New Textbooks, Really?

John Curtis - The Corsair

As many a student will attest, financial excess and attending college seldom co-exist.  There is no doubt that a college education is expensive, but this point is only exacerbated by our current textbook system.

I considered taking a Pre-Calculus course this fall as an elective, but eventually passed on the notion.  What I found interesting was the cost of the textbook at $171.  This semester finds students needing to buy a new book, which has been introduced into the Pensacola State College (PSC) curriculum.  My first thought is, “what new discovery have they found in this branch of Mathematics, or in any math course offered at PSC?”  I would be inclined to believe there is none. 

Why must Literature courses, which have textbooks with hundreds of literary works, change the course required books in favor of new books containing the same stories and authors.  Why not utilize all the works in one book before considering a new textbook.  Has Faulkner or Hemingway or Shakespeare written something new since their death?  I hope not.

And then there are history books on eras prior to the 21^st century that must be changed periodically.  Have historical figures such as George Washington, Julius Caesar or Henry VIII been resurrected to add to their historical biographies?  Have the events changed in centuries gone by? 

There are many other courses, which I have not taken, that are subject to this same criticism. 

While there changes that occur daily, are they so dire to higher education that we need to continually change our textbooks?  Why not supplement textbooks with addendums?  I’ve had courses where the textbook was seldom used, because the instructors lectured or taught the course through their presentations.

In fairness to everyone involved, I have encountered instructors who allow their students to use outdated books as long as the student doesn’t mind the possible drawbacks or inconveniences.  I’ve also heard instructors express their sympathy for a student’s plight in the politics of textbooks.

Most people believe our current system of textbook requirements is simply in place for the revenue it generates.  Who is paying?  Those who can very often least afford to pay.  Typical of a political system, there needs to be change.

Most students are more than willing to pay for what is required of them to attain their education goals, but don’t needlessly take our limited resources to feed the greedy beast.

Beautiful vs. Sexy Part 2 — I choose beauty

Adriana Dueck - The Corsair

So with all this reading and musing on sexuality that I’ve been doing, I’ve decided that beautiful is a word I’d rather be called by, because sexy can come under the umbrella of beauty.  To me sexuality is very much a part of being beautiful.  If someone, be it a man or a woman, tells you that you are beautiful, they are obviously physically attracted to you, and that can lead to one being thought of as “sexy.”

“Beautiful” is also a more flattering compliment because the people that I have met don’t describe a person as beautiful unless they are really impressed by how that person acts/behaves/carries him or herself. Beauty is something that is an inside part of you and it shines so brightly that everyone within your friendship circle, and even people outside of it, will notice and pick up on, and be literally drawn to like bees to honey.

Beauty also factors in with maturity, because little, stuck-up teenage girls who go around running their mouths and saying rude things are probably not very often called beautiful.  I’m not saying that you can’t be a little bit tough and be beautiful, but it’s about respecting yourself.  I can go out with my guy friends, drink a beer and down a whole pizza, holler like an idiot at Tom Brady and his teammates and still be the very feminine presence while hanging out with the guys.  That’s the problem with most girls today.  They miss the difference between “hanging out with the guys” and “being one of the guys.”  Angelina Jolie kicked total ass in “Wanted,” but she was very much a woman, and was very separate and identifiable compared to her “fraternity brothers.” 

That’s what being a beautiful, sexy woman is all about.  That’s what I’m realizing, and it’s making me more and more content to be myself every day.  Yup, I can curse, drink and smoke any guy I meet under the table, but he’ll think “that was the baddest chick I’ve ever met” when he walks away.  That’s what beauty is: owning yourself and everything about you (even your faults), and using all of these aspects of your personality to add to your sexiness.

I don’t really know anything

Paul Smith - The Corsair

Orson Welles once said, “If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.” Well, after several semesters spent writing for the Corsair, this is where my story stops. This will be my last ever piece written for this wonderful ol’ rag – and I consider this ending a happy one.

