By  Madisyn Jackman

Imagine you’re at the supermarket looking at the different cuts of meat.  All the usual types are there: beef from cows, pork from pigs and cuts of lamb.  Each piece of meat is packaged with a label depicting the image of the animal that supplied the meat.  You then notice a cut of meat with a label showing you that it comes from a horse.

The U.S. Congress recently lifted a five-year ban on the consumption of horse meat, and this product could soon end up in markets across the nation. Not only has horse meat become more accessible, but it has also sparked some controversy.

There are several reasons to support lifting the ban. One reason is that the USDA encourages people to eat horse meat; it is low in fat, high in protein and has twice the iron of beef and most other meats.  It also has a high concentration of omega 3 and fatty acids. According to some, horse meat is both tender and sweet, and tastes like a combination of beef and venison.

One of supporters for lifting the ban, PETA, believes that ending the ban  will cut down on animal cruelty by eliminating the need to ship the animals overseas for slaughter. During shipping, they can be forced to endure inhumane conditions. PETA believes that with U.S. regulations, the manner in which a horse is slaughtered will be more humane.

On the other hand, there are also several reasons to oppose lifting the ban. One reason is that although horse meat has its nutritional benefits, it also has its drawbacks.  Contamination from everyday products used in horse care can cause concern.

“Bute,” or phenulbutazone, an anti-inflammatory drug used to treat arthritis in horses, can be harmful to people. If ingested, it can cause seizures, ulcers, aplastic anemia and severe organ damage. Not only is this drug a cause for concern, but products like fly spray hoof oil and de-worming agents could be considered harmful if ingested.

Another reason for not lifting the ban is that many people develop emotional attachments to horses. Horses exhibit human-like traits such intelligence and sociablity.  They are somewhat capable of taking care of themselves, and yet they are able to include people in their herd mentality.

Horses are also very useful creatures, from working the farm to being used in therapy. Horses play a significant role in everyday life, as well as having a certain bond with people.

Given all their attributes, it seems that horses are an unlikely candidate for slaughter.  Horses have played a major role in human society from prehistory to modern times. They have served in battle and have entertained us in sports and television, as well as providing us with the ability to just enjoy caring for and loving them.

By Tim Plumb

Sound returned to the airwaves via the internet from the campus at SCCC last month, and the students’ voices were heard loud and clear.

Miranda Savioli hosted the first online live radio broadcast on “Skylander Radio,” WSCCC, on February 9. The show was called “Anything Goes,” and it included a brief history of college radio, goals for the future of campus airwaves, a schedule of events at the college for the coming weeks, and anything else that came up.

Savioli said that it was hard coming up with a name for a show with no specific theme.

“We were all scratching our heads trying to think up a name for the show. ‘Anything Goes’ seemed so obvious and perfect, because I wanted a show focusing on all types of music that mainstream radio does not often offer,” said Miranda.

The show ran for only 75 minutes, but it was a leap forward for the broadcasting department at the college. The radio station is getting a transmitter installed so there can be some AM airspace, according to Miranda.

“It’s been fun, because we’ve turned basically a closet into a studio while the transmitter is being installed,” she said.

EDTV Channel 20 Director of Operations Tony Selimo called the show a success. He said the students running the show showed poise and maturity.

The show was produced almost entirely by the students involved in the broadcasting and communications classes at SCCC, and this show was a great way to show off their on-air and behind-the-microphone talents, he said.

To request a song during the show, Miranda said listeners can e-mail the show at agwsccc@gmail.com.

“Or, if anyone has a joke. I love jokes,” she said.

For more information, or to inquire about how to have your own on-air program, please visit the new campus radio website http://sussex.edu/wsccc or contact Tony Selimo at the college.

Matt Ciuffitelli as Oscar Madison and Tommy J. Wright as Felix Unger

You’ve seen them in the movies, you’ve watched them on TV, now come and experience Neil Simon’s “The Odd Couple” on SCCC’s Performing Art Center’s stage. 

Let us entertain you as Tim Chenard directs his first ever student product with an amazing cast including Matt Ciuffitelli as Oscar Madison and Tommy J. Wright as Felix Unger. 

Tickets are being sold at the SCCC Box office and online at www.sussex.edu.  Just $5.00 for students and staff, $10.00 for the community. So bring a date or the whole family on Friday February 24th at 7 pm and Saturday the 25th, 2 pm matinee or 7 pm.

