Continuum 32: The (Mostly) Science Show

Visiting the CDC / Climate Denial / Culture and Scientific Consensus / Psychic Kids

Students from HCC’s Honors Program stand next to an iron lung during their recent visit to the CDC in Atlanta. Image courtesy of Caysey Welton.

Interview: Visiting the CDC – Every year, HCC offers a special interdisciplinary course for students enrolled in the college’s Honors Program. The topics covered by the seminar change from year to year.

This semester, Professor of Biology Dr. Kathleen Toedt is covering epidemiology – the study of diseases and how they spread.

In mid-November, the students in the class flew to Atlanta, Ga. to visit the headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), where they toured the agency’s on-premises museum.

Climate Denial – Dr. Michael Mann is a professor of meteorology and the director of the Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University. Mann is also the person responsible for the famous “hockey-stick graph” that has become a major target of climate change critics over the past decade.

At the annual conference of the National Association of Science Writers and the Council for the Advancement of Science Writing in New Haven earlier this November, Mann discussed the solidity of climate science and some of the genuine scientific uncertainties that remain.

He contrasts this with the misguided public discourse surrounding the hockey-stick graph and, more recently, with the manufacture of the Climategate controversy in 2009.

Climate Science From Climate Scientists: http://www.realclimate.org/

Culture and Scientific Consensus – Why do people with certain political and social values tend toward a particular set of seemingly unrelated beliefs about what the scientific consensus is on certain issues, while people with a different set of values think the consensus agrees with their perspective?

Dan Kahan is the Elizabeth K. Dollard Professor of Law at Yale Law School. He and his colleagues have looked into something they call “cultural cognition of risk.” What they’ve found is that a person’s cultural values play an important role in determining their assessment of risk, of what scientific consensus is, and even in whether someone is likely to believe an expert’s opinion.

The Cultural Cognition Project at Yale Law School: http://www.culturalcognition.net/

Commentary: Psychic Kids – A&E began airing the second season of a show called Psychic Kids: Children of the Paranormal this November. On the show, children with emotional and psychological problems are given “help” by psychics and mediums, all while being taped to sell to audiences.

Most of the supposed “experts” on the show have little professional experience working with troubled children, and all of them are invested in entrenching the kids that they really are being visited by ghosts or possess psychic powers.

This show demonstrates the harm of unscientific thinking, and takes advantage of the misery of children for a profit.

Skepchick’s letter-writing campaign to end Psychic Kids: http://skepchick.org/blog/2010/11/psychic-kids-letter-writing-campaign-edition/

News – HCC’s Ex-President Dies, World AIDS Day, Metropolitan Museum of Art Trip, Winter Wonderland Ball



Powered by Podbean.com

Continuum 31

Executive Positions / Canvassing / Guilty of Date Rape? / Bridgeport's Beloved Socialist

Jaclyn Willis, played by Shamorrow Bember, tells the court the story of the night she was allegedly raped.
Photograph by Brandon T. Bisceglia

Visit the Continuum web page

Student Senate Updates: Executive Positions/Canvassing - For most of the semester, the Student Senate has operated without most of its executive positions. That finally changed on Nov. 4, when Treasurer Konrad Mazurek became acting President and senator Juleen Moreno was voted as acting Secretary.

The Student Senate also decided to hold a special meeting the following Thursday in response to concerns that the Community Action Network (CAN) had possibly violated certain rules and policies during a demonstration the club held on Oct. 27 to promote Democratic Congressional candidate Jim Himes when he and his opponent, Republican Dan Debicella, were at the college for a debate.

Interview: Guilty of Date Rape? - On Nov. 3, HCC's Women's Center and the Performing Arts club cosponsored a production of No Witness, a play that explores the complexities of date rape. Twelve audience members are selected as jurors to render a verdict in the fictional court battle over whether a young man overstepped the line.

This Week in History: Bridgeport's Beloved Socialist - Jasper McLevy was mayor of Bridgeport for 24 years, from 1933 to 1957. He was also a prominent member of the Socialist Party. He was a closer friend to Republicans than Democrats, and was eventually criticized for being too fiscally conservative in city affairs.

McLevy's relationship with the city was deeply intertwined with his sometimes battered identity as a lifelong Socialist. Bridgeport also changed dramatically under his stewardship.

News – Jewish Culture, Frosty the Snowman, Mr. HCC, Musical Talent Show, Toys for Tots, Music Lessons




Powered by Podbean.com

Continuum 30: Student Senate / STATWAY / Extracurricular Activities / Yale School of Medicine

Visit the Continuum website

Graphic courtesy of actiononaccess.org.

News: FOE Meeting Times, Gettysburg Trip, Ernest Newton, NYC Trip, Music Lessons

Student Senate Updates: The Student Senate continued a painfully slow growth process at its Oct. 21 meeting, inducting its fifth member, Business major Melissa Silver.

The Student Senate also took votes on allocating funds for clubs who had not supplied a budget proposal before the Spring semester deadline. Proposal deadlines had been reopened until Oct. 14.

Most clubs got what they asked for without too much question. The Photography Club, however, was flat-funded $2,000 after several items on their proposal were rejected. The club had been asking for nearly $5,000, nearly twice what any other club had received.

The Art Club was left in the same position, though their initial request was slightly lower.

The clubs may still receive the rest of the funding that they requested. Part of the reason that the Student Senate voted for flat-funding was that the budget proposals were, in Mazurek’s words, “messy.”

Interview: STATWAY – HCC’s Math Department has begun test-piloting a new program for developmental math students that shifts the focus of their studies from algebra to statistics. The program is called STATWAY, and was formulated by the Carnegie Foundation. If all goes well, the college will begin teaching the new program in 2011. The goal then will be to change the way that developmental math is taught in community colleges across the country.

Host Brandon T. Bisceglia speaks about the program with Mathematics Professor Theodora Benezra, who is heading up the research and development team at HCC.

Commentary: Extracurricular Activities – Ever since Beacon Hall opened in 2008, HCC’s enrollment has been increasing. Along with that expansion has come an added demand for more extracurricular events and activities.

Several groups have excelled at meeting this demand. They deserve a bit of praise for that success.

This Week in History: Yale School of Medicine – In November of 1813, the Medical Institute of Yale College opened its doors, making it the first school in Connecticut for the formal training of physicians. The Institute, which would blossom into the now-famous Yale School of Medicine, was the product of a unique agreement between the college and the State.

- Medicine at Yale, presented by the Harvey Cushing/John Jay Whitney Medical Library




Powered by Podbean.com

Life after School

By Wesley Collazo
Staff Writer

While the future is full of possibilities, it is always important to remember that success will be met with challenges. By preparing for those challenges, we can place ourselves on the path toward achievement.
Image courtesy of www.yapa.org.au.

The traditional design of school goes like this: get good grades, get into a great college, graduate with a degree and boom! You are now in the career you have always wanted.

However, this is a misconception from beginning to end. Many students are “lucky” or fortunate with the fact that success or a career comes at an early age. For others it is a constant struggle not just after graduation, but throughout their entire education, even starting as far back as high school. Many businesses are in a slump with the economic state, and so many jobs are not available. Trying to master life, career and business today is a struggle, and for many it will be an even bigger uphill battle.