I’ve spent most of my time writing for the Corsair by dishing out opinions on various issues: identifying problems whether political or societal, analyzing the situation, and offering possible solutions. And though this may be the role I’ve played here for some time, I’ve never been totally comfortable with the rigidity such a role demands.

In fact, in my mild-mannered normal life, I don’t at all see myself as one who holds very strong opinions on “matters of consequence,” to quote Saint-Exupéry, for my psychological palette is a malleable one.

And as a result, I have at times felt a bit like a charlatan peddling snake oil from the back of my wagon for two bits a jar.

In these pages it was my job to at times come off as a know-it-all, but my real perspective on life is informed much more by what I don’t know rather than what I do. I consider myself an agnostic about most things, not just religion, but also science, politics, philosophy and pretty much the entire breadth of human knowledge.

When it comes to the big pertinent mysteries of life on this blue rock, I prefer to dwell comfortably in the gray area.

So, if I can leave you with any departing wisdom I have accumulated over the years it will not be pearls of dogmatic truth, but rather a handful of cautious suspicions.

For example, I suspect there is a world external to and independent of my senses. Therefore I have no real use for René Descartes’ postulation that we can never prove our reality is not a dream or merely the product of our imaginations. I have no empirical data to prove such a suspicion, but intuitive common sense leans me in this direction.

However, when it comes to what we as human beings can ascertain about this external world, I suspect the data and ideas we have on the matter are circumscribed by the faculties we possess in order to observe the world. Basically meaning this: I suspect that we can never know what the universe is, but only how our minds perceive the universe (my suspicions agree with Descartes on this one).

I suspect that there is no real logic in assuming the human being is capable of receiving, much less comprehending, the totality of existence, and I also suspect the quicker we abandon such assumptions the better off we will be as a species.

I suspect the ego (or sense of self) is a mental construct we create and represents only a tiny fragment of the mystery of consciousness. I suspect the more we identify wholly with the voice and thoughts in our heads, the closer we get to insanity. I suspect the more we try to place our life story, past troubles, emotional baggage, and habitual thought patterns into a little box our call it our “self,” the further we get from the reality of who we really are.

This is a troublesome suspicion to some, because we live in a culture where it is very en vogue to pretend to know who you are and to be proud of it. Most everyone thinks they are real.

Ram Dass once said, “The game is not about becoming somebody; it’s about becoming nobody.” I suspect he has a point.

I suspect that not only do we not know who we are, but that rejoicing in the mystery of non-identity is perhaps one of the keys to mental liberation. 

I like to view the ego as a repetitive song and dance routine performing for an empty theater, while outside the theater there are rapturous symphony orchestras playing within every molecule of existence… but maybe that’s just me.

And as for all of life’s other great mysteries, my suspicions oscillate somewhere between “I don’t know” and “maybe.”

Kurt Vonnegut once wrote, “There’s only one rule that I know of….damn it, you’ve got to be kind.”

I suspect, as for how we treat our fellow humans, Vonnegut’s rule is about the best we can muster: be kind to each other, let go of judgments, have empathy for all, and ultimately – let us not take ourselves too seriously and try to have a sense of humor along the way.    

So in the end, that’s the best I’ve got: no truths, no opinions, and no real solutions – just a bucket full of half-baked suspicions treading water like a lotus flower in an ocean of uncertainty.

But then again, what do I know? I’m just a charlatan whose story here has ended. So, I bid farewell to The Corsair and to PJC. I’m restocking my wagon with snake oil and hitting the ol’ dusty trail…  C’est la vie.

Smoking shouldn’t be banned campus wide

The Corsair staff has recently learned that the administration at PJC is considering implementing a ban on smoking anywhere on the Pensacola campus – a rule which is already in effect on the Warrington campus.