   The Loving Hut, a Vegan restaurant located in Ledgewood, NJ is offering a 10% discount to SCCC students who present their school IDs.

   The Loving Hut is an international chain, with each location having a unique menu and atmosphere.  All the food served at Loving Hut locations is Vegan (meaning it is strictly Vegetarian, containing no animal-derived ingredients).

   Some people (like myself) have chosen Veganism for moral reasons, as it saves the lives of animals and makes an exponential difference.  Others choose Veganism for environmental reasons, or health reasons (it has been proven that meat can cause heart problems, obesity, and even cancer [a Vegan diet contains no cholesterol and is without many of the other dangerous things found in animal-based products]), and some choose Veganism for purity or religion.

   Not everyone who eats at the Loving Hut is a Vegan, but it is a great place for those who are, and for those who want to enjoy good food that won’t weigh on their conscience.

   The Ledgewood Loving Hut has a mostly Asian-based menu, but includes a variety of other things, including a popular “children’s menu” with things like Vegan “mac-n-cheese”.  It, also, has a much-requested banana-berry smoothie, as well as an array of interesting and popular entrees and appetizers.

   The staff of The Loving Hut is friendly and compassionate, and accommodates special requests with ease.

   Hero Zhou, one of the managers of The Loving Hut was a student at Sussex County Community College last year, and has agreed to offer a discount to SCCC students.

   It is a lovely place to go, has affordable food, pleasant service, and is one of the few Vegan establishments in the area (though the number is growing, with a variety of compassionate businesses emerging throughout the state, country, and world).

   So, whether you are a Vegetarian or Vegan, or not, The Loving Hut is a great place to go, where you can get good food, and engage in compassionate action.  Veganism is a wonderful, life-saving thing, and is a much easier lifestyle to adopt than some might think.  Whatever your story, stop in the Loving Hut, and enjoy a suffering-free meal, today.

By: Stacy Bockbrader

Come celebrate with us! SCCC married the Broadcasting Club, The College Hill Newspaper, and the Public Relations Team to birth their latest creation: The Communications Club. What does a Communications Club do?

This club is run totally by the students of TV/Radio Production and Journalism classes, but you don’t have to be a student of these classes to join. All you need is a love for all things “tech” related. Under the advisement of Tony Selimo, the students are the crew, hosts, reporters, directors, editors, audio technicians, and producers of every presentation that airs.

Whether you have a voice for radio, a hand for writing or a face for television, the Communications Club offers a variety of opportunities for every type of talent you may have to offer. Selected articles will be included in the College Hill News, Sussex County Community College’s online and on campus number one news source. You can also take part in the up-and-coming radio station; Skylander’s Radio. If television is your thing, help create PSAs or television shows to broadcast on Sussex’s own television network, EDTV20.

Come join us on Tuesday afternoons for our weekly meeting at 4:30 in the broadcasting room in Building E. Interested in a membership? Contact Tony Selimo at tselimo@sussex.edu.

Before Kelly Rivera walks across the stage to receive her diploma from Sussex County Community College, she told her inspiring story to New Jersey Herald reporter Bruce Scruton, http://www.njherald.com/story/news/19SCCCGRAD–for-05-19-11-clone.