Building a future from your college education is not as easy as it once was. The state of the world is making it difficult for young entrepreneurs to succeed. Students across the nation pour so much into a college education, striving to achieve that career that they have dreamt of since elementary school, in return only running into road blocks that no one could ever anticipate.

For example, as a communications major, my ultimate goal/dream is to open a successful public relations firm that serves to the masses across the board. Realistically, this will be a challenge.

Without selling myself short, I still realize that my dream may never happen. I am fine with that.

However, many students I have observed seem determined to conquer their field. They end up getting so consumed in being successful, that in return they are actually losing the battle. To help, one thing that needs to be addressed is the perception of achievement when you finally receive your college degree. Going through school I was always told, "go to college, receive that degree and you will be successful". Seem a bit far-fetched? To say the least!

There are ways to make the transition into your career easier. One way is to experience the inevitable struggles you will face in the future, through others today. For instance, I have joined forces with an up and coming clothing line business that is in its early stages. I work to help them develop their audience, and shed light on their products as a whole. It is a struggle to have all the ducks in order, but I see this as an opportunity that can potentially help me out in the near future.

Having a firsthand view of the struggle to establish a business, I can live vicariously through my employers, and learn to better prepare myself for the hard times I may face when I work towards a business of my own.

Because of this, I have realized that not only what I learn in classrooms will help me in the future, but that ultimately, having experience is the vital ingredient to success. I now know that mapping out a plan ahead of time before entering college will be highly beneficial when you are gearing up for the start of your career.

Continuum 29: Special - Politics in Connecticut

Visit the Continuum page

Graphic courtesy of ctlocalpolitics.net

With the 2010 elections only a few weeks away, host Brandon T. Bisceglia tells stories from the campaign trail revealing the ways in which Connecticut politicians interact with the people, the press, and each other.

Part 1: The Narrative of Rick Torres

Part 2: Poll Fables

Part 3: A Stolen Laugh

Part 4: An Honest Ad

Part 5: Negativity

Part 6: Lawsuits Don’t Matter

Part 7: Millions of Dollars for You

Powered by Podbean.com

Continuum 28: Behind the HCC Library / Boughton & the Tea Party / Pandemic Flu in Bridgeport

Visit the Continuum website

Library Associate Jennifer Falasco carefully applies a special glue to the binding of a book that has begun to fall apart.
Photograph by Brandon T. Bisceglia.

Part 1: News – HCC Museum Closing, Veteran’s Center Move, Women’s Opportunities in Math/Science, Men’s Center Open House, ECE Food & Clothing Drive, CJ Club Presents Sarah Tyman, World Music Performance, Psychology Information Sessions, Salem Trip, Transfer Fair

Part 2: Behind the HCC Library – Host Brandon T. Bisceglia speaks with Library Associate Jennifer Falasco to find out how HCC’s library gets and keeps track of its books. Falasco also discusses her lifelong background with libraries, as well as some of the differences between public libraries and academic libraries.

Part 3: Boughton and the Tea Party – Last week Democratic State Party Chairwoman Nancy DiNardo criticized Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor Mark Boughton because of several Tea Party rallies he’s attended. Boughton’s association with these groups represents a tightening alignment between Republicans and tea party groups – a relationship that may have both positive and negative impacts on the two factions.

Part 4: Pandemic Flu in Bridgeport – On October 11, 1918, pandemic influenza was reported to have infected 147 Bridgeport residents within 24 hours, and had killed the city’s police commissioner. It was the height of the worst flu outbreak the city – and the world – had ever seen. That same day, a new committee was formed to staunch the spread of the disease in Bridgeport. The efforts would come too late for the pandemic, but would inform public health policies into the twenty-first century.




Powered by Podbean.com

Continuum 27: Club Budgets / Institutional Research / Blasphemy / The Death of County Government

Visit the Continuum Page!

Part 1: News – Author Sergio Troncoso, Safe is Sexy, Madonna y El Niño, SCORE

Part 2: Student Senate Updates – The September 23 meeting of the Student Senate produced a lively discussion about the process of securing club budgets, resulting in an extension of budget applications until October 14.

Part 3: Institutional Research – HCC’s official student count for the Fall 2010 semester was 6,197, another all-time enrollment record in a string of records that have mounted since Beacon Hall opened in 2008. Director of Institutional Research Jan Schaeffler talks about the meanings behind the numbers, her dual jobs as researcher and teacher, and other projects she’s working on.

Part 4: Blasphemy - September 30 is International Blasphemy Rights Day. The benefits of the right to blaspheme include the unimpeded dissemination of scientific discoveries, freedom of religious choice, and are even tied closely to the ability to criticize government.

Part 5: The Death of County Government – On October 1, 1960, the Connecticut General Assembly formally abolished the last vestiges of the state’s county government, making it the first in the country to do so. This level of government, though integral to the original formation of the colony, slowly turned into an ineffectual shell of its former self.

Powered by Podbean.com

East Coast Residents Should Anticipate Large Earthquakes

By Michael Bednarsky
Arts & Entertainment Editor

The Atlantic Northeast might one day be an infamous victim of Mother Nature.
Courtesy of www.datpiff.com

We live in the New York metropolitan region. Most of us are ignorant of the different routines of those who are far away, certainly with weather. When we think of California, for instance, the idea conjured up consists of beautiful girls, beaches, medical cannabis, and earthquakes.

Be sure to ponder that last one: earthquakes. There are several scientific studies regarding California's literal connection to the remainder of the United States; one day it will separate, and plate tectonics are mainly to blame.

A lot of people around here will go about their day at the usual rushed pace without much thought about earthquakes, but they would have to think again. We are overdue for an earthquake: a damaging, malevolent, and terrain-rearranging earthquake. Not “we” as in Bridgeport, or even the state of Connecticut. “We” as in the entire East Coast, combining New England, the Tri-State Area and even Canada.

Last June, a minor earthquake occurred between Ontario and Quebec, which trickled down into upstate New York, reaching all five boroughs of New York City. According the NY1 News Channel, the earthquake lasted for only thirty seconds, with a magnitude of 5.5. For some, this brought fears connected to their memories of 9/11.

Clearly, we are not impenetrable, but my how fortunate we have been with earthquakes! On the other hand, we have had our run-ins with hurricanes. The most-destructive hurricane for us was the “Long Island Express” hurricane (also known as the “Great New England Hurricane”), back in 1938. Places like the aforementioned California deal with natural disasters frequently, and midwestern states like Kansas take pride in the weather dilemmas that formed their history.

We, however, have a slate that has been sparsely tarnished. In 2008, New York Magazine announced that is it only a matter time before we have another issue, noting that New York's worst earthquake was near the Rockaway Peninsula, in the borough of Queens. This was in 1884, with a magnitude of 5. Another dilemma like this, especially in Manhattan, would cause financial setbacks that would deteriorate the environment and universal image of the location for some time.

We are less likely to be attacked by Mother Nature through earthquakes mainly because of the landscape. There's a reason why Western states are more prone to being hit. Earthquakes are caused by tectonic plates rubbing against each other, which perpetuate pressure, and the eventual split of the Earth's surface.