We at the Corsair feel this proposed campus-wide smoking ban would be far too overreaching and unnecessary. While we understand and empathize with why such a ban is being considered, we feel the reasons against such a ban outweigh the reasons in favor.

Granted, secondhand smoke and cigarette litter are legitimate concerns, but forcing hundreds of students who smoke cigarettes to leave the campus is far too excessive means by which to address such issues.

A mass exodus of smokers from campus between classes poses many problems, such as more congestion of traffic, students losing their parking spots, non-driving students struggling to find safe smoking locations, and ultimately more students being late for classes.

We also see no reasonable way such a rule could be effectively enforced. We feel requiring PJC security personnel to constantly be on watch for people smoking on campus would be a complete waste of time and resources.  

PJC already has a rule in place which states that people must smoke at least (NEED FIGURE) feet away from any building. We feel this rule is sufficient enough and should be enforced rather than implementing a campus-wide smoking ban.

It would be far easier to enforce the current rules than impose the proposed smoking prohibition.

However, if the administration just absolutely feels the current smoking rules are not working, we recommend in the very least a smoking area to be designated in a specific location or locations across the campus similar to free speech zones.

These accommodations could be very easily implemented and enforced. And this method would prevent students and faculty from having to leave the campus altogether in order to partake in the legal activity of smoking.

We at the Corsair understand smoking is a problem and has become increasingly unpopular, but we feel the proposed campus-wide ban is the wrong approach to address this issue while other more sensible and appropriate measures could be taken.

Campus No Smoking Directive

• There will be no smoking (students, faculty, staff, guests) within 50 feet of
Buildings 1, 4, 15, 17 and 21. These buildings are now considered non-smoking
areas.

• Individuals who intentionally and repeatedly violate the aforementioned
directives will be referred to the office of the vice president of Student Affairs
(for students and staff) and the office of the vice president of Academic Affairs
(for faculty) for resolution of the situation. Both vice presidents will endeavor to
assist members of the college community to understand the necessity of implementing
these directives.

So… What’s up with the Health Care bill?

Adrianna Dueck - The Corsair

Obama’s new Health Care bill is probably the most disturbing and troubling problem that America is having currently.  Even more unfortunate is the fact that I, along with most college students, have no idea what is actually going on inside of the closed doors in Washington D.C.  Now I’m not saying that we should or will ever have the chance to read these bills from beginning to end, but the student body of America needs to become more involved in what is going on in the nation’s capitol. 

After having a brief discussion about it with my ultra-conservative parents, which will be followed by research of my own, I have gained a small grasp on what’s going on politically.  Several states are actually in an uproar trying to get the bill reserved in court, but the main controversy is that health care will be required for everyone and payment premiums will almost indefinitely go up. 

I have also heard lots of smoke surrounding the tea party mini-rebellions, but that doesn’t interest me so much as a journalist.  While controversial issues like the tea party may cause scandal, I don’t consider them to be news unless actions are actually taken.  The only thing that the members of said group seem do be doing in my knowledge is making politicians really ticked off and displaying rowdy behavior on courthouse steps.

Back to the health bill.  The thing that concerns me the most regarding it is the fact that everyone will be required to have health insurance and pay a minimum premium for it.  I am fortunate to be a member of one of the healthiest families on earth, so my parents have never had it and our doctor trips have always consisted of the once-a-year checkup.  What will I do, though, when I move out?  If the bill goes through will I be required to buy insurance even though I don’t need it (we pay our annual doctor visit out of pocket)?  Should I get it just in case of having to go to a hospital for causes such as an accident?  What if I buy it, pay a huge premium and never end up using it?  I will spend the next couple of days researching this and will be back to blog more once I have been truly “informed.”

Sexy or beautiful? Which are you? Part 1

Adrianna Dueck - The Corsair

With all the amazing reality shows that viewers have to choose from on TV every night, the question that arises is “what does beauty really mean in our society?”  Does having on the hottest, smallest, tightest Armani short shorts and an elegant Dolce blouse make one sexy, or is it the air and confidence that come with a person that makes a woman (the most stressed form of beauty and sexuality being female in our society) attractive?

