blood Drive pg. 8 Page 2 The Commuter Wednesday, December 1, 2010 OPINION http://commuter.linnbenton.edu om yo ord fr ur lo Advice from Weiss w ca A l his week’s column is based on several questions with each of these things, but the responsibility ASG I’ve received in my office in the counseling and for all decisions is with you, the student. So please, careerT center. don’t ever take anything for granted. Go to the t is getting to be that time of the term again! Pretty soon we will I say several questions, but really, they are recommended source of information (whether have a lot of frantic students realizing that finals are coming up all different versions of the same kind of question: that’s a website or someone on campus) before andI they need to study. This is the prime motivation behind this “Who’s in charge here?” and the answer is ... You! making any big decision. article. I have some very important news regarding the Study Jam Recently a student came to see me to At a time when LBCC has 50% more this term. If you are new to campus, Study Jam is offered through the complain and try to get help. He had been told by students than we did two years ago, and less staff combined efforts of ASG and the Albany and Benton Center Learning a teacher that he could drop his classes at the end to help them, online information sources are a way of the 7th week of the term, and this is Centers. ASG provides free food and the Learning Centers provide that we try to guide and help students, true. The student believed that since and you need to be aware of these student support services and a warm place to study. financial aid is awarded by the term, resources and make use of them. I’m not The Albany campus and Benton Center Study Jam will be that he would be able to continue happy that we have to rely on electronic Sunday, December 5 ONLY. to do his work-study job, and be systems to give students information. The Albany campus Study Jam will run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. paid, until the end of the term. This I believe in direct conversation and Sunday, December 5 ONLY! is not true. Although financial aid is personal communication. But in this era There will be: awarded by the term, if a student goes of limited human resource, we have to rely • Math help to zero credits, whatever aid has not on written communication and a student’s • Testing from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. been awarded stops immediately. The ability to find the information s/he needs. (with the latest time to start a test at 4 p.m.) Counselor Mark Weiss student can keep whatever money has I’m sorry, but for now, that’s the way it is. • Computers already been awarded, but there will be no further One resource former students always have • Food and drinks payment until the student is back in classes. at their disposal is our job placement service. Any When something like this happens student or former student can use this service by The Benton Center Study Jam will run from 10a.m. to 4p.m. students are always upset, naturally enough. They coming into the Career Center and signing up ... Sunday, December 5 ONLY! feel like someone should have warned them. and there are actually jobs available. There will be: Someone should have told them, and they want to My hope is that the story I described above • Math help know who that someone is. Who is responsible? will end decently, because this student did sign up • Reading Help In this case, like most cases, the person for the job placement service and may be able to • Testing from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. responsible for knowing the rule is the student. That make up for the lost financial aid. I also have reason (with the latest time to start a test at 3 p.m.) may seem harsh, and at the same time the college to believe he’ll be back next term, pursuing his • Study Skills makes this clear in our catalog, on our website, in goals, which is probably even more important. • Computers our orientations, and in the “Students Rights and As always, good luck my friends. • Text books to be borrowed Responsibilities Handbook.” Remember, I’m pulling for you. We’re all in this • Food and Drinks In the case of financial aid, students are together, even in those moments when it doesn’t told to check their Student Information Account feel like it. for messages from financial aid, and to check the financial aid website for general information and Mark Eric Fleming rules regarding everything from the work-study ASG Representative program to how to file for aid. Mark Weiss has been a counselor and adviser at LBCC The same kind of student responsibility for 20 years. The purpose of this column is to answer The views of the ASG do not necessarily reflect those of The applies to things like registering for classes, students’ questions about the college, academic advising, Commuter. Any questions or comments can be directed to the and how to be successful at LBCC. Please send your knowing the rules around pass/fail, and graduation questions to [email protected] or stop by the Student Life & Leadership office. requirements. There are people who can help you Career and Counseling Center in Takena Hall. Did the Surreal Living pages leave you hungry for more games? We have more crosswords and sudoku puzzles online. Plus, more fun time-wasters in our arcade. Visit our games section at commuter. linnbenton.edu The Commuter Page 3 http://commuter.linnbenton.edu OPINION Wednesday, December 1, 2010 A Stalking BACK in theDAY Adam LaMascus Government Opinion Editor his day in history … Taylor Utti police officer or a stalking police “comfort” to describe the times T Contributing Writer officer. where a police vehicle has not I’ve categorized them been sighted in quite some time, Dec. 1, 1913: Taste of Freedom … s one of our daily rituals to with these names giving you the The island of Crete is annexed by Greece. Depressingly enough, Crete get wherever we need to be for a reason. Active edge to push has just managed to attain independence from the Ottoman Empire a throughoutA the day, most of us officers you will This officer ... the speed limit few months earlier with the conclusion of the bloody First Balkan War. use some form of automotive see driving around or answer that waits hidden Out with the old occupier, in with the new. transportation. Whether it’s while they’re on among roads and incoming call. a full-sized Dodge pickup or duty, eyes peeled I believe that Dec. 2, 1899: This … is … the Philippines! a motorcycle, it’s what gets us for the law-abiding highways ... the reduction of During the Phillipine-American War, the Battle of Tirad Pass is fought, from point A to point B. In citizen. The stalking stalking police also known as the “Philippine Thermopylae.” 60 Filipino soldiers officer you won’t see vehicles would order to maintain the chaos, the manage to hold off 500 American soldiers for more than five hours, government sets a list of rules for until the lights of justice appear not only decrease the amount allowing the bulk of their army to flee. The Americans eventually hire us to follow for our own safety in your rearview mirror. of vehicular crimes committed, a local to lead them through a hidden route and flank the rearguard. 52 and protection. This officer does not but allow officers to accomplish of the Filipinos are killed while 30 U.S. soldiers are killed. The rest of But are these rules really patrol the area in a fashion more on duty then previously. their army is captured by U.S. forces shortly afterward. Modern Filipino being enforced in the correct promoting his presence, but With more officers actively on historian Nick Joaquin describes the battle as being an “exercise in manner? waits hidden among roads duty patrolling the streets and futility” that allowed the army to “run to nowhere.” While on one of these and highways to catch you highways with better visibility, daily commutes you’re very likely in a moment of distraction people would be more inclined to Dec. 3, 1984: Kind of mind blowing ... to see one of two things: an active or comfort. I use the word follow the rules of the road. The Union Carbide India Limited pesticide plant in Bhopal, India, suffers a massive leak, spewing vast amounts of methyl isocyanate into the air, injuring 558,125 people. 2,259 people are killed instantly, with thousands more dying later due to their injuries. Due to the nature Dear Conscience, of the problems, it is hard to track, but it is estimated that 11-15,000 Question: A persistent young woman wants a shallow people are killed by the so-called Bhopal Disaster. relationship with me, but I’m trying to leave that world Dec. 4, 1110: Bad luck there ... King Sigurd of Norway and King Baldwin of Jerusalem lead their behind.
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