Parts of California are located on either the Pacific plate or the North American plate; the whole state is exposed to a fault line (the infamous San Andreas fault), making the ground a larger threat than in other areas. Los Angeles, one of California's many legendary cities, is about only fifty kilometers from the San Andreas fault, with smaller fault lines through the metropolis as well. After absorbing these details, it's obvious why the West Coast has a surplus of earthquake events.

It is near-impossible to guarantee when another earthquake will take place on the East Coast. A journalist is not well-equipped enough to predict it, unless there's a heavy interest and experience with weather present. With me, this is not the case; I am only delivering a cautionary announcement of what is to come.

Do not fear the future, though. When a state like California can work through natural disasters with ease, there is no reason why we cannot follow suit.

Any thing that happens will be worth talking about, and if an intense earthquake here is in my lifetime, the first thing I will remember will be writing of this article. Until then, I will enjoy or at least tolerate the weather near my residence, and patiently wait for the potential headline news.

Beyond Face Value

By Tori Centopanti
Editor-in-Chief

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org

“Lock jaw.”

I was branded with that dreadful nickname in high school. To my dismay, it caught on like wildfire and it stuck.

It didn’t even make any sense since it literally means what it says: a locked jaw - being physically unable to open your jaw. On the contrary: I’ve been called a loudmouth and told
I don’t know when to shut up.

The reason people teased me was that my lower jaw—and teeth—noticeably protruded out further than the upper. A birth defect I had absolutely no control over.

Girls were ferociously cruel about it.

A lot of them would ask if I had been punched in the face. No matter what my rebuttal, their grand solution was to “pop” my jaw “back into place.”

I would ask why they hated me so much. Surely I must have done something wrong to incur their wrath. The answer was always the same: “I just don’t like you.” Once, a girl even wrote “you’re ugly” in every page of my notebook when I wasn’t looking.

So much for sugar and spice and everything nice.

Nothing ever escalated in physical violence, but it was always a possibility. I had seen plenty of other girls get into nasty, ruthless fights—both on and off school property. One day, as students made their way to the buses, I watched as my main antagonizer seized another girl by the arm, flipped her into the air and slammed her backside into the pavement.

It all happened in less than two seconds. The only thought going through my mind was, “That could’ve been me. What if that had been me?”

It was a real-life production of “Mean Girls,” except more brutal and heartless. I lived in a near-constant state of fear.

Some of my tormentors went so far as to approach me in public and threaten to beat me up, right then and there. I couldn’t ignore someone who was in my face, hoping they would go away. I didn’t want to ignite any violence, but I also didn’t want to seem weak.

So I did the only thing I could think of: I reasoned with them. I debated that I had done nothing to offend or wrong them in any way; that there was absolutely no reason for us to fight.

It worked every time.

But I still dreaded going to school, a place I should have felt safe. School officials did nothing to alleviate the situation and I knew that I might not be able to talk myself out of every confrontation. Walking around town with my friends gave me anxiety—adding to the stress my mind and body were already under.

From a stranger’s perspective, the only things my jaw affected were my confidence and self-esteem. Little did they know that was the very least of my problems.

The real trouble began in sixth grade. I felt nauseated almost every day, a pattern that continued well into high school. I’d get acid reflux and heartburn no matter what I did. By the age of 20 I had a stomach ulcer, which is most common among senior citizens.

I couldn’t do anything that involved running because it made me feel sick and I had trouble breathing. My grades in gym class slipped and I stopped trying. I became a regular in the nurse’s office.

At first nobody believed me, not even my own mother. Everyone thought I was faking, because let’s face it, that’s what kids do. My underbite was normal up until middle school, when the misalignment of my jaw visually presented itself and then grew more pronounced.

But it wasn’t until I started high school that I was officially diagnosed with mandibular prognathism, which simply means that the lower jaw projects out farther than the upper. My orthodontist explained that since the mouth is the beginning of the entire digestive system, having a severe prognathism—like I did—ultimately led to medical and dental problems.

At just 14 years old, I decided that something drastic had to be done. That’s when I discovered orthognathic surgery, better known as corrective jaw surgery.

I wanted the surgery. But ultimately I needed it.

Preparation for the surgery was much longer than I had anticipated and my patience wore thin.

I wore braces for over four years and had all of my wisdom teeth extracted at once. The latter resulted in a rare complication: an abscess—a type of infection—developed in my throat, which almost completely closed up. I made it to the hospital just in time.

I figured if I could survive that, I could handle the hurdles that lay ahead of me. How wrong and naïve I was.

I underwent corrective jaw surgery in February 2008, and recovery turned out to be a more grueling process than I had imagined. I was the picture of misery. My jaw was wired shut for five weeks. I couldn’t talk or eat. Breathing and sleeping were practically impossible tasks.

I felt as if I had been through hell and back enough times to qualify for a frequent visitor pass. But in the end, every horrifying second was worth it.

I was certain that once I had the surgery, my “lock jaw” would be old news and the bullying would stop.

Once again, I was proven wrong.

Rumors that I had facial cosmetic surgery began circulating. I was appalled that anybody would say something so cruel and ignorant without any facts or proof.

I can’t lie: the surgery did improve my looks, but that was just icing on the cake. The most significant benefits I experienced were medical—not aesthetic.

The American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeries’ website states that “While the patient’s appearance may be dramatically enhanced as a result of their surgery, orthognathic surgery is performed to correct functional problems.”

I’m living proof of this.

I can properly chew and swallow my food now, a simple feat that so many people take for granted. I’m finally able to eat food I’d been physically unable to before, like steak. My breathing has vastly improved and I run regularly for exercise—without getting sick.

I truly believe that my experiences have made me stronger and more open-minded, and I am grateful for that.

Not everything is at it appears, but most of us rely on sight as our main perception of the world around us. We can help it, though, if we try. A conscious effort has to be made to not judge a book by its cover, because everyone has a story worth telling.

Next time you see someone and find yourself making assumptions about them, or tearing them down in your mind, stop. Take a few seconds to think of how you’d feel if you were in their shoes. Teasing someone about their appearance and calling them names may seem innocent, normal and even amusing at times, but when you’re on the receiving end of it the fun stops.

It’s our differences as human beings that make life interesting. No two people in this world are exactly the same. Shouldn’t we celebrate that?

Let’s Save Water One Drop at a Time

By Sania Mathakutha
Staff Writer

We drink, we bathe, we flush, we swim, we wash, we splash, and we cook. Imagine one day without running water.

Especially clean safe drinking water. Water is one of the most important nutrients in the body and since it has no calories it might possibly be a significant factor in loosing weight and being healthy. Cells in our bodies depend on water to function. Without water the body begins to get dehydrated, your mouth can become dry, your eyes stop producing tears, and you might experience muscle cramps. Water is also needed for respiration and converting food into energy. To meet our food demand, farmers need water to grow crops. Without sufficient water, food prices go higher.

“Economically, why are people spending money on water when you can get it for free? The first step is to use reusable water bottles and fill them up in school,” says Professor of Mathematics Marina Philips, who advices HCC’s Friends of the Environment club. “You could also reduce the amount of time you spend in the shower to save water.”