 While flipping through late-night TV last night, I stumbled upon Jessica Simpson’s new reality show, “The Price of Beauty.”  While at first I scoffed at her for wanting to stay in the public eye with another reality show (her last one revolving around her and her then-husband Nick Lachey) and the nonsensical idea of her trying to adapt to every culture that there is worldwide.  But, after watching it for about ten minutes I was totally captivated by it and wouldn’t leave the couch until the thirty-minute show was over. 

She was in Morocco for the episode that I watched, and she was interacting with the women in a mostly-Muslim society that required females to cover almost everything except for their eyes.  While more modern, liberal women have the freedom to dress as they want, most of them stick to the traditional dress, and belly dancers and women of lesser repute wear the more revealing, “sexy” clothes.  A more traditional woman commented on Jessica’s shorts and said that she was showing too much leg, which left Jessica feeling frustrated and defensive.  The woman’s friend and Jessica’s tour guide, Miriam, later explained that a woman’s sexuality in their country was not measured by how alluring her body was, but by how she could communicate with her eyes and sometimes her speech. 

Sitting there watching the show, that comment felt like I’d been hit on the head with a brick.  A woman can be as gorgeous as Miss Universe all day long, but if she cannot communicate and behave like a lady that will not make her sexual.  I, personally, struggle a lot with eye contact and that also made me wonder if I could lure a man into my tricky web of womanhood without showing him or allowing him to touch any part of my body.  It opened my eyes to the true difference between being “hot” and being “sexy.”  Watching just that one episode made me so aware of how to exude such a beautiful and pure form of sensuality—it will definitely change my behavior when I’m out at the local nightclubs or just out living my every day life.

Watching this show made me start to do some more research on women’s sexuality, especially outside of the United States, which eventually led me to reading several books on the art of the European courtesan.  I will follow up more on my research in a later blog, but I will share my basic knowledge of courtesans that I have discovered thus far.  Contrary to modern belief, courtesans were not (are still not) prostitutes or call girls.  They are elite mistresses of men who can afford them.  They were the most sexually free women of their time and some of the most respected by men as they had only one partner at a time, and were muses for great poets, painters, and other artists.  In exchange for strong relationships and friendship, later followed by a sexual relationship, courtesans would give their bodies to men who would spend time with them and provide for them.  The affair could only be ended by the man, and once it did the woman was free to go find another partner and provider.  These women have also inspired me and opened a new world to my thought process on sexuality.  While I do not personally plan on becoming a courtesan, the thought that women were not only paid for and provided for in return of sexual relations, they were respected and fervently sought after by some of history’s greatest men.  As I said earlier, I will follow up with this article as I will continue to watch Simpson’s show and research more books on female sexuality.

Kennedy Space Center showcases wildlife

It is the night before our morning launch and the Corsair team is preparing for an all-nighter of shuttle and astronaut observation. As this blog is being composed the shuttle’s external hydrogen tank is being filled in preparation for the vessel’s 13-day interstellar mission.  

During our time here we’ve been able to catch glimpses of the diverse habitat that is the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which is a part of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. The 140,000-acre refuge was established in 1963 and is home for 1,500 species of plants and animals. According to the Kennedy Space Center website, the federally protected environment is made up of coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries and marshes, freshwater impoundments, scrub, pine flatwoods and hardwood hammocks. Canals along the sides of NASA Parkway were loaded with alligators, great white herons, turtles and other aquatic life.

The result of nearly half a century of wild growth intermingled with mankind’s space-bound contraptions creates an interesting contrast. If only other segments of our highly-developed society could co-exist with nature in such a seemingly harmonious manner.  

