University of North Florida UNF Digital Commons Spinnaker UNF Newsletters and Newspapers 9-26-2007 The pinnS aker Vol. 31 No. 8 University of North Florida Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unf.edu/spinnaker Recommended Citation University of North Florida, "The pS innaker Vol. 31 No. 8" (2007). Spinnaker. 4. http://digitalcommons.unf.edu/spinnaker/4 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the UNF Newsletters and Newspapers at UNF Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Spinnaker by an authorized administrator of UNF Digital Commons. For more information, please contact Digital Projects. © 9-26-2007 All Rights Reserved Academy Award-winner Russell Crowe viisited campus Sept. 24, and it had nothing to do with his film career, page 12 September www.unfspinnaker.com 26 Volume 31, Issue 8 2007 Wednesday October is Founder/s Month and the University of North Florida will be celet;>rating its 35th anniversary Oct. 2. Events throughout the month will celebrate the people who made UNF into what it is today and explore its varied past and evolving future. See page 7 for a look at UNF/s past+ PAST 35 YEARS AT A GLANCE: PAGE 2 The University of North Florida doesn't offer on-campus housing for families and doesn't see the need to anytime soon. Wednesday, September 26, 2007 UF tasing incident unfounded, unjust Awarded first place for Best of Show at the ince University of Florida but the situation went much too far, the incident. 2005 National College Media Convention by the police tased student Andrew and taser use was unwarranted. The event leaves a chilling uncer­ Associated Collegiate Press Meyer at a John Kerry speech, The UF police should be embar­ tainty toward what might follow a Soutlets like You Tube, CNN rassed by their irresponsible weapon student's choice to speak out in and Fox News are all poking fun at use -a behavior that has humiliated the future. the student's cry for help in incident: Spinnaker Staff a student and evidently initiated dis­ Students who preferred to remain "Don't tase me, bro." trust of on-campus authority. silent in the past usually did so out Meyer was tasered after asking Furthermore, UF's Student of fear that their ideas and questions Editor in Chief Matt Coleman Kerry about his involvement in a Government, an entity that should might be ridiculed. secret society at Yale University stand for students' rights, should be Now it could be the fear of being Managing Editor HolliWelch -a question that UF's Student ashamed of denying this student his tased. There was no need for violence. Art Director Robert K. Pietrzyk Government, the organization right to free speech at a public event. The first amendment guarantees an Business Manager Adina Daar sponsoring the speech, deemed News outlets and commentators individual's right to ask questions. News Editor Tami Livingston inappropriate. are only fanning the flames by If Bill O'Reilly gets to go on air and Features Editor Ross Brooks After his microphone was cut off, belittling Meyer. belittle people as he does, certainly Meyer continued his question and Some have even gone so far as to a student should be able to ask ques­ Sports Editor Kaelena lncinelli was consequently manhandled by the make music videos from footage of tions at a student event. Discourse Editor Jenna Strom university police. Meyer's pleas to be Copy Editor Ace Stryker let go went unheard as five officers Web Editor Meghan Dornbrock held him pinned to the ground. Photo Editor Rebecca Daly Meyer was captured on video say­ ing, "If you let me up, I'll walk out of Graphic Designer Jen Quinn here." Police tased him anyway and 'Wc\LL 5~E Asst. News Editor Sarah Diener pandemonium erupted in the Asst. Features Editor Laurel Wright lecture hall. \-.\OW \\ \S {\lOT Asst. Sports Editor Brett Morgan As millions of viewers replay the tasing incident in jest, Meyer faces coMPARES TO Production Assistant Sarah Houston third-degree felony charges for resist­ ()J~S ••• Advertising Manager Whitney Donaghy ing an arrest with violence, and he Staff Writers Ashley Beland could get up to five years in prison Jessica Medina and a $5,000 fine. Robert Orndoff The charge will be on his record as he searches for jobs after college, and Distributor Jason Strickland the humiliating video will probably Adviser Joshua Stewart haunt him for years to come. If the police were trying to avoid a Printer Florida Sun Printing disturbing situation, they failed miserably. Meyer could have been easily Robinson Student Center; room 262 7 1 UNF Drive ushered out with little interruption, Jacksonville, FL 32224 but instead the police caused a larger Phone: 904.620.2727 scene