Our civilization uses water as though we have limitless amounts of it. We run the tap just to get the water to our desired temperature before we use it. We do not stop and consider all the water that goes down the drain for no purpose.

Justin Szygiel, a student at HCC says, “It’s sad but unavoidable” when he sees people opening faucets and letting them run for no purpose.

Because of the drought that Connecticut is experiencing, fire dangers are at a high because of insufficient water. According to an article in the Darien Times fromAugust, Governor Jodi Rell issued a drought advisory for Connecticut.

“We are not in an emergency situation, but it is important for people to take sensible steps to stretch our water supply,” Governor Rell was quoted as saying. “I am asking all Connecticut residents to use common sense and to avoid unnecessary water usage such as watering lawns, washing cars at home or running ornamental fountains. While current water supplies are adequate across much of the state. I urge all residents and businesses to please cooperate with your local water utilities and follow their recommendations.”

Saving water should not feel like a sacrifice; when you save water, you are conserving it for the future. Water covers a majority of the earth and provides it with the ability to support life. Organisms don’t have to be told twice about the importance of water for their survival, existence and reproduction. Amphibians lay their eggs in water so that they can reproduce. Even flies understand the importance of water because they lay their eggs in it. Without water, organisms would not exist.

Using reusable water bottles puts money back in your pockets and saves the environment at the same time. Most bottles are never recycled - they end up in landfills, oceans or on the side of the road. Bottled water is not healthier or tastier then tap water. However, if you feel like you need to filter your water before drinking it, you could either buy a water filter for your tap, or a filter pitcher.

According to Professor of Biology Sandra Barnes, students collected water from several fountains at the campus last year, which she tested for microbes.

“Because the water is chlorinated, the bacterial count was very low,” she says. “The water coming through the drinking fountains is very safe – possibly better than bottled water.”

Never take water for granted. In a survival situation, having or not having water can be a matter of life or death. The human body can survive weeks without food, but can not last that long without water.

The majority of diseases in the developing world are water related. Many are because of poor management of human excreta. Some countries in the developing world rely on water from rivers and steams that can be contaminated by septic tanks and municipal sewage. The most common disease is Diarrhea, which is caused by contaminated water. According to the World Health Organization, Diarrhea killed 2.2 million people in 1998. Water is our main source of hygiene. So if you have water to flush your toilet, count yourself as one of the most privileged people in the world.

People turn on the sink and let water run as if it’s nothing valuable, forgetting the intensive labor someone had to go through for that miracle to happen. The question is, where would you be without water?

Easy Ways to save Water

· Use reusable water bottles and refill them at school or at home.
· Turn the water off while washing hands, brushing teeth, shaving and washing dishes
· Take shorter showers
· Cut down your laundry load by doing laundry at least once a week once you have a full load.
· Replace dripping faucets and pipes because every drop counts.

Continuum 26: Why We Needed the Constitution / Off-Peak Students / Long Island Express Hurricane

Part 1: News & Events - Bridgeport Library Book Sale, The Big E, Banned & Challenged Books, Read Aloud Day, Record Enrollment
 
Part 2: Why We Needed the Constitution – History Professor Dave Koch’s presentation at the Events Center in celebration of Constitution Day on September 17 tells about some of the major ideas and events that led the United States from independence, to the Articles of Confederation, and finally to a Constitutional Convention.
 
Part 3: Night & Weekend Students: Many of HCC’s services are only open during traditional daytime hours. Many more activities take place during the day. This leaves night and weekend students underserved and unable to participate in many aspects of student life – a position that is unfair, given that they constitute one of the community college’s target demographics, and that they end up paying for college functions that they cannot use.

Part 4: The “Long Island Express” Hurricane: On September 21, 1938, a category three hurricane plowed across Long Island and slammed into Connecticut, centering between Bridgeport and New Haven. It was the single worst natural disaster to strike the state in recorded history.

Powered by Podbean.com

Continuum 25: Student Senate Shortage/FEMA/Connecticut’s First Constitution

Part 1: Events

Part 2: Student Senate Updates – Recruiting Senators, HCC Foundation, Budget Estimates, Revision of Constitution & Bylaws

Part 3: Student Senate Shortage – Many students who served on HCC’s Student Senate last semester have either graduated or moved on to other activities. Only three members were left to run the group’s September 9 meeting. Host Brandon T. Bisceglia speaks with Director of Student Activities Linda Bayusik and Student Senate Treasurer Konrad Mazurek about the push to recruit new senators, and why they feel the Senate is important.

Part 4: News – Albertus Magnus Transfer Agreement, HCC Crime Statistics, Himes Internships

Part 4: FEMA - Last Friday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency denied Connecticut’s request for federal assistance for losses incurred by the June 24 storm that produced a tornado that ripped through Bridgeport’s downtown area. The denial reveals inequities inherent in FEMA’s policies, and questions about its overall usefulness.

Part 5: Connecticut’s First Constitution – On September 15, 1818, Connecticut Governor Oliver Wolcott signed the final draft of Connecticut’s first post-colonial constitution.
- Connecticut Constitutional History, By Wesley W. Horton

Continuum Website



Powered by Podbean.com

Continuum 24: News/Off to the Americorps/Stem Cells/Benedict Arnold

Continuum is inaugurating the new school year with a new format! Join host Brandon T. Bisceglia as he delivers news, interviews, and stories related to Housatonic Community College and Connecticut as a whole.

Part 1 - News and Events: Dean of Outreach/Vietnam Course/Welcome Back Party/Clubs/The Big E Trip

Part 2 - Off to the Americorps: Former Student Senate Vice President Chad Hunter discusses his time at the college and his decision to take a year off to serve the Americorps in California, as well as the drive to serve one’s community.

Part 3 - Stem Cell Commentary: A federal judge recently ordered a temporary ban on public funding for embryonic stem cell research, because of a law passed by Congress in 1996. Connecticut has its own laws that have created clear guidelines for the acquisition of embryonic stem cells, and may serve as a model for updated federal legislation.

Part 4 - This Week in History - Benedict Arnold: On September 6, 1781, Connecticut native and infamous traitor Benedict Arnold led British forces onto shore at the port of New London, in one of the worst battles to occur in the state during the American Revolutionary War.

Click on the button below to listen now!

Powered by Podbean.com

Finding the Equation

By Horizons Staff

A video answering questions about how to successfully juggle community college life and other obligations.

Continuum 23: Education Documentary

To fulfill a requirement for HCC’s Honors Program, Nursing major Meoba Nsenga filmed a documentary in which she interviewed students, teachers, and administrators at several area high schools and from HCC. Host Brandon T. Bisceglia asks Nsenga about her experiences with the American educational system, and what she learned making her documentary.

Powered by Podbean.com

Holistically Balanced

By Desirae Williams
Staff Writer

Ever think of connecting with yourself on a deeper level? Of being able to listen to signals from your body? Or the emotions that your heart felt? Or even the simplest, yet most peculiar ideas that arise from your mind?