First day of NASA coverage concludes

We are here in the official NASA Kennedy Space Center news center and have completed the first press conferences of our stay.  We positioned the high definition camera in the conference room and made sure to set up early in order to reserve our spot. The technician running sound cables told us that there are a lot of Japanese media personnel here and that we should set up often and early. It’s interesting to see mission materials that have a Japanese influence, with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) providing stickers that feature space station components and the appropriate nomenclature written in Kanji characters.

From a multimedia standpoint, the facilities here are outstanding. There is a massive collection of all historic NASA footage and over 500 gigabytes of video from the last three missions. According to Margaret Persinger, multimedia specialist at the news center, the agency’s collection of video goes all the way back to the World War II era and NASA’s humble beginnings. Anytime you see a documentary about NASA or its missions on TV anywhere internationally, the official footage comes from this office and we have access to it. We plan to put in a request for video of when the Pensacola-based Blue Angels were here for an air show and some other Pensacola-related historical gems. We are currently downloading all current mission footage in high definition. Also available are thousands of photos of previous missions.

According to local administrators, there are not any tours available today, but we did glean some interesting information from the press conferences and a couple of briefings. The press conference at noon covered prelaunch proceedings and a weather report. The briefing at about 1 p.m. was about the space station’s science and technology with many details about the various Japanese experiments taking place at the space station. The second half of this briefing concentrated on commercial enterprises related to onboard mechanics and science experiments. The final briefing we attended at 3 p.m. covered the biological research in canister 16, which was related to growing plants in near-zero gravity environments.

Live footage from the noon conference was be available through NASA via http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html and we plan to upload some of the other briefings at ecorsair.com. Check back often for updates.

 

The Corsair is at NASA

This morning started off with a slope. Breakfast took an hour, and finding the right building for our press passes followed with another hour. But now, The Corsair staff is finally located at the NASA News Center.

We have our spot which is seat number 32 out of 42. Even though we line up on the back third row, other news organizations, which are present, are New York Times, ABC News, CNN, Newsday, and so forth.

The Corsair is looking forward to a possible live stream of the news conference that starts no earlier than 11:30 eastern time today.  We would like to remind our readers to follow us on twitter, @ecorsair, for updates and quick releases.

Multimedia department preps for NASA launch

HD camera? Check. Boom microphone? Check. Reporter’s notebook? Check. Journalistic objectivity? Check. Jubilant anticipation that will probably make me lose sleep? Check.

In a dynamic journalism career that has had its ups and downs, I’ve had an opportunity to get close and personal with some intriguing and historic subjects, but none can match the Discovery shuttle.

In 2006 I covered the historic sinking of the world’s largest man-made reef, the U.S.S. Oriskany. Later that year I rode along with a stunt plane pilot practicing for the annual Blue Angels exhibition at Pensacola Beach. The next year I interviewed a Blue Angel pilot and rode along with another stunt pilot squadron performing in that year’s show.

Needless to say, I have a taste for adrenaline and an interest in anything aeronautical. As a young Navy brat who grew up visiting the National Naval Aviation and the Smithsonian Air and Space museums, it seems only natural that I would one day get a chance to cover a space shuttle mission. This latest assignment will also peak my curiosity for anything otherworldly, be it interstellar craft or old reruns of the original Star Trek.

In order to capture the flight of the Discovery and all the cutting-edge technology that goes along with it, I am bringing some very specialized equipment. Video equipment includes a Canon XHA1 high definition camera that shoots 1080i at 23 frames per second and a Canon VIXIA HV 30 handheld camcorder. For still photography we are bringing a Nikon D-200 with 200 and 300mm lenses. We plan to live stream the actual launch and related press conferences and we will also produce more complex video stories related to the Kennedy Space center’s tours and facilities. When there is time, team members will also update blogs about what we are seeing and doing. It looks to be a great time and I’m eternally grateful for the chance to go.

They tell me that the planetarium at PJC is looking for things to play on its massive dome. Does anyone else feel a Science Fiction and NASA Launch film festival coming on?

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