by using brute force in their at­ Fax: 904.620.3924 tempt to quiet him. www UNFSpinnaker.com He might have been overbearing during his time on the microphone, ASSOCIATED COLLEGIATE Federal Reserve's actions lead to overconfidence PRESS n case you haven't noticed lately; houses, and the Federal Reserve times of 2004 when the effective your wallet is getting lighter. is responsible for making all the federal funds rate was 1.35 percent, The Federal Reserve System's bricks. a far cry from the recently stable I Open Market Committee low­ Every month and a half they tell 5.25. ered the federal funds rate Sept. 18 the economy how many bricks they For some students, the tendency from 5.25 to 4.75 percent. are going to make, and builders can could manifest itself just when it's "Free press can, of course, be This sends a bad signal to the lay foundations and hire workers time to graduate, and they might good or bad, but, most cer­ market and will have long-lasting accordingly. be headed once again toward tainly without freedom, the repercussions on everything from Imagine for several years the empty foundations and workers with press will never be anything the ability for college graduates to Federal Reserve constantly increas­ no work to do. If this happens, but bad." find jobs in the future to how much es the number of bricks it is going recent college graduates aren't going -Albert Camus, your dollar is worth today. to make. to look very attractive in the Author (1913-1960) Since the beginning of Federal The economy's response is to lay job market. Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's more foundations and hire more When the Fed raised the rates in term in January 2006, he has fought workers and things look good. But 2005 and 2006 (and wisely so, think to keep the federal funds rate (a rate the only way the Fed is able to of the value of the dollar like the that sets the tone for the rest of the increase the number is by watering value of the bricks) the economy economy) stable. down the clay in the bricks. Now felt the pain and the housing bubble His latest move will likely undo imagine the Federal Reserve sud­ burst. all of his work to this point. denly realizes they are making too Today we still have a lot of empty The most immediate effects of many bricks at a time and they are foundations and people are clamor­ this concern the value of the dollars becoming brittle and unsound. ing for more bricks. in your wallet. Since the rate cut, The Fed's response is to drastical­ The Fed is left with a choice be­ the dollar has fallen compared to ly reduce the number of bricks they tween unsound money and almost all major currencies around make. The economy expected an investments -due to the inability the world, and the price of gold has increased number but is left with of businesspeople to accurately shot up- both clear indicators that many empty foundations and a lot predict the long term actions of the your dollar is worth less. of out-of-work builders. This is a Fed - or something that could be A history of the Federal Reserve's recession. called a happy medium. actions can be illustrated in this The latest manifestation of this If Bernanke continues to cut way: Imagine the whole economy tendency is in the housing market. rates, he will be abandoning this . _e~ists ~ntirely out of building brick Everyone remembers the good happy medium . WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2007 DISCOURS~ PAGE 3 St. Johns diversion a costly, impermanent measure entral Florida's ground thus increasing the river's salinity. most precious resources is daring to water network might not be able This change could kill off many say the least. If the state plans Cto handle population growth freshwater plant and animal species to spend a large amount of taxpayer's beyond the year 2013, and as a result, STAFF that inhabit the river and force other money to establish a source of utility managers are looking to other animals like the manatee and blue drinking water for Central Florida, it areas of Florida for help with the OPINION crab to relocate. should institute a plan that is water supply. Water management district more permanent. The demand for water in Central officials claim that the 4.9 percent Eventually, the fresh water that Florida was brought home to Duval reduction in river's flow will not makes these North Florida rivers so County when Central Florida utility have a significant impact on salt lev­ valuable will run out, and managers and the St. Johns River to four times more than processing els and sea life, but other government desalination plants will have to be Water Management District groundwater.