Have you ever thought about how this unique relationship, seemingly, works together without your conscious awareness? After so many questions, it is well to know that your thoughts may have answers if you take the initiative to redirect your life in a more holistic manner; focusing on the relationship between your heart, mind, and body.

Many individuals face a point in their lives when they seem to plateau, finding it hard to juggle responsibilities and what they ultimately want to enjoy out of this life. However, it’s better late than never to find some equilibrium in our lives, and to finally start appreciating it in a whole new way. Always remember that greater awareness of the complexities of our nature can help shape who we want to become in the future.

The first step would be to recognize this balance—mind, body, and soul—and that it can lead to higher achievements in life. Healthyliving.org provides multiple links to nothing but nurturing well-being sites. Concurrently, their mission stands by the holistic approach to life’s more bleak moments. They urge the understanding of simple things in life as a way of coping with hardships or appreciating what our rewards are.

Be smart, realize that healthy living is about understanding how your emotions can affect your thinking, and how your health can affect your body. When an aspect of your life is off balance- you have a cold, you’re upset after an argument- it usually affects something else; how you can complete homework assignments? If left to its own devices, any unbalanced lifestyle can lead to complications.

The connection between physical health and mental health makes them whole, and each part is of equal importance.

There are exercises that can enhance your physiology as well as your mind. Yoga, a callisthenic, has gained popularity amongst celebrity clients and people who swear by the harmonious lifestyle it promotes. The elements of this routine are a combination of physical postures, specialized breathing techniques, and meditation to promote relaxation. Although there isn’t any definitive evidence that states the health conditions that yoga combats, it is said to reduce stress levels, heart rate and blood pressure, as well as increasing lung capacity and mood.

The Community Health Network of CT knows firsthand that it is imperative to make exercise a part of the daily routine and created a statewide initiative called, “Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies” to back its mission. It strives to educate the community through annual, daylong events that promote healthier foods, activity plans, and an overall well-being as a lifestyle, according to www.chnct.org. The design behind this program is another element of making balanced decisions.

A nutritional regimen is also a key component in maintaining a wholesome balance. According to Mayoclinic.com, it is recommended to intake as much fruits, vegetables, and whole grains as possible. The site urges people to formulate a meal plan that consists of balanced consumption of salts, sugars, dairy, and meats which contribute to overall health. The food pyramid, also known as MyPyramid, is strategically shaped and organized with the most important focus of the diet towards the base and the less frequent food items towards the top.

“It’s hard for me to eat the food that is supposed to be healthier because I don’t have a lot of time to plan,” Katherine Clark, General Studies major said. This is a common plight amongst everyone, and can be transformed, if a little effort is applied, to make a bigger difference in the end.

Focusing on how to live life more holistically and within awareness of one’s self, can be as simple as changing the food that is eaten or the level of activity that you participate in.

Attempting to address any imbalance will uncover the greater potential in us. As we begin to feel more control over our lives and health, it can make everything fall into order and bring forth the greater good in every situation.

“Changing my diet might be hard, but if it means becoming more balanced, I’m down to try,” said Clark.

Getting Registration Right

By the Horizons Staff

In this video, we attempt to give HCC students a walkthrough of Lafayette Hall to show them where to sign-up for classes and the best course of action to take in getting courses. Included are interviews with staff of the Financial Aid office and Academic Advising Center.

The Whole Foods Story

By Deb Torrreso
Outreach Editor

Fast food; what a concept! There was nothing fast about watching a carrot grow, but I don’t think making crops grow faster was the idea behind it. It had more to do with meeting the changing lifestyles of consumers and their needs. People are spending more time out of the home which ultimately leaves less time to shop for and prepare meals.

The family experience of buying food from farms and local distributors, and sitting down together over a home-cooked meal has been replaced for many by grabbing a bite here and there, while connecting with loved ones via cell phone or texting. This devolution was unavoidable. The problem is that no one saw the long term danger to our health as a result of this lifestyle.

While fresh foods were the better health choice, they had to be consumed in a timely fashion; busy lifestyles were making it more difficult to do that. A viable option was to create foods that could be stored until someone had the time to prepare them. TV dinners and the microwave solved that problem. At the same time, in order to create a fast food industry and provide the convenience of keeping foods on hand longer, foods would have to be modified in some way.

One of the processes to make this possible would be the making of Trans fats-a process called hydrogenation (adding hydrogen to vegetable oil). This substance has since been used in the manufacturing of foods, allowing them to stay fresh longer and have a longer shelf life. Trans fats are found in many snacks and fast foods. Unfortunately, the effect of ingesting these fats on a regular basis can be devastating as it can raise cholesterol, increasing the risk of heart disease.

It seemed like the world around food started moving at a faster and more competitive pace; mass production, packaging and marketing all played a role in the quality, or lack thereof, of the food we were putting in our bodies. Many of us didn’t realize the toll it took on the industry to develop new methods for food consumption.

A movie called Food, Inc. is as disturbing as it is informational as it takes us on a ride through the modern farming communities, examining the mistreatment of animals. Many farms have to administer antibiotics and steroids in order to keep animals alive under unhealthy conditions, and to “plump them up” for mass production.

Among many other issues, the movie takes a peak at the process of making packaged hamburgers. The producers report that hamburgers contain meat filler (which is used to create more product) after which it is cleaned with ammonia to eliminate the possibility of the E-coli bacteria. This process has itself actually become a competitive market. You can find more information at takepart.com/foodinc.

While many of the food industry’s dark secrets are surfacing, there is a light on the horizon as a result of it. There is a lot of buzz out there right now about healthy nutrition. There are informational books, classes, CD’s, and seminars popping up all over the place. Careers are being created in health coaching and counseling, and at the very least, there is an overdue awareness that if pursued, promises positive results.

Many people in communities are giving their time and energy to help change the nutrient-lacking path so many people are on by starting with America’s kids. British Chef Jamie Oliver is intent on “changing the way America eats.” He has been working within the school system of West Virginia to educate the kids, as well as the adults, in the benefits of eating more whole foods such as fruits and vegetables.

The country has witnessed Oliver slowly progress from being ridiculed by the naysayers, who believe there is not enough time and money to create healthy, proportioned meals, to evoking tears from appreciative parents and kids.

Don’t forget, kids eat what we let them. Their habits and behaviors are instilled from an early age and if no one tries to help change that, they may become overweight and unhealthy. Oliver proved his insights could arrest some of the thinking that leads to those behaviors - but it wasn’t easy.

For some kids, realizing they wanted to change this self-destructive habit was a painful experience; many of them had never gained the knowledge or support they needed to understand there were options.

Connecticut is following Oliver’s lead with a movement that is sweeping its way through Fairfield County to promote better health and wellness through exercise and nutrition.

Obviously, it’s easier to follow a healthy lifestyle if it’s started at a young age. Bringing this awareness to the school system is a crucial piece of the puzzle. A staunch supporter of this premise is Amie Haul, Director at From Your Inside Out. Haul teaches workshops using a new concept called Square Foot Gardening.

The kids learn to build a 4foot by 4 foot wood structure, divided into square-foot beds of organic soil. Haul teaches them what and how to plant. For example: as the beans grow up she has the kids build a trellis; and so on.