Well, yes it does according to Duane Shinn, EzineArticles.com Expert Author. How it does this though, varies according to age and whether one is listening, playing, or singing.
“Music educators touch on all the intelligences whenever they and their students are involved in music making,” said Cynthia Verost, music educator and performer. She may not be totally sold on the Mozart Effect, but does agree that music, especially if started before the age of 10, can have considerable learning advantages.
The Mozart Effect created numerous controversies when the studies were released. Shinn stated that it did seem to improve certain brain functions, but the study was done only on adults and the effects lasted only for a few minutes.
“The very act of reading right to left is reinforced when a person follows a piece of music” affecting their visual senses, Verost said.
Verost is not alone in her beliefs. Instrumental practice can boost things such as coordination, concentration, and memory to help advance eyesight and hearing, according to Dr. Frank Wilson, at the University of California, School of Medicine in San Francisco.
As far as verbal or linguistic abilities, “Singing in different languages allows students to focus on shaping sounds and to become familiar with the vocabulary of a language. Singing will help a child with speech problems properly use tongue, lips, and breathing [and enable] ESL students [to] become familiar with a new language ,” Verost said.
Studies performed on younger candidates, by psychologist Petr Janata, Gottfried Schlaug, Herman Steinmetz, and Dr. Frank Wilson, all came to a similar conclusion, that music does affect the brain’s memory and motor ability.
Although most of these studies were based on playing or listening to music, developing these skills at a younger age does have a more enhanced result. Consequently, Wilson believes music instruction is essential for developing the brain to its fullest ability.
“The message with music education is, start early, make it mandatory, provide instruction, add choices, and support it throughout a student’s education,” according to a review of Eric Jensen’s book by R.B. in the Harvard Education Review.
Jensen has uncovered connections between music and IQ. He states that some of the highest mathematics and science scores in the world are attained by countries where music education is required as part of the major disciplines.
Verost agrees that mathematic abilities are greatly enhanced by music in that “Subdividing rhythms is the most obvious application of this mode of thinking. Asking students to identify the sequencing in a melody also addresses this intelligence.”
In addition to music’s effect on intelligence, is its effect on mood. According to studies performed by Maratos, Gold, Wang, and Crawford, music can fight depression, soothe stress, calm heart rates, boost immunity, and lower feelings of pain.
“I’ve been a scientist since I was 25 years old, I’m now 79,” said John McBroom, chemist, author, and retired executive VP of several major chemical companies. “We scientists have shown that playing certain melodies release endorphins just like chocolate, good booze, sex, etc.”, and sets off neurons in the brain that improve mental powers.

Music has always been a pastime of McBroom’s and the one constant in his life. “Whenever I had a tough problem to solve, it was always easier with an old 78 or 45 to listen to and ease my way through the problem,” McBroom said. Music eases strain and helps thoughts flood back into one’s consciousness.

So the next time someone thinks taking time to enjoy favorite tunes is wasteful, listeners are not only increasing their brains’ abilities, but just might be healing their bodies as well.

By Cheryl Arrabito

To make up a shortfall of more than $1 million in funding, Sussex County Community College’s Board of Trustees voted Tuesday to raise tuition to $143.50 per credit hour and eliminate six jobs on the campus, according to a report in The New Jersey Herald, http://www.njherald.com/story/news/27TRUSTEES–for-04-27-11-web.

The college will lay off its information technology staff of five and contract with an outside company to provide the services, according to the report. The college will also eliminate the position of vice president of academic affairs, assigning the duties to Harry Damato, vice president of student services.

   While recycling a bottle, reducing your energy consumption, or riding a bike to work is a good way to help the Earth, there’s something that you can do to make a much greater difference.

   In addition to being an incredibly healthy lifestyle, and saving the lives of numerous animals, adopting a Vegetarian or Vegan (Vegetarian who consumes nothing animal-derived) lifestyle makes a large global impact.  So, by going Vegan, you can help the Earth, the animals, and yourself.

   In addition to greatly reducing the risk of heart attack, other serious health conditions, and even some forms of cancer, a Vegan diet is cholesterol-free and generally low in fat.   Going Vegan leads to a healthier and more fit body, and has even been said by many to improve their energy levels and how they feel.

   It has been estimated that by going Vegetarian or Vegan, a person can save the lives of an average of 95 animals per year!  And, it is not a difficult thing to do.  There is a wide array of Vegan food out there (including some faux ‘meat’ products that have been said to taste quite authentic), and contrary to what some may think, it’s not a diet of green wheatgrass smoothies.  There’s everything from Vegan sweets, to health bars, to Vegan cheese.  There’s something out there for everyone–And no one has to get hurt.

   So, this Earth Day, (and every day), think about the impact that you make, and how you can make a positive difference for this planet and its inhabitants.  There is a plethora of helpful information online for making the transition to Veganism (including a great deal of amazing recipes).  Becoming a Vegetarian, or a Vegan, is an easy thing that you can do, that can make a world of difference.  Celebrate Earth Day by celebrating life…Go Vegan, and help save the world!

The Township Journal took notice of the relaunched College Hill News with a story in its most recent edition, http://www.strausnews.com/articles/2011/04/21/township_journal/news/4.txt. The article quotes the founder of the News, Prof. Gary Mielo, “My overriding goal for The College Hill was to showcase good student writing and reporting. I feel that this has been established and will continue to grow.”