Haul believes in teaching kids better health by exposing them to growing their own foods, and understanding the value of eating foods that have not traveled long distances to reach the supermarkets. She wants to share with them the enjoyment of watching the vegetables and herbs grow, and to show the connection to how it affects their environment. The opportunity has been provided in part by Family Consumer Sciences (FCS), which is likened to “home economic” class.

According to Haul, building the gardens not only helps with woodworking skills, but helps to expand the abilities acquired for mathematics, history, sociology and spelling. There is also a positive by-product in that the kids are experiencing “the feeling of community and caring for something,” Haul said. “It’s really about getting people connected to each other, their food, the community and the land.”

Haul sees this project as a useful tool in life for these young people. Not only do students learn how to start and tend a garden; she also provides cooking classes where she demonstrates how meals can be made with these whole foods.

Fortunately adults are rethinking their eating habits as well. Parents, along with health care professionals are more aware of the positive effect good nutrition can have on health and lifestyle, and as a result are setting new examples by making changes in their own lives.

Yoga instructor Patti Tower, of Laughter with Yoga (www.thehappyyogini.com) has been slowly changing her eating habits over the last four years. She never thought she would give up certain foods like onion rings, but now she prepares the majority of her own food and eats very little processed and packaged foods-and no fast food.

“My advice to people just starting out is to drink a large glass of water 30 minutes before eating meals and chew food slowly and completely,” Tower said.

While changing one’s lifestyle can be a stressful option, taking control in even a small way could start someone down a path that leads to better health. Doing as little as replacing one unhealthy food with one healthy food, buying produce locally, and reading labels at the grocery stores to determine the fat and sugar content, are just some ways to make a big difference.

You can find more information as well as lists of farmers’ markets in your area at the following sites:
Northeast Organic Farming Association, (NOFA) www.nofa.org
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) www.farfresh.org/food/csa and www.csa.com

Good Luck and Think “Health!!”

Sports and Our Youth

By Veronica Pagan
Staff Writer

Bridgeport Raiders vs Danbury Vikings at Danbury's home field.
Photo by Veronica Pagan.

Any time you turn on the news there is talk of child obesity and other health risks to young people. Yet within the community there are sports offered to youth that can help keep them physically fit and academically motivated.

Pop Warner Football League was established in Bridgeport in 1987. The Pop Warner website states their goal is to inspire youth in the ideals of sportsmanship, scholarship and physical fitness.

Bridgeport Pop Warner is a branch from Pop Warner Little Scholars, which is a non-profit organization in its 77th year. According to the Pop Warner site, their staff consists of volunteers and coaches who are trained to offer the best and safest programs for youth.

In southern Connecticut, there are 20 different teams offering football for children between the ages of 5 and 14.

Their practices start in August, before school starts. They usually are Mondays and Fridays during the summer. When classes start the practices are three times a week for one hour for the 5-9 year olds and two hours for the 10-14 year olds. The practices are held at Newfield Park.

My 6-year-old son, Eugene Barros Pagan, is a former player for the 2009 Season of the Bridgeport Raiders and a current player of T-ball for the Indians. He enjoys playing sports.

“I love football and baseball, I love running and scoring points, and I like making new friends,” he says.

For those who feel that football is a rough sport for children, there is always baseball. The season just started for the North End Little League (NELL), which was founded by Nell Carter in 1954.

Indians vs Marlins. A T-ball game at the NELL field.
Photo by Veronica Pagan.

Their practices are held half an hour before the games. The games are on Monday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. The games are held at the NELL field.

2010 League Information Officer Steve Bailer says, “This program teaches our youth respect and loyalty and good family values. This can also rub off on the families who may not have had such an experience as a youth.”

“The volunteers, parents, and youth who participate in the program are willing to put their time in. Others are reluctant at first, but once the season starts they don’t regret participating,” says Bailer.

For more information about NELL baseball, visit http://www.eteamz.com/NorthendLL/
nellbridgeport@yahoo.com. To learn more about Pop Warner in Bridgeport, contact Alvin O’Neal at o_neal_alvin@sbcglobal.net, or 203-400-3164.

Forensic Expert Shares Experience with Students

By Kari Damato
Staff Writer

Dr. Henry Lee.
Photo by Kari Damato.

Dr. Henry C Lee, one of the world’s foremost forensic scientists spoke at HCC on April 28 about the role of forensic evidence in solving crimes, from ransom notes to designer shoes. Lee was a prominent figure in many of the most challenging cases in the last 45 years. A few of these cases include the O.J. Simpson trial, the JonBenet Ramsey murder, the Laci Peterson case and the murder of Helle Crafts, also known as the “woodchipper” murder. In addition, Lee has authored hundreds of articles in professional journals and co-authored more than 30 books.

Professor Samantha Mannion, coordinator of the criminal justice program and advisor to the Criminal Justice club, and Professor Joan Lloyd, the chemistry club advisor, thought that Lee would be the perfect speaker.

“Lee encompasses both the scientific expertise and criminal justice know-how. It will make the event the perfect cooperative effort between our two clubs,” said Mannion prior to Lee’s visit.

“We hope that students will come away from his presentation with a greater and more profound appreciation of the critical role that science plays in solving modern crime,” Mannion said. “Science is not perfect, but it has greatly narrowed the margin of error between guilt and innocence that has existed in law enforcement and our society for so long. Dr. Lee is an incredible engaging and entertaining speaker, and we are very pleased and excited to be hosting his presentation.”

Lee spoke in the events center, which was completely full. Immediately his great sense of humor and wittiness captured everyone’s attention. Lee said he came to this country “with $50.00 in my pocket and spoke no English, and now 30 years later I have lots of money but still don’t speak English.”

Throughout the seminar he handed out and even threw mini badges to people who answered questions correctly. As he spoke about the top 10 forensic scientists, he said, “He couldn’t believe the Chinese guy was number one [referring to himself].”

Lee started school in a community college, majoring in chemistry. After finishing school he was not able to attend his commencement because his family didn’t have money. He said he always kept in mind a saying he had learned: some people make things happen, some watch them happen, and others wonder what happened.

It was apparent that he would be the one to make things happen. He shared many photos from throughout his career, from his childhood, him receiving awards and being on talk shows.

Lee said, “This year no more talk shows, I am focusing more time on cases.”

He compared the show C.S.I and actual forensic work. He said the characters on C.S.I. never need warrants. “They carry a flashlight and find all the clues they are looking for, we have all different kinds of lighting and it’s hard to find clues with that,” he said. “C.S.I. also never shows any signs of stress or having to face the community, you need the public’s trust. It’s very important.”

Lee touched on a few of his more prominent cases, explaining his findings and what was involved. He related his different theories on the shooting of JFK. However, he said, “this is one case that will never be solved. When the original bullet was found, it was washed, removing all DNA.”

He concluded with information on the field of Forensics. “It has a lot to offer but it’s more important to find something you are good at and strive for your best,” he said

Lee stayed after the seminar for book signings and pictures.

Lee currently resides in Connecticut and is the Chief Emeritus for Scientific Services for the State of Connecticut and an occasional lecture professor of forensic science at the University of New Haven, where he has helped to set up the Henry C. Lee Forensic Institute. He is also a visiting professor at the East China University of Political Science and Law. Previously, he has served as Connecticut's Commissioner of Public Safety, the Director of the Connecticut State Police Forensic Science Laboratory, and as the state’s chief criminologist from 1979 to 2000.

For more information on Lee and to purchase his videos and/or books, visit http://www.drhenrylee.com.

“Defining Moments” for Art Department on Display

By Tori Centopanti
Staff Writer



All photographs by Tori Centopanti.

An exhibit of faculty art work called “Defining Moments” made its debut in the Housatonic Museum of Art on April 7.

At the opening, over 40 pieces were on display and the smell of paint was still fresh in the air.

Paintings ranging from realistic to abstract adorned the walls, along with drawings, sculptures and photographs.

The pieces were chosen individually by each artist instead of by jury. This gave them the opportunity to showcase their best recent work.

The largest sculpture piece, titled “The Rusty Hinge,” was of an old door with chains wrapped around it and arms coming through. The artist is Art Program Coordinator and Professor of Graphic Design John Favret.

The piece was inspired by roadblocks he has personally encountered in life. “Some people really go head-to-head with somebody who’s unwilling to move out of the way,” he said. “I’m tired of banging heads.”

Favret’s paintings feature places he loves to visit. One depicts a dock with people swimming. Others are of a pastry shop and a pub, both located in New York where he used to live. All these were made using acrylic on canvas.

Professor Peter Rembetsy is the artist behind the other sculptures, which display lacrosse players and skateboarders. He captures the action of the sports with most of his models in mid-air and doing tricks.

Professor Andy Pinto said his paintings focus on “buildings that once symbolized the culture of America [that] are now eyesores waiting for demolition.”

He used acrylic on canvas to create a barn, brick wall, and diner. Another piece he submitted was of a bare tree made using graphite stick on paper.

“I feel that a painting is not a photograph; it should be the product of more information than one moment has to offer and should express a point of view,” Pinto said.

Professor Gus Moran’s works were among the most abstract of the pieces. All five paintings were made using oil on canvas and display people in various situations. They show a painter, a scribe, Indians, a woman on a taxi and a man standing on what appears to be wreckage.

Professor Tom Brenner’s pieces could be considered realism, but he adds abstract elements to them. He used unblended pastels on rough sandpaper to create the city scenes.

“I find inspiration in the urban landscape of Bridgeport, most especially in its decaying industrial architecture,” he said.

Professor Andrew Prayzner’s work displays two mug shots of captured drug smugglers with their faces pixilated beyond recognition. He used oil on canvas in order to blend the pictures to the desired effect.

“They have this dehumanizing, abstracting quality that shifts the portraits away from standard documentation and towards an overarching geometric abstraction that symbolizes a kind of power structure,” he said.

Other faculty artists that contributed include Juan Andreu, Jason Buening, Judy Corrigan, Carmine Picarello, Ernest Lopez, Tom Scippa, Stefanie Victor, Suzan Shutan and Janet Hayes.

Faculty art shows have been done annually for years, but this year was a little different. The art department is entering a new era, which is why the name “Defining Moments” was chosen.

When the previous art program coordinator, Ron Abbe, retired, Favret took his place beginning in the Fall 2009 semester. He has been making changes ever since.

Recently, several new adjunct professors have been brought in and many new classes are being offered to meet the needs of students. Even more classes will be added during the 2010-2011 academic year.

“For the first time all of our classes were full and that’s not typical,” Favret said. “We’re trying to expand what we offer but also raise the bar a little bit for the highest quality education we can give our students.”

The faculty’s exhibit may be over, but art lovers need not fear. The student’s art show will be on display in the Housatonic Museum of Art from April 29 until May 27.

The Treasures of Pleasure Beach

By Brandon T. Bisceglia
Co-Editor in Chief

All photographs by Brandon T. Bisceglia.

Just a few yards across the water from Bridgeport Harbor lies another world.

A two-and-a-half mile peninsula juts from Point-No-Point in Stratford’s borough of Lordship out into Long Island Sound, where it widens from a sliver of sand into a swath of land large enough to have once held one of the country’s premier amusement parks.

These days, Pleasure Beach/Long Beach West is in many ways a shadow of its former
self.

In 1996, the wooden swing bridge that connected the beach to mainland Bridgeport caught fire. The bridge was the only way for vehicles to get back and forth; without it, residents had to walk across from Long Beach in Stratford, take a boat, or swim.

Over the course of a century before the fire, the Bridgeport-owned portion of the beach had been home to all kinds of entertainment projects. In 1892, the first incarnation of the amusement park was built. In the 1930’s, the Pleasure Beach Ballroom hosted world-famous big band acts such as Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman. Through the 1950’s and 60’s, the spot saw the construction of the original Polka Dot Playhouse, a roller skating rink, and other venues.

On the Stratford-owned half of the beach, over 40 cottages were built, many of which became so beloved by their owners that they continued to spend summers with their families at the getaways for years after the bridge burned and power lines began failing.

That’s all over now. The owners eventually gave up on the cottages as disagreements about money and the best use of the land between residents of both Stratford and Bridgeport caused both sides of the beach to languish in urban decay.

Scandal continues to characterize dealings surrounding Pleasure Beach/Long Beach West. Over the past few years, the now-abandoned cottages have been vandalized and looted, and a few of them burned to the ground in several cases of arson that still have not been solved.

In November 2008, Stratford residents voted overwhelmingly to sell their portion of Pleasure Beach to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) for ten million dollars. The town agreed to do so under the conditions that the FWS remove the buildings, and that the area be maintained as a nature preserve that would be accessible to Stratford residents in perpetuity.

But that deal has soured, as the federal government has lowered its assessment of the property’s value and town officials have butted heads over who gets to lead any revitalization efforts.

Meanwhile, several of the structures on the Bridgeport side were knocked over by contractors without the city administration’s knowledge or approval in the fall of 2009. It was later discovered to have been okayed by the Fire Department. The wreckage still hasn’t been removed, and debates have sparked over whether it poses an even greater safety hazard than the dilapidated buildings did when they were standing.

Last month, the FWS constructed a temporary road from Long Beach so that workers could tear down the remaining cottages and haul away the wreckage.

But they’ll have to wait until the end of the summer to do it, because there are other residents on Long Beach West/Pleasure Beach. And they require some privacy.

That’s because they are protected species of birds, and their nesting area lies in the grasses along the shore.

During the warmer months, the beach is literally swarming. There are plenty of seagulls, of course. There are also least terns, a small bird that with a black eye stripe and white underbelly that can be seen diving for fish alongside the gulls.

The most famous inhabitants by far, however, are the piping plover. Walk for a few minutes near their territory, and you are bound to hear their unmistakable call: a single, short, high-pitched “pip.” You’ll probably also see them scouring the beach for insects in their trademark style, which involves running a few yards, stopping suddenly, then running in a new direction.

The birds of Long Beach West are vivid examples of the upside to the area’s abandonment. The terns were first classified as endangered by the federal government in 1985, because their preferred nesting habitats on sandy shores were also prime real estate for humans. The plover, which are classified as threatened, are picky creatures – if there are too many humans or other large animals around their nesting sites, they move out.

Ever since the bridge burned, plants and animals have slowly begun taking over all of Pleasure Beach/Long Beach West. Without anyone to repair the roads, grasses and flowers managed to sprout between the tiny cracks in the pavement. Year after year, they patiently worked to uproot the blacktop from those crevices.

Now many of the roads are inaccessible; you’ll be confronted with a thicket so dense that you may wonder for a second if you’ve accidentally wandered into the Amazon. Parking lots that were once divided into neat rows by yellow paint are instead lined in geometric patterns of eye-high grass.

Some of the plants that have infiltrated the peninsula are rare in Connecticut. Sea lavenders, which grow only in limited ranges of marshy soil, fan their pink and purple rosettes throughout the summer. Prickly pear cactus pokes up from the sandy parts of the beach.

All sorts of common creatures have also moved in. Deer, foxes, and raccoons have all been spotted. You can’t walk more than a few yards without stumbling upon a rabbit. Even an owl has claimed the rafters of the old restaurant.

Perhaps the most awe-inspiring sight is up in the air, where ospreys circle or perch on trees. A number of them have built gigantic nests on top of the now-defunct telephone poles.

When you come anywhere near those nests, you can feel yourself being watched from above. And if you get too close, be ready for a close encounter; these raptors have no reservations about swooping at humans to protect their broods.

It’s difficult to imagine such a place within sight of HCC and I-95. But despite the other-worldly atmosphere of Pleasure Beach/Long Beach West, there is a real possibility that one day Bridgeport and Stratford will follow through with one of the many plans that have been proposed over the years to “revitalize” the area. It may have only taken 15 years for the wild to return to the beach, but it can always be blinked away with the signing of a contract.

For now, the plants and animals will continue to enjoy the magic of the land as much as their human counterparts once did.

Why We Dream What We Dream

By Susan Smith
News You Can Use Editor

“To sleep, perchance to dream.” –William Shakespeare

In November of 1899, psychoanalyst pioneer Sigmund Freud published a book called The Interpretation of Dreams. Although people since the Egyptians had been interested in both the spiritual and medical aspects of dream content, Freud’s examination of the unconscious state introduced the first comprehensive analysis of dreams to the realm of modern science.

Psychoanalysts and psychologists since then have been indebted to Freud’s previous advancements in understanding the mental state during dreams. Today there are associations devoted solely to the comprehension and analysis of dreams, many headed by psychologists and other scientists dedicated to advancing our knowledge of the sleeping mind.

However, it is apparent that the margin of this knowledge still remains quite slim.

Today, the most detailed case study on dreams was reported by psychology professors at the University of California, who created The Quantitative Study of Dreams, an organization that analyzes the content of dreams. The study surrounded the detailed account of 3,116 individual dreams over the span of 20+ years by a woman named Barb Sanders.

Dream researchers today have psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud to thank for his pioneering study of the human mind, and his book, The Interpretation of Dreams.
Photo Courtesy of bu.edu.

This detailed collection of dreams was provided by Sanders herself during the years between the late 1960s and up until 1997. During this time, she would record the content, length and often her reaction to each dream. Essentially, Sanders’s report is merely an extensive dream journal.

However, this journal is increasingly vital to researchers today since the amount of medical research into the mind is so slim, and the only way to really study detailed thought of the human brain is through recorded experience. This lengthy record is especially critical when studying such an intangible subject as the human dream, since it provides dream researchers the ability to measure actual statistics, such as dream length and content based on variables like age and gender.

Extensive analysis of the Sanders study helped develop certain theories about the content of dreams, highlighting the idea that our dreams are usually formed by elements relating to significant interests, worries, fears, aspirations and ideas that we experience during our waking life. The psychologist G. William Domhoff, who recorded the results of the analysis, summarized that “Dreams are dramatizations, or enactments, if you will, of our thoughts.”

This may seem like an obvious proposal when you experience a dream about a former spouse - as Sanders often did - or a big test you have the next day. It is simple to see when the worries or concerns of the day have carried into the night, and with no conscious decision on your part, your mind is infested with the tribulations you have put off during waking hours.

However, chances are you have also experienced dreams that are so bizarre you cannot begin to imagine any relatable inferences to your daily thoughts. For example, HCC student Storm Wyrt remarked on an unusual vision she experienced recently: “I dreamed I was killing rats! I was in some sort of room and they were everywhere, and I just kept stabbing them.”

When asked if she had any inkling as to why she encountered such an odd scene, she seemed clueless, remarking that she has “absolutely no idea” why she would imagine such a thing. For all intents and purposes, there is no relevant reasoning linking these strange visions to your daily experience. However, there are other mental explanations that may cause such unusual circumstances.

One theory is that our dreams may be associated with a connection to memory, an idea Freud introduced over 100 years ago. He proposed that memories stored years ago frequently surface in the unconscious state, often because something that day reminded you of that memory, whether or not you were consciously aware of it.

Freud himself did not recognize this possibility until he experienced it himself, when he explained a bizarre dream of a church tower that he was unfamiliar with. For years he saw the same vision of the structure in his dreams, thinking it was only something he created in his mind, until one day while traveling, “I then suddenly recognized it, with absolute certainty, at a small station between Salzburg and Reichenhall. This was in the late nineties, and the first time I had travelled over this route was in 1886.” It then became shockingly apparent to him that dreams can invite detailed memories from over 50 years prior.

Although modern science still cannot precisely delineate why we dream what we dream, there are some general interpretations of common dreams accepted by most sleep researchers.

Dr. Rosalind Cartwright, a doctor, author, and recipient of the Distinguished Scientist Award given by the Sleep Research Society, shared some insight on interpreting certain important dreams. “Usually we only remember the last dream of the night. That is the longest, most complex story, not to mention the most exciting one,” she explained. However, she advised that if a dream sequence was particularly vivid, unusual, or frightening, “we should stop and think about why we are dreaming that dream at this time.” By reflecting on the action in that dream, it is possible to form a general interpretation of why you dreamed what you did.

Paul McCartney claimed that the idea behind his song, Yesterday, was from a dream he had one night.
Photo courtesy of magazine.jamsbio.com.

For instance, many people have had the excessively scary dream where their teeth fall out. Cartwright explained that this physical decay is linked to a subconscious fear that the dreamer is “falling apart, or getting less attractive.” This may be why middle-aged or pubescent teen sleepers may experience such a nightmare.

Cartwright also mentioned less obvious scenarios. For instance, if you have a dream where you find a new or uncommon room in an otherwise familiar house or area, it could be an indication that you subconsciously believe there are hidden aspects in your family or relationships.

While interpretations like these seem probable, there is no precise scientific knowledge confirming that dreams provide interpretive allusions at all. And since sleep and psychology experts can rely only on individual case studies - like Barb Sanders - it is difficult to seamlessly insinuate meaning behind any subconscious ideas.

It seems the human mind has decided to keep us in the dark when it comes to the bizarre, confusing, complex reasoning behind